USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume I pt 1 > Part 10
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
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run, the location was slightly changed. In the spring Captain William had raised a company for the expedition against Louislang, but was not permitted to accompany it, his services on the border being considered too valuable. Now, however, the governor believing that the forces there were in extreme need of reenforcement, an express was sent to him. one hundred and fifty miles, with orders to raise recruits as speelily as possible. He received this order a day or two before that of the commit. tee, and in six days reported with seventy five men at Boston, where he was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the Eighth regiment. commantel by Colonel John Choate. The regiment sailed July 25th. Louisburg had capitulated June 17th; but Colonel Choate returning to Boston, the Eighth remained under the command of its lieutenant colonel until the arrival of a detachment of British troops from Gibraltar in the spring Colonel Williams had no opportunity to distinguish himself, but she ceeded in winning the favor of General Pepperell, the commander in- chief. In his command on the western frontier he was succeeded by Captain Ephraim Williams, afterward colonel, and since known to the world as the founder of Williams College. This excellent officer built. and for several years commanded, Forts Shirley, Pelham, and Massachu- setts. A minute among the papers of Colonel William Williams shows that Captain Ephraim was commander of the line composed of the forts at Northfield. Fallstown (Bernardstom). Coleraine, Forts Massachusetts. Pelham, and Shirley, and also of the soldiers posted at the Collects. Shattuck's. and Bridgeman's. forts, Deerfield. Rhode Town, and New Hampton, from December 10th, 1745 to 1746; " in which time he had three hundred and fifty men under his charge and government." This department thus covered twelve posts, mostly important, and scattered over a wide extent of territory very imperfeedly supplied with roads. This task must have required all his energies and abilities, and it was as well performed as any commander could perform it.
The remarkable immunity of Southern Berkshire from the devasta- tion which it dreaded, and which to a great extent befell other localities. must be largely ascribed to another cause than fortification : the Indian mission at Stockbridge, of which an account is given in the history of that town.
In 1744 the number of Indians at the mission was about two hundred. They had made some advance toward civilization and Christianity, but it was of greater consequence that they heartily desired still further prog. ress. Their missionary, Mr. Sergeant, had a potent influence over them. and especially over their leading men, which extended to the branches of the tribe in the neighboring sections of New York and Connecticut, to whom at intervals he ministered zealously and lovingly, and who aggre. gated probably as large a number as had been gathered at Stockbridge. This influence of Mr. Sergeant and that of his exceedingly well chosen associates in the mission was expressed effectually to preserve and strengthen the traditional friendship of the tribe for the English colo
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nists. Is is a noteworthy historical fact that not a man of them took an- vantage of the disturbances created by the war of 1744 to inflict injury upon a white soldier or settler, and this although, as we know, they had suffered gross provocation from some not belonging to the neighbor hood ; and although neither civilization nor Christianity had yet warned them from savage passions and practices of war. Nor is there a single well authenticated instance of any such injury inflicted during the wall of 1754. On the contrary. the Indians on the Housatonic were, throughon! both struggles, the faithful and helpful friends and allies of their while neighbors ; joining in their warlike expeditions both as scouts and war riors ; interposing a barrier between them and the Canadian maranders which the latter did not care to encounter, and rendering still more vala able service as negotiators by maintaining the wavering fidelity of the fierce and powerful Mohawks. A striking instance occurred at the open ing of the war. A portion of the Mohawks who had been converted by the Jesuits were styled French, and were relied upon to take up the word- hawk on that side in the war. Another portion, if not quite converted to Protestantism, were under its influences and friendly to the English. All that the English authorities asked of the latter division of the tribe was to remain neutral and prevail upon the French Mohawks to do the sun .. and let the whites settle their own quarrel. There was a report that this desirable agreement had been effected. and. to some extent at least. through chiefs of the Housatonic Indians who had visited the English Mohawks. To render this certain, the Houstonic negotiators induced a deputation of Mohawks to