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On the 24th of May, 1776, a meeting took place at Maugerville, New Brunswick, at which a committee was appointed to make application to the Assembly of Massachusetts Bay "for relief under their present distressed circumstances."

The committee consisted of Jacob Barker, a J. P., and a ruling elder of the Congregational church; Phineas Nevers, Isreal Perley, Daniel Palmer, Edward Coye, Israel Kinney, Asa Perley, Moses Pickard, Thomas Hartt, Hugh Quinton, Asa Kimball and Oliver Perley. One hundred and twenty-five signed resolutions to join Massachusetts. Nine persons at the mouth of the St. John river and three others refused, as follows:  William Hazen, Thomas Jenkins, James Simonds, Samuel Peabody, John Bradley, James White, William Mackeenell, Zebedee Ring, Peter Smith, Gervas Lay, Lewis Mitchell, ____ Darling, John Crabtree, John Hendrick, Zebalon Estey, John Tarlee, Joseph Howland, Thomas Jones and Benjamin Atherton.

The most violent animosity existed between the old settlers and the new -- between settlers from New England, who were naturally imbued with the principles of the declaration of independence and were in active sympathy with the revolutionists of Lexington and Concord on the one hand, and on the other hand the immigrants from Yorkshire, who, in their steadfast loyalty, scorned the party of rebels. The latter, in their attempted capture of Fort Cumberland, occupied the surrounding country sufficiently long to commit many depredations on the loyalist settlers in which they were aided and abetted by the disaffected inhabitants. The position of the newly arrived Yorkshire families at this date was perilous enough to create grave disquietude. A very large proportion of the immigrants from the Atlantic States were open and avowed sympathizers with the war against the mother country. From Cumberland to Onslow and from Falmouth to Yarmouth, they formed an overwhelming majority. When it was proposed at Halifax to enroll the militia as a measure of defense against threatened invasions, it was abandoned on account of disaffection. Montreal had been captured by the Americans and Quebec was besieged. Two hundred Indians had gathered at Miramichi threatening an incursion into the English settlements. Halifax, itself, was not fortified and fears were entertained that the ordnance stores at the dock yard would be destroyed by incendiaries. Moreover, it possessed no such body of regulars who could repel a well organized expeditionary force of invasion. Fourteen inhabitants of Cumberland were said to have gone to the Continental Congress with a petition signed by some 600 persons asking for a force to help capture Fort Cumberland -- from whence it was proposed to make a descent on Halifax and wipe out the last vestige of British authority in old Acadia. So open were the disloyal elements in their designs and so certain of success that they were accustomed to hold their meetings in a tavern within the range of guns from the Fort Cumberland and every man of prominence who did not join them was marked.

In Londonderry, Onslow, and Truro, all except five refused to take the oath of allegiance.  In Kings County, a liberty pole was cut and was ready to be hoisted when a company of Rangers arrived.

The rebellious element in Cumberland numbered about 200 people, many of them being persons of means and consequence, and their assistance to Eddy was of extreme importance in furthering his projects.  He had counted on their support and also the co-operation of the disaffected element at Cobiquid to carry the country.  The Indians played but a minor part in the episode.

In August, 1775, Charles Baker of Hillsboro reported at Halifax that the New England rebels had cleared a road from St. John river to Shepody, to enable a force to march on Fort Cumberland.  This news caused some alarm as General Gage had withdrawn nearly all the Nova Scotia garrisons to reinforce the English army in New England.

This news was confirmed in October, 1776, by the intelligence that a force was being gathered on the frontier to invest Fort Cumberland and capture Acadia, and steps were at once taken to provide for its defense.  Defensive plans had already been designed by Michael Franklin.  He had been made a member of the Council in Halifax in 1762, and Lieutenant Governor five years later.  He held that position for ten years and was then made Indian agent, a place requiring diplomatic gifts of a high order.  He had been a prisoner with Indians as a youth and understood their language and their ways.  His personal influence was such that he was able to enroll a corps of volunteer militia in the Minas townships 450 strong.

Michael Franklin, while a resident at Windsor, was also proprietor of the Franklin Manor, situated on the River Hebert at the upper end of the Minudie marshes.  He had introduced North-of-England immigrants into Cumberland and his property was well tenanted.  He, as well as most of the settlers, were plundered by the invaders.

On November, 1776, Col. Eddy, a Cumberland man, appeared before Fort Cumberland with a force of 180 men, recruited chiefly at Machias and at Maugerville on the St. John River.  He made a couple of night assaults on the Fort which were repulsed by Col. Goreham then in command.  Eddy had, however, made some minor captures.  An outpost at Shepody had been captured and he had seized a vessel loaded with supplies in the creek below the fort.  He captured some forty prisoners including a Parson Eagleson.  The prisoners were sent to Boston.

Mayor Dixson, who had already distinguished himself in the affairs of 1755-6, volunteered to carry dispatches to Halifax.  He successfully eluded the watchful eyes of the enemy and reached there.

