STANDISH, Myles, English colonist in America: b. Lancashire, about 1584; d. Dux bury, New England, 3 Oct. 1656. Prior to 1603 he bad gained a lieutenancy in the English force then serving in the Netherlands, but after the truce of 1609 joined the Pilgrim or Sepa ratist colony at Leyden, though he never be longed to that communion, and sailed in the Speedwell and Mayflower. By reason of his experience in martial affairs, Standish was made military adviser to the colonists, and upon their arrival in America he headed ex ploring and scouting parties. In February 1621 he was chosen unanimously military cap tain of the colony. His force was always small, though recruited 11 November, and of the numbers and method of warfare of the Indians he knew nothing. But his demonstra tions of power soon resulted in some degree of alliance with the powerful tribes along the coasts of Massachusetts Bay. In 1622 Thomas Weston established at Wessagusset (the present Wey mouth) an independent settlement which quickly was involved in difficulties with the In dians. A great conspiracy of the savages was thereupon formed, the design being to destroy Plymouth after Weston had been similarly treated. Standish, with a file of eight, marched to Wessagusset, killed the hostile chiefs Peck snot and Witawamat, defeated the Indians in battle and thus greatly increased the prestige of the struggling colony. He went to London in
1625, to adjust disputes arising with certain merchants had advanced money on the colony's enterprise, and who at last abandoned their claims on payment of f1,800. In 1628 he arrested Thomas Morton (q.v.), whom he wanted to have shot. The last actual conflict in which he took a part was that in 1635, when he unsuccessfully attempted to dispossess the French who had seized a trading-post estab lished by the colonists on the Penobscot. Be sides his military commission, he held also the posts of assistant to the governor, and, from 1644 to 1649, of treasurer of the &limy. He was active and soldierly, and by his ability con tributed very greatly to decide the success of the settlement. Longfellow's 'Miles Standish' contains numerous anachronisms and inaccu racies. Lowell, also, wrote an 'Interview with Miles Standish.' In 1872 the corner-stone of a monument 110 feet high and surmounted by a bronze figure of Standish was laid at Dux bury. Consult Abbott, J. S. C., 'Miles Standish, Captain of the Pilgrims> (New York 1908) ; Bradford, William, 'History of Plimouth Plantation, 1606-1646,' edited by W. T. Davis (New York 1908) ; Morton's 'New England's Memorial' (ed. 1855) ; Jenks, Tudor, 'Captain Myles Standish> (New York 1905) ; Johnson, 'Exploits of Myles Standish' (1897).