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 64
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from your affectionate and Loving Brother JOHN TAYLOR.
The writer was also directed by Hawks to take twelve men and scout four or five days above the head waters of the Deer- field river. In spite of this and other precautions, a party of the enemy came to Charlemont about the 12th, who mur-
651
MASSACRE AT FORT WILLIAM HENRY.
dered one Wheeler and killed a horse belonging to Lieut. Hawks. June 14th, Indians were discovered at "Chestnut Plain " and seen to " run above 3 or 4 rods," but nothing fur- ther was heard of them.
June 24th, Lieut. Hawks gets word by a dispatch from Fort Massachusetts of an attack on Saratoga, and that three parties of the enemy had been seen starting this way. Maj. Elijah Williams gets the news here from Hawks at ten p. m. of the same day. Scouts were sent out to discover the invaders. Those from Colrain found nothing. Those from Charlemont found many traces of the enemy, who returned without doing harm.
June 28th, Capt. Burke writes from Fort Edward that Caleb Newton was killed and Ezekiel Smith was wounded in a re- cent skirmish. Both were of his company.
In the great disaster of this year, the capture of Fort Wil- liam Henry, called by the French, Fort George, many men from this section were involved. The fort was held by Col. George Munroe with twenty-five hundred men. It was be- sieged by Montcalm August 3d, and on the 9th it surrendered upon honorable terms. The French troops were to escort the garrison towards Fort Edward, under the terms of the capitulation ; but no sooner had the English marched out of the entrenchments than the savages fell upon the officers and soldiers and robbed them of all their baggage, and soon be- gan to butcher the sick, the women and children, and many soldiers shared the same fate. Hundreds of the English were slain and mangled with barbarian ferocity. The guard of French soldiers looked passively on or made but slight and ineffectual efforts to stop the inhuman carnage. The gallant career of Montcalm, and his heroic death on the plains of Abraham, cannot wipe out the foul blot on his escutcheon which was left there by the blood shed on this occasion.
The French attempted to excuse themselves on the ground that the English had given rum to the Indians to make friends with them. De Bougainville says,-
Some of their soldiers, in spite of all the warning that had been given them, had given them some rum to drink, and who in the world could restrain 2000 Indians of 32 different nations, when they have drank liquor? The disorder was commenced by the Abenakis.
Montcalm, in a letter to Gen. Webb, August 14th, tells the
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THE LAST FRENCH WAR.
same story, with variations. He says the Indians were given rum, and that the Abenakis began it. "You know," he says,-
What it is to restrain 3000 Indians of 33 different nations, & I had but too many apprehensions, which I did not conceal from the com- mandant of the fort in my summons. I consider myself lucky that the disorder was not attended with consequences as unfortunate as I had reason to fear.
Then in the name of good faith and humanity why did he not take measures to prevent this horrible "disorder?" For an account of this affair in detail, read the Travels of Jona. Carver, one of the sufferers. How many Deerfield people were under Col. Munroe cannot be ascertained. Some of them were Lieut. Salah Barnard, Consider Arms, Elijah Shel- don, John Hinsdale, Samuel Taylor, Reuben Petty, Jonathan Oakes, Joseph Denio. Lieut. Salah Barnard was seized by two Indians ; each grasped one of his hands and dragged him towards the woods to strip and murder him. Barnard was an athletic man, and while the three were in this relative posi- tion, they reached a steep descent. Just at the moment the Indians began to descend, Barnard braced himself back, gath- ered all his strength, and swung the heads of the Indians to- gether with such force as to stun them both. He made his escape and finally reached Fort Edward.
The readers of " The Last of the Mahicans," may take the assurance that the writer did not overdraw the bloody scenes of this faithless and cowardly massacre.
