1689 Boston revolt
Encyclopedia
The 1689 Boston revolt was a popular uprising on April 18, 1689, against the rule of Sir Edmund Andros
, the governor of the Dominion of New England
. A well-organized "mob" of provincial militia and citizens formed in the city and arrested dominion officials. Members of the Church of England
, believed by Puritans to sympathize with dominion rulers, were also taken into custody by the rebels. Neither faction sustained casualties during the revolt. Leaders of the former Massachusetts Bay Colony
then reclaimed control of the government. In other colonies, members of governments replaced by that of the dominion were returned to power.
Andros, commissioned governor of New England in 1686, had earned the enmity of the local populace by enforcing the restrictive Navigation Acts
, denying the validity of existing land titles, restricting town meeting
s, and appointing unpopular regular officers to lead colonial militia, among other actions. Furthermore, he had infuriated Puritan
s in Boston
by promoting the Church of England, which was disliked by many Nonconformist New England colonists.
began taking steps to reorganize the colonies of New England
. The charter of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
was revoked in 1684 after its Puritan rulers refused to act on his demands for reforms in the colony, and Charles sought to streamline the administration of the small colonies and bring them more closely under crown control. Charles died in 1685, and his successor, the Roman Catholic James II
, continued the process, which culminated in the creation of the Dominion of New England
.
In 1686, the former governor of New York
, Sir Edmund Andros, was appointed as dominion governor. The dominion was composed of the territories of the Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut
, New Hampshire
, and Rhode Island
colonies. In 1688, its jurisdiction was expanded to include New York and East
and West Jersey
.
Andros's rule was extremely unpopular in New England. He disregarded local representation, denied the validity of existing land titles in Massachusetts (which had been dependent on the old charter), restricted town meeting
s, and actively promoted the Church of England
in largely Puritan regions. He enforced the Navigation Acts
, unpopular laws that threatened the legality of certain New England trading practices. The royal troops stationed in Boston
, whose officers included Anglicans and Roman Catholics, were also disliked. Some of the officers, considered supporters of the governor, mistreated the colonial militia they commanded.
In England, James became increasingly unpopular. The king alienated otherwise supportive Tories with his attempts to relax penal laws, and in 1687 issued the Declaration of Indulgence
, establishing some freedom of religion
, a move opposed by the Anglican church hierarchy. He increased the power of the regular army, an action seen by many Parliamentarians as a threat to their authority, and placed Catholics in important military positions. James also attempted to place sympathizers in Parliament who he hoped would repeal the Test Act
, which required a strict Anglican religious test for many civil offices. With the birth of his son and potential successor James
in June 1688, some Whigs and Tories set aside their political differences and conspired to replace James with his Protestant son-in-law, William, Prince of Orange
. The Dutch prince, who had tried fruitlessly to get James to reconsider his policies, agreed to an invasion, and the nearly bloodless revolution
that followed in November and December 1688 established William and his wife Mary
as co-rulers.
The religious leaders of Massachusetts, led by Cotton
and Increase Mather
, were opposed to the rule of Andros, and they organized dissent targeted to influence the court in London. After King James published the Declaration of Indulgence, Increase Mather sent an appreciation letter to the king regarding the declaration, and suggested to other Massachusetts pastors that they also express gratitude to the king as a means to gain favor and influence. Ten pastors agreed to do so, and they decided to send Increase Mather to England to press their case against Andros. Despite dominion secretary Edward Randolph's repeated attempts to stop him (including pressing criminal charges), Mather was clandestinely spirited aboard a ship bound for England in April 1688. He and other Massachusetts agents were received by James, who promised in October 1688 that the colony's concerns would be addressed. The events of the revolution, however, halted this attempt to gain redress.
The Massachusetts agents then petitioned the new monarchs and the Lords of Trade (predecessors to the Board of Trade
that oversaw colonial affairs) for restoration of the Massachusetts charter. Mather furthermore convinced the Lords of Trade to delay notifying Andros of the revolution. He had already dispatched, to previous colonial governor Simon Bradstreet
, a letter containing news of a report (prepared before the revolution) stating that the annulment of the Massachusetts charter had been illegal, and that the magistrates should "prepare the minds of the people for a change." Rumors of the revolution apparently reached some individuals in Boston before official news arrived. John Nelson
, a Boston merchant who would figure prominently in the revolt, wrote of the events in a letter dated late March, and the letter prompted a meeting of senior anti-Andros political and religious leaders in Massachusetts.
