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 5
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On the 24th of Aug. during the absence of Capt. West- brook at Boston, a still larger body from Penobscot, accom- panied by a friar and two Frenchmen, renewed the attack, killed five men that were out of the garrison, and " continued the assault twelve days and nights furiously," now and then sending a flag of truce to invite the garrison to surrender, promising to give them good quarter and transport them to Boston. The garrison replied that they " wanted no quarter at their hands, dared them to come on, told them that these were King George's lands, and that they would deliver them up but with the last drops of their blood." The assailants persevered, and made considerable progress in undermining one side of the fortification ; but a heavy rain causing the earth to cave in upon them, they finally abandoned the siege with a loss of twenty of their number. James Armstrong was Lieutenant, and probably commanded at the time of this affair. Three of the men killed were Joseph Hunter, Joseph Muckamog and James Nigh. The Indians brought with them five of the captives taken in June ; and the other, Joshua Rose, being left at Penobscot, made his escape, found his way to St. George's after six days travel, and was taken into the fort the second day of the siege. On the breaking up of the siege, one of the five captives was sent in to know if the English would ransom them, and, being told they could not for want of orders, he returned to his captors, but on arriving at Penobscot was " frankly released," with two others. According to these captives, the Indians during the siege subsisted chiefly on seals, which they caught daily in the river .¿
This fort having been supported thus far by the proprietors at their own expense, it had been proposed by Mr. Leverett, as the country was in a state of war and the work needed for the general defence, to make it a public garrison. This
Com. Rep. p. 111. J Pierce's Dep. p. 152. Hon. J. Farley's Dep.
t Rep. Committee, General Court, 1731. Mass. MS. papers.
# Westbrook's Letter, Sec. Office, Bos.
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was accordingly done; and Capt. Westbrook returned soon after the siege with two sloops and a reinforcement of men. The soldiers' wages, paid in paper money at 60 per cent. discount, were at this time as follows ; to a captain per month, £7, equal to $12,44; to a Lieutenant £4, equal to $7,11; to a Sergeant, ££2, 18s. equal to $5,15; to a Corporal £2, 5s. equal to $4; and to a private &2, equal to $3,55 .*
1723. On the 11th February, 1723, Capt. Westbrook, now Colonel and Commander in Chief in this quarter, left Kennebec with two hundred and thirty men, and with small vessels and whale boats ranged the coast as far eastward as Mt. Desert. He then sailed up the Penobscot ; marched thirty-two miles by land ; arrived at the principal Indian fort, which was a stockade, seventy yards by fifty in extent, en- closing twenty-three houses, or wigwams,t which at this time were deserted ; and, having burnt the whole, together with the chapelt and priest's house, returned to the fort at St. George's, with the loss of the chaplain, Rev. Benj. Gibson, and three men, whose bodies on his arrival were buried at that fort.
During this season, great sickness prevailed among the east- ern soldiers ; and little, besides defensive measures, was ac- complished. No settlement, house, or vessel at anchor, in these eastern parts, was safe from aggression. On the 25th of Dec. the Indians made an attack upon the fort at St. George's river. Being fortunate enough to take two prison- ers, who gave them intelligence concerning the indefensible condition of the garrison, the assailants, about sixty in num- ber, were encouraged to prosecute the siege for thirty days, with a resolution, or rather madness, that was desperate. They seemed to be flushed with the absolute certainty of com- pelling a surrender of the fort. But Capt. Kennedy, who was now the commanding officer, being a man of intrepid courage, held out till Col. Westbrook arrived and put the enemy to flight. §
* 2 Belk. N. H. p. 45.
t Westbrook says in his letter to the Governor, "23 houses built regular." See his Letter, Mass. MS. Papers, Vol. 51, p. 376.
# This, according to the captives previously released, who were forced to assist in rebuilding the fort and retained by Westbrook as guides in this expedition, was 60 feet long, 30 wide, 12 high, and furnished with a bell which was rung morning and evening. The captives also stated that they saw, in July, 12 or 13 barrels of gun- powder brought there from Canada. Westbrook's Letter to Gov. Shute in Sec. Office, Mass.
§ 2 Hutch. His. p. 276.
