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

298 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1760.
appearance of the savages was at Colrain, where a party of
ten or twelve of them captured Joseph McKoun, wife and
chikl, Mrs. McKoun was killed after marching a short
distance, and her husband and child were taken to Canada.
Most of the militia had been drawn off for the army operating
in Canada, and when news of this outrage reached
Northampton, Major Hawley with a company went immediately
in pursuit of the Indians. When he reached
Greenfield, finding that the enemy had disappeared, and
deeming further yjursuit useless, he returned to Northampton.
Frontier Posts.
The frontier posts Were under the command
of Capt. John Burk from December 1758 to
February 8, 1759 ; of Capt. Hawks from February 9 to
April 30, 1759 ; and of Capt. Samuel Wells from May 1 to
October 8. One hundred twenty men, most of them inhabitants
of the Hampshire towns, were employed in garrison
duty.
Montreal Captured. For the reductiou of Montreal in the following
year three armies were employed,
and so carefully had their movements been concerted that
they met before the city within two days of the time fixed
upon for their junction. Gen. Amherst commanded the
main body, and with ten thousand men passed up the Mohawk
to Oswego, and after capturing the posts along the
St. Lawrence, descended that river to Montreal. He
arrived there on the 10''' of August, where he found Gen.
Murray from Quebec, who reached that point the same
day. Within twenty-four hours Col. Haviland, who with
a smaller force had been in service on Lake Champlain,
joined the combined army, and the siege began. It terminated
on the 8^'' of September, when the Province of Canada
passed into possession of the British.
Attempt to Recap- In the spriug M. de Levi, who succeeded to
ture Quebec. ^]^^^Q command on the death of Montcalm at
Quebec, attempted to re-take the city.
Gen. Murray marched out and gave battle, but was defeated
and driven back into the city. The French General