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


a doubt he was the instigator Of this ex-
petition.
They followed up Onion River. went
over the mountains through Orange and
Washington, and then down the first
branch Of White River through Chelsea
and Tunbridge to Royalton. They
reached Tunbridge on Saturday night and
stayed in camp there until Monday.
Early in the morning. before dawn,
the three hundred savages headed
by white man, and with some
tories among them, crept into the
poor little town where most of the peo-
pie were. il not asleep in bed. safe with
in doors. They went to house almost
on the town-line where the first knowl-
edge the poor people had that the Indians
were within hundreds OF miles was the
bursting-in OF the door. There they took
two men prisoners, John and AbJah
Hutchinson, and after plundering, they
went on to the house of a Mr.. Ravens
which was not far off. Mr.. Havens was
an old man and had gone out to look after
his sheep. He was about forty rods from
his house on little hill when he heard
his nelgabor's dog barking and he
stopped. fearing that some wild beast was
among his sheep. and that it had dis
turbed the dog. While he listened he
heard a noise as if sheep or cattle were
running at full speed through the water,
and turning round he saw to his fright
and horror company of Indians going
into his house. He knew he could do no
good by going to help his family. so he
| instantly threw himself under a log and
"a thar ha Low xu,fh inn
down his cheeks listening to the dreadful
able to see his son and friend of theirs
running for their lives. The men had
happened to be in the open doorway as
the Indians came up and had minute or
two of advantage. The son threw him
self down the bank of the river and
crawled under log where he lay long
time and afterwards made his escape al
though large number of Indians passed
directly over it in pursuit of him. The
friend, Thomas Pember, ran, and they ran
after him until they were near enough to
throw spear through him. He fell and
they scalped him. They left a small part
of their company at the house OF Mr..
Havens to guard their plumber and make
preparations for their retreat. Those
who went on ran swiftly but silently that
they might surprise the settlers. A
number armed with spears led them
then came others with muskets or scalp.
ing knives. The first party they called
runners" who were directed to kill all
those who attempted to escape, while the
second party they called "gunners," and
these took charge of all prisoners. They
met a young man in the road named Elias
Button and killed him and then went on,
taking prisoners at every house, stopping
to plumber everywhere. In one house a
Mrs. Curtis had just awakened and sat on
the side of her bed and an Indian
burst in the door with great knife
in his hand flew at her and took her by the
throat, apparently intending TO cut it, but
fortunately for her his attention was at
tracted by string of gold beads round
her neck, and he snatched at those, and
let her go. So it seems that ornaments
are sometimes useful. But they took the
three men in the house and made them
prisoners. At Mr.. Kneeland's house they
took five men. They told the prisoners
that il they made sound that might warn
their friends and neighbors they would
kill them instantly.
The Indians took the precious feather
beds and cut open the ticks and threw the
feathers into the air, and the old account
of the affair says ''they manifested their
Internal qualification by their disengenu-
GUS conduct. and Tartarean shouts"
So, led by their white commander, they
went on from house to house, plundering
and taking prisoners. The Indians them
selves were much afraid of being attacked
by American forces and were eager to OBJ
tain all the prisoners and booty they could
and to get away as fast as possible. But
by this time some one had managed to
give an alarm. Gen. Elias Stevens. who
had house just at the mouth of the
branch. had gone with his cart and oxen
about two miles down the river to work
He was very busy loading up his cart
when he happened to look up and saw
bareheaded man riding horse on dead
run and who called out. For Gods sake
turn out your oxen, for the Indians are at
the mill" This was probably grain
mill. Gen. Stevens turned his oxen loose
and mounted his horse and started for
home to save his wife and children but
he had gone only half way when he met
neighbor, Capt. Joseph Parkhurst, who told
him the Indians were very near, only
few rods back, and that he must turn
round and 90 back the way he had come
or be taken prisoner and perhaps killed.
The poor man could only do as he was
told for he knew that the Indians must bv
that time have reached his house, and he
went on to help his neighbors. The first
house the two men came to and which
Gen. Stevens had already passed on his
way home was that of Deacon Daniel Rix
Gen. Stevens took Mrs. Rix and three
children on his horse. and Capt Parkhurst
took Mrs. Benton and several children on
his. and 80 burdened they rode off as fast
as possible until they reached the place
where the General had received the first
alarm. There he became so anxious about
his family that he concluded to turn back
once more, although the Others begged
him not to. AS they met there Mr..
Burroughs who took care of Mrs. Rix and
her children, he left them He started
but had gone but very little way when
he saw the Indians in the road in front,
coming towards him. He turned and ran
his horse back to the little party he had
left, and begged them to get out of the
road as quickly as possible. Those who
were on foot did so and were safe. as the
Indians kept on in pursuit OF the brave
man. He rode as fast as he could to the
house of his father n-law, lilly Park
hurst, and found his sister milking a COW,
! and told har m 1aavo OF onco ,r tho J,J;,,,