USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire > Part 37
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The assembly was immediately convened, and voted an en- June. couragement for enlisting a thousand men, or more, if they could be raised ; with a bounty of thirty pounds currency, and a blanket to each man, besides keeping two armed vessels in pay. Colonel Atkinson was appointed to the command of the troops.3 Eight hundred men were inlisted and ready for embark- ation by the beginning of July. Transports and provisions were prepared, and the men waited, impatiently, all summer for em- ployment. Neither the general nor any orders arrived from Eng- land ; the fleet, which was said to be destined for the expedition, sailed seven times from Spithead, and as often returned. Two regiments, only, were sent from Gibraltar, to Louisburg, to relieve the New-England men, who had garrisoned it since the conquest. It is much easier to write the history of an active campaign, than to trace the causes of inaction and disappointment ; and it is in vain to supply the place of facts by conjecture .*
In this time of suspense, Sir Peter Warren, and Sir William Pepperell, having arrived at Boston, from Louisburg, Shirley had
(1) Shirley's speech, June 28. (2) Shirley's MS. letters. (3) Atkinson's MS. letters.
* ' The last war was ruinous in the expense, and unsuccessful in the end, ' for want of consideration, and a reasonable plan at the beginning.' Dod- dington's Diary, May 27, 1775, page 330.
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PROVINCE. BENNING WENTWORTH.
1746.]
an opportunity of consulting them, and such other gentlemen as he thought proper, on the affair of the Canada expedition. The season was so far advanced, that a fleet could hardly be expected from England ; or if it should arrive, it would be too late to at- tempt the navigation of the river St. Lawrence. But, as a suffi- cient body of the troops might be assembled at Albany, it was judged prudent to employ them in an attempt against the French fort at Crown-Point.1 At the same time, Clinton, governor of New-York, solicited and obtained the friendly assistance of the Six Nations of Indians, on the borders of his province. It was thought, that if this attempt should be made, the alliance with these In- dians would be strengthened and secured ; and the frontiers would be relieved from the horrors of desolation and captivity, to which they were continually exposed. In pursuance of this plan, the forces of New-Hampshire were ordered to hold them- selves in readiness, to march to Albany ; but, it being discovered that the small-pox was there, the rendezvous was appointed at Saratoga and the adjacent villages.2
No sooner was this plan resolved on, and preparations made to carry it into execution, than accounts were received of danger which threatened Annapolis, from a body of French and Indians at Minas, and the probable revolt of the Acadians. It was thought that Nova-Scotia would be lost, if some powerful succor were not sent thither.3 Orders were accordingly issued, for the troops of Massachusetts, Rhode-Island and New-Hampshire, to embark for that place, and ' drive the enemy out of Nova-Scotia.' But, within a few days more, the whole country was alarmed, and thrown into the utmost consternation, by reports of the arrival Sept. 20. of a large fleet and army from France, at Nova-Scotia, under the command of the Duke D'Anville. It was supposed that their ob- ject was to recover Louisburg ; to take Annapolis ; to break up the settlements on the eastern coast of Massachusetts ; and to distress, if not attempt the conquest of the whole country of New- England. On this occasion, the troops destined for Canada found sufficient employment at home, and the militia was collected to join them ; the old forts on the sea coast were repaired, and new ones were erected. A new battery, consisting of sixteen guns, of thirty-two and twenty-four pounds shot, was added to fort Will- iam and Mary, at the entrance of Pascataqua harbor ; and an- other, of nine thirty-two pounders, was placed at the point of Little-Harbor. These works were supposed to be sufficient to prevent a surprisal. Military guards were appointed ; and in this state of fear and anxiety, the people were kept for six weeks, when some prisoners, who had been released by the
Oct. 25. French, brought the most affecting accounts of the dis-
(1) Shirley's and Warren's MS. letters, Aug. 25. (2) MS. letter of Secre- tary Willard, Sept. 1. (3) Shirley's and Warren's MS. letters, Sept. 12.
