Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 13, 1689-1692
Dec 3: Copy of a letter from Rochelle.
Bad news has come from Canada this week that the English are high up the river before Quebec. We have great fear that some of our ships bound for Canada may fall into English hands before they can be warned. Our news says that the inhabitants of Quebec had abandoned the lower, and retired into the upper town, with resolution to make a stubborn defence. We hear that 3,000 men have marched from Boston against Montreal. We are busy fitting out five great ships at Rochefort, which are to be joined by others, though for what service we know not; some say for the West Indies and some for Ireland.
Dec 9: Minutes of Council of Virginia. On news of the defeat of the New England forces in Canada, ordered that the Council meet on 12 January to consult for the defence of the Colony. Order forbidding more than twenty Irishmen to be sold on any one river and prohibiting export of powder and shot. Order for Captain Rowe to be vigilant in speaking all ships in the bay for intelligence. Order for securing powder and shot that is in the hands of traders.
Dec 12: Abstract of a letter from Mr. Samuel Myles, Minister at Boston.
We are in a deplorable condition. Every motion made since the revolution has been blasted by Almighty Providence. I confine myself to the expedition to Canada. About 2,500 men were sent under Sir William Phipps. After arrival and three days’ stay they sent ashore a summons, but were answered with defiance.
They then landed one thousand or more men, and the ships fired, some against the town, some against the rocks, like men in a fright. The land army advancing had a few men killed and wounded. They then called a Council of war, which continued until the French had fortified the place on the river where they were to pass, and there made some show of their men. Our men seeing this seemed as if to give battle, but cunningly ran in the night to their ships, leaving cannon, drums and colours to the enemy, and soon after set sail to New England.
Some of the vessels are arrived, having lost some half of their men, some more than half, some even all, not having one man not sickly on board before they left Canada. There are great complaints of neglect and want of proper provision and care, men being dead in holes before they were missed, and some having their eyes and cheeks eaten by cats before they were found. Those who are arrived at Boston or elsewhere die up and down like rotten sheep. The cost of the expedition is set down at £50,000, for which the people are rated, though already intolerably taxed. I fear there will be bloodshed as at New York. The French are making great preparations and we are utterly unable to defend ourselves. The men have been so horribly abused and cheated in late expeditions that they will not go. Few if any of the soldiers employed on the frontier have been paid, unless they have great relations. The people cannot conceive what becomes of all the money taken from them, unless it is sent to Mr. Mather to procure the Charter. Young Mr. Mather informs the people that the reason for our calamities is permitting the little chapel for the Church of England among us. It is insufferable for it to stand, according to him, though it is battered and shattered most lamentably already.
Dec 16: Depositions of John Swyndale and another, taken at Virginia, 14 June, 1690.
That at the end of August thirty ships under Sir William Phips sailed for Canada, and anchored two miles belowQuebec for three days. On landing the men fell into an ambuscade, and lost forty of their number, but beat off the French. Some time after the landing four ships sailed up the river, engaged the town for a day and dropped down again. Phips then ordered the land forces aboard, leaving five guns ashore and the dead unburied and sailed after some delay for New England. The fleet was dispersed by a storm, and on the 12th December five ships were still missing. Five hundred men were dead, chiefly for want of food and clothes. Want of ammunition drove the fleet from the river.
Dec 16: Abstract of deposition of Henry Greverat, taken at Virginia. 16 December, 1690.
Information of Henry Greverat. Most of the inhabitants of New York, being dissatisfied with Leisler’s proceedings and weary of heavy taxes and oppression, began to mutiny, so much so that a hundred and fifty of them marched against New York under Major Willet. They were met by Captain Milborne at the head of about three hundred men, who, being asked by the Long Island men why he came on their lands, answered by abusing them, and at last coming to blows struck one of them with the butt of his musket and fired, upon which all his party fired also. The Long Island men then retreated saying that they had no orders to fire, and escaped in different directions. The French were said to have assembled sixteen tribes of Indians and to be within sixteen days’ march of Albany. Pennsylvania was without arms and without permission to use them.
Citation: America and West Indies: December 1690′, in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 13, 1689-1692, ed. J W Fortescue (London, 1901), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol13/pp367-375 [accessed 16 March 2026].
General Orders, 13 March 1781
Maj. Gen. William Heath wrote GW’s aide-de-camp David Humphreys from West Point on this date with intelligence “that a party of the Enemy were out” near Dobbs Ferry, New York. “If any thing Transpires, you shall hear further” (MHi: Heath Papers). Heath then wrote Humphreys on 14 March: “In mine of yesterday I informed you of the intelligence I had received from Capt. Pray at the Block House at Dobbs Ferry.
“The detachment which I Sent to countenance and Support the militia consisted of 150 rank and file with one field Peice and a detachment of artillery, The Zeal and alacrity with which they embarked and the expedition with which they proceeded has done them honor they embarked Yesterday about noon, proceeded to Kings ferry debarked and marched as far as Haverstraw; where they met the militia returning, on which they reembarked, returned to this Post and are now debarking, The whole Performed in 24 Hours, It appears the Enemy came from Pawles Hook about 200 Strong with Two Field Peices and advanced within about three miles of the Block House, (which was reported to have been invested,) The militia turning out with their usual Spirit, attacked repulsed and pursued the Enemy untill they had retaken all their plunder except Two Horses, The Militia had none killed and one man only wounded, it is thought the Enemy had Several killed, and wounded” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Wilson, Heath’s Memoirs, 290–91).
British major Frederick Mackenzie, stationed in New York City, wrote in his diary entry for 13 March: “A party of the Refugees amounting to about 140, with a small field piece, marched from their post at Bergen point the Evening of the 11th Inst in order to surprize a Block house the Rebels have near Sneeding’s ferry, and to destroy some boats they have at that place. They were joined at the three Pigeons by another party of Refugees from New York, and the whole proceeded on their march for the Block-house, but before they reached Closter, they were fired upon by several detached parties of Rebels, who had discover’d, or received information of their approach; the badness of the roads having prevented them from accomplishing their march within the time they expected, and finding they were discovered, and the Rebels assembling in numbers superior to them, they judged it most prudent to return to Bergen point, which place they reached yesterday, having Skirmished with the Rebels the whole way. The Refugees lost one man, who was killed by his horse falling, and had two wounded. They say the Rebels lost several men, but they could not ascertain the number”
