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 61
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* Church's Expedition, p. 89-106-and Letter to the Governor of Mass- chusetts .- Sullivan, p. 202-3.
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A. D. 1689. Capt. Scottow of Black-point, who accompanied him, complain- ed, that President Danforth, by requiring of them provisions for a supply of the military, had brought them into great distress.
'Three French expeditions planned. Count Frontenac, anxious to raise his credit among the Cana- dians and Indians, and to distinguish himself by some enterprizes against the American subjects of king William, with whom his master was at war in Europe, projected three expeditions against the English colonists. One of them, despatched from Montreal, destroyed Schenectady, a Dutch village on the Mohawk river, Feb.8,1690. Feb. 8th, 1690 ; committing the most atrocious cruelties .* The dy destroy- other two proceeded against the outer settlements of Maine.
Schenecta . ed.
Until this period, the frontiers had a respite from Indian war- fare, during the winter months; as the deep snows and cold weather were a security against incursions. But the French had now joined the Indians, and became actors and partakers in scenes, which ought to put every mortal, calling himself a chris- tian, to the blush.
March 18. Berwick destroyed.
Newichawannock, [Berwick] which suffered so much in the last war, had more than revived-as it contained, according to Charlevoix, 27 houses. To destroy this flourishing plantation, a party arrived, March 18th, from Trois Revieres, under the com- mand of the Sieur Hartel, or Artel, a Canadian officer of distin- guished reputation. The whole number was fifty-two men, of whom twenty-five were Indians, under the famous Hopehood. They commenced the assault at daybreak, in three different places. The people, though entirely surprized, flew to arms, and defended themselves in their garrisoned houses, with a bravery applauded by Hartel himself. They fought till thirty-four of the men were killed ; but in this, as in most other such onsets, the assailants, having altogether the advantage, forced the people to surrender at discretion. The number of prisoners were 54, of whom the greater part were women and children. The assailants then took all the plunder they could consume or carry away, and set on fire most of the houses, the mills and barns, which with a great number of cattle were consumed.
The party with their prisoners and booty now retreated, pursu- ed by about 150 men, in the vicinity, aroused to arms by the smoke of the burning village; who came up with Hartel in the
* Williams' Vermont. p. 293.
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afternoon, at a narrow bridge over Wooster river. Expecting an A. D. 1690. attack, the latter posted his men advantageously on the opposite A skirmish. bank, when a sharp engagement ensued, which lasted till night. Four or five of the pursuers were killed, and the enemy lost three men, two of whom were Indians, and the other Hartel's nephew ; his son, also, was wounded. Another Frenchman was taken prisoner, who was treated so tenderly, that he remained with the English and embraced the protestant faith. He said the French and Indians were severally receiving from the Canadian government, the monthly wages of ten livres .*
The third expedition, meditated by Frontenac, was sent against May. Falmouth. There were at that time upon the peninsula, three fortifications besides Fort Loyal. One was near the present burying-ground ; another was on the rocky elevation southerly of the new court-house, almost indefensible ; and the third, in a better condition, was further westward, near the water-side. The public garrison had been under the command of Capt. Willard, of Salem ; but, on his being ordered abroad, to pursue the ene- my, he was succeeded by Capt. Sylvanus Davis, who, it seems, had only a small number of regular troops left with him.
Falmouth nd Fort Loyal at- tacked.
The body of French and Indians, collected to destroy this place, was sent under the command of M. Burneffe, and con- sisted of 4 or 500 men.+ His Lieutenant was M. Corte de March, who was a leader in taking Schenectady. The greater part of the Frenchmen were from Quebec, under one M. de Portneuf ; 55 men were mustered at Trois Revieres, of whom 25 were Algonquinst and Sokokis ; and all, it is stated, were met by Hartel on his return, and reenforced by a part of his men. To these were united an unknown number of Indians from the eastward, under Castineg and Madockawando. The whole were seen passing over Casco bay, in a great flotilla of canoes, early in May ; and were, it seems, deterred from an immediate attack, by a knowledge, and possibly a view of the squadron un-
* 1 Belk. N. H. p. 207 .- Charlevoix says 2,000 head of cattle were burnt in the barns. This must be an exaggeration.
t Mr. Mather, (2 Magnal. p. 524,) says 400. But Capt. Davis says 4 or 500 French and Indians set upon the fort, May 16th, 1690 .- His Letter, 1 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. p. 104-5, 3d series .- But Charlevoix says Portneuf commanded. He also says there were four small forts near the garrison.
