USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > North Brookfield > History of North Brookfield, Massachusetts. Preceded by an account of old Quabaug, Indian and English occupation, 1647-1676; Brookfield records, 1686-1783 > Part 14
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Hee saith, that before hee & Job came among those indians they told ym the Narragants had sent in on or 2 English scalpes, but these indians would not receive them, but shot at yr messenger & said they were English mens friends all last summer & would not creditt yr first messengers, after yer came other messengers from Narragansetts & brought more heads [hee saw twelve scalpes of English hangd upon trees] yt then these Indians beeleved ye Narragansset & receved the scalps & paid ym [as yr maner is], & now they beeleved that the Narragansitts & English are at warre, of wch they are glad. The Narragansets told these indians that the English had had fight with them, & killed about forty fighting men & on Sachem & about 300 old men women & children were kild & burnt in the wigwams most of wch were destroyd, they told him yt as the Narragansetts said that the Mohegins & Pequitts Indians killed & woonded of ym, as many as the English had kild. Being questioned by Mr Danforth whether hee could learne whether the Narragansetts had ayded & assisted Philip & his companey in the sumer against the English, hee answered yt hee vnderstood by those indians yt they had not, but lookt on ym as freinds to the English all along til now & their enemies. Hee saith yt hee was informed that the Nargansets said yt an Inglish man one Joshua Tift was among them when they had yr fight at the English & yt hee did ym good service & kild & woonded 5 or 6 English in yt fight & yt before they wold trust him hee had kild a miller an English man at Narragansit, & brought his scalpe to them. Also hee said yt the Naragansits told these indians yt one William that lives in those parts
II7
JAMES QUANAPOHIT'S RELATION.
brought them some powder & offered them all his catle for provisions desiring only yt his life might bee spared & his children & grandchildren. These Narragansits solicited these indians to send them som helpe [ . . . they knew them to be stout soldiers], they promised to send with them 20 men to goe wth them to see how things were, & they determined to begin yr jorny laast Saturday [ie 22th January] and they also resolved to take Job with them to Narraganset indians; and vpon the same day Mawtaamp the sagomor said hee would goe with another company up to Phillip, to informe him & those Indians of the breach betwene the English & Narragansitts & hee said that James [our spy] should goe along wth him to Philipp to aquaint him of the state of affayres among the English & praying indians. James sd to Mataamp I am willing to goe to Philip but not at this present because Philip knowes that I fought against him on the English side at Mount Hope & other places, & hee will not beeleve yt I am realy turned to his pty, vnles I first do some exployt & kill some English men & carry yr heads to him. Let me have oprtuty to doe somthing of this nature before I goe to Philip, this answer of James seemed to satisfy the sagamore Maw- taump. But James doubting notwithstanding, that hee might change his mind and take him with him when hee went, hee was resolved to endevor an escape before ye time they intended the iorny, especially considering what Tachupawillin told him in secret yt Philip had given order to his men that if they mett wth these John Hunter, James Speen, this James & Thomas Quannupaquit [brethern & Andrew Pitamee & Peter Ephraim they bring them to him or put ym to death]. Accordingly James moved Job [his com- panion] to contrive a way for an escape. Job conceled his purpose, and vpon Wensday the 19th of this instant they 2 early in the morne went out as if they would goe a hunting for deare, as they had don at other times & returnd againe [James having goten about a pint of nokake of Symon Squa on of ye praying indians] they beeing in ye woods hunted for deere & killd 4 deare & as they traveld to & fro they percevd that by som footing of indians that some did watch their motions, so towards night ye being neare a pond they drew the deare ad ye pond & tooke vp yr quarters in thicke swampe & their made a fire & dresd some of ye venison, but no other indians came to ym; so about 3 oclock before day, James said to Job now let vs escape away if wee can. But Job said I am not willing to goe now, because my children are here I will stay longer if God please hee can prserve my life if not I am willing to die I will therfore goe backe againe to ye indians & goe along with the company to ye Naragansitt & if I returne I will vse what policy I can to get away my children, if I live about .. weekes hence I will com back & I will come to Naticke & therfore if you can take 4 or 5 indians to meet me there, I shall if I live by yt time get more intelligence of affayres. Then James sd to him I must now goe away for I am not like to have a bet- ter opptunity, & if they should carry mee to Philip I shall die, but I am sorry for you Job, least when I am gon they kill you for my sake, but you may tel ym I runne away from you & was affrayd to goe to Philip before I had don som exployt. So they parted-& James our spy came homeward travilling through the woods night & day vntill he came to Naticke to James Spene wigwam who lives their to looke to som aged & sick folkes yt were
I18
FIRST SETTLEMENT, 1660-1676.
not in capacity to be brought downe to Deare Iland & on Lord's day came to Serjant Williams at ye village & by him was conducted to & so to Boston before the Councel the same day wch was the 24th day of this instnt Janury 1675 where his examination & relation was written by 2 scribes: & though this may a litle differ from others in some pticulers yet for substance it is the same.
