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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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1745.1 SETH POMEROY'S JOURNAL. 129<br />

Battre last week was wounded by the splitt<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> a cannon,<br />

and died tliis week. This day one <strong>of</strong> Commodore War-<br />

ren's men that was wounded some time past, died.<br />

Friday, 24"". Cloudy the forenoon but the afternoon fair<br />

with N. E. w<strong>in</strong>d. Died Major Nuten <strong>of</strong> Colchester.<br />

Saturday the 25"'. By a scout o-f men up <strong>in</strong> the woods,<br />

they discovered six Frenchmen and killed one <strong>of</strong> them and<br />

took 3 more. It was a very dry time with a N. W. w<strong>in</strong>d.<br />

The woods burnt furiously and the fire came near our<br />

camp. -With much labor it was stopped so that there was<br />

not that I know <strong>of</strong> any damage done by it to any <strong>of</strong> our<br />

camps.<br />

Sabbath day, May the SG^*", 1745. This was a fair day.<br />

A Company <strong>of</strong> volunteers enlisted for another attack on<br />

the Island Battre, although there had been 4 or 5 attempts<br />

for it before, and all proved unsuccessful, and Providence<br />

seemed not to favor it ;<br />

yet some people were engaged to<br />

try once more and this night put it <strong>in</strong> practice. But now<br />

Providence seemed to frown remarkably on the affair.<br />

Our people were discovered by those at the Island Battre<br />

before they got on shore, and the French be<strong>in</strong>g prepared<br />

with their cannon po<strong>in</strong>ted down to strike the boats just be-<br />

fore they came on shore, loaded with cha<strong>in</strong> and partridge<br />

shot, and a great number <strong>of</strong> men with small arms, as soon<br />

as our people came <strong>in</strong> sight, with all the fury and resolution<br />

possible they fired upon them, and cut <strong>of</strong>f whole boat<br />

loads <strong>of</strong> them, but <strong>in</strong> spite <strong>of</strong> all their fire 4 or 5 boat loads<br />

got on the Island and engaged them for near an hour, by<br />

fir<strong>in</strong>g great numbers <strong>of</strong> small arms upon them. Not more<br />

than 3 or 4 rods apart and by the light <strong>of</strong> their fire saw<br />

well to shoot and doubtless killed many <strong>of</strong> them. Other<br />

boats, great numbers <strong>of</strong> them beh<strong>in</strong>d, not hav<strong>in</strong>g a pilot<br />

were not able to get on shore, and try<strong>in</strong>g for a long time<br />

and <strong>in</strong> the very heat <strong>of</strong> the fire, they found they were not<br />

able to land, returned, those <strong>of</strong> them that were able re-<br />

tiirned as fast as they could to land aga<strong>in</strong>. Those that<br />

had got on the Island as many <strong>of</strong> them as could get boats,<br />

made the best <strong>of</strong> their way <strong>of</strong>f, but many left beh<strong>in</strong>d, that<br />

there were no boats for, so were obliged to fall <strong>in</strong>to the<br />

hand <strong>of</strong> their enemies. Many were taken, many killed

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