$40 Universal History, p. 56-7.
§ Church's Expedition, p. 106.
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A. D. 1690. der Commodore Phips, which must have passed these coasts towards Nova Scotia, about the same time.
Attack upon Falmouth. May 10.
Nothing more was heard of the enemy till about the 10th of the month ; when a bold party approached within three or four miles of Fort Loyal, probably in the north-westerly skirts of Fal- mouth, and drove off twenty cattle, supposed afterwards to be slaughtered for the use of the army. The inhabitants conjectur- ed from this circumstance, that the head-quarters of the Indians must be in that direction ; and President Danforth ordered Major Frost to detach, without delay, 100 men from the provincial militia, to be joined by a party from the garrison ; all of whom, under Captain Willard, were directed to proceed in the search and pursuit of the enemy .* When they departed, the command of Fort Loyal was assumed by Captain Sylvanus Davis, as pre- viously mentioned.
May 16.
Early in the morning of the 16th, one Robert Greason, going from home, at Presumpscot river, was seized by an Indian scout and made a prisoner. This bold arrest induced the general sus- picion, that the enemy was watching in that quarter for an advan- tageous surprize of the town. To make discoveries, therefore, about thirty young volunteer soldiers, under Lieut. Thaddeus Clark, proceeded from the garrison, about half a mile, to an em- inence, evidently Mountjoy's hill ; and entered a lane which was fenced on each side, and led to a block house in the margin of the woods. Observing the stare of the cattle in the field, they suspected an ambush behind the fence, and yet all rashly ran towards the place, raising the shout, huzza ! huzzu! But the aim of the cowering spies was too sure and deadly ; for they brought Clark and thirteen of his comrades to the ground at the first shot ; the rest fleeing, upon a second charge, to one of the forts. Flushed with this success, the French and Indians rush- ed into town, and beset the several fortifications, except Fort Loyal, with great fury. All the people, who were unable to make good their retreat within the walls, were slain. After a manly defence through the day, the volunteers and inhabitants finding their ammunition nearly exhausted, and despairing of re-
* It was a misfortune to Casco, though not to Willard, that he, so quali- fied an officer, should te " called off two or three days before" the attack. -2 Mather's Magnalia, p 521.
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cruits or supplies, retired under the covert of darkness to the pub- A. D. 1690. lic garrison.
The assailants, next morning, finding the village abandoned, plundered the houses and set them on fire. They then proceeded to storm the garrison. Thwarted in this attempt, and sustaining considerable loss from the fort guns, they entered a deep contig- uous gully, too low to be reached by the shots of their antago- nists, and began the work, at some distance, of undermining the walls. Four days and nights, they wrought with indefatigable and incessant exertion, till within a few feet of the fort, when they demanded a surrender.
It was a crisis trying in the extreme to all within the walls. Garrison of They were exhausted with fatigue and anxiety. The greater capitulaies. Fort Loyal part of the men were killed or wounded. Capt. Lawrence had received a shot which was mortal. All thoughts of outward suc- cor or relief were fraught with deep despair ; and on the 20th* May 20. a parley was commenced, which terminated in articles of capitu- lation. By these it was stipulated, that all within the garrison should receive kind treatment, and be allowed to go into the nearest provincial towns under the protection of a guard :- to the faith and observance of which Castine " lifted his hand and swore by the everlasting God." The gates were then opened, when a scene ensued, which shocks humanity. The prisoners, who were seventy in number, besides women and children, were called heretics, rebels and traitors, the dupes of a Dutch usurper, and treated with every insult and abuse. No part of the articles was regarded. Capt. Davis, who was one of the prisoners, says, 'the ' French suffered our women and children and especially the ' wounded men, to be cruelly murderedt or destroyed after the ' surrender ; and the rest, being 3 or 4 with himself, took up a ' march of 24 days to Quebec.'t 'The whole number of prison-
* Charlevoix says 27th May ; but Capt. Davis says the enemy forced a surrender the 20th of May. He himself was at Quebec 4 months ; and was finally exchanged for a Frenchman taken by Sir William Phips .-- Charle- voix [3 vol. N. F. p. 135] says the Canibas and other Abenaques Indians " laid waste 50 leagues of country," this year.
¡ Nathaniel White, the Indians tied to a stake, " and cut off one of his cars and made him eat it raw."
