USA > Maine > The history of the state of Maine; from its first discovery, A. D. 1602, to the separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, Vol. II > Part 13
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* One author says " feet,"-instead of " yards." -- Ilutchinson. t See letter, March 23. 1723, from Colonel Westbrook; [called by mis- take, " Otis,"] to Lieut. Gov. W. Dummer .- 8 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. p. 264-5, 2d series ; also 2 Hutch. Hist. p. 273 .- But an interesting question has been raised .- " Where was the site of this important fortress and vil- lage ?" Some suppose it might have been the ancient " Negas ;"_or vil- lage on " Fort Hill," situate a league above the mouth of Kenduskeag stream : for when could that have been destroyed, unless at this time ?- See ante of this Hist. vol. 1, Chap. 18 .- Yet Col. Church makes no men- tion of the laller, when he and his troops; in August, 1696, scoured the riv- er; nor Major Levingston, who travelled up the river, in Nov. 1710, on his way to Canada. It must have been built after the latter date, and be- fore or during the present war. It could not have been very ancient, ber cause the plough has turned out, since the American revolution, many ars ticles of iron, steel, and lead, of modern form and structure ; yet if it were quite modern, there would be some tradition of it All we can learn is, that it was called by the first settlers in Bangor-' the old French and In- dian settlement,' on Fort Hill. This could not be thought 32 miles from the place of Westbrook's anchorage-short as seamen's miles are over wild lands. Nor are there Islands here, corresponding with those he men- tions .- The alternative then is, the site must have been Old-town, or the ancient Lett mentioned by Levingston .- See ante, A. D. 1710 .- That is VOL. II. 16
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A. D. 1723.
Expedit on to Norridge- wock.
Another expedition was directed at the same time, under Capt. Harman, against Norridgewock. That he might the more surely take the place by surprise, he and his party, consisting of 120 men, setting out February 6, proceeded up the Androscoggin to the curve nearest the sources of Sandy River; and here they came to a halt. January had been very mild and rainy, the riv- ers were open and icy, and the lands full of water :- therefore it was concluded, that it would be impossible to reach the place of destination, either by land or water, and the soldiers, dividing into scouts, returned without seeing an Indian.
Sickness.
Our losses this year.
In addition to the reverses of fortune, hitherto experienced by us, since the war commenced ; we are constrained to mention the "great sickness," which spread and prevailed among the sol- diery, and gave a surprising damp to military enterprise. Proba- bly it was owing to this calamity, that our forces through the season acted only on the defensive. For, during the year 1723, between 20 and 30 persons were killed in Maine, or carried into captivity, besides other mischiefs done by the enemy .- We begin with Falmouth, which was assailed in April; when the In- dians, supposing Cliubb, a fort sergeant, to be Captain Harman, all aimed their guns at him, lodging in his body eleven bullets. It was a lucky mistake for his companions, since they all thereby escaped safely to the fort. In May, two were killed at Berwick, one at Wells, and two on the way from that town to York. On the 19th of April, and 26th of June, the garrison-house of Roger Deering,* in Scarborough, was surprised ; and his wife, two of the inhabitants, and two soldiers, were killed ; also John Hunne- well, Robert Jordan, Mary Scammon, and Deering's three chil- dren, while picking berries, were, about the same time, seized and carried away captive. Five Indians, in August, entered the field of Dominicus Jordan, a principal inhabitant of Saco, fired at him
Berwick. Wells. York .
Scarboro'.
situated on a beautiful Island ; and below it are falls, and a small Island .- Lieut. Gov. Duminer (specch, May 1723,) says, " we have demolished the fort and all the buildings at Penobscot." The village at Fort Hill was probably destroyed by Capt. Heath .- See post, A. D. 1725.
* This was on the Nonesuch-river, between Black and Blue-points. At Black-point, eight of the people were killed ; and among them, was " Capt. Hammon," (by one so called,) " a respectable leader, who died of 15 gun- shot wounds." The attack was sudden, but the people defended themselves bravely in the fort .- Sullivan, p. 217 .- Thomas Larrabee and son killed, April 9, 1723 .- Rev. Mr. Tilton's letter.
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and wounded him in three places. As he was still able to walk, A. D. 1723. he presented his gun at them, and while they, being afraid to seize him, were reloading, he retreated backwards till he recov- ered the garrison .* The enemy next took a turn westward and committed outrageous acts upon the towns of Dover, Rutland, and Northfield.
hawks' visit.
