Rare Letter From Casco, Maine
During King Philip's War
Maine, of course, was not exempt from
the dread Indian War. In a rare letter written at the time, we get a first hand account
from Casco.
Hononoured Mother
After my duty and my wifes presented to yourselfe these may inform you of [our] present
health of our present being when other of our friends are by the barbarous heathen cut off
from having a being in this world. The Lord [of] late hath renewed his witnesses against
vs, and hath dealt very bitterly with us in that we are deprived of the societie of our
nearest friends by the breaking in of the adversarie against vs; On Friday last in the
morning your own son with your two sons in Law Anthony and Thomas Bracket and their whole
families were killed and taken by the Indians, we know no how, tis certainly known by us
that Thomas is slain and his wife and children carried away captiue, and of Anthony and
his family we haue no tidings and therefore think that thay might be captivated the night
before because of the remoteness of their habitation from neighborhood, Gm Corban and all
his family Gm Lewis and his wife, James Ross and all his family,Gm. Durham, John Munjoy,
and Daniel Wakely, Benjamin Hadwell and all his family are lost, all slain by sun an hour
high in the Morning and after, Gm Wallis his dwelling house and none besides his is burnt
there are of men slain 11, of women and children 23 killed and taken, we that are alive
are forced upon Mr. Andrews his Island to secure our own and the liues of our families we
haue but little provision and are so few in number that we are not able to bury the dead
till more strength come to us, the desire of the people to your selfe is that you would be
pleased to speak to Mr. Munjoy and Deacon Philips that they would entreat the Governour
that fortwith aid might be sent to vs either to fight the enemie out of our borders that
our English Corn may be inned in whereby we may comfortably liue or remoue vs out of
Danger that we may provide for our selues elsewhere having no more at present but
desiring your prayers to God for his preservation of us in these times of danger, I rest
Your dutifull Son
Thaddeus Clark
ffrom Casco May 16.6.76 remember my
Love to my Sister &c. These ffor (his?) honored Mother Mrs Elizabeth Harvey
living in Boston."
Drake's Indians of North America,
Samuel G. Drake, 1880, Notes, P. 747.
