USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 17
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The elder Coffin's house was ransacked, but the lives were spared. Find- ing a bag of money, they made Coffin throw it about the room, while they scrambled for it, like so many mischievous boys, This was their way of making an impartial division of the money.
The younger Coffin stoutly refused to open his gate, until the Indians brought out his old father, and threatened to kill him before his son's eyes. He then gave up. Both families were put in a deserted house, but not being closely watched, all made their escape while the Indians were plundering the captured houses.
This was a sad day for Dover. Twenty-three persons lost their lives, and twenty-nine were carried off captives, five or six houses with the mills were burned to the ground, all being done so quickly that the Indians were able to get away unmolested with all their booty.
It is but just to add that the conduct of the savages during the sack of Dover was not without some redeeming features; while certain persons were marked for unrelenting vengeance, other were spared, and still others not even molested.
The prisoners were taken to Canada and sold to the French. The savages treated the prisoners as slaves, and disposed of them as such. Sad to relate, the terrible affair might have been averted by the timely delivery of a letter. The design had been disclosed to Major Henchman at Chelms- ford. A letter was at once started for Dover, but some delay at Newburg made the warning some hours late. In this letter Waldron was notified that he was the special object of vengeance. The feelings with which this letter was received and opened by his son may be imagined. This letter is 10
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in Belknap, N. H., and is said to have come from Wanalancet, Sagamore of the Pennacooks.
Among the captives taken was Major Waldron's little granddaughter, Sarah Gerrish, seven years old, who slept in her grandfather's house. Awak- ened out of a sound sleep by the strange noises in the house, Sarah sprang from bed and ran into another room, where one of her little playmates was sleeping. Childlike, she crept into her companion's bed and covered herself over by pulling the bedclothes over her head. Her hiding place was soon discovered, and she was told to get up and dress, and they hurried her out out the house before she could put on her stockings. With one bare foot she was marched off into the wilderness, after seeing her grandfather's house plundered and burned before her eyes. She went with the tribe of Indians down into Maine where she remained until winter. Sarah's first master was Sebundowit, harsh but not cruel. He sold her to another Indian, both cruel and harsh, who carried her away to Canada to be sold. No tongue can tell the terrible suffering and hardships this little girl of seven had to undergo during that long and terrible march to Canada. At one time her wretch of a master told her to go and stand beside a tree while he began loading his gun, with tantalizing indifference. When she shrieked out in terror at what was to be her fate, the old fellow seems to have relented and seemed satisfied. Once while running along the high bank of the river some of her impish companions pushed her over the bank into the water, leaving her to sink or swim. Fortunately, she could catch hold of the bushes as she came up to the surface and draw herself out. Though only a little child of seven, when asked how she became wet, she did not dare complain of her companions. Once she overslept after a very hard day's march, and when she awoke she was partly covered with snow, and found that she was left alone. The party had gone on and left her, and being terribly afraid at the thought of bears and wolves, she ran crying after them, following their tracks in the snow, and after a long and weary chase they allowed her to come up with them. Then again, when one night they had built a big fire, they told her that she was going to be burned to death. She was struck dumb, and then burst into tears, and throwing her arms around her master's neck, begged him to spare her life, which he agreed to do if she would be
a good girl. After going through fire and water, she at last reached Canada, when she was taken to the Lord Intendent's, where much notice was taken of her by persons of quality. In the course of a week, the wife of the Intendent purchased her, and she was placed in a convent, and was once more safe in the hands of Christians. When the fleet of Sir William Phipps appeared before Quebec the next year, Sarah was exchanged after sixteen months, and returned to her friends again. In August, 1689, the authorities
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at Boston collected an army of 600 men at Berwick, where the Indians had been burning and scalping.
