USA > Maine > The history of the state of Maine; from its first discovery, A. D. 1602, to the separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, Vol. I > Part 53
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ed by reason of light or adverse winds from reaching Monhegan, A. D. 1676. which they supposed to be an Island of the greatest safety upon August. the coast, they were under the necessity of going ashore upon one of the Damariscove Islands. Here, they met with Messrs. Callicot and Wiswell from Casco and Arrowsick; and all of them labored incessantly for two days in constructing a fortification. However, as soon as they were favored with a northerly breeze, they abandoned this Island ; those two gentlemen sailing for Bos- ton, and the rest proceeding to Monhegan. The Islanders and refugees uniting there, appointed a watch of twenty-five men by night, and a sufficient guard by day, and agreed that no vessel should leave the harbor for a week, excepting a single one des- tined to go and bring away their household-furniture and effects from Pemaquid. Yet scarcely was the trip performed, before Pemaquid they saw clouds of smoke arise over their burning village, also burnt. flames of the houses at New-Harbor, at Corban's Sound and upon some of the Islands. Being shortly after informed, that no succors could be immediately expected from Boston, they quit the Island, and sailed for that town, Piscataqua and Salem. On their passage they visited one of the Damariscove Islands, where they found only the relics of recent destruction,-two dead bodies, the ashes and fragments of the buildings, and the carcasses of the cattle .*
In one month, fifteen leagues of coast eastward of Casco Extent of neck, were laid waste. The inhabitants were either massacred, the ravages. carried into captivity, or driven to the Islands or remoter places, and the settlements abandoned or in ruins. The inhabitants had endured with fortitude a series of hardships many years, and those of the peninsula in particular, could not entertain the thought of altogether abandoning their homes and their all, to the savage destroyers. Upon Mountjoy's Island, two leagues from the shore, was an old stone house which was easily made a shel- ter for a few of them ; and upon Jewel's Island, others fortified a house and made preparations for defending themselves.
But the Indians, flushed with their successes, rushed upon this Attack on Island, Sept. 2, when the men were fishing, the women engag- Island. Jewel's ed in washing by the water side, and the children scattered about the shore. At first, a brave lad firing from the house,
* Hubbard's Indian Wars, p. 351 -- 4-360-390.
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A D. 1676. killed two Indians, and thus gave the alarm. Mrs. Potts and Sept. 2. several of her children were quickly seized, when one of them seeing his father coming in a boat, ran towards him, crying for help,-till caught by a savage, upon whom the father durst not fire, through fear of killing his child. One of the men rowed off his canoe towards Richmond Island for assistance, and the others with great intrepidity rushed into the midst of the Indians, and with the loss of two killed and five made captive, drove them to their canoes. The messenger, meeting with a ketch, persuaded the master to go and relieve the distressed Islanders ; and he finally removed them to places of more safety. The as- sailants proceeded to Spurwink, where they killed two and wounded others.
Troops sent against the enemy.
Amidst these alarming depredations, the General Court, hav- ing been convened, ordered 200 men to be enlisted, under the command of Captains William Hawthorn, Joseph Sill, and J. Hunting, and directed Major Waldron, and Major Frost, to make detachments from their respective regiments, or otherwise recruit as many able-bodied men as could with prudence leave home ; and to despatch them with the colonial troops against the enemy. The force from Massachusetts, partly formed of refugees from Maine, who were anxious to return, consisted of 130 English and 40 Natick Indians. They all arrived at Cocheco, (Dover) Sept. 6 ; where they were met by the soldiery under Waldron and Frost.
Met at Do- ver, by 400 Indians.
At the same place, about 400 Indians from different tribes assembled ; some of whom were known to be malignant fugitives from the westward ; others had treacherously violated the stipula- tions of the treaty, made with them nine months before ; and all were acting in concert and friendship. As this assemblage was probably not requested, it was not expected ; and Waldron, who had authority to seize all Indian murderers and 'traitors, was in- volved in a difficult dilemma. Many of the English soldiers, en- raged at the recollection of savage cruelties, were impatient to fall upon them immediately and indiscriminately, with gun and bayo- net ; while he knew, that most of the Indians present were repos- ing the greatest confidence, both in his honor and fidelity.
