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 7
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THE INDIANS AT WAR :
taking his game he found to be the most successful to insnare and overcome his enemy. The situation and state of the country, overspread with thick for- ests, led to the same method. The situation of the tribe, scattered and dispersed in the woods, sug- . gested the same idea. The method of fighting could not be in the open fields, but among the trees ; and he wisely placed the point of honor in the pub- lic good, where the prospect and probability of his success lay. Had the honor of the Indian warrior been placed in courting fame and victory in the open field, the whole tribe would have been de- stroyed by the effusion of blood that must have succeeded. His maxims, therefore, were better chosen, and they were such as every circumstance in his situation and employment naturally led him to ; not in a useless ostentation of daring courage and boldness, but in the public utility and advantage. So far as an enterprise depended on secrecy, subtle- ty, surprise, and impetuosity, the Indian method of war seems to have been fully equal to the European. The Spaniards, the French, the English, and the States of America have had many and painful proofs of their address and prowess in this method. But when a fort was erected, or a small fortification to be carried, the Indian method of war wholly failed. Neither their arms, their arts, nor their customs were of any avail here. Wholly unacquainted with. the art of fortification, they could neither erect nor take a fort of any strength. When the Europeans had once got possession of any part of their coun-
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THEIR USAGES AND CUSTOMS.
try, and erected a small fortification in their terri- tories, they held it by a sure possession. The sav- ages were wholly unable to dispossess them by their method of war, and nothing was left for them but to retreat farther into the forests. In this way the English and French were making constant advances into their country ; and their art of war afforded them no sufficient means either to prevent or to redress it. But when the Europeans followed them into the woods, where their strength and art might be employed to advantage, the Indians generally surprised and defeated their armies, with great havoc and slaughter.
A WITCH STORY OF OLDEN TIME.
ORIGINAL. A. C.
IT is sometimes curious to recall to mind stories which were believed and currently reported a hun- dred and more years ago by the sturdy founders of our nation, who, though men fit to grapple with all earthly dangers, to fight the bloody Indians, or the wild beasts of the forest, were, notwithstanding, affected with many little weaknesses. Among these may be mentioned particularly a fear of the super- natural, to which agency they ascribed every strange or unusual occurrence.
The following incident was related to the writer by a descendant of the principal actor in the affair.
About the year 1740, a certain man by the name of Jones built a house for himself and family in a clearing he had cultivated in the middle of the State of New Hampshire. The family having moved into the house, a single week sufficed to prove that the house was haunted. Strange noises were heard throughout the house, and whenever any one dared to open his eyes at the " still and witching hour of midnight," startling and inexplicable sights were seen. The family naturally became much alarmed, and dared not remain longer in the house. These
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A WITCH STORY OF OLDEN TIME.
facts, being noised abroad, excited a great deal of remark and wonderment. Some proposed to have the spirits exorcised ; but a man named Turner finally offered his services to quell the disturbance, and clear the house of its ghastly visitants. He declared that he cared for nothing earthly or un- earthly ; so, both for the purpose of proving his bravery and of ascertaining the cause of the dis- turbance, it was determined that he should sleep in the house, and see the matter through.
The family of Mr. Jones departed on a visit to their friends, and in came Turner to sleep as agreed. The house was of one story, consisting of a kitchen, sitting room, and bed room on the ground floor, and an unfurnished loft above, reached by a ladder. On the night in question, Turner, having replenished the fire in the enormous fireplace-one of those comfortable fireplaces which an old-fashioned kitchen always contained, and which occupied nearly the whole of one side of the room-Turner, I say, having rolled on some logs, sat a while in the chim- ney corner, his elbows resting on his knees, as he gazed at the burning brands. Tongues of flame leaped from the smoking logs, and whirled away up the chimney ; and their roaring, as they disap- peared, seemed changed to unearthly tones -now soft and musical, now hoarse and low, like distant thunder. The roaring of the wind among the pines near by mingled with that of the fire, and increased the excitement of Turner's imagination. Strange shapes appeared to rise from the flames, and nod
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A WITCH STORY OF OLDEN TIME.
and brandish their arms around, then sink, only to be succeeded by others still more fearful. The fit- ful gleams cast a ghastly light over the remoter parts of the room. The shadows on the wall joined hands, and moved around in solemn silence.