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1724. In the following spring, Capt. Josiah Winslow was left in command of this fort. He was a young man of great promise, a recent graduate of Harvard college, and a mem- ber of one of the most respectable families of the colony. His grandfather and great-grandfather had each been gover- nor of Plymouth ; and his father and other members of the family were distinguished for their civil and military services. On the 30th of April,* it being an inviting morning, he select- ed sixteen of the ablest men belonging to the garrison, and, in a couple of staunch whale-boats, proceeded down the river to the Green Islandt which at this season of the year was fre- quented by the Indians for fowling. Here they hauled up their boats and lay close during the night, and part of the succeeding day. Not discovering any Indians, they left the island, about two hours before sunset, on their return. But as they were ascending the river, they were beset by a large party of natives who were passing down the same in canoes and now lay concealed on both of its banks. The Indians being undiscovered, the party, but for an accidental occur- rence, might perhaps have passed them in safety. One of the men in the second boat, perceiving a flock of water-fowl, imprudently fired and shot one of them. Turning to pick up the fowl, Sergeant Harvey, who commanded the boat, was called to by Capt. Winslow, in the other, then somewhat ahead, and advised not to follow the fowl, but keep close to him, as they knew not what they might meet with, before reaching the fort. Harvey replied " go casy upon your oars and I will be presently up with you." But following the fowl too long and going too near the western side of the river, the Indians fired from the shore, killed three of the men, and attempted to surround him in their canoes. Harvey gallantly returned the fire, but, finding himself overpowered, retreated and landed with his party on the opposite side. Here they were attacked by another party and maintained a sharp contest with abundance of courage, till the whole were slain, except three Christian Indians who escaped and carried the news to the fort. Capt. Winslow, who was considerably ahead and out of danger, when the attack was made upon
* May 11th, new style.
t Penhallow and Williamson suppose this to have been one of the Green Islands in Penobscot Bay ; but the time was hardly sufficient for so great a distance ; and Mather, who published a sermon on the occasion, and whose information was derived from the Christian In- dians who escaped, evidently believed the island was in the river. Might it not have been Henderson's or Gondola Island ?
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Harvey, immediately hastened back to his assistance. But before reaching the scene of action, he was himself sur- rounded by thirty or forty canoes filled with armed savages, who rushed upon him from both sides of the river. Com- mencing the attack with a hideous yell, they attempted to board his boat and make prisoners of the whole party. He suffered them to approach within a short distance and then opened upon them a brisk and destructive fire. This did not deter them from coming alongside, where they were so fiercely repulsed and beat off with clubbed muskets, that they fell off and maintained the contest at a distance. They were so struck with young Winslow's courage, that they offered him quarter, if he would surrender himself and company ; but he refused it ; and continued the fight until the dusk of the evening, when the most of his men being slain, he has- tened ashore on the western bank with two or three that were left. Here they were again beset and all cut off. Winslow being shot down and having his thigh broken, the Indians, when they saw him fall, ran towards him ; and yet then he recovered on his other knee and shot down one of his enemies ere they could despatch him. Thus perished this gallant little band, leaving none but the Indians aforesaid to tell the story of their melancholy end. Their accomplished commander had been observed in a pensive mood some days before the expedition, and on divers occasions had let fall expressions, which, like that to Harvey when turning aside for the fowl, seemed to indicate a presentiment of his fate. He fell, greatly beloved and universally lamented, in the twenty-third year of his age .* In this action, inconsiderable as were the numbers engaged, there was a remarkable display, on both sides, of boldness and good conduct. The Tarratines, who were rather a val- iant, than a cruel people, composed the Indian party ; and their loss, though never known, is supposed to have doubled ours. For want of men to go in search of their bodies, it was never known whether our gallant little band were interred by the savages, or their flesh devoured by wild beasts, and their bones left bleaching in the sun till concealed by the leaves of autumn.t
* Cotton Mather's Sermon dedicated to Col. J. Winslow. Pen- hallow's Ind. Wars, p. 99. Westbrook's letter to Gov .- Sec. Office.
t The winds, that through the vernal bowers Or Autumn's leafless branches moan, Passed, sighing, o'er their place of rest To all surviving friends unknown. 4
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So well prepared, this year, were most of the places as- sailed, to defend themselves, that the Indians were unable to take any considerable booty from the frontiers ; and therefore they rushed down upon the seacoast, and undertook to sicze upon all the vessels they could find in the eastern harbors. New to them as this kind of enterprise was, they were, in a few weeks, in possession of twenty-two vessels of various de- scriptions ; one of which was a large schooner armed with two swivels ; two were shallops taken at the Isles of Shoals ; eight were fishing vessels, found at Fox Island thoroughfare ; and the others were surprised and taken in different places. In these seizures, they killed twenty-two men and retained a still greater number prisoners. Generally these were the masters or skippers, and the best sailors, whom they compelled to serve on board their prizes.