July 18, 1694
DURHAM DESTROYED
The French, fearing that they could not hold the Indians who lived between Canada and the English settlements of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, determined to incite the Indians to attack the whites. If they did not, the English would probably make friends with the Indians and the French would lose the country. So Villieu, a French officer, went among the Kennebec and Penobscot tribes urging them to take up the hatchet. They were made large presents, flattered, feasted, and old wrongs artfully dwelt upon, until the slumbering smoke of hate and rage flamed up again with ten-fold fury. A large supply of brandy did the rest. Casting the treaty to the winds, Modockawando and Moxus of Penobscot declared for war, so the Penobscots, Norridgewalks and Paguoits and a sprinkling of tribes further east, were again on the war path. Villieu thus had 300 war- riors and singled out Oyster river for fire and slaughter.
Scattered along the high grounds were some twelve garrisons, enough to have sheltered all the inhabitants if they could have been warned in time. Most of them, however, not dreaming of danger, slept in their own homes, and there being no suspicion no watch was kept.
The village stretched out on both sides of the river, but the most of the houses were near John Dean's sawmill at the falls, with the meeting house on the hill just beyond.
Villieu reached the vicinity undiscovered on Thursday evening, July 17, 1694. He halted near the falls until after dark, then divided his followers into two bands, one taking the south, the other the north side of the river, so as to make a clean sweep of the whole settlement. Bomazien went with the Indians to the south side, while Captain Nathaniel put himself at the head of those on the north. Then the two parties broke up into parties of eight or ten so they would fall on the houses at the same time when it should become light. Had this succeeded a greater loss of life would have resulted.
It happened that John Dean had planned to go on a journey that morn- ing. He had risen early and was just leaving the house when he was seen, fired at, and killed on the spot. The alarm was thus given before some of the assailants had reached their stations, giving some of the families chance to defend themselves.
At the signals the Indians fell upon the settlement, and the butchery began. The plan was the same; to surround the house, beat down the doors,
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and capture or kill the settlers. Most of the men were tomahawked on the spot, and the women taken away into captivity.
After John Dean had been killed, the Indians rushed into the house and took Mrs. Dean and her little daughter two miles up the river and left her in the care of an old Indian, who complained that he had a headache, and asked Mrs. Dean what he should do for it. She, seeing that he had a bottle, told him to drink it and it would help him. Since this pleased him, he did so, and was soon fast asleep. Mrs. Dean and her daughter fled to the woods and hid until night, when they returned home to find a heap of blackened ruins. They found a canoe in which they paddled to Lieutenant Burnham's garrison, where they found themselves among friends.
The garrisons were the special points of attack. Jones's was one of the first. He was awakened by the dog barking, and got up to see if the wolves were about, when he saw the flash of a gun, and instantly jumping to one side, heard the bullet hit where he had stood. Seeing that they were on their guard, the Indians withdrew.
Adams' garrison made no resistance. Fourteen people were killed here. Drew surrendered on condition that his life would be spared, but he was instantly killed. His nine-year-old boy was made to run the gauntlet, and was at length tomahawked. Thomas Edgerly and son both escaped by boat, going down river. Beard's and Meader's garrisons were abandoned. Thus five garrisons were taken without firing a shot; the other five held out.
Burnham's had carelessly left the gate open, but just managed to close it in time. Bickford's was saved by rare courage. He sent his family down river in a boat, and determined to defend his home. He shut his gate, and fired at the Indians whenever he could see one, appearing at different win- dows with a different cap and coat, shouting as though giving orders to his men. After a while, the Indians withdrew. Twenty houses, or about one- half of the town, were set on fire, over the bodies of their owners.
Then they went to Woodman's garrison, but he was prepared for them, and they went away with their booty and prisoner, and they reported that only one man had been wounded.
About one hundred persons had been shot down or tomahawked in cold blood. A party went across the Piscataqua and killed Mrs. Cutt and three others. Moxus went as far as Grotan, Mass., and made a determined assault, but was repulsed. On the way they killed thirteen, and carried away twenty-nine captives. \ month later, the people were waylaid while coming home from church, three killed, three wounded, and three carried away as captives.
A war party under Hope Hood fell upon Fox's Point in 1600. Slew fourteen persons; carried off six. They were pursued by Colonels Floyd and Greenleaf, and compelled to leave some of their prisoners and booty.
