USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dunstable > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 9
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Tyngsborough > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 9
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hudson > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 9
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Nashua > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 9
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Litchfield > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 9
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Nashville > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 9
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hollis > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 9
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Merrimack > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 9
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" Thus in a few minutes the whole company was destroyed, and some attempt against the frontiers of New Hampshire prevented : for these Indians were making from Canada well furnish- ed with new guns, and plenty of ammunition .- They had also a number of spare blankets, mockaseens and snow-shoes, for the accommo-
(1.) So says Report of Committees on the subject in Mass. Rec- ords-Towns. 1723.
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dation of the prisoners which they expected to take, and were within two days' march of the frontiers.
" The pond where this exploit was performed is at the head of a branch of Salmon Falls River, in the township of Wakefield, and has ever since borne the name of Lovewell's Pond." " The action is spoken of by elderly people at this dis- tance of time," says Belknap in 1790, from whom the above is chiefly taken, " with an air of exultation, and considering the extreme diffi- culty of finding and attacking Indians in the woods, and the judicious manner in which they were so completely surprised, it was a capital exploit."
"The brave company, with the ten scalps stretched on hoops and elevated on poles, entered Dover in triumph, and proceeded thence to Bos- ton, where they received the promised bounty of one hundred pounds for each scalp out of the public treasury." (1.)
. Penhallow adds that "the guns were so good and new that most of them were sold for seven pounds ($23.33) a piece. The plunder was but a few skins, but during the march our men were well entertained with moose, bear and deer, to- gether with salmon trout, some of which were three feet long, and weighed twelve pounds a piece." (2.) Scarcely had Lovewell returned from this successful excursion, when Capt. Elea- zar 'Tyng of this town, collecting a large com. pany of volunteers, many of them also from this
(1.) Belknap, 208. The original journal of this expedition, in Lovewell's hand writing, is still preserved among the papers in the office of the Secretary of State, at Boston. Many of the company were from this town, but the names of few have been preserved .- Beside the officers already named, and those who accompanied them to Pequawkett, were Zaccheus Lovewell, Thos. Colburn, Peter Powers, Josiah Cummings, Henry Farwell, Wm. Ayers. (2.) \ N. H. Hist. Coll. 113.
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town, marched into the wilderness. They scout- ed around Pemigewasset river and Winnepiseo- gee lake for a month but returned without accom- plishing any thing. (1.)
"Encouraged by his former success, and ani- mated still," as Penhallow says, " with an un- common zeal of doing what service he could." Lovewell marched a third time into the wilder- ness, intending to attack the Pequawketts in their head-quarters on Saco River. Just before he left, it is said, that being at a house in what is now Nashua, he was warned to be upon his guard against the ambuscades of the enemy. He re- plied, "That he did not care for them," and bending down a small elm beside which he was standing into a bow, declared "that he would treat the Indians in the same way." This elm is still standing, a venerable and magnificent tree.
He set out from Dunstable with 46 men, includ- a chaplain and surgeon. Two of them proving lame returned. Another falling sick, they halted and built a fort fortified by pointed stakes, on the west side of Ossipee Pond. Here the surgeon was left with the sick man, and eight of the number for a guard. The number of the company was now reduced to thirty-four. (2.)
" The names of this brave company are worthy of preservation, and their numerous descendants may trace back their descent to such ancestry with pride. They were Capt. John Lovewell, Lt. Josiah Farwell, Lt. Jonathan Robbins, En- sign John Harwood, Ensign Noah Johnson, Rob- ert Usher and Saml. Whiting, all of Dunstable ;
(1.) Mass. Records. Tyng's Journal, 1725.
(2.) The report of the committee upon Lovewell's tour says that he started with 47 men, 3 of whom returned home sick and lame .- Military Records and tour, 1728. They had his muster roll before them.
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Ensign Seth Wyman, Corporal Thos. Richard- son, Timothy Richardson, Ichabod Johnson and Josiah Johnson of Woburn; Eleazer Davis, Jo- seph Farrar, Josiah Davis, Josiah Jones, David Melvin, Eleazer Melvin and Jacob Farrar of Concord ; Chaplain Jonathan Frye of Andover ; Sarg't Jacob Fullam of Weston ; Corporal Ed- ward Lingfield of Nutfield, (now Londonderry ;) Jonathan Kittredge and Solomon Keyes of Bil- lerica ; John 'Teffts, Daniel Woods, Thomas Woods, John Chamberlain, Elias Barson, Isaac Lakin and Joseph Gilson of Groton ; Abiel As- ten and Ebenezer Alger of Haverhill, and one who deserted them in battle, and whose name has been considered unworthy of being trans- mitted to posterity."
