Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-03-22
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
20 l.
BY II. A. CUTTING.

AiiChh az IhS Nai l1ShtSi 41f1uO" , ~ !
named from its owner Aaron Carpen- !
ter, one of the early settlers of Con-
cord. He moved there, we think, as
eaily as 1895, being one of the pio-
neers Of the town. When he came
this meadow was covered by a stately
growth of timber, mostly maple, free
from underbrush, seemingly one of
the most pleasant spots in the beauti-
full valley of the Connecticut. One
of his early clearings was m dc Lere,
and when the timber was cut many
scars were noticed upon the trees,
showing the place had been visited
many years anterior to this
1t was then supposed that it might
have been camping ground for the
Indians, which opinion was doubtless
correct. But in cutting the timber a
leaden bullet was cut through so deep
in the, tree, as to lead to the belief
that it was also the camping ground
of Capt. Powers, in his memorable
trip Of exploration, up the valley call
ed the Coos, in 1854, hoping thereby
TO open this beautiful tract of country
for settlement. Be that as it may,
after the land was cleared, two
mounds were noticed side by side,
like graves, which they were suppos-
ed to be. At length curiosity to dig
them open and see what they contain
ed verified it, and they were found to
contain two skeletons buried in re-
cumbent posture.
AS Capt. Powers had lost none Of
his party. this excited much comment
which was augmented when upon
blowing the field many Indian iluple-
ments of warfare were found among
which was an old French scalpng
knife, such as were sold at an early
day to the Indians by traders; also
some bones which were supposed to
be human.
There was also found several pieces
of muskets, and, at low water, pieces
of corrotled gun barrels were found
in the bed of the Connecticut. They
were all so corroded with rust that
they could be broken with the hands.
Several of these relics were laid up
by Mr.. Carpenter, and in after years
presented by his son George Carpen-
ter to Col. j. G. Darling, which relics
in part he now las at his home in
Boston, Mass.
Eleven pieces in all were found,
consisting Of the locks and barrels in
part, it is thought, Of five or six mus.
kets ; and there seems great probable
ity that some white men, encamped
here, had skirmish with the Indians
in which they were successful, or the
graves would not have been made.
Else sickness and hunger must have
caused death and burial, and the
throwing away of guns which they
were unable to carry ; or both surmis.
es may have been true. The rusty
gun barrels and marks upon the trees
would indicate that it must have
been as early as 1859, if not earlier
it was in that year that Maj. Rogers
made his ever memorable and success,
full expedition against the St. Francis
Indians, in Canada, it may be well
to refer to that campaign, and see il
it is not more than probable that il
was a company from his detachment
that left the relics and marks about
this meadow.
Maj. Rogers, after receiving his or
ders from Gen. Amherst, at Grown
Point, proceeded to Missisco Bay
reaching that place with one hundred
and forty two men. Here he conceal
ed his boats among some bushes
leaving in them provisions enough tt
carry them back to Crown Point
With these boats he left two mel
: who if the boats were disturbed were
: to make quick time to his camp will
the tidings. He then advanced to
f ward st. Francis village. On til
: second day they were overtaken b,
the men left with the boats, sayin;
they were captured, and further tina
e q detachment of men were on thei
0 trail. Rogers Immediately returned
those two rangers with a lieutenan
and eight men to Crown Point, or,leI
o ing supplies to be sent to Coos, o.
h the Connecticut for their re urn. II
# then pushed on ror St. Frances, con
: pletely surprised that village, an
when his followers saw several hur
;. dred scaIps hanging ubon poles i
II the Indian camp, the orIler of Ger