USA > Vermont > History of eastern Vermont, from its earliest settlement to the close of the eighteeth century with a biographical chapter and appendixes > Part 4
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Fort Dummer being in a defenceless condition, Capt. Josiah Willard, " for himself and those under his command," informed the Governor of Massachusetts on the 24th day of June, 1740, that they were " willing to be at the cost of putting ye garrison into a posture of defence, and erect two sufficient bastions at opposite angles, providing the government will be at the charge of hiring a carpenter and provide nails, iron work and boards." The proposition was acceded to, and the fort was made more defensible than it had ever been before. Within were four province houses, as they were called, two stories in height, comfortable, and for these days even convenient ; besides which there were two or three smaller houses, containing a room each, which could be occupied when the garrison num- bered more than its complement of men. Without, the fort was picketed. Posts twenty feet in height placed perpendicularly in the ground side by side, and sharpened at the upper end, surrounded it on every side. Openings were left in the pickets through which to fire on the enemy, and at opposite angles of the fort, twenty-five feet from the ground and five above the tops of the pickets, square boxes were placed in which the sentinels kept guard. To the patteraroes with which the gar- rison was originally furnished, several swivels were now added, which enabled the inmates of the fort to receive the enemy with an enfilading fire, thus rendering the place comparatively secure. The "Great Gun " of which mention is so often made in papers relating to Fort Dummer, whose report could be heard for many miles, was never fired except as a signal for assistance, or on the reception of some fortunate or pleasing news .*
* Bound MS. in office Sec. of State Mass. Ixxii. 496.
28
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1744.
The declaration of war by Great Britain against France and Spain on the 29th of March, 1744, was followed by its procla- mation at Boston in the month of June following. An Indian war was a necessary appendage in the American colonies to a war with France, and during this contest, called by some the first French war, and by others the Cape Breton war, the almost daily cruelties practised by the Indians were witness to their long-fostered determination of vengeance for the misfortunes which they had suffered on account of the whites. The Indian commissioners who had resided at Fort Dummer since the year 1734, and had become used to English ways and customs, would, it was supposed, remain during the war where they had so long lived, and endeavor by their influence to afford some protection to their friends from the ravages of the enemy. But the lust of gain, and the desire of plunder, broke down the nicer barriers which had sprung from friendly communication and social intercourse ; and not only was Fort Dummer deserted by the Indians, but also all the stations in the vicinity where they had dwelt, their numbers going to augment the forces of the hostile tribes in Canada. At the same time the truck establishment at Fort Dummer was also discontinued.
The traffic which during the sixteen years previous had been there carried on with the Indians by the government of Massa- chusetts, had proved of no pecuniary profit to the latter. De- ducting the charge of transportation, and a remuneration for the waste incidental thereto, the Indians were supplied with goods at nearly first cost, while for their furs, deer skins, moose skins, and tallow, they were allowed the Boston market-prices. The province had also a transport sloop in pay for the use of this fort, and of Forts Richmond and Georges on the eastern frontiers, which forts were also used as trading houses in time of peace. Had it not been deemed necessary to supply the Indians with goods in order to protect them from the abuses of private traders, and to turn their attention as much as possible from unfriendly and warlike designs, the government would not have continued a trade so disadvantageous and one-sided, so long as they did.
Since its erection by Massachusetts, Fort Dummer had been maintained and garrisoned at the expense of that province ; but by the late determination of the boundary lines between Massa- chusetts and New Hampshire, the fort was supposed by many to have fallen within the limits of the latter province. Massa-
29
MAINTENANCE OF FORT DUMMER.