" Pursuing their march northward they came to a pond about twenty-two miles distant from the fort, and encamped by the side of it. Early the next morning May Sth. 1725, (May 19th. New Style, ) while at their devotions they heard the report of a gun, and discovered a single In- dian standing on a point of land which runs into the pond more than a mile distant. They had been alarmed the preceding night by noises round their camp, which they imagined were made by Indians, and this opinion was now strengthened. They suspected that the Indian was there to decoy them, and that a body of the enemy was in their front.
A consultation being held they determined to march forward, and by encompassing the pond, to gain the place where the Indian stood. That they might be ready for action they disencum- bered themselves of their packs, and left them without guard at the northeast end of the pond, in a pitch pine plain, where the trees were thin, and the brakes at that time of the year small."
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Penhallow adds that fearing a snare, " the Cap- tain calling his men together, proposed, whether it was best to engage them or not?" They bold- ly replied, " That as they had come out on pur- pose to meet the enemy, they would rather trust Providence with their lives and die for their country, than return without seeing them." Upon this they proceeded." (1.)
" It happened that Lovewell's march had crossed a carrying place, by which two parties of Indians, consisting of forty-one each, com- manded by Paugus and Wawha, who had been scouting down Saco river, were returning to the lower village of Pequawkett, distant about a mile and a half from this pond. Having fallen on this track they followed it till they came to the packs which they removed, and counting them found the number of his men to be less than their own. They therefore placed themselves in ambush to attack them on their return. The Indian who stood on the point, and who was re- turning to the village by another path, met them and received their fire, which he returned and wounded Farwell and another with small shot. Lieut. Wyman firing again killed him and they took his scalp.
"Seeing no other enemy they returned to the place where they had left their packs, and while they were looking for them the Indians rose and ran towards them with a horrid yelling. A smart firing commenced on both sides, it being about ten of the clock. Capt. Lovewell and eight more were killed on the spot. Lient. Farwell and two others were wounded. Several of the Indians fell, but being superior in numbers they endeavored to surround the party, who perceiv-
(1.) \ N. H. Hist. Coll., 114.
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ing their intention, retreated hoping to reach a shelter behind a point of rocks which ran into the pond, and a few large pine trees standing on a sandy beach. In this forlorn place they took their station. On their right was the mouth of a brook at that time unfordable ; on their left was the rocky point. Their front was partly covered with a deep bog, and partly uncovered, and the pond was in the rear. The enemy galled them in front and in flank, and had them so completely in their power, that had they made a prudent use of their advantage, the whole company must either have been killed or obliged to surrender at discretion, being destitute of a mouthful of sus- tenance, and escape being impracticable.
" Under the conduct of Lieut. Wyman, they kept up their fire, and shewed a resolute counte- nance all the remainder of the day, during which their Chaplain, Jonathan Frye, Ensign Robbins, and one more were mortally wounded. The Indians invited them to surrender by holding up ropes to them, and endeavored to intimidate them by their hideous yells, but they determined to die rather than to yield. By their well directed fire the number of the savages was thinned, and their cries became fainter, till just before night they quitted their advantageous ground, carrying off their killed and wounded, and leaving the dead bodies of Lovewell and his men unscalped. The shattered remnant of this brave company collected themselves together, and found three of their number unable to move from the spot ; eleven wounded, but able to march; and nine only who had received no hurt. All the rest, eleven in number, were slain.
" It was melancholy to leave their dying com- panions behind, but there was no possibility of
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removing them. One of them, Ensign Robbins, (1.) desired them to lay his gun by him charged, that if the Indians should return before his death, he might be able to kill one more. After the rising of the moon they quitted the fatal spot, and directed their march towards the Fort, where the surgeon and guard had been left. To their great surprise they found it deserted. In the beginning of the action one man (whose name has not been thought worthy to be transmitted, ) quitted the field, and fled to the Fort. Here, in
the style of Job's messengers, he informed them of Lovewell's death, and the defeat of the whole company, upon which they made the best of their way home, leaving a quantity of bread and pork, which was a seasonable relief to the retreating survivors."
