History of the War with Indian Savages, Article 12 – Article 14
ARTICLE XII. An Indian Fort or Two, taken, and ſome other Actions.
REader, I remember the prolixity of Guicciardine, the Hiſtorian, gave ſuch Offence, that Boccalini, brings in an Offender at Verboſity, Ordered for his puniſhment by the Judges at Pernaſſus, to Read that punctual Hiſtorian; but the poor Fellow begg'd rather to be Flay'd alive, than to be Tortured with Reading an Hiſtorian, who in relating the War between the Florentines and Piſans, made longer Narrations, about the Taking of a Pigeon Houſe, than there needed of the moſt Fortified Caſtle in the World. For this cauſe, let me be excuſed, Reader, if I make ſhort Work; in our Story, and Leave the Honeſt Actors themſelves to Run over Circumſtances more at large, with their Friends by the Fire-ſide.
The Enemy appearing a Little Numerous and Vexatious, the Government ſent more Forces to break up the Enemies Quarters; and Auxiliaries both of Engliſh and Indians, under the Command of Major Church, aſſiſted the Enterprize. About Three Hundred Men, were diſpatched away upon this Deſign, in the Beginning of September, who Landed by Night in Caſco Bay, at a place called, Macquoit, and by Night Marched up to Pechypſcot Fort; where, from the Information of ſome Eſcaped Captives, they had an Expectation to meet with the Enemy; but found that the Wretches were gone farther a field. They then marched away for Amonoſcoggin Fort, which was about Forty Miles up the River, and Wading through many Difficulties, whereof one was a Branch of the River it ſelf, they met with Four or Five Salvages, going to their Fort, with two Engliſh Priſoners. They Sav'd the Priſoners, but could not catch the Salvages; however, on the Lords-Day they got up to the Fort undiſcovered, where to their Sorrowful Diſappointment, they found no more than one and Twenty of the Enemy, whereof they Took and Slew Twenty. They found ſome Conſiderable Store of Plunder, and Reſcued Five Engliſh Captives, and laid the Fort in Aſhes: but one Diſaſter they much Complained of; That the Captain of the Fort, whoſe Name was Agamcus, alias, Great Tom, ſlipt away from the Hands of his too Careleſs keepers. But if this piece of Careleſsneſs did any Harm, there was another which did ſome Good: For, Great Tom having terribly Scared a party of his Country-men, with the Tidings of what had happened; and an Engliſh Lad in their Hands alſo telling ſome Truth unto them, they betook themſelves to ſuch a Flight, in their Fright, as gave one Mr. Anthony Bracket, then a Priſoner with 'em, an Opportunity to Flie Fourſcore miles another way. Our Forces returning to Mackquoit, one of our Veſſels was there Careleſly run a ground, and compelled thereby to ſtay for the next Tide: and Mr. Bracket, had been miſerably a ground, if it had not ſo fell out; for he thereby got thither before ſhe was afloat; otherwiſe he might have periſhed, who was afterwards much Improved in Service againſt the Murderers of his Father. Arriving at Winter Harbour, a party of men were ſent up the River, who coming upon a parcel of the Mankeen Wolves, then hunted for, killed ſome of them, and Siezed moſt of their Arms, and Stores, and Recovered from them an Engliſh man, who told them, that the Enemy were intending to Rendezvouze on Pechypſcot Plain, in order to an Attempt upon the Town of Wells. Upon this, they Re imbark'd for Macquoit, and repaired as faſt as they could unto Pechypſcot Plain, and being Divided into Three parties, they there waited for the Approach of the Enemy. But being tyred with one of the Three Italian miſeries, Waiting for thoſe who did not come, they only poſſeſſed themſelves of more Plunder there hid by the Enemy, and returned unto Caſco-Harbor. The Enemy it ſeems dogg'd their Motions; and in the Night they made a miſchievous Aſſault upon ſuch of the Engliſh Army, as were too Remiſs, in providing for their own Safety, in their going aſhore; Killing, Five of our Plymouth-Friends, who had Lodg'd themſelves in an Houſe, without Commanders or Centinels. The Engliſh as ſoon as the Light of the Day, (which was the Lords-Day, Sept. 21.) gave 'em leave, quickly Ran upon the Enemy, and Eaſed the world of ſome of them, and made the reſt Scamper from that part of the world, and got many of their Canoo's, and not a little of their Ammunition, and their beſt Furniture for the Winter. The Army was after this Diſmiſs'd; only an Hundred men, were left, with Captain Convers, and Lieutenant Plaisted, who ſpent their Time, as profitably as they could, in Scouting about the Frontiers, to prevent Surprizals, from an Enemy which rarely did Annoy, but when they could Surprize.
ARTICLE. XIII. A Flag of Truce.