Massachusetts had been long endeavoring to draw again the The Mo- Mohawks into the war against the eastern tribes ; and at length, August 21, the Lieutenant-Governor was visited at Boston by a delegation of no less than 63 of their chief men. After pre- seuting him with a belt of wampum, and receiving in return pieces of plate curiously engraven with figures of a turtle, a bear, a hatchet, and a wolf, the escutcheons of their respective tribes ; the government gave them a fat ox, which they killed with bows and arrows, as in olden time, and celebrated a feast with songs and dances. It was a novel spectacle, but of no importance; for they were resolved not to take up the hatchet, unless they themselves were molested. They would make no other engage- ment, than to give their young men liberty to act as they pleased. ;
Only two of them entered into the public service, and these were sent to Fort Richmond, then under the command of Capt. the service. Two enter Heath. In a few days, the Captain ordered Colby, his Ensign, to take them, and three of the garrison, and go on a scout up the river. Scarcely had they travelled a single league, before the two Mohawks said they smelt fire, and were unwilling to go fur- ther, till they were re-enforced. The messenger, sent back to the Skirmish fort, soon returned with thirteen auxiliaries; and the whole party, Richmond. presently meeting with 30 of the enemy, killed two and drove the rest to their canoes in so much haste, that they left their packs. Colby was slain ; two of his men were wounded ; and the Mo- hawks, already sick of the service, immediately left it and returned to Boston. At this time, no settlement, house, nor vessel anchor- ed in the eastern parts, was safe. One Capt. Cogswell and his crew, were surprised and taken, in October, at Mount-Desert, as Mount De- Mischief at they were stepping ashore ; and about the same time, Smith and sert and Arundel. Bailey were killed at Cape-Porpoise, one on Vaughan's Island,
* This was on a neck of land at Winter-Harbor. Rev. R. Jordan's pos- terity are among the principal people in the place,-one a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and another a Senator .- Sullivan, p. 227.
+ 11 Mass. Records, p. 54-5.
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A. D. 1723. and the other on the seashore, not far from the site of the old meeting-house .*
Fort at Sti George be- sieged.
The last attack of the Indians, this season, was December 25, upon the fort at St. George's river. Being fortunate enough to take two prisoners, who gave them intelligence concerning the indefensible condition of the garrison, the assailants, about 60 in number, were encouraged to prosecute the siege for thirty days, with a resolution, or rather madness that was desperate, They seemed to be flushed with the absolute certainty of compelling a surrender of the fort. But Capt, Kennedy, the commanding of- ficer, being a man of intrepid courage, held out till Col, West- brook arrived and put the enemy to flight.f
Troops in the winter service.
For the protection of the eastern country through the winter, 150 men were equally divided into three ranging parties; and about an equal number were distributed and assigned to the dif- ferent towns and garrisons, namely, St. George, Arrowsick, Rich- mond, North-Yarmouth, Maquoit, Falmouth, Purpooduck, Scar- borough, Saco,¿ Arundel, Kennebunk, Wells, York, Kittery, and Berwick.§
Moulton's attempts to take Rale.
Unattended by the French, and kept in awe by the English ranging parties, the Indians undertook no winter campaign ; nor was any thing memorable achieved by our forces till spring, But there was still a strong and universal desire to make Rale, a pris- oner, and have him brought to Boston alive. It is said " a thous- and livres" were the high price set upon his head. || To dis- patch him therefore, or rather to take him, Captain Moulton led a military party to Norridgewock in the depth of winter. But the cautious Jesuit and the tribe had made a seasonable and safe retreat ; and all the trophies of the enterprise were only a few books and papers found in his own dwellinghouse ; among which, was a letter to him from the Governor of Canada, exhorting him " to push on the Indians, with all imaginable zeal, against the English." But Captain Moulton was no less a cool and discreet
* Sullivan, p. 250.
+ 2 Hutch. Hist. p, 276,-After this, the enemy took captive a soldier at Berwick, " as he was carelessly wandering from the garrison."-1 Coll, N, H. Elist. Soc. p. 102 .- Penhallow's Indian Wars.
Both at the Falls and Scammon's fort, on the east side of the river,- See ante, .A. D. 1714 .- Biddeford. § 11 Mass. Rec. p. 193.
|| Rale's letter, 1724 .- 8 Coll. Mass. His. Soc. p. 266-7.