Morever hee said yt hee heard yt the Narragansit were marched vpp into the woods toward Quantesit & yy were in company & the first compy of above 200 ammong ym were several woonded werre come before ye Narra- gansit come vp to these Indians : - beeing omitted before is put in heare."
It is proper to say that the statement of facts in this Relation is fully corroborated by other records ; and the disclosure of future plans, as the intended raids on Lancaster and other towns, was verified by the events. And it is proper to add, that the authorities of Boston were not influenced to take the necessary precautions for defence, and the towns named fell a prey to the vengeance of the savages.
The necessity of a depot of supplies, and shelter for troops and posts, between Marlborough and the Connecticut river, becoming apparent, and as a point from which to strike the Menameset camps, the Commis- sioners of the United Colonies issued an order Feb. 8, 1675-6, for raising 600 men to forthwith rendezvous at Quabaug ; and Connecticut was requested to engage the Pequots and Mohegans to join in the ser- vice. A large part of the soldiers were to be either dragoons, or troopers well fitted with long firearms ; and there was to be one man for every ten horses to take care of them. The first date set was the 20th, afterwards changed to the 29th.
Two days after the issuing of this order, viz. Feb. 10, (the date named by Job in his Report) the town of Lancaster was surprised by a war party sent out from the camp north of Brookfield, most of the build- ings burnt, and about fifty of the inhabitants killed or carried away captive. Among the latter was Mrs. Rowlandson and her three chil- dren, who were taken to Menameset. Her "Narrative," published soon after her release, supplies important information, which is quoted in these pages.
Feb. 21, (the day that the Indians from Menameset assaulted and nearly destroyed Medfield) the Council at Boston ordered that car- penters' tools for six men, nayles of all sorts with hooks and hinges for doors and locks and of such sort as the chief carpenter shall appoint, be sent up to build a quarter at Quoboag. And four days later, the Com- mittee was ordered to procure either John Brewer of Sudbury or John Coolidge of Watertown, to go up with the army and build a house or houses for lodging and shelter of provisions. At the meeting on the 2Ist, the Mass. Council voted to raise 100 foot and 72 troopers to fill
119
ENGLISH MARCH TO MENAMESET.
up their quota of the proposed army. And John Curtis and six friendly Indians from Deer Island were engaged to serve as guides.
An expeditionary force was organized and sent up under command of Maj. Thomas Savage of Boston, consisting of a company of Horse under Capt. John Whipple, and three Foot companies under Capts. Wm. Turner, Samuel Mosely and Benj. Gillam. They reached Qua- baug Mar. 2, and were joined there by Maj. Treat with three or four companies from Connecticut.
March 3, leaving Capt. Turner to garrison Quabaug, Maj. Savage with this formidable body of men marched to Menameset, but found no Indians.
It will be remembered that in the middle of January, Quanapohit had found about 1,000 Indians gathered at Menameset, of whom 300 were fighting men. To these had been added 400 or 500 warriors, and double that number of non-combatants from Narragansett, as well as squads and stragglers from other tribes. All accounts agree that there were in camp here the last week in February, not less than 2,000 Indi- ans. The cattle, swine and corn taken at Brookfield in the fall, with venison, and the spoils from Lancaster had made food abundant, and life easy ; and the deep snows had rendered their position secure from attack. But the Indians had not been ignorant of the later English movements. Marlborough was the midway headquarters and rallying- point of troops, destined for more western service. It was easy for their scouts to skulk there, and watch all the preparations, and as easy to divine the intended purpose ; and a day's run carried the news to Mat- taump and the allies.
Acting on such information, the great body of Indians left Menameset simultaneously with the concentration of English troops at Marlborough, viz. on Feb. 27, and pushed on northward, heading for Paquayag. They reached Miller's river 1 Mar. 3, the same day on which the English forces started to look for them at Menameset. Their scouts had reported the starting of the troops from Quabaug, and though well on their way, the alarm was great, and the last day's march of the savages was a " rush." But by a stratagem the English were thrown off the scent ; and the whole great body got safely over the river, and out of harm's way.
