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 53
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Com'ttee for Building the Fort at Green River be Directed to line the Fort at Green River on the East side of it & so far on the North side of it as till the House will Defend it & so at each side of the South Gate & also at each side of the Well, to be lined with Stock- ades: to be paid by the Town, provided there be nothing from the province Granted to them for forting, nor any alteration of the Grant that is already made to the town for forting.
One week later the town voted "Samuel Allen and the Rest of the Inhabitants at the Bars leave to draw from the town treasury their proportionable parts," of all money expended
532
THE OLD FRENCH WAR.
in "building all the forts in ye Town, Green River & Wap- ping * * * provided they Build Mounts and fortifie themselves at ye Bars, and not elce."
Had the people at the Bars been able to carry out this sug- gestion, perhaps the swift destruction which overtook them the next year, could have been averted. Leaving the subject of fortifications, we now return to the progress of affairs which called for their construction.
It is not my intention in this chapter to follow the opera- tions of the armies in the field through the different cam- paigns. These are fully given in general history; and the particulars of the events in this region have been put forth in the History of Northfield and by Drake in his " Five Years French and Indian War." So that only those affairs will be noticed in which Deerfield, or Deerfield people, are concerned.
Our town was no longer a frontier town. Small settlements had been established at Charlemont, Colrain, Fall-Town and Vernon, since the last war, and along up east of the Con- necticut river as high as No. 4, now Charlestown, N. H. But the Indians who had traded at Fort Dummer, as well as those under pay there,-those who had mingled with the whites in the most friendly manner, and knew the situation of every farm-house and field,-promptly returned to their tribes at the first breath of war, and the settlers knew they would soon return in hostile parties, or as guides for others.
The usual route of the invaders from Canada to the Con- necticut Valley, was up the Sorel river to Lake Champlain, and thence by several passes over the Green Mountains. One was up the Winooski and down the White; another up the Otter Creek, and down the Black, Williams or West rivers, according to destination. A third was from the upper end of the lake, up Wood Creek, Paulet and Indian rivers to the Hoosick Valley and over the mountain to the valley of the Pocumtuck.
To cut off these avenues of hostile approach, the Colonial authorities in the summer of 1744 directed the establishment of a cordon of forts to run from Fort Dummer over the moun- tain to the New York line. Before the close of the French wars the following defensive works were practically in this cordon : Fort Dummer, Forts Sartwell and Bridgman in Ver- non; the forts of Lieut. Ebenezer Sheldon, Elisha Sheldon,
533
A SPECIMEN WEEK.
and of John Burke in Bernardston; South Fort, McDowell's Fort, Forts Lucas and Morrison in Colrain ; Forts Taylor, Rice and Hawks in Charlemont. Fort Massachusetts at Ad- ams, Fort Shirley in Heath and Fort Pelham in Rowe, were built by the Province in 1744, but the two last named were abandoned before the last French war. The others were gen- erally picketed dwellings provided with mounts, but at times of greatest danger were garrisoned by Colonial troops, or mi- litia in the Province pay.
John Stoddard -- the same who was a soldier in the house of Rev. John Williams on the night of Feb. 29th, 1704-now colonel of the Hampshire regiment, was put by Gov. Shirley in command of the line of forts, and intrusted with the de- fense of the western frontier. Israel Williams of Hatfield was second in command, and Capt. Elijah Williams, son of Rev. John, had charge of the scouting parties from Deerfield, to cover the frontier on the north and west. June 5th, 1744, Capt. Williams returned from a consultation with Gov. Shir- ley at Boston. As illustrating the condition of affairs here, and the means taken to defend our homes, beyond the erec- tion of defensive works, some notes will be given of the op- erations of a single week, soon after his return.
Saturday, June 8th, Capt. Williams sent out a scout to Hoo- sac Mountain. They returned on Tuesday with a report of having seen the trail of about forty Indians, at the head of the west branch of North river, which they followed as long as they dared. Another scout was sent out Monday, the Ioth. They discovered the tracks of three parties of the enemy be- tween North river and Green river, and sent one of their number to report to Capt. Williams, while the rest followed the trails toward the southeast, to make further discovery. On this news, Capt. Williams dispatched a post to Maj. Wil- liams at Hatfield, who commanded in the absence of Col. Stoddard who was attending an Indian conference at Albany.
Thursday, the 13th, another scout was sent out, which re- turned Saturday, and reported having seen on the Deerfield river, about eight miles above Rice's settlement at Charle- mont, a place where three men had made a fire and camped, and saw two coats made Indian fashion hanging up to dry. Thursday the watch at the south part of the town saw an In- dian, and at Green river another was seen on the 15th. Moc-
534
THE OLD FRENCH WAR.
casin tracks were discovered in the morning, but the Indians were not.
