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 30
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298
QUEEN ANNE'S WAR-1702-1713.
4thly, That the action was over & the enemy withdrawn about fourscore Rods from the fort before any of our neighbors came into the fort.
Wherefore we doe Humbly suplicate this Hond Assembly, that ac- cording to their wonted justice & bounty, they would consider the service we have done in preserving many lives & much estate & mak- ing a spoil on the enemy; the hazzard that we run, the losse we sus- teined, the afflicted condition of such as have lost near relations in this encounter & bestow upon us some proportionate recompense, that we & others may be incouraged on such occasions, to be forward and active to repell the enemy & rescue such as shall be in distress though with the utmost peril of our lives & Your Petitioners shall pray, &c.
JONATHAN WELLS. EBENEZER WRIGHT. In the name of the rest.
[ Endorsed ] In ye House of Representatives, Read Ist time June 2, 1704.
To the petition of Wells and Wright above, the two fol- lowing lists of names were annexed. The only change made in copying, is an alphabetical arrangement of the first list and adding the name of Richard Biling, evidently omitted by accident. The mark : o: apparently indicates those killed on the meadow, in the pursuit.
A list of names of those that fought In the Dearfield Medow on the last of Febewarey, 1703-4 :---
John Allice [Allis] Samuel Ellice [Allis] : 0:
John graves David hoil : 0:
Thomas Aluard garison soulder John Armes
Jonathan ingriem : 0:
John marsh
Samuell barnod Thomas barnod
John matoone
Serian [Sergeant Wm?] Beldin
John mountecu
[Richard Biling]
John mun primus, Negro
Thomas Russell garison soulder
James Bridgman
Jolın smeed
Joseph catlin : 0:
Joseph church
John smith Joseph smith
Samuell church
Beniamin Stebings
Nathanell colman
Preservid strong Serian Benj. wait : 0:
Samuell crofoot
John waite Daniell warner
Nathaniell Dickeson
Ebenezer warner
Samuell Dickeson Benjamin field garison soulder Samuell field
John warner
Nathaniell warner :0:
Samuell warner John wells
Zacrye field Samuell Foot (left no wife or children) Capt Jonathan Wells : 0 : garison soulder Jonathan wells [Jr.] Thomas wells Samuell gillit
Thomas Hove
Robard Boltwhood : 0 :
Serian Samuell Boltwhood garison soulder : 0 :
Ebenezer seldin
Samuell Boltwhood : iur
Joseph siverance
Joseph Clesson garison soulder
Eben'r Dickeson
299
LOSSES IN THE ENCOUNTER.
Nathaniell white
Serian Ebenezer wright
Joseph wright Samuell wright [58]
June 8th, 1704, the General Assembly passed a resolve,-
That the Summ of five Pounds be paid to each of the widows of those Slain mentioned in the List annexed, being four in number. [Sergt. Boltwood, Joseph Catlin, David Hoyt and Sergt. Waite. ]
And altho but one Scalp of Indians slain by them is Recovered, yet for their Encouragemt, that the sum of Sixty Pounds be allowed and Paid to the Petitioners whose names are contained in the sª list annexed as serving, as Scalp money, to be equally Divided amongst them. Together with all Plunder whereof they give account.
The second list accompanying the petition was the follow- ing :-
An Acount of what was lost by the souldeirs in that axshon at Dearfield :-
s
d
John Allise, A coat,
I IO
00
Samuel Allise, o, gun & stript,
Richard Biling, A coat,
3
18
Robard Boltwhood, o, one jacket,
9
Samuell boltwhood, a coat,
1
00
00
James bridgmon, a coat & gloves,
I
2
Joseph Catlin, o, gun & stipt,
I
IO
Samuell crofoot, pr shoose,
2
7
Samuel foot, o, gun & stript,
6
John graves, a coat, wascote & belt,
2
Thomas Hove, a coal,
I
I
John Mounticu, coat & neckeclothes,
I
3
Ebenezer Seldin, coat & gloves,
16
John smith, one coat & jacket,
I
6
O
Joseph smith, one coat & gloves,
I
S
O
Beniamin waite, o, stript,
Daniell warner, coat & jacket,
2
3
00
Ebenezer warner, A coal,
3
9
00
Nathaniell Warner, o, A coat, jacket, gun & hat,
3
6
00
Nathaniell white, coat & hat,
I
6
0
Ebenezer wright, one pr new shooes & spurs
9
00
Sum total, [Sic]
33
5
00
More thirty four s,
I
14
-
The slain marked o
Sir, since I spak with you I have Resaued an account from dear- field of the loss of some cloaths in the fight at dearfield :
Thomas barnod 2 wascoris OI 02 00
Joseph siverance one hat
12
please to ad it to the account.