Andros first received a warning of the impending revolt against his control while leading an expedition to fortify Pemaquid (present-day Bristol, Maine
), intending to protect the area against French and Indian attacks. In early January 1688/9, he received a letter from James describing the Dutch military buildup. On January 10 he issued a proclamation warning against Protestant agitation and prohibiting an uprising against the dominion. The military force he led in Maine was composed of British regulars and militia from Massachusetts and Maine. The militia companies were commanded by regulars, who imposed harsh discipline that alienated the militiamen from their officers. Alerted to the meetings in Boston, and in receipt of unofficial reports of the revolution, Andros returned there from Maine in mid-March. Amid wild rumors that Andros had brought them to Maine as part of a so-called "popish plot", the militia there mutinied, and those from Massachusetts began to make their way home. When a copy of a proclamation announcing the revolution reached Boston in early April, Andros had the messenger arrested, but his news was distributed, emboldening the people. Andros wrote to his commander at Pemaquid on April 16 that "there is a general buzzing among the people, great with expectation of their old charter", even as he prepared to have the returning deserters arrested and shipped back to Maine. The threat of arrests by their own colonial militia increased tensions between the people of Boston and the dominion government.
just across the Charles River
, and at Roxbury, located at the far end of the neck
connecting Boston to the mainland. At about 8:00 am the Charlestown companies boarded boats and crossed the river, while the Roxbury companies marched down the neck and into the city. Simultaneously, conspirators from the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company
entered the homes of the regimental drummers in the city, confiscating their equipment. Joined by a growing mob, the militia companies met up at about 8:30 and began arresting dominion and regimental leaders. They eventually surrounded Fort Mary, where Andros was quartered.
Among the first to be arrested was Captain John George of the HMS Rose, who came ashore between 9:00 and 10:00, only to be met by a platoon of militia and the ship's carpenter, who had joined the rebels. When George demanded to see an arrest warrant, the militiamen drew their swords and took him into custody. By about 10:00, most of the dominion and military officials had either been arrested or fled to the safety of Castle Island or other fortified outposts. Boston Anglicans, including a churchwarden and an apothecary, were rounded up by the mob. Sometime before noon an orange flag was raised on Beacon Hill, signaling another 1,500 militiamen to enter the city. These troops formed up in the market square, where a declaration was read. In it, the leaders claimed to support "the noble Undertaking of the Prince of Orange", and to rise up because of a "horrid Popish Plot" that had been uncovered.
The old Massachusetts colonial leadership, headed by ex-governor Simon Bradstreet, then urged Governor Andros to surrender for his own safety, citing the mob of which they claimed to be "wholly ignorant". He refused and instead tried to escape to the Rose. A boat that came ashore from the Rose was intercepted by militia, and Andros was forced back into Fort Mary. Negotiations ensued and Andros agreed to leave the fort to meet with the rebel council. Promised safe conduct, he was marched under guard to the townhouse where the council had assembled. There he was told (as an anonymous account of the exchange described it) that "they must and would have the Government in their own hands", and that he was under arrest. He was taken to the home of dominion official John Usher, and held under close watch.
The Rose and Fort William on Castle Island refused to surrender immediately. On the 19th, when the ship's crew on the Rose was told that the captain had planned to take the ship to France to join the exiled James, a struggle ensued, and the Protestants among the crew took down the ship's rigging. After the troops on Castle Island saw this, they surrendered.
After Fort Mary fell on the 19th, Andros was moved there from Usher's house. He was confined with Joseph Dudley
and other dominion officials until June 7, when he was transferred to Castle Island. A story circulated widely that he attempted an escape dressed in women's clothing. This was disputed by the Anglican minister in Boston, Robert Ratcliff, who claimed that story and others had "not the least foundation of Truth", and that they were "falsehoods, and lies" propagated to "render the Governour odious to his people." Andros did make a successful escape from Castle Island on August 2, after his servant bribed the sentries with liquor. He managed to flee to Rhode Island, but was recaptured soon thereafter and kept in what was virtually solitary confinement. He and others arrested in the wake of the revolt were held for 10 months before being sent to England for trial. Massachusetts agents in London refused to sign the documents listing the charges against Andros, so he was summarily acquitted and released. He later served as governor of Virginia and Maryland
.