This manœuvre of the Indians, by which the English plan was frus- trated, deserves a detailed notice in this connection ; and fortunately Mrs. Rowlandson, who was with the Indians, in her Narrative supplies the materials. When Maj. Savage left Quabaug on the 3d, the savages were encamped in a swamp ahout 17 miles from Menameset, and 8 miles southward of Paquayag. The crowd was unwieldy ; " there were many hundreds, old and young, some sick and some lame, many had
I Probably they crossed at a point near the dividing line between Athol and Orange.
1
I20
FIRST SETTLEMENT, 1660-1676.
pappooses at their backs, the greatest number (at this time with us) were squaws, and they travelled with all they had, bag and baggage : . . . they went as if they had gone for their lives for some considerable way ; and then they made a stop, and chose out some of their stoutest men, and sent them back to hold the English army in play whilst the rest escaped ; and then like Jehu they marched on furiously, with their old and young : Some carried their old decriped mothers, some carried one and some another. Four of them carried a great Indian upon a bier ; but going through a thick wood with him, they were hindered, and could make no haste ; whereupon they took him upon their backs, and carried him one at a time, till they came to Bacquag River. Upon a Friday a little after noon we came to this river : . . . They quickly fell to cutting dry trees, to make rafts to carry them over the river, and soon my turn came to go over. By the advantage of some brush which they laid upon the raft to sit on, I did not wet my feet (which many of themselves at the other end were mid leg deep) : . . . A certain number of us got over the river that night ; but it was the night after the Sabbath before all the company was got over." Where, all this while, were our English dragoons? Mrs. R. says that some of the stoutest Indians were sent back "to hold the English army in play." This cov- ering party, in conjunction with the scouts left near Menameset, kept Maj. Savage at bay, or on false scents for two whole days, so that he did not reach Paquayag till sometime in the forenoon of Monday, Mar. 6. As they came up to the river, they saw on the other side the smoke of the wigwams, which the retreating Indians had set fire to ; but they did not cross. Our authoress writes : " this river put a stop to them. God did not give them courage or activity to go over after us." It should be said, that the river was swollen by the spring freshet, and crossing by horse must have been difficult and hazardous. The Massachusetts Council were deeply chagrined at the signal failure of this expedition. In a letter to Maj. Savage at Hadley, dated March 31, they say : "Leav- ing Capt. Turner in Capt. Poole's place, with the rest of the army we expressly command you to draw homeward, and endeavor in your return to visit the enemy about Pachquake (Paquayag), and be careful not to be deceived by their lapwing stratagems, by drawing you off from your nest to follow some men."
The Indians, relieved from pursuit, went leisurely to Squakheak, which they reached the next day, Mar. 7.
Maj. Savage returned to Quabaug, and thence marched to Hadley, which was again made the headquarters of the army. Capt. Turner had left a guard of 11 men (out of his company of 89) under Sergt. William Ingraham, to garrison Quabaug, and gone to Hadley, and thence to Northampton.
I2I
CONDITION OF THE GARRISON.
The following papers, found in the State Archives, supply about all that is known of the garrison here, for the ensuing months.
" Accord to warrant from Authority, I have taken into my hand 83 bush- els and half of Indian Corn, which were by the Indians of this town set up in barns. Out of which parcell of corn by the Hond Major General's war- rant, Capt. Whipple had II bushels & a peck for the use of his Company, Capt. Gookin had 9 bushels more of it, Capt. Oakes had 4 bush. 3 pecks· Also in fulfillment of a warrant from Maj. Willard requiring me to furnish them with Corn for their horses, Quartermaster Wade had for the use of his Company 3 bushels and a half. I paid one penny half pence a bushel for threshing out this Corn, which amounted to 3 bush. and a peck. The Indi- ans sent from Quabaug had half a bushel. The remainder of this Corn I have secured in the Magazine at Marlboro'.
JOHN WOODS, Sen., Constable of Marlboro'
MARCH 20, 1675-6.
QUAWBAUGE Mar. 21 : 1676.
