USA > Maine > Knox County > Warren > Annals of the town of Warren; with the Early History of St. George's, Broad Bay and the Neighboring Settlements on the Waldo patent > Part 10
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CHAPTER VI.
FROM 1754 TO 1757; COMMENCEMENT AND PROGRESS OF THE 6TH INDIAN, COMMONLY CALLED THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
GREAT complaint was made at this time in the eastern country, of trespasses upon the king's woods, and of exten- sive fires set by careless hunters and lumberers. These fires gave as much offence to the Indians, as the destruction of the timber did to the royal government. Difficulties with the former were apprehended. Amongst other things, they complained that the recent Scottish settlement infringed upon the line to which they claimed, from the tide waters of the St. George's to those of the Medomak. They also com- plained that the young Boggses were clearing above the boundary, molesting their traps, and occupying their hunting grounds .* At a conference at St. George's in October, Louis, the Penobscot Chief, held this remarkable language, " There has of late mischief been done among us; but now we are all come to bury it. In order whereto we are for proceeding upon Gov. Dummer's treaty, by which it was concluded that the English should inhabit the lands as far as the salt-water flowed, and no farther; and that the Indians should possess the rest. Brethren, as I said before, so I now say, that the lands we own let us enjoy ; and let nobody take them from us. We said the same to those of our religion, the French. Although we are a black people, yet God hath placed us here ; God gave us this land, and we will keep it. God decreed all things ; he decreed this land to us ; there- fore neither shall the French nor English possess it, but we will." After the usual explanations and assurances were given, however, the treaty was again confirmed.t
In the mean time new measures of defence were adopted. The fort at St. George's, which the preceding year had been rebuilt and enlarged, was constructed of hewn timber 20 inches square, with walls about 16 feet in height. Its form was quadrangular, each side being 100 feet. Within were the barracks, or apartments, built of timber against the walls, for the dwelling or retreat of the people, every one to be occupied by a single family or more, according to the
* Mrs. S. Fuller, D. Dicke, &c.
+ Smith's Journal, p. 149, and Ed. notc.
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size of the rooms or number in the families. In the centre, was a good well of water; and from the southern wall, a covered way was formed by means of logs, and extended to a large timber block-house, 200 feet distant, at the water's edge. The settlers, at their own expense, built what they called block-houses, about 100 rods or more farther up the river, in two ranges ; and surrounded the whole by a picket made of posts driven into the ground, as thick as they could stand, and ten feet in height. This was at the place subse- quently occupied for a garden and dwellinghouse by the late Capt. T. Vose, of Thomaston. Besides the post at Pleasant Point, a block-house was erected of stone in the present town of Cushing, surrounded by pickets, built and occupied by Ben- jamin Burton. Works of defence also were constructed in Medumcook and Broad Bay. At the latter place, the princi- pal fort was a stockade, on the western side of the river, near the mills. There were four others farther down the river. Each of these accommodated sixteen families, who had their separate huts covered with bark .*
In November, an attack was made, by some Indians, on the new fort which had been built on the Kennebec ; in con- sequence of which, the Governor withheld the valuable presents intended for the tribes, and issued orders to the six companies of minute men in Maine to be in constant readi- ness.t As the French were supposed to have instigated these hostile acts, most of the settlers took refuge in the garrisons ; and the winter was passed in fearful anxiety. This was the commencement of the sixth Indian war, and the last which was waged by the New England colonies against the native tribes. From the part that the French, at first covertly, and afterwards openly, took in this war, it is gen- erally denominated " the French and Indian war," and finally decided the contest between the French and English crowns for empire on this continent.
From the hopes that were entertained of preserving peace with the Tarratines, and the greater preparations that were made for defence, few or none of the settlers in this region removed, as they had done in the preceding war. All, how- ever, both at St. George's and at Broad Bay, took refuge in the garrisons, and only ventured out, to work upon their farms, under a strong guard. Those who were able to bear
* Will. His. A. & William Lermond. Jo. Ludwig. L. Parsons, &c. + 2 Will. His. p. 302.
