any mutiny, commit other offence or disorders, you shall call a council of war amongst your officers, and having tried him or them so offending, inflict such punishment as the merit of the offence requires, death only excepted, which if any shall deserve, you are to secure the person, and signify the crime unto me by the first opportunity.

Given under my hand this 11th day of August, 1692.

WILLIAM PHIPS."

Then the Major and his forces embarked and made the best of their way to Penobscot. And coming to an island in those parts in the evening, landed his forces at one end of the island. Then the Major took part of his forces and moved (toward day) to the other end of the said island, where they found two Frenchmen and their families, in their houses; and, that one or both of them had Indian women to their wives, and had children by them. The Major presently examining the Frenchmen, [demanded] where the Indians were? They told him, that there was a great company of them upon an island just by. And showing him the island, [he] presently discovered several of them.

Major Church and his forces still keeping undiscovered to them, asked the Frenchmen where their passing place was? Which they readily showed them. So presently they placed an ambuscade to take any that should come over. Then sent orders for all the rest of the forces to come; sending them an account of what he had seen and met withal; strictly charging them to keep themselves undiscovered by the enemy. The ambuscade did not lie long before an Indian man and woman came over in a canoe, to the place for landing, where the ambuscade was laid. [They] hauled up their canoc, and came right into the hands of our ambuscade, who so suddenly surpris1 [who]

Car

ed them that they could not give any notice to the others from whence they came. The Major ordering that none of his should offer to meddle with the canoe, lest they should be discovered. Hoping to take the most of them, if his forces came as ordered, (he expecting them to come as directed.) But the first news [that] he had of them, was, that they were all coming, [and] not privately as ordered, but the vessels fair in sight of the enemy, which soon put them all to flight. And our forces not having boats suitable to pursue them, they got all away in their canoes, &c. [This] caused Major Church to say, [that] he would never go out again without [a] sufficient number of whale boats, [the]3 want of which was the ruin of that action.*

Then Major Church, according to his instructions,, ranged all those parts, to find all their corn, and carried aboard their vessels what he thought convenient, and destroyed the rest. Also finding considerable quantities of plunder, viz., beaver, moose skins, &c.

Having done what service they could in those parts, he returned back to his excellency at Pemequid. Where being come, staid not long, (they being short of bread) his excellency intended [going] home for Boston for more provisions. [In the way]1 going with Major Church and his forces to Kennebeck river; and coming there gave him further orders, which are as followeth.

"By his Excellency the Governour,

To Major BENJAMIN CHURCH.

You having already received former instructions, are now further to proceed with the soldiers under 2 [which] 3 [for] 4 [but before]

1 [though]

* Mather, II, 537, says that five prisoners were taken at this time.

your command for Kennebeck river, and the places adjacent, and use your utmost endeavours to kill, destroy and take captive the French and Indian enemy wheresoever you shall find any of them; and at your return to Pemequid (which you are to do as soon as you can conveniently; after your best endeavour done against the enemy, and having destroyed their corn and other provisions) you are to stay with all your soldiers and officers, and set them to work on the fort, and make what despatch you can in that business, staying there until my further order. WILLIAM PHIPS.”

Then his excellency taking leave went for Boston, and soon after, Major Church and his forces had a smart fight with the enemy in Kennebeck river; pursued them so hard that they left their canoes, and ran up into the woods. [They] still pursued them up to their fort at Taconock,* which the enemy perceiving, set fire to their houses in the fort, and ran away by the light of them; and when Major Church came to the said fort, [he] found about half their houses standing, and the rest burnt; also found great quantities of corn, put up into Indian cribs, which he and his forces destroyed, as ordered.

Having done what service he could in those parts, returned to Pemequid. And coming there, employed his forces according to his instructions. Being out of bread [and] his excellency not coming, Major Church was obliged to borrow bread of the Captain of the man of war, that was then there, for all the forces under his command; his excellency not coming as expected. But at length his excellency came, and brought very little bread, more than

This fort was about 64 miles from the sea. Taconock, or as Sullivan has it, Taconnet is a great fall of water in the Kennebeck. At this place, by order of Gov. Shirley, a fort was built on the east bank of the river (in 1754) and called fort Halifax. Minot's Hist. I, 186.

would pay what was borrowed of the man of war; so that in a short time after Major Church, with his forces, returned home to Boston, and had their wages for their good service done.

Only one thing, by the way, I will just mention; that is, about the six pounds [which] Major Church borrowed as beforementioned, and put into the hands of Mr. Fobes, who distributed the said money, all but thirty shillings, to the Indian soldiers, as directed, which was deducted out of their wages, and the country had credit for the same. And the said Fobes kept the thirty shillings to himself, which was deducted out of his wages. Whereupon Major Walley and [the] said Fobes had some words. In short Major Church was obliged to expend about six pounds of his own money in marching down the forces both English and Indians, to Boston, having no drink allowed them upon the road, &c So, that instead of Major Church's having the allowances aforementioned by Major Walley, he was out or pocket about twelve pounds over and above what he had; all which had not been, had not his excellency been gone out of the country.

THE FOURTH EXPEDITION EAST.

In 1696, Major Church being at Boston, and belonging to the house of representatives, several gentlemen requesting him to go east again, and the general court having made acts of encouragement, &c. He told them, [that] if they would provide whale boats, and other necessaries convenient, he I would. Being also requested by the said general court, he proceeded to raise volunteers; and made it his whole business, riding both east and west in our province and Connecticut, at great charge and expenses. And in about a month's time, raised a

sufficient number out of those parts, and marched them down to Boston. Where he had the promise that every thing should be ready in three weeks, or a month's time; but was obliged to stay considerably longer. Being now at Boston, he received his commission and instructions, which are as followeth.

"WILLIAM STOUGHTON,* Esquire, Lieutenant Governour, and Commander in Chief, in and over his Majesty's province of Massachusetts bay, in Newengland,

To Major BENJAMIN CHURCH, Greeting.

Whereas there are several companies raised, consisting of Englishmen and Indians, for his Majesty's service, to go forth upon the encouragement given by the great and general court, or assembly of this his Majesty's province, convened at Boston, the 27th day of May, 1696, to prosecute the French and Indian enemy, &c. And you having offered yourself to take the command and conduct of the said several companies. By virtue, therefore, of the power and authority in and by his Majesty's royal commission to me granted, reposing special trust and confidence in your loyalty, prudence, courage

* Mr. Stoughton was the son of Israel Stoughton of Dorchester, at which place he was born in 1632. He graduated at Harvard college, 1650, and engaging in the study of divinity, is said to have made an excellent preacher, but was never settled. Is also said to have possessed good talents and great learning. It may be allowed that he had a great deal of some kind of learning, and yet, destitute of much solid understanding or science. This no one will doubt, when informed that he was one of the principal judges, who sat and condemned so many unfortunate persons for the imaginary crime of witchcraft, in the witch age of Salem; and to add to his misfortunes, Dr. Eliót says, that " he was more obstinate in his errour than others on the bench." When Phips left the government, he was the commander in chief. In 1700 he was again in the office. He died in 1702. At his expense was the college called Stoughton hail built N. E. Biog. 444, 5,