USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester county; a narrative history, Volume I > Part 8
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"So with much difficulty we got over the river and meadow to the Island where they stood to face us at our coming out of the mire. Many Indians with their guns presented at us ready-cocked and primed, so we rushed between them, and called for their sachem. They presently faced about and went to surround us. We rushed between them once or twice, and bid them
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stand in a body, and I would face them. But still the uproar continued with such noise that the air rang. I required them to lay down their arms, and they commanded us to put up our arms first and come off our horses, which I refused to do. Some of them which were inclinable to believe us or were our friends laid down their arms, but the others continued the uproar for a while. With much threatening and persuasion, at last the uproar ceased. Many of them said they would neither believe me nor my master, without he would send them two or three bushels of powder.
"At length I spoke with their sachems, which were five, and other gran- dees, which I think were about twelve more. Our Natick Indians seemed to be very industrious all this time to still the tumult and so persuade the Indians. And as soon as I came to speak with the sachems, we dismounted and put up our arms. I had a great deal of speech with them by an inter- preter, being brought to their Court and sent out again three or four times. The names of the sachems are these: I. Muttaump. 2. Konkewasco. 3. Willymachen. 4. Upchattuck. 5. Keehood. 6. Noncatonsoo. Muttaump I perceive is chosen to be head over the other five, and was the chief speaker. Their company in numbers I judge to be near two hundred men. They would fain have had me to stay all night. I asked the reason of some that could speak English. They said that they had some messengers at Connecticut and some southward, and that was the reason they would have me stay. I asked them the reason of their rude behavior towards us. And they said they heard that the English had killed a man of theirs about Merrimack river, and that they had an intent to destroy them all. I left them well appeased when I came away. More might be added; but thus far this is a true relation.
Pr y humble Servt
"July 16, 1675.
EPHM CURTIS"
Of the Indian sachems named by Curtis, Muttaump was a Quaboag, who without doubt later was the leader in the ambush of Captains Hutchinson and Wheeler, and at the siege of Brookfield. He was one of the shrewdest and bravest plotters and warriors of the war. Konkewasco was also a Quaboag sachem. Upchattuck was a Nashaway chieftain, commonly known as Sag- amore Sam, and Keehood and Noncatonsoo were Wabaquassets.
This "Return and Relation" evidently surprised and alarmed the Gover- nor and Council. They were unprepared to learn of the widespread disaffec- tion among the natives, and especially of the strong combination already formed by the Quaboags. And the full significance of Curtis' Relation is seen when we recall that two days before, on July 14, and at the very time when he was in conference with the Indians at Menameset, the war party had surprised the town of Mendon, only thirty miles from Boston, and killed five men.
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Curtis Again Braves the Sachems-Immediately the authorities despatched Curtis on a second visit to Brookfield and Wenimesset (in New Braintree), with a message to the Indians and letters to Major Pynchon. He returned to Boston July 24 and made this report : "I proceeded according to your order in my journey to the Indians, and going through Brookfield, I delivered your letters directed to Maj. Pynchon to the constable Brookfield. From this I went directly to the Indians, and found them at the same place where they were before. We sent one Indian before us to give an account of our coming, at which they made a great shout.
"When we came to the river we called to have the Sachems come over to us. The reply was made to us that if we had any business to them we must come over to them; and when we understood that they would not come to us we went to them. I first asked for the chief speaker Muttaump. They told us he was at present gone from them, but might be spoken withal, it may be the next day. We then required to see the Sachems that were there. And these appeared, Keehood, Willymachen, John Apeckgonas and Samuel, sachem of Washacum, with whom we treated.
"We had pretty good quarter with them. There was no abuse offered to us. I read your Honor's letter deliberately to them. They seemed to accept of it very well. They promised that Keehood and one more of their prin- cipal men would come to the Massachusetts Bay within four or five days, and speak our Great Sachem. Many questions they asked of us to which we answered; but in the close of all we told them that if they were not satis- fied, if Muttaump and Keehood, or some of their principal men would come to the Bay, our Great Sachem would use them kindly, and well fill their bellies, and answer all their questions. We asked them why they were so abusive the last time. They said that Black James, the constable of Chau- bunagungamaug had told them that the English would kill them all without any exception, because they were not Praying Indians.
