USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Bristol > History of York, Maine, successively known as Bristol (1632), Agamenticus (1641), Gorgeana (1642), and York (1652) Vol. I > Part 29
USA > Maine > York County > York > History of York, Maine, successively known as Bristol (1632), Agamenticus (1641), Gorgeana (1642), and York (1652) Vol. I > Part 29
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The Indians returned the fire from across the river, killing one soldier and wounding another. In reprisal they killed one of the boys, and the youngest unable to travel, met the usual fate meted out to those who delayed their prog- ress, a knock in the head. Whether the third boy met the same end is unknown, but Joseph, the eldest, reached Canada and was baptized in Montreal in 1707, and in 1710 he was there naturalized. Governor Dudley sent a · ship to Port Royal for their release but nothing came of it. It is possible that he may have returned as descendants of this particular family which had removed to Harpswell have preserved the tradition that one of their kinsmen returned from Canada and was unable to remember his name but thought it was Stafford.
The next attack occurred about two years later, August 10, 1707, which was a Sabbath evening. Sergeant Smith and Elias Weare, returning from evening service together with Mrs. Elizabeth (Hilton) Littlefield and her young son, were slain by the Indians between York Harbor and Cape Neddick. Joshua Hilton, brother of Mrs. Littlefield, was taken captive. There was supposed to be between forty and fifty Indians in canoes taking part in this attack, and the body of Smith was reported to be riddled with fifteen bullets. Hilton was still unre- deemed in 17II and, as far as known, never returned. The Boston News Letter, in an account of this attack, adds that "one woman was missing." This account, not very circumstantial, as no n'ames were given, may refer to a girl that was captured at Cape Neddick, about this period,
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hitherto unreported. This was Bathsheba, daughter of Samuel and Deborah (Littlefield) Webber of Cape Ned- dick. She was taken to Quebec, where she was baptized, 1714, as "Marie," and called twelve years of age. She remained in Canada and married March II, 1720 Joseph Saleur of St. Martin, province of Quebec. Nothing further is known of her, except the recorded baptisms of her Saleur children.
By an Act passed June 28, 1706, all persons in York were required to "abide" in such garrisons as were al- lowed by the Governor, and to which each person should be assigned, and fines were to be imposed for disobedience of this requirement. Also all males in York, able to bear arms, were required to carry their arms "when they go to publick worship on the Lords day, or other times, and also when they go abroad to work." The legal penalty for violations was five shillings for each neglect. The actual penalty was death by a bullet from the thicket.
In the absence of any positive information to the con- trary, the people of York were spared from any loss of life for the next three years. In the spring of 1710 Ben- jamin Preble was killed, but his place in the family tree is not known. On October 8 following, Deacon Johnson Harmon was captured at Winter Harbor, Saco, and taken prisoner to Quebec. This was rather unusual as he was thirty years of age and must have been given this chance of life for a special reason, perhaps for use in exchange for a Frenchman in New England of whom there were over forty at this date. He was returned in exchange for one of them in 17II and lived to do valiant service as Lieuten- ant-Colonel in the famous raid against the Indian town of Norridgewock when Father Rasle was killed.
The only casualty reported in 1711 has been incorrectly related in a contemporary publication ("Niles' French and Indian Wars"), and we are indebted to a current newspaper account of this tragedy for the true story of the death of two of our citizens. It is told with such dra- matic effect that it is better reproduced verbatim from the Boston News Letter in its issue of April 9, 1711, as follows:
Piscataqua, April 6th. On Tuesday last five of the Skulking Indian Enemy kill'd two Men about Scotland Garrison at York, viz. Daniel Dill and Joseph Jenkins, the last whereof they also stript and scalpt and after the Enemy withdrew, they supposing him dead
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HISTORY OF YORK
Jenkins arose and march'd to the Garrison, and gave an account of the Action, and liv'd but about 10 hours afterwards.
Niles gives the added information that "they were fishing in one of the ponds at the time of the attack," but does not mention their names and leaves it to be inferred that the anonymous victim who feigned death survived. This is contrary to the facts, as it is known that Joseph Junkins was killed about this time but the exact date is not recorded.
