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 26
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* Smith's Journal, p. 47.
t Sullivan, p. 168 .- He says, Williamson was known to the Indians as " a man of eminence."
May. The whole frontier in- fested with savages.
253
OF MAINE.
CHAP. IX.]
Being exchanged the following year, he returned by way of Bos- A. D. 1747. ton. He said they treated him as well as their scanty means would afford ; dividing to him on the route to Canada, whatever of subsistence they could procure. The season for the spring work upon farms, for putting cattle into pasturage, and for the 'The Indians turn upon river fishery, was extremely perilous ; till by the arrival and ar- N. Hamp- shire. rangement of re-enforcements, the destroying enemy was turned from our frontiers, upon those of New-Hampshire.
Amidst these direful and discouraging scenes, news of a victory May 3. arrived, which gave a surprizing chill to the spirits of the French
A naval vic- tory obtain- ed by two
in Canada, the Acadians, and all their Indian allies ;- a victory, English Ad- which in equal degree, revived the drooping courage and vigor mirals, An- son and Warren.
of the eastern and northern Provinces. It appeared that France, to retrieve her military character from disgrace and aspersion, fitted out two squadrons, in all 38 sail ; the one, a convoy of six East Indiamen and a fleet of other ships, was put under the command of M, de St. George, and the other, destined for Can- ada and Nova Scotia, was commanded by M. de la Jonquiere. Forming a junction, they sailed from Rochelle, and were follow- ed by Admirals Anson and Warren, with 13 English ships of the line, and several frigates. The two fleets met, May 3d, and after a well fought battle, the French struck their colors .* Equally striking with the two former, was this interposition of Divine Providence in favor of the northern English colonies. It was a most severe blow to the French interests in America. Besides immense property taken, there were found on board the captured transports, 7,000 suits of clothes, 1,000 stands of arms, and numerous articles designed for the Acadians and Indians. M. de la Jonquiere, Governor of Canada, an old man of 70, was a prisoner, and the expectations of the Provincial French and the natives, were entirely blasted. Ramsay and his detachment made the best of their way to Canada ;f and agents were sent Prisoners in a large ship from Massachusetts to Quebec, for the purpose of at Canada. exchanged exchanging or redeeming prisoners. On their return, in August, they reported 361 in all ;- 171 of whom took passage home ;-
* The French lost 6 ships of the line ; 6 East Indiamen ; 700 men killed and wounded; and a million and half of money and bullion ; and had be- tween 4 and 5,000 taken prisoners. "There were 30 ships laden with merchandize"-and 9 taken.
+ 2 Hutch. Hist. p. 385.
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THE HISTORY
[VOL. 11.
A, D. 1747. 90 were scattered ;- about 30 others were too sick to be remov- ed ;- and 70 had died in captivity ; almost the whole number having been taken from the frontiers of Massachusetts, New- Hampshire, and the eastern Provinces, Maine and Sagadahock. Overtures for peace were soon proposed by the powers at war ; and in September, all the troops enlisted for the expedition against Canada were discharged.
An attack upon New- Marble- head.
The hostile hordes, that visited our frontiers in the autumn, appeared to be formed of Indians and a few associated French- men, equally savage, and more mean spirited. A party of this character, between 25 and 30 in number, entered the plantation of New-Marblehead, [Windham] probably with intent to take captive every one of the settlers, and furnish themselves with plunder, while devising the ruin of some other place. Though they succeeded in taking William Bolton ;- his companion, young Mayberry, had the adroitness to effect an immediate escape ; in which he seems to have been wounded by the shots he receiv- ed, while they followed him. By the report of guns as well as by tidings from him, the people had sufficient notice to secure themselves.
An attempt upon Fort Frederick.
September.