"When we were come back about twelve miles, one of our Indians told us that there was one man there which had been with Philip, and was come there three days before us, and had brought English goods with him which they thought he had robbed the English of. We asked him why he had not told us of it while we were there. He said he did not know of it while we were come over the river, but we rather judge he concealed it through fear that we would make a disturbance for that man's sake. This is the substance of what I have to acquaint your Honors withal.
"July 24, 1675.
EPH. CURTIS."
Governor Leverett and his Council did not wait for the arrival of the sagamores, who never came. Word of the Mendon massacre had reached them, and on July 27 they ordered Captain Edward Hutchinson, who had con-
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ducted a farm in the Nipmuck Country and knew the Indians, and Captain Thomas Wheeler of Concord, with his troop of twenty horse, to proceed immediately into the wilderness, seek out the Indians, and discover the exact status of affairs among them. The order, as it turned out, was almost the equivalent of a death warrant. Its very wording indicated great hazard.
It set forth that the Council had been informed that a hundred armed Narragansett Indians "are come down in the Nipmuck Country," and the two captains, with Ephraim Curtis as a guide, were "forthwith to repair to those parts, and there labor to get a right understanding of the motions of the Narragansett Indians and the Indians of Nipmuck." They were to demand of the Narargansett leaders "an account of ye grounds of their marching into that country, and require to understand the orders of their sachems." On top of this, the English captains were informed that "Matoonas and his accom- plices who have murdered and robbed our people at Mendon are now among them, and we require of them (Narragansetts and Nipmucks) to deliver them to you or forthwith to bring in to us those our enemies, otherwise we must look at them as no friends to us, but as aiders and abettors." The cap- tains were ordered, if it became necessary, to use force of arms on "any Indians that stand in opposition to you." The brave little troop found no Naragansetts, but more than enough of Nipmucks.
The story of the expedition, the ambush into which it was betrayed, the retreat to Brookfield and the siege of the garrison house, was written in simple, direct narrative form by Captain Wheeler, who omitted none of the lurid details. Much of it will be found in the next chapter.
CHAPTER VII.
Ambush at Wenimesset and Siege of Brookfield --- Captain Wheeler's Narrative
"Captain Hutchinson, and myself, with twenty men or more, marched from Cambridge to Sudbury, July 28, 1675. From thence into the Nipmuck Country, and found that the Indians had deserted their towns. We having gone until we came within two miles of New Norwich, on July 31 (only we saw two Indians having an horse with them, whom we would have spoke with, but they fled from us and left their horse, which we took), we then thought it not expedient to march any further that way, but set our march for Brookfield, whither we came on the Lord's day about noon. From thence the same day (being August 1), we understanding that the Indians were about ten miles north west from us, we sent out four men to acquaint the Indians that we were not come to harm them, but our business was only to deliever a Message from our Honored Governor and Council to them, and to receive their answer, we desiring to come to a Treaty of Peace with them (though they had for several days fled from us), they having before pro- fessed friendship, and promised fidelity to the English.
"When the messengers came to them they made an alarm, and gathered together about an hundred and fifty fighting men as near as they could judge. The young men amongst them were stout in their speeches, and surly in their carriage. But at length some of the chief Sachems promised to meet us on the next morning about 8 of the clock upon a plain within three miles of Brookfield, with which answer the messengers returned to us. Whereupon, though their speeches and carriage did much discourage divers of our com- pany, yet we conceived that we had a clear call to go to meet them at the place whither they had promised to come.
"Accordingly we with our men, accompanied with three of the principal inhabitants of that town, marched to the plain appointed. But the treacher- ous heathen intending mischief (if they could have opportunity), came not
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to the said place, and so failed our hopes of speaking with them there. Whereupon, the said Captain Hutchinson and myself, with the rest of our Company, considered what was best to be done, whether we should go any further towards them or return. Divers of us apprehended much danger in case we did proceed, because the Indians kept not promise there with us. But the three men who belonged to Brookfield were so strongly persuaded of their freedom from any ill intentions towards us (as upon other grounds, so especially because the greatest part of those Indians belonged to David, one of their chief Sachems, who was taken to be a great friend to the Eng- lish) that Captain Hutchinson, who was principally intrusted with the matter to Treaty with them, was thereby encouraged to proceed and march forward toward a swamp where the Indians then were.