The alarm caused by the fall of Fort William Henry was general on the frontiers. The capture of Fort Edward and the invasion of New York or New England was expected to follow. As soon as Gen. Webb at Fort Edward was informed of the advance of the French army he sent out for reinforce- ments, and Aug. 8th "Sir William Pepperell, Major General of His Majesty's forces and Lt. General of the Province of Massachusetts" was ordered to Springfield by Gov. Pownell to collect the forces raised for the defense of the country and to reinforce Gen. Webb. In case Webb was defeated he was to succeed to the whole command. A draft of one-fourth part of each regiment in the Province except three was or- dered ; the levies to be sent to Springfield. August 10th, Sir William was ordered to dispatch every available man to the seat of war, and he forwarded the regiments of Col. Worth-
653
TO KINDERHOOK AND BACK.
ington and Col. Williams of this county and Col. Ruggles of Worcester county. The same day, Col. Oliver Partridge, who succeeded Col. Israel Williams in this quarter, writes Pownell that he has news of one hundred and fifty Indians coming down the river, and that he has ordered two companies to march to Deerfield and wait events.
August 11th, Col. Partridge gets news from Albany of the fall of Fort William Henry, and official letters to this Prov- ince reached Pepperell at Springfield, August 12th, at mid- night, with the same sad news. The previous alarm now became almost a panic.
August 13th. Col. Chandler's Worcester regiment reached Springfield. The same day Pownell sends Sir William or- ders to prepare for the threatened invasion. He is instruct- ed :-
If the enemy should approach the frontier, you will order all wag- gons west of the Connecticut River to have their wheels knocked off, and to drive the said country of horses, to order in all provisions that can be brought off & what cannot to destroy. You will receive this as my orders not to be executed but in such case of necessity & then not to fail to do it.
August 12th, Capt. Christie, A. D. Q. M. G., writes Pepper- ell from Albany that he does not think the enemy will come farther, but go back. He was right, for after dismantling and destroying the fort, Montcalm on the 15th marched back to Ticonderoga. Williams and Ruggles led their regiments as far as Kinderhook, when, hearing of the fall of William Henry and the expected invasion of Montcalm, instead of pressing on to support Gen. Webb, they turned round and marched home. Gov. Pownell was "amazed to hear that the regiments had not reached Albany on the 11th." And no wonder. The world has yet to learn the cause of what ap- pears to be an unmanly retreat by Williams and Ruggles.
Pownell had ordered "one-fourth part of the militia and all the horse " to put themselves under the command of Sir Wil- liam at Springfield.
August 15th, Sir William in a letter to Pownell, says he thinks the danger is past ; he does not think the enemy will appear and that the militia need not come. He thinks the danger less here than at the East, and that he ought to go there. In a postscript he adds: "I have advised Capt. Chris- tie of your zeal in forwarding the militia for their relief."
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THE LAST FRENCH WAR.
August 17th, the governor replies, asking him to thank the troops that turned "In form out for me," and to use his judg- ment about the disposition of the returning troops. August 24th, the scare was all over and Pepperell was in Boston and the stores collected for the troops were put on the market and sold.
September 13th, a company raised here on the alarm, with John Catlin, captain, Salah Barnard, lieutenant, Jonathan Hunt, ensign, Seth Catlin, drummer, and forty-nine men, marched from Deerfield to take charge of the defenses at West Hoosac. Catlin arrived on the 17th and reports the fort in a rotting condition, shot going through the timber of the mounts at fifteen rods. He returned December ist, leav- ing Sergt. Seth Hudson in command.
Lieut. Hawks continued in command at Colrain until he had a major's commission in the regiment of Col. Williams.
There were no more attacks or alarms on the frontiers this season, but the winter was a gloomy one. The campaign had been one of disaster. The French were gaining in strength and the future looked dark indeed.
