USA > New Hampshire > The history of New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
In the following winter Hilton made another excurfion to the eaftward, and a fhallop
341
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
thallop was fent to Cafco with ftores and provifions for his party confifting of two hundred and twenty men. The winter being mild, and the weather unfettled, pre- vented their marching fo far as they in- tended : Cold dry weather and deep fnow being moft favourable to winter expedi- tions. However they came on an Indian track near Black Point, and purfuing it, killed four, and took a iquaw who con- ducted them to a party of eighteen, whom Jan. 21. they furprized as they lay afleep on a neck of land at break of day, and of whom they killed feventeen and tookthe other. This was matter of triumph confidering the dif- ficulty of finding their haunts. It was remarked that on the very morning that this affair happened it was reported with butlittlevariation from the truth, at Portf- mouth thoughat the diftance of fixty miles.
When Church went to Nova-Scotia he very earneftly folicited leave to make an attempt on Port Royal ; but Dudley wouldi not confent, and the reafon he gave was, that he had written to the miniftry in England and expected orders and naval help to reduce the place. His enemies however affigned another reafon for his refufal ; which was that a clandeftine trade was carried on by hisconnivance, and to his emolument,
1707.
342
HISTORY OF
Hutch. Hift. Maffa. Vol. 2.
P. 154.
1707. emolument, with the French there. This report gained credit and occafioned a loud call for juftice. Thofe who were directly concerned in the illegal traffick were pro- fecuted and fined ; and the governor fuf- fered much in his reputation. To wipe off thefe afperfions he now determined to make an attack in earneft, on Port-Royal, even though no affiftance fhould come from England. It was intended that an armament fhould be fent to America, and the commander was appointed ; but the ftate of affairs in Europe prevented their coming.
May 13.
Early in the fpring the governor appli- ed to the affemblies of both his provinces, and to the colonies of Rhode-Ifland and Connecticut, requefting them to raife one thoufand men for the expedition. Con- necticut declined but the other three raif- ed the whole number, who were difpofed into two regiments, of which Colonel Wainwright commanded the one, and Color.el Hilton the other. They embark- ed at Nantafket in twenty-three tranfports furnithed with whaleboats, under convoy of the Deptford man of war, Capt. Stuckley, and the province galley, Capt. Southack. The chief command was given to Colonel March, who had behaved well in feveral
fcouts
343
NEW- HAMPSHIRE.
fcouts and rencounters with the Indians, but had never been tried in fuch fervice as this. They arrived before Port Poyal in a few days, and after burning fome houfes, killing fome cattle round the fort, and making fome ineffectual attempts to bom- bard it, a jealoufy and difagreement among the officers, and a mifapprehenfion of the fate of the fort and garrifon, caufed the army to break up and reimbark in a dif- orderly manner. Some of the officers went to Bofton for orders, fome of the tranfports put in at Cafco ; a floop with Captain Chefley's company of fixty men arrived at Portfmouth : Chefley fuffered his men to difperfe, but ordered them to return at the beat of the drum : Being call- ed to account for this conduct he pleaded that " general orders were given at Port " Royal for every man to make the beft " of his way home." The governor, highly chagrined and very angry, fent orders from Bofton that if any more veffels fhould arrive, the men fhould not be permit- ted to come on fhore " on pain of death." After a while he ordered Chefley's com- pany to be collected and reimbarked, offer- ing a pardon to thofe who might voluntari- ly return, the reft to be feverely punithed. By the latterend of July they went on board, and
1 707. May 26
J'enhallow P. 42.
June 6 & 7.
June 13.
Council Rec.
344
HISTORY OF
1 707.
and with the reft of the army, returned to the place of action. At the landing, an ambufcade of Indians from among the fedge on the top of a fea-wall, greatly an- noyed the troops. Major Walton and Captain Chefley, being then on fhore with the New-Hampfhire companies, pufhed their men up the beach, flanked the ene- my, 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 infpire that union, firmnefs and fkill which were neceffary. By the laft of Auguft the whole affair was at an end, and the army returned fickly, fatigued, difheartened, and afhamed ; but with no greater lofs than fixteen killed and as many wounded.
May 22. July 8.
Penhallow P. 45.
