A brief history of Maine, Part 8

Author: Varney, George Jones, 1836-
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Portland, Me., McLellan, Mosher & Co.
Number of Pages: 674


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18. A jesuit priest now resided in each of the four principal native settlements in Maine ; and these were ever the ready agents of the French government in their intrigues. Very soon the Indians were again engaged in open hostilities; and within a few weeks


108


HISTORY OF MAINE.


1696


they made another descent upon Cocheco, which was now the second time destroyed. They continued to kill, capture and burn; and though strenuous efforts were made to obtain a new treaty, every attempt proved a failure. In February, 1696, the sagamores Egeremet, Toxus and Abenquid, with a number of their followers, came into the fort at Pemaquid to pro- cure an exchange of prisoners; but by order of Cap- tain Chubb, the commander, they were treacher- ously attacked by the garrison, and two of the chiefs with several of their followers killed, and others thrust into confinement; only Toxus and a few others of the most athletic escaping. This was in retaliation for an attack upon a party of his soldiers in the neigh- borhood the autumn before, by which four of them were killed and six wounded. I am sorry to say that even the Puritans at this period seem to have im- bibed somewhat of the brutality of the savages, for the General Court offered a bounty of fifty pounds each for Indian scalps, and the same for captive squaws and children. Yet we must remember that there was no other convenient way for the soldiers to prove the number they had killed in order to get their bounty. Certainly war is a brutalizing occupation.


19. In July, 1696, Iberville came against Pema- quid with three ships of war, two companies of French soldiers, and two hundred and fifty Indians in canoes. On the way he had met and beaten an English arma- ment in the Bay of Fundy; and he now confidently demanded the surrender of the fortress.


"I shall not give up the fort though the sea be cov- ered with French vessels, and the land with wild In- dians," replied Captain Chubb, pompously.


This fort, you remember, was the one built by Gov- ernor Phipps, and was of stone, very large and strong for those days. It mounted fifteen heavy guns, and was garrisoned by ninety-five soldiers,-having also an abundance of arms, ammunition and provisions; so


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1606 FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR CONTINUED.


that the commander thought he was much more than a match for the enemy. A rattling fire of musketry was kept up until dark; but during the night the French landed some cannon and mortars on the other side of the little bay. By the next afternoon they had them in position, and threw several bombs into the fort. This was something Captain Chubb had not considered; and it frightened him and his garrison so much that he surrendered at once -only stipulating for a safe passage to Boston. There Chubb was tried by a court martial; and being found guilty of coward- ice, lost his commission. Two years later the Indians found out his residence, and killed him, in revenge for his treachery toward the flag of truce.


20. A squadron of armed vessels was sent by the colonies in pursuit of Iberville's fleet, but it was too late; and they captured only an officer and twenty soldiers, who had lingered behind in a shallop. At the last of August Colonel Church again went east- ward, ascending the Penobscot as far as Oldtown, but without meeting any large number of Indians. He also visited the Bay of Fundy, where he took valuable spoil ; for this region had now been recovered by the French. .


The next year Major March was sent eastward with five hundred men to chastise the Indians. On the ninth of September, as his forces were landing at Damariscotta, the Indians rushed out from an ambush, and giving the war-whoop, poured a fearful volley of ballets upon the troops. The English instantly rallied and answered with a well-aimed fire, then charged with bayonets; and the savages ran away, leaving their dead upon the field.


21. In December, 1697, news came that peace had been made between England and France by the treaty of Ryswick; and this long war drew to a close.


Peace was not definitely settled with the Indians until January, 1699, when a treaty was made at Mare


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HISTORY OF MAINE.


1699


Point, in Brunswick. This was the second Indian war, sometimes called the old French and Indian war, and Baron Castine's war ; also William and Mary's war, from having occurred during their reign. It had lasted above ten years, and in that time about four hundred and fifty English had fallen, and two hundred and fifty been carried into captivity.