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arms, were organized into companies, and, for a great portion of the time, drew pay and rations, which formed the princi- pal means of support for their families. When these failed, great distress and misery ensued. One family at Broad Bay, subsisted a whole winter on frost fish, with only four quarts of meal. Many a German woman was glad to do a hard day's work at planting or hoeing, for eight pence, or a quart of meal. There were, at this time, but few cattle in that place, and a quart of buttermilk would often command a day's work. Leistner was Captain of a company of scouts, who received pay and rations. Other companies were organized for the defence of the garrisons here and at Me- dumcook, and placed under their respective commanders .*
At St. George's, the settlers formed themselves into a military company for their mutual defence. In times of danger, either they, or the soldiers, were continually scout- ing ; such as went to labor in the field were well armed ; and when the signal of a general alarm was given at the fort by the discharge of a heavy gun, all who were abroad made a speedy retreat to the garrison. This was still commanded by Jabez Bradbury. The block-house above, was garrisoned by a party of the inhabitants, under Capt. T. Kilpatrick ; that in Cushing by another party of volunteers, under Lieut. Benj. Burton; and that near the mouth of the river, at Pleasant Point, by others under Capt. Dunbar Henderson. In the block-houses under Capt. Kilpatrick, besides his own, were the dwellings of Moses Robinson, David Patterson, Phinley Kel- loch, J. McCarter, Archibald Gamble, Andrew Malcolm, John Dicke, Michael Rawley, Wm. Smith, Joseph Rivers, and Thomas Fogg, the four last belonging to the lower town. Most of the other residents of the upper town were in the fort. Each family cultivated, either here or on their farms, a spot of potatoes, which was manured with rock weed car- ried up the bank on hand-barrows, by men and their wives assisted by all their children who could labor. There were a few yoke of oxen ; some had cows, and all had pigs and poultry. The stock was wintered on hay cut on the meadows and marshes, the men going armed in strong parties for that purpose, and part mounting guard while the rest labored. Lime-burning was then, as now, the principal business; and two sloops were kept running to Boston. The rock was dug at the quarry now belonging to the prison, and burnt at four
* Jo. Ludwig, Esq., A. Kelloch, 1st., &c. 8*
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small kilns near the block-house, where was also a small wharf and lime store. There was also a wharf at the fort, but no kilns. A large barn, a log school-house on the bank between the fort and block-house, and a few deserted log houses, were all the buildings without the fortifications. The land was pretty well cleared of trees and bushes from the present burial ground in Thomaston to the quarry, and thence to the block-house and fort. The settlers further down the river were chiefly at the stone house under Lieut. Burton, and at Pleasant Point under Capt. Henderson .*
1755. In 1755 the French were found so far concerned in the late hostile movements, that the united colonies set on foot four formidable expeditions against them and their sav- age allies. These were severally directed against Nova Scotia, Niagara, Crown Point and Fort du Quesne. In the mean time attacks were made upon the settlements at New- castle, Dresden, and several other places ; which induced the General Court, June 10, 1755, to declare war against all the eastern tribes except those on the Penobscot. As these still professed to be neutral, Capt. Bradbury at St. George's was instructed by the government to cultivate peace with them, and if possible detach them from the French interest. In obedience to these instructions, he attempted to conciliate their favor by presents and kind treatment. If any of them were abettors of the late mischief, nothing criminal was directly laid to their charge, and it was hoped that they might be re- tained as allies.t
The settlers, on the contrary, unaccustomed to discriminate between the different tribes, considered a single Indian aggres- sion as chargeable to the whole race ; and allowed their sym- pathy for the sufferers to kindle into indiscriminate resentment. This manifested itself in jealousy and murmuring against Capt. Bradbury, whom they charged with trading with the savages from motives of interest, and even supplying the arms and ammunition used in the destruction of their brethren. This jealousy occasioned the commander great difficulty in the discharge of his duty. Indians, caressed by the officers, and well treated at the fort, were insulted and sometimes at- tacked by the settlers. Those who lived in the fort generally took part with Bradbury, whilst the discontented rallied under Kilpatrick at the block-house above. The former, employing certain friendly Indians to bring him intelligence, had to
* Z in Thom. Nat. Republican, 1833, &c.
+ Will. His. Sullivan.
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warn them to beware of the block-house men, and was mor- tified to find they could not always go unmolested. This state of things is sufficiently apparent from the following doc- uments.
" To Capt. Thomas Proctor Jr. Boston neer the Orringe tree. " St Georges June 6th, 1755.