Marched Into An Ambush-"When we came near the swamp, the way was so very bad that we could march only in a single file. There was a very rocky hill on the right hand, and a thick swamp on the left, in which there were many of those cruel blood-thirsty heathen, who there waylaid us, wait- ing an opportunity to cut us off. There was also much brush on the side of the hill, where they lay in ambush to surprise us. When we had marched there about sixty or seventy rods, the said perfidious Indians sent out their shot upon us as a shower of hail, they being (as was supposed), about two hundred men or more.
"We seeing ourselves so beset, and not having room to fight, endeavored to fly for the safety of our lives. In which flight we were in no small danger to be all cut off. There was a very miry swamp before us, into which we could not enter with our horses to go forwards, and there was no safety in retreating the way we came, because many of their company, who lay behind the bushes, had let us pass by them quietly. When others had shot, they came out and stopped our way back, so that we were forced as we could to get up the steep and rocky hill. But the greater our danger was, the greater was God's mercy in the preservation of so many of us from sud- den destruction.
"Myself being gone up part of the hill without any hurt, and perceiving some of my men to be fallen by the enemies' shot, I wheeled about upon the Indians, not calling on my men who were left to accompany me, which they in all probability would have done had they known of my return upon the enemy. They fired violently out of the swamp and from behind the bushes on the hill side. They wounded me sorely, and shot my horse under me, so that he faultering and falling, I was forced to leave him, divers of the Indians being then but a few rods distant from me.
"My son, Thomas Wheeler, flying with the rest of the company, missed me amongst them, and fearing that I was either slain or much endangered,
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returned towards the swamp again, though he had then received a dangerous wound, where he saw me in the danger aforesaid. Whereupon, he endeav- ored to rescue me, showing himself therein a loving and dutiful son, he adventuring himself into great peril of his life to help me in that distress, there being many of the enemies about me. My son set me on his horse, and so escaped a while on foot himself, until he caught an horse whose rider was slain, on which he mounted, and so through God's great mercy we both escaped. But in this attempt for my deliverance he received another danger- ous wound by their shot in his left arm. There were then slain, to our great grief, eight men. There were also then five persons wounded. They also then killed five of our horses, and wounded some more, which soon died after they came to Brookfield.
"Upon this sudden and unexpected blow given us (wherein we desire to look higher than man the instrument), we returned to the town as fast as the badness of the way and the weakness of our wounded man would permit, we being then ten miles from it. All the while we were going, we darest not stay to staunch the bleeding of our wounded man, for fear the enemy would have surprised us again, which they attempted to do, and had in probability done, but that we perceiving which way they went, wheeled off to the other hand. And so by God's Good Providence towards us, they missed us, and we all came readily upon and safely to the town, though none of us knew the way to it, those of the place being slain, and we avoiding any thick woods and riding in open places to prevent danger by them. Being got to the town, we speedily betook ourselves to one of the largest and strongest houses therein, where we fortified ourselves in the best manner we could in such straits of time, and there resolved to keep garrison though we were but few, and meanly fitted to make resistance against so furious enemies.
Siege of Garrison House-"The news of the Indians' treacherous deal- ing with us, and the loss of so many of our company thereby, did so amaze the inhabitants of the town, that they presently left their houses, divers of them carrying very little away with them, they being afraid of the Indians sudden coming upon them. And so they came to the house we were entered into, very meanly provided of clothing or furnished with provisions.
"I perceiving myself to be disenabled for the discharge of the duties of my place by reason of the wound I had received, and apprehending that the enemy would soon come to spoil the town and assault us in the house, I appointed Simon Davis, of Concord, James Richardson and John Fiske of Chelmsford, to manage affairs for our safety with those few men whom God hath left us and were fit for any service, and the inhabitants of the said town. They did well and commendably perform the duties of the trust com- mitted to them with much courage and resolution through the assistance of
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our gracious God, who did not leave us in our low and distressed state, but did mercifully appear for us in our greatest need, as in the sequel will clearly be manifested.
