USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Boscawen > The history of Boscawen and Webster [N.H.] from 1733 to 1878 > Part 6
USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Webster > The history of Boscawen and Webster [N.H.] from 1733 to 1878 > Part 6
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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
42
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1746.
the soldier is not found. They having but a few soldiers at the fort, have not as yet sought much for him. I am going with all possible expedition & am
" Your Excellency's most humble & most dutiful Subject & servant JOHN GOFFE " Pennycook about 2 of the clock in the Morning, My 5th 1746."
Goffe kept on the scout two weeks, but, as was afterwards known, the Indians hastened to Canada with Jones and the cap- tives taken at Hopkinton. The people of Contoocook little knew that all through Sunday after the attack at Hopkinton the Ind- ians were secreted on the." Mountain," looking down upon the garrison ; that they saw the people as they marched to meeting, each man shouldering his gun. The Indians, in numbers, were as many as the settlers, but did not dare attempt a surprise.
Capt. Goffe went up the Merrimack, probably, as far as Ply- mouth. He was gone from Derryfield twenty days. He made a second scout, and was gone thirteen days, but saw no Indians, for the reason that they had hastened to Canada with their cap- tives.
The attack at Clay hill was in the ravine near the crossing of Cold brook, but in the vicinity of the present brick-yards.
In early days it was popularly supposed that the blood-stains of a murdered man never could be effaced ; and fifty years ago there were persons in town who could discern the identical stains up- on the rocks, made by the blood of Thomas Cook. Persons of a cooler temperament and less vivid imaginations never were quite able, however, to distinguish the blood-stains from those produced by the oxidation of the rock.
On the 27th of June the Indians made an attack on Rochester, killing four men and capturing two. This attack, so near Ports- mouth, produced great alarm. Capt. Drake, of Hampton, was or- dered out with his company to protect Nottingham. Capt. An- drew Todd, of Londonderry, with twenty-three men, was ordered to Canterbury ; while Capt. Daniel Todd, of Exeter, with thirty men, was ordered to Contoocook. Ladd was ordered out for three months. He marched on from Exeter on the 14th of July. His elerk, Abner Clough, kept a journal, from which we have a clear account of Capt. Ladd's movements.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
1746.]
ABNER CLOUGH'S JOURNAL.
The company left Exeter July 14, reached Rumford (Concord) on the 19th, and on the 21st marched to Canterbury. The marches of the 23d, 24th, and 25th are thus narrated :
" On the 23d day took 10 more men-marched to Contoocook-so ranged about the town, & at night set out several scouts in & near the houses near the fort, but made no discovery.
"On the 24th day enlisted two more men. Early in the morning marched about 2 miles & discovered a fire, but as we found out was made by Contoocook men 3 days before. And we thought by the look of the fire that the Indians had been there & but a little while gone. Then we marched about half a mile & then we discovered Indian tracks very plain. And from there marched to a place called Contoocook pond [Great pond], & scouted round about the Pond, but could make no discovery. And from thence to Blackwater falls. And one of our men says he saw an Indian very plain as he was some distance from the Scout, as he saith. And we ranged about but could make no fur- ther discovery, then marched over several brooks & low places, but could make no discovery, & so marched to a river called Currier Sarge river & found some camps supposed to be Indian camps, & there camped in the Intervale. And it rained hard all night. This days march about 17 miles.
" On the 25th, marched to a pond called Almsbury Pond [Tucker's pond] & ranged about said pond, made no discovery, & from there marched to Contoocook falls, & scouted up & down the river & made no discovery ; and crossed the river & marched to a place called Hopkinton [near Hopkinton village] & there camped about the farther end of the town & that Fort where there were eight persons taken & captivated, but we could make no late discovery there, then we marched down about 2 miles towards Rumford to another garrison, where the people were deserted from & there made a halt. Then scouted round a field, then went into the Garrison & in a cellar found a mare and two colts, which we took them out of the cellar alive. It was supposed by the scouts in general that the said horses had been in the cellar 10 days & been put in by the Indians. We also discovered some part of a dead creature supposed to have been killed by the Indians & left. At night marched to Rumford & camped. This day's march about 16 miles." -N. II. IIist. Soc. Col., Vol. IV.