Saturday, June 15th, Stoddard writes Maj. Williams, by an express from Albany, that he has news which leads him to believe a large party from Canada is out against our frontier, thus confirming the reports of the scouts. Stoddard says he saw the day before a son of Ontosoga, who had come down with a party of fourteen to say that the Caghnawagas will not meddle in the war, and that the priests and the Governor of Canada knew and approved this course. Stoddard believes this to be only a French trick to keep the English quiet, which the event proved true. Stoddard said further that twenty-five Scatacooks from Fort Dummer had just arrived and report seeing signs of our scouts, and were "concerned lest they should meet them and took a different course from what they usually did."
Monday, the 17th, Capt. Williams went to Hatfield to con- sult Maj. Williams and make up dispatches for Gov. Shirley.
This severe and dangerous service of scouting was per- formed by the inhabitants, no succor having yet arrived, and it was doubtless owing to their faithfulness and vigilance that no damage was done this year within our borders.
The expense of "forting and scouting " was heavy, and at a town meeting, Sept. 25th, 1744, Capt. Williams was chosen a committee to represent to the General Court that the town was not able to bear the burden, and to ask an allowance for what had been expended. It was at this same meeting that measures were taken to have a town clock placed on the stee- ple of the meetinghouse. The significance of this act at this time is not apparent.
At a meeting, November 23d, the town bravely shouldered all its burdens, and voted to raise by tax money enough to pay all debts, and " £20 additional for a town stock." At the same time measures were taken for relief. "Mr. Ashley and Deacon Childs" were desired to use their influence with the Representatives in the towns below, that they might report our distressed condition to the General Court, and "use their interest at Court to get an allowance for the Charge & Cost the Town have been at for building Garrisons to fortifie and De- fend themselves, & thereby their neighbors, and to use their Interest yt we may have some Soldiers sent us to secure &
535
CROWN POINT.
defend us from ye Enemy who may reasonably be expected here before spring, we being so near Crown point." It was well known that a French fort named "St. Frederick" had been built at Crown Point, and that parties of the Caghna- wagas, if not other Canada Indians, were established there.
Some provision was made " for those drove in by the wars" by allowing them to "have hogs, pens and gardens" in the street. Houses were provided "for James Tute & Davidson families." For Tute a house was built "in the street in the side of the hill in front of Lieut. Hoit's lot that was Shel- don's," the place now occupied by the steps to the Unitarian meetinghouse.
Capt. Elijah Williams was acting as under commissary, and during the last week in July and the month of August, 1744, he dispatched to Fort Shirley twenty-one men with horses, bearing 1520 pounds of pork, 1052 pounds of biscuit, twelve bushels of peas, twenty-eight gallons of rum, two brass ket- tles, chalk lines and chalk, grindstone, gouge, auger, frow, adz, steelyards, dividers, spade, broad hoe and stub hoe. The latter may be the one found in that vicinity a few years ago, and now in Memorial Hall.
Dec. 3d, 1744, Joseph Kellogg, Indian Interpreter, writes Gov. Shirley news from Canada. The Mary Harris spoken of was a fellow captive from Deerfield, Feb. 29th, 1704 :-
Two young men Mary Harrises children have been with me twice, which have lodged at my house one of them is a very Intellegable man about thirty years of age and from them indeavored to critically examine them about the affairs of Canada
The Canada Gov' was doing his best to make the Cagnawagas & others take up the hatchet He went about killing five oxen & giving a great feast, Hung the war kettle & got the younger braves to sing the war songs &c.
One party came down the Lake but a Maqua of Cagnawaga meet- ing them told them he would turn over there canoes if they went on &c they turned back
Undoksogo sends Complements to the governor & would have been down with his young men but for Sickness, will be down this winter by the middle of it if he gets well
Some of the young Scatacooks have gone to Canada to live with Graylock at his fort at Masoeekoyueag where they have a French Priest
Specimens of the military and civil action have been given. An ecclesiastical touch will make the picture of the times more complete. Mr. Ashley, the minister, considered the
536
THE OLD FRENCH WAR.
distressed condition of the land as being due to "God's anger at the sins of the nation ;" and the only remedy, the repent- ance of the people. He speaks of this as,-
A time of General Distress and Calamity, when God is pouring out His Judgments on Mankind, and so is speaking to this people in his anger this day.
