History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 17

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700

USA > Massachusetts > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I > Part 17

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"SPRINGFIELD, Oct. 8, 1675.

" IIONORED SR.,-I dexyred Mr. Russell to give you an acot of ye stroake upon Pore distressed Springfield, wch I hope will excuse my late doring of it. On ye 4th of Oct. of Soldiers weh were at Springfield I had called all off, leaving none to secure ye Towne by ye commissioner's order was so strict.

" That Night Post was sent to us that 500 Indians were about Springfield, in- tending to destroy it, so yt ye 5th of Oct., wth about 200 of or Soldiers, I marched downe to Springfield, when we found all in flames, about 30 dwelling houses burot down, & 24 or 25 Barnes, ory Corne-mill, saw-mill, and other Buildings.

" Generally meo's Ilay & Corne is Burnt, & many men whose houses stand had their goods burnt in other house web they had caryd yin too.

" Leift. Cooper & two more slayne & 4 persons wounded, 2 of weh are doubtful! their Recovery. 8

" The Ld hath made to drinke deepe of the cup of sorrow. 1 desire we may consider ye opperation of his hand, & what he speakes yet. That ye Town did not utterly perish is cause of grt Thankfullness. As soon as of forces appeared ye Indians all drew off, so yt we saw none of ym. Sent out Scouts ye night & ye next day, but discovered none, neither can we satisfie orselves web way they are gon, their Tracts Wwing many ways. Somet we think they are gon downe ye River. Or last discovery was of a considerable Tract upward. Or Indeavors here are to secure ye houses and Corne yt is left ; for this sad providence hath ols- structed or going out wth ye Army, & wt can be done, I am at a gr loss, Of pico- ple are under grt discouragemts, Talke of Leaving ye place. We need yor orders & direction alwont it. If it be deserted, how wofully doe we yield to & Incourage or insolent enymy, and how doth it make way for ye giving up all ye Townes above. If it be held, it must be by strength and many sohliers, & how to have Provision,-I meane Brend,-for want of a mill, is difficult. Ye Soldiers here al- ready complaine on yt acot, although we have flesh eneough ; & this very strait- I meane un mill-will drive many of or Inhabitants away, especially those yt have noe Corne, & many of them noe houses, weh fills & throngs up every Roome of those yt have, together wtb ye solliers now (wch yet we cannot be without) in- creasing of numbers, so yt, indeed, It is very uncomfortable Living here; & for my owne particular, it were far better for me to goe away fm here. I have net anything left. I mean noe Corne, neither Indian nor English, and noc means to keep one beast here, nor can I have Reliefe in this Towne, because so many are destitute. But I resolve to attend what God calls me to, & to stick to it as long as I can, and though I have met grt loss of my Comforts yet to doe what I can for defending ye Place. I hope God will make up in himselfe what is wanting in ye creature to mee & to us all. This day a Post is sent up from Hartford to call uff Major Treate wth a part of his Soldiers, from Intelligence they have of a party of Indian lying at Wethersfield, on East side of ye river, so yt matters of action here doe Linger exceedingly, web makes me wonder what ye Ld intends wth his people, strange Providences diverting us in all of hopefull designs, & ye Ld. giving opportunity to ye onymy to doe us mischiefe, & then hiding of y, And answering all of Prayers by Terrible things in righteousness.

" sr, I aor not capable of holding any command, being more and more unfit & almost confounded in my understanding ; the Ld. direct you to Pitch on a meeter person than ever I was; according to Liberty from ye Councill I shall devolve all upon Capt, Appleton, unless Major Treate returne againe, till yo shall give yor orders as shall be most meete to yorselves.

"To speake my thoughts, all these Townes ought to be Garrisoned, as I have formerly hinted, and bad I bin left to my selfe I should I think have yt weh Posi- bly might have prevented this damage. But ye express orders to doe as I did, was by ye wise disposeing hand of God, who knew it best for us, & therein we must acquiess. And truly to goe ant after ye Indians in ye swamps and thickets is to hussard all or men, unless we knew where they keepe, weh is altogether un- known to us, & God hides from us for ends best knowne to himselfe. I have many tymes thought yt ye winter were ye tyme to fall on ym, but there are such difficultys yt 1 shall leave it, yet suggest it to consideration. I will not further Trouble yo at present, but earnestly crave yor Prayers for ye Ld's undertaking for ns and sanctifiing all his stroaks to us.

