The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-03-24
BARBARIC WARFARE.
A Civilized Community That Gave
Scalp BountieS-
Maine's Historic Old Forts and Their
Former Prominence-Historic Fort
Western Now Modern
Tenement.

western NO" a
Tenement.
InAugusta, Me. on the east side of the
Eenncbec river stands II building called
Fort Western. which is one hundred
and thirtv-nine years old, and built on
the same point of land where once stood
the famous New Plymouth trading
house in 1928. At Windsor, Me, near
WatcrviIle. according to the Boston
Herald. can bc seen another-Fort Hal
ifax-erected the same year, both silent
and eloquent reminders of We olden days
OF bitter strife and struggle.
The first Maine fort-Fort st. George
was erected in 1907, and followed by
Forts Richmond, Shirley, George and
others. around which cluster historical
events Of thrilling interest.
In lT54 Gov. Shirley was informed
that the French were building fort ut
. noted carrying place of the Indians
On The head waters Of the Kcnncbec. and
h,. commissioned Capt. North, of the
fort ut Pemaquid, and Lieut.. Fletcher,
If St Georges fort, to start with suf-
G.icnt armed guard and request any
chief officer thus engaged To remove
from the ground with his soldiers, as
being within the jurisdiction of his
majesty the king Of Great Britain.
The same month party of sixty In
dams. supposed TO be spies, appeared at
Fort Richmond, and were insulting and
threatening.
The French were active in pcrSuading
til, Indians to prevent further settle
meat on the river, promising favor To
those who would unite with them, and
threatening vengeance on all who
shnuld lutcrp0Se between the Indians
and the English. In the emergency
which thus arose, the general court de
idol that the French should 1t all
events be- prevented from making any
settlements ON the river or at the car
~vi,r places at its head, and as the
Richmond fort was in precarious state
f. was demolished and a new one
huilt at Ticonnet and named Fort Hall
fax.
S.ptombcr3 it was garriSoncd hy one
hundred men under command ~ Capt.
W. Iithruw. During the building of
ju., fort. committee of the Plymouth
company was engaged in erecting a fort
nu tha east side Of Augusta. 10 bc called
Fort Western. The main building,
which is the one that still remains, is
one hundred feet long, thiT O feet
vile aud .istccn feet high .nu Is hui
,f tiuh,r. making solid walls twelve
iu. hes chick. \ road was then made
bct,,c,n Forts Halifax and Western,
and was the first military road con-
structcd Ia Maine.
lu the fan of 1914 4 message was sent
shr governor from Fort Halifax, stat
iur that the Indians had fallen upon a
party of six of the garrison, sent out 10
draw logs and killed one man and cap
turcd four others. one only escaping 70
tuc fort This act of barharity and
trcachcry on the part of the Indians,
together with the information that the
French. with the Indians, were prcpar-
ing to make an attack upon the forts,
na,oS-itatcd the Reinforcement of the
garrison and four hundred and sixty
men were detailed from the indcpcn-
dent companies, To be held in readiness
20 Immediately march To the relief of
the forts on the first approach of the
enemy.
Tnc French and Indian war was
tIaiiv declared the following wear, and
-ar-s, Inducements were offered - vol
tutrc- companies oi recruits 10 take
.ars. Two hundred dollars was, prom
iscd for every Indian scalp. and two
hundred and fifty dollars Tor each cap
1--WE. To individuals. one hundred dol
lars for q scalp and one hundred and
ten dollars for captive.
Parti,Ular attention was paid 10 the
dcfcus, to the eastern frontier Com
pauies of scouts were established along
the scacoaSt from Saco to St.Georgc's,
ana Forts Western and Halifax were
garrisoned with eighty men and well
supplied with stores. The forts be-
tween the Kcuncbec and St. Georges
were also put in state of defense, and
the friendship of the Tarritin Indians
cultivated. But their bitter raucor
was aroused when James Cargill, of
Newcastle. received commission to
raise Il company of scouts. who on the
first day of July made an excursion for
the purpose of obtaining the govern
mcnt price for scalps. When near Owls
Head Il party of Tarratin Indian hunt
crS were discovered. Without stop
ping 10 inquire whether they were
friends or enemies, they We're delibcr-
atcly shot and their scalpS secured On
their return they met Margaret MoNa,
a friendly squaw, with her child. \
voilcy was fired upon them, killing
mother and child. Cargill was appre-
heuded and tried on charge of murder,
bat discharged after q confinement of
-wp years.
The war ended in 1859, when the
Indians. deserted by their French allies,
proposed peace.
Fort Western is now familarly
termed the old fort" and years ago
WAS converted into a tenement house.
Despite these modern changes, the
structure still bears many of its old
characteristics, and even To the casual
observer bears the evidences of its early
and stirring history.