Peaceful, bucolic Berkshire County was not always so. The following are extracts from old, old papers, whereby a fort is built, the need for it explained, and violence ensues.
The site of the memorable Fort Massachusetts was at the extreme north end of the town of Adams. It was built in 1741 “in a narrow part of the valley leading toward Williamstown.” It was a part of the line of defense erected to protect the northern and western settlements of New England against hostilities during the French and Indian War.
The fort was located in a then very exposed position—miles and miles from a settlement. The route was surveyed by Ephraim Williams of Stockbridge. He and his companions erected the fort of logs. They surrounded the fortress walls with a continuous picket fence—squared timbers driven into the ground with a few iron guns on swivels affixed at intervals. The garrison—the troops stationed inside—numbered about fifty men.
Fewer of the enemy came down the Housatonic or the Hudson than the Connecticut River, but there were bloody skirmishes. In 1745, the enemy appeared, attacking a number of men who were at a distance from the fort. Two, Elisha Nims and Gershom Hawks, were injured. One man, Benjamin Tenter, was taken captive. One of the enemy was killed. The skirmish was short-lived, and the enemy fled.
In 1746, as Sergeant John Hawks and John Miles were riding out from the fort they were fired upon and wounded by the Native Americans. Miles escaped to the fort. Hawks fought and prevailed. The enemy fled. Three moths later, the outcome was quite different.
August 20th, 1746, an army of about 900 French and Native Americans, under General De Vaudreuil, made an attack upon the fort. Colonel Hawks commanded just twenty-two soldiers with thirty-older men, women, and children. Out-numbered, Hawkes was also short of ammunition. Nonetheless, Sergeant Hawks defended the fort for twenty-eight hours before his “powder and balls” gave out.
The report says Hawks lost one man while the enemy lost forty-five. Nonetheless, for lack of ammunition, Hawks was forced to surrender. The terms of surrender were that none of the prisoners should be delivered to the enemy, but De Vaudreuil violated the terms. Half the men they killed immediately. The others they marched into Canada. The fort was demolished.
Some did survive. Perhaps twelve went in a vessel with a flag of truce to Boston. They arrived almost a year later to the day. The account of the attack, the destruction of the fort, and the disposition of the garrison was recounted by Rev. John Norton, chaplain of the fort at the time it was taken.
Courtesy of DAR.
In May 1747, as the fort was being rebuilt, an army of the enemy again came forward. They meant to hinder the construction, however, the guns of the fort were operational and a salvo dissuaded them as did the appearance of a 100-man garrison. The men travelled from Albany to defend the fort and brought sufficient supplies. In this skirmish three persons were wounded, and a friendly Native American from Stockbridge was killed.
In October, there was a strange event. Peter Burvee was one of the original garrison before the first fort was destroyed. He returned after it was rebuilt, sallied forth as he had before, and was subsequently taken prisoner near the fort, in the same spot from which he was taken prisoner by De Vaudreuil two years before. Again he escaped and survived to tell his story.
After the fort was rebuilt, they were taking no chances. The garrison was 100-men strong but the hardships endured by these brave men were legendary. August 2, 1748, Captain Ephraim Williams was in command. Four men were fired upon while outside the fort. Captain Williams took thirty men on a rescue mission. Williams drove the enemy—a troop of about 50—away but they returned and attempted to cut off Williams’ retreat. By speed and stealth, Williams regained the fort, losing just one man. Mr. Abbott was killed; Lieutenant Hawley and Ezekiel Wells were wounded.
In the fort, the troubles were not over. Three hundred Native Americans and thirty French advanced and opened fire on the fort. After sustaining a sharp fire from the garrison for two hours, the enemy despaired and withdrew with their wounded.
In Berkshire towns, they built “strong houses.” These were houses with cisterns and gardens inside stout fences to withstand siege. Generally built on hills, they had watch towers and space for townsfolk to retreat inside in case of attack. There were few attacks in Berkshire towns. Nonetheless there was at least one, and the population lived in fear.
One summer Sunday in 1755, as the French Indian War raged, there was murder done in Stockbridge. While most in town were at church, the A group of Natives attacked the Chamberlain family was attacked. They murdered the wife, a daughter, and the infant child. The danger seemed immediate. Stockbridge was terrorized and many fled. But soon Stockbridge and most of Berkshire was at peace once more.
It was not until soon after the “shot heard round the world”– the symbolic start of the Revolutionary War, that again there was violence done in Stockbridge. Standing in his dooryard on April 6, 1776, Asa Bement of Stockbridge saw:
“On Timothy Edwards’ return [to Stockbridge from Lansborourgh], at about 4 o’clock p.m., five men attempted to stop him by violence—
one laying ahold of his coat, another [grabbed] his horse’s bridle. He disengaged himself by striking a blow with his whip and by the speed of his horse. As he sped away, the men armed with clubs and hoes struck at him hitting his horse’s withers and shouting ‘Tory’. Of enormities of this kind, we feel it our duty to give you the earliest notice. Signed Samuel Brown, Erasmus Sergeant, and Asa Bement.”
The complaint was directed to the Stockbridge Selectmen. There is no record of the Selectmen’s response.
