USA > Maine > A brief history of Maine > Part 10
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On the twenty-seventh of the month the companies
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arrived at Richmond on their return; the Mohawk shot by Mogg being the only man lost. Thirty Indians had been left dead on the field, among whom were five sagamores -all noted warriors; and it was believed that more than fifty were killed or drowned in the river. The Canibas tribe never lifted its head after this blow, and was no more counted among the red man's nations. The remnant lingered a while about their old dwelling places on the banks of their pleasant river ; but not many years later most of them removed to the St. Francis, whither their kindred tribe, the fated Wawennocks, had gone before them.
In what year was the final expedition against Norridgewock ? Who led the attack upon the village? How long had Ralle been with this tribe? What incident shows their regard for him ? What deceptlons did he use with the Indians ? Who set the vil- lage on fire ? What became of the remnant of this tribe ?
CHAPTER XVII.
1. In the autumn following the fall of Norridge- wock Colonel Westbrook with three hundred men scoured the country to the eastward of the Kennebec, and Captain Heath soon after ascended the Penob- scot; but neither met with the Indians or destroyed any of their settlements.
In December, and again in February, Captain Love- well made successful excursions into the region north and cast of Winnipesaukee Lake; and in April, 1725.
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he set out on the expedition which terminated in the famous "Lovewell's Fight."
It was on the sixteenth of April that Captain Love- well with forty-six volunteers set out from Dunstable, Massachusetts, to hunt for Indians about the head- waters of the Saco River, which was the home of the Sokokis. The chief pilot was an Indian named Toby; but he was obliged to return on account of lameness. After marching about one hundred miles another of the party became disabled by reason of an old wound; and his kinsman was sent with him back to the settle- ment. By the time the force reached Ossipee Pond, in New Hampshire, another man fell seriously ill; and the whole company stopped there and built a small stockade fort. Here they left the sick man, with the surgeon and eight of the most weary ones; so that there now remained only thirty-four men, including the captain, to continue the march. About twenty- two miles to the northeast lay the body of water now known as Lovewell's Pond, in Fryeburg; and thither this brave little band took its way.
2. On the night of the seventh of May they en- camped by a brook that runs into the pond near the northwest corner; while only two miles northward, on the bank of the Saco, was Pigwacket, the principal village of the Sokokis. The next morning while they were at prayers the report of a gun was heard. Pass- ing another small brook, they came upon a level plain at the north of the pond, and discovered an Indian standing on a point that ran into the pond on the east. It was now believed that the savages had dis- covered them, and that this lone Indian was a decoy to draw them into an ambush. Captain Lovewell inquired of his little company whether it was pru- dent to venture an engagement with the enemy in his own country, or to make a speedy retreat. One of them answered boldly and firmly, "We came out to meet the enemy; we have all along prayed God we
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might meet them; and we had rather trust Providence with our lives,-yea, die for our country, than try to return without seeing them, if we may,-and be called cowards for our pains." To this the rest willingly and fully assented.
Therefore, leaving their packs among the brakes in the midst of the plain, they went cautiously forward, crossing on their way another stream, since known as "Battle Brook." In a short time they met the Indian returning toward the village. Several fired upon him, and he instantly fired in return, wounding Captain Lovewell and one of the men; but Ensign Wyman fired and killed him. In the meantime a party of sav- ages led by Paugus and Wahwa, going, or returning between the village and the pond, had come upon the packs which were left on the plain; and, counting them, they found themselves three times as strong as the English.
3. It was now about ten o'clock; and Lovewell's party turned back in the way they came. They passed over the brook and were crossing the plain to resume their packs, when the savages rose in front and rear, and rushed toward them with guns present- ed, and yelling like demons. Lovewell and his men with determined shouts ran to meet them. In the volley that followed many Indians fell, and they were driven back several rods. They turned again with fierce cries; and three more rounds were fired at close quarters, some of the combatants being not more than twice the length of their guns apart. Captain Love- well was mortally wounded; but, leaning against a tree, he continued to fight; and he was seen with a gun in his hands ready to fire, when he was too far gone to speak. Others did the same.