The route taken by Capt. Ladd evidently was from the foot of King street across Cold brook, and towards Great pond. It is probable that a path had been opened in that direction during
44
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1746.
the thirteen years that the town had been settled. Whether Capt. Ladd passed round the pond to the south, or to the north, or whether the Blackwater falls were those directly west of the pond, or the falls at Sweatt's mills, or by Burbank's mill, can only be conjectured ; but the probabilities are that the "falls " were those directly west of the pond, and the route of the company was along the southern shore.
It is also evident that the route from the falls was directly up the river to West Salisbury. What stream Currier Sarge river may have been is not certain,-whether the mountain brook that empties into the Blackwater through the West Salisbury mead- ows, or the Blackwater itself; quite likely the latter. Abner Clough was wholly unacquainted with the country, and may not have clearly understood that Blackwater falls were upon Black- water river.
KEARSARGE MOUNTAIN.
This reference to Currier Sarge is one of the first on record. The Indians called the mountain Cowissewaschook. This name is given on Captain Holland's map, printed in London, 1784, also the name "Kyar Sargu Mt."
Although much has been written in regard to the orthography of the word, there is as yet nothing satisfactory in regard to its origin. From the fact that Abner Clough writes it "Currier Sarge," it is evident that the name was well known at that early date.
" Almsbury pond " is clearly Tucker's pond, in the north-east corner of Warner. The town of Warner had been granted in 1735 to proprietors mainly resident in Amesbury, Mass., and the grant was called Amesbury. The plot had been surveyed, but no settlement was made till 1749, when four log houses were erected at the present village of Davisville, but never were permanently occupied. They were subsequently burned by the Indians. No other attempt was made to settle the town till 1764.
The route of Capt. Ladd from Tucker's pond was down the Amesbury or Warner river to Contoocookville, and thence to Hopkinton village.
The Indians were accustomed to frequent the falls on the rivers to catch salmon, and hence the movements of Capt. Ladd to their favorite haunts.
OM Pearson for.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
1746.]
Captain Ladd went from Penacook to the Suncook valley, to Epsom, Nottingham, and Exeter, where he arrived July 31st, and dismissed his men till the 5th of August, when he started on a second expedition. He reached Penacook on the 10th. On the 11th occurred the massacre at Penacook, on the road leading to Hopkinton, in which Samuel Bradley, Jonathan Bradley, Obadiah Peters, John Lufkin, and John Bean were killed, and Alex- ander Roberts and Win. Stickney taken prisoners. Daniel Gil- man escaped, and gave the alarm at the Penacook garrison.
Capt. Ladd scoured the country. We quote from Clough's jour- nal of his movements in Canterbury and Contoocook :
" On the 17th day on Sunday, marched to Canterbury, & went to meeting some part of the day. And on the 18th day went down to the Intervale in order to guard some people about some work, but it rained all day.
" On the 19th went to the Intervale to guard some people about some work. We guarded some & scouted some. And on the 20th day it rained in the forenoon. And in the afternoon we scouted some in the woods but made no discovery. But Capt. Talford, with his men discov- ered where there had laid some Indians in ambush, & also found where some Indians had roasted some corn. And ou the 21st went down to the lower end of the Town, to guard some people about some work.
" On the 22d went down to the lower end of the Town to guard some people-but made no discovery.
" On the 23d day early in the morning, marched away from the fort in order to go to the Intervale to guard some people about some work ; but when we had marched about half a mile from the fort, we marched across a field & found where there lay two Indians & had but just gone, for the grass seemed to rise up after them. We ranged about the woods after them ; but found where several more lay & where they run off. We supposed that these two Indians lay there for spies. We went to the Intervale & guarded some people about work & made no other discovery.