This last taken by order of Capt. Wells-Ebenezer Wright.
-
-
-
34
I9
00
6
Nathaniell dickeson, one hat & pair gloves, Samuell dickeson, a coat,
16
Samuel gilit, pr shoose,
David hoite, o, gun & stript,
Jonathan ingrem, o, coat iacket & gun,
3
Joseph church, coat & jacket,
300
QUEEN ANNE'S WAR-1702-1713.
This paper was directed " To cap preserved Clap, In Bos- ton."
June 8th, the General Assembly-
Resolved, that the Losses of the Petitioners be made good, and Paid out of the Publick Treasury to such as sustained them accord- ing to their accot here with exhibited, amount" to the sum of Thir- ty Four Pounds & Seventeen shillings.
The third paper contains an account of the "Plunder" re- ferred to in the vote of the Assembly given above, those who secured it, and the amount for which it sold. The names of a few men appear on the list who were not in the fight on the meadow.
An account of w' plunder was taken from the ene- ) & sold by yt my on the last of Febewary, 1703-4: S company
John wells one gun OI 09 0
Thom hovey A hatchet
00
02 0
more one bareill of gun 00 05 6 Sall church A powder horn 00
Nath" white A blancket 00
05
S
Thomas Russell one bareil and lock OI 03 0
Sam11 field A hatchet
00
02
O
John matone A piece of gun 00
11
O
Joseph brooks A gun
0I
II
6
John wells 3 pieces of gun 00
07 0
Zacrye field ind shoes
00
00
10
Thomas Barnod one hatchet oo
02 O
Nath11 Colman gun case
00
00
6
hezeciah Root one blancket 00
00 0
primus negro glas botle Richard biling [torn]
00
08
04
ket 00
03
8
John Wait A hatchet
0
02
07
Samuell Carter blancket
00
0.4
()
Jonathan wells
00
0.4
4
Sam" warner A squaline
0
02
10
Ebene Sarles one cap*
00
0.4 6
Nath" Colman A squaline
0
01
06
Jonathan wells
00
06 0
Jona Wells A squaline
0
01
02
William belding ..
00
02 0
Zacrye field A cap
0
02
10
Jonathan Wells
..
00 03 0
Sam warner =
O
01
03
Benia" stebing one pistill
00
10
C
6
6
Zacrye field A blancket
0
02
08
Ebene boltwhood one pistile 00
09 0
John graves A blancket
0
03
0
Samull dickeson A hatchet 00 02 0
Thomas Wells A blancket
0
05
0
Nathall white A hatchet 00 02 0
Sum totall [Sic] 16
12
10
OI
2
Samuell barnod one gun OI 09 0
Eben Seldin A baganet 00
00
00
6
Thomas barnod one blanc-
Zacrye field A squaline
0 OI
07
Samll wright A Knife
0
01
0
Ebenezer Wright one gun OI
15
0
Zacrye field A pair of sto shoes 0
05
03
John graves one hatchett 00
01
Joseph Smith one gun 02
00
In 1736, when the General Court was granting land on the lightest provocation, Jonathan Wells and fifty-three others asked for a township in consideration of being in the Mead- ow Fight, and received a grant of 11,037 acres, joining Hat- field on the west.
The petitioners say :-
In the night following the 28th of Feb., 1703-4, we were alarmed with the Surprizeing news of the Destruction of Deerfield. * * *
* The powder horn carried by Ebenezer Searls on this occasion is among the relics in Memorial Hall.
6
0.4
301
THE STORY GROWS WITH TIME.