Deerfield men on the descriptive rolls of Lord Loudon this year or the winter following, are :-
Alexander, Joseph
Denio, Joseph
Nims, Reuben
Allen, Caleb
Dickinson, Samuel
Pease, Abner
Amsden, Asahel
Frost, George
Pease, Noadiah
Arms, Consider
Hawks, Asa
Petty, Reuben
Arms, Eliakim
Hawks, Moses
Rose, Seth
Bardwell, Medad
Hawks, Paul
Sheldon, Elisha
Birge, John
Hinsdale, John
Stebbins, Simon
Burt, Ebenezer
Kentfield, Solomon
Taylor, Samuel
Carver, Jonathan, [the traveler]
King, Joseph
Victory, John
Mitchell, Abner
[born in Venice]
Catlin, Seth
Munn, Benjamin
Wells, Elisha
Davidson, Barnabas
Munn, Phineas
1758. After three campaigns, disgraceful and dishearten- ing to the English, William Pitt took the helm in the man- agement of colonial affairs in England, and troops were raised in the colonies with a fresh ardor for the operations of this year. February 11th, Capt. Ebenezer Larnard with forty-six men spent a day here on his return from the camp. Samuel Wells furnished them one hundred and forty-seven meals at 5d. Deerfield, taking heart, now appears to feel se- cure from invasion, for at the town meeting, March 6th, it was voted :-
653
EPHRAIM AND THE DOVE.
That Lt. Field, Samuel Hinsdell and John Sheldon be a commit- tee to sell & Dispose of ye Timber provided for Building Garrisons in ye Town & also to Dispose of ye Remains of ye Old Garrisons within this town that They Judge unfit for use for the most they will fetch.
The line of forts was put under Capt. John Catlin. Under him were Sergt. Gershom Hawks and nine men at Hawks's, Charlemont; Corp. Joseph Denio and seven men at Rice's, Charlemont; Sergt. Othniel Taylor and eleven men at Tay- lor's, Charlemont ; Sergt. Remembrance Sheldon and eleven men at Burke's, Fall Town ; Sergt. Amasa Sheldon and eight men at Sheldon's, Fall Town ; Sergt. Moses Wright and nine men at Huntstown; Sergt. Jacob Abbott and nine men at North fort, Colrain ; Sergt. James Stewart and nine men at South fort, Colrain ; Sergt. Chas. Wright and fifteen men at Greenfield ; Sergt. Josiah Foster and ten men at Northfield.
Indian inroads began early. March 6th, Capt. Fairbanks Moore and his son were killed at Brattleboro, and the wife and four children of the latter taken captive.
March 21st, a party of Indians appeared at Colrain, wound- ed two men and burned a house and barn of Capt. Morrison. The following contemporary account of this affair by Rev. Jonathan Ashley is the most authentic to be found. It is written on the margin of a sermon which he preached March 26th :- -
March 21st, about 50 Indians came to Morrison's Fort, wounded John Morrison and John Henry, killed several cattle and sheep, and after they had roasted, and fed themselves, came and fired at the fort and went off and lodged within a mile and a half of ye fort.
Ashley was not satisfied with the conduct of the people on this occasion, and in his next sermon he belabors them heart- ily, over the shoulders of poor Scriptural Ephraim. The text was from Hosea 7:11-" Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart." He is indignant that " no attempt was made to pur- sue and overtake" the marauders. He berates them for,-
Trying to make themselves great, and how contrary the effect * How their enemies were afflicting and distressing of them but they were no better y" doves to defend themselves, to save them- selves from approaching ruin. [It is well enough to be harmless as the dove, but ] it shows the miserable state of a people when yy are like ye dove in silliness; to be without a heart to understand, and a heart to prepare measures for safety is a shame and shows such a people most contemptible and miserable The silly dove
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THE LAST FRENCH WAR.
has not a heart to defend herself against any bird of prey that seeks her life, flies from the least danger, and has no resolution to with- stand any and suffers itself to be made an easy prey; and how nat- ural to turn that over to ourselves and consider how much like silly doves and silly Ephraims we are, and perhaps these words were nev- er truer of Ephraim than yy are of us at the present day. We are about as easily put to flight by our enemies as a company of tim- orous doves. We are without a heart to take counsel. What are all your counsels better than the hoarse croakings of doves ?
