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 31
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* 18 Council Records, p. 297-8.
+ 18 Council Records, p. 329.
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ranging the eastern coasts, an embargo of 26 days, was laid upon A. D. 1754. all such as had on board, either provisions or other supplies. An embar- Extremely anxious to effect a release and return of captives, go. numbers of whom, it was represented by afflicted friends, were to Canada An agency to procure still in Canada ; Massachusetts and New-Hampshire sent Capt. the release Phinehas Stevens thither on that errand ; hoping, no doubt, to of captives. learn likewise, something of the measures or designs of the Ca- nadians. But the mission was productive of more evil than good ; for by paying or even offering extravagant ransom, we actually encouraged and tempted the Indians to the savage ex- ploits of taking captives .* If they were redeemed, the price paid gave the foe fresh strength and means to carry on this dia- bolical kidnapping mode of warfare.
The indignation of the public was now more especially aroused St. Francois against the Indians of St. Francois ; as it was manifest, they stigators to Indians, in- were the principal instigators to a rupture. Many believed the war. time had in fact arrived, when that tribe, if none other, ought to be utterly exterminated. The General Court offered £100, for Farther any one of their scalps, and £10 more, for any one of their In- measures dians taken alive ; and directed their agent in England to pur- for defence. chase for the Province 250 stands of arms, and 1500 barrels of powder. The whole winter was passed in restless anxiety ; it being fearfully apprehended, that none of all the eastern Indians, except, possibly, the Tarratines, could be deterred from rushing into hostilities. To satisfy them and keep them tranquil, govern- ment made them presents, gave them the strongest assurances of friendship and kindness ; and finally promised them, if they would rest quietly under the verdant trees of peace, that a truck house should be established upon the Penobscot, and be well supplied with all the articles they needed, at fair prices. It was a period Public of uncommon interest and solicitude ; the public treasury was cies. emergen- empty ; and " the distressing circumstances of the Province" were laid before his Majesty, with earnest solicitations for assist- ance.
* Hence, " the savages were more desirous of taking captives and more tender of them when taken, than in former wars."-2 Belk. N. H. p. 222.
304
THE HISTORY
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CHAPTER XII.
The French war and 6th war with the Indians-Fortifications- Four expeditions against the French-They are driven from Nova Scotia by Winslow and Monkton-The French Neutrals removed -Depredations of the Indians-War declared against them all, except the tribe at Penobscot-Bounties-Defence of the eastern frontiers-Affair of Cargill-War against the tribe at Penob- scot-An earthquake-Four expeditions against the French- Public embarrassments-A loan of £30,000-A force of 3,500 men raised-War declared against France-English Generals- Shirley leaves the Province-J. Wheelwright, Com. Gen .- At- tacks of the Indians-A gloomy period-Louisbourg-Skirmishes with the Indians-Gov. Pownal arrives-J. Bradbury-Small- pox -- Harpswell incorporated-William Pitt, prime minister- His plan of operations-Eastern forts-Louisbourg captured- Repulse of the Indians at St. Georges and Meduncook-Their last efforts eastward-Possession taken of Penobscot-Fort Pow- nal built there-Death of Gen. Waldo-Great successes of the English arms-Capture of Quebec-Destruction of the Indian village, St. Francois-Death of Sir W. Pepperell-Woolwich incorporated-Treaties of peace with the Indians-Entire reduc- tion of Canada.
A. D. 1754.
The French, Indian, war. .
THE encroachments of the French, the mischiefs of their In- dian allies, and some skirmishes upon our frontiers, during the and the 6th year 1754, were considered as the commencement of hostilities in what has been usually denominated the French War, and the certain presages of another rupture with the Indians. The war with them in fact began, as did the one between the two crowns, without being formally declared ;- this being the sixth Indian war, within eighty years.
The fortifi- cations of The French had not only forts in Nova Scotia, the Beau Se- the French.Jour, Bay Verte, and [two on the river St. John, built two or three years since ; they had also a fortress at Ticonderoga,*
* From Albany to fort Edward, on the east side of the river Hudson below the bend, is 36 miles, and thence N. W. over land, 10 miles to Fort William Henry, at the southerly end of Lake George ;- Wood Creek
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situated on the isthmus between Lake George and Lake Cham- A. D. 1754. plain ; Fort Frederick at Crown Point, on the western side of the last mentioned lake; Fort Frontenac, at the outlet of lake Ontario northwardly ; Fort Ontario at Oswego river, on the south- easterly margin of the same lake ; Fort Niagara, between the lakes Ontario and Erie, below the Falls; and fort Du Quesne, at the confluence of the Alleghany and Monongahela rivers, which form the head of the river Ohio, at the present Pittsburg.
