USA > New Hampshire > Gathered sketches from the early history of New Hampshire and Vermont, containing vivid and interesting account of a great variety of the adventures of our forefathers, and of other incidents of olden times > Part 11
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To prevent an alarm from being sounded abroad, they commanded the prisoners to keep silence on pain of death. While the afflicted inhabitants be- held their property wasted and their lives exposed to the arrows of death, it caused their hearts to swell with grief. But they were debarred the privilege of making known their sufferings to their nearest friends, or even to pour out their cries of distress, while sur- rounded by the savage band, whose malevolent ap- pearance could not fail to spread fear and distress in every bosom. They plundered every house they found till they arrived at the mouth of the branch. Here the commander, a British officer, took his stand with a small party of Indians, while some went up
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and others down on each side of the river to complete the work of destruction. They had already taken several horses, which some of them rode, to facilitate their march and enable them to overtake those who attempted to make their escape. Frightened at the horrible appearance of their riders, who were in no way qualified to manage them, the horses served rather to impede than hasten their progress.
Instigated by " the powers of darkness," fired with rage, eager to obtain that booty which they acquired by the pillage of houses, and fearful, at the same time, that they should themselves fall a prey to the American forces, they pursued their ravages with infuriated zeal, and violence and horror at- tended their movement.
General Elias Stevens, who resided in the first house on the river above the mouth of the branch, had gone down the river about two miles, and was engaged at work with his oxen and cart. While busily employed loading his cart, casting his eye up the river he beheld a man approaching, bareheaded, with his horse upon the run, who, seeing General Stevens, cried out, "For God's sake, turn out your oxen, for the Indians are at the mill !" * General Stevens hastened to unyoke his oxen, turned them out, and immediately mounted his horse and started to return to his family, filled with fearful apprehen- sions for the fate of his beloved wife and tender off- spring. He had left them in apparent safety, repos-
* The mills to which he referred, owned by a Mr. Morgan, were sit- uated on the first branch, near its mouth.
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ing in the arms of sleep. Having proceeded on his return about half way home, he met Captain Joseph Parkhurst, who informed him that the Indians were but a few rods distant, in swift pursuit down the river, and that, unless he returned immediately, he would inevitably fall into their hands.
Apprised of his danger, he turned and accompanied the captain down the river. Conjugal and parental affection alone can suggest to the imagination of the reader what were the feelings of General Stevens when compelled for his own safety to leave the wife of his bosom and their little ones to the mercy of a sav- age foc. What pains did he feel when he found him- self deprived of all possible means to afford them re- lief ! Nor could he expect a more favorable event than to find them all sacrificed at the shrine of savage barbarity. Who, not totally devoid of sympathy, can refrain to drop a tear as he reflects upon those painful emotions which agitated the general's breast when he was forced to turn his back upon his beloved family while thus exposed to danger ? Indeed, it was his only source of consolation that he might be able to afford assistance to his defenceless neighbors ; and as they soon came to the house of Deacon Daniel Rix, he there found opportunity to lend the hand of pity. General Stevens took Mrs. Rix and two or three children with him upon his horse; Captain Park- hurst took Mrs. Benton and several children upon his horse with him; and they all rode off as fast as possible, accompanied by Deacon Rix and several others on foot, till they arrived at the place where
