ARRIVAL AND RETREAT.
In the month of September, 1774, Captain Godfrey, after an absence of
three years, arrived and settled for the second time on the estate at
Grimross Neck. He lost no time in preparing to once again try his luck
in trading with the Indians and settlers. He erected and finished a
house and store, and before winter set in everything was made ready to
receive his wife and family, who arrived in the latter part of November.
He commenced trading again buoyant with the hope of retrieving his
losses, and for a short time he carried on a profitable business. The
Indians were comparatively quiet, and he and his family enjoyed a season
of peace. Uprightness stamped all the Captain's dealings. He remarked to
a friend, that he had again attempted to do business in the colony, and
said he: "with the spirit of a true British soldier, I mean to do or die
in the attempt, and my dealings with both the white and red man shall be
guided by the dictates of an honest conscience. I hope I shall succeed."
He felt almost certain that the dark plots and devilish crimes of the
Indians would never have occurred had Paul Guidon been near him. He
would often say to his wife: "I wonder where Paul has gone?" Since his
arrival at Grimross he often made enquiries as to Paul's whereabouts,
but none of the tribe on the St. John appeared to know where he was. Six
months had elapsed since his arrival and yet he had received no tidings
of the brave Iroquois.
Mrs. Godfrey, true to the promise she had made to Paul on board the
King's schooner in Halifax harbour, never revealed to her husband the
Indian's feelings of regard toward her. Like a wise woman, she
considered it better to let the matter forever rest.
Captain Godfrey presented Paul with the two muskets previous to the
Indian leaving Halifax for Passmaquaddy. Paul named one "Old Mag" and
the other "Chief Mag," cutting as he did so an arrow mark in the butt of
the latter, and saying "this one my Chief." The Captain told his wife of
the circumstance, and she laughingly remarked that it was a custom among
the Indians to name trinkets and presents after the persons who had
given them. She believed as Paul had seen her first at Fort Frederick,
her name was probably first in his thoughts when accepting the muskets.
One night, in the month of March, 1775, Captain Godfrey and his wife
were aroused from their slumbers by a loud and continued knocking at the
house door. The night was very dark. The Captain got up, dressed
himself, and called his eldest son, (Charlie) a lad of sixteen. They
together went to the door, asked who was there, and what was wanted. The
answer came ringing back, Paul Guidon. The Captain called his wife, as
he did not recognize the voice as that of Paul. She came and said, "Is
that you, Paul?" "Me, real Paul, and got Chief Mag with me," was the
answer. Margaret could not recognize the voice as that of Paul. She said
to her husband, "it sounds more like the voice of a British officer than
that of an Indian." She lit a candle, and said, "Paul, do you know me?"
"Yes, yes," he replied; "arrow mark on arm, and almost dead with you
under windlass in sloop, great storm, lost canoe." She opened the door,
and in stepped Paul Guidon, dressed in the military uniform presented to
him at Halifax, or a similar one, and in his hand a musket. A fire was
made, and Paul was so pleased to once again see his old friends that he
could not sit quiet. He walked up and down the kitchen with a quick
nervous tread, looking like a hero from some field of victory. Margaret
burst out in exclamation, "So it is really you, Paul; you who
accompanied us in our trials, and watched over us in our dangers, and
who, side by side with me, lay on the verge of eternity, while the
roaring of the ocean and the howling of the storm passed along unheeded
by us both." There before them was the brave Chief, (the "Young Lion of
the Woods,") who a few years before, at Fort Frederick, was subdued by
the presence of Margaret Godfrey, where her exhibition of unexampled
fortitude took a deep hold of the very being of the Iroquois and turned
him from an enemy to a friend.
The Indian remained with the Godfreys for a few days, amusing himself
with shooting and assisting in a general the premises. Trouble occurring
among the tribe of which Paul was a sub-chief, he was sent for to
return to the tribe, and at a great war council he was elected Chief in
Thomas' place.
About this time the colonists in New England were beginning to show
signs of dissatisfaction with the Mother land, and some Americans living
along the St. John river were showing signs of discontent, and becoming
agitated over matters in New England. The American sympathisers did all
they could to stir the Indians along the river to revolt.
Paul Guidon did all in his power to soothe their savage breasts, and
soon after returned to Grimross Neck. In a short time the rebellion
broke out, and affairs in New England were fast assuming a most serious
aspect. The rebels in the vicinity of Grimross were fully aware of
Captain Godfrey's firm attachment to the cause of King George the Third.
At length they approached him and tried hard to persuade him to enter
the service of the dissatisfied colonists. The cross-eyed, monkey-faced
character alluded to in a former chapter, was their chief spokesman on
this occasion, and instead of stuttering, as on a former visit, his
words flowed forth as freely and as fast as the waters of a mill-race.
