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 15
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Sir William Phips, being now governor of Maffachufetts, continued the fame method of defence ; keeping out continual fcours under brave and experienced officers. This kept the Indians fo quiet that, except onę poor family which they took at Oyfter river, and fome finall mifchief at Quaboag, there is no mention of any deftruction made by 1693. them during the year 1693. Their animof-
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ity againft New-England was not quelled ; 1693. but they needed a fpace to recruit ; fome of their principal men were in captivity, and they could not hope to redeem them with- Aug. 1), out a peace. To obtain it, they came into the fort at Pemaquid ; and there entered in- to a folemn covenant ; wherein they ac- knowledged fubjection to the crown of Eng- land ; engaged to abandon the French in- tereft ; promifed perpetual peace ; to forbear private revenge ; to reftore all captives ; and even went fo far as to deliver hoftages for the due performance of their engagements. This peace, or rather truce, gave both fides a refpite, which both earneftly defired.
The people of New-Hampfhire were much reduced ; their lumber trade and hufbandry being greatly impeded by the war. Fre- quent complaints were made of the burden of the war, the fcarcity of provifions, and the difpiritednefs of the people. Once it is faid in the council minutes that they were even ready to quit the province. The governor was obliged to imprefs men to guard the out- pofts ; they were fometimes difmiffed for want of provifions, and then the garrifon of- ficers called to account and feverely punifh- ed : Yet all this time the public debt did not exceed four hundred pounds. In this fituation they were obliged to apply to their neighbours for affiftance ; but this was grant- ed with a fparing hand. The people of Maffachufetts were much divided and at va- riance among themfelves, both on account of the new charter which they had received from King William, and the pretended withcrafts which have made fo loud a noife
Mag. p. 85}
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in the world. Party and paffion had ufurp- ed the place of patriotifm ; and the defence, not only of their neighbours, but of them- felves was neglected to gratify their malig- nant humours. Their governor too had been affronted in this province, on the fol- lowing occafion.
Sir William Phips, having had a quarrel with Captain Short of the Nonfuch frigate about the extent of his power as vice admi- ral, arrefted Short at Bofton, and put him on board a merchant fhip bound for England, commanded by one Tay, with a warrant to deliver him to the fecretary of ftate. The fhip put into Pafcataqua, and the Nonfuch came in after her. The lieutenant, Cary, fent a letter to Hinckes, prefident of the council threatening to imprefs feamen if Short was not releafed. Cary was arrefted and brought before the council, where he re- ceived a reprimand for his infolence. At the fame time Sir William came hither by land, went on board Tay's fhip, and fent the cabbin-boy with a meffage to the prefident to come to him there ; which Hinckes high- ly refented and refufed. Phips then demand- ed of Tay his former warrant, and iffued another commanding the re-delivery of Short to him, broke open Short's cheft, and feized his papers. This action was looked upon by fome as an exertion of power to which he had no right, and it was propofed to cite him before the council to anfwer for affum- ing authority out of his jurifdiction. The prefident was warm ; but a majority of the the council, confidering Sir William's opin- ion that his vice admiral's commiffion ex-
March 30.
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tended to this province, (though Ufher had 1693, one, but was not prefent) and that no perfon belonging to the province had been injured, advifed the prefident to take no farther no- tice of the matter. Soon after this Sir Wil- liam drew off the men whom he had fta- tioned in this province as foldiers ; and the council advifed the lieutenant governor to apply to the colony of Connecticut for men and provifions ; but whether this requeft was granted does not appear.
The towns of Dover and Exeter being more expofed than Portfmouth or Hampton fuffered the greateft fhare in the common ca- lamity. Nothing but the hope of better times kept alive their fortitude. When ma- ny of the eaftern fettlements were wholly broken up, they ftood their ground, and thus gained to themfelves a reputation which their pofterity boaft of to this day.
The engagements made by the Indians in 1694. the treaty of Pemaquid, might have been performed if they had been left to their own choice. But the French miffionaries had been for fome years very affiduous in propa- gating their tenets among them, one of which was ' that to break faith with hereticks was * no fin.' The Sieur de Villieu, who had diftinguifhed himfelf in the defence of Que- bec when Phips was before it, and had con- tracted a ftrong antipathy to the New-Eng- landers, being now in command at Penob- fcot, he with M. Thury, the miffionary, di- verted Madokawando and the other fachems from complying with their engagements ; fo that pretences were found for detaining the Fnglith captives, who were more in num-
MS in files.