Whilft this unfortunate expedition was in hand, the frontiers were kept in con- tinual alarm. Two men were taken from Oyfter river, and two more killed as they were driving a team between that place and Dover. Captain Sumerfby purfued with his troop and recovered the contents of the cart. Stephen and Jacob Gilman, brothers, were ambufhed between Exeter and King- fton ; their horfes were killed, but both
of
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
345
of them efcaped to the garrifon. King- fton, being a new plantation, was much expofed, and was this, fummer weakened by the defertion of eight men. The re- maining inhabitants complained to the 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 pleafurc. They were afterward bound over to the feffions for contempt of orders. The ftate of the country at this time was truly dif- treffed ; a large quota of their beft men were abroad, the reft harraffed by the ene- my at home, obliged to continual duty in garrifons and in fcouts, and fubject to fe- vere difcipline for neglects. They earned their bread at the continual hazard of their lives, never daring to ftir abroad unarmed ; they could till no lands but what were within call of the garrifoned 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 Port Royal ex- pedition were exceedingly difmal, and there was no profpect of an end to the war, in which they were now advanced to the fifth fum-
1 707.
Council Rec.
mer.
346
HISTORY OF
1707. C
mer. Yet under all thefe diftreffes and difcouragements, they refolutely kept their ground and maintained their garrifons, not one of which was cut off during the whole of this war, within the limits of New- Hampfhire.
Septem. I5. 17.
In September one man was killed at Exeter, and two days after Henry Elkins at Kingfton. But the fevereft blow on the frontiers happened at Qyfter river, a place which fuffered more than all the reft. A party of French Mohawks painted red, attacked with an hideous yell a company who were in the woods, fome hewing tim- ber 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 mor- tally wounded another. Chefley, with the few who were left, fired on the enemy with great vigour, and for fometime check- ed their ardour ; 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 recov- ered at Berwick.
1708.
The next year a large army from Can- ada was deftined againft the frontiers of New-England. Dudley received infor- mation of it in the ufual route from Al- bany,
NEW- HAMPSHIRE. 347
bany, and immediately ordered guards in 1708. the moft expofed places of both thefe pro- vinces. A troop under Captain Robert Coffin patroled from Kingfton to Cóche- cho, and fcouts were kept out continually. Spy-boats were alfo kept out at fea be- tween Pafcataqua and Winter harbours. Four hundred Maffachufetts foldiers were pofted in this province. The towns were ordered to provide ammunition, and all things were in as good a ftate of prepara- tion as could be expected. At length the ftorm fell on Haverhill ; but the enemy's force having been diminifhed by various accidents, they proceeded no farther, and every part of New-Hampshire 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, Sam- uel Stephens, and two fons of Jeremy Gilman were taken at Pickpocket-mill in Exeter, and foon after Bartholomew Ste- June 30. venfon was killed at Oyfter river. Colo- nel 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 hundred In- ad marched againft them Montreal. But the principal object now
Auguft 29
Penhallon 45,48.
1709. L May 5.
in
348
HISTORY OF
1709.
in view was a defire of wiping off the dif- grace of a former year, by an attempt, not on Port Royal, but on Canada itfelf. For this purpofe folicitations had been made in England by Francis Nicholfon, Efq. who had been lieutenant-governor of Vir- ginia, and Capt. Samuel Vetch a trader to Nova-Scotia, who was well acquainted with the French fettlements there, and made a full reprefentation of the ftate of things in America to the Britifh miniftry. Anexpedition being determined upon, they came over, early in the fpring, with the queen's command to the governors of the feveral provinces, to raife men for the fer- vice. Vetch was appointed a colonel, 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 difficulty, 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 conveying them. After the utmoft exertions had been made by the fe- veral governments, and Nicholfon with part of the troops had marched to Wood creck
349
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
creek, and the reft with the tranfports had lain at Nantafket three months wait- ing for a fleet, news arrived that the ar- mament promifed from England was di- verted to another quarter. Upon which the commander of the frigates on the Bof- ton ftation refufed to convoy the troops, the whole army was difbanded, and 'the expence the colonies had been at was fruit- lefs. A congrefs of governors and dele- gates from the affemblies met in the fall at Rhode-Ifland, who recommended the fending of agents to affift Colonel Ni- cholfon in reprefenting the fate of the country, and foliciting an expedition againft Canada the next fpring. The miniftry at firft feemed to liften to this propofal, but afterward changed their minds, and re- folved 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 quotas ; the New-Hampshire affembly ordered one hundred men, who were got ready as foon as poffible, and put under the command of Colonel Shadrach Walton. The whole armament failed from Bofton the eigh- teenth of September, and on the twenty- fourth arrived at the place. The force now being equal to its reduction, Suber- cafe.
1709.
1710.
Auguft I.
350
HISTORY OF
1710. L cafe, the governor, waited only the con- pliment of a few fhot and thells as a decent pretence for a furrender ; which vas cum- pleted on the fifth of October, and Vetch was appointed governor of the place which in honor of the queen was called Anna- polis.
