USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Gorham > History of Gorham, Me. > Part 5
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The war between England and France quickly spread to their col- onies, and the inhabitants of the frontier towns of New England found themselves exposed to the murderons attacks of the hordes of savages, which the French in Canada poured down upon our defence- less borders.
The French possessed a stronghold called Louisburg, a town situ- ated on the island of Cape Breton, and which they had fortified very strongly, - a place deemed to be almost impregnable. Notwithstand- ing this, however, Governor Shirley determined to undertake its capture and reduction, and preparations were begun early in 1745 for that purpose.
In 1739, just previous to the breaking out of the war in Europe, the York County regiment, at that time commanded by Col. William Pepperill, was divided. The command of the new, or Eastern regi- ment thus formed was given to Col. Samuel Waldo of Falmouth.
The Province of Maine had the honor of furnishing the command- ing officers for this expedition against Louisburg, who were the two
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colonels just mentioned. The chief in command was Col. William Pepperell of Kittery, who received the commission of Lieut .- General. Col. Samuel Waldo was given the commission of Brig .- General, and appointed second in command. Capt. Edward Tyng, with the com- mission of Commodore, was placed in command of the Provincial fleet, which consisted of thirteen vessels of war, carrying some two hundred and four guns. The expedition was very popular, and there was no trouble in procuring men, the enlistment of volunteers begin- ning on the 2d of February. Falmouth on the 28th held its annual Fast, as Mr. Smith says, " Earlier in the year than usual, on account of the expedition to Louisburg." The troops numbered something short of four thousand men, of whom Massachusetts and Maine fur- nished more than three-fourths. At Canseau they were joined by a fleet of English men-of-war, under the command of Commodore Warren.
The first attack on the place was made on the 2d of May; the appearance of the fleet off the port being the first intimation that the garrison had of the proposed investment. Some rumors of the expedition, which had reached Canada, were regarded as so improb- able, that no report of them was made to Cape Breton. After con- siderable fighting, Duchambon, the Governor, becoming somewhat discouraged and learning of a contemplated attack determined on for the 18th, decided to surrender the place, and on the 17th of June Louisburg capitulated, and with all its spoils passed into the hands of the victors. There was the greatest joy and rejoicing throughout the Colonies on account of this astonishing and resplendent victory. Even Europe felt profound amazement, tinged in England with some jealousy at our success.
Col. Shubael Gorham commanded the 7th regiment of Massachu- setts troops. The Lieut .- Colonel of the regiment was his brother, John Gorham. The Ist regiment of Massachusetts troops was com- manded by Col. William Pepperill. In this latter regiment the 10th company, which was raised in Falmouth in March, 1745, was under the command of Capt. Moses Pearson of Falmouth. Belonging to Capt. Pearson's company were Corporal Gamaliel Pote, and pri- vates John Ayer, James Gilkey and Ebenezer Hall. Pote's father's family was one of those which left Gorham at the breaking out of the war and retired to Falmouth. John Ayer had also been a resi- dent. Hall may, or may not, have been the Ebenezer Hall who left Gorham at the same time with Pote and others, but it seems probable that he was the man. James Gilkey shortly afterwards moved to
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Gorham, where he settled about 1750. Among the names of sol- diers in this expedition appears that of John McDaniel, who belonged to York or Wells, but came later to Gorham.
Capt. Pearson was one of the Proprietors of Gorhamtown, and was a man very prominent in the affairs of that place. He was Pro- prietors' Clerk for many years, and was usually a member of the more important committees. After the surrender of Louisburg, Capt. Pearson was appointed agent of General Pepperill's regiment, and treasurer of the entire force, to take charge of the distribution of the spoils of victory. In 1750 the General Court granted to Capt. Pearson and forty-five others, for their services at and around Louis- burg, what was known as " Pearsonstown," until its incorporation as the town of Standish. Among the names of these grantees are the following, who were, either before or afterwards, connected with Gor- . ham : Gamaliel Pote, James Gilkey, Jeremiah Pote, Elisha Pote, John Irish and John Ayer.