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1694. ber, and of more confequence than the hof- tages whom the Indians had given. Influ- enced by the fame pernicious councils, they kept a watchful eye on the frontier towns, to fee what place was moft fecure and might be . attacked to the greateft advantage. The fet- tlement at Oyfter river, within the town of Dover, was pitched upon as the moft likely place ; and it is faid that the defign of fur- prifing it was publickly talked of at Quebec two months before it was put in execution. Rumours of Indians lurking in the woods thereabout made fome of the people appre- hend danger ; but no mifchief being attempt- ed, they imagined them to be hunting par- ties, and returned to their fecurity. At length, the neceffary preparations being made, Villieu, with a body of two hundred and fifty Indians, collected from the tribes of St. John, Penobfcot and Norridgwog, attended by a French Prieft, marched for the devoted place.
Magnalia lib. 7. p.86.
Charlevoix Jib. 15. p. ,210.
Oyfter river is a ftream which runs into the weftern branch of Pafcataqua ; the fet- tlements were on both fides of it, and the houfes chiefly near the water. Here were twelve garrifoned houfes fufficient for the defence of the inhabitants, but apprehend- ing no danger, fome families remained at their own unfortified houfes, and thofe who were in the garrifons were but indifferently provided for defence fome being even defti- tute of powder. The enemy approached the place undifcovered, and halted near the falls on Tuefday evening, the feventeenth of Ju- ly. Here they formed into two divifions, one of which was to go on cach fide of the
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fiver and plant themfelves in ambufh, in 1694. fmall parties, near every houfe, fo as to be rea- dy for the attack at the rifing of the fun ; the firft gun to be the fignal. John Dean, whofe houfe ftood by the faw-mill at the falls, in- tending to go from home very early, arofe before the dawn of day, and was fhot as he came out of his door. This firing, in part, difconcerted their plan ; feveral parties who had fome diftance to go, had not then ar- rived at their ftations ; the people in gener- al were immediately alarmed, fome of them had time to make their efcape, and others to prepare for their defence. The fignal being given, the attack began in all parts where the enemy was ready.
Of the twelve garrifoned houfes five were deftroyed, viz. Adams's, Drew's, Edgerly's, Medar's and Beard's. They entered Adams's without refiftance, where they killed four- teen perfons ; one of them, being a woman with child, they ripped open. The grave is ftill to be feen in which they were all bu- ried. Drew furrendered his garrifon on the promife of fecurity, but was murdered when he fell into their hands ; one of his chil- dren, a boy of nine years old, was made to run through a lane of Indians as a mark for them to throw their hatchets at, till they had difpatched him. Edgerly's was evacu- ated ; the people took to their boat, and one of them was mortally wounded before they got out of reach of the enemy's fhot. Beard's and Medar's were alfo evacuated and the people efcaped.
The defencelefs houfes were nearly all fet on fire, the inhabitants being either killed or
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1694. taken in them, or elfe in endeavouring to fly to the garrifons. Some efcaped by hiding in the bufhes and other fecret places. Thomas Edgerly, by concealing himfelf in his cellar, preferved his houfe, though twice fet on fire., The houfe of John Bufs, the minifter, was deftroyed with a valuable li- brary. He was abfent, his wife and family fled to the woods and efcaped. The 'vife of John Dean, at whom the firft gun was fired was taken with her daughter, and carried about two miles up the river, where they were left under the care of an old Indian while the others returned to their bloody work. The Indian complained of a pain in his head, and afked the woman what would be a proper remedy : fhe anfwered, Occapee, which is the Indian word for rum, of which fhe knew he had taken a bottle from her houfe. The remedy being agreeable, he took a large dofe and fell afleep ; and the took that opportunity to make her efcape, with her child, into the woods, and kept con- cealed till they were gone.
