Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-06

The burning of the little settlement OF
Royalton, Vermont, on Oct. 16, 1880. was
the most dreadful Indian raid ever made in
the State. That it was commanded by a
British officer made it the more horrible.
Four persons were killed and "a carried
into captivity, and nine helpless children
would have been carried off TO life OF
slavery in Canada but for the great cour-
age and heroism of a woman of Royalton,
Mrs. Hendee.
II seems strange that this woman's name
has not been better known as that of one
of the heroines of the Revolution.
The last man who was captured was
Zadoe Steel, and he seems not to have
| lived in Rovalton, but several miles to the
north of it. He was carried to Canada
with the others, but he escaped year af-
ter and returned with great suffering and
privation through an almost unbroken
wilderness to his home. He wrote an ac-
count of the burning somewhere about
the year 1900. His narrative and family
tradition which even to this day tells
something of the affair, and curious
diary kept by Jonathan Carpenter of
Pomfret, and begun the April previous to
the burning. give us the story of the
burning.
When Royalton was burned it was a
thriving settlement of 800 souls. Barnard
to the South of them had but few fami-
lies. Pomfret directly south about ten
miles on the road which afterward be-
came the highway between Boston and
Montreal had record at that time of 80
men having families. Bethel to the west
still less, and Brook field. to the north, was
hardly more than pioneer hut or two.
while beyond those places to the north
and west an unbroken wilderness extend
ed and even the so-called roads between
the settlements were mere bridlepaths.
Royalton was chartered in the year
| 1879, but considerable settlement had
been made before then and the town was
in a thriving condition. They had large
stocks of cattle, good dwelling houses
and barns-probably all of logs as we do
not learn that there was a sawmill nearer
than Pomfret. Their barns were filled
with hay and grain, for they had just
| gathered their harvest; they were united
| by common interests and the old account
SAYS that sin a good degree each one
! loved his neighbor as himself and har-
mony prevailed in their borders"
On the morning of October 10th. 1880,
these people were surprised about dawn
by about three hundred Indians led by the
Caghnewaga tribe. When they left Cana
da ii seems they intended to destroy New.
bury. VT. But on the way they stumbled
upon some hunters from Newbury very
near the place where Montpelier was
afterwards settled. and made them pris-
oners. The Indians told them what they
were going to do. and asked them how
| Newbury was defended. These poor men
knowing how entirely defenseless New
! bury was. told them that an armed garri-
son was kept there and that it would be
! dangerous for them to GO; they hoped
that this statement would induce the In.
dams to give up their plan and go back to
Canada. but they only turned towards
Royalton.
A British lieutenant named Horton was
their leader, and Frenchman named LIE
Motto was their pilot and the second in
command. He had been made prisoner
by the Americans at the surrender of Bur-
goyne in 1777, and being released on
parole had spent the summer of 1880 in
Newbury and Royalton. He left ON pre-
tense of surveying lands in the northern