fight the Pequots, and boasted with their usual bravado how many they would kill ;
so that when Mason resumed his march on Thursda}', he had about five hundred In-
dian warriors in his train. The day was very sultry and oppressive, and some of the
men fainted from heat, and the exhaustion that followed from a want of suitable pro-
visions. After marching about twelve miles to a ford in the Pawcatuck river, the
old fishing ground of the Pequots, the army made a hall and rested awhile. * *
"After dining upon such coarse fare as was to be had, they marched about three
miles to a field just planted with Indian corn. Here they made another halt and held
a council, for it was thought that they drew near the enemy. The Indians now told
them, for the first time, that the Pequots had two forts, and that they were 'almost'
â– impregnable. Nothing daunted by this intelligence, the council resolved to attack
both these fortresses at once. But on further inquiry, it appeared that the principal
fort, where Sassacus resided, was toe remote to be reached before midnight, so they
were compelled to abandon this plan, and attack the smaller one at Mistick.
"The prediction of Uncas with regard to the Narragansetts was soon verified. In-
deed, all the Indians, who had at first marched in the van, fell into the rear: and
soon not a Narragansett was to be seen. Wequash, a petty chief who had revolted
from Sassacus. was the guide upon whom Mason most relied, and he proved worthy
of trust. They marched on in silence until about an hour after sunset, when they
reached a small swamp between two hills. Here, supposing that they were near the
fort, 'they pitched their little camp' between two high rocks, ever since known as
'Porter's Rocks.' It was a clear night, with a shining moon. ]Mason set his guards,
and stationed his sentinels at a great distance from the camp, to prevent the possibil-
ity of a surpiise. Then the tired soldiers, with no tents to shelter them from the dew,
laid themselves down under the open sky and slept. 'The rocks were our pillows,'
says the heroic leader of the expedition, 'yet rest was pleasant.' Mistick fort was
farther off from the camp than they had been led to suppose. It was so near, how-
ever, that the sentries heard the enemy singing there till midnight, a wild strain of
joy and exultation, they afterwards found it to have been, in commemoration of the
supposed flight of Mason and his men — for they had watched their vessels a few
days before when they sailed eastward, and rationally enough concluded that they
dared not meet the dreaded Pequot in battle. This night of festivity was their last.
"About two hours before day, the men were roused up and commanded to make
themselves ready for battle. The moon still shone full in their faces as thpy were
snmmoned to prayer. They now set forward with alacrity. The fort proved to be
about two miles off. A long way it seemed over the level though stony ground, and
the officers began at last to fear that they had been led upon the wrong track, when
they came at length to a second field of corn, newly planted, at the base of a high
hill. Here they halted, and 'gave the word for some of the Indians to come up.'
At first, not an Indian was to be seen ; but finally Uncas and Wequash the guide
showed themselves. 'Where is the fort?' demanded JMason. 'On the top of that
hill,' was the answer. ' Where are the rest of the Indians.?' asked the fearless sol-
dier. The answer was what he probably anticipated : ' Behind, and very much
afraid.' ' Tell them,' said Vinson, ' not to fly, but to stand as far off as they please,
and see whether Englishmen will fight.'
"There were two entrances to the fort — one on the norlheastem side, the other on
the west. It was decided that Mason should lead on and force open the former, while
Underbill, who brought up the rear, was to pass around and go in at the western gale.
"I\Iason had approachod within about a rod of the fort, whenhe heard a dog bark,
and almost in a breath, this alarm was followed up by the voice of an Indian, crying,
'Owanux! Owanux !' — Englishmen, Englishmen! No time was to be lost. He
called up his forces with all haste, and fired upon the enemy through the palisades.
The Pequots, who had spent the night in singing and dancing, were now in a deep
sleep. The entrance near v.hich I\]ason stood, was blocked up with bushes about
♦ Mason's Narrative. ,
292 Notices of Publications. [^^Y)
breast high. Over this frail obstruction be leaped, sword in hand, shouting to his
men to follow him. Cut Seely, his lieutenant, found it more easy to remove the
bushes than to force the men over tliem. When he had done so, he also entered, fol-
lowed by sixteen soldiers. It had been determined to destroy the enemy with the
sword, and thus save the corn and other valuables that were stored in the v>ig\vams.
