USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume I pt 1 > Part 11
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
at Quebec and the infant. "Captivity." May 17th. She was both, lived her little life, and died. in captivity .*
At evening on the second day the army reached a point abont twenty . five miles down the Hoosnek. The prisoners had thus far fared well, and the sick improved wonderfully in health and strength; the "enemy " by dint of killing some cattle found in a Dutchman's meadow, having been able to supply them bountifully with fresh meat and broth, " which was very beneficial to the sick." Now, however, Mr. Norton Farming that they were about to leave the river for a march of sixty miles though the wilderness, expressed great anxiety for the fooble; but was assured by Lieutenant Dumuz that he need not fest as the general had promised a reward to the Indians who had charge of them if they should carry them safely through their journey.
Thus they went on until they reached Crown Point, on the 230, the last twenty-five miles having been in canoes. All the prisoners were much improved in strength and health and had suffered none but unavoidable hardships. They remained until September 3d at Crown Point, where they were treated with hospitable kindness. Mr. Norton lived with il general and half a dozen officers, and throve wonderfully upon a diet of fresh meat and broth and Bordeaux wine. He was also invited to inspect the fort. which was on a widely different seale from Fort Massachusetts. astonishing him by its size, its massive stone walls, and the number and size of its cannon. The prisoners had also the privilege of worshiping God after their own way, in a room by themselves.
They reached Quebec on the 16th. Here they were treated extremely well for prisoners of war, especially the chaplain, but with the lage number of prisoners in the city. not with the exceptional kindness which characterized the march, and which is still remembered to the credit of General Vaudreuil. There were some three of four hundred prisoners, or captives, at Quebec, and great mortality prevailed among them. Four of the soldiers taken at Fort Massachusetts died. Of the women and children. besides Mrs. Smeed and her two sons, Mrs. Scott and her san Moses, two years old. and Mrs. Perry all died of consumption, caused by their exposure dming their march as captives. Not one of the thice women in the fort survived. What remained of the melancholy party were sent by the cartel. " Vierge-de-Grace" to Boston, which port they reached August 16th, 1747, having been exchanged or redeemed, Sont had already found their way back. according to Drake, by the way of France. the West Indies, and the Wilderness: imprisonment being so irksome that they were willing to accept any change.
In the French account of the sacking of Fort Massachusetts. it is stated that their party " set fire to all the houses and grain within a space of fifteen leagues, with barns, mills, churches, tanneries, &e." This is an exaggeration, but the truth and consequent terror was hideous
* Mrs. Spreed's sons, John and Daniel, also both died at Quand. Har Imsband vat rene deemed, but afterward was killed at home.
:
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GENERAL HISTORY.
enough. Sixty Abenakis Indians belonging to the raiders went as far as Deerfield, and returned with seven scalps and two prisoners, one a negro. Another party, or the same, went even as far as Northampton where they plundered and burned houses and killed cattle. Dutch Hoosae was ravaged, and other minor depredations were perpetuated. both of the east and west of Fort Massachusetts. The new settlement at Saratoga was sacked. Of course the presence of so large a hostile force so near them created great alarm in the settlements from thirty to forty miles south. The house of Rev. Mr. Sergeant at Stockbridge was garrison.1. and other measures of defense were taken, but although the enemy toust have known of the existence of the settlements, and that except by the presence of the Stockbridge Indians they were practically defeuseless, they made no movement toward molesting them. We know of no reason for this except the indisposition of the French and Indians to meet or provoke the enmity of the mission Indians.
