USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > History of Manchester, formerly Derryfield, in New-Hampshire : including that of ancient Amoskeag, or the middle Merrimack Valley, together with the address, poem, and other proceedings of the centennial celebration of the incorporation of Derryfield at Manchester, October 22, 1851 > Part 38
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 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79
But
JOHN MCKEEN,
of Amoskeag, then of Amherst, was not so fortunate.
Taken by the savages after a desperate struggle for his liberty, he was retained by his savage captors to add to the horrid orgies of their triumph. The night following, amid their triumphal dance, the actors maddened with excitement and fire-water, the ill-fated McKeen was brought forth, strip- ped of his garments, and bound to a tree. In this position he stood as a mark for the keen edged knives and tomahawks of the infuriated warriors. At length when his body had become gashed at every point, and the victim was becoming insensible to their inhumanity, his wounds were stuck with pitch-wood splints, and as a climax of their cruelty, set on fire ! He was his own funeral pyre ! a fitting accompaniment of savage bar- barity and French perfidy.
The expedition against Louisburg proved an entire failure, through the dilatoriness and pusillanimity of its leaders, and Loudon returned to New York. On his way, he met the news
317
DEFEAT OF THE RANGERS.
of the loss of Fort William Henry. Upon his arrival, he went immediately to Fort Edward, gave some orders as to its defence and returned to Albany for winter quarters. The fol- lowing spring Loudon was recalled, and the command of the forces devolved upon Maj. Gen. Abercrombie.
Like Abercrombie, Loudon had the good sense to discover the great value of the Rangers, and augmented their number by the adition of five companies of 100 men each, Four of these companies were from New England and one from the Indians. Capt. Rogers was ordered to raise and organize the companies, and the appointment of the non-commissioned officers was left to his judgement. The companies were raised in the short space of two months, and in mid winter, the order to Rogers for their organization, bearing date, January 11, 1758, and the compa- nies being at Fort Edward and ready for duty, the 15th day of March following. Capt. Rogers, as senior officer, had the com- mand of the Rangers, and in April following, after the recall of Loudon, he was promoted to a Majority by Gen. Abercrombie and had the entire control of the discipline of this noted and efficient corps. Both Loudon and Abercrombie could but dis- cover the great advantage of this corps, as their arduous duties were ever performed with skill, and promptness, and the skir- mishes and battles fought by them, were the only relief from the disgraceful inactivity and cowardly defeat that marked the campaigns under these Generals.
Their services were in requisition to watch the movements of the French and their Indian allies, and in performing this duty, they not unfrequently came in collision with them, when severe and obstinate battles often ensued. One of these occurred March, 13, 1758, while Loudon was lying inactively at Al- bany. It is given in Major Rogers own words.
"March 10, 1758. I was ordered by Col. Haviland to the neighborhood of Ticonderoga, not with four hundred men as was first given out, but with one hundred and eighty officers included. We had one Capt., one Lieut., and one Ensign of the line as volunteers, viz. Messrs. Creed, Kent, and Wrightson : also one Sergeant and one private, all of the 27th Rigiment ; a detachment from the four companies of Rangers quartered on the island near Fort Edward ; viz. Capt. Bulkley, Lieuten- ants, Phillips, Moore, Campbell, Crafton, aud Pottinger ; En- signs, Ross, Waite, McDonald, and White with 162 privates. I acknowledge that I entered upon this service, with this small detachment of brave men, with no small uneasiness of mind.
25
318
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
We had every reason to believe that the prisoner and deserter above named, had informed the enemy of our intended expedi- tion, and the force to be employed ; yet my commander know- ing all this, sent us out with 180 men. He probably had his reasons ; and can doubtless justify his conduct ; but there is no consolation to the friends of those brave men who were thus thrown in the way of an enemy, of three times their number, and of whom one hundred and seven never returned to tell their story. We first marched to the half way brook, in the road leading to Lake George and there encamped for the night.
