EARLY FAMILIES OF CHARLESTOWN, NH
From:	Janice Farnsworth (Farns10th@AOL.COM)

Surname: Captivity of Susannah JOHNSON (Part 2 of 3)
Source:  History of Charlestown, NH, The Old No. 4,
     by Rev. Henry Saunderson printed by the Claremont Mfg.
        Co., Claremont, NH 1876

p.449
In the morning the prisoners were aroused before sunrise
and given water gruel for breakfast when they were again
compelled to start on their journey.  But they had not
travelled over an hour before Mrs. Johnson who before her
capture was in daily expectation of being confined, was
taken with the pains of childbirth.  This becoming known
to the Indians, they signified that the party must pass 
on to a brook. The spot at which this was reached lies
within the present limits of Cavendish.  Here on a flat
rock elevated a little above the bed of the stream, at
about ten o'clock in the morning a daughter was born who
was subsequently named Elizabeth Captive Johnson, and
during that day the sad and weary mother was permitted
to rest.  But early the next morning after a scanty break-
fast of meal and water the prisoners were summoned to 
proceed.  Mrs. Johnson was laid on a litter which the
Indians had prepared, which was borne by Mr. Johnson,
Labaree and Farnsworth; while Miriam Willard and little
Sylvanus Johnson were put upon Scoggin, and the two little
girls were carried on their masters' backs.  In this way
they proceeded about two miles when the men who carried
the litter grew so faint that they found it impossible
to proceed any further.  This the Indians perceiving,
a general halt was called, while they should take
counsel what it would be best to do.  After a brief
consultation the Indian who claimed Mrs. Johnson made
signs to her husband that if she could ride on the horse
she could proceed, otherwise she must be left behind.

Of course she preferred an attempt to ride to the un-
certainty of perishing miserably and alone.  But so weak
was she and faint that every step of the horse almost
deprived her of life.  She rode an hour in this way when
she had to be taken off and laid on the ground for the
purpose of resting and recruiting her strength - and
this had to be done every hour or, every little while.
In this way her life was preserved for another day which
brought them to the head of Black River Pond where they
encamped for the night.

The next morning was foggy and cold, but after partaking
of a little meal and water they were compelled again to
pursue their journey.  All the prisoners by this time
were so exhausted with fatigue and bowed down with grief
that they felt little disposition to talk and so moved
on in silence.  Their course lay througha difficult
region lying sometimes in miry levels, at others over
steep and broken hills.  Their fifth day's journey there
fore became an unvaried scene of toil and fatigue.  In
addition to this, their provisions had failed and the two 
or three hunting parties which the Indians sent out re-
turned without any game.  All became seriously alarmed.
They halted a little before night, having reached the
height of land where the waters run into Lake Champlain
and the Indians by the aid of punk which they carried in
their horns, kindled a fire, after which a plan was soon
adopted for relieving their hunger.  Old Scoggin, the
horse that had served them so well was shot and the best
parts of him broiled and given to the prisoners.  "An
epicure, (says Mrs Johnson in her narrative), could not
have catered nicer slices, nor in that situatiion have
served them up with more neatness.  Appetite is said to 
be the best sauce; yet our abundance of it did not render
savory this novel steak." 

The children however ate so much that it afterwards made
them sick.  Broth from it flavored with roots was made
for Mrs. Johnson and little "Captive" (her newborn infant)
All ate enough to be refreshed and their spirits were
greatly revived.  But Mrs. Johnson as her mind anticipa-
ted the future, passed a most unhappy night.  By the aid
of poor old Scoggin, she had hitherto been enabled to
travel; but what was she to do now that he was gone?
Her weakness was such that to walk was impossible.  In
the midst of a wilderness, therefore, of a hundred miles
on every side in extent, what could there be for her but
inevitable death.

In the morning which commenced the 6th day from their
starting out, the Indians pounded up old Scoggin's marrow
bones and made a soup.  Every root that could be gather-
ed from the woods both sweet and bitter were thrown in
to give it flavor.  Each partook of as much as his feel-
ings would allow when the war whoop summoned them again
to march.  "My fate, says Mrs. Johnson, was unknown until
my master brought some bark and tied my petticoats as
high as he supposed would be convenient for walking and
ordered me to "munch" (march)  With scarce strength to
to stand alone, I went on half a mile with my little son
and three Indians.  The rest were advanced.  My power to
move then failed; the world grew dark and I dropped down.
I had sight enough to see an Indian lift his hatchet over
my head while my little son screamed, "Ma'am do, for
they will kill you."  As I fainted my last thought was
that I should presently be in the world of the spirits.
When I awoke my master was talking angrily with the 
savage who had threatened my life.  By his gesturesI
could learn that he charged him with not having acted the
honorable part of a warrior by an attempt to destroy the
prize of a brother.  A whoop was given for a halt.  My
master helped me to the rest of the company where a
council was held, the result of which was that my hus-
band should walk by my side and help me along.  This he
did for some hours.  But faintness then overpowered me
and Mr. Johnson's tenderness and solicitude were unequal
to the task of aiding me further.  Another council was
held.  While in debate as I lay on the ground gasping
for breath, my master sprung towards me with a hatchet.
My husband and fellow prisoners grew pale at the sight
suspecting that he by a single blow would rid themselves
of so great a burden as myself.  But his object was to
get bark from a tree to make a pack saddle for my con-
veyance on the back of my husband.   We moved on faint
and wearily till night.  The Indians then yelled their
war whoop, built a fire and hung over their horse broth.
After supper my booth was build as usual and I reposed
much better than I had the preceding night.

In the morning she found herself greatly refreshed.  
Nature had begun to provide a remedy for the weakness.
And after a breakfast of horse steak of which she par-
took with no little relish, the weary daily march was
again commenced and they soon arrived at a beaver pond
formed in a branch of the Otter Creek which they were
under the necessity of wading.    In attempting this,
Mrs. Johnson's strength failed and without ability to
move she stood motionless and stiffened in the middle of
the pond, which her husband perceivingfrom the opposite
shore, immediately went to her assistance and taking her
in his arms bore her safely to the other side, when the
whold company and the Indians with great humanity built
a fire for the purpose of warming her and restoring her
exhausted strength.  In two hours they were enabled again
to move on which they did uninterruptedly till about the
middle of the afternoon when they came to one of the
great branchesof Otter Creek.  This was very rapid and in
the view of Mrs. Johnson "passing dangerous."  But after
a little refreshment its passage was attempted and 
accomplished without any fatal accident, though Mr.
Labaree when about half way over was tripped up by the
rapidity of the stream and lost little "Captive" whom he
was carrying, into the water; but was fortunately able 
to gain his footing in season to reach a corner of the
blanket in which she was wrapped so that she was saved.
After they were all over the Creek, the Indians built
a fire at which Miriam Willard warmed the infant and
very carefully dried its clothing.

End Part 2 of 3

*************************************************
* * * * 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.