Soldiers in King Philip's war. Containing lists of the soldiers of ...

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became a nucleus of discontent. There were many also scattered
among the Eastern tribes who had been captured at Dover in 1676
and sold into slavery, and had made their way back to find their
tribes scattered, their families broken up and lost. To many of
these nothing was left but hate and vengeance upon the English,
and especially against the one man whom they believed responsible
for the transaction ; the man was Major Walderne. Other causes
were doubtless at work at the Eastward by the designs of the
French and the Jesuit missionaries in the zeal for their religion
but the resentment seems to have centred upon Cocheco and Major
Walderne. In June, 1689, the people began to be aware of lar^e
numbers of strange Indians among those who came in to trade, and
many did not seem to come for that purpose, but were observed
carefully scrutinizing the defences and approaches. The people became
alarmed, and one after another many came and urged Major
Walderne to take some precautions of defence. He, however, would
not hearken, laughed at their fears, and told them to "go and plant
their pumpkins," and he would tell them when the Indians should
attack them. There were many old friends of the Major and of the
English of Dover among the neighboring Indians, and some of these
tried to warn them of their danger. A squaw came through the
town, and here and there significantly recited the words which have
been handed down in the rhyme,
O Major Waldron, you great sagamore
What will you do, Indians at your door.
Capt. Thomas Henchman of Chelmsford also was apprized of the
plot against Dover, and sent down a letter of warning to the Coun-
cil at Boston, as follows :
Hon d Sir
This day 2 Indians came from Pennacook, viz. Job Maramasquand
and Peter Muckamug, who report y f damage will undoubtedly be done
within a few days at Piscataqua, and y 4 Major Waldorn, in particular, is
threatened ; and Intimates fears y l
mischief quickly will be done at Dun T
stable. The Indians can give a more particular account to your honor.
They say iff damage be done, the blame shall not be on them, having given
a faithful account of what they hear ; and are upon that report moved to
leave y r habitation and corn at Pennacook. S r
, I was verry loth to trouble
you and to expose myself to the Censure and derision of some of the
confident people, that ware pleased to make sport of what I sent down by
Capt. Tom. I am constrained from a sense of my duty and from love of
my countrymen to give the acct. as above. So with my humble service to
your Honor, and prayers for the safety of an Indangered people,
I am, S r
, your humble servant Tho: Hinchman.
June 22 [1689]
Mass. Archives, Vol. 107, p. 139.
This letter was received by Mr. Danforth, and on the 27th laid
before Gov. Bradstreet and the Council, and a messenger was sent
to Dover the same day with this warning to Major Walderne :
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