USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > History of the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts > Part 9
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An old Indian executioner was commanded to behead the dead king. Ere he raised his hatchet he said, Philip " had been a very great man and had made many a man afraid of him, but so big as he was, he would now chop him."
Eighteen days later, Church captured another great leader, Annawon, who surrendered, saying, "Great Captain, you have killed Philip and conquered his country : for I believe that I and my company are the last that war against the English, so suppose the war is ended by your means ; and therefore these things belong unto you." Then, opening his pack, he pulled out Philip's belt, " curiously wrought with wompom, being nine inches broad, wrought with black and white wompom, in vari- ous figures, and pictures of many birds and beasts." This, when hung upon Captain Church's shoulders, "reached his ancles." 2
Captain Church seems to have been more or less embar- rassed by instructions which he had received from the col- ony, and evidently some jealousy existed concerning him. The insubordination which manifested itself probably grew out of the fact that after the death of Philip it was believed by most of the men that the war would end, and they were desirous of devoting their time to saving what had been lost.
Middleboro, as an outpost of Plymouth, was the nearest town which suffered, as it was visited often by the whites, either in pursuit of the enemy or hastening to the defence of other towns in the colony. The fact that the inhabitants of Middleboro were enabled to reach the fort in safety, and thus escape massacre, which attended other towns of the colony ;
1 Church, History of Philip's War, Part I, pp. 148, 151.
2 Ibid. pp. 148, 15I.
1
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1676
that the fort was not attacked ; and that its inmates, so poorly protected, were allowed to escape to Plymouth, are evidences of the way in which the inhabitants of Middleboro were re- garded by the Indians.
Tispequin was the commander-in-chief at the various con- flicts with Captain Benjamin Church about the great ponds of Middleboro. After Church had taken his wife, children, and attendants upon the promise that if he would surrender he would spare his and their lives, Tispequin went to Plymouth, and gave himself up to the governor and his council. He was soon after tried and publicly executed. This action on the part of the governor and council has led to perhaps more severe criticism than any portion of the public administration at New Plymouth. It may, however, be truthfully said that Captain Church had received no authority from the governor to make this promise to Tispequin, nor did the authorities know of it. He was brought to trial when it was learned that he was the leader of all of the massacres in the colony, and particularly in the burning of the houses of the settlers in Middleboro to whom he had sold land. The exigencies of the times and the perils to which they were still subject did not warrant any other disposition of so treacherous a chief than the death which he received, and which he so justly merited.1
In King Philip's War, so far as relates to Plymouth Colony, the decisive battle was the engagement at Scituate. If the Indians had not been defeated at that battle, it was their in- tention to go down along the coast, burn all of the houses, and destroy the inhabitants. Plymouth was not sufficiently fortified to have escaped the general massacre. The able-bodied men in the western part of the colony had joined the forces of Cap- tain Church to meet the Indians, and their families had gone to
1 " It had always been held by the Indians that Tispequin could not be shot by any bullets from the English, and after the capture of his wife and children, Cap- tain Church sent word to Tispequin that he should be his captain over the Indians if he were found so invulnerable a man, as they said he was shot twice, but the bul- lets glanced by him, and could not hurt him. He afterwards surrendered and was sent to Plymouth, but upon trial, he was found penetrable to the English gun, for he fell down at the first shot." Hubbard's Indian Wars (Drake), vol. i, p. 275. .
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KING PHILIP'S WAR
1676]
Plymouth. A defeat at Scituate would probably have rendered the rest of the towns in the colony defenceless, and they would have been destroyed in accordance with the plan of Philip and his warriors. The little fort at Middleboro was the only one on the west, and there was nothing to have prevented the Indians, had they passed Scituate, from continuing their march of destruction to Plymouth.
The war lasted nearly two years. About thirteen towns were destroyed, and many others were attacked ; about six hundred whites were killed in battle, beside the many unknown who perished from starvation and in massacre.
