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 15
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These orders of the Court appear not to have been promptly executed,
125
MOVEMENTS OF INDIANS.
for a reason which will appear shortly : and another similar order is passed, viz. "The Court, considering the want of provisions for the garrisons at Marlborow and Quoboag, who are in distress, together with the wants & sickness in the army, do order, that all the sick or neces- sitous persons in the army be licensed to repair to their own homes for ten days, and that forty or fifty of the ablest be retained and quartered in Sudbury & Concord, & be imployed to guard up provisions to Quo- boag, Marlborow & other magazines, which are with all expedition to be sent up."
John Hull, in a petition to the General Court, stated that Sergt. Sav- age was in feeble health, and asked that he be discharged from that duty at Quabaug. And May 12, is the record : "The Deputys judge meet to grant this petition, and have nominated and appointed Thomas Walker the brickmaker to be Commander of the Garrison at Quaboage in his stead, desiring the consent of our Hond Magists hereto."
Probably, for some reason, the Magistrates did not consent ; and Sergt. Savage, with a commission as lieutenant, went to Brookfield, where he remained with a small force till the 20th of June, and perhaps later. But after June 12, at which date the hostile Indians appear to have disbanded and scattered in various directions, the garrison was main- tained chiefly as a relief station for posts, and companies marching homewards.
We get an occasional glimpse of the movements of the Indians in this neighborhood, at this date. In a letter from Capt. Benjamin New- bury, dated Westfield, May 24, 1676, he says : "I find the people very desirous for motion against the enemy, and according to best intelligence cannot but judge it may be for great advantage to be doing as soon as may be : They seem to be secure by what returns the scouts make, and doubghtly are not yet numerous : It's credibly affirmed there is a con- siderable party at Quaboag, nigh 300 by the intelligence that is come from thence last night. So that we are apt to think if Maj. Talcott would please to come this way, with his forces he might do good service both here and there." 1
Maj. Talcott did please to go that way ; and this is his account of his march: -
" NORTHAMPTON, June 8, 1676, 10 o'clock at night. In pursuance of your orders, I past from Norwich to Wabaquesset, at which place suppose was about 40 acres of Corn, and a fort, but none of the enemy to be found upon the best of our search. From thence made Chanagongum in the Nip- nap Country on the 5th of June, and took 52 of the enemy of which 19 slain and one shot and made an escape, followed by his blood but lost him; and on the 6th instant made towards Squaboag and gained it on the 7th day at
I Conn. State Archives, WAR. I., 76.
I26
FIRST SETTLEMENT, 1660-1676.
12 of the clock, and on the 7th instant gave liberty for some of our Indians to hunt in the afternoon, one party of which came to our rendezvous in the evening, and informed us of a party of the Indian enemy were pitching for that night about 3 miles from our quarters ; and not knowing what strength might be there, sent out about 120 English and Indians at midnight, with orders to gain the sight of their fires as soon as might be, and to lie close until day break and then fall upon them; which accordingly they did ; but there was but two of the enemy, which they assaulted and took, who were loaden with as much fish as they could carry, and each of them a gun, their horns full of powder, which were taken ; - And think the Account of Arms before was five that was taken - of men slain 12, and one or two saved, - We sent 27 women and children to Norwich under conduct of some of those we call honest Indians, and the others are come to Hadley with the army, and by the last that was slain we receive intelligence that there is 500 fight- ing men at pa cumticutt. This eight instant we made Hadley with about 200 Indians and about 250 English soldiers; but the Bay forces are not come. I past away from Squabaug a letter to the chief commander of the Bay forces intended for conjunction with us in these parts, . . .
To Dep. Gov. Treat at Hartford." I
JOHN TALCOTT
These letters, and others that might be quoted, serve to show that the Indians hereabouts were not now aggressive ; that the squaws and old men were watching the growing corn, and subsisting on fish ; and the warriors were here only in transit. Capt. Henchman, in a letter to the Mass. Council, dated June 30, says : "Our scouts brought intelligence that all the Indians were in a continual motion, some towards Narragan- set, others towards Watchuset, shifting gradually, and taking up each others' Quarters, and lay not above a Night in a Place."
CLOSING ACCOUNT OF THE QUABAUG INDIANS. - A brief summary of events connected with the ending of King Philip's War, and the disper- sion of the native tribe that once held peaceful possession of our soil, will close this chapter on the First Settlement of Brookfield.
