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 19
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Captain Chefley, being then on fhore with the New-Hampfhire companies, pufhed their men up the beach, flanked the enemy, and after an obftinate ftruggle put them to flight.
- The command was now given to Wainwright, and the army put under the direction of three fupervifors ; but no' means could in- fpire that union, firmnefs and fkill which were neceffary. By the laft of Auguft the whole affair was at an end, and the army re- turned fickly, fatigued, difheartened, and
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afhamed ; but with no greater lofs than fix- 1707. teen killed and as many wounded.
While this unfortunate expedition was in hand, the frontiers were kept in continual alarm. Two men were taken from Oyfter May 22. river, and two more killed as they were driv- July 8. ing a team between that place and Dover. Captain Sumerfby purfued with his troop and recovered the contents of the cart. Ste- phen and Jacob Gilman, brothers, were am- bufhed between Exeter and Kingfton ; their page 45. horfes were killed, but both of them efcaped to the garrifon. Kingfton, being a new plantation, was much expofed, and was this fummer weakened by the defertion of eight men. The remaining inhabitants complain- ed to government, who ordered the captains of Exeter and Hampton to take them up as deferters, and oblige them to return to the defence of their fettlements, or do duty at the fort during the governor's pleafure. They were afterward bound over to the fef- Gons for contempt of orders. The ftate of the country at this time was truly diftreffed ; a large quota of their beft men were abroad, the reft harraffed by the enemy at home, obliged to continual duty in garrifons and in fcouts, and fubject to fevere difcipline for ne- glects. They earned their bread at the con- tinual hazard of their lives, never daring to ftir abroad unarmed ; they could till no lands but what were within call of the gar- rifoned houfes, into which their families were crowded ; their hufbandry, lumber- trade and fifhery were declining, their taxes increafing, their apprehenfions both from the force of the enemy and the failure of the
Penhallow
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Cound! Records
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1707. Port Royal expedition were exceedingly dif- mal, and there was no profpect of an end to the war, in which they were now advanced to the fifth fummer. Yet under all thefe dif- treffes and difcouragements, they refolutely kept their ground and maintained their gar- rifons, not one of which was cut off during the whole of this war, within the limits of New-Hampfhire.
Sept. 15.
In September one man was killed at Exe- ter, and two days after Henry Elkins at Kingfton. But the fevereft blow on the frontiers happened at Oyfter river, a place which fuffered more than all the reft. A party of French Mohawks painted red, at-' "tacked with an hideous yell a company who were in the woods, fome hewing timber and others driving a team, under the direction of Captain Chefley who was juft returned the fecond time from Port Royal. At the firft fire they killed feven and mortally woundedv another. Chefley, with the few who were left, fired on the enemy with great vigour, and for fome time checked their ardor ; but being overpowered, he at length fell. He was much lamented, being a brave officer. Three of the fcalps taken at this time were foon after recovered at Berwick.
1708.
The next year a large army from Canada was defined againft the frontiers of New- England. Dudley received information of it in the ufual route from Albany, and im- mediately ordered guards in the moft ex- pofed places of both his provinces. A troop under Captain Robert Coffin patroled from Kingfton to Cochecho, and fcouts were kept out continually. Spy-boats were alfo kept
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out at fea between Pafcataqua and Winter harbours. Four hundred Maffachufetts fol- diers were pofted in this province. 'The towns were ordered to provide ammunition, and all things were in as good a ftate of pre- paration as could be expected. At length the ftorm fell on Haverhill ; but the ene- my's force having been diminifhed by va- rious accidents, they proceeded no farther, and every part of New-Hampfhire was quiet. Hilton made another winter march to. Pig- wacket with one hundred and feventy men, but made no difcovery.
The next fpring William Moody, Samuel Stevens, and two fons of Jeremy Gilman were May 5. taken at Pickpocket-mill in Exeter, and foon after Bartholomew Stevenfon was killed at June 80. Oyfter river. Colonel Hilton and Captain Davis performed their ufual tour of duty in fcouting, and the people this fummer kept clofe in garrifon, on a report that two hun- dred Indians had marched againft them from Montreal. But the principal object now in view was a defire of wiping off the difgrace of a former year by an attempt, not on Port Royal, but on Canada itfelf. For this pur- pofe folicitations had been made in England by Francis Nicholfon, Efq. who had been lieutenant-governor of Virginia, and Captain Samuel Vetch a trader to Nova-Scotia, who was well acquainted with the French fettle- ments there, and made a full reprefentation of the ftate of things in America to the Brit- ifh miniftry. An expedition being deter- mined upon they came over early in the fpring with the queen's command to the gov- ernors of the feveral provinces to raife men
1708.