It may be that similar specimens of humanity exist in every age, whose
folly and wickedness seem to be perpetual. Will such characters ever
learn to live and be content under the old flag of their fathers, or
will they be content to live on despised by their countrymen? Should
such seditious spirits ever receive mention from the historian, it must
be anything but a flattering one, and must cause the blush to mantle
upon the cheek of any worthy descendant.
Captain Godfrey was offered by the rebels the command of a party of men
to march forward and attack Fort Cumberland, besides which further
inducements of preferment and advancement were held out to him. But
nothing the rebels could offer was able to shake his allegiance to King
George the Third. His former losses, his present situation, the safety
of his wife and family, his treatment by the Board of Trade and
Plantations, were all to him of less importance than his duty to his
sovereign. Unshaken and unmoved he replied to the traitors, "I am as
zealous as ever I was in my life for the cause of my King and my
country."
The rebels finding the Captain firm in his determination not to forsake
his King, approached Margaret Godfrey. She was protected not only by her
good sense and thorough good judgment, her sterling honour and decided
character, but also by the highest convictions of duty. In answer to
them she replied, "My husband has given you his answer and in it he has
also given you mine. You will oblige by at once leaving the premises."
They made a hasty exit from her presence, and did not return for some
weeks.
A day or two after the rebels had left Grimross, Paul Guidon related to
Mrs. Godfrey his life and wanderings after his arrival at Passmaquaddy
from Halifax in 1771. "He found his way from Passmaquaddy to Grimross
Neck, carrying the two muskets with him, and also a knapsack filled with
powder, shot and bullets, given to him by the Captain of the King's
schooner."
"He then went to where the tribe was living and remained some weeks,
being very tired and weary. Pére Thoma, taking a great fancy to his red
jacket, offered to canoe him down the river to his old camping ground if
he would give him the coveted garment on their return. Paul consented to
do so. One fine morning they started from Grimross Neck and paddled all
day down the river, occasionally resting on the banks of the stream. It
came into his (Paul's) head, on the way down that Pére Thoma was the
cause of the Godfreys' misfortunes, and he suddenly felt that the spirit
of "Old Mag" (his mother) called upon him to kill Thoma. The burning of
the house, the escape of his mother from the flames, the driving away of
the English people, the great storm on the bay, his first sight of the
pale-faced woman at Fort Frederick, the parting with her at Halifax, all
these events recurred to his mind in an instant and went like a flash
through his brain. His head seemed to dance like the canoe on the water,
then the canoe appeared to whirl round and round. He got so dizzy he
could scarcely see, and was afraid that he would fall overboard. He felt
something touch him on the shoulder like a dip from the wing of a bird.
He had his musket in the canoe, it was loaded. He suddenly pulled in the
paddle and then grasped the musket. It was "Chief Mag," and he pointed
it at Thoma who was sitting in the stern of the canoe. He fired and
Thoma rolled overboard and sank. Paddling on he arrived at his old
camping ground near the mouth of the river. The wigwam was still
standing but very much out of order, he sat in it till daylight and then
visited his mother's grave. After returning to the camp as he felt sad
and faint, he took his musket and wandered off in search of game. He
spent the remainder of the day near the resting place of "Old Mag," at
night he went to the camp and there slept. In the morning he got into
the canoe and paddled off up the river, arriving at Grimross he went on
shore and started at once by trail for Quebec, where after two moons he
arrived carrying Chief Mag with him. Here he was much in request by the
military, who detained him for three winters accompanying them on their
hunting excursions. During the latter part of the last winter, while
shooting with some officers on the borders of Acadia and Quebec, he met
an old Indian by the name of Joe Paul moving West with his family. From
him he learned that the pale-faced people were again living and trading
at Grimross. Paul told the officers that he must go back to the St.
John. They were not inclined to release him, until he had accompanied
them back to Quebec. Yielding to their entreaties he returned with them,
remaining a few days. Just before he left Quebec, there was a great stir
among the military. It was rumoured that war was impending, and the
officers tried hard to persuade him to remain and share with them the
fortunes of war, if they should be ordered to take part in the fighting.
He said he could not stay, but promised the officers, as he put on a new
red jacket they had given him, that he would never fight against the
British soldiers. As Paul came to this part of his narration he looked
straight at Margaret Godfrey and continued, (it is given in his own
words) "all Paul want to make him British soldier be pale face and
little hair."
In a few days the Iroquois went out again to visit his tribe. Desiring
to revisit his mother's grave he required some one to assist him down
the river. He selected as his companion Francis DeFalt who appeared
willing to accompany him. On the way down he found out from DeFalt, that
he was one of the Indians who by Thoma's commands set fire to the
Englishman's house and store. DeFalt bragged about what he had done and
said his only sorrow was, that all the white devils were not burned up
with the house.
