The citizen., 1906-03-09
THE SACK OF DEERFIELD.
Concluded from last week !

DuC III was Stlll Oltter cOlu. the
ice and snow covering everything.
The few desolate survivors of
that awful night began the grue-
some task of gathering the char
red and mutilated bodies of their
relatives, friends and neigbors
for interment. which was done in
the best manner that they could
considering the circumstances.
Their muscles were rigid with the
intense cold, their faces scanned
and blue with it. but a still
tiercer cold gripped at their
hearts, for not one of them but
| had one or more slain with their
blood-Stained, upturned faces
seeking theirs in that morning
/ light, or on that awful route TO
Canada. Even as the men work
ed they turned their eyes to the
north. meeting the icy blast that
swept down to meet them, and Ia
their Imagination they seemed to
hear the cries Of the helpless
captives, imploriug them to come
TO their rescue.
Strong men stood still. listened
and wrpt. Such was the deStruc-
tiOn of Deerfield: a of the inhah-
ltantS were slain. and 1l2 made
prisoners; only about score eS-
capped, and these took refuge in
the block house
Among the captives was the
minister Of the Village, the Rev.
Johu Williams. We give his
narrative Of the event in his own
words;
"On Tuesday, the 29th of Feb
ruary. 1901. not lorg before
the 10 e TX of day. the enemy came
in like "A flood upon us. our watch
being unfdithful-au evil whose
awful effects in The surprise of
our fort. should beSpeak all watn-
men to avoid. if they would not
bring the charge of blood upon
them. They came to my house
III the beginning Of the onset,
and 10y their Violent endeavors to
break open the doors and win
dows with axes and hatchpts
awaked' me out Of my sleep; upon
which | leaped out of bed, and
running towards the door, per
celved the enemy making their
entrance into the house. called
to awaken two soldiers in the
chamber and returning toward
my bedside tor my arms, the
enemy Immediately broke into the
room, | judge To the number of
twenty, with painted faces and
hldeouS acclamationS.
81 reached MP my hands 10 the
bed tester for my pistol, uttp!ing
IA short petition to God. expect
ing present passage through the
valley and shadow of death
Taking down my pistol. cooked
i, and put it to the breast of the
first Indian who came up. hnt il
missed fire. wa, seized h>
three Indians, who disarmpd me
and bound me, naked as | was in
my shirt, and 50 | stood for mean
the space of an hour.
"W hen then sun was about an
hour high We We're all carried ont
OF the house for Il march, and
saw many of the houses of my
nelghborS III flames. perceiying
the whole fort. one house except.
ed. to be taken. We were car
red on the river to the foot of
the mountain. about a mile from
my house where We found a great
mum Der OF our ueighbOrS, men,
women and children, to the num-
Der of one hundred. nineteen of
whom were afterwards murdered
by the way. and two starved to
death near the Coos River in a
time of great scarcity or famine
the SavageS Underwent there.
w hen we came to the foot of the
mountain they took away our
shoes and gave us Indian shoes
TO prepare us for our journey"
At this point the few surviv.
ing men of Deerfield, assisted by
a number of men from Hatfield,
attacked the French and Indians
and pressed them so hard. that
De Rouville sent command to
have the captiyeS slain. but for.
tunately the messenger was kill.
ed on the way. They now com.
menced a journey of three
hundred miles through a track
less forest, consuming twenty five
days before they ret cued the town
of Chambley, in Canada. Bouehs
of trees proved the only beds for
the women and little children:
the latter were in general treated
we'll. because they desired to OBJ.
tam ransom for them.
At the first encampment some
of the Indians became intoxi.
Gated, and in their drunken fury
killed Mr. Williams servant. On
| I he second davis moroh ooo,,,,,1