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 I > Part 14
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cerned ; he anfwered that he knew the In- 1689. dians very well and there was no danger.
.The plan which the Indians had precon- certed was, that two fquaws fhould go to each of the garrifoned houfes in the evening, and afk leave to lodge by the fire ; that in the night when the people were afleep they fhould open the doors and gates, and give the fignal by a whiftle; upon which the ftrange Indians, who were to be within hearing. fhould rufh in, and take their long meditat- ed revenge. This plan being ripe for execu- tion, on the evening of Thurfday the twen- ty feventh of June, two fquaws applied to each of the garrifons for lodging, as they fre- quently did in time of peace. They were admitted into all but the younger Coffin's, and the people, at their requeft, thewed them how to open the doors, in cafe they fhould have occafion to go out in the night. Mefan- dowit, one of their chiefs, went to Waldron's garrifon, and was kindly entertained, as he had often been before. The fquaws told the major, that a number of Indians were com- ing to trade with him the next day, and Me- fandowit while at fupper, with his ufual fa- miliarity, faid, 'Brother Waldron, what would ' you do if the ftrange Indians fhould come ?' The major carelefsly anfwered, that he could affemble an hundred men, by lifting up his finger. In this unfufpecting confidence the family retired to reft.
When all was quiet, the gates were opened and the fignal given. The Indians entered, fet a guard at the door, and rufhed into the major's apartment, which was an inner room. Awakened by the noife, he jumped out of bed, and though now advanced in life to the
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1689. age of eighty years, he retained fo much vig_ our as to drive them with his fword, through two or three doors ; but as he was returning for his other arms, they came behind him, ftunned him- with a hatchet, drew him into his hall, and feating him in an elbow chair on a long table infultingly afked him, " Who " " fhall judge Indians now ?" They then obliged the people in the houfe to get them fome victuals ; and when they had done eat- ing, they cut the major acrofs the breaft and belly with knives, each one with a ftroke; faying, "I crofs out my account." They then cut off his nofe and ears, forcing them into his mouth ; and when fpent with the lofs of blood, he was falling down from the table, one of them held his own fword under him, which put an end to his mifery. They alfo killed his fon in law Abraham Lee ; but took his daughter Lee with feveral others, and having pillaged the houfe, left it on fire. Otis's garrifon, which was next to the major's, met with the fame fate ; he was killed, with feveral others, and his wife and child were captivated. Heard's was faved by the bark- ing of a dog juft as the Indians were enter- ing : Elder Wentworth, who was awakened by the noife pufhed them out, and falling on his back, fet his feet againft the gate and held it till he had alarmed the people ; two balls were fired through it but both miffed him. Coffin's houfe was furprized, but as the Indians had no particular enmity to him, they fpared his life, and the lives of his fam- ily, and contented themfelves with pillaging the houfe. Finding a bag of money, they made him throw it by handfuls on the floor,
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while they amufed themfelves in fcrambling for it. They then went to the houfe of his fon who would not admit the fquaws in the evening, and fummoned him to furrender, promifing him quarter : He declined their offer and determined to defend his houfe, till they brought out his father and threat- ened to kill him before his eyes : Filial af- fection then overcame his refolution, and he furrendered. They put both families toge- ther into a deferted houfe, intending to re- ferve them for prifoners ; but while the In- dians were bufy in plundering, they all ef- caped.
Twenty three people were killed in this furprifal, and twenty nine were captivated ; five or fix houfes, with the mills, were burn- ed ; and fo expeditious were the Indians in the execution of their plot, that before the people could be collected from the other parts of the town to oppofe them, they fled with their prifoners and booty. As they paffed by Heard's garrifon in their retreat, they fired upon it ; but the people being prepared and refolved to defend it, and the enemy being in hafte, it was preferved. The prefervation of its owner was more remark- able.
