 In 1690 , Sir William Phips was appointed major @-@ general by Massachusetts to command an expedition against French Acadia . He sailed with seven vessels carrying a 450 @-@ strong militia " Foot Regiment " , and Port Royal surrendered on 21 May . Its governor , Louis @-@ Alexandre des <unk> de <unk> , had only about 70 men , and no guns mounted , and would have been unable to resist . On 22 May , Phips recorded " We cut down the cross , rifled the Church , pulled down the High @-@ Altar , breaking their images " ; and on 23 May , " kept gathering Plunder both by land and water , and also under ground in their Gardens " . 