The British minister at the court of France demanded, that Complaints express orders be sent to M. de la Jonquiere, the Governor of French king to the New-France, to desist from violence against the British subjects against abuses.
in this country ; that Fort Niagara be immediately razed ; that the English subjects who had been made prisoners, be set at liberty, and indemnified for the losses they had sustained ; and that the persons who had committed these excesses be punished in an exemplary manner. Meanwhile, the Indians being constantly assisted by the French, in Nova Scotia, and furnished as they wished, with boats, arms and ammunition, continued in many places to plunder and massacre the British subjects with impu- nity. Though it were true, that the Court of Versailles prom- ised to remove all causes of complaint ; yet the French Governor was, without doubt, secretly exhorted, to proceed in the work of bringing their ambitious and nefarious projects to perfection .*
On the other hand, there was a line of forts and block-houses, Eastern for- along our frontiers from Salmon Falls river, to the forts on the tifications. river St. Georges. At Berwick, within two or three miles above Quampeagan landing, were several strongly fortified houses, called Gerish's, Key's, Wentworth's, and Goodwin's garrisons. There was also a picketted fort on the height of land at Pine Hill, form- ed of poles set in the ground, about twenty feet in height and sharpened at the upper end .¡ Similar fortifications and block- houses, constructed of hewn timber, enclosed by palisades, or other works for defence and retirement, were built or established in every frontier township, that was settled in Maine and Saga-
being 11 miles N. E. of Fort Edward and at the south end of Lake Cham- plain. On the isthmus, between Lake George and Lake Champlain, is Ticonderoga. Crown Point is 15 miles north of Ticonderoga; thence N. to the outlet of Lake Champlain, 55 miles, at the head of Chamblay and mouth of Sorell river; thence north to Isle Aux Noix, 10 miles ; and thence to the St. Lawrence, 50 miles. * 2 Smollett. + Sullivan, p. 253.
VOL. II. 39
306
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A. D. 1754. dahock. The men were at all times armed, whether they went to public worship, to labor, or were travelling. The moment a lurking Indian was discovered, means were used to communi- Alarm guns. cate notice to the nearest garrison or block-house, when an alarm gun was fired, and all the scattered people fled within the gates .* Or, if the people were in possession of no larger guns than mus- kets, three of them were fired in succession, at short and meas- ured intervals, between them. There was another expedient quick scent- recommended, and to some extent tried, as a security against the Large and ed dogs. sudden and silent incursions of the savages ;- this was the use of 'staunch hounds' and well taught dogs, which by the scent of footsteps, could detect skulking parties, and route or frustrate ambuscades.
A, D. 1755. Early in the year 1755, four expeditions, formed without Four expe- ditions French. much concert, were bravely undertaken against the several French against the forts. General Braddock arriving at Virginia, the last of Feb- ruary from Ireland, with two regiments, conducted one expedi- Ist, Brad- dock's, against Fort dụ Quesne. 2d, the Aca- dian. tion of 2,200 regulars and provincials against fort du Quesne, before which he fell, July 9th, and his army were entirely defeat- ed. The second was aimed against the French, Acadians, and Indians, embodied and fortified upon the isthmus of Nova Scotia. - The third, containing 5 or 600 provincials, was com- 3d, John- ston s, against Crown. point. 4th, Shir- ley's, against Ni- agara and Fort Fron- senac. manded by General William Johnston, of Schenectady, who fought a battle with the enemy near Crown Point, which won him great applause. The fourth, conducted by Governor Shirley in person, Commander-in-Chief since the death of Gen- eral Braddock, proceeded against Niagara and Fort Frontenac, without any success -In the midst of these expeditions, a large French fleet left the harbor of Brest for America ;- the news of which aroused the British government to despatch hither Ad- mirals Boscawen and Mostyn, April 27, with eleven ships of the line and a frigate, having on board two regiments, for Newfound- Two French ships taken by the Brit- isb. land. Near Cape Race, at the southernmost part of that Island, Boscawen had the good fortune to capture two ships of 64 guns, the Alcide and the Lys; while the residue of the French fleet, with much exertion, safely ascended the St. Lawrence. This
* The block-house above Fort St, George was garrisoned by a party of the inhabitants under Kilpatrick ; that at Cushing, built in 1753, was under Capt. Benjamin Burton ; and that at the month of the river, was under Capt. Henderson .- Eaton's MS. Nar. p. 12.
