Radio Script #958

Little Talks on Common Things
January 28, 1973

Last week I told you about some of the items in contemporary accounts of the Arnold Expedition of 1775, especially items that concerned Fort Halifax and the old Indian village at Norridgewock where Father Rasle was killed in 1724.

Today I want to conclude the account with a few more items. It was a private in Arnold’s Army, George Morison, probably one of the few privates who could read and write, whose journal was the source of the long-held suspicion that the poor construction of the Army’s bateaux was deliberate sabotage. Most historians now contend that Col.Colburn, who accepted George Washington’s contract to build the bateaux at his place in Pittston, a short distance below Gardiner, was too good a patriot to commit sabotage, but it is possible that some of his workmen were not so committed to the American cause. Anyhow this is what George Morison wrote in his diary account. ”We had a hard time up the rips above Ticonic Falls. Our bateaux were so badly constructed that in or out of them we were wet. Could we have come within reach of the villains who constructed these crazy things, they would have felt our vengeance. Many of the bateaux were little more than common rafts, and our provisions were greatly damaged. Avarice or a desire to destroy us, perhaps both, must have been their motives. Did they know they were committing a crime, that they were cheating their country? Those men could enjoy the sweets of domestic ease, talk about liberty and the rights of mankind, and give not a thought to us. May Heaven reward them according to their deeds.”

Another short, but pertinent account of the Army’s progress from Augusta to Norridgewock is found in the journal of Corporal Abner Stocking. Let’s now have a bit of that journal.

“September 25 – Early this morning we embarked from Fort Western and camped four miles below Fort Halifax. We experienced difficulty because of rapidity of the current and shoal water.”

“September 26 – Carried our bateaux and baggage around Ticonic Falls. The land carry is about forty rods. We then poled up the river about three miles.”

That gives us the definite information that the heavy bateaux were propelled by poles.

“September 29 – Arrived at Skowhegan Falls, our second carrying place. Though this was only 60 rods, it caused much delay and fatigue, because we had to surmount a rugged cliff a hundred feet high. We finally succeeded in dragging over the bateaux and baggage.”

“October 2 – Arrived at Norridgewock and encamped at a place formerly inhabitated by natives, and afterwards by French and Indians. The former had erected a Mass house for their devotions, but had deserted it when the New England forces made great slaughter among them in the French war. A few white inhabitants are now living here, who rendered us some assistance. The temple of worship contained some curiosities such as crosses. We lodged here for the night and were pleased with our accommodations.”

You will note that, unlike one of the accounts I quoted last week, Corporal Stocking says nothing about a priest’s grave, and he quite wrongly infers a number of French residents were at Norridgewock. He says it was at first an Indian village, then inhabited by both French and Indians, and that the resident French built the chapel. Probably Stocking never knew that the only French ever living at that village were lone missionaries and that when the village was destroyed in 1724, Father Sebastian Rasle, the Jesuit missionary, was the only Frenchman there. Long before the coming of Father Rasle, the Norridgewock Indians had been converted to Christianity by Rasle’s predecessor, Father Druillettes, also a Jesuit. So it was quite natural that the Norridgewock Indians form of Christianity had been Catholic.

Stocking ended his account of Norridgewock with these words: “We have now taken leave of the last inhabitants. The rest of our route will be through a trackless wilderness.”

Captain Simon Thayer, in his short journal, refers to a practice we would now call profiteering. “Arrived at Fort Halifax, a fort greatly resembling Fort Western. The river here is rapid and rocky. We encamped on the west side opposite the fort, for on that side is the carrying place around Ticonic Falls. This is the first carrying place we have encountered on the river. September 30 – came to Skowhegan Falls, our second carrying place. The carry is across a small island and then around the falls. Here a mill is being built, the worst constructed I ever saw. The people call this place Canaan. Canaan indeed! The land is good, the timber large and of various kinds such as pine, oak, hemlock and rock maple. The people here are courteous and breathe nothing but liberty. However, they sell their produce at exorbitant prices. It consists chiefly of salted moose and deer meat that had been dried like fish. They have salmon in such abundance that they ought to give them to us instead of charging a high price. The carrying place here is very difficult because of the height of land, and it is hard to get the heavy bateaux up the steep rocks.”