Turner sat in his lonely revery until the sticks he had thrown upon the fire were nearly consumed, and the flames were just dying away ; then, rousing up, he bethought himself of his old reputation for cour- age. Rather than be exposed to the sneers of his neighbors, he was ready to meet ten thousand ghosts. He threw on some fresh fuel, and went to bed.
The bedroom opened immediately out of the kitchen, where he had been sitting. Leaving the door open, he lay down to sleep, and remained undis- turbed till about midnight, when a slight noise caused him to open his eyes. Looking through the open door into the kitchen, he beheld, with momentary horror, a cat sitting on the hearth and gazing dire- fully at him with eyes like two balls of fire, as large as a man's fist. Turner was really a brave man. He quickly expelled from his bosom the first trace of terror, and prepared as quickly to expel his un- welcome guest.
Creeping carefully from the bed to the fireplace, - the cat turning all the while so as to face him, - he snatched a huge fire shovel, with a handle four feet in length, and aiming a blow at the horrid beast before him, struck it with force sufficient to kill any thing of earthly mould. Strange to say, however, the shovel rebounded from the cat in a wonderful
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manner, almost flying from Turner's hands. It was like beating a large mass of India rubber. Noth- ing daunted, he laid on still harder, until by dint of oft-repeated blows the monster was pushed near the outer door, when one more tremendous stroke sent the animal straight through the middle of the oaken planks, which closed up as before. Turner instantly sprang to the latch and opened the door ; but, wonderful to relate, nothing was in sight. He looked to the right and he looked to the left ; but nothing could be seen or heard save the tall pine trees waving and roaring in the stormy blast.
Going to the barn before breakfast, to attend to the stock of the farm, he was surprised to find that a promising calf was missing. The barn was con- structed tight and secure, and all the doors were closed. No mode of egress could be discovered. However, as a forlorn hope, he searched the pasture near by, where he soon heard the faint bleating of a calf. He followed the sound, and was led to a log, to all appearance sound and solid. This puzzled him ; but he quickly brought an axe and wedges, and with their aid the log was forced to reveal its secrets. The calf was found nicely packed in a cavity the size of its body. Out it jumped, glad to be released from captivity. On a minute examination, Turner discovered a knot hole in the side of the barn, lined with hair, through which it was evident to all the neighbors - who came in crowds to examine the place-that the animal was drawn. We may remark
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A WITCH STORY OF OLDEN TIME.
that the unfortunate calf never thrived afterwards, but died soon after, in great pain.
But we have not finished our story yet. In the course of the forenoon, having occasion to go to mill, about five miles distant, Turner set off with horse and sleigh. When he had passed about half this distance, he reached the house of a neighbor, whom he saw standing in the door. The man begged Turner to step in and see his grandmother, who, he said, was taken suddenly ill in the night. On going in, what was his amazement to find the old lady black and blue from head to foot, as if severely bruised in some unusual manner.
The mystery was here solved. No doubt the old woman was the witch who abstracted the calf, and shut it up by her wonderful art in the log. No doubt it was she also who, in the form of a cat, dis- turbed the house of Mr. Jones, and was driven out by Turner. with such vigor.
The old woman died the same day. After this night we may conclude nothing ever again disturbed the haunted house.
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BAKER'S RETREAT.
FROM THE REV. GRANT POWERS'S "HISTORY OF THE COOS COUNTRY."
MUCH discussion has arisen at different times in the county of Coos, N. H., in relation to the origin of the name of Baker's River. It was called by that name when the first settlers came on, and it was called so in the journal of Captain Powers, in 1754. The following tradition, which has come down from the earliest settlement, seems fully to explain the source from which the name was derived.