4. Eight were now dead besides the captain, and several others badly wounded; and the enemy at- tempted to surround those who remained. Ensign Wyman, who had taken command, ordered them to
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fall back to the pond; which was done in good order. On their right was Battle Brook, on the left, a rocky point ; in front, on one side a belt of tall pines afforded a partial shelter, while on the other they were further protected by a deep bog. Here for eight terrible hours the savages beset them on front and flank. They howled like wolves, they barked like dogs, they roared and yelled like demons in their rage; yet the intrepid little band was not dismayed, but encouraged each other with cheers, and answered the savages with shouts of defiance.
5. The chaplain of this brave company was Johna- than Frye, a youth not yet twenty-one, but already greatly beloved for his piety and excellence. He had fought bravely with the rest until the middle of the afternoon, when he received a mortal wound. Unable to fight longer, he betook himself to prayer for his comrades ;- and God, we know, has sometimes made prayers more effectual than arms. At one time in the afternoon the savages withdrew to a little distance, and seemed to be "powwowing"; and Ensign Wyman crept up and fired into the group, killing one who acemed to be a leader. Afterward some of the In- dians came toward the English and held up ropes, shouting, "Will you have quarter ?"
"Yes,-at the muzzle of our guns," replied the he- roic men. They preferred to die by bullets rather than by torture, or in a cruel captivity; but, chiefly, they were determined to stand by each other to the last.
6. The fight was long, and some of their guns be- came foul with so much firing; and John Chamber- lain went down to the water to wash his piece. Just then an Indian came down for the same purpose, not more than a gunshot off. In hate and fear they watched each other's motions as the cleansing was performed. They finished together, and commenced to load.
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"Quick me kill you now," exclaimed the Indian.
"May be not," answered Chamberlain, thumping the breech of his gun heavily on the ground. His old flintlock primed itself, and a moment later his bullet crashed through the brain of the huge savage, whose bullet whistled harmlessly up in the air. Many histo- ries state that this Indian was Paugus, a chief greatly dreaded by the English. There is, however, a ballad written at the period, which says :--
"And yet our valiant Englishmen In fight were ne'er dismayed, But still they kept their motion, And Wyman captain made, - Who shot the old chief, Paugus, Which did the foe defeat ; Then set his men in order, And brought off the retreat."
7. There was no way of escape from the spot as long as the foe hung about them; and they were en- tirely without food since the morning -the Indians having secured their packs; yet never a word of sur- render escaped their lips. Just before dark the sar- ages retired from the field, taking with them their own wounded, but leaving the dead bodies of Lovewell's men unscalped. The English remained on the ground until about midnight, when it was thought best to at- tempt a retreat. Ten of their number were already dead, fourteen wounded, one missing, and only nine uninjured. Solomon Kies, exhausted by fatigue and loss of blood from three wounds, had crawled slowly and painfully to the edge of the pond, with the inten- tion of throwing himself into the water at some spot where the savages would not find and mangle his life- less body. Providentially he spied a birch canoe near by, which he managed to enter; and, lying there almost unconscious, he was slowly drifted by the wind to the western side of the pond. After a while he
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recovered his strength a little, so that he finally reach- ed the fort at Ossipee Pond.
8. Painful as it was, two of the mortally wounded had to be left. When the moon rose the others start- el on the retreat ; but, after traveling a mile and a half, four more sank to the ground unable to support themselves longer. These were Lieutenant Farwell, Chaplain Frye, and privates Davis and Jones; and, at their request, their companions went on without them. After resting awhile they felt stronger, and went on again a little distance, then rested again ; and thus continued for several days. But they grew .
weaker and weaker; and, first, Frye was left, then Farwell sank to rise no more,-Davis alone reaching the fort. Jones followed down the Saco river, arriv- ing after many days at Biddeford, emaciated almost to a skeleton by hunger, pain and loss of blood.