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In July, 1690, eight persons were killed while mowing in a field. The Indians were pursued to Wheelwright's Pond, where a bloody fight took place. Captain Wiswell and his lieutenant and sergeant and twelve men were killed, and the English were driven back. The Indians killed more than forty people in that week. On March 27, 1690, Salmon Falls was attacked by Hertel. After reconnoitering, Hertel's scouts found that no watch was kept. Hertel decided to attack at daybreak. Dividing into three parties they attacked the three garrisons. Though taken by surprise, the garrisons fought well, but in the end had to give up. Thirty of the inhabitants were killed and fifty-four made prisoners, all the buildings burned; no place could have been made more desolate. Alarmed at the approach of the Eng- lish, Hertel retreated through Berwick, and crossing the river by the bridge, stood at bay until night, when the English withdrew.
August 28, 1698, Jeremiah Swain marched to Berwick with 600 men and remained awhile. After Swain left, the Indians swooped down on Dur- ham again, carrying away several, killing eighteen men and three children. Later a roving party killed seven at Berwick.
JANUARY 28, 1703-BERWICK ASSAULTED
While the ground was covered with snow a small war party fell upon Neal's garrison, with great fury. Fortunately, the sentinel discovered their approach in season to give the alarm. A young man and a girl that were at some distance ran for their lives. The girl was quickly overtaken and toma- hawked. The lad almost reached the garrison when they shot him. Think- ing him dead, they left him and charged upon the garrison. A well-aimed volley killed the leader, and while the Indians were trying to drag his body away, the boy up and ran into the garrison. Then the Indians withdrew, and fell upon Smith garrison. They were soon beaten off, however. Captain. Brown, aroused by the firing, rushed to their assistance with a dozen good men. He came upon the Indians as they were binding up their plunder, and put them to flight, firing at them and wounding some of them, as the blood on the snow showed. The Indians left all their plunder, hatchets and blankets. This time they burned two houses and killed seventy cattle.
In October, 1703, they again attacked Berwick and destroyed the village. In 1704, a hundred friendly Indians, Piquods, Mohigans and Mautics, were posted here to keep off the Indians from the east and Canada. They were under the command of Maj. Samuel Monson. They were fed and clothed by Massachusetts and given twelve pence a day by Connecticut. In July. the Piscataqua settlements were terrorized, at Dover. Three were killed, three wounded, and three captured. July 18 they killed one man at Niwich- awarnock and captured Wheelwright's "Sambo." David Gorland was killed
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at Dover, April 26, John Church was killed and John Hane and Humphrey Foss taken prisoners, but were released by the determined efforts of Lieu- tenant Heard.
May 14, at Spruce creek, they killed one lad, and carried others away. They then went to Oyster river, where they shot Jeremiah Cromett and burned a sawmill at Dover. Ensign Tuttle was killed and a son of Lieu- tenant Heard wounded while standing guard. John Bickwell was shot at Spruce creek as he was locking his door, his wife wounded, and his child knocked in the head and scalped. The two children of John Waldron were seized outside of Heard's garrison (this was the old garrison of Waldron's) and their heads cut off, as the Indians did not have time to scalp them. This time there were no men in the fort and Esther Jones deceived the Indians by calling out, "Come on, come on; here they are!" which had the effect desired, and the Indians withdrew. On October 25, 1704, the Indians appeared at Oyster river again.
BERWICK
October 25, 1704, two men were shot going home from church. The Indians, being vigorously attacked, dropped their packs, and in them were found three scalps. In the spring of 1705 they were on the east side of the Piscataqua river, killing five settlers at Spruce creek and capturing many more. Mrs. Hall was killed; Enoch Hutchins lost his wife and children. Three weeks later John Rodgers was wounded and James Toby shot. In May, 1705, they wounded Mark Gile; W. Pearl and Nathan Tibbets were shot. These attacks were by bands of roving Indians. Pearl lived in a cave up Oyster river and he had been urged to come into the settlement, but he would not.