HATCHET, PIPE, MORTAR, AND PESTLE
CHAPTER VI
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS, 1689-1765
T the close of King Philip's War, the old colony was not threatened by attacks of Indians, and suffered nothing from any of the hostilities which were occur- ring in the remote parts of the country. Middleboro was represented in all of the campaigns fought against the Indians or the French and Indians, in the expeditions organ- ized in defence of the colonies in behalf of the mother coun- try, and in resisting the aggressive attacks of France to obtain possession of the various strongholds ; but the names of the soldiers enlisted in these campaigns have most of them been forgotten, about one third of them being Indians.
News of an invasion of England by France reached Boston in the winter of 1688,1 and on the Ioth of January, 1689, a proclamation was issued by Sir Edmund Andros, commanding the officers, civil and military, and all other of his Majesty's loving subjects, to be ready to use their utmost endeavor to hinder any landing or invasion that might be intended ; but so bitter was the feeling against Governor Andros that this proclamation was generally disregarded. The colonies of New England had enjoyed a period of peace from the close of King Philip's War until the year 1689, when the Indians on the north and western frontier settlements, instigated by the long and bitter enmity of the French against the English, commenced a series of barbarous attacks.
In August, 1689, the court at Plymouth appointed commis- sioners to confer with the other colonies as to the course of conduct that they should take in repelling these assaults, and, as a result, there was a general Indian war, in which all of the New England colonies engaged, known as King William's War
1 Barry's History of Massachusetts, First Period, pp. 499, 500.
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1689-1763] THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
(1689-97). The troops from Plymouth and Massachusetts col- onies were placed under the command of the celebrated Captain Benjamin Church, who had achieved such renown in King Philip's War. Middleboro was required to furnish one soldier and one musket, and to raise the sum of fourteen pounds by taxation towards meeting the expense of this threatened war. The tax was to be paid on or before the 26th day of Novem- ber, 1689, one third in money, one third in grain, and one third in beef and pork. It is interesting to notice the price at which these articles were then rated ; namely, the grain was to be received and credited as follows : corn, two shillings per bushel; rye, two shillings and sixpence per bushel; barley, two shillings per bushel; wheat, four shillings per bushel ; beef, ten shillings per hundred, and pork twopence per pound.
Early in May, 1690, a congress of delegates met in New York to consider means of defence. Plymouth 1 and Massa- chusetts colonies, with Connecticut, were to furnish three hun- dred and fifty-five men. The militia were to meet at Albany and then proceed to Montreal. Middleboro's quota was one soldier. An expedition had been planned to sail to Quebec, and extensive preparations were made for combined attack on that stronghold of the French. On June 5, 1690, Middleboro was ordered to send three soldiers, and to raise twenty-one pounds, sixteen shillings, and sixpence as her proportionate part of the expenses. Of the three soldiers drafted, Thomas Tomson and James Soule, for reasons which do not appear on record, declined to go, and were sentenced to pay a fine of four pounds each, or be imprisoned until the fines were paid. Benjamin Wood, John Tomson, and John Allen took part in this expedition. Port Royal and Acadia were conquered, but the combined attack on Quebec was a failure, owing to the jealousy and disagreement of the officers in charge of the cam- paign. Captain Church, in a second expedition into Maine, was to threaten the eastern Indians, but this was also a failure, and a crushing mortification and sorrow ensued to Massachusetts.2
1 Parkman's Frontenac and New France, chap. xii, pp. 235, 236.
2 Palfrey, History of New England, Book IV, chap. ii.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1689-1763
The next call for troops in Middleboro was in 1722, for defence against another threatened Indian attack. This war lasted until 1725. A number of men from Middleboro, with friendly Indians, joined this expedition. Of the company raised, William Canedy was an ensign, and was afterwards promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He was placed in com- mand of a small fort at St. George's River, which was attacked on the 25th of December, 1723, by a large force of French and Indians. He so bravely defended this fort until reinforce- ments arrived, and the enemy 1 was repelled with such great loss, that he was rewarded with a commission as captain.