It is said that while Massachusetts was claiming the province of New Hampshire, prior to the old French war, Massachusetts sent a Captain Baker, from old Newbury, at the head of a company, to ferret out the Indians, who had their encampment somewhere upon the waters of the Pemigewasset. Baker procured a friendly Indian, who led them to Plymouth, in New Hampshire. When Baker and his party had arrived on these meadows, the friendly Indian signified it was now time for every man to gird up his loins ; and they did so, moving forward with all possible circumspection. When they had reached the south bank of Baker's River, near its
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BAKER'S RETREAT.
junction with the Pemigewasset, they discovered the Indians on the north bank of Baker's River, sport- ing in great numbers, secure, as they supposed, from the muskets of all " pale faces." Baker and his men chose their position, and opened a tremendous fire upon the Indians, which was as sudden to them as a clap of thunder. Many of the sons of the forest fell in death in the midst of their sports. But the living disappeared in an instant, and ran to call in their hunters. Baker and his men lost no time in crossing the river in search of booty. They found a rich store of furs deposited in holes dug into the bank of the river horizontally, in the manner bank swallows make their holes. Having destroyed their wigwams and captured their furs, Baker ordered a retreat, fearing that they would soon return in too great force to be resisted by his single company. And the Indians were fully up to his apprehensions ; for, notwithstanding Baker retreated with all expe- dition, the Indians collected, and were up with them when they had reached a poplar plain in Bridge- water, a little south of Walter Webster's tavern. A smart skirmish ensued, but the Indians were re- pulsed with loss. Notwithstanding this, the friendly Indian advised Baker and his men to use all dili- gence in their retreat ; for he said their number would increase every hour, and that they would return to the attack.
Accordingly Baker pressed on the retreat with all possible despatch, and did not allow his men to take refreshment after the battle. But when they
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came into New Chester, having crossed a stream, his men were exhausted, through abstinence, forced marches, and hard fighting ; and they resolved they could go no farther without food, saying to their commander they "might as well fall by the toma- hawk as by famine." The captain acquiesced, and they prepared to refresh themselves ; but here was a call for Indian stratagem. The friendly Indian told every man to build as many fires as he could in a given time ; for the Indians, if they pursued them, would judge of their numbers by the number of their fires. He told them, also, that each man should make him four or five crotched sticks, and use them all in roasting a single piece of pork ; then leave an equal number of wooden forks around each fire, and the Indians would infer, if they came up, that there were as many of the English as there were forks, and this might turn them back. The Indian's counsel was followed to the letter, and the company moved on with fresh speed. The Indians, however, came up while their fires were yet burn- ing, and, counting the fires and forks, the warriors whooped a retreat, for they were alarmed at the number of the English. Baker and his men were no longer annoyed by those troublesome attendants ; and he attributed their preservation to the counsel of the friendly Indian.
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DESTRUCTION OF THE INDIAN VILLAGE OF ST. FRANCIS.
FROM WILLIAMS'S HISTORY OF VERMONT.
1759.
IN the year 1759 it was thought best to make the enemy feel the force and resentment of the English colonies. The Indians had not as yet discontinued their attempts to disturb and distress the frontiers. Among these tribes, none had been more bloody and cruel than that of St. Francis. Their village was situated on the south side of the River St. Law- rence, not far from Trois Rivieres. So early as the year 1703, the Governor of Canada had drawn off a large number of Indians from Penobscot, Nor- ridgewock, Saco, Pigwacket, and other parts of the eastern country, and settled them at Begancour and St. Francis. By uniting them with the Indians of Canada, he meant to procure a force sufficient to protect their own frontiers, and to have always in reserve a body of savages well acquainted with the English frontiers, and the most favorable times and places of carrying desolation among them. The event justified his expectations. From none of the
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DESTRUCTION OF THE VILLAGE OF ST. FRANCIS. 125
Indian tribes had the provinces of New Hampshire and Massachusetts suffered so much as from the sav- ages of this village and tribe. They made their incursions through the River St. Francis to Lake Memphremagog, and from thence down Connecticut River to the English settlements, and had been much distinguished by the slaughter and destruction they had spread among the advanced settlements, by the number of their scalps and captives, and by the enormity of their cruelty and barbarity.