What noted man was born in Woolwich? For what was he knighted ? What naval expedition did he command ? In what year did Major Church make his famous expedition up the An- droscoggin ? What place was attacked soon after the time set for the treaty ? Describe the disastrous attack upon York. Describe the attack on Wells the next year. Whom did the king appoint governor of New England in 1602 ? What did Governor Phipps do for the protection of his native region? Where did Major Church meet the Indians at this time? Who prevented the In- dians from carrying out the provisions of the treaty made at Pema- quid ? Did Iberville's second expedition against Pemaquid meet with success? What happened at Damariscotta the next year ? What treaty operated to close this war? How long had the war lasted ? How many English had fallen ? How many had been carried into captivity ?


1694


WITCHCRAFT, PIRACIES AND TREATY.


111


CHAPTER XIII.


1. While the people of Maine were suffering from the attacks of the French and Indians, those of Massachu- setts were afflicted by the witchcraft delusion, in which many good, as well as some bad people were put to death. About the year 1650 two or three persons in Massachusetts professed themselves witches, and were therefore hanged. I suppose they had some nervous disorder, or perhaps mesmerism and clairvoyance were at the bottom of much of this mischief. More cases of the kind happened in 1638; but it was not until the spring of 1692 that the delusion came on, which spreal like a contagious disease all through the towns, and proved such a terrible calamity. Governor Phipps had not meddled with the matter, though his friend, Rev. Cotton Mather, was among the foremost in these proscentions; but while the governor was away in Maine, his kind-hearted wife signed an order for the release of a lady who was in prison for witchcraft. Then Mistress Phipps also was accused of being a witch. This was the situation of things when the gov- ernor returned. It opened his eyes; and he soon put . a stop to the terrible work.


2. Phipps soon after went to England, where he died in 1694; the Earl of Bellamont being his suc- cessor. The Earl had for some time been governor of New York, and his administration in New England al-o proved quite popular. He did much service to our fishermen by destroying or driving off the petty jerates that preyed upon them. It was this governor who commissioned the notorious Captain Kidd to cruise against pirates; but when Kidd himself turned pirate the Earl was the first to proceed against him.


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HISTORY OF MAINE.


1703


The Earl of Bellamont was succeeded in 1703 by Joseph Dudley, a native of Massachusetts. Another war had now arisen between England and France; and Governor Dudley, wishing to keep the Indians from joining the French, invited them to meet him at Casco Neck. On the twentieth of June, 1703, the day appointed for the meeting, the gov- ernor was on the spot with a retinue of members of the legislature, and a guard of soldiers; and around them gathered the delegates of five native tribes. The Pennacooks from New Hampshire, and the Soko- kis from the borders of Lake Sebago and the head waters of the Saco and Ossipee rivers, streamed out of the woods, radiant in war paint and feathers; the Canibas from Sagadahock, Teconnet and Norridge- wock, and the Tarratines from lordly Penobscot, were there with scarlet robes and shining weapons; while two hundred and fifty Androscoggins glided over the bay in a flotilla of sixty-five canoes. In the midst of this savage concourse a tent was spread, where the governor and his attendants and the sachems and sagamores made their talk.


3. The Indians seemed desirous of delaying the interview; and the English, suspicious of their inten- tions, scattered themselves among the savages for greater security. When all were seated the governor stood up, and said to the chiefs, "I have come to you commissioned by the great and good queen of Eng- land. I would esteem you all as brothers and friends. Yes, it is even my wish to reconcile every difficulty that has happened since the last treaty." After a few minutes of silence one of the chiefs named Captain Simmo made this reply :- "We thank you, good brother, for coming so far to talk with us. It is a great favor. The clouds fly and darken, but we still sing with love the songs of peace. Believe my words: so far as the sun is above the earth are our thoughts from war, or the least rupture between us."


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1.03


WITCHCRAFT, PIRACIES AND TREATY.


4. Then the chiefs presented the governor with a In.It of wampum, and the governor made them several handsome presents in return. The company then leit the tents and visited two tall heaps of stones made at a former treaty, to which the Indians had given the significant name, Two Brothers. Other rocks were now added to the heaps, while the Indians made over them the most solemn protestations of friendship. The day closed by a grand discharge of musketry, the Indians firing first. It was now seen that their guns were loaded with bullets ; showing that they, too, had prepared themselves against a surprise.


Many inhabitants of Maine, since the news of an- other war came, had decided to remove to safer regions; but, reassured by this treaty, they now con- eluded to remain; while some from the older colonies sonthward, attracted by the excellent forests and the fertile soil, began to make preparations to settle in the province.