On May 22, 1707, they captured two at Oyster river. In July they came upon John Bunker and Ichonard Rawlins, aged twenty and thirty, of Dover, and killed them both as they were driving a cart from Dover to Oyster river. They also killed many cattle.
In 1710 the settlers were warned of a new outbreak, and 400 soldiers were posted in the New Hampshire towns. In 1711 they appeared at Dover and found Thomas Downs and three men at work in a field. These they killed, and lay in ambush for the settlers as they came from church. They succeeded in killing one and came near another, but the alarm was given and the Indians withdrew. In 1712 they killed Ensign Tuttle at Dover and Jeremiah Cromwell at Oyster river; later they killed Joseph Ham at Dover, carrying off his three children. Next Tristram Heard was killed. In the spring of 1705 the Indians made a descent on Oyster river and Nathanial Meader was shot while in his field.
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Some Quakers who did not share in the ideas of war and who lived out on Knox marsh, were singled out for attack, as they would not go to the garrisons. Ebenezer Downs was taken and used very roughly because he would not dance before the Indians. John Hanson was urged repeatedly to come to the garrisons but he would not, so the French Mohawks singled him out. One day when Hanson and his eldest daughter were away at church, the two eldest boys out in the field and the wife at home with four children, the time they had been waiting for, the Indians went to the house and killed the younger children, took the wife and a fourteen-day old infant with the nurse and two other daughters and a young son and carried them into cap- tivity, after sacking the house. This was so quietly done that the first to dis- cover it was the eldest daughter when she returned home and beheld the horrible sight. The alarm was given. Mrs. Hanson was at the time at the edge of the woods but could not cry out. She was taken to Canada and sold. She has left a very forceful history of that journey.
Mrs. Hanson was a woman of slight build and tender constitution. But she had a firm and vigorous mind, and passed through the Indian captivity with much resolution and courage. When her milk gave out she nourished her babe by warming water in her mouth, and letting it fall on her breasts fed the child, until the squaws taught her how to beat the kernels of walnuts and boil them with husked corn, which proved a nourishing food for the baby. They were all sold to the French in Canada. Hanson went the next spring and redeemed his wife and three young children and the nurse, but could not the eldest daughter, although he saw her and talked with her. She married a Frenchman and never returned. He redeemed Elizabeth Downs. Hanson made another trip, but died at Crown Point on his way to Canada.
Hanson after the first attack went to live with another Quaker who had several lusty sons "who kept the guns loaded for big game." After Hanson had returned to his old home the Indians determined to make another attack, watching for a favorable opportunity. They secreted themselves in a barn when three men went by. The Indians fired and killed William Evans; Benja- min and John Evans being slightly wounded, but bleeding freely. The Indians, thinking John dead, scalped him, turned him over and pounded him with their guns and left him. He was taken to the fort where he recovered and lived fifty years longer. The Indians made their escape, taking Benjamin Evans as a captive. He was at this time thirteen years old and was later redeemed in the usual way, September 25, 1725.
This was the last foray into Dover, New Hampshire, as three months later a treaty was signed at Boston and in the spring was ratified at Falmouth, 1726. After peace was declared, the Indians often visited the very homes they had despoiled. The treaty was ratified by Governor Drummer and Wenamouit, sachem and sagamore of the Penobscots.
CHAPTER XVI
HISTORY OF DOVER (XII)
DOVER IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
The sympathies of Dover in the Revolutionary struggle were almost with- out exception upon the patriotic side. It had few office holders to sympa- thize with their employers. The teachings of Rev. Jeremy Belknap from the pulpit were bold and inspiring.
