FOUNDERS OF FORT NO. 4, CHARLESTOWN, NH From: Farns10th@aol.com - Janice Farnsworth Official Correspondence concerning the capture of the Johnson Family from Fort 4 Source: Fort No. 4, Charlestown, New Hampshire  History by Rev. Henry H. Saunderson               Despatch from Captain Phineas Stevens to Colonel Hins- dale.   Charlestown, New Hampshire, August 30, l754 Sir: This morning a party of Indians have been in the house of (Capt) James Johnson, and have carried off himself, his wife, and three children and a daughter of Lieut. Moses Willard (of abt l4 or l5 yrs of age).  The said Johnson's wife was then with child and within a few days of her time.  They have also taken Ebenezer Farnsworth who lived in the house (Johnson) and Peter Labaree who went to Johnson's on some business.  Aaron Hosmer was with there also but made his escape.  I have been to the house since and find that all the people are gone off Eight persons.  (a sorrowful account to give in time of peace)  Which is all at present.  From, Your humble servant Phineas Stevens. Letter from Major Benjamin Bellows to Colonel Blanchard: Sir: We have news from Charlestown that on Thursday morning the 29th of this instant, the Indians came to the house of James Johnson and broke in and took said Johnson, his wife and three children, and a maid, and one Ebenezer Farnsworth and Labaree and they suppose they have carr- ied them all off.  They have not found any of them kill- ed.  The people are in great distress all down the river and at Keene and at Swanzey and the few men sent, will not more than supply one town and the people cannot secure their grain nor hardly keep their garrison, etc. Benjamin Bellows Westmoreland, Aug. 3l, l754 P.S. I have got no further than Westmoreland when I wrote this and got all the men safe there. Letter from Lieut. Colonel Josiah Willard to Colonel Blanchard       Winchester, Aug. 3l, l754 Sir: This day I received the melancholy tidings of a family being captured by the Indians at Charlestown, the circ- umstances whereof you will find in the copy of Captain Stevens leter to Colonel Hinsdale, which is enclosed in a letter to his Excellency Governor Wentworth which, I beg the favor of you to convey as speedily as can be. After you have informed yourself of the news contained in it, so try to help a poor distressed people for almost every man is upon the move in this part of the country. I have had no sleep this three nights and now have nine families stopped at my house. We have persuaded the bigger part of the people to tarry a little while and see if we can have some help, but the old leaven of the Mass'tts and Mr. Walkers turning the world up-side-down in so little a time is discouraging to many of our people.  They hear every day that there is no help to be had from the Mass'tts.  I had a hard task to keep Fort Dummer with six or seven men and have not completed a good garrison round my own house, but hope to have it done soon etc.   Josiah Willard. Extract from a letter from Colonel Blanchard to Governor Wentworth: Dunstable Sunday 5 o'clock P.M. l754 May it please your Excellency, Four o'clock this afternoon I received a letter per ex- press from Major Bellows, wherof the enclosed is a copy (see above letter) I tho't it necessary to give your excellency the earliest account.  I have no other advice than the letter.  A post is already gone to Captain Goffe and all the frontier inhabitants up this river with this advice as well as to be cautious. I have account I think may be depended on of the dis- covery of a party of Indians up this river (the Merri- mac) of the same day of this attack on Charlestown. This per post, three o'clock, last Fryday morning, frequently heard shots last week at several distant places, it seems they are sporting themselves a present greatly to our disadvantage.  I hope there will be a spirit of proper resentment raised in the assembly.  There must be a frontier and if the present one is drove in we must have one much more difficult to defend or a great many new settlements broke up etc.   Joseph Blanchard Letter from Ebenezer Hinsdale to Colonel Williams: Deerfield August 3l, l754 Sir: At this instant one of the clock this morning Dr. Field of Northfield brought me the following lines from Capt. Oliver Willard of Fort Dummer: viz.    Sir:  A Post has just now arrived from No 4 who in-    forms that the Indians came to Liet. James Johnson's    house, about the break of day this mornin, took him    his wife (Susanna) and four children with one Labar-    ee and Ebenezer Farnsworth; one Ausmore who was in the    house escaped.  None killed as we hear.    Your servant, Oliver Willard Dr. Field tells me the express from No. 4 informs, that the above mentioned Labaree who is near neighbor to Johnson had just entered his house when the Indians rushed in after him.  Osmour being in the chamber heard the Indians in the house and heard Johnson plead for Quarter. Said Osmour jumped out of the chamber met an Indian who attacked him with a knife.  He escaped the stroke.  The Indians called to him to come back but he kept on to Capt. Stevens at the fort.  There was no gun fired.  The express came immediately from Capt Stevens and they had not time to know whether Labaree's family and some others of their neighbors are taken or not. These in haste from your kinsman and very humble servant Ebenezer Hinsdale. ************************************************* * * * * 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.