Elizabeth Heard, with her three fons and a daughter, and fome others, were returning in the night from Portfmouth. They paf- fed up the river in their boat unperceived by the Indians, who were then in poffeffion of the houfes ; but fufpecting danger by the noife which they heard, after they had land- ed they betook themfelves to Waldron's gar- rifon, where they faw lights, which they
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1689. imagined were fet up for direction to thofe who might be feeking a refuge. They knocked and begged earneftly for admiffion ; but no anfwer being given, a young man of the company climbed up the wall, and faw, to his inexpreffible furprize, an Indian ftand- ing in the door of the houfe, with his gun. The woman was fo overcome with the fright that fhe was unable to fly ; but begged her children to fhift for themfelves ; and they with heavy hearts, left her. When the had a little recovered fhe crawled into fome bufhes, and lay there till day-light. She then perceived an Indian coming toward her with a piftol in his hand ; he looked at her and went away : returning, he looked at her again ; and the afked him what he would have ; he made no anfwer, but ran yelling to the houfe, and the faw him no more. She kept her place till the houfe was burned, and the Indians were gone ; and then returning home, found her own houfe fafe. Her pref- ervation in thefe dangerous circumftances was more remarkable, if (as it is fuppofed) it was an inftance of juftice and gratitude in the Indians. For at the time when the four or hundred were feized in. 1676, a young In- dian efcaped and took refuge in her houfe, where the concealed him ; in return for which kindnefs he promifed her that he would never kill her, nor any of her family in any future war, and that he would ufc his influence with the other Indians to the fame purpofe. , This Indian was one of the party who furprized the place, and the was well known to the moft of them.
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The fame day, after the mifchief was done, 1689. a letter from Secretary Addington, written by order of the government, directed to Major Waldron, giving him notice of the intention of the Indians to furprize him under pre- tence of trade, fell into the hands of his fon. This defign was communicated to Governor Masse. Rec. Bradftreet by Major Henchman of Chelms- ford, who had learned it of the Indians. The letter was difpatched from Bofton, the day Original before, by Mr. Weare ; but fome delay which Letter. he met with at Newbury ferry prevented its arrival in feafon.
The prifoners taken at this time were moftly carried to Canada, and fold to the French ; and thefe, fo far as I can learn, were the firft that ever were carried thither *.
* One of these prisoners was Sarah Gerrish, a remarkably fine child of seven years old, and grand-daughter of Major Waldron, in whose house she lodged that fatal night. Some circumstances attending her captivity are truly affecting. When she was awakened by the noise of the Indians in the house, she crept into another bed and hid herself under the clothes to escape their search. She remained in their hands till the next winter, and was sold from one to another for several times. An Indian girl once pushed her into a river ; but, catching by the bushes, she escaped drowning, yet durst not tel! how she came tobe wet. Once she was so weary with travelling that she did not awake in the morning till the Indians were gone, and then found herself alone in the woods, covered with snow, and without any food ; having found their tracks she went crying after them till they heard her and took her with them. At another time they kindled a great fire, and the young Indians told her she was to be roasted. She burst into tears, threw her arms round her master's neck, and begged him to save her, which he promised to do if she would behave well Being arrived in Canada, she was bought by the In- tendant's lady, who treated her courteously, and sent her to a nunnery for education. But when Sir William Phips was at Quebcc she was exchanged, and returned to her friends, with whom she lived till she was sixteen years old.
The wife of Richard Otis was taken at the same time, with an infant daughter of three months old. The French priests took this child under their care, baptized her by the name of Christina, and educated her in the Romisla religion. She passed some time in a nunnery, but declined taking the veil, and was married to a Frenchman, by whom she had two children. But her desire to see New-England was so strong, that upon an exchange of prison- ers in 1714, being then a widow, she left both her children, who were not permitted to come with her, and returned home, where she abjured the Romish faith. M. Siguenot, her former confessor, wrote her a flattering let- ter. warning her of her danger, inviting her to return to the bosom of the catholic church, and repeating many gross calumnies which had formerly teen vented against Imther and the other reformers. This letter being
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1689. The Indians had been feduced to the French intereft by popifh emiffaries, who had began to fafcinate them with their religious and na- tional prejudices. They had now learned to call the Englifh hereticks, and that to extir- pate them as fuch was meritorious in the fight of heaven. When their minds were filled with religious phrenzy, they became more bitter and implacable enemies than be- fore ; and finding the fale of fcalps and prif- oners turn to good account' in Canada, they had ftill farther incitement to continue their depredations, and profecute their vengeance.
The neceffity of vigorous meafures was now fo preffing, that parties were immedi- ately difpatched, one under Captain Noyes to Penacook, where they deftroyed the corn, but the Indians efcaped ; another from Paf- cataqua, under Captain Wincal, to Winnipi- feogee, whither the Indians had retired, as John Church, who had been taken at Co- checho and efcaped from them, reported : One or two Indians were killed there, and their corn cut down. But thefe excurfions proved of fmall fervice, as the Indians had little to lofe, and could find an home where- ever they could find game and fifh.