During his captivity, Andros had been able to send a message to Francis Nicholson
, his New York
-based lieutenant governor. Nicholson received the request for assistance in mid-May, but most of his troops had been sent to Maine, and with rising tensions in New York, he was unable to take any effective action. Nicholson himself was overthrown
by a faction led by Jacob Leisler
, and he fled to England. Leisler governed New York until 1691, when a detachment of troops arrived, followed by Henry Sloughter
, commissioned governor by William and Mary. Sloughter had Leisler tried on charges of high treason; he was convicted and executed.
After the suppression of Leisler's Rebellion and the reinstatement of colonial governments in New England, no further effort was made by English officials to restore the "shattered" dominion. Once the fait accompli
of Andros' arrest was known, the discussion in London turned to dealing with Massachusetts and its revoked charter. Out of these discussions came the formation of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
in 1691, merging Massachusetts with the charterless Plymouth Colony and territories previously belonging to New York, including Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard
, the Elizabeth Islands
, and parts of Maine. Increase Mather was unsuccessful in his attempts to restore the old Puritan rule: the new charter called for an appointed governor and religious tolerance.
Edmund Andros
Sir Edmund Andros was an English colonial administrator in North America. Andros was known most notably for his governorship of the Dominion of New England during most of its three-year existence. He also governed at various times the provinces of New York, East and West Jersey, Virginia, and...
, the governor of the Dominion of New England
Dominion of New England
The Dominion of New England in America was an administrative union of English colonies in the New England region of North America. The dominion was ultimately a failure because the area it encompassed was too large for a single governor to manage...
. A well-organized "mob" of provincial militia and citizens formed in the city and arrested dominion officials. Members of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, believed by Puritans to sympathize with dominion rulers, were also taken into custody by the rebels. Neither faction sustained casualties during the revolt. Leaders of the former Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
then reclaimed control of the government. In other colonies, members of governments replaced by that of the dominion were returned to power.
Andros, commissioned governor of New England in 1686, had earned the enmity of the local populace by enforcing the restrictive Navigation Acts
Navigation Acts
The English Navigation Acts were a series of laws that restricted the use of foreign shipping for trade between England and its colonies, a process which had started in 1651. Their goal was to force colonial development into lines favorable to England, and stop direct colonial trade with the...
, denying the validity of existing land titles, restricting town meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
s, and appointing unpopular regular officers to lead colonial militia, among other actions. Furthermore, he had infuriated Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
s in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
by promoting the Church of England, which was disliked by many Nonconformist New England colonists.
Background
In the early 1680s, King Charles II of EnglandCharles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
began taking steps to reorganize the colonies of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. The charter of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
was revoked in 1684 after its Puritan rulers refused to act on his demands for reforms in the colony, and Charles sought to streamline the administration of the small colonies and bring them more closely under crown control. Charles died in 1685, and his successor, the Roman Catholic James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, continued the process, which culminated in the creation of the Dominion of New England
Dominion of New England
The Dominion of New England in America was an administrative union of English colonies in the New England region of North America. The dominion was ultimately a failure because the area it encompassed was too large for a single governor to manage...
.
In 1686, the former governor of New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
, Sir Edmund Andros, was appointed as dominion governor. The dominion was composed of the territories of the Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut
Connecticut Colony
The Connecticut Colony or Colony of Connecticut was an English colony located in British America that became the U.S. state of Connecticut. Originally known as the River Colony, it was organized on March 3, 1636 as a haven for Puritan noblemen. After early struggles with the Dutch, the English...
, New Hampshire
Province of New Hampshire
The Province of New Hampshire is a name first given in 1629 to the territory between the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers on the eastern coast of North America. It was formally organized as an English royal colony on October 7, 1691, during the period of English colonization...
, and Rhode Island
Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original English Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America that, after the American Revolution, became the modern U.S...
colonies. In 1688, its jurisdiction was expanded to include New York and East
East Jersey
The Province of East Jersey and the Province of West Jersey were two distinct, separately governed parts of the Province of New Jersey that existed as separate provinces for 28 years, between 1674 and 1702. East Jersey's capital was located at Perth Amboy...
and West Jersey
West Jersey
West Jersey and East Jersey were two distinct parts of the Province of New Jersey. The political division existed for 28 years, between 1674 and 1702...
