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PETITION AGAINST CAPT.
SCOTTOW
Wee whose names we have underwritten, doe declare that we were never
in ye least privie to ye sending for ye souldiers which came from Boston
to Blackpoint, neither during ye time of their stay did we in any sort
receive advantage by them; but yt they were maintained upon ye acct. of
Mr. Scottow: for all the while his fishermen were thereby capacitated to
keep at sea for the whole season; and much worke was done by them which
was greatlie turned to his profit; as removing of a great barn, paving
before his house and cutting of Palisado stuff for a pretended
fortification where there is no occasion nor need. And many more such
courtesies Mr. Scottow (got) by the soldiers. And that other men should
pay for his work, done under pretence of defending ye country, wee hope
in behalf of the rest of ye sufferers in these sad times, you will
please to take it into your serious consideration, and heape no more
upon us than wee are able to beare, but where the benefit has been
received, there order ye charge to be levied. Richard Foxwell, Giles Barge, Upon the above representations, several of the prominent men of York
County carried the matter to the General Court; among these Major
Pendleton, Mr. Munjoy and Mr. Foxwell were the chief complainants, and
their complaints were submitted, by the auditors of York County, to the
General Court August 9th, 1676 (see Colonial Records, Vol. V. p. 102).
The auditing committee were Nicholas Shapleigh, Edward Rishworth, Samuel
Wheelwright. The complaints were: 1st. That Mr. Scottow got the soldiers from Boston upon his own
responsibility. A note of Mr. Drake's in his edition (1865) of Mr. Hubbard's history,
cites original papers, then in his possession, as testimony against
Capt. Scottow. The deposition of Michael Edgecombe, aged about 25 years,
declares that he was at Blackpoint when the "nine Winter-harbour
men were fighting the Indians upon the Sands opposite said Place, and
saw sundrie men come to Mr. Scottow importuning that he would send some
Ayde over to those poore distressed men," etc., and that Capt.
Scottow, though seeing the English were far outnumbered by the Indians,
and must be overcome soon without releif, yet would not suffer a man to
go to help them; and one John Lux came and reproached the Captain and
offered to take men in his shallop across the river and land them
"on shoare in Little River," near where the men were fighting,
and where all were found slain next day. This was sworn to before Brian
Pendleton, July 20th, 1676. Lux declared that nothing would move Capt.
Scottow, although he could see the men being overpowered by greatly
outnumbering savages. Mr. Foxwell also deposed against Capt. Scottow's inhumanity in the
affair of the burning of Dunstan, etc. Walter Gendall, who served as
Sergeant under Capt. Scottow, and had charge of a body of soldiers at
Spurwink in 1675, made a similar deposition. The Court referred this case to the October session, and then gave
judgment, that, This Court, having heard the complaint of Mr. Rishworth
exhibbeted against Captaine Scottow, &c. . . . uppon a full hearing
of both parties, see no reason for the aforesaid complaint, and doe
judge that the said Capt. Scottow (for aught doth appeare) hath
faithfully dischardged his trust, and is therefore acquitted from the
chardge endeavord to be put on him, but that the same be borne by the
county and that Mr. Rushworth do pay Capt. Scottow his costs and damage.
The Court granted and determined the costs to be nine pounds, thirteen
shillings & eight pence. In the evidence favorable to this decision, the following paper,
found in the old files of Suffolk County Court, was probably offered: PETITION OF INHABITANTS OF SCARBOROUGH The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of Scarborough. Whereas Mr.