visit Stockbridge, Jime 5th, 17H. for a con ference. The Mohegan chief asked the Mohawk if the report was the. adding. .. You well know how that matter is. I desire you to tell no what we are to do in that affair. If you say we minst sit still, we will sit still. If we see those Indians help their friends, we must help outs." The Mohawk replied that the report was true. "Those Indians have promised us that they will not meddle with the war : but sit still in peace and let the white people determine the dispute among themselves. We have promised them the same and desire yon to join with us in the same peaceable disposition." The agreement was made, but implicitly kept on neither side, although it had its restraining effeet for a time. On the 30th of September, 1746, about a month after the capture of Fort Massi chusetts, one hundred white men set out from Stockbridge on a scout to the northward, which continued until December 25th. Rev. Mr. Hope , kins, Who was one of the party, probably a chaplain, does not state to what point the expedition went or what it accomplished, but he does say that it was accompanied by nineteen Indians
On the 31st of May. 1746, says Drake in his particular history of the war. " Governor Shirley laid before the General Court a letter from Rev. Mr. Sergeant in which he recommended retaliation of a character which the governor did not fully approve, at the same time remaking that, while he was far from any disposition to countenance emelty or
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unnecessary severity, yet whether the practice of the French in this par- tienlar case, and the great advantage they have over ns unless we make reprisals upon them in the same way, will not justify ns therein. is a matter which justifies our deliberation." Mr. Drake adds: " What this instance was, is not now very clear. We are inclined to think that it does not refer to any single atrocity, of which none had ocenrred in Mr. Sergeant's immediate field, but to the general practice of the French in offering rewards indiscriminately for the scalps of English men, women. and children." The General Court had already offered premiums for the scalps of warriors of certain distinctly named Indian nibes; but the friendly Indians, with whose views Mr. Sergeant was familiar, thonzin. with their notions of national justice, that the French deserved this 1 taliation quite as much as the Indians under their influence. Possibly there may be some connection between this recommendation of Mr. Ser- geant and the mysterious scout to the northward which started from Stockbridge on the 30th of the next September. A little after midnight. on the 22d of November, 1745, Great Barrington was thrown into gromt excitement by a report, said to have been brought by two young men. that Stockbridge was beset and taken by Indians. The citizens were soon quieted by a contradiction of the rumor as to the taking of Stock- bridge: but the belief that it was in danger continued, and fresh evidence confirmed the report that a large body of Indians were in the vicinity and hourly expected to arrive. Most of the inhabitants fled to fortified places in Sheffield. Elisha Noble's fort was so crowded with women and chil- dren that rest, the succeeding night, was out of the question. This alan and a like one a fortnight later, were entirely without foundation. *
Up to the 9th of May, 1746, no outrages were committed by the enemy in Berkshire; but on that day, as Sergeant John Hawkes and John Milils, for Miles) were riding on one horse near Fort Massachusetts they were fired at and both wounded. Mihils escaped at once to the fort. Hawkes fell from his horse. but as the Indians ran to sealp him. he te. covered and presented his gun, which so dampened their ardor that one jumped down a bank and the other got behind a tree and cried for quais ter. Hawkes did not understand him, and stood calling to the fort for assistance. In the meantime both Indians escaped. One had discharged his gun; the other dropped his and did not dare to leave his screen to recover it.+
On the 11th of June a party of Indians, falling upon some men who were at work near Fort Massachusetts, shot and scalpel Elias Jimmy and wounded Gershom Hawkes. The rest fled toward the fat, when an ambush rose to ent them off. A sharp fire from the fort saved all except Benjamin Taintor, who was captured, but soon afterward returned. The raiding party killed nearly a hundred cattle belonging to the fort and to Dutch settlers over the New York border : but not without loss to them
* Taylor's history of Great Barrington,
| Drake.
GENERAL HISTORY.
selves. The body of one was found burned on the bank of the river and near it some long cords, supposed to have been brought to lead away anticipated captives."
The siege and capture of Fort Massachusetts followed in a few weeks. Of this event, which was, next to the capture of Lonishing, the most notable in the war. we have very full and detailed accounts in the narrative of Res. Mr. Norton, the chaplain of the fort at the time, in bis pamphlet. " The Redeemed Captive, " and from other sources.