A part of the fleet proceeded up the river St. George's, once more fully determined to lay the fort in ashes. To ef- fect their purpose, the savage crews now filled a couple of their shallops with combustibles, which were set on fire and urged so near the block house that they would have com- municated the flames, had not individual exertion prevented. The Indians then offered favorable terms, provided the garri- son would surrender. But every lisp of the kind was promptly rejected ; and as they were utterly unable to take
The tears which fond affection poured, Or love in secret sadness shed, Bedewed indeed a distant sward, But fell not on their lonely bed.
No column proud, no humble stone, To mark the spot, was reared for them ; The evening thrush and beating surge Performed their only requiem.
But oft, I ween, the maiden's heart, Who walks with pensive step at eve, By some mysterious influence held Shall pause upon the spot to grieve ;
And spell bound, 'neath the silent moon And stars that saw that night of anguish, Allow her soul, she knows not why, In sorrows unexplained to languish.
Watch on, from age to age, ye stars ! And beat, thou surge, with ceaseless moan ! Sing on, sweet thrush, and maiden weep, Where rest the brave to all unknown !
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or destroy the fortification, either by force or stratagem, they retired without doing any considerable injury.
Against this new force of the enemy, two vessels were despatched with twenty men from New Hampshire, but re- turned without success. Two others were sent under Jack- son of Kittery and Lakeman of Ipswich. These, after an action with the enemy, in which Jackson and several of his men were wounded, and his sails and rigging so badly cut up that his pursuit was impeded, finally drove them into Pe- nobscot. Here they found them assisted and covered by so large a body of natives that they were forced to retire. When another expedition of three vessels went from Boston against them, they had become tired of this maritime warfare; their vessels were dispersed, and no intelligence could afterwards be obtained of them .*
Thus far the Indians had conducted the war with great spirit and prudence, and their success greatly preponderated over that of the English, whose measures were chiefly of a defensive character. But the destruction of Norridgewock and the death of the Jesuit Rale, in August of this year, broke the spirit and strength of the Canibas tribe ; whilst the several expeditions of Capt. Lovewell in the winter, and his sanguinary engagement at Pegwacket the following spring, so discouraged the remainder of the Abenaques tribes that they never recovered. The star of the confederacy, pale and declining, from that time gradually settled in darkness.
1725. Proffers of negotiation were made and recipro- cated by means of the hostages that were still retained at Boston; but its progress was retarded by several untoward events not very creditable to the English name. The first of these was the expedition of Capt. Heath to Penobscot. Learning that the Indians had rebuilt their villaget in a more advantageous situation, about three miles above the mouth of the Kenduskeag, he marched across from the Kennebec, and finding the inhabitants fled, laid their dwellings in ashes, and returned without meeting the enemy. This was a bold en- terprise ; but, hearing on his return to St. George's river that the Indians had proposed a negotiation for peace, he and the authorities kept the particulars as secret as possible .¿
The second occurrence, June 20th, reflected much dishonor
# 2 Will. His. p. 128, 129.
t This was in the present city of Bangor and consisted of about 50 dwellings .- Hutch.
# 11 Mass. Rec. p. 396.
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upon the English character. This was a violent assault by a scout from the garrison at St. George's upon a party of Indians bound to the fort, under a flag of truce. There was for a few minutes a smart combat between them, in which one of the scout was killed and another wounded. The best excuse which could be framed for this error, was the honest jealousy excited by repeated instances of savage treachery. The effect of this outrage was aggravated by a treacherous assault upon Castine the younger by the captain of a sloop, who by a flag of truce enticed him on board his vessel and violently took from him a captive whom he had redeemed from the savages. After some farther outrages, Castine shot one of the men and with his boy escaped to the woods .*
Notwithstanding these events, so disposed were the natives for peace, that thirteen of their chiefs on the 2d of July held a conference at St. George's fort with John Stoddard and John Wainwright, commissioners sent by Massachusetts to treat with them. This conference was conducted in a very pacific manner and led to an appointment of another meeting at Boston for the conclusion of a treaty. In the mean time two vessels, being seized by the enemy at Damariscove, were committed to the flames, and the masters and crews, consisting of seven men and a boy, were carried to Sagada- hoc and barbarously beat to death. But this was among the last efforts of the eastern Indians, and closed the scene of blood for the present year.
