[2] Under the command of Stephen Smith, an American militia from Machias, Massachusetts (now part of Maine) immediately attacked and burned Fort Frederick.

[3][4] In late 1776, Jonathan Eddy raised a mixed force of Indians, Massachusetts Patriots, and Nova Scotian sympathizers, and unsuccessfully besieged Fort Cumberland, which protected the land approach to Halifax from the west.

[6] By the morning of June 2, reinforced by 13 canoes, Allan had proceeded eastward along the coast to Mechogonish (Duck Cove), west of the mouth of the Saint John.

Having ascertained that there were no ships or garrison at the mouth of the Saint John, Allan dispatched a party of 16 men under Captain West, who marched 3 miles (4.8 km) through the woods, crossed the river above the Reversing Falls in bark canoes, and made their way to Portland Point, where they surprised and captured James Simonds and William Hazen, two of the Saint John settlement's founders and leading businessmen.

Whilst engaged in his negotiations, which primarily took place at the Maliseet encampment known as Aukpaque (just upriver from present-day Fredericton, New Brunswick), Allan had posted nearly all his men, some 60 in number, at the mouth of the Saint John, under command of Captains Dyer and West.

They landed at Mahogany Bay (now known as Manawagonish Cove, southwest of Saint John) and then marched 2.5 miles (4.0 km) in the direction of the falls, and had a brief skirmish with Allan's men in the vicinity of the present village of Fairville.

The party arrived at a very opportune moment for the Americans, and afforded material assistance in the defence of that post during the attack made by Sir George Collier on the 13th to 15 August.

In response, Major Studholme was sent to provide a permanent military presence (fortuitously frustrating plans by raiders from Machias to further plunder the Saint John settlement), and Fort Howe was built under his auspices in late 1777.