CHAPTER. XIX.

GENERAL WAR IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE, KNOWN BY THE NAME OF KING WILLIAM'S WAR,-NEW-HAMPSHIRE

CONTINUED.

THE revolution in England, of 1688, drove James II. from his throne, threw him into the arms of Lewis XIV. king of France, and brought William, Prince of Orange, with Mary his wife, to the throne of England, and at the same time involved the nation in a war with France.

The passions which kindled this war extended to NewEngland, and through the instrumentality of the Baron De Castine, (who resided at Penobscot,) and the governor of Canada, the Indians were induced to take up the hatchet, and commence hostilities. The Baron had received some pointed injury from Sir William Andross, during his administration, and the Indians upon the River Cocheco,* had been seized by a Major Waldron, and about 400 of them sent abroad, and sold as slaves, about the year 1676. Part of these Indians had now returned, and were thirsting for revenge. These facts, added to the national war, opened the way for immediate hostilities.

In the town of Dover, on the Cocheco, were five garrisoned houses, for the protection of the inhabitants, one of which was Major Waldron's. This settlement first felt the vengeance of savage war. A large body of Indiansentered the village, at dawn of day, and surprised three of the garrisons, and put them to the sword. When they entered Major Waldron's house, he awoke at the alarm, seized his sword and drove them from his apartments; but in attempting to return for his down; they then seized him, apartment; here they seated

gun, an Indian knocked him and bore him into an outer him upon a long table, in his

* A branch of the Piscataqua.

elbow-chair, and presenting themsslves before him, exclaimed, "Who judge Indians now?" They then menaced him with their knives, and cutting him across the breast and body, exclaimed, "I cross out my account." They next cut off his nose and ears, and cramed them into his mouth; and when he grew faint, they tumbled him down onto the point of his own sword, which closed this horid scene.

Such were the passions that kindled this war, and raged through the whole period. Twenty-three persons were butchered in this massacre, twenty-nine carried into captivity, five or six houses with the mills, were burnt; and the whole scene closed before the other parts of the town could come to their relief, and the savages had fled with their prisoners and booty, which were carried through the wilderness, to Canada.

This massacre spread general alarm, and vigorous measures were pursued, to prosecute the war. Troops were immediately forwarded to their relief, from Massachusetts and Plymouth, who repelled the Indians, and settled garrisons on their eastern borders. Before these troops arrived, the Indians surprised a village, on Oyster River, (a little below Cocheco) killed 18 men at work, seized a block-house, murdered some children, and carried the women into captivity.

war.

Winter set in, and was expected to give some relief; but it opened a new scene, and gave a general scope to the Count de Frontenac, governor of Canada, entered with spirit into the war. He let loose those hellhounds of the forest, from the wilds of Canada, in three divisions; accompanied with French Canadians, to spread carnage, and desolation, throughout the English settlements, on heir frontier; 1690. Schenectada, (a Dutch settlement on the Mohawk) fell the first victim, to the party who marched from Montreal. This spread a general alarm. The next party proceeded from Trois Rivers, and surprised a set

tlement at Salmon Falls, where after a sharp action, they killed and took about 80 men, women and children; plundered and destroyed the village, and the cattle, and fled. They were soon pursued by about 140 men, and overtaken and dispersed, after a sharp action. On their return, they fell in with the third party, who marched from Quebec, united their forces, and in May, they surprised and destroyed the settlement at Casco; and the eastern settlers abandoned their villages and fled to Wells. The savages overran the country, killing, burning, and destroying, all in their way. They had learnt by the discipline of the French, to face the English in the open field, and actually fought some severe actions.

Alarmed at this daring enterprise, the English determined to destroy the power of the French in Canada, at a blow they accordingly fitted out a fleet and armament against Quebec, under the command of Sir William Phips ; but the season was too far advanced before Sir William arrived before Quebec, and the expedition failed. The expences of this expedition, caused the first emission of paper money in New-England. Alarmed at the energies of the English, the Indians practised a new stratagem: they voluntarily came in, and proffered a truce, which was accepted, and the terms of peace were agreed upon, and hostages left on their part, to guarantee their fidelity. This truce continued until the June following; when, in the midst of security, the Indians attacked the fort at Wells, which had become the assylum of the east; but were repulsed with great slaughter. They next attacked Exeter, but with the destruction of only two men ; they then fell upon Sandy Beach, where they killed and destroyed 22 persons, 1691. In January, 1692, they surprised and destroyed York, which closed the scene for the winter, generally; but in May following, they again fell upon the fortress at Wells, and were again repulsed with great loss:

this added to the vigilance and exertions, of Sir William Phips, Governor of Massachusetts, kept the Indians quiet.

This state of quiet, which continued through the years 1692 and 3, became again a snare to the English, by lulling them into a state of security. In the midst of this false security, the Sieur Villieu, the brave defender of Quebec, against the expedition under Sir William Phips, being now removed to the command of the station at Penobscot, assembled a force of about 250 Indians, attended by a French priest, and made a descent upon the village of Dover, upon Oyster River, where he took and destroyed five garrison-houses out of twelve; the others were defended with firmness. In this enterprise, about 100 persons were killed and taken, and about 20 houses were destroyed, and the Indians made their escape. with their booty, 1694. The next year, two men again were killed at Exeter, and in 1696, a small village at Sandy Beach was surprised and burnt; 14 persons were killed, and four were taken and carried off. A strong party pursued, and recovered the prisoners and plunder, but the savages made their escape. They next surprised the citizens of Dover, on the sabbath, as they returned from meeting; 3 were killed and 3 wounded, and 3 were taken and carried to Penobscot, from whence they were soon returned. In 1697, they attempted to surprise the town of Exeter, but were providentially discovered, and fled. In their retreat, they took vengeance on a Major Frost at Kittery, who had been concerned in the capture of the 400 Indians, at Cocheco, which were sold in Europe.

These scenes of distress were but the preludes of what were to follow, had the whole plan succeeded. This plan, concerted in France, had for its object, the destruction of New-England, by the assistance of a fleet and armament from France, to co-operate with the forces of Canada, and lay waste the whole country. The plan was a Vol. I.

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bold one, but that God, who had planted his church in the wilderness, had preserved her through sufferings, to meet and repel the attempt. The fleet remained at Newfoundland until winter, and then returned to France. The straggling parties of Indians, committed some depredations; but nothing of importance, and the next season, 1698, the war was closed, by the peace of Ryswick, in Europe, and by the treaty of Casco, in New-England.

The events of an Indian war can be related, but the horrors of an Indian war, can never be disclosed by the pen. The distresses of our fathers are lost in reality, and even their remembrance is almost swallowed up, in those rich enjoyments they provided for their descendants.

Through all these scenes of 'alarm and distress, the Colony of New-Hampshire was crossed, vexed, and perplexed with proprietary governors, appointed by the crown, under Mason's, or rather Allen's claims; first by Usher, as has been noticed, from 1692, to the year 1695; then by William Partridge; next by Allen himself: and in 1699, the Earl of Bellomont arrived, agreeable to his appointment, and entered upon the government of the province, and William Partridge acted as lieutenant góvernor. This change in the government, quieted the feuds which had perplexed the colony, and gave repose to the feelings of the people.

The Earl of Bellomont, was a man of distinguished rank and character, highly qualified for his station, and devoted to the best interest of the colony. He found the colony poor, and in debt, by the losses and expences of the war; and their coast, as well as frontier, opened to the ravages of an enemy. These he attempted to remedy, as well as to settle a correspondence, of mutual aid and support, throughout New-England, together with New-York; but these views were interrupted, by a renewal of Allen's claims, which he attempted to prosecute