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New England Court Records



History of North Adams..



FORT MASSACHUSETTS,
CHAPTER II.

The site of this memorable fortress is so near our village, and literally at the extreme north end of the town of Adams, that a brief recapitulation of its history will be most appropriate.

About 1741 Fort Massachusetts was built in a narrow part of the vale leading, toward Williamstown. It was a part of the line, of defense erected to protect the northern and western settlements of New England against French and Indian hostilities. The enemy directed their principal movements toward Connecticut river, but some came down the Hudson, and, proceeding eastward up the Hoosac, assailed this fortification in smaller or larger parties, and several bloody skirmishes took place.

The fort was located in a then very exposed position, pushed far out into the wilderness, twenty or thirty miles from any abode of civilized man. Williams and his hardy companions erected their fort of logs, surrounded with pickets of squared timbers driven into the ground so as to form a continuous fence, mounted with a few iron pins on swivels, and defensible against musketry alone. The garrison at this time numbered about fifty men. After being rebuilt, in 1747, the fort was garrisoned by one hundred men. Feebly can the present generation conceive of the hardships endured by these brave men nearly a century and a half ago. Besides the regular garrison duty, small scouting parties were continually ranging the woods from one fort on the line of defense to another, penetrating far into the northern wilderness, to discover the Indian trail, intercept and defeat their war parties. Armed with his gun, hatchet and scalping-knife, with provisions and blanket on his back, the hardy soldier scoured the woods in quest of the savage, to meet him with his own weapons and on his own ground. Every tangled thicket was the place of ambush, and the tomahawk and scalping-knife ever gleamed before his eyes. The garrison of Fort Massachusetts had its full share of this adventurous service.

June 11th, 1745, the enemy appeared, attacking a number of men who were at a distance from the fort, wounded two, Elisha Nims and Gershom Hawks, and took Benj. Tenter captive. One of the enemy was killed, and the others fled after a short skirmish.

May 6th 1746, as Sergeant John Hawks and John Miles were riding out from the fort they were fired upon and wounded by the Indians. Miles escaped to the fort. Hawks having the spirit of an eagle, fought for some time, and might have made both the Indians prisoners had he understood their language, for they asked for quarter before he took leave of them.

August 20th, 1746, an army of about 900 French and Indians, under General De Vaudreuil, made an attack upon the fort. Colonel Hawks, who was in command at that time, had only twenty-two effective men, and thirty-three persons, including men, women and children. He was also short of ammunition. Yet, under such discouraging, circumstances, this Massachusetts colonel defended the fort twenty-two hours against the Canadian General with more than forty times his number of men, and would probably never have surrendered had his powder and balls held out. He finally capitulated, upon terms which were violated by the French commander. It was agreed that none of the prisoners should be delivered to the Indians; but De Vaudreuil gave up half his captives to the savages, on the plea that he could not otherwise pacify them. The Indians immediately killed one of the prisoners, who was sick and unable to travel. In the seige Colonel Hawks lost but one man, while the enemy, as near as could be ascertained, lost forty-five, killed or mortally wounded. The fort was demolished by De Vaudreuil. The prisoners were marched to Canada, where twelve of them sickened and died. The residue, with other prisoners, were sent in a vessel with a flag of truce to Boston, where they arrived August 16, 1747. Rev. John Norton, chaplain of the fort at the time it was taken, wrote an account of his captivity, which was published. Another of the prisoners was Benjamin Simons, who afterward became a distinguished inhabitant of Williamstown and a colonel of militia.

May 25, 1747, while the fort was being rebuilt by the government of Massachusetts, who sent a large force thither, an army of the enemy came to hinder the undertaking; but they fled on a sally from the fort and being, also frightened by the return of about 100





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