USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > The history of Portland, from its first settlement: with notices of the neighbouring towns, and of the changes of government in Maine, Part I > Part 20
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That Davis had a strong party we may infer from the absence of the names of many respectable persons of the town from the petition of his opponents, and also from the fact that he retained the confidence
Nicolle, Joshua Brackett, Henry Crosby, Henry Bailey, Wm. Pearce, Robert Oliver, Joseph Ingersoll, Robert Morrell, Thomas Enow, Eben'r Davenport, Richard Seacomb, John Brown, sen. Ephraim Marston, Joshua Lane, Lewis Tucker, John Wallis, Francis Haynes, George Felt, Nath'l Webber, James Webber, Matthew Paulling, Joel Madefor, sen. Josiah Wallis, Joseph Wallis, John Lane, Joel Madefor, Nathl. White, James Wallis, Henry Harwood, Job Runnells, Philip Eeds, Philip Gammon, John Randall, John Jordan, Reuben Haines, (?Robert) Wm. German, (?Jameson,) John Frizell, Samuel Skilling, Richard Thomling, George Adams, John Marshall, John Branford, Henry Langmaid, John Ham, Wm. Mansfield, Thomas Roby, John Flea, Andrew Creach, Robert Shores, James Randall, Thomas Baker, John Brown, jr. Thomas Brown, Gustan John, Robert Greason, John Nicholson, Wm. Rogers, Andrew Shaw, Peter Shaw, Thomas Paine. Although these persons in the petition style themselves inhabitants of Falmouth, I have met with the names of many of them on no other occasion ; I have therefore thought that the names of persons who were on service here for a temporary period may have been enlisted in the cause to give a show of strength. It is very evident that we do not find among the subscribers, the names of many persons of known respectability and property in town.
1 Davis states in his letter that he had but 4 men in the fort, with 1 serjeant and 1 gunner, and that he had supplied it ever since Capt. Lockhart had left.
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لاسدقاقت صار الح سرات
الكم
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of the government unto the last2. Davis certainly settled here with the approbation of the town, from which he received large grants of land and extensive privileges ; these undoubtedly excited the envy and jealousy of some who took advantage of the political changes to ruin him in public favor. Lawrence was undoubtedly stimulated in his pursuit of him by motives of private interest and revenge, and was able by his standing and property to rally a party in his service. There is, we think, no good reason to pronounce an unqualified con- demnation against such men as Davis and Tyng, whose capital and enterprise for several years promoted the prosperity of the place. It must not however be denied that in the time of Andross, their ambi- tion prompted them to support the cause of arbitrary power against the rights and interests of the people.
1He was appointed a counsellor by the charter of 1691.
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CHAPTER 10 .- 1688-1700.
The Second Indian War and the destruction of Falmouth.
WE have now arrived at a period in our history, when all the fair prospects which the prosperity of our town afforded, were suddenly overcast by the hostility of the Indians.
The population had been gradually increasing since 1679, and amounted at this time to at least 6 or 7001. We have no means of as- certaining the precise number of inhabitants, but have been able to trace with some degree of certainty over 80 families ; and it may be presumed that there were others, which have eluded our research. Of this number about 25 families lived upon the Neck, nearly 40 at Pur- pooduck, Stroudwater and Spurwink ; the remainder at Capisic, Back Cove, on the Presumpscot and the bay east of that river. Several persons who lived on the Neck, had farms in more remote parts of the town, which they made their occasional residence during the seasons of planting and harvesting.
Several causes have been assigned for the second Indian war ; those which the Indians themselves offered, were rather the ostensi- ble, than the real foundation of the general rising. They complained that the English refused to pay the yearly tribute of corn as stipulated in the last treaty ; that they stopped the fish from ascending the Saco river, by seines and wears ; that their lands were taken by surveys under patents from the government", &c. But we must look beyond these motives for the destructive events which ensued. The French missionaries and other active men of that nation residing among the Indians in the eastern part of the State, had acquired an absolute influence over their minds by addressing them through the terrors and hopes of religion, as well as by appealing to their temporal interests. The French were more bitterly hostile to the English, than were the savages themselves, and though they could not impart to their allies the same jealousies and the same motives of action, yet they could stimulate them by the hope of plunder, the love of revenge
'The whole population of New-England was estimated in 1689 to have been 200,000. Mass. H. Col. 1. 3d ser. 94. The same year the number of Indians from Mass. to Canso was estimated at 4,310 souls. 9th Mass. H. Col. 334.