Aug 29.
Penhallow
45, 48.
1709.
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HISTORY OF
1709. for the fervice. Vetch was appointed a colo- nel, and Nicholfon, by nomination of the governor of New-York, and confent of the other governments, was made commander in chief. The people of New-Hampfhire were fo much exhaufted, and their men had been fo ill paid before, that it was with great diffi culty, and not without the diffolution of one affembly and the calling of another, that they could raife money to levy one hundred men and procure two tranfports for convey. ing them. After the utmoft exertions had been made by the feveral governments, and Nicholfon with part of the troops had march- ed to Wood creek, and the reft with the tranfports had lain at Nantafket three months -
waiting for a fleet, news arrived that the ar- mament promifed from England was divert- ed to another quarter. Upon which the commander of the frigates on the Bofton ftation refufed to convoy the troops, the whole army was disbanded, and the expence the colonies had been at was fruitlefs. A
congrefs of governors and delegates from the affemblies met in the fall at Rhode-Ifland, who recommended the fending home agents to affift Colonel Nicholfon in reprefenting the ftate of the country, and foliciting an expe- dition againft Canada the next fpring. The
1710.
miniftry at firft feemed to liften to this pro. pofal, but afterward changed their minds, , and refolved only on the reduction of Port Royal. For this purpofe Nicholfon came over in July with five frigates and a bomb ketch ; the colonies then had to raife their
August 1. quotas ; the New-Hampfhire affembly ord- ered one hundred men, who were got ready
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as foon as poffible, and put under the com- 1710. mand of Colonel Shadrach Walton. The whole armament failed from Bofton the eighteenth of September, and on the twenty- fourth arrived at the place. The force now being equal to its reduction, Subcreafe, the governor, waited only the compliment of a few fhot and fhells as a decent pretence for a furrender ; which was completed on the fifth of October, and Vetch was appointed Putchine governor of the place which in honor of the queen was called Annapolis.
son and Penhallow.
While this expedition was in hand, and be- fore the appointment of the commanders, New-Hampfhire fuftained an heavy lofs in the death of Col. Winthrop Hilton. This worthy officer being concerned in the maft- July 22. ing bufinefs, and having feveral large trees felled about fourteen miles from home, went out with a party to peel the bark that the wood might not be injured by worms. While engaged in this bufinefs they were am- bufhed by a party of Indians, who at the firft fire killed Hilton with two more, and took two ; the reft being terrified, and their guns being wet, made no oppofition, but efcaped. The next day one hundred men marched in purfuit but difcovered only the mangled bodies of the dead. The enemy in their barbarous triumph had ftruck their hatchets into the colonel's brains, and left a lance in his heart. He was a gentleman "of " good temper, courage and conduct, refpect- Penhalow " ed and lamented by all that knew him," " page 58.
and was buried with the honours due to his rank and character.
Flufhed with this fuccefs, they infolently
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HISTORY OF
1710. appeared in the open road at Exeter, and took four children who were at their play. They alfo took John Wedgwood, and killed John Magoon near his brother's barn, a place which for three days he had vifited with a melancholy apprehenfion arifing from a dream that he fhould there be murdered.
The fame day that Hilton was killed, a company of Indians who had pretended friendfhip, who the year before had been peaceably converfant with the inhabitants of Kingfton, and feemed to be thirfting after the blood of the enemy, came into the town, and ambuffing the road, killed Samuel Win- flow and Samuel Huntoon ; they alfo took Philip Huntoon and Jacob Gilman, and car- ried them to Canada ; where, after fome time, they purchafed their - own redemption by building a faw-mill for the governor after the Englifh mode.
The laft that fell this fummer was Jacob Garland, who was killed at Cochecho on his return from the public worfhip .. As the winter approached, Colonel Walton with one hundred and feventy men traverfed the eaft- ern fhores, which the Indians ufually vifited at this feafon for the purpofe of gathering clams. On an Ifland where the party was encamped, feveral Indians decoyed by their fmoke, and miftaking them for fome of their own tribe, came among them and were made prifoners. One of them was a fachem of Norridgwog, active, bold and fullen ; when he found himfelf in the hands of enemies he would anfwer none of their queftions, and laughed with fcorn at their threatening him with death. His wife, being an eye witnef:
MS Letter of Ward Clark Prince.
