USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire > Part 19
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Nothing was more welcome to the distressed inhabitants of the frontiers than the approach of winter, as they then expected a respite from their sufferings. The deep snows and cold weather were commonly a good security against an attack from the Indians ; but when resolutely set on mischief, and instigated by popish en- thusiasm, no obstacles could prevent the execution of their pur- poses.
The Count de Frontenac, then governor of Canada, was fond
(1) Magnalia, lib. 7, p. 67.
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HISTORY OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. [1690.
of distinguishing himself by some enterprises against the Ameri-
1690. can subjects of King William, with whom his master was at war in Europe. For this purpose, he detached three parties of French and Indians from Canada in the winter, who were to take three different routes into the English territories .- One of these parties marched from Montreal and destroyed Sche- nectady, a Dutch village on the Mohawk river, in the province of New-York. This action which happened at an unusual time of the year, in the month of February, alarmed the whole country ; and the eastern settlements 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 offi- cer of great repute in Canada, found their way to Salmon-falls, a settlement on the river which divides New-Hampshire from the province of Maine. This party consisted of fifty-two men, of whom twenty-five were Indians under Hoophood, a noted warrior. They began the attack at day-break, in three different places. The people were surprised ; but flew to arms and defended them- selves in the garrisoned houses, with a bravery which the enemy themselves applauded. But as in all such onsets the assailants have the greatest advantage, so they here proved too strong for the defendants ; about thirty of the bravest were killed, and the rest surrendered at discretion, to the number of fifty-four, of whom the greater part were women and children. After plundering, the enemy burned the houses, mills and barns, with the cattle* which were within doors, and then retreated into the woods, whither they were pursued by about one hundred and forty men, suddenly collected from the neighboring towns, who came up with them in the afternoon at a narrow bridge on Wooster's river, in Berwick. Hertel expecting a pursuit, had posted his men ad- vantageously on the opposite bank. The pursuers advanced with great intrepidity, and a warm engagement ensued, which lasted till night, when they retired with the loss of four or five killed .--- The enemy by their own account lost two, one of whom was Her- tel's nephew :1 his son was wounded in the knee. Another Frenchman was taken prisoner, who was so tenderly treated that he embraced the protestant faith, and remained in the country. 2 Hertel on his way homeward met with a third party who had marched from Quebec, and joining his company to them attacked and destroyed the fort and settlement at Casco, the next May. Thus the three expeditions planned by Count Frontenac proved successful ; but the glory of them was much tarnished by acts of
(1) Charlevoix, lib. 7, p. 74. (2) Mather, 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 out houses, might amount to near twenty ; but the number of cattle as he gives it, is incredible.
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cruelty, which christians should be ashamed to countenance, though perpetrated by savages .*
After the destruction of Casco, the eastern settlements were all deserted, and the people retired to the fort at Wells. The In- dians then came up westward, and a party of them under Hoop- hood, sometime in May, made an assault on Fox Point, in New- ington, where they burned several houses, killed about fourteen people, and carried away six. They were pursued by the Cap- tains Floyd and Greenleaf, who came up with them and recover- ed some of the Captives and spoil, after a skirmish in which Hoop- hood was wounded and lost is gun. 1 This fellow was soon after killed by a party of Canada Indians who mistook him for one of the Iroquois, with whom they were at war. On the fourth day of July, eight persons 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 garrison at Exeter, which was relieved by Lieutenant Bancroft, with the loss of a few of his men. One of them, Simon Stone, received nine wounds with shot, and two strokes of a hatchet : when his friends came to bu-
(1) Mag. lib. 7, p. 73.
* The following instances of cruelty exercised towards the prisoners taken at Salmon-falls are mentioned by Dr. [Cotton] Mather.
Robert Rogers, a corpulent man, being unable to carry the burden which the Indians imposed upon him, threw it down 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 prolonged his misery ; they drowned 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 her 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 hung 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- to 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 inquired 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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ry him they perceived life in him, and by the application of cor- dials he revived, to the amazement of all.1
Two companies under the Captains Floyd and Wiswall were now scouting, and on the sixth day of July, discovered an Indian track, which they pursued till they came up with the enemy at Wheelwright's Pond, in Lee, where a bloody engagement ensu- ed for some hours ; in which Wiswall, his lieutenant, Flagg, and sergeant Walker, with twelve more, were killed, and several wounded. It was not known how many of the enemy fell, as they always carried off their dead. Floyd maintained the fight after Wiswall's death, till his men, fatigued and wounded, drew off ; which obliged him to follow. The enemy retreated at the same time ; for when Captain Convers went to look after the wounded, he found seven alive, whom he brought in by sunrise the next morning, and then returned to bury the dead. The ene- my then went westward, and in the course of one week killed, be- tween Lamprey river and Amesbury, not less than forty people.
