USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 19
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Isaac stepped softly and tremblingly over the tawny bodies, lest they should awake and discover his design, and secured his master's fire-works, and a portion of his moose-meat and bread ; these he carried to a little distance from the wigwam, and concealed them in a clump of bushes. He then returned, and bending over Joseph, who had, all this time, been snor- ing in his sleep, carefully shook him. Joseph, more asleep than awake, turned partly over, and asked aloud, " what do you want?" This egre- gious blunder alarmed Isaac, and he instantly laid down in his proper place, and began to snore as loudly as any of them. Soon as his alarm had somewhat subsided, he again arose, and listened long for the heavy breath of the sleepers. He determined to fly from his master, before the morning dawned. Perceiving that they all slept, he resolved to make his escape, without again attempting to awake Joseph, lest, by his thoughtless- ness, he should again put him in jeopardy. He then arose and stepped softly out of the wigwam, and walked slowly and cantiously from it, until he had nearly reached the place where his provisions were concealed, when he heard footsteps approaching hastily behind him. With a beating heart he looked backward, and saw Joseph, who had aroused himself, and find- ing that his companion had gone, concluded to follow. They then secured the fire-works and provisions, and without chart or compass, struck into the woods in a southerly direction, aiming for the distant settlement of Haverhill. They ran at the top of their speed until day-light appeared, when they concealed themselves in a hollow log, deeming it too dangerous to continue their journey in the day time.
Their master, when he awoke in the morning, was astonished to find his prisoners had escaped, and immediately collected a small party with their dogs, and pursued them. The dogs struck upon the tracks, and in a short time came up to the log where the boys were concealed, when they made a stand, and began a loud barking. The boys trembled with fear lest they should be re-captured, and perhaps fall beneath the tomahawk of their enraged master. In this situation, they hardly knew what was best to do - but they spoke kindly to the dogs, who knew their voices, ceased bark- ing, and wagged their tails with delight. They then threw before them all the moose-meat they had taken from the wigwam, which the dogs in- stantly seized, and began to devour it as though they highly relished so choice a breakfast. While they were thus employed, the Indians made
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their appearance, and passed close to the log in which they were concealed, without noticing the employment of their dogs. The boys saw them as they passed, and were nearly breathless with anxiety. They followed them with their eyes till they were out of sight, and hope again took pos- session of their bosoms. The dogs soon devoured their meat, and trotted after their masters.
They lay in the log during the day, and at night pursued their journey, taking a different route from the one travelled by the Indians. They made only one or two meals on their bread, and after that was gone they were obliged to subsist on roots and buds. On the second day they concealed themselves, but travelled the third night and day without resting ; and on that day, towards night, they luckily killed a pigeon and a turtle, a part of which they ate raw, not daring to build a fire, lest they should be dis- covered. The fragments of their unsavory meal they carried with them, and ate of them as their hunger required, making their dessert on such roots as they happened to find. They continued their journey night and day as fast as their wearied and mangled legs would carry them. On the sixth day, they struck into an Indian path and followed it till night, when they suddenly came within sight of an Indian encampment, saw their sav- age enemy seated around the fire, and distinctly heard their voices. This alarmed them exceedingly ; and wearied and exhausted as they were, they had rather seek an asylum in the wide forest, and die within the shadow of its trees, than trust to the kindness of foes whose bosoms had never been moved by its silent workings. They precipitately fled, fearing lest they should be discovered and pursued, and all night retraced their steps. The morning came and found them seated side by side on the bank of a small stream, their feet torn and covered with blood, and each of them weeping bitterly over his misfortunes. Thus far their hearts had been filled with courage, and their hopes grew, and were invigorated with the pleasant thoughts of home, as they flitted vividly across their minds. But now their courage had fled, and their hopes had given way to despair. They thought of the green fields in which they had so often played - of the tall trees whose branches had so often overshadowed them - and of the hearth around which they had delighted to gather with their brothers and sisters, on a winter's evening, and listen to a story told by their parents. They thought of these, yea, of more - but as things from which they were forever parted - as things that had once given them happiness, but had forever passed away.
