Wells, Maine under Siege: June 11, 1692

June 11, 1692: New Essex Justices Sworn as Wells, Maine Faces Siege in King William’s WarWe track the Salem Witch Trials and the wider New England crisis on Saturday, June 11, 1692. In Boston, John Higginson Jr., son of Salem’s senior minister, and Dudley Bradstreet, son of former Governor Simon Bradstreet, are sworn in as justices of the peace for Essex County. Far to the east, French and Wabanaki forces lay siege to Wells, Maine, where accused witch George Burroughs had once served as minister. Captain James Converse and 15 soldiers repel two assaults on the garrison houses, while sailors extinguish fires from flaming arrows aimed at sloops in the creek. As Wells braces through a sleepless night, we connect the attack to King William’s War (1687–1696) and the destruction of Maine settlements, including Falmouth (now Portland).00:00 Daily Introduction00:13 New Essex Justices00:29 Siege of Wells Maine01:00 King William's War Context01:19 Burroughs and the Frontier