USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Deerfield > History of Deerfield, Massachusetts: the times when the people by whom it was settled, unsettled and resettled, vol 1 > Part 23
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229
CONNECTICUT SOLDIERS GARRISON DEERFIELD.
it be,) we may recouer our-selves from this low estate we are now in, ye granting of wich will much oblige your poor ptitionrs, and for your Honors euer to pray.
DAVID HOYT, In y“ JNO. SHELDEN, name of SIMON BEAMAN, ) y". Town.
In answer to the Inhabitants of Deerfield this House doe judge it Meete and Requisite that a Committee be chosen out of the Towns Adjacent to be joined with some meet persons of Said Town of Decr- field, who shall manage that affair, and sett men to worke for the Repairing their fortifications for the Security of the said Town, and that something be allowed them for supply of Amunition, all wch to be paid out of the Treasury of the province not exceeding the sume of that the place may be mainetained and not deserted.
This action was timely; without it, it may be, the Town would have been abandoned by the disheartened inhabitants.
Feb. 19th, 1692-3, news reached Pynchon of the disastrous attack on the Mohawks by the French and Indians from Can- ada, which news he posted to Governor Phipps. By return post, Feb. 27th, he received orders for securing Deerfield ; Capt. Cooke was joined with him in this commission. Pur- suant to these orders on the 2d of March they went to Con- necticut. March 6th, the General Court made arrangements for soldiers to be sent to Deerfield. Pynchon writes Mar. 8th :-
They Readyly granted men for Securing that Post: 40 or 50 men to garrison ye upper Towns when they should be called for & 150 men more in readyness to march upon notice of need of them wch in regard ye French yt assaulted ye Maquas Forts are returned home & probably the spring or winter now breaking vp at Canida wil not al- low ym to stir again til about May : I did not insist to have ym Pres- ently Post away their men to Dearefield: also because though Con- necticut wil furnish wth ye men & be at ye charge of their wages, yet wil not of their Dyet (as they say) weh Dearefield I doubt cannot fur- nish ym wth. Their corne last yeare being destroyed by ye worms & Provisions will not be had wthout sending it frm ye next Townes, though Possibly some meate or few barrels of Pork (wch are scarce) may be in Dearefield, yet they belong to particular persons who wil quickly transport y" away (wthout yor Exceles order for stopping y" . wch I concieve necessary) & then provision will be wanting for Sol- diers Posted there.
Now is ye season to secure meate there & pevent charge afterwards & it wil be more easy bec: mens Rates there may be appointed to pay ye owners of such Porke (If any be) provided yor Excel give or- dlers wch I only suggest :
I feare I am to tedious & not being willing to offend yr Excellency shal forbeare further particularizing being assured you will from Hart- ford Gent Have al yt is needful for me to add. As also an account
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KING WILLIAM'S WAR.
concerning ye French yt cume to y" Maquas Forts who are returned wth their Indians (among whom were 30 Eastern Indians) Having lost 25 french & ten Indians yt were killed by Maj. Schuyler's Men & al- though ye French marched off wth 250 Maquas yet they are al recov- ered & got hom only yt ye Maquas have there Forts or Wigwams burnt down Please let me understand whether you would have me hasten ye Posting those Soldiers from Connecticut to Dearefield & how they shal be provided for. I will Indeavour exactly to attend order in hastning y" for I am in Paine least my good husbandry in delaying y™ (to ease ye Country's charge) should prove of any dan- gerous consequence wch I shal be ready to Rec: check for & make amendment by hastning y" vpon the least Information :
Propose next weeke to visit Dearefield to Incourage y" & vnder- stand their State when shal further consider wt may be necessary & forward vigorous & careful scouting,
Yor Excel caution & direction as to ye readyness of ye Militia in this regn' I accept with great thankfulness & al due acknowledgmt of care for or peservation, Have been & am in attendence therunto & shal proceed according to my vtmost Indeavors, a greate want wth vs &' yt weh disheartens some soldiers is y' scantiness of Powder.
If yo' Excellency would please to send .2 or 3. barrels of Good Gun Powder & some Bal (wch I would Indeavor to secure preserve & husband to advantage) it would quicken & enliven Some Soldiers spis.
Craving yr Pardon wth y" tender & prostrating of al humble service I am Yo' Excellencys Faithful Servant
Springfield March 8th 1692 93
JOHN PYNCHON
[ Addressed ]
For there Mates Service To his Excellency Sr Wm Phips Kn1 Capt Generall & Govr in Chief in & over there Maties Province of ye Massa- chusets Bay
in Boston :
To be forwarded by ye Constables of Brookefield Marlborow &c
for there Maties Service
Precaution and vigilance, however, did not prevent a severe blow from falling upon the town.