2Math. Mag. 2. 505, 1 Hutch. 325.
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and religious prejudices, to stain their tomahawks in the blood of an inoffensive population1.
Among these active but cruel agents at this period, were the Baron de St. Castine and the missionary Thury, both residing on the Penobscot .. Castine who had connected himself by marriage with the chief Sachem of the country, was roused to vengeance by a personal injury committed upon him in the plunder of his property, and a claim of jurisdiction over his estate, by the English. And Thury in his missionary zeal for the Catholic faith, laboured to persuade his flock that by exterminating the whole race from the soil, they would recover their former importance as sole masters of the land and be doing God service. It is not to be supposed that the Indians themselves were unwilling hearers of this preaching, or reluctant doers of the work which was recommended ; and they entered upon the task alike ignorant and careless of the consequences.
They commenced their operations in Aug. 1688, by killing cattle in the eastern plantations, and threatening the lives of the people ; . the promise of assistance from the French in Canada, made them menacing and forward in their deportment, and they entered the houses of the inhabitants in an insolent and offensive manner. "They gave out reports that they would make war upon the English, and that they were animated to do so by the French ?. " These hostile indications created alarm through the whole line of eastern settlements, and led to some precautionary measures. In Sept. 1688, Captain Tyng wrote from Falmouth that he was in treaty with the Indians, but feared that Casco would be the centre of trouble. The magis- trates in Saco seized between 16 and 20 of those who had been principal actors in that quarter during the last war, with a view of bringing their followers to a treaty, and preventing the dreaded catastrophe. Among these were Hopehood, the Higuers and the Doney's, " all being cruel, murderous rogues," who were sent under guard to Falmouth. This step, which was perhaps incautious, led
1 Bomazeen, a noted chief, told one of the Boston ministers that the French had taught the Indians " that the Lord Jesus Christ was of the French nation ; that his mother, the Virgin Mary, was a French lady, and that it was the English who had murdered him." Math. Mag.
2For many facts relating to the commencement of the war and the destruction of the town, we rely upon the account of our townsman, Silvanus Davis, who was a prominent actor in the scenes, which he relates. It is preserved in Hutchinson's papers, published by the Mass. Ilist. Soc. and is on file in the office of State Mass.
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to reprisals on the part of the Indians, who robbed the English and took some prisoners. Gov. Andross was at this time in New-York, and those who had charge of the government sent some troops to Falmouth, accompanied by Mr. Stoughton, one of the council, with a hope of compromising the existing differences without the effusion of blood. He was unsuccessful in his pacific purpose and returned to Boston, having left orders that the prisoners should be sent thither, and that the people should secure themselves in garrisons. To accomplish this last order, Capt. Gendall proceeded to North-Yar- mouth with a company of soldiers in Sept. to construct stockades, on each side of Royall's river for the defence of that place ; while there, he was attacked by 70 or 80 Indians, whom after a severe conflict, he succeeded in chasing away, with the loss of several lives on both sides. This was the first blood spilt in the war. In the evening after the skirmish, Capt. Gendall and his servant crossed over the river and were both killed in an ambuscade1 ; the same evening, John Royall and another person were taken prisoners, the latter of whom was barbarously killed, but Mr. Royall? was ransomed by Castine.
Gov. Andross on his return from New-York, hoping by mild measures to avert the pending calamity, released the Indians who had been arrested and restored to them their arms, without any condition as to the prisoners and property which had been taken in retaliation. On the 20th of Oct. he issued a proclamation requiring them to deliver up their captives, and surrender for trial those persons who had been concerned in the murder of Englishmen. The measures of conciliation and the proclamation were alike ineffectual, and early
1The previous incidents in Capt. Gendall's life have been already adverted to. He appears not to have left any male issue, at least we do not meet the name again, and it is believed to have died with him.