The two remotest easterly garrisons were still looked upon by them, with the utmost jealousy and malevolence. These, which they often attacked, they had now determined with the help of a few Frenchmen, to destroy. Early in September, a mixed company of 60, silently approached Fort Frederick, about break of day, their usual hour of attack. They intended probably to take the garrison by surprize, or find an entrance by stealth, at some unguarded moment ; supposing all the soldiers within, did not exceed one half their own number. But unexpectedly to them, they happened to fall in with a party of five, at a short distance from the pickets ; and finding their approach was there- by discovered, they shot the five unfortunate men to the ground, three being instantly killed, and the other two wounded. They then furiously assailed the garrison, more than two hours, with a determinate resolution to compel a surrender. But unable to make the least impression, it being principally constructed of stone, they withdrew completely repulsed.
Another upon St. Georges' fore.
This, or another mixed party of like character, next besieged the fort at St. Georges, in a different manner. They attempted to open a subterraneous passage, from the bank of the river, by
CHAP. IX.]
OF MAINE.
255
undermining the fort on its eastern side, at a distance of ten rods. A. D. 1747. When they had advanced half way, the earth by reason of heavy rains, caved in upon the diggers, as tradition relates, and buried or killed several of them. Another attempt was then made a few rods distant,-with which they proceeded about 20 feet, and abandoned the undertaking and the place. The cavities are yet to be seen .*
The winter was a season of anxiety and distress. The pro- Scarcity of duce of the country was insufficient for the support of the inhab- bread. itants. A scarcity of provisions always enhances their price. Beset by savages, the people were no more able to convert forest- trees into marketable lumber, than to cultivate their fields. Yet what else had they to exchange for necessaries ; or to invite ves- sels into their waters? Even the wages of soldiers were paid in a depreciating currency. The depth of snow and the severity of weather proved to be unusually great ; and before spring, corn was worth 30s. by the bushel, and wheat flour £10 by the hundred. Though there were in Maine and Sagadahock, four or five public garrisons; more than twenty-five large and noted block-houses ; and between 15 and 20 towns and plantations still remaining ; yet only about 300 men were retained in the service.
As the Sagamores had intimated no wish for a cessation of war, the government adopted a more permanent system for the itary force defence of the eastern inhabitants. It was determined to enlist 200 volunteers for the term of three years, or until the end of 733 men. the war ; and to pay each one besides his wages a bounty of £5, in the new tenor bills on his enlistment, and at the begin- ning of every succeeding year; excusing and excluding from this service all such as reside in the frontier towns or plantations. These recruits were to be formed into two companies for the defence of the country, and the pursuit of the enemy. Another corps of 533 men was to be raised, of whom 177 being the most expert disciplinarians and experienced soldiers, were assigned to the garrison and the more exposed block-houses ; and the res- idue employed as scouting parties, guards, videttes, and informants. If any one were impressed into the service, he was to be exchang- ed in one year.t But the ranks of both classes were rather
Eastern mil-
for defences
* MS. Let. of Hez. Prince, Esq.
t Jour. Mass. H. of R. May 9, 1748, p. 243.
256
THE HISTORY
[VOL. II.
A. D. 1748. avoided than sought by brave and ambitious men. The service Objections to enist- ments and the service. was perilous, fatiguing and irregular ; affording soldiers few op- portunities to signalize themselves, or to acquire any considerable military credit. It was not a field of victory or glory ; though it was often a field of battle and of blood ;- a skirmish, a feat, an exploit, a chase, being all. Hence the Governor told the General Court, May 27, that, 'owing to this and the depreciation ' of the bills, several militia Colonels assure me, my impress- ' warrants draw more fines than men out of the companies, and ' that in some instances two of the fines will scarcely hire one "man into the service, especially upon the eastern frontiers.'* It was found to be necessary also to change the term of volunta- ry enlistment, from three years to one only.
Proposition for estab- lishing a fort at Pe- nobscot.
