Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/37

 AN OLD TIME TRIP

Hinsdale and another at Charlestown on the Connecticut ; hut the entire midland between these valleys was an unbroken, heavily-wooded country.

A TRAMP THROUGH THE WILDERNESS.

In the fall of 1747 two explorers from Dunstable, Nehemiah Lovewell and John Gilson, started from the present site of Nashua for the purpose of examining the slope of the Merrimack, and of crossing the height of land to Number Four, now Charlestown, which was known as the most northern settlement in the Connecti- cut valley. Knowing the difficulties in traversing hills and valleys mostly cov- ered with underbrush and rough with fallen timber and huge bowlders, they carried as light an outfit as possible — a musket and camp-blanket each, with rive days' provisions. Following the Souhe- gan to Milford and Wilton, they then turned north ward, and crossing the height of land in the limits of the present town of Stoddard, had on the afternoon of the third day their first view of the broad valley westward, with a dim outline of the mountains beyond. The weather was clear and pleasant, the journey la- borious but invigorating. On their fourth night they camped on the banks of the Connecticut, some ten miles below Charlestown. At noon of the next day they were welcomed at the rude fort, which had already won renown by the heroic valor of its little garrison.

A FRONTIER FORT.

At this time the fort at Number Four was commanded by Capt. Phineas Ste- vens, a man of great energy and bravery. Lovewell and Gilson were the first visi- tors from the valley of the Merrimack, and their arrival was a. novelty. That night, as in later days they used to re- late, they sat up till midnight, listening to the fierce struggles which the inmates of this rude fortress, far up in the woods, had encountered within the previous eight months. The preceding winter this fort had been abandoned, and the few settlers had been compelled to re- turn to Massachusetts. But Governor Shirley felt that so important an outpost should be maintained. As soon as the

��IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

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��melting of the deep snow in the woods would permit, Capt. Stevens, with thirty rangers, left Deerfield for Number Four, and reached it on the last day of March. The arrival was most fortunate. Hardly was the fort garrisoned and the entranc- es made secure when it was attacked by a large force of French and Indians. Led by Debeline, an experienced com- mander, they had come undiscovered and lay in ambush for a favorable moment to begin the attack. But the faithful dogs of the garrison gave notice of the concealed foe. Finding they were dis- covered the Indians opened a fire on all sides of the fort. The adjacent log houses and fences were set on fire. Flaming arrows fell incessantly upon the roof. The wind rose and the fort was surrounded by flames. Stevens dug trenches under the walls and through these the men crept and put out the fires that caught outside the walls.

REPULSE OF THE INDIANS.

For two days the firing had been kept up and hundreds of balls had been lodged in the fort and stockade. On the morn- ing of the third day Debeline sent for- ward a flag of truce. A French officer and two Indians advanced and proposed terras of capitulation, which were that the garrison should lay down their arms and be conducted prisoners to Montreal. It was agreed that the two commanders should meet and Capt. Stevens's answer should be given. When they met, Deb- eline, without waiting for an answer, threatened to storm the fort and put ev- ery man to the sword if a surrender was not speedily made. Stevens replied that he should defend it to the last. "Go back," said the Frenchman, " and see if your men dare fight any longer." Ste- vens returned and put to the men the question, " Will you fight or surren- der?" They answered, " We will fight." This answer was at once made known to the enemy, and both parties resumed arms. Severe fighting was kept up dur- ing the day. The Indians, in approach- ing the stockade were compelled to ex- pose themselves. They had already lost over a dozen of their number, while not

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