Major Rogers was appointed by General Amherst to manage an excursion against this barbarous tribe, and to carry the horrors of war into the midst of Canada. Rogers was from the province of New Hampshire. He commanded a company so early as the year 1755, and had become so famous for the number, boldness, and success of his enterprises, that Lord Loudon had set him at the head of the ranging companies, put him upon the British estab- lishment and pay, till he rose to the rank of a major. Amherst esteemed him a proper person to retaliate on an Indian village some of the measures they had so often acted against the advanced English forts and settlements. The orders which he gave to Rogers were expressive of the character and views of the English general, and of the sentiments and feelings of the English colonies with respect to the Indian cruelties .*
* " ORDERS FROM SIR JEFFREY AMHERST TO MAJOR ROGERS.
" You are this night to set out with the detachment, as ordered yesterday, (viz., of two hundred men,) and proceed to Missiscoe Bay,
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DESTRUCTION OF THE
In conformity to his orders, Rogers set out with two hundred men in bateaux, and proceeded down Lake Champlain. On the fifth day after they left Crown Point, they met with a misfortune which diminished their numbers. Being encamped on the eastern shore of the lake, a keg of gunpowder acci- dentally took fire, which in its explosion wounded a captain of the royal regiment and several of the men. These were sent back to Crown Point, with some of the party to conduct them. By this event the party was reduced to one hundred and forty-two men, officers included. With this reduced party the major proceeded on the expedition, and in seven days landed at Missiscoe Bay. Here he concealed his boats among the bushes that hung over one of the streams, and left in them provisions sufficient to carry them back to Crown Point. Two of his rangers were appointed to watch the boats, and to
from whence you will march and attack the enemy's settlements on the south side of the River St. Lawrence, in such a manner as you shall judge most effectual to disgrace the enemy, and for the success and honor of his majesty's arms.
" Remember the barbarities that have been committed by the enemy's Indian scoundrels, on every occasion where they have had an opportu- nity of showing their infamous cruelties on the king's subjects, which they have done without mercy ; take your revenge; but do not forget. that though these villains have dastardly and promiscuously murdered the women and children of all orders, it is my orders that no women or children be killed or hurt.
" When you have executed your intended service, you will return with your detachment to camp, or to join me wherever the army may be. Yours, &c.,
"JEFFREY AMHERST.
"CAMP AT CROWN POINT, September 12, 1759."
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INDIAN VILLAGE OF ST. FRANCIS.
keep themselves concealed till the party should return ; or, if the enemy should discover the boats, to pursue the track of the party with the greatest speed, and give intelligence to the commander. The second evening after Rogers left the bay, the two trusty rangers overtook the party, and informed Rogers that four hundred French and Indians had discovered the boats, and sent them away with fifty men, and that the remainder were in pursuit of the English party. Rogers kept the intelligence to him- self, and ordered a lieutenant with eight men and these two rangers to proceed to Crown Point, in- form the general of what had taken place, and request him to send provisions to Coos, (now New- bury,) on Connecticut River, by which he meant to return.
Nothing now remained for Rogers but to give up the expedition or to outmarch his pursuers. He determined on the latter, and pushed forward for St. Francis with all the expedition that was possi- ble. On the 4th of October, at eight o'clock in the evening, he came within sight of the town. Ordering his men to halt and refresh themselves, he dressed himself in the Indian garb, and took with him two Indians who understood the language of the St. Francis tribe, and went to reconnoitre the town. He found the Indians engaged in a grand dance, and without any apprehension of danger. At two o'clock in the morning he returned to his detachment, and marched them to the distance of about five hundred yards from the town. About
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DESTRUCTION OF THE
four o'clock, the Indians broke up their dance, and retired to rest. Rogers waited till they were asleep, and at break of day he posted his men in the most favorable situation, and made a general assault. Completely surprised, the Indians were soon subdued. Some were killed in their houses, and of those who attempted to fly, many were shot or knocked on the head by those who were placed at the avenues. The Indian method of slaughter and destruction was put in practice on this occa- sion ; and wherever the Indians were found, their men, women, and children were slain without dis- tinction and without mercy. The ferocity of the proceedings was already extremely violent ; but the prospects which appeared at the rising of the sun could not but add new force and irritation to the feelings and passions of the assailants. As the light appeared, the scalps of several hundred of their countrymen were seen suspended on poles, and wav- ing in the air. These trophies of savage cruelty and success could not fail to irritate to the highest degree the passions of the provincial soldiers ; they meant to avenge the blood of their friends and rela- tions, and they spared no pains to make an end of the village and of all that they could find of its inhabitants. The village contained three hundred of the enemy ; two hundred were killed on the spot, and twenty taken prisoners.
