USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire. Comprehending the events of one complete century and seventy-five years from the discovery of the River Pascataqua to the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, Vol 2 > Part 15
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Printed treaty.
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HISTORY OF
them by the French, were a fubject of com- plaint, both here and in Europe.
1751. Shirley's letters and Speeches.
It was forefeen that this controverfy could not be decided but by the fword ; and the Englith determined to be early in their pre- parations. The Earl of Holdernefs, Secre- tary of State, wrote to the Governors of the American Colonies, recommending union for their mutual protection and defence. A meeting of Commiffioners from the Colonies, at Albany, having been appointed, for the purpofe of holding a conference with the Six Nations, on the fubject of French en- , croachments, within their country ; it was propofed, by Governor Shirley, to the feveral Governors, that the delegates fhould be in- ftructed on the fubject of union.
June 19.
A kinfon's MS. Jour- nal.
At the place appointed, the Congrefs was held ; confifting of delegates from Maffachu- fetts, New-Hampfhire, Rhode-Ifland, Con- necticut, Pennfylvania and Maryland ; with the Lieutenant Governor and Council of New-York. They took their rank in geo- graphical order, beginning at the north. One member from each Colony was appointed to draw a plan of union ; Hutchinfon of Maf- fachufetts, Atkinfon of New-Hampfhire, Hopkins of Rhode-Ifland, Pitkin of Connec- ticut, Smith of New-York, Franklin of Penn- fylvania, and Tafker of Maryland. The fub- ftance of the plan was, that application be made, for an act of Parliament, to form a grand Council, confifting of delegates from the feveral legiflative Affemblies, fubject to the control of a Prefident-General, to be ap- pointed by the Crown, with a negative voice. That this Council fhould enact general laws ;
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apportion the quotas of men and money, to be raifed by each Colony ; determine the building of forts ; regulate the operations of armies ; and concert all meafures for the common protection and fafety. The dele- gates of Connecticut alone, entered their dif- fent to the plan, becaufe of the negative voice of the Prefident-General. It is worthy of remark, that this plan, for the union of the Colonies, was agreed to, on the fourtb day of July ; exactly twenty-two years before the declaration of American Independence, and that the name of FRANKLIN appears in both .*
With the plan of union, a reprefentation was made to the King, of the danger in which the Colonies were involved. Copies of both were laid before the feveral Affemblies. They were fully fenfible of their danger from the French ; but they apprehended greater'danger from the plan of union. Its fate was fingular. It was rejected in America, becaufe it was fup- pofed to put too much power into the hands of the King ; and it was rejected in England, be- caufe it was fuppofed to give too much power to the Affemblies of the Colonies. The min- iftry made another propofal ; that the Gov- ernor, with one or two members of the Coun- Examina- cil, of each Colony, fhould affemble, and con- fult for the common defence, and draw on the British treafury for the fums expended ; which fhould be raifed by a general tax, laid
* At this Congrefs, a prefent from the Crown was diftributed to the lodians. The Cominiffioners of NewHampshire, Atkinfon, Wibird, Sherburne and Weare, by direction of the Affembly, made them a fep- arate prefent. It is a cuffom among the Six Nations, to give a NAME to their benefactors on fuch occafions. The name which they gave to the Province of New Hampshire was So-fagmax-owane. I have inquired of the Rev. Mr. Kirkland, the meaning of this name : He informed me that So fignifies, AGAIN ; Jaguar a Drsu ; and ouane, LARGE.
175.1.
Franklin's
tion. 1766
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1754. by Parliament, on the Colonies. But this was not a time to pufh fuch an alarming in- novation ; and when it was found impracti- cable, the miniftry determined to employ their own troops, to fight their battles in America, rather than to let the Colonifts feel their own ftrength, and be directed by their own Counfels.
To draw fome aid however from the Co- lonies was neceffary. Their militia might ferve as guards, or rangers, or laborers, or do garrifon duty, or be employed in other infe- rior offices ; but Britifh troops, commanded · by Britifh officers, muft have the honor of redu- cing the French dominions in North America.