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HISTORY OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. [1746.
tress and confusion on board the fleet. It was expected, by the people in New-England, that an English fleet would have follow- ed them to America. This expectation was grounded on some letters from England, which Shirley had received and which he forwarded by express to admiral Townsend, at Louisburg. The letters were intercepted by a French cruiser, and carried into Chebueto, where the fleet lay. They were opened in a conneil of war, and caused a division among the officers ; which, added to the sickly condition of the men, and the damage which the fleet had sustained by storms, and their loss by shipwrecks, dejected their commander to that degree, that he put an end to his life by poison ; and the second in command fell on his sword. These melancholy events disconcerted their first plan. They then resolved to make an attempt on Annapolis ; but when they had sailed from Chebucto, they were overtaken by a violent tem- pest, off Cape Sable ; and those ships which escaped destruction, returned singly to France. Never was the hand of divine Prov- idence more visible, than on this occasion. Never was a disap- pointment more severe, on the side of the enemy ; nor a deliv- erance more complete, without human help, in favor of this coun- try .*
Nova-Scotia was not out of danger. The French and Indians, who, during the stay of the fleet at Chebucto, had appeared be- fore Annapolis, but on their departure retired, were still in the peninsula ; and it was thought necessary to dislodge them. For this purpose, Shirley sent a body of the Massachusetts forces, and Nov. 10. pressed the governors of Rhode-Island and New-Hamp- shire to send part of theirs. Those from Rhode-Island, and one transport from Boston, were wrecked on the passage. The armed vessels of New-Hampshire, with two hundred men, went to Annapolis ; but the commander of one of them, instead of landing his men, sailed across the bay of Fundy, into St. John's river ; where, meeting with a French snow, and mistaking her for one of the Rhode-Island transports, he imprudently sent his boat with eight men on board, who were made prisoners, and the snow escaped. The sloop, instead of returning to Annapolis, came back to Portsmouth.1 These misfortunes and disappointments had very 1747. serious ill consequences. The Massachusetts forces, who
were at Nova-Scotia,being inferior in number to the French,
Jan. 31. and deceived by false intelligence, were surprised in the midst of a snow storm at Minas ; and after an obstinate resistance, were obliged to capitulate. Their commander, Col. Arthur Noble,
(1) Dec. 13-Shirley's MS. letters, and affidavits of the crew.
* [1746. The towns of Dunstable, Merrimack, Hollis, Nottingham-West, (whose name was altered to Hudson at the session of the legislature in June, 1830,) and Pelham were incorporated by the province of New-Hampshire .- MS. volume of charters in Secretary's office.]
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PROVINCE. BENNING WENTWORTH.
1747.]
and about sixty men, were killed, and fifty were wounded.1 The enemy being provided with snow-shoes, made forced marches ; and ours being destitute of them were unable to escape.
When the alarm occasioned by the French fleet had subsided, Atkinson's regiment marched into the country to cover the lower part of the frontiers, and encamped near the shore of Winnipise- ogee lake ; where they passed the winter and built a slight fort.
They were plentifully supplied with provisions, and had but little exercise or discipline. Courts martial were not instituted, nor offences punished. The officers and men were tired of the ser- vice ; but were not permitted to enter on any other business, lest orders should arrive from England. Some were employed in scouting ; some in hunting or fishing, and some deserted.2
Shirley was so intent on attacking Crown-Point, that he even proposed to march thither in the winter, and had the address to draw the assembly of Massachusetts into an approbation of this project. He enlarged his plan, by proposing that the New- Hampshire troops should at the same time go, by the way of Connecticut river, to the Indian village of St. Frances, at the dis- tance of two hundred miles and destroy it ; while the troops from Massachusetts, Connecticut and New-York, should go by the way of the lakes to Crown-Point.3 The governor of New-York would have consented to this wild projection, on account of the Indian allies, who were impatient for war ; but it was happily frustrated, by the prudence of the Connecticut assembly ; who deemed the winter an improper season for so great an undertak- ing, and deferred their assistance till the ensuing spring.4 At the same time, the small pox prevailed in the settlements above Al- bany, through which the forces must have marched ; and that distemper was then an object of much greater dread, than the storms of winter, or the face of an enemy.
To finish what relates to the Canada forces, it can only be said, that excepting some who were employed on the frontiers, they were kept in a state of military indolence, till the autumn of the ensuing year; when by order from the Oct. 1747. Duke of Newcastle they were disbanded, and paid at the same rate as the king's troops. The governors drew bills on the Brit- ish treasury ; which were negotiated among the merchants at sev- en and eight hundred per cent. and the parliament granted money, to reimburse the charges of the equipment and subsistence of these forces.5
The state of the frontiers now demands our attention. By the extension of the boundaries of the province, several settle- 1745. ments which had been made by the people of Massachu- setts, and under the authority of grants from their general court,
(1) Boston Evening Post. (2) Atkikson's MS. letters. (3) Shirley's MS. letters. (4) MS. copy of Conn. Resolves-Jan. 28. (5) Bollan's MS. letters.
