History of the War with Indian Savages, Article 16
ARTICLE. XVI. The Memorable Action at Wells.
A Veſſel, the Name whereof I know not, [Reader, Let it be, The Charity,] being immediately diſpatched unto Sagadehock, by the Charitable Compaſſions of the more Southward Neighbours, with Effects to accompliſh it, happily Effected the Redemption of many that were taken Captives at York. But the reſt of the People in that Broken Town, talking of Drawing off, the Government ſent Captain Convers and Captain Greenleaf, with ſuch Encouragements unto them, to keep their Station, as prevailed with 'em ſtill to Stand their Ground. In February Major Hutchinſon, was made Commander in Chief, & Forces under the Command of Captain Convers, Captain Floyd, and Captain Thaxter, were by him ſo prudently poſted, on the Frontiers, that by mentaining a continual Communication, it became a Difficult Thing for the Enemy to make any more Approaches. Lieutenant Wilſon particularly hearing of a man Shot at, in Quochecho-Woods, went out with a Scout of about Eighteen men, who came upon the Indians that had ſhot at the man; and killed and wounded all but one, of the whole Company. But now, Reader, the Longeſt Day in the Year is come on, and, it I miſtake not, the Bravest Act in the War, fell out upon it. Modockawando is now come, according to his Promiſe a Twelve Month ago. Captain Convers, was lodg'd in Storers Garriſon at Wells, with but Fifteen men; and there came into Wells, Two Sloops, with a Shallop, which had aboard Supplies of Ammunition for the Souldiers, and Contribution for the Needy. The Cattel this Day came Frighted, and Bleeding but of the Woods, which was a more certain Omen of Indians a coming, than all the Prodigies that Livy reports of the Sacrificed Oxen. Convers immediately iſſued out his Commands unto all Quarters, but eſpecially to the Sloops juſt then arrived. The Sloops were Commanded by Samuel Storer, and James Gouge, and Gouges being Two miles up the River, he wiſely brought her down undiſcovered, unto Storers, by the advantage of a Miſt then prevailing. A careful Night, they had on't! The next Morning, before Day-Light, one John Diamond, a Stranger that came in the Shallop on a Viſit, came to Captain Conver's Garriſon, where the Watch invited him in; but he choſe rather to go aboard the Sloops, which were little more than a Gun-ſhot off; and, alas, the Enemy iſſuing out from their Lurking places, immediately Siez'd him, and haled him away by the Hair of the Head, (in ſpite of all Attempts uſed by the Garriſon, to Recover him) for an horrible Story, to be told by'nd by concerning him. The General of the Enemies Army was Monſieur Burniff; and one Monſieur Labrocree was a principal Commander; (the Enemy ſaid, he was Lieutenant General:) There were alſo Diverſe other Frenchmen of Quality; Accompanied with Modockawando, and Moxus, and Egeremet, and Warumbo, and ſeveral more Indian Sagamores; The Army made up in all, about Five Hundred Men, or Fierce Things in the Shape of Men; all, to Encounter Fifteen Men, in one little Garriſon, & about Fifteen more Men, [worthily called Such!] in a Couple of open Sloops. Diamond having informed 'em, How t'was, in all points, (only that for Fifteen, by a miſtake he ſaid, Thirty,) they fell to Dividing the Perſons and Plunder, and Agreeing, that ſuch an Engliſh Captain, ſhould be Slave to ſuch a one, and ſuch a Gentleman in the Town ſhould ſerve ſuch a one, and his Wife be a Maid of Honour, to ſuch or ſuch a Squaw propoſed, and Mr. Wheelright (inſtead of being a Worthy Counſellor of the Province, which he Now is!) was to be the Servant of ſuch a Netop; and the Sloops, with their Stores, to be ſo and ſo parted among them. There wanted but One Thing to Conſummate the whole matter, even, the Chief Thing o… all, which I ſuppoſe they had not thought of; That was, For Heaven to Deliver all this prize into their Hands: But, Aliter Statutum eſt in Caelo! A man Habited, like a Gentleman, made a Speech to them in Engliſh; Exhorting 'em to Courage, and Aſſuring 'em, that if they would Courageouſly fall upon the Engliſh, all was their own. The Speech being Ended, they fell to the Work, and with an horrid Shout and Shot, made their Aſſault, upon the Feeble Garriſon: but the Engliſh anſwered with a brisk Volley, and ſent ſuch a Leaden Showre among them, that they retired from the Garriſon to ſpend the Storm of their Fury upon the Sloops. You muſt know, That Wells-Harbour is rather a Creek than a River, for 'tis very Narrow, and at low water, in many places Dry: nevertheleſs, where the Veſſels ride, it is Deep enough, and ſo far off the Bank, that there is from thence no Leaping aboard. But our Sloops were ſorely incommoded, by a Turn of the Creek, where the