# Capt. Davis says, " Frontenac blamed Burneffe for breaking their oaths."
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A. D. 1690. ers, including some taken in the vicinity, was about a hundred. Falmouth destroyed. Capt. Willard and his men had not returned. The fortifications were all laid waste, and the dead bodies of the inhabitants were left to bleach and moulder above ground. Such was fallen Fal- mouth-a spectacle of homicide, ruin and melancholy .*
All the east- ern people withdraw to Wells.
The capture of Fort Loyal was considered a great calamity. The victorious enemy, ranging through the country, and rioting on the spoils, threatened the destruction of the entire Province. All within the fortifications of Purpooduck, Spurwink, Black- point and Blue-point, departed without orders, to Saco, thence proceeded in a few days to Wells [Kennebunk] and thence to Storer's garrison. Here they were reenforced and ordered by government to abide and resist all attacks.
Sufferings of captives.
To mention the hardships and sufferings of a few captives, taken at Newichawannock and Falmouth, will give some idea, though a faint one, of an Indian captivity. They were com- pelled to travel through pathless deserts and deep swamps ; over craggy mountains and windfalls ; in rain, cold and snow ; and oftentimes barefoot, half-naked and half-starved. By day and by night they were exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather and always oppressed with the excruciating pains of mind, aris- ing from remembrance of lost homes, friends and social scenes. In travelling, they were loaded with burdens, pushed forward by the points of weapons-not unfrequently tortured, or made the victims of instant death.
Robert Rogers.
Robert Rogers, a corpulent man, taken at Newichawannock, the March previous, being unable to carry his burden further, threw it down, fled and secreted himself. The Indians found him by his footsteps, hidden in a hollow tree. They stript him, beat him most cruelly, pricked him with the points of their swords and knives and tied him to a tree ; then building a fire near him, bidding him take leave of his friends and say his prayers, they pushed up the fire to his flesh, danced around him, and, cutting collops from his body, threw them bleeding into his face. With his back to the stake, they left him broiling in the fire, till he was consumed.
* Charlevoix [3 vol. N. F. p. 78] says there were eight pieces of cannon mounted in the fort. No want of ammunition ; and when the prisoners marched out of the fort, 50 in all, the savages raised a shout, fell upon them with hatchet and sword and killed all except four, and these were wounded
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Mary Plaisted, made a captive at the same time and place, A. D. 1690. three weeks after confinement, was compelled to lie on the cold Mary Plais- ground and open air with her infant, both quivering and starving. ted. After travelling many days through swamps and snows-over logs, rocks and mountains, she could not move another step. Her Indian master coming to her, seized her infant, and, stripping off its rags, dashed out its brains against a tree and threw it into the river. Now, said he, 'you are eased of your burden-you ' can walk faster.'
To mention the painful case of one other sufferer, taken with
Mary Fur- the preceding two, * will suffice for this place. Mary Furguson, guson. a girl of 15, was so overburdened with plunder, laid upon her back, that she burst into tears and said she could not go another step. An Indian led her aside, cut off her head and scalped it ; holding up the scalp and exclaiming, so I'll do with you all, if you dare cry or complain.
Hopehood, one of the most bloody warriors of the age, again appeared with a gang of desparadoes, prowling through the Pro- at Wells, Skirmishes vince. In July, they had a severe skirmish at Wells, with a par- and Spruce- Berwick, ty under Capt. Sherburne. Fired with uncommon revenge to- creek. wards Newichawannock, they proceeded to reduce the remains of that ill-fated settlement to utter ruin ; shooting one man and burn- ing several buildings. At Spruce-creek [Eliot] they killed an old man and took a woman captive. Next, they pushed into New- Hampshire ; killing, burning and destroying in every place, where the people were unguarded. But these were the last feats of Hopehood. He was soon after killed by a party of Canada. In- dians, who mistook him for one of the Mohawks.+ As a further killed. Hopeheod specimen of his character, it may not be improper to notice an instance of his cruelty. James Key, a boy of five years, one of the captives taken by him at Newichawannock, in March, being quite broken-hearted, had spells of crying to see his parents. To still the little sufferer, the savage stripped him naked, lashed both his arms around a tree, and whipped him from head to foot, till he was covered with blood. Soon after, the child had a sore eye, which Hopehood said was caused by crying ; and seizing him, he turned it from the socket with his thumb, exclaiming, " if " I hear you cry again, I'll do so by 'tother." One day, because
* 2 Mather's Magnalia, p. 517.