CHAP. XII.]
OF MAINE.
307
event, followed by letters of marque and reprizal, was deemed A. D. 1755. the commencement of the war by sea.
War begun by sea.
But the second expedition, previously mentioned, against the Particulars of the 2d
French in Nova Scotia, and its results, are sufficiently connected expedition with the History of this State, to admit of some particulars. AS French in Acadia.
against the
the French laid claim to the territory of Sagadahock," as well as to the Bay of Fundy and northern parts of the Acadian Province ; the eastern tribes appeared determined to cast in their lot with that people, whatever might.be the hazard ; hoping, that one and the same happy destiny for them and their friends awaited both Pro- vinces. Hence, Lieutenant-Governor Lawrence of Nova Scotia proposed to Governor Shirley, that he would, with all the Pro- vincials he could bring into the field, join the regular troops then in that Province, under Lieutenant Colonel Robert Monkton ; provided they could be re-enforced by 2,000 men from the Pro- vince of Massachusetts ; giving it as his opinion, that such a body of troops would be abundantly able to compel a speedy capitu- lation of the enemy. Governor Shirley laid the subject before the General Court, in February, when he assures them of his Majesty's particular approbation of the zeal and vigor, evinced by them in their late enterprizes upon the river Kennebeck ; adding, that the aid of Massachusetts had been required by the Earl of Holdress, the British Secretary of State, to dislodge the French from Nova Scotia, before the arrival of their war ships from France. For, said the Governor, ' should they be prevented a ' free navigation in the bay of Fundy, they will be driven to such ' straits for provisions and supplies, that they would not dare; ' through fear of famine, to embody their Indian allies ; while a ' removal of them entirely from the Province, would cut off their ' communication between Louisbourg and Canada, across that bay ' and the peninsula, break the principal link in the chain of forts, ' and effectually wound the monster in the head.'
The expedition was extensively popular, and of course duly
Winslow encouraged by the Legislature. Within two months, there were and Monk- enlisted about 2,000 men, for one year, if their services were so junction be- ton form a long required, who were generally from Massachusetts and Lawrence. fore Fort Maine, and who had been promised like pay and treatment in every respect, as the regulars in the same service. They had
* See ante, A. D. 1753.
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A. D. 1755. their own officers, and were formed into a regiment of two bat- talions, under Governor Shirley, as Colonel, and John Winslow, as Lieut. Colonel, the latter having the immediate command of the whole. Besides belonging to one of the most ancient and honorable families in Plymouth county, where he was at the time, a Major-General of the militia, he possessed soundness of judgment, amiable manners and military skill, as discovered in the expedition upon the Kennebeck, the year past ; which ac- quired him considerable reputation, and especially the love and confidence of the soldiery. On the 20th of May, the body of recruits embarked from Boston for Annapolis, where they ar- rived safely, after a passage of five days. The fleet, consisting of 41 vessels, proceeded thence through Chignecto channel, into Cumberland Basin, near Fort Lawrence, where they anchor- ed and were joined by 270 regulars with a small train of artille- ry, under Colonel Monkton, to whom was given the chief com- mand of the expedition.
May 20.
