William Phips letter to William Blathwayt, 1692/1693 February 20

[Recto]

By the Captain of the Samuell & henry, I gave
you an account, that I had been in the Easterne partes
of this Province, with Six hundred men, & had driven the
French, & Indians from our ffronteers, & had killed ma
ny of them, & destroyed their Corne; they have not
since appeared in any considerable body, for the fort at
Pemaquid, hath hindred their making any further
attacque vpon us hitherto. I had also sent a Ship, &
a Brigantine, to Canada River to destroy the french
factories, & to discover their condicion, they landed
men in Severall places, & burnt many of their houses,
& have taken a french flyboate, in the mouth of the river
laden with Wine, Brandy, & other french goods. The
french at Canada, have been in great distress, for
want of Provisions, & the Ships that are arrived there, from
france, have not sufficiently supplied them, which
gives great advantage, for an attacque upon them, if
their Majesties are so pleased; when these vesselss were
sent out, I designed it upon the Publique account, for
their Majesties Service, & ordered men to be pressed,
but after I had made some progress therein, I found,
there was ^ ^not at that time mony enough in the treasury
to carry it forward, which induced me, to admitt Seve
rall merchants, that would advance mony to be con
cerned; when they were ready to Saile the men were put
to their choice, whither to go, or stay, vpon which some
went on shoar, & all the rest went Volunteers, & were not
forced to goe, contrary to their owne inclinations, as
some persons would represent the matter. I am.

[Verso]

To The Honourable William
Blathwayte Esquire att
Whitehall

Boston
20 February 1692/3
No. 2
From Sir William Phips

Received 24 May 1693
by Captain [?]

A Ship and a Brigantine sent.
to Canada River
Destroy severall setlements
took a french ffly boat
Provisens