France The Avalon Peninsula campaign occurred during King William's War when forces of New France, led by Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Governor Jacques-François de Monbeton de Brouillan, destroyed 23 English settlements along the coast of the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland in the span of three months.

After the Siege of Pemaquid, d'Iberville along with Father Jean Baudoin[1] led a force of Canadians, Acadians, Mi'kmaq, and Abenakis in the Avalon Peninsula campaign.

On September 12, 1696, Quebec's Governor Frontenac sent Pierre Le Moyne Sieur d'Iberville to Newfoundland.

The previous August, d'Iberville had just been victorious in the Siege of Pemaquid, on the coast of present-day Maine.

D'Iberville's strategy of attacking the settlement by land was the first recorded in Newfoundland and, as a result, the port villages were only prepared for an assault by sea.

D'Iberville left Placentia on All Saints' Day (November 1) with his detachment of 124 men; soldiers, Acadians, and Indians.

On November 24, after a three-hour march from Bay Bulls, d'Iberville met up with his group of 20 scouts who had been sent to study the approaches to St. John's.

A pitched battle occurred in the Waterford Valley (Burnt Wood) and on the Heights of Kilbride (November 28).

Carbonear Island continued to hold out but d'Iberville torched their evacuated settlement on February 28 before leaving.

D'Iberville then headed to Heart's Content before walking in a small group across the Avalon Peninsula isthmus.

D'Iberville then picked up his spoils of war, his scattered troops and approximately 200 prisoners at Bay Boulle (March 18-May 18).

[4] However, the English were able to recapture their Newfoundland territory in summer of 1697 with a strong relief force of 1500 troops.

Previously the English had not built permanent fortifications or garrisons in Newfoundland as it was regarded as a seasonal fishing base.