In the month of Auguft Major Swaine, with feven or eight companies raifed by the
shewn to Governor Burnet, he wrote her a sensible and masterly answer, re- futing the arguments, and detecting the falsehoods it contained : Both these letters were painted. She was married afterward to Capt. Thomas Baker, who had been taken at Derfeld in 1204, and lived in Dover, where she was born, till the year 1773.
" : 2 1.1 . Tharron by dechning to lodge at Major Waldron's on the fatal night, though strongly urged, met with an happy escape. He was afterward a minister at Now-Castle and Portsmouth. * * Some of the circumstances relating to the destruction of Cochecho are taken from Mathor's Magnalia. The others from the tradition of the sufferers and their descendants, . -
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Maffachufetts government, marched to the 1689. eaftward ; and Major Church, with another party, confifting of English and Indians, from the colony of Plymouth, foon followed them. While thefe forces were on their march, the Indians, who lay in the woods about Oyfter river, obferved how many men belonged to Hucking's garrifon ; and feeing them all go out one morning to work, nimbly ran be- tween them and the houfe, and killed them all (being in number eighteen) except one who had paffed the brook. They then at- tacked the houfe, in which were only two boys (one of whom was lame) with fome women and children. The boys kept them off for fome time and wounded feveral of them. At length the Indians fet the houfe on fire, and even then the boys would not furrender till they had promifed them to fpare their lives. They perfidioufly murder- ed three or four of the children ; one of them was fet on a fharp ftake, in the view of its diftreffed mother, who with the other women and the boys were carried captive. One of the boys efcaped the next day. Cap- tain Garner with his company purfued the enemy, but did not come up with them.
The Maffachufetts and Plymouth compa- nies proceeded to the eaftward, fettled garri- fons in convenient places, and had fome fkir- mifhes with the enemy at Cafco and Blue Point. On their return, Major Swaine fent a party of the Indian auxiliaries under Lieu- tenant Flagg toward Winnipifeogee to make difcoveries. Thefe Indians held a confulta- tion in their own language ; and having per- fuaded their lieutenent with two men to re-
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1689. turn, nineteen of them tarried out eleven days longer ; in which time they found the enemy, ftaid with them two nights, and in- formed them of every thing which they de- fired to know ; upon which the enemy re- lib. 7, p. 67. tired to their inacceffible deferts, and the Magnalia, forces returned without finding them, and in November were difbanded.
Nothing was more welcome to the diftref- fed inhabitants of the frontiers than the ap- proach of winter, as they then expected a refpite from their fufferings. The deep fnows and cold weather were commonly a good fecurity againft an attack from the In- dians ; but when refolutely fet on mif- chief, and inftigated by popifh enthufiafm, no obftacles could prevent the execution of their purpofes.
The Count de Frontenac, now governor of Canada, was fond of diftinguifhing him- felf by fome enterprizes againft the Ameri- can fubjects of King William, with whom his mafter was at war in Europe. For this purpofe he detached three parties of French and Indians from Canada in the winter, who were to take three different routes into the Englifh. territories. One of thefe parties marched from Montreal and deftroyed Sche- nectada, a Dutch village on the Mohawk river, in the province of New-York. This action which happened at an unufual time of the year, in the month of February, alarmed the whole country ; and the eaftern fettlements were ordered to be on their guard. On the eighteenth day of March, another party which came from Trois Rivieres, under the command of the Sieur Hertel, an officer of
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great repute in Canada, found their way to 1690. Salmon falls, a fettlement on the river which divides New-Hampfhire from the province of Maine. This party confifted of fifty two men, of whom twenty five were Indians un- der Hoophood, a noted warrior. They be- gan the attack at day-break, in three differ- ent places. The people were furprized ; but flew to arms and defended themfelves in the garrifoned houfes, with a bravery which the enemy themfelves applauded. But as in all fuch onfets the affailants have the great- eft advantage, fo they here proved too ftrong for the defendants ; about thirty of the braveft were killed, and the reft furren- dered at difcretion, to the number of fifty four, of whom the greater part were women and children. After plundering, the enemy burned the houfes, mills and barns, with the cattle* which were within doors, and then retreated into the woods, whither they were purfued by about one hundred and forty men, fuddenly collected from the neighbour- ing towns, who came up with them in the afternoon at a narrow bridge on Woofter's river. Hertel expecting a purfuit, had pofted his men advantageoufly on the oppofite bank. The purfuers advanced with great intrepidity, and a warm engagement enfued, which lafted till night, when they retired with the lofs of four or five killed; the enemy by their own account loft two, one of whom was Hertel's nephew ; liv. 7. p.74 Charlevoix; his fon was wounded in the knee ; another Frenchman was taken prifoner, who was fo Magnalia, lib. 7, p. 68