Waldron, therefore, suggested to the officers an expedient, which, though of an uncommon character, was adopted. He proposed, the next day, to the embodied Indians, to have a sham-
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fight, in which they were to manoeuvre on the one side, and the A. D. 1676. English on the other. Accordingly the amusement was continu- Seizure of the Indians, ed a short time, when Waldron induced them to fire a grand and fate of round ; and the moment their guns were discharged, his troops ers. the offend- Sept. 7. surrounded the unwary Indians, seized and disarmed them, with- out the loss of a man on either side. To divide them into classes, according to their guilt or innocence, was a far more difficult part of this undertaking. Wonnolancet and his tribe, all adherents to the English and all neutrals in the war, were discharged. The " strange Indians" from the westward, and every one who had been guilty of bloodshed or outrage since the treaty, about 200 in all, were confined and conveyed to Boston. The Governor and Assistants constituted, at that time, the Supreme Court of the colony ; and all the prisoners who were convicted of having taken life, (being seven or eight,) suffered death ; and others re- ceiving the sentence of banishment, were transported and sold in foreign parts for slaves.
The propriety of this unprecedented course was a-subject, which divided the whole community ; some applauded,-some doubted,-some censured ; but the government approved. Wal- dron and Frost, with other officers, thought it their duty to obey their orders, which directed them to kill and destroy all hostile Indians ; and to submit the future destiny of the prisoners to the public authorities. It was believed, that those who were set at liberty might feel highly satisfied, and those transported would never be able to return. But the Indians thought this farce of a battle, a base Yankee trick, played off in direct violation of good faith ; which they would neither forget nor forgive.
Next day, the troops, under the senior command of Capt. Sept. 8. Hawthorn, piloted by Blind Will, Sagamore of the Newichawan- The troops nocks, and eight of his Indians, proceeded eastward by water ; Casco. proceed to and after visiting Wells, Winter-harbor, Black-point, and Spur- wink, disembarked, September 20th, upon the peninsula of Fal- mouth. They had taken on the way, only two prisoners, one of whom was killed and the other permitted by Blind Will's men, his keepers, to escape ; they probably intending that every princi- pal event should be communicated to the enemy.
As some of the inhabitants belonging to Casco neck, probably Fort Loyal returned-they and the soldiery, proceeded to prepare the founded.
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Event at Mountjoy's Island.
A. D. 1676. foundations for a public garrison, *- to establish which, the Gen- eral Court had made some appropriations. The troops, engaged principally in searching for the enemy and in relieving or removing the settlers, tarried upwards of three weeks upon the peninsula ; during which a few instances only of depredations committed by the savages are noticed. By permission of Capt. Hawthorn, September 23d, seven of the inhabitants visited Mountjoy's, or Peak's Island, for the purpose of killing and dressing a few sheep, for the support of their families. While there, they were en- countered by an Indian party, and driven to the old stone house for shelter, in which they defended themselves with much valor, till, either by the guns of the enemy, or the stones tumbled upon them from the walls, they were all killed except one, who soon died of his wounds. Being heads of families and men of cour- age and activity, especially George Felt, they were greatly es- teemed and their deaths deeply lamented.
Sept. 25. Cape Ned- dock de- stroyed.
A larger party, lurking about Wells, the next day, Sept. 24, shot from his horse James Gooch, as he was returning from pub- lic worship on the Lord's day; and his wife, who was on the same horse, was cut to pieces by them with their hatchets. On the 25th, they destroyed the settlement at Cape Neddock, t where forty persons were slain, or made the subjects of a wretch- ed captivity. This was a transaction, which bore some marks of uncommon barbarity. For instance,-after dashing out the brains of a nursing mother, they pinned her infant to her bosom and in this awful condition was the babe found alive, with one of the paps in its mouth. ¿ Again they entered Wells, and killed George Farrow,-all the settlers being constantly terrified with appre- hensions of instant death.
Black-point attacked.
Unable to meet the Indians, who were extremely shy, the troops, Oct. 12, sailed from Casco-neck and continued the resi- October 14. due of the month at Newichawannock. On the second day only, after they passed Black-point, a body of 120 Indians§ made a furious assault upon the garrison there ; when fortunately all the surviving inhabitants of the place were safe within its walls. This fortress, which was commanded by Henry Joscelyn, Esq.
* 4 Mass. Rec. p. 78 .- Afterwards completed and called " Fort Loyal." -See post. A. D. 1680, chap. 21. t In York. # Sullivan, p. 241. § Card says " 120 fighting men."-Hubbard's Indian Wars, p. 263-273.
