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 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
94
HILTON, OF FAMOUS MEMORY.
Completely deceived and put off their guard by the easy affability and complacent good humor of their captive, they carelessly entered the cabin, placed their guns in a corner at one end, and began to busy themselves, some in preparations for cook- ing, and others in mending their moccasons, while others still stretched themselves on a pile of straw in a distant corner, and went to sleep. Having securely fastened the door, and observed that the only other place of possible egress was an open window at the end near their own party, they gave themselves no trouble about Hilton, who walked about sociably among them, chatted pleasantly, and inquired about their success in hunting, how many children they had, and what changes had taken place since he was last among them. In the same easy way he begged they would allow him to gratify his curiosity with a look at their guns, which were now all standing together in a corner. To this they assented without hesitation. "Fine shooters, these, my good fellows," said he, as he took up and examined one after another. " Glad to see you so well provided with these kill-deers ; and powder and balls, too ; are they plenty with you ? and flints, good ! good !" And so he ran on.
But the savages, poor doomed wretches, did not observe that when he set each gun down again in its place, he took care to leave it cocked ; for he had seen that all were loaded and primed.
At length, all being ready - the position of each man well marked by an eye which never faltered in
>
95
HILTON, OF FAMOUS MEMORY.
moments of danger-his fearless spirit nerved to unusual daring, and to the issue of risks in which a life was to be won by ten deaths - with the stern purpose of a man whose soul was filled with the certainty of one thing, namely, that either he or ten Indians must bite the dust -cool in purpose, but quicker than lightning in action, he began. Bang ! bang ! bang ! Down came a tall fellow - up sprang another from the straw, only to come down again with his death wound ; here reeled one to the wall, but gasped and fell ; there sprawled another, who had nearly clutched our hero ; another tumbled into the fire, on the coals of which he was broiling a piece of meat ; upon the head of another, who was coming on too quick for him, he dealt a levelling blow with a gun, which had just sent lead through the heart of a brawny foe. And so with unshrink- ing purpose, a true eye, and a hand quicker than the lightning's flash, he either killed or disabled all but one. That one plunged through the open win- dow, and was soon lost in the thick shadows of the forest. He, after wandering many days, as was afterwards ascertained, and being near perishing by hunger, regained his tribe-the sole messenger of that terrible destruction which had come down upon his party on the very day of success.
As for Hilton, he did not want for trophies of his prowess. The reader needs not be told what he did with the wounded, and may himself judge whether the little garrison would be willing to furnish hos- pital comforts to murderous savages. The weapons
96
HILTON, OF FAMOUS MEMORY.
of death he gathered up, took them on his shoulder, and without losing a hair of his head, marched in triumph to meet his friends, who by this time had discovered that he was missing from the field.
The reader will please to allow his imagination , large scope, when he thinks of the rejoicings of young and old when Hilton told the story of his afternoon's work.
INDIAN FUN.
ONE of the earliest settlers around Lake Cham- plain was COLONEL EDWARD RAYMUN. He under- stood the character and disposition of the natives of the forest, and lived with them in much harmony, frequently employing them to row him up and down the lake, as he had occasion. One stout fellow, by the name of BIG BEAR, had his wigwam at no great distance from the colonel's dwelling, and was often there. The colonel, having occasion to visit some distant shore of the lake, employed Big Bear to row him in his canoe. On their return, they passed near a high yet sloping ledge of rocks, on which lay an immense number of rattlesnakes asleep and bask- ing in the sun. The Indian gave a penetrating look at the colonel, and thus inquired : " Raymun love fun ? " " Yes," was the reply. " Well, then, Ray- mun have fun ; mind Indian, and hold a glum." So he rowed along, silent and slow, and cut a crotch stick from a bunch of hazels upon the bank. "Steady, now, hold a glum, Raymun," said he, as he clapped the crotch astride the neck of a serpent that was asleep close to the edge of the water. " Take um now, Raymun ; hold fass." The colonel then took hold of the stick keeping the serpent (97)
9
98
INDIAN FUN.