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the general first received the alarm. Filled with anxiety for his family, and not having seen any In- dians, General Stevens here concluded again to return, hoping he should be able to reach home in time to secure his household from danger before the Indians arrived. Leaving Mrs. Rix and children in the care of a Mr. Burroughs, he started for home, and had proceeded about half a mile when he discov- ered the Indians in the road ahead of him, but a few rods distant. He quickly turned about, hastened his retreat, soon overtook the company he had left, and entreated them immediately to leave the road and take to the woods, to prevent being taken. Those who were on foot jumped over the fence, hastened to the woods out of sight of the Indians, where they re- mained in safety, undiscovered by the savage foe, who kept the road in pursuit of General Stevens. He passed down the road about half a mile, and came to the house of Mr. Tilly Parkhurst, his father-in-law. Seeing his sister engaged in milking by the barn, he "told her to leave her cow immediately, or the In- dians would have her," and left her to secure her own retreat. They were now in plain sight, not more than eighty or a hundred rods off. The road was full of them, running like bloodhounds. The general rode to the house, told them to run for their lives, and proceeded to warn others who lived con- tiguous. By this time the way was filled with men, women, and children, and a large body of Indians in open view but just behind them. The savage tribe now began to make the surrounding wilderness 17
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reëcho with their frightful yells. Frightened and alarmed for their safety, children clung to their par- ents ; and half-distracted mothers, filled with fearful apprehensions of approaching destruction, were heard to make the air resound with their cries of distress. General Stevens endeavored to get them into the woods, out of sight of the Indians. Fear had usurped the power of reason, and Wisdom's voice was drowned in the torrent of distraction. There was no time for argument ; all was at stake ; the enemy hard by, and fast approaching ; defence- less mothers, with helpless infants in their arms, flee- ing for their lives. Despair was spread before them, while the roaring flood of destruction seemed rolling behind them. Few could be persuaded to go into the woods ; and most of them kept the road till they arrived at the house of Captain E. Parkhurst, in Sharon. Here they halted a moment to take breath, hoping they should not be pursued any far- ther. The Indians, being taken up in plundering the houses, had now fallen considerably in the rear. But the unhappy victims of distress had not long been here when the cruel pursuers again appeared in sight.
Screaming and crying now witnessed the horrors of that dreadful scene. Groans and tears bespoke the feelings of a heart agitated with fear and swol- len with grief. There was no time to be lost. While they waited they waited for destruction. Children hanging to their mothers' clothes ; moth- ers inquiring what they should do, and calling for
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assistance; floods of tears and piercing shrieks, - all presented to view a most painful scene. Seeing the Indians approaching with hideous yells that thrilled the heart of every one, General Stevens put his mother and his sister upon his own horse. Cap- tain Joseph Parkhurst put Mrs. Rix and three of her children upon another horse, without a bridle, and ordered them to hasten their flight. There yet remained the wife of Captain E. Parkhurst, who stood in the most critical situation in which a wo- man can be placed, begging and crying for help, surrounded by six small children clinging to her clothes and pleading with her for protection. Alas ! how awful was the spectacle, how affecting the scene, to see a woman in this deplorable condition pleading for succor when none could help, when safety and support had fled, and dangers were rush- ing upon her ! A heart not devoid of sympathy could not fail to weep. Conscious of her wretched situation, feeling for her dear children, being told there was no probability for her escape, gathering her little ones around her she wept in bitterness of soul ; tears of pity ran down her cheeks while she waited the approach of the savage tribe to inflict upon her whatever malice could invent or inhuman- ity devise.
Her husband, to whom she fain would have looked for protection, was gone from home when all her woes fell upon her. Well might she say, " There- fore are my loins filled with pain ; pangs have taken hold upon me as the pangs of a woman that trav-
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aileth ; my heart panted ; fearfulness affrighted me ; the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me." While Mrs. Parkhurst saw her friends and neighbors fleeing from her, and beheld the In- dians approaching with impetuous step, her bosom throbbed with anguish ; horror seized her soul ; and death, immediate death, both to her and her chil- dren, "stood thick around her," threatening to thrust his dagger into her aching heart. There was no time to decide on the priority of claims to pity or the demands of justice. Those who were near- est at hand first received assistance ; not, however, without regard to that affection which arises from consanguinity or matrimonial connection ; and these relations not only unite the hearts but connect the hands in scenes of distress.