Hutchin- fon and Penhallow
July 22.
Whilft this expedition was in hand, and before the appointment of the command- ers, New-Hampfhire fuftained an heavy Jofs in the death of Co !. Winthrop Hilton. This worthy officer being concerned in the mafting 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. Whilft engaged in this bufinefs they were ambuthed by a party of Indians, who at the firft fire killed Hilton with two more, and took two ; the reft being terri- fied, 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. Theenemy in their barbarous tri- umph 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, refpected " and lamented by all that knew him," and
Penhailow P. 58.
351
NEWHAMPSHIRE.
and was buried with the honours due to his rank and character.
Flufhed with this fuccefs, they infolent- ly 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 friendhip, 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 ambuthing the road, killed Samuel Winflow, and Samuel Huntoon ; they alfo took Philip Huntoon and Jacob Gilman, and carried them to Canada ; where, after fome time, they purchafed their own redemption by buil linga faw- mill for the governor after the Englith mode.
The laft that fell this fummer was Ja- cob 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 traverf- ed the eaftern thores which the Indians ufually
17100
MS Letter cf Ward Clark to Pilnice.
352
HISTORY OF
1710.
ufually vifited at this feafon for the pur- pofe of gathering clams. On an Ifland where the party was encamped, feveral Indians decoyed by their fmoke, and mif- taking them for fome of their own tribe, came among them and were made prifo- ners. One of them was a fachem of Nor- ridgwog, active, bold and fullen ; when he found himfelt in the hands of ene- mies he would anfwer none of their queft- ions, and laughed with fcorn at their threatening him with death. His wife, be- ing an eye witnefs of the execution of the threatening, was fo intimidated as to make the difcoveries which the captors had in vain defired of the fachem ; in confe- quence 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 ap- pear, kept up the fpirits of the people, and added to the lofs of the enemy who were daily dinfinithing by ficknefs and famine.
1711.
In the fpring they renewed their ra- vages 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 wound- ed,
353
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
ed, and Humphry Fofs was taken ; but, by the determined bravery of Lieutenant Heard, he was recovered out of the hands of the enemy. Walton with two compa- nies marched to the ponds about the fith- ing feafon ; but the Indians had withdrawn, and nothing was to be feen but their de- ferted wigwams.
After the reduction of Port Royal Nic- holfon went to England to folicit an ex- pedition againft Canada. The tory minif- try of Queen Anne, to the furprize of all the whigs in England and America, fell in with the propofal ; 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 at the arrival of the fleet and army from Europe ; which happened within fixteen days ; and whilft the feveral governors were holding a confultation on the fubject of their orders. A compliance with them in fo fhort a time was impoffible ; yet eve- ry thing that could be done was done , the nature of the fervice confpiring with the wifhes of the people, made the gov- ernments exert themfelves to the utmoft. New-Hampfhire raifed one hundred men, which was more than they could well fpare : one half of the militia being con- A a unually
IZII.
Penhallow p. 60.
354
HISTORY OF
III.
tinually employed in guarding the fron- tiers. They alfo voted them fubfiftence for one hundred and twenty-fix days, be- fides providing for them on fhore before their embarkation. Two traniports were taken up at eight fhillings per month per ton ; and artillery ftores were iffued from the fort. The colony forces formed two regiments under the command of Vetch and Walton. The army which came from England were feven veteran regiments of the Duke of Marlborough's army, and a battalion of marines, under the command of Brigadier-General Hill, which, joined with the New-England troops made a bo- dy of about fix thoufand five hundred men, provided with a fine train of artillery. The fleet confifted of fifteen fhips of war from eighty to thirty-fix guns, with forty tranfports and fix ftorefhips under thecom- mand of Admiral Walker. A force fully equal to the reduction of Quebec.
Penhallow p. 64. Hutch. vol. .2. p. 190.
Coun. Rec.
The fleet failed from Bofton on the thirtieth of July ; and a faft was ordered by Dudley to be kept on the laft Thurf- day of that, and each fucceeding month, till the enterprize should be finifhed. This was an imitation of the conduct of the long parliament during the civil wars in the laft century. But the fanguine hopes of fuccefs
355
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
fuccefs which had been entertained by the nation and the colonies were all blafted in one fatal night. For, the fleet having ad- vanced ten leagues into the river St. Law- rence, in the night of the twenty third of Auguft, the weather being thick and dark, eight tranfports were wrecked on Egg- Ifland near the north fhore, and one thou- fand 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 riv- er 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 holding 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 oluftinacy of the admi- ral ; the detention of the fleet at Bofton; its late arrival there ; the want of feafon- able orders ; and the fecret intentions of the miniftry, were all fubjects of bitter al- tercation : but the mifcarriage was never regularly inquired into, and the voyage was finally fettled by the blowing up of the
I711.
