Litchfield enquirer., 1849-09-20
No. 10. WHOLE No. 1926.
From the NeO York Dispatch.
THE CAPTURE AND THE RESCUE,
A TALE OF BORDER LIFE.
BY ]. G. SMITH, N. D.

The perils incident to frontier life, IN
wilderness inhabited by savage beasts
and more savage men, have often been
wildly portrayed. BUT in country
like ours, where almost every town and
halet has been settled in the face of diff
ficulties and dangers which would, in
these days, appaA the stoutest hearts,
much of the most interesting portions of
her history must necessarily remain I'M
written. 1t seems .te be the peculiar
province of the historian to deal in gen.
eralities, rather than to descend to par
ticulars-to tell ofgreat and decisive bat
ties. ipsread of the patient resistance and
gradual expulsion IF formidable foe
perbetuate the story Of War, not to ina
mortalize the more glorious triumphs of
Peace. Could the Tales of the First
Settlers" of the interior towns of New
England be written cut by faithful and
truthful hand, how much Of disaster and
sorrow, Of heroic daring, and thrAling ip-
terest, would be repealed!
The brief sketch which follows has at
least the merit of being no fiction. The
pen Of the novelist might give it more in
terest to the mere lover of romance but
the author prefers to confne himself to
facts.
Ia 1854, JOSIAH K1LRoRN removed
with his family from Connecticut and 10.
Gated himself far up ON the Connecticut
River, in what has since become the town
of Gilsum, New Hampshire. At that
time there was not white settler within
t~ enty miles of him. Bears, wolves. and
catamounts, prowled nightly around his
cahin--apd fierce, warlike tribes of Indi-
ans roamed the wilderness. On the still
evening, the inmates of that humble home
often shpddered as they heard in the dis.
lance the war-whoop Of the savages, and
saw their watch-fres burning on the far
hill-sides. Kilborn was a mau of stall
wart rame aud lion heart, long injured
to toll and danger-and, though ofrough
exterior he possessed warm and genial
spirit. His own .fearlessness aud good
humor gradually inspired his family with
courage, and made them happy and con-
tended in their new abode Before his
sturdy stroke the huge forest trees rapid
ly disappeared, and the first succeeding
sp ing and summer Witnessed luxuriant
growth of wheat, corn and vegetables.
sufficient fol- their wants during the year.
Two years thus passed on, and no event
had occurred to mar the happiness and
prospects Of the little colony. An album
dant harvest had crowned the iabors Of
the second season, aud their safety thus
hal inspired all hearts with hope for the
| future. Now and then an Indian, return
ing from the chase, had ventured near the
dwelling, and had been kindly received
and Hospitality entertained by the family;
and occasionally IN his explorations at
distance from home, Kilborn had encoun-
tered small companies of the red men.
who. uniformly appeared to- be ofaifriend-
" and timid disposition. and 1rors dis.
posed to shun than to harp him. He
had, however, sought to cultivate their
acquaintance and win thsir confidence
and good will. ia this he to some ex-
tent succeeded, though their timidity
appeared to predominant. The presence
Of his giant form and stern countenance
seemed to awe them into fear and sub
mission.
| We have animated that the nearest
white settlement was SHOUT twenty miles
distant. Thither Kilborn was wont oc-
casiona!ly to resort on horseback, for
such provisions as were deemed ipdispep
able, and for the purpose of getting his
wheat ground As the way through the
forest was necessarily slow and tedious,
and delays at the mill often unavoidable.
tn, journey had somet times occupied three
| and four days. While there he had oc-
casionally heard vague rumors of depre-
da,ious and murders by savages, under
the lead Of q noted chief. called .PAILrP,
who claimed to be "a descendant of the
renowned Pequot sachem Of the same
name. These rumors, however, he mad
never communicated to his family; and
indeed he did not himself look for any
danger from that quarter.
1 On the 18th of September, 1856, Mr..
Kilborn aud his eldest son, Ebenezer,
aged twenty years, left home with their
horses loaded with grain for the mills--
leaving behind. Mrs. X. three daughters
and two sons. varying in age from four
to twenty one years. The apprehens;ons
of the father and son were somewhat
excited by the stories they now heard at
the settlement Of the savage baybarities
of Philip and his party and. having OBJ
tained their load Of -four. they turned
Ehomeward with silent yet sad forbodings.
Near she close OF the third day. they
reached their own clearing" But what
was their horror to find the cabin and
barn a hesp acknowledging ruinsl APP
Inrehens;ons Of the most fearful nature az
once took possession Of that father. end
he vowel vengeance upon the treacheD-
Gus fees who had thus desolated bis .tira-
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