With this view, the captain, seeing no Indians, ciHered one of these wigwams. Here
he found many warriors, who crowded hard upon him, and beset him with great vio-
lence ; but they were so amazed at the strange apparition that had so suddenly thrust
itself upon them, that they could make but a feeble resistance. Mason was scon
joined by 'Williain Hayden, who, as he entered the v,"igwam through the breach that
had been made by his impetuous captain, stumbled a£,'?insl the dead body of a Pequot
whom Mason had slain. _and fell. Some of the Indians now fled froin the wigwam;
others, still stupefied with sleep, crept under mats and skins to hide themselves.
"The palisades embraced an area of about twenty acres — a space sutficient to
afford room for a large Indian village. There were more than seventy houses in this
space, wit'.i ianes or streets passing between them. Jlason. stili intent on destroying
the Pequots, and at the same time saving their property, now left the wigwam, and
passed down one of these streets, driving the crowd of Indians that thronged it be-
fore him from one end of it to the other. At the lower extremity of this lane stood a
little company of Englishmen, who, having etlected an entrance from the west, met
the Indians as they fled from 3Iason, and killed about half a dozen of him. The
captain now faced about, and went back the whole length of the lane, to the spot
where he had entered the fort. He was exhausted and quite out of breath, and had
become satisfied that this was not the way to externimate the Indians, who now
swarmed from the wigwams like bees from a hive. Two of his soldiers stood near
him, close to the palisades, with their useless swords pointed to the ground. Their
dejected faces told him that ihey felt as he did, that the task was a hopeless one.
' We shall never kill them in this way,' said the captain ; and then added, with the
same laconic brevity, ' We mint burn them!' With these words the decree of the coun-
cil of war to save the booty of the enemy was annulled ; for, stepping into the wig-
wam where he had before forced an entrance, he snatched a fire-brand in his hand,
and instantly returning, applied it to the light mats that formed the covering of their
rude tenements. Almost in an instant, the little village was \^Tapped in flames, and
the frightened Pequots fled in dismay from the roofs that had just before sheltered
them. Such was their terror, that many of them took refuge from the English in the
flames, and perished there. Some climbed the palisades, where they atforded but too
fair a mark for the muskets of their enemies, who could see to take a dead aim in the
light of the ghastly conflagration. Others fled from the beds of mat or skins, where
they had sought a temporary concealment, and were arrested by the hand of death in
the midst of their flight. Others still, warping up to the windward, whence the fire
sped with such fatal velocity, fell flat upon the ground and plied their destroyers with
arrows. But their hands were so palsied with fear, that the feathered messengers
either flew wide of their aim or fell with spent force upon the ground. A few. of still
stouter heart, rushed forth with the tomahawk, to engage the invaders of their homes
ia a hand-to-hand combat. But thej' were nearly all, to the number of about forty,
cut in pieces by the sword. The vast volume of flame, the lurid light reflected on
the dark background of the horizon, the crack of the muskets, the yell of the Indians
who fought, and of those who souglit vainly to fly, the wail of women and children
as they writhed in the flames, and the exulting cries of the Zsarragansetts and ^lohe-
gans without the fort, formed a contrast awful and sublime with the quiet glories of
the peaceful May morning, that was just then breaking over the woods and the ocean.
"Seventy wiswams were burned to ashes, and probably not less than five hundred
men, women and children were destroyed. The property, too, shared the same fate.
The long-cherished wampum-belt, with the beads of blue, purple, and white, the war-
club, the eagle plume, the tufted scalps, trophies of many a victory — helped only to
swell the blaze that consumed alike the young warrior and the superannuated counsel-
lor, the squaw, and the httie child that hung helplessly to her besom. Of all who
were m the fort, only seven were taken captive, and about the same number escaped."
The Hundred Boston Orators, &'C. Bv James Speae Loring. Third
Edition, with an improved Index of Names. Jev/ett & Co. Boston :
1854. 8vo. pp. 720.
