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HE destruction of Deerfield, Massachusetts, during the French and Indian
war, which began in 1689, was one of the most daring exploits performed
by the Indians during that exterminating struggle. In 1703, the plan
was laid by the French and their savage allies, to cut off the frontier
inhabitants of New England, from one extremity to the other; but the
design was not fully executed. Though the eastern settlements from Casco
to Wells were destroyed, yet the western ones remained unmolested. This
lulled them into a fatal security. Colonel Schuyler, the noted English
agent among the Indians, received intelligence of a design in Canada
to fall upon Deerfield, he immediately informed the inhabitants of that
settlement, that they might prepare for an attack. The design was not
carried into execution during the summer, and the intelligence was
considered as a false alarm. But their destruction was reserved for the
winter of 1704, when they least expected it.
Deerfield was at that time the most northerly settlement on the
Connecticut river, a few families at Northfield excepted. Against this
place, M. Yaudrieul, governor of Canada, sent out a party of about three
hundred French and Indians. They were put under the command of Hertel
de Roueville, assisted by his four brothers, all of whom had been well
trained in partisan warfare by their father, who had been a famous
partisan in former wars. They marched by way of Lake Champlain, till
they came to the stream, now called Onion river. Advancing up that
stream till they passed over Connecticut river, and travelled on the ice
till they came near to Deerfield.
The Rev. John Williams, the minister of Deerfield, was apprehensive of
danger, and attempted to impress the minds of the people with a sense
of it; but did not succeed. Upon his application, the government of the
province sent twenty soldiers to aid in the defence of the town.
The fortifications were some slight works thrown around two or three
garrison houses. These were nearly covered in some places with drifts of
snow.
On the 29th of February, Roueville and his party approached the town.
Hovering near it, he sent out spies to gain intelligence. The watch
kept the streets of the town till about two hours before day, and then,
unfortunately, all of them went to sleep. Roueville, perceiving all to
be quiet, marched silently to the attack. The snow was so high that they
had no difficulty in jumping over the walls of the fortification; and
they immediately separated into small parties so as to appear before
each house at the same time.
The place was completely surprised; and the foe was entering the houses
before the inhabitants, suspected their approach. The resistance was
trifling in most parts of the town, but one block-house being able to
hold out against the enemy. The whole settlement was in their possession
in a short time after their arrival. Forty-seven of the inhabitants,
some of whom fought bravely, were slain, and all the rest captured. For
awhile, the village was given up to plunder, and then, to complete the
work, it was set on fire. The victors, with their captives, hastily
retreated an hour after sunrise. A small party of the English pursued
them, and a skirmish ensued, in which a few were lost on both sides.
But the enemy could not be checked in their retreat.
The distance from Deerfield to Chambly, Canada, which was the nearest
French settlement, was about three hundred miles. The number of
prisoners was one hundred and twelve. Among the number was the Rev. John
Williams. As the Indians entered his room, he took down his pistol and
presented it to the breast of the foremost, but it missed fire. They
then took hold of him and bound him, naked as he was, and thus kept him
for an hour. In the meantime two of the children and a negro woman were
killed. Mrs. Williams, who was hardly recovered from childbed, was, with
the rest, marched for Canada. The second day, in wading a stream, Mrs.
Williams fainted and fell, but was assisted along a little further when,
at the foot of a hill, she began to falter, her savage master, with
one blow of his tomahawk, put an end to her miseries. The party was
twenty-five days on its march from Deerfield to Chambly. As they
depended upon hunting for their support, the prisoners often suffered
for want of food; and the severity of the season added to their trials.
At length they reached Chambly, where they were humanely treated by the
French and their governor, Vaudrieul. At different times, most of the
prisoners were redeemed and returned home. Mr. Williams and fifty-seven
others arrived at Boston, from Quebec, in 1706. One of the minister’s
daughters, Eunice, married an Indian, and became a convert to the
Catholic religion, which she never would consent to forsake. She
frequently visited her friends in New England; but uniformly persisted
in wearing the blanket, and counting her beads. Deerfield was rebuilt
soon after its destruction, and became a flourishing settlement.
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