CANADA HISTORY

Phips

William Phips, a central figure in the early colonial history of Massachusetts, played a pivotal role in one of the earliest major conflicts between the French and English in North America. His leadership during the conflict between New England and New France in the late 17th century left a lasting mark on the development of colonial self-government and the struggle for dominance in North America. Phips' life, from humble beginnings to a prominent military and political leader, demonstrates the complex interplay of economic ambition, military power, and colonial rivalry that shaped the early history of what would become Canada.

Born in Massachusetts on February 2, 1651, in what is now Maine, Phips came from modest beginnings. He left his home for Boston at an early age and worked in the merchant shipping industry, steadily rising through the ranks to become a captain. In 1687, he achieved notable success by recovering a long-lost Spanish treasure ship, an exploit that garnered him substantial wealth and fame. His share of the treasure, 16%, made him a wealthy man, while the rest was distributed among his investors and the English Crown. This successful venture earned him significant recognition, leading to his appointment as the Governor of Massachusetts, where he oversaw the establishment of colonial self-government and the development of a judicial system for the colony.

However, Phips’ legacy is most closely tied to the conflict that erupted between France and England in 1689, a struggle that would have profound consequences for the future of North America. The War of the League of Augsburg (1689–1697), also known as King William's War in North America, marked the beginning of a long series of wars between the two colonial powers. The conflict quickly spread to the New World, where the French under Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac, were ordered to conduct aggressive raids against the English colonies. French forces and their Indigenous allies launched attacks on English frontier settlements, burning villages, capturing inhabitants, and killing many others. These assaults were shocking to the New England colonists, who found themselves under direct and brutal attack.

In response to the French threat, Phips was placed in command of a naval and land expedition to strike back against the French. His first significant military success came in May 1690, when he led an expedition to Acadia, the French colony centered at Port Royal (now in Nova Scotia). On May 22, 1690, Phips and his forces overwhelmed the French garrison at Port Royal, securing the region for England. This victory was a crucial turning point in the early stages of the conflict, as it deprived the French of an important foothold in the region and demonstrated that the English colonies were capable of offensive military action.

Flush with success, Phips quickly set his sights on a more ambitious target: Quebec City, the capital of New France. Quebec was the heart of French power in North America, and its capture would have dealt a devastating blow to French ambitions on the continent. By August of 1690, Phips had assembled a fleet of 34 ships, including four large warships, and a force of over 2,000 men. His expedition set sail for Quebec City, arriving on August 19. Upon arrival, Phips demanded the surrender of the city, hoping that the mere threat of his fleet and soldiers would force the French into submission.

The French commander in Quebec, Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac, was not so easily intimidated. Frontenac famously responded to Phips’ demand for surrender with defiance, declaring, “The only answer I have for you general will come from the mouths of my cannon and muskets. Let him learn this is not the way a man such as me is to be summoned." This bold rejection set the stage for a fierce battle between the two forces.

Phips launched his attack near the St. Charles River, but the English assault was met with fierce resistance from French troops under the command of Jacques Le Moyne de Sainte-Hélène, a renowned leader of French forces in the region. Sainte-Hélène and his men successfully repelled the British assault, forcing Phips to reconsider his strategy. Meanwhile, Quebec’s defenders, using cannons positioned on the heights overlooking the city, rained artillery fire down on Phips’ fleet. The geography of Quebec, perched on the high cliffs above the St. Lawrence River, provided a formidable natural defense that the British fleet could not easily overcome.

As the days dragged on, the French bombardment took its toll on Phips' forces. By October 24, 1690, the situation had become untenable for the British. Cold weather was setting in, and Phips feared that his ships might become trapped in the St. Lawrence River as winter approached and the waters began to freeze. Unwilling to risk losing his entire fleet to the harsh Canadian winter, Phips made the difficult decision to abandon the siege of Quebec and ordered his forces to withdraw. The British fleet weighed anchor and returned to Boston in December, battered and having lost several ships during the retreat.

The failure of Phips’ expedition was a significant victory for New France and solidified the reputation of Frontenac as a capable and determined leader. Quebec, the jewel of New France, remained firmly in French hands, and the French forces in the region, though stretched thin, had demonstrated their ability to defend their territory against a major English assault.

For Phips, the failed siege of Quebec was a personal and political setback. Although he had achieved some success in Acadia, the failure to take Quebec marked the limits of English colonial power in North America at the time. However, the larger implications of this failed assault would resonate in future conflicts between France and England. The British would not attempt another major assault on Quebec until 1759, during the Seven Years’ War, when General James Wolfe successfully captured the city in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

Phips' military campaign against Quebec also highlights the broader context of colonial conflict in North America. The struggle for control of the continent was not simply a matter of European empires fighting distant wars. It was a battle that deeply affected the lives of the colonists and Indigenous peoples caught in the middle. The frontier raids by French forces and their Indigenous allies brought the horrors of war directly to New England’s doorstep, while English retaliation, such as the attacks on Port Royal and the siege of Quebec, had far-reaching consequences for the French settlers and their allies.

Phips' actions also underscore the evolving relationship between the colonies and their European mother countries. His rise to power, aided by personal ambition and financial success, was emblematic of the new opportunities available to colonial leaders. His leadership in Massachusetts and his efforts to establish colonial self-government demonstrated the increasing independence of the colonies from direct royal control, a trend that would continue to grow in the coming decades.

In conclusion, William Phips’ expedition against Quebec was a key episode in the early colonial history of North America and in the ongoing struggle between France and England for control of the continent. While his campaign ultimately failed, it was part of a broader pattern of conflict that would define the history of New France and New England for generations. The failed siege of Quebec in 1690, along with Phips’ earlier successes in Acadia, demonstrated both the limits and possibilities of colonial military power, setting the stage for the larger conflicts that would eventually determine the fate of North America.