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man, than a brave and popular officer ; and when he and his men A. D. 1724. left the place, he permitted no injury to be done, either to the chapel or any other building : imagining probably such an ex- ample of forbearance and moderation might be imitated by the enemy.
Early and special attention, as usual, was paid this spring, by Means our government to the unhappy condition of the eastern Provin- the security adopted for ces ; and in the present management of the war, though unsuc- of Maine. cessful, the administration has been deservedly applauded. Sure- ly there was no want of vigilance. To prevent the Indians from fishing, fowling, and planting, an additional force of 30 men was sent to Kennebeck ; and to secure the inhabitants, more effectually from the enemy's incursions, and administer equal justice and re- lief to all, it was ordered, that every freeholder, and his sons and servants, in the public service, belonging to Yorkshire, be dis- charged, and other able bodied and effective men substituted ; and that the militia of the county be exonerated from all further military duty, excepting in times of alarm .*
This year, (1724,) the Indians shewed themselves upon our Losses this frontiers, and began to commit depredations in March ; and in year. the course of the spring months, they either killed, carried into captivity, or severely wounded, more than 30 people in Maine. Attacks, Smith, a sergeant of the fort at Cape Porpoise, was killed on March 23. the 23d of that month ; and on the 17th of April, William Porpoise. at Cape- Mitchell was shot at Black-point, as he was at work in the field, Scarborc ?. and two of his sons carried prisoners to Norridgewock. In Kennebunk harbor, a sloop was taken, and the whole crew Kennebunk. put to death. About the same time, three men, by the names of Felt, Wormwood, and Lewis, were killed at a saw-mill on the same river, At Berwick, in May, Mr. Thompson met with the Berwick, same fate ; and one of his children was carried off, and another was scalped and left bleeding and gasping on the ground. But the sufferer being presently carried home, revived. One Stone was also scalped, near the same place, and his body badly man- gled ; yet he survived his wounds, and lived to old age. His life, however, was miserable, He lost the use of one hand ;- on his head he wore a silver caul ; nor was he ever able to walk without crutches. He was, besides, the subject of strong con-
* 11 Mass. Rec. p. 198.
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A. D. 1721. vulsion-fits .* When the savage scout had killed one other, and taken a captive, they left the place. Afterwards, we hear of homicides and depredations, committed by them in New-Hamp- shire, in Hatfield, and at other places on Connecticut river.
Battle at the river St. George.
But the most memorable engagement of any hitherto since the war, happened. May 1, at the St. George's river. It being an inviting morning, April 30, Capt. Josiah Winslow, command- er of the fort, selected 16 of the ablest men belonging to the garrison, and in a couple of staunch whale-boats, proceeded down the river, and thence to the Green Islands in Penobscot bay, which at this season of the year, were frequented by the Indians for fowling. Though Winslow and his companions made no discovery, their movements were watched by the wary enemy ; and on there return, the next day, as they were ascending the river, they fell into a fatal ambush of the Indians, cowering under each of its banks. They permitted Winslow to pass, and then fired into the other boat, which was commanded by Harvey, a sergeant, and was nearer the shore. Harvey fell. A brisk dis- charge of musquetry was returned upon the assailants; when Winslow, observing the imminent exposure of his companions, though he was himself out of danger, hastened back to their assist- ance. In an instant, he found himself surrounded by 30 canoes, and threefold that number of armed savages ; who raised a hide- ous whoop, and fell upon the two boat crews with desperate fury. The skirmish was severe and bloody ; when Winslow and his men perceiving inevitable death to be the only alternative, re- solved to sell their lives at the dearest rate. They made a most determined and gallant defence ; and after nearly all of them were dead or mortally wounded, himself having his thigh fractured and being extremely exhausted,-his shattered bark was set to the shore. Here being waylaid, he fought a savage, hand to hand, with the greatest personal courage, beat off the foe, and then resting on his knee, shot one, ere they could dispatch him. Thus fell the intrepid Winslow and every one of his brave com- pany, except three friendly Indians, who were suffered to escape and communicate particulars to the garrison. The Tarratines, who were rather a valiant, than a cruel people, composed the Indian party ; and their loss, though never known, is supposed
Winslow and 13 of his party killed .
* Sullivan, p. 252.