In 17II Capt. Abraham Preble's fishing sloop was taken out of York Harbor on the night of November 7-8 and the loss was not discovered until early the next morn- ing. Preble called for volunteers from the townsmen, and Captain Heath in charge of the garrison detailed a sergeant and eight men to aid in its recapture. Ensign William Hilton, Edward Beale, Job Averill, George Jacobs and Thomas More of the local militia joined the troops and the whole party, numbering thirty-two men, went in two sloops in chase. After several hours they descried Preble's boat and, outsailing her, found her manned by a French- man and three Indians. They made them prisoners and put back to the harbor where they arrived about ten o'clock that night. A summary court martial was held by Captains Heath and Preble, at the house of Samuel Don- nell, and Hilton was ordered to execute the Indians. In accordance with this they were put to death immediately that same night and their bodies thrown into the sea. Hilton took their scalps to Boston to claim bounty.
It is quite probable that this mercenary performance accounts for the renewal of activities by the enemy against York, which followed in a few months. In previous wars bounties had been offered for scalps, and in this conflict the prize was forty pounds each for the scalps of Indians of any age, and it was customary for volunteers to make up parties to scout for Indians, in hope of this reward. Captain Preble was reported in February 1712 as going out with such a company, but after a week's absence he came back without booty.
On April 21, 1712 Samuel Webber, father of the above -- said Bathsheba, was attacked while riding from the town to Cape Neddick, and his horse was shot in three places under him, but he escaped, apparently, although when
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the report was made, he was missing. He died at home four years after this experience. On May 9 another solitary man in the town was attacked but escaped, and as a reminder of their presence near the village, a cow was killed. An account in the Boston News Letter of this date, in recounting these happenings at York, says: "Scarse a day passes without some mischief or other done by the Enemy."
On April 14, Capt. Josiah Willard sent eighteen men from the harbor garrison, under Sergeant Knowlton, to the mills at Cape Neddick, and while on the march they espied Indians in ambush. They opened fire on them, but the savages were in superior force, and returned the fire with such effect that the sergeant was killed at the first volley and seven men were cut off and captured. Nothing was left for the depleted force but to fight a retreating battle, which they did, and succeeded in reaching the old Stover stone garrison. They then held out against the Indians until a relief came to their rescue from the town.
Cape Neddick seemed to be the chief object of Indian wrath. On May 26 a body of twenty Indians were dis- covered there, "creeping to Surprise some Women a Milk- ing," but they were driven off.
The following day twelve of the same party, probably, captured Olive Plaisted, the ten-year-old daughter of James Plaisted, near his garrison on Cider Hill, and for the second time Mary (Rishworth) Plaisted, his wife, was put in mourning for another daughter in captivity. At the same time they killed Joanna, daughter of William Beal, a girl of about the same age. This bold foray was made almost in the sight of a company of men under Capt. John Harmon, then about a mile away. As soon as the alarm was given he went in pursuit, but was unable to overtake them.
Five months later, on September I, a party of about thirty Indians suddenly fell on Cape Neddick once more, and killed John Spencer and wounded Dependence Stover, as they were mowing in a field about forty rods from the garrison. They were protected by a small party who came out of the garrison, and for two hours skirmishing con- tinued. The savages withdrew and spent their wrath on such cattle as they could find browsing in the vicinity. Ten were found dead, and thirty more missing.
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HISTORY OF YORK
This comprises all the known casualties occurring in York during Queen Anne's War. These accounts of isolated attacks gathered from various sources, in con- temporary documents or printed matter, do not, in all probability, cover all the casualties suffered by this town. It does not take into account losses of stock which con- tinually depleted the needed food supplies of the residents, but it is the most comprehensive compilation so far made.
An incident in which a prominent military officer, Lieut. Moses Banks, of this town was a factor, took place in Wells in the last year of this war. The occasion was the marriage on September 18, 1712 of Elisha Plaisted of Kittery to Hannah, daughter of Col. John Wheelwright of Wells at his garrison. The contracting parties were of high social distinction and the ceremonies were attended by the beaus and belles of all the adjoining towns. In some way information about this notable affair came to the knowledge of the Indians and they made it the occa- sion for a demonstration. Two companies of armed men were then stationed in Wells and some of the officers were invited to the wedding. In the midst of the festivi- ties and toasts to the bride, the Indians launched their attack suddenly, captured young Plaisted and one of the subalterns and retreated to the edge of the forest, where they held the soldiers at bay. It was found impracticable to dislodge them, without great loss of life, as they were in considerable force, and doubtless the pleas of the bride to save her husband from death influenced a cessation of the fighting. In a letter from Col. Richard Waldron to Gov. Joseph Dudley dated the next day, he detailed the conditions following this impasse:
. .. Twas not thought adviseable to proceed further but Lt Banks of York goes out with a flagg of Truce to treat with the Enemy abt the Redemp'n of Mr. Plasteds son and the other captive Sergt Tucker. This Banks is now here and saith he was mett wth Six Indians who cald themselves Capts of whome he knew two (vizt) Bomazeen & Capt Nathaniel: He also saw another who took acquaintance wth him by seeing him at Casco bay when the late Captives were redeemed there, so that they are doubtless Most Eastw'd Indians & Banks tells me that he that took Plasted is a Penobscotman. (Mass. Arch. li, 241.)
