The Raid on Grand Pré was the major action of a raiding expedition conducted by the New England militia Colonel Benjamin Church against French Acadia in June 1704, during Queen Anne's War. The expedition was allegedly in retaliation for a French and Indian raid against the Massachusetts frontier community of Deerfield earlier that year.
Colonel Benjamin Church, the "Father of American ranging"
Grand Pré was raided in retaliation for the Raid on Deerfield, depicted here
Governor of Massachusetts Joseph Dudley
Colonel Benjamin Church was a New England military officer and politician who is best known for his role in developing military tactics and participating in numerous conflicts which involved the New England Colonies. He is also known for commanding one of the first ranger units in North America. Born in the Plymouth Colony, Church was commissioned by Governor Josiah Winslow to establish a company of rangers after the outbreak of King Philip's War in 1675. A force of New Englanders led by him was responsible for tracking down and killing Wampanoag sachem Metacomet, which played a major role in ending the conflict.
A posthumous illustration of Church
Portrait of King Philip, by Paul Revere, illustration from the 1772 edition of Benjamin Church's The Entertaining History of King Philip's War
Engraved portrait by Paul Revere that was believed to be of Church. Yale University Art Gallery. The portrait has been identified as English poet Charles Churchill.
Benjamin Church grave in Little Compton Common in Rhode Island