The garrison was taken with an army of three hundred & fifty of the French and Indian enemy, who soon satiated their Savage Nature and thirst in the barbarous murder of many of the Inhabitants, and had captivated the rest all except a few that had found means to escape to Capt. Wellses garrison, a little fortress distinct from that round the town and five or six men that defended one House More; the Other Buildings were Consumed in Flames, the Light of which gave Notice to the Towns below a long Time before we had News from the Distressed people, and it must ever have passed for crimi- nal negligence for any that could Serve, to wait till Constrained, be- fore they Repaired to the Releif of that people. Accordingly as many as could then man out, being a little above forty in number, hasted to their releif, who we found in the most Lamentable and pityous Circumstances, and when we entred at one gate the enemy fled out at the other, & being joynd with fifteen of Deerfield men, we pursued them with utmost Earnestness & Resolution, and in our Pursuit had the Success of killing many of them, and havieng pur- sued them about one Mile and a half, they came to a River Bank where was an ambuscade of a Numerous Company of the Enemy, fresh Hands, that had drawn off from the garrison before, who Rose up Fired upon us, and pursued us back; our breath being Spent, theirs in full Strength, the Battle was Sore against us. We retreated with caution, faceing & fireing, so that those that first failed might be defended; notwithstanding many were Slain and others wounded, whose Loss can never be made up, and the rest of us had very little Consideration for it.
This particular and graphic account of the pursuit and re- treat is invaluable, as complementing that given by the same parties in their petition in 1704. It is also interesting as il- lustrating the tendency to exaggeration in tradition; show- ing how the story of the losses here had grown in thirty-two years. It is here stated that nearly all the inhabitants were killed or captured, and all the buildings but two were laid in ashes. Succeeding generations accepted these statements as facts, and they have since passed into current history. By means of newly discovered papers, a more correct story can now be told.
The following account of the tragedy is essentially differ- ent, but it bears internal evidence of being genuine; it is abundantly supported by collateral testimony. is consistent with subsequent action here, and must be considered final authority in the case. The manuscript containing it was found a short time ago amongst the papers of Fitz John Win- throp, Governor of Connecticut, 1698-1707. It was probably an official report, by an officer of the troop that came up on the alarm. It is carefully drawn up and must have been pre-
302
QUEEN ANNE'S WAR-1702-1713.
pared on the spot. The manuscript is held by the Massa- chusetts Historical Society, which kindly submitted it to my inspection and use.
There are some errors in the table of losses. Mistakes not unlikely occurred in the identification of the naked and mangled bodies, especially those of young children, where the whole family was swept away; nor could it be certainly known at that time, who had perished in the burned houses.
AN ACCOUNT OF YE DESTRUCTION AT DEREFD, FEBR 29, 1703-4.
Upon ye day of ye date above s' about 2 hours before day ye French & Indian Enemy made an attaque upon Derefield, entering ye Fort with Little discovery (though it is sd ye watch shot of a gun & cryed Arm, wch verry few heard) imeadiately set upon breaking open doors & windows, took ye watch & others Captive & had yir men appointed to Lead y" away, others improved in Rifleing houses of provissions, money, cloathing, drink, & packing up & sending away; the greatest part standing to their Arms, fireing houses, & killing all they could yt made any resistance; alsoe killing cattle, hogs, sheep & sakeing & wasting all that came before y", Except some persons that Escaped in ye Crowds, some by Leaping out at windows & over ye fortifications. Some ran to Capt. Well[s] his Garrison, & some to Hatfield with Litle or no cloathing on, & bare- footed, weh with ye bitterness of ye season caused y" to come of wth frozen feete, & Lye Lame of y". One house, viz, Benoni Stebbins, they attaqued Later thin some others, yt those in it were well aw ık- ened, being 7 men, besides woemen and children, who stood stoutly to yir Armes, firing upon ye Enemy & ye Enemy upon ym, causing sev11 of the Enemy to fall, of weh was one frentchman, a Gentile man to appearance. Ye Enemy gave back, they strove to fire ye house, our men killed 3 or 4 Indians in their attempt, y" Enemy being nu- merous about ye house, powered much shot upon the house; ye walls being filled up with brick, ye force of ye shot was repelled, yet they killed sayd Stebbins, & wounded one man & one woeman, of wch ye survives made no discovery to ye Assailants, but with more than or- dinary Couridge kept fireing, haveing powder & Ball sufficient in sd house; ye Enemy betook y"selves to the next house* & ye Meeting house, both of weh but about 8 rod distant, or men yet plyed their business & accepting of no qr, though offered by ye Enemy, nor Ca- pitulate, but by guns, giveing little or no Respite from ye tyme they began (say some of ye men in ye house shot 40 tymes, & had fair shots at ye Enemy all the while) about an hour before day till ye Sun about one hour & half high, at wch tyme they were almost spent; yet at the verry pintch, ready to yield or men from Hadley & Hatfield about 30 men, rushed in upon ye Enemy & made a shot upon them, at wch they Quitted their Assaileing ye house & ye Fort alsoe; the house at Libertie, woemen & children ran to Cap" Wells his fort, the men wth ours still p'rsued the Enemy, all of them vigorously, causing
* The Old Indian House.