A proposition was made for the first time, of erecting a fort- ress, and establishing a garrison upon the banks of Penobscot river. Governor Shirley thought, it would in war, check the in- cursions of the Indians, and keep them from fishing and fowling along the seaboard ; and might also in some measure secure our fishermen, and coasters from annoyances. In peace, it would be promotive of trade, and a preventive of trespasses. Indeed, a truck house there might command the traffic of the tribes, as far as Cape Sable and the river St. John; and a fur trade of such extent must be worthy of great consideration. Believing the In- dians might be made to see, that their real interests and ours were identified ; he added, that the best judges had given their un- equivocal opinion in favor of the establishment.t
The base- ness of the enemy.
The enemy, now partly Frenchmen, mostly Natives, were con- sidered a mere banditti. They were robbers, incendiaries and murderers, alike disregarding all rules of honor and laws of war. If they were chased into the woods like beasts of prey, they were ready to follow the return of their pursuers, and renew their depredations .- In May and June, they were seen at fre- quent intervals, lurking around the habitations and fields of the people dwelling between the Androscoggin and the Saco, and waylaying the whole intermediate road ; shooting some, and making prisoners of others. To mention particulars, they killed at Brunswick, Capt. Burnet and his neighbor ; at North-Yar-
* Governor's Speech.
t Jour, Mass. House of Rep. p. 66 .- 16 Mass. Rec. p. 340.
257
OF MAINE.
CHAP. IX.]
mouth, shot Mr. Eaton, took a captive, and burned several A, D. 1748. houses ; and in every place they visited, they were the perpetra- tors of more or less mischief. These bloody scenes returning every year, and the present season, rendered more gloomy by the appearance of the fields and the gardens, parched and with- ered by the early and extreme drought, filled the people with uncommon despondency ; for they looked upon them, " as plain indications of the Divine displeasure." But happily the period of darkness was drawing to a close. On the 2d of July, arrived July 2d. at Falmouth the glad news, that the nations at war had agreed peace; and News of on preliminaries of peace; and after this, we hear of no more dian hostil- end of In- ravages by the eastern* Indians in this war. ities.
By the treaty, signed at Aix-la-chapelle, October 7, 1748, Treaty of each crown surrendered to the other all prisoners without ransom, chapelle. Aix-la- and all territorial conquests; and therefore, the Island Cape Breton again passed into the possession of the French. To New-England, this appeared ungracious ; and to Massachusetts and her eastern inhabitants a grievance. The war originated in unhallowed motives, and closed without any considerable advan- tage, either to England or France. New-England by her loyalty, zeal and public spirit, acquired great credit and consideration ; which, however, to the extent due, the mother country was never willing to allow. In all the colonial expeditions and public meas- ures, the Province of Massachusetts took the lead, expended in money nearly half a million sterling, and lost about 3,000 of her most able-bodied and effective men.+
Although troops to the number of 323,į were continued in A. D. 1749. service, through the winter, for the defence and safety of the Guard of eastern inhabitants ; means were used to ascertain the wishes, frontiers. and dispositions of the Indians upon the subject of a treaty. Hence it was, that early in the spring, several chiefs visiting the fort at St. Georges, commanded by Capt. Bradbury, told him the Indians were tired of the war ; and if they were in Boston, they would agree with the Governor upon terms of peace. There- fore, a passage thither was given them in the Province Snow;
* See post, A. D. 1750, ravages committed by the northern Indians. t Preleminaries signed-April 30, 1748 .- 1 Doug. p. 565 .- 1 Minot's Hist. p. 80.
# Namely, 45 at St. Georges; 24 at Pemaquid ; 24 at Richmond ; 12 at fort George ; 12 at Saco; 206 in scouts .- 16 Mass. Rec. p. 428-9. VOL. II. 33
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THE HISTORY
[VOL. 11.