They were, however, unwilling to give up all further exertions. The philosophy of Isaac taught him that the stream must eventually lead to a
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large body of water, and after refreshing themselves with a few roots, they again commenced their journey, and followed its windings. They con- tinued to follow it during that day and a part of the night. On the eighth morning, Joseph found himself completely exhausted ; his limbs were weak and mangled, his body was emaciated, and despair was the mistress of his bosom. Isaac endeavored to encourage him to proceed ; he dug roots for him to eat, and brought water to quench his thirst - but all was in vain. He laid himself down on the bank of the stream, in the shade of the bud- ding trees, to die, far from his friends, with none for companions but the howling beasts of the forest. Isaac left him to his fate, and with a bleed- ing heart, slowly and wearily pursued his journey. He had travelled but a short distance when he came to a newly raised building. Rejoiced at his good fortune, and believing that inhabitants were nigh, he immediately retraced his steps, and soon found Joseph in the same place and position in which he left him. He told him what he had seen, talked very encour- agingly, and after rubbing his limbs a long while, he succeeded in making him stand on his feet. They then started together, Isaac part of the time leading him by the hand, and part of the time carrying him on his back ; and in this manner, with their naked limbs mangled and wearied with travelling, their strength exhausted by sickness, and their bodies emaciated almost to skeletons, they arrived at Saco fort, sometime in the following night.
Thus, on the ninth night, they arrived among their countrymen, after travelling over an immense forest, subsisting on a little bread, on buds and berries, and on one raw turtle and a pigeon, and without seeing the face of a friend, or warming themselves over a fire. Isaac, soon as he had re- gained his strength, started for Haverhill, and arrived safely at his father's dwelling, who had heard nothing from him since he was taken, and ex- pected never to see him again. But Joseph had more to suffer - he was seized with a raging fever soon as he reached the fort, and was for a long time confined to his bed. His father, when Isaac returned, went to Saco, and brought home his long lost son, soon as his health permitted."
On the 7th of October, of the same fall, one person was wounded, and nine taken captive, at Newbury. This was the last Indian depredation of that year, and for the next eight months the inhabitants of the vicinity suffered no molestation by them, although, with the opening of spring, they had every reason to fear fresh incursions. But the spring wore away, and summer came again, with no signs of the enemy. The settlers now began to hope that they would once more be permitted to rest in peace, and suffered their watchfulness and vigilance to relax. This was appa-
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rently just what the cunning savages were waiting for, and well did they improve their opportunity. On the 26th of June, a large party fell upon Portsmouth, killed twenty-four, wounded one, and captured four. A few days afterward, they assaulted Amesbury, killed three persons, burned three houses, and, with hellish barbarity, tortured to death Captain Sam- uel Foot. On the 26th of July, Dover was attacked, three persons killed, three wounded, and three taken captive. August 13th, two men, - " Old John Hoyt," so called, and a young man named Peters, - both of Ames- bury, were killed by the Indians on the road between Haverhill and Andover.
Two days afterward, Jonathan Haynes of this town, and his four chil- dren, Mary, Thomas, Jonathan, and Joseph, were captured.º The children were in a field near Bradley's mills, picking beans, and the father was reaping near by. The Indians immediately started with their captives for Pennacook. (Concord, N. H.) When they arrived, they divided their prisoners, and separated, - one party taking the father and Joseph, and the other the remaining children. The first party started for their homes, in Maine, where they soon arrived. Their prisoners had remained with them but a short time, when they improved an opportunity to escape. After travelling two or three days, with scarce anything to satisfy their craving appetites, the old man sunk down exhausted. Finding his efforts to encourage his father were vain, the son started onward, and soon after coming to the top of a hill, he climbed a tall tree, to sce if he could dis- cover any signs of civilization. But no such joyful sight was his. After the first bitter gush of grief had passed, and while he yet hesitated which course to take, his quick ear caught the sound of a sawmill ! He listened. There was no mistaking that familiar sound, and, with a glad heart and bounding step, he followed it, and soon found himself at the settlement of Saco !
His story was soon told, and with ample assistance, and a bottle of milk, he lastened back to his father, whom he found as he had left him, - laid down to die, without the hope or expectation of ever again looking upon the face of a friend. The milk, and the good news, revived him, and, with considerable difficulty, he reached Saco. Here they remained until their strength was sufficiently recruited, when they started for Haverhill, where they soon arrived without further difficulty.