5. It afterward became known that three days after the treaty a body of French joined the natives, -which explained clearly why some of the Indians wished to delay the talk. They were too late to pre vent the making of the treaty, but not too late for its breaking; and within two months of Captain Simmo's. sounding speech, the wampum pledge, and the pretty allegory of the "Two Brothers," these same tribes were in the full tide of war. Yet there had already been opportunity for a party of English to commit an outrage at Penobscot. Baron Castine had gone back to France, and his son known as "Castine, the young- er," succeeded to the establishment at Biguyduce. A lawless band, visiting the place under the mask of friendship, gained access to the premises, and robbed the unsuspecting half-breed of all his most valuable goods.


6. Baron Castine, you remember, married the daughter of Madockawando, sachem of the Tarratines,


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HISTORY OF MAINE.


1703


and, consequently, was himself a sachem after the death of his father-in-law. When the Baron returned to his native country, his son succeeded to the chieftain- ship; and at his father's death he became a baron of France. He was also a military officer under the king, and had a handsome uniform; but he seldom wore it, preferring to appear in the simple dress of his tribe. He might have complained to the king of the outrage which had been committed upon him, and de- manded French troops to enable him to obtain satis- faction of the English; or he might have roused his tribe to action to avenge his injuries; but instead of this the magnanimous chief only expostulated with the Massachusetts rulers about the injustice of his treat- ment. The act was regarded by the government as base treachery; and the authorities promised to pun- ish the offenders and to make ample restitution. Cas- tine, the younger, was ever the friend of peace; and though a portion of the Tarratines, urged by the French, engaged in hostilities against the English, they did so without his consent. We must here dismiss young Castine for the present, but he will again ap- pear in this history.


What delusion occurred in New England during the second In- dian war? What opened the eyes of Governor Phipps in regard to the delusion ? Who succeeded Phipps as governor of New England ? What were the most noted occurrences during the ad ministration of the Earl of Bellamont? What war broke out in 1:03? What tribes engaged in the treaty ? With what ceremo- nies did the treaty conclude ? How soon after this did the war break out ? What outrage was perpetrated just before ? What can you relate of Castine, the younger ?


1703


QUEEN ANNE'S WAR.


115


CHAPTER XIV.


In August, 1703, the war with the French and In- dians called Queen Anne's war commenced. Six or seven large parties of the enemy fell at once upon Wells, Cape Porpoise (Kennebunkport), Saco, Scar- borough, Spurwink and Purpooduck in Cape Elizabeth, and Casco Neck, now Portland. In this attack Wells lost thirty-nine killed and taken captive, while Cape Porpoise was wholly destroyed. The garrison at Winter Harbor was overpowered by numbers, but the fort at Saco was able successfully to resist the attack. At Scarborough, just as the garrison was almost ex- hausted, a reinforcement arrived ; and the savages withdrew, having already suffered severely. At Spur- wink twenty-two of the settlers were killed or taken captive. Purpooduck had no garrison, and there was hot a man at home when the attack was made. Only eight persons were carried away prisoners, twenty-five being butchered on the spot.


2. The first knowledge the garrison at Casco Neck had that Indians were in the vicinity, was the approach of a small party of them led by Moxus, Wanangonet and Assacombuit. They held out their empty hands to show that they were unarmed, then sent a flag of truce to the fort to invite the commander to an inter- view ; pretending that they bore an important mes- sage. Captain March, the commander, went out with two old men to meet them. At the first word uttered every Indian drew a hatchet from under his mantle, and rushed upon them, killing the two old men at oure ; but March, being a man of great courage and strength, wrested a hatchet from an Indian, with which he parried the blows of the others. In a few 6


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1703


HISTORY OF MAINE.


minutes a party from the fort reached the spot, and the savages ran away, leaving Captain March unharm- ed. The foe seemed quite disconcerted by the failure of their plot to kill or capture the commander of the fort; yet they still continued in the neighborhood, burning houses and butchering cattle. On the return of the other parties from their work of destruction, they gathered at Falmouth ; and the attack on Fort Loyal commenced. They had captured three small vessels in the harbor, and were attempting to under- mine the fort as before, when fortunately Captain Southwick arrived in an armed galley. He at once retook the vessels, and scattered the Indians in their two hundred birchen canoes, like leaves before the wind.