The English drive the On the west side of the Missaquash river, at its mouth, there French over was a block-house of the enemy, enclosing some small cannon quash river. and swivels, and secured by a breastwork,-where 450 men the Missa- were posted judiciously, to oppose their progress. This place was attacked with such spirit by Winslow, at the head of 300 Provincials, that the enemy were obliged to fly and leave them in possession of the works. The French then deserted the block-house, and opened an unobstructed passage across the river, having first set fire to their outer defences and the village. June 16. Fort Beau- Camber- land). surrenders. On the 12th of June, a bombardment was commenced upon fort sejour, (now Beau-sejour, and continued four days. It then surrendered, though the French had 26 pieces of cannon mounted, and plenty of ammunition. The garrison was sent to Louisbourg, on their promise not to bear arms in America for six months ; and 300 Acadians were pardoned, because they pretended they had been forced into the service. Monkton, after stationing a portion of his men in this fort, and changing its name to that of June 17. Cumberland, proceeded the next day, to reduce the other French Fort Gaspe- fort, upon the river Gaspereaux, which runs into Bay Verte, reaux re- duced . [now Fort Monkton] ; that being the chief magazine for supply- ing the French, Acadians and Indians, with arms and ammuni- tion. On entering it after a surrender, he found there, large quantities of provisions and stores of all kinds .- Captain Rouse
309
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then sailed with three ships and a snow, to the mouth of the A. D. 1755. river St. John, to attack the new fort erected there by the French ; The fort at St. John
but they saved him that trouble, by relinquishing it upon his ap- abandoned. pearance, after having burst their cannon, blown up their maga- zine, and destroyed, as far as they had time, all the works they had lately raised. The officers of the fleet were received with tokens of respect, by 150 of the Indian tribe residing on this river,-who were glad to escape chastisement, upon their prom- ises of friendship and obedience. During the whole of this ex- pedition, the English had only twenty men killed, and about the same number wounded ; the success of which secured the tran- quillity of Nova Scotia .*
But after subduing the country and disarming about 1,500 of The French the inhabitants ; the best course to be pursued and the most Neutrals. politic disposition to be made with them generally, were ques- tions which the Provincial government found it extremely difficult to determine. They were not prisoners of war, because under the treaty of Utrecht, April 11, 1713, they had been, and still were, permitted to retain their possessions. They were not British subjects, because they had refused to take the oath of allegiance, till it was so modified as not to oblige them to bear arms against the French, even in defence of the Province. From these circumstances they assumed the character as well as the name of " Neutrals."t They dwelt principally about Annapolis, Chignecto, Bay Verte, the Basin of Minas, Cobaquid Bay and in that vicinity :- and " all together made a population of 18,000 souls."} They were an industrious, frugal people, strongly at- tached to the French interest and the catholic religion. So de- sirous were they of throwing off the yoke, that they had secretly courted the visit of the French troops, and furnished them and the Indians with intelligence, quarter, provisions and every· assist- ance; and a part of them had actually taken arms in violation of their oath of neutrality. Nay, all of them now, as heretofore, ut- Their reft- terly refused to take the oath of unqualified allegiance to the the oath of sal to take allegiance. British crown ; though such as had not appeared openly in arms,
* 2 Smollett, p. 533-9 .- 1 Minot, p. 219-20.
t See ante, A. D. 1749, Note.
# 1 Haliburton's, N. S. p. 172, cites Abbe Reynal .- But the number is. evidently estimated too high.
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A. D. 1755. were assured, if they would take it, they should still be allowed the unmolested enjoyment of their lands and houses.
Their fate.
Perceiving the indissoluble attachment of these Acadians, or 'French Neutrals,' to their parent nation, Lieutenant-Governor Lawrence, and the Provincial Council, with advice of Admirals Boscawen and Mostyn, finally determined, that the whole of them be removed and dispersed among the British Colonies, where they, being unable to unite in any offensive measures, would be- come naturalized to the government and country. Without knowing their destiny, they were summoned to meet in their chap- els, Sept. 5, to hear their doom. At Grand Pré, [Minas and Horton,] assembled 1,923 persons, aged and young, whom Gen- eral Winslow met, and after animadverting upon their disloyal conduct, said to them, I now declare to you his Majesty's orders : -Know then, " that your lands, tenements, cattle and live stock ' of all kinds are forfeited to the Crown, with all other effects of 'yours, excepting your money and household goods, which you ' will be allowed to carry with you; and that yourselves and ' families are to be removed from this Province to places suiting ' his Majesty's pleasure ;- in the meantime, to remain in custody, ' under the inspection and control of the troops I have the honor ' to command.' ' In a word, I now declare you all the king's ' prisoners.'-Shocked and petrified at this thralling decree, some of them burst into tears, and some fled to the woods, whose houses were committed to the flames, and country laid waste, to prevent their subsistence. Indeed, every possible measure was adopted to force them back into captivity.
Their remo:
val.
When the transports arrived at Annapolis, to convey away the ill-fated people from that place and vicinity, the soldiers found the houses entirely deserted by the inhabitants, who had fled to the woods ; carrying with them their aged parents, their wives and their children. But hunger, infirmity and distress soon compelled the return of numbers, who surrendered themselves prisoners at discretion. The more athletic penetrated into the depths of the wilderness, and encamped with the savages ; and a few wander- ed through the woods to Chignecto, and thence escaped to Canada.