" Dr Brother
" yesterday about nine of the Clock we heard about 15 guns fired, and after that Capt. Bradbury fired an alarm ; upon which three men went up to the fort to hear what was Doing =
" and there is two Scotchs Lads Killed or taken : but we supose Kiled = they were Brothers = there Sir names is Brown - there was three more up the River the Same time, but at Sum Distance from them - viz. mr Larmond, Arch- bald Gamble & Son, but got safe home = those are our good friends the Penobscuts, So Exstol'd by our B : the Commander here = I hope the Goverment will now Doo Sumthing to pre- vent our Ruin by a Savage Enemy. I remain your Loveing Brother till Death
" Benja Burton"*
" To his Excellency, William Shirley, &c.
" May it please your Excellency and honors to take into Consideration our present, Dificult And dangerous circumstan- ces. Our woods round our garrisons are crawling with lurk- ing Enemies, watching our motion, so that we are in contin- ual fear and Danger, as is evident by their late Clandestine attempts ; for after their killing and barberously using and sculping one boy, they at the same time killed or carried cap- tive another, and soon after have killed one man, and carried another captive of the Dutch at Broad Bay. And within two days after carried a man and a boy captive from Pleasant Point. So that no place is free ; by reason of which we fear our Garrisons will soon be attacked by them ; which are poorly provided to make any proper resistance or probable defence, being but poorly manned, ill provided with arms, amunition, and provisions, to defend ourselves and families ; so that without some speedy assistance we must fall a prey into the hand of our Enemies, or leave the Country to them -
" This is the truth of our present Circumstances and Situa-
* Mass. Archives, vol. 54, p. 453.
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tion, which I humbly offer to your Excellency & honnours, on whose wisdom and compassion (under God) our depen- dence is, and beg leave to subscribe my self, &c.
" Tho. Killpatrick."
" Blockhouse St. Georges 14th June, 1755."*
" May it please your Excellency.
" I have this day seen that which was the most surpris- ing to me of any thing I ever met with before. viz. when I had read your Ex'lys. letter to nine of the most Considerable men of the Penobscot Tribe, and they were going out to con- sult and return an answer, Capt. Fletcher Came into the Room and told me that many of the inhabitants, with the men he had inlisted into his Company, (of this Garrison) which were neare twenty in number, and most of the remaining part of the Garrison, were all in arms, and had determined that the Indians should never go out until they had given them satisfaction, by Complying with the Governor's termes, pro- posed to them in his Letter ; upon which I went out to them, and asked why they appeared in that manner; was answer'd almost unanimously that they were Resolved the Indians should not go well away till they had given them Satisfaction ; Capt. Fletcher telling me at the Same Time, he had orders for doing what was done & that he must answer it, adding that he was oblig'd to do as he had done to prevent greater mischief, viz. Bloodshed, (the people being greatly inrag'd.) I told the men they had acted directly contrary to the Gover'rs Declaration of warr, and to his directions to me, but did not prevail with them to quit their armes, nor their Resolution, and not being able to use force, thought it best to give Soft words ; then some of the Indians went out, Leaving others as hostages, and Consulted with their men who were at Sum distance from us ; after which they returned, with the inclos'd Letter and said they had Concluded to send some of their men to Boston to waite on the Governor ; upon which I ven- tured to tell them when their men Embark't for Boston I would trade with them and not before.
" Refer your Ex'y to Capt. Fletcher who accompanies this for a more particular acc't and subscribe my self &c.
" Jabez Bradbury."
" St. George's, June 27, 1755."
" P. S. I entreat your Excelency, as I have more than once already, that I may be Dismis'd from my Charge here ;
* Mass. Arc. vol. 54, p. 465.
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I am inclined to think that ye penobscots are most of them desirous of peace, but whether they have done all that was in their power to prevent the mischief Lately done us, I am not suer of, though they insist upon it that they have. They now seem to be in Earnest that they'l joyn us against the Common Enemy but how much to be relied on I am not able to tell. " J. Bradbury."
" June ye 27th, 1755.
" Governor Shirly; Brother we salute you and all the counsel ; we are glad that you have kept what we agreed upon ; we always thought that the Cannada Indians wou'd bring us into trouble, and what you desired of us, we have done ; you told us that those that came against us in a hostile manner, we must joyn and goe against them ; let us know when we must do it ; they have hurt us as well as you, and three of our men are now Come up to wait on you, which will be a proof of our Sincerity ; and we expect that our wives and children will be Supported at our village till our return ; they that have hurt you already are gone off and will do it no more ; and we shall always let you know truly when there is danger ; there shall no damage be done on this side Pemequid. You must not think that we dissemble. If you could see our hearts, you'd know that we are true; war will hurt us as well as you, therefore we are strong against it ; if there should be war between England and France and we should come over to you, our women and children must be well used ; we again salute you.