2Wm. Royall the first of this family in this country was settled in Casco Bay as early as 1636, and is probably the same person who is mentioned in a letter from the Gov. of the N. Eng. Co. to Endicott (1 Haz. 265) as having been sent over to him in 1629. He was " a cooper and cleaver." In 1643, he purchased of Thos. Gorges the point of land on the east side of the river, which bears his name, and on which he then lived. He was one of the Gen. Ass. of the province in 1648. In 1673, he conveyed to his two sons Wm. and John, his land and buildings on Westcustogo river (Royall's) in consideration of support for himself and his wife Phebe. His son John married Eliza Dod, grand-daughter of Nicholas Davis of York, and was living there in June 1680. His son Wm. was born in 1640, and died Nov. 7, 1724, in his S5th year. The Hon. Isaac Royall, son of the 2d Wm. was born 1672, resided in Antigua, nearly 40 years, returned 1737, and died June 7, 1739. The Royall who was taken prisoner was John, son of the first Wm. his house was used as a garrison by order of Col. Tyng and Judge Stoughton.
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in Nov. the governor raised a force of about 700 men and marched through the country as far east as Pemaquid. In the latter place he established a garrison of 36 men of the standing forces under com- mand of Capt. Anthony Brockholst and Lieut. Weems, and left two new companies of 60 men each, under command of Captains Tyng and Minot, for its defence. He also stationed garrisons at each of the settlements on the coast ; that for Falmouth consisted of 60 men under command of Capt. George Lockhart. The whole number of troops disposed of in this manner in Maine and the province east of the Kennebeck, was 568 ; a force sufficient to have protected the frontier had it been permitted to occupy the stations into which it had been distributed. The expedition was fruitless of any other good consequences ; not a single individual of the enemy was met with and the troops suffered severely on their march by fatigue and exposure.
In April 1689, the authority of Andross was subverted by a popu- lar excitement, and was succeeded by an irresolute and inefficient government. The revolution, although it destroyed an oppressive exercise of power, undoubtedly had a prejudicial effect upon the existing war. As soon as information of the movement in Boston reached the garrisons, they revolted from their officers, many of them abandoned their posts, and they all were more or less weakened. Andross in a report upon the disposition of the forces, at the time of the subversion of his government, and the influence of it on his defensive preparations, subjoins a note in relation to each garrison. Of Pemaquid he says, " Upon the insurrection, the forces being withdrawn, and only 18 of the standing company left in garrison, the fort is since taken by the French and Indians and the country des- troyed." Of the fort at New-Castle he says, "Most of the men drawn off, and others debauched, they seized their officer and carried him prisoner to Boston, and thereupon the fort was deserted." Of Falmouth he remarks, "The commander seized and forces with- drawn1."
In April 1689, the Indians renewed their hostilities at Saco, but without doing much injury. In June, Dover was surprised and
1 Hutch. pap. I Mass. Hist. Col. 3d ser. 85. Some suspicions had been enter- tained by government that Capt. Lockhart had communicated with the enemy, but this was repelled by a letter from Falmouth, signed by A. Brackett and several others April 26, 1689, in which they say that he conducted with skill and fidelity while at Falmouth.
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Major Waldron was cruelly slaughtered, with several other inhabi- tants. In the course of the summer the Indians on the Penobscot were joined by the French, and systematic operations were com- menced on the settlements east of Casco bay ; Pemaquid was taken and all the inhabitants in that region were driven from their homes and sought protection under the fort at Falmouth1.
Notwithstanding the importance of Casco fort to the lives and property of a large number of people, the government seem thus far to have left its defence almost wholly to the care and resources of private individuals. In June 1689, Brackett, Lawrence and Ingersoll wrote to government urging immediate assistance ; they represented that there were but few men in the fort and those almost worn out with watching, that they had on hand but 3 1-2 bbls. of powder, 24 hand grenades, about 2 1-2 lbs. of musket shot, about 20 balls for the great guns, a small quantity of match, about 30 cartridge boxes for small arms ; not one musket belonging to the fort and no provision. Silvanus Davis wrote on the same day that he had supplied the fort from his store ever since Capt. Lockhart had left.
