Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-08-06
THE RIVER LA-PLOT.
An Interesting Incident i'm the Early His
tory of Vermont.
re-. A. c. in the Christian Messenger


re. A. c. in the Christian Messengcr.1
This is small stream in Chlttenden
county, 1t rises in the south western part
of Hnesburgh and running northwest
erly through IA corner of Charlotte and
through Shelburne, falls into the head of
Shelburne Bay. 1t is 10 miles in length.
There is an incident connected with this
stream which though not generally known
to the present generation must POSSESS
great interest to the inhabitants of this
state dealing as it does with the stirring
incidents of her early history and which
gave to the stream the name by which it
has always been known, The incident is
well authenticated by the early settlers
who participated in it as well as by their
descendants who still reside in the vicin-
ity. 1t is well known that the hostilitits
of the Indians instigated as they were, by
the French in Canada rendered the first
settlement of Vermont very difficult and
dangerous, especially along the borders OF
Lake Champlain, and the constant expo
sure to be attacked and plundered by Il
blood thirsty foe, greatly retarded the pro
gress of the settlements Tor many years.
The repeated assaults from the Indians
compelled the settlers to arm IN self de
fence and to hold themselves III readiness
to march at a moments warning to the
assistance of their friends. 1t was in this
state of things in the autumn of no that
a party of Indians was discovered making
their way up Shelburne bay in their bark
canoes. Their motions were watched and
the scattered settlers soon gathered to the
number of 10. The Indians having pro.
ceeded to the head of the bay entered the
mouth of the stream and landed on the
,ha r,,1s nj. -
they drew their canoes ashore and having
arttully concealed them proceeded to the
small settlement half a mile distant where
they began the work of plumber. Those
10 resolute men held Il consultation as to
what was best to be Zone. Believing that
the Indians If vigorously assailed would
retreat to their canoes for safety. they
formed La plot (the PLAN which resulted
i'll the destl uCtlon of the entire party
Three of the men were despatched to
Scuttle and thus render useless the canoes
which the Indians had concealed under
the bank of the river, not knowing that
they We're watched by the eagle eyes Of
the settlers. The other seven now made Il
furious attack upon the Indians who were
engaged in the work of plundering the
settlement rightly supposing that they
would rush to their canoes which would
fill with water, and thus discuucert and
render them an easy prey. The plot sue
Ceeded perfectly. The furious onset OF
the seven rendered more favorable by the
approach of night led the Indians to sup
pose that they were assailed by a superior
force and that their only chance of es-
cape was in haSty retreat to their canoes.
They accordingly betook themselves to Il
nasty flight, closely pursued by the seven
settlers and hurrying their canoes into
the river embarked with the utmost haste.
But in an instant they found that their
canoes were filling with water. 1t was
now the turn of the settlers to take ample
vengeance. The unerring bullets of the
three men in ambush who had scuttled
the canoes We're rapidly laying them low,
while to this was added the fierce fire of
the seven who had now come to the as
sstance of their comrades. Not one of
the party escaped to tell of their fate.
They We're all shot or drowned, and the
deep and quiet stream soon closed over
their bodies and formed their graves. Ii
is not many years since, and possibly even
now, that occasional relics OF this party
may be found at low water on or near the
shore where this fierce encounter took
place. These relics consist of the bones
and arrow-headS of these savageS upon
whom Il just retribution 50 swiftly tell.
The farmer now merrily swings his scythe
and the cattle feed quietly upon the banks
of this beautiful little stream which in all
the ages to come will probably he known
AS River La Plot"
Burlington, June -, 1856.