With Force and Arms: A Tale of Love and Salem Witchcraft

by Howard Roger Garis

Burroughs’ death had been looked for, yet it dampened my spirits a bit. However, I felt better after breakfast. I reflected that bridges need not to be crossed until they lie before one, also that to borrow trouble is to have a bad creditor. So I hurried about, here and there in the fort, to see wherein our weakness lay.

I made several changes. I had all the inflammable material stored in a safe place, and strengthened the magazine by binding logs on the more exposed part. Then having seen to it that the cannon were all in good order, with a supply of powder and balls at hand, I began drilling the men. They practiced at gunnery, for we had plenty of powder, and it was as well to let any sulking Indian scout know that we were prepared. One of the last thing I did was to write a letter, embodying all my adventures, and address it to Lucille. I arranged that if I was killed it should be forwarded to her. Then there was little to do but wait for the foe. It was not a long delay.

Scouts who had been sent out came back on the eve of the sixth day after Burroughs’ death. They reported that they had seen the fires of the Indians, who evidently were using but little of their usual cautiousness. It was some relief to know that action was at hand, for nothing so saps a man’s courage as to sit in idleness and wait for the unknown.

We had taken every possible precaution. I doubled the sentinels, and the cannon were ready loaded. And the next night, when the watch was changing, the Indians came. There were a few shots fired aimlessly, and then followed the war cry. It rose and fell on the night air, echoing from the hill, and resounding throughout the silent woods. We might expect the battle in the morning. I ordered two cannon, loaded with small shot, to sweep the bushes before the fort. Though we probably did little damage, yet it told them we were awake.

There was little sleep for any of us that night.

Every one was on the alert, for we knew that early dawn would set the Indians at us. So we sat in the darkness and watched the fires which the Indians kindled beyond rifle shot.

I watched the stars grow dim, and a gray darkness steal over the blackness of the night. A cold wind sprang up, and whistled mournfully through the trees. The owls hooted, and the wolves howled. Then the gray-black became lighter. All the stars were blotted out now, and there in the east was a pale streak, which gradually grew larger and larger. The dawn was come. With it came the frightful yells of the savages, and the crack of their muskets and rifles. They began the attack on all but the side of the fort toward the sea, but most of their bullets found marks only in the solid logs of the palisades. My men replied, yet, likewise, did little execution. I saw de Castine moving about here and there among his Indians urging them on, and I called to two of my best marksmen to try to pick him off. Once a ball chipped a piece from his sword scabbard, but he only looked toward the fort and bowed in mockery.

The woods seemed alive with the red men, and several, with better rifles than their fellows, approached near enough to fire through the loops. I had three men wounded this way, one so badly that he died in a short time. Another was made blind by log splinters knocked into his eyes by a bullet. Yet we had not been idle. The cannon were of little use, so scattered was the foe, but once a knot of them gathered at the left of the fort, about one of their number who had been hit. It was a chance that one of our gunners did not miss, and a charge of small shot from the cannon was sent hissing into their midst. When the smoke lifted five dark forms stretched out on the ground showed what execution had been done. After this the savages remained quiet for a time. It was now noon, so I ordered a hasty meal served to the company. We were interrupted in the eating by a loud cry from one of the sentinels in the fort.

“A sail!” he shouted. “Hasten, Captain; there are ships approaching!”

I ran to the lookout, and there, approaching under a stiff breeze, were to be seen two sloops; and the decks were crowded with armed men. I could see, also, that on board were several cannon and mortars. Now, indeed, was our fight like to be most desperate.