As stated on p. 119, the great company of Quabaugs, Nashaways, Narragansetts, and their allies, having successfully foiled Maj. Savage in the woods above Menameset, crossed Miller's river in safety, and reached Northfield March 7.
As stated on p. 110, Philip and his Wampanoags had moved off towards the Mohawk country, at the close of the fall campaign of 1675, and pitched their winter quarters at a place about 40 miles northward of Albany. When the Narragansetts under Canonchet joined the Qua- baugs at Menameset in January, Muttaump went to Philip's retreat to carry the good news of the great accession, and urge his return to the Connecticut valley. He complied and reached the west side of the
1 Conn. State Archives, WAR. I., 88.
I27
GATHERING OF INDIANS AT NORTHFIELD.
river at Northfield, soon after the middle of February, and was joined by the great company that had retired from Menameset, March 9.
This gathering of Indian tribes and clans at Northfield at this date, was a notable event. The chief of the once renowned Wampanoags, and the chief of the not less renowned Narragansetts, met and united their forces and fortunes. All the personal adherents of Philip and his kinsman Quinnapin were here; and Canonchet, son of Miantonimoh and hereditary sachem of the Narragansetts, was attended by the flower of that once terrible clan. His uncle Pessacus, now just past the prime of life, was his chief counsellor. In addition to these, Sancumachu, a Nonotuck sachem, and now the acknowledged leader of the Pacomp- tucks and Agawams, was here with a considerable part of the united tribes. Muttaump, now in the zenith of his success and glory, and his Quabaugs were here. A part of the Nashaways, the Nipnets, some from Natick and Marlborough, and stragglers from other clans were here. And these, with the Squakheags (the home tribe), made up an immense multitude. From reliable data, it is believed that from the 9th to the 25th of March, there were not less than 2,500 Indians, including women and children, at the Squakheag village-sites about the mouth of the Ashuelot river and on the opposite side of the Connecticut.
It was a critical time with the savage horde. The chiefs had to deter- termine two important matters, viz., the plan of the season's campaign ; and how to make secure and provide subsistence for the non-combat- ants, who largely outnumbered the warriors. The first care was to get a supply of food for the present necessity. By a raid on Northampton and Hatfield, March 14-16, they captured a number of horses, sheep, and other plunder, which furnished a temporary supply. But there was great scarcity of provisions. "Many times in the morning," writes Mrs. Rowlandson, who was with them, " the generality of them would eat up all they had. Their chief and commonest food was ground-nuts ; they ate also nuts and acorns, hartychocks, lily roots, ground beans, and other weeds and roots that I know not." Occasionally the hunters would bring in a bear, or a deer, or a beaver, when they would have a feast. Mrs. Rowlandson says : " A squaw gave me a spoonful of meal, I put it in my pocket to keep it safe, yet somebody stole it, but put five Indian corns in the room of it: which corns were the greatest provision I had in my travels for one day." "One day Philip invited me to dinner : I went, and he gave me a pancake, about as big as two fingers ; it was made of parched wheat, beaten, and fried in bear's grease ; but I thought I never tasted pleasanter meat in my life."
By a bargain made with the Dutch from Fort Albany, Philip and the confederates were supplied with a sufficiency of ammunition, which allayed one cause of anxiety. And at a council of chiefs it was decided
I28
FIRST SETTLEMENT, 1660-1676.
to hold the Connecticut valley north of the mouth of Miller's river, as a common rendezvous, and abiding-place of non-combatants. They could contrive to eke out a living till the fishing-season came ; after which they had no reason to fear a scarcity of provisions till the last of summer. To insure the autumn and winter supplies, Canonchet, who appears to have been the master-spirit among the chiefs, both in the War and Commissary departments, proposed that all the old fields, formerly occupied by the Indians, and recently taken from the English, should be planted with corn. (This of course was to be the work of the squaws.) But there was none of last year's crop left here for seed. Canonchet said there was plenty of seed-corn stored in the barns in the Narragansett country : but no one of his followers would volunteer to run the venture of fetching it. The chieftain himself decided to go for it ; and the small number of 30 braves offered to accompany him. He reached his old home safely ; collected the corn in bags and baskets ; and despatched his escort with it to Squakheag. Himself lingered on the banks of the Pawtucket ; and on April 2, while in camp with 6 or 7 of his men, he was surprised and captured by a scouting party of English and Indians, under Capts. Avery and Denison and Oneko. He was taken to Stonington, where he was promptly executed by Oneko, and his head sent to Hartford.