March 11. Proceeded as far as the first narrows of Lake George, and encamped that evening on the east shore. After dark, a party went three miles down, to ascertain if the enemy were coming towards our Forts, who returned without my dis- covering them. We were however upon our guard, and kept parties walking up and down the lake all night, besides sentries at all neccessarry places upon the shore.
March 12. Left our camp at sunrise, and having made about three miles, perceived a dog running across the Lake, and sent a party to recconoitre the island, supposiug the Indians were there in ambush. But not finding any, it was thought proper to take to the shore, and thus prevent our being discovered from the surrounding hills. We halted at a place called Sab- bath day point, on the west shore, and sent out parties to look down the Lake with perspective glasses. As soon as dark, we proceeded down the Lake. Lieut. Phillips with fifteen men, some of whom preceded him on skates, acted as an advance guard, while Ensign Ross flanked us on the left, under the west shore near which we kept the main body, marching as closely as possible, to prevent separation, the night being extremely dark, In this manner we came within eight miles of the French ad- vance, when Mr. Phillips sent back a man on skates to desire me to halt : upon this the men were ordered to sit down upon the ice. Mr. Phillips soon after came to me, informing that he had discovered what he supposed a fire on the east shore, but was uncertain. I sent him, accompanied by Mr. White to as- certain the fact. They returned in an hour, fully persuaded that a party of the enemy were encamped at that place .. The advance guard was called in, and we marched to the west shore, where in a thicket we concealed our sleighs and packs.
Leaving a small guard with our baggage, we march- ed to attack the enemy's encampment if we should find one.
319
DEFEAT OF THE RANGERS.
On reaching the place where we supposed the fire to have been seen, and finding no enemy, we concluded Mr. Phillips had mistaken some patches of snow or pieces of rotten wood for fire, (which in the night and at a distance resembles it,) we therefore returned to our packs, and passed the night without a fire.
On the morning of the 13th, a council of the officers deter- mined that our better course was to proceed by land on snow shoes, lest the enemy should discover us on the Lake. Accor- dingly we continued our march on the western shore, keeping on the back of the mountains which overlooked the French advanced guard, and halted at 12 o'clock, two miles west of them, where we refreshed ourselves until three. This was to afford the day scout from the Fort, time to return home before we advanced, as our intention was to ambush some roads lead- ing to the Fort that night, in order to trepan the enemy in the morning. Our detachment now advanced in two divisions, the one headed by Capt. Bulkley and the other by myself. Ensigns White and Waite, led the rear guard, the other officers being properly posted with their respective divisions. On our left, at a small distance, we were flanked by a small rivulet, and by a steep mountain on the right. Our main body kept close under the mountain, that the advance guard might better observe the brook, on the ice of which they might travel, as the snow was now four feet deep, which made tavelling very bad even with snow shoes. In this manner, we proceeded a mile and a half, when our advance informed us that the enemy were in sight ; and soon after, that his force consisted of nine- ty-six, chiefly Indians. We immediately threw down our knapsacks and prepared for battle, supposing that the whole of the enemy's force, were approaching our left, upon the ice of the rivulet. Ensign McDonald was ordered to take command of advanced guard, which as we faced to the left became a flanking party to our right. We marched within a few yards of the bank, which was higher than the ground we occupied ; and observing the ground gradually descend from the rivulet, to the foot of the mountain, we extended our line along the bank, far enough to command the whole of the enemy at once. Waiting until their front was nearly opposite our left wing ; I fired a gun as the signal for a general discharge. We gave them the first fire, which killed more than forty and put the re- mainder to flight, in which one half of my men pursued, and cut down several more of them with their hatchets and cutlass- es. I now imagined they were totally defeated, and ordered
320
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Esign McDonald to head the flying remains of them, that none of them should escape. He soon ascertained that the party we had routed, was only the advanced guard of 600 Canadians and Indians, who were now coming up to attack the Rangers. The latter now retreated to their own ground, which was gained at the expense of fifty men killed. There they were drawn np in good order and fought with such intrepidity, keeping up a con- stant and well directed fire, as caused the French, though seven to one in number, to retreat a second time. We however being in no condition to pursue, they rallied again, recovered their lost ground, and made a desperate attack upon our front, and wings, but they were so well received, that their flanking parties soon retreated to their main body with great loss. This threw the whole into cofusion, and caused a third retreat. Our numbers were now too far reduced, to take advantage of their disorder, and rallying again, they attacked us a fourth time.