A. D. 1749. and on the 23d of June, a conference was holden between the executive and them in the Council-chamber. They professed The Saga- mores visit Boston to negotiate peace. to be a delegation from the tribes at Penobscot and Norridge- wock, and declared, that peace was greatly desired by all the In- dians from the river St. John* to the St. Francois, and that the Sachems only waited for the appointment of a time and place to settle a treaty ; wishing all hostile acts and measures might in the meantime be suspended. " We speak from our hearts,' said they, ' the words of sincerity and truth; and we have brought ' with us other credentials than our own hearts ; these brothers pres- 'ent know, the voice of peace makes the Indians everywhere ' smile and rejoice.'t They were dismissed, by being told, that commissioners should meet the tribes at Falmouth on the last days of September ; and that in the meantime, supplies should be transported to some of the eastern truck houses, and sold to them at reasonable prices, provided all of them continued tran- quil and friendly.
The French foes to the Indians making peace.
The Governor of Canada, it was sufficiently known, was doing his utmost to fix the several tribes in Maine, and Nova Scotia, in the interests of the French, and to render them still dependent upon him, and entirely obsequious to his influence.# But the unfavorable turn their fortunes had taken, were quite sufficient to shake the confidence of the Indians. The number of men in the eastern service was reduced. August 10, to 70 ;- enough merely to man the garrisons ; § and Sir William Pepperell, and Thomas Hutchinson, of the Council, and John Choate, Israel Williams, and James Otis, of the House, were appointed Commissioners to treat with the tribes.
Commis- stoners ap- pointed.
October 14. Meet the Chiefs at Falmouth.
These gentlemen, attended by a military guard of 50 York- shire militia-men, arrived at Falmouth, Sept. 28, where they waited till Oct. 14, before a single Indian appeared. It was a painful suspense ; but on that day, a very respectable delegation of chiefs from Penobscot, Norridgewock, and St. Francois, pre- sented themselves to the commissioners ; immediately opened a parley in the meeting-house; and on the 16th, the parties con- cluded and signed a treaty. The celebrated treaty of Mr. Dum-
* Governor Shirley's Speech, 1749.
+ Mass. Rec. vol. 16 .- Jour. of House of Rep. p. 43.
# Gov. Mascarene's letter to Gov. Shirley, in May, 1749.
¿ Jour House of Representatives, p. 14.
259
CHAP. IX.] OF MAINE.
mer, (in 1726,) was its basis. It was denominated " the sub- A. D. 1749. mission and agreement" of the tribes just mentioned. Its stipu- Treaty. lations were, that all hostilities on the part of the Indians should cease and not be renewed ; that all their captives should be im- mediately restored without ransom ; that the English should enjoy all their possessions and places of settlement in the eastern parts unmolested ; that the trade between them and the Indians should be under the direction of the Massachusetts government ; that all personal wrongs should be redressed by due course of law and justice, without any act of personal revenge; and that they, as the king's faithful subjects, would render obedience to his ordi- nances. But the Sagamores reserved to the Indians, all lands and proprieties not conveyed by them, nor possessed by the En- glish ; and all the privileges of fishing, hunting, and fowling, as in times past.
New-Hampshire, as well as the Province of Massachusetts, was included in the treaty ; and when the Commissioners had signed it, and gave the Chiefs a counterpart, and presented them with the usual presents, the parties separated with saluta- tions of mutual and cordial friendship .*
* The treaty premised, that these Indians, and others, " inhabiting within his Majesty's territories of New-England," had carried on war against Massachusetts and New-Hampshire, contrary to treaties .- This truly does not expressly include the Mickmaks, nor the Marechites, at St. John's river ; yet it is thought the Indians at Passamaquoddy were mixed with those of Penobscot .- The treaty itself is signed by nineteen Sagamores and chief captains; and it is remarkable that those of Penobscot, of Norridge- wock, and of St. Francois, [by their original names, " Anasagunticooks, and Wawenocks"] signed in separate columns, thus :
"Anasagunticooks and " Norridgewocks," [or, " Penobscots," [or, Tar- " Wawenocks," [or St. Canibas tribe.] ratines.] Francois Indians.] Toxus
Sawwaramet (seal)
Cneas
(seal) Maganumba (seal)
Waaununga (seal) Harry
(seal) Esparagoosaret (seal)
Sauquish
(seal)
Soosephnia (seal)
Nesnouon (seal)
Warcedeen
(seal)
Noktoonos (seal)
Wawawnunka (seal) Nesagumbuit (seal)
Peereer (seal)
(seal) Eger-en mut (seal)
Ausado (seal)
Magawonbee
(seal) Natambouit (seal)
See treaty entire, Mass. Council Records, vol. A. D. 1734-1757, p. 108-11. -Also, 9 Coll. Mass. Flist. Soc. p. 220-222.