The seed-corn was carried safely to Squakheag ; and as we shall pres- ently see, that place, and Pacomptuck, and Paquayag, and Quabaug, were fully supplied ; and in this respect anxiety for the summer's cam- paign was allayed. But the master-spirit was no more among them. Philip's name was no longer a talisman ; and his counsels no longer inspired confidence ; and his presence had no magnetism ; and his own tribal adherents were insignificant in numbers. The death of Canonchet was the death-blow to the cause. Personal rivalry, and distracting coun- sels prevailed. Proposals of an armistice were discussed. The Pacomp- tucks deserted, and went home to Deerfield ; and gave out intimations that they were ready to purchase a peace with the price of King Philip's head. Philip himself prudently departed April 10, and with Quinapin and a part of the Narragansetts, moved towards safer quarters in the strongholds of Wachusett. Pessacus was left in command of the allied forces, which comprised the bulk of the Narragansetts, the Squak- heags, some of the Quabaugs, and a motley crew, large enough in num- bers, but unwieldy and weak for active field service. There were several pretty strong forts, for defence; and the commander could send out foraging parties and scouts ; he could prepare for planting the corn- fields, and guard, and negotiate for the ransom of the English prisoners, a large number of whom were still in the hands of the Indians. - Let- ters, and official papers, describing the situation of affairs in the camp
129
THE FALLS FIGHT.
at this date, are extant ; but do not come within the plan of our History.
About the first of May, when the fishing-season commenced, the Indians at Northfield separated into convenient parties for work. The Squakheags remained at home, for salmon fishing and planting ; a small party went to Paquayag for the same purposes; and the great crowd repaired to the Pasquompscut falls near the mouth of Miller's river, for fishing. The Pacomptucks had already gone to their old home, to pre- pare for seeding their rich fields. Corn-planting began May 9th or 10th, and lasted about 2 weeks. By May 22, about 100 acres had been put in at Deerfield, and probably a like proportion at the other towns.
A letter written by Rev. Mr. Russell of Hadley, dated May 15, gives a clear view of the situation at this time : "This morning about sun- rise came into Hatfield one Thomas Reede a soldier who was taken captive when Deacon Goodman was slain (at Hockanum, about the first of April). He relates that they are now planting at Deerfield and have been so these three or four days or more - saith further that they dwell at the Falls on both sides the river -are a considerable number, yet most of them old men and women. He cannot judge that there are on both sides the river (at the Falls) above 60 or 70 fighting men. They are secure and scornful ; boasting of great things they have done, and will do. There is Thomas Eameses daughter and her child (a younger sister) hardly used ; one or two belonging to Medfield, and I think two children belonging to Lancaster. The night before last they came down to Hatfield upper meadow, and have driven away many horses and cattle, to the number of fourscore and upwards as they judge. Many of these this man saw in Deerfield meadow, and found the bars put up to keep them in. This being the state of things, we think the Lord calls us to make some trial what may be done against them sud- denly, without further delay ; and therefore the concurring resolution of men here seems to be to go out against them to-morrow night so as to be with them, the Lord assisting, before break of day." This purpose of the Hadley people was carried out three days later.
There were special reasons why the Indians felt secure just at this time. Most of the Massachusetts troops under Maj. Savage, and the Connecticut troops under Maj. Treat had been withdrawn, and returned home. Only about 160 men, under command of Capt. William Turner, now garrisoned the Hampshire towns. Besides, negotiations for the redemption of captives were pending between the Connecticut authori- ties and the Indian chiefs ; and it was presumable that no hostilities would be commenced against the Indians till this matter was arranged. And on the night of the 18th, the party at the Falls had gorged them- selves " with new milk and roast beef, having lately driven away from
I30
FIRST SETTLEMENT, 1660-1676.
Hatfield many of their milch cows, as an English woman confessed that was made to milk them."
At this fortunate juncture - Thursday evening May 18 - Capt. Turner and Capt. Samuel Holyoke, with 160 mounted men, one-half inhabitants and one-half soldiers, started for the Indian fishing-camp at the Falls. They reached the place about daybreak. "They found the Indians secure, yea all asleep without having any scouts abroad ; so that our sol- diers came and put their guns into their wigwams, before the Indians were aware of them, and made a great and notable slaughter." [Math- er's Brief History.] About 180 Indians, old and young, perished that morning.
But this apparent victory, ended in a disastrous defeat of our troops. Just as our men started for their horses, which were left a half-mile in the rear, the report was started - no one knew how -that Philip with 1,000 Indians was approaching ; and " a panic terror fell upon many of them, and they hastened homewards in a confused route." Capt. Turner and 37 of his men were slain - all but one after they left the Falls.