John Henry’s journal tells about an alleged Tory at Fort Halifax. He says, “On September 23 our party arrived at Fort Halifax. Here our Commander Steele was met by Captain Harrison, who invited us to his house.” That refers to the party of eight men, consisting of Steele and seven privates, whom Arnold had deputized as a scouting party to see if there were any enemy installations up the river. Henry’s diary continues: “This inhabitant’s invitation was gladly accepted, since accommodations at the fort, which consisted of blockhouses and a stockade in ruinous condition did not admit of much comfort. Besides, it was inhabited by a notorious Tory. Captain Harrison told us that when he came to this place thirty years ago, the common deer were abundant, but soon the moose appeared in such numbers that they left little forage for the deer, who consequently disappeared. The moose took over the forest.”

Henry continues: ”The next morning, accompanied by our host, we waited upon the Tory at the fort. We found to our surprise an honest man of independent principles. On good terms, he exchanged with us a barrel of smoked salmon for a barrel of pork.”

An added touch concerning the carries around falls is given in the journal of Private James Melvin. He says, ”We came to Norridgewock, where there is a mile carrying place. We had oxen to haul our bateaux and provisions over the carry. Here we were told we would take our leave of houses and settlements and would see no more of them, except Indian wigwams, until we came among the French in Canada.”

Another non-com who kept a diary on the expedition was Sgt. Caleb Haskell. He wrote: “Sept. 23 – We came up the Kennebec as far as Hallowell, where we landed with all our baggage three miles below Fort Western. Sept. 24 -Took my pack and walked to Fort Western, where we encamped on the ground. Several companies have no tents here. It is raining and very uncomfortable. Sept. 29 – Arrived at Fort Halifax below Ticonic Falls. Crossed the river and landed our bateaux at the foot of the falls. Then we carried over the carrying place, about 120 rods, a new sore of work as this was our first carry. Sept. 30 – Tedious time going up the rips above Ticonic Falls, obliged to wade, pushing and hauling the bateaux almost all the way. Oct. 3 – Carried our bateaux and baggage around Skowhegan Falls, and pushed on to Norridgewock.”

It is George Morison’s journal that gives us the common soldier’s impression of what they were up against. He wrote: “Sept. 26 – Sailed to the Kennebec to Fort Western. Here we were furnished with 220 bateaux to carry us and our provisions.” He continues: ”The Kennebec passes through the District of Maine. Its headwaters rise among mountains which border on Canada. From the Kennebec to the head of the Chaudiere, which empties into the St. Lawrence near Quebec, is said to be 110 miles through frightful wilds, crazy and almost impassable hills and mountains, obstructed by fallen trees, thickets and awful swamps. Sept. 27 – Carried our bateaux: and provisions around Ticonic Falls, and pushed up the river five miles. We had a hard time getting up the rips.”

Private Simon Forbes kept a very short diary, but long enough for him to tell US how he was impressed by the hard and unexpected carries. He said: “We moved up the Kennebec to Fort Halifax, where we found a fall that was impassable by water. We were compelled to carry boats and baggage around the falls. This was not our last hard job of carry. We found a harder and more tiring carry at Skowhegan Falls, and still another at Norridgewock. We left the last of English settlements and began our long, dreadful march into the wilderness.”

Several of the journals refer to an incident while the whole army was at Fort Western. One night a soldier got drunk and killed another man. Arnold ordered an immediate court martial. The man was condemned to death, but before execution could be carried out, Arnold changed his mine, and sent the man to Cambridge to be dealt with by General Washington. It would be interesting to know what finally happened to the fellow.

Well, there you have it – the int~te story of that part of Benedict Arnold’s ill-fated march to Quebec in 1775 which concerned that section of the Kennebec between Augusta and Norridgewock. Regardless of Arnold’s later treason and infamy, we folk of Central Maine may well remember that the first important event of the American Revolution to occur inside the borders of Maine touched the Kennebec area where we now live.

Year: 1973