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Hatfield – September 19, 1677:
Indians attack fort, killing twelve and carrying off seventeen
women/children.
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Waite/Jennings
gather information and approvals for pursuit across other
jurisdictions
-
Waite obtains permission of
Massachusetts Bay Colony, while Jennings gains crucial information
from escaped captive, Benoni Stebbins
-
New York Colony permission is secured
with difficulty (British control of New York began only three years
earlier in 1664)
-
Waite/Jennings move with Indian scout
north into Wilderness
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Indian scout abandons Waite/Jennings at
Lake George, but provides map and canoe
-
After crossing Lake George by canoe,
Waite/Jennings find Lake Champlain frozen and begin walking, later
forced to backtrack for canoe upon discovery of open water
-
Waite/Jennings again encounter ice and
renew journey on foot at Grand Isle
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Blizzard nearly kills searchers on
January 2, 1678, but shelter is found
-
Waite/Jennings stagger into Fort
Chambly, January 6, 1678
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With French military escort,
Waite/Jennings find 18 captives still alive at wigwam in Sorel. Negotiations for
release begin
-
Governor Frontenac receives
Waite/Jennings and agrees to front them ransom to pay Indians for
releasing captives, as well as providing larger military escort to
insure safe passage back to Albany
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May 22, 1678: Waite/Jennings expedition
numbering over 30 (with French soldiers included) arrives
with great fanfare at Albany
-
Hatfield families send jubilant advance
party with horses to greet expedition at Kinderhook and bring them
back to Massachusetts
-
Stephen Jennings moves to Brookfield,
MA in 1690s and is killed while raking hay in
1710. Benjamin Waite dies in French/Indian massacre at Deerfield in
1704.