" Wombemanda,
" Noodagunawit,
" & Mefel. In behalf of our tribe."*
To this letter Lieut. Gov. Phips replied that he expected " a competent number of their most able men should join with the English in avenging the wrongs received from the other tribes," and for this purpose, invited them with their wives and children to repair to St. George's, to be ready for that service when required, promising them pay and rations whilst so employed, and suitable provision at the fort for their women, children, and aged men.
But James Cargill of Newcastle, who had a commission to raise a company of scouts, and had enlisted men from that neighborhood, made an expedition hither, July 1, 1755,
* Massachusetts Archives, vol. 32, p. 647-8.
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for the purpose either of putting a stop to that trade which was thought to be carried on to the great danger of the whites, or of enriching himself by the booty and scalps of unsuspicious Indians. Both these motives might have oper- ated, as £200 for the scalp of a hostile Indian, and £250 for a captive, was the bounty then offered to companies of rangers, and half that sum to private individuals. Tarrying one night at Broad Bay, he proceeded next morning with a design of marching back of, and around, the settlements at St. George's. But meeting with three men of the garrison there, and receiving the requisite information, he persuaded them, together with some of Capt. Nichols's rangers whom he fell in with, to accompany him; led his 31 men to Bur- ton's block-house, four or five miles below the fort; crossed the river, and, after a march of five miles, fell in with an Indian, unarmed, and, as was supposed, intoxicated, accom- panied by his wife and an infant two months old. These they fired upon, killed the Indian, and mortally wounded his wife. She proved to be Margaret Moxa, a friendly squaw returning from the fort on one of her wonted expeditions of kindness to the garrison, giving them intelligence of some hostile design. On their coming up, she held out her infant, whom she called Nit, and, with her dying breath, requested them to carry it to Capt. Bradbury. One of the party re- plied with a pun " every nit will make a louse," and knocked it in the head before the eyes of its expiring mother. Seiz- ing their canoe and leaving nine of his men to guard it, Cargill and the rest of his party (except one, who refused to go any farther) proceeded on about four miles, and discov- ered about sunset a body of Indians near Owl's Head. These they fired upon, killed nine, returned to the men they had left, and the next morning exhibited the scalps at the fort .*
This tragic and treacherous deed was as much regretted by the government for its impolicy, as by the greater portion of the people for its turpitude. Cargill was apprehended for trial on a charge of murder ; a letter of condolence was sent by Gov. Phips to the suffering party; their brethren who had lately visited Boston, returned laden with presents; and the tribe were invited to come under a safe conduct and prosecute the offenders, - full assurance being given that law and justice would be measured to them by severest rules. On the trial, Cargill attempted to prove that some of the St.
* Cargill's statement. Mass. Archives, vol. 38, p. 167.
Brad- bury's ditto, vol. 77, p. 382, and tradition.
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John's, or other hostile Indians were with the party attacked, who had such a general resemblance to the Penobscots that he was unable to distinguish between them ; the prejudices of the country ran high against the natives, and the jury acquit- ted him .*
The fate of Margaret was deeply lamented by the gar- rison, who knew the value of her services. "Never shall I forget," said one of the party, " the deep and unappeasable grief of the women in the fort, especially of Margaret Lermond and Margaret Patterson, two young ladies in the flower of youth and beauty, when they saw the scalp of their friendly namesake, whom they had long regarded as a delivering angel." The more humane part of the settlers loudly condemned the act, and confidently predicted that its perpetrators would never die in their beds. This pro- phecy was from time to time recalled to remembrance by its partial fulfilment with such as belonged to St. George's, onet being drowned in the river, and anothert perishing in the expedition to Biguyduce in the war of the revolution.
The Penobscots were now both offended and aggrieved. The fresh injuries they had received, rankled in their bosoms, and could not be forgiven, nor pass unrevenged. Distin- guished among the tribes for coolness and prudence, they hesitated between resentment and policy, the friendship of the French and the power of the English, till on the 5th of Nov. the government publicly proclaimed war against them.
