Battle of Fundy Bay The Battle of Fundy Bay took place on July 14 , 1696 between France and England toward the end of King Williams War in the Bay of Fundy off present - day Saint John , New Brunswick . The English ships were sent from Boston to interrupt the supplies being taken by French officer Pierre Le Moyne d ' Iberville from Quebec to the capital of Acadia , Fort Nashwaak ( Fredericton , New Brunswick ) on the Saint John River . The French ships of war " Envieux " and " Profond " captured the English frigate " Newport " ( 24 guns ) , while the English frigate " Sorlings " ( 34 guns ) and a provincial tender escaped . Background . In 1696 , King William ' s war was in its seventh year . D ' Iberville was about to be engaged in the Siege of Pemaquid ( 1696 ) , the New England stronghold in present - day Maine . D ' Iberville sailed from Rochefort , Charente - Maritime to Quebec City , where he took on board eighty troops and Canadians ; then proceeded to Havre à l ' Anglois ( future site of Louisbourg ) , Cape Breton and embarked thirty Mi ' kmaq , and departed for the St . John River . While at nearby Baie des Espagnols , D ' Iberville heard two English vessels were in the Bay of Fundy and decided to attempt to capture them . Battle . On the 14 July , five leagues from St . John River , D ' Iberville cast anchor in the fog . At 2 : 00 the fog began to clear and the French ships could see the three English vessels to windward , bearing directly for the river St . John . When they were one league off , the English observed the French vessels , and bore down on them . Commander Simon - Pierre Denys de Bonaventure , captain of the French ship " Profond " masked her warlike character , keeping her ports closed until within musket shot . Both English vessels open fired on the French ships . Bonaventure opened the ports on the " Profond " and the English ships kept windward , ( ticnnent le vent ) , and realizing they were outgunned , endeavoured to escape . The " Profond " tried to gain the wind on them , and D ' Iberville in the " Envieux " followed , contending with stormy weather . D ' Iberville , in the " Envieux " , fired upon the English frigate " Newport " , under the command of Captain Paxen , dismasting her . The prize falling astern , came almost aboard the bow of the " Envieux " , and lowered her flag . M . D ' Iberville left her to be manned by M . de Bonaventure , who gave her to Baptiste to take her to the river St . John , at which place he almost lost her among the rocks where she run aground . D ' Iberville in the " Envieux " continued to chase the larger ship the " Sorlings " , under the command of Captain Eames . The shot of the French ship passed beyond the chase , but night and fog closed their combat , which had lasted three hours , and the English ship escaped . Aftermath . On July 15 , 1696 , the day after the battle , D ' Iberville entered Saint John Harbour . After discharging stores for capital of Acadia at Fort Nashwaak , D ' Iberville took on board 50 more Mi ' kmaq and Pere Simon on August 2 , 1696 , set sail for Penobscot ( present - day Castine , Maine ) . While at St . John he repaired the " Newport " and added the ship to his fleet . At Penobscot , where they arrived August 7 , they found Villieu and Montigny with 25 Canadians , Thury [ Father ] , St . Castin [ Sr . ] and three hundred Indians waiting for them . On 14 August , D ' Iberville led them all in the Siege of Pemaquid ( 1696 ) . The Sorlings upon its escape sailed for Boston . On reaching Boston the Sorlings found two English warships and an armed merchant vessel . The four ships then sailed east to provide assistance to an expected attack by the French on Portsmouth . The English vessels spotted the Envieux and Profond near Mount Desert but the French were able to make an escape . Bibliography . Primary Sources