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THE HISTORY
[VOL. II.
CHAPTER X.
The two eastern provinces-Governor Shirley's embassy to Paris, as to the boundaries between Canada and Nova Scotia-All paper money redeemed-Coins regulated-Laws-Anonymous letters- Recovery of captives-Truck houses-Trade-Jonquiere sends troops to the north-easterly isthmus of Nova Scotia-Minas at- tacked by Indians-Jonquiere refuses to release captives-Halifax settled-Governor Cornwallis drives the French from Chignecto- They fortify at the isthmus under la Corne-The Fort of Corn- wallis-Peace with the Indians unsettled-Affray at Wiscasset- Northern Indians attack fort Richmond-Commit mischief at Dresden, Swan Island, and Georgetown-Prisoners carried off- Defensive measures-Indian outrages at Falmouth and New- Meadows-Treaty with the Natives confirmed.
A. D. 1749. Maine and Sagada-
ALL the occurrences in relation to these eastern Provinces, since they were first settled, had not given them so much import- hock viewed ance in the view of foreigners, as the events in the late war. with inter- est. Something had been previously known of their geography, cli- mate, soil and natural resources ; now they were thought worthy of public consideration, by the politicians both of England and Lines be- tween Can- ada and Nova Scotia in dispute. France. The divisional line between Canada and Nova Scotia had not been settled by negotiation ; and therefore Governor Shirley and the Marquis L' Galisioniere, late Governor of New- France, were appointed, soon after the late treaty, to meet at Sept. 11. Shirley goes to Paris. Paris, and open a commission upon the subject. Shirley em- barked at Boston, Sept. 11, 1749, and left the chair to Spencer Phips, the Lieutenant-Governor .*
Specie ar- rives from England.
The same month arrived at Boston the sum of £183,649, 2s. 72d. sterling, remitted from England to reimburse the Province of Massachusetts, her expenses in the Louisbourg expedition. It had been ascertained by the General Court since the war, that about £2,200,000 in bills of credit were outstanding in circula-
* Here closes the History of Massachusetts by Mr. Hutchinson. It is said he finished it in 1766. He died, June 3, 1780. Douglass' Summary closes in May 1749. He died in 1752.
261
OF MAINE.
CHAP. x.]
tion, which had at length so depreciated, that one ounce of silver A. D. 1740. would purchase 50s. of the old tenor, or 12s. 6d. of the new tenor bills ;* and a Spanish mill'd dollar, 45s. of the one, and 11s. 3d. of the other. Determined to redeem the whole of them, Bills of take them in, and substitute a specie currency, exclusively, deemed. credit all re- the General Court laid a direct tax upon the Province of £75,000 sterling, which they allowed to be paid in these bills, at the rate of 45s. old tenor, or 11s. 3d. new tenor, for every Spanish mill'd dollar, now called 6s. lawful money, or 4s. 6d. sterling.+ Fully to effectuate the purpose, it was enacted by the Legislature, that all pecuniary contracts, made after March 31, 1750, should be paid in coin or specie, at the rate of 6s. 8d. in silver by the ounce ; and that whoever paid or received a bill of another colony, should be liable to a penal prosecution. Many, especially mer- chants and speculators, were clamorous against the measure. They said the time set was too short,-silver and gold could not be retained in the country,-there must be a great scarcity of money,-and creditors, anxious to obtain the specie, would be tempted to oppress their debtors. But the treasury was opened, April 2, 1750, and so many of the bills were redeemed in the course of 15 months, that they were afterwards uncurrent. None of the evils foretold were experienced ; the principles of moral honesty and public confidence were extensively promoted ; and renovated vigor and cheerfulness were diffused, through the community, in all their pecuniary transactions.
