In 1665, William Stone (c. 1603–1659), the third proprietary governor of Maryland, was resisting the commissioners of Parliament for the government of that province. Stone commissioned Fendall, to be one of his officers, along with William Eltonhead, Esq. (c. 1616–1655) and twenty men, to seize some arms and ammunition at Patuxent, for the governor's force. They ransacked an area of about which included the houses of Mr. Richard Preston "The Great Quaker" (c. 1618–1669) and John Sutton, who were prominent men. The arms and ammunition were gathered for the governor's force which was planning to attack the Puritan settlers at Providence. Providence was located on the north side at the mouth of the Severn River across from what is today Annapolis, Maryland and was the place of residence of most of the commissioners, and people that were forced out of Virginia by Governor Sir William Berkeley (1606–1677). Along with Governor Stone, who had been injured in the shoulder, Josias was taken prisoner in a conflict which resulted from the attempt, in the Battle of the Severn, by Captain William Fuller (died 1695) of the Puritan Army.