down, while Big Bear tied up a little sack of pow- der, putting one end of a slow match therein. He then made it fast to the snake's tail, and, touching fire to the match, gave orders to "let um go," at the same time pushing off from the shore ; the snake, being liberated, crawled away to his den. The In- dian then immediately stood up, clapped his hands, making as loud a noise as possible, and thus roused the serpents, who all in a moment disappeared. "Now look, Raymun, now look ; see fun," said he ; and in about a minute the powder exploded, when there was, to be sure, fun alive. The snakes, in thousands, covered the rocks, all hissing, rattling, twining, twirling, and jumping every way imagina- ble. Colonel Raymun burst into a loud laugh, that echoed across the lake, pleased alike at the success of the trick and the ingenuity of the savage's inven- tion. But Big Bear, from the beginning to the end, was as grave as a judge, not moving a muscle, and not having the least show of risibility in his coun- tenance. This is truly characteristic of the Amer- ican aborigines ; what causes the excitability of laughter in others has no effect upon them ; they may love fun, but never, in the smallest degree, ex- hibit that character in their looks.
-
THE HEADLESS SPECTRE.
EXTRACTED FROM THE MANUSCRIPT AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF IRA ALLEN, OF VERMONT, NOW IN THE HANDS OF HENRY STE- PHENS, ESQ., OF BARNET, VT. IRA ALLEN WAS A BROTHER OF THE CELEBRATED COLONEL ETHAN ALLEN.
1770.
MR. and Mrs. McIntire were from Scotland, and had two daughters about twenty-four years of age. The old lady and her daughters used to amuse me by telling many frightful stories respecting ghosts, apparitions, &c., appearing to people in Scotland, amongst which were many stories respecting an old woman appearing without a head. One evening I challenged the old woman without a head, and all the ghosts, to meet me at any time and place they chose. This exceedingly alarmed my honest land- lady and daughters, and they all seemed exceeding anxious for my safety, for being so presumptuous as to make such a challenge, and not doubting but that I should meet with difficulty the first time I should be belated in the woods. The next day I found a part of my hogs had strayed away and become wild ; with all the art I had, I could not get them so gen- tle that I could approach them till near dark, at
(99)
100
THE HEADLESS SPECTRE.
which time I was at least three miles in the wilder- ness. There was then a snow on the ground about four inches deep. I made the best of my way to gain a footpath from Mr. McIntire's to a beaver meadow. In the way I passed a thicket of hemlock, under which it was dark. I cut a staff about three feet long, to defend my eyes from limbs that might come in my face. In this way I found the footpath. In this several loads of hay had been carried from the meadow to the house, which had mixed the leaves and snow, so that I could discover the foot- path for twenty rods before me. Then, for the first time that night, I thought of the old woman with- out any head ; at which I had a hearty laugh, think- ing whether I should turn out if she met me in that narrow path. I thought no more of the matter till I had walked about one mile, when, to my no small surprise, at about eight rods' distance, I dis- covered in the path the perfect appearance of a woman without a head ; her shoulders, waist, arms akimbo, her hands on her hips, woman's clothes, and feet below were in perfect shape before me; all which I viewed with astonishment.
I reasoned to myself - Is this appearance ficti- tious or real ? If the God of nature authorizes appa- ritions, then there is no flying from them. What injury can they possibly do me? I have promised faithfully not to flinch at any such appearance ; I will see it out. On this determination I kicked the snow away, that I might know where I made the discovery, and advanced with my cane in hand for
101
THE HEADLESS SPECTRE.
a blow as soon as I arrived near enough. With trembling approaches I came within about thirty yards, before I discovered the cause of such an ap- pearance. The facts were, that a tree had been broken by the wind, leaving a stump, which the woodcocks had pecked the bark from in that shape so long that the wood had become whitish. The bark of the other part had fallen off. The dark- ness of the night prevented me from seeing the darker color, while the bright snow shone from the other part of the stump, forming the size and figure of a headless woman. To satisfy myself, I went back to where I had kicked away the snow, and the old woman again appeared in perfect shape. I occasionally passed that place afterwards, but not at a time when such an opportunity could be discov- ered. Had I been frightened, and run away, I might, like others, have believed in spectral appearances. 9 *
ATTACK UPON NUMBER FOUR.
(CHARLESTOWN, N. H.)
1747.