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of the execution of the threatening, was fo 1710. intimidated as to make the difcoveries which the captors had in vain defired of the fa- chem ; in confequence of which, three were taken at the place of which the informed, and two more at Saco river, where alfo five were killed. This fuccefs, inconfiderable as it may appear, kept up the fpirits of the peo- ple, and added to the lofs of the enemy who were daily diminifhing by ficknefs and fa- mine.
In the fpring they renewed their ravages on the frontiers in fmall parties. Thomas Downs, John Church, and three more were killed at Cochecho ; and on a fabbath day feveral of the people there fell into an ambufh as they were returning from public worfhip. John Horn was wounded, and Humphrey Fofs was taken ; but, by the determined bravery of Lieutenant Heard, he was recov- ered out of the hands of the enemy. Walton with two companies marched to the ponds about the fifhing feafon ; but the Indians had withdrawn, and nothing was to be feen but their deferted wigwams.
After the reduction of Port Royal Nichol- fon went to England to folicit an expedition againft Canada. The tory miniftry of Queen Anne, to the furprize of all the whigs in England and America, fell in with the pro- pofal ; and on the eighth of June, Nicholfon came to Bofton with orders for the northern colonies to get ready their quotas of men and provifion by the arrival of the fleet and ar- my from Europe ; which happened within fixteen days ; and while the feveral gover- nors were holding a confultation on the fub-
1711.
Penhallow page 60.
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HISTORY OF
1711. ject of their orders. A compliance with them in fo fhort 'a time was impoffible ; yet every thing that could be done was done ; the nature of the fervice confpiring with the withes of the people, made the governments exert themfelves to the utmoft. New-Hamp- fhire raifed one hundred men, which was more than they could well fpare ; one half of the militia being continually employed in guarding the frontiers. They alfo voted them fubfiftence for one hundred and twen- ty fix days, befides providing for them on fhore before their embarkation. Two tranf- ports were taken up at eightfhillings per month per ton ; and artillery ftores were iffued from the fort. The colony forces formed two regi- ments under the command of Vetch and Walton. The army which came from Eng- land were feven veteran regiments of the Duke of Marlborough's army, and a battal- ion of marines, under the command of Brig- adier-General Hill, which, joined with the New-England troops made a body of about fix thoufand five hundred men, provided with a fine train of artillery. The fleet con- fifted of fifteen fhips of war from eighty to thirty-fix guns, with forty tranfports and fix ftorefhips under the command of Admiral Walker. A force fully equal to the reduc- tion of Quebec.
Penhallow page 64. Hutch. vol. 2. p. 190.
The fleet failed from Bofton on the thir- tieth of July ; and a faft was ordered by Coun. Rec. Dudley to be kept on the laft Thurfday of that, and each fucceeding month, till the en-
terprize fhould. be finithed. This was an imitation of the conduct of the long parlia- ment during the civil wars in the latt centu-
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ry. But the fanguine hopes of fuccefs which 1711. had been entertained by the nation and the colonies were all blafted in one fatal night. For; the fleet having advanced ten leagues ! into the river St. Lawrence, in the night of the twenty third of Auguft, the weather be- ing thick and dark, eight tranfports were wrecked on Egg-Ifland near the north fhore, and one thoufand people perifhed ; among whom there was but one man who belonged to New-England. The next day the fleet put back, and were eight days beating down the river againft an eafterly wind which would in two days have carried them to Quebec. After rendezvoufing at Spanifh river in the ifland of Cape Breton, and hold- ing a fruitlefs confultation about annoying the French at Placentia, the expedition was broken up : the fleet returned to England, and the New-England troops to their homes. Loud complaints and heavy charges were made on this occafion ; the ignorance of the pilots ; the obftinacy of the admiral ; the detention of the fleet at Bofton ; its late ar- rival there ; the want of feafonable orders ; and the fecret intentions of the miniftry, were all fubjects of bitter altercation : but letter to a the mifcarriage was never regularly enquir- noble lord. ' ed into, and the voyage was finally fettled by October 9. the blowing up of the admiral's fhip, with moft of his papers, and four hundred fea- men, at Spithead.