The fate of the survivors was scarcely less pitiable than that of the dead. "Lieutenant Farwell, (of Dunstable) and the Chaplain, who had the journal of the march in his pocket, perished in the woods for want of dressing their wounds. Mr. Frye languished three days and died." " He was a very worthy and promising young man," says Penhallow, "and graduated at Harvard College in 1733." "Mr. Farwell held out until the eleventh day, during which time he had nothing to eat but water and a few roots which he chewed." Josiah Jones "after long fatigue and hardships got safe into Saco." Solomon Keyes " being wounded in three places, lost so much blood as disabled him to stand any longer ; but by a strange Providence, as he was creeping away, he saw a canoe in the pond which he rolled himself into, and by a favorable wind, without any assistance of his own, was driven so many miles on, that he got safe into the Fort.
(1.) Robbins lived on Long Hill, in the south part of Nashua.
11
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Eleazer Davis was the last that got in, who after wandering about many days, and being nearly famished, came at last to Berwick, and thence to Portsmouth. The others, after enduring the most severe hardships, and meeting many providen- tial escapes, came in one after another. They were received not only with joy, but were recom- pensed for their valor and sufferings, and a gen- erous provision was made for the widows and children of the slain.
" Mr. Wyman, who distinguished himself in such a signal manner, was at his return, presen- ted with a Captain's commission. Edward Ling- field was also made an Ensign, and the General Assembly gave the sum of fifteen hundred pounds to the widows and orphans." (1.)
" In 1 Samuel, xxxI. Chap., 11, 12, 13 verses," says Penhallow, "it is recorded in the immortal honor of the men of Jabesh-gilead, that when some of their renowned heroes fell by the hands of the Philistines, they prepared a decent burial for their bodies. Now so soon as the report came of Capt. Lovewell's defeat, about fifty men from New Hampshire, well equipped, marched into Pequawkett for the like end, but were not so happy as to find them. (2.) But in the Spring another company from Dunstable, under the command of Col. (Eleazer) Tyng, went to the scene of the action, and having found the bodies of twelve, buried them, and carved their names upon the trees where the battle was fought .- At a little distance they found the Indian graves which he opened, in one of which he found the celebrated warrior, PAUGUS, "a vile and bloody wretch," as Penhallow mildly adds.
(1.) Penhallow. 1 N. H. Hist. Coll., 118.
(2.) Under Capt. Joseph Blanchard, of this town, in July, 1725. Mass. Military Records, 1725.
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The news of Lovewell's defeat and death reached Dunstable before the twentieth day of May. All was consternation and grief. What reports were brought by the survivors we know not, but immediate attack upon the town was feared by the inhabitants. The alarm extended through the settlements, and even reached Boston. The Governor odered Col. Eleazer Tyng into the wilderness to protect the frontiers against the anticipated invasion of the victorious foe. The state of excitement and alarm which pervaded the town may be conjectured from the following Petition addressed to the Governor and Council of Massachusetts. (1.)
" The Petition of the Selectmen of Dunstable, Humbly Sheweth :
" That whereas your Honors hath found it necessary to order Col. Tyng and his men into the woods, on the sad occasion of Capt. Lovewell's defeat, we are extremely exposed and weak, by reason of so many of our fighting men being cut off last summer, and so many killed now in the Province's service. We would beg leave to represent to your Honors our case as very sad and distressing, hav- ing so many soldiers drawn out, and our inhabitants reduced to so small a number by the war. Several families have removed, and more are under such discouragement, not daring to carry on their planting or any other business, that they fully design it. We hope your Honors will take our deplorable circumstances into your compassionate consideration, and order such measures to be taken for our defence and support, until our men return, as you in your wisdom shall think fit. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
SAMUEL FRENCH, JOHN CUMMINGS,
JOSEPH SNOW, Selectmen. JOHN CUMMINGS, Jr.,
JOSEPH FRENCH, NATH'L CUMMINGS.
JONATHAN CUMMINGS,
JOHN LOVEWELL, JOHN FRENCH, JONATHAN COMBS.
Dunstable, May 20, 1725.
John Lovewell, the aged father of Capt. Love-
(1.) Military Records, 1725, page 235.
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well also petitioned the General Assembly at the same time, for " some assistance from the country to defend his garrison, or that he must leave it to the enemy." (1.)
