This is a transcription of the Walpole, NH addition from A Gazetteer of New Hampshire Containing Descriptions of all the Counties, Towns and Districts in the State by John Hayward, John P. Jewett (publisher), Boston, 1849.
WALPOLE ADDITION
NOTE 20. WALPOLE.–“In the spring of 1755, an Indian by the name of Philip, who had acquired just English enough to be understood, came into the town of Walpole, and visited the house of Mr. Kilburn, pretending to be on a hunting excursion in want of provisions. He was treated with kindness and furnished with everything he wanted, such as flints, flour, &c. Soon after he was gone, it was ascertained that the same Indian had visited all the settlements on Connecticut River, about the same time and with the same plausible pretensions of hunting. Kilburn had already learned a little of the Indian finesse, and suspected, as it proved, that this Philip was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Not long after the following intelligence was communicated to all the forts by a friendly Indian, sent by General Shirley from Albany. He stated that four or five hundred Indians were collected in Canada, whose object it was to butcher the whole white population on Connecticut River. Judge, then, of the feelings of a few white settlers, when they learned the impending danger! To desert their soil, cattle, and crops of grain, would be leaving their all, and to contend with the countless savages of the Canadian regions was a hopeless resort. But accustomed to all the hardships and dangers of life, they boldly resolved to defend themselves, or die in the cause. Kilburn and his men now strengthened their defense with such fortifications as their rude implements would allow, which consisted in surrounding their habitations with a palisado of stakes, stuck into the ground.
“Col. Benjamin Bellows had at this time about thirty men under his command, at the fort, about a mile south of Kilburn’s house; but this could afford Kilburn no protection while attending to his cattle and crops.
“They were now daily expecting the appearance of the Indians, but the time of their attack no one could foresee or prevent. As Kilburn and his son John, in his eighteenth year, a man by the name of Peak, and his son, were returning home from work about noon, August 17, 1755, one of them discovered the red legs of the Indians among the alders, ‘as thick as grasshoppers.’ They instantly made for the house, fastened the door, and began to make preparations for an obstinate defense. Besides these four men, there were in the house Kilburn’s wife, and his daughter Hitty, who contributed not a little to encourage and assist their companions, as well as to keep a watch upon the movements of the enemy. In about fifteen minutes the Indians were seen crawling up the bank east of the house; and as they crossed a foot-path one by one, one hundred and ninety-seven were counted; about the same number remained in ambush near the mouth of Cold River.
“The Indians had learned that Colonel Benjamin Bellows with his men were at work at his mill, about a mile east, and that it would be best to waylay and secure them, before disturbing those who had taken refuge in the loghouse. Bellows and his men, about thirty, were returning home, with each a bag of meal on his back, when their dogs began to growl, and betray symptoms of an enemy’s approach. He well knew the language of his dogs, and the native intrigue of the Indians. Nor was he at a loss in forming his opinion of their intention to ambush his path, and conducted himself accordingly. He