Captain Myles Standish
From Standish Wiki
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On December 19th, the settlers selected a site for their colony to which they gave the name New Plymouth, but the next few months were to be a time of terrible hardship. One hundred and one persons came ashore, but by Christmas 1620 there were so many sick or dead that only about half-a-dozen were left capable of self-help. It was at this time that Myles lost his wife, Rose Standish. These few had to tend the sick, make fires, cook, wash and feed the others. A later account says that all this was done 'without any growling in the least' by 'William Brewster, their Reverend Elder, and Myles Standish, their Captain and military commander'.
Myles continued his exploits as the colony prospered. In 1622 he successfully led a rescue mission to Weymouth, which was under Indian attack. In 1628 he put down a minor rebellion by break-away settlers and in 1635 led an attack on French Traders who were intent on taking land from the colony. As late as 1653 he was called upon, at the age of 70, to command the fighting volunteers of the colony against a threatened Dutch invasion.
Myles Standish died on October 3rd, 1656.[1]
- ↑ S. Aspinall, Tales of Old Standish (Published by Clarington Press Ltd, Ince, Wigan, 1982)

