avages upon whom
his gospel message had made a deep impression. Quite naturally,
therefore, the men of Pocumtuck were not disquieted by news of Indian
troubles. With the natives about them they had lived on peaceful terms
for many years, and it was almost impossible for them to believe that
they would ever come to shudder at the mere presence of redskins. Yet
history tells us, and Deerfield to-day bears witness to the fact, that
no town in all the colonies suffered more at the hands of the Indians
than did this peaceful village in Western Massachusetts.

In 1702 King William died, and "good" Queen Anne reigned in his stead.
Following closely upon the latter event came another war between France
and England, a conflict which, as in the reign of William and Mary,
renewed the hostilities between the French and English colonies in
America. At an early date, accordingly, the settlement of Deerfield
discovered that it was to be attacked by the French. At once measures
were taken to strengthen the fortifications of the town, and to prepare,
so far as possible, for the dreaded event.

The blow fell on the night of the twenty-ninth of February, 1704, when
Major Hertel de Rouville, with upwards of three hundred and forty French
and Indians, arrived at a pine bluff overlooking Deerfield meadow, about
two miles north of the village--a locality now known as Petty's Plain.
Here he halted, to await the appropriate hour for an attack, and it was
not until early morning that, leaving their packs upon the spot, his men
started forward for their terrible work of destruction. Rouville took
great pains not to alarm the sentinels in his approach, but the
precaution was unnecessary, as the watch were unfaithful, and had
retired to rest. Arriving at the fortifications, he found the snow
drifted nearly to the top of the palisades, and his entire party entered
the place undiscovered, while the whole population were in profound
sleep. Quietly distributing themselves in parties, they broke in the
doors of the houses, dragged out the astonished inhabitants, killed such
as resisted, and took prisoner the majority of the remainder, only a few
escaping from their hands into the woods.

[Illustration: WILLIAMS HOUSE, DEERFIELD, MASS.]

The house of Reverend John Williams was assaulted at the beginning of
the attack. Awakened from sleep, Mr. Williams leaped from his bed, and
running to the door found the enemy entering. Calling to two soldiers
who l