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was strong, and as easily defensible by few men as any one upon A. D. 1676. the coast. Aware of the fact, the arch-leader, Mugg, told the commander, if he would surrender, he and his associates should be free to depart with all their goods, without injury or insult. During the parley, Joscelyn suffered himself to be drawn out a short distance from the garrison, and on returning, he was sur- prized to learn that in his absence all the people, except his house- hold servants, had laden their boats and were gone. In this wretched predicament, he was obliged to surrender at discretion .* The event was a mighty boon-in which Mugg took great pride. For, the Indians themselves had on the same point, and in the vi- cinity, two slender fortifications and eight wigwams between them ; and the present surrender, in addition to the burning of Blue-point, the last year, completed the ruin of Scarborough.
To prevent the Indians from plundering Richmond Island, of Seizure of all the valuable property collected there ; Walter Gendell per- crew at suaded Capt. Fryer of Portsmouth, to proceed with his vessel Island. Richmond and crew, and remove what remained. He did so ; but as they were loading their vessel, a part of the sailors on shore were seized, and a part on board were driven below deck. Next, by leaping into canoes, the bolder savages succeeded in cutting the cables, and the wind blowing fresh from the southeast, drove the ketch ashore. Surrender, said they, or flames will soon make you prisoners of death. Theirs was now a most wretched choice,-either to die by fire or the tomahawk ;- to be thrown into the deep, or to commit a species of suicide, by surrendering themselves prisoners to blood-thirsty barbarians. But as Captain Fryer lay wounded and bleeding before their eyes, his men at last concluded to risque the tender mercies of the savages, and eleven were made prisoners. In the cartel, they were to ransom themselves by delivering a specified quantity of goods in a limited time ;- to procure which, two of the prisoners were released, who, departing, returned with the ransom before the time elapsed. But as the exacters themselves were then absent on some new expedition, their fellows took it, killed one of the
* Hubbard's Indian Wars, p. 390 .- The "list of the inhabitants at Black-point garrison, Oct. 12, 1676," exhibits the names of about 60 men, including those within and without the fort .- 1 Coll. Maine Hist. Soc. p. 149.
a vessel and
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A. D. 1676. bearers, and retained the rest of his companions in custody :- A true specimen this, of Indian faith.
Attack on Wells.
Such a repetition of uninterrupted successes, filled the natives with hopes, and the inhabitants with fears, that the entire Prov- ince would soon be overrun and laid waste. Mugg, sensible of October 18. the advantages gained, led a force, Oct. 18, against Wells garri- son at the town's end, and sent his prisoner, Walter Gendell, to demand a capitulation. Never, said the commander, never shall the gates be opened, till every one within is dead. Re- pelled by so bold a reply, yet bent on mischief, Mugg and his associates killed two persons, wounded a third, cut the throats of thirteen cattle, from which they took only their tongues, and then withdrew to the woods.
Nov. 1: Excursion to Ossipee.
Supposing that the Indians were collecting at their great fort on Ossipee river, Captains Hawthorn, Sill-and their men took up their march, Nov. 1, from Newichawannock, towards that place ; wading through deep snows, and passing several streams, not frozen hard enough to bear a traveller. This expe- dition of two months, with all its hardships and expenses, was entirely fruitless ; not an Indian being seen, and nothing more done, than burning a part of their fort .*
Mugg's pro- prosals of peace.
Mugg, the most cunning Indian of the age, came to Piscata- qua, bringing in Fryer, dying of his wounds, and declared upon his faith, which he said was still good, that the prisoners taken at Richmond's Island, would shortly be restored, without ransom ; at the same time, proposing in behalf of Madockawando to ne- gotiate a peace. He and his sagacious master saw how much it consisted with motives of policy and the dictates of prudence, -to treat with a discomfited, desponding foe,-to present the first offer in behalf of their tribe, that had much to lose and nothing to gain by the war,-and to anticipate the necessities of an approaching winter, when the means of sustenance must be entirely meager, and prisoners burdensome. In short, they ex- pressed ardent wishes for a speedy return of peace and of all neutral Indians, several of whom, from every tribe, even of the Canibas and Anasagunticooks, had been absent most of the sum- mer ;+ suspecting if the war was continued, that they would form
* Hubbard's Indian Wars, p. 376 .- Day of the return, January 9.
+ F, Card's Deposition.
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connexions with the Algonquins, and other northern Indians, A. D. 1676. which could not be readily dissolved, and which might be the means of thinning the tribes.