9. Ossipee Pond was scarcely more than twenty miles from the scene of the battle, but so weary were the men and so indirect their route, that it was four days before the first arrived at the fort. They found it deserted. A man of the company had run away at the beginning of the fight; and, coming to the fort, he told the men of the fall of Captain Lovewell and others, and of the great number of the Indians. The little garrison had no doubt that every one remaining had been killed or captured, and supposed that the savages would next fall upon the fort; so they at once abandoned it, and started for the settlements.
It was Wednesday when the remnant of Lovewell's brave band reached the fort. They were in a half- starved condition, having had nothing to eat since the morning of the preceding Saturday, except a few roots and the bark of trees. Here they found some bread and pork left by the deserters; so they were saved from starvation. After a short rest they started for home, where they were received with great joy - almost as persons restored from the dead. Colonel
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Tyng with eighty-seven men at once started for th scene of the fight. He found the bodies of the twely who had been killed, and buried them at the foot of great pine, carving their names upon the trees abou the battle ground.
VIEW OF LOVEWELL'S BATTLE-GROUND.
10. The Indians were struck with such dread by this fight, that they immediately retired into some un- known wilderness, and were found no more in their old haunts until the war was over. It is supposed that about fifty warriors fell in this conflict, among whom was their principal leader, Paugus.
The next month Captain Heath, probably desirous of emulating the heroes of Norridgewock and Pis- wacket, set out again for the Penobscot. Since the burning of their village by Colonel Westbrook, the Indians on this river had built another a few miles
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above the Kenduskeag, at a place now called "Fort Ilill," which is within the present limits of Bangor. It had between forty and fifty wigwams, together with several cottages with chimneys and cellars, and a Catholic chapel. The Indians were on the alert; and again their invaders found only deserted dwellings. These they set on fire, and departed.
11. The tribes were now disposed to make peace; but so many things happened to disturb the negotia. tions, that the conditions were not settled until the fifteenth of December, 1725. Only four sagamores then signed the treaty; and it was not until the next suminer that the conference was held for its ratifica- tion. By this treaty, trading houses were to be kept on the principal rivers for the convenience of the In- dians; while the settlers were confirmed in their lands, and all the English captives were to be released with- out ransom. This war is known as "Lovewell's War," or the "Three Years War"; and the number killed and carried into captivity during its progress, inelud- ing settlers, soldiers and seamen, was about two hun- dred.
12. On the thirtieth of July, 1726, about forty Fagamores, with the Penobscot sachem, Wenemovet, at their head, appeared at Casco Neck; where Gov- ernor Dummer, with a large number of councillors and representatives, and a fine train of young gentle- men, had already been waiting nearly a fortnight. These chiefs represented the Tarratines, Canibas and Androscoggins, and brought a letter and two belts of wampum from the St. Francis Indians, in Canada,- indicating their wish to join in the treaty. The con- ference lasted a full week; and every paragraph of the treaty was read to them and repeated distinctly by their interpreters; after which it was explained and discussed. It was ratified in the meeting house. (a very good place to make a treaty of peace) and signed by Governor Dummer and others on the part
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of the English, and by Wenemovet and twenty-five of the sagamores; and then the business ended with a public dinner.
13. This affair was long celebrated as "Dum- mer's Treaty"; and the peace that followed was the most lasting of any since the Indian wars commenced; for it was better understood by them than any of the former treaties, while they had just had the impor- tance of keeping their agreements impressed upon them by a severe chastisement.
When did the famous battle known as "Lovewell's Fight" take place ? Where did Lovewell build a fort? Where is the pond beside which the fight oceurred ? When the leader inquired of his men whether they would fight, or retreat, what reply did they make? What happened when they returned to resume their packs ? After the fall of Capt. Lovewell who took command ? How long did the savages keep up the attack ? What remarkable personal cneounter took place in this fight? Who were left at night in possession of the field? What had been the loss of the Indians ? What became of the remainder ? What celebrated treaty closed this war ?
CHAPTER XVIII.