The following is a list 2 of privates and officers : -
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
William Canedy, capt.
Robert Stanford, ens.
Benjamin Wright, lieut.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Joseph Bowdin, sergt.
Richard Pomeroy, corp.
Joseph Studson, sergt.
Joseph Braydon, corp.
Joseph Meeds, sergt.
John Oliver, corp.
Benjamin Durfee, corp.
PRIVATES
John Attamon
Henry Pesent
Thomas Tainor
Josiah Crook
Daniel Chislen
Isaac Phillips
Joshua Tripp
Elisha Sachem
Benjamin Solomon
Peter Washonks
Joel Daniel
Joshua Hood
John Pechue
Samuel Copeluck
John Pepeens
Ned John
Abraham Jones
Josiah Popmemanock
Joseph Wood
Eliakim Quacom
Nehemiah Nahawamah
Amos Stanks
Abel Obediah
Joshua Wicket
James Queich
David Job
Simon Tremmetuck
Jacob Paul
1 The Peirce Family, p. 106.
2 These lists are taken from the History of Plymouth County, p. 994.
1689-1763] THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
91
Thomas Daniel
John Comshite
Abel Tom
Mose Peig
Isaac Hassaway
Tom Wily
Eben Cushen
Abel Blinks
Job Mark
Peter Dogamus
Samuel Oliver
John Boson
John Quoy
Roban Jenney
Another roll bore the following names : -
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
William Canedy, capt. Stephen Whitaker, ens.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Daniel Elenthorp, sergt.
Edward Bishop, corp.
Francis Punchard, corp.
PRIVATES
Peter Parrey
Philip Butler
Thomas Lawrence
Daniel Ross
Stephen Morrells
John Murphy
John Norris
Josiah Meeds
Benjamin Speen
Daniel Griffin
John Church
Thomas Dan
Jeremiah Belcher
John Pelkenton
Elkanah Topmon
William Thomas
Isaac Chamberlain John White
William Kelley
Middleboro men were at the siege of Louisburg, the strongest fortress in the New World, captured and destroyed in 1745. General Shirley had proposed to the General Court an expedition to capture Louisburg, and a circular letter was sent to all the colonies as far south as Pennsylvania. Massachu- setts furnished three thousand two hundred and fifty men.1 The commander-in-chief was William Pepperrell of Maine. On June 17 Louisburg capitulated.2 A thanksgiving day was appointed on July 18, and Thomas Prince preached a sermon on this at the Old South Meeting-house.
1 Barry, History of Massachusetts, Second Period, vol. ii, p. 141.
2 Hildreth, History of United States, vol. ii, chap. xxv, p. 397.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1689-1763
In 1755 occurred the French and Indian War, which lasted eight years, and was by far the most important campaign which up to that time had been carried on by the English against the French, who had succeeded in inducing the Indians in the northwest of the English possessions to join with them. This included most of the Indian troops in New York State, and a few in Vermont and New Hampshire. The English outnum- bered the French fifteen to one,1 but the French controlled the two large rivers. General Braddock, sent over in 1755 by England, was defeated at Fort Duquesne, which was recap- tured two years later. In 1759 General Wolfe and General Montcalm were both killed at Quebec, but the fall of this city was the turning-point in the war. From that day France lost her territory in America.
Middleboro furnished one company under command of Cap- tain Benjamin Pratt, and parts of another under command of Captain Samuel Thatcher for this year. The names of the officers and privates in Captain Pratt's company were as fol- lows : -
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Benjamin Pratt, capt. David Sears, 2d lieut.
Sylvester Richmond, Ist lieut. Nelson Finney, ens.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Seth Tinkham,2 sergt.
Archippas Cole, corp.
Lemuel Harlow, sergt.
Seth Billington, corp.
Silas Wood, sergt.
Jesse Snow, corp.
Abiel Cole, sergt.