* Charlevoix says they burned " twenty-seven houses and two thousand head of cattle in the barns." The number of buildings, including mills, barns and other ou thouses, might amount to near twenty ; but the number of cattle as he gives it, is incredible
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1690. tenderly treated that he embraced the protef- tant faith, and remained in the country. Hertel on his way homeward met with a third party who had marched from Quebec, and joining his company to them attacked and deftroyed the fort and fettlement at Caf- co, the next May. Thus the three expedi- tions planned by Count Frontenac proved fuccefsful ; but the glory of them was much tarnifhed by acts of cruelty, which chriftians fhould be afhamed to countenance, though perpetrated by favages *.
After the deftruction of Cafco the eaftern fettlements were all deferted, and the people ·
* The following instances of cruelty exercised towards the prisoners taken at Salmon falls are mentioned by Dr. Mather.
Robert Rogers, a corpulent man, being unable to carry the burden which the Indians imposed upon him, threw it in the path and went aside in the woods to conceal himself. They found him by his track, stripped, beat and pricked him with their swords ; then tied him to a tree and danced round him till they had kindled a fire. They gave him time to pray, and take leave of his fellow prisoners who were placed round the fire to see his death. They pushed the fire toward him, and when he was almost stifled, took it away to give him time to breathe, and thus prolong his misery ; they drown- ed his dying groans with their hideous singing and yelling ; all the while dancing round the fire, cutting off pieces of his flesh and throwing them in his face. When he was dead they left his body broiling on the coals, in which state it was found by his friends, and buried.
Mehetabel Goodwin was taken with a child of five months old. When it cried they threatened to kill it, which made the mother go aside and sit for hours together in the snow to lull it to sleep ; her master seeing that this hindered her from travelling, took the child, struck its head against a tree, and lung it on one of the branches ; she would have buried it but he would not let her, telling her that if she came again that way she might have the pleasure of seeing it. She was carried to Canada, and after five years return- ed home.
Mary Plaisted was taken out of her bed, having lain in but three weeks .-- They made her travel with them through the snow, and " to ease her of her burden," as they said, struck the child's head against a tree, and threw it in- ta a river.
. An anecdote of another kind may relieve the reader after these tragical ac- counts. Thomas Toogood was pursued by three Indians and overtaken by one of them, who having enquired his name, was preparing strings to bind him, holding his gun under his arm, which Toogood seized and went back- ward, keeping the gun presented at him, and protesting that he would shoot him if he alarmed the others who had stopped on the opposite side of the hill. By this dexterity he escaped and got safe into Cochecho ; while his adversary had no recompense in his power but to call after him by the name of No good. When he returned to his companions without gun or prisoner, their derision made his misadventure the more grievous.
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retired to the fort at Wells. The Indians 1690 .. then came up weftward, and a party of them under Hoophood fometime in May made an affault on Fox Point, [in Newington] where they burned feveral houfes, killed about fourteen people, and carried away fix. They were purfued by the captains Floyd and Wag lib. " Greenleaf, who came up with them and re- p. 73 covered fome of the captives and fpoil, after a fkirmifh in which Hoophood was wound- ed and loft his gun. 'This fellow was foon after killed by a party of Canada Indians who miftook him for one of the Iroquois, with whom they were at war. On the fourth day of July eight perfons were killed as they were mowing in a field near Lamprey river, and a lad was carried captive. The next day they attacked Captain Hilton's garrifon at Exeter, which was relieved by Lieutenant Bancroft with the lofs of a few of his men ; one of them, Simon Stone, received nine Mag. lib. 2% wounds with fhot, and two ftrokes of a hatch- p. 72. et ; when his friends came to bury him they perceived life in him, and by the application of cordials he revived, to the amazement of all.