286
HISTORY OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. [1745.
had fallen within New-Hampshire. In one of them stood Fort Dummer, on the west side of Connecticut river, and within the lately extended line of New-Hampshire. This fort had been erected and maintained, at the expense of Massachusetts ; but when it was found to be within New-Hampshire, the governor was instructed by the crown to recommend to the assembly, the future maintenance of it. In the same assembly, which had so zealously entered upon the expedition against Cape-Breton, this matter was introduced ; but a considerable majority of the lower house de- clined making any grant for this purpose, and adduced the follow- ing reasons, viz.1 That the fort was fifty miles distant from any towns which had been settled by the government or people of New- Hampshire ; that the people had no right to the lands which, by the dividing line, had fallen within New-Hampshire ; notwithstanding the plausible arguments which had been used to induce them to bear the expense of the line ; namely, that the land would be given to them or else would be sold to pay that expense ; that the charge of maintaining that fort, at so great a distance, and to which there was no communication by roads, would exceed what had been the whole expense of government before the line was established ; that the great load of debt contracted on that account, and the yearly support of government, with the unavoidable expenses of the war, were as much as the people could bear ; that if they should take upon them to maintain this fort, there was another much better and more convenient fort at a place called Number- Four, besides several other settlements, which they should also be obliged to defend ; and finally that there was no danger that these forts would want support, since it was the interest of Massachu- setts, by whom they were erected, to maintain them as a cover to their frontier.
When these reasons were given, the governor dissolved the as- sembly and called another, to whom he recommended the same measure in the most pressing terms ; telling them, ' that it June 7. " was of the last consequence to the present and future ' prosperity of the government ; that their refusal would lessen ' them in the esteem of the king and his ministers, and strip the ' children yet unborn of their natural right ; and deprive their ' brethren who were then hazarding their lives before the walls ' of Louisburg of their just expectations, which were to sit down " on that valuable part of the province.' But his eloquence had no effect. They thought it unjust to burden their constituents with an expense which could yield them no profit, and afford them no protection.
When it was determined, that New-Hampshire would make no provision for Fort-Dummer, the assembly of Massachusetts con- tinued its usual support, and also provided for the other posts on
(1) Printed Journal, May 3.
1745.]
PROVINCE. BENNING WENTWORTH.
287
Connecticut river and its branches, which were within the limits of New-Hampshire. They afterwards petitioned the king, to de- duct that charge out of the reimbursement, which the parliament had granted to New-Hampshire, for the Canada expedition ; but in this, they were defeated, by the vigilance and address of Thom- linson, the agent of New-Hampshire.
Most of the frontier towns of New-Hampshire, at that time, were distinguished by no other than by Indian or temporary names. It may be convenient to compare them with their present names. On Connecticut river, and its eastern branches, were
Number-Four,
Charlestown,
Great-Meadow,
Westmoreland,
Great-Fall,
which are now called
Walpole,
Fort-Dummer,
Hinsdale,
Upper-Ashuelot &
Keene and
Lower-Ashuelot,
Swanzey.
On Merrimack river and its branches, were
Penacook,
Concord,
Suncook,
Pembroke,
Contoocook,
which are now called
Boscawen,
New-Hopkinton,
Hopkinton,
Souhegan-East and
Merrimack and
Souhegan-West,
Amherst.
On the Pascataqua river, and its branches, were the townships of Nottingham,* Barrington and Rochester.
Besides the forts which were maintained at the public expense, there were private houses enclosed with ramparts, or palisades of timber ; to which the people who remained on the frontiers retired ; these private garrisoned houses were distinguished by the names of the owners. The danger to which these distressed people were constantly exposed, did not permit them to cultivate their lands to any advantage. They were frequently alarmed when at labor in their fields, and obliged either to repel an attack, or make a retreat. Their crops were often injured, and sometimes destroyed, either by their cattle getting into the fields where the enemy had broken the fences, or because they were afraid to ven- ture out, to collect and secure the harvest. Their cattle and horses were frequently killed by the enemy ; who cut the flesh from the bones, and took out the tongues, which they preserved for food, by drying in smoke. Sometimes they were afraid even to milk their cows ; though they kept them in pastures as near as possible to the forts. When they went abroad, they were always armed ; but frequently they were shut up for weeks together in a state of inactivity.