" And on the 24th day, on Sunday, marched along across the woods to the upper end of Canterbury lower Intervale & there crossed the river and from there to Contoocook mills, & from there ranged along the woods to the backside of Contoocook mountain, And there ranged in a single rank where there were several likely places for lookout for en- emies-And Capt. Ladd fell down and hurt his leg-something, But we could make no late discovery of the enemy. And at night returned to Canterbury Fort."
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CIVIL HISTORY.
[1747.
Capt. Ladd extended his protection as far east as Rochester, and continued in service till the close of September.
PROPRIETORS' MEETING.
Dec. 15. Meeting of proprietors at Contoocook.
"Voted to raise £240 old tenor to pay ministerial and other expenses."
Voted to petition " the great & General Court of this Province praying that the Honorable Court would be pleased to take our distressed case under their most prudent consideration relating to the war."
A fort was built, during the year 1746, on the Winnepisaukee river, near what is now Union Bridge, in Sanbornton, called Fort Atkinson. Two forts were also built in the Connecticut valley ; Fort Dummer, at Hinsdale, and the other, " No. 4," at Charlestown.
PETITION OF CONTOOCOOK, PENACOOK, AND CANTERBURY FOR PROTECTION FROM INDIANS.
" To his excellency Benning Wentworth Esq Captain General Governor & Commander in chief in & over His Majesty's Province of New Hampshire,
"To his Honorable, his Majesty's Council & House of Representa- tives in General Assembly Conveined the 12th day of Sept 1747
" The Petition of Phineas Stevens, Ebenezer Eastman & Jeremiah Clough in behalf of themselves & the inhabitants of Contoocook, Penny- cook & Canterbury in said Province most humbly shews :
" That the said Place are frontiers & lay open and exposed unto the French & Indian Enemy.
"That they are not able to protect & defend themselves in case of a vigorous attack from the Enemy, which they have reason to fear may be the case as soon as there shall be snow sufficient to travel on snow shoes.
" That unless they are protected the Inhabitants will be under a ne- cessity to break up & leave their habitations & so consequently the fron- tier will be best nearer.
"That your Petitioners humbly conceive it will be much better for the Province to have those places Protected than to have them broken up.
" Wherefore your Petitioners humbly pray your Excellency & Honor
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CIVIL HISTORY.
1747.]
to take their petition under wise consideration & be pleased to grant such a number of men for each of the before mentioned places & for such time as your Excellency & Honors shall seem most and reason- able, your Petitioners in duty bound shall ever pray.
PHINEAS STEVENS
EBENEZER EASTMAN JEREMIAH CLOUGHI
" In Council Nov 12, 1747 " Read & sent down to the House,
THEODORE ATKINSON
Secy "
PROPRIETORS' MEETINGS.
June 30. Joseph Coffin, Joseph Gerrish, and Moses Gerrish were chosen a committee "to lay before his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq &c & honorable Court of his Majestie's province of New Hampshire the circumstances of said plantation as soon as may be convenient."
Nov. 17. Raised &250 old tenor for the ministry and other expenses.
Voted that the expenses of the meeting be paid by the whole proprietors. The expense amounted to 40s. old tenor-about $1.50.
Joseph Gerrish was authorized to petition the General Conrt to invest the proprietors with power to gather the taxes levied on the proprietors of Contoocook that lived on the plantation. Up to this time there had been much difficulty in collecting the taxes of non-residents, and further legislation was necessary.
Joseph Coffin was allowed £9 10s. old tenor for his services in presenting the petition of 1747 to the "Great & General Court."
PETITION.
" To His excellency Benning Wentworth &c
" The Petition of the Proprietors of the Plantation called Contoocook in the Province of New Hampshire humbly sheweth :
" That your Petitioners have had a minister of the Gospel settled among them for about the space of seven years. That notwithstanding the Difficulties arrising from the War he hitherto has continued at said Plantation and would still continue there if supported & maintained by the Proprietors. That for want of a Law to Enable and Impower the
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CIVIL HISTORY.