As DeFalt was speaking, the Iroquois blood began to stir quickly. As
soon as darkness was closing down over the face of the river Paul
meditated on revenge. He seized Chief Mag, which he always took with
him, and fired it at DeFalt, who turning a complete somerset over the
bow of the canoe into the river, was seen no more. Paul drifted down
stream a few miles, paddled to the shore, hauled the canoe upon dry
land, turned it over and slept under it during the night, feeling
satisfied that he had avenged the insult to the pale-faces. Paul
remained about the old camping ground for three weeks, when he again
returned to Grimross. The Iroquois was never suspected as the cause of
Thoma's disappearance, the canoe was afterwards found, bottom up, in the
river, and he was supposed to have been drowned.
On Paul's return to his tribe, he told the Indians that DeFalt had
become acquainted with a pretty young squaw named Charlotte Toney, and
had gone over to Fort Cumberland to spend a few months with the Toney
family, who were moving over there to settle during the coming winter,
and that DeFalt would likely be married before his return. The Iroquois
shortly after this returned to Grimross to spend a few days with his
pale-faced friends. He told Margaret that some of the tribe were greatly
agitated. The American sympathisers had seduced them by making great
promises and by holding up to them a grand future. Paul said to Captain
Godfrey, "you may all be murdered if you stay at Grimross; some bad
white men now among Indians." Margaret did not care to advise her
husband to leave, although she had learnt enough from Paul to convince
her that great danger was all about them.
The Iroquois had proposed to Margaret to escape with her children to
Fort Frederick, saying that he would take them down the river in
DeFalt's canoe, which he had kept at Grimross. He said to her, "I will
never leave you in times of trouble and will lose my life to save
yours." She would not consent to leave her husband, although he strongly
advised her to go, if she thought their lives in danger.
At length the Rebels and Red men grew furious. They arrived at Grimross
early one morning, while Paul was out among the tribe trying to keep
them quiet, and surrounding the house and store of Captain Godfrey they
demanded his surrender. The yells and whoops of the Indians were
terrific, demons from the depths of perdition could not have made a more
frightful noise. The children were terrified; the youngest fainted with
fright. At this crisis Margaret Godfrey calmly walked to the door while
her husband and son Charlie stood a few paces in her rear. She opened
the door, and as she did so in rushed the demons, led by the cross-eyed,
monkey-faced rebel. One of the Indians by name Pete Gomez, took hold of
Margaret and forced her to the floor, Charlie took up a stick of wood
and knocked Gomez senseless. At this moment Paul Guidon returned,
Horatio Keys, one of the rebels, had seized Captain Godfrey by the
throat and was holding him tightly against the wall, Margaret clinched
the rolling-pin and in an instant sent Keys staggering to the floor. The
squinting monkey-faced rebel's name was Will, and Will by force pushed
Margaret to the floor, and was dragging her by the hand toward the door,
as Paul stepped in. Paul struck him with his fist, and like lightning
placed both his feet against the rebel's breast, almost knocking the
life out of him. Jim Wade, Sam Scarp, and Mark Paul, three Indians,
rushed in after Paul, who turned and struck Wade a terrific blow on the
neck, knocking him out. The Captain, Charlie, Paul and Margaret went for
the other two in lively style and soon laid them low. The remaining
rebels and Indians beat a hasty retreat to the woods. The insolent
invaders who had got so deservedly well punished at the hands of the
Godfrey household were pitched out of the house, and when they had
sufficiently recovered they also made for the woods. During the tumult
the four smaller children were fastened in the bedroom and their screams
were terrible. The night after the assault was a dismal and anxious one
at Grimross. The children trembled and sobbed during the entire hours of
darkness. The morning at length dawned, and with its dawning Margaret
Godfrey's soul went out for counsel and guidance to Him, who in all
their perils, in the darkest moments of their lives, had never forsaken
them.
She said to Paul Guidon, "the rebels may kill my husband, my children
and myself, but from this hour their threats shall not intimidate me
from acting as a British subject should act in a British Colony. I shall
do my duty, for under God I am determined whenever and however we
attempt to make our escape, if I have to die I shall die free and not as
a slave or traitor." The Indian who had attentively listened to
Margaret's words promised to stand by her.
"Paul Guidon," she continued, "there remains to us a great duty to be
performed. I am fully convinced there will be a way of escape opened to
us, but we must seek it first. Cannot we escape to Fort Frederick? Is
the canoe safe to convey the whole of us and what stuff we may require?"
To which the Iroquois replied, "If water smooth no trouble, trouble may
be Indians 'long river bank, I go up Neck and bring down canoe." This
latter he quickly did, hauling it on shore and hiding it among some
bushes.