The Indians remained in their fishing and planting camps; they assaulted Hatfield May 30, and Hadley June 12 ; but no attempt was made to dislodge them, by the English forces, till June 16, when Maj. Talcott and Capt. Henchman marched up as far as the Falls ; but " they found no Indians."
As before stated, Philip, with his Wampanoags and part of the Nar- ragansetts, left the Connecticut valley April 10, and marched towards Wachusett, where he arrived about the 17th ; and where he was joined by the Nashaways under Sagamore Sam, and that clan of the Quabaugs that were under the immediate orders of Muttaump, and a large body of Nipnets. About this date [negotiations were begun earlier], the Massachusetts Council made overtures to this band for the redemption of Mrs. Rowlandson and the other Lancaster captives. Sam and Mut- taump and the Nipnets favored the plan -either for the sake of the large price expected, or because they. foresaw the hopelessness of their cause, and preferred peace to destruction.1 But Philip saw that such a bargain was a confession of weakness, and sternly opposed entertaining the proposal and parting with any of the captives ; though with his usual cunning he proposed a truce of a month or more, and gave plausible reasons for the same. The contention in the camp, between the ad- vocates of peace and the favorers of war, was so sharp, and Capt. Hench- man's bold raid of May 30, coming so near the Wachusett stronghold, that Philip and the Narragansetts departed for their old homes on the coast. They left Wachusett the first week in June, and marched leisurely to the south. Philip made for his old headquarters in the
I Mrs. Rowlandson was redeemed for {20, and reached Boston May 3.
I31
SAGAMORE SAM AS PEACE-MAKER.
neighborhood of Pokanoket. His return was discovered; and after July II, he was continually followed and harassed by war parties of English and Indians. On the morning of Aug. 12, he was surprised in a swamp near his ancient seat, and sliot by an Indian named Alderman.
Meanwhile, the Quabaugs, Nashaways and Nipnets, whatever the motive may have been, had continued their efforts to bring about peace.
From incidental statements contained in official documents, it appears that after the death of Canonchet, the Quabaugs divided into two par- ties : one party under Cognowasco? remaining with Pessacus [and were in the sanguinary fight at Turner's falls May 19, where "some of them were slain "], and the other party under Muttaump going to the Wachu- sett fastnesses. The first of May, the sachems at Wachusett, including Philip, sent a letter to the Governor and Council at Boston, asking for a cessation of hostilities and permission to plant corn in their old fields at Quabaug, Mendon, etc., and "promising not to do hurt to English towns, if they are not hindered in their planting." Although the Council did not accede to their overture, yet some of the squaws of our tribe returned and planted a considerable field at Quabaug Old Fort, and probably another field at one of the other village sites. Rev. James Fitch, in a letter dated May 29, says: "The sum of our intelligence is that [brought ] by the Indians from Wabaquassog . . . it's the general report of all that the chief place of their women and children is at Watchoo- suck, not far from Quabaug ; that they have planted at Quabaug, and at Nipsachook nigh Coweset ; that Philip's men and the Narragansetts are generally come into those above mentioned places, only Pessacus one of the chief of the Narragansett sachems did abide up at Pocomp- tuck with some few of his men."
To strengthen his position as peace-maker, about the middle of May Sagamore Sam went to the Connecticut valley to endeavor to arrange with Pessacus for an exchange or ransom of English captives then in his hands ; but the tragic affair at Turner's Falls frustrated his plan ; and he returned to Wachusett only to find that Capt. Henchman had raided his camp May 30, and killed or captured 36 of his people, including his own wife and children, and Muttaump's wife.' He sent the follow- ing letter :
" My Lord Mr. Leveret at Boston, Mr. Waban, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Gookin, and Council, hear yea. I went to Connecticut about the Captives, that I might bring them into your hands, and when we were almost there the English had destroyed those Indians. When I heard it I returned back again : then when I came home, we were also destroyed : After we were destroyed
I " About May 30, 1676, the forces under Capt. Henchman were called together again, and sent to Brookfield . . . : in the way, ours, by direction of Tom Dublet, a Natick Indian . . . following tracks of Indians, came upon a party of the enemy fishing in Weshakim Ponds toward Lancaster, of whom they killed 7 and took 29, mostly women and children."- Hubbard's Ind. Wars.