It must be gratifying to the Author as well as to the Publishers, to be thus early
called upon by the public for a new edition of the work under notice. It mast also
1S51.] Rhode Island Troubles. 293
be gratifying to the friends of the Author to fee! assured, as they must, that there is
Ci I'll ta<fe enough in the community at Large for the truly substantial reading, such
iji is contained in the volume before us.
Hiving said all we deemed necessary in a notice of a copy of a former edition of
Mr. Loring's work, we need only refer to cur previous volume, (for 155C. p. 299.)
We -should remark, however, that the tiilc-page of this new edition does not convey
any adequate idea of the additions and improvements in this edition ; nor have we
space to point them out, were it necessary.
EPIODE ISLAND TROUBLES— 1656-7.
Haueinge a commission from authority to goe vnto Pawtuckittsit for to
seaze vppon the body of Richard Chasmor, the which I did : but in our
returne backe againe vnto pi'ouidence teakeinge vp our quarters that night
by reason of the nights approachinge vppon vs : about eight or nine a
clock in the night as wee conscje there comes in three men, and brought
a warrant from Arthors Fenner of Providence for to show to the Townes
men my warrant or a coppie of itt, but I denied them either for to lett
them see my warrant or to giue them a coppie of itl vnless they would
lett me know by what power they did demand such a thinge of me : about
t'.vo bowers after or thereabouts comes in Thomas Angel! the cunstabel of
Providence and a sergant with foure men more for to apprehend my body
and Rich: Cashmor whoe then was our prisoner for to appere before the
townes men that was mett at Rogers Mories : Arthro Fenner sittinge in
cheife amongst them ; the said Fenner said I in the townes name and with
there consent sent a warrant for to see your warrant or a coppie of itt
wherein you had seazed the body of Rich: Chasmore but you resisted
vnless you did know by what power wee did itt there fore I haue sent for
you in his hineses name to answer for the afront you have put vppon vs
in takeinge away our prisner from vs : he beinge bound over to answ"" in
C Collinie : then I replied I must say as I ?ayed before I desire to know
by what power you doe question me whoe am a passenger returninge
backe to the bay : desireinge to molest noe other man woman nor child :
then rises vp one Dexter and said I desire to speake my consence and to
stand for our liberty : Pawtucksitt is in our liberties and not in the bays :
William Harris he said wee had noe right to seaze a man att Pawtucksitt
and if wee had yett wee could not answ^" what wee had doun for he was
there prisnor and had given in bayle for to answer in there Colloney :
Dexter he stands vp againe and said i\Ir. President as he is our prisnor I
stand for our libCrtye deliuer him to the cunstabl : so hcrevppon Fenner
he commanded the cunstabl to carry him away: Nay saith Daxter thett
there be a mitimus maid and send him to Nue Port prison : where vppon
Fenner writt a mitimus and gaue itt to the cunstabl : then seinge they were
resolued to rescue the prisnor out of our hands I desired thein as they
were Inglish men to give me the grounds of this there rescue the which
Fenner and John Sayls did promis the which they did and because they
were soe importenat to see my warrant : I tould them I had lett there pres-
ident Mr. Williams see itt: What saith W'illiam Harris Roger Williams
what is he he is but our fellow coture and one of vs and ha'h no mere
power then any of vs haue neither shall he although he hath written to the
Gouerner in the bay but wee will call him to an account for his soe doe-
ing, and this he spoke in a slighty and jering manner.
[Endorsement.]
Marshal Wait's retou"", and Rich. Wrights Depos", 1656-57.
Court of Assistants, — March, 165G.
294
Marriases and Deaths.
[July,
MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.
MARRIAGES.
Child, I\lr. Isaac, of Boston, to Jliss Abby,
dau. of Eli F. Baker, Esq., of Steuben,
Me. at S. 30 May, by Rev. Geo.ge Gay.
DEATHS.
Ada.'W, Samuel F., Canaan, Ct., 2 May, in
his 71st year He was grandson of the
late Samuel Forbes of the same place.
BccTELLE, Edward Alonzo, Woburn, 22
April, ae. 5 yrs. 11 m. 17 days; son of
Mr. John A. and Mrs. Susan (Wilson)
Boutelle of that town. Jlr. John A.
B. is son of Dr. John B. whose death is
recorded in the last vol. of the Reg. p.