John Miller, corp.
MUSICIANS
Perez Tinkham ·
Jacob Tinkham
PRIVATES
Jacob Allen Jesse Bryant
Joseph Bent
Abner Barrows
1 Montgomery, History of United States, p. 134.
2 Seth Tinkham left a diary of this campaign, which has been published in the History of Plymouth County, p. 995.
1689-1763] THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
93
Abner Barrows, Jr.
Jeremiah Jones
Isaac Bennett
Jeremiah Jones, Jr.
John Bennett
John Knowlton
Samuel Bennett
James Littlejohn
Benjamin Barrows
Robert Makfun
Abraham Barden
Thomas Miller
William Barlow
David Miller
Eliakim Barlow
Noah Morse
John Barker
Jonathan Morse
Perez Cobb
Jacob Muxom
Onesimus Campbell
Isaac Nye
Gideon Cobb
Thomas Peirce
Gershom Cobb
Job Peirce
William Cushman
Paul Pratt
Peter Crapo
Francis Pomeroy
Thomas Caswell
Samuel Pratt
Jesse Curtis
Samuel Pratt, Jr.
Ezekiel Curtis
Henry Richmond
Counselor Chase
Nathan Richmond
Jabez Doggett
Moses Reding
Simeon Doggett
Job Richmond
Ebenezer Dunham
Noah Raymond
Adam David
Barnabas Sampson
Elkanah Elmes
Jabez Sampson
John Elmes
Jacob Sampson
John Ellis
Obadiah Sampson
John Eaton
John Sampson
Asa French
Crispus Shaw Perez Shaw
William Fuller
Simeon Fuller
Zebedee Sears
Jedediah Holmes
Peleg Standish
John Harlow
Robert Seekel
Zuril Haskell
Benjamin Streeter
The Rev. Ebenezer Hinds, pastor of the Second Baptist Church, was the chaplain of this regiment, and accompanied them during the entire service.
Captain Abiel Peirce,1 a young man of remarkable courage and enterprise, early noted among the people of the town for his character and devotion to the interests of the mother coun- try, served as a private soldier under General Winslow in the
1 The Peirce Family, p. 102.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1689-1763
expedition to Acadia in the summer and fall of 1755. For his prudence and bravery he was afterwards promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and still later to the rank of captain. He was in the expedition to Canada, and present at the battle of Que- bec, "the key of Canada,"1 September 13, 1759. Before the attack on Quebec he was detailed to serve as a temporary aide- de-camp on the staff of General Wolfe. He saw General Wolfe receive his fatal wound, and heard him say as he fell, " Support me, let not my soldiers see me drop." Then came the shout, "The day is ours !" "They run! They give way everywhere !" A light came into the eyes of the dying hero, who eagerly asked, "Who fly?" and being told it was the French, exclaimed, "Now, God be praised, I die happy."
The company under command of Captain Thatcher probably consisted of many who had served under Captain Pratt, and the following are the names of the officers and privates, most of them Middleboro men : 2-
" Samuell Thacher Capt. John Peirce Lieut. Ignatious Elmes Insign Abner Barrows
Robert Barrows
Samuel Bobbitt
William Barlow
Ruben Barrows
Joshua Caswell Sick at Albany
Joseph Drake Desarted
David Delano Died the 8 of Septm
Remembrance Donham
Ebnezer Donham
James Fance
Isreal Felix Sick at Albany
1 Barry, History of Massachusetts, vol. ii, p. 238.
2 The above names are from the diary of Abner Barrows, a son of Coombs Barrows, now in the possession of Miss Sarah T. Barrows, his great-granddaugh- ter. It is a small book, about 32 inches wide by 52 inches long, which was proba- bly carried in his pocket and the entries made from day to day. The list of the officers and privates in this company are in his handwriting at the end of the diary. He was from twenty-three to twenty-five years old at the time he was in this ser- vice, and lived afterwards in the old Barrows house.
