Regarding Soldiers of the American Revolution Sprague's Journal of Maine History Vol. VI Nov. Dec. 1918, Jan. 1919 No. 3 Page 105-112 Regarding Soldiers of the American Revolution MAINE INDIANS IN THE REVOLUTION The following article signed "N. G." appeared in the Eastport, Maine, Sentinel in its issue of June 2, 1897: Our forefathers of the Revolution cared little for the previous condition of their comrades as long, -is they were fighting for the same independence. Shoulder to shoulder stood the white mail, the Negro and the Indian on many of the battlefields of the war and no American should hesitate for a moment from giving all credit for their services. Many of our ancestors may have been poor, perhaps rough, homespun men, but the results of their lives show that it is true that out of the rough- est workshops of the world came the finest fabrics. The resolutions of their meetings prove that they were a type of manhood that our people will always delight to honor. Their hearts were right, what care we for their appear- ance? We judge them by the fruit of their lives. Many Negro slaves entered the Revolutionary army with the understand- ing that in consideration of half their pay their masters were to give them their freedom. Parson Smith enlisted his slave under those terms, so did Parson Elvins of Scarboro and others. From Windham went the Negroes Lonon Rhode, Flanders, Romeo, and Peter Smith, who did good service. Prince ran away from his master, Lieut. William McLellan, at Gorham and went in Capt. Manley's privateer. He returned voluntarily to slavery, be- came a pensioner, and lived until lie was a very old mar. His old master provided for him in his declining years, which was just like the McLellans. My ancestor served with Lonon Rhode, in Capt. Samuel Thomes' Com- pany, in Col. Benjamin Tupper's 11th Massachusetts Regit. They were in the retreat from Fort Ticonderoga in July, 1777, and probably fought together in the battles of Hubbardton, Stillwater and Saratoga. Oil a return made at Valley Forge, in January, 1778, the following is the last account of those two patriots, "Nathan Noble, slain in battle Oct. 7, 1777," and Lonon Rhode died Dec. 9, 1777. Perhaps they received their death wounds the same day. Both of these men's names are oil the Roll of Honor of the towns where they lived, and who would undertake to judge of their services to their country by the standard of the color of their skills. The sacrifices of humble men were as noble as any in our country's history and it is American to honor them for it. The province of Maine was fortunate in its Indians in the Revolution. The three tribes, Penobscots, Passarnaquoddys and St. Johns, were true blue through it all, and rendered valuable aid to our cause. In the Maine society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a member, Sopiel Selmor, Chief of the Passamaquoddy Indians, of Pleasant Point, Perry, Me. He is the son of Capt. Selmor Soctomah and Dennis Molly Selmor, and his father was a soldier and scout under Col. Allan at Machias, and rendered other valuable assistance in the War of the Revolution. " Chief Sopiel Selmor is now a very old man, as he must be to be the son of a Revolutionary soldier, but lie is tile patriarch of his tribe yet. In his tribe is preserved an original letter written them by Gen. Washington from the banks of tile Delaware river, the day before that Christmas day that lie crossed amid the floating ice. That day is one that old Marblehead is proud of because John Glover and his Cape Ann boys carried the army safely over, managing the boats as only Yankee fish- ermen call. The contents of that letter are as follows, and it reflects credit oil the tribe that they 'have preserved it until this time. "Brothers of Passamaquodia: I am glad to hear by Major Shaw that you accepted the chain of friendship which I sent you last February from Cambridge and that you are determined to keep it bright and unbroken. When I first heard that you refused to send any of your warriors to my assistance when called upon by our brothers of St. John I did not know what to think. I was afraid that some enemy had turned your hearts against me. But 1 am since informed that all your young men were em- ployed in hunting, which was the reason of their not coming. This has made my mind easy and I hope you will always in future join with your brothers of St. John and Penobscot when required. I have desired my brother the Governor of Massachusetts Bay to pay you the money which -Capt. Smith promised you for sending my letters to the Micmack Indians. "Brothers, I have a piece of news to tell you which I hope you will' attend to. our enemy, the King of Great Britain, endeavored to stir up all - the Indians from Canada to South Carolina against us: But our brethren of the Six Nations and their allies the Shawnees and Delawares, would not hearken to tile advice of his messengers sent among them, but kept fast hold of the ancient covenant chain. The Cherokees and the Southern tribes were foolish enough to listen to them and take up the hatchet against us. Upon this our warriors went into their country, burned