STEPHEN GREENLEAF Jr., IN MAINE

The next set of documents concern the campaign of 1689-1690 in Maine
during which Stephen Greenleaf Junior is supposed to have taken a major role
at a battle near Wells, Maine. But still, as these instructions show, he was seems to
have been in the ranks of junior officers in command. Once more, these
are from "A History of the State of Maine" from the Maine Historical Society.


"Instructions for Capt. Stephen Greenleaf.
Boston May 27° 1690./.
Captn Stephen Greenlefe,
You are Ordered forthwith to Advance with the Souldiers now put under yor Comand,
into the Eastern parts in and about Piscataqua or where else you may be advised when
you come upon the place, that you may do most Service for the defence of their Majties
Subjects and destruction of the Comon Enemy, untill you receive farther Orders.
Keep good order and Government over yor Souldiers, take the advice of the Comission
Military Officers and other Gentlemen of the place where you may come as to yor
proceeding, and all Opportunitys to advise the Governor and Council of yor motions,
Major Frost and Major Vaughan wilbe necessarily consulted by you And when the Forces
sent from this Colony are together Captn Edward Wyllys is to be owned as the first in
dignity./"

The One hundred Soldiers to be detached by their respective proportions.
"Ordered that ye Major Generall forthwith grant out his warrants to the Majors of the
severall Regiments of Militia hereafter mentioned for detaching their respective
proportions of Souldiers well appointed with armes and ammunition for their Majties
Service, as followeth to make up One hundred men Ordered for the strengthning of the
Forees Eastward (that is to say) Midd1 lower Regiment Seventeen, Upper Regiment
Twelve, Boston Regiment Sixteen, Suf- folke South Regiment Twenty, Essex South
Regiment ffifteen Middle Regiment ffiftcen, North Regiment ffive, to Randezvouz upon
Tuesday next the two and twentyeth of this instant where Each Major shall appoint who
is forthwith to send away his number under some suitable person unto Newbury and
deliver them to Captn Stephen Greenlefe junr to be by him conducted or sent unto
Piscataqua to be disposed of by Major Pike Comander in Chiefs for the filling up the
severall Companys there under his Comand not to be posted in Garrisons.

Voted & Consented to by ye deputies
Past in the affirmative by the Govr and Magistrates 17 : July, 1690. Isc Addington Secry"

Letter from Capt Greenleaf & Capt Wicom to Major Gen. Winthrop
"To the Worshipfull major Generall Waitt Winthop esqire.
These are to inform you that whereas by order from your selfe we prest severall of our
troopers to gard the commissioners that went to Wels to treate with the Indians the first
of may instant, that order may be given that those troopers may be paid for said servis
which will oblige your most humble servants
Stephen Greenlef Capt
May : 21 : 1691: Daniell Wicom Capt"


One of the things I find most fascinating about this group is the number of regiments
listed. Remember, the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies were barely 70 years
in the New World and there were now enough men to form the 7 regiments listed and
more!

As for Stephen Greenleaf Jr, while I've found no account as yet of his action at Wells,
Maine, I have found a record of his bravery in action closer to home in Massachusetts,
and I'll discuss it in my next post.