Two hundred Indians were now discovered ascending the right to possess themselves of the rising ground and fall upon our rear. Lieut. Phillips with 18 men was directed to gain possesion of it before them, and drive the Indians back. He succeeded in gaining the summit and repulsed them by a well di- rected fire, in which every bullet killed its man. I now became alarmed less the enemy should go round on our left, and take post on the other part of the hill, and sent Lieut. Crafton, with 15 men to anticipate them. Soon after I sent two gentlemen who were volunteers, with a few men to support him which they did with great bravery.
The enemy pressed us so closely in front, that the parties were sometimes intermixed, and in general not more than 20 yards asunder. A constant fire continued for an hour and a half, from the commencement of the attack, during which time we lost eight officers and 100 privates killed upon the spot. After doing all that brave men could do, the Rangers were compelled to break, each man looking out for himself. I ran up the hill followed by about 20 men, towards Phillips and Crafton, where we gave the Indians, who were pursuing in great numbers, another fire which killed several and wounded others. Lieut. Phillips was about capitulating for himself and his party, being surrounded by three hundred Indians. We came so near, that he spoke to me and said if the enemy would give good quarters he thought it best to surrender, oth- erwise he would fight while he had one man left to fire a gun.
I now retreated, with the remainder of my party, in the best manner possible ; several of whom were wounded and fatigued
321
DEFEAT OF THE RANGERS.
were taken by the savages who pursued our retreat. We reach- ed Lake George in the evening, where we were joined by sev- eral wounded men, who were assisted, to the place where our sleighs han been left. From this place an express was des- patched, to Col Haviland, for assistance to bring in the wound- ed. We passed the night here without a fire or blankets, they having fallen into the enemy's hands, with our knapsacks. The night was extremely cold, and the wounded men suffered much pain, but behaved in a manner consistent with their conduct in the action. In the morning, we proceeded up the Lake and at Hoop Island six miles north of William Henry, met Capt. John Stark coming to our relief, bringing with him provision, sleighs, blankets. We encamped on the Island, passed the night with good fires, and on the evening of the next day, (March 15,) arrived at Fort Edward.
The number of the enemy which attacked us was 700, of which 500 were Indians. From the best accounts, we after wards learned that we killed 150 of them, and wounded as many more, most of whom died. I will not pretend to say, what would have been the result of this unfortunate expedition, had our numbers been 400 strong, as was contemplated ; but it is due to those brave officers and men who accompanied me, most of whom are now no more, to declare that every man in his respective station, behaved with uncommon resolution and coolness, nor do I recollect an instance during the action, in which the prudence or good conduct of one of them could be questioned.
The killed and missing in this engagement, amounted to 125 out of a detachment of 180 all told ! This was a terri- ble disaster to Rogers and his party, and is to be attributed to the want of forethought in Col. Haviland, in sending out so small a force upon so hazardous an expediton .*
*It is stated in a note in "Roger's Journal" that Lieut. Phillips was killed in this battle, he and his party being "tied to trees, and hewn to pieces in the most barbarous manner." This is a mistake. Lieut. Phillips escaped, lived to a good old age, and died in Northfield somewhere about the year 1819. The writer of this, has often heard Lieut. Phillips relate this and other of his es- capes in the Seven Years War.
322
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
CHAPTER XVI.