Besides the regular garrisons at the fort and block-houses, a company of rangers scouting to the eastward was this year kept in pay from June 19th to Nov. 20th, as follows ; Capt. Thomas Fletcher ; Lieut. Alex. Lermond ; Sergeants Alex. Campbell, Wm. Young and Joseph Robinson ; Corporals David Kelloch, John Standley ; Centinels, John Shibles, John Brown, Alex. Kelloch, Samuel Jameson, Moses Robinson, Hugh Ross, Thomas Holden, Owen Madden, John Lermond, Archibald Gamble, Michael Rawley, Hugh Carr, David Pat- terson, Jr., John Carswell, Moses Robinson, Jr. George Young, Joseph Rivers, Archibald Robinson, Jacob Heyler, George Smouse, Thomas Gregg, David Patterson, John McCarter, Ezra King, Nathaniel Bartlett, John Robinson, Samuel Boggs,
Mass. Arc. vol. 32, p. 650. 2 Will. His. p. 315.
+ Viz. S. Creighton.
į Viz. S. Boggs, 2d, then recently married and residing at Pema- quid. - Comm. of A. Kelloch, 1st, O. Boggs, S. Boggs, 3d, W. Ler- mond, L. Parsons, Ist, and others.
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Jr., Joseph Peters, Joseph York, Thomas Johnston, John Kel- loch, Matthew Kelloch, William James, Jr., William Smith, Hans Robinson, Andrew Bird, John Annis, William Adams, Thomas Carney, Philip Sachamo, Adam Varner, and Joseph Hendley .*
Fletcher, the commander of this company, was at other times Bradbury's lieutenant in the garrison. The following is one of his letters to the Lieut. Governor : - "These are to inform your Honor, that this day the Indians fell on us ; two men were out a small distance from the garrison ; the Indians fired upon them ; one escaped and the other is miss- ing. They began about twelve of the clock and continued firing on the cattle till almost night. I immediately despatch- ed an express to the neighboring settlements. I judge there is a great body of them by their appearance. My Lieut. was on a march with 30 men, but happily this evening return'd. This night I design to go out and try to meet them. Being all at present, I beg leave to subscribe myself, &c. T. Fletcher. St. George's Fort, 24 Sept. 1755."
Such occurrences as these, together with the forbearance, which, up to the declaration of war, the commander was re- quired to exercise toward the Tarratines, increased the dis- satisfaction of the inhabitants on the river and adjacent places ; 59 of whom the following year signed a long memo- rial to Gov. Shirley against the conduct of Fletcher in not allowing them to go against the Indians.t
In the winter 35 soldiers only were retained in the garrison at St. George's in addition to the resident inhabitants. The mingled scenes of civilized and savage warfare which the country presented, and the gloom of the season, were ren- dered more direful by the shock of an earthquake, themost violent one ever before known since the settlement of the country. It happened Nov. 18th at about 11 minutes after 4 in the morning. Its direction was from N. W. to S. E. and it was felt through the whole country from Chesapeake Bay to N. Scotia. It commenced with an undulatory motion and lasted at least 4 minutes. In Boston and Falmouth chim- neys and brick houses were considerably damaged. It had a surprising effect upon the moral sensibilities of the com- munity ; and the 23d of Dec. was observed as a day of humiliation and prayer on account of it .¿
* Com. Muster roll, Mass. Arc. 94, p. 17.
+ Mass. Arc. 54-94, p. 148 and 314.
į Smith's Jour. Holmes A. An.
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1756. In June, 1756, war was formally declared against France. The settlements which the Indians seemed to have marked first for destruction, this spring, were those upon the river St. George's. The stone block-house commanded by Lieut. Burton was attacked March 24th, and two of his men killed, and another scalped and left half dead. Other depre- dations were made upon the coast; and, Sept. 26th, one schooner was burnt and two taken in St. George's river, three men being killed and three others missing .* A com- pany on this river was this year commanded by Capt. Joshua Freeman ; one half of whose company as well as that of Capt. Nichols at Sheepscot was ordered to be discharged on the 1st, and the remainder on the 20th, of November, it being customary for the Indians by that time to withdraw to their hunting grounds in the interior.t It was also ordered that 150 able bodied men be raised to range the Indian hunt- ing grounds between the eastern frontiers and Canada, the commanders to return a journal of their proceedings.
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