+ 2 Mather's Magnalia, p. 524-5.
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A. D. 1690. the child in travelling was unable to keep up, the monster at once sprang and cut his head to pieces with his hatchet.
The Indians left by the French.
After the conquest of Nova Scotia by Phips, was completed, and the expedition planned against Canada was known at Que- bec, the Indians* were left chiefly to themselves, in the manage- ment of the war against the English frontiers ; for Count Fron- tenac was needing all his men and means at home. This was considered a favorable period for chastising the eastern tribes ; and while the fleet was gone to reduce Quebec, Major Benjamin Church was again, September 2, taken into the public service.
Sept. 2. B. Church's 2d expedi- tion.
About 300 men were placed under his command, consisting of enlistments in Plymouth Colony, and troops from Massachusetts. This government furnished him with the necessary shipping and supplies ; and the General Court and Commissioners of the United Colonies gave him instructions. He was directed to visit Casco, Pejepscot, and any other places in the vicinity, where the French and Indians had their head-quarters, and, if possible, to kill them or drive them from the country ; also to ransom, rescue, or in some way recover the captives.
He visits Maquoit and Pejep- scot
He first landed his men at Maquoit and led them across land, before daylight,; towards Pejepscot-fort, on the western side of the Lower Falls in the river Androscoggin. He and his advanced guard first saw young Doney, a Sokokis, his wife and two cap- tives, about a mile from the fort, on the further side of a stream and marsh full of water, which they were obliged to ford, though it were to their armpits. Doney ran for the fort; and Church, though retarded by wading through the water, closely pursued him. As the fleet-footed Indian entered the gate, he cried, Eng- lishmen ! Englishmen !- when all within it, flew precipitantly in different directions; some leaped into the river and were drowned ; a few fled under the falls and were seen no more ; and several ran unwarily into the very arms of Church and his men, who by this time had arrived at the place, expecting a skir- mish. But there was no resistance. The English captives re- covered, were in a starving, wretched condition. The prison- ers taken, consisted of one Indian,-the wives of Kancamagus and Warumbee,-several other squaws,-and a great number of
* Only about a third part remained, and these were Protestants .- 1 Brit. Emp. p. 176. t 2 Math. Mag. p. 522, he says ' by night.'
CHAP. XXIII. ]
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Indian children. The life of the native was spared, through A. D. 1690. the importunity of two female captives, who said, he had been the means of their preservation, and that of many others. He represented, that the Indians were abroad, engaged in drawing the Marechites of St. John's river into the war. The wives of the two Sagamores and their children were saved and sent on board his vessels, in consideration of a solemn promise made by the women, that eighty English prisoners should be restored. But it is painful to relate, and nowise creditable to the usual hu- manity of Major Church, that the rest of the females, except two or three old squaws, also the unoffending children, were put to the tomahawk or sword .- The old women, he left with some necessaries and this errand, -- ' tell the Sagamores, they may find ' their wives and children at Wells.'*
Major Church, the next day, proceeded with his men, forty miles up the Androscoggin, to the Indian fort, where he recovered seven captives, killed twenty-one of the enemy, and took one prisoner. After plundering the fort, which contained some valua- ble property, he left it in flames. His prisoner was Agamcus, called from his size Great Tom, who was a sullen fellow, and on the march had the cunning to escape from his careless keepers. Flying to some of the Sagamores, he told them such frightful sto- ries about the tremendous Church and his forces, that the Indians fled into the woods, leaving Brackett, taken the previous year at Falmouth, who arrived at Maquoit, about the time Church was reembarking his troops.t
Church proceeded to Winter-harbor, where, in a skirmish A skirmish which a party of his men had with old Doney and the enemy, at Casco. of Church near Scammon's fort,į he killed two savages and recovered an English captive, who informed him, that the Indians were collect- ing at Pejepscot, to go against Wells. In his return to that place, he was only able to take some additional plunder. He next an- chored at Purpooduck, Sept. 21, and landed three companies upon Sept: 21. the peninsula. Here he had a smart engagement with the Indians, in which he lost five of his Plymouth soldiers, killing 8 or 10 of the enemy, and taking 13 canoes. A returning captive told that
* Church's Expedition, p. 107-117. t 2 Math. Mag. p. 528-9.