231. Deacon 'WilHam B. father of the
Doctor, was born 7 July, 175.5, d. July,
1835. His wife was Rebeoca 'Wood.
He was son of James (b. 9 April, 1726)
by Elizabeth Smith, who was son of
James (b. in Reading, 23 Dec. 1699) by
Judith Poole, who was son of James (b.
6 April. 1666) by Elizabeth Froihing-
hani, who was son of James of Reading
(d. 5 Dec. 1716, ae. 71) by Rebecca
Kendall, who was son of James (d. at
Lynn, 1651) by Alice.— [r7=C>;7i the.''
grace stone of James and his ivife Rebecca,
(erected about the time of their death) the\
name is yet perfectly legible, and spelled]
BoUTELL. I
BoYSTos, Mrs. Susan, Gloucester, 3 March,
ae. 72; widow of the late Mr. Elijah
Boynton.
Davis, Hon. John, "Worcester, 19 April,
ae. 67, " after a brief but severe illness."
Few men have been better known
throughout the country than Joe.v Da-
vis ; few men have been more popular
in or out of Congress, and few Govern-
ors of Massachusetts, if any, ever gave
such universal satisfaction in that high
office. For full a quarter of a century
he has been in public life, and he has
now descended to the grave with un-j
fading honors.
Fowler, Mrs. Clara P., Danversport, Ms., |
April 19, ae. 74 yrs. 5 mos. She was m.
to Mr. Samuel Fowler, 13 Oct. 1799.'
Was greatly endeared to a large circle!
of relatives and friends by her social i
and domestic virtues. She was thej
eldest daughter of the late Captain!
Samuel Page, who for many years wasi
a distinguished and patriotic citizen of j
Danvers, having served his country in
the war of the Revolution, particularly!
at the battles of Lexington and iloa-j
mouth. He ever enjoyed the confidence.
and esteem of his fellow townsmen, hav-
ing been often appointed to posts of
honor and tru.^t. He died 2 Sept. 1S14.
ae. 61 yrs. Capt. Page m. Rebecca
Putnam, a relative of Gen. Israel Put-
nam, a native of Danvers. She d. 19
Feb. 1S38, at the advanced age of S4
yrs. and 10 mos., universally respected
and beloved.
Hill, Rev. Ebenezer. (H.C. 17S6) Jlason,
N. H. 27 .May, 1854, ae. 88. He was
son of Samuel Hill, and was b. in Cam-
bridge, 29 Jan. 1766.
K.MGHT, Hon. Nehemiah R., Providence,
R. I., 18 .April, ae. 74: of whom the
Providence Journal remarks, that there
is no man now living in the state who
has been so long in public life. He
was Governor of Rhode Island from
1S17 to 1S21, and a Senator of the
United S'ates from 1S21 to 184!.
Naso.v, Mr. Levi, Great Falls, N. H., II
March, ae. 74. He was b. at Walpole,
Jilass., 23 March, 1779, and was the
youngest son of Thomas and Sarah
(Wesley) Kasoa. His own children, all
of whom are now living, are Elias,
Eliza Edwards (Bates.) I\Iary Holbroolc
(Footman,) V-^'illiam Warren, Edward
Shepard. Pamela A. (Searies.) Charles,
and Susan A. (Dearborn.)
Prince, Capt. Henry of Salem, at New-
buryport, 5 I^Iarch, ae. 67. In the war
of 1S12, Capt. Prince was a Lieutenant
in the privateers America -and I\Iont-
gom.ery, and afterwards Commander of
several United States Cutters on this
coast.
Walter, Mrs. Ann, Boston, 12 Dec. 1853,
in her 81st year.
3Irs. Walter was a lineal descendant
of John .MinshuU of Hampton, En?.,
living A. D. 1500. a scion of the m.ost
Ancient Anglo Saxon Family of IMic-
shuU. [Manchen, Saxe] of Church I\lin-
shull, in the County Palatine of Chester,
England. Arms : Ar.ure, an Estoi'e of
six points issuing from a Crescent Ar-
gent. Crest : Two lions' gambs gules
supporting a Crescent Argent. "In hoc
plenius redibo." Granted by Richard
Ccpur de Lion, to Sir I^Iichael, Lord of
Miushull, A. D. 1191. for his good ser-
vices and bravery in Palestine.