In the spring of the year 1746, the town of Gorham had but ten families, some of whom, whose lands were in the immediate neigh- borhood, had remained in the fort the preceding winter, while part of the others had completed their arrangements, and moved in, thinking that probably before many days the Indians would commence their depredations. There were still four families out, and these were advised to make no delay, but hasten to the fort. Capt. Phinney, who held a fatherly care over the weak and unprotected plantation, was urgent, knowing that safety depended on keeping in a compact body and in a place of some strength, and on not allowing themselves to be caught singly and unprepared. The spring was remarkably early, and the weather warm and pleasant, which added to the anxiety of all, they knowing full well that the Indians would take advantage of it, and that some one or more of their number might soon feel the effect of their murderous warfare. Still, those out of the fort were unwilling to leave their work, knowing that if they could not prepare their land and plant their crops, starvation or abandonment of the place would be the final result, for the whole country was alike subject to the depredations of the enemy, and none were able to help, being all equally poor and dependent on the labor of their hands for the bread they eat ; thus they labored hard and fast that they might flee and join their brethren in a place of comparative safety.
On the evening of the 18th of April the Mclellan family had fin- ished their day's labor, eaten their supper, and were all assembled in
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their log house, talking over their prospects and the probability of soon expecting the visits of the Indians, and having, as before said, been repeatedly admonished by Capt. Phinney and others to hasten their work, came to the conclusion that they would so far complete it on the next day as to be able to leave and join their friends in the fort. The weather on this evening was warm and pleasant and they had not closed the door of their house, near which their old dog was lying. Suddenly the dog became much excited ; he sprang on to his feet, and made every demonstration, as if he had made a discovery of immediate danger, but would not go toward the direction from which he evidently expected an attack. His conduct was remarked by all; Indians / was the first word uttered, for the expected visit was uppermost in their minds. The door was immediately closed and the proper fastenings put to it, all the lights were extinguished, not a word was spoken except in a whisper, the windows were closed up (they were only square holes cut in the logs of which the house was built), and blankets and other things were hung around the fire that its rays might not discover, through the chinks of the logs, the posi- tion of the inmates.
They had four guns in the house, and two men, Hugh Mclellan, the father, and his son William, capable of using them, while Mrs. Mclellan was not much behind her husband in point of courage and ability to defend this home in the wilderness. William was then about sixteen years old, stout and hardy of his age and abundantly able to handle a musket and perform a man's part. When they had put their castle in the best possible state of defence that their resources would allow, they began to look about and see what were their means of continuing to hold out, provided they were besieged, and in the words of Mrs. McLellan, when she had lived through her many trials and had become an old lady, "We had a milk pan full of powder, and lead enough, but it was not in balls." Here was work for the female hands ; and while the men lay at the loopholes, with one gun by their side and the other pointed into the dark atmosphere outside the house, which to them was full of infernal savages ready to cut their throats and take their scalps, Mrs. McLellan was by the fire behind the screen with her little daughter Abigail, employed in melting lead in a skillet and with an iron spoon pouring it into the bullet mould thus casting balls, and manufacturing cartridges for the use of the little garrison. No eyes closed in that log house dur- ing that long night, nor did they much expect to see another rising sun; often were their eyes turned toward the roof, expecting to
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behold it in flames over their heads, being firm in the belief that they were beset by the Indians, or that these were in their immediate neighborhood; and well may we suppose that their anxiety was intense, expecting each moment an attack, and not knowing from whence or in what form it would come upon them. More than once during this long and anxious night their faithful and intelligent dog showed signs of uneasiness, and would move cautiously toward the side of the house and give a low growl, and then he would return to the side of his master, as if to notify him that all was not right outside. Once he made a spring at the door and put his feet against it and gave a growl that must have reached the ears of any one outside. His warnings were not lost; never was a garrison more watchful than were the inmates of that log house during that night.