* [Nottingham was settled about the year 1727, by Capt. Joseph Cilley and others. Rev. Stephen Emery, the first minister, was ordained in 1742; dis- missed about 1749. The population in 1767, was 703.]
288
HISTORY OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. [1745.
The history of a war on the frontiers can be little else than a recital of the exploits, the sufferings, the escapes and deliverances
July 5.
of individuals, of single families or small parties. The first
appearance of the enemy on the western frontier was at the Great-Meadow, sixteen miles above Fort-Dummer. Two Indians took William Phips, as he was hoeing his corn. When they had carried him half a mile, one of them went down a steep hill to fetch something which had been left. In his absence, Phips, with his own hoe, knocked down the Indian who was with him ; then seizing his gun, shot the other as he ascended the hill.1 Unfor-
July 10.
tunately, meeting with three others of the same party, they
killed him. The Indian whom he knocked down died of his wound. The same week they killed Josiah Fisher of Upper- Ashuelot.
No other damage was done for three months ; when a party of twelve Indians approached the fort at Great-Meadow, and Oct. 11. took Nehemiah How, who was at a little distance from the fort, cutting wood. The fort was alarmed, and one Indian was killed by a shot from the rampart ; but no attempt was made to rescue the prisoner. As they were leading him away, by the side of the river, they espied a canoe coming down, with two men, at whom they fired, and killed David Rugg ; but Robert Baker got to the opposite shore and escaped. Proceeding farther, they met three other men, who, by skulking under the bank, got safe to the fort. One of them was Caleb How, the prisoner's son. When they came opposite to Number-Four, they made their captive write his name on a piece of bark, and left. it there. Having travelled seven days westward, they came to a lake, where they found five canoes, with corn, pork and tobacco. In these canoes they embarked ; and having stuck the scalp of David Rugg on a pole, proceeded to the fort at Crown-Point; where How received humane treatment from the French. He was then carried down to Quebec, where he died in prison.2 He was a useful man, greatly lamented by his friends and fellow captives.
The next spring, a party of Indians appeared at Number-Four, 1746. where they took John Spafford, Isaac Parker and Stephen
Farnsworth, as they were driving a team.3 Their cattle were found dead, with their tongues cut out. The men were ยท carried to Canada, and, after some time, returned to Boston, in a flag of truce.
Within a few days, a large party, consisting of fifty, laid a plan to surprise the fort at Upper-Ashuelot. They hid themselves in Apr. 23. had gone out to their work, in the morning, and then rush a swamp, in the evening ; intending to wait till the men in. Ephraim Dorman, who was abroad very early, discovered
(1) Doolittle's Memoirs, p. 2. (2) How's Narrative. (3) April 19-Doo- little's Memoirs.
.
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PROVINCE. BENNING WENTWORTH.
1746.]
them and gave the alarm. He bravely defended himself against two Indians, and stripped one of his blanket and gun, which he carried into the fort. John Bullard, and the wife of Daniel Mc- Kenny were killed. Nathan Blake was taken and carried to Canada, where he remained two years. They burned several houses and barns ; and from the human bones found among the ashes, it was thought that some of the enemy fell and were con- cealed in the flames.1
About the same time, a party came down to New-Hopkinton, where they entered a garrisoned house, and found the people asleep ; the door having been left open by one who had risen early and gone out to hunt. Eight persons were Apr. 27. thus taken ; Samuel Burbank and his two sons, David Woodwell, his wife, two sons, and a daughter. Burbank and the wife of Woodwell, died in captivity. Woodwell and three of the chil- dren returned in a flag of truce to Boston.2 *
The enemy were scattered in small parties, on all the frontiers. At Number-Four, some women went out to milk their cows, with major Josiah Willard+ and several soldiers, for their guard : eight Indians who were concealed in a barn, fired on them, May 2. and killed Seth Putnam ; as they were scalping him, Willard and two more fired on them, and mortally wounded two, whom their companions carried off.3
At Contoocook, five white men and a negro were fired at .- Elisha Cook and the negro were killed. Thomas Jones was taken and died in Canada.4
At Lower-Ashuelot, they took Timothy Brown and Robert Mof- fat, who were carried to Canada and returned. At the
same time, a party lay about the fort at Upper-Ashuelot. May 6. As one of them knocked at the gate in the night, the sentinel fired through the gate and gave him a mortal wound.5
(1) Doolittle's Memoirs, and Sumner's MS. letter. (2) How's Narrative, and Norton's Narrative. Boston Post Boy. [Collections of Farmer and Moore for 1822, vol. i. 284-287.] (3) Doolittle's Narrative. (4) May 4- Norton's and How's Narratives. [Price, Hist. Boscawen, 112.] (5) Doolit- tle's Narrative.