At the time General Stevens put his mother and his sister upon his horse, the Indians were not eight rods from him ; they, in company with Mrs. Rix and her children, rode off as fast as possible : the gen- eral followed with several others on foot. Part of the Indians pursued them, while others entered the house and plundered it of its furniture. They took her eldest son from her ; then ordered her, with the rest of her children, to leave the house. She ac- cordingly repaired into the fields back of the house with five of her children, and remained in safety till they had left the place. Soon after General Stevens started, his dog came in his way, and caused him to stumble and fall, which so retarded his progress that he was obliged to flee to the woods for safety,
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leaving the women and children to make the best of their retreat. The Indians pursued down the road after them with frightful yells, and soon over- took those who were on foot. They took Gardner Rix, son of Deacon Rix,* a boy about fourteen years old, just at the heels of his mother's horse, while she was compelled to witness the painful sight. Alas ! what distress and horror filled her bosom, when she, with three of her children no less dear than herself, fleeing from the savage foe, mounted upon a horse snorting with fear, having nothing but a pocket handkerchief in his mouth for a bridle, saw her wearied son, faint for want of breath, fall a cap- tive to this barbarous crew! Cruel fate! The trembling youth, overwhelmed with fear and bathed in tears, was now torn from his tender parents, and compelled to roam the wilderness to unknown re- gions. Nor was the disconsolate mother, with her other little ones, left in a much more safe condition. Exposed and expecting every step to fall to the ground, which, if it proved not their death, would leave them a prey to the savage monsters, no tongue can tell the pains she felt, nor pen describe the hor- rors of her soul. To behold her little son, while fleeing for his life, fall into the hands of these sons of cruelty, what kind and tender mother would not feel her heart to bleed ? May we not listen to the voice of Imagination, and hear her say, -
" Captain Rix then lived where Mr. Phelps now lives. 1853.
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" O infinite distress ! such raging grief Should command pity, and despair relief ; Passion, methinks, should rise from all my groans, Give sense to rocks and sympathy to stones " ?
The Indians pursued the women and children as far as the house of Mr. Benedict, the distance of about a mile. They effected their escape, though surrounded with dangers and pursued with impetu- ous and clamorous steps. Here they discovered Mr. Benedict on the opposite side of a stream, called Broad Brook, which ran near the house. They beckoned to have him come over to them ; choos- ing, however, not to hazard the consequences of yielding obedience to their request, he turned and ran a short distance, and hid himself under a log. He had not long been in this situation when these bloodthirsty wretches came and stood upon the same log, and were heard by him to exclaim, in angry tone, "If we could find him he should feel the tom- ahawk."
After standing upon the log some time, and en- deavoring to espy the concealed, trembling object of their pursuit, they left him and returned to the house. Ah, what joy filled his bosom when he saw these messengers of death pass away, leaving him in safety ! How must his heart have glowed with gratitude towards the " great Preserver of men " at this unexpected deliverance from the most imminent danger !
His joys, however, were not unmingled with sor- row, as the fell destroyers were still at his house,
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committing ravages and wasting his property. But no man can be supposed to put his property in com- petition with his life.
· The Indians pursued down the river about forty rods farther, where they made a young man, by the name of Avery, prisoner, and then concluded to return.
While they were at the house of Tilly Parkhurst, aforementioned, (which was about six miles from the place they entered Royalton,) his son, Phineas Parkhurst, who had been to alarm the people on the east side of the river, just as he entered the stream on his return discovered the Indians at his father's door. Finding himself in danger, he immediately turned to go back ; and the Indians just at this time happened to see him, and fired upon him. This was the first gun they fired after they entered the town. The ball entered his back, went through his body, came out under his ribs, and lodged in the skin : notwithstanding the wound, he was, however, able to ride, and continued his retreat to Lebanon, in the State of New Hampshire, the distance of about six- teen miles, with very little stop, supporting the ball between his fingers. He now resides in that town, and sustains the character of a useful physician, and an industrious, independent farmer.
That party of Indians which went down on the east side of the river extended their ravages as far as the house of Captain Gilbert, in Sharon, where a public house is now kept by Captain Dana. Here they took a nephew of Captain Gilbert, by the name
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of Nathaniel Gilbert, a boy about fifteen years of age. They now resolved to return, and commenced that waste of property which tracked their progress. As they retraced their steps, they set fire to all the buildings they found, of every description. They spread desolation and distress wherever they went. Houses filled with furniture and family supplies for the winter, barns stored with the fruits of industry, and fields stocked with herds of cattle were all laid waste.