Lieut. Moses Banks was then about twenty-two years of age and from the statements of Colonel Waldron must
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have had some considerable experience with the Indians to know and be known by them.
News of the cessation of war between France and Eng- land reached Boston late in October, and was followed the next spring by the information of the ratification of the celebrated Treaty of Utrecht, signed March 30, 1713, by which Nova Scotia was ceded to the crown of Great Britain forever. The usual treaty of peace with the Indians followed, characterized by the familiar manifesta- tions of Indian sincerity, and the customary celebration in honor of this often rehearsed formality. Thus after ten years the third serious attempt to annihilate the English settlements came to an end.
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CHAPTER XXVIII SUBSEQUENT INDIAN WARS 1722-1745
THE FOURTH INDIAN WAR
Nearly ten years' respite was given to the settlers following 1713, when the last peace treaty was signed. The townspeople in the interval were quite justified in believing that these satisfactory conditions had become permanent, but the younger element among the Indian tribes had come upon the scene and were eager to dig up the buried tomahawk. The Fourth Indian War, begun in 1722 and usually denominated the Three Years or Love- well's War, was purely of Indian origin having no connec- tion with European dynastic wars and partook of a new character. York had a specially prominent part in this new campaign owing to the fact that a number of its prin- cipal officers were from this town. It also had a further distinction, in that war was declared against the Indians specifically and instead of being as heretofore a defensive war, where the English remained in garrisons waiting to be attacked, the military operations in this war were definitely an offensive carried to the territory of the enemy. Officially, the French in Canada could have no part in it, but they rendered the usual aid and comfort to their former allies. After several preliminary clashes be- tween the English and the Indians, in which the latter had attacked some of the eastern forts and seized vessels, war was declared on July 25 with a time limit for the ces- sation of further depredations. The following named soldiers belonging to the town were on duty in the com- pany of Col. John Wheelwright: Jeremiah Moulton, sergeant; John Forbush, sentinel; Abel Moulton, Henry Daniel, Samuel Bancks, John Hutchins, Henry Simpson, Joseph Austin, Jacob Curtis, William Moggridge, James Smith and James Powell, privates (Mass. Archives xci, 34, 59).
The General Court in September 1723 voted to "alow 35 men including an Officer in Lieutenants pay to be
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. SUBSEQUENT INDIAN WARS
posted in the allowed Garrisons in the Town of York" (House Journals v, 175), and at the same time provided a surgeon at five pounds per month.
A force of a thousand men was ordered to be raised of which a hundred were to be stationed at York. This force was at first placed in command of Col. Shadrach Walton and, a little later, Col. Thomas Westbrook of Portsmouth succeeded him. Captains Jeremiah Moulton, Johnson Harmon and Lewis Bane of this town were the principal officers in the regiment and this trio of seasoned Indian fighters became conspicuous in prosecution of the war against the camps of the enemy. Jeremiah Moulton was then in his thirty-third year with all the vigor and courage which ever characterized his entire career. Johnson Har- mon, son of John and Deborah (Johnson) Harmon, was a few years older than Moulton and of equal experience in carrying on the peculiar warfare required to meet the tactics of the enemy. Lewis Bane, the oldest of the three (about fifty at the outbreak of the war), son of Lewis and Mary (Mills) Bane, had been a leader in civic affairs in the town all his life and had passed through all the experi- ences of the defensive wars against the Indians which had been previously fought. The main objective of this cam- paign was to be Norridgewock.
The following is a roster of the company of Captain Harmon in 1721-2:
JOHNSON HARMON, Captain
John Goddard, Lieutenant Zebulon Harmon, Ensign
Moses Banks, Sergeant William Card, Sergeant
Richard Jaques, Corporal
Samuel Sanders, Corporal
Thomas Cook, Corporal
John Lane, Corporal John Carlile, Corporal John Card, Corporal
Sentinels
Thomas Eaton Moses Eaton
Johnson Harmon, Jr.