God speaks in anger by the Judgments he executes; the Judg- ments of God are his voice, and you should always attend to hear what God says to us then. God doth as truly speak to us in his Judgments, as if he should utter a voice from heaven and tell us that he is greatly offended with us; when he sends war and pestilence, he is speaking to man in his anger, and is speaking to the people in his anger this day-with the majesty and anger of a God-the terrible voice of an angry God.
The voice of the ministry is the voice of God, when they stir up to repentance. The voice of God in anger speaks through the min- ister in this case.
It is an unsuitable time to seek honor, riches, or preferment, when God sends his sore Judgment of war upon us. Who will think of riches or advancement to honor when in danger of his life being taken away by the sword? God is offended with us, for his Judg- ments are not answered if we are not weaned from these things by the calamities he sends upon us. It shows we are incorridgable & ripe for destruction.
I know our days are determined in this world by God; our bounds are set, and they can't be lengthened nor shortened; but yet it is our duty to use means appointed for the lengthening out of our lives, and to defend ourselves against such as seek to take them away. If it is unlawful for others to take our lives away, it is our Duty to hinder them.
The preacher takes a pessimistic view of affairs, and com- pares the condition of the nation to that of Jerusalem at its worst estate. He laments with Jeremiah, and predicts sad things, unless saved by repentance :-
Yr enemies shall come upon you from the north with bow & spear; yy shall be cruel & merciless; yr hands shall wax feeble & anguish shall take hold on you. You shall not be able to go forth into the fields, for ye sword & fear shall be on every side, & the spoiler shall come suddenly upon us,-when men shall be pursued out of their houses, their fields taken out of their hands, & yr wives ravished & they themselves shall fall in Battle.
He then proceeds to "Confess the sins of the Nation" in the following vigorous fashion. Perhaps he hedged just a little in the free use of the query :-
Does not England send forth her wickedness like a fountain? Did ever the sins of Jerusalem exceed those of England? Were their sins ever more numerous or continued?
537
MR. ASHLEY CONFESSES THE SINS OF THE NATION.
Does not their cry come up before God?
Was ever a nation more given to uncleanliness, intemperance and pride?
Don't the allowed & known houses erected for uncleanliness show how dreadfully the nation is sunk in wickedness?
All tables are full of vomit !
Swearing & taking God's name in vain are continued as a foun- tain !
The Sabbath neglected & all religious duties trampled upon.
And is not the ear of the nation as undisturbed as ever that of the Jews was? & is not the word of the Lord a reproach? Don't men despise it as a thing of naught, and are not such reproached who show any respect for it? The Bible is rejected by the nation as much as God's word was by the Jews. And is the nation less [il- legible] than the Jews were?
And are not ministers in the nation corrupt?
And don't multitudes of them preach falsehoods & heal ye hurt of wounded sinners selfishly?
Don't they refuse to enquire for the good old way & dispise those Doctrines which our forefathers believed?
Here we learn what is our Duty, how loud a call we have to do it this day; & it is to mourn & weep for the sins and miseries of ye nation! We have a loud call this day to turn our rejoicing into mourning, to cry to God for mercy & pardon. It becomes us this day to confess the sins of the nation to God & entreat him to pardon & spare it for his name's sake. God is greatly angry with us & threatens sore destruction upon us, & if we repent not we may ex- pect he will give our houses & fields & wives unto others. God's anger will consume the nation if repentance prevail not. Does it not begin to burn already? & when it will end God only knows.
It does not appear how far the people agreed with their minister, as to the cause of the trouble, or the proposed rem- edy, or what steps were taken to appease the wrath and avert the threatenings of God; but as we have seen active steps were taken to defend themselves against the rage of their earthly enemies, it seems they did not rely solely on spiritual means for relief.
But it was not alone the "Sins of the Nation" which dis- turbed the pious pastor; there were matters nearer home, touching him personally, where "repentance" and works meet thereunto, would have gone far towards calming his perturbed spirit, if not softening "the terrible voice of an angry God." Unfortunately, Mr. Ashley's character was not a lovable one, and his unpopularity seems to have blinded his flock to a sense of justice towards him. His complaint that he was unfairly treated in the payment of his salary seems well founded. This was to be paid in " Bills of Public
538
THE OLD FRENCH WAR.
Credit, Equivalent to Silver at Eighteen Shillings ye ounce." To this fluctuating currency, it often became necessary to adjust the salary ; and it is to be feared that this was some- times done on that wave which best suited the interests of the tax payers. About this time they had voted to pay his salary "in Bills Equivalent to Silver at 30 shillings the ounce," which called forth the following letter : -
To the Inhabitants of Deerfield.
