I am now on my fourth reading of The Fort, every time I read it I gain more of an insight into the situation at that time. During the last reading the thought occurred to me that perhaps the real reason for the expedition was not simply to deny the harbour to the privateers but to entrap and destroy them. Why else would they have sent a small enough garrison of troops to establish the fort other than to encourage an expedition against them?  The establishment of the fort was perhaps the bait which the State of Massachusetts duly gobbled up.  Did you come across any evidence which would support such an hypothesis?

Very Best Regards.

Tony Brett…… eagerly awaiting my Xmas presents which will include  Throne without a King