CONNECTICUT CONTEMPORANEOUS ACCOUNT. 303
many of ye Enemy to fall, yet being but about 40 men p'rsued to farr, imprudently, not altogether for want of conduct, for Capt. Wells, who had led them, called for a retreate, which they Litle mynded, ye Enemy discoviring their numbes haveing ambushmts of men, caused or men to give back, though to Late, being a Mile from ye Fort; in yir drawing of & at ye Fort Lost II of or men, viz, Sergt Benj Waite, Sergt Sam! Boltwood, & his son Rob' Boltwood, Sam11 Foot, Samt Alliss, Nath1 Warner, Jonth Ingram, Thomas Selding, David Hoite, Jos Ingersoll, & Jos Catlin, & after or men recovered the Fort againe, the Enemy drew of, haveing at sd house & in ye in- gagmts (as is Judge by ye best calculation we can come at) Lost about 50 men, & 12 or 15 wounded (as o'ur captive says) weh they carried of, & is thought they will not see Canada againe (& sa Cap- tive escaped says) they, viz, the Enemy, went 6 mile that night; about midnight ye same night were gathered of or uper & Low' Towns neer about 80 men wch had thoughts with that numb'er to have As- saulted ye Enemy that Night, but ye snow being at Least 3 foot deep & impassable without snow shoes (weh we had not a supply of) & doubtfull whether we could ataque ym before day, being in a capacitie to follow ym but in their path, they in a Capacitie to flank us on both sides, being fitted with snow shoes, & with treble or Numbr, if not more, & some were mnuch concerned for the Captives, Mr Wm's fam- yly Especially, whome ye Enemy would kill, if we come on, & it was concluded we should too much Expose or men. The next day by two of the Clock Coniticut men began to come in, & came by p'tis till within Night at weh tyme we were Raised to 250 men in Derefd, but the aforesd Objections, & the weather verry Warme, & like to be so, (& so it was wth Raine) we judge it impossible to travill, but as aforest to uttermost disadvantage, Especally w" we came up to ym to an attaque, (Providence put a bar in or way) we Judge we should Expose o'rselves to ye Loss of men and not be able, as the case was circumstanced, to offend the Enemy or Rescue or Captives, which was ye End we aimed at in all, therefore desisted, & haveing buried the dead, saved wt we Could of Catt11, hogg, & sheep, & other Es- tate, out of ye spoyles of ye Remayneing Inhabitants, & some of or N. H., Hadly & Hatfid men settled a Garrisson of 30 men or up- wards, undr Capt Wells, & drew of to or places; of ye destruction of DerefId see more over the Leafe.
On the same folio sheet with the foregoing report is the table on the following pages, giving the loss of life, liberty, and property, and also a list of remaining inhabitants. The figures in the property column probably represent pounds, current money of New England. All the persons referred to on this list are identified, except one child with Frary, and the servant girl of Beaman. The figures in brackets indicate corrections which have been made on the authority of the town records, or of Rev. Stephen Williams, who was one of the captives.
.
FITZ JOHN WINTHROP'S TABLE OF LOSSES.
Captivitie or Burnt The Rev'nd Mr John Williams | 7 [6] himself & 6 [5] children
Slaine
Alive at Home
Estate Lost
1 at Hadly
300 honse, Barn burnt & all in them.
1 himself 0
250 house. Barn burnt & all in them. 50 Lost
Benj Mun Samson Frary
0 1 wife
0 3 himself & 2 children
3 himself wife & child 2 children
1 wife
Martin Kellogg Benj Burt
2 [5] himself & Son [4 children] 2 himself & wife great with child [born Apr 14 1704] 1 [2] wife [and child] 2 herself & child 2 children
David Alexand'r Wid Coss [Elizabeth Corse] Mr Jno Catlin
Jos Catlin Tho: French Dan'll Belding Eben'r Werner [Warner] Sam'll Carter
0 7 himself wife & 5 children 1 wife 4 himself wife & 2 children 5 [7] wife f [6] children
0 3 [1] children
1 himself
150 house, burnt cattl, hoggs, &c. 20 Lost 100 Lost Barn burnt & house Ri- fled.