In the winter of 1746-7 the General Court ordered the rebuilding of Fort Massachusetts, under the direction of a committee consisting of Col onels Stoddard and Porter, and Oliver Partridge, Esq General Joseph Dwight had raised a regiment for the expedition against Canada, to which William Williams was assigned as lieutenant colonel. On the 21st of April General Dwight gave to his lieutenant orders covering several points. He was first to learn of the commissioners when they intersted to commence the "rebuilding blockhouses west of the Connecticut." of which he supposed Fort Massachusetts would be undertaken first, and also to consult with them as to what would be a sufficient force. Two companies of the regiment and a portion of three others were assigned to him for this purpose, and the General added : " I suppose Captain Ephraim Williams will send all or most of his, if you desire it, who. I think, ought to do their .part of this duty." This Captain Williams. who did respond as was expected, was not he of Williams College fame, who had been promoted to the rank of major. In those same onders Lieutenant Colonel Williams is directed to write to Major Williams to maintain the scout from Stockbridge to Fort Massachusetts ; and. if Cap. tain Hunt's company is at Sheffield, he thinks it best that they should march across the woods, on their way to the fort, with Major Williams' men. Lieutenant Colonel Williams is authorized, while rebuilding the fort, to keep as many men out scouting as he thinks for his safety, and is especially cautioned to have a good scout lying in or near " the rond made last fall by the enemy's army to Hlousuck."
These orders show what vigilant guard against lurking savages was at that time thought indispensably necessary, although owing to the de tention of General Dwight's regiment the western border was compara tively well protected by province troops. Events soon proved that these precautions were, to say the least, no more than sufficient.
Colonel Williams proceeded promptly in the execution of his orders and by the middle of May the fort was sufficiently advanced to afford
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
some protection to those within it. On the 19th a guard of 102 was sent to Albany to escort wagons bringing provisions and ammunition from that city to the fort. The guard was under the command of Major Ephraim Williams# and among the officers was Captain Elijah Williams, of Stock bridge, Lieutenant Graves, and Ensign Ingersoll.
On the 24th another detachment was sent to meet them, which it did twelve miles below the fort, and, after aiding them to cross the river, re- turned. On the morning of the 25th Major williams had out five scouts ; one of them of Stockbridge Indians under the command of Ensign Kon- kapot. He had also sent forward squads of men to clear the road for the wagons. The latter. having done their work, went back, "stringing along (contrary to orders)." Their imprudence and disobedience were rewarded by a brisk fire from an ambush of the enemy by which a Stock. bridge Indian was killed and ten white men wounded, Though "our men rallied and pushed the enemy like tigers, those serpents got off the Indian's scalp about as big as three fingers." All the rest escaped. ex- cept Zebulon Allen of Deerfield, who was supposed to be taken prisoner. The firing alarmed the fort, being the first intimation there of the pros. imity of the enemy, and a small force sallied ont. A smart skirmish or- curred near a swamp and within sight of the fort. Seeing that the En- glish were gaining the advantage. the Indians retreated to the swamp. from which they fled in panic when they heard the report of a cannon fired at the fort ; affording another curious illustration of the Indian dread of artillery. They confessed to the loss of ten men killed, and left behind them valuable property consisting of " twenty blankets, one coat with frosted buttons, three of a meaner sort. ten pair of woolen stockings. one pair of leather, sixteen gun cases, six muttump lines, four pair of In- dian shoes. a looking glass, four shirts, twelve knives, five hatchets, eiglit petucks, etc., etc." It is clear that this miscellaneous assortment was the fruit of some plundering expedition.
Rev. Mr. Yeomans, in his history of Adams, says. " The people res maining in the fort and the commander with the wagons were much blamed for not affording assistance and were charged with cowardice :" but his account of the affair differs essentially from that which we have given, chiefly on the authority of Drake ; and it is certain that neither Colonel nor Major Williams were men to be justly charged with coss. ardice. The hostile force encountered by the fort builders in this conflict was part of a body. called in some accounts an army, ent ont from Crown Point to watch their work and to obstruet it when they had opportunity. They would probably have made no attack at this time had they not supe posed themselves discovered by the scouts. The fort having been fin-
* Drake gives the name of the commander as " Major Williamy Williams of Stov bridge," which is probably a mistake, as there was no Major Wilham Willinjos of Ste klaridge, and Major Ephraim Williams, being in ordinary command of the wouts and having & com- while Colour William Williams, who was not of Stockbridge, being in command of the fort. would have naturally remained in it.
GENERAL HISTORY.
ished as to its defenses, and this time not without cannon, although prob ably of small caliber, nor without flanking stockades. Lieutenant Colonel Williams transferred the command in a letter which we print as illustrat. ing the general character of works of that kind, and otherwise historically valuable.