John Minshull, Esq., the father of
the subject of this notice, was bor;i in
London, 1752; came to America. 1771:
and ID. in New York, ^lary, dau. of
Capt. Thos. Stanton of Falmouth. Corn-
wall, by JIary Keverne, of St. Keverne
Parish.' Mrs. Walter was b. 23 Aug.
1773 ; and during the war of Revolu-
1854.]
Payments for the Register, c5*c.
295
tion, resided with her parents at Shel-
buroe, Nova Scotia. After the peace
they returned to New York, w here she
m. 5 June, 179S, Lynde Walter, Esq.,
eldest son of the Rev. Dr. Win. Walter,
rector of Christ Church, Boston. Issue :
1. Lynde MinshuU ; d. single. 2. Louisa
A. m. Benj. Ada-ns of Boston, E^q. 3.
Caroline H. m. C. Fred. Adams, brother
• to the aforesaid Benjamin ; and 4. Cor-
nelia W. m. W. B. Richards, Esq. a.
Welli.vgto.w, ]Miss Susan W., Lexington,
8 March, ae. 35, on the 28ih of August
last; dau. of Deac. David Wellington
of L.
Wentworth, David, at the residence of
his son George, in Augusta, IMe . 3
3Iarch, in his tj'oth year, son of the late
Col. Jonathan and Betsey (Philpot)
Wentworth of Soniersworih, N. H., and
gr.-j.on of Samuel and Patience (Downs)
Weatwonh of the same place. The
wife of David was Nancv Ham of
Dover, N. H. who d. 27 Dec. 1S5?, ae.
62, at Vassalborough, I\Ie., where the
family then lived.
Wentworth, Phineas,s BarrinRton. N. H ,
5 Feb. 1854 ; b. 5 March, 1779. 3Lir. 1st,
Elizabeth Pierce, dau. of Israel Pierce;
2d, Abigail, widow of George Libby ;
3d, I^Liry Schattman, widow of Brad-
bury Jewell of Tamworth, N. H.
He was son of Nicholas, < who m.
Patience, 5 dau. of Ezekiel' Weniworih
of Pine Hill, Berwick, who m. .^lartba
Lord, gr.-dau. of John. 3 who m. I\Iartha
iMiller; and this John^ was son ot Eze-
kiel,* and gr.-son of Elder William.
This PhineasS was gr.-son of Ebene-
zer,3 who m. 1st. Sarah Robeits, and
2d, Elizabeth Monroe, widow of
Young. Ebenezer^ was son of Benja-
min, 2 who m. Sarah Alien, and gr.-son
of Elder William.
Payments have been received for the Register from the following persons, since .
the issue of the April number : —
Albany — G. H. Thacher, R. Woodward.
Boston— I. Harris, J. Willard, F. A. Henderson, D. C. Colesworihv. W. Whiting,
C. A. Jones, £. M. Cary, G. \V. Messinger, H. Rice, T. R. Marvin, t. Prince, J. H.
Dexter, A. Tompkins. G. B. Upton. A. B. Alcoit, G. Brooks, W. G. Brooks, L N.
Tafbox, L Osgood, A. G. Farwell, T. C. Smith, T. Whitiemoie, C. Eddy.
Cambridge — W. T. Harris, C. Frances, S. Sawyer.
Canandaigua, N. Y.— K. W. Taylor.
Edgartown — J. Pierce.
Framingham—S. L. Scott. Franklin, Cl.—T. H. C. Kingsbury, J. D. Ladd.
Hampton, Ct. — J. Clark. Hampton, N. H. — J. Page. Hingham — S. Lincoln.
Ipsrcich — A. Hammatt.
Jamestown, N. Y. — A. Hazeltine.
Lee, Ct.— N. Gale. Lcbatwn, Ct. — A. "Wetmore. Lynnfield, J. Newhall. Londl. —
J. Avery.
Manchester, N. H—S. D. Bell, M. H. Bell, Manchester Athenaeom. MarshfieU—
BI. A. Thomas.
iVtro Fori— E. H. Davis, J. E. Buckley. NerDtorcn — N. Whiting. Northampton —
S. Judd. Norrvich, Ct. — A. "Woodward, S. Bliss.
Eoxbury—i. W. Dudley.
