History of the War with Indian Savages, Article 1
ARTICLE. I. The Occaſion and Beginning of the WAR.
IF Diodorus Siculus had never given it as a great Rule of Hiſtory, Hiſtoriae primum Studium, primaria que conſideratio eſſe videtur, inſoliti graviſ que Caſus principio cauſas investigare, Yet my Reader would have expected, that I ſhould Begin the Hiſtory of our War, with an Hiſtory of the Occurrences and Occaſions which did Begin the War. Now, Reader, I am at the very firſt fallen upon a Difficult Point; and I am in danger of pulling a War upon my ſelf, by Endeavouring of thy Satisfaction. In Truth, I had rather be called a Coward, than undertake my ſelf to Determine the Truth in this matter: but having Armed my ſelf with ſome good Authority, for it, I will Tranſcribe Two or Three Reports of the matter, now in my Hands, and Leave it unto thy own Determination.
One Account, I have now lying by me, Written by a Gentleman of Dover; in theſe Terms.
The Eaſtern Indians, and eſpecially thoſe of Saco, and Ammonoſcoggin, pretend many Reaſons, for the late Quarrel againſt the Engliſh, which began this long and bloody War.
1. Becauſe the Engliſh refuſed to pay that yearly Tribute of Corn, agreed upon, in the Articles of Peace, formerly concluded with them, by the Engliſh Commiſſioners
2. Becauſe they were Invaded in their Fiſhery, at Saco River, by certain Gentlemen, who ſtop'd the Fiſh, from coming up the River, with their Nets, and Sains. This they were greatly Affronted at; ſaying, They thought (though the Engliſh had got away their Lands as they had, yet) the Fiſhery of the Rivers had been a priviledge Reſerved Entire unto themſelves.
3.Becauſe they were Abuſed by the Engliſh, in Suffering, if not Turning, their Cattel over to a certain Iſland to deſtroy their Corn.
4. But the Fourth, and Main, provocation was, The Granting, or Pattenting of their Lands, to ſome Engliſh; at which they were greatly Enraged; threatning the Surveyor, to knock him on the Head, if he came to lay out any Lands there.
5. To theſe may be added, the Common Abuſes, in Trading; viz. Drunkenneſs, Cheating, &c. which ſuch as Trade much with them, are ſeldom Innocent of.
Doubtleſs, theſe Indian Allegations may be anſwered with many Engliſh Vindications. But I ſhall at preſent Intermeddle no further, than to offer another Account, which alſo I have in my Hands, written by a Gentleman of Caſco.
It runs in ſuch Terms as theſe.
Many were the Outrages and Inſultings of the Indians upon the Engliſh, while Sir E. A. was Governour. At North Yarmouth, and other places at the Eaſtward, the Indians killed ſundry Cattel, came into Houſes, and threatned to knock the people on the Head; and at ſeveral Times gave out Reports, that they would make a War upon the Engliſh, and that they were animated to do ſo, by the French. The Indians behaving themſelves ſo inſultingly, gave juſt occaſion of great ſuſpicion. In order for the finding out the Truth, and to Endeavour the preventing of a War, Capt. Blackman, a Juſtice of Peace, with ſome of the Neighbourhood, of Saco River, Seized ſeveral Indians that had been bloody murderous Rogues, in the firſt Indian War; being the chie… Ring Leaders, and moſt capable to do miſchief. The ſaid Capt. Blackman Seized to the Number of between Sixteen and Twenty, in order for t…eir Examination, and to bring in the reſt to a Treaty. The ſaid Blackman ſoon ſent the ſaid Indians, with a Good Guard, to Falmouth, in Caſco-bay, there to be Secured, until orders could come from Boſton, concerning them. And in the mean Time, the ſaid Indians, were well provided with Proviſions, and Suitable Neceſſaries. The reſt of the Indians Robb'd the Engliſh, and took ſome Engliſh Priſoners: Whereupon Poſt was ſent to Boſton. Sir Edmond Androſs being at New-York, the Gentlemen of Boſton ſent to Falmouth, ſome Souldiers for the Defence of the Country, and alſo the Worſhipful Mr. Stoughton, with others, to Treat with the Indians, in order for the Settling of a Peace, and getting in of our Engliſh Captives. As ſoon as the ſaid Gentlemen arrived at the Eaſt-ward, they ſent away one of the Indian Priſoners, to the reſt of the Indians, to Summon them, to bring in the Engliſh they had taken; Alſo, that their Sachims ſhould come in, to treat with the Engliſh, in order that a Juſt Satisfaction ſhould be made on both ſides. The Gentlemen waited the Return of the Indian Meſſenger; and when he Returned, he brought Anſwer, That they would meet our Engliſh at a place, called, Macquoit, and there they would bring in the Engliſh Captives, and Treat with the Engliſh. And although the place appointed by the Indians, for the Meeting, was ſome Leagues diſtant from Falmouth, yet our Engliſh Gentlemen did condeſcend to it, in hope of getting in our Captives, & putting a ſtop to further Trouble. They Diſpa…ch'd away to the place, and carried the Indian Priſoners with them, and ſtaid at the place appointed, expecting the coming of the Indians, that had promiſed a Meeting. But they like falſe perfidious Rogues, did not appear. Without doubt they had been counſelled what to do, by the French, and their Abettors; as the Indians did declare afterwards; and that they were near the place, and ſaw our Engliſh, that were to Treat with them, but would not ſhew themſelves, but did Endeavour to take an Opportunity to Deſtroy our Engliſh, that were to Treat them. Such was their Treachery! Our Gentlemen ſtaid days to wait their coming; but ſeeing they did not appear at the place appointed, they Returned to Falmouth, and brought the Indian Priſoners; expecting that the other Indians would have ſent down ſome Reaſon, why they did not appear at the place appointed, and to make ſome excuſe for themſelves. But inſtead of any compliance; they fell upon North Yarmouth, and there kill'd ſeveral of our Engliſh. Whereupon the Eaſtern parts were ordered to get into Garriſons, and to be upon their Guard, until further Orders from Sir Edmond Andros; and that the Indian Priſoners ſhould be ſent to Boſton; which was done with great care, and not one of them hurt; and care taken daily for proviſion. But Sir E. A. Returning from New York, ſet them all at Liberty; not ſo much as taking care to Redeem thoſe of our Engliſh for them, that were in their hands. I had kept one at Falmouth, a Priſoner to be a Guide into the Woods, for our Engliſh, to find out the Haunts of our Heathen Enemies. But Sir E. A ſent an Expreſs to me, that upon my utmoſt peril I ſhould ſet the ſaid Indian at Liberty, and take care that all the Arms, that were taken from him, and all the reſt of thoſe Capt. Blackman had Seized, ſhould be delivered up to them, without any Orders to Receive the like of ours from them.