Two companies under the Captains Floyd and Wifwal were now fcouting, and on the fixth day of July difcovered an Indian track, which they purfued till they came up with the enemy at Wheelwright's Pond, [in Lee] where a bloody engagement enfued for fome hours ; in which Wifwal, his lieutenant, Flagg, and ferjeant Walker, with twelve more, were killed, and feveral wounded. It was not known how many of the enemy fell, as they always carried off their dead.
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1690. Floyd maintained the fight after Wifwal's death, till his men, fatigued and wounded, drew off; which obliged him to follow. The enemy retreated at the fame time ; for when Captain Convers went to look after the wounded, he found feven alive, whom he brought in by funrife the next morning, and then returned to bury the dead. The enemy then went weftward, and in the courfe of one week killed, between Lamprey river and Almfbury, not lefs than forty people.
The cruelties exercifed upon the captives in this war exceeded, both in number and degree, any in former times. The moft healthy and vigorous of them were fold in Canada, the weaker were facrificed and fcalped ; and for every fcalp they had a pre- mium. Two inftances only are remember- ed of their releafing any without a ranfom ; Mag. 73. one was a woman taken from Fox Point, who obtained her liberty by procuring them fome of the neceffaries of life ; the other was at York ; where, after they had taken many of the people, they reftored two aged women and five children, in return for a generous action of Major Church, who had fpared the lives of as many women and children when MS Letter. they fell into his hands at Amarifcogin,
The people of New-England now looked on Canada as the fource of their troubles, and formed a defign to reduce it to fubjec- tion to the crown of England. The enter. prize was bold and hazardous ; and had their ability been equal to the ardour of their pat- riotifi, it might probably have been accom- plifhed. Straining every nerve, they equip-
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ped an armament in fome degree equal to the fervice. What was wanting in military and naval difcipline was made up in refolu- tion ; and the command was given to Sir William Phips, an honeft man, and a friend to his country ; but by no means qualified for fuch an enterprize. Unavoidable acci- dents retarded the expedition, fo that the fleet did not arrive before Quebec till Octo- ber ; when it was more than time to return. It being impoffible to continue there to any purpofe ; and the troops growing fickly and difcouraged, after fome ineffectual parade, they abandoned the enterprize.
This difappointment was feverely felt. The equipment of the fleet and army re- quired a fupply of money which could not readily be collected, and occafioned a paper currency ; which has often been drawn into precedent on like occafions, and has proved a fatal fource of the moft complicated and ex- tenfive mifchief. The people were almoft difpirited with the profpect of poverty and ruin. In this melancholy ftate of the coun- try, it was an happy circumftance that the Indians voluntarily came in with a flag of truce, and defired a ceffation of hoftilities. Nov. 29. A conference being held at Sagadahock, they brought in ten captives, and fettled a truce till the firft day of May, which they obferv- ed till the ninth of June ; when they attack- ed Storer's garrifon at Wells, but were brave- . ly repulfed. About the fame time they kil- led two men at Exeter, and on the twenty Mag 78. ninth of September, a party of them came MS Letter of Morril from the eaftward in canoes to Sandy Beach, [Rye] where they killed and captivated to Prince,
1690.
1691.
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twenty one perfons. Captain Sherburne of Portfinouth, a worthy officer, was this year killed at Macquoit.
Fitch's
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1692.
Januar. 25.
The next winter, the country being alarm- ed with the deftruction of York, fome new regulations were made for the general de- fence. Major Elifha Hutchinfon was ap- pointed commander in chief of the militia ; by whofe prudent conduct the frontiers were well guarded, and fo conftant a communica- tion was kept up, by ranging parties, from one poft to another, that it became impoffi- ble for the enemy to attack in their ufual way by furprife. The good effect of this régulation was prefently feen. A young man being in the woods near Cochecho, was fired at by fome Indians. Lieutenant Wil- fon immediately went out with eighteen men ; and finding the Indians, killed or wounded the whole party excepting one. This ftruck a terror, and kept them quiet the remainder of the winter and fpring. But on the tenth day of June, an army of French and Indians made a furious attack on Storer's garrifon at Wells, where Capt. Convers com- manded ; who after a brave and refolute de- fence, was fo happy as to drive them off with great lofs.
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