The favage nations in the French intereft were always ready, on the firft appearance of a rupture, to take up the hatchet. It was the policy of the French government, to encour- age their depredations, on the frontiers of the Englifh Colonies, to which they had a native antipathy. By this means, the French could make their enemies pay the whole expenfe of a war; for all the fupplies, which they af- forded to the Indians, were amply compenfa- ted, by the ranfom of captives. In thefe la- ter wars, therefore, we find the favages more dextrous in taking captives, and more tender of them when taken, than in former wars ; which were carried on with circumftances of greater cruelty.
No fooner had the alarm of hoftilities, which commenced between the Englith and French, in the weftern part of Virginia, fpread through the continent; than the Indians renewed their attacks on the frontiers of New-Hampfhire. A party of them made an affault, on a family
Aug. 15.
IT Im
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at Baker's-town, on Pemigewaffet river; where 1754. they killed a woman, and took feveral cap- tives. Within three days they killed a man Aug 18. and woman at Steven's town in the fame neighbourhood ; upon which the fettlements Council were broken up, and the people retired to the minutes. lower towns for fafety, and the government was obliged to poft foldiers in the deferted places. After a few days more, they broke Aug. 29. into the houfe of James Johnfon, at Number- four, early in the morning, before any of the family were awake ; and took him, with his wife and three children, her fifter Miriam Willard, and two men, Peter Laboree and Eb- enezer Farnfworth. The furprifal was com- Okott's plete and bloodlefs, and they carried them off undifturbed. The next day Johnfon's wife was delivered of a daughter, who from the circumftance of its birth was named Captive. The Indians halted one day, on the woman's account, and the next day refumed their march ; carrying her on a litter, which they made for the purpofe, and afterwards put her on horfe-back. On their march, they were dif- treffed for provifion ; and killed the horfe for food ; the infant was nourifhed, by fucking pieces of its flefh. When they arrived at Montreal, Johnfon obtained a parole, of two months, to return and folicit the means of re- demption. He applied to the Affembly of New-Hampfhire, and after fome delay obtain- ed one hundred and fifty pounds fterling. Dec. 19 But the feafon was fo far advanced, and the Affembly winter proved fo fevere, that he did not reach Records. Canada till the fpring. He was then charg- ed with breaking his parole ; a great part of his money was taken from him by violence ;
MS. letter.
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الله يحبه ؟
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HISTORY OF
1754. and, he was fhut up with his family in prif- on; where they took the fmall pox, which they happily furvived. After eighteen months, the woman, with her fifter, and two daughters, were fent in a cartel fhip to England ; and thence returned to Bofton. Johnfon was kept in prifon three years ; and then, with his fon, returned and met his wife in Bofton ; where he had the fingular ill fortune, to be fufpect- ed of defigns unfriendly to his country, and was again imprifoned ; but no evidence be- ing produced againft him, he was liberated. His eldeft daughter was retained in a Cana- dian nunnery.
The fort and fettlement at Number-four, being in an expofed fituation, required affift- ance and fupport. It had been built by Maf- fachufetts when it was fuppofed to be with- in its limits. It was projected by Colonel Stoddard, of Northampton, and was well fit- uated, in connection with the other forts, on . the weftern frontier, to command all the paths . by which the Indians travelled from Canada to New-England. It was now evidently in New-Hampshire ; and Shirley, by advice of his Council, applied to Wentworth, recom- mending the future maintenance of that poft, to the care of his Aflembly ; but they did not think themfelves interefted in its prefer- vation, and refufed to make any provifion for it. The inhabitants made feveral appli- cations for the fame purpofe ; but were uni- formly difappointed. They then made preff- ing remonftrances to the Affembly of Maf- fachufetts, who fent foldiers for the defence of that poft, and of Fort Dummer, till 1757; when they fuppofed that the commander in
Shirley's MS. letters.