1. The inhabitants of Maine had suffered frequent and long distress by the savage wars, yet they clung to their freeholds as a most precious heritage. This freehold right to the land upon which they lived, no rents to pay, no feudal service to render to some lord proprietor,-this was something few or none of them had enjoyed in England. From this cause, doubtless,
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arose in a large degree that love of country, which was so distinguished a virtue of our forefathers.
The hardships of those early days no pen can prop- erly relate. The paths of the settlers were ambushed, they were shot down in the fields, they woke in the silent hours of night to find their buildings in flames, and the hatchets of the savages breaking down the doors of their dwellings; none could tell when or where the prowling foe would strike. Consequently many families spent weeks together in the garrison, daring to cultivate only the nearest fields. But with the return of peace the farms soon teemed with plenty, while the ringing saws beside the dashing cataracts turned the dense woods into marketable lumber.
2. Soon after the close of Lovewell's war the Gen- eral Court laid out a tier of back towns, and divided them into lots, with which to reward the soldiers, and supply farms for immigrants. The old settlements were greatly pleased at this ; for they had stood for nearly a century in single file between the ocean and the forest; and in case of another war these new towns would be a bulwark against their old enemies.
Many settlers came from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, but foreign emigrants came slowly ; for the authorities acted with severity toward these, and would not knowingly admit any person of bad morals or shiftless habits. There was a law at this time that the stranger, or the captain who brought him, should secure the country for five years against being charg- able for his support ; yet if he could prove himself skilled as a mechanic, mariner or farmer, and was of unblemished character he was admitted without any bond ; because such as these make valuable citizens for any country.
3. You will recollect that in Gorges' charter the best trees were reserved for the king's navy -and just so they were in all the charters and grants. There was a great extent of forest in Maine, and a
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great length of sea-coast; and many owners of saw- mills and vessels chose rather to cut up the trees which the king claimed than those to which they had an undoubted right. The king soon found this out; and in 1699, when the Earl of Bellamont was made governor of New England, John Bridges was sent over as surveyor or keeper of the king's woods. Ilc went through the forests bordering on the coast and rivers, seeking out the tall pines suitable for masts, and the noble oaks, good for plank and to make strong knees to strengthen the vessel,-marking them with the royal "R." But the owners of territory consider- ed themselves wronged by this grasping claim on all their best trees; and the crafty lumbermen hewed off the stamp and sent the fine logs rolling down to their mills. So the surveyors watched the mills, where they often came into conflict with the millmen, and sometimes got very roughly handled by these sturdy sons of the forest -who laid their fists upon the intru- sive surveyor and his aids with as hearty good will as they had lain their axes against the king's trees.
4. In 1729 Colonel David Dunbar was appointed surveyor of the royal woods. The king, George II., also granted him the territory between the Kennebec and Penobscot rivers, under the name of the Province of Sagadahock; but reserved to himself 300,000 acres of the best pine and oak. In return, Dunbar was to settle the province with good, industrious Protestants. Now the king had no right to make a grant of this territory; for, by the charter of William and Mary, it belonged to Massachusetts, which had expended much money for its protection against the French and In- dians. But Dunbar took possession, garrisoning the fort at Pemagnid with British soldiers from Nova Sco- tia. Ile laid out several towns and brought in his settlers, to whom he conveyed the land by perpetual lease, the rent being only a peppercorn, annually. He found a great many persons already occupying his
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province, who denied his claim, holding their posses- sions under the original patents. Some of these would not yield to his demands; and he sent an armed force, who burnt their houses and drove them from their lands, even threatening them with imprisonment for insisting on their rights. After three years, how- ever, the province was taken from him and restored to the rightful owners. It was not Dunbar's fault that he had no genuine right to the province, but the king's, who commissioned him. Yet he did the coun- try much service by the numerous and excellent set- tlers whom he brought in; and, on the whole, nobody suffered much wrong. His settlers were mostly the Scotch-Irish, from the north of Ireland, and Presby. terian in religion. Some of this people had nearly a century before settled about Saco, while others still made their homes at Brunswick and Topsham on the Androscoggin, and at Bath and other places on the Kennebec. Soon after the restoration of the province of Sagadahock to the patentees, Samuel Waldo brought from Germany many families of the religious sect called Lutherans, and founded the town of Waldo- boro, in the present county of Lincoln.