1744.]
chusetts, however, continued to support and maintain it until war was declared in 1744, when Governor Shirley opened a communication with the home government on the subject. In his letters to the Lord President of the King's Council and to the Duke of Newcastle, one of his Majesty's principal Secre- taries of State, he clearly showed that the great expense which the province was likely to incur in providing for its own defence in many other places, would no longer justify it in continuing the establishment of Fort Dummer. At the same time he declared it to be of the last importance at that time, that this post should be strongly fortified, not only for the defence of the settlers in the immediate neighborhood, but also on account of the position of the fort, it being situated within three or four days' march of the French fort at Crown Point, which latter place was a constant retreat and resort for the French and Indians in all their expeditions against the English settlements. He further stated that the Massachusetts government did not think it their duty to provide for a fort no longer their own, and proposed that the province of New Hampshire, to which it properly belonged, should make provision for its support.
On the receipt of this representation, the King in Council, on the 6th of September, ordered that the fort and its garrison should be maintained, and that the Governor of New Hamp- shire should move the Assembly of that province in his Ma- jesty's name, to make a proper provision for that service, and at the same time inform them, that in case they should refuse to comply with a proposal so necessary and reasonable, his Majesty would restore the fort, and a "proper district contiguous there- to," to the Massachusetts Bay. In view of the importance of the station, and of the sad results which might follow, should it fall into the hands of the enemy, Governor Shirley was ordered in the same report to represent to the Provincial Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay, the necessity of continuing to provide for Fort Dummer until a final answer should be obtained from New Hampshire, and his Majesty's pleasure in relation to the subject, further signified.
This order, together with a message from Governor Shirley, was presented to the House of Representatives of Massachu- setts, and that body, with the concurrence of the Council, in consideration of the great danger there was that the inhabitants from Contoocook,* in New Hampshire, to Connecticut river,
Boscawen
30
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1745.
would be driven from their settlements should the fort be taken, unanimously voted that " the captain-general be desired to cause the same number of officers and men as were in the last esta- blishment at said fort, to be enlisted and there posted ; and that the same allowance as before be made for their wages and subsistence, for a term not exceeding three months, provided that this vote or grant shall not be deemed or urged as a pre- cedent for this government's taking into their pay at any time hereafter this fort, or any other fort which may serve as a pro- tection to any inhabitants or estates, the jurisdiction whereof is claimed by any other government." It was also voted that the term of three months should commence with the 20th of Janu- ary, 1745. For the better security of this garrison, the strong- est, and, with the exception of the stockade then building on the Great Meadows, the most northern, two swivel guns and two four-pounders were added to its munitions.
In accordance with his instructions, Governor Shirley inform- ed Governor Wentworth, of New Hampshire, on the 25th of February, of the nature of the order he had received from his Majesty, and of the action of the Massachusetts Assembly thereon. He further requested his Excellency to make provi- sion for the future sustenance of the garrison, or at least to come to a speedy resolution on the subject, in order that an answer might be returned without delay to the King. The subject was brought before the New Hampshire Assembly on the 3d of May, but a majority of the lower house declined making any grant for this purpose, and adduced, in support of this deter- mination, the following reasons :- "That the fort was fifty miles distant from any towns which had been settled by the govern- ment 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, viz. 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 com- munication 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 sup- port 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
31
DISPUTES WITH MASSACHUSETTS.
1745.]
and more convenient fort at a place called Number Four, be- sides 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 Mas- sachusetts, by whom they were erected, to maintain them as a cover to their frontier."*
Upon this declaration, the Governor dissolved the Assembly and called another, to whom, in the most pressing and eloquent terms, he recommended the same measure. In accordance with his wishes, that body resolved, on the 15th of June, that his Ex- cellency the Captain General be desired to enlist or impress twenty good, effective men, to be by him employed in his Ma- jesty's service for six months, as a garrison for Fort Dum- mer.+ This resolution was notified to Governor Shirley by Governor Wentworth, and was accompanied with a request that the fort might be delivered to New Hampshire, and the Massachusetts forces be drawn within the bounds of that pro- vince. In answer, Governor Shirley desired Governor Went- worth to take possession, and sent orders to Capt. Willard to deliver the fort to his charge on demand. Previous to this, however, the Assembly of New Hampshire, as has been seen, had refused to support the fort, and Massachusetts had there- upon agreed to maintain it. By consequence, when Governor Shirley acquainted his Majesty's Council of Massachusetts with his action on the last resolve of the Assembly of New Hamp- shire, they were of opinion that he could not, according to the terms of his Majesty's order, be justified in delivering up the fort until his Majesty's pleasure should be known. A suspicion prevailed that the Assembly of New Hampshire intended to provide for the fort, only until they could obtain full possession of it, and that they would then slight it. It was also well known that the allowance proposed by New Hampshire for the support of the soldiers, was not half as large as that given by Massachu- setts, which many deemed too small. Under these considera- tions, Governor Shirley judged it best to countermand his orders, and the fort was again supported by Massachusetts.