The petitions were granted. A guard of twenty-five soldiers was posted in town. Com- panies of scouts. under Capt. Setha Wyman, Capt. Joseph Blanchard and Capt. Willard, were scouring the valleys of the Merrimac and the Nashua, during the whole summer and autumn, but no enemy appeared. With Joseph, a Mo- hawk, as a guide, and Nessa Gawney for an in- terpreter, they ranged as far as Penacook, " Win- ipisocket," and "Cocheco Path," but excepting killing a moose and a bear between Dunstable and Penacook, they found nothing. (2.)
This incursion into the head-quarters of the Pequawketts, and the destruction of Norridge- wock, alarmed the Indians so much that they resided no more at either place until after the peace. Nor after this did they commit any seri- ous depredations. Their power was broken .- "Our encountering them at such a distance was so terrible and surprising," says Penhallow, " that they never formed any body after."- These conflicts were the themes of eulogy throughout the New England settlements. The names of their actors were upon all men's tongues " familiar as household words." The story of " worthy Captain Lovewell" was the subject of many a ballad, and was sung by every fire- side. The mother taught it to her child to excite in him a hatred of the "Indian enemy," and to set before him an example of valor and
(1. Mass. Military Records, 1725: Original Petition, page 263.
(2. Mass. Military Records, 1725 : page 263.
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patriotism, which he was to imitate when he should become a man.
Public gratitude kept pace with private enthu- siasm. In addition to the gifts above cited, other donations were made, and the Township of PEMBROKE, first called " Lovewell's Town," was granted by the General Assembly of Massachu- setts, "in May, 1727, to Capt. Lovewell and his brave associates in consideration of their services against the Indians. The whole number of grantees was 60, 46 of whom accompanied Lovewell in his last march to Pequawkett, and the remainder were among the 62 who attended him in his first enterprise." (1.)
Of this company, as has been said, seven or more belonged to Dunstable, including nearly all the officers. Of these every man was killed or wounded. Capt. Lovewell, Ensign Harwood, and Robert Usher were killed on the spot. Lt. Robbins was left on the field mortally wounded. Lt. Farwell died on the march home. Samuel Whitney was wounded, and probably died not long after, as no mention of him is found in the Records of the town after May, 1725. Noah Johnson was so severely " wounded in the fight as to be disabled " for many years, but was the last survivor of the company. In 1727 a pension of £10 per annum for seven years was granted him by the Colony of Massachusetts, and after its expiration in 1734, the sum was increased to £15 per annum, and continued for many years. (2.) He died at Pembroke, N. H., 13 August,
(1.) Farmer's N. H. Gazetteer. Pembroke .- There seems, how- ever, to be an error in this - the Report of the Committee upon the subject of the grant says, that the whole number was 88, of whom 62 were in the second expedition, and 26 in the last as well as the second expedition.
(2.) Johnson, it is said, occupied the farm on the south side of the Nashua at its mouth, extending probably as far as the house
*11
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1798, in his hundredth year. The grand children of some of these still survive in this town and vicinity.
Several of the ballads which were written to commemorate this event, one of the most impor- tant in our early history, have been preserved. If they do not possess high poetic merit, they answered well the purpose for which they were designed. " Let me make the ballads of a peo- ple," said the great Chatham, "and I care not who makes the laws." There was deep wisdom in the remark, and such ballads, rude though they were, nurtured the free, bold, self-sacrificing spirit, which wrested Canada from the French in 1755, and finally achieved our Independence. One of the oldest of these ballads, composed, as is said, the year of the fight, " the most beloved song in all New England," is here inserted. (1.)
SONG OF LOVEWELL'S FIGHT.
I. Of worthy Captain Lovewell I purpose now to sing, How valiantly he served his country and his king ; He and his valiant soldiers did range the woods full wide, And hardships they endured to quell the Indians' pride.
II.
"Iwas nigh unto Pigwacket, on the eighth day of May, They spied a rebel Indian soon after break of day ; He on a bank was walking, upon a neck of land, . Which leads into a pond as we're made to understand.
III. Our men resolved to have him and travelled two miles round,
Until they met the Indian who boldly stood his ground ; Then speaks up Captain Lovewell, "Take you good heed," says he,
" This rogue is to decoy us I very plainly see.
of Judge Parker. Lovewell is said to have occupied the farm near Luther Taylor's house.
(1.) Drake's Book of the Indians, 132.
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IV.
" The Indians lie in ambush in some place nigh at hand,
" In order to surround us upon this neck of land ;
"Therefore we'll march in order, and each man leave his pack,
" That we may briskly fight them when they shall us attack."
