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 12
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the arms of death, and earth must be their pillow where the howling wilderness shall be their only shelter. Truly a shelter from a mother's tears, but not from the jaws of wild beasts or a parent's grief. And give me leave to tell you," added she, " were you possessed of a parent's love, could you feel the anguish of a mother's heart at the loss of her first born, her darling son, torn from her bosom by the wicked hands of savage men, no entreaties would be required to obtain the release of my dear child."
Horton replied, "that the Indians were an un- governable race, and would not be persuaded to give up any thing they should see fit to take."
"You are their commander," continued she, "and they must and will obey you. The curse will fall upon you for whatever crime they may commit ; and all the innocent blood they shall here shed will be found in your skirts 'when the secrets of men's hearts shall be made known ;' and it will then cry for vengeance on your head !"
Melted into tears at this generous display of ma- ternal affection, the infamous destroyer felt a relent- ing in his bosom, bowed his head under the weight of this powerful eloquence and simple boldness of the brave heroine, and assured her that he would deliver her child up when the Indians arrived with him. The party who took him had not yet returned. When he arrived, Horton, with much difficulty, pre- vailed on the Indians to deliver him up. After she had gained possession of him, she set out, leading him and her little girl by the hand, and hastened
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away with speed, while the mingled sensations of fear, joy, and gratitude filled her bosom. She had not gone more than ten rods when Horton followed, and told her to go back and stay till the scouting parties had returned, lest they should again take her boy from her. She accordingly returned, and tarried with the Indians till they all arrived and started for Canada. While she was there, several of her neigh- bors' children, about the same age of her own, were brought there as captives. Possessing benevolence equal to her courage, she now made suit for them ; and, by her warm and affectionate entreaties, suc- ceeded in procuring their release. While she
waited for their departure, sitting upon a pile of boards, with the little objects of charity around her holding fast to her clothes, with their cheeks wet with tears, an old Indian came and took her son by the hand, and endeavored to get him away. She re- fused to let him go, and held him fast by the other hand till the savage monster violently waved his cut- lass over her head, and the piercing shrieks of her beloved child filled the air. This excited the rage of the barbarous crew so much as to endanger her own and the lives of the children around her, and compelled her to yield him into his hands. She again made known her grievances to Horton, when, after considerable altercation with the Indians, he obtained her son, and delivered him to her a second time, though he might be said to "fear not God nor regard man." Thus, like the importunate widow
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who " troubled the unjust judge," this young woman* obtained the release of nine small boys from a wretched captivity, which doubtless would have proved their death. She led eight of them away, together with her daughter, all hanging to her own clothes and to each other, mutually rejoicing at their deliverance. The other, whose name was Andrew Durkee, whom the Indians had carried to the house of Mr. Havens, was there released according to the agreement of Horton with Mrs. Hendee, and sent back on account of his lameness.
Being told that the great bone in his leg had been taken out in consequence of a fever sore, an old Indian examined it, and cried out, "No boon ! no go!" and, giving him a blanket and a hatchet, sent him back.
Mrs. Hendee carried two of the children across the river on her back, one at a time, and the others waded through the water with their arms around each other's neck. After crossing the river she travelled about three miles with them, and encamped for the night, " gathering them around her as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings." The names of the children who were indebted to her for their release from the savage tribe were Michael Hendee, Roswell Parkhurst, son of Captain Eben- ezer Parkhurst, Andrew and Sheldon Durkee, Jo- seph Rix, Rufus and Fish, Nathaniel Evans, and Daniel Downer. The latter received such an
Mrs. Hendee was at this time aged twenty-seven years.
18 *
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affright from the horrid crew that he was ever af- terwards unable to take care of himself, wholly unfit for business, and lived for many years wandering from place to place, a solemn though silent witness of the distress and horror of that dreadful scene.
Mrs. Hendee now (1818) lives in Sharon, where the author visited her, and received the foregoing statement of this noble exploit from her own mouth. It is also corroborated by several gentlemen now living, who were eye witnesses.
She has buried her first and second husbands, and now lives a widow, by the name of Moshier. Her days are almost gone. May her declining years be crowned with the reward due to her youthful deeds of benevolence. She has faced the most awful dan- gers for the good of mankind, and rescued many from the jaws of death.
In view of the exceeding riches of that mercy which has protected her through such scenes of danger, may she devote her life to the service of the mighty God, and, at last, find a happy seat at the right hand of Him " who gave himself a ransom for all." And thus let the children who are indebted to her bravery and benevolence for their lives "risc up and call her blessed." Gratitude forbids their
silence ; for to maternal affection and female hero- ism alone, under God, they owe their deliverance from savage cruelty. The boldest hero of the other sex could never have effected what she accomplished. His approach to the savage tribe to intercede in be- half of those defenceless children most surely would
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have brought upon himself a long and wretched captivity, and perhaps even death itself.