The government was roused from its lethargy by these represen- tations and alarming movements, and in August they sent Major Swain by land with 7 or 8 companies to protect the eastern towns. In Sept. they procured the services of Major Benjamin Church, of Plymouth colony, who had been a skilful officer in Philip's war ; he raised from among his old soldiers, volunteer troops of English and friendly Indians, and proceeded by water to the head quarters in Falmouth. His instructions were signed by Pres. Danforth, who had been restored to his government June 28th, and the commis- sioners of the United Colonies, Sept. 18, 1689; in which were the following directions : " You are with all possible speed to take care that the Plymouth forces both English and Indians be fixed and ready, and the first opportunity of wind and weather, to go on board such vessels as are provided to transport you and them to Casco, where if it shall please God you arrive, you are to take under your care and command the companies of Capt. N. Hall and Capt. S. Willard2 ;" and again, "we have ordered two men-of-war sloops, and other small vessels for transportation to attend you." It was"
1 Math. Mag. 2. 512.
"These companies were part of the forces sent under Swain, but it does not appear that Willard's company was here at the time.
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agreed that his soldiers should " have the benefit of the captives, and all lawful plunder and the reward of £8 per head for every fighting Indian man slain by them, over and above their stated wages." He was further instructed to consult with Capt. Davis of Falmouth, who they say, "is a prudent man and well acquainted with the affairs of those parts, and is writt unto to advise and inform you all he can." On his arrival at Falmouth, it appeared that the enemy, the day before, had landed in large force upon Peak's island, at the · mouth of the harbour1. He found here Mrs. Lee, a daughter of Major Waldron, of Dover, on board of a Dutch vessel, who had just been ransomed from the enemy ; she informed him " that the company she came with had four-score canoes, and that there were more of them whom she had not seen, which came from other ' places, and that they told her that when they came all together, should make up 700 men ?. " The preparations of the place were miserably insufficient to protect the people from such a number of invaders ; but Church with his accustomed zeal immediately con- certed with the chief men a plan of operations. From the time he had arrived in sight of the harbour, he had caused his troops to keep concealed, in order to take the enemy by surprise ; at night-fall, he ordered them to be landed with as little noise as possible, and to dispose of themselves in the fort and adjacent houses, and be in constant readiness.
Early next morning an hour before day, he put the troops in motion, and with several of the inhabitants he proceeded " to a thick place of brush, about half a mile from the town."
In the mean time, the enemy had not been idle ; in the night they had moved to the upper part of the Neck, either by Fore river or Back Cove, and by dawn of day, Sept. 21, made their appearance upon the farm of Anthony Brackett, whose house stood upon the ground now occupied by the mansion of James Deering, where they were discovered " by virtue of 12 firings." The alarm was imme- diately given by Brackett's sons ; and Capt. Hall's company who were in advance, hastened to the spot. The enemy were in Brack- ett's orchard, and here the action commenced. Church, on hearing
1Joseph Prout wrote from Falmouth Sept. 17, 1689, that 200 Indians were then on " Palmer's island."
2Church's expeditions, the number here is over rated probably-Davis in a let- ter to government of Sept. 22, 1689, states the number to have been between three and four hundred.
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. the alarm, proceeded with a reinforcement, and a supply of ammu- nition, which was transported across Back Cove creek by one of the friendly Indians. Capt. Hall was sustained by the remainder of the English forces stationed on this side of the creek, who galled the enemy by firing over the heads of Hall's soldiers. After main- taining the fight some time in this manner, Church determined to attack the enemy in the rear, and having communicated his plan to Capt. Hall, he proceeded up the creek to the bridge which crossed it, in the same place probably where one now stands. The enemy perceiving his object, immediately retreated, and he supposing that they had made for the bridge, or sought some other passage into the town, returned to the bridge, and finding no trace of them there, he hastened across the Neck to the south side, by Clarke's point, where finding " the cattle feeding quietly in Lt. Clarke's field," and per- ceiving no trace of the enemy, he hastily retraced his 'steps, and passing over the burnt land and through the brush, formed a junction with Capt. Hall's company, which had borne the brunt of the battle. He now gave orders for his whole army to pursue the enemy, but learning that most of the ammunition which was suitable for the guns was spent, he gave over his design and returned with the dead and wounded to the fort. Church closes his interesting account of this affair as follows1 : " Capt. Hall and his men being first ingaged, did great service and suffered the greatest loss in his men. But Capt. Southworth with his company, and Capt. Numposh with the Seconit Indians, and the most of the men belonging to the town, all coming suddenly to his relief, prevented him and his whole company from being cut off. By this time the day was far spent, and marching into Town about sunset, carrying in all their wounded and dead men ; being all sensible of God's goodness to them, in giving them the Victory, and causing the enemy to fly with shame, who never gave one shout at drawing off." -
The field of this rencontre, as has been intimated, was on Brackett's farm, now owned by Mr. Deering, at Back Cove ; the orchard extended down toward the point. Capt. Hall must have forded the creek or cove, in order to have attacked their front. Church gives as a reason that he did not intercept their flight, that " the thick
I" A Narrative of the several expeditions of Col. Benjamin Church against the Indians from 1676 to 1704. Prepared for the press by his son." Col. Church was born A. D. 1639, and died at Little Compton A. D. 1717.