Scottow of Boston Stood by us in all our streights and distresses during
the late Warr with the Indians and not only encouraged us with his
presence from April until January last, but alsoe releived us with a
barrell of powder and all sorts of ammunition as it cost him in Boston
near to twenty pounds for which he is not yet paid, yea, then when as
there was no town Stock nor a pound of powder in the Town that we know
of without which supply we and our familyes must either have been
destroyed or our town deserted as Casco and Saco were, we being then for
divers months the seat of war and having more houses than one of the
Townes and above double the other burnt and consumed: and to keep us together since he hath this Spring helped us more with
nere two hundred bushells of Indian and other Grain without which some
of us could neither have planted nor sowne, some had ben pincht and
others might have starved, in all things to our weak understanding he
hath carryed it faithfully and carefully to the publicke interest, he
being now unjustly and as far as we can deserne maliciously persecuted
by some especially one Mr. Foxwell a man noted for contention and
whereas there be diverse oaths taken against sd Scottow some of them to
the knowledge of some of us false, and others covered with fraude and
fallacy we being much troubled that for his good he should receive a
bill humbly crave that he may have all right and due encouragement and
vindication, and your petitioners shall further humblie pray for your
honors peace and prosperity. ADDITIONAL FAVOURABLE TESTIMONY These are to testifie before whom it may concern, that Mr. Scottow of
Boston, being wth us when (???) ye men were killed upon Sacho Sands at
the first heering of the guns fired there wth consent of Mr. Josselin
gave ye Alarum all over garrison to ye whole town, drew up such of us on
our armes as were at home, dispatcht our Corporall to call in such as
were abroad, as also the said Scottow was very Angry with Mackshawine
for saying that Captaine Wincoll and his Company were all cut off,
telling him though some might be killed and the rest ffled yett it might
be to gain ye advantage of ground as it proved, as also at the same time
Scottow seartcht the armes and ammunition of us which were drawne up
exchanging ye armes which were insufficient for his owne ffixed armes,
and that hee supplied every man of all those that were sent forth, and
wanted, both with powder, buletts, swan shott, biskett, and a dram of ye
bottle out of his owne store, there not being at the same time one pound
of powder in ye town, that wee know of but what they recved from Scottow
& that the said Scottow, upon the first alarum enquire whether some
of us might not bee sent in a shallop or in Canows to goe to ye releif
of those men, it was answered that they could not be sent with safety
neither for the men nor for their armes because of the gulf of ye sea,
the wind blowing ffresh upon the shore. The said Scottow with the
consent of Mr. Henery Josselin, did with as much possible speed as they
could, dispatch away about twenty men over our fferry to march by land
to the relief of that pty under ye charge of Serjeant Olliver, yea so
many men did they send away that some of us complained against them
saying they did not doe well to send out so many of their husbands and
children, supposeing that if they should have been cutt off wee had not
strength left at the garrison
During August of 1676, Capt. Scottow was evidently at Boston, leaving the conduct of affairs to Jocelyn and Tippen with Walter Gendal as a third on the "committee of the militia." Sergeant Tippen, who appears to have been a very efficient officer, being called away also, the others found themselves unable to control the inhabitants who were acting as garrison soldiers, and they wrote this letter to Capt. Scottow: Capt. Joshua Scottow. Yr friends to serve you The Blackpoint garrison was recognized by the Indians as the strongest fortification in the Eastern Towns, and it had therefore escaped any assault in the general destruction which fell upon Casco and the Kennebec towns. In the letter of Capt. Hathorne in the last chapter, we find some account of the discontent of the people at Blackpoint and their determination to abandon the garrison and betake themselves to the safer towns to the West. The letter indicates also that Capt. Scottow was there when Capt. Hathorne visited the place, but evidently withdrew soon after; as upon October 12th the Indians appeared at the garrison, a hundred strong, with the chief "Mugg" (or Mog Hegon, Whittier's Mog Megone) at their head; they found the inhabitants all within the fort and Mr. Jocelyn in command. The Indians did not attack, knowing that even a small number could hold it against any assault they could make. Mugg was well acquainted with all the affairs of the English, and immediately sought a parley with Mr. Jocelyn, which lasted a long time. In the meantime all the inhabitants had taken the opportunity to get out of the house and to their boats and away to the Westward towns, -- Wells, Portsmouth, etc. How they could have thus effected their escape in the presence of so large a body of the enemy must be explained by the advantageous position of the garrison, and the overconfidence of the Indians. Mr. Jocelyn and his family were taken with the house and its contents, which was at once surrendered, when Mr. Jocelyn found only his own family left within. Mugg was highly elated with this great and easy success, and Jocelyn was treated kindly, and with his family soon restored to their friends. It is said that he afterwards removed to Plymouth, where he spent the rest of his days. Blackpoint garrison was not destroyed, perhaps because Mugg, in the flush of his success, believed the English would soon be driven from the country, and this would serve the Indians as a stronghold. |
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