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to have doubled ours. In this action, inconsiderable as were the A. D. 1724. numbers engaged, there was a remarkable display on both sides, of boldness and good conduct. The death of Captain Winslow was severely felt and lamented. He was a young officer of mil- itary talents and great worth ; a late graduate of Harvard Col- lege, and a descendant of one of the best families in the Prov- ince .*
The Indians next appeared upon Arrowsick, and again beset The enemy the garrison, still commanded by Capt. Penhallow .- Turning Arrowsick. again visit away suddenly, they made three of the inhabitants prisoners, as they were driving cows to pasture ; nor did they leave the Ist- and, till they liad killed a great number of cattle. At Purpoo- duck, May 27, a party killed one man and wounded another ; and May 27. about the same time, David Hill, a friendly Indian, was shot at duck. l'arpoo- Saco. Afterwards the savages for a month or more, withdrew from Maine to New-Hampshire, and the frontiers farther east- ward. Nevertheless, a party of twenty-five fell upon the garrison at Spurwink, July 17, and killed Solomon Jordan, at their first July 17, approach, as he was stepping out of the gate. This was a timely Spurwink. alarm. The next morning the enemy retreating, were pursued by Lieut. Bane from the fort, attended by about thirty men, and overtaken. A principal Indian was killed; and the others in their flight dropped their packs, and blankets, and some other articles, which were brought away ; also the scalp of the dead Indian was taken, which commanded a bounty of £100 to the pursuers.
So well prepared this year were most of the places assailed, The enemy to defend themselves, that the Indians were unable to take any eastern ves. s cze the considerable booty from the frontiers ; and therefore they rushed sels. down upon the seacoast, and undertook to seize upon all the ves- sels they could find in the eastern harbors. New to them as this kind of enterprise was, they were in a few weeks in pos- session of twenty-two vessels, of various descriptions ;- two of which were shallops, taken at the Isles of Shoals ; eight were fishing vessels, found at Fox Island thorough-fare ; one was a
* He was graduated in 1721. His great grandfather and grandfather, were Governors of Plymouth colony ; his father a member of the Prov- ince Council, and his younger brother, General Winslow commanded the Provincial forces at Fort Edward, in 1757 .- Eliot's Blog. article " Wins- low," p. 499-502.
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A. D. 1724. large schooner, armed with two swivels, and the others were surprised and taken in different places. In these piratical seiz- Kill 22 men. ures, they killed 22 men, and retained a still greater number prisoners .* Generally these were the masters or skippers, and the best sailors ; whom they compelled to serve on board their prizes, or motley squadron. Assisted by the Mickmaks from Cape Sable, the savages became so bold and formidable, that ' they were a terror to all vessels that sailed along the eastern ' shores.'
Again at- tempt to re- duce the fort at St. George's river.
A part of the enemy's fleet proceeded up the river St. George, once more fully determined to lay the fort in ashes .- To effect their purpose, the savage crews now filled a couple of their shal- lops with combustibles, which were set on fire and urged so near the block-house, that they would have communicated the flames, had not individual exertion prevented. The enemy then offer- ed favorable terms, provided the garrison would surrender. But every lisp of the kind was promptly rejected ; and as they were utterly unable to take or destroy the fortification, either by force or stratagem, they retired without doing any considerable injury.
The first adventurous vessels, which were fitted out to encoun- ter those of the enemy, were two from New-Hampshire, sever- ally carrying twenty men. They soon came up with one of them -yet through fear or folly, they failed to engage the enemy and l'ursued by returned. Still believing a small force sufficient to cope with Jackson, Lakeman and others. these raw and inexperienced sailors, Lieutenant-Governor Dum- mer commissioned Doctor Jackson of Kittery, a brave man, and Sylvanus Lakeman of Ipswich, to go in quest of them. The former with a schooner and twenty men, and the latter with a shallop and sixteen, boldly came in contact with them, and had a short engagement, in which Jackson and several of his men were wounded, and his rigging badly blown to pieces by two large swivels and four petronels of the enemy, and his pursuit thence impeded. Recovering, he drove them into Penobscot, where they were assisted and covered by so large a body of natives, that he was forced to retire. At last the lieutenant, master and
* 2 Hutch. Hist. p. 278 .- He says 45 men in all, 22 of whom they killed, and carried 23 into captivity .- Penhallow, (Indian Wars, A. D. 1724,) says the enemy " made up a fleet of 50 canoes" -- and proceeded to take the vessels engaged in the fisheries,-and found on the coast.