3. The attack on the settlements so soon after the treaty, took them by surprise, and they suffered accord- ingly, more than one hundred and fifty persons having been killed within a few days. A troop of horse was now stationed at Portsmouth, and another in Wells, ready to move at a moment's notice wherever the sav- ages might appear ; while a force of three hundred and sixty men marched for Pigwacket (Fryeburg) and another party to the Ossipee Ponds in New Hamp- shire, to assail the savages at their headquarters. Still large numbers of Indians hung about the coast, capturing boats and small vessels, burning houses, butchering cattle, and murdering and carrying away captives men, women and children.


One morning a party of twenty men started ont from the garrison at the Neck in Scarborough to col- lect and drive in the cattle which had been left to feed where they liked through the summer. It was supposed that the Indians had all left the vicinity, and the party went on in utter carelessness. Their leader. Richard Hunniwell, had no arms whatever except a pistol. Soon after they left the garrison one of his companions asking him why he had not taken his gun,


117


QUEEN ANNE'S WAR.


. 1:03


ho jocosely replied, that if a gun was needed he might takoit from the first person killed. They little thought as they approached the western end of Great Pond that in the alder thicket beside it two hundred Indians were hidden ! But they were there ; and as the un- *1-preting settlers passed by, the Indians took deliberate aim, and nineteen of the party fell before that fatal discharge. One alone escaped to the gar rison to tell the dreadful story.


4. The men who came to bury the bodies found that of Hunniwell" horribly mangled. The savages had in this way glutted their vengeance on the man they so much hated and feared ; for he had killed a great number of their people. His wife and child had some years before been murdered by them, kindling in his mind such enduring hatred that he would kill an Indian Wherever he met him, in war or peace. On one occasion he entered a house where two of them were warming at the fire. He could not keep quiet, bnt continued to pace the floor; for his murdered wife and babe seemed before his eyes. Two guns stood in a corner of the room; and he took up one of them, and putting it to his shoulder, moved it from side to side, as if taking aim at birds on the wing. Presently the Indians' heads came in range, and he fired and killed them both.


Soon after the slaughter in Scarborough, the say- ages attacked Berwick, but were repulsed with con- siderable loss. Late in the season, Captain March with three hundred men penetrated the wilderness to the Indian stronghold at Pigwacket, where he made the first captures of this war, killing six of the enemy and taking prisoners six more. During the winter several private parties in Western Maine went out on snow shoes after Indians, but very few were taken. The Sokokis had gone far up into New Hampshire ; from whence in February they fell upon Deerfield and other of the outermost settlements in Massachusetts.


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HISTORY OF MAINE.


1704


5. The following spring the farmers dared not go into their fields to plant, and the only cultivated places were the lands immediately around the garrisons. As Berwick was an important point, ninety-five Pequods and Mohegans from Connecticut were placed there for its protection. The Maine Indians were at first some- what frightened by these, but they soon became as bold as ever.


In May some French privatecrs appeared upon the coast ; and the government again sent Colonel Church eastward with a force of five hundred and fifty men in fourteen transports, having also thirty-six whaleboats and a scout shallop. Ascending the Penobscot, he captured several French and Indians, among whom was the wife of Castine, the younger, with her chil- dren. He next visited Passamaquoddy Bay, where he captured Gourdon and Sharkee, two French officers who had married Indian wives; and who were at this time engaged in raising a party of savages to go against the settlements.


From here Church proceeded with his flotilla to the Bay of Fundy, where he destroyed several villages of the French. Port Royal was found too strong to be assailed successfully ; so he returned without attacking it, having taken anhundred prisoners and much spoil. and lost only six men.


6. The Indians committed few depredations on the settlements during the remainder of the season ; for Church's expedition had driven them away from the coast to their winter fastnesses at the head of the rivers. In the midst of the winter a force of two hun- dred and seventy men under Capt. Hilton was sent against Norridgewock. The snow was four feet deep, and the troops were obliged to travel alnost the whole distance on snow shoes. But the Indians discovered their approach, and when the force arrived they found the village deserted. So they turned back again; and after enduring many hardships, reached their starting


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1707


QUEEN ANNE'S WAR:


point without loss ; yet having accomplished nothing except the burning of the Indian village.