In Cumberland, the summons was generally disobeyed ; and hence it was found necessary to resort to the most severe meas- ures. Here 253 of their houses were set on' fire at one time, in'
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which a great quantity of wheat, flax and other valuable articles A. D. 1755. were consumed ;- the country presenting for several days and several miles, a most direful scene of conflagration. As the dif- ferent Acadian settlements were too widely extended to admit of an actual subjugation at once, only 7,000 were collected at this time and dispersed among the several British Colonies. On Sept. 10. the 10th of September, 161 young men, taken from among the prisoners belonging to the district of Minas, were driven by a military guard on board of five transports, stationed in the river Gaspereaux. The road from the chapel to the shore, one mile in length, was bordered with women and children, all of whom, bathed in tears, knelt and uttered amid deep, heart-broken sighs -farewell !- as the dejected prisoners advanced with slow and reluctant steps, weeping, praying and singing hymns as they pass- ed. These were followed by their seniors, who passed through the same heart-rending scene of sorrow and distress ; and when other vessels arrived, they carried away also their wives and children. About 1,300 arrived in Massachusetts and Maine, and became a public charge,-principally in consequence of an irrecon- cilable antipathy to their situation. Also 415 were sent to Pennsylvania, and some were transported as far south as Georgia .* Such was the wretched fate of the French Neutrals.+
During these extensive expeditions, several persons were taken Mischiefs of captive, and some were killed by the Indians about the frontiers of Maine. The first victims of the savage war, this spring, were at Gorhamtown, about the last of April. Two men by the name At Gorham, of Peales were killed ;- also Mr. Bryant and his family. In town, this plantation, which crossed the thoroughfare of the natives be- tween the rivers Saco and Presumpscot, there were now about 60 inhabitants, who in seasons of the most danger, were only shel- tered by a small fort, and defended by ten soldiers. 'For several 'years, whenever the men went into the fields to labor, they car- ' ried their guns, and one was uniformly stationed as a sentry ;
the Indians,
* 1 Haliburton's N. S. p. 173-198 .-- In the District of Minas there were destroyed 255 houses ; 276 barns; 155 outhouses ; 11 mills and one church. -The flocks and herds belonging to the inhabitants of Grand Pre consist- ed of 5000 horned cattle ; 493 horses and 12,887 sheep and swine .- 1 Minot, p. 226.
t Provision was made for their maintenance in Massachusetts by the General Court .- See Resolves, A. D. 1755.
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A. D. 1755. ' for the Indians were continually skulking in every quarter, and ' oftentimes come upon them in such numbers, as induced them ' to fly within the walls of the fort for safety :*- The Indians At Gray. next appeared in New-Boston [Gray] ; and an alarming report ran through the neighboring towns, that the plantation was de- At Dresden. stroyed. At Frankfort [Dresden,] May 13, two men were killed and a dwellinghouse laid in ashes .- As five men were en- At New- castle. gaged in their spring-ploughing at Sheepscot [Newcastle,] a party of Indians rose upon them, at an unguarded moment, and made them all prisoners ; though two of them afterwards, adroitly ef- At North- Yarmouth. fected their escape. One Snow was killed in North-Yarmouth, May 29, and his companion was missing-supposed to be taken captive. About the same time, one Barret was shot at Tecon- net; Mr. Wheeler was taken as he was passing from Fort West- ern to Fort Halifax ; John Tufts and Abner Marston were made prisoners not far from Fort Shirley [in Dresden,] and two men At New- Gloucester. were seized in New-Gloucester, while at work on a stockade fort, and carried into captivity. One of them, Joseph Tailer, continu- ed absent till near the close of the war. He learned to speak the French language so well, during his captivity, that after his release, he acted as interpreter to General Amherst.t
June 10. Supplies.
In consequence of these depredations, and the war in Nova Scotia, the government, June 10, sent additional supplies to the eastern garrisons,; especially to those upon the river Kennebeck ; and ordered the 'six Independent companies' of Maine, to guard them from the landing to the places of their destination .- The next day, the Governor, at the special instance of the General Court, declared war against the Anasagunticook Indians, and all the other tribes eastward of Piscataqua, excepting those upon Penobscot river. Large premiums were offered as inducements to enter into this peculiarly distressing kind of warfare. Com- panies of volunteers, consisting of not less than 30 men, who Bounties. were out one month or more, were entitled to receive £200 for every Indian scalp, and £250 for a captive. To individuals who performed the same service, £100 were promised for a scalp, and Eastern ser- £110 for a captive.
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