Eben'r Brooks Lt [David] Hoite Deacon [Ens JJohn] Shelding JJno Shelding his Son Mahuman Hinsdale
0 7 himself wife & 5 children 3 children 1 wife 2 himself & wife
7 himself wife & 5 children
0
4
0
0
3 himself wife & Servant girl
0
0
Nath'l Brooks Benoni Stebbins
David Hoite ju'r Joseph Pettee
[Footing]
4 himself wife & 2 children 0 0 2 himself & wife
0 1 himself 1 himself 0 33 [25]
0 6 Wife & 5 children at home
100 house & all in it burnt catl killed 70 house burnt & Estate 300 houses & all goods Barn & cattl burnt
50 Lost 50 Lost
2640
Godfrey Nims Phillip Mattoone
3 [4] wife & 2 [3] children 0 [1 himself ]
3 [2] himself wife & child [wife & child burned in a cellar. S Wil- linis's MS]
4 [1] children 0 2 [1] himself & child [himself ] 0 2 himself & Son burnt in his house 1 himself 1 child 1 daughter
0
0 1 Wife
20 Lost 20 Lost 250 house. burnt. 20 Lost 100 Lost
Barn & all in ym
2 Wife & child
3 himself & 2 sons at home 0
70 Lost house burnt. 50 Lost
100 Lost 20 Lost 100 Lost
JJno Stebbins
100 house burnt & Estate in it 20 Lost
Denyon [Denienr] & wife & 2 Frenchmen Simon Beaman
0 0 2 wife & 1 child 0 2 [1] children [& Josiah Rise- ing:]
3 himself wife & children [Sic] 2 children 2 himself & 1 child 1 himself 0 0
2 wife & child she wounded 1 child 32
20 Lost 250 house. Barn burnt, Estate in it 40 Lost 20 Lost
13 Mrs Wms found dead 2d days journey of ye Enemy 2 chil- dren 4 children
[ Second Page]
Jno Allison
0
0 0
2 himself & wife 2 himself & Mother
0 0 0 1 himself
0
70 house burnt
Andr Stephens ye Indian Wid [Sarah ] Hurst Jno Hawks Sn'r Ino Field
1 wife " herself & 6 children in captivitic 2 children 2 [3] wife & [2] child
1 child
1 himself
Mr John Richards
5 himself wife & 3 children
Jos Brooks Capt [Jonathan ] Wells
4 himself wife & 2 children 9 himself wife & ? children
Eleiz'r Hawks Wm Arms
0 0
8 [7] himself wife & 6 [5] chil- dren
W'm Belding
0
4 himself wife & 1 [2] children
Wid [Sarah] Williams
0
3 herself & 2 children
0
Wid [Sarah ] Mattoone JJno Smead
0 [1 daughter ]
0 0
3 himself wife & child
Eben'r Smead
6 himself wife & 4 children
0
Michall Mitchall
0
=
6 himself wife & 4 children
0
0
0
7 himself wife & 5 children
0
0
8 himself wife & 6 children
0 0
1 child
0
7 himself wife & 5 children 10 at home
5 captivitic
5 killed
105 [104]
375
foregoing page
33 [25]
32
2640
[Total]
95 [104]
53 [41]
137 [136]
3015
There is yet Left of ye Inhabitants 25 men & 27 are Killed & in Captivitic.
There is 17 houses with Barns to ym burnt within side and without the Fort.
There is yet houses standing within side ye Fort, 9 houses & without, 15 houses, of wch Capt. Wells is one of them, well fortified, in wch is the Garrison now kept.
The Woemen & children at home are come of to Northampton, Hadley & Hatfield, also the wounded men & one wounded woeman are in Hatfd undr Doctor Hastings cure.
[This paper was indorsed. ] "The destruction of Deerfield Feb 29, 1703-4."
[next pa ]
10 Lost
0
2 Hatf'd persons 2 himself & wife 1 himself 0
Jno Hawks ju'r
0
0
0 1 himself 1 himself
Robt Price
1 child 0 0
1 Wife 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 himself wife & 8 children
20 LOSt 20 house burnt 50 honse burnt 50 honse burut 10 Lost 50 house burnt 10 Lost 0 0 0 0
7 herself & 6 children
0 0
0
0
0
Eben'r Severns [Severance ] Jno Alline Edward Alline Garrison Sould'rs sent up
20 [19]
0 0 0 1 wife Mother & 2 children Smoth- ered in a seller 6 himself wife & 3 children smoth- ered in a Seller with Martin Smith 1 himself 0 1 Wife 2 [1] children
10 Lost 5 Lost 20 Lost 00 50 house burnt
Tho Allison & mother of 84 yrs Jno Marsh & Sarah Dickinson Jos Pomery Jno Wilton Sam'll Smead
306
QUEEN ANNE'S WAR-1702-1713.