With the watchers the night seemed endless, but at last daylight appeared through the loopholes. The morning was warm and pleas- ant, the birds sang their songs as if nothing had happened to disturb the quiet of the wilderness ; the sun rose bright and clear ; all looked peaceful and innocent without. The door was opened and the clear- ing was cautiously examined ; the old dog snuffed the morning air with apparent enjoyment. He walked about the house for some time ; was sent by his master to hunt out the trouble, but returned, and by his looks and actions reported all clear. No marks could be discovered of visitors, either wild beast, or the more to be dreaded wild savages ; the cattle were all in their proper places, nothing had been moved or disturbed about the place during the night. These things were carefully noted, after which their frugal breakfast was prepared and eaten, when from all appearances around, it was con- cluded that the alarm was false, at least as far as Indians were concerned, and that the dog must have discovered some wild beast of the forest.
After due consultation it was decided to put the oxen into the yoke, and go on with the work, and as soon as possible get into the fort. The men departed for the field, each taking a gun with him, being cautioned by the women not to go far from the house. As every thing had so pleasant a look the wife was assured by her husband that there would be no danger, still he directed her to keep the dog at the house, and at the least alarm to blow the horn. Before the men left the house, one of their neighbors, Mr. Reed, came in to borrow a chain, and to him they made known their appre- hensions. He said that he had seen nothing, and did not think the Indians had arrived, as no signs had been seen by any one, and he
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should finish his work before he went into the fort. He took the chain, put it over his shoulder, went into the house, lighted his pipe and started for his home, which was above the Mclellans', toward the fort. The words and manner of Reed tended to allay the fears of the Mclellans, and to confirm them in their resolution to go on with their work.
It was learned, afterwards, that Reed, on his way home, had arrived at the brook above the Mclellan house, when he was suddenly set upon by two powerful Indians, who had secreted themselves in the bushes, having had notice of his approach by the noise made by the chain, which he carried on his shoulder. Reed was a large and powerful man, but at this time, unfortunately, entirely unarmed; his resistance was manful and long, but the Indians, being two to one, finally succeeded in making him prisoner, and bound him fast, with- out using firearms, however, for they knew that the report of a gun would alarm the inhabitants and probably frustrate all their plans.
It appears that there were about a dozen Indians engaged in this attack on Gorham. They had reconnoitered during the first part of the night, and a part of them had been at the Mclellan house, which was the cause of the dog's uneasiness; and some of them afterwards told that they "saw 'Young Bill' and dog go spring for water, not take him, fear dog make noise and have to fire gun and make noise alarm all people and no make nothing." Thus from true Indian policy he was suffered to escape, and the family were preserved, for had a rush been made at that time they probably would have been taken unnotified; and unprepared as they were, they must have fallen an easy prey.
Thus having made the reconnoisance and arrangements, they intended, if possible, to capture or kill every person in town who was not in the fort ; and their plan was to do it without firing a gun, or doing anything that might in any way alarm the fort. When the Indians had completed their plans and had got near to the houses of their intended victims they separated to their several works of blood; a part went for the Bryants, a part for the Cloutmans, a part for the Reeds and a part for the Mclellans. The party sent to Bryant's fearfully fulfilled their bloody work ; the wife and children were found in the house, and captured without trouble. Four of the children were dispatched with the tomahawk and scalped, and an infant, two weeks old, had its brains beaten out on the stones of the fireplace. The oldest child in the house was a girl about fifteen years of age, and tradition says that she would have been made