V.
They come unto the Indian who did them thus defy ; As soon as they come nigh him two guns he did let fly, Which wounded Captain Lovewell and likewise one man more, (1.)
But when this rogue was running they laid him in his gore.
VI.
Then having scalped the Indian they went back to the spot Where they had laid their packs down, but there they found them not;
For the Indians having spied them when they them down did lay,
Did seize them for their plunder and carry them away.
VII.
These rebels lay in ambush this very place near by, So that an English soldier did one of them espy ;
And cried out, "here's an Indian"; with that they started out
As fiercely as old lions, and hideously did shout.
VIII.
With that our valiant English all gave a loud huzza, To show the rebel Indians they feared them not a straw ; So now the fight began as fiercely as could be ;
The Indians ran up to them but soon were forced to flee.
IX.
Then spake up Captain Lovewell when first the fight began,-
"Fight on my valiant heroes! you see they fall like rain ;" For as we are informed, the Indians were so thick,
A man could scarcely fire a gun and not some of them hit.
X.
Then did the rebels try their best our soldiers to surround, But they could not accomplish it, because there was a pond, To which our men retreated, and covered all the rear ;
(1.) Lt. Farwell, of this town.
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The rogues were forced to flee them although they skulked for fear.
XI.
Two logs that were behind them so close together lay, Without being discovered they could not get away ; Therefore our valiant English they travelled in a row, And at a handsome distance as they were wont to go.
XII.
'Twas ten o'clock in the morning when first the fight begun, And fiercely did continue till the setting of the sun, Excepting that the Indians some hours before 'twas night, Drew off into the bushes, and ceased a while to fight.
XIII.
But soon again returned in fierce and furious mood, Shouting as in the morning, but yet not half so loud ; For as we are informed, so thick and fast they fell, Scarce twenty of their number at night did get home well.
XIV.
And that our valiant English till midnight there did stay, To see whether the rebels would have another fray ; But they no more returning they made off toward their home,
And brought away their wounded as far as they could come. XV.
Of all our valiant English there were but thirty-four, And of the rebel Indians there were about fourscore; And sixteen of our English did safely home return : The rest were killed and wounded for which we all must mourn.
XVI. Our worthy Captain Lovewell among them there did die ; (1.) They killed Lieutenant Robbins, and wounded good young F'rye, (2.) Who was our English chaplain ; he many Indians slew, And some of them he scalped when bullets round him flew.
(1.) The powder horn worn by Lovewell in this fight is preserved in the family, and the cellar of the house where he lived is still visible a little distance from Salmon Brook in Nashua.
(2.) Robbins was from Dunstable. Frye was a son of Rev. Mr. Frye of Andover, as before mentioned. Their notions were all Jewish, and in slaying the " Heathen Indians " they thought them- selves obeying the voice of God.
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XVII.
Young Fullam, too, I'll mention, because he fought so well, Endeavoring to save a man, a sacrifice he fell;
And yet our valiant Englishmen in fight were ne'er dis- maved,
But still they kept their motion, and Wyman Captain made
XVIII.
Who shot the old chief PAUGUS which did the foe defeat ; Then set his men in order and brought off the retreat ; And braving many dangers and hardships by the way, They safe arrived at Dunstable the thirtieth day of May.
The statement in the last verse that Paugus was killed by Wyman is not correct. He was slain by John Chamberlain, who afterwards set- tled in Merrimac. After the heat of the conflict was over, weary and faint, Paugus and Cham- berlain both went down to the pond to quench their thirst, and to wash out their guns which had become foul by continued firing. There they met and at once recognized each other, for Paugus was known personally to many of the company. Seeing the useless condition of each others' guns, they tacitly agreed to a truce while they were cleaning them.
During this process some words were ex- changed, and Paugus said to Chamberlain, " It is you or I." Cautiously but with haste they proceeded in their work, for it was a case of life or death. Paugus had nearly finished loading, and was priming his piece, when Chamberlain struck the breech of his gun violently upon the ground, thus causing it to prime itself, and shot Paugus through the heart, the bullet of Paugus at the same instant grazing the head of Chamberlain. (1.)
There is another ballad of more poetic merit, written in imitation of the ancient Chevy Chase.
(1.) Rev. Mr. Symme's Narrative of the fight. Allen's Chelms- ford, 37.
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As it is somewhat rare and curious, it is thought best to insert it. (1.)
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