COMISSARY BRAGDEN
AND LOVING FFRIEND. Sir the occasion of my presant wrighting to you is this, upon serious Thoughts wrighting what we heard by the last posts from our Army, that our Army was disposed to garrison the towns they were in & the neighboring towns & being Resolved, not to follow the Enemy, till further help be sent them, & we know that cannot be very spedy, therefore the enemy being so Numerous & not ffollowed by our forces they will have opportunity Enough to scatter or to Remove their body & we may Expect their Coming this way & to fall on us who are but few, & So distant from being Reliefed by any that we Can expect nothing but to be Cut off, and in order to our preservation, as to the use of means, I have now sent you a post for Ammunition, Especially Bullets, and some powder & some flints, for we are badly man d as this bearer Can Informe you & worse for Ammunition, therefore as you Love our Lives & welfare I request & require you to Assist this bearer with Conveniensys as Above s d & a fresh horse & Som Guard with said Ammunition forthwith to be sent us, or Else if we be set upon by Any Considerable force of the Enemy, before we have A recruit we shall not be Abel to maintaine our Garreson. I have writen by the post to the Counsell; but you know are farr distant & not so sensibel of our Condition as I wish they were, & I know not when I shall have any supply from them & Considering our presant eminent danger makes me Chus make my Aplication to you for reliefe. Which if we be not presantly relieved as Above, I shall not keepe the souldiers here, for they are discour- aged for the reason Above Expressed therefore pray faile not In the Least herein but with all presant Expidition to send away to us. and if you can to spare us alsoe a file of men, for this bearer will Informe of how it wth us (I meane a file of men till we Can send to the Counsell) not else at pres- ant to troubel you, not questioning your diligence to Acomplish our desires already mentioned Soe Leaving you with our selves to ye protection of ye Almighty God whoe Alone is abel to preserve us, desiring your prayers for us, I remain Yours to Comand
WILL: INGRAHAM, Comander of ye Garreson in quawbauge."
I22
FIRST SETTLEMENT, 1660-1676.
" Hond Sirs From the hand of a single man that came post I having re- ceived this day a letter from Mr. Ingrem the comdr of the Garrison at Quo- boag judged it my duty to inform your Worships as soon as I could of the deplorable estate of that Garrison the Report of which you have in his letter here inclosed. Adding my most humble request that their jeopardous condition may be speedily taken into your serious consideration. Yourselves well Know of what sad consequences 'tis like to be if that Garrison should be over come by the enemy. The force in this place is barely enough to secure the Country's store, and the several fortifications, therefore we can- not supply them with men ; and here is likewise a scarcity of able horses for posts ; and whereas Mr. Ingram formerly sent to me for wastcoats & draw- ers for the supply of the Army & themselves at Quaboag, & for some hose, I have not to supply them : he also wrote for flints, and of them we have but few. I refer those matters to your prudence, and subscribe myself
JAMES BRADING
MARLBO 21. I. (76)
[Mr. Scot & the other man are not yet gone]"
"AT A COUNCIL HELD AT BOSTON 21. 1. 1675-6.
It is ordered that Capt. Syll give forth his order to the several constables of Charlestown, Cambridge, Watertown, Sudbury and Marlborough forth- with to send in to him the horses and men that were under his command formerly, or in default thereof to impress so many, for the carriage of am- munition and provision from Marlborough to Brookfield ; and Maj. Willard is ordered forthwith to appoint said Capt. Syll twenty troopers & dragoons of Essex & Norfolk men to guard the said provisions to the place appointed, and after the delivery of the said provisions and ammunition at the garrison there, the said Syll is ordered to return home, & dismiss the said horses and men, and return the troopers and dragoons to Maj. Willard, and attend his further order
It is also ordered that Capt. Syll cause the troopers at Cambridge and Charlestown to make so many 4 gallon runletts to put powder in as may suf- fice to carry 200 lbs. of powder from Marlborough to Brookfield for the Country's service."
COUNCIL'S ORDER TO CAPT. THOMAS PRENTIS.
" You are herely ordered and required to impress 7 sufficient Troopers armed with carbines or long arms to be furnished with ammunition, provis- ions for horse and men for eight days - for guarding, out of the Troop, and send them fitted and furnished unto Cambridge the 24th inst. at 10 o'clk A.M., then and there to march under the command of Capt. Nathaniel Graves for guarding the carriages from Marlboro to Brookfield. You are also ordered to impress 6 Troopers in Marlboro ; and Capt. Davis is also to impress 6 Troopers, all to march from Marlboro with the rest. Dated March 22, 1675-6."
123
ORDER OF COUNCIL HELD AT BOSTON.
" AT A COUNCIL HELD AT BOSTON 22 MAR. 1675-6.