Expeditions against Louisburg, Crown Point, and Fort du Quesne .- Gen. Abercrombie's defeat .- Bradstreet's success against Fort Frontenac. - Forbe's success against Fort du Quesne .-- Expeditions against Niagara, Montreal, and Quebec .- Col. Lieut. Colonel of the New Hampshire Regiment .- Fall of Ticonderoga and Crown Point .- Expeditions of the Rangers .- Destruction of St. Francis .- Disasters to the captors .-- Lt. Phillips .- Ser- geant Evans .- Lt. Campbell .- Benjamin Bradley .- Amherst returns to Crown Point .- Fall of Niagara .- Wolfe gains the Plains of jAbraham .- Battle .- Death of Wolfe and Montclam .- Fall of Quebec .- The French attempt to retake Quebec .- DeLevi approaches that city .- Gen. Murray gives him bat- tle, and is driven into the city .- City invested by the French .- British fleet arrives, and the siege is raised .- Gen. Amherst goes against Montreal .- N. H. Regiment under Col. Goffe .-- Rendezvous at Litchfield .- Dress,- Origin of Yankee Doodle .- Regiment marches up the Souhegan to Peter- borough .- Thence by the way of Keene to Number Four .- Cut a road to Crown Point .- Join the division under Col. Haviland .- French Fort at "Isle aux Noix."-Shipping destroyed .- Fort abandoned .- Rogers sent in pursuit of the enemy .- The division is joined by Gen. Amherst .- Pass down the St. Lawrence .- Gen. Murray marches up the St. Lawrence .- Forms a junction with Gen. Amherst .- Invests Montreal .- The French Capitulate, and their power is at end in the Canadas .- Major Rogers sent up the Lakes to take possession of the French posts .- Returns to New York.
Pitt had been placed at the head of the government in Eng- land, and he had determined to cripple the power of the French in America, by expeditions against three important forts, Louis- burg, Crown Point, and Fort du Quesne.
Against Louisburg, a powerful land force under Generals Amherst and Wolfe, and an equally powerful naval force under Admiral Boscawen, were destined, while Gen. Abercrombie was to march against Crown Point, and Gen. Forbes against Du Quesne, with a few battalions of regulars and the Provin- cial troops furnished for the occasion. Before Louisburg, union, skill, and bravery triumphed. What the cowardice of Loudon and Holborne had left unattempted the summer preceding, the bravery of Amherst, Wolfe and Boscawen accomplished in this campaign. Louisburg, on the 27th of July, 1758, after a brave defence, under its gallant commander, the Chevalier de Dru- cour, again surrendered to the British arms.
By the middle of June, the colonies had sent their quotas of men to Albany, and Gen. Abercrombie had under his command the largest and best appointed army that ever had been mus-
323
N. H. REGIMENT.
tered in America. It consisted of 6360 troops of the line, and 9000 of the Provincial militia. The object of this formidable force was the reduction of Ticonderoga, and Crown Point. About the end of June this vast force marched for Lake George and encamped around the ruins of Fort William Henry. Of this force, besides the Rangers, of whom more than one half were from New Hampshire, she furnished a regiment of 800 men under the command of Col. John Hart of Portsmouth.
John Goffe, Sen., was Lieut. Colonel in this regiment, while his son, John Goffe Jun., was Ist Lieut. in one of the com- paaics.
Capt. Alexander Todd, of Londonderry, was of this regiment, and commanded a company from this neighborhood. His roll was as follows ;
Alexander Todd, Captain ; Wilder Willard, 1st Lieut. ; John Parker, 2d Lieut. ; Benjamin Sawyer, Ensign ; William Adams, Sergt. ; Willard Wilson, Sergt. ; James McMurphy, Sergt. ; Joseph Parks, Sergt. ; David Dickey, Corp. ; Joseph Bagley, Corp. ; William Hill, Corp .; John Chandler, Corp.