Fort Massachusetts stood on a spot which is now a beautiful meadow on the south side of the road from North Adams to Williamstown, a little east of the village of Blackinton in the former town. It is at de north base of Greylock, and upon the north side of the narrow valley is a hill which is dignified in Mr. Norton's narrative with the title of "mountain." although in this mountainons region it seems hardly more than a mole hill. It was, however, high enough to command the fort when occupied by sharp-shooters. It would have been difficult in all this valley to find a location not commanded by some hili. The site of the fort is now marked by a fine elm. It consisted of barracks surrounded by a solid stockade of hewn logs planted firmly on the ground with a mount for sharp-shooters and sentinels at least on the northwest corner. if no more. There appears to have been no planking stockade like that nique sented in the diagram of Fort Anson. No mention is made in Nortrer's narrative of any cannon, and there was evidently not even a swivel. Mr. Norton left Fort Shirley August 14th, in company with Dr. Thionexs Williams, a brother of Captain Ephraim, who acted as a sort of itinond surgeon to the forts. They had an escort of fourteen soldiers, and, after visiting Fort Pelham, reached Fort Massachusetts on the 15th. The next day Dr. Williams, with his escort, returned to his home in Deortak?, leaving Mr. Norton, who intended to remain for a month. The conts mander of the fort was Sergeant John Hawkes, the same who was wound ed on the 9th of the preceding May, when he had recently returned from captivity among the Indians. He was a brave and judicious officer. although as yet uncommissioned. The ordinary garrison was fifty now ; but notwithstanding the warning afforded by the affairs of May and June, it was now reduced to twenty two, including the sergeant and chaplain, who could fight too when occasion called for it. Of the twenty privates, eleven were very sick with dysentery, and " scarce one was in perfect health." There were also in the barracks, three women, one uf them pregnant and near her confinement, and eight children.
When Dr. Williams went off to Deerfield, Sergeant Hawkes wrote to the captain requesting him to speedily send supplies, as he was very short of ammunition and had discovered signs of the enemy. The let- ter, for some reason, "did not reach the captain seasonably." After the letter was dispatched two men from the fort discovered tracks of the enemy a few miles from it. Between eight and nine o'clock on
*Drake.
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
the morning of Tuesday, the loth, all the inmates being fortunately within the fort, an army of five hundred French and three hundred In- dians, under the command of General de Vaudreuil, appeared be- fore it. This force surrounded the stockade and began "with hideous acclamation" to rush toward it upon every side, firing " incessantly." Sergeant Hawkes ordered his men to hold their fire until the enemy were near enough for them to be sure it would do good execution. It was de livered when they were within twenty rods, and they bemook themselves to trees, stumps, and logs where they kept up their continous firing. Some ran from one tree or stump to another to bring them nearer the fort. " This." says Chaplain Norton. " they did in a very subtle maner, run ning so crooked that it was difficult to shoot at them with any good pros. pect of success, until we observed that when they came to a stump they would fall down ; which. we observing, prepared to catch them as they fell ; and this we did with probable snecess, for they soon left off that method. We saw several fall and rise no more. Among them was the captain of the St. Francis Indians, who was one of the foremost and called upon the others to press upon the fort. Sergeant Hawkes got an opportunity to shoot him in the breast, which ended his days."
General Vaudreuil's standard bearer approached within twenty rod- of the fort, and standing behind a tree displayed his banner; but he speedily retreated with a shattered arm. The general also walked up the hill to within forty rods, where he stood giving orders, but moved off . when he attracted the notice of the musketeers. The enemy continued this almost incessant fire, and some crept up to within twelve rods. At this point bullets became scarce in the garrison: the new comers, for lack of bullet moulds, not having prepared themselves for a long engagement. Some of the sick men were therefore set to running bullets, and others, having only shot moulds, to making buck shot. This reminded the ser geant to examine his stock of powder, which he found alarmingly small. and gave orders that no more should be used than was absolutely necess sary to hold the assailants in check. They fired, therefore, only when they were sure of their mark. .. We saw several fali." writes the chap lain, "who, we are persuaded, never rose again." "But it was provok - ing to see the enemy at almost any hour of the day in open view within fifty and sometimes within less than forty rods. The officers walking about, sword in hand, viewing us, and we, all for that miserable lack of ammunition, not daring to treat their impudence with a single shot." In the fort two men, John Aldrich and Jonathan Bridgeman, were slightly wounded during the day. Toward evening the enemy were busy with their axes and hammers, cutting wood, as it was thought at first, for lad ders to aid in scaling the stockade and storming it at night. It turned out that they were intended for faggots to aid in burning it. Sergeant Hawkes made thorough preparation to meet either form of assault. look ing himself to each detail. Every vessel which would hold water was filled, and some placed in every room. It seems that the barracks were
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GENERAL HISTORY.
