History of the War with Indian Savages, Article 5
ARTICLE. V. New Forces Rais'd, and New Actions done.
ON Aug. 28. 1689. Major Swayn with Seven or Eight Companies raiſed by the Maſſachuſett Colony, marched Eaſtward; and ſoon after, Major Church with a party of Engliſh, and Christian-Indians, raiſed in Plymouth Colony, follow'd them. While theſe were on their March, the Indians, that lay Skulking after the Indian-faſhion in the Thick Woods, took notice how many men, belong'd unto Lieut. Huckins's Garriſon: and ſeeing 'em all go out unto their daily work, nimbly ran ſo between them and the Garriſon, as to kill 'em all (about Eighteen) but one, who being accidentally gone over the River, eſcaped them. They then Attacqued the Garriſon, in which there now were only Two Boyes, (and one of them Lame) with ſome Women and Children; but theſe Two Boyes, very Manfully held 'em in play a Conſiderable while, and wounded ſeveral of them, and kept 'em off, till the Aſſailants had found a way to ſet the Houſe on a Light Fire over their Heads. They then urging 'em to Surrender, for the ſake of the Goods, the Boyes, [Brave Boyes, truly!] would not, until they had Solemnly promiſed 'em their Lives: but the perfidious Wretches broke their promiſe, for they preſently kill'd Three or Four of the Children: however one of theſe Minutius's, the Day after, very happily got out of thei… Clutches. It was by a particular Accident, that theſe Indians, were delivered from falling into the Hands of Capt. Garner, who purſued 'em Vigorouſly. But while the Forces now gone into the Eaſt, were Settling of Garriſons in convenient places, a huge Body of Indians, fell upon Caſco, where one of their firſt Exploits, was their killing of Capt. Bracket. Nevertheleſs, Capt. Hall, (a valiant Souldier in the Former War, and a valiant Commander in This) with his Vigorous Lieutenant Dawes, juſt then arriving with his Company, the Engliſh hotly Engaged them for ſeveral Hours; and after a deal of true Engliſh Valour diſcovered in this Engagement, and the loſs of Ten or a Dozen men, the Indians Ran for it, with What loſs on their part, we do not know: that with Some we Do. Preſently after this, Major Swayn, paſsing through Extreme Difficulties to get at it, gave ſome Relief to a Garriſon at Blue point, which was beſet by the Indians; who ſtill Fled into their Inacceſſible Swamps, when our Bullets began to be Hail'd upon them. It was judg'd, That here one or Two Opportunities, of bringing the War unto an End, were ſtrangely miſt, and loſt: but where the miſmanagement lay, I cannot Remember: nor what were the Faux Pas of the Actors. Our Honeſt Major will clear himſelf, who Returning then to his Head Quarters at Berwick, ſent abroad Scouts, to Learn, if it were poſſible, where they might have the beſt Game, at the Chaſſe a La Bete noire, then to be followed. Capt. Wiſwel having with him, a party of Indian Auxiliaries, they were ſent out, under the Conduct of Lieu. Flag: but coming to Winnopiſſeag, theſe Indians, had a Conſult in their own Language, and Sending back their Lieutenant, with Two Indians, Nineteen of them Stai'd in that Countrey Eleven Dayes, not having any Engliſh with them: at which the Major was juſtly, and greatly offended. It was then Suſpected, and afterwards (by Eſcap'd Captives) Aſſerted, that theſe Wretches, found the Enemy, and Lodg'd with 'em Two Nights, and told 'em what they knew of the Engliſh Numbers and Motions. The Enemy then Retired into the howling Deſarts, where there was no Coming at them: & no Endeavours being able to reach them, the Army, in the Month of November following was Diſmiſſed: only ſome Souldiers were left in Garriſon at Wells, at York, at Barwick, and at Quechecho, for the Aſſiſtence of the poor Inhabitants, againſt any more Invaſions. There ha's been little Doubt, That our Northern Indians are Originally Scythians, and it is become leſs a Doubt, ſince it appears from later Diſcoveries, That the pretended Straits of Anian are a Sham; for Aſia and America, it ſeems, are there Contiguous. Now of theſe our Scythians in America, we have ſtill found, what Julius Caeſar does report concerning Them of Aſia; Difficilius Invenire quam Interficere:
It is harder to Find them, than to Foil them.
A Digreſſion, Relating ſome Wonderful Judgments of God.
BEfore we paſs to another year, Stand ſtill, Reader, and Behold ſome Wonderful Events, proper here to be Introduced. The Relation thereof ſhall be given, as I have Received it.
Portſmouth Feb. 27. 1698, 9.
MOnſieur Vincelotte of Quebeck, arrived here, the 25th. of the laſt Month, and ſince Embarked for France, by way of Bilboa, as Agent to Repreſent the Affairs of Canada.
He ſayes, That about Nine or Ten years ſince, the Earl of Frontenac, Governour of that place (who dyed laſt November,) did perſonally Attempt to Subdue, the Maquas, &c. having no leſs than Fifteen Hundred Souldiers in his Army.
After a few Dayes March, they (being much Wearied and very Thirſty) came unto a certain ſmall Well, of which they drank very plentifully. But in a few Hours after, ſundry complained of much Illneſs, and according to their various Conſtitutions fell Sick (as it ſeem'd) of different Distempers; which occaſioned ſo great Diſorder and Confuſion in the Army, that no leſs than Four well men, for a while, were Engaged in taking care of every one that was Sick. About Three Dayes after, the Maqua Scout, narrowly obſerving the Motions of the French, rallyed together, as many as poſſible, to give a Check unto their Undertaking; which they ſoon accompliſhed, with very conſiderable Advantage. But the French appearing ſo Numerous, forced them to Retreat, and in purſuit of them, took and ranſackt a Small Town.
The Sickneſs by this Time increaſed unto ſo great an Height, as to occaſion a Council of War, which ordered their ſpeedy Return; and in a ſhort Time, no Leſs than Eight Hundred perſons Dyed out of the Army.
Now about Three Years ago, a certain Souldier, who belong'd at that Time to the Army, went into France. In a ſhort Time after his Arrival, he Robb'd one of the Churches, of a conſiderable value of Plate; but being ſoon diſcovered, he was Sentenced to be Burnt: He then ſent unto ſundry Father-Confeſſors, unto whom he acknowledged his many Sins; particularly, that Fact for which he was Condemned. But he therewithal ſaid, That he had ſomething elſe of more conſiderable moment to Impart, which did much afflict his Conſcience; Namely, an Action of his, about Seven Years before committed, when Liſted under the Conduct of the Earl of Frontenac, in an Enterprize againſt the Sennakers and Maquas'; For, ſaid he) I was the only perſon at that Time Inſtrumental to the Death of near Eight Hundred Souls. Having Received ſome Affront, from ſome of the Officers, I was prompted to ſeek ſome ſpeedy Revenge, which my own corrupt Nature with the Instigation of Satan, did inſtantly accompliſh; for being plentifully ſtored with ſome Rank poiſon upon another account, I threw it all into a Well, of which the Thirſty Army drank freely, and in the Event it proved ſo fatal unto them.
For the further Confirmation of this Report Monſieur Vincelotte at the ſame Time told me, That he was himſelf Wounded in the Engagment, and ſhould continue Lame to his Dying Day.
Reverend Sir, Your moſt Humble Servant, S. Penhallow.