William McDugal, John Loggan, William Johnson, Hugh Quinton, Thomas Wason, Andrew Cockran, Alexander Parker, Robert Walker, John Mills, Joseph Linn, James Ligget, James Broddock, Moses Canaird, Benjamin Crossett, Robert McKnight, Mathew Templeton, Robert Rankin, Hugh Shirley, Robert Mc Kinley, William Gambell, Mathew Wallace, Joseph Moore, Enoch Moore, John Kenny, James Aiken, James Gilmore, John McCalaster, John Robinson, John Wadley, James Robin- son, James Chase, John Bryant, Nathaniel Meloon, Amaziah Dulittle, James Wallace, Solomon Drown, Samuel Megoon, John McDuggall, Robert Gilmore, Edward Chapman, David Edgerly, Thomas Dearborn, Elisha Bean, Jonathan Kinniston, Benj. Mason, John Roberts, Thomas George, William McMas- ter, Janes Hornar or Conner, Timothy Blazdell, Isaac Grove.
John Hazen of Haverhill Mass., afterwards of Haverhill, N. H. commanded a company in this regiment, all from this State and a large portion of them from this neighbohood. Ne- hemiah Lovewell of Dunstable also commanded a company in the same regiment, and in his company were a number of sol- diers from this neighborhood. Captain Hazen's roll was as follows ;
John Hazzen, Capt. ; John Goffe Jun., 1st Lieut .; Joseph White, 2d Lieut. ; Wm. Richardson, Eusign ; Jabez Hoight, Sergeant ; Benja. Stone, Sergt. ; Matthew Bryant, Sergt. ; James
324
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Bryant, Sergt. ; Jona. Kemble, Corp. ; Benj. Batchelder, Corp. ; Stephen Page, Corp. ; Stephen Dow, Corp.
Aaron Copps, Thomas Crafford, Bond Little, Joseph Sawyer, David Copps, Caleb Emery, John Gage, Joshua Chase, Joshua Gile, Joseph Gage, Robert Cannada, Joseph Webster, Thomas Cannada, James Dustan, Stephen Prescutt, Nathan Colly, Si- las Flood, Richard Dow, Richard Knight, Jeremiah Kent, John Lovewell, Daniel Flood, Parish Richardson, Caleb Marble, Jessa Wilson, Wm. Whittaker, Noah Emery, Joshua Howard, James Dow, Jeremiah Dow, Amos Pollard, Jona. Stevens, Daniel Clifford, Abner Sawyer, Jonas Clay, Abel Wright, Wm. Heath, Henry Benson, Wm. Flanders, Enoch Hale, Peter Whit- teker, John Tarbox, Phillip Emerson, Levi Wyman, Asa Cur- tis, Jona. Colby, John Giles, Jona. Worster, Edmund Colby, Abner Wheeler, Asa Worster, John Foster, Robert Young, Jona. Hunt, Robert Greenough, Jona. Stickney, Josiah Heath, Benoni Coburn, Micajah Morrill, Timothy Page, Benoni Row- ell, Nathl. Wood, Francis Knowlton, Joseph Lovewell.
On the 5th of July, 1758, this formidable force embarked on the waters of the Lake, in ten hundred and thirty-five boats, together with rafts for the artillery. The sight was grand and imposing, beyond description. Early on the morning of the 6th, the army disembarked on the west side of the lake. The Rangers were sent foward to scour the woods, and open the way for the army. They accomplished this object, and placiug 150 men to watch the movements of the Fench, Rogers re- turned to report his proceedings, and for further duty.