built close against the stockades. He ent passages from room to 19om, strengthened the onter doors, and distributed the men in the several rooms. " While he was thus preparing, he kept two men in the northwest mount. and some in the great house, the southeast comer of the fort, to watch the enemy and keep them back." In the evening the enemy approached nearer the fort than in the daytime, and in greater numbers; but with only the light of their fires to guide there was little encouragement for the garrison to fire upon them. except to prevent them from being em boldenel to storm the fortifications. Bnek shot were fired, and Mr. Nor ton indulged a hope that they did some execution, as the enemy afterward complained of their using that sort of missiles, " which they could noi have known if they had not felt some of them." Between eight and ning o'clock, what seemed to be the whole army surrounded the fort, and yelled hideously three or four times. Those within thought this to lu. preliminary to storming; but it proved to be merely a good night to give the garrison pleasant dreams.
After placing guards to prevent the sending of messengers "to New England" to summon relief, they went into camp for the night. Sergeant Hawkes would not order any of his men to make the attempt to carry information of their danger to the east. and none would respond to the inducements which he offered. Retaining a sufficient number with hing self to keep guard. he directed the remainder, most of whom were siek and feeble. to get what rest they could till morning : but that was little. as the enemy renewed their onteries frequently, leading always to the belief that they were about to commence the assault. On the next day the enemy reconnuenced their continuons fire, and some, climbing the hill on the north 'of the fort. were able to shoot over the stockade into the middle of the parade ground. At eleven o'clock, Thomas Knowlton. who was in the mount, was shot through the head. At noon General De Vaudreuil proposed a parley, and was met by the sergeant and Mr. Non ton. He demanded the surrender of the fort "with the offer of good quarter." If his proposition were rejected he would endeavor to take it by storm. Two hours were granted for consideration. The sergeant and chaplain returned to the fort to examine into its means of defense. They found that they had only three or four pounds of powder and not more of lead. They, after prayers to God for wisdom and direction, considered . the probability of their being able to snecessfully resist an assault, which they felt sure would be vigorously made. They knew that their amuni tion would last but a few minutes: after which they would be at the mercy of the infuriated for. Nothwithstanding this, the stout old fight ing parson writes: " Had we all been in health, or had there been only eight of us that were in health. I believe every man would willingly lane stood it out to the last. For my part. I should." But they knew that if the fort was taken by storm. the sick, the wounded, the women. and the children would be mercilessly slaughteret by the savages, Then was no alternative, and the sergeant determined to surrender on the best
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIREL. COUNTY.
terms which he could obtain. These were far more favorable than the experience of the times would have warranted him in expecting. They were in brief: Ist, that they should all be prisoners to the French all none given over to the Indians. 2d. that, while captives, the children should all live with their parents. 3d. that all should be exchanged on the first opportunity. In addition, the general promised that they should have all Christian care and charity; that those not sufficiently strong to travel should be carried: that they should all reain their clech ing, and that they might leave a few lines to inform their friends what had become of them. The general with his staff entered the fort at thise o'clock and raised the French flag. He "spake comfortably " to his prisoners and promised that the body of Knowhon, which still lay in the mount, should not be mutilated but decently buried.