Franklin threw a detachment of his militia corps into Fort Edward, which enabled General Massey, then Commander in Halifax, to send Major Batt with two companies to Fort Cumberland.

On November 26th, the garrison beheld with joy as four small vessels sailed into the Basin and anchored below the Fort, conveying Batt's force.  On the 28th, Batt conducted a sortie dispersing Eddy's force and killing two Indians and one white man.  Eddy and his compatriots fled through the woods back to the St. John River.  The lateness of the season, and the cold, together with loss of equipment, rendered their toils and sufferings almost unbearable.

Among the prisoners taken on the Novembr 28th raid were Dr. Parker Clark, James Avery of Cobiquid, Capt. Thomas Falconer, of Cobiquid, who joined Eddy with a company of 25 men to remove the yoke of British tyranny, and Richard John Uniacke.  They were taken to Halifax.  Avery escaped from jail, Clark and Falconer were indicted.  Uniacke's name appeared in the indictment as a witness, but as he was not present at the trial, it appeared that the Attorney General had adopted this method of pardoning him on account of his youth.  The Crown witnesses were, Lieutenant Dixson, William Black, and Thomas Robinson.  Both Clark and Falconer were convicted; both pleaded pardon and their cases were paused. They were probably released, as there is no further record of them.

Col. John Allen, who was a large land-owner in the district and a violent sympathizer with the rebellious element, presented a long memorial to the Council Board of Massachusetts Bay dated February 19, 1777, stating: "Notwithstanding the iron rod of despotism keeping them from having a share in the glorious revolution, yet they openly avowed their sentiments during unnatural and cruel war, with pain and grief have they from time to time seen supplies procured in the neighborhood for the use and benefit of the enemy of America nothing could be done without assistance from other parts with longing eyes did wait the expected relief, the last spring when to their great affliction heard that Capt. Eddy was come without succor for them and to aggravate their distress he immediately leaves the country with his family.  It was judged that unless five hundred men could be secured with a good commander and sufficient supplies there would be no probability of success. In this time Mr. Franklin, late Lieut. Governor of the Province, came to Cumberland and offered an enlistment for the inhabitants to sign in which they were to promise with their lives and fortunes to support the dignity of the Crown. A few of the emigrants signed it, but the body of inhabitants declared their detestation and abhorrence."

"In the beginning of November Capt. Eddy arrived, acquainting them that he had come by authority of Massachusetts State to assist them in throwing off the yoke of British tyranny, but seeing the small number of his men (about 60) told him there was no probability of success. He told them that as they had supplied the enemies of the Americans, Congress doubted their integrity.  If they would now assert their rights publicly against the King's government, he was come to help them and in fifteen days expected a reinforcement of a large body of men. Most of the English and all of the French capable of bearing arms immediately formed and joined under Capt. Eddy. After a few days they attempted to storm the Fort. They began to suspect that they had been imposed on and that the men who came with Capt. Eddy, were induced to it by expectation of much plunder. The inhabitants chose a committee and sent an express to your honours for aid. On 29th November reinforcements to the enemy came. A sally determined on, the camp was surprised and all fled except one white man who was killed. The enemy pursued with all expedition for six miles, burning during their pursuit twelve houses and twelve barns, in which were contained one quarter of the bread of the country. Capt. Eddy and his men retreated to Sackville, and from there to the river St. John, leaving signs of devastation and destruction behind them. Col. Gorham issued a proclamation offering pardon to those who would come in and lay down their arms; many were compelled to comply.  Great numbers of the inhabitants choosing rather to face difficulty and danger than submit to the British yoke were forced to leave their habitations, nearly seventy families of English were left without a man amongst them, the French Acadians fled to the woods; many outrages were committed by some who came with Mr. Eddy."

At the conclusion of peace, Col. Eddy obtained a grant at Eddington, Maine, where he has many descendants.  His farm, also within the Cumberland township, was escheated with that of Allans, and also that of Capt. Howe, second in command to Eddy . He had previously married Joseph Morse's widow, with whom he had gained an extensive property.

In 1785 Congress granted the following lands at Eddington Maine to those who fled from Nova Scotia:

Jonathan Eddy 1500 acres.

Ebenezer Gardner 1000 acres.

Zebulun Roe 750 acres.

William Maxwell 750 acres.

Robert Foster 550 acres.

Parker Clark 500 acres.

Atwood Fales 450 acres.

Elijah Ayer 400 acres.

Wm. Eddy 350 acres.

Phineas Nevers 1000 acres.

Nathaniel Reynolds 300 acres.

Samuel Rogers 300 acres.

Thomas Forkner 230 acres.

John Day 230 acres.

Anthony Burk 150 acres.

John Eckley 150 acres.

Jonathan Eddy, Junior, 150 acres.

Wm. Howe 150 acres.

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Total 9360 acres.