Through the summer and autumn of the next year [1705] the French privateers still haunted our coast, taking many of our vessels ; while the Indians were continually in ambush about the settlement, where they were too successful in killing and capturing the por, distressed inhabitants.


Thus the war continued for two years more ; the ravages lurking about, killing and capturing a few un- wary persons, and keeping the settlers from working their farms.


7. In January of 1707 Colonel Hilton marched to- ward Casco in search of a body of Indians who had been seen about the settlement. Striking a trail, they soon came upon four warriors, and a squaw with her pappoose. The squaw in her fright told where eighteen other Indians lay asleep ; and Hilton with his men, coming upon them suddenly, killed or cap- tured every one.


In the summer another expedition consisting of one thousand men under Colonel March was sent against Acadia in the expectation of subduing it to the English. He was unsuccessful, and Maine soon had to suffer in consequence ; for the triumph of the French encouraged the Indians to renewed depredations. Yet they met with no very brilliant success. The most noted engagement of the year was at Winter Harbor, where one hundred and fifty Indians in fifty canoes, attacked two sail boats in which were eight men belonging in the garrison and settlement. After a fight of three hours the Indians succeeded in capturing one boat, and killing one man; but they lost nine of their own men and had several others wounded.


In the two following years very little damage was done by the Indians, except in hindering the cultiva- tion of the land, lumbering and other industrial opera- tions. Steps were taken on both sides to bring about


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HISTORY OF MAINE.


1710


a peace, yet no treaty was made; for the Indians paid little attention to treaty obligations, if inclined to war.


8. In the spring of 1710, a fleet with a regiment of mariners arrived from England to aid in the conquest of Acadia. To these were joined regiments of troops from New England, the whole force being un- der the command of General Nicholson. The pro- vince was unable to withstand such an armament as this; and, after one day's bombardment, Port Royal sur- rendered, and Subercase, the French governor, yield ed up his province. By this easy victory the whole of Acadia fell into the hands of the English, ever after to remain in their possession as New Scotland ; being divided, many years later, into the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Major Livingston, a brave young officer, was at once sent to Canada to in- form the governor of that country of the English pos- session of Acadia, and that the inhabitants were ac- counted prisoners of war, and would be treated as such unless the French ceased to incite the savages to hos- tilities against the English. Livingston journeyed by the way of the Penobscot, and thence by land through the unbroken wilderness to the St. Lawrence. With him went that friend of peace, Castine, the younger, to guard him against savage rage, and to procure guides and supplies.


Yet neither this event, nor the desire of some of their chiefs for peace, prevented large numbers of the Indians from continuing their treacherous warfare. Therefore on his way home from the conquest of Aca- dia, Colonel Walton with one hundred and seventy men scoured the coast in search of savages. At Sa- gadahock he captured a sagamore and his family and some of his tribe. Soon after, another message came from the Indians, desiring peace ; yet parties of them still continued to marand. The next year twenty-six persons were killed in Maine, by attacking solitary


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QUEEN ANNE'S WAR.


1712


families, or waylaying venturesome travelers. Their last hostile act in this war was in the autumn of 1712, at Wells.


9. On that day a joyous company were gath- ered at the home of Captain Wheelwright, to witness the wedding of his daughter with young Plaisted of Portsmouth. The ceremony was over, guests made their gratulations, and were preparing to depart, when it was found that two of the horses were missing. Sev- eral persons started in search of them, but, going near the place where the Indians were in ambush, two of them were shot down and others made prisoners. The report of the guns informed the neighborhood of the presence of Indians; and a dozen men started across lots from the garrison to intercept the enemy, while Captains Lane, Robinson and Hurd, with the bridegroom and several others, vaulted upon the re- maining steeds and galloped eagerly to the rescue. In a few minutes these, also, fell into an ambush. Captain Robinson was killed outright, and the others were unhorsed ; but every one of them, except the now unhappy bridegroom succeeded in escaping. In the mansion where a few moments before, peace and happiness had reigned supreme, were now consterna- tion and rage, the wailing of widowed women, and the anguish of the lovely bride. After a few days, how- ever, the bridegroom regained his liberty ; but it cost his father three hundred pounds, as a ransom.




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