"Fort Makeachusetts, June 15th, 1747. " Major Ephraim Williams:
Sir: Intending by the leave of Providence to depart this Fort to-morrow, which. thro' the Goodness of God toward us, is now finished, I must desire you to take charge of it, and shall for the present leave with you eighty men, including officers. which I would have you detain here until the barracks are created, which I would have you build in the following manner (viz) Seventy feet in length, thirty in breadth seven feet post, with a low roof. Let it be placed within five feet of the North side of the Fort, and at equal distances from the east and west ends. Let it be divided in the middle with a tier of timber. Place the chimney in the center of the east part with two fire places, so as to accommodate those rooms. In the west part, place the chimney, so as 'best to accommodate the two rooms on that part, as if the house were but twenty feet wide from the south, making a Partition of Plank ten feet dis- tant from the north side of the barracks for a store room for the provisions, etc The timber, stones, clay, lath, and all materials being under the command of your guns, I can't but look upon you as safe in your Business, and desire yan to see every- thing finished workmanlike; and when you have done, You'll be pleased to dismiss Captain Ephraim Williams and his men, and what of my company I leave.
"You'll not forget to keep a scout out east and west, for which the men of your company are so well adapted, and can be of very little value to you in the works,
"I shall not give you any particular directions about maintaining this strong Fortress, or Governing Your Men, but in general advise you to be always on your guard, nor suffer any idle fellows to stroll about. Sir, I can heartily wish you health. ye Protection and Smiles of Heaven on all Acounts, and am, with Esteem and Re- gard, Your Most Humble Servant,
"WMt. WILLIAMS."
Major Williams' company were evidently hardy foresters, trained to range the woods boldly yet with skillful cantion, and naturally impatient of the labor of builders. On one occasion we shall, however, find some of them impetuous and brave but without much prudence.
On the 1st of October, Peter B --- , one of the garrison, was cap. tured near the fort. as he was out hunting : but he returned at the close of the war.
There was no further trouble in the Hoosae valley, or anywhere in Berkshire until the 2d of August, 1748, when a party of French and Indians placed themselves in ambush very near the fort. The violent barking of the garrison dogs led to a strong suspicion of the ambush, and in the afternoon, while Major Williams was consulting with his officers as to the best method for surprising it. several soldiers, without orders. rushed out of the fort and followed the direction indicated by the dogs A part of the ambush rose and fired upon them. Upon this Major Wil- liams with a strong party sallied out to the resene. Not being aware of
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
the part of the ambush which had not risen. he passed them and was in imminent danger of being cut off from his retreat. The men. however. fired several rounds without shelter before retreating. and continued steadily firing as they retired to the fort ; and firing effectually, as the enemy were seen to drag away several of their dead. Of the garrison one man, named Abbot, was killed, Lieutenant Hawley was shot through the leg, and Ezekiel Wells had his thigh broken.
One account puts the number of the French and Indians who came to the vicinity of the fort at this time as high as 200 ; another places it as low as about sixty. It was probably midway between the two statements.
The treaty of peace between France and England was signed at ix La Chapelle, October 7th, 1748, but it was not received and proclaimed in Boston until the second of the following May. Even after that Indian depredations continued a little while ; but there was no trouble on Berk- shire soil after the ambush just described.
CHAPTER VI.
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS (continued).
War of 1754-1762 .- State of the plantation .- Position of the Indians .- Killing of Wnie paumcorse .- Massacre at Stockbridge and Howsar. - Forts at PotertodaA. - William Williams .- List of Berkshire soldiers.
T HE peace between the English and French colonies in North Amer- ica which. in consequence of the treaty of Aix La Chapelle. com- menced in the spring of 1748, continned only until the spring of 1751: and was treacherous and troubled as it was brief. Nevertheless some im portant changes occurred during that interval, both in Berkshire and else. where on the continent. The settlements at the south, already mentioned. had grown. Plantations had been well established at Poontoosuck ( Pitts- field) and rather feebly at New Framingham (Lanesboro). There werea few families at Lenox, and two or three had attempted to settle at West Hoosuck (Williamstown), but withdrew as rumors of war thickened. General Joseph Dwight had made his home in Stockbridge, being master of the new Indian school, and Colonel William Williams was, in publie affairs, the leading inhabitant of Poontoosuck. The whole population of the Housatonic valley from Sheffield to Lanesboro, at that time, may be estimated at about eight hundred, exclusive of between two and three hundred half civilized Stockbridge Indians.