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1689-1763] THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
Samuel Hunter
Peter Hulburt Desarted Ebenezer Norcutt at Albany
John Reed
Barnabas Raymond
William Ransom
Gibbin Sharp
Ephraim Thomas
Oxenbridge Thacher Adj
Perez Tinkham
William Terry Sick at Albany
William Tupper
Nathan Thomas
Lemuel Wood
Benjamin Washburn Sick at Albany "
Abner Barrows kept a diary of his service in the French and Indian War from 1756 to 1758. This diary is dated, "Boston, May II, 1756," the day they left Boston, and contains records of the events during their march, -the places where they encamped, the number of miles travelled each day, with the incidents of their camp life. They reached Albany on the 23d of May, taking twelve days to travel a distance which can now be done by cars in a few hours. After arriving at Albany they proceeded to Saratoga, and to Fort William Henry. The regiment to which this company belonged performed no spe- cial service, and the men were discharged and returned to their homes. Mr. Barrows enlisted again in 1757, and served during the campaign of 1758.
The following is a copy of a portion : -
1758, July 2. D Nothing Remarkable hapnd Kept about our Incampment Our army consists of about twenty two thou- sand.
July 3 this Day thair Was a Generial muster through the Whole Incampment Every Regement mustered by them selves and was Desmised about middle of the after Noon.
July 5 this Day the Whole Incampment by about half way betwext Brake of Day & Son Rise Struk thair tents and marched Down to the Lake thair Shipt in Battoes & in Whail Botes Rowed Down the Lake about Sixteen miles made Some-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1689-1763
thing of a halt about three ours or Better then Rowed in our Botes again Sometimes Rowed Sometimes Layd on our ores Till after Day Light by the Son about three hours high then our men Viz Regulars Landed about half a mile above the advanced Guard of our Enemys. Major Roggers With his Rangers Went tords them and they perceiving they Was an army they hauled Down thair Tents Ran of With all Speed Left bag and baggage for a prey thay fired a good many Guns which Did no harme Several of the Enemy Wair kild or Taken prisoners
July 6 this morning about Eight o Clock the army Landed our Regulars fired on a few french men and Indians & killed two or three ye french that Wair att the advance Guard Ran off with all Speed all and all thair Things behind allmost be- hind them Soon after We Landed thair Went out two or three parties of men after thay had bin out an our or two we heard a Very smart Firing which Lasted about an hour & toward Night thay brought the prisoners that thay had taken Which amounted to the Number of about 150 thay had upwards of fifty or 60 Slain this Day we Reckned that our men had up- wards of fifteen or 20 Slain Som Wounded & brought In to the C mp our Lord how Was Slain this Day
July 7 this morning Severial Regments marcht from Whair We Landed ours with them then after we had travled three or fore miles thay all Returnd to the Camp then our Regment took meet for two Days & no Bread then about two or three ours after we came in our Regment & a Good many more Regments marcht towards the Enemys fort & made Several Brest works for our own Safegard Whair our Regement Loged in the Night
Saturday July the 8 this morning all the Regements that Lay in their Breast Works travled about a mile then our Regment and one more Viz Colo Bayleys Regment Lay a long two Deep In order for combat the Light Infantry Regment Lay advanced before Us we Lay thair two or three hours Divers Guns Wair Fired in our front Till all In a Sudden thair Was a very Brisk fire in our front We Lay a Short Time Prepared for the Enemy But perceiving thay Did not Come then the Regment that Lay Before Us advanced forward and our Regment marched Briskly the fire Continued in one Continued Volley the Biggest Part of five hours the french that we thus Ingaged wair in thair Brest Work & in thair Intrenchments our Regulars Began the fire With the Enemy thair Was abundance of them Slain Som Conclude thair was two or 3 thousand of them Slain thair Was
1
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1689-1763] THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
som Slain of Every Party that Belonged to Every Province Slain and Wounded a great over Sight that We had Not our Cannon two of our Cannon Got allmost to Us but thay wair ordred Back by What Reason I know not O, to See the Slain how thick thay Lay on the Ground when our men Retreated from them We Carred of the Wounded men about a mile to Whair our Brest Work was Made the Night after the Battle was fought the Regement Retreated Back som to the place Whair We Landed Som of the Regments Came No further than the saw mill about two miles they brote thair Wounded men as far as thair Next morning the army Gott Into thair Battoes made What Speed thay Could away I fear a great many Wounded men fell Into the hands of our Enemy & the Slain all Lay on the spoot.