James McFailing Samuel Ferguson James Gray Ebenezer Clough
Abner Harriman
Joseph Smith
John Stockbridge Abel Wray
Nathaniel Clough
David Rowse
Wyatt Moore
Cornelius Connor Joseph Eastman
John Pike Josiah Linscott
John Parker
(Mass. Arch. xci, 52)
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HISTORY OF YORK
The following named are listed as sentinels in a Muster Roll later in 1722 and credited to the company of which Johnson Harmon was Captain:
John McLucas
Richard Flood Thomas Webber
Job Young
James Smith
Edward Preble
John Fowell
Ephraim Ayers
Ezekiel Carr
Obadiah Holt
James Tyler
Thomas Bradbury
Richard Brawn
William Bradbury
(Ibid. xci, 53)
Jeremiah Moulton who was sergeant in the company of Col. John Wheelwright was promoted to be lieutenant and had under him Abel Moulton as Corporal, but none of the names of his soldiers are recognized as York men. Moulton kept a diary of his scouting movements and wrote under date of July 4, 1723 this characteristic entry, showing his spirit: "I chose marching Rather then Lying in garson." Moulton had not forgotten his prey. Another muster roll gives his later companions in this warfare.
William Card, Ensign Robert Lambert, Corporal Sentinels
John Dill
David Welsh
William Moggridge
Samuel Webber Benjamin Austin
Ephraim Ayers
Daniel Green
Joseph Young
John Parker
David Tyler Nathaniel Bigsbey (Mass. Arch. xci, 32, 134)
Peter Matthews
Andrew Witham James Bragdon
This record establishes the fact that this town offered its sons for the supreme sacrifice, if necessary, to make the homes of its people safe from the savages and their allies in Canada.
The new commander-in-chief in this campaign made his headquarters in this town, and it must have been a busy place. For the first time the inhabitants felt they had adequate protection. Writing in 1724 he expressed his opinion of the previous policies and sentiments of those charged with Indian warfare. "The people gener- ally preach up peace to themselves, if the Indians do not knock somebody in the head in Six or Seven days." (Mass. Arch. li, 406.)
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SUBSEQUENT INDIAN WARS
On December 3, 1724 the General Court ordered that York provide twenty "snoe-shoe men" fitted with moc- casins and shoes (House Journals vi, 131).
The policy of Colonel Westbrook being to carry the war into the forest retreats of the Indians, this town was spared the continual depredations of skulking Indians killing and capturing at will. Norridgewock, the main objective, was the largest Indian permanent settlement and there also was the Romish chapel built by and pre- sided over by the Jesuit priest, Sebastian Rasle. His capture, while not considered the purpose of the war, yet it was of paramount importance that it should be accom- plished. Against him, was centered all the hate of the Protestant people of the Province who considered him the evil spirit which animated the entire French and Indian hostilities in the past. Rasle himself was aware of this hatred and claimed that "a thousand livres" was the price set upon his head (Letter 1721 in 2 Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. viii, 266-7). Captain Moulton, knowing that the Indians were not likely to anticipate an attack in mid- winter, undertook to surprise them with these unexpected tactics. He led a detachment of soldiers to Norridgewock in the depth of winter, but the cautious Jesuit and the local tribe had either ample warning of his approach or had abandoned the village temporarily, and all the tro- phies of his well concealed enterprise were a few books and papers found in Rasle's dwelling. Among the latter was a letter from the Governor of Canada exhorting the priest "to push on the Indians with all imaginable zeal against the English." Captain Moulton, although greatly disappointed, used admirable discretion in preventing injury or desecration to the chapel or any other buildings in the settlement as indication of his magnanimity in sparing a place which was sacred to the Indian mind.
A detachment of this first expedition to Norridgewock was a company under the command of Arthur3 Bragdon, (Arthur,2 Arthur,1) and the men in it were all York soldiers. The following is a roster of his company:
ARTHUR BRAGDON, Captain
Joseph Sayward, Lieutenant Richard Gowell, Ensign
Nicholas Sewall, Sergeant Joseph Smith, Sergeant
Joseph Linscott, Corporal
John Rackleff, Corporal
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HISTORY OF YORK
Hezekiah Adams, Corporal
Job Young, Corporal
John Bean, Sentinel Darbee Manuel, Sentinel
Privates
James Tompson
Joseph Favor
James Campbell
Ebenezer Young
Daniel Smith (son of James)
Aquila Haines
Benjamin Austin
Abraham Batten
Samuel Shaw
Nathaniel Adams
Andrew Whittam
John Batten
John Garey
Joseph Bracey
Joseph Plaisted John Dill
Job Young, Jr.
Benjamin Whittam
Joseph Simpson Jr.