* Belknap's Hist. N. H., ii. 236, 237.
t The wages allowed are thus stated : " One Captain to have 25 shillings per month; one Lieutenant to have 13s. 6d. per month; one Sergeant to have 13s. 6d. per month ; one Corporal to have 12s. per month; and sixteen Centinels to have, each, 10s. per month ; and each of the said twenty men be allowed 8s. per month for providing themselves with provisions."
32
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1744.
In this condition the subject remained until 1747, when Governor Shirley again wrote to Governor Wentworth, to know whether he would take upon himself the charge of supporting the fort. After a long delay, his Excellency, on the 28th of October, 1748, signified his unwillingness to bear the expense, and the subject was then brought before the Board of Trade in consequence of a letter from Governor Shirley to that body. This communication contained an account of the condition of Fort Dummer, and an offer to forward to the Board of Trade a schedule of the charges incurred for supporting the fort since the commencement of the war. The committee to whom the mat- ter was referred, reported on the 3d of August, 1749, that it was proper for New Hampshire to reimburse Massachusetts for maintaining the fort, and advised that the Governor of New Hampshire should be directed to recommend to the Assembly of his province, a permanent provision for the fort, and that it should be allowed to remain where it was, since, were it re- moved within the lines, it would be in the midst of garrison houses, and would thus defeat the object of its erection, which was to keep the enemy at a distance.
Although this report was favorable to Massachusetts, yet when Parliament granted to New Hampshire a reimbursement for the Canada expedition, the petition of the government of Massachusetts praying that a deduction might be made in their favor from this fund, was denied. This denial was owing to the vigilance and address of Capt. John Thomlinson, formerly a sea captain, but at that time the agent at London for New Hampshire.
As soon as the declaration of war between England and France was proclaimed at Boston in June, 1744, orders were issued by Governor Shirley for the building of a line of forts, more effectually to protect the western frontiers of Massachu- setts from the ravages of the Indians. Of the routes which had been pursued by the enemy in the former wars in approaching the frontiers from Canada, the most northern was by the river St. Francis, through Lake Memphramagog, thence by portage to the Passumsic, down that river to the Connecticut, and thence to the settlements bordering the banks of the latter stream. Sometimes the enemy, having sailed down Lake Cham- plain as far as Whitehall, would proceed up Pawlet river to its sources, thence across the mountains to West river and down that stream to the Connecticut. At other times they would approach that river by following up Otter creek to its sources.
33
ESTABLISHMENT OF FORTS.
1744.]
Nor were the rivers Lamoille, Winooski, and White, unknown to them in their journeys to Connecticut river. But the most com- mon road from Canada, and that most frequently traversed, was, by the way of Otter creek and Black river. This has been pre- viously described under the name of the Indian road, and was so called at the time of the earliest English settlements .*
Fort Dummer was a serious obstruction to the Indian enemy, who having approached by the way of West river, were de- scending into Massachusetts. After the building of Number Four, that station occupied the same position for those who had reached Connecticut river by the way of the more northern streams. The forts which were ordered to be built by govern- ment, extended from Fort Dummer to Hoosac, now Adams, and Williamstown. They were situated in the following towns. Fort Massachusetts or Hoosac was in Adams, Fort Pelham in Rowe, Fort Shirley in Heath, Coghran's and Rice's forts in Colrain, and Sheldon's fort in Bernardston. In the latter place, as well as at Colrain, several houses were stockaded, and at Northfield and Greenfield the old defences were repaired. Be- sides those already mentioned on Connecticut river, there were forts on the New Hampshire side at Upper and Lower Ashuelot. The western cordon of forts was placed under the immediate command of Capt., afterwards Col. Ephraim Williams, who established his head-quarters at Fort Massachusetts. Col. John Stoddard, of Northampton, commander of the militia regiment in the county of Hampshire, Massachusetts, was charged with the general superintendence of the defence of the same quarter. Major Israel Williams of Hatfield, was appointed commissary of the department, and Col. Josiah Willard, commander of Fort Dummer, and the Rev. Ebenezer Hinsdell, the owner of Hinsdell's garrison, were his under commissaries. Two hundred men were raised for the defence of this portion of the pro- vince, and ninety-six barrels of gunpowder were sent to the towns lying within an allotted space, to be sold to the inhabit- ants at the first cost.