Sherbom — A. Morse. S. Berwick, Me. — E. S. Hanson. Skaneateles, N. Y. — A. C.
Patterson.
Troy— I. M'Conihe.
Wells, Me.— J. R. Gushing. WestJUld—S. Shurtleff. Woburn—'E. Trull, B Buck-
man. Warce^er, S. F. Haven.
Yarmouth — A. Otis.
Feb:»ald. — Dr. J. S. Femald of Barrington, N. H.. has for some years been col-
lecting materials for a history of the family of the name, and desires information
upon the subject.
The Editor of the Register is desirous to publish a list of all the Subscribers to
the work ; — that is, all who have taken it from its commencement. He proposes to
do it at the end of the tenth volume, should he complete that number of volumes.
To carry out this plan, persons not receiving the work directly from the Publisher,
we requested to forward their names to the Editor.
Ceatith. — John Cravath and family resided in Boston about the middle of the
last century. Can any one inform us with regard to his descendants ? Samuel
Cravath died in Boston in 1315. He did business at No. 122, Orange street.
296 Miscellayieous. [JuU', ISo-l.
ENQriRiES. — Persons wishing to make enquiries through the Register, similar to
the above, can in no case expect to be accomaiodated, unless such enquir\" te cucom-
panied by their names.
j\dams. — Intbnnation is wanted concerning the ^latthew Adams meniioned in Dr.
Franklirfs Autobiography. Was he brother to the eccentric Divine, Hiigli ALianis ?
Had he a sister Anne, married to William Play, 13 Feb. 1706? Was he of the
Braintree Adams stock?
KiN.<(Ecf.M. — An elderly lady, wlio was born at Pownalborough (now Wiscasset)
^le., once informed ine that, when she was young, she was acquainted with persims,
living at that place, by the name of Cunninz^Kim, whose name was pronotmted
Kiitiiicuni by themselves and by all their neighbors. I have evidence also that it
was Ibrmerly so pronounced in other places. Is it to be found in this form on aii}' ol'
our records ? j. d.
E.NGi.tsn Coc.Nxy a.vo other Local Histories. — At a recent meeting of the New
Eng. Hist. G'n\. Society, a Committee was appointed, consisting of Nathamel
V'iiiTi.Na, William G. Bf.ooks. and Stephe.v T. Far well, Esquires, to procure Iukc's by
subscription, to be used in England for the pur.chase ot English County and other
Local Histories. The great '.a!ue of such a collection of works, for successlully
carrying on investigations in which every native of New England is inteiested. nearly
or remotely, has long been felt by scholars and students in New England hi^•(.^y ;
there being no collection of the kind in the country, in any degree tolerably complete.
That there should be such a collection in Boston will at once be conceded on all hands.
w\nd, that the business of making such a collection should be commenced at once,
will likewise be conceded, as such works are every day becoming more and more
scarce, and many of 'hem from their great bulk, will not be reprinted for several
ages, if at all. Therefore, the earnest cooperation of the Jlembers of the S'oceiy is
particularly solicited, and also that of others. The Committee appeal confidenily to
gentlemen not ^lembers as well as IMembers of the Society, as the Library of the
Society, in which it is proposed to deposite the collection, is accessible to all, 'for
purposes of the nature of the objects of the Institution.
Do.nations to the Society's Library for the last Quarter, ending oOth June, ISo i : —
From W. H. Whitmore. J. S. Loring, J. W. Thornton, W. Whiting. F. M. Cauikins,
X. Wyman, S. T. Clark, H. Wheatland, H. Clark, J. Pearson. A. B. Alcoti. E.
Wcntworth, R. Adaois, Sec. of State, 0., Eegents of the University of New York,
Francis Jackson, Jonathan Greenleaf.
We cannot particularize donations in this iublication, but must not pass over sev-
eral received recently, in justice to the liberality of the donors, and the importance of
the works presenteii. Among them is Cortes's Voyage to New Spain, folio, 1550;