The cruelties exercised upon the captives in this war exceed- ed, both in number and degree, any in former times. The most healthy and vigorous of them were sold in Canada ; the weaker were sacrificed, and scalped ; and for every scalp they had a premium. Two instances only are remembered of their releas- ing any without a ransom : one was a woman taken from Fox Point, who obtained her liberty by procuring them some of the necessaries of life ;2 the other was at York ; where, after they had taken many of the people, they restored two aged women and five children, in return for a generous action of Major Church, who had spared the lives of as many women and children when they fell into his hands at Ameriscoggin.3
The people of New-England, now looked on Canada as the source of their troubles, and formed a design to reduce it to subjection to the crown of England. The enterprise was bold and hazardous ; and had their ability been equal to the ardor of their patriotism, it might probably have been accomplished. Straining every nerve, they equipped an armament in some de- gree equal to the service. What was wanting in military and na- val discipline was made up in resolution ; and the command was given to Sir William Phips, an honest man, and a friend to his country ; but by no means qualified for such an attempt. Una- voidable accidents retarded the expedition, so that the fleet did not arrive before Quebec till October ; when it was more than time to return. It being impossible to continue there to any pur- pose ; and the troops growing sickly and discouraged, after some ineffectual parade, they abandoned the enterprise .*
(1) Mag. lib. 7, p. 74. (2) Ibid. p. 73. (3) MS. Letter.
* [1690. The ship Faulkland of 54 guns, was built at Portsmouth. Ad- ams, Annals of Portsmouth.]
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This disappointment was severely felt. The equipment of the fleet and army required a supply of money which could not readi- ly be collected, and occasioned a paper currency ; which has often been drawn into precedent on like occasions, and has proved a fatal source of the most complicated and extensive mischief. The people were almost dispirited with the prospect of poverty and ruin. In this melancholy state of the country, it was an hap- py circumstance that the Indians voluntarily came in with a flag of truce, and desired a cessation of hostilities. A conference being held at Sagadahock, they brought in ten captives, and
Nov. 29. settled a truce till the first day of May, which they observed till the ninth of June ; when they attacked Storer's garri- son at Wells, but were bravely repulsed. About the same 1691.
time, they killed two men at Exeter,1 and on the twenty ninth of September, a party of them came from the eastward in canoes to Sandy Beach, (Rye)2 where they killed and captivated twenty- one persons .* Captain Sherburne of Portsmouth, a worthy offi- cer, was this year killed at Maquoit.3
The next winter, the country being alarmed with the destruc- tion of York, some new regulations were made for the general defence. Major Elisha Hutchinson was appointed com- 1692. mander in chief of the militia ; by whose prudent conduct Jan. 25. the frontiers were well guarded, and so constant a com- munication was kept up, by ranging parties, from one post to another, that it became impossible for the enemy to attack in their usual way, by surprise. The good effect of this regulation was presently seen. A young man being in the woods near Co- checho, was fired at by some Indians. Lientenant Wilson imme- diately went out with eighteen men ; and finding the Indians, kil- Jed or wounded the whole party, excepting one. This struck a terror, and kept them quiet the remainder of the winter and spring. But on the tenth day of June, an army of French and Indians made a furious attack on Storer's garrison at Wells, where Capt. Convers commanded ; who after a brave and resolute de- fence, was so happy as to drive them off with great loss.
Sir William Phips, being now governor of Massachusetts, con- tinued the same method of defence ; keeping out continual scouts under brave and experienced officers. This kept the Indians so quiet that, except one poor family which they took at Oyster riv- er, and some small mischief at Quaboag, there is no mention
(1) Mag. 78. (2) MS. Letter of Morrill to Prince, [Magnalia.] (3) Fitch's MS.
* [In the same month, a party made a descent on Dunstable, where they killed Joseph Hassell, sen., his wife Anna, and son Benjamin, Mary Marks, daughter of Peter Marks, Obadiah Perry, one of the founders of the church there, and Christopher Temple. Perry and Temple were killed in the morn- ing of the 28 September ; the others were killed in the evening of the 2d .--- MS. Letter of J. B. Hill, Esq.]