IN the latter end of March, Captain Phineas Ste- vens, who commanded a ranging company of thirty men, came to Number Four, the place now called Charlestown. It had been garrisoned by the small force of six men ; but even these had deserted it in the previous winter, and for two months it was en- tirely destitute of occupants. Captain Stevens, finding the fort entire, determined to keep posses- sion of it. He had not been there many days when he was attacked by a very large party of French and Indians, commanded by M. Debeline. The dogs, by their barking, discovered that the enemy were near, which caused the gate to be kept shut beyond the usual time. One man went out to make discovery, and was fired on, but returned with a slight wound only. The enemy, finding that they were discovered, arose from their concealment, and fired at the fort on all sides. The wind being high, they set fire to the fences and log houses, till the fort was surrounded by flames. Captain Stevens took the most prudent measures for his security,
(102)
103
ATTACK UPON NUMBER FOUR.
keeping every vessel full of water, and digging trenches under the walls in several places, so that a man might creep through and extinguish any fire which might catch on the outside of the walls. The fire of the fences did not reach the fort, nor did the flaming arrows which they incessantly shot against it take effect. Having continued this mode of attack for two days, accompanied with hideous shouts and yells, they prepared a wheel carriage, loaded with dry fagots, to be pushed before them, that they might set fire to the fort. Before they proceeded to this operation, they demanded a cessa- tion of arms till the sun rising, which was granted. In the morning, Debelinè came up with fifty men and a flag of truce, which he stuck in the ground. He demanded a parley, which was agreed to. A French officer, with a soldier and an Indian, then advanced, and proposed that the garrison should bind up a quantity of provisions with their blan- kets, and, having laid down their arms, should be conducted prisoners to Montreal. Another pro- posal was, that the two commanders should meet, and that an answer should then be given. Stevens met the French commander, who, without waiting for an answer, began to enforce his proposal by threatening to storm the fort and put every man to death, if they should refuse his terms and kill one of his men. Stevens answered that he could hearken to no terms till the last extremity ; that he was in- trusted with the defence of the fort, and was deter-
104
ATTACK UPON NUMBER FOUR.
mined to maintain it till he should be convinced that the Frenchman could perform what he had threatened. He added that it was poor encourage- ment to surrender, if they were all to be put to the sword for killing one man, when it was probable they had already killed more. The Frenchman replied, "Go and see if your men dare to fight any longer, and give me a quick answer." Stevens
returned and asked his men whether they would fight or surrender. They unanimously determined to fight. This was immediately made known to the enemy, who renewed their shouting and firing all that day and night. On the morning of the third day they requested another cessation for two hours. Two Indians came with a flag, and proposed that if Stevens would sell them provisions, they would with- draw. He answered that to sell them provisions for money was contrary to the law of nations ; but that he would pay them five bushels of corn for every captive for whom they would give a hostage, till the captive could be brought from Canada. After this answer a few guns were fired, and the enemy were seen no more.
In this furious attack from a starving enemy, no lives were lost in the fort, and two men only were wounded. No men could have behaved with more intrepidity in the midst of such threatening danger. An express was immediately despatched to Boston, and the news was there received with great joy. Commodore Sir Charles Knowles was so highly
105
ATTACK UPON NUMBER FOUR.
pleased with the conduct of Captain Stevens that he presented him with a valuable and elegant sword, as a reward for his bravery. From this circum- stance the township, when it was incorporated, took the name of Charlestown.
THE INDIANS AT WAR: THEIR USAGES AND CUSTOMS.
FROM THE "NATURAL AND CIVIL HISTORY OF VERMONT," BY SAMUEL WILLIAMS, LL. D.
THE civil regulations of the savages were all de- signed to qualify and prepare them for war. Among the causes that led to this, an opposition of interests was the most common and powerful. No people ever had more clear or more just ideas of their own rights and property than the Indians. They not only understood their own personal rights, but they were perfectly well acquainted with the rights and property that were vested in the tribe. Each tribe claimed the soil in their own domains. This right was viewed as complete, perfect, and exclusive -- such as entitled them to the full and entire posses- sion, and to oppose by force and violence all en- croachments upon the soil or game in any part of their territories. The bounds of these territories were extensive and ill defined. Real or supposed encroachments and injuries were constantly taking place. Hence arose innumerable subjects of dis- pute and controversy, which easily inflamed the fierceness of the savage temper, and brought on mutual injuries, reproaches, hostilities, and war. In
(10G)
107
THE INDIANS AT WAR.
this state most of the Indian tribes were found. Interest had become a source of discord among the neighboring tribes. From this cause arose most of their inveterate and perpetual wars.