their houses, destroyed their corn and obliged them to sue for peace and give hostages for their future good behavior. Now Brothers, never let the King's wicked counsellor turn your hearts against me and your brethren of this country but bear in mind what I told you last February and what I tell you now. "In token of my friendship I send you this from my army on the banks of the Great River Delaware, this 24th day of December, 1776. "George Washington." At the beginning of the war there was great anxiety felt lest the British agents should influence tile Penobscot Indians against the colonists. Steps were taken early to secure them to our cause. Capt. John Lane of Buxton, was selected as a discreet and suitable man to consult and enlist them in our behalf. In May, 1775, the Provincial Congress sent the tribe a letter in which they said "Our liberty and your liberty are the same, we are brothers, and what is for ours for your good, and we, by standing together, shall make those wicked men afraid and overcome them and be all free met,. Capt. Goldthwait has given up Fort Pownal to our enemies. We are angry at it and We hear you are angry with him and we don't wonder at it." Four Penobscot chiefs left Fort Pownal with Capt. John Lane June 10th ' On June 14th, Samuel Freeman wrote from Watertown to his father, Enoch Freeman, at Falmouth Neck, "I can't help thinking but that they (the In- dians) would be well treated, justice done them respecting their lands, etc., by which they now and forever be secured to the interests of the county." Capt. Lane was then here at Falmouth with Chief Orono, Joseph Pease, Poveris and one more, bound for Cambridge to the Provincial Congress. They were entertained and a chaise was provided to take them to their destination. Gen. Jedidiah Preble, chairman of the committee, sent with them a letter to Joseph Warren in which he said that he had furnished money to pay their expenses and that "Orono, the chief man, seems to be a sensible mail and hearty in our cause," also, "We gave them assurances that they might depend upon being provided for while there as well as on their return back again, wished them a pleasant journey and that the event might be happy for them and us." In 1778, Joseph McLellan of Falmouth was voted, by the General Court, seven pounds for injury done his chaise by Capt. Lane's Indians. This damage was no doubt done in 1775. Drake says, "Only two days after the battle of Bunker Hill (June 19th) there arrived in Cambridge, a deputation of Penobscot Indians of whom the celebrated Orono was chief." They went before the Congress and among other things said that they had a large tract of land which they had a right to -all their own and had pos- sessed it many years. These lands had been encroached upon by the English who had for miles, oil the ends, cut much of the good timber. They also said that they had been much imposed upon by traders, and desired such evils be prevented, also requested that provisions, powder, etc., be sent among them which they would buy at reasonable prices. June 21st, the Congress recognized their claim to the land at the head of the tide on the Penobscot, extending six miles oil each side of the river. Gen. Washington and the Congress both promised them that they should "enjoy the country" and told them that if anybody was to take their lands from them or if they heard of anything being done against them they would let them know of it. The following letter was probably written by Andrew Gilman, the inter- preter for tile four chiefs after their return to Falmouth Neck from Cam- bridge, although their names, as lie wrote them, are different from what has come down to us. "Falmouth, July 4, 1775. "Sir: We have been here five days and did expect to go home with the supplies for our tribe in a sloop. But we are told Captain John Lane must return to Watertown before supply can be sent, we have agreed to go home in our canoes, though we should rather go in said sloop. We be, leave to let you know it is our desire that Captain Lane be appointed truck-master, with full power to redress any insults we may receive from the white people when we conic in to trade. You may depend oil our friendship and assistance if required. "We are your humble servants. "Olenah, "Messhall, "Joseph, "Pooler. "Andrew Gilman, Interpreter. The above letter is a testimonial to the patriotism, fidelity and honesty of John Lane, through whose efforts much was done that secured the friend- ship and aid of the Penobscot tribe to our forefathers in the Revolutionary War. The Provincial Congress resolved, July 8th, 1775, to supply the Indians of the Penobscot with goods not to exceed in value, three hundred pounds and to take furs and skins in exchange. In September, 1775, the chiefs of the Penobscots and the St. John Indians held a conference and resolved "to stand together' with our brethren of Massachusetts and oppose the people of Old England that are endeavoring to take our lands and liberties from us." Capt. John Lane raised a company for the army and in it enlisted five Penobscot Indians, Soncier, Eneas, Sebatis, Metagone and