The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-10-16
HOW THE SETTLERS OF WALPOLE
DEFENDED THEMSELVES.


BEAUTIFUL the green meadows, the
surrounding hills and the distant noun
tains forming the landscape in Walpole,
N. H., which Colonel Benjamin Bellows
and John Kilburn gazed upon on the
banks of the Connecticut River in 1749
They had built their log houses with
loop-boles in the walls through which
they could fire upon the Indians in case
they were attacked. Though peace
had been agreed upon between France
and England, the people who lived
along the frontier felt no security, for
the French in Canada were continually
urging the Indians to commit depreda-
tons on the English. 1t was a short
and easy journey from Crown Point, on
Lake Champlain, to the valley of the
Connecticut, and the Indians who sold
their furs to the French were frequent
visitors to the settlements along the
Connecticut.
One of the Indians who visited John
Kilburn was called Captain Philip. He
had been baptized and christened by
the Jesuit priests at the Indian village
of st. Francis, on the banks of the
St. Lawrence, halfway from Montreal
to Quebec. The st. Francis tribe were
called Christian Indians. There were
rumors that war would break out again
between England and France. Before
war was declared hostilities began.
1t was in the spring of 1855 that Cap
tain Philip made visit to John Kill
burns house with some beaver skins
for sale. He wanted powder, bullets
and fints for pay. While he was trad
ing, Captain Philip was running his
eyes over the house, looking at the
thick timbers, the loop-holes in the
walls. When he had finished his trade
he visited the other houses in the settle
ment. He was kindly treated. The
settlers never mistrusted that he was
taking observations for future use.
August came. The settlers heard that
war had begun, and knew that the
French and Indians might be upon
them at any moment. They strength
ened their block-houses. No one went
into the field to work alone. They
always carried their guns with them.
They had some faithful watch-dogs
which always growled when Indians
were about. There were nearly forty
men in the settlement. They were
stout-hearted, and were determined
not to be driven out by the French
and Indians. They appointed Colonel
Bellows to be their leader. He had a
suspician that Indians were about.
"We must have supply OF meal, so
that in case we are attacked we shall
have something to eat," he said.
The settlers filled each q bag with
corn, shouldered them, and then, in sin
gle file, each man carrying his gun,
they marched to the grist-mill which
they had erected, ground the corn into
meal, shouldered the sacks once more.
and started homeward, their faithful
watch dogs trotting in advance, paving
no attention to squirrels or partridges,
or game of that sort.
Suddenly the dogs came back, growl-
ing, the hair ON their backs in ruff.
There are Indians about. Throw
down your sacks" said Colonel Bel
lows.
The men threw their sacks on the
ground, dropped into the ferns, and
looked to the printing of their guns.
The ferns were tall, and completely
concealed them. Colonel Bellows sus-
pected that the Indians had laid an
ambuscade at narrow place in the
path which they must pass. He crept
slowly forward to see what he could
discover. careful not to break twig or
make any noise. He crept to the top
of q little hill, peeped through the ferns,
and discovered a great number of In
dians, nearly two hundred, crouching
behind trees, or lying on the ground,
waiting for the white men to enter the
trap. He made his way back to his
men, issued his orders in whisper, and
all crawled through the ferns toward
the Indians till they were only few
rods from them.
All were ready. Every man sprang
to his feet, and yelled as loud as he
could, "Hi-ya hi-yaw it was a terrific
howl.
The next moment not a settler was to
seen; all had dropped upon the ground,
and were concealed by the ferns.
In an instant every Indian was on his
feet, firing his gun, but hitting nobody.
There was an answering flash from the
ferns, each settler taking aim, and the
Indians sprang into the air, or fell head
long before the bullets.
The red men outnumbered the set
tiers five to one, but were so astounded
by the surprise that, picking up the
wounded, they made hasty retreat
into swamp, and the settlers made all
haste to their block-house, anticipating
an attack. Not one of them had been
injured.
This body of Indians was part of a
band of more than three hundred, led
by Captain Philip, who had come from
Canada with the expectation of wiping
out the settlements along the Connecti-
cut, and of returning to Canada with
many prisoners and no end of scalps.
1t was ut the pleasantest season of the
year. The woods were full of game,
and with the provisions they would get