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captive with her mother, had it not been that one of her captors had, at a previous time, received an indignity from her, for which he had promised her that he would have his revenge when war came. Mrs. Bryant, in her weak and sick state, was dragged into captivity and carried to Canada, where she subsequently married, and soon after died. The savages, not finding Bryant and his son at home as they had expected, dispatched two of their number to the field to capture them. When they saw the Indians the boy ran into the woods and thus escaped. Bryant immediately made for the fort. His house was in or near the two-rod road running between the land of Isaac Dyer, and that of the late Nathaniel Hamblen, and his field was where the orchard now is, on the hill above said road toward Fort Hill. The Indians followed Bryant; as he ran well they were fear- ful of losing him, and contrary to their first intentions one of them fired at him and broke his arm. Bryant made his way into the road leading to the fort; it was a race for life or death, the bloodhound after its victim, and only death could stop this race. The Indians were gaining fast, when Bryant discovered on the hill, where the Hamblen house now stands or near there, Daniel Mosher with his gun on his shoulder coming toward them, evidently unaware of his proximity to so fearful a chase. He had heard the gun, but did not know the cause of the firing. When the victim and his pursuers came in sight he was made aware of the cause, but did not know the number of the Indians; he saw two; Bryant called to him to fire on them, and instantly sprang over a log into the brook which is at the foot of the hill and got behind the log that Mosher might fire with more certainty of hitting them, or at least one of them. But Mosher was at the top of the hill, a long gunshot off, and almost at the same minute the foremost Indian, who had discharged his gun, sprang over the log, where a struggle of but a moment took place. Bryant was weak from exertion and loss of blood, and the rapid blows of the tomahawk quickly dispatched him, and before Mosher had hardly become aware of what was going on, the Indians had scalped their victim and made their escape into the woods; and Mr. Mosher went back and gave the alarm at the fort.
The capture of Edward Cloutman, whose house was on the farm for many years occupied by Col. Nathaniel Frost, and afterwards by his son Jeremiah, on the easterly side of the Fort Hill road, so called, about half a mile northerly of Gorham Village, was much desired by the Indians. He was a powerful man, in full vigor and prime of life ; and the owner of a remarkably good gun which was much coveted
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by the Indians, who were well acquainted with its qualities, and well knew its value in the hands of a man like Cloutman. His capture was looked upon by the enemy as a blow which would be of much benefit to them, and which would bear hardly on the settlers.
Cloutman was at work in his field; the Indians, not finding him at his house, separated and made a reconnoissance, when he was discovered, and their plans laid. Two were to show themselves between him and his house, while others were to secrete them- selves between him and the direction of the fort, thinking that if he discovered the open enemy between himself and his house, where he could get no assistance even if he should succeed in reaching it, he would naturally flee toward the point from whence he might expect succor, and the result proved the sagacity of their plans. When Cloutman discovered the enemy between him and his house, he was unarmed ; strong as he was, he knew that a contest with two well-armed Indians must be to his disadvantage, consequently he thought only of making his way to the fort, and commenced his flight in that direction, with his two pursuers in full chase. When he arrived at the northwesterly part of his field, near the road leading to the fort, he attempted to leap the brush fence which he thought to be the only barrier between himself and safety, but at this point he was met by the concealed party. He made a most desperate strug- gle, believing as he did that it was a struggle for life or death, and was on the point of freeing himself from his captors, when the arrival of the two who were in pursuit, settled the thing. He was quickly and most securely bound as a prisoner, to the great exultation of his captors. He was taken captive to Canada, in company with Mrs. Bryant and Reed. Reed died in prison in Quebec, Oct. 20, 1746, but "Cloutman made his escape a few days later, never reaching home, however. Some effects, known to have belonged to him, were afterwards found on the shore of one of the lakes which would lie in his homeward track, as well as the body of a man, but in such a state that it could not be identified; this, taken with other well- known facts, lead to the belief that on his way home he attempted to swim the lake and was drowned. Whether the famous gun fell into the hands of the Indians is not now known.
Cloutman with his family, consisting of his wife and two children, had moved to the fort some days before this, but not thinking that there were any Indians about, he was out this morning at work com- pleting his planting. His daughter, Sarah, married Eli Webb of Gorham. From his son, Timothy, who married Katy Partridge,
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descended a numerous family, many of whose descendants now live in town. After the death of Cloutman, his widow married Mr. Anderson of Windham, from whom descended also a goodly race of citizens now resident in Windham and Gorham. Mrs. Cloutman was the grandmother of the Hon. John Anderson, who has represented Cumberland district in Congress.