To the above list of captives must be added Joseph Alex- ander, John Burt, Abigail Brown, Mary Harris, Daniel Crow- foot, Frank, negro slave to Mr. Williams, killed the first night, and Samuel Hastings.
To the list of slain, Joseph Ingersol, Pathena, wife of Frank, Thomas Selden, and two, names unknown, of the sev- en from towns below who were killed on the meadows. Total of killed, 49; of captives, III.
Papers in the Massachusetts Archives show that three men were wounded in the Meadow Fight, one, a prisoner, in mere wantonness. We learn that John Smead, after doing heroic service, received a bullet in his thigh. Thomas Wells, Joseph Clesson and John Arms certify that John Smead was in the fight and carried the bullet to his death, in 1720. In a peti- tion to the General Court, May, 1743, his son John says of him :-
By the blessing of Providence on his Endeavors, 'tis thot he did as much or more Spoil on the Enemy as any. man there, * * slaying two of the Indian Enemy, which, it is likely, is more than any other person did, & which Experience shows, has been a rare thing amongst us.
The following certificate accompanied this petition :-
I was in Dearfield Meadow fight, and I see the said Smead kill an indian, & some of the souldiers tock off this Indian's scalp & secured it, & I see the said John Smeed shoot at another In- dian, which he gave a mortal wound, & ye Indian died in a short time at the place where he received yr wound, or very near the place. EBENEZER WARNER.
Two hundred acres of land at Poquoig were granted the petitioner, Jan. 14th, 1743.
Samuel Church of Hadley, in a petition for aid, May, 1705, says :-
Haveing Recd a Wound in my Arme in ye fight at Derefield febr 29 1702 In the healeing of sd Wound I was disabled for to work & La- bor for the space or tyme of twelve weeks & am weak in my Arm still Humbly Petition &c &c * * it haveing been a great hin- derence to me & Lose in my ocations and affairs
June 15th, two pounds were allowed him on this petition. May 30th, 1705, Benjamin Church of Hadley, says :-
Haveing Recd a Wound in my Foot, in the fight at Derefeild Feb. 29, 1703-4. In the healeing of said wound, I was disabled for to work or labour, for the space, or tyme, of twenty-five weeks, & am
307
THE SENTINEL'S FATEFUL SLUMBER.
weak in my foot still * * I entreat I may be considered as aforesaid, & for your Excellency & Honors I shall Ever Pray.
Four pounds were allowed him, June 15th, by the Court.
John Bridgman of Northampton was captured, but escaped during the Meadow Fight. In a petition, May 22d, 1705, he says :-
Being at Dearfeild upon the 29 day of faber, 1703-4, at the time when it was destroyed, & there meet with considerable Loss in estat, & maime in his body, being in her Majesty's service & under pay :-
Ily I lost in goods, cloathing and money, to the value of five pounds eleven shillings & six pence.
2 I was taken by the Enimy, & when I was in there hands, they cut off the forefinger of my Right hand,
3 by which wound I Lost my time & was disenabled from work four months.
The items of loss were :-
Sadel, £1, 6s, od; leath' breches, 15s; leather wescot, f1; gloves, 3 s; leather wescot, 16s; neckcloth & handkerchief, 6s; stockings, 4s; shirt, 5s; powder & lead, 25, 6d; money, 14 S.
Seven pounds were allowed him, June 26th, 1705.
The several statements, already given, referring to the sen- tinel appointed to watch the town, and warn the sleeping in- habitants in case of danger, appear quite contradictory. But a tradition told me by Mrs. Sylvia Munn, when in her 88th year, may be interpreted to reconcile them all. She said she had "always heard," that while on his beat, towards morning, the wearied watchman heard from one of the houses, the soft voice of a woman, singing a lullaby to a sick child : that he stopped, and leaning against the window of the room where the child lay, listened to the soothing tones of the singer until he fell asleep. If this story be true, he was doubtless rudely aroused from his criminal slumber by the noise of the attack, and was the man referred to in the Win- throp paper as "ye watch who shot of a gun & cryed Arm, wch verry few heard." The alarm came too late, and they soon "took ye watch captive."
The following list of killed and captured, taken from the " Redeemed Captive," was made by Stephen Williams, one of the captives. I have added the age of each person, when it could be ascertained. Some slight corrections and additions have been placed in brackets.
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