The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-17
BARBARIC WARFARE.
A Civilized Community That Gave
Scalp Bounties.
Names Historic Old Forts and ThcIr
Former Promincncc-IIistoric Fort
Western Now IA Modern
Tenement.

In Augusta. Me-, on the cast side of the
Kcnncbcc river stands IL building called
Fort Western, which is one hundred
and thirtyuinc years old, and built on
the same point of land where once stood
the famous New Plymouth trading
house in ld2S. At Windsor, Me, near
Watcrvillc, according to the Boston
Herald, can be seen anothcr-Fort Hal
ifaN-crectcd 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 1854 Gov. Shirley was informed
that the French were building fort at
noted carrying place of the Indians
on the head waters of the Kcnncbcc, and
he commissioned Capt. North, of the
fort at Pcmaquid, and Lieut.. Fletcher,
OF st. Georges fort. to start with Suf-
ficicnt armed guard and request any
chief officer thus engaged to remove
from the ground with his soldiers, rs
being within the jurisdiction of his
majesty the king of Great Britain
The same month IL party of sixty In
dams, supposed to be spies. appeared ut
Fort Richmond, and were insulting and
threatening.
The French were active in pcrsuadine
the Indians to prevent further settle
mcnt on the river, promising favor to
those who would unite with them, and
threatening vengeance on all who
i
and the English. In the emergency
which thus arose, the general court de-
cidcd that the French should at all
events be prevented from making any
settlements on the river or at the car
rying places ut it's head, and as tho
Richmond fort was in prccarious state
it was demolished and now one
built at Ticonnct and named Fort Hall
fax.
September it was garrisoncd by one
hundred men under command OF Capt.
w. Lithgow During the building of
this fort, a committee of the Plymouth
company was engaged in erecting a fort
on the cast side of Augusta, to be called
Fort Western. The main building,
which is the one that still remains, is
one hundred feet long. thirty-two feet
wide and sixteen feet high and is built
of timber, making solid walls twelve
inches thick. A road was then made
between Forts Halifax and Western,
and was the first military road con-
structcd in Maine.
In the fall of 1871 n message was sent
the governor from Fort Halifax, stat
ing that the Indians had fallen upon Il
party of six of the garrison, sent out to
draw logs, and killed one man and cap
turcd four others, one only escaping to
the fort. This act of barbarity 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,
ncccssitatcd the reinforcement of the
garrison, and four hundred and sixty
men were detailed from the indcpcn-
dent companies, to be held in readiness
to immediately march to the relief of
the forts on the first approach of the
enemy.
The French and Indian war was
finally declared the following year, and
large inducements We're offered to vol
untcer companies of recruits to take
part. Two hundred dollars was prom
iscd for every Indian scalp, and two
hundred and fifty dollars reach cap
tive TO individuals, one hundred dol
lars for scalp and one hundred and
ten dollars for captive.
Particular attention was paid to the
defense to the eastern frontier Com
panies of scouts were established along
the scacoast from Saco to St.Georgc's,
and Forts Western and Halifax were
garrisoncd with eighty men and we'll
supplied with stores. The forts be-
tween the kcnncbcc and st. Georges
were also put in n state of defense, and
the friendship of the Tarratin Indians
cultivated. But their bitter rancor
was aroused when James Cargill, Of
Newcastle, received q commission to
raise a 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 to inquire whether they were
friends or enemies, they were dclibcr-
atcly shot and their scalps secured On
their return they met Margaret Moxa,
u friendly squaw, with her child A
vollcy was fired upon them, killing
mother and child. Cargill was apprc-
hcndcd and tried on charge of murder,
but discharged after confinement OF
two years.
The war ended in 1850, when the
Indians, deserted by their French allies,
proposed peace.
Fort Western is now familarly
termed the odd fort" and years ago
was converted into IL tenement house
Despite these modern changes, the