Sewanockett. When Arnold's expedition marched up the Kennebec, in the Fall of 1775, three of Capt. Lane's Indians went as guides. Encos or Eneas and Sebatis went with a Mr. Jaquith on a secret errand, in advance with letters to friends of our cause in Canada and were successful, meeting the expedition on their return. The expedition, which consisted of about eleven, hundred men, left Fort Halifax, Sept. 27th, and started oil their march to Quebec with Sewan- ockett for their guides. In the Dead River region nearly one-third gave tip in despair and returned to Cambridge. Arnold abandoned his batteaux and forced his way through the forests and swamps. The guides could not lead them out of the wilderness. They suspected treachery but became convinced the guides had lost their way. For thirty-two days no signs of human life met their eyes. The men suffered dreadfully from hunger and cold. On Nov. 3 they reached the first Canadian settlement oil the river Chaudiere, and Point Levi, opposite Quebec, Nov. 9th. In 1818, Sowanockett applied for a pension and said that he was then ninety-five years of age and had always been friendly to the whites, that he served in Capt. Lane's Co. and also in the Quebec expedition remaining with the army until the assault oil the city, being honorably discharged ill the middle of January, 1776. In 1779, he volunteered in the Bagaduce expedi- tion and stated that (luring the war lie was in several skirmishes when several of his tribe were killed. In 1786, Massachusetts attempted to get some of the Penobscots' land from them and at the conference a chief stated that the tribe had been at Oldtown island 500 years and then that 350 blankets would give each the tribe one. When an agent presented them a paper to sign relinquishing their lands they answered "We don't know anything about writing. All we know, we mean to have a right heart and a right tongue." The agents w unsuccessful. In 1796, the tribe gave up their claim to land on both sides of the river from Nichol's rock, in Eddington, the head of the tide, thirty miles up, reserving their islands in the river. This was done for a consideration. This land consisted of 189,426 acres and it was laid out into nine townships. By another treaty, in 1818, with Massachusetts, the tribe conveyed to that state all the :remainder of their lands except the islands and four townships in consideration of a yearly annuity in goods worth about $1.50(. Maine at the separation from Massachusetts agreed to fulfill the obligations of the treaty, and, in 1833, purchased their remaining townships for fifty thousand dollars. The Penobscots were the Tarratines and anciently owned all the terri- tory watered by the Penobscot River In 1625, the tribe were said to have numbered about eight thousand. In 1669, they were subdued by the Mo- hawks. Their lands have been encroached upon by the land grabber until all that remains to them are islands in the Penobscot river including Old- town island and all above it and attempts have been made to get those. The state holds a fund of theirs amounting to nearly seventy-four thousand dollars for which they are paid six per cent interest, which with their shore rents, of about three thousand dollars, with the appropriations from the state, leaves them in comfortable circumstances, much more so than the Passarna- quoddys whose lands did not prove as valuable. Of chief Orono Williamson said that he "was white in part" and "Orono had not the copper colored countenance, the sparkling eye, the high check bones or tawny features of a pristine native. Oil the contrary, his eyes were of a bright blue shade, penetrating and full of intelligence and benignity. In his person lie was tall, straight and perfectly proportioned; and iii, his gait there was a gracefulness which of itself evinecd superiority. He was honest, chaste, temperate and industrious. To a remarkable degree he retained his mental faculties and erect attitude to the last years of his life. As he was always abstemious and as his hair was in his last years of a milky whiteness, he resembled in appearance a cloistered saint." His wife, who was a full blooded native, died several years after him. Orono died, Feb. 5, 1801, aged 112 years. "For whiter Indians, to our shame we see, Are not so virtuous nor humane as lie. Disdaining all the savage modes of life, The tomahawk and bloody scalping knife, He sought to civilize his tawny race, Till death, great Nimrod of the human race, Hit on his track, and gave this hunter chase. His belt and wampum now aside lie flung, His pipe extinguished and his how unstrung. When countless moons their destined rounds shall cease, He'll spend ail endless calumet of peace." The Penobscot tribe choose a governor, lieutenant governor and a dele- gate to the Legislature, to conduct their business. The state appoints an agent who has charge of their affairs and reports to the Legislature. The tribe have lived peaceably with their neighbors since the Revolution. They were never what could be called savage Indians and the white mail has been much to blame whenever they have acted in that role. Our forefathers pledged