The 'declaration,' however, does not appear to have had any salutary effect; for, although they were permitted to read the 'declaration,' yet, having no other treaty to offer, they were quietly dismissed to their own company, to whom they might have gone, if they would. But it seems that they did not return to governor Stone or his army.

It is possible, that the rapid advance of the party to the harbour of Providence, might have precluded the necessity of it; for, on the evening of the day after, governor Stone and his followers appeared in the river of Severn, at Providence, with eleven or twelve vessels, greater and lesser, in which their whole array was transported.

On the appearance of this fleet, captain Fuller called a council of war, at which Mr. William Durand, the secretary of the puritan government at Providence, was appointed to go on board a merchant ship, called the Golden Lyon, then lying at anchor in the river, of which one Heamans was master. Mr. Durand was directed to affix a proclamation on the mainmast of the said ship, directed to captain Heamans, commander thereof; in which proclamation, 'he (the said Heamans) was required, in the name of the lord protector and commonwealth of England, and for the maintenance of the just liberties, lives, and estates of the free subjects thereof, against an unjust power, to be aiding and assisting in this service.' It appears, that 'the said captain Heamans, at first, was unwilling, but afterwards, seeing the equity of the cause, and the groundless proceedings of the enemy, he offered himself, ship and men, for that service, to be directed by the said William Durand.'

Governor Stone, with his little fleet and army, had,

by this time, about the shutting in of the evening,' as it is said, on the 24th of March, (O. S.) arrived within the outer harbour of Providence. He was now also within the range of the shot of, the Golder. Lyon, from whence a gun was fired at him, in order, as is said, to bring him or some messenger on board. Governor Stone did not think it proper to pay any attention to this signal of war, as it appeared; but, having arrived within the mouth of the creek, which forms the southern boundary of the peninsula on which the city of Annapolis now stands, proceeded to land his men on a point of land which lies on the southern side of both the river Severn and the before mentioned creek, nearly opposite to and in an eastern direction from what is called the dock or inner harbour of Annapolis, and on which point or peninsula a small fortress, called Fort Horn, was afterwards built during the American revolutionary war. While governor

Stone was landing his men on this point of land or peninsula, the commander Heamans, or Mr. Durand, thought it proper to repeat their fire upon the boats of governor Stone as they were rowing to the shore. The shot thereof lighting somewhat near to them, the governor deemed it most prudent to send a messenger on board the Golden Lyon to know the reason of their conduct, with directions to the messenger to inform the captain of the ship that he (governor Stone) thought 'the captain of the ship had been satisfied.' To which the captain answered, (in a very blustering tone, as appears,) 'satisfied with what?-I never saw any power governor Stone had, to do as he hath done, but the superscription of a letter. I must and will appear for these in a good cause.' It would appear that

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governor Stone and the captain had some explanation previous to the firing of this last gun-at least it is fair so to presume, from the nature of the captain's reply to his message.

Governor Stone having moved his vessels further up the creek during the night, captain Heamans, or the puritans on shore, contrived early the next morning to place a vessel or vessels, 'with two pieces of ordinance' at the mouth of the creek, and by that means blockaded governor Stone's little fleet within the same, so as to prevent them from coming out. The governor soon after, however, on the same day, (Sunday, the 25th of March, 1654-'5, O. S.) appeared with his small army, in military parade, on a narrow neck of land, (most probably that on which the remains of the before mentioned fort now are,) near where he had landed. The captain of the ship (Heamans) observing this, brought his guns to bear upon them, and firing at them, killed one man, and by that means forced them to march further off into the neck. In the meantime captain Fuller, the puritan commander, with his company, consisting of a hundred and twenty men, embarked in their boats, most probably from the peninsula whereon Annapolis now stands, and went up the river some distance, where they landed and marched round the head of the creek to where governor Stone and his people were waiting to receive them, a distance of six miles.

"On the approach of the puritans, the sentry of the people of St. Mary's, or Marylanders, fired his alarm gun, when the men of governor Stone immediately appeared in order. Captain Fuller still expecting that governor Stone might possibly give a reason for their

coming, commanded his men upon pain of death not to shoot a gun, or give the first onset. Setting up the standard of the commonwealth of England, against which the enemy shot five or six guns, and killed one man in the front, before a shot was made by the other. 'Then the word was given, in the name of God fall on; God is our strength,-that was the word for Providence the Marylander's word was,-Hey for Saint Maries.

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'The charge was fierce and sharp for the time; but through the glorious presence of the Lord of Hosts, manifested in and towards his poor oppressed people, the enemy could not endure, but gave back, and were so effectually charged home, that they were all routed, turned their backs, threw down their arms, and begged mercy. After the first volley of shot, a small company of the enemy from behind a great tree fallen, galled us and wounded divers of our men, but were soon beaten off. Of the whole company of the Marylanders, there escaped only four or five, who run away out of the army to carry news to their confederates. Governor Stone, colonel Price, captain Gerrard, captain Lewis, captain Kendall, captain Guither, major Chandler, and all the rest of the councellors, officers and souldiers of the Lord Baltimore, among whom, both commanders and souldiers, a great number being papists, were taken, and so were all their vessels, arms, ammunition and provision; about fifty men slain and wounded. We lost only two in the field; but two died since of their wounds. God did appear wonderful in the field, and in the hearts of the people, all confessing him to be the only worker of this victory and deliverance.'

In giving the above account of the battle, the words of Mr. Leonard Strong have been used, who, it is probable, was an eye-witness, and in the battle, he being one of captain Fuller's council, at Providence.

It is alleged, that the puritans of Providence, several days after the fight, put to death four of governor Stone's party. We wish it was in our power to contradict and disprove this cold-blooded outrage, even at this late period, for the sake of humanity and the character of the first settlers of our native city; but the evidence seems to be too strong to admit a doubt of its truth.

Doctor Barber says, (and he appears to be entitled to full credit,) that, 'after the skirmish, the governor, upon quarter given him and all his company in the field, yielded to be taken prisoners; but, two or three days after, the victors condemned ten to death, and executed foure, and had executed all, had not the incessant petitioning and begging of some good women saved some, and the souldiers others; the governor himselfe being condemned by them, and since beg'd by the souldiers; some being saved just as they were leading out to execution.'

Mrs. Stone, also, in a letter to Lord Baltimore, states that, 'after quarter given, they tried all your councellors by a councell of warre, and sentence was passed upon my husband to be shot to death, but was after saved by the enemy's owne souldiers, and so the rest of the councellors were saved by the petitions of the women, with some other friends which they found there.'

The four who were shot to death after trial by courtmartial, were Mr. William Eltonhead, lieutenant Wil