* [The names of those captured were Samuel Burbank, liis sons Caleb and Jonathan, David Woodwell, his wife, and sons Benjamin and Thomas, and daughter Mary. Jonathan Burbank, after liis redemption, became an officer, and was killed by the Indians in the French war, being supposed by them to have been Major Rogers, their avowed enemy. Mary Woodwell, after a de- tention of six months among the French at Montreal, returned to Albany, and soon after, to Hopkinton, Mass. her native place. She was twice married, and died a widow, among the Shakers at Canterbury, N. H. in October, 1829, in the 100th year of her age.]
t [Of Fort-Dummer, afterwards Colonel Willard. He was probably the same who was one of the first settlers of Winchester, and one to whom the charter of that town was granted in 1753. He was son or grandson of Capt. Simon Willard of Salem, whose father was the Simon Willard, mentioned page 56.]
39
290
HISTORY OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. [1746.
The danger thus increasing, a reinforcement was sent by the
Massachusetts assembly, to these distressed towns. Cap-
May 24. tain Paine, with a troop, came to Number-Four ; and about twenty of his men, going to view the place where Putnam was killed, fell into an ambush. The enemy rose and fired, and then endeavored to cut off their retreat. Captain Phinehas Stevens, with a party, rushed out to their relief. A skirmish ensued ; in which, five men were killed on each side, and one of ours was taken .* The Indians left some of their guns and blankets be- hind.
In about a month after this, another engagement happened at the same place. As Captain Stevens and Captain Brown were June 19. going into the meadow, to look for their horses, the dogs discovered an ambush, which put the men into a posture for action, and gave them the advantage of the first fire.1 After a sharp encounter, the enemy were driven into a swamp, drawing away several of their dead. In this action, one man only was lost. Several blankets, hatchets, spears, guns and other things, were left on the ground, which were sold for forty pounds old tenor. This was reckoned ' a great booty from such beggarly ' enemies.'
At Bridgman's fort, near Fort-Dummer, William Robbins and James Baker were killed in a meadow. Daniel How June 24. and John Beaman `were taken. How killed one of the Indians before he was taken.
When the people wanted bread, they were obliged to go to the mills, with a guard; every place being full of danger. A July 3. party who went to Hinsdale's mill, with Colonel Willard at their head, in searching round the mill, discovered an ambush. The enemy were put to flight with the loss of their packs.
At Number-Four, one Phillips was killed ; and as some of the people were bringing him into the fort, they were fired upon ; but Aug. 3. none were hurt. Having burned some buildings, and killed some cattle, the enemy went and ambushed the Aug. 6. road near Winchester, where they killed Joseph Rawson. Whilst the upper settlements were thus suffering, the lower towns did not escape. A party of Indians came down to Roch-
June 27.
ester, within twenty miles of Portsmouth. Five men
were at work in a field, having their arms at hand. The Indians concealed themselves. One of them fired, with a view to induce the men to discharge their pieces, which they did. The enemy then rushed upon them before they could load again. They retreated to a small deserted house and fastened the door.
(1) Doolittle's Narrative. Boston Evening Post.
* [The names of the English killed were Samuel Farnsworth, Joseph AI- len, Peter Perrin, Aaron Lyon and Joseph Massey.]
291
PROVINCE. BENNING WENTWORTH.
1746.]
The Indians tore off the roof, and with their guns and tomahawks despatched Joseph Heard, Joseph Richards, John Wentworth and Gershom Downs. They wounded and took John Richards ; and then crossing over to another road, came upon some men who were at work in a field, all of whom escaped ; but they took Jon- athan Door, a boy, as he was sitting on a fence. Richards was kindly used, his wounds were healed, and after eighteen months, he was sent to Boston in a flag of truce. Door lived with the In- dians and acquired their manners and habits ; but, after the con- quest of Canada, returned to his native place.1
Soon after this, another man was killed at Rochester .* Two men were surprised and taken at Contoocook ; and a large party of Indians lay in ambush at Penacook, with an in- Aug. 6. tention to attack the people, while assembled for public worship ; but seeing them go armed to their devotions, they waited till the next morning, when they killed five and took two. f
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