Mugg, therefore, through the agency of Major-General Den- nison, then at Piscataqua, was favored with an immediate passage to Boston : where he, in behalf of Madockawando and Cheberrina, negotiated a treaty, Nov. 6, with the Governor and Council; Nov. 6. and signed it, " The mark X of Mugg." Its articles were in ates a trea- He negoti-
substance, these :- 1. All acts of hostility shall cease ; 2. all ". English captives, vessels and goods, shall be restored; 3. a full satisfaction shall be rendered to the English for the damages they have sustained ; 4. the Indians shall buy ammunition only of those whom the Governor may appoint ; 5. the slayers of Wal- ter Gendell and his friends, engaged in the ransom of the cap- tives at Richmond's Island, if they are indeed killed, shall be surrendered to the English ; and 6. the Sachems of Penobscot shall take arms against the Anasagunticooks and other eas- tern Indians, if they do still persist in the war .*
' In faith of my sincerity and honor,' said Mugg, ' I pledge my- " self an hostage in your hands, till the captives, vessels and ' goods are restored ; and I lift my hand to heaven, in witness of " my honest heart in this treaty.'
On the 21st of the same month, Capt. Moore was despatched to Penobscot, in a vessel with the Indian emissary, to procure a ratification of the treaty and bring home the captives. Soon as he arrived, Dec. 2, the articles all received the sanction of the Sagamore ; Gendell and a few other prisoners, especially those taken at Richmond's Island were surrendered ; and Mugg declared, that not more than 50 or 60, in the whole, could be found among all the Indians.
Nov. 21.
Reluctant as he pretended to be, through apprehensions of injury or blame for his conciliatory transactions, he was induced to visit the Canibas tribe, with a mouth full of persuasives to join the peace and release captives. He expected to go as far as Te- connet ; and when he departed, he said to Capt. Moore, if I do not return in four days, you may conclude I am certainly bereft of my life or liberty. A week or more elapsed, and yet nothing was heard of him; therefore the Captain returned home. It was
* See this treaty entire .- 2 Neal's N. E. p. 403-5.
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A. D. 1676. afterwards reported, that Mugg, in a laughing mood, said to the Sept 2. Indians at Teconnet,-I know how we can even burn Boston, and drive all the country before us :- we must go to the fishing Islands, and take all the white men's vessels .*
The story of Thomas Cobbet, one of the captives taken the 'T. Cobbet. last autumn at Richmond's Island, who returned home with Capt. 'The story of. Moore, is worthy of particular mention. His father was the min- ister of Ipswich. After being wounded by a musket shot, his hands were fast tied, and in the division of the captives, it was his unfortunate lot to be assigned to an Indian of the worst character. Young Cobbet's first duty was to manage the captured ketch of Fryer, in sailing to Sheepscot, and from that place to paddle a canoe, carrying his master and himself, to Penobscot, and thence to their hunting ground at Mount Desert. He suffered the ex- tremes of cold, fatigue and famine ; and because he could not understand the Indian dialect, the savage often drew his knife upon him, threatening him with instant death. In hunting, on a day of severe cold, he fell down in the snow, benumbed, famished and senseless. Here he must have perished, had not the more humane hunters conveyed him to a wigwam and restored him. At another time his savage master was drunk five successive days, in which he was fearfully raving like a wild beast. To such an alarming degree did he beat and abuse his own squaws, that Cobbet, who knew himself to be much more obnoxious than they, to his fury, fled into the woods to save his life; where he made a fire, formed a slender covert, and the squaws fed him.
At the end of nine weeks, the Indians had a great powow; and his master sent him to Mons. Castine for ammunition to kill moose and deer. He arrived at a most opportune hour, just be- fore Mugg's departure to Teconnet, who readily called him by name. Ah ! said Mugg, I saw your father when I went to Bos- ton-and I told him his son should return. He must be releas- ed according to the treaty. Yes, replied Madockawando, but the captain must give me the fine coat he has in the vessel ; for his father is a " great preach-man," or chief speaker, among English- men .- This request was granted, and young Cobbet saw his de- moniac master no more.
The late treaty gave some encouragements of a settled tran-
* Hubbard's Indian Wars, p. 386-391.
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quillity, still the aspect of Indian affairs was by no means free A. D. 1677. Aspect of from gloom. The conduct of Mugg was suspicious ; a part only Indian af- of the captives had returned ; some of the Indians threatened to fairs. break the treaty; and the scalps taken from the heads of three " foreign Indians," at Cocheco, who were known by the cut of their hair,* to be Narragansetts, induced the belief that many of those people had mixed with the eastern tribes, and were foment- ing quarrels. At length a renewal of hostilities in the spring was extensively apprehended ; and the General Court ordered a win- ter expedition to be fitted out eastward.