.
Andros's rule was extremely unpopular in New England. He disregarded local representation, denied the validity of existing land titles in Massachusetts (which had been dependent on the old charter), restricted town meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
s, and actively promoted the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in largely Puritan regions. He enforced the Navigation Acts
Navigation Acts
The English Navigation Acts were a series of laws that restricted the use of foreign shipping for trade between England and its colonies, a process which had started in 1651. Their goal was to force colonial development into lines favorable to England, and stop direct colonial trade with the...
, unpopular laws that threatened the legality of certain New England trading practices. The royal troops stationed in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, whose officers included Anglicans and Roman Catholics, were also disliked. Some of the officers, considered supporters of the governor, mistreated the colonial militia they commanded.
In England, James became increasingly unpopular. The king alienated otherwise supportive Tories with his attempts to relax penal laws, and in 1687 issued the Declaration of Indulgence
Declaration of Indulgence
The Declaration of Indulgence was two proclamations made by James II of England and VII of Scotland in 1687. The Indulgence was first issued for Scotland on 12 February, and then for England on 4 April 1687...
, establishing some freedom of religion
Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any...
, a move opposed by the Anglican church hierarchy. He increased the power of the regular army, an action seen by many Parliamentarians as a threat to their authority, and placed Catholics in important military positions. James also attempted to place sympathizers in Parliament who he hoped would repeal the Test Act
Test Act
The Test Acts were a series of English penal laws that served as a religious test for public office and imposed various civil disabilities on Roman Catholics and Nonconformists...
, which required a strict Anglican religious test for many civil offices. With the birth of his son and potential successor James
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
in June 1688, some Whigs and Tories set aside their political differences and conspired to replace James with his Protestant son-in-law, William, Prince of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
. The Dutch prince, who had tried fruitlessly to get James to reconsider his policies, agreed to an invasion, and the nearly bloodless revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
that followed in November and December 1688 established William and his wife Mary
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
as co-rulers.
The religious leaders of Massachusetts, led by Cotton
Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather, FRS was a socially and politically influential New England Puritan minister, prolific author and pamphleteer; he is often remembered for his role in the Salem witch trials...
and Increase Mather
Increase Mather
Increase Mather was a major figure in the early history of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Province of Massachusetts Bay . He was a Puritan minister who was involved with the government of the colony, the administration of Harvard College, and most notoriously, the Salem witch trials...
, were opposed to the rule of Andros, and they organized dissent targeted to influence the court in London. After King James published the Declaration of Indulgence, Increase Mather sent an appreciation letter to the king regarding the declaration, and suggested to other Massachusetts pastors that they also express gratitude to the king as a means to gain favor and influence. Ten pastors agreed to do so, and they decided to send Increase Mather to England to press their case against Andros. Despite dominion secretary Edward Randolph's repeated attempts to stop him (including pressing criminal charges), Mather was clandestinely spirited aboard a ship bound for England in April 1688. He and other Massachusetts agents were received by James, who promised in October 1688 that the colony's concerns would be addressed. The events of the revolution, however, halted this attempt to gain redress.
The Massachusetts agents then petitioned the new monarchs and the Lords of Trade (predecessors to the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
that oversaw colonial affairs) for restoration of the Massachusetts charter. Mather furthermore convinced the Lords of Trade to delay notifying Andros of the revolution. He had already dispatched, to previous colonial governor Simon Bradstreet
Simon Bradstreet
Simon Bradstreet was a colonial magistrate, businessman, diplomat, and the last governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Arriving in Massachusetts on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, Bradstreet was almost constantly involved in the politics of the colony but became its governor only in 1679...
, a letter containing news of a report (prepared before the revolution) stating that the annulment of the Massachusetts charter had been illegal, and that the magistrates should "prepare the minds of the people for a change." Rumors of the revolution apparently reached some individuals in Boston before official news arrived. John Nelson
John Nelson (merchant)
John Nelson was an English colonial merchant, trader, and statesman, active in New England.-Early life:John Nelson was born near London, England in 1654 to Robert and Mary Nelson...
, a Boston merchant who would figure prominently in the revolt, wrote of the events in a letter dated late March, and the letter prompted a meeting of senior anti-Andros political and religious leaders in Massachusetts.