It would be interesting and instructive to know the com- ments made by the hearers on this sharp arraignment, but none are found. It is not unlikely that the following order grew out of the excitement it raised.
HATE'D, Ap'l 4, '58.
Lt. Hawks complains that his scoutsmen are destitute of Indian shoes, without which they can't perform their duty. The safety of ye Frontiers, the lives of ye men greatly depend upon their being well equipped. This necessary Provision is what ye Government have been always at ye expense for and what is your business as a Commissary to provide and til now supposed you had orders accord- ingly.
I hereby direct that you without delay get a sufficient number for that service and deliver them to Lt. Hawks, taking his receipt there- for, depending upon your Care in this matter.
I am yr Hum'l Sev't, Is. WILLIAMS. MAJ. ELIJAH WILLIAMS. [ Endorsed. ] Deerfield, April 7, 1758. ยท Rec'd Deersleather for mogosons to the value of twenty-nine shil- lings and four pense. JOHN HAWKS.
Hawks served in the Lake George campaign as major, com- manding a company in the regiment of Col. Williams. Some Deerfield people under him were :-
Caleb Allen, Nathaniel Davidson,
Phineas Nevers,
Asahel Amsden, Nathaniel Dickinson,
Reuben Nims,
Richard Carey, Hilkiah Groul,
Abraham Pease,
Jonathan Catlin,
Asa Hawks,
Samuel Stebbins,
Seth Catlin,
Moses Hawks.
Simeon Stebbins,
Moses Chandler, Paul Hawks,
John Victory.
Barnabas Davidson,
Phineas Munn,
The following is inserted as giving some idea of the ser- vice of scouts.
COLRAIN, May the 18, 1758.
Sr I have ordered the scout from this place to go once in a week to Deerfield River about 8 miles above the province Line, and fall town Scout to strike the North River 6 miles above us, and direct you to send your Scout once a week to Deerfield River at the prov- ince line. we have no news, but all well.
I am your sevent, JOHN CATLIN.
657
PITT COMES TO THE FRONT.
[Addressed] To Sergt. Othniel Taylor, Charlemont, on his Mag- estys service.
COLRAIN, May the 30, 1758.
Sr Last Sunday night I rec'd an account from Sergt. Hawks that his Scout had made Some discovery of an Enemy not far from pel- ham fort. These are therefore to direct you to taek one man from your fort with you and go to Rice's, and taek two men there to Hawks' and taek Samuel Morrison with one man, five in whole, and go to the place where they took their start, and make a thourer Search, and if you make no discovery then carry the Scout as hy up as the province Line, and make return to me. Your Sevnt,
JOHN CATLIN.
To Sergt. Othniel Taylor, att Cherlymount.
May 27th, Capt. Salah Barnard marched his company from Deerfield to join his regiment in the army of invasion. They served through the whole campaign, returning in November. Thomas Alexander of Northfield was his ensign.
June 25th, three Deerfield men, Martin Severance, Mat- thew Severance and Agrippa Wells, with William Clark of Colrain, serving in Rogers's Rangers, were taken prisoners in a skirmish at Sabbath Day Point.
July 8th, Gen. James Abercrombie, who had succeeded Lord Loudon, led an army of seven thousand men against Ticonderoga, and was repulsed with a loss of nineteen hun- dred killed and wounded.
July 26th, Louisbourg surrendered to General Amherst, with all its stores, a large amount of shipping and three thou- sand men.
August 27th, Fort Frontignac, on the north side of Lake Ontario, with a large amount of cannon, ammunition and provisions, was taken by Gen. Bradstreet, which crippled the operations of the French at the westward. They were fur- ther weakened by the loss of Fort Du Quesne, which was oc- cupied by Gen. James Forbes, Nov. 24th, the French garrison retiring upon his approach. This post was then named Pitts- burg, which name it still bears. Secretary Pitt well deserved the honor of this name, for under the first year of his admin- istration the power of France in North America received a shock from which it never recovered.