" I remain, yor unworthy serv't, " JOHN PYNCHON, " We are in grt hassard if we doe but str out for wood to he shot downe by some sculking Indians. Mr. Glover had all his Bookes Burnt; not so umch as a Bible saved ; a gtt loss, for he had some choice bookes and many."

The next letter is from the Council, at Boston, to Captain Appleton, at Hadley, informing him of the resignation of Major Pynchon, and his appointment in the major's place as commander of the forces of the valley.

COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS TO CAPT. SAMUEL APPLETON.

CAPT. APPLETON,-The Council have seriously considered the earnest desire of Major Pynchon, and the great affliction upon him & his family, and have at last conseuted to his request to dismiss him from the chief command of the army in these parts, and have thought meet upon mature thought to commit the chief command uuto yourself, being persuaded that God hath endowed you with a spirit & ability to manage that affair; and for the lutter enabling you to your employ we have sent the Council's order enclosed to Major Pynchon to be given to you, and we refer you to the instructions given him for your directions, ordering you from time to time ta give us advice of all occurrences, and if you need any further orders and instructions they shall be given yon as the matter shall require.

" So committing you to the Lord, desiring his presence with you and blessing upon you, we remain

" BusTON, 4th October, 1675.

" YOUR FRIENDS & SERVANTS. " CAPT. SAMUEL APPLETON,

" Commander-in-Chief at the headquarters at Hulley."

CAPT. APPLETON TO GOV. LEVERETT.

" Oct. 12, 1675. " RIGHT WoasmiPFULL,-Yours by Lieut. Upham I received, as also that of Oct. 9th, from you, together with the order from the Commissioners, concerning the number and order of management of the forces in these parts. Io reference whereto, I humbly present two things to your consideration : First, as to the or- dering the chief command to one of such an inferior capacity ; the very thoughts of it were and are to be such matter of trouble aod humiliation, as that I know not how to induce my spirit to any compliances therewith, lest it should prove a matter of detriment and not help to the public, from which nothing should have moved me but the consideration of the present exigencies, together with the

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

remembrance of the duty I owe to you and the common concerns; unto which the Ilon. Major having addled his sorrowful complaints, for which there was such abundant and manifest cause. It was indeed an heart-breaking thing to me, und forced me against my own spirit to yield to the improvement of the whole of my small talent in your service, untill I might send to you (which I now do) t > intreat that there may be speedily an appointment of some other, more able to the work, and likely to obtain the desired end. I humbly iatreat your most serious consideration and help herein. Secondly, my humble request is, that you would be pleased to revive that part of your work, and that the Hon. Commis- tioners' orders, which doth strictly prohibit the fixing of any of our souliers in garrison. I doubt not but the reasons imlacing thereto were weighty, which notwithstanding we find the attendance here extremely hazardous to the loss of towns (which is the loss of all) as appears by lamentable experience we have had at Springfield, as also what is obvious to the eye of each man's reason, The thought hereof put us to great straits; most willingly would we attend the ex- press letter of your order, and yet cannot but tremble at the thought of exposing the towns to ruin. Be pleased, as seasonaldy as may he, to give us your re- solves herein.

" As to the state of poor desolate Springfield, to whose relief we came (though with a march that had put all our men into a most violent sweat, und was more than they could well bear) too late, their condition is indeed most afflicted, there being abont 33 bouses and twenty-five barns burnt, and about fifteen houses left unburnt; the people are full of fear, and staggering in their thoughts as to their keeping or leaving of the place. They whose houses and provisions are con- sumed incline to leave the place, as thinking they can better labor for a living in places of less danger than where they now are; hence seem unwilling to stay, except they might freely share in the corn and provision which is remain- ing and preserved by the sword. I cannot but think it conducive to the public (and for aught I see to the private) interests that the place be kept, there being corn and provisions enough and to spare for the sustenance of the persons, whose number is considerable, and cannot be maintained elsewhere, without more than almost any plan can afford to their relief.

"The worth of the place is considerable, and the holding of it will give en- couragement and help to others, and the quitting of it great discouragement, and hazard to our passage from one place to another, it being so vast a distance from Hadley to any other Town on this side of the River. I have, in regard of ye present distress of ye poor people, adventured to leave Capt. Sill there, to be ordered by the llon. Major until further order be received.

