The Portland daily press., 1895-09-14
HISTORIC POWDER HORN.
Interesting Relics of Indian and Revolu-
tionary Wars Owned In Windham.

Revolutionary wars has lately come into
the possesssionof the Maine Historical So
ciety. 1t is the powder horn worn by Ezra
Brown when he was killed by the Indian
Chief Poln (called by the settlers Poland)
at Windham May 18th, 1855. 1t was
afterwards presented to Lieut.. Edward
Anderson of Windham by the widow,
Mary Brown. and carried by him in the
Revolutionary war. The story of the
trials of tho early settlers with the In
dians will always be of interest to every
generation, but tho killing of Polin,
which practically terminated the Indian
war in this vicinity, must always remain
an interesting event in our country S MS
tory. and will bear repeating when occas-
ion requires.
On the morning of May 14th, 1855, Ezra
Brown and EphraimTWinship, OF New
Marplehead. now Windham, Me-, started
out to work on Browns farm ABOUT
mile from the fort. A guard had been
detailed to accompany them, which was
necessity of that time, consisting OF
Abraham Anderson, Stephen Manchester,
Joseph Sterling and John Farrow with
orr bows. Brown and Winship were less
cautious than usual, and started about
sixty rods aheadt of the guard. In the
dense woods they were SOON out OF slght,
and had gone but a short distance when
a party of Indians, lying in wait, tired
yolley, killing Brown, and woundlng
Winship severely, so that he fell as II
dead. The Indians then scalped their
victims Anderson and Manchester, with
two of the boys, hearing the guns came
nm while the others fastened back to the
fort for assistance. Anderson, in voice
of command. shouted, ''Follow on, my
lads. 'sand.followed by Manchester and the
two boys Timothy Clontman and
Gershom Winship, rushed forward, and
the Indians fed into the woods, conceal
ing themselves.
Polin fred at the party without effect,
and in his haste to reload he exposed his
body, when aStephen Manchester took de-
liberate aim, fred and killed him, where
upon the Indians set upta great yelling
and rushed about his body, when the rest
of the guard emptied their muskets into
their midst, and it is said killed or NOR
tally wounded two more Indians. The
enemy gathered up their fallen comrades
and fed for their lives, leaving behind
"fiye packs, bom and bunch OF arrows
and several othersthings.
This little band of brave men (the two
boys did mems work thatsday. did not
know they hadtkilled Pelin then, but re-
loaded thsir guns and waited develop
ments. They were soon reinforced from
the fcrS,. ,whsnsthey were enabled to care
for their siafsen comrades.
This was a sad forenoon at the garri-
son. Within two shours from the time
they had left the fort Ezra Brown was
brought back to his wife and children
dead and scalped, and Winship's children
SAW him brought in so shocAingly mutt
lated that his life was despaired of. He
was shot through the arm and in one eye
and had TWO strips cut from his scalp.
INT te recovered, and it is said that he
y,resented a singular appearance in after
Years. He married again and had four
mora children. Ezra Brownas name has
bean held honorable by his kdescendants,
and it mas always been saidsthat he was
killsa bysPolin
Can't Skillins' company Of scouts, who
were but a mile away heard the guns
and started in pursuit, but little is
known of their subsequent movements
The death of Polin put an end to all
troubles in this quarter and the Indians
were never known to attack the settle
uents In Windham or adjoining towns
after his death The Indian is better in
romance than reality. Stephen Manches-
ter married Seafair Mayberry, and is
buz;ed at East Windham but no stone
marks his grave Parson Smith of Fai-
mouth wrote at the time that "Manches-
ter was the hero of the action. some
movement should be made to place a
suitable monument over the grave OF this
brave settler, so that his grave shall
never be forgotten
The scene of the fight was on the farm
of the late John f . Anderson at South
Windham, and the tradition of the bury
ing of Chief Polin under small atree
many miles, back into the woods was the
foundation of Whittier's poem, "The
Funeral Tree of the Sokokis:"
All e.ssga tthe fallen chief is is.@9,
In tasse3aAs. CARDS of skins arrayeu,
And gircstsswith his wampum- braid.
The silver cEoss he loved is pressed
Beneath the, heavy arms, which rest
Upen his SCARED and naked breast.
IT'S done the roots are backward sent,
The beechen tree stands up unbent,--
The Indians fitting monument
When of that sleeper's broken race
Their green and pleasant dwelling place
Which knew them once, retains not race. -
Lieut.. Edward Anderson, who carried
this powder horn in the Revolution was
at the time4of this action three years of
age, and ison of Abraham Anderson,
who led the garrison guard in the light.
Lieut. Anderson was the first postmaster
in Windham and kept tavern at Ander-
sons Bridge at the foot of Wlndham Hill,
the house still standing about lib years
old. He built the Webb Tavern on Wind
ham Hill, but died in 1904 before it was
onunleted He WAS called colonel, a title