Maffachuf. Records.
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chief of the King's forces would take them 1754. under his care, as royal garrifons. It was alfo recommended to the Affembly of New- Hampfhire to build a fort at Cohos ; but this propofal met the fame fate.
The next fpring, three expeditions were undertaken againft the French forts. One againft Fort Duquefne, on the Ohio, was conducted by General Braddock ; who was defeated and flain. Another againft Niagara, by Governor Shirley, which mifcarried ; and a third againft Crown Point, by General John- fon. For this laft expedition, New-Hamp- fhire raifed five hundred men, and put them under the command of Col. Jofeph Blanch- ard. The Governor ordered them to Con- necticut river, to build a fort at Cohos, fup- pofing it to be in their way to Crown Point. They firft marched to Baker's-town, where they began to build batteaux, and confumed time and provifions to no purpofe. By Shir- ley's advice they quitted that futile employ- ment, and made a fatiguing march through the woods, by the way of Number-four, to Albany. Whilft Johnfon lay encamped at Lake George, with his other forces, he poft- ed the New-Hampfhire regiment at Fort Ed- ward. On the eighth of September, he was attacked in his camp, by Baron Diefkau, com- manding a body of French regular troops, Canadians and Savages. On the morning of that day, a fcouting party from Fort Edward difcovered waggons burning in the road ; upon which Captain Nathaniel Folfom was ordered out, with eighty of the New-Hamp- fhire regiment, and forty of New-York un- der Capt, McGennis. When they came to the E E
1755.
Sept. 8:
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HISTORY OF
1755. place, they found the waggoners and the cat- tle dead ; but no enemy was there. Hear- ing the report of guns, toward the lake, they hafted thither ; and having approached within two miles, found the baggage of the French army, under the care of a guard, whom they attacked and difperfed. When
the retreating army of Diefkau appeared, Follom's informa- zion. about four of the clock in the afternoon, Fol- fom pofted his men among the trees, and kept up a well directed fire, till night ; the enemy retired, with great lofs, and he made his way to the camp, carrying his own wounded, and feveral French prifoners, with many of the enemy's packs. This well-timed engage- printed let- ment, in which but fix men on our fide were Johnfon's ter, loft, deprived the French army of their am- munition and baggage ; the remains of which were brought into camp the next day. After this, the regiment of New-Hampfhire joined the army. The men were employed in fcout- Atkinfon's MS, letters. ing, which fervice they performed in a man- ner fo acceptable, that no other duty was re- quired of them. Parties of them frequently went within view of the French fort at Crown-Point ; and at one time they brought off the fcalp of a French foldier, whom they killed near the gate.
After the engagement on the 8th of Sep- tember, when it was found neceffary to rein- force the army ; a fecond regiment, of three hundred men, was raifed in New-Hampfhirc, and put under the command of Col. Peter Gilman. Thefe men were as alert, and in- defatigable as their brethren, though they had not opportunity to give fuch convincing evidence of it. The expedition was no far-
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ther purfued ; and late in autumn the forces 1755. were difbanded and returned home.
.The exertions made for the reduction of Crown Point, not only failed of their ob- ject, but provoked the Indians, to execute their mifchievous defigns, againft the fron- tiers of New-Hampfhire ; which were whol- ly uncovered, and expofed to their full force. Between the rivers Connecticut and St. Fran- cis, there is a fafe and eafy communication by fhort carrying-places, with which they were perfectly acquainted. The Indians of that river, therefore, made frequent incur- fions, and returned unmolefted with their prifoners and booty.