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HISTORY OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. [1693.
of any destruction made by them during the year 1693. Their 1693. animosity against New-England was not quelled ; but they needed a space to recruit ; some of their principal men were in captivity, and they could not hope to redeem them with- out a peace. To obtain it, they came into the Fort at Pema- quid ; and there entered into a solemn covenant ; wherein they acknowledged subjection to the crown of England ; engaged to abandon the French interest ; promised perpetual peace ; to for- bear private revenge ; to restore all captives ; and even went so far as to deliver hostages for the due performance of their en- gagements.1 This peace, or rather truce, gave both sides a res- pite, which both earnestly desired .*
The people of New-Hampshire were much reduced ; their lumber trade and husbandry being greatly impeded by the war. Frequent complaints were made of the burden of the war, the scarcity of provisions, and the dispiritedness of the people. Once, it is said, in the council minutes, that they were even ready to quit the province. The governor was obliged to impress men to guard the outposts : they were sometimes dismissed for want of provisions, and then the garrison officers were called to account and severely punished : Yet all this time, the public debt did not exceed four hundred pounds. In this situation, they were obliged to apply to their neighbors for assistance ; but this was granted with a sparing hand. The people of Massachusetts were much divided and at variance among themselves, both on account of the new charter which they had received from King William, and the pretended witchcrafts which have made so loud a noise in the world. Party and passion had usurped the place of patri- otism ; and the defence, not only of their neighbors, but of them- selves was neglected to gratify their malignant humors. Their governor too had been affronted in this province, on the following occasion.
Sir William Phips, having had a quarrel with Capt. Short of the Nonsuch frigate about the extent of his power as vice admi- ral, arrested Short at Boston, and put him on board a merchant ship bound for England, commanded by one Tay, with a warrant to deliver him to the secretary of state. The ship put into Pas- cataqua, and the Nonsuch came in after her. The lieutenant, Carey, sent a letter to Hinckes, president of the council, threat- ening to impress seamen, if Short was not released. Cary was arrested and brought before the council, where he received a rep-
(1) Mag. p. 85.
* [This " Submission and Agreement of the Eastern Indians, at Fort Will- iam Henry, in Pemmaquid, the 11th day of August, in the fifth year of our Sovereign Lord and Lady William and Mary, by the grace of God, of Eng- land, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King and Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c. 1693," may be found in Mather, ii. Magnalia, p. 542. It is signed by thirteen Indian Chiefs, four Indians, and three English Interpreters.]
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rimand for his insolence. At the same time, Sir William came hither by land, went on board Tay's ship, and sent the cabin boy with a message to the president to come to him there ; which Hinckes highly resented and refused. Phips then demanded of Tay his former warrant, and issued another commanding the re- delivery of Short to him, broke open Short's chest, and seized his papers. This action was looked upon by some as an exertion of power to which he had no right, and it was proposed to cite him before the council to answer for assuming authority out Mar .. 30. of his jurisdiction. The president was warm ; but a majority of the council, considering Sir William's opinion that his vice admiral's commission extended to this province, (though Usher had one, but was not present) and that no person belong- ing to the province had been injured, advised the president to take no farther notice of the matter.1 Soon after this, Sir Wil- liam drew off the men whom he had stationed in this province as soldiers ; and the council advised the lieutenant governor to ap- ply to the colony of Connecticut for men and provisions ; but whether this request was granted does not appear.
The towns of Dover and Exeter being more exposed than Portsmouth or Hampton, suffered the greatest share in the com- mon calamity. Nothing but the hope of better times kept alive their fortitude. When many of the eastern settlements were whol- ly broken up, they stood their ground, and thus gained to them- selves a reputation which their posterity boast of to this day .*
The engagements made by the Indians in the treaty of Pema- quid, might have been performed if they had been left to their own choice. But the French missionaries had been 1694. for some years very assiduous in propagating their tenets among them, one of which was ' that to break faith with heretics was no sin.' The Sieur de Villieu, who had distinguished himself in the defence of Quebec when Phips was before it, and had contracted a strong antipathy to the New-Englanders, being then in command at Penobscot, he with M. Thury, the missionary, diverted Madok-
(1) MS. in files.
* [1693. New-Castle, formerly Great Island, was incorporated. This is now the smallest town in point of territory in the state of New-Hampshire, containing only 458 acres. It originally consisted of Great Island, Little Harbor, and Sandy Beach, (now Rye) all which were once comprehended within the limits of Portsmouth. Some of the principal merchants of the Province resided there-and the principal seat of business for many years was at Great Island.
1693. An act passed the General Assembly of New-Hampshire to estab- lish a Post-office " in some convenient place within the town of Portsmouth." The postage on letters from beyond sea was two pence ; on packets equal to not less than three letters, four pence. The postage on letters from Boston was not to exceed six pence, and double for a packet, and " so proportionably for letters on this side Boston," and " for all other letters beyond Boston, shall be paid what is the accustomary allowance in the government from whence they came."]