The party dispatched for the Mclellans, having on their way so unexpectedly made prisoner of Reed, did not think it prudent, being only two and encumbered with a prisoner, to attempt further mischief, and made off. The party dispatched for Reed were unsuc- cessful, as he had left home and fallen into other hands. The gun was heard by Mrs. McLellan, but nothing was known of the havoc and fearful struggles that had been going on so near her; there all was peace and quiet. The inhabitants were ever alive to dan- ger, and the firing of a gun was always cause of inquiry and alarm. It was evident that the gun was fired toward the fort, in the direction of Bryant's, and they being the nearest neighbors, Mrs. McLellan was desirous to know the cause, and directed her little daughter Abi- gail to go to Bryant's and ascertain what the gun was fired for, but the child, having the fear of Indians in her head and before her eyes, secreted herself under the bed, where she remained some time before the cheat was discovered. When her mother found her she com- pelled a compliance with her orders. The child was not long on the road, for fear lent her wings, and she cleared the distance in a short time. The sight that met her eyes when she entered the house is past the description of any one; on the floor lay the poor children wel- tering in their blood ; they had all fallen under the tomahawk except the infant, and their scalps were torn off. The eldest daughter was alive and called her by name in a feeble voice, scarcely audible ; they had been companions in play, and were nearer of an age than were any other girls in the settlement and intimate friends, but what could she do. Stricken with horror at the sight before her, she was com- pletely paralyzed with fear and her tongue could not utter a word. At this moment she heard the Indians talking near by back of the house ; instantly she was flying with the swiftness of an arrow toward her home. Looking neither to the right nor to the left, she did not stop in her course till she fell prostrate on the floor at her mother's feet. She canght her up in her arms, her face was as white as mar- ble, not a word could she tell of the horrid scenes she had looked upon, she was apparently dead. Her mother laid her on the bed, flew to the door to blow the horn, and then back to her daughter and
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in a few minutes by the application of proper remedies, animation was so far restored that she was able to utter the word " Indians," but immediately fainted again. The father and son hearing the note of warning, only stopped long enough to cast off from the oxen the chain that confined them to the plough, and immediately repaired to the house, where in time Abigail was so far restored to conscious- ness as to be able to relate the particulars of what she had seen at Bryant's. Everything was immediately put in order about the house, water was procured, the windows and doors were closed, and all things were prepared for a siege. They knew neither how long they would be compelled to remain thus, nor how long it would be before they would be attacked and perhaps suffer the same fate as the Bryants. Nor were they at all sure of the safety of the fort; if that had been taken, they deemed their chances small; still, resistance was all they thought of. Ere long, however, they heard a gun fired from the fort; this they knew was the alarm gun to give notice to any still alive that the enemy were about, and to warn them against surprise. This gun gave new life to the inhabitants of that log house; they knew from that that they were not alone, and that there was a small prospect of help.
Capt. Phinney and the others in the fort were apprised by Daniel Mosher of the fact that the Indians were out and that they had killed Bryant ; but as to their numbers and the other mischief committed by them they knew nothing. With their present uncertainty as to the force of the enemy, they did not deem it prudent to venture out. The distance from the fort to Bryant's house was not far; still many places along the way to it would afford to the enemy every opportu- nity for ambush and surprise, and their own force was not sufficient to scout the woods. They passed the day putting the fort in the best state of defence possible. As none of the inhabitants remaining out of the fort appeared during the day, they came to the conclusion that the attack and surprise were complete, that all were either murdered or carried off as prisoners, and that none were left.
While the time passed thus with those in the fort, the Mclellans kept anxious watch in their house through the day and long night following. On the next day, the 20th, about noon men were seen coming in Indian file toward the house whom at first they took for Indians, but when they came near they discovered them to be a scouting party going to the fort, and they immediately made known to them their situation. The oxen were hunted up and found in the woods near by with the yoke still on their necks as left the morning
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