Andros first received a warning of the impending revolt against his control while leading an expedition to fortify Pemaquid (present-day Bristol, Maine
Bristol, Maine
Bristol is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,644 at the 2000 census. A fishing and resort area, Bristol includes the villages of New Harbor, Pemaquid, Round Pond, Bristol Mills and Chamberlain. It includes the Pemaquid Archeological Site, a U.S. National...
), intending to protect the area against French and Indian attacks. In early January 1688/9, he received a letter from James describing the Dutch military buildup. On January 10 he issued a proclamation warning against Protestant agitation and prohibiting an uprising against the dominion. The military force he led in Maine was composed of British regulars and militia from Massachusetts and Maine. The militia companies were commanded by regulars, who imposed harsh discipline that alienated the militiamen from their officers. Alerted to the meetings in Boston, and in receipt of unofficial reports of the revolution, Andros returned there from Maine in mid-March. Amid wild rumors that Andros had brought them to Maine as part of a so-called "popish plot", the militia there mutinied, and those from Massachusetts began to make their way home. When a copy of a proclamation announcing the revolution reached Boston in early April, Andros had the messenger arrested, but his news was distributed, emboldening the people. Andros wrote to his commander at Pemaquid on April 16 that "there is a general buzzing among the people, great with expectation of their old charter", even as he prepared to have the returning deserters arrested and shipped back to Maine. The threat of arrests by their own colonial militia increased tensions between the people of Boston and the dominion government.
Revolt in Boston
At about 5:00 am on April 18, militia companies began gathering outside Boston at CharlestownCharlestown, Massachusetts
Charlestown is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and is located on a peninsula north of downtown Boston. Charlestown was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; it became a city in 1847 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874...
just across the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
, and at Roxbury, located at the far end of the neck
Boston Neck
The Boston Neck or Roxbury Neck was an isthmus, a narrow strip of land connecting the then-peninsular city of Boston to the mainland city of Roxbury . The surrounding area was gradually filled in as the city of Boston expanded in population. -History:The Boston Neck was originally about wide at...
connecting Boston to the mainland. At about 8:00 am the Charlestown companies boarded boats and crossed the river, while the Roxbury companies marched down the neck and into the city. Simultaneously, conspirators from the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts
The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts is the oldest chartered military organization in North America and the third oldest chartered military organization in the world...
entered the homes of the regimental drummers in the city, confiscating their equipment. Joined by a growing mob, the militia companies met up at about 8:30 and began arresting dominion and regimental leaders. They eventually surrounded Fort Mary, where Andros was quartered.
Among the first to be arrested was Captain John George of the HMS Rose, who came ashore between 9:00 and 10:00, only to be met by a platoon of militia and the ship's carpenter, who had joined the rebels. When George demanded to see an arrest warrant, the militiamen drew their swords and took him into custody. By about 10:00, most of the dominion and military officials had either been arrested or fled to the safety of Castle Island or other fortified outposts. Boston Anglicans, including a churchwarden and an apothecary, were rounded up by the mob. Sometime before noon an orange flag was raised on Beacon Hill, signaling another 1,500 militiamen to enter the city. These troops formed up in the market square, where a declaration was read. In it, the leaders claimed to support "the noble Undertaking of the Prince of Orange", and to rise up because of a "horrid Popish Plot" that had been uncovered.
The old Massachusetts colonial leadership, headed by ex-governor Simon Bradstreet, then urged Governor Andros to surrender for his own safety, citing the mob of which they claimed to be "wholly ignorant". He refused and instead tried to escape to the Rose. A boat that came ashore from the Rose was intercepted by militia, and Andros was forced back into Fort Mary. Negotiations ensued and Andros agreed to leave the fort to meet with the rebel council. Promised safe conduct, he was marched under guard to the townhouse where the council had assembled. There he was told (as an anonymous account of the exchange described it) that "they must and would have the Government in their own hands", and that he was under arrest. He was taken to the home of dominion official John Usher, and held under close watch.
The Rose and Fort William on Castle Island refused to surrender immediately. On the 19th, when the ship's crew on the Rose was told that the captain had planned to take the ship to France to join the exiled James, a struggle ensued, and the Protestants among the crew took down the ship's rigging. After the troops on Castle Island saw this, they surrendered.