On the introduction and use of a metallic currency, statutes
* See ante, A. D. 1742.
t By this mode of redemption, the ratio stands thus :-
Fed. mo. Oz. Sil. Stat. or law. mo. Ster.
New Tenor. Old Tenor.
D. C. Troy W. £. s. d. £. s. £. s. d. 0 12 6 0 5
£. s. d.
1,11g 1 0 6 8
2 10 00
3,33} 3 100
0 15 1 17 6 7 10 00
10 )0 9 3 0 0 2 5 5 12 6 22 10 00
1,60,00 90 30 0 0 22 10
56 5 0 225 00 00
1,000,00
900 300 0 0 225 0 562 10 0 2,250 00 00
100,000,00 90,000 30,000 0 0 22,500 0 56,250 00 00 225,000 00 00
Money remitted £183,649, 2s. 7gd .- |-tax £75,000=£258,649, 2s. 7}d. which would redeem about £2,586,500 of the old tenor, or £646,625, of the new tenor .- In Nov. 1752, Lieutenant-Governor Phips says, ' if the out- ' standing taxes were paid, the Province would be out of debt-a happi- ( ness not known for 50 or 60 years.'
262
THE HISTORY
[VOL. II.
Firewards.
In favor o poor debt- ors
Anonymous Jetters.
A. D. 1749. were of necessity passed to fix and settle the sum at which Rates of coin. several descriptions of coin should pass ; and to preserve their weight and purity or fineness. A guinea was set at 28s. ; a crown at 6s. 8d. ; an English shilling at 1s. 4d. ; a Johannes of Portugal at 48s. ; a moidore at 36s. and pistole at 22s. ; and whoever took or passed them at a higher rate forfeited £50. At the same time, laws highly penal were enacted against counterfeiting, clipping or in any way lightening the current coins, or knowingly passing such as were adulterated or impaired. Within a few years, some other acts had passed the Legislature which ought to be noticed. In Laws pro- viding for 1743, towns were for the first time authorized by law, to erect workhouses. workhouses for the employment of the slothful and shiftless,-a provisional regulation still in force. Another, the next year, direct- ed towns to choose firewards ; appointed them a badge of office, namely, ' a staff 5 feet long, painted red and headed with a bright ' brass spire, a half foot in length ;' and assigned them great powers and important duties, which still belong to them in times of raging fires. At the commencement of the late war, the Against profaneness, christian community, making diligent enquiry into the fearful causes of the Divine displeasure, detected profaneness as one ; and induced the General Court, in 1746, to revise the law and sharpen the penalties against profane cursing and swearing. Nay, the Legislature ordered the act to be read in the court-house at the opening of every court, and by ministers, every year, to their respective congregations. It was found likewise to be necessary to ameliorate the law in relation to Imprisonment for debt. For though during the century past a poor debtor might be discharged by a magistrate, on taking an oath that he was " not worth £5;" yet the creditor could still keep him confined within the prison- walls, by paying his weekly board ; and oftentimes his companions were criminals. Separate apartments, therefore, were by a law of 1748, ordered to be provided for that unfortunate class of men ; and they were, on giving a bond to the sheriff, also allowed in the daytime "the liberty of the yard within any of the houses or " apartments belonging to such prison :"-a liberty afterwards extended to a limited area of their vicinity ; and finally, since the Separation, to the bounds of the county. In the spring of 1749, anonymous letters were sent to the Governor, one of the Council, and other wealthy gentlemen, threatening them with some fearful evil, if they failed to do as required. This was a new offence in
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