The Indians, having accomplished their nefarious designs, returned to the house of Mr. Havens with their prisoners and the plunder of houses which they had devoted to destruction. Here was the place where they had commenced their ravages. The old man, as before observed, having concealed himself under a log, at the time he espied the Indians in the morning, while hunting for his sheep, still remained in sorrowful silence undiscovered. He had considered it unsafe to move, as a party of the crew had continued there during the day, and had twice come and stood upon the log under which he lay, without finding him.
After collecting their plunder together, and dis- tributing it among them, they burned the house and barn of Mr. Havens, and started for Canada. It was now about two o'clock in the afternoon. They carried off twenty-six prisoners from Royalton, who were all delivered up to the British as prisoners of war.
They all obtained their release, and returned in about one year, except Adan Durkee, who died in camp at Montreal.
Twenty-one dwelling houses and sixteen good new barns, well filled with hay and grain, the hard earn- ings of industrious young farmers, were here laid in ashes by the impious crew. They killed about one hundred and fifty head of neat cattle, and all the sheep and swine they found. Hogs in their pens and
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cattle tied in their stalls were burned alive. They destroyed all the household furniture except what they carried with them. They burned the house of Mr. John Hutchinson ; and giving his wife a hatchet and a flint, together with a quarter of mutton, told her to "go and cook for her men." This they said to aggravate her feelings, and remind her of her forlorn condition.
Women and children were left entirely destitute of food and every kind of article necessary for the comforts of life, almost naked, and without a shel- ter. Wandering from place to place, they beheld their cattle rolling in their blood, groaning in the agonies of death, and saw their houses laid in ruins. Disconsolate mothers and weeping orphans were left to wander through the dreadful waste, and lament the loss of their nearest friends, comfortless and forlorn.
The Indians took away about thirty horses, which were, however, of little use to them, but rather served to hinder their progress. Their baggage was composed of almost every article commonly found among farmers ; such as axes and hoes, pots, kettles, shovels and tongs, sickles, scythes and chains, old side saddles, and bedticks emptied of their feathers, warming pans, plates, and looking glasses, and indeed nearly all kinds of articles necessary for the various avocations of life.
On their return they crossed the hills in Tun- bridge, lying west of first branch, and proceeded to Randolph, where they encamped for the first night,
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near the second branch, a distance of about ten miles. They had, however, previously despatched old Mr. Kneeland, a prisoner whom they considered would be of the least service to them, with letters to the militia, stating that "if they were not fol- lowed the prisoners should be used well ; but should they be pursued, every one of them would be put to death."
The alarm had by this time spread through the adjacent towns ; and the scattering, undisciplined militia shouldered their muskets, and hastened to pursue them. They collected at the house of Mr. Evans, in Randolph, about two miles south of the encampment of the Indians. Here they formed a company, consisting of about three hundred in num- ber, and made choice of Colonel John House, of Hanover, New Hampshire, for their commander. They supposed the Indians had gone to Brookfield, about ten miles from that place, up the second branch. With this expectation they took up their march about twelve o'clock at night, hoping they should be able to reach Brookfield before light, and make them prisoners. They had scarcely started when the American front guard, to their utter sur- prise, were fired upon by the rear guard of the enemy. Several fires were exchanged, and one of the Americans wounded; when Colonel House, through cowardice or want of skill, commanded them to halt and cease firing. He then ordered them to make a stand, and kept them in suspense till the Indians had made their escape. To hasten
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their flight, the savage tribe were compelled to leave at their encampment a considerable quantity of their plunder, nearly all the horses, and made good their retreat.
Here they killed two of the prisoners, by the names of Joseph Kneeland and Giles Gibbs. The former was found dead, with his scalp taken off, and the latter with a tomahawk in his head.
At daylight Colonel House courageously entered the deserted camp, and took possession of the spoil ; but, alas ! the enemy were gone, he knew not where. Urged by his brave soldiers, who were disgusted at his conduct, he proceeded up the second branch as far as Brookfield, in pursuit of the enemy, and, not finding them, disbanded his men and returned.
Had Colonel H. possessed courage and skill ade- quate to the duties of his station, he might have de- feated the enemy, it is thought, without the least difficulty, and made them all prisoners. His num- ber was equal to that of the enemy, well armed with muskets, and furnished with ammunition. The ene- my, though furnished with muskets, had little ammu- nition, and were cumbered with the weight of much guilt and a load of plunder. They had encamped upon a spot of ground which gave the Americans all the advantage, and their only safety rested in their flight. The American force consisted of un- disciplined militia, who promiscuously assembled from different quarters, but were full of courage, animated by the principles of justice, and determined to obtain redress for the injuries they had received from the barbarous crew.
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Many of them, likewise, had friends and connec- tions then in possession of the Indians, to obtain whose freedom they were stimulated to action. But, alas! their determination failed, their hopes were blasted. They were forced to relinquish the object, and suffer their friends to pass on and endure a wretched captivity. They, however, forced the In- dians to leave the stream and take their course over the hills, between the second and third branch, which brought them directly and unexpectedly to the house of Zadoc Steele, whom they made prisoner, and took to Canada.
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