The story of the attack on the Wells and Broughton fami- lies is thus told by Rev. Stephen Williams, in his appendix to the " Redeemed Captive."
June, 1693, the Widow Hepzibah Wells and her three daughters were knocked on the head and scalped; two of them died, but the other lived : at the same time Thomas Broughton was killed, and his wife, great with child, and three of their children.
231
TRAGEDY AT THE NORTH END.
That is all that history has given of this tragedy. From a manuscript by the same Mr. Williams, recently rescued from a pile of rubbish, a more detailed account is gleaned. The paper, 31/2×71/2 inches, closely written, with erasures, and interlineations, and many abbreviations, is hard to decipher. It has been submitted to several of the best experts in the State, who have given willing aid ; probably nothing can be added to the copy given below :-
yy suspectª mischief before Broughton & Wells family & Capt. Wells laid in wth Cutawak to find out wt was doing & he suspectd it but cd get nothing. Several Indians trading livd ovr the River at Carter's land, & June 6, 1693, [in ye beginning of ye evening- erased ] abt midnight yy came upon y" & killed Thos Broughton & his wife & xdren 3, & scalpd 3 of ye Widow Wells daughters (Dan11 being asleep in ye chamber not hurt, & Nath' Kellogue jumped out of Mrs. Wells' chamber window & escapd) 2 dyd of yr wounds & ye 3d livd & one Holms lay in ye chamber at B & saw ym & heard ye people plead for yr lives; ye man pleadd if his own life might not be spard his xdren might, but yy answerd in indian, we dont care for ye xdren & will kill ym all, & Holms lay still & escapd. Mrs. Wells was from home wth a sick child & ventured there, & before ye people went wth her & (then she returned having hid her xdren).
The words in parenthesis are erased, and others interlined, which no expert has been able to make out with certainty, and the same is true of part of what follows in the narrative.
took care of ye xdren & then hid herself; no body came 'till ye break of ye day.
Kellogue escaped by flinging down a beam, lying in ye chamber whn (?) ye indian run up & beat him back.
Some of ye indians came into ye Town in ye morning & ye English sent for ye young capt & chedaw, whm ye indians deliverd up & ye [woundd, ?] Mary Wells accusd chedaw & he trembling & quivering denyd it. T. Broughton accusd ye Young Capt, he denyd it. T. Broughton livd a day or 2 & dyd. Ashpelon sd yt ye young woman did not ling [talk? this word is plain ] as if she was fitt to give an evidence; she seemª distracted. These 2 accusd were card to Spring- fd & putt into custody, but broke away yr prison by ye help of some Dutchman as was thot-yt came there to see ym, & all the hunting indians drew off abt yt time-'twas suspectd yt these yt did ye mis- chief were some canada indians principally, but yt some of ye hunt- ing indians had joind wth ym, but yt ye generality of ye trading indians were ignorant of it, & I remember wt my indian mistress sd to me abt it. [Probably while Williams was a captive in Canada. ]
No attempt will be made to reconcile or explain the dis- crepancy in these two statements by the same author. Nei- ther seems to be in accordance with the facts. Mrs. Wells
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KING WILLIAM'S WAR.
was the widow of Lieut. Thomas. The daughters were Mary, aged twenty ; Sarah, seventeen ; and Hepzibah, seven. It does not appear elsewhere, that Mrs. Wells was injured. She married, in 1699, Daniel Belding, and was killed in 1704 ; Mary, who was then living unmarried with her mother, was also killed. Hepzibah married, about 1715, John Dickinson, and was grandmother to our " Uncle Sid." Sarah only was killed. Thomas Broughton was thirty-two years old. His wife was Hester Colton ; her age, or the ages or names of their children, are unknown. The only other paper found relating to this affair is the following from the records of Connecticut, Oct. 4th, 1694 :-
Upon the motion of Widow Wells of Dearefield that she might haue liberty to craue the charity of the good people of this colony for her reliefe of the great charge she hath bin at in curing the wounds of her children which they receiued by the Indians, this Court recomends to the congregations in Windsor, Hartford and Weathersfield and Farmington to be charitably helpful to the woman therin.
Mrs. Wells was a native of Windsor, and had doubtless re- turned to her old home for medical treatment for her chil- dren. In 1673, the year of her marriage, and again in 1676, the proud young dame had been fined by the County Court for "wearing silk." Now she was a licensed beggar.