Joseph Kanney
John Grover
Samuel Baker
Ebenezer Allen
John Harmon Clerk
John Baker
Undeterred by this failure another expedition was organized the next year. Norridgewock was now marked for destruction and a detachment of over two hundred men divided in four companies was entrusted to Captains Harmon (senior officer in command), Moulton, Bane and Bourne. They left their rendezvous at Fort Richmond the middle of August and ascended the Kennebec in whale boats to Teconnet. From this point the story of this famous attack, the results of which thrilled all New England, will be turned over to the gentlemen of the Fourth Estate whose account of the battle is probably the first newspaper report of its kind and appears in the Boston News Letter of the week August 20-28, 1724:
A Particular Account of Capt. Johnson Harman of his March and Action at Norridgewock.
On the 8th day of Aug. 1724 he march'd from Richmond Fort, having under his Command 205 Men, which was divided into Four Companies; He Commanded the First, Capt. Moulton the Second, Capt. Bourn the Third, and Capt. Lieut. Bean the Fourth, the other officers were Lieut. Jaques, Lieut. Dimmuck, Lieut. Banks, and Lieut. Wright; having also with us Three Mohawks, viz, Christian, his Brother & Son. We had 17 whale-boats; Being well Arm'd and Stor'd with Provisions, &c. we arrived at Teuconick the 9th day, where we left Lieut. Wright with 40 Men, to Guard the whale-boats; and with the rest, the next day march'd for Norridgewock; this Eve- ning we kill'd Colonel Bomarzeen's Daughter and took his Wife Cap- tive. We arriv'd at Norridgewock the 12th day, about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, where we found about Sixty fighting Men and about a Hundred Women & Children. Upon our Approach within Pistol-shot of them, they fired upon us a full Volley, but wounded none of our
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Men; then we Attack'd them very briskly; they Stood their ground 4 or 5 Minutes, in which time they fired another Volley, and then fled before us; we pursuing them very hard, they made the best of their way to the River, where they had about 40 canoes; we follow'd them so close that they put off without their Paddles, not having time to take them; we presently beat them out of their Canoes, Killing the greatest part of them; the River being about 60 Yards over and Shallow; our Men followed them over, some in their Canoes, and others wading up to their Necks with such fury that but one of their Canoes arriv'd upon the other side, but others Waded and Swam over, so that we judge about 50 Men, Women and Children got over, some of them were Kill'd upon the other side by our Men, (who got over as soon as they did) and a great many others Wounded, we having not so much as a Man Kill'd or Wounded. We then returned to the Town, where Monsieur Ralle the Jesuit, their chief Commander, in one of the Indians houses, who had been continually firing upon a Party of our Men, that were still in the Town; the said Ralle having Wounded one of our People. Lieut. Jaques soon Stove open the door of the said House and found him loading his Gun, who upon Jaques's coming in, Declared Voluntarily, That he would give no quarter nor take any; Jaques hearing that, and seeing him loading, shot him thro' the head; the said Jesuit had with him an English boy about 14 Years of Age, whom he had about Six Months in his Possession, which Boy, in the time of the Engagement, he spitefully shot thro' the Thigh, and stab'd him in the Body with a Sword, and so left him; but the Boy not being Dead, we took him with us, and thro' the Care and Skill of the Surgeon is like to Recover. Capt. Mogg, one of the Chiefs of the Indians kept his house, and firing all the time he Wounded Lieut. Dimmuck, and kill'd Jeremy Queach, one of our Indian Souldiers; we presently broke down the door and rush'd in upon him, and the Brother of our dead Indian immediately shot him thro' the head; he had his Wife and two Children, whom our Men slew immediately. After which we destroy'd all their Corn and about 40 Canoes and took about Three Barrels of Gun powder, and about 25 Small Arms together with other Plunder, as Blankets, Kittles &c. It being dark by that time the Action was over, we set a Guard of 40 Men, and Lodged that Night in the Indian houses. In the Morning being the 13th day we found 26 of the Enemies Bodies, whom our Men had Scalp'd together with the Jesuit. The Chiefs that we knew among the Dead were the said Jesuit, Col. Bomarzeen, Capt. Mogg, Capt. Job Carabassett, Capt. Wissememet, Bomarzeen's son-in-law and some others whose Names I cannot remember. We took alive, 4 Indians, viz one Woman and Three Children, which are brought with us. After we mov'd Christian turn'd back and Burnt all to Ashes, and coming up with us again, we March'd to Teuconick and found our Men and Whale-boats safe, with whom we arrived at Richmond the 16th day, and so to Falmouth, acquainting Col. Westbrook with the Action who immediately sent me Express to the Lieut. Governour, to give Him an Account thereof; where we arrived the 22d of said Month.
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