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

1724.] FATHER RALE'S WAR. 27
4 score rodds from s'^ house, towards Northampton/' ' "a
few rods south of the residence of Samuel Plielps."^ He
ran about twenty rods after receiving the fatal wound, and
fell dead. The savages took his scalp and his gun. Miller
and his companions fled to Northampton, reporting that
they had been attacked by a large number of Indians. A
party at once set out in pursuit, but were unable to find the
enemy. They brought tlie body of Edwards back with
them. A pile of stones marked the spot where he fell, near
the top of the hill, for fifty j^ears. Reuben Corse was the
brother-in-law of Edwards. ^ Nathaniel Edwards was the
son of Samuel, and grandson of Alexander Edwards, a first
settler ; he was thirty-nine years of age. Within a few
days, Samuel Edwards, brother of Nathaniel, and several
others who were putting hay into stacks at Baker's Meadow
(Florence), were ambushed by the Indians, but escaped
"unharmed.
Edwards' Gun Re- Oil the day followiug tlic abovc disaster, a
covered. number of Indians were discovered in the
vicinity of Westfield. In the pursuit, one
white man was wounded and one Indian killed, upon whom
was found the gun of Nathaniel Edwards. Noah Ashley,
who shot the Indian, received £100 for his scalp.
Death of Father In August au expedition consisting of two
Rale- hundred eight men, under command of
Capts. Harmon and Moulton, was sent to
destroy the headquarters of the Abenakis at Norridgewock,
and capture Father Rale, if possible. They succeeded in
surprising the enemy, and killed a numl)er of noted Indian
chiefs. The Jesuit Missionary Rale, the instigator and
promoter of the \\ ar, was among the slain. He was killed
in the heat of battle, while encouraging his men, and aiding
them in their own defence. The town was plundered
and burned. A large number of Indians were slain and
many scalps taken to Boston. From this blow the Norridgewock
tribe never recovered, and the disaster sensibly
dampened the spirits of the Canada Indians.
1 Col. Partridge's Letter, Aug. 27, 1724.
2 Lymau"s History of Easthamptou, p. lit.
3 Tradition, see Lyman, p. 19.