Capt. Phineas Stevens (20 February 1706 – 6 April 1756) was a distinguished officer noted for his defense of the

Fort at Number 4 The Fort at Number 4 was a mid-18th century stockade fortification protecting Plantation Number 4, the northernmost British settlement along the Connecticut River in the Province of New Hampshire until after the French and Indian War. It was lo ...

during a siege in April 1747, when a combined force of French and Indian soldiers failed to capture the fort and the 32 British soldiers defending it. Stevens was born in

Sudbury, Massachusetts Sudbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 18,934. The town, located in Greater Boston's MetroWest region, has a colonial history. History Incorporated in 1639, the boundar ...

and was one of the fort's founders, serving as commander of the militia until 1750; he was also one of the earliest Anglo-American colonists to settle in the area. Stevens was active during

King George's War King George's War (1744–1748) is the name given to the military operations in North America that formed part of the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748). It was the third of the four French and Indian Wars. It took place primarily in ...

and the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

, and died at

Halifax Harbour Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Halifax largely owes its existence to the harbour, being one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural har ...

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

in 1756.

References

*Parkman, Francis
''A Half-Century of Conflict'', Volume 2Mrs Johnston's account of Fort 4 Siege
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Phineas 1706 births 1756 deaths Pre-statehood history of New Hampshire People of New Hampshire in the French and Indian War People of King George's War