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brushy ground" impeded his march. The enemy were judged to be three or four hundred strong, and the engagement continued about six hours before they retreated.
The timely arrival of this succour saved the whole population of the town from the merciless hands of their savage enemy ; had Church arrived a day later, he probably would have been called to bury the bodies of his slaughtered countrymen and to mourn over the ruins of their settlement.
The loss on the part of the English in this action was eleven killed and ten wounded' ; of the enemy's loss not much is known, as, according to their custom, they carried their slain with them on their retreat ; Davis thought many of them must have been killed".
. The enemy met so warm a reception at Falmouth, and found the country so well protected, that they retreated into their forests and committed no further depredations during the year. Church visited the garrisons at Spurwink and in Scarborough, and went up Kenne- , beck river before he returned. On the 13th Nov. 1689 he held a council of war at Falmouth, at which were " present Capt. Davis, Capt. Wm. Bassett, Capt. Simon Willard, Capt. Nathl. Hall, Lt. Thaddeus Clarke, Lt. Elisha Andrews, Mr. Elihu Gullison, Lt.
"We have fortunately found the original list of the killed and wounded on file . in Mass. State office, enclosed in a letter from Col. Church and dated on the day . of the action, " Sept. 21 1689 a liste of the men that was slain in a fite at Fal- mouth, and also how many was wounded in said fite ; of Capt. Hall's soldiers 6 slain-Thomas Burton, Edward Ebens, Thomas Thaxter, Thomas Berry, John Mason, David Homes .- Of Capt. Davis' company 2, Giles Row, Andrew Alger, belonging to the fort of the town. An Indian, a negro of Col. Tyng's, Capt. Brackett carried away or slain 11 in all-Wounded 6 friend Indians-of Capt. Davis' company James Freeze, Mr. Bramhall, Thomas Browne, Mr. Palmer in- habitants. total 21 slain and wounded *. "
*Freeze and Bramhall died of their wounds and one friendly Indian. The fol- lowing extract from B. York's deposition in 1759, furnishes some additional par- ticulars : " I well remember that said George Bramhall was shot by the Indians about ye same time in ye fight over on Capt. Brackett's farm, and said Brackett was also killed at the same time at his house at Back Cove, and said Bramhall was brought over alive after ye fight to ye Neck near fort Loyal and put into Capt. Tyng's house to best of my remembrance, and died the next day of his wounds ; and his son and other help they got, brought a number of hides from ye house and tan pitts to ye said Neck ; and I remember said George Bramhall left three sons Joseph, George and Joshua and I think one daughter, who all moved away with their mother to the westward soon after."
2In relation to the loss by the enemy, Church wrote from Falmouth to the Gov. Sept. 27, 1689, as follows : " We know not yet what damage we did to the ene- my in our last engagement, but several things that they left behind them on their flight we found yesterday, which was gun cases and stockings and other things of some value, together with other signs that makes us think that we did them con- siderable damage." Hutch. papers.
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George Ingersoll, Lt. Ambrose Davis, Mr. Robert Lawrence, Mr. John Palmer and others." "Ordered that 60 soldiers be quartered in Falmouth, beside the inhabitants and the soldiers that shall belong to the fort, which shall be 15 soldiers beside the commander and gunner." It was also ordered that a sufficient garrison be erected about Mr. Gullison's house for a main court of guard, and that and " Mr. Lawrence's garrison are to be supplied from the 60 soldiers left to guard the said town." The chief command was assigned to Capt. Hall.
The inhabitants of Falmouth were fearful that vengeance would be visited upon them in the spring by the enemy in retaliation for the late defeat, and were therefore anxious to abandon the settlement on the return of Major Church. He however persuaded them to remain, assuring them that if government would provide the means in the spring, " he would certainly come with his volunteers and Indians to their relief."
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