Benjamin Church (military Officer) - King William's War

King William's War

During King William's War, Church led four New England raiding parties into Acadia (which included most of Maine) against the Acadians and Native Americans. On the first expedition into Acadia, on September 21, 1689, Major Benjamin Church and 250 troops defended a group of English settlers trying to establish themselves at Falmouth, Maine (present-day Portland, Maine). Natives killed 21 of his men, however, he was successful and the natives retreated. Church then returned to Boston leaving the small group of English settlers unprotected. (The following spring, May 1690, over 400 French and native troops under the leadership of Castin returned to Falmouth and massacred all the British settlers in the Battle of Fort Loyal. When Church returned to the village later that summer he buried the dead.)

In Church's second expedition a year later on 11 September 1690 he arrived with 300 men at Casco Bay. His mission was to relieve the English Fort Pejpescot (present day Brunswick, Maine), which had been taken by natives. He went up Androscoggin River to Fort Pejepscot. From there he went 40 miles up river to Livermore Falls, Maine and attacked a native village. Church's men shot 3-4 native men when they were retreating. Church discovered five English captives in the wigwams. Church butchered six or seven prisoners and took nine prisoners. A few days later, in retaliation, the natives attacked Church at Cape Elizabeth on Purpooduc Point, killing 7 of his men and wounding 24 others. On September 26, Church returned to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Church's third expedition during the war was in 1692 when he raided Penobscot (present-day Indian Island, Maine) with 450 men. Church and his men then went on to raid Taconock (Winslow, Maine).

Four years later, Church went on his forth expedition and carried out the Siege of Fort Nashwaak (1696) (present day Fredericton, New Brunswick) which was then Capital of Acadia, and the Raid on Chignecto (1696) in Acadia, now holding the rank of major. Despite weighing approximately 250 pounds, he led his troops personally in killing inhabitants of Chignecto, looting their household goods, burning their houses and slaughtering the livestock.