capable, no doubt, of preaching Calvinistic
sermons to the students, but totally unfit to command men or conduct a
siege.

Young William Dudley was writing meanwhile to his father how jealousies
and quarrels were rife among the officers, how their conduct bred
disorder and desertion among the soldiers, and how Colonel March and
others behaved as if they had nothing to do but make themselves
popular.[117] Many of the officers seem, in fact, to have been small
politicians in search of notoriety, with an eye to votes or
appointments. Captain Stuckley, of the British frigate, wrote to the
governor in great discontent about the "nonsensical malice" of
Lieutenant-Colonel Appleton, and adds, "I don't see what good I can do
by lying here, where I am almost murdered by mosquitoes."[118]

The three commissioners came at last, with a reinforcement of another
frigate and a hundred recruits, which did not supply losses, as the
soldiers had deserted by scores. In great ill-humor, the expedition
sailed back to Port Royal, where it was found that reinforcements had
also reached the French, including a strongly manned privateer from
Martinique. The New England men landed, and there was some sharp
skirmishing in an orchard. Chaplain Barnard took part in the fray. "A
shot brushed my wig," he says, "but I was mercifully preserved. We soon
drove them out of the orchard, killed a few of them, desperately wounded
the privateer captain, and after that we all embarked and returned to
Boston as fast as we could." This summary statement is imperfect, for
there was a good deal of skirmishing from the thirteenth August to the
twentieth, when the invaders sailed for home. March was hooted as he
walked Boston streets, and children ran after him crying, "Wooden
sword!" There was an attempt at a court-martial; but so many officers
were accused, on one ground or another, that hardly enough were left to
try them, and the matter was dropped. With one remarkable exception, the
New England militia reaped scant laurels on their various expeditions
eastward; but of all their shortcomings, this was the most
discreditable.[119]

Meanwhile events worthy of note were passing in Newfoundland. That
island was divided between the two conflicting powers,--the chief
station of the French being at Placentia, and that of the English at St.
John. In January, 1705, Subercase, who soon after became governor of
Acadia, marched with four hundred and fifty soldiers, Canadi