It appears that a band of Scatacook Indians, after their winter's hunt, had camped about a mile northwest of the town, for the purpose of trade, bartering their furs for Eng- lish productions. It is not unlikely that this was part of the same party which left here in the spring of 1692. The suspi- cion of Capt. Wells, indicated in the old manuscript, is the only evidence discovered of uneasiness at their presence. It appears that Ashpelon, so prominent in the raid of Sept. 19th, 1677, was of this party, and was advocate for the accused Chedaw. The murderers were doubtless Canada Indians, who were sheltered by the trading party; but apparently some of the young hunters came over the river to witness, and possibly to share, the exploit. Two were recognized by the victims. As the lips of all were to be sealed in death, there was no need of disguise. On being named in the morning, the young captain and Chedaw were sent for, and were delivered up to the officers. The plan of the assailants seems to have been to do their bloody work with tomahawk
233
WIDELY FELT CONSEQUENCES.
and scalping knife, without alarming the town. No firearms were used, nor any buildings set on fire. On the successful resistance and escape of Kellogue the Indians probably took the alarm, and fled in haste, leaving Daniel Wells asleep in his mother's house, and Holmes unharmed in the chamber at Broughton's.
We are left to imagine how the cry of " Indians! Indians!" woke the sleeping town, and how the people fled for their lives to the fort. It might well be supposed that an army of French and Indians was upon them, and that an ambuscade lay ready for any who should venture out from the lines. An attack might be expected at any moment, and active prepa- rations were made for defense. All the power of Capt. Wells, however, could not keep the heroic widow Hepzibah Wells within the palisades after hearing the story of Kellogue. The great love which fills the heart of a mother, inspired her with courage to rush seemingly into the very jaws of death, in a forlorn hope of saving her children. At the earli- est moment consistent with prudence, no doubt, Capt. Wells sent a party to the scene of slaughter and to her relief.
The news of the arrest of Chedaw and the young captain flew fast and far. It will be interesting to note its effect on the Indians. The Scatacooks, a tribe made up largely from Pocumtuck and Nipmuck refugees, located by New York authorities a few miles north of Albany, were now allied with the Mohawks, and under the protection of the New York government. Deputies from this tribe met the authorities of Albany in council, June 15th. Their address is worth pre- serving in connection with our history :--
We have been as if in great Darknesse or cloud for some time and now the light is come againe the Sun Shines.
We return or hearty thanks for the presevacion of or wives and children in or absence while wee were hunting in the winter. [Here the orator presented two beaver skins. 1
Twenty years agoe wee were received as Children of this Govern- ment and have lived peaceably ever since under its protection. and seeing severall of or people are deteined Prisoners in New England upon Suspicion to have killed some of their People at Deerfield wee submit the whole matter to the judicious Consideration of his Excell : [Gave three. ]
Our Governor is a great man: Wee pray that hee would take care or future preservacion & since the French are also Potent Let us have our Eyes open and bend all or Strength against them. [Gave four beavers. |
234
KING WILLIAM'S WAR.
Meanwhile Gov. Fletcher on his route from New York to Albany, hearing of the murders and of the imprisonment, sent Maj. Wessells at once to Deerfield to make inquiries. Arriving at Albany, the governor gave audience to the Mo- hawks, June 21st. Rode, their chief orator, made a charac- teristic speech, giving a beaver at the close of each para- graph. He gives the Governor a new name, Cayenquiragoe, or lord of the swift arrow, and thanks him for his prompt action in behalf of the suspected Indians. He says :-
Before we knew or men were detayned by the people of New Eng- land you were so kind as to send an expresse thither for their re- leasement this is so particular a kindness and favor, that wee must return or thanks in an especial manner.
Fletcher made such investigation as he could, and what evidence he found in favor of the prisoners was sent to this colony. The strongest item was the affidavit of John Bap- tiste Van Eps, that he identified a war club found at the scene of the murders, as belonging to an Indian he well knew in Canada, while he had been a prisoner there.