The most important change was in the Stockbridge Mission, and con- sequently to some extent in the disposition of the Indians gathered be it. Mr. Sergeant, who seemed born as well as educated for this field, died July 25th, and his charge was without an installed pastor until August 9th. 1751. Rev. Dr. Hopkins, of Great Barrington, whose interest in the mission was very deep. doubtless, however. kept a close ecclesiastica oversight, in which Senior Deacon Timothy Woodbridge, the teacher of the Indians, and Mr. Sergeant's assistant, was well qualified to aid him ; or. indeed. to undertake it alone. Besides this. Jonathan Edwards, the great theologian and metaphysician, who had been called to succeed Mi. Sergeant. spent the winter of 175; in Stocklider after January Ist. and returning, was ordained early in that you. Me. Edwards was a sincere
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
and earnest friend of the Indians and the zealous defender of their rights and character whenever either was assailed. That he was ardently desir- ous of their spiritual welfare need not be said to any who have ever read of the man. But he was not so exclusively devoted to the mission work as his predecessor had been. He did not identify himself with the mass of his people by learning or attempting to learn their language. thinking it better that they should learn English. A considerable portion of his time must have been occupied in abstruse study and meditation. for he- tween August, 1752, and April. 1753. he began and completed his world famous treatise on the Freedom of the Will, and afterward was at times engaged on less noted works. Under these circumstances it was inipos- sible that he could acquire anything approaching that marvelous intin- ence which Mr. Sergeant possessed. and used so much to the advantage both of his red neophytes and the province. This was the more to be regretted as adverse agencies were at work : some intended merely to alienate the Indians from the mission and the Massachusetts people, oth- ers to transfer their friendship and alliance to the French, but both finally tending to the latter result. The Dutch liquor dealers over the New York line detested the mission for its interference with their Inerative traffic. With the grave and thoughtful elders of the tribe they could hope to effect little ; but they came near to accomplishing their purpose of de. bauching the young men by furnishing rum free for hidden orgies in the woods, and by specious talk. In this they were aided by Indians of vi- cious character, but subtle, who had come to the mission from other tribes, and also by vagabonds among their white neighbors ; and it must be confessed that the example of some Berkshire settlers of respectable standing was not altogether edifying as the result of Christianity and civilization, however excellent models those selected to reside at Stock- bridge in that character may have been.
Some of the Indians from abroad, who joined the mission for a time. were undoubtly spies and emissaries of the French, and seized every opportunity to foment jealousies. They told the " young braves" in their confidential interviews that in teaching them the arts of peace the white men were preparing to reduce them to slavery, and that in obstruct. ing the use of spiritnous liquors they were encroaching upon their national liberties. With the elders they sought to increase dissatisfaction in regard to their lands. All the land- occupied by the whites in Berk. shire were freely sold by their original owners for a fair price : but al though dissevered by migration and the white men's laws, the Mohegan Indians in Northwestern Connecticut, the River Indians of New York. and the Stockbridge Indians of Massachusetts continued to consider themselves branches of one tribe which made serions complaint as to the occupation of its hill lands without their consent and without payment. Even in Massachusetts some even of the elder Indians were persuaded to believe that in bargaining away their lands an untair advantage had been taken of them.
GENERAL HISTORY.
