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

1T47.1 KING GEORGE'S FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 153
An Attack near Fort Operations Were continued with increased
Massachusetts. vigor tliroughout the succeeding year.
During the winter, the fort at No. 4
(Charlestown) had been deserted, and several of the settlements
in New Hampshire were also abandoned. These
towns had been established under the authoritj'' of Massachusetts,
but when the southern boundary line of New
Hampshire was adjusted, they came within the jurisdiction
of the latter. After the troops from Massachusetts had
been withdrawn, New Hampshire refused to replace them.
It was deemed essential, however, that these defences
should be maintained, and all were garrisoned. While the
repairs upon Fort Massachusetts were in progress, a detachment
of one hundred men was sent to Albany for supplies,
and the Indians aware of the niovement, attempted
to cut off the train and surprise the fort. Three hundred
men set out to waylay the train, and as many more prepared
to attack the fort. The former division struck the
trail of the Albany party in its rear, while the advance
guard of the English coming upon the other detachment,
as it was moving to attack the fort, on the morning of May
25"', gave the alarm and the enemy fled without a blow.
Attack on No. 4 Adhering to the policy of the preceding
Repulsed. year, the French continued to fit out de-
tachments of savages commissioned to
carry forward the bloody work. The fort at Hinsdale, N,
H,, was surprised and partly burned in March, but the
assailants were driven off. A determined attack was made
on Fort No. 4 early in April, by a large force of French
and Indians under Sieur Baj)tiste Boucher de Niverville. ^
The fort was garrisoned by forty-nine men commanded
by Capt. Phinehas Stevens of Sudbury, an early settler
and afterwards a resident of Charlestown, After three
days of continuous fighting, during which time the fort
was partially burned, de Niverville drew off his forces and
disappeared.^ Among the gallant soldiers, who success-
1 English historians give the name of this officer as M. Debeline. but no such name
is found upon the French records, and in the N. Y. Colonial MSS. he is named as
above.
2 This was one of the most siiirited engagements of the war. It is graphically described
in Hoyf s Indian Wars. pp. 243, 24.5 ; and in Parkman's ' Half Century of
Conflict," pp. 238-24:^.