They shot and killed fourteen fat oxen in one yard, which, in consequence of the inhabitants being dis- persed, were wholly lost. Cows, sheep, and hogs, and, indeed, every creature designed by the God of nature to supply the wants of man, which came within their sight, fell a prey to these dreadful spoil- ers. Parents torn from their children, husbands separated from their wives, and children snatched from their parents presented to view an indescrib- able scene of wretchedness and distress. Some were driven from their once peaceful habitations into the adjacent wilderness for safety, there to wait the destruction of their property ; stung with the painful reflection that their friends, perhaps a kind father and affectionate brother, were made captives, and compelled to travel with a tawny herd of savage men into the wild regions of the north, to be delivered into the hands of enemies and un- dergo the fatigues and dangers of a wretched captiv- ity; or, what was scarcely more to be deplored, learn with pain that they had fallen the unhappy
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victims to the relentless fury of the savage tribe, and were weltering in their gore where there was no eye to pity or friendly hand to administer relief.
The third party of Indians who went up the river first came to the house of General Stevens. Daniel Havens, whose escape I have mentioned, went directly there, and warned the family of their danger. Trembling with fear, he only stepped into the house, told them that "the Indians were as thick as the d-l at their house," and turned and went directly out, leaving the family to secure their own retreat.
Mrs. Stevens and the family were in bed, except- ing her husband, who, as before stated, had gone down the river, about two miles from home. She immediately arose from her bed, flung some loose clothes over her, took up her child, and had scarce- ly got to the fire when a large body of Indians rushed in at the door. They immediately ransacked the house in search of men, and then took the beds and bedding, carried them out of doors, cut open the bedticks, and threw the feathers into the air. This made them sport enough. Nor did they fail to manifest their infernal gratification by their tar- tarean shouts and disingenuous conduct.
Mrs. Stevens entreated them to let her have some clothes for herself and child ; but her entreaties were in vain. They were deaf to the calls of the needy, and disregarded the demands of justice. Her cries reached their ears, but nothing could excite one single glow of sympathy. Her destitute
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and suffering condition was plain before their eyes ; but they were blind to objects of compassion. Alas ! what bitterness of soul, what anguish, what heart- rending .pangs of fear distressed her tender bosom ! Surrounded by these pitiless, terrific monsters in human shape, with her little offspring in her arms, whose piercing shrieks and tender age called for compassion ; exposed to the raging fire of savage jealousy, unquenchable by a mother's tears ; anxious for the safety and mourning the absence of her bosom friend, the husband of her youth, -it is be- yond the powers of imagination to conceive or lan- guage to express the sorrows of her heart.
At one moment securely reposing in the arms of sleep, with her darling infant at her breast ; the next amid a savage crew, whose wicked hands were employed in spreading desolation and mischief, whose mortal rage exposed her to the arrows of death. After plundering the house they told Mrs. Stevens to " be gone or they would burn." She had been afraid to make any attempt to escape, but now gladly embraced the opportunity. She hastened into the adjacent wilderness, carrying her child, where she tarried till the Indians had left the town.
A boy by the name of Daniel Waller, about four- teen years old, who lived with General Stevens, hearing the alarm given by Mr. Havens, set out im- mediately to go to the general and give him the in- formation. He had proceeded about half a mile when he met the Indians, was taken prisoner, and, carried to Canada.
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They left the house and barn of General Stevens in flames, and proceeded up the river as far as Mr. Durkee's, where they took two of his boys prison- ers, Adan and Andrew, and carried the former to Canada, who died there in prison.
Seeing a smoke arise above the trees in the woods adjacent, the hostile invaders directed their course to the spot, where they found a young man, by the name of Prince Haskell, busily engaged in chop- ping, for the commencement of a settlement. Has- kell heard a rustling among the leaves behind him, and, turning round, beheld two Indians but a few feet from him. One stood with his gun pointed di- rectly at him, and the other in the attitude of throw- ing a tomahawk. Finding he had no chance to escape, he delivered himself up as a prisoner, and was also carried to Canada. He returned in about one year, after enduring the most extreme sufferings in his wanderings through the wilderness on his way home.