The British army was formed into four columns, and the ad- vance sounded. The forest was so dense that the march was difficult, and the columns became disordered. In this disorder they fell in with a detachment of 500 French, who were re- treating upon their main army, and had lost their way. A sharp and bitter fight immediately ensued. The gallant Howe, the soul of the army, with his Light Infantry and the Rangers, advanced and broke the enemy. Being in advance of his troops he was shot down in the moment of success. Such was the disorder, that it is doubtful whether he fell from a shot of the enemy, or from the random fire of our own troops. The next day Rogers was sent forward to secure the bridge betwixt Lake George and Ticonderoga. It was held by a party of French and Indians. Rogers ordered a halt to reconoitre their position, which brought the rear upon the front. Capt. John Stark was in the rear, and not understanding the cause, rushed forward and asked the cause of the delay. Receiving no answer, he
325
DEFEAT OF ABERCROMBIE.
rushed forward upon the bridge followed by the troops. The French retired with precipitation, and left the bridge clear for the passage of the English army. Major Rogers held the po- sition with 450 men, while Capt. Stark with the remainder of the Rangers went with Capt. Abercrombie and Col. Clark the engineer, to reconnoitre the enemy's works. They returned in the evening, Col. Clark reporting, that the enemy's works were of little importance. Col. Stark however was of a different opinion, and did not hesitate to say, that the French had for- midable preparations for defence. Stark was but a woodsman, and Clark was a British engineer, and the opinion of the former was unheeded, while most unfortunately that of the latter was followed. Early on the morning of the 8th Abercrombie re- lying upon the report of his engineer, as to the flimsy nature of the French defences, determined to commence the attack with- out bringing up his artillery. Accordingly as says Major Rog- ers ;
"At 7 o'clock the Rangers were ordered to march. A Lieut- enant of Capt. Stark led the advanced guard, which when within 300 yards of the entrenchments were ambushed and fired upon by 200 French. I immediately formed a front to support them, and they maintained their ground till the enemy retreated. Soon after this, the batteau-men formed on my left and the light Infantry on my right. This fire of the enemy did not kill one of our men. Soon after, two Provincial Reg- iments, formed in my rear, at 200 yards distance. While the army was thus forming, a scattering fire was kept up between our flying parties and those of the enemy without the breast- work. At half past ten the greater part of the army being drawn up, a sharp fire commenced on the left wing, where Col. De Lancy's New York men and the batteau-men were posted. Upon this, I was ordered to drive the enemy within their works, and then to fall down that the piquets and grenadiers might march through. The enemy soon retired within their works ; and Major Proby with his piquets marched within a few yards of the works, where he unfortunately fell. The enemy keep- ing up a steady fire, the sol diers were drawing back, when Col. Haldiman came up with the grenadiers, to support them, fol- lowed by the battalions of the line."
The Grenadiers followed by the Highlanders, with unflinch - ing courage dashed against the abattis, with which the approach to the front of the fortress had been covered. Here brought to a stand, or slowly feeling their way among the sharpened limbs of the trees, they were literally mown down by the dead-
326
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
ly fire from the ramparts. The Highlanders with light cloth- ing and armour, found less difficulty in approaching, and some of them passing the abattis, rushed upon the parapets only to die from the thrust of the bayonet. Nearly half of this gal- lant corps bit the dust. As those in front fell, their places were immediately filled from the rushing columns, but with the same result, sure but unavailing death. Thus was continued for near four hours, this useless slaughter. At length Gen. Aber- crombie from his place of safety at the sawmills, ordered a re- treat, and this large force still four times out numbering the en- emy, retreated in confusion and dismay. The retreat was cov- ered by the gallant Rogers and his Rangers or it would have became a complete route. As it was, Abercrombie did not con- sider his position safe till he had retreated to the place of land- ing, and then the presence of the intrepid Col. Bradstreet, alone prevented the troops from rushing into the boats, and perishing in the Lake. Through his exertions order war re- stored, and the troops held their position for the night, but on the 9th they retreated across the lake to the site of Fort Wil- liam Henry. Thus this expedition was a complete failure through the doggedness and cowardice of the commander. Had he followed the opinion of Stark, he would have attack- ked the strong-hold with his artillery, and distroyed it in an hour's time. But full of British doggedness, and cowardice, he must blindly follow the report of his engineer, made the at- tack with musketry, and suffered an inglorious and ignoble de- feat.
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.