The other feven garrifons, viz. Burnham's, Bickford's, Smith's, Bunker's, Davis's, Jones and Woodman's were refolutely and fuccefs- fully defended. At Burnham's the gate was left open : The Indians, ten in number, who were appointed to furprize it, were a- fleep under the bank of the river, at the time that the alarm was given. A man with- in, who had been kept awake by the tooth- ach, hearing the firft gun, roufed the people and fecured the gate, juft as the Indians who were awakened by the fame noife were en- tering. Finding themfelves difappointed,
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they ran to Pitman's, defencelefs houfe, and 1694. forced the door at the moment that he had burft a way through that end of the houfe which was next to the garrifon, to which he with his family, taking advantage of the fhade of fome trees, it being moonlight, happily efcaped. Still defeated, they attack- ed the houfe of John Davis, which after fome refiftance he furrendered on terms ; but the terms were violated, and the whole fam- ily either killed or made captives. Thomas Bickford preferved his houfe in a fingular manner. It was fituated near the river, and furrounded with a palifade. Being alarmed before the enemy had reached the houfe, he fent off his family in a boat, and then fhut- ting his gate, betook himfelf alone to the de- fence of his fortrefs. Defpifing alike the promifes and threats by which the Indiaas would have perfuaded him to furrender, he kept up a conftant fire at them, changing his drefs as often as he could, fhewing himfelf with a different cap, hat or coat, and fome- times without either, and giving directions aloud as if he had a number of men with him. Finding their attempt vain, the enemy withdrew, and left him fole mafter of the houfe which he had defended with fuch ad- mirable addrefs. Smith's, Bunker's, and Davis's garrifons, being feafonably apprized of the danger, were refolutely defended, one Indian was fuppofed to be killed and anoth- er wounded by a fhot from Davis's. Jones's garrifon was befet before day ; Capt. Jones hearing his dogs bark, and imagining wolves might be near, went out to fecure fome fwine and returned unmolefted. He then went up
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1694. into the flankart and fat on the wall. , Dif- cerning the flafh of a gun, he dropped back- ward ; the ball entered the place from whence he had withdrawn his legs. The enemy from behind a rock kept firing on the houfe for fome time and then quitted it, During thefe tranfactions the French prieft took poffeffion of the meeting-houfe, and employed himfelf in writing on the pulpit with chalk ; but the houfe received no dam- age.
Thofe parties of the enemy who were on the fouth fide of the river having completed their deftructive work, collected in a field adjoining to Burnham's garrifon, where they infultingly fhewed their prifoners, and de- rided the people, thinking themfelves out of reach of their fhot. A young man from the centry-box fired at one who was making fome indecent figns of defiance, and wound- ed him in the heel : Him they placed on a horfe and carried away. Both divifions then met at the falls, where they had parted the evening before, and proceeded together to Capt. Woodman's garrifon. The ground being uneven, they approached without danger, and from behind a hill kept up a long and fevere fire at the hats and caps which the pcople within held up on fticks above the walls, without any other damage than gall, ing the roof of the houfe. At length, ap- prehending it was time for the people in the neighbouring fettlements to be collected in purfuit of them, they finally withdrew ; having killed and captivated between ninety and an hundred perfons and burned about
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twenty houfes, of which five were garrifons *. 1694. The main body of them retreated over Win- nipifeogee lake, where they divided their prifoners, feparating thofe in particular who were moft intimately connected, in which they often took a pleafure fuited to their favage naturet.
About forty of the enemy under Toxus, a Norridgwog chief, refolving on farther mif- chief, went weftward and did execution as far as Groton. A fmaller party having croff- ed the river Pafcataqua, came to a farm where Urfula Cutts, widow of the deceafed prefident, refided, who imagining the enemy had done what mifchief they intended for that time, could not be perfuaded to remove into town till her haymaking fhould be finifh- ed. As fhe was in the field with her labourers, lib. 7, page' Magnalia the enemy fired from an ambufh and killed 86. her, with three others. Colonel Richard Waldron and his wife with their infant fon (afterward fecretary) had almoft fhared the fame fate ; they were taking boat to go and dine with this lady, when they were ftopped
Charlevoix with his usual parade boasts of their having killed two hun- dred and thirty people, and burned fifty or fixty houses. He speaks of only two forts, both of which were stormed. .
. t Among these prisoners were Thomas Drew and his wife who were newly married. He was carried to Canada, where he continued two years and was redeemed. She to Norridgwog, and was gone four years, in which she endured every thing but death. She was delivered of a child in the win- ter, in the open air, and in a violent snow storm. Being unable to suckle her child, or provide it any food, the Indians killed it. She lived fourteen days on a decoction of the bark of trees. Once they set her to draw a sled up a river against a piercing north-west wind, and left her. She was so o. vercome with the cold that she grew sleepy, laid down and was nearly dead, when they returned ; they carried her senseless to a wigwam, and poured warm water down her throat, which recovered her. After her return to her husband, she had fourteen children ; they lived together till he was ninety three and she eighty nine years of age ; they died within two days of each other and were buried in one grave.