Pynchon writes Gov. Phipps, June 28, 1693, that he has been too busy with public business to write sooner, but,-
According to my ability I have not been wanting to get an vnder- standing of ye state of affaires here in refference to ye Indians and Murder at Dearefield :
Weh as my time allowed, I have made report of to his excellency (al wch I know you are fully aqvainted wth) at same time Major Wessells hasting his return, By reason of my dispatch of him & wt was necessary to Govr Fletcher, I was enforced to [illegible ] con- tract yet mind not anything material yt I neglected. The 2 Indians one a Maqva & ye other an Albanian whom I verily supposed are Gilty in ye murder, are in safe Custody, I desire a sutable time & Gentm Commisioned be appointed for there Tryal &c which please to lay before his Excelency. The 3d Indian put into or Jaile before I came hom, Nothing appearing agst him But his saying he would kil .20. English, evadenced by one single man who says ye Indian was in drink when he sd it, weh was sometime before ye Commotion at Derfid & he minded it not til that Disturbance; He and others say- ing also, yt this Ind: always caryed it wel: The Indian saying He knows not he ever spake such words, & if he did he was in Drink & was sorry for ym: He is discharged & set at Liberty (the Gent yt comitted him judging it best: Colonol Allyn & Capt. Stanly (who were here) also advising to it) and went away to Albany wth Major Wessels, & those 6 Indians (one a Maqva Capt) who came with Ma- jor Wessels, so yt they wil see (though this Indian wel deserved Im- prisonment yet) we are not desirous to pvt any neadlessly vpon there
.
235
WEIGHING THE EVIDENCE.
Tryal. They would haue bene glad we would have discharged y" other . 2. setting forth yt good service ye Maqvs haue done, endeav- oring to vindicate al there Indians, & there being in good termes wth y" English, saying they disclaime this murder & are not gilty But yt it was done by ye French Maqvas: & therevnto they Improve ye sight of some woden Swords or Mauls yt were found when or People were murdered wch had marks & signes on y", as evidences yt al was done by ye French Inds. To weh we Replyd, Such things might be to col- lour there wickedness, & yt ye Positive assersions of dying persons were so express as could not anticipate ye legal Tryal of those per- sons, from wt they were charged wth. And so they left off; desiring we would deliberate & heare againe from Albany before proceeding to there Tryal. I told y" or Govr was very cautious of giving any just provocation, wherewth they seemed wel satisfied, Telling vs ye Indians Including y' 5 Nations Hold firm there friendships wth al there Maties Subjects, Desyring we would (as they terme it) hold ye Cort fast.
Govr Fletcher Intends a Present of 5 or 600' for ye 5 Nations' to Ingage y" to vigorous psecution of ye War agst ye French & french Indians wch was to be divd vpon Major Wessels return hom, who is a grt man wth ye Indians;
They tel me theres some pty* of French Indians come over ye lake, reckne or Towns in much hazzard being so open &c: Say ye French are in grt want of provisions some of them lately come from Canida brought in 3 Scalps & more they expect dayly. If any further acct be to be had from Albany I suppose we shal have it nexte weeke or je beginning of ye weeke after, for Major Wessels sd they should send againe & desyred I would take care there Indians might come safely, for we have noe Indians left al being gon off vpon yt disturbance here & there Corne neglected.
Before a reply is received to this Pynchon writes again by the post from Gov. Fletcher :-
SPRd July 2d 1693
Excelent Sr
In ye Night past Receiving ye Packet here wth from Govr Fletcher for y Excclency By Mr. Schuyler ye Maqvas Son & . 5. Maqva y' come along wth him. The gent being weary & desiring me to sped away a Fresh Post as also Govr Fletcher desires ye Like I haue dis- patched ye bearer [as?] wth Govr Fletcher Letter to yr Excel so also wt he wrote to me, his letter I have sent for yr Excel pervsal wth al ye papes or Posts now Recd wh may be of vse to me to have ym re- turned as also ye letter againe I hope your Excel wil write so ful to Albany & to Govr Fletcher yt I need not nor am I willing to presume to deliver any of my owne sentemts, matters are much clogged & made difficult & it is such a tender case yt I Pray God to help & guide mee through it I shal Indeavor to attend your exact comands & directions not doubting but upon your ful consideration of al things you wil come to such a Resulte as may be Pleazing to God & for ye good of his People wch I heartily Pray for & am
Yo' Excel humble Serv' JOHN PYNCHON.
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KING WILLIAM'S WAR.
1
The Gent here L' Schuyler
requests ye Post may be wth al speed dispatchd wth you Letter to Gov Fletcher before he returns for Yorke. To his Excellency Sr W= Phips Knt.