"What hazard I run, I am not insensible, but do rather choose to adventure hazard to myself than to the public, and so throw myself on your worshipf! merry in so doing.

" We are at present in a broken posture, incapable of any great action, by reason of Major Treate's absence, who, upon a report of Indiaa lower down the river, about llartford, was (while I was absent) recalled by the Council of Con- nectient upon the eighth of this instant, and is not yet returned, nor do I know how it is with him, nor when is like to return. We have sent to the Council of Connecticut signifying that our Colony having been mindful to complete their numbers, we do earnestly expect and intreat his speedy return, and that the ani- munition now at Hartford, and needed by us, may be brought up under their guard ; hereto we have not yet received answer.

" In the account of Springfield houses, we only presented the number of them on the east side of the river, and that in the town platt; for in all on the west side and in the outskirts on the east side, there are about sixty honses standing, and much corn in and about them, which, coming into the Indians' hands, will yield great support to them. We have been considering the making of a boat or boats, and find it not desirable; first, because the river is not navigable, and se none made here can be had up; secondly, should we make above the falls, there must be an army to guard the workmen in the work ; thirdly, we find ex- veeding hard, by any provision, to secure our men in the boats, by reason that the high banks of the river giving the enemy so great advantage of shooting downward upon us; and lastly, as we must follow the enemy where he will go, we must either leave a very strong guard upon our boats, or lose them, perhaps, as soon as made. There being now come in sixty men under Captain and Lieut. Upham, and we needing commanders, especially part of our mien being now at Springfield, and we not daring to send all thither, we have retained Capt. Poul to command these sixty men until further orders be given.

" We are but this evening come up from Springfield, and are appdying ourselves presently to the sending out scouts for the discovery of the enemy, so that su, the Lord assisting, we may, with these forces that we have, be making some onset upon him, to do something for the glory of God and release of his distressed people, the sense of which is so much upon my heart that I count not my life too drar to venture in any motion wherein I can persuade myself I may be in a way of his providence, and expect his gracious presence, without which all our en- deavors are in vain.

" We confide we shall not, we cannot, fail of ye stearly and continued lifting up the hands and hearts of all God's precious ones, that our Israel may in his time prevail against this cursed Amalek, against whom I believe the Lord will have war forever, until he have destroyed him. With Him I desire to leave our- selves and all the concern, and so doing, to remain

" Your servant obliged to duty, " SAMUEL APPLETON.

" I communicated thoughts with Major Pynchon alxmit the garrison placing at Brookfield, And although it would be some relief and comfort to our messen- gers going puist, yet considering the great charge which must necessarily be ex- gratolel upon it, and that they have no winter provision there for the keeping uf horses, without mach nsp of which we see not how they can sulvist, we have not wen caujar to order any garrison thither (nor for aught yet appears shall du, except we have some special direction fonn you for it). We also find that these

three towas* being but small, and having sustained much loss in their crop by reason of the war, and had much expense of what hath been gatbered here, both by the soldiers and by those coming to them from the places that are already deserted,f are like to find the weight of sustaining the army too hard for them ; and therefore we apprehend it will be advisable and necessary to send to Con- nectient to afford some help as may be needed from some of their plantations.

"C'apt. Mosely makes present of his humble service to your worship, whereto the scrilw also desires to suljoin the tender of his own.

"These for the Worshipful John Leverett, Esq., Governor of the Massachu- setts, at Boston."

Again, on the 17th, the anxious Captain Appleton writes to the Governor. [The most of these letters have been copied from former publications in which the spelling had been modernized. ]

CAPT. APPLETON TO GOV. LEVERETT.

" HADLEY, Oct. 17, 1675.

" RIGHT WORSHIPFUL,-I thought it convenient & necessary to give you a present account of our state and posture, that so you might thereby be the better capacitated both to send orders to us and to know how to act towards others, as the case doth require.