The rations allowed to the garrison forces on the frontiers were, for each man, one pound of bread and a half pint of peas or beans per diem ; two pounds of pork for three days, and one gallon of molasses for forty-two days. Marching forces were allowed a pound of bread for each man ; the same of pork, and
* See ante, p. 21.
3
34
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1745.
a gill of rum per diem. Parties were kept continually ranging from fort to fort on the line between Forts Dummer and Massa- chusetts, and thence to Pittsfield, for the purpose of ferreting out the Indians, and companies of large dogs were trained to scent their trails. Scouts from the militia were also employed to scour the wilderness towards the head of Wood and Otter creeks. To induce the soldiers to engage in this kind of war- fare, a bounty of thirty pounds each was offered on Indian scalps. The officer who commanded a "scalping expedition," was required to keep a fair and correct journal of his marches and operations, and return it to the government of the pro- vince .*
During the year 1744, no depredations were committed on the western frontiers, and this exemption from disturbance afforded ample opportunity for constructing forts and preparing for future emergencies, which opportunity, as has been shown, was in no wise neglected. The first incursion in the next year was made on the 5th of July, by a party of the Oorondax Indians from Canada. William Phips, as he was hoeing corn, near the south-west corner of the Great Meadow, was captured by two of these Indians, and carried into the woods. They had proceeded with him about half a mile, and were ascending a steep hill, when one of them remembering that he had left something, went back to get it, leaving the prisoner in the charge of his comrade. Watching his opportunity, Phips struck down his Indian keeper with a hoe which he had brought with him, and seizing the gun of the prostrate savage, shot the other as he was ascending the hill. Unfortunately, meeting with three others of the same party, as he was returning to the fort, he was seized, killed, and scalped. The Indian whom he had stunned, afterwards died of his wound. On the 10th of the same month, the Indians appeared at Upper Ashuelot, now Keene, and killed and scalped Josiah Fisher. News of these events having reached Massachu- setts, Governor Shirley, on the 17th, ordered "two companies of snow-shoe men to scout between Connecticut and Merrimack rivers for the protection of the inhabitants, and discovery and annoyance of the enemy."
The Assembly of New York, previous to these occurrences, had voted an allowance of four hundred pounds for presents to the Indians. Various letters having been presented to them
* Hoyt's Indian Wars, pp. 230-232.
35
1277092
ATTACK AT THE GREAT MEADOW.
1745.]
containing accounts of the circumstances above narrated, and of others similar, Col. Schuyler, one of the members, stated that the fears and jealousies of the Six Nations of Indians had been aroused and were sustained by the designs of the French, but that the destruction of the border settlements might be prevented by the use of a single argument, the strongest which could be presented to the Indians, " a suitable present." The Assembly accordingly voted, on the 21st of August, that six hundred pounds should be added to what had already been given them. Of the wisdom of this course, those who proposed and supported it were the best judges ; but the effect on the Indians seems to have been far different from what was ex- pected. If their fears and jealousies had been excited by the French, their love of plunder and their hope of gain appeared to receive new life by the favors of the English; and thus vir- tually receiving rewards of both nations, they renewed their depredations, which only differed from their previous acts by the greater display of skill and cunning which characterized them. Another reason of the little effect of the presents of New York may be found in the fact that on the 23d of August, only two days after the passage of the above vote, Lieutenant- Governor Spencer Phips, of Massachusetts, in consideration of the breach of the treaty of neutrality between that province and the Six Nations, formally declared war against the Eastern and Canada Indians.
To conclude the events of the year by a bold stroke, a body of French and Indians, the latter being twelve in number, attacked the garrison at the Great Meadow, on the 12th of Oc- tober at noon-day. A brisk fight was carried on for an hour and a half, and one Indian was killed by a shot from the ram- parts, but the fort was defended with so much coolness and courage, that the enemy were not able to take it, or even essen- tially injure it. In lieu of victory they killed or drove off the greater part of the cattle in the neighborhood, a method of taking revenge by no means uncommon. Nehemiah How who was cutting wood about eighty rods from the fort when the enemy appeared, was taken by them, and no attempt was made to rescue him, as it would have endangered the lives of all in the garrison. As they were leading him away, by the side of the river, they perceived a canoe approaching with two men. Firing, they killed one of them, David Rugg, but the other, Robert Baker, made for the opposite shore and escaped.
36
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1746.
Both of these men, together with How, belonged to the garrison at the Great Meadow. Proceeding further they passed three other men, who, by skulking under the bank, reached the fort in safety. One of them was Caleb How, the prisoner's son. Arriving opposite to Number Four the Indians compelled their captive to write his name on a piece of bark, and there left it. After travelling seven days westward, they came to a lake, where they found five canoes, with corn, pork, and tobacco. They embarked in the canoes, 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. Thence he was taken to Quebec, where he died. "He was," said Belknap, " a useful man, greatly lamented by his friends and fellow-captives." Not long after these occurrences the fort at the Great Meadow being evacuated, was destroyed or went to decay .*
On the 28th of March, 1746, the enemy made their appear- ance in the neighborhood of Fort Shirley, and until late in the autumn were scattered in small parties on all the frontiers. Several attempts were made by them to take the fort at Num- ber Four and some of the other garrisons in the vicinity by surprise, but in none were they successful. On the 24th of June, a party of twenty Indians killed William Robbins and James Baker,t while working in a meadow near Bridgman's Fort, wounded Michael Gilson and Patrick Ray, and took John Beemant and Daniel How prisoners, but not until the latter had killed one of his captors. So unsafe was travelling of every kind, that the settlers were obliged to go to the mills with a guard, whenever they wanted meal. On one occasion a party of twenty men who went from the west side of Con- necticut river to Hinsdell's mill in New Hampshire, with Col. Willard at their head, in searching round the mill discovered a party of Indians in ambush. A skirmish ensued, but the enemy were received with so much resolution, that they made a precipitate retreat, leaving their packs in the hands of Willard and his party.
The defence of the western frontier of New Hampshire being not only hazardous but ineffectual, the government of that province, instead of increasing the number of their forces,
* Belknap's Hist. N. H., ii. 241.
+ Parker, in. Hoyt's Indian Wars, p. 236.
# Beamont, in Hoyt's Indian Wars, p. 236.
4
37
MEASURES FOR DEFENCE.
1746-1747.]
refused to furnish their regular quota. At the same time some persons in the north-western part of Massachusetts, deeming it inexpedient to be at the charge of defending a territory which was without their jurisdiction, petitioned the Assembly to with- draw their troops from that quarter. Governor Shirley endea- vored to prevail on the Assembly to keep garrisons in all these forts during the winter, but his efforts were without success. The inhabitants, being without protection, were obliged to quit their abodes. Many of them deposited in the earth such of their effects as they were unable to carry, took with them such as were portable, and moved down the river, leaving their build- ings a prey to the enemy, who destroyed them, or carried away from them what they pleased. Some of the block-houses on the river, which were thus left exposed, were burned, and for several months Fort Dummer was the most northern post on that frontier provided with a garrison .*
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