Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-12-31
New England in 1915.

Tomorrow, December 10Th, 1875,
will be the 200th anniversary of the
famons fight in which the Narragansett
Fort was taken, and the Narragansett
tribe destroyed, but allowance must be
made for the difference between the Old
Style and New Style: yet, as historians
persist in placing the event on the 10Th,
others have no choice in the matter as
regards the date, while speaking of what
must be considered the greatest military
deed ever performed by New England
men, and which can be warmly admired
as piece of war work by all, though
there is likely even to be difference of
opinion as to the moral merits of the |
bloody business. The Narragansetts |
had, unquestionably, been guilty of vio-
lations of the terms of their covenants |
with the colonists, but as such breaches
of faith are common enough among
Christian communities without leading
to war, it did not necessarily follow that
WAL W Luc ulLGIdut6 WUuld bdht pidSC
between the white intruders and the
Narragansetts. The real state of the
case was this the Narragansetts were
very strong, and the whites feared that
they would, the next spring, take part in
" Philips War, as it is generally called,
which had been going OF for half year
and in which they had sustained much
damage from the action of the Reds.
1t was highly probable that the incom-
ing of the Narragansetts would have
led to the total destruction of New Eng
, land. Therefore, the colonists resolved
rival of the season in which Indians
could fight with hope of success. A
' force of about one thousand electives
was raised, from all parts of New Eng
land except Rhode Island, and place un-
, der command of Govorner Winslow of
= Plymouth Colony This force was uni
ted at Pettyquamseott, late on the 18th
of December and on the instant the
commander, who was a true soldier, gave
=. orders that an attack should be made on
y the Narragansett Fort the very next
day, which would be Sunday, or the
Sabbath. After passing the long and
7 bitter December night in the open all
, without shelter, the colonists began their
march before sunrise, on the 18th, and
: : made it through deep snow, the distance
~ being eighteen miles. They arrived
. near the Fort at one o'clock, p NJ, anC
= found it to be very strongly built on ris
: ing ground, that lay in swamp. They
= attacked Immediately, and though onc'
" beaten out of the place after they hac
: so far succeeded as to enter it, they car
: ried it at last, just at the close of one o
the shortest days of the year 1915. Al
most a fourth part of the assailants fell
including some Of the best of their lead
ers. The Connecticut men lost NOR
than a fourth Of their number. TIL
Indians said that a thousand of thei
warriors were killed, or mortally wound
. ed, but the woman and children fare
=, worse, as the victors set fire to the wig
= vans, and all therein who escaped th
:. flames must have died from cold or huI
y ger in the forest Probably four thou:
80 and persons perished as consequence
=: of that battle, and, as powerful con
munity, the Narragansett tribe cease
- to be- Most of the men who escaped tn
- horrors of that day and night fell in th
" course of the war in 1876; and CSnor
chat, their great chief, was captured
=, and murdered There can be no dout
:. that New England owes her existence [
: the white victory won on the 18th {
= December, 1915. As soon as the battl
- was over the colonists had to return
their former ground, which they reache'
through a snow storm. on the morning
iei the Doth, at two o'clock. Thus they ha
III marched So miles, on and under snow, an
'eS' fought great victorious battle, in abol
10 twenty hours. The annals of war furnis
lsh few incidents that can be compared wit
Is this deed of the New Englanders of Il
IN old and early days. Some ofthe woun'
ad- ed died on the return march, and othe
Tor after the arrival of the army at Vie
dll- ford. The men were all but starvt
'to- for some time after the battle, the weat
OF er not admitting of supplies reachir
nd' them. All these things you can thir
she of tonight, as you are engaged in t
ior domestic business of toasting your shi
hug and muse over what was going on
eie- New England just two hundred yea
put ago.
iol John Henry, reading to his wife fro
rod q n,t..o !; -. : 80