"On Tuesday, Oct. 12th, we left Springfield, and enme that night to Hadley. On the 13th & 14th we used all diligence to make discovery of the enemy by srouts, but by reason of the distance from here to Synakheage, and the tim- orousness of the scouts, it turned to little account ; thereupon I found it very dif- ficult to know what to do. Major Treat was gone from us, and when like to return we know not ; our orders were to leave no more in garrison, but keep all for a field army, which was to expose the towns to manifest hazard. To sit still & do nothing is to tire ourselves, and spoil our soldiers, and to ruin the country by the insupportable burden and charge. All things laid together, I thought it best to go forth after the enemy with our present forces. This once resolved, I sent forth warrants on the 14th instant, early in the morning, to Capt. Mosely and Cupt. (as he is called) Serly, at Hatfield & Northampton, to repair forthwith to the headquarter, that we might be ready for service. Capt. Mosely was accordingly with us with his whole company very speedily. Capt. Seely,# after a considerable time, came without his company ; excused their absence by his want of commission. This commission he produced, and, upon debate about it, seemed satisfied, expressing that his purpose was to attend any orders that should be given. I wrote another warrant and gave into his hand to appear with his company-which are about 50 men -the next morning, but in the night he sent a messenger to me with a note, about intelligence from Major Treat to stay till further orders, etc. I presently posted away letters to the Council at Hartford, declaring to them how the work was obstructed by absence of Major Treat (whose company, indeed, I ninch desired, he approving himself while with us a worthy gentleman, and a discreet and encouraging commander) and by ab- sence (indeed) uf Capt. Seely and those few that were with bim.

"The copy of my letter to the Council and of my warrant to Capt. Seely, and his returns to me, I send you here, all of them enclosed. This morning, Oct. 16th, I received a letter sent first to Major Pynchon, and from Springfield hither, from the Council at Hartford, dated Oct. 12th, which I also send the copy of, whereby you will perceive that they seem to make some excuse, and stick at the want of forces here from Plymonth, wherein I not so fitted to return them an answer as perhaps I might be, for want of understanding the specialties of agreement be- tween the Hon'd Commissioners of the United Colonies; only thus much seems evident, that they all agreed their number should be 500, the which is made up by our Colony and Connectient, though there be none from Plymouth, so that we see the reality of the thing is done, though we know not the reason of Plymouth not bearing a share in it. By a letter from Major Pynchon we under- stand that the ammunition is come up to Springfield, which I am presently send- ing for. This likewise informs of an old Indian squaw, taken at Springfield, who tells that the Indians who burnt that town lodged about six miles off the town; sine men went forth, found 24 fires and some plunder. She saith there came of the enemy 270. That the enemy in all are 600. The place where they keep is at Coassit (as is supposed), about 50 miles above Hadley.

" After the sending my letter to Hartford, I drew forth our own men, all but Capt. Sill's (who are near sixty), intending to march up to Sqhakeage; we had not marched above a mile or two ere we received intelligence by post, that the enemy was hy his tracks discovered to be in great numbers on the west side of the river. We presently changed our course, and hasted over the river. It was sunset ere we got out of Hatheld. We marched some miles, and in the dark saw a gun fired, and heard its report ; and our scouts saw and heard this gun. Some also said they heard a noise of Indians. My purpose was now to march to Deer- field, but upon what we discovered, our officers, especially Capt. Musely, was very apprehensive of danger to the towns here, if we should march up. This being often pressed, and I alone for proceeding, none of Connecticut men with us, nor any left in the towns of Hadley & Hatfiell, and night threatening rain and tempest, I yielded against my own inclinations to return to our quarters, which we did in the night.

" This morning, we understand by scouts, that there is certainly a great num- ber of the enemy at Deerfield, and some of them much nearer. This evening, we have received a letter from the General Court at Hartford, whereby I perceive

$ Hadley, Hatfield, and Northampton.

t Dyritield and Ninthfield.

# Capt. Serly was stationed at Northampton with a company of Connecticut troops.

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

it is very uncertain when we are like to have their forces again. In very truth, I am in straits on every side. To leave the towns without any help is to leave them to their apparent ruin.

"To supply with any, except now in the absence of Connecticut, is hardly rec- onciluble with the order of the Commissioners, This evening, Inte, I am assaulted with vehement and affectionate request from Northampton (who have already with them abont 50 of Capt. Seely's men) that I would afford them a little more help, they fearing to be assaulted presently.

"And at the same time while these are speaking, Capt. Mosely informs, the enemy is this evening discovered within a mile of Hatfield; and that he verily expects to be assaulted there to-morrow, which I am so sensible of, that I account it my duty presently to repair thither, now at ten or eleven of the clock in the night, some of the forces having already passed the River.

