American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1844-11-19
[From the NH. Historical Collect ton.
LOVELL'S FIGHT WITH THE PEQUAWKE1
IN THE WEAR l715

LOVELL'S FIGHT WITH THE PEQUAWKETS
IN THE YEAR l725,
On the margin of little lake in the town
ship of Fryeburg, in the State of Maine, is the
spot where the pride of the powerful tribe of
the Requawkets was broken, and the scene of
the desperate conflict, maintained by the gal
liant and unfortunate Captain Lowell, and his
little band, with the red warriors who formerly
possessed the fertile and beautiful intcrvalcs of
! the Saco.
Lowell had been long distinguished among
the partisan warriors OF the times. His
former success had been great. On one occa-
sion, he surprised and killed a party of ten sa-
wages whose sealps, stretched en- hoops and ele-
waited on poles, were borne back in triumph
His reputation called to the ranks of so distin-
guished commander, a band of brave men,
eager to revenge the outrages committed on the
infant settlements.
The tervor of patriotism was animated by the
bounty of one hundred pounds each offered by
the government for these bloody trophies, not
often taken from living enemy. In the month
of May, in the year 1925, with forty-six men,
he commenced the expedition which terminal
J ed his military career.
7 Two of these soldiers, becoming lame, re-
turned, another, falling sick, was left with the
surgeon and guard and eight men, in stock
ade fort, erected partly as place of security
for the sick, and partly with wise providence
against misfortune, as a retreat. With the re-
naming thirty-four, he continued his march
northward, until the morning of the eighth
day of the month.
1t was while engaged in the devotional exer-
cises of their morning worship, that the report
of musket echoed through the forest, and
they discovered an Indian, in pursuit of his
game standing alone upon a narrow point of
10 md nvtpp info thop LII IT.,
side opposite to their encampment
Thus apprzed of the neighborhood of their
foe they laid aside their packs, and prepared
for the encounter. They advanced, encom-
passing the lake in their course, and arrived at
the head of the peninsula. The savage had
awaited them, either ignorant Of Their ap-
proach as, from the most authentic accounts,
is most probable or, with the spirit Of Cur
titus, devoting himself as some have supposed
to inevitable destruction, that he might allure
the English to position where defeat would
be certain.
He received their fire; but before he fell, re-
turned it with SO deadly an effect, that the cap
tain and another soldier were MORALLY wound
\ ed The party having secured their victim,
k'scturned towards the spot where they had left
their packs. But their course had crossed the
path of the red men, who had followed, and,
having seized the spoil, knew the number of
their foes, and, when Lowell and his company
approached, they rose from the earth with an
exulting yell, and showered their death shots
fast upon the devoted band.
The white men retreated, and, protected by
the natural defcnces of the situation TO which
necessity had driven them, and sheltered by
those pines which still bear the scars of the bat
tie, maintained themselves for a whole day,
with heroic resolution, against an overwhelm-
ing force. Although invited to surrender, by
the display long ropes, which, in the express
sive language of signs, told them of the luxu-
ries of captivity, they fought with determi-
nation to meet quick and honorable death,
rather than to expire amid the torments of
protracted martyrdom.
Night at length arrived, and the savages,
weary of the contest, and disheartened by
he loss of their chief, and of more than three
ourths of their warrois,an desparng of over
coming such obstinate re 'istance, retired, and
be miserable remnant of their opponents, who
survived the battle, were suffered to escape.
1t was no time then for indulging nice feel
ngs of delicaey. OF all those who had knelt
before their Creator at the dawn, sixteen only
Fould bow in alteration at evening, to pour
orth their thanksgivings to their Preserver,
hat amid such pers, they had escaped I'M
hurt; ten were gone to their final account, and
ight were grooming with the agony of mortal
Wounds.
The conjunctuIe did not admit of delay;
While they yet paused, the bullet might be aim
d at their own hearts, they could not wait
bnger, to pay the last tribute of respect to
heir dead companions, lest they, too, should
eep in their last reposc--they could not de-
Ey, to sympathize with those whose life was
est ebbing out, for they might share their fate.
lently they retired aud abandoned both.
Some of the wounded gathered strength to
Eawl from the spot where they fell, to perish
lore miserably from putrelaction and starva
on. A situation more miserable cannot be
nagined They had sustained the labors of
be day without food, for their stores had been
ptuied with their packs at the place of their
ornng repast, and they endured the cold of
ght without covering
The moon shone forth brilliantly and they
y, faint and expiring, suffering the cravings
hunger, the tormentings of thirst and the
yonies of pam, abandoned by their friends,
rsaken by the hope of escape, while the light
sclosed the CHASTITY countenances and man
ed forms of the slain, and the wind bore to
cir ears the shouts Of the savages, fierce as
Q shrieks of fends.
Heavily must that long, long night have
ssed, to those who waited till death, stealing
bwly over their exhausted frames, should
pthe their mseries; and gloomily rose the
|wn on the eyes, which were yet unglazed by
thick film.
Incidents occurred during the conflict which
rked the temper Of the cambatants. Such
b .