Ordered, that Capt. Nathaniel Graves of Charlestown shall be the com- mander of the garrison at Brookfield, and all inferior officers and soldiers are required to be obedient to him :
Also the said Capt. Graves is ordered to take the command of twenty Troopers, and thirty horses, and fifteen men besides with the carriage [pack] horses to be loaded with provisions and ammunition, to be conveyed to the garrison at Brookfield : and after the carriages [pack-loads] are lodged there, he then send back the Troopers and carriage-horses, dismissing them to their several homes : And that Wm Ingram now Commander of the Garri- son at Brookfield is dismissed after Capt. Graves comes there, who is to return with the Troopers and carriages.I It is further ordered that Maj. Sav- age order ten soldiers more to strengthen the Garrison at Brookfield as soon as he can conveniently : And the said Capt. Graves is ordered with all con- venient despatch to march up to Brookfield with the said carriages.
per EDW. RAWSON, Secret".
WARRANTS ARE ISSUED FORTH TO THE CONSTABLES.
To Charlestown, for carr. horses 4 and men 2, besides a horse for Capt Graves.
To Cambridge, 66
66 3 To Sudbury, 6 3 To Woburn, 66 6 66 66 3 To Roxbury, 2 - 2 To Watertown, 66
4 30 4 6
I 5
It is ordered that the Committee of the Army shall and hereby are im- powered to sell all those Arms that came from the Narragansetts and are so damnified as that without great charge they can be repaired, to such of the inhabitants as will get them fixt for their own use and for the service of the several companies."
Extract of a letter from the Council to Maj. Savage, dated April 1, 1676 : " We have lately sent Capt. Graves of Charlestown with about 50 men and 30 horses laden with provisions & ammunition to Quabauge, ordering him to take the charge of the garrison for the present, and to return the horses & men with Sergt. Ingram, so that we will be suffi- ciently recruited with ammunition at the fort at Quabauge."
The following letter from Capt. Graves gives us a somewhat graphic picture of garrison-life at Quabaug, at this date. Punctuation marks are to be inserted in their proper places.
" HOND GOVERNOR
Sir we are all In Indifferent helth we dayly are goeing forth but Cannot see any Indians. our provissions dus spend apace And if you Intend to
I i.e., pack-horses; no carts or wheel-carriages passed this way before 1692.
124
FIRST SETTLEMENT, 1660-1676.
Continue ys place we must have more provissions ys we have may Last about 8 or 10 days. for my owne partt I can be Content wth Les yn many of ye men heare : I have eatten but Littell of your provissions : I expect A release by ye next yt Cum up : for I am not fit for ys Employ being out of my way & know there are many men more fit than I for ys busines I do not Apprehend any danger to Ly heare for I Beleave ye Indians will nott Cum to our Garreson all my feare is of our men yt go Abroad & are not so Carefull as they shud be we have had no damage yet yt makes us Se- cure if you doe Continue ye men heare they will wantt showes & Shurtts And Linin drawers & Tobacco and A glace to keap watch wth all our dis- content Arises from yt now afore it was want of meate now we have enough. heare are many would not Care if they did stay there time out. They ow there masters here is nothing to doe but up to play And down to sleepe. if ye Counttry Can Afoard to maynteyn them so : I am Content rather to bare my partt of ye charge than to play heare where I Can do no good wht showes and other things we had was sent for to hadley & I have A Resayte of them from ye Commessarrys wh I hoap wll discharge me which is all yt offers att present from
& understand
Sir your Servant In what I am abell NATHANIEL GRAVES
28th APARELL 1676."
May 5, "The Court judgeth it meet that the garrison at Quoboag be continued there, and that they have suitable provision sent to them, and to that end have treated with Lieut. Wm Clarke [of Northampton] for a supply to be made from those towns upon the river, which will be more easily effected than to be sent from hence ; and do therefore order and impower the said Lieut. Clarke with all possible speed to procure the same ; and Capt. Turner is ordered to appoint a sufficient guard for tlie provisions above said to Quoboag. . . .
"The garrison of Quopaug being out of provisions, and the supply ordered from Hadley not being likely to be with them for their present relief, it is ordered, that forthwith provisions for one week be speedied up to them.
" There being a present necessity to send up some provisions to Quo- boag for the relief of the garrison, and also a person to command instead of Mr. Graves, it is hereby ordered, that Sarjant Ephraim Savage do march up with the provisions now sent, and take the command of the said garrison, and that the infirm or sick men there be dismissed, provided thirty soldiers be kept there. And for the conveyance of the said provisions, it is ordered, that the captain of Sudbury do send up a sufficient guard for the said provisions to Marlborow, and is hereby em- powered to press sufficient horses to carry the same to Quoboag, and that Lieut. Jacob do, from Marlborow, send up a good guard with the said provisions to Quoboag."
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