The town appeared to have been in a very flourish- ing state. The houses were well furnished, and the church was handsomely adorned with plate; the
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INDIAN VILLAGE OF ST. FRANCIS.
whole village had been enriched by the scalps and plunder taken from the English. Two hundred guineas were found in money, and a silver image weighing ten pounds, besides a large quantity of wampum, clothing, and some provisions. Collect- ing the provisions and such articles as they could easily transport, they set fire to the town, and reduced it to ashes. At seven o'clock in the morn- ing the affair was completely over ; Rogers then assembled his men, and found that one was killed, and six slightly wounded. Having refreshed his men for one hour, the major made no further delay, but set out on his return, with the addition of five English captives, whom he had retaken, leaving the inhabitants slain, and the village reduced to ashes.
To avoid his pursuers, Rogers now took a differ- ent route, and marched up St. Francis River, mean- ing to have his men collect and rendezvous at Coos, on Connecticut River. On their march they were harassed by some of the enemy, and several times attacked in the rear. In these rencontres they lost seven of their men, till Rogers, favored by the dusk of the evening, formed an ambuscade upon his own track, and fell upon the enemy where they least ex. pected it ; by this stroke he put an end to any fur- ther annoyance from the enemy. For about ten days the detachment kept together, till they had passed the eastern side of Lake Memphremagog. It was then thought best to scatter into smaller par- ties, and make the best of their way to some of the English settlements. Their sufferings now began to
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be severe, not only from the excessive fatigues they had undergone, but from hunger. Their provisions were expended, and they were yet at a distance from any place of relief. Some were lost in the woods, and others perished at Coos, being unable to hold out any further. But Rogers, with the most of his men, persevered amidst all their sufferings, till they arrived at Number Four, now Charlestown. This enterprise proved extremely dangerous and fatiguing to the men who had been engaged in it, but it made a deep impression on the enemy. It carried alarm and consternation into the heart of Canada, and convinced the Indians that the retalia- tion of vengeance was now come upon them.
PETER BROWN'S TEMPERANCE LESSON.
AMONG the earliest settlers of one of the western towns of Windham county, Vermont, was a certain man named Peter Brown, familiarly called "Old Pete," who, entirely alone in the wilderness, com- menced the task of clearing the woods and securing for himself a home. In the course of a few years he found himself surrounded by a thriving hamlet. Our hero, being of an eccentric turn of mind, was the butt for all the boys in the neighborhood to play their pranks upon ; and hence our story arises.
One fruitful summer, Peter, being moved with a desire for the good things of this life, cultivated, to the wonder of all round about, a patch of water- melons. These were the first raised in that part of the state, and the temptation to the boys was strong to assist him in disposing of them. At length, after losing many of the best ones, he concluded to watch the next night, and see what could be done towards catching the depredators. By the way, old Pete, although not a drunkard, was yet one who loved his bottle, and prided himself upon keeping the best whiskey in all the country, never leaving home with- out his pint bottle, which he called by the familiar name of "Betty." On the occasion in question, (131)
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PETER BROWN'S TEMPERANCE LESSON.
having replenished "Betty," he filled his cart with fresh straw, and started for the melon patch. This was situated on the side of a hill, at the foot of which was a muddy pond, some two rods in diame- ter, and three feet deep, and mostly frequented by tadpoles and other small fry of that sort.
As was said, Peter started for his melon patch with every thing prepared for a vigorous campaign. The oxen turned into the pasture, his next care was to locate the cart where he could overlook the whole field ; he blocked the wheels, and, putting "Betty " in his pocket, commenced his lonely patrol. Leaving Brown carefully attending to his melons, let us return to the boys, who take quite a promi- nent part in our story. Peter, like many a man of our own times, could never keep a secret ; so all his preparations became known to his friends the boys, who formed their plans accordingly, and early in the evening ensconced themselves in a clump of bushes near by, to await the favorable moment for their operations.
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