The failure of this expedition encouraged the Indians to harrafs the frontiers as foon as the feafon would permit. In April one Cunningham was killed at Exeter ; Enfign Tuttle at Dover, and Jeremy Crommet at
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Dummer's defence and
1712.
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HISTORY OF
1712. Oyfter river ; on one of the upper branches of this ftream the enemy burned a faw-mill with a large quantity of boards. A fcouting party who went up the river Merrimack had the good fortune to furprize and kill eight Indians and recover a confiderable quantity of plunder, without the lofs of a man. The frontiers were well guarded ; one half of the militia did duty at the garrifons and were ready to march at a minute's warning ; a fcout of forty men kept ranging on the heads of the towns, and the like care was taken by fea, fpy-boats being employed in coafting from Cape Neddock to the Great Boar's- head. Notwithftanding this vigilance, fmall parties of the enemy were frequently feen. Stephen Gilman and Ebenezer Stevens were wounded at Kingfton, the former was taken and put to death. In July an ambufh was difcovered at Dover, but the enemy cfcaped ; and while a party was gone in purfuit of them, two children of John Waldron were taken, and for want of time to fcalp them, their heads were cut off .. There being no man at that time in Heard's garrifon, a wo- man named Efther Jones mounted guard and with a commanding voice called fo loudly and refolutely as made the enemy think there was help at hand, and prevented farther mif. chief.
June 3.
' In autumn the news of the peace of U. trecht arrived in America ; and on the 29th of October the fufpenfion of arms was pro- claimed at Portimouth. The Indians being informed of this event came in with a flag of truce to Captain Moody at Cafco, and do- fired a treaty ; which the governor, with the
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council of each province, held at Portfmouth, 1713. where the chiefs and deputies of the feveral July 11. belligerent tribes, by a formal writing under hand and feal, acknowledged their perfidy, promifed fidelity, renewed their allegiance, fubmitted to the laws, and begged the queen's Penhallow pardon for their former mifcarriages. The page 72.80: frequent repetition of fuch engagements and as frequent violations of them, had by this time much abated the fenfe of obligation on the one part, and of confidence on the other. But it being for the intereft of both parties to bè at peace, the event was peculiarly wel- come.
To preferve the dependence of the Indi- ans, and to prevent all occafions of com- plaint, private traffic with them was forbid- den and truck houfes eftablifhed at the pub- lic expence ; and the next fummer a fhip was fitted out by both provinces, and fent to Quebec, where an exchange of prifoners was effected.
During the whole of this long war, Ufher behaved as a faithful fervant of the crown ; frequently coming into the province by Dudley's direction, and fometimes refiding in it feveral months, enquiring into the ftate of the frontiers and garrifons, vifiting them in perfon, confulting with the officers of mi- litia about the proper methods of defence and protection, and offering his fervice on all occafions : Yet his auftere and ungracious manners, and the intereft he had in Allen's claim, effectually prevented him from ac- quiring that popularity which he feems to have deferved. He was folicitous to fup- port the dignity of his commiffion ; but
1714.
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HISTORY OF
1714. could never prevail with the affembly to fet- tle a falary upon him. The council gener- ally paid his travelling expences by a draught on the treafury, which never amounted to more than five pounds for each journey, un- til he came from Bofton to proclaim the ac- ceffion of King George ; when in a fit of loyalty and good humour they gave him ten pounds, which ferved as a precedent for two or three other grants. He often complained, and fometimes in harfh and reproachful terms of their neglect ; and once told them that his " Negro fervants were much better " accommodated in his houfe than the " queen's governor was in the queen's fort."
Coun. Rec.
Dudley had the good fortune to be more popular. Befide his attention to the general intereft of the province and his care for its defence, he had the particular merit of fa- vouring the views of thofe who were moft ftrongly oppofed to Allen's claim ; and they made him amends by promoting in the af- fembly addreffes to the queen, defending his character, when it was attacked and praying for his continuance in office when petitions were prefented for his removal. One of thefe addreffes was in one thoufand feven hundred and fix, and another in one thoufand feven hundred and feven, in both which they reprefent him as a " prudent, careful and faithful governor," and fay they "are " perfectly fatisfied with his difpofal of the " people, and their arms and the public " money." Addreffes to the crown were very frequent during this female reign. Scarce a year paffed without one or two ; they either congratulated her majefty on her vis,
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tories in Europe, or petitioned for arms and 1714. military ftores for their defence, or for fhips and troops to go againft Canada, or repre- fented their own poverty or Dudley's merits, or thanked her majefty for her care and pro- tection, and for interpofing in the affair of Allen's fuit ahd not fuffering it to be decided againft them. A good harmony fubfifted between the governor and people, and between the two branches of the Legiflature, during the whole of this adminiftration.