The only Indian visitation on our frontier not noticed was at No. 4, August 25th, when Asahel Stebbins was killed and his wife Lydia [Harwood] and Isaac Parker were captured.
September 24th, Capt. John Catlin of Deerfield died in the service at Burke's fort.
658
THE LAST FRENCH WAR.
Maj-Gen. Jeffrey Amherst succeeded Abercrombie to the command in America, and Pitt wrote him Dec. 29th in refer- ence to future operations, " That you do immediately concert the properest measures for pushing the operations of the campaign with the utmost vigor early in the year by the in- vasion of Canada."
1759. In the campaigns of this year, so memorable in the colonial history of this country, Deerfield men took their full share. March 16th, Col. Williams was ordered to enlist or impress two hundred men from his regiment to join the army of Amherst at the Lake; and May Ioth, one hundred more to go to No. 4, under Capt. Elijah Smith, to relieve Capt. Cruikshank, that he might join Amherst, and serve in the invading army. There was great enthusiasm this year in forwarding the campaign. The people felt sure that Pitt was in earnest, and they had great confidence in Amherst, his chosen leader. It was generally expected that the dark cloud, that shadow of death, which had for three quarters of a century hung over the northern frontier, was soon to be finally dispelled ; and this faith was not in vain.
The last Indian raid on the frontiers of Massachusetts was that described in the following fragment of a letter from Sergt. John Taylor at Colrain, "To Maj. Elijah Williams, or Ensign Jos. Barnard at Deerfield :- "
COLRAIN, March ye 21, 1759.
Sir :- These are to inform that yesterday as Jos. McKoun & his wife were coming from Daniel Donitsons & had got so far as where Morrison's house was burned this day year, they was fired upon by the enemy about sunset. I have been down this morning on the spot and find no Blood Shed, but see where they led off Both the above mentioned; they had their little child with them.
I believe they are gone home. I think their number small, for there was about 10 or 12 came. * [Torn off. ]
Hoyt gives the name of the above man as John McConn ; and Rev. Stephen Williams as Joseph McEwers. Dr. Hol- land, who tells the story with a large amount of rigmarole, calls the name Joseph McConn or McCowen. In Mcclellan's sketch of Colrain I do not find the affair mentioned at all. Deerfield was bare of men, but when the news of this raid reached Northampton, Maj. Joseph Hawley came up with a party as far as Greenfield, but went no farther.
Gen. Amherst collected his army above Albany and moved
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MONTCALM AND WOLFE.
down Lake George against Ticonderoga, where he arrived July 21st. He felt so certain of a successful and speedy issue that on the 24th he wrote to the officer commanding at No. 4, that Ticonderoga "must soon surrender, and there is no oc- casion for your services where you are," and directed him to march at once for Albany. "I send one sergt and 3 rangers ; keep one for a guide, the others will go to Fort Dummer." Amherst was not over confident, for July 27th, he took pos- session of the fort. It had been evacuated the night before by the French army, which made the best of its way towards Montreal.
September 18th, Quebec fell into the hands of the army, taken to its walls by Gen. James Wolfe. September 12th, a battle had been fought on the plains of Abraham, close by the city, in which the French were defeated. Montcalm, the French commander, and Gen. Wolfe were both killed on the field.
The glad news of the surrender of Quebec soon reached the frontiers. Everybody felt that the end of the French dominion and Indian devastation was nigh. October 8th, Col. Williams writes Pownell that he has dismissed all the garrisons but those at Fort Massachusetts and Hoosac. He says there are some swivels and stores to be cared for.
The following named men served in the regiment of Col. Israel Williams this year : Lieut-Col., Oliver Partridge; Maj., Elijah Williams; 2d, Maj., Joseph Hawley ; Captains, Joseph Barnard of Deerfield, (promoted from ensign), Seth Field, Joshua Lyman and Phineas Wright of Northfield ; Benjamin Hastings and Timothy Childs of Greenfield ; Jona. Dickinson and Zaccheus Crocker of Roadtown ; Ebenezer Sheldon, Jr., of Falltown ; Joseph Root and John Clapp of Montague.