"Nor are we without apprehensions of Hatfield and Hadley's danger at the same time, where, with respect to the wounded men and the town, I strive with myself to leave about twenty men, or but few more, though the Indians were yesterday discovered within 5 or 6 miles; and we are necessitated to send so many of them for posts (on which account six are at this present) and other oc- casions, as makes them less than their little selves. I desire in all to approve myself to the Lord, and faithfully to his people's interests, so as I persuade my- self would most reach and take your hearts, were you present. I crave your candid acceptance of what comes from a heart devoted to your service; and your speedy, reasonable return to what I have written ; which waiting for, I leave the whole matter with the wise ordering, and remain

" Your Worship's most humble servant,

"SAMUEL APPLETON.

" Hoping for the return of our post from you, and that our going forth last night might produce something of consequence, we delayed the sending away this letter one tlay. But Providence hath delayed our expectation and desire in both. "Our post is not come in, and we have wearied ourselves with a tedious night and morning's march, withont making any discovery of the enemy.

" Thus the Lord orders all things wisely, holily, well ; may we but see, and close with the goodness of his will, and wait for the working of all things to- gether, it shall be peace, in the latter end, to all that love God, that are perfect ones; for which praying and waiting, I am

" Your servant, as above, "S. A.

" OCT. 17th, afternoon.

" These for the Worshipful John Leverett, Esq., Governor of the Massachu- setts in Boston. Hast-Hast-Post hast."

Maj. Appleton's fears, so earnestly expressed in his last letter above copied, were soon realized. An attack was made on Hatfield on the 19th of October by seven or eight hundred Indians, but they were repulsed. It was a desperate and spirited fight. The garrison was under Capts. Mosely and Poole. Maj. Appleton, with the Hadley forces, was soon on the ground, and after a short engagement the enemy fled. A detailed account of this affair will be found in the history of Hatfield, farther on in this volume.

The attack on Hatfield was the last engagement of impor- tance which occurred in the valley during the year 1675. After that affair the Indians seemed to disperse and go into their winter quarters. The Nashaways returned, and with the Quaboags settled down for the winter at Wenimisset .* The River Indians took up their winter-quarters at a point above Northfield, over the Vermont border.

MOVEMENTS OF PHILIP IN THE WINTER OF 1675-76.

In the month of November, 1675, King Philip, with his warriors, left the Connecticut Valley, and went over to the banks of the Iludson River, with the intention of passing the winter there. With him was a numerous band of the Pa- comp-tueks. It must have been at the mouth of the Fish Creek, opposite Lake Saratoga, the scene of the Burgoyne surrender a hundred years later, in what is now Saratoga County, that Philip had his temporary abode during this winter. Governor Andross writes :

" NEW YORK, Jan. 6, 1676.

" This is to acquaint you that late last night I had intelli- gence that Philip and four or five hundred North Indians, fighting men, were come within forty or fifty miles of Albany northerly, where they talk of continuing this winter. That Philip is sick, and one Sahamaschahat the commander-in- chief."

Says the Rev. J. F. Moors, in his historical address at Turner's Falls on the 31st of May, 1876 :

* Temple and Sheldon's Northfield, p. 83.

t San-cum-u-cha was a Non-ofuck sachem.

" The winter of 1675-76 was a dark and sad one, both for natives and colonists. The advantage in the war, so far, had been on the side of the Indians. They had killed many of the settlers and broken up their settlements. But they could but feel that they were the weaker party, and that sooner or later they would be obliged to yield. They had drawn their foes, as yet unaccustomed to Indian warfare, into fatal ambuscades ; they had fired at them with fatal effect from behind trees ; they had lurked for them in leafy thickets. They had never met the English in open field, but in secret, as beasts of prey. Skillful marksmen, in part provided with firearms, conversant with all the paths of the forest, patient with fatigue, mad with a passion for rapine and vengeance, with only the mercy of savages, they were a foe to be especially feared and dreaded.

" To the feeble and scattered colonists the prospect was dark indeed. Their isolated position increased their danger and their sense of loneliness. The husband and father, going out to his labor in the field, must have felt that his own life was ex- posed every moment to the bullet of a dark and treacherous foe. The mother, left alone in the house with her children, must have passed the hours in mortal fear of an enemy that spared neither sex nor age. That winter occurred the 'Swamp- Fight,' as it has been called."

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 17

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 700

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700