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"I received your Orders by Captain Cox last Fryday between the hours of Twelve and One at noon, and immediately sent for the Priest, and told him in presence of the Officers that it was your Orders he should forthwith set out for Halifax, he pretended he was sick, tho' able to walk to the Fort when sent for. I told him your Orders would admit of no delay or Excuse.
* Captain John Rous had been master of a Boston Privateer. He was sent with two ships of 14 guns each, in the summer of 1744 to tbe Northern coast of Newfoundland, where be attacked the Fort of Fishot, defended by a French fleet of five large armed vessels, all of which he took; he also took another ship at St. Julian's, of 16 guns, and ten vessels on the Banks. He retook a British ship, burned all the fishing establishments in seven different Harbors, and destroyed upwards of eight hundred fishing vessels — all within the short space of one month. — Otis Little's "State of Trade," p. 79. He was next engaged in the expedition against Cape Breton in 1745. He commanded the Shirley Galley, 24 guns, one of the fleet fitted out at Boston for that service, and was appointed second in command, under Capt. Tyng. After the capture of Louisburg, he was despatched by Governor Shirley to England, with news of the victory; and as a reward for his gallant services, he was made a Captain in the Royal Navy on the 24th Sept., 1745. He returned to Louisburg in command of the Shirley; and in 1749 was doing duty at Annapolis and in the Bay of Fundy. In 1755 he commanded the little squadron which conveyed the Expedition under Monckton against Beausejour and the other French forts at the Isthmus, after which he sailed to the River St. Johns, where he destroyed all the French fortifications and settlements. In 1756, he was with the unsuccessful expedition against Cape Breton, under Lord Loudon; and while in command of the Winchilsea, 20 guns, he captured a French ship of 16 guns. The next year he was in command of the Sutherland, 50 guns, at the second siege and capture of Louisburg, and in 1759 at the siege of Quebec. It was from his ship that General Wolfe issued his last order, before storming the heights. Capt. Rous settled at Halifax. He was sworn in member of Council 1st Octr., 1754, and died in 1760. His daughter married the Hon. Richd. Bulkeley, the provincial Secretary. — N.Y. Documents, vol. x. Murdoch's Hist. N.S., vol 2, p. 392. Council Books, N.S. Hutchinson's Mass. vol. 2.
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