" Mirick is incorrect in giving the names of the children. The children of Jonathan and Sarah Haynes were Mary, born November 14, 1677; Thomas, born May 14, 1680; Jonathan, born September 3, 1684; Margaret, born March 3, 1687; Joseph, born August 4, 1689; Ruth, born February 10, 1692; Elizabeth, born March 22, 1697.
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The party which took the other children, went to Canada, where they were sold to the French.
As the tradition is, that Mary was carried to Canada on a hand-sled, we presume the Indians tarried at Pennacook until winter. Mary was re- deemed the following winter, with one hundred pounds of tobacco. She afterward married John Preston, of Andover, and moved to Connecticut. She was living in Windham, (Conn.) October 12, 1730, as appears by her signature to a deed of that date. The boys never returned. A deed of 1731 speaks of them as still in Canada. In one of the companies in the Canada expedition of 1757, were three brothers named Haynes, from this town. While in Canada, they had leave granted to make search for the captive brothers, and they found them. They had lost their mother lan- guage completely, and could only converse with their English relatives, through an interpreter. One of them enquired about his sister, who had one of her fingers accidentally cut off by a young lad, the son of a neigh- bor, a short time before her capture. He recollected the circumstance, and asked if she was still living. Neither of them could be persuaded to return with their relatives.º
Thus far, Haverhill had been spared the horrors of a general, or exten- sive attack. Its losses and sufferings had been principally from small parties of the enemy, who were continually prowling around the frontier, watching for opportunities to harrass, rob, murder, and capture the inhabi- tants. But its hour for severer trials was now near at hand.
The 15th of March, 1697, witnessed one of the bloodiest forays of the whole war, and this town was the victim. On that day, a party of about twenty Indians came suddenly, and without warning, upon the western part of the town, and, with the swiftness of the whirlwind, made their attack, and as suddenly disappeared.
The first house attacked was that of Thomas Duston.+ Of this attack, and the heroic exploits of Duston and his wife, there have been various accounts published, and traditions handed down, which, though agreeing
o We have these interesting traditionary incidents, from Guy C. Haynes, Esq., of East Boston, a native of Haverhill.
t This name, at the present time, is written in various ways. It was originally written Durston, and was changed to Duston about the time of the above-named Thomas Duston. This is shown, not only by our Town Records, but by Duston's petition to the General Court, in June, 1697. In the heading of his petition, (which is not in his own hand writing.) the name is written Durstan, and it is so written in the subsequent proceedings on the petition. But his signature to the petition is "Du (r) stan," (or perhaps Du(r)stun). The letter "r" must have been interpolated subsequent to his first signing the petition, and we think it most probable that it was done by Duston himself, so as to make his signature agree with the name as given in the heading of the petition. We have adopted Duston in this work, because it is so written, in almost every instance, in our Town Records.
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in the main, disagree somewhat in the detail. Of them all, we think the account given by Rev. Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia, is the most reliable. Mather heard the story directly from the lips of Mrs. Duston, when she was in Boston, (soon after her return from captivity,) and published it very soon after. The following is his version" : -
"On March 15, 1697, the Salvages made a Descent upon the Skirts of Haverhil, Murdering and Captivng about Thirty-nine Persons, and Burn- ing about half a Dozen Houses. In this Broil, one Hannah Dustan hav- ing lain-in about a Week, t attended with her Nurse, Mary Neff,t a Widow, a Body of terrible Indians drew near unto the House where she lay, with Designs to carry on their Bloody Devastations. Her Husband hastened from his Employments abroad unto the relief of his Distressed Family ;§ and first bidding Seren | of his Eight Children (which were from Two to Seventeen years of age) to get away as fast as they could unto some Gar- rison in the Town, he went in to inform his Wife of the horrible Distress come upon them. E'er she could get up, the fierce Indians were got so near, that utterly despairing to do her any Service, he ran out after his Children ; resolving that on the Horse which he had with him, he would Ride away with that which he should in this Extremity find his Affections to pitch most upon, and leave the rest unto the Care of the Divine Provi- dence. He overtook his Children about Forty Rod from his Door; but then such was the Agony of his Parental Affections, that he found it im- possible for him to distinguish any one of them from the rest ; wherefore he took up a Courageous Resolution to Live & Die with them all. [ A party
" We copy directly from the first edition of the Magnalia, published in London, 1702, - only five years subsequent to the exploits it describes. The notes are ours.