Capt Gen1 & Gov in Cheife in & over their Maties Province of ye
Massachusetts Bay &c In Boston
Gov. Phipps to Gov. Fletcher:
Sir I have before me yours of the 28th past relating to the murder perpetrated by some Indians at Deerfield the beginning of the same month together with the Examinations sent Inclosed of a French Prisoner and one Henry an Indian concerning a Canooe with some Enemy Indians therein discovered upon the Lake five or six Dayes after the doing of the mischief, and the reasons given to induce a suspicion that they might be the Actors thereof wch I Apprehend might obtain further were it not that ye accusacon and evidences are so direct and positive against ye persons taken up and in custody for that crime being well known unto their accusers and were lodged in or near the Town at the time, besides other circumstances concur- ring to strengthen the suspicions upon them I am very sensible of the difficulty of this Case, and the unhappy Consequences that may ensue thereon and shall meditate to proceed with circumspection in so momentous affaire. Yet as it concerns blood think all due in- quisition ought to be made after the same I propose to defer a pres- ent Tryal if Probably Providence may make a fuller and more clear discovery of the matter.
S' I am very studious that no just provocation be given or injury done to any of our friend Indians and shall be as ready to cause the same to be redressed when made to appear assuring myselfe Your Excellency will herein Concur that it is no less reasonable to expect satisfaction as the Law requires for any mischiefe done by them to- wards their Majties Subjects when legally convicted thereof especially of so horrid a crime as murder and desire you would please to let the Indians understand there is no intention on our part to break with them but to continue firme to former agreements. I shall be glad to give your Excy satisfaction that no violence or injustice shall be of- fered to the Indians now in Custody or any others heartily desiring they may appear innocent (if so) And that yor Endeavours to hold them firm to their Majtys Interests may be succeeded
No Intelligences from Europe have arrived here for a considerable time past A ship or two belonging to this place are daily Expected If any thing occur for their Majties Service I shall give you account thereof and Remain Sr Yr Excy" humble Servant
Boston July 4th 1693
July 2d, Fletcher met the chiefs of the Five Nations in council at Albany. He told them in an address, what he had
237
A HAVEN OF REFUGE.
done in behalf of the imprisoned Scatacooks. Two days later the orator of the confederate tribes responded :-
We are very thankful to you or Great brother Cayenquiragoe for the sending two expresses to New England about that accident at Deerfield and or people imprisoned there wee doubt not but in a short time it will be made appear that the Canada Indians have com- mitted this murder And the Brethren of New England who are in Covenant with us must have patience till such cases can be found out We doubt not but that the Governor of New England is a man of that prudence & conduct who will not be soe hasty since it cannot be long undiscovered.
The same day, Fletcher had a conference with the Scata- cooks. He commends them for joining the Five Nations in warring against Canada, advises them not to draw off all their men to go to hunting, thus leaving the women and children without protection ; and tells them, ---
There is another stupendous folly you are guilty of when your huntng is over you'll set down nere some place where in a few days you drink out what has cost you the labor of some month's & then come home beggars as you went, the evill consequence of this ap- peared lately unto you at Deerfield & I hope will caution you for the future but I must advise you that from henceforth you will bring all the effects of yor hunting into yor own country which by prudent man- agemt will support you the rest of the year.
The Indians in reply thank him for his care over them, calling him that high tree under the branches of which their old men, women and children find shelter, when the warriors are absent, and promise to follow his directions. Thanking him for sending the messengers to New England on their behalf, they say :-
Wee assure you that wee are Innocent of the mischefe done at Deerfield & soe are likewise those prisoners that are there in Custo- dy believe us or hearts are good and wee desire only to live und" yor protection in peace & quietness.
Phipps writes again to Fletcher July 13th :---
In my Lett' of the 4th past I omitted my awknowledgment of yor goodness & Generosity In the Comprehention by the late Renuall of the League with the Maquas therefore doe by these manifest my Thankfulness for the same on the part of their majesties subjects of the province Acknowledging myselfe obleidged at all times to In- deavor the utmost serviss for their majesties & their Subjects I as- sured your Excy that I was very Sensible of the difficulty of the Case Relating to the maquas charged with the murders perpetrated at Deerfeild and the Ill consequences that might Atend any wrong step
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KING WILLIAM'S WAR.
therein-therefore haveing Advisd with my Councill Intend to send meet Persons to wait on Yourself at new Yorke for your advice & di- rection and assistance towards their proceedings on a trety with the maquas concerning that Affaire soe as to bring the same to a good Isue & to manefest our own Good Likeing and firm Adhereance on our part unto the League Lately Renued with them & to make some proposals relating to our Indian Enemy at the Eastward In all which thes Gentlemen sent with the tender of my respects are to consult with yorself and Receive your Advice & direction wherein I Request yor Favor that a Right understanding may be had Between their Majesties Subjects of the province & the Maquas soe that noe Dis- content Arise & yet that Justice may proceed In the triall of the per- sons accused of the murder.
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