July 9 D this Day the army Returned Back again to the head of the Lake whair We Set out from. We Sett out from the Place Whair We Landed about teen of the Clock in the morn- ing Reacht the head of the Lake about son sett and thairabout .
July ye 16 this Day the biggest Part of our Regmt marcht from Lake George Down to Fort Edward Severial of our Com- pany Was Very Poorly this Day Capt Pratt Came to us he mett us about 7 miles below Between fort Edward and the old Camp att a place caled the half Way Brook our Camp Campt at fort Edward
July ye 17 this morning Sett out from a Little Below fort EDWARD travled to Saratoga by about two of the Clock in the after Noon thair Drawd Stors in our Company Sett out again Crosed a Little River travled about a mile Down the River thair Picht our tents.
July ye 18 this morning our Company Sett out from Sara- toga travled to the half Way house thair made a Small Halt and it began to Rain It Rained and it made the Way Extroda- nery bad traveling traveled to the Half Way House Thair Picht our tents and Loged
July ye 19 this morning our Company Sett out from the half Way house travled to the half moon by about Eleven of the Clock thair Picht our tents by the upper Sprowt &c. this after Noon a Great many of our Regment travled off Crost the River this after Noon Without orders about Soon Sett thair Came a Reagular officer Who Commanded the men back he Struck one man Several blows about thirty men Cockt thar fier Locks on him he past of With Speed
July ye 21 this Day Nothing Remarkable hapned in our
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1689-1763
Camp our Company begun to Recrute from thair Illness this afternoon the Whole of the Regt that wair hear wair ordered under armes our Colo made a Speech to us Told us the Dan- ger of Desarting he Said that he had Wrote to the Cort to Know what to Do he said if the Cort sent for us We mought then go hom and not other Wise after the Collo had Walked Round & talked to us then our Chaplain Went to prayer With ye Regment & We wair Dismissed
July ye 23 this morning about Teen o Clock the Regt Under Colo Thos Dotys Comand being ordered to march about three Score men belonging to the Same Regment Clobed thair fier locks & Was maching off two Sergt headed them the Rest of ye Regt Was Ordered to Load thair fier Locks Emediatly and fix on thair Bayonets then We wair ord to march. We marchd Round them our Colo & adjutant took thair armes from them Putt all under Guard thair they wair kept about two howers then the Ring Leaders of them Wair took and Penioned Six of them wair sent Down to be Putt in the prison at Albany the about fifty or so men that Wair put under guard for the same Crime wair Released by making Good promises for the futur &c
July 31 D this morning sett out from the place Whair We Loged Set Up the falls as Well as We Could about teen oClock our boat Reacht up as far as Whair our Regt Stopt then sett out again Some Times We Rowed then We out Waided halled our botes by hand a grate Way Grate falls bad going Up the River Went by a Grate many Dutch Settle- ments on both Sides of the River Exceeding Large fealds of all Sorts of Grain
this Night Went off four men belonging to the Batto that I Went in
The different regiments which served in the French and Indian War were probably called out for a single campaign, of short duration, and upon its close were dismissed and after- wards reënlisted as required by the governor of the province. Captain Pratt's company was in the campaign of the summer of 1757 in and about Fort Henry, some of his former men enlist- ing in other companies as well as in that under the command of Captain Thatcher. The roll of officers and men under Captain Pratt shows the first enlistment, while that under Captain Thatcher is the second enlistment.
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