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HISTORY OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
[1694.
awando and the other Sachems from complying with their en- gagements ; so that pretences were found for detaining the Eng- lish captives, who were more in number, and of more consequence than the hostages whom the Indians had given. Influenced by the same pernicious councils, they kept a watchful eye on the frontier towns, to see what place was most secure and might be attacked to the greatest advantage. The settlement at Oyster river, within the town of Dover, was pitched upon as the most likely place ; and it is said that the design of surprising it was publicly talked of at Quebec two months before it was put in ex- ecution. Rumors of Indians lurking in the woods thereabout made some of the people apprehend danger ; but no mischief be- ing attempted, they imagined them to be hunting parties, and re- turned to their security.1 At length, the necessary preparations being made, Villieu, with a body of two hundred and fifty Indi- ans, collected from the tribes of St. John, Penobscot and Nor- ridgewog, attended by a French Priest, marched for the devoted place.2
Oyster river is a stream which runs into the western branch of Pascataqua : the settlements were on both sides of it, and the houses chiefly near the water. Here, were twelve garrisoned houses sufficient for the defence of the inhabitants, but appre- hending no danger, some families remained at their own unforti- fied houses, and those who were in the garrisons were but indif- ferently provided for defence, some being even destitute of pow- der. The enemy approached the place undiscovered, and halt- ed near the falls on Tuesday evening, the seventeenth of July. Here they formed two divisions, one of which was to go on each side of the river and plant themselves in ambush, in small parties, near every house, so as to be ready for the attack at the rising of the sun ; and the first gun was to be the signal. John Dean, whose house stood by the saw-mill at the falls, intending to go from home very early, arose before the dawn of day, and was shot as he came out of his door. This firing, in part, disconcert- ed their plan ; several parties who had some distance to go, had not then arrived at their stations ; the people in general were im- mediately alarmed, some of them had time to make their escape, and others to prepare for their defence. The signal being given, the attack began in all parts where the enemy was ready.
Of the twelve garrisoned houses five were destroyed, viz. Ad- ams's, Drew's, Edgerly's Medar's and Beard's. They entered Adams's without resistance, where they killed fourteen persons ; one of them, being a woman with child, they ripped open. The grave is still to be seen in which they were all buried. Drew surrendered his garrison on the promise of security, but was mur- dered when he fell into their hands. One of his children, a boy
(1) Magnalia, lib. 7, p. 86. (2) Charlevoix, lib. 15, p. 210.
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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 dispatched him. Edgerly's was evacuated. The people took to their boat, and one of them was mortally wounded before they got out of reach of the enemy's shot. Beard's and Medar's were also evac- uated and the people escaped.
The defenceless houses were nearly all set on fire, the inhabit- ants being either killed or taken in them, or else in endeavor- ing to fly to the garrisons. Some escaped by hiding in the bushes and other secret places. Thomas Edgerly, by conceal- ing himself in his cellar, preserved his house, though twice set on fire. The house of John Buss, the minister, was destroyed, with a valuable library. He was absent ; his wife and family fled to the woods and escaped .* The wife of John Dean, at whom the first 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 asked the wo- man what would be a proper remedy : she answered, occapee, which is the Indian word for rum, of which she knew he had tak- en a bottle from her house. The remedy being agreeable, he took a large dose and fell asleep ; and she took that opportunity to make her escape, with her child, into the woods, and kept her- self concealed till they were gone.
The other seven garrisons, viz. Burnham's, Bickford's, Smith's, Bunker's, Davis's, Jones's and Woodman's were resolutely and suc- cessfully defended. At Burnham's, the gate was left open : The Indians, ten in number, who were appointed to surprise it, were asleep under the bank of the river, at the time that the alarm was given. A man within, who had been kept awake by the tooth- ache, hearing the first gun, roused the people and secured the gate, just as the Indians, who were awakened by the same noise, were entering. Finding themselves disappointed, they ran to Pitman's defenceless house, and forced the door at the moment, that he had burst a way through that end of the house which was
* [John Buss is mentioned in the 3d volume, p. 250, of the first edition, as a practitioner of physic, and as having died in 1736, at the age of 108 years ; but his age is overstated. It should be 96. In a petition from him to Gov. Shute and the General Assembly of Massachusetts, in 1718, he states that he had labored in the work of the ministry at Oyster-River 44 years successive- ly; that he was then advanced to 78 years of age; that he had kept his sta- tion there, " even in the time of the terrible Indian war, when many a score fell by the sword, both on the right hand and on the left, and several others forced to flight for want of bread ;" that he was then "unable to perform the usnal exercise of the ministry," and that " the people had not only called another minister, but stopped their hands from paying to his subsistence, whereupon he was greatly reduced, having neither bread to eat, nor sufficient clothing to encounter the approaching winter." The ministers of Durham from that time down to our own days have not unfrequently complained that they prophesied in sackcloth.]
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