[1747.
said Proprietors to Raise money & Collect the same for the support of the minister there the Burden thereof lyeth on a few wherefore your Petitioners most humbly pray your excellency and Honors that by a special act they may be authorized and Impowered thereunto and that not only the Lands of Residents but also of the Non Resident Proprie- tors may be rated towards the support of the ministry there for such time and in such Proportion as shall be judged reasonable by your ex- cellency and Honors, & Your Petitioners will ever pray for the Grant- ing of said petition.
JOSEPH COFFIN
for & in behalf of the Committee of said Proprietors "Nov 13, 1747
" In Council read & concurred and ordered to be sent down to the Honorable House.
THEODORE ATKINSON
Secry."
CONCORD GRIST-MILL.
The nearest grist-mill was that at Rumford, owned by Henry Lovejoy and Barachias Farnum, and situated at Millville. The depredations of the Indians caused its abandonment ; whereupon a petition was addressed to Gov. Wentworth, by the citizens of Contoocook, Canterbury, and Rumford, for a company of soldiers to protect it.
" To His Excellency &c
" The petition of the subscribers Inhabitants of Rumford Canterbury & Contoocook Humbly sheweth :
" That we especially at the two last named places are greatly dis- tressed for want of suitable Grist mills; that Henry Lovejoy has at great expense erected a good mill at a place most advantageously situated to accommodate the three towns; that it is the only mill in all the three towns that stands under the command of the guns of the garrison ; that the ill consequences of abandoning the said garrison the year past has been severely felt by us; that the said Lovejoy appears desirous of residing there again provided he might be favored with such a number of soldiers as just to keep his garrison with a tolerable de- gree of safety & that as additional encouragement to us to appear as petitioners on his behalf to your Excellency & Honors to grant our said petition, he will become engaged with all convenient sped to erect a forge for the making of Bar Iron which may stand under the command of the said garrison; which undertaking would be probably vastley ad- vantageous to all the towns & plantations up this way, as well as the general interest of the Province."
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CIVIL HISTORY.
1748.]
The petition was signed by 36 citizens of Rumford, 18 of Can- terbury, and 17 of Contoocook. Their names are
Stephen Gerrish,
William Emery,
John Towle,
Joel Manuel,
George Jackman,
John Flanders,
Richard Jackman,
Philip Flanders,
Richard Flood,
Stephen Call,
Jacob Flanders,
Rev. Phineas Stevens,
William Peters,
Nathaniel Malloon,
Philip Caul,
William Danford.
John Corser,
The petition bears date Jan., 1747-8-meaning January, 1748.
LORDS PROPRIETORS.
Although the settlers had received their grant in due form from the government of Massachusetts, they suddenly found themselves confronted by a prior claim,-one advanced by the heirs-at-law of Capt. John Mason, of England, a powerful body of men known as Lords Proprietors. It was the old question of juris- diction, not between the colonies, but between those in actual possession and those who claimed possession.
At a meeting held February 1, Moses Gerrish, Joseph Coffin, and John Brown were appointed to make terms with the claim- ants. The heirs of Mason had sold their claim to all lands in the colony to twelve persons for the sum of £1,500, and these twelve persons were called the Lords Proprietors-composed of some of the nobility of England. Quite likely the purchasers were looking to their own aggrandizement when they made the purchase ; pos- sibly they may have entertained the idea that they could compel those in possession to pay a second time for their lands; but the resolute attitude taken by the plantations soon dispelled all such illusions, if they had been entertained. They prudently abandoned all attempts to recover damages in towns east of the Merrimack, but still laid claim to those west of that stream.
The committee opened negotiations, which continued till 1753, when the lords proprietors, probably thinking that little could be recovered, honorably gave a quit-claim deed, and the settlers remained in possession of the lands.
A cessation of hostilities had been agreed upon between France 4
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CIVIL HISTORY.