"Within two hours after our coming to the said house, or less, Captain Hutchinson and myself posted away Ephraim Curtis of Sudbury, and Henry Young of Concord, to go to the Honored Council at Boston, to give them an account of the Lord's dealing with us, and our present condition. When they came to the further end of the town they saw the enemy rifling of houses which the inhabitants had forsaken. The post fired upon them, and immedi- ately returned to us again. They discerned no safety in going forward and were desirous to inform us of the enemies' actings, that we might the more prepare for a sudden assault by them.
"Which indeed presently followed, for as soon as they were come back to us, the barbarous heathen pressed upon us in the house with great violence, sending in their shot amongst us like hail, through the walls, and shouting as if they would have swallowed us up alive. But our good God wrought wonderfully for us, so that there was but one man wounded within the house, vis., Henry Young, who, looking out of the garret window that evening, was mortally wounded by a shot, of which wound he died within two days after. There was the same day another man slain, but not in the house. A son of Sergeant Pritchard's, adventuring out of the house wherein we were to his father's house not far from it, to fetch more goods out of it, was caught by these cruel enemies as they were coming towards us, who cut off his head, kicking it about like a foot-ball, and then putting it upon a pole, they set it up before the door of his father's house in our sight.
"The night following the said blow, they did roar against us like so many wild bulls, sending in their shot amongst us till towards the moon rising, which was about three of the clock. At which time they attempted to fire our house by hay and other combustible matter which they brought to one corner of the house, and set it on fire. Whereupon some of our company were necessitated to expose themselves to very great danger to put it out.
"Simon Davis, one of the three appointed by myself as Captain to supply my place by reason of my wounds, he being of a lively spirit, encouraged the soldiers within the house to fire upon the Indians, and also those that adven- tured out to put out the fire (which began to rage and kindle upon the house side), with these and the like words, 'God is with us, and fights with us, and will deliver us out of the hands of these heathen.' Which expressions of his the Indians hearing, they shouted and scoffed, saying, 'Now see how your God delivers you, or will deliver you,' sending in many shots whilst our men were putting out the fire. But the Lord of Hosts wrought very graciously for us, in preserving our bodies both within and without the house from their shot, and our house from being consumed by fire. We had but two men
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wounded in that attempt of theirs, but we apprehended that we killed divers of our enemies.
Curtis Penetrates Invaders-"I being desirous of hastening intelli- gence to the Honored Council, of our present great distress, we being so remote from any succor (it being sixty and seventy miles from us to Boston, where the Council useth to sit), and fearing our ammunition would not last long to withstand them, if they continued so to assault us, I spake to Ephraim Curtis to adventure forth again on that service, and to attempt it on foot, as the way wherein there was most hope of getting away undiscovered. He readily assented, and accordingly went out, but there were so many Indians everywhere thereabouts, that he could not pass without apparent hazard of life. So he came back again. But towards morning the said Ephraim adven- tured forth the third time, and was fain to creep on his hands and knees for some space of ground, that he might not be discerned by the enemy, who waited to prevent our sending if they could have hindered it. But through God's mercy he escaped their hands, and got safely to Marlborough, though very much spent, and ready to faint by reason of want of sleep before he went from us, and his sore travel night and day in that hot season till he got thither, from whence he went to Boston.
"Yet before the said Ephraim got to Marlborough, there was intelligence brought thither of the burning of some houses, and killing some cattle at Quabaug, by some who were going to Connecticut. But they seeing what was done at the end of the town, and hearing several guns shot off further within the town, they durst proceed no further, but immediately returned to Marl- borough, though they knew not what had befallen Captain Hutchinson and myself and company, nor of our being there. But that timely intelligence they gave before Ephraim Curtis his coming to Marlborough, occasioned the Honored Major Willard's turning his march towards Quabaug, for their relief who were in no small danger every hour of being destroyed; the Major being, when he had that intelligence, upon his march another way, as he was ordered by the Honored Council.