At New-Hopkinton, they took a man and a boy ; but perceiving the approach of a fcouting party, they fled and left their cap- tives. At Keene, they took Benjamin Twitch- el, and at Walpole they killed Daniel Twitch- el, and a man named Flynt. At the fame place Colonel Bellows, at the head of twenty MS letter. Feffenden's men, met with a party of fifty Indians ; and having exchanged fome fhot, and killed feve- ral of the enemy, he broke through them and got into the fort ; not one man of his com- pany being killed or wounded. After a few days, thefe Indians, being joined by others to the number of one hundred and feventy, af- faulted the garrifon of John Kilburne, in which were himfelf, John Pike, two boys and feveral women ; who bravely defended the houfe and obliged the enemy to retire, with confiderable lofs. Pike was mortally wound- ed. Some of thefe Indians joined Diefkau's army, and were in the battle at Lake George. At Number-four, they killed a large number
Sumber's MS . letter .
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HISTORY OF
Gay's MS letter.
July 27.
1755. of cattle, and cut off the flefh. At Hinfdale, they attacked a party, who were at work in the woods ; killed John Hardiclay and John Alexander, and took Jonathan Colby ; the others efcaped to the fort. Within a few days afterward, they ambufhed Caleb Howe, Hil- kiah Grout, and Benjamin Gaffield, as they were returning from their labor in the field. Howe was killed ; Gaffield was drowned in attempting to crofs the river ; and Grout made his efcape. The Indians went directly to Bridgman's fort, where the families of thefe unfortunate men refided. They had heard the report of the guns, and were impatient to learn the caufe. By the found of feet without, it being in the dufk of the evening, they concluded that their friends had return- ed, and too haftily opened the gate to receive them ; when to their inexpreffible furprife, they admitted the favages, and the three fami- lies, confifting of fourteen perfons, were made captives .*
Charley's letters.
After the defeat and death of Braddock, the chief command of the operations againft the enemy fell into the hands of Shirley ; who called another Congrefs, at New-York, and planned another expedition againftCrown Point ; for which purpofe, he called on the feveral governments to raife men and provide ftores. A regiment was raifed in New-
. One of thefe, the wife of Caleb Howe, was the FAIR CAPTIVE, of whom fuch a brilliant account is given in the life of General Putnam, pub- lifhed by Col. Humphreys. Ste is ftill living at Hinfdale, and has obliged the author with a particular narrative of her fufferings and deliverance. This account, drawn up by the Rev. Mr. Gay, is too long to be here in- ferted, and too entertaining to be abridged ; but will probably be publifh- ed at fome future time. As to that part of the ftory, that the people of Hinfdale chofe her to go to Europe, as their agent in a cafe of difputed lands ; it was never known or thought of by them till the life of Putnam appeared in print, Gay's MS. letter.
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Hampfhire, the command of which was given to Col. Nathaniel Mefferve. They alfo ap- pointed two Commiffaries, Peter Gilman and Thomas Weftbrooke Waldron, who refided at Albany, to take care of the ftores, whilft the regiment, with the other troops, affifted in building forts and batteaux. In the midft of this campaign, Shirley was fuperfeded by the Earl of Loudon ; but the fummer paffed away in fruitlefs labor ; whilft the French, by their fuperior alertnefs, befieged and took the Englifh fort at Ofwego; and the regi- ments of Shirley and Pepperell who garrifon- ed it, were fent prifoners to France. During this fummer, the Indians killed Lieutenant Gay, Sum- Mofes Willard, and wounded his fon at Num- ber-four ; and took Jofiah Fofter, with his letters. wife and two children, from Winchefter. They alfo wounded Zebulon Stebbins, of Hinfdale, who, with Reuben Wright, difcover- ed an ambuth, and prevented the captivity of feveral perfons for whom the Indians were lying in wait.
The foldiers of New-Hampfhire were fo expert, in every fervice which required agili- ty, and fo habituated to fatigue and danger ; that, by the exprefs defire of Lord Loudon, Lord Low- three ranging companies were formed of don's MS. them ; who continued in fervice during the letters. winter as well as the fummer. The com- mand of thefe companies was given to Ro- bert Rogers, John Stark, and William Stark. They were eminently ufeful in fcouring the woods, procuring intelligence, and fkirmifh- ing with detached parties of the enemy. Thefe companies were kept during the war, in the pay of the Crown ; and after the peace,
1756.
