Page:1898 NB Magazine.djvu/33
Stephen Smith, entered the St. John river in a sloop in August, burnt Fort Frederick and the barracks, took four men who were in the fort prisoners, and besides captured a brig of 120 tons, laden with oxen, sheep and swine intended for relief of the troops at Boston, the property of a merchant there."
It will be noticed that the visitors did not molest the settlers at Portland Point, though it is probable the latter were greatly alarmed. The loss would seem to have fallen mainly upon the unfortunate Boston merchant.
Governor Legge, of Nova Scotia, about this time received authority to raise a regiment for home defence. The corps was called the Royal Fencible Americans and placed under command of Colonel Joseph Gorham, an experienced and capable officer. One of the companies was commanded by Captain Gilfred Studholme, who had seen service in the army prior to the organization of the Royal Fencibles, and had at one time been in command of the garrison at St. John.
The burning of Fort Frederick seems to have been the first hostile act against Nova Scotia and it stirred up the authorities at Halifax to take measures for the defence of the province, although it was not until two years later that anything was done for the adequate protection of the settlers on the river St. John.
In May, 1776, two privateers came into St. John harbor, having taken on their way a schooner belonging to Hazen, Simonds and White with a cargo from the West Indies which they sent to New England. The privateers remained more than a week in the harbor and during that time an officer with a boat full of men was sent to Maugerville to inform the settlers there that the province was soon to be invaded from the westward, that privateers were numerous on the coast and would stop every description of intercourse unless the settlers would cast in their fortunes with their kinsmen in New England, and that if the Americans