in the harbor, and built there a
similar palisade and earthwork and barracks for the soldiers. He took a
survey of military stores, made application to England for guns and
ammunition, endeavored to put the train-bands of the colony in as good
shape as possible, and in 1688 went to Pemaquid to inspect the northern
defenses as far as the Penobscot. He kept in close touch with Governor
Dongan, and promised to send him, as rapidly as he could, men and money
in case of a French invasion.

To make his work more effective he took steps to bring Connecticut
immediately under his control. Rhode Island had already submitted and
had sent its members to sit with the council at Boston. But Connecticut
had avoided giving a direct answer, although a third writ of _quo
warranto_ had been served upon her, on December 28, 1686. Consequently
Andros wrote to the recalcitrant colony, saying that he had been
instructed to receive the surrender of the charter. To this letter, the
Governor and magistrates of Connecticut replied that they preferred to
remain as they were, but that, if annexation was to be their lot, they
would be willing to join with Massachusetts, their old neighbor and
friend, rather than with New York. Dongan, perplexed by the heavy
expenses involved in the military defense of his colony and wishing to
have the use of additional revenues, had hoped that he might persuade
the Connecticut Government to come under the control of New York, but
Connecticut preferred Massachusetts and had stated this preference in
her letter. Andros and the Lords of Trade deemed the reply favorable,
although in fact it was ingeniously noncommittal, and they took steps
to complete the annexation.

On receiving a special letter of instructions from the King, Andros set
out in person for Hartford, accompanied by a number of gentlemen, two
trumpeters, and a guard of fifteen or twenty redcoats, "with small guns
and short lances in the tops of them." He journeyed probably by way of
Norwich, crossing the Connecticut River at Wethersfield, where he was
met by a troop of sixty cavalry and escorted to Hartford. There, on
October 31, 1687, the Governor, magistrates, and militia awaited his
coming. Seated in the Governor's chair in the tavern chamber where the
assembly was accustomed to meet, he caused his commission to be read,
declared the old Government dissolved, selected two of those present as
members of his council, and the next day appointed the ne