The gates were closed against all others ; but the Indians, finding themselves shut out, undermined the stockade, crept in, opened the gates, and admitted all. so that the parade ground was soon crowded. The I- dians shouted when they saw the blood of Knowlton flowing under the. . mount. The French officers resisted their attempt to reach the body for some time, but it was finally seized, dragged out of the fort, and the bond and arms ent off. A young Frenchman skinned and roasted one of the arms and offered it to Daniel Smeed. one of the prisoners, to cat. Mi. Norton gravely informs us that Smeed did not accept the horrible repast. He afterward heard that the Frenchman had the skin dressed and made into a tobacco pouch : which is not unlikely, as it was a common practice with the Indians, and was occasionally followed by whites of the class to which this young brute evidently belonged.
The prisoners were transferred to the French camp. and had been there but a little while when Mr. Doty, the general's interpreter, calling Mr. Norton aside, told him that the Indians desired to have some of the soldiers go with them, and begged him to persuade them to consent, sty- ing that he, Mr. Norton, the sergeant, and the families should go with the French officers. He replied that this would be a violation of the terms of the capitulation and of the general's promise, and moreover would thies away the lives of some who were sick or wounded. Mr. Doty acknow! edged that all were prisoners to the French, but hoped that some would consent to go with the Indians, who would be kind to them. He pressed the same request upon Sergeant Hawkes, who, with Mr. Norton, Submitted the proposition to some of the healthy soldiers, who naturally proved in- willing. Returning to Mr. Doty, Mr. Norton, in reply to his proposition. said, that they would by no means consent that any of their men should go with the Indians, whose manner, as they' knew, was to abnse their prisoners and sometimes to kill those who failed in traveling and carryIng packs, which some of their men certainly could not do ; that they took the general for a man of honor and hoped to find him so, but they thought it little better in him to deliver them to the Indians than tosbase them himself. "For myself," headded, "had I thought that the general
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would have delivered any of our men to the savages. I should have sitemy- ously opposed the surrender of the fort : for I had father died in fight than to see any of our men killed while we had no opportunity to resist." Some further discussion ensued, and the interpreter took his leave. But in a little while some French officers appeared and took away John Perry and his wife and all the other prisoners except Sergeant Hawkes, John Smeed and Moses Scott and the families of Smeed and Scott. Those taken away were distributed among the Indians. The fort was burned as soon after the capitulation as it could be pluralered. It was after- ward reported that forty five of the French and Indians were killed in the siege, which is not improbable. if Norton'S account of the things coffeet. although the small number of the garrison has caused it to be doubted The loss of the garrison was one killed and two slightly wounded, whose names have already been given.
On the morning of the 21st the army started, with its prisoners, on its return to Canada. "going down the (Hoosnek river in the Hoosnek road." The treatment of the prisoners was humane. happily disappoint ing their fears, although even then the march was full of distress. Josiah Reed, who was hopelessly ill when he left the fort. died of his disease on the second day. Before the march began Mr. Norton interended with the . general that John Aldrich, who, being wounded in the foot, could not march, should not go with the Indians. He was told he must. but shoold not be hurt. "They had canoes a little down the river on which the weak and feeble should be carried." A few hours afterward. he sis Aldrich, not with his brains knocked out, but carried on the back of his Indian " master." On that day he passed John Perry's wife, who said that her strength had failed her, traveling so fast, and complained that the Indian she was with threatened her. He spoke of her to the French. officer who said that he would not be allowed to hurt her. Sergent Hawkes also represented the case to the general, who "talked with the Indian," after which she was treated kindly. The next day her husband. who previously did not know where she was, was relieved of his pack and allowed to help her, which he did, carrying her when she was ex- hausted. Throughout the march the French carried the women and children who were in their charge, and the Indians conveyed brothers Simon and John Aldrich and Mrs. Perry for abont ten miles down the river in their canoes. Toward evening on the first day. Mrs. Smeed, who was two miles in the rear of the main body, being taken in travail, some of the French who were with her made a seat and carried her forward to the camp where, at about ten o'clock, she was safely delivered of a loalthey daughter, who was the next day baptized by the name of " Captivity." The French made a frame like a bier, and covering it with a bear skin and buck skin, carried the mother and her babe along with relays of two nyon at a time as bearers. Both did remarkably well. although Mr. Smeed was drenched with rain three days afterward: but she died March Jock
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