# Scammon's garrison was on the east side of the Saco, 3 miles below the falls.
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A. D. 1690. the Indians, in consequence of their loss, butchered, according to custom, as many of their prisoners. He collected and buried the mouldering bodies of the people slain in the capture of Fal- mouthi, and returned liome, leaving 100 of his men at Wells, under Capt. Converse* and Lieut. Plaisted.
A view of his 2d ex- pedition.
Although Major Church acquired so much honor in king Philip's war, he added to it few laurels in this expedition. The government of Massachusetts thought his exploits were wholly of a negative character, unworthy of applause. Some of the dis- affected eastern Provincials basely charged liim with putting their cattle into barrels, and selling it in Boston for plunder. He him- self complained, that the grievous report about the 'Eastward ' Expedition, rolled home upon him, like a snow ball, gathering " size at every turn, till he was quite overshadowed, and hidden ' from all favorable view of his friends.' But he had lived long enough to know, that military merit is measured by successes ; and though suspicion paints in the darkest colors, a conscious- ness of having performed well and wisely all that could be done, was a better security to reputation, than inscriptions on brass or marble. He magnanimously collected a considerable contribu- tion in Plymouth Colony, which he transmitted to the eastern Provincials, accompanied by an address to Major Frost, John Wheelwright, Esq. and others, encouraging their expectations of still farther relief.
His policy at Pejepscot had the anticipated effect upon the Sagamores. For, in October, ten of them came to Wells, where they were extravagantly gratified, in the restoration of the cap- tive wives and children. Being in a mood to talk with open heart, they said, the French had made fools of them, and three times repeated these words-" We will go to war against you no more ;"-" We are ready to meet your head-men, at any time and place you appoint, and enter into a treaty."
Nov. 29. A truce 5 months.
On the 29th of November, at Sagadahock, a truce was signed by commissioners from Massachusetts,-viz. Majors Hutchinson and Pike, two of the Assistants, and Capt. Townsend, Master of the Province sloop; and by six Sagamores, t in behalf of all the
* But Church says Converse went with him to Boston .- Expedition, p. 123 .- It was only a trip, p. 129.
t These were Netombomet, (or Naitumbuit,) of Saco; Warumbec, of Androscoggin ; John Hagkins, alias Kankamagus, of Penacook ; Edgere-
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Abenaques tribes, including the Penacooks. But it was, how- A. D. 1690. ever, preceded by a conference of no less than six days, and was finally subscribed by the Sagamores while they were in their canoes ; nor was it to continue beyond the first of the ensuing May. Still, they stipulated and agreed to do no injury in the mean time to the English, to deliver up all the prisoners present, and on the first day of May, surrender at Storer's garrison, in Wells, all the others,-and there make a lasting peace. They also promised to give the English timely notice, should the French plot any mischief against them. Ten Englishi captives were then re- leased, with one of whom, Mrs. Hall, they parted very reluctantly, because she wrote well and served them as a secretary.
This was almost the only good fortune of the autumn, which could counteract the fate of the Canada expedition and the great remain. discomfiture of the public. Never had Maine witnessed a darker season. Only four towns remained,-viz. Wells, York, Kittery, and Appledore or the Isles of Shoals ; and these, the enemy had evidently marked out for utter and speedy destruction.
There were in Wells, between the present highway and the beach, several houses, constructed of hewn timber, with flankers, rison. and on each a watchtower-all of which were fortified, and might be occupied and used as garrisons. One of the largest and strongest was Mr. Storer's, situated near the old meeting-house, and about 100 rods from the present one,-considered at this period a public fortification.
At the time appointed, May 1st, 1691, President Danforth, attended by several gentlemen, besides some of his Council, May 1. and guarded by a troop of horse, visited Wells, in anticipation of meeting the Indians and forming a treaty. But not one of them appeared ;- being evidently deterred, through French influence. A few of them, however, who were in the neighborhood, were brought in by order of Capt. Converse, and asked, why the Sag- amores were not present to enter upon a treaty, according to promise .- ' We no remember the time,'-said they .- ' But still ' we now give up two captives ; and we promise, certain, to bring ' the rest in ten days.'-To try their faith and honor, they were
met, alias, Moxus, Toqualmot, and Watombamet, probably of Kennebeck. -See 1 Hutch. Hist. p. 358, where some of the names are differently spelt. -2 Mather's Magnalia, p. 529, 543 .- 1 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. p. 104-5, 3d series .- Sullivan, p. 147.
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