Coun. Rec
On the acceffion of King George a change 1715. was expected in the government, and the af- fembly did what they could to prevent it by petitioning the king for Dudley's continu- ance. But it being now a time of peace, and a number of valuable officers who had ferv- ed with reputation in the late wars being out of employ ; intereft was made for their obtaining places of profit under the crown. Colonel Elifeus Burges who had ferved under General Stanhope was, by his recommenda- tion, commiffioned governor of Maffachufetts and New-Hampfhire ; and by the fame inte- reft George Vaughan Efq. then in London, was made lieutenant governor of the latter province ; he arrived and publifhed his com- miffion on the thirteenth of October. Ufher had fome fcruples about the validity of it as he had formerly had of Partridge's, and wrote on the fubject to the affembly, who affured him that on infpection they had found Vaughan's commiffion " ftrong and authentic ;" and that his own, was " null and " void." Upon his difmiffion from office he Council retired to his elegant feat at Medford, where and Assem- - he fpent the reft of his days, and died on the bly Roc.
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1715. fifth of September 1726, in the feventy-eighth years of his age. . .
Burges wrote a letter to the affembly in July, in which he informed them of his ap- pointment, and of his intention to fail for America in the following month. But Sir William Afhhurft, with Jeremy Dummer the Maffachufetts agent, and Jonathan Belcher, then in London, apprehending that he would not be an acceptable perfon to the people of New-England, prevailed with him for the confideration of one thoufand pounds fter- ling, which Dummer and Belcher generoufly advanced, to refign his commiffion ; and Colonel Samuel Shute was appointed in his ftead to the command of both provinces. He arrived in New-Hampfhire and his com- miffion was publifhed the feventeenth of Oc- tober 1716. Dudley being thus fuperfeded, retired to his family-feat at Roxbury, where · he died in 1720, in the feventy-third year of his age.
Hutchin. vol. 3. page 215.
APPENDIX.
No. I. Copy of w deed from four Indian sagamores to John Whelewright and others. 1629.
W HEREAS We the sagamores of Penacook, Pentucket, Squomsquot and Nuchawanack are inclined to have the English inhabit amongst us as they are amongst our countrymen in the Massachusetts. Bay ; by which means we hope in time to be strengthened against our enemy the Tareteens who yearly doth us damage. Likewise being per- suaded that it will be for the good of us and our posterity, &c. To that end have at a general meeting at Squomsquot on Piscattaqua river, We the aforesaid sagamores with a universal consent of our subjects, do covenant and agree with the English as followeth :
NOW know all men by these presents that we Passaconawaye sagamore of Penecook, Runnaawitt sagamore of Pentuckit, Wahangnonawitt sagamore of Squomsquot, and Rowls sagamore of Nuchawanack, for a competent valuation in goods already received in coats, shirts and kettles, and also for the considerations aforesaid do according to the limits and bounds here- after granted, give, grant, bargain, sell, release, ratify and confirm unto John Wheelwright of the Massachusetts Bay, late of England, a minister of the gospel, Augustine Story, Thomas Wite, William Wentworth* and Thomas Levet, all of the Massachusetts Bay in New-England, to them, their heirs and assigns for ever, all that part of the main land bounded by the river of Piscattaquaand the river of Meremak, that is to say, to leyin at Nuchawanack falls in Piscattaqua river aforesaid, and so down said river to the sea, and so alongst the sea shore to Merramack river, and so up along said river to the falls at Pantuckit aforesaid, and from said Pantucket falls upon a north-west line twenty English miles into the woods and from thence to run upon a streight line north-east and south-west till meet with the main rivers that runs down to Pantuckett falls and Nuchawanack falls, and the said rivers to be the bounds of the said lands from the thwart line
* William Wentworth was one of the first settlers at Exeter, and after the breaking up of their combination for government he removed to Dover and became a ruling elder in the church there. In 1689 he was remarkably instrumental of saving Heard's garrison," us is related in the proper place. After this he officiated for several years as a preacher at Exeter and other places, and died in a very advanced age at Dover in 1697, leaving a numerous posterity. From him the several Governors of that name are descended. He vas a very useful and good man.
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