[1748.
and England, but the settlers relaxed none of their vigilance, in regard to the Indians, during the year. Most of them lived in or near the garrison.
THE BEGINNING OF RELIGIOUS DISSENT.
At the meeting of the proprietors, held May 25, £250 was raised for the support of the ministry. One of the proprietors, Samuel Fowler, Esq., entered his dissent against such an appro- priation of money. Mr. Fowler espoused the cause of the Friends, and his dissent did not lie in any factious opposition to preaching. He was a worthy gentleman-had the welfare of the settlement at heart-but he was opposed to all union of church and state, and conscientiously desired a separation of civil and ecclesiastical affairs. He was a proprietor, residing at Newbury, though at a later period he removed to Contoocook. He entered his protest, but paid his money, and doubtless rejoiced that the people could have preaching; but he wanted voluntary and not compulsory action. Fifty years later the whole community came to the same conclusion.
Nov. 30. A meeting of the proprietors was held at John Mancher's tavern, in Newbury. A committee, consisting of Ben- jamin Lunt, Henry Rolfe, Jr., John Brown, and Capt. Joseph Gerrish, was chosen to settle with Joseph Willet and Benjamin Pettengill, former collectors, "and examine how much they have paid Reverend Mr. Phineas Stevens in their collection." The committee was empowered to settle with Mr. Stevens, and report at the next meeting.
.
1750.]
CHAPTER IV.
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
HE annual meeting of the proprietors was held at Contoo- cook, May 24. The chief item of interest was the report of the committee appointed in November to settle with Rev. Mr. Stevens. It appears that Mr. Stevens had been paid his salary in bills of credit. Technically, he had received his due; but the bills of credit had greatly depreciated, and the high-minded citi- zens felt that he was justly entitled to remuneration. He prefer- red no claim; but higher than any legal claim was the moral obligation to do justly. The settlers and proprietors fully recog- nized it. The committee reported as follows :
" That by reason of the depreciation of the bills of credit in which Mr Steven's salary had been paid he has a just claim on them for in- demnity & that £300 Old tenor be paid him."
HONORABLE ACTION.
Samuel Fowler, Esq., before mentioned, entered his protest in writing. It was, as before, a question of conscience-the severing of church and state-with him, not of hostility to Mr. Stevens, or of indifference to the claims of religion, or the benefits arising from a settled ministry. It was a protest for a vital principle.
The proprietors recognized Mr. Fowler's right of protestation, and also his rights of conscience. They at once abated his tax, thus showing their own liberal principles. They were in no sense bigots, but in this year-1750-recognized the great principle of individual freedom, fifty years in advance of its recognition by the community at large.
Mr. Fowler soon after moved from Newbury to Contoocook, and
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CIVIL HISTORY.
[1752.
became a useful, public-spirited, liberal citizen. Although taxes for the support of the minister were afterwards assessed upon him, it was as a matter of form, in compliance with the law, and they were uniformly abated. Mr. Fowler was a lawyer-the first of the profession in the town.
The proprietors had already petitioned to be incorporated as a town, but the petition had not been granted. A second applica- tion was made during the year, but without success.
May 22, 1751. The proprietors met, and chose the usual offi- cers, and voted to open a way to the upper intervale-the way now used, leading from King street, a short distance south of the present meeting-house on the Plain.
The proprietors were assessed ten shillings, old tenor. A tax was levied sufficient to pay the salary of Mr. Stevens for the year.
THE SECOND FORT.
1
1752. The chief item of interest in the call for the annual meeting of the proprietors was the erection of a second fort. The meeting was held May 20, and the following vote was passed :
" Voted to raise £200 old tenor to be laid out in building a garrison or fort & to be built forthwith and to be set on Samuel Gerrish's lot which was originally laid out unto Richard Greenough said fort to be one hundred & ten feet Square or otherwise as the committee shall Judge allowing said building to cover the land."
The sum of £100 was raised to fortify Rev. Mr. Stevens's house.
