Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/275

 retaliation on the part of a body of Scotch and Irish settlers in Paxton township, Pennsylvania. They attacked a friendly and harmless tribe, living under the guidance of some Moravian missionaries, murdered men, women, and children indiscriminately, forced their way into Lancaster workhouse. where some of the fugitives had taken refuge, and killed them, and then marched down to Philadelphia, in January, 1764, to exterminate a body of Indians who had fled to that city. It was with much difficulty that Franklin succeeded in forming a body of militia, to defend the city, and in compelling the "Paxton boys," as they were called, to retire without further shedding of blood. It was a disgraceful and scandalous outrage, but unhappily, there was no power in the province sufficient to punish these murderers.

General Gage, the new commander-in-chief in America, called for levies of troops to aid in putting an end to this war with the Indians. Two expeditions were sent out, one by way of Pittsburg, and the other along the lakes. The Indians finding themselves thus vigorously pressed, deemed it expedient, soon after, to consent to terms of peace.

 

1764—1766.

subjugation of Canada and the Indian tribes in the north-east, gave a fresh and vigorous impulse to the settlements in Maine, which although among the oldest in North America, had been very seriously retarded by successive wars with the Indians. New settlers began to occupy the Lower Kennebec,