" Her babe was born March 9th, 1696-7.
# She was the daughter of George Corliss, and married William Neff'; her husband went after the army, and died at Pemaqnid, in February, 1688. Neff lived on the farm now owned by William Swasey. " It was given to Mrs. Neff, by her father.
§ " Her Husband was at work in the field, and seeing the Enemy at a distance, ran home."- Veals Hist. New Eng., London, 1747.
|| Their names were, Hannah, born Angust 22, 1678 ; Elizabeth, born May 7, 1680; Thomas, born Jan- nary 5, 1683; Nathaniel, born May 16, 1685; Sarah, born July 4, 1688 : Abigail, born October -, 1690; Jonathan, born January 15, 1691-2 ; Timothy, born September 14, 1694. Besides these, they had had Mary, born November 4, 1681; died October 18, 1696; John, born February 2, 1686; died January 28, 1690; Mehitable, (twin sister to Timothy,) died December 16, 1694; and Martha, (the babe killed,) born born March 15, 1696-7. They afterward had Lydia, born October 4, 1698.
The following beautiful lines, entitled THE FATHER'S CHOICE, are from the pen of Mrs. Sarah J. Hale : -
Now fly, as flies the rushing wind- Urge, urge, thy lagging steed ! The savage yell is fierce behind, And life is on thy speed.
And from those dear ones make thy choice; The group he wildly eyed,
When "father !" burst from every voice, And " child !" his heart replied.
There's one that now can share his toil, And one he meant for fame, And one that wears her mother's smile, And one that bears her name.
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of Indians came up with him ; and now though they Fired at him, and he Fired at them," yet he Manfully kept at the Reer of his Little Army of Unarmed Children, while they marched off with the Pace of a child of Five Years Old; until, by the Singular Providence of God, he arrived safe with them all unto a Place of Safety about a Mile or two from his House.i
And one will prattle on his knee, Or slumber on his breast; And one whose joys of infancy, Are still by smiles expressed.
They feel no fear while he is near ; He'll shield them from the foe; But oh! his ear must thrill to hear Their shriekings, should he go.
In vain his quivering lips would speak, No words his thoughts allow ; There's burning tears upon his cheek- Deatlı's marble on his brow.
They come, they come-he heeds no cry, Save the soft child-like wail,
"O father save !" " My children, fly !" Were mingled on the gale.
And twice he smote his clenched hand- Then bade his children fly !
And firmer still he drew his breath, And sterner flash'd his eye.
And turned, and ee'n that savage band Cowered at his wrathful eye.
As fast he hurls the leaden death, Still shouting, "children fly !"
Swift as the lightning winged with death, Flashed forth the quivering flame ! Their fiercest warrior bows beneath The father's deadly ain.
No shadow on his brow appeared, Nor tremor shook his frame,
. Save when at intervals he heard Some trembler lisp his nanie.
In vain the foe, those fiends unchained, Like famished tigers chafe, The sheltered roof is near'd, is gain'd All, all the dear one's safe !
" "The Indians pursned him all the while, but he kept in the rear of his little Flock and when any of them came within reach of his Gun, he presented it at them, which made them retreat."-Neal.
" A small party of the Indians pursued Mr. Dustin, as he fled from the house, and soon overtook him and his flying children. They did not, however, approach very near, for they saw his determination, and feared the vengeance of a father,-but skulked behind the trees and fences, and fired upon him and his little company. Mr. Dustin dismounted from his horse, placed himself in the rear of his children, and returned the fire of the enemy often and with good success. In this manner he retreated for more than a mile, alternately encouraging his terrified charge, and loading and firing his gun until he lodged them safely in a forsaken house. The Indians, finding that they could not conquer him, returned to their companions, expecting, no doubt, that they should there find victims, on which they might exercise their savage eruelty.