At the meeting in Boston, Nov. 10th, the Indians long insisted that Fort Richmond on the Kennebec and the block- house at St. George's should be abandoned, and that a bound- ary should be drawn straight from Teconnet to Saco. But these terms not being acceded to, it was finally agreed that the Indians should enjoy the lands and liberties not conveyed to the English nor possessed by them, together with the privileges of hunting, fishing, and fowling, as formerly ; that they should maintain peace and enter into no combinations against the English, who, on their part, were to regulate the whole trade of the country, and open a trading-house at St. George's to be constantly supplied with goods to the amount of £700 for the supply of the Indians in fair and honorable trade.
The command of St. George's fort and garrison was, Dec. 13, 1725, committed to John Gyles, the builder and late
* 2 Will. His. p. 144. Penhallow's Ind. Wars, &c.
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commander of Fort George at Pejepscot, now Brunswick. He was the son of Thomas Gyles, Esq. of Pemaquid, who had been Chief Justice of the County of Cornwall when under the government of the Duke of York. When his father was killed by the Indians, Aug. 2, 1689, John, then a young lad, was, together with his mother, one brother and two little sisters, taken captive and carried off into the wild- erness. After a captivity of nearly nine years, during which he had many narrow escapes and became familiar with the In- dian tongue, he was set at liberty and was immediately taken into public service at Boston. He was employed as Indian in- terpreter at various places, had a lieutenant's and afterwards captain's commission at Casco, Pejepscot, and St. George's where he probably commanded till 1736 or later .*
The last mentioned treaty was signed Dec. 15th by the four Sagamore delegates, and has since been denominated Dum- mer's treaty ; than which, none ever made by the parties has been more celebrated or lasting.
1726. This treaty was finally ratified at Falmouth, Aug. 6, 1726, by Gov. Dummer and a large retinue from Boston, who there met Wenemovet, chief Sachem of the Tarratines, and 40 other chiefs of that and the associate tribes. They made an earnest request that no vessels in the harbors nor taverns on shore should be permitted to sell liquors to their young men ; and Gov. Dummer gave them the most solemn assurances that this request should be complied with. They insisted, also, upon the " removal of those two houses mentioned last winter," (Forts St. George's and Richmond.) " If they were removed there would," said they, " be no difficulty among the tribes. We can't find any Record in our memory nor in the memory of our Grand Fathers, that the Penobscutt tribe have sold any land, As to the deeds mention- ed last winter made by Medoccewanda and Sheepscutt John, they were not Penobscutt Indians, one belonging to Mechias Madockewando, the other towards Boston, If we should find in reality that the lands were purchased of the right owners we should not have insisted upon it, nor have opened our Mouths, we would not pretend to tell a Lye about it, for we know that God will be angry with the man that tells a Lye, We do not remember of any settlements at St. George's, we remember a pretty while, and as long as we remember, the place where the
* See Gyles's Captivity first published in 1736 and republished in Tragedies of the Wilderness, by S. G. Drake, 1846.
4*
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garrison stands was filled with Great Long Grown Trees."" But after a farther conference on the subject of these deeds with the committee of claims in attendance, they agreed to waive the matter for the present, and solemnly ratified and con- firmed the treaty. Thus terminated this fourth Indian war, the first which the natives had carried on without foreign as- sistance, and remarkable alike for the boldness and success with which it was conducted on their part, and the brilliant achieve- ments of the English, which finally brought it to a close.
CHAPTER IV.
FROM 1726 TO 1741, INCLUDING THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS AT ST. GEORGE'S AND BROAD BAY.
ONE of the first measures of the government after the peace, was the establishment of truckhouses for the accommo- dation of the Indians according to the provisions of the treaty. The most eastern of these was at St. George's fort ; and the first truckmaster there, as the superintendent was called, was Thomas Smith, one of the 20 associates, who had been re- commended by the Indians at the conference. Goods were furnished by the government, and the agents were allowed to add to the first cost a sufficient sum to cover the freight and waste. At times, also, presents were made and entertain- ments given to the Indians at the public expense. Care being taken in the selection of suitable agents, these truckhouses had a salutary effect ; and the Indians soon finding they could purchase goods here cheaper and better than in Canada, a friendly disposition grew up amongst them. Every thing now indicated a permanent peace.