Aftermath
Joseph Dudley
Joseph Dudley was an English colonial administrator. A native of Roxbury, Massachusetts and son of one of its founders, he had a leading role in the administration of the unpopular Dominion of New England , and served briefly on the council of the Province of New York, where he oversaw the trial...
and other dominion officials until June 7, when he was transferred to Castle Island. A story circulated widely that he attempted an escape dressed in women's clothing. This was disputed by the Anglican minister in Boston, Robert Ratcliff, who claimed that story and others had "not the least foundation of Truth", and that they were "falsehoods, and lies" propagated to "render the Governour odious to his people." Andros did make a successful escape from Castle Island on August 2, after his servant bribed the sentries with liquor. He managed to flee to Rhode Island, but was recaptured soon thereafter and kept in what was virtually solitary confinement. He and others arrested in the wake of the revolt were held for 10 months before being sent to England for trial. Massachusetts agents in London refused to sign the documents listing the charges against Andros, so he was summarily acquitted and released. He later served as governor of Virginia and Maryland
Province of Maryland
The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
.
Dissolution of the dominion
When the other New England colonies in the dominion were informed of the overthrow of Andros, the old authorities moved quickly to restore their replaced governments. Rhode Island and Connecticut resumed governance under their earlier charters, and Massachusetts resumed governance according to its vacated charter after being temporarily governed by a committee composed of magistrates, Massachusetts Bay officials, and a majority of Andros's council. The committee was disbanded after some Boston leaders felt that radical rebels held too much sway over it. New Hampshire was temporarily left without formal government and was controlled by Massachusetts and its governor, Simon Bradstreet, who served as de facto ruler of the northern colony. Plymouth also resumed its previous form of governance.During his captivity, Andros had been able to send a message to Francis Nicholson
Francis Nicholson
Francis Nicholson was a British military officer and colonial administrator. His military service included time in Africa and Europe, after which he was sent as leader of the troops supporting Sir Edmund Andros in the Dominion of New England. There he distinguished himself, and was appointed...
, his New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based lieutenant governor. Nicholson received the request for assistance in mid-May, but most of his troops had been sent to Maine, and with rising tensions in New York, he was unable to take any effective action. Nicholson himself was overthrown
Leisler's Rebellion
Leisler's Rebellion was an uprising in late 17th century colonial New York, in which German American merchant and militia captain Jacob Leisler seized control of the colony's south and ruled it from 1689 to 1691. The uprising took place in the aftermath of Britain's Glorious Revolution and the...
by a faction led by Jacob Leisler
Jacob Leisler
Jacob Leisler was a German-born American colonist. He helped create the Huguenot settlement of New Rochelle in 1688 and later served as the acting Lieutenant Governor of New York...
, and he fled to England. Leisler governed New York until 1691, when a detachment of troops arrived, followed by Henry Sloughter
Henry Sloughter
Henry Sloughter was briefly colonial governor of New York in 1691. Sloughter was the governor who put down Leisler's Rebellion, which had installed Jacob Leisler as de facto governor in 1689. Lieutenant Governor Richard Ingoldesby, who had served against Leisler's rebels, took over after...
, commissioned governor by William and Mary. Sloughter had Leisler tried on charges of high treason; he was convicted and executed.
After the suppression of Leisler's Rebellion and the reinstatement of colonial governments in New England, no further effort was made by English officials to restore the "shattered" dominion. Once the fait accompli
Fait Accompli
Fait accompli is a French phrase which means literally "an accomplished deed". It is commonly used to describe an action which is completed before those affected by it are in a position to query or reverse it...
of Andros' arrest was known, the discussion in London turned to dealing with Massachusetts and its revoked charter. Out of these discussions came the formation of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
in 1691, merging Massachusetts with the charterless Plymouth Colony and territories previously belonging to New York, including Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
, the Elizabeth Islands
Elizabeth Islands
The Elizabeth Islands are a chain of small islands extending southwest from the southern coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts in the United States. They are located at the outer edge of Buzzards Bay, north of Martha's Vineyard from which they are separated by Vineyard Sound, and constitute the town of...
, and parts of Maine. Increase Mather was unsuccessful in his attempts to restore the old Puritan rule: the new charter called for an appointed governor and religious tolerance.