It is truly astonishing that no one of that little company was killed or wounded. When we reflect upon the skill of the Indians as marksmen, upon their great superiority of strength, and the advantage they possessed in skulking behind every fence and tree, it cannot but be confessed that the arm of the Almighty was outstretched for their preservation. Not a ball from the enemy took effect ; but, so surely, says tradi- tion, as Mr. Dustin raised his gun to his eye, so surely some one of the enemy would welter in his blood." -Mirick.
We feel confident that Neal is right, and that Duston did not fire his gun. Had he done so, his pur- suers eould and would have rushed upon him before he could possibly have re-loaded, and have made sure work of him. But by making a barracade of his horse, and reserving his fire - bringing his trusty gun quickly to bear upon the blood-thirsty, but cowardly red devils, as any of them chanced to peep from behind a tree or wall - he took the most reasonable and effective method for keeping them at bay.
t Precisely where, and what, this "place of safety " was, is a question of no small interest. Mirick says, that Duston ordered his children " to fly in an opposite direction from that in which the danger was approaching," and that he finally " lodged them safely in a forsaken house." The first appears reason- able, but not the last. A " forsaken house " would have afforded no safer shelter than his own roof, from which he had already fled, Again, the tradition seems always to have been that the place reached was a garrison, (Vide Mather, Neal, and others,) and this appears to harmonize with the fact that the garri-
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Ambition goads the conqueror on, Hate points the murderer's brand- But love and duty, these alone Can nerve the good man's hand.
Not the wild cries. that rend the skies, His heart of purpose move ; He saves his children, or he dies The sacrifice of love.
The hero may resign the field, The coward murd'rer flee ;
He cannot fear, he will not yield, That strikes, sweet love for thee.
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But his house must in the meantime have more dicmal Tragedies acted at it. The Nurse trying to escape with the New-born Infant, fell into the Hands of the Formidable Salvages ; and those furious Tawnies coming into the House, bid poor Dustan to rise immediately. Full of Astonish- ment she did so ; and sitting down in the Chimney with an heart full of most fearful Expectation, she saw the raging Dragons rifle all that they could carry away, and set the house on Fire. About Nineteen or Twenty Indians now led these away, with about half a Score other English Cap- tives; but ere they had gone many Steps, they dash'd out the Brains of the Infant against a Tree"; and several of the other Captives, as they be- gan to Tire in their sad Journey, were soon sent unto their Long Home ; the Salvages would presently Bury their Hatchets in their Brains, and leave their Carcases on the Ground for Birds and Beasts to feed upon. However. Dustan (with her Nurse) notwithstanding her present Condition, t Travelled that Night about a Dozen Miles, and then kept up with their New Masters in a long Travel of an Hundred and Fifty Miles, more or less,¿ within a few Days Ensuing, without any sensible Damage in their Health, from the Hardships of their Travel, their Lodging, their Diet, and their many other Difficulties. These Two Poor Women were now in the hands of those whose Tender Mercies are Cruelties ; but the good God, who hath all Hearts in his own Hands, heard the sighs of these Prisoners, and gave them to find unexpected Favor from the Master who laid claim unto them. That Indian Family consisted of Twelve Persons ; Two Stout
sons were expressly designed for, - were always considered, and were in reality, -places of safety. As the Indians must have attacked from the north, or west, Duston would naturally flee toward the south, or cast, - in which direction were all the garrisons then in the town. And, whether he lived on the easterly or westerly side of Little River at the time, the nearest garrisons were those of Onisephorus Marsh, (about half-way up "Pecker's Hill,") and Jonathan Emerson, (on the west corner of Winter and Harrison Streets). To one of these, therefore, he must have direeted his flight. Among all the versions of the tradition which have reached us, we find but one which unequivocally designates the place reached, and that one points to the garrison of Mr. Marsh. This tradition comes to us through Moses Merrill, Esq., (of which more anon,) and we have no doubt of its truthfulness.
" Miriek says, "We have been informed by a gentleman, that he heard his grandmother who lived to an advanced age, often relate this faet, and that she had frequently ate apples that grew on the same tree. We have also been informed by an aged female, that she had often heard her mother tell of eating of the fruit of the same tree." All the traditions which locate this tree at all, agree in locating it on the west side of Little River.
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