July 23. Loudon's M6. letters.
ter and Ol- cutt's ME.
min
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HISTORY OF
1756. the officers were allowed half pay on the Britifh eftablifhment.
The next year, another Crown Point expe- dition was projected by Lord Loudon. The Crown was at the expenfe of ftores and pro- vifions, and required of the Colonies, to raife, arm, clothe, and pay their quotas of men. Another regiment was raifed in New-Hamp- fhire, of which Mefferve was commander ; who went to Halifax with part of his regi- ment, a body of one hundred carpenters, and the three companies of Rangers, to ferve un- der Lord Loudon, whilft the other part of the regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Goffe, was ordered by General Webb, who commanded at the weftward, in the abfence of the Earl of Loudon, to rendezvous at Number-four. Before their arrival, a large party of French and Indians attacked the mills in that place, and took Sampfon Colefax, David Farnfworth MS.letters, and Thomas Adams. The inhabitants, hear- Olcott's ing the guns, advanced to the mills ; but find- ing the enemy in force, prudently retreated. The enemy burned the mills ; and in their retreat, took two other men, who were coming in from hunting, viz. Thomas Robins and Afa Spafford. Farnfworth and Robins re- turned ; the others died in Canada.
Goffe with his men marched through Num- ber-four and joined General Webb at Albany; who pofted them at fort William Henry, near Lake George, under the command of Col. Munroe, of the thirty-fifth Britifh regiment. The French General Montcalm, at the head of a large body of Canadians and Indians, with a train of artillery, invefted this fort; and in fix days, the garrifon, after having expended
Aug. 3.
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all their ammunition, capitulated ; on con- 1757. dition that they fhould not ferve againft the Aug. 9. French for eighteen months. They were al- lowed the honors of war, and were to be ef- corted by the French troops to Fort Edward, with their private baggage. The Indians, who ferved in this expedition, on the promife of plunder, were enraged at the terms granted to the garrifon ; and, as they marched out unarmed, fell upon them, ftripped them na- N. Hampe ked, and murdered all who made any refift- No. 49. fhire Gaz. ance. The New-Hampfhire regiment hap- pening to be in the rear, felt the chief fury of the enemy. Out of two hundred, eighty were killed and taken.
This melancholy event threw the whole country into the deepeft confternation. Webb, who remained at Fort Edward, expecting to be there attacked, fent expreffes to all the Provinces for reinforcements. The French, however, did not purfue their advantage, but returned to Canada. A reinforcement of two hundred and fifty men was raifed in New-Hampfhire, under the command of Major Thomas Tafh ; which, by the orders MS. lettera of General Webb, was ftationed at Number- four. This was the first time that the troops worth. of New-Hampfhire occupied that important poft.
Hitherto the war had been, on our part, unfuccefsful. The great expenfe, the fre- quent difappointments, the lofs of men, of forts, and of ftores, were very difcouraging. The enemy's country was filled with prifon- ers, and fcalps, private plunder, and public ftores and provifions, which our people, as beafts of burden, had conveyed to them,
of Gover- nor Weet.
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1757. Thefe reflections were the difmal entertain- ment of the winter. The next fpring called for frefh exertions ; and happily for America, the Britifh miniftry had been changed, and the direction of the war, in anfwer to the united voice of the people of England, was put into the hands of that decifive ftatefman WILLIAM PITT.
1758.
Original MS.
In his circular letter to the American Gov- ernors, he affured them ; that to repair the loffes and difappointments of the laft inactive . campaign, it was determined to fend a for- midable force, to operate by fea and land, a- gainft the French in America ; and he called upon them to raife 'as large bodies of men, ' within their refpective governments, as the 'number of inhabitants might allow ;' leav- ing it to them, to form the regiments and to appoint officers at their difcretion. He in- formed them that arms, ammunition, tents, provifions, and boats would be furnifhed by the Crown ; and he required the Colo- nies to levy, clothe and pay their men ; af- furing them that recommendations would be made to Parliament 'to grant them a com- penfation.'