NEw-England was now quite out of Breath! A tedious, lingring, expenſive Defence againſt an Ever Approaching, and Unapproachable Adverſary had made it ſo. But nothing had made it more ſo, than the Expedition to Canada; which had Exhauſted its beſt Spirits, and ſeem'd its Ultimus Conatus. While the Country was now in too Great Amazements to proceed any farther in the War, the Indians themſelves Entreat them to proceed no farther. The Indians came in to Wells, with a Flag of Truce: and there Enſued ſome Overtures, with the Engliſh Commiſſioners, Major Hutchinſon, and Captain Townſend ſent from Boſton, to joyn with ſome others at Wells. At length a meeting was Appointed and obtained at Sagadehock, Nov. 23. Where the Redemption of Ten Engliſh Captives was accompliſhed; one of whom, was one Mrs. Hull, whom the Indians were very loath to part withal, becauſe being able to Write well, they made her ſerve them in the Quality of a Secretary: Another was named Nathanael White, whom the Barbarous Canibals had already ty'd unto a Stake, & cut off one of his Ears, and made him Eat it Raw, and intended for to have Roaſted the reſt of him alive: The poor man, being aſtoniſhed at his own Deliverance! At laſt, they Signed Articles, Dated, Nov. 29. 1691. wherein they Engaged, That no Indians, in thoſe parts of the World, ſhould do any Injury, to the Perſons or Eſta…es, of the Engliſh, in any of the Engliſh Colonies, until the Firſt of May, next Enſuing; And that on the ſaid Firſt of May, they would bring in to Storers Garriſon at Wells all the Engliſh Captives in their Hands, and there Make, and Sign, and Seal Articles of Peace with the Engliſh; and in the mean time give ſeaſonable Advice of any Plots, which they might know the French to have againſt them. To this Inſtrument were ſet the Pawes, of Edgeremet, and Five more of their Sagamores, and Noblemen.
But as it was not upon the Firm Land, but in their Canooes upon the Water, that they Signed and Sealed this Inſtrument; ſo Reader, we will be Jealous, that it will prove but a Fluctuating, and Unſtable ſort of a Buſineſs; and that the Indians will Do a Ly, as they uſe to do. However, we will Diſmiſs all our Souldiers to their ſeveral Homes, Leaving only Captain Convers to keep Wells in ſome Order, until the Firſt of May, do ſhow, whether any more than a meer Flag of Truce be yet ſhown unto us.
ARTICLE. XIV. Remarkable Encounters.
AT the Day appointed, there came to the place, Mr. Danforth, Mr. Moodey, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Brattle, and ſeveral other Gentlemen, guarded with a Troop, to ſee how the Frenchified Indians, would keep their Faith with the Hereticks of New-England. The Indians being poor Muſicians for keeping of Time, came not according to their Articles, and when Captain Convers had the courage to go fetch in ſome of them, they would have made a Lying Excuſe, That they did not know the Time. They brought in Two Captives, and promiſed. That in Twenty Dayes more, they would bring in to Captain Convers all the reſt: but finding that in Two and Twenty Dayes they came not, with much concern upon his Mind, he got himſelf Supplied, as faſt as he could, with Five and Thirty men, from the County of Eſſex. His men were not come half an Hour to Storers Houſe, on June 9. 1691. nor had they got their Indian Weed fairly lighted into their Mouths, before Fierce Moxus, with Two Hundred Indians, made an Attacque upon the Garriſon. This Recruit of Men, thus at the very Nick of Time, Saved the place; For Moxus meetting with a brave Repulſe, drew off; and gave Modockawando cauſe to ſay, (as a Captive afterwards related it) My Brother Moxus ba's miſs'd it now, but I will go my ſelf the next year, and have the Dog Convers out of his Hole. About this Time, the Enemy Slew Two men at Berwick, Two more at Exeter, and the biggeſt part of Nine, loading a Veſſel at Cape Nidduck. But about the latter End of July, we ſent out a ſmall Army, under the Command of Captain March, Captain King, Captain Sherburn, and Captain Walton, (Convers lying Sick all Summer, had this to make him yet more Sick, that he could have no part in theſe Actions,) who landing at Macquoit, Marched up to Pechypſcot, but not finding any ſigns of the Enemy, Marched down again. While the Commanders were waiting aſhore, till the Souldiers were got aboard, ſuch Great Numbers of Indians poured in upon them, that tho' the Commanders wanted not for Courage or Conduct, yet they found themſelves obliged, with much ado, (and not without the Death of Worthy Captain Sherburn) to retire into the Veſſels, which then lay aground. Here they kept pelting at one another all night; but unto little other purpoſe, than this, which was indeed Remarkable: That the Enemy was at this Time Going to Take the Iſle of Shoales, and no doubt, had they gone, they would have Taken it, but having Exhauſted all their Ammunition on this Occaſion, they deſiſted from what they deſigned. For the Reſt of the Year, the Compaſſion of Heaven towards Diſtreſſed New-England, kept the Indians under a Strange Inactivity; only, on Sept. 28. Seven perſons were Murthered and Captived, at Berwick; and the Day following, Thrice Seven, of Sandy-Beach: On Octob. 23. One Goodridge, and his Wife, were Murdered at Newberry, and his Children Captived: and the Day following, the like Fate befell a Family at Haverhil. And this year, a very Good Strong Fort, at Cape Nidduck, owned by a Widdow, was unhappily Deſerted; after which, the Enemy came, and burnt the Houſes in it.