Gentlemen
I am informed you are to meet this day; I send my Desire to you to do Something with respect to my Salary which has not been fixed for Last May. I shall be contented if you will fix it at 348 per ounce, and Lower than that I shall not be easy with, for I am cer- tain Silver has been Sold Last May for 35 & 36 the ounce and in the month of July & August it amounted to 38 & 40 and now remains near about 38. the General Court has fixed it as I am informed at 30, which they do by bills of Exchange; but their price of Silver is no more a Rule for me than the price of provisions in old England is for us here-
this is a troublesome way for me to haue my Salary to fix every year paper money is so fluctuating I should be glad you would pay me my Salary in Silver as you may See you haue obliged yourselues to do if you look into your agreement with me. And I will give you one Shilling in the ounce for your trouble. I dont See why my Sal- ary Should be kept at 20 or 30 pounds below what I can Sell the Silver for which you are obliged to giue me, there are none of you will Sell me the necessaries of Life below what yy will fetch
I am your friend & Serveant
Decem. 9. 1745 J. ASHLEY
In response to this appeal, the town chose a committee to make examination and compute the necessary expenses of a family the size of Mr. Ashley's. Beside the matter directly in hand, their report throws a good deal of side light on the life of the times. Mr. Ashley had a boy of eleven, girls of eight and six, and a baby. No account seems to have been made of his slaves, Jenny and her boy Cato.
Computation of the Expenses of a family consisting of a man a woman 4 children & a maid :-
€
S
d
Wheat 40 bushels at 22s 6d,
45 O 0
Beef 500 lbs at 12d,
25 O
pork 17 score & 12 at 18d,
26 5
Mutton & veal,
10
fish,
3
0
Indian Corn 12 bushels at 1Is &d,
7
O
Malt II Bushels,
11
O
Cyder 12 Barrels,
IS
O
O
Rum wine metheglin &c,
20
O
Sugar 100 lbs,
25 O O
539
MR. ASHLEY'S APPEAL.
£
S
d'
Tea Cocolate & Rice &c,
12
O
0
Butter 200 lbs at 3s 6d,
35
0
Milk 2 quarts per day,
35
apples,
4
Turnips,
2
Spices raisins &c,
6
Salt,
4
C
peese,
I
C
Chees 60 lbs at 3s,
9
O
Tallow 27 lbs at 3s,
I
Clothing for the family,
125
Doctors Bill,
20
Pocket Expenses,
IO
Blacksmiths bill,
5
Keeping a horse,
15
pipes & tobacco,
4
Books,
15
paper ink & quils,
2
Schooling the girls,
7
Maids work,
47
0
Mans help,
IO
0 0
House repairing & wear of household goods,
25
0 0
587
6 0
The following may well be given in this connection : -
Gentlemen & Bretheren
I am sensible there is Scarce any thing so disafects a people to yr minister as to ask for more Salary. I would therefore Assure you I do not ask you to give me more than you your selves proposed as necessary some years past.
And I intreat you to Consider what it was this people gave your former pastor in yor infancy {80 lawfull money stated upon provis- ions if I remember right wheat 3 s pork 3d a pound.
When I Settled the Salary you gave me was vastly Better than what I have now for the support of a family
When money come to be fixed by an act of the Gouernment things had so unexpectedly altered that my salary was but £,48 3 s or there- abouts.
you then Choose a Committee to Compute the expenses of a famn- ily consisting of 7 persons.
the Computation yy made amounted to 587 O. T. wheat yy Set at 22 s 6 d beef 12 d pork 18d which computation I desire you to review : I desire you would Consider how much less you giue me than that- In a word I cannot with what you giue me & all my other incomes support my family without consuming what little I haue, or running in debt:
I ask nothing extraordinary for the Support of my family: I am Commanded to be giuen to Hospitality and the occasion therefor in- creases : and it would not be for your credit yt I should shut up my doors and refuse entertainment
I ask nothing more than a reasonable Support so long as you are pleased I shall be your minister & when you choose to be freed from my ministry you may retract it I am gentlemen your Servant in the Gospel JONATHAN ASHLEY
Deerfield Decem. 1. 1760 To the inhabitants of Deerfield
540
THE OLD FRENCH WAR.
1745. This was a memorable year in the history of Massa- chusetts and New England. The spirit and prowess of her sons were shown in the expedition which captured Louis- bourg, that "Gibraltar of America," which surrendered to Pepperell June 15th. England and France were alike aston- ished at this brilliant success, and the attention of both was at once turned to the New World. Both determined to send strong forces across the sea the next year ; England, to follow up this success and expel the French from Canada; France, with the determination to recover Louisbourg and ravage the whole Atlantic coast. The fates decreed that the efforts of both should be abortive.