A Mr. Chafee,* who lived at the house of Mr. Hendee, started early in the morning to go to the house of Mr. Elias Curtis to get his horse shod. On his way he saw Mr. John Kent ahead of him, who was upon the same business. Wishing to put in his claim before Mr. Chafee, he rode very fast, and arrived at the house first. He had scarcely dis- mounted from his horse when the Indians came out of the house, took him by the hair of his head, and
* Mr. Chafee lived near where Mr. Dewey now lives, 1851.
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pulled him over backwards. Seeing this, Mr. Chafee immediately dismounted, jumped behind the shop, hastened away, keeping such a direction as would cause the shop to hide his retreat. Thus he kept out of sight of the Indians, effected his escape, and returned to the house of Mr. Hendee .* On re- ceiving the alarm given by Mr. Chafee, Mr. Hendee directed his wife to take her little boy, about seven years old, and her little daughter, who was still younger, and hasten to one of their neighbors for safety, while he should go to Bethel, the town west of Royalton, and give the alarm at the fort.
Mrs. Hendee had not proceeded far when she was met by several Indians upon the run, who took her little boy from her. Feeling anxious for the fate of her child, she inquired what they were going to do with him. They replied that they should make a soldier of him ; and then hastened away, pulling him along by the hand, leaving the weeping mother with her little daughter to witness the scene and hear the piercing shrieks of her darling son.
This leads me to notice one instance of female heroism, blended with benevolence, displayed by Mrs. Hendee, whose name deserves ever to be held in remembrance by every friend of humanity.
She was now separated from her husband, and placed in the midst of a savage crew, who were com- mitting the most horrid depredations and destroy- ing every kind of property that fell within their
* Mr. Hendee lived near where Milo Dewey now lives, 1853.
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grasp. Defenceless, and exposed to the shafts of envy or the rage of a company of despicable tories and brutal savages, the afflicted mother, robbed of her only son, proceeded down the river with her tender little daughter hanging to her clothes, screaming with fear, pleading with her mother to keep away the Indians.
In this condition, possessing uncommon resolution and great presence of mind, she determined again to get possession of her son. As she passed down the river she met several tories who were with the In- dians, of whom she continued to inquire what they intended to do with the children they had taken, and received an answer that they should kill them. Still determined not to part with her son, she passed on and soon discovered a large body of Indians stationed on the opposite side of the river. Wish- ing to find the commanding officer, and supposing him to be there, she set out to cross the river, and just as she arrived at the bank, an old Indian stepped ashore. He could not talk English, but requested by signs to know where she was going. She signified that she was going to cross ; when he, supposing she intended to deliver herself up to them as a prisoner, kindly offered to carry her and her child across on his back. But she refused to be car- ried. He then insisted upon carrying her child ; to which she consented. The little girl cried, and said " she didn't want to ride the old Indian." She was, however, persuaded to ride him; and they all set out to ford the river.
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Having proceeded about half way across, they came to deeper and swifter water; and the old In- dian, patting the mother upon the shoulder, gave her to understand that if she would tarry upon a rock near them, which was not covered with water, till he had carried her child over, he would return and carry her also. She therefore stopped and sat upon the rock till he had carried her daughter and set it upon the opposite shore, when he returned and took her upon his back, lugged her over, and safely landed her with her child.
Supported by a consciousness of the justice of her cause, braving every danger, and hazarding the most dreadful consequences, not excepting her own life and that of her children, she now sat out to ac- complish her object.
She hastened to the commanding officer, and bold- ly inquired of him what he intended to do with her child. He told her that it was contrary to orders to injure women or children. "Such boys as should be taken," he said, " would be trained for soldiers, and would not be hurt."
" You know," said she, in reply, " that these little ones cannot endure the fatigues of a march through the vast extent of wilderness which you are calcu- lating to pass. And when their trembling limbs shall fail to support their feeble bodies, and they can no longer go, the tomahawk and the scalping knife will be the only relief you will afford them. Instead of falling into a mother's arms and receiv- ing a mother's tender care, you will yield them into,
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