Decennium luctuosum. An history of remarkable occurrences, in the long war, which New-England hath…

ARTICLE XII. An Indian Fort or Two, taken, and some other Actions.

Reader, I remember the prolixity of Guicciardine, the Historian, gave such Offence, that Boccalini, brings in an Offender at Verbosity, Ordered for his punishment by the Judges at Parnassus, to Read that punctual Historian; but the poor Fellow begged rather to be Flayed alive, than to be Tortured with Reading an Historian, who in relating the War between the Florentines and Pisans, made longer Narrations, about the Taking of a Pigeon House, than there needed of the most Fortified Castle in the World. For this cause, let me be excused, Reader, if I make short Work, in our Story, and Leave the Honest ⟨p. 76⟩Actors themselves to Run over Circumstances more at large, with their Friends by the Fireside.

REader, I remember the prolixity of Guicciardine, the Historian, gave such Offence, that Boccalini, brings in an Offender at Verbosity, Ordered for his punishment by the Judges at Pernassus, to Read that punctual Historian; but the poor Fellow begg'd rather to be Flay'd alive, than to be Tortured with Reading an Historian, who in relating the War between the Florentines and Pisans, made longer Narrations, about the Taking of a Pigeon House, than there needed of the most Fortified Castle in the World. For this cause, let me be excused, Reader, if I make short Work, in our Story, and Leave the Honest ⟨p. 76⟩Actors themselves to Run over Circumstances more at large, with their Friends by the Fireside.

The Enemy appearing a Little Numerous and Vexatious, the Government sent more Forces to break up the Enemies Quarters; and Auxiliaries both of English and Indians, under the Command of Major Church, assisted the Enterprise. About Three Hundred Men, were dispatched away upon this Design, in the Beginning of September, who Landed by Night in Casco Bay, at a place called, Macquoit, and by Night Marched up to Pechypscot Fort; where, from the Information of some Escaped Captives, they had an Expectation to meet with the Enemy; but found that the Wretches were gone farther a field. They then marched away for Amonoscoggin Fort, which was about Forty Miles up the River, and Wading through many Difficulties, whereof one was a Branch of the River it self, they met with Four or Five Salvages, going to their Fort, with two English Prisoners. They Saved the Prisoners, but could not catch the Salvages; however, on the Lords-Day they got up to the Fort undiscovered, where to their Sorrowful Disappointment, they found no more than one and Twenty of the Enemy, whereof they Took and Slew Twenty. They found some Considerable Store of Plunder, and Rescued Five English Captives, and laid the Fort in Ashes: but one