*.* These particular circumstances of the destruction at Oyster river were at my desire collected from the information of aged people by John Smith, lisq. a descendant of one of the suffering families.
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1694. by the arrival of fome friends at their houfe; while at dinner they were informed of her death. She lived about two miles above the town of Portfmouth, and had laid out her farm with much elegance. The fcalps tak- en in this whole expedition were carried to Canada by Madokawando, and prefented to Count Frontenac, from whom he received the reward of his treacherous adventure.
1695.
1696.
There is no mention of any more mifchief by the Indians within this province till the next year, when, in the month of July, two men were killed at Exeter. The following year, on the feventh day of May, John Church, who had been taken and efcaped from them feven years before, was killed and fcalped at Cochecho, near his own houfe. On the twenty-fixth of June an attack was made at Portfmouth plain, about two miles from the town. The enemy came from York-nubble to Sandy-beach in canoes, which they hid there among the bufhes near the fhore. Some fufpicion was formed the day before by reafon of the cattle running out of the woods at Little-harbour ; but falfe a- larms were frequent and this was not much regarded. Early in the morning the attack was made on five houfes at once ; fourteen perfons were killed on the fpot, one was fcalped and left for dead, but recovered, and four were taken. The enemy having plun- dered the houfes of what they could carry, fet them on fire, and made a precipitate re- treat through the great fwamp. A company of militia under Captain Shackford and lieu- tenant Libbey purfued, and difcovered them cooking their breakfaft, at a place ever fince
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1696.
called Breakfaft-hill. The Indians were on the farther fide, having placed their captives between themfelves and the top of the hill, that in cafe of an attack they might firft re- ceive the fire. The lieutenent urged to go round the hill, and come upon them below to cut off their retreat; but the captain fear- ing in that cafe that they would, according to their cuftom, kill the prifoners, ruthed upon them from the top of the hill, by which means they retook the captives and plunder, but the Indians, rolling down the hill, efcap- ed into the fwamp and got to their canoes. Another party, under another commander, was then fent out in fhallops to intercept them as they fhould crofs over to the eaft- ward by night. The captain ranged his boats in a line, and ordered his men to re- ferve their fire till he gave the watch-word. It being a calm night the Indians were heard as they advanced ; but the captain, unhappi- ly giving the word before they had come within gun-fhot, they tacked about to the fouthward, and going round the Ifles of Shoals, by the favour of their light canoes efcaped. The watch-word was Crambo, which the captain ever after bore as an ap- pendage to his title *. On the twenty fixth day of July, the people of Dover were way- laid as they were returning from the public lib. 2.p 89. Magnakia worfhip, when three were killed, three wounded, and three carried to Penobfcot, from whence they foon found their way home.
* The account of this transaction I had from the late Judge Parker, who had taken pains to preserve it. It is mentioned, but not circumstantietly. br Dr. Mathet. Magnaliu, lib. 7. page: 39.
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1697.
The next year on the tenth of June, the town of Exeter was remarkably preferved from deftruction. A body of the enemy had placed themfelves near the town, intending to make an affault in the morning of the next day. A number of women and chil- dren contrary to the advice of their friends went into the fields, without a guard, to gather ftrawberries. When they were gone
fome perfons, to frighten them, fired an a- larm ; which quickly fpread through the town, and brought the people together in arms. The Indians fuppofing that they were difcovered, and quickened by fear, af- ter killing one, wounding another, and tak-' ing a child, made a hafty retreat and were feen no more there. But on the fourth day Mag. lib. 7. of July they waylaid and killed the worthy page 91. MS Jour- nal. Major Froft at Kittery, to whom they had owed revenge ever fince the feizure of the four hundred at Cochecho, in which he was concerned.