This second fort was erected on the hill near the house occu- pied by Prof. Jackman. Mr. Stevens's house stood upon the site of that at present occupied by Mr. Jacob Hosmer.
Messrs. Stephen Gerrish, Jacob Flanders, and Richard Jackman were placed in charge of the work. It is probable that this forti- fication stood on the site of the smaller fort, erected during the previous troubles, on Mr. Jackman's land.
SABATIS AND PLANSAWA.
The Indians accustomed to frequent the Merrimack valley were the Arosaguntacook tribe, or the St. Francis Indians, many of whom had accepted Christianity from the Jesuit fathers, with St.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
1752.]
Francis as their patron saint. Their Christianity was not very deep : it did not touch the heart or life, but was an exchange of " Medicines." The Virgin Mary and St. Francis became their new "Medicines."
Since 1749 they had been on friendly terms with the settlers at Contoocook and Canterbury, came and went at their pleasure, and were kindly treated. Two of them, Sabatis and Plansawa, were frequent visitors. Their names, doubtless, are corruptions. Sa-batis is the Indian pronunciation of Jean Baptiste; while Plansawa, or, more correctly, Plawnsawa, is the Indian form of François. The St. Francis tribe used P instead of S, and L in- stead of R, in their attempts to pronounce the names given them by the Jesuit fathers. Ballard-N. H. Hist. Soc., viii, 443.
The settlers of the Connectient valley were making prepara- tions to occupy the rich meadows of the great "ox-bow," at Hav- erhill and Newbury, ascending the Connecticut from "No. 4," Charlestown; and the Indians, jealous of what they regarded an encroachment upon their domain, threatened retaliation. Sud- denly Sabatis and Plansawa disappeared, carrying off as prison- ers two slaves,-one belonging to Mr. Miles, and the other to Mr. Lindsey, of Canterbury. One of the negroes made his escape, while the other was taken to Crown Point, and sold to a French officer.
BEGINNING OF TROUBLES.
At this time the sturdy frontiersmen engaged in hunting dur- ing the autumn and winter months. Among others who passed through Contoocook to the upper Merrimack, and its tributaries and connecting ponds, were John and William Stark, of Derry- field ; also, David Stinson and Amos Eastman. John Stark was twenty-six years old, having been born on August 28, 1728. The four hunters proceeded up Baker's river to the present town of Rumney. They discovered an Indian trail, and decided to leave the locality. John went out, on April 28, to take up his traps. While thus engaged, he found himself surrounded by Ind- ians. He made no attempt to escape, and gave himself up with- out resistance. The Indians asked him to lead the way to the camp, and he took them in the opposite direction. The other hunters, alarmed at his absence, started down the river. The
.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
[1752.
Indians, discovering the trick John had played them, hastened down the valley, and intercepted the hunters the next morning at daybreak. Eastman was on the shore, and was at once captured. William Stark and Stinson were in a boat. The river, though swollen by melting snows, is at the best a small stream, and a stroke of the paddle would carry the boat to either shore. John called to them, and told them to leap to the other bank. William obeyed, and escaped : Stinson was killed while in the boat. The bullet aimed at William missed him, but passed through the pad- dle which he held, for John had fearlessly struck aside the gun in the hands of the Indian. William arrived in Contoocook the next day, and gave the alarm. A party went up from Contoocook and Rumford, and found Stinson's body, stripped of its clothes, and scalped. The Indians had fled. The party returned in safety, bringing the paddle which had been pierced by the ball aimed at William. John was taken to Canada, where, when called upon to run the gauntlet, he seized a cudgel from the hands of the nearest Indian, swung it right and left, and laid about him so lustily that, instead of beating him, they made all haste to escape his blows. Such intrepidity made him a great favorite. He was set to work with the squaws to hoe corn; but he cut up corn and weeds alike, and ended the matter by throwing the hoe into the river. That pleased the Indians, and he had a light cap- tivity, which ended in August following.
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