The manner in which the Indians carry on their wars is very different from that of civilized nations. To defend themselves against an enemy they have no other fortification but an irregular kind of for- tress, which they call a castle or fort. It consisted of a square, without bastions, surrounded with pali- sades. This was erected where the most consider- able number of the tribe resided, and was designed as an asylum for their old men, their women and children, while the rest of the tribe were gone out to war. The weapons of the Indian were a club made of hard wood, a bow and arrow. Thus armed, the Indian takes with him a small bag of corn, and is completely equipped for a campaign. When he takes the field, it is with such a number of warriors as the tribe can supply. During their march they are dispersed in straggling companies, that they may better supply themselves by hunting. When they approach near to the enemies' frontiers, their troops are more collected ; all is then caution, stratagem, secrecy, and ambuscade. Their employment as hunters has taught them great address and vigilance in following and surprising the game. Their mode of war is the same as that of hunting. With great ingenuity they will find and follow the track of their enemies ; with a surprising patience and per- severance they will wait for the moment when they
108
THE INDIANS AT WAR.
find him the least able to defend himself ; and when they can find an enemy unprepared, they make their attack with great fury and with pretty sure success. In their battles they always endeavor to secure themselves behind the trees or rocks, and never meet their enemy in the open field, or upon equal terms, if they can avoid it. The method of the Europeans, of deciding a battle in the open field, they regard as extreme folly and want of prudence. Their established maxims are, to obtain a superior- ity in situation, numbers, concealment, or some other circumstance, before the battle ; in this way to pre- serve the lives of their own party, and destroy their enemies, with as little loss as possible to themselves. A victory obtained with the loss of many of their own party is a matter of grief and disgrace, rather than of exultation ; and it is no honor to fall in the field of battle, but viewed rather as an evidence of a want of wisdom, discernment, and circumspection. When the attack is to be made, nothing can exceed the courage and impetuosity of the savage. The onset begins with a general outcry, terminating in a universal yell. Of all the sounds that discord has produced, the Indian war whoop is the most awful and horrid. It is designed and adapted to increase the ardor of those who make the attack, and to carry terror and horror into the feelings of those on whom the attack is made. The Indians immedi- ately come forward, and begin the scene of outrage and death. All is then a scene of fury, impetuosity, and vengeance. So great is the rage of the savage,
109
THEIR USAGES AND CUSTOMS.
that he has no regard to discipline, subordination, and order. Revenge takes an entire possession of his soul ; forgetful of all order, regardless of disci- pline and danger, he aims only to butcher and de- stroy. If the Indians remain masters of the field, they always strip and scalp the dead. Leaving the bodies of their enemies naked, unburied, and often mangled, they carry off the plunder and scalps, and make a very swift and sudden retreat. Upon their approach to their own tribe, a herald is sent for- ward to announce the event ; the tribe is collected, and the conquerors make their entry with their en- signs of triumph ; the scalps, stretched upon a bow, and elevated upon a pole, are carried before them, as the tokens of their valor and success, and monu- ments of the vengeance they have inflicted upon the enemies of their country.
The prisoners which they have taken make an important part of their triumph. The savages are anxious to take as many of these as possible. Dur- ing their march, they are generally treated with a degree of humanity and kindness ; but the greatest care is taken to prevent their escape. When they arrive at the place of their destination, the old men, women, and children of the Indian tribe form them- selves into two lines, through which the prisoners must run the gantlet to the village. If the prisoner is young, active, and a good runner, he makes his way through the lines without receiving much injury. If he is weak, old, and infirm, he receives much dam- age by the blows, stripes, and bruises laid upon him.
10
1
110
THE INDIANS AT WAR :
When this scene is finished, the prisoners are con- ducted to the village, treated with apparent good humor, and fed as well as the Indians' fare admits.
To the village thus assembled the head warrior of the party relates every particular of the expedi- tion. When he mentions their losses, a bitter grief and sorrow appears in the whole assembly. When he pronounces the names of the dead, their wives, relations, and friends put forth the most bitter shrieks and cries. But no one asks any question, or interrupts the speaker with any inquiry. The last ceremony is to proclaim the victory. Every indi- vidual forgets his own loss and misfortune, and joins in the triumph of his nation. Their tears cease, and with one of the most unaccountable transitions in human nature, they pass at once from the bitterness of sorrow to all the extravagance of joy. The whole concludes with a savage feast, songs, and dance.