their word with the Indian tribes of our state for peace, when war meant the destruction of their homes. They promised them protection in their lands, and they have but little to show for it today. The State and the Indians have suffered together in regard to their lands from the avarice of the white men but now there is no hope for either to recover them. History can only record the facts. Our ancestors promised little to the Indian considering what peace was worth to them. The Indians were faithful through the Revolution, when they had easy access to the enemy, now let us be faithful to them. The state should keep its trust with them as they did with us, and insist that they must always be honestly dealt with. They are not as we are, they are a different people, and we can afford to be patient with them and take no advantage of their weaknesses. "'The sum of Indian happiness!- A wigwam, when the warm sunshine Looks in among the groves of pine,- A stream where, round the light canoe, The trout and salmon-dart in view, And the fair girl, before thee now, Spreading thy mat with hand of snow, Or plying, in the dews of morn, Her hoe amidst thy patch of corn Or offering up, at eve, to thee, Thy birchen dish of liontiny!" Andrew Gilman, the Penobscots' interpreter, seems to have been a man who had the respect and confidence of both the white mail and the Indian. The following appointment shows in what estimation he was held at that time. The commission was given him while lie was at Cambridge, as inter- preter for the Penobscot chiefs. "To Andrew Gilman, Gentleman: "We entertaining a good opinion of your prudence, courage, and good conduct, do ' appoint, and you the said Andrew Gilman are hereby appointed to the honorary title of Lieutenant; and you are to be considered of that rank not only among the good people of this Province, but among all friends and brethren through the Continent; and we confide in your readiness to promote the common cause of America among our good brothers, the Indians of the several tribes which you may have an opportunity to be acquainted with, as well as with the inhabitants of the Province of Canada. "By order of the Congress. "Watertown, June 25, 1775." Lieut. Gilman was ordered by the President of the Congress to use his efforts to cultivate a friendly feeling with the Indians of St. Francois and the Canada Indians, and told him that he should receive a proper reward. When he was at Falmouth Neck with the Penobscot chiefs on their way to Cam- bridge, in 1775, Enoch Freeman said of him, "One Mr. Gilman is their inter- preter who speaks their tongue freely and seems to be a clever young man." He is noticed as being on guard at Penobscot with ten Indians, Sept. 12th, 1776. The following roll is of a company of Indians under the command of Lieut. Gilman in the Bagaduce Expedition of 1779. They were probably all Penobscots. They were actively engaged and from a soldier's diary we learn that one was killed July 25th, another Aug. 5th, when another was taken prisoner and probably there were others. This roll is a novelty in our Revo- lutionary history and service to remind us of the Indians' service in that war. "Pay Roll for a number of Indians for their services at Penobscot on the late expedition tinder command of Lieut. Andrew Gilman, made agreeable to a Resolve of the Gen'l Court of the 17th, Sept. 1779." Andrew Gilman, Lieut., June 29th to Aug. 21st. John Nepton, July 15th to Aug. 21. French Mesor " " Soviss Molly " " Soviss Many " " Soviss Piece " " Soctoner " " Solomses " " Poriss " " Natlanis " " Matignois " " Little Sabatis " " Jam Holet " " Joseph Eneas " " Sabatis " " Lonsor 23 days Fransway 10 days Leard Osioro 33 days Pernewett 10 days Sacotiar 20 days Peal Tocwaso 20 days Wine Meesor 10 days Francis Moxes, 10 days Pearl Sock 10 days Elqr Osson 5 days Orono 5 days Atlean 3 days Sowanockeg 10 days Pearl Nicholah 6 days Obogan Joseph Cook 10 days Tomases 5 days Leeve 5 days Shannot 5 days Francis Joseph 5 days Sebatis Junr 10 days Cawquish Atlianis Junr 6 days Lewey Venison 15 days Saocmiek 6 days Che Osson 3 days The Indians were paid 14 shillings per day. Boston, Oct. 4, 1779. "Suffold Ss. Personally appeared Lt. Andrew Gilman (the subscriber to this Roll) and made Oath that the same is just and true according to the best of his knowledge. Before Jonathan Metcalf, Justice of Peace." Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 37, Page 145. A monument to the memory of the Revolutionary Soldiers of the Penobscot tribe of Indians has been erected on Indian Island, Old Town, Maine, by the Bangor Chapter, D. A. R., which bears- the following inscription: In honor of the Indian Patriots of the Penobscot and other tribes of Maine for their loyal service during the Revolutionary War. Erected by the Maine Daughters of the American Revolution This monument was dedicated with appropriate exercises by the Maine State Council, D. A. R., June 7, 1912. Courtesy of Tina Vickery and the Androscoggin Historical Society (c)1998 * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents.
* * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.