Notwithftanding their former loffes and difappointments, the Affembly of New-Hamp- fhire, on receiving this requifition, cheerfully voted eight hundred men for the fervice of the year. The regiment commanded by Col. John Hart, marched to the weftward, and ferved under General Abercrombie. A body of one hundred and eight carpenters, under the conduct of Colonel Mefferve, embarked for Louifbourg, to ferve at the fecond fiege of that fortrefs, under General Amherft. Un-
Governor's Proclama- tion, April I.
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happily the fmall pox broke out among them, 1758. which difabled them from fervice ; all but fixteen were feized at once, and thefe attend- printed Amter&'s ed .the fick. Mefferve* and his eldeft fon Journal, June 23. died of this fatal diforder. This year was remarkable for the fecond furrender of Louif- bourg ; the unfortunate attack on the lines of Ticonderoga, where Lord Howe was kill- ed ; the taking of fort Frontenac by Col. Bradftreet, and the deftruction of fort du Quefne on the Ohio, the contention for which, began the war.
In the courfe of this year, the Indians con- tinued to infeft the frontiers. At Hinfdale, they killed Capt. Moore, and his fon, took his family, and burned his houfe. At Number- Gay's and four, they killed Afahel Stebbins, and took MS letters. Olcott's his wife, with Ifaac Parker and a foldier. The cattle of this expofed fettlement, which fed chiefly in the woods, at a diftance from the fort, often ferved the enemy for provi- fions.
The next year, a fimilar requifition being made by Secretary Pitt, New-Hampfhire raif- ed a thoufand men for the fervice, who were regimented under the command of Col. Zac- cheus Lovewell, fon of the famous partifan, who loft his life at Pigwacket. 'This regi- ment joined the army at the weftward, and ferved under General Amherft in the actual reduction of Ticonderoga and Crown Point,
1759.
· Colonel Mefferve, was a gentleman of a Gine mechanical genius. Be- ing a fhipwright by profeffion, he attained to eminence in his bufineis, and acquired a handfone fortune. His moral and focial character was unblemished, and, in the military line, he was highly refpected. The Earl of Loudon had fuch a fenfe of his merit, as to prefeot him a piece of plate, with an infcription, ackowledging 'his capacity, fidelity, and ready difpo- 'Etion, in the fervice of his country.'
New-Hampfhire Gazette, No. 97:
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عددة
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1759, and in building a new fortrefs at the laft place. The fuccefs of this fummer was bril- liant, beyond former example. The French fort at Niagara furrendered to General John- fon ; and the ftrong city of Quebec was ta- ken by the Britifh troops under General Wolfe, who, with the French General Mont- calm, was flain in the decifive battle.
Sept. 13.
Ođ. 3. N. Hamp- Shire Ga- zette, No. 165.
When the British arms had obtained a de- cided fuperiority over the French, it was deter- mined to chaftife the Indians who had com- mitted fo many devaftations on the frontiers of New-England. Major Robert Rogers was difpatched from Crown Point, by General Amherft, with about two hundred rangers, to deftroy the Indian village of St. Francis. After a fatiguing march of twenty-one days, he came within fight of the place, which he difcovered from the top of a tree, and halted his men at the diftance of three miles. In the evening, he entered the village in difguife with two of his officers. The Indians were engaged in a grand dance, and he paffed through them undifcovered. Having form- ed his men into parties, and pofted them to advantage ; he made a general affault, juft before day, whilft the Indians were afleep. They were fo completely furprifed that little refiftance could be made. Some were killed in their houfes ; and of thofe who attempt- 'ed to flee, many were fhot or tomahawked by parties placed at the avenues. The dawn of day difclofed a horrid fcene ; and an edge was given to the fury of the affailants by the fight of feveral hundred fcalps of their coun- trymen, elevated on poles, and waving in the air. This village had been enriched with
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