Brian Pendleton to MA Governor & Council
Item
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Title
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Brian Pendleton to MA Governor & Council
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Recipient
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John Leverett (MA Governor)
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MA Council
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Date
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19 October 1676
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Description
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Major Brian Pendleton writes to Massachusetts Governor John Leverett and the Massachusetts Council that when he led an expedition to Black Point, Maine, he found that the garrison had been captured except for the trader John Josselyn and a few older settlers. The English fort was reportedly occupied by 500 Indians and 300 French. Pendelton wrote that these “Indians hoe I never dealt with in all my life nor never wronged in anythinge but did hope Squando [a Kennebec sachem] would become a Christon [Protestant] & and did what I could to further it: yet they fired all my houses & dwellings Corne & Cattle neere 100 bushells Indyan Corne neere 40 bushells of pease more or les beside olde Corne Rie & Indian thay killed some sheepe some hoggs & one Cow [141].” While the English often attributed the burgeoning French-Abenaki alliance to the machinations of Jesuit missionaries, at this stage in the war the Kennebecs were motivated find cause with the French by promises of ammunition, food, and other provisions.
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Transcription
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[141] Letter Brian Pendleton to the Gou. & Council.
Honored Gouenor & Counsell
Much Honored Gentellmen
I am willinge to giue youre worships a breef naration of matters conserninge my selfe & the state of Winter Harbor aboute the 14 of Octobr 76 in the day time wee heard much shooting at blak poynt [Black Point] but could not understand the ocasion of it but did suppose it had beene onely the people that weare goinge away did it to take theare leaue of those that stayd behind : in the afternoone wee saw boates under sayle cominge away thence & wch thay came against a poynte of Land thay fired many guns which wee took to bee in farewell to us. at last the hindmost boat Cominge up 3 of Oure yong men took a canoo & went oute to sea to meete that boate & wn thay came to them thay told them that black poynt Garison was taken and all the people gon exept Mr Josselen & 2 or 3 old folks hoe would not goe away but stay theare: & theare weare 500: of Indians & 300: of french & 100 Indians at mr foxwells house & that if you loue y liues bee gon as soone as you can for thay say thay will bee with you to morrow morninge or at night at farthest: wch ouer soldiers heard this newes thay weare as mad to make away as euer I saw any men & fell to tomblinge up oure goods to get it aboard & with all plundred us of many things wch thay Could if my bak was turned: oure fishermen alsoe hasted to get away sopposinge it noe boote to stay heare against such a multitude of enemyes: : wch I had got such goods I could a board & my family of women sexs I told oure soldiers if they would goe & keepe the Garison I would neuer leaue them soe longe as I could liue: but thay would not heare of it: soe that if I would [142] have stayed alone I mite I should have noe Company: the fishermen had but 14 men & boyes & but 8 servisable guns.
After wee came to puscatta theare Came in 2 Caches with soldiers vidz Thomas Moore & Siluanos Dauis: the Maj Generall sent away Sarjent Tippin with soldiers to blak poynt & promised mee if oure men which went by ym in a boate of oure owne of Winter Habor with 8 men in it that if oure men would asist theare company into blak poynt Garison then thay shold com back to Winter Harbar & asist oure men; oure men did asist them in & insteed of asistinge oure men Tippin did prese oure compnie & force them to stay by him, soe that our desine in sauinge oure goods & for which thay went, was frustrate: & while thay weare stayed theare against theare wills : came the 2 Caches from puscateag with Thomas Moore my old aquaintance hoe promised mee to doe mee all the good hee could & wch hee came to Winter harbor with the Rest went ashore to ouer house & killed my teame of 4 oxen & Plundred much of my goods which for want of Roome in the uessell I could not cary away: of which goods I cannot give account at present but shall giue in it upon oath afterward as now for the oxen, which is heare inclosed: much honored I may say with good Jeremy pitty mee pitty mee oh my frend for the hand of the Lord hath tuched mee. God hath emtyed mee from vessell to vessell the Lord my God bringe mee foarth to leave nothinge behind but dreggs of Corruption that I may yet prays him in the Land of the liveinge hoe is the health of my Countenance & my God: Thus desireing the Lord to guide you all youre waytie ocations & cravinge pardon for my boldnes in trobling youre worships Take leave & Rest yours to sarve as in duty am bound.
Brian Pendleton
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Century
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17th Century
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Decade material covers
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1670s
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Subject
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Brian Pendleton
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John Leverett
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(Governor of MA)
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John Josselyn
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Silvanus Davis
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Kennebec Indians
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French settlers
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Winter Harbor
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Black Point
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Piscataqua
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Canada
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Type
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Letter
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War
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King Philip's War
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Point of Departure
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Winter Harbor, ME
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Point of Arrival
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Boston, MA
