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History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

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17451 KING GEORGE'S FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 117<br />

In a letter to his wife he alludes to this <strong>in</strong>cident <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />

modest manner —<br />

:<br />

" Gen. Pepperell gave me the charge and oversight <strong>of</strong> above twenty<br />

Smiths <strong>in</strong> bor<strong>in</strong>g them oiit. Cannon balls and bombs hundreds <strong>of</strong><br />

them were fired at us <strong>from</strong> the city and the Island fort, great niimbers<br />

<strong>of</strong> them struck the Fort, some <strong>in</strong> the parade among the people, but<br />

none <strong>of</strong> them hurt, and as soon as we could get the cannon clear we<br />

gave them fire for fire and bombarded them on the west side."<br />

Letter <strong>from</strong> the Be- The foUow<strong>in</strong>g letter <strong>from</strong> Major Pomeroy<br />

siegiuKArmy. ^o his wife, never before published, shows<br />

the progress <strong>of</strong> the siege and the faith <strong>of</strong><br />

the writer <strong>in</strong> the ultimate success <strong>of</strong> the undertak<strong>in</strong>g —<br />

:<br />

" My Dear Wife<br />

" Cape breton, May y« 17. 1745.<br />

•• Every opportunity I would Improve to write. But now<br />

<strong>in</strong> short : Our army for a week Past have Ben Sickly But now Someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Better not one Died with Seckness. I have not ben Sick But<br />

under go y" hard ships <strong>of</strong> a Campaign But y' I am will<strong>in</strong>g for with an<br />

expectation y' we Shall Succeed at Last : y" Remarkable Providences<br />

y' has Past before my Ej's <strong>in</strong> favour <strong>of</strong> us gives me Reason to hope for<br />

Further Success : y Citty <strong>of</strong> Lotiisburg is an exceed<strong>in</strong>g Strong well<br />

Fortified Place (y- grand Battle we have got) & have closely shut it up<br />

& Laid close Sige'd to it : near a hundred we have taken <strong>of</strong> y"> there<br />

[besides *1 Cows Sheep goats & Some household stuff we have taken :<br />

an [d we] have had above a thousand Cannon bawls & hundreds <strong>of</strong> Cr<br />

[thrown] about us yet not But about 12 killed By y"' ; But 12 or 13<br />

more after they was taken Prisoners ware Barbarously Put to Death.<br />

My Soldiers have Some <strong>of</strong> y"> ben 111 But now grow<strong>in</strong>g Better : All<br />

alive no Fatal acident happened to any <strong>of</strong> y"\ Vastly more Difficult<br />

than ever we thoat <strong>of</strong> y take<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> Louisburg is ; But I hope we shall<br />

have y Citty <strong>in</strong> time God only knows when ; my Duty to my Father &<br />

Mother. Love to Brothers and Sisters ; Love un Speakable to my Dear<br />

wife & Lov<strong>in</strong>g & Dutifull children & hope if it be y will <strong>of</strong> God to<br />

see your Pleasant Faces aga<strong>in</strong>. Seth Pomeroy."<br />

John Hooker Concern<strong>in</strong>g the special duties which fell to<br />

Wounded. i\^q company <strong>of</strong> which Pomeroy was Capta<strong>in</strong>,<br />

no mention has been made. Doubt-<br />

less they assisted <strong>in</strong> dragg<strong>in</strong>g the cannon on sledges across<br />

the morass, helped to mount and serve the guns, and convey<br />

provisions and ammunition <strong>from</strong> the fleet to the camp.<br />

They suffered the privations and dangers <strong>of</strong> that arduous<br />

1 At this po<strong>in</strong>t the letter is torn, and the miss<strong>in</strong>g wo)-ds, as far as the sense seems<br />

to <strong>in</strong>dicate, are supplied <strong>in</strong> brackets.

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