-
This, consisting of 150 men, of whom 60 were Natick Indians, Feb. 7: sailed from Boston early in February, under the command of against the Expedition Majors Waldron and Frost; a day of prayer being previously ap- enemy: pointed for the success of the enterprize. The places of their particular destination were Casco and Kennebeck, and their in- structions were, " to subdue the Indians in those parts, and deliver " the English captives detained in their hands."
The first intelligence they received concerning the eastern Indians, was communicated by John Abbot, at the Isles of Shoals ; who, with the help of a boy, had effected an escape from them at Sheepscot in his own vessel. He said, ammunition was uncom- monly scarce and dear, among all the Indians ;- especially at Kennebeck, powder was worth 32s. by the pound, and some were gone or going into Canada to buy it.
Waldron landed his troops, Feb. 18, upon Mare-point in Bruns- Feb. 18. wick, a league below Maquoit, where they were presently hailed Mare-point Parley at by a party of Indians, among whom appeared Squando and Simon and skir- mish. the Yankee-killer. A parley was commenced, in which Waldron enquired of Simon, their speaker,-From what place did you hear of us ?-- At ' Purpooduck-head.' -- Who roused up the Indians to re- new the war ?- ' Oh !- Blind Will :- He says he'll kill Waldron.'t -Do you desire peace ?- ' Yes, and we sent Mugg to Boston for ' that purpose-he told us you'd be here.'-Can you tell us, where now are the English captives ?_ ' O, may be under Squando.'- Are they well ?- ' Yes.'-Why don't you release them ?- Squando replied, ' I will bring them in the afternoon.'
Nothing more was seen of the Indians, till noon the next day,
* Hubbard's Indian Wars, p. 392-5 .- 1 Belk. N. H. p. 122.
t This was probably a false assertion. VOL. I. 56
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A. D. 1677. when a little flotilla of 14 canoes, was discovered up the bay, pulling for the shore ; and presently a house was seen in flames. As Waldron's scout approached the Indians, they raised a hideous shout, and challenged some of the soldiers to fight. Maj. Frost attacked them from an unexpected quarter,-killing or wounding several ; and again presented a flag of truce, which produced another parley.
The Sagamores were now asked,-why they had not brought the captives ?- why they set the white man's house on fire ?- and why they challenged the soldiers ?- They replied, ' that the ' captives were a great way off, and the snow and cold weather ' had prevented their coming ;- that the house took fire by ac- 'cident ; and that the soldiers fired at the Indians first :'-' These 'are our answers to you.'
Waldron at Sagada- hock.
F'eb. 26.
Unable here to fight the Indians to advantage, or recover the captives, Waldron sailed to Sagadahock. Disembarking on the western shore of the peninsula, opposite the foot of Arrowsick Island, and concluding to settle a garrison there; he made arrangements for the purpose, and set about half of his men to work. With the others in two vessels, he proceeded, Feb. 26, to Pemaquid. Meeting at that place three or four Sachems and an assemblage of mixed Indians, partly Tarratines, he agreed with them, the next day, to lay aside arms on both sides, sub- mit to a mutual search, and enter upon the negotiation of a treaty.
Feb. 27. A bloody affray at l'emaquid.
In its commencement, Waldron desired them to restore their captives, also to take arms, furnish canoes, and proceed against the Anasagunticooks, as a common enemy. A few of our young men only, said an old Sagamore, who cannot be restrained, have had any concern in the war. All the prisoners with us, were received from the Canibas tribe to keep ; and we must have for supporting each one of them, 12 beaver skins, and some good liquor. Our canoes, you know, are in use; we are bound to Penobscot in them .- Sufficient liquor was then given them, and abundant ransom was offered ; yet only three prisoners were pro- duced, or could be obtained.
Though their sincerity was suspected and their treachery feared ; another meeting was appointed in the afternoon. At that time Waldron espying the point of a lance under a board, searched farther, when he found other weapons hidden also; and taking
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one, he brandished it towards them, exclaiming,-perfidious A. D. 1677. wretches-you intended to get our goods and then kill us, did you ?- They were thunder struck : Yet, one more daring than the rest, seized the weapon and strove to wrest it from Waldron's hand. A tumult ensued, in which his life was much endangered. Maj. Frost, laying hold of Megunnaway, one of the barbarous murderers of Thomas Brackett and his neighbors, hurried him into the hold of the vessel. Meanwhile an athletic squaw caught up a bundle of guns, and run for the woods. At that instant, a re- enforcement arrived from the vessels ; when the Indians scattered in all directions,-pursued by the soldiers, either to the water's edge or into the forest.
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