While the Indians were in this jealons mood an event occurred in the spring of 1753 which, unhappy at any time, was especially unfortunde at that moment. One Wampanmcorse. a Schaghticoke Indian domiciled at Stockbridge, being on Sugar Camp at Hopbrook, non Tyringham, saw two men, Cook by name, leading horses which, being without horses. he believed to be stolen. Pursuing them and an altercation arising, he was shot dead. The Cooks were arrested, and on trial at Springfield. ... was acquitted and the other convicted of manslaughter. This was what the law and the evidence required ; but it was not at all satisfactory. according to aboriginal ideas and enstoms. A surprising fennent arose. doubtless being fostered by the emissaries of whom we have spoken. The Schagticokes, descendants of Narragansett refugees, were at all times full of murderous resentment, and found means now to strengthen. in the minds of disaffected Stockbridge Indians, the idea that the English designed their destruction. Illogical as this conclusion was it took full possession of some minds or imaginations, as was soon apparent "in the surly behavior of some in whom it had not before been observed." in the stealing of guns, in more frequent intercourse with distant tribes, and the " consorting together of the worst tempered and worst behaved fellows. who kept up a drunken pow-wow in the woods six miles west of West Stockbridge (and consequently in New York on the west side of the Taconies) for several days, with fresh supplies of mum from Kinderhook." Finally some negro slaves revealed a plot, in which they had been invited to join, for the massacre of as many whites as possible and flight to Canada. Upon this the wildest excitement prevailed in Stockbridge, and hardly less in the other settlements in the valley. The authorities were. however, not demented by the excitement, but wisely called the Indians together, informed them of their apprehensions, and endeavored to as- certain what foundation there was for them. It appeared. as the more sagacious citizens had anticipated. that the great body of the tribe were. entirely unaware of the plot. .. but the thing was real with so many that the authorities looked upon themselves in a worse state than open wal.
There was a way out of this. The Indian code in regard to such matters was not, under some aspects, sanguinary .. Money would " wipe away blood" as effectually as the halter. The Great and General Court. taking this into consideration, had estimated the life volunteer detertit .. Wampaumcorse at the value of 50, which it voted to be paid to his next of kin. But red tape was invented before the Revolution, and up to the time when the plot was revealed, the six pounds had not been paid, General Dwight and Timothy Woodbridge. Esq. now represented the state of affairs at Stockbridge to Governor Shirley in very earnest lan gnage. They said that there seemed to be no pique against any person in particular, but against the English in general for the killing of War patincorse : and in order that the people " might not be exposed to the murderous strokes of savage rosestimmt." they comesty beesel It's Excellency to recommend to the General Count an increase of the sum of
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HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
£6 which had been granted to " wipe away blood," and that it might le sent by a special embassy, which would add to its eficacy as a peace offering.
The Court, on the 220 of April, voted 920, to be placed in the hands of General Dwight for distribution among the relatives of Wampanmcorse; but official delay still continued. and on the 224 of May. Jonathan Edwards, in the deepest anxiety, wrote to Secretary Willard, beseoching his influ- ence that the money which had been granted . Wananbangus, the auch of the man that was killed," might be speedily delivered. .. It was min. ifestly." he said, "a matter of the greatest importance, not only to the people of Stockbridge. but to all New England, that the Indians should be speedily quieted in this matter. It was evident that the ill influence of that affair had a wide extent. reaching to tribes at a great distance that it would be a handle of which the French at this juncture would make the utmost improvement." It "seemed to affect the Mohawks no less than the other Indians."
At last the money was paid, and the excitement in a great measure subsided ; but it had continued too long not to leave some evil effects. The authorities at Boston do not appear to so much advantage in this affair as General Dwight and Messis. Edwards and Woodbridge.
During the entire peace the French. in spite of the repeated remon. strances of England, had not reduced their military establishment in Canada, but increased it to thirty three companies of regular troops, of about fifty men each, and a large addition of ordnance. During the year 1753 France was preparing to make good her claim to the territory of Western Pennsylvania, northern New York, and the Ohio by occupying favorable points and erecting fortifications, often formidable for their solid and skillful construction and the character of the cannon they mounted. But it was not until the 25th of May, 1751, that the first gan of the final struggle of the French and the English for the possession of the northern section of North America was fired by Lieutenant Colonel George Washington, in what was then a far-away western forest. Ban- croft tells the incident with poetic vigor: " . Fire !' said Washington. gud with his own musket gave the example. That word of command kindle the world into a flame. It was the signal for the first great war of revo- lution "
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