Editing Myles Standish (section)

===Penobscot expedition===
Standish's last significant known expedition was against the French<ref>Goodwin, pp. 224–225</ref> who had established a trading post in 1613 on the Penobscot River in [[Castine, Maine]]. English forces captured the settlement in 1628 and turned it over to Plymouth Colony. It was a valuable source of furs and timber for the Pilgrims for seven years. However, the French mounted a small expedition in 1635 and easily reclaimed the settlement.<ref name="Jenks224">Jenks, p. 224.</ref> Bradford ordered Standish to take action, determined that the post be reclaimed in Plymouth Colony's name. This was a significantly larger proposition than the small expeditions which Standish had previously led and, to accomplish the task, he chartered the ship ''Good Hope'' captained by a man named Girling.<ref name=Jenks224/> Standish's plan appears to have been to bring the ''Good Hope'' within cannon range of the trading post and to bombard the French into surrendering. Unfortunately, Girling ordered the bombardment before the ship was within range and quickly spent all the gunpowder on board. Standish gave up the effort.<ref name=Jenks224/>

By this time, the neighboring and more populous [[Massachusetts Bay Colony]] had been established. Bradford appealed to leaders of the colony in [[Boston]] for help in reclaiming the trading post, but the Bay Colony refused. The incident was indicative of the rivalry which persisted between Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies.<ref name=Jenks224/> In 1691, the two were merged to become the royal [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]].