It will be readily Acknowledged, that here was enough done, to render the Indians Inexcuſable, for not coming in, upon the Proclamation, which Sir Edmond Andros, then Governour of New-England, immediately Emitted thereupon, requiring them, to Surrender the Murderers, now among them. A Spaniard, that was a Souldier, would ſay, That if we hav… a Good Cauſe, the ſmell of Gunpowder in the Field is as ſweet as the Incenſe at the Altar. Let the Reader judge after theſe things, what ſcent there was in the Gunpowder ſpent for Nine or Ten years together in our War with the Indian Salvages.
Now, that while we are upon this Head, we may at once diſpatch it, I will unto theſe Two Accounts, add certain paſſages of one more; which was publiſhed in September. 1689.
Such were the Obſcure Meaſures taken at that Time of Day, that the Riſe of this War, hath been as dark as that of the River Nilus; only the Generality of Thinking People through the Country, can Remember When, and Why, every one did foretel, A War. If any Wild Engliſh (for there are ſuch as well as of another Nation,) did then, Begin to Provoke and Affront the Indians, yet thoſe Indians had a fairer way to come by Right, than that of Blood ſhed; nothing worthy of, or calling for, any Such Revenge was done unto them. The moſt Injured of them all, (if there were any Such) were afterwards diſmiſſed by the Engliſh, with Favours, that were then Admirable even to Our ſelves; and Theſe too, inſtead of Surrendring the Perſons, did increaſe the Numbers, of the Murderers. But upon the REVOLUTION of the Government [April 1689.] the State of the War, became wholly New: and we are more arrived unto Righteouſneſs as the Light, and Juſtice as the Noon day. A great Sachim of the Eaſt, we then immediately Applied our ſelves unto, and with no ſmall Expences to our ſelves we Engaged Him, to Employ his Intereſt for a Good Underſtanding between us, & the party of Indians then in Hoſtility againſt us. This was the Likely, the Only way, of coming at thoſe Wandring Salvages: But That very Sachim now treacherouſly, of an Embaſſador became a Traitor, and annexed himſelf, with his People, to the Heard of our Enemies, which have ſince been Ravaging, Pillaging, and Murdering at a rate, which we ought to count, Intolerable. The Penacook Indians, of whom we were Jealous, we likewiſe Treated with; and while we were, by our Kindneſſes and Courteſies Endeavouring to render them utterly Inexcuſable, if ever they ſought our Harm: Even Then did Theſe alſo, by ſome Evil Inſtigation (the Devils, no doubt!) quickly Surprize a Plantation, where they had been Civilly treated a Day or Two before, & Commit at once, more Plunder and Murder, than can be heard with any patience.
Reader, Having ſo placed theſe Three Accounts as to defend my Teeth, I think, I may ſafely proceed with our Story. But becauſe Tacitus teaches us, to diſtinguiſh between, the meer Occaſions, and the real Cauſes, of a War, it may be ſome will go a little Higher up in their Enquiries: They will Enquire, whether no body Seized a parcel of Wines, that were Landed at a French Plantation to the Eaſt ward? Whether an Order were not obtained from the King of England, at the Inſtance of the French Embaſſador, to Reſtore theſe Wines? Whether upon the Vexation of this Order, we none of us ran a New Line for the Bounds of the Province? Whether we did not contrive our New Line, ſo as to take in the Country of Monſieur St. Caſteen? Whether Monſieur St. Caſteen flying from our Encroachments, we did not Seize upon his Arms, and Goods, and bring them away to Pemmaquid? And, Who, were the We, which did theſe things? And whether, the Indians, who were Extremely under the Influence of St. Caſteen, that had Married a Sagamores Daughter among them, did not from this very Moment begin to be obſtreperous? And, whether all the Sober Engliſh in the Country, did not from this very Moment, foretel a War? But for any Anſwer to all theſe Enquiries, I will be my ſelf a Tacitus.