It was, however, difficult for the government to carry out these amicable intentions. Private traders were eager to participate in the profits of Indian traffic, and too often un- scrupulous in the means of augmenting them. Ardent spirits were sold, and, in the intoxication they produced, every ad- vantage was taken, perhaps, and every fraud practised. Gov- ernment agents, and sometimes the Indians themselves, en- deavored to restrain these practices by indictments and prose-
* Printed Indian Conf. of 1726.
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cution. In retaliation, charges were made against the agents as guilty of the same conduct, and wishing for their own ben- cfit to monopolise the profits. From the unsettled state of the country and the distance of the place of trial, it was difficult to obtain conviction. One Michael Micum, Macom, or Mal- com, seems to have been engaged in this illicit traffic at va- rious places, and was frequently complained of; though he was usually discharged on the payment of Court fees. In 1726 he is described as Michael Micum of Georgetown, in 1736 as Michael Macom of a place called Augusta,* and in 1744 he is styled Michael Malcom of St. George, trader. He was, probably, the son of John Malcom of Brunswick, who also, as well as Elizabeth Malcom of the same place, was indicted for the same offence in 1739 and 1740.+
1727. At another conference held with Gov. Dummer, 1727, the Indians called the attention of the Governor to truckmasters, said " the first sent to St. George's we liked very well ; we liked Mr. Mountfort very well ; we have noth- ing to say against Capt. Gyles at all ; he is a man that is agreeable to us. But it is very strange to us that now the truckmaster is come away, the door is fast ; the key is turned on the lock, and we cannot get any thing now, nor can our wives and children get the necessaries of life. We desire Mr. Mountfort may be sent there." But the Indians at Pejep- scot and Ammerescoggin spoke highly of Capt. Gyles, and wished to have him appointed to Fort George. The Indians having also desired that a gunsmith reside at St. George's, the Governor promised to furnish one. The Chief then in- quired whether " they must pay the gunsmith that comes to St. George's, or whether the English government would pay him ?" To which the Governor replied that the smith should charge moderately for his work, and, to enable him to do so, should be victualled at the blockhouse ; and, in case he cheated or made exorbitant charges, he should be discarded .¿
From the language, somewhat ambiguous, used by the In- dians at this and the preceding conference, we infer that Capt. Gyles was not altogether popular among them. Perhaps, like his father at Pemaquid, he might have been too rigid and puritanical in the discharge of his duty to suit these undisci- plined sons of the forest. It is probable, also, as the office of
* This was an abortive settlement commenced at Small Point .- J. McKeen's communication to the author.
t York Records and communication of Hon. R. McIntire.
# See printed Ind. Conf. of 1727.
L
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truckmaster was lucrative and annually filled by the Legisla- ture, that some little competition had sprung up and the influ- ence of the Indians was sought for by the different candidates. Something, not fully explained, on both these points, may, perhaps, be inferred from the following letter of the truck- master to his son, the first settled minister of Falmouth. " To ye Rev. Mr. Thomas Smith at Falmouth, Casco Bay. Per Lt. Wright. St. George's Fort, April 6, 1727. Last night arrived here Lt. Wright with express from his Honor the Lt. Governor, chiefly relating to the Indians killing of a cow and some swine in the beginning of February at Montin- icus. I suppose there is not paper or ink at Falmouth or you would have wrote me. I wrote you by Sanders, as also by Mr. Nutting, both which I suppose you have received. Capt. Giles gives his service to you and entreats you will favor him so far, if you can so order it, as to give us a visit here and preach on a Sabbath ; Lt. Wright offers that if you will do it, he will both come with you and carry you back in his schooner free from all charge. I expect to hear from you by return of Mr Nutting and all opportunities. I am, your affec- tionate Father, T. Smith." In a postscript he adds, "at Boston it's much talked of that here is great difference and disagreement between Capt. Giles and myself ; if there should be the same at Falmouth, you may assure any body that we have not had the least angry word or difference since my arrival here from Boston. By Sander's last trip I had letters which inform me of the great interest that J. G. has with his Honor, &c. And now I would that you treat Lt. Wright with all possible civility, he having made sundry ob- servations here that he says he will commit to writing and deliver to you ; the copy of which I would have you transmit to me, but the original to keep safe and very private. T. S."*
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