History of the War with Indian Savages, Article 24
ARTICLE. XXIV. Still, Miſchief upon Miſchief.
THe Next whole year, namely, 1696. had it not been for the Degree of a Famine, which the Alteration of the courſe of Nature in theſe, as well as other parts of the world, threatned us withal, would have been a Year of Leſs Trouble, than ſome of the reſt, in our Troubleſome Decad. The moſt uneaſy Accident of this year, ſhall be told, when we arrive unto the Month of Auguſt; but in the mean Time, it was a matter of ſome Uneaſineſs, that on May. 7. one John Church of Quochecho who had been a Captive, Eſcaped from the Hands of the Indians, almoſt Seven years before, was now Slain, and Stript, by their Barbarous Hands: And, on Jun. 24. one Thomas Cole, of Wells, and his wife, were Slain by the Indians, returning home with two of his Neighbours, and their Wives, all three Siſters, from a Viſit, of their Friends at York: And, on Jun. 26. at ſeveral places within the Confines of Portſmouth, Several Perſons, Twelve or Fourteen, were Maſſacred, (with ſome Houſes Burnt,) and Four Taken, which, yet were ſoon Retaken; among whom, there was an Ancient Women Scalpt for Dead, and no doubt the Salvages upon producing her Scalp, received the Price of her Death, from thoſe that hired them, and yet ſhe ſo Recovered, as to be ſtill Alive. Moreover, on July 26. the Lords Day, the People at Quochecho, returning from the Publick Worſhip of God, Three of them were killed, Three of them were wounded, and Three of them were carried away Priſoners to Penobſcut; which laſt Three, were nevertheleſs in leſs than Three weeks returned. But now we are got into fatal Auguſt; on the Fifth or Sixth Day of which Month, the French having Taken one of the Engliſh Men of War, called, The New-port, and Landed a few men, who joyn'd with the Indians, to purſue their Buſineſs, Chub, with an unaccountable Baſeneſs, did Surrender the Brave Fort at Pemmaquid into their Hands. There were Ninety Five men double Armed, in the Fort, which might have Defended it againſt Nine Times as many Aſſailants; That a Fort now ſhould be ſo baſely given up! Imitating the Style of Homer and Virgil, I cannot forbear crying out, O merae Novanglae, neque enim Novangli! And yet if you read the Story written by the Sieur Froger, how poorly St. James's Fort, in Africa, was given up to the French in the year, 1695. You'l ſay, the Things done in America, are not ſo bad, as what have been done in ether parts of the World. The Enemy having Demoliſhed ſo fair a Citadel, now grown mighty Uppiſh, Triumph'd, as well they might, Exceedingly; and Threatned, that they would carry all before them. The Honourable Lieutenant Governour Stoughton, who was now Commander in Chief, over the Province, immediately did all that could be done, to put a Stop unto the Fury of the Adverſary. By Sea, he ſent out Three Men of War, who, diſadvantaged by the Winds, came not ſoon Enough to engage the French. By Land, the Indians being ſo Poſted in all quarters, that the People could hardly Stir out, but about half a Score of the poor People in their Fields here and there were pick't off, he ſent Colonel Gidney with Five Hundred men; who perceiving the Salvages to be drawn off, only Strengthened the Garriſons, and Returned. The Lieutenant Governour, that he might not in any other point be wanting, to the Publick Safety, hereupon diſpatched, Colonel Nawthorn, with a Suitable Number of Souldiers, and Frigats unto St. Johns, with orders to fetch away ſome Great Guns that were lying there, & joyn with Major Church who was gone with Forces that way, to attack the Fort at St. Johns, which was the Neſt of all the Waſps that Stung us: but the Difficulty of the Cold Seaſon ſo diſcouraged our men, that after the making of ſome few Shot, the Enterprize found it ſelf under too much Congelation to proceed any further. So we will afflict our ſelves no further for this year; Except only with mentioning the Slaughter of about Five poor Souldiers, belonging to Saco-Fort, Oct. 13. who had a Diſcovery of the Enemy, Seaſonable Enough, to have made their Eſcape; yet, not Agreeing about the way of making it, as it led by ſome Fatality to their Deſtruction, or, as if they had been like the Squirrels, that muſt run down the Tree, Squeaking and Crying, into the mouths of the Rattle-Snakes, that fix their Eyes upon them; they went back in to the very path, where the Indian Ambuſh was lying for them.