No Indian depredations within our township this year are known. At Putney, July 5th, William Phipps was killed after killing one and mortally wounding another of the ene- my. The 10th, Josiah Fisher was killed at Keene. October IIth, Nehemiah Howe was captured at Great Meadows, Put- ney, a short distance from the fort. Two Indians were fatal- ly shot while dragging him away. On the retreat, about three miles up the river, a canoe in which were David Rugg, a Deerfield man, and Robert Baker, was discovered coming down the Connecticut, near the eastern bank. It was fired upon by twenty or thirty of the enemy. Rugg was killed, but Baker escaped to the shore. The Indians swam over and brought in the canoe with the body of Rugg. His scalp was taken and his otherwise unmutilated body was left naked in the canoe. Rugg left a wife and children in Deerfield. Howe, Rugg and Baker were soldiers stationed in the fort at Great Meadows. The party went up on the west bank of the Connecticut, thence up Black river and over to Fort Freder- ick, at Crown Point. They entered the fort in triumph, bearing aloft on a pole the scalp of Rugg, upon the inner side of which they had made the likeness of a face with red paint.
News of Howe's capture reached here the same day, and at three o'clock, a party of twenty-nine men, of whom Dea. Noah Wright was one, set off on horseback for Putney. They reached Fort Dummer at ten, where they found eleven Northfield men. Sunday morning, the forty men set out and reached Great Meadows at two o'clock. Col. Josiah Willard, who commanded at Fort Dummer, had preceded them, and
541
FOR THE SATISFACTION OF THE KING.
had just left the fort at Great Meadows in pursuit of the en- emy, leaving orders for the reinforcements to follow. The party soon overtook Col. Willard, who had fifty-four men with him. The Deerfield men reached the scene of the dis- aster only an hour or two after Col. Willard, although the latter had twenty-five miles the start and many hours earlier notice. The united force followed the trail until about sun- set, when they reached a point where the enemy scattered, and Willard encamped for the night. He marched for No. 4 the next morning, and striking signs of the enemy, prepared for the fight, but no Indians were found. Tuesday morning they all set out for home by the way of Ashuelot and North- field. The Deerfield men reached home Wednesday night. No other depredations in the Connecticut valley are recorded for this year.
1746. This was a disastrous year all along our frontiers. Beauharnois, Governor of Canada, apparently in a spirit of revenge for the loss of Louisbourg, sent out, all through the spring and summer, three or four war parties a week, to har- ass isolated families and small settlements on the English borders, and called it making war on England. These parties were in number from three to twenty, and on their return with miserable women and children as captives, or the bloody scalps of their husbands or fathers, a full record of their ex- ploits was made for transmission to France, for the delecta- tion of " His Most Christian Majesty," the King of France.
Not content with using the Abenaki and Canada Indians, Beauharnois invited the savages from the far western lakes to come and share the blood and plunder. In but a single instance did he order an attack on a military post or an armed force.
During the spring and summer, skulking parties of the en- emy killed, wounded or captured sixteen persons at No. 4; at Northfield, and on the Ashuelot above, ten; at Vernon, four. An attempt to surprise Sheldon's fort at Fall Town, May 9th, was defeated by three men and a few women. John Burke, afterwards Maj. Burke of the Rangers, was wounded in this affair. At Colrain, May 10th, Matthew Clark was killed while making a stand to enable his wife and daughter to escape, but both were wounded. David Morrison was captured July 28th, a little more than a gun-shot distance from Morrison's fort.
542
THE OLD FRENCH WAR.
May 9th, John Hawks of Deerfield and John Mighills were out a short distance from Fort Massachusetts. Mighills was mounted, and Hawks got up behind to cross Hoosac river. He was in the act of dismounting, when two Indians ap- peared ; one fired upon them, wounding both. Mighills es- caped to the fort, but Hawks fell to the ground, with a shot in his left arm. Both Indians dropped their guns, and rushed towards him for his scalp; but Hawks was not ready to part with that useful appendage. He had inherited, along with his name, the quick wit and steady nerve his grandfather dis- played in the fight on Hatfield Meadows. He rallied instant- ly, and resting his gun on his wounded arm, covered the ap- proaching foe. Both dodged ; one down a bank, the other be- hind a tree, from which shelter neither dared venture to reach the loaded gun which one Indian had dropped in an exposed place. Hawks kept them both at bay until they called for quarter, as it afterwards appeared, which the wounded man unfortunately did not understand. Finding, after a while, that Hawks had the best of the game, both ran off in different directions. The spirit shown by Hawks on this occasion earned him the confidence of his officers and the respect of his enemies, and neither had cause to change their sentiments at his next appearance before the public.
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