Dummer's defence and letter to a noble le=d.
Oftob. S4
356
IZII. 1712.
June 3.
HISTORY OF
the admiral's fhip, with moft of his papers, and four hundred feamen, at Spithead.
The failure of this expedition encou- raged the Indians to harrafs the frontiers as foon as the feafon would permit. In April one Cunningham was killed at Ex- eter ; Enfign Tuttle at Dover, and Jere- my Crommetat Oyfter river ; on one ofthe 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 for- tune 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 mili- tia 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 King- fton, the former was taken and put to death. In July an ambufh was difcover- ed at Dover, but the enemy efcaped ; and whilft a party was gone in purfuit of them, two
357
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
two children of John Waldron were tak- en, 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 woman named Efther Jones mounted guard and with a commanding voice call- ed fo loudly and refolutely as made the enemy think there was help at hand, and prevented farther mifchief.
In autumn the news of the peace of Utrecht arrived in America ; and on the 29th of October the fufpenfion of arms was proclaimed at Portfmouth. The Indians being informed of this event came in with a flag of truce to Captain Moody at Cafco, and defired a treaty ; which the governor, with the council of each province, held at Porfmouth, where the chiefs and deputies of the feveral belli- gerent 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 pardon for their former mifcar- riages. The 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 be at peace, the event was peculiarly welcome. To
1712.
1713. July 11.
Penhallow F. 724 80.
358
HISTORY OF
1713.
1714.
To preferve the dependance of the In- dians, and to prevent all occafions of com- plaint, private traffic with them was for- bidden and it was in contemplation to ef- tablifh truck-houfes at the public expence ; 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 refid- ing in it feveral months, inquiring into the fate of the frontiers and garrifons, vif- iting them in perfon, confulting with the officers of militia about the proper meth- ods of defence and protection, and of- fering his fervice on all occafions : Yet his auftere and ungracious manners, and the intereft he had in Allen's claim, effec- tually prevented him from acquiring that popularity which he feems to have deferv- ed. He was folicitous to fupport the dig- nity of his commiffion ; but could never prevail with the affembly to fettle a falary upon him. The council generally paid his travelling expences by a draught on the treafury, which never amounted to more than five pounds for each journey, until he came from Bofton to proclaim the
359
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
the acceffion of King George; when in a fit of loyalty and good humour they gave him ten pounds, which ferved as a pre- cedent 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 fer> " vants were much better accommodated " in his houfe than the queen's governor " was in the queens fort."
Dudley had the good fortune to be more popular. Befide his attention to the gene- ral intereft of the province and his care for its defence, he had the particular mer- it of favouring the views of thofe who were moft ftrongly oppofed to Allen's claim ; and they made him amends by promoting in the affembly addreffes to the queen, defending his character, when it was attacked and praying for his contin- uance in office when petitions were pre- fented for his removal. One of thefe ad- dreffes was in one thoufand feven hundred and fix, and another in one thoufand feven hundred and feven, in both of which they re- prefent him as a "prudent, careful and faith- ful governor," and fay they "are perfectly " fatisfied with his difpofal of the people, and " their arms and the public money." Addref- fes to the crown were very frequent during this female reign. Scarcely a year paffed without
1714> 4
Coun. Rees
360
HISTORY OF
1714. without one or two; they either congratu- lated her majefty on her victories in Europe, or petitioned for arms and military ftores for their defence, or for fhips and troops to go againft Canada, or reprefented their own poverty or Dudley's merits, or thanked her majefty for her care and protection, and for interpofing in the affair of Allen's fuit and not fuffering it to be decided againft them. A good harmony fubfifted between the governor and people, and be- tween the two branches of the legiflature, during the whole of this administration.
Council Rec.
1715. L
On the acceffion of King George a change was expected in the government, and the affembly did what they could to prevent it, by petitioning the king for Dud- ley's continuance. But it being now a time of peace, and a number of valuable officers who had ferved with reputation in the late wars being out of employment ; inte- reft was made for their obtaining places of profit under the crown. Colonel Elifeus Burges who had ferved under General Stan- hope was, by his recommendation, com- miffioned governor of Maffachufetts and New-Hampshire ; and by the fame inter- eft George Vaughan, Efq. then in London, was made lieutenant governor of the latter province ; he arrived and published his commiffion on the thirteenth of October. Ufher
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.