THE ARRIVAL AND CAPTURE OF FRANCIS LEBARON ON CAPE COD 

[An extract from “The First of the LeBarons”, by John Abbott Goodwin, published in 1876, in The Old Ladies’ Piece-Bag, Lowell, Massachusetts  

At length, his old home becoming insupportable, he invested a part of his funds in the city; a part he distributed among the poor of his neighborhood, and with the rest he bought a share in the privateer L’Aigle. Then, assuming the name of LeBaron, as surgeon of his ship, he started out to fight the battles of Louis XIV against William and Mary. Like most privateers, L’Aigle won many ignoble victories and made some very gallant failures. At length, in 1696, while running along the New England coast, she took a look into Buzzard’s Bay, and being caught there by a southwest wind, she never looked further. To bear up was impossible, and to bear away was destruction. She came to anchor, but soon the storm tore her loose and drove her upon the west coast of Falmouth. Her crew all landed safely, but the inhabitants gathered about them with extremely hostile indications. They had mistaken L’Aigle for a pirate, and were disposed to exterminate her crew at once.

After some hours of threatening, Major Bourne, a magistrate, arrived and took command. By his order the Frenchmen were received as prisoners of war, and were finally started on the route for Boston. When they came to march, it was found that the surgeon of the ship was not among the prisoners. He had landed with the crew, and had evidently escaped inland. Some of the people, first agreeing that the fugitive must be a spy, and therefore not entitled to quarter, started in pursuit.

[Note, J. Bevan: In the next part of the story, the fugitive French surgeon begs shelter from Mary Wilder. She and her family hide him for two weeks.

Since giving shelter to an enemy would have been an act of treason, it is likely that this harbouring (if true) remained a family secret, possibly for generations. The only other version of the legend which includes a similar event is the novel A Nameless Nobleman, published in 1881, and written by Goodwin’s sister, Jane Goodwin Austin.]

In the course of two weeks, the latter was well nigh forgotten by the outside world. Then Major Bourne, who had been consulted by the Wilders, volunteered to go with LeBaron to Boston and ask that he might live in Falmouth, on parole, until exchanged.

Early one morning Major Bourne, with Wilder and LeBaron, crossed on horseback to Scusset Harbor, in Sandwich, where a boat at once started for Plymouth. At the latter place the prisoner was turned over to the selectmen, who at once put him in care of Major Bourne, until a convenient craft should be sailing to Boston.

There was then no surgeon in Plymouth and there was a very serious case of disease requiring treatment. LeBaron volunteered to perform the operation and by his knowledge and skill so impressed the people, that the selectmen procured his discharge as a prisoner from Lieut.-Gov. Stoughton and persuaded him to settle in Plymouth. Dr. LeBaron’s first use of his freedom was to revisit Falmouth and bring back Mary Wilder as his wife.

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 [Notes, by J. Bevan: 

1. The date 1696 is incorrect. Francis LeBaron married Mary Wilder in Plymouth in Sept 1695.

2. There was a judge of the Court of Common Pleas named Bourne, in Sandwich, Cape Cod, in the 1690s. He appears to have also held a rank in the Militia.

3. Mary Wilder’s family may have been a sister and brother-in-law named Clark/e, rather than a brother and his wife named Wilder. ]