The first utterance which is found from Doctor Belknap bearing upon the subject which was beginning to enlist the thoughts of our fathers occurs in a sermon which he preached November 10, 1772, before His Majesty's Governor, John Wentworth, Esq., at a review of the Second Regiment of Foot in Dover. New Hampshire had been inured to military service through its long period of war with the Indians. An old law required every male inhabitant from sixteen to sixty years of age to own a musket, bayonet, knap- sack, cartridge-box, one pound of powder, twenty bullets, and twelve flints. This militia was organized into companies and regiments, and subject to fre- quent drills. The muster-day and the review was a great occasion. Dover was a center of this military stir. At this gathering here in November, 1772, the royal Governor, John Wentworth, came up from Portsmouth. Captain Walderne, a member of this church, and a staunch friend of his pastor, had invited Doctor Belknap to preach to the troops. The subject chosen by the preacher was, "Military Duty." In the course of the sermon he spoke as follows on the necessity of self-defense:
"Has the all-wise and merciful Parent of the universe furnished the brute and reptile creation with the necessary instruments of defense, and does the instinct which he has implanted in them prompt them to make use of these weapons for their own subsistence and security ? and has He not implanted in mankind a natural courage or martial spirit and given them skill and power to provide themselves with all the necessary instruments of defense, and can it be supposed that we must make no use of these gifts of nature, even when Providence points out the necessity ? Do we guard our fields from devouring beasts, our houses and bodies from the rigors of the weather, and shall we not have the privilege of defending our lives, our liberties, our property, our
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families, our civil government from hostile invaders? Must we tamely yield to every lawless usurper and suffer tyrants to sport with the lives and estates of mankind? Must all these laws, which the wisdom and experience of ages have founded, must the sacred bonds of society, the peace, the welfare, the happiness of mankind be sacrificed to the impetuous rage of a foreign con- queror ? Forbid it, reason and conscience; forbid it, ye heroic worthies of old, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens."
The officers of the Second Regiment of Foot were so pleased with this address that they asked a copy for the press.
The General Assembly of New Hampshire was in session in May this year, 1774. Conformably to the proceedings of the Assemblies of other colonies, the representatives in this province appointed a Committee of Cor- respondence. Governor Wentworth interfered. He adjourned the Assen- bly. The members met again. The Governor with a sheriff came among them. He declared their meeting illegal. The sheriff made proclamation for all persons to disperse and keep the king's peace. The members met again, and determined to send letters to all the towns and parishes in the Province, requesting them to send deputies to a convention at Exeter, who should choose delegates to a General Congress to meet at Philadelphia. This was the first movement for rallying the whole of the people of New Hampshire in the great contest. Attached to this most important letter to the several towns was this brief proclamation: "Considering the Distressing situation of our public affairs, Thursday, the 14th inst., is recommended to be kept as a day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer through this Province."
The day was observed here in Dover with special religious solemnity. On that occasion, July 14, 1774, Doctor Belknap preached a sermon which bears this title, "On Account of the Difficulties of the King." The text was from I Sam. viii. 18: "And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day." A most pertinent text. In this sermon he says :
"It is, my brethren, a very dark day to these American colonies. Burdens and taxes are laid upon us by the Parliament of Great Britain, and the most forcible attempts are made to bring us to a submission, and what further is intended we know not, but we have reason to fear much, considering how highly they are incensed against us, and what power they have to carry their determination into execution. * * When a ruler departs from these * principles, and sets up any other rule of government than the laws and Consti- tution which he is sworn to maintain, then the government degenerates into tyranny."
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Perhaps the most remarkable passage in this noble sermon is the following :
"Would it not be astonishing to hear that a people who are contending so earnestly for liberty are not willing to allow liberty to others ? Is it not aston- ishing to think that there are at this day, in the several colonies upon this continent, some thousands of men, women, and children detained in bond- age and slavery for no other crime than that their skin is of a darker color than our own? Such is the inconsistency of our conduct! As we have made them slaves without their consent and without any crime, so it is just in God to permit other men to make slaves of us."
The tidings of the battle of Lexington reached Belknap at Dover Point, as he was on his way home from Portsmouth. He sent from the Point the following note to his wife:
"Before you receive this you will hear the awful news by the express I met just now at the ferry of the devastation the troops have made at Concord and the commencement of a civil war, which makes it absolutely necessary that I should proceed immediately to Boston, if it is not in ashes before I get there. I shall try and get a chaise at Greenland. As necessity has no law, the people must excuse my absence next Sabbath if I should not return before it."
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