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master's mate from the Seahorse man-of-war, then riding at an- A. D. 1724. chor on the Boston station, took command of three vessels, hav- ing severally on board about thirty men, and went in search of The Indians the enemy's forces. But it was too late ;- they had become abandon their ves- tired of maritime war, and had dispersed ; and not a particle of sels. intelligence concerning them could be obtained afterwards.
Thus far, the events of the present war, which had now con- tinued two years, were so unpropitious to the English, that it is supposed their losses of men greatly exceeded those of the ene- my. Lives or captives were the trophies of almost all their attacks ; and these were perpetually repeated. Garrisons and scouting parties, it was evident, could not protect the people, nor preserve the fishermen and coasters from injuries; and therefore it was determined to enter upon more offensive war.
Norridgewock, being still the residence of Rale, was immedi- Expedition ately marked for destruction. The execution of this enterprize wock. was committed to a detachment of 208 men, who were divided into four companies, and commanded by Captains Moulton, Har- man, Bourn, and Bane. They left Richmond fort, their place of rendezvous, on the 19th of August, and ascended the river in August 19. 17 whale-boats, attended by three Mohawks. The next day, they arrived at Teconnet, where they left their whale-boats, and a Lieutenant with a guard of 40 men. The residue of the forces, on the 21st, took up their march through the woods towards Nor- ridgewock. The same evening, they discovered three of the na- tives and fired upon them. The noted Bomaseen, one of them, was shot in the river, as he attempted to escape, his daughter was fatally wounded, and his wife taken prisoner. From her, they obtained a full account of Rale and the Indians at Norridgewock, which quickened their march.
A little after noon, on the 22d, they came in sight of the village, August 22. when it was determined to divide the detachment. Capt. Har- Our forces man led off about 60 men towards the mouth of Sandy river, the village. approach imagining he saw smokes rising in that quarter, and supposing some of the Indians might be at their corn-fields. Capt. Moul- ton formed his men into three bands, nearly equal in numbers, and proceeded directly towards the village .* When near it, he
* Where and how did Moulton's men cross the river ?- as the village was on the eastern side, opposite to the mouth of Sandy river .- It might have been forded by them, though no mention is made of such a fact. VOL. II. 17
to Norridge-
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The skir- mish.
A. D. 1724 placed parties in ambush on the right and left, and led forward the residue to the attack, excepting ten men left to guard the bag- gage. He commanded his men to reserve their fire, till after that of the Indians ; and then boldly advanced with so quick a step and in such profound silence, that they were within pistol shot, before their approach was suspected. All the Indians were in their wigwams, when one happening to step out, looked round, and discovered the English close upon them. He instantly gave the war-whoop, and sprang in for his gun. The amazement and consternation of the whole village was indiscriminate and terrible. The fighting men, about 60 in all, seized their guns and fired at the assailants ; but in their tremor, they overshot them, and not a man was hurt. A discharge was instantly returned, which did effectual, execution. The Indians fired a second volley, without breaking Moulton's ranks ; then flying to the water, fell upon the muzzles of the guns in ambush. Several instantly fell. Some undertook to wade or swim across the river, which at this season was only 60 feet wide, and in no place more than six feet deep. A few jumped into their canoes, but forgetting to take their pad- dles, were unable to escape ;- and all, especially the old men, women, and children, fled in every direction. Our soldiers shot them in their flight to the woods, also upon the water; so that not more than 50 of the whole village were supposed to have landed on the opposite side of the river ; while about 150 effected an escape too far into the thickets, to be overtaken.
About 200 of the tribe escape.
The pursuers then returned to the village, where they found the Jesuit in one of the wigwams, firing upon a few of our men, who had not followed the wretched fugitives. He had with him, in the wigwam, an English boy about 14 years of age, who had been a prisoner six months. "This boy he shot through the thigh, and afterwards stabbed him in the body" *- though he ulti- mately recovered. Moulton had given orders to spare the life of Râle ; but Jaques, a Lieutenant, finding he was firing from the wigwam and had wounded one of our men, stove open the door Rale killed. and shot him through the head. As an excuse for the act, Jaques alleged, that when he entered the wigwam, Râle was loading his gun, and declared he would neither give nor take quarter. Moul-
* Hutchinson, (2 Hist. p. 282) says, this act of cruelty is stated by Har- inan, upon oath .- But still is doubted .- 8 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. 2d series, p. 257.
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ton disapproved of what was done; allowing, however, that Râle A. D. 1724. said something to provoke Jaques, yet doubting, if the statement made by him was literally correct.
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