The fame year an invafion of the country was projected by the French. A fleet was to fail from France to Newfoundland and thence to Penobfcot, where being joined by an ar- my from Canada, an attempt was to be made on Bofton, and the feacoaft ravaged from thence to Pafcataqua. The plan was too ex- tenfive and complicated to be executed in one fummer. The fleet came no further than Newfoundland ; when the advanced feafon, and fcantinefs of provifions obliged them to give over the defign. The people of New-England were apprized of the dan- ger, and made the beft preparations in their power. They ftrengthened their fortifica-
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tions on the coaft, and raifed a body of men 1697. to defend the frontiers againft the Indians who were expected to co-operate with the French. Some mifchief was done by lurk- ing parties at the eaftward ; but New-Hamp- fhire was unmolefted by them during the remainder of this, and the whole of the fol- lowing year.
After the peace of Ryfwick, Count Fron- 1698. tenac informed the Indians that he could not any longer fupport them in a war with the Englith, with whom his nation was now at peace. He therefore advifed them to bu- ry the hatchet and reftore their captives. Having fuffered much by famine, and being divided in their opinions about profecuting the war, after a long time they were brought to a treaty at Cafco ; where they ratified 1699. their former engagements ; acknowledged January 7. fubjection to the crown of England ; la- - mented their former perfidy, and promifed Mag. lib. 7. future peace and good behaviour in fuch page 94. terms as the commiffioners dictated, and with as much fincerity as could be expected. At the fame time they reftored thofe captives who were able to travel from the places of their detention to Cafco in that unfavourable feafon of the year ; giving affurance for the return of the others in the fpring ; but many of the younger fort, both males and females, were detained ; who, mingling with the In- vol. 2. page Hutchin dians, contributed to a fucceffion of enemies 110. in future wars againft their own country.
A general view of an Indian war will give a juft idea of thefe diftreffing times, and be a proper clofe to this narration.
The Indians were feldom or never feen
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before they did execution. They appeared not in the open field, nor gave proofs of a truly mafculine courage ; but did their ex- ploits by furprize, chiefly in the morning, keeping themfelves hid behind logs and bufh- es, near the paths in the woods, or the fences contiguous to the doors of houfes ; and their lurking holes could be known only by the report of their guns, which was indeed but feeble, as they were fparing of ammunition, and as near as poffible to their object before they fired. They rarely affaulted an houfe unlefs they knew there would be but little refiftance, and it has been afterward known that they have lain in ambufh for days toge- ther, watching the motions of the people at their work, without daring to difcover them- felves. One of their chiefs who had got a woman's riding-hood among his plunder would put it on, in an evening, and walk in- to the ftreets of Portfmouth, looking into the windows of houfes and liftening to the con- verfation of the people.
Their cruelty was chiefly exercifed upon children, and fuch aged, infirm, or corpulent perfons as could not bear the hardfhips of a journey through the wildernefs. If they took a woman far advanced in pregnancy their knives were plunged into her bowels. An infant when it became troublefome had its brains dafhed out againft the next tree or ftone. Sometimes to torment the wretched mother, they would whip and beat the child till almoft dead, or hold it under water till its breath was juft gone, and then throw it to her to comfort and quiet it. If the moth- er could not readily ftill its weeping, the
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hatchet was buried in its fkull. A captive wearied with his burden laid on his thoul- ders was often fent to reft the fame way. If any one proved refractory, or was known to have been inftrumental of the death of an Indian, or related to one who had been fo, he was tortured with a lingering punifh- ment, generally at the ftake, while the other captives were 'infulted with the fight of his miferies. Sometimes a fire would be kind- led and a threatening given out againft one or more, though there was no intention of facrificing them, only to make fport of their terrors. The young Indians often fignalized their cruelty in treating captives inhuman- ly out of fight of the elder, and when inqui- ry. was made into the matter, the infulted captive muft either · be filent or put the beft face on it, to prevent worfe treatment for the future. If a captive appeared fad and dejected he was fure to meet with infult ; but if he could fing and dance and laugh with his mafters, he was careffed as a broth- er. They had a ftrong averfion to Negroes, and generally killed them when they fell into their hands.
Famine was a common attendant on thefe doleful captivities ; the Indians when they caught any game devoured it all at one fit- ting, and then girding themfelves round the waift, travelled without fuftenance till chance threw more in their way. The captives, un- ufed to fuch canine repafts and abftinences, could not fupport the furfeit of the one nor the craving of the other. A change of maf- ters, though it fometimes proved a relief from mifery, yet rendered the profpect of a
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