"The next day being August 3d, they continued shooting and shouting, and proceeded in their former wickedness, blaspheming the name of the Lord, and reproaching us, his afflicted servants, scoffing at our prayers as they were sending in their shot upon all quarters of the house. And many of them went to the town's meeting house (which was within twenty rods of the house in which we were), who mocked saying, 'Come and pray, and sing psalms,' and in contempt made an hideous noise somewhat resembling sing- ing. But we, to our power, did endeavor our defence, sending our shot amongst them, the Lord giving us courage to resist them, and preserving us from the destruction they sought to bring upon us.
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"On the evening following, we saw our enemies carrying several of their dead or wounded men on their backs. They proceeded that night to send in their shot, as they had done the night before, and also still shouted as if the day had been certainly theirs, and they should without fail have prevailed against us. Which they might have the more hopes of, in that we discerned the coming of new companies to them to assist and strengthen them, and the unlikelihood of any coming to our help. They also used several stratagems to fire us, namely, by wild fire in cotton and linen rags with brimstone in them, which rags they tied to the piles of their arrows, sharp for the purpose, and shot them to the roof of our house, after they had set them on fire. Which would have much endangered the burning thereof, had we not used means by cutting holes through the roof, and otherwise, to beat the said arrows down, and God being pleased to prosper our endeavors therein.
"They carried more combustible matter, as flax and hay, to the sides of the house, and set it on fire, and then flocked apace towards the door of the house, either to prevent our going forth to quench the fire, as we had done before, or to kill our men in their attempt to go forth, or else to break into the house by the door. Whereupon we were forced to break down the wall of the house against the fire to put it out. They also shot a ball of wild fire into the garret of the house, amongst a great heap of flax or tow therein, which one of our soldiers, through God's good Providence, espyed, and hav- ing water ready presently quenched it.
"And so we were preserved by the keeper of Israel, both our bodies from their shot, which they sent thick against us, and the house from being con- sumed to ashes, although we were but weak to defend ourselves, we being not above twenty and six men with those of that small town, who were able for any service. Our enemies, I judged about (if not above) three hundred. I speak of the least, for many there present did guess them to be four or five hundred. It is the more to be observed, that so little hurt should be done by the enemies' shot, it commonly piercing the walls of the house and flying amongst the people, and there being in the house fifty women and children besides the men before mentioned. But abroad in the yard, one Thomas Wilson of that town, being sent to fetch water for our help in further need (that which we had spent in putting out the fire), was shot by the enemy in the upper jaw and in the neck. The anguish of which wound was such at the first that he cried out with a great noise, by reason whereof the Indians hear- ing him rejoiced, and triumphed at it. But his wound was healed in a short time, praised be God.
Saved by a Shower of Rain-"On Wednesday, August the 4th, the Indians fortified themselves at the meeting house and the barn belonging to our house, which they fortified both at the great doors, and at both ends, with
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posts, rails, boards, and hay, to save themselves from our shot. They also devised other stratagems to fire our house. On the night following they took a cart, and filled it with flax, hay and candlewood, and other combustible matter, and set up planks fastened to the cart, to save themselves from the danger of our shot.
"Another invention they had to make the more sure work in burning the house. They got many poles of a considerable length and bigness, and spliced them together at the ends one of another, and made a carriage of them about fourteen rods long, setting the poles in two rows, with peils laid cross over them at the front end, and dividing them about three foot asunder. And in the front of this their carriage they set a barrel, having made an hole through both heads, and put an axle-tree through them, to which they fastened the poles. And under every joint of the poles where they were spliced, they set up a pair of truckle wheels to bear up the carriages, and they loaded the front or fore-end thereof with matter fit for firing, as hay, and flax, and chips, etc. Two of these instruments they prepared, that they might convey fire to the house with the more safety to themselves, they standing at such a distance from our shot, whilst they wheeled them to the house. Great store of arrows they had also prepared to shoot fire upon the house that night, which we found after they were gone, they having left them there. But the Lord who is a present help in time of trouble, and is pleased to make his people's extremity his opportunity, did graciously prevent them of effecting what they hoped they should have done by the aforesaid devices, partly by sending a shower of rain in season, whereby the matter prepared being wet would not easily take fire as it otherwise would have done, and partly by aid coming to our help.
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