In a few days three of the rebels, armed with pistols, again came to the
shop of Captain Godfrey, and sternly demanded of him all his goods and
chattels, to be held by them in trust, and to be restored to him at the
close of the American rebellion, on condition that he joined General
Washington. His refusal of these conditions was, by the decree of the
war committee, to be punished with death. This committee had a number of
armed men as the instruments by which they enforced their decrees. The
three envoys gave the Captain one hour to consider their proposal.
At the expiration of the hour Margaret Godfrey and her husband came into
the room where the rebels were seated. Margaret asked them how her
husband and family should be able to join General Washington; "Would
they not be arrested as spies or enemies of the New England colonists if
they attempted to pass over among them?"
One of the rebels answered her, "If you will go and join General
Washington, we will give you a pass into New England, and as soon as we
can consult with the war committee we will bring or send you the
passport."
Margaret trembled lest her husband would suddenly object to the
proceeding, as nothing definite had been arranged during their hour of
debating the situation, only that they must escape if possible. She was
well aware of her husband's sterling loyalty. She caught his eye and
nodded to him to assent to the proposition of the rebels.
He did so. The rebels left, promising the pass the next day, and that in
twenty-four hours after receiving it, a guard would be ready to escort
them on their way to New England. It being late in the afternoon the
rebels then left. At noon the following day a messenger arrived with the
passport, and also an order to be ready to proceed toward New England on
the following day. The permit or passport read as follows:
Permit the bearer, Charles * * * Godfrey, * * * Esqr.,
to pass from river St John in Nova Scotia with his family
to any part of New England.
Maugerville, } By order of the Committee,
ye 8 July, 1776. } JACOB BARKERLY, _Chairman_.
After a few words of conversation with the Captain and his wife, the
messenger took his departure. No time was lost in preparing to escape.
Mrs. Godfrey was determined to have everything in the canoe before
daylight next morning. The night fortunately was fine, and if all went
well they would be well on their way to Fort Frederick before Jacob
Barkerly or any of the rebels were aware of their departure. Accordingly
the night was a busy one getting ready and transferring bundles of stuff
to the canoe, which was some distance off. At early dawn all were in
readiness, and the last to leave the homestead at Grimross were Margaret
and Paul, who had returned from the shore for a box containing the
Captain's private papers, which had been overlooked in the hurry. A few
minutes before four o'clock the Indian and Mrs. Godfrey arrived at the
canoe with the box.[4]
[Footnote 4: Many of the events related in this story are founded on
facts gathered from papers contained in the box.]
The morning was a lovely one, and Margaret Godfrey was the most hopeful
and cheerful of the little band of fugitives who were preparing to step
into the canoe. Her every act and word seemed void of fear. Defeat and
disaster with her were but spurs to further effort. She possessed that
fortitude of soul that bears the severest trials without complaint. A
few minutes after four o'clock they pushed off from the shore, the water
was quite calm, but the progress was slow as the canoe was deeply laden,
and Paul Guidon had to be very cautious in its management. Not an Indian
was seen on the shore. The next day they arrived at Paul's old camping
ground, and after resting there a few hours they started for Fort
Frederick, a short distance below. Here fortune seemed to smile upon
them. A small schooner lay at anchor immediately below the fort.
Margaret and her husband lost no time in going on board. The Captain of
the schooner said that his vessel would sail for Port Royal, if there
were sufficient wind, early the next day. He agreed to take the whole
Godfrey family over with them. Paul seemed bound to accompany them, and
it pleased Margaret, when she found out that he was anxious to go with
them, as she feared he would be murdered if caught by the rebels. Toward
evening they all embarked on board the schooner, Paul having got
permission from the Captain of the vessel to take his canoe on board,
he, assisted by Charlie, embarked it also.
In the morning there being a fair wind sail was set, and next day all on
board were safely landed at Annapolis. Fortune once more favoured the
Godfrey family, at Annapolis Royal there they found a British sloop of
war. Margaret got Paul to take her and her husband in his canoe to the
ship. They were received on board by the Captain in the most cordial
manner, who said they had arrived in good time, as he intended to sail
in a day or two. In a short time Captain Godfrey and his wife returned
to the shore, having completed arrangements with the Captain of the ship
for a passage to Halifax.
In a day or two the Godfrey family, accompanied by the Indian, sailed in
the British sloop-of-war _Viper_, commanded by Captain Greaves.
Four days later the _Viper_ arrived in Halifax harbour, and previous to
the Godfreys disembarking, Mrs. Godfrey requested permission of Captain
Greaves to address a few words of farewell to the ship's company. Her
request being granted and all hands ordered on deck, Mrs. G., in
appropriate terms and in a modest, yet dignified manner, spoke words of
counsel to the company, concluding her short exhortation in these words:
"And to the Captain of my salvation I commend you all."