The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-12-05
H,om ls .Nstc York Commercial .fdrsrtiser.
HISTORICAL EXCURSION.

If the peasanes sequestered villages that we have
ever visited. IL stands, heretofore mentioned, m
the valley of the Pocumtuek-separaied from the
Come ccut by the isolated range OF hills Of which
the Sugar I.oaf is the Southern extremity. The al
luvai lands this valley richer Than those OF the
Connecticut, because the annual inundation Is occa-
stoned By the annual setting and The consequent
stiffness OF the waters leaves the rich depostes to
fertlze the soil The main street Is upward OF
mile in length the houses being Tor the most large
and commodlous-but Of wood, painted white, with
green Venetian blinds The whole street is densely
wooded with the beautiful sugar-maple aud the pen
sive weeping elm There are TWO churches III ue
village one dry goods store, and comfortable tavern.
The IN .untans in which this valley lies are not so
high as those Of Wyoming, but the valley itself Is
not less b. autiu than that, while the helds are much
better cultivated.
This town, too suffered cruelty in the Indians wars,
stimulated against the English colonies, and some
times led by the French in Canada. The most for
midable invasion which il sustained however, occur
red on the night of February 18th, iva, when the
slumbering town was entered by Major Hertel de
Rouyille III a force Of two hundred French troops,
and about one hundred and fifty Indians. The snow
deep, and was Incrusted so-strongy as TO allow
the invaders TO walk with their snowsboes upon ITS
surface A small fyrt with feeble garrison deiend-
ed the village, rather ought 10 have defended II
but not anticipating an attack at such season The
guards not vigilant
The assalans consequently gained the fort without
being observed: and the depth OF the ncrusted snow
enabled them to scale the walls without difficulty
1t was therefore taken without resistance. The In
vaders instantly thereafter dispersed themselves
through the village, entering the houses, dragging
forth the inmates and then applying the torch--such
OF the astonished and hal-waking people as offered
resistance being struck down with the Ratchet. The
house Of the Rev. Mr.. w lliams being entered, he at
tempted resistance; but his pistol snapp d, and he
was seized aud bound--hs house plundeied, and two
of his children, with black servant, murdered be-
fore the door. MIR Williams, his wife and four chill
dren, taken captlyes aud carried oil toward
the ST. Francis country, in Canada. Two days after
the affair, Mrs. Williams, sick and burdensome from
recent confinement, was dispatched by the toma-
hawk.
lac houses were all burnt but one, which is yet
standing, and III good repair. This was occupied by
Captain John Sheldon, and being strongly built
not so easily entered. The door was of thick panks
doubled and thckly spiked. Net being able to break
IT in, the Indians, with much labor, hacked hole
through it with their hatches. Inserting a musket
through the aperture thus made, Mrs. Sheldon was
shot and killed, while in the act of rising from her
bed. The captain lcapcd from the gable window
and escaped The house has been preserved TO this
day as 1t was then left by the Indians. We visited
and examined IT with curious interest--thc marks of
the hatchets u on the door, and the bullet marks and
holes, in various places especially the mark Of the
ball by which Mrs. Sheldon killed. The fatal
mssivc yet remains in the timber. The number Of
the inhabitants killed on this occasion forty
The number taken into captivity, one hun
bred and twelve. Several Of the prisoners, how
ever were killed. they became troublesome to The
spoilers from sickness or fatigue, on the way 20
Canada
Their march tither was one Of excessive suffer
ing. MIR Williams was released from captivity two
years aiterward, and all his children, his daug-
ter Eunce, who, being only ten years old, adopt
ed by the ST. Francis Indians. Adopting the habits
and manners of her associates she refused 20
return She afterward married an Indian, and be-
came the mother OF family Numbers of the 81.
Francis Indians claim descent from her at this day,
and few years ago several OF them paid a visit TO
Deerfeld, to see their white relatives Twenty e
more Of the captiyes adopted the Indian manners
aud remained amo them The bell of the Deer
field church was carried away, and is the same now
summonng the ST. Regis Indians to maths and yes
pers in their hamlet upon the St. Lawrence.
In the first of this brief of sketches the lead
ing object Of the jaunt was stated to be visit The
venerable General Hoyt and his neghbor / r. Ste !
phen w. Williams. The latter gentleman is a scion
of the Williams family of which we have
spoken in conneXon with the Deerield massacre of
l7O4. 1t seemed TO be the peculiar " gilt,' our
friends, the Shaking Quakers would say OF these
WiliIamses, a century ago. 20 be engaged in the
bloody trays of the borders. Colonel Ephraim Will
liams, who commanded regiment OF provincial
troops under the comm nd OF Gencral-aiterward
Sir William Johnson IN the Northern campaign, in
1855, and who fell in the engagement with B.ron
Dieskau, at Lake George, in that year-was the
grand uncle of DR. Williams. The grandfather of
y :
and was aiterward colonel in the service. 1t was
the letters Of those long deceased officers Of which
we were in search and thanks 10 the doctors kind
ness we did not search IN vain.
DR.. Williams is himself Jealous historical inquirer
and an author of ability. One would hardly sup
osc, from surveying the little Paradise of which
DeCrfed is the centre, that Death could enter there
that there could be any necessity for professors Of
Inc healing art But il is MT Death is every
where and the principle imparting vitality TO the
Is destined feed he OH ak
low blooming IN beauty, rs already beneath It's love
y surface. Deerield Is therefore not exempted from
he common lot. But for more Than hundred sue
essve years has been the good fortune of It's mia
,itans 70 enjoy The sku medical advice and atten-
lance of tins family OF observation-disclosures son. and
,randson-the present Doctor W., being the most EN-
nent OF the three. lie has published valuable work
lpon medical Jurisprudence, and has leclured as pro-
essor Of matera medica, pharmacy, and the luris-
prudence OF the profession, IN the late Western Me-
heal Co lege Of New York IN the Berkshire NIed
al School in the Wloughby Medical Institution of
ohio and in Vermont He has published a small :
'ut valuable historical volume, connected with the
history of his family aud the captivity Of the Rev
Viz Williams and his children; aud we have now |
eiore Us an able and learned medical history of the
ouny Of Franklin, in which he resides, in the form :
# an annual discourse delivered by him before the .
state Medical Society OF Massachusetts. We have
cad this discourse through, layman that we are. :
nd have found it of great interest. The idea we !
hink happy one, Of embracing in discourse of this "
ind such history of given section Of country q
y this discourse we not only had account of all
ne principal diseases TO which The county has been
objected since its first settlement hut likewise n
istory Of each successive epidemic by which it has
cen visited, More interesting and curious si are /
he b graphical sketches with which The discourse II
bounds of the more eminent members Of The "a G,
llty who have advanced the profession in that sec n
on Of country. These sketches are exceedingly va
liable and we would suggest to the count, medi- r;
Al societies of this State the eXpedency of bringing a.
1T series OF dscoures upon the model furnished by it
'r. Williams. Among the portraits which he has q
fetched with graphic pen, Is that Of the late DR. t.
amuc Preniss, OF Northheld father Of Senator vi
u I..I.. q