I32
FIRST SETTLEMENT, 1660-1676.
then Philip and Quanipun went away into their own Country againe : and I knew they were much afraid, because of our offer to joyn with the English, and therefore they went back into their own Country, and I know they will make no warre: therefore because when some English men came to us Philip and Quanipun sent to kill them : but I said if any kill them, I'll kill them
Written by
SAM SACHEM.
SIMON BOSHAKUM Scribe."
The sending this letter was certainly a politic move. And negotia- tions for the exchange of captives continued on both sides. Some of the English prisoners escaped - probably with the connivance of the sachems. But results were not definite and satisfactory to either party. And as a last resort, the chiefs united in subscribing a letter, which, Mr. S. G. Drake remarks, "surpasseth any thing, in supplication, that we have, from the poor Indians."
" July 6th, 1676. Mr. John Leveret, my Lord, Mr. Waban, and all the chief men our Brethren Praying to God : We beseech you all to help us : my wife she is but one, but there be more Prisoners, which we pray you keep well ; Mattamuck [Muttaump] his wife, we entreat you for her, and not onely that man, but it is the Request of two Sachems, Sam Sachem of Weshakum, and [John] the Pakashoag Sachem.
" And that further you will consider about the making Peace: We have spoken to the People of Nashobah (viz. Tom Dubler and Peter) that we would agree with you, and make a Covenant of Peace with you. We have been destroyed by your Souldiers, but still we Remember it now to sit still : Do you consider it again : We do earnestly entreat you, that it may be so by Jesus Christ. O ! let it be so ! Amen, Amen.
MATTAMUCK, his mark SAM SACHEM SIMON POTTOQUAM, Scribe UPPANIPPAQUEM PAKASHOKAG
Superscribed
" To all Englishmen and Indians, all of you hear Mr. Waban, Mr. Eliot."
Another letter of similar tenor, signed by Pumkamun and Ponnak- pukun or Jacob Muttamakoog, was sent to the Governor and Council, about the same time. The answer of the Council was : "That treach- erous persons who began the war and those that have been barbarously bloody, must not expect to have their lives spared, but others that have been drawn into the war, and acted only as souldiers, submitting to be without arms to live quietly & peaceably for the future shall have their lives spared."
The course of events for a month after July 6, is not easy to be
I33
INDIANS TAKEN PRISONERS.
traced. Some time in August, the sachems and clans that had been quartered about Wachusett, were induced by what they understood to be a promise of amnesty, through the mediation of Peter Jethro, to go to Pennacook, and from there to Cochecho (Dover, N.H.). The first of September, the Pennacooks and about 200 of the Quabaugs, Nashaways and their allies, were gathered at the house of Maj. Wal- dron, with whom the truce had been made, and whom they considered their friend and father. By a stratagem, which was approved by mili- tary men, but sharply condemned by every philanthropist, the whole body of Indians were suddenly surrounded by English soldiers, seized, and disarmed. The Pennacooks were dismissed. The others were made prisoners, and sent to Boston. "Seven or eight of the chiefs were condemned and hanged ; the rest were sold into slavery in foreign parts." In Sewall's Diary is the entry : "1676, Sept. 26. Tuesday, Sagamore Sam & Daniel Goble is drawn in a cart upon bed cloaths to execution. . .. One-eyed John, Maliompe [Muttaump] Sagamore of Quapaug, General at Lancaster and Jethro (the father) walk to the gallows.
The rest of the Quabaugs - probably Conkganasco's clan - appear to have joined the company of savages that retreated to the westward. Maj. Pynchon, in a letter dated Aug. 15, 1676, says : “On Saturday, Aug. 12, a great parcell of near 200 Indians were discovered within 3 or 4 miles of Westfield. . .. They went over the Great River on rafts at the foot of the great Falls between us and Hadley Aug. II. . .. Their trail comes from the Nipmuck country." Maj. Talcott came in oppor- tunely ; and with 60 soldiers and as many Indians followed the trail, having learned from an old Indian whom he captured that there were " between 50 and 60 fighting men, and 100 women, besides children " in the enemy's ranks. He overtook them at Housatonick river, and in the fight slew 40, of whom 25 were warriors, and took 15 captives ; some others were also taken near the road, who informed that "the enemy's design was to go over Hudson's river to a place called Paquaige, where it's said there is a fort, and complices ready to receive and shelter them ; and there they intend refreshment and recruits." Among the captives taken was "the treacherous sachem of Quabaug," says one historian ; but he was liberated, and lived to get his revenge in 1693.
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