Capt. Samuel Wells had command of the line of forts after John Hawks left for the army, June 4th. Capt. Hawks served in the regiment of Col. Ruggles, and was promoted to be major. Salah Barnard served as captain ; Seth Catlin was his 2d lieutenant and Benj. Munn, sergeant. Other Deer- field men known to be in his company were :-
Samuel Allen, Eprhaim Ayers, Jesse Billings, Thomas Billings, Barnabas Davidson,
Elijah Mitchell, Noah Parker, Solomon Rugg. Solomon Sawtelle, John Simons,
Ebenezer Tolman, Ichabod Warner, David Watkins,
Benjamin Wilson.
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THE LAST FRENCH WAR.
Sergt. Samuel Barnard, Obed Dinsmore and Abner Mitch- ell served under Capt. Elijah Smith. Consider Arms served under Capt. John Burke.
The Destruction of St. Francis .- No event of the war made so profound an impression on the Indians as the destruction of their settlement at St. Francis in Canada. This had long been the headquarters and point of departure for numerous expeditions against our frontiers, and the village was filled with spoil and trophies of the returning warriors. With the determination to break up this nest, Gen. Amherst issued the following order :-
CAMP AT CROWN POINT, Sept. 13, 1759.
You will this night set out with a detachment as ordered yester- day, viz .: of two hundred men, which you will take under your com- mand, and proceed to Missisquay bay, from thence you will march and attack the enemy's settlements on the south side of the river St. Lawrence, in such a manner as you shall judge most effectual to disgrace the enemy, and for the success and honor of his Majesty's Arms.
Remember the barbarities that have been committed by the ene- my's Indian scoundrels, on every occasion where they had opportu- nity of showing their infamous cruelties on the King's subject, which they have done without mercy. Take your revenge, but do not forget that though these villians have dastardly and permiscu- ously murdered the women and children of all ages, it is my orders that no women or children are killed or hurt.
When you have executed your intended service, you will return with your detachment to camp, or join me wherever the army may
Yours, &c., JEFF. AMHERST. be.
To Maj. Rogers.
Rogers went down the lake in boats one hundred miles to Missisquoy Bay. Here he hid his boats and left two men to watch them, and on the 20th, pursued his march across the wilderness towards St. Francis. Two days later the two rangers overtook him with the news that the boats had been discovered and that four hundred men were on his trail. Rogers at once sent a party through the woods to Amherst, asking that provision be sent up the Connecticut river from No. 4 to meet him at Coos, and he began a forced march to- wards the doomed village, where he arrived on the evening of October 4th. The unsuspecting Indians were having a dance, which was kept up until four o'clock in the morning. Rogers having made his dispositions, at early dawn the Eng- lish fell upon the sleeping Indians. In the darkness and
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ROGERS AT ST. FRANCIS.
confusion it was impossible to distinguish age or sex, and after daylight revealed several hundred English scalps flying from poles in the air, there was little disposition to heed the humane order of Amherst, and the slaughter was general. The village was burned, and Rogers began a retreat up the St. Francis river, towards the head waters of the Connecticut, in the greatest haste. Small parties attacked his rear, with some success, but after he had entrapped one party in an ambush, he had no more trouble from the French or Indians.
His battle now was with hunger. His provisions became exhausted about October 15th, and the command was broken up into small parties to find their way to Coos as best they could. As requested, Amherst had sent a supply by Lieut. Stevens, but the half-starved detachment with Rogers reached the rendezvous only to find that Stevens had abandoned the spot and carried off the provisions. His fires were still burn- ing, and Rogers fired guns to bring him back. These were heard by Stevens, but only hurried his retreat. This cow- ardly and unexplained conduct of Stevens cost the lives of many men. who perished in the woods of fatigue and starva- tion. The whole loss of Rogers was about fifty men.
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