5. Governor Belcher of Massachusetts had been ono of the most earnest opposers of Dunbar's claim to tho province of Sagadahock, and when the latter became lieut .- governor of New Hampshire he made a great effort to have Belcher removed. By making the jeal- ous king believe that the governor was favoring the colonies at the expense of the royal interest, he at last succeeded. So Governor Belcher lost a good office. But he got a better one afterward; for the king soon learned that he was really a faithful and upright officer.
Among the friends of the good governor was the celebrated George Whitefield, who came to the coun- try during the last years of his rule. Whitefield, you know, was an evangelist; and in his day he was reck- oned the "prince of preachers.". Young Ben. Frank
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lin one day went to hear him, fully determined to con- tribute nothing to the charity for which the "wonder- ful preacher" pleaded. Ben was an exceedingly cool young man; but as the sermon went on he put his hand in his pocket, and thought he would give his copper coin; pretty soon he concluded that he would give the silver; but when the plate came round he pulled out his purse and said, "Take it all." White- field first preached in Maine in 1741; and again in 1745 he visited York, Wells, Biddeford, Scarborough, Falmouth and North Yarmouth,-stirring up the re- ligious feeling of the people. I suspect there was great need of it, though Maine had been blessed by many faithful ministers.
6. The Rev. Samuel Moody was the most noted clergyman of this day in Maine, having been minister over the first parish in York above forty years. When settled there he refused any stipulated salary, pre- ferring to live on voluntary contributions. His par- ish, therefore, faithfully provided for him, and he knew nothing of what he was to receive until it was placed in his hands. With all his eccentricity, he was a man of ardent piety and great usefulness.
Puritan preaching was usually grave and severe; but theirs was a period of violent men and stern ne- cessities, and they felt that the laws of God must be declared without fear or favor. Though the Christian graces were not so well displayed by them as should have been, yet the fruits of their ministry were seen in the virtuous lives of their hearers, and of the gen- erations which came after.
7. For many years it was the law in Massachusetts and the province of Maine that none except members of the Puritan church should be voters; and while this union between Church and State continued, all other serts within their borders suffered persecution. But after many years people of all shades of belief were admitted to full citizenship; then the stern Puri-
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tan became the milder Congregationalist, and perse- cutions ceased. In Episcopal churches the form of worship was very nearly the same as it is to-day, ex- cept that the English "Book of Common Prayer" was used instead of the American,-which was not prepar- ed until our country became an independent nation. The method of worship in Congregational churches was also the same in its general plan as now, though on account of the old customs there was a striking difference in several particulars. The churches were
roughly built, like the houses. Many were not plas- tered, and until long after the Revolution few were warmed, even in the coldest winter weather; for the strict "professors" of the day thought it wrong to have a fire in the house of God. So they sat and suffered, until it became the practice to use hot bricks and stones for the hands and feet. The next thing was foot-stoves, which were filled with wood coals, and must have made the people feel quite drowsy from the oppressive and unwholesome air which resulted. The services were very long; the sermon usually oc- cupied above an hour and often two, and the prayers fully half as much. So in the cold weather the min- ister was often obliged to beat the sacred desk most unmercifully to restore warmth to his purple and be- numbed fingers.
8. Puritan ministers always wore black gowns and flowing wigs in the pulpit; and one would hardly be surprised that their sermons were dignified and severe rather than sympathetic and winning. It is not strange that under these circumstances the little boys were often inclined to play, and even the heads of families sometimes nodded ! Of course this con- duct could not be tolerated; and all through the ser- mon and prayers the deacon or tythingman kept watch, or walked softly about, rapping the heads of the naughty boys with the knob on the end of his long stick, or tapping the heads of the men when they
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