The fate of the prisoners is next to be decided. The elders and chiefs assemble and deliberate con- cerning their destiny. The women and children are disposed of according to the pleasure of their cap- tors ; but they are seldom or never put to torture or death. Of the men, some are appointed to sup- ply the places of such Indians as have fallen in battle. These are delivered to their friends and relations, and if they are received by them, they have no sufferings to fear ; they are adopted into the family, and succeed to all the privileges of the deceased, and are esteemed as friends, brothers, and
111
THEIR USAGES AND CUSTOMS.
near relations. But if they are not received and admitted into the family, or if they are destined to be put to death, a most distressing and horrid scene ensues.
A stake is fixed firmly in the ground ; at the dis- tance of eight or ten feet, dry wood, leaves, and fagots are placed in a circle round the stake, and the whole village is collected, to bear their part in the tragedy which is to ensue. The prisoner is led to the stake, and tied to it by his hands, in such a manner that he may move freely round it. Fire is set to the wood, that, as it runs round the circle, the unhappy victim may be forced to run the same way. As the sufferings of the prisoner begin to become severe, the acclamations of the spectators commence. The men, women, and children strive to exceed each other in finding out new and keener methods of torment. Some apply red hot irons, others stab and cut with their knives, others mangle and tear off the flesh; others again bite off the nails and joints, or twist and tear the sinews. Every species and degree of cruelty that savage rancor and revenge can invent and apply is tried upon the wretched sufferer ; but great care is taken that the vital parts may not be so injured as to bring the torments of the victim to a speedy end. In this horrid situation, the sufferer is undaunted and in- trepid. He reviles and insults his tormentors. He accuses them of cowardice, meanness, and want of spirit ; as ignorant, unskilful, and destitute of inge- nuity and invention in the art of tormenting. Not
112
THE INDIANS AT WAR :
a groan, a sigh, a tear, or a sorrowful look, is suf- fered to escape him. To insult his tormentors, to display undaunted and unalterable fortitude in this dreadful situation, is the most noble of all the tri- umphs of the warrior. With an unaltered counte- nance, and with the decisive tone of dignity and superior importance, the hero proceeds with great calmness to sing the song of his death : -
"Intrepid and brave, I feel no pain and I fear no torture. I have slain, I have conquered, I have burnt mine enemies, and my countrymen will avenge my blood. Ye are a nation of dogs, of cowards, and women. Ye know not how to conquer, to suf- fer, or to torture. Prolong and increase my tor- ments, that ye may learn from my example how to suffer and behave like men."
With such unconquerable magnanimity and forti- tude the sufferer perseveres, under every method of torment and torture. Wearied with cruelty, and tired with tormenting a man whose fortitude they cannot move, one of the chiefs, in a rage, concludes the scene by knocking the prisoner on the head, or stabbing him to the heart.
These scenes, however, were not common. They seem to have been a kind of honor reserved for the warriors, and were the trials of their courage and fortitude ; and nothing was esteemed more base and ignominious than to shrink from them, or to show any sense of fear or pain under them.
When the prisoners were adopted into the tribe of the conquerors, nothing could exceed the kind-
113
THEIR USAGES AND CUSTOMS.
ness and affection with which they were treated. All distinction of tribes was forgotten ; they held the same rank as the deceased person whose place they filled, and were treated with all the tenderness due to the husband, the brother, the child, or friend ; and it was generally the case that the savages avoid- ed abuse and cruelty to the women and children that fell into their hands.
The Indian method of carrying on a war was so contrary to the maxims and customs of all civilized nations, that some of the European writers, judging from their own customs, have concluded it was founded on cowardice, and arose from an ignoble and timid spirit, afraid to meet its opposers on equal ground, and depending wholly on craft, and not at all on courage and firmness of mind. No conclu- sion was ever farther from the truth. When placed in a critical and dangerous situation, no people ever discovered more valor, firmness, and intrepidity. When subdued, an Indian was never known to ask for his life. When compelled to suffer, the Indian bore it with a steadiness, a fortitude, and a magna- nimity unknown to all other nations, and of which there are no examples in the history of war. His method of war did not arise from a sense and fear of danger ; he was well acquainted, and always in the midst of this; but it arose from his situation and employment, and was perfectly well adapted to it. From his situation and employment as a hunter, he acquired the art of ambuscade and surprise ; and the method with which he could best succeed in
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.