Enemy could ly out of danger, ſo near 'em, as to throw Mud aboard with their Hands. The Enemy was alſo priviledged with a Great Heap of Plank, lying on the Bank, and with an Hay Stock, which they Strengthened with Posts, and Rayles; and from all theſe places, they poured in their Vengeance upon the poor Sloops, while they ſo placed Smaller parties of their Salvages, as to make it impoſſible for any of the Garriſons, to afford 'em any relief. Lying thus, within a Dozen yards of the Sloops, they did with their Fire Arrows, diverſe times deſperately ſet the Sloops on Fire: but the brave Defendents, with a Swab, at the End of a Rope, tyed unto a Pole, and ſo dip't into the Water, happily put the Fire out. In brief the Sloops gave the Enemy ſo brave a Repulſe, that at Night they Retreated: when they Renewed their Aſſault, finding that their Fortitude would not aſſure the Succeſs of the Aſſault unto them, they had recourſe unto their Policy. Firſt, an Indian comes on, with a Slab, for a Shield, before him; when a Shot from one of the Sloops, pierced the Slab, which fell down, inſtead of a Tombſtone with the Dead Indian under it: on which, as little a Fellow as he was, I know not whether ſome will not reckon it proper to inſcribe the Epitaph, which the Italians uſe to beſtow upon their Dead Popes; When the Dog is Dead, all his Malice is Dead with him. Their next Stratagem was This: They brought out of the Woods, a kind of a Cart, which they Trim'd, and Rigg'd, and Fitted up into a Thing, that might be called, A Chariot: whereon they built a platform, ſhotproof in the Front, and placed many men upon that platform. Such an Engine they underſtood how to Shape, without having Read, (I ſuppoſe) the Deſcription of the Pluteus in Vegetius! This Chariot they puſh'd on, towards the Sloops, till they were got, it may be, within Fifteen yards of them; when, lo, one of the Wheels to their Admiration Sunk into the Ground. A Frenchman Stepping to heave the Wheel, with an Helpful Shoulder, Storer Shot him down; Another Stepping to the Wheel, Storer with a well placed Shot, ſent him after his Mate: So the Reſt thought, it was beſt let it ſtand as it was. The Enemy kept Galling the Sloops, from their Several Batteries, and calling 'em to Surrender, with many fine promiſes to make them Happy, which ours anſwered with a juſt Laughter, that had now and then a mortiferous Bullet at the End of it. The Tide Riſing, the Chariot overſet, ſo that the men behind it lay open to the Sloops, which immediately Diſpenſed an horrible Slaughter among them; and they that could get away, got as faſt, and as far off, as they could. In the Night, the Enemy had much Diſcourſe with the Sloops; they Enquired, Who were their Commanders? and the Engliſh gave an Anſwer, which in ſome other Caſes, and Places, would have been too true, That they had a great many Commanders: but the Indians Replyed, You ly, you have none but Convers, and we will have him too before Morning! They alſo knowing, that the Magazine was in the Garriſon, lay under an Hill-Side, Pelting at That, by Times; but Captain Convers, once in the Night, ſent out Three or Four of his men, into a Field of Wheat, for a Shot, if they could get one. There ſeeing a Black Heap lying together, Ours all at once let Fly upon them, a Shot, that Slew ſeveral of them that were thus Caught in that Corn, and made the reſt glad, that they found themſelves Able to Run for it. Captain Convers was this while in much Diſtreſs, about a Scout of Six men, which he had ſent forth to Newichawannick, the Morning before the Arrival of the Enemy, ordering them to Return the Day following. The Scout Return'd, into the very Mouth of the Enemy, that lay before the Garriſon; but the Corporal, having his Wits about him, call'd out aloud, (as if he had ſeen Captain Convers making a Salley forth upon 'em,) Captain, Wheel about your men round the Hill, and we ſhall Catch 'em, there are but a Few Rogues of 'em! Upon which the Indians imagining, that Captain Convers had been at their Heels, betook themſelves to their Heels; and our Folks got ſafe into another Garriſon. On the Lords Day Morning, there was for a while, a Deep Silence among the Aſſailants; but at length getting into a Body, they marched with great Formality towards the Garriſon, where the Captain ordered his Handful of men to ly Snug, and not make a Shot, until every Shot might be likely to do ſome Execution. While they thus beheld a Formidable Crue of Dragons, coming with open mouth upon them, to Swallow them up at a Mouthful, one of the Souldiers began to ſpeak of Surrendring; upon which the Captain Vehemently proteſted, That he would lay the man Dead, who ſhould ſo much as mutter that baſe word any more! and ſo they heard no more on't: But the Valiant Storer was put upon the like proteſtation, to keep 'em in good Fighting trim, aboard the Sloops alſo. The Enemy now Approaching very near, gave Three Shouts, that made the Earth ring again; and Crying out, in Engliſh, Fire, and Fall on, Brave Boyes! the whole Body, drawn into Three Ranks, Fired at once. Captain Convers immediately ran into the ſeveral Flankers, and made their Beſt Guns Fire at ſuch a rate, that ſeveral of the Enemy fell, and the reſt of 'em diſappeared almoſt as Nimbly, as if they had been ſo many Spectres. Particularly, a parcel of them got into a ſmall Deſerted Houſe; which having but a Board-Wall to it, the Captain ſent in after them, thoſe Bullets of Twelve to the Pound, that made the Houſe too hot, for them that could get out of it. The Women in the Garriſon, on this occaſion took up the Amazonian Stroke, and not only brought Ammunition to the Men, but alſo with a Manly Reſolution fired ſeveral Times upon the Enemy. The Enemy finding that Things would not yet go to their minds, at the Garriſon, drew off, to Try their Skill upon the Sloops, which lay ſtill abreſt in the Creek, laſh'd faſt one to another. They built a Great Fire Work, about Eighteen or Twenty Foot Square, and fill'd it up with Combuſtible matter, which they Fired; and then they ſet it in the way, for the Tide now to Flote it up, unto the Sloops, which had now nothing but an horrible Death before them. Nevertheleſs, their Demands, of both the Garriſon, and the Sloops, to yield themſelves, were anſwered no otherwiſe than with Death upon many of them, Spit from the Guns of the Beſeiged. Having tow'd their Fire-Work, as far as they durſt, they committed it unto the Tide; but the Diſtreſſed Chriſtians that had this Deadly Fire, Swimming along upon the Water towards 'em, committed it unto God: and God looked from Heaven upon them, in this prodigious Article of their Diſtreſs. Theſe poor men Cryed, and the Lord, heard them, and ſaved them out of their Troubles; The Wind, unto their Aſtoniſhment, immediately Turn'd about, and with a Freſh Gale drove the Machin aſhore on the other ſide, and Split it ſo, that the Water being let in upon it, the Fire went out. So, the Godly men, that Saw God from Heaven thus Fighting for them, Cryed out, with an Aſtoniſhing Joy, If it had not been the Lord, who was on our Side, they had Swallowed us up quick; Bleſſed be the Lord, who hath not given us a prey to their Teeth; our Soul is Eſcaped, as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowlers! The Enemy were now in a pittiful pickle, with Toyling, and Moyling in the Mud, & black'ned with it, if Mud could add Blackneſs to ſuch Miſcreants: and their Ammunition was pretty well Exhauſted: So that now they began to Draw off, in all parts, and with Rafts get over the River; ſome whereof breaking, there did not a few Cool their late Heat by falling into it. But firſt, they made all the Spoil they could, upon the Cattel about the Town; and giving one Shot more at the Sloops, they kill'd the only Man, of ours, that was kill'd aboard 'em. Then, after about Half an Hours Conſultation, they ſend a Flag of Truce to the Garriſon, adviſing 'em with much Flattery, to Surrender; but the Captain ſent 'em word, That he wanted for nothing, but for men to come, and Fight him. The Indian replyed unto Captain Convers, Being you are ſo Stout, why don't you come, and Fight in the open Field, like a Man, and not Fight in a Garriſon, like a Squaw? The Captain rejoyned; What a Fool, are you? Do you think, Thirty men a Match for Five Hundred? No, (ſayes the Captain, counting as well he might, each of his Fifteen men, to be as Good as Two!) Come with your Thirty men upon the Plain, and I'le meet you with my Thirty, as ſoon as you will. Upon this, the Indian anſwered; Nay, mee own, Engliſh Faſhion is all one Fool; you kill mee, mee kill you! No, better ly ſome where, and Shoot a man, and hee no ſee! That the beſt Souldier! Then they fell to Coakſing the Captain, with as many Fine Words, as the Fox in the Fable had for the Allurement of his Prey unto him; and urged mightily that Enſign Hill, who ſtood with the Flag of Truce, might ſtand a little nearer their Army. The Captain, for a Good Reaſon, to be preſently diſcerned, would not allow That: whereupon they fell to Threatning, and Raging, like ſo many Defeated Devils, uſing theſe Words, Damn ye, we'll cut you as ſmall as Tobacco, before to morrow Morning. The Captain, bid 'em to make Haſt, for, he wanted work; So, the Indian throwing his Flag on the Ground, ran away, and Enſign Hill nimbly Stripping his Flag ran into the Valley, but the Salvages preſently Fired, from an Ambuſhment behind an Hill, near the place, where they had urged for a Parley.
And now for poor John Diamond! The Enemy Retreating (which opportunity the Sloops took, to Burn down the Dangerous Hay-Stock,) into the plain, out of Gun-ſhot, they fell to Torturing their Captive John Diamond, after a manner very Diabolical. They Stripped him, they Scalped him alive, and after a Castration, they Finiſhed that Article in the Puniſhment of Traitors upon him; They Slit him with Knives, between his Fingers and his Toes; They made cruel Gaſhes in the moſt Fleſhy parts of his Body, and ſtuck the Gaſhes with Fire-brands, which were afterwards found Sticking in the wounds. Thus they Butchered One poor Engliſhman, with all the Fury that they would have ſpent upon them all; and performed an Exploit, for Five Hundred Furies to brag of, at their coming home. Ghaſtly to Expreſs! what was it then to Suffer? They Returned then unto the Garriſon, and kept Firing at it now and then, till near Ten a Clock at Night; when they all marched off, leaving behind 'em ſome of their Dead; whereof one was Monſieur Labocree, who had about his Neck, a Pouch with about a Dozen Reliques ingeniouſly made up, and a Printed Paper of Indulgences, and ſeveral other Implements: but it ſeems, none of the Amulets about his Neck, would ſave him from a Mortal Shot in the Head. Thus in Forty Eight Hours, was Finiſhed an Action as Worthy to be Related, as perhaps any that occurs in our Story. And it was not long before the Valiant Gouge, who bore his part in this Action, did another that was not much inferiour to it, when he ſuddenly Recovered from the French a valuable prey, which they had newly taken upon our Coaſt.
I doubt, Reader we have made this Article of our Hiſtory a little too long. We will finiſh it, when we have Remark'd, That albeit there were too much Feebleneſs diſcovered by my Countreymen, in ſome of their Actions, during this War, at Sea, as well as on Shore, yet ſeveral of their Actions, eſpecially at Sea, deſerve to be Remembred. And I cannot but particularly beſpeak a Remembrance, for the Exploit performed by ſome of my Neighbours, in a Veſſel going into Barbadoes They were in ſight of Barbadoes aſſaulted by a French Veſſel, which had a good number of Guns, and between Sixty and Seventy Hands. Our Veſſel had Four Guns, and Eight Fighting Men. [Truly ſuch!] with two Tawny Servants. The Names of theſe Men, were Barret, Sunderland, Knoles, Naſh, Morgan, Foſdyke, and Two more, that I now forget. A deſperate Engagement enſued: wherein our Eight Marriners managed the matter with ſuch Bravery, that by the Help of Heaven, they killed between Thirty and Forty of the French Aſſailants, without looſing one of their own little Number: And they ſank the French Veſſel, which lay by their ſide, out of which they took Twenty Seven priſoners, whereof ſome were wounded, and all crying for Quarter. In the Fight the French Pennant, being by the wind faſtned about the Top Maſt of the Engliſh Veſſel, it was torn off by the ſinking of the French Veſſel, and left pleaſently flying there. So they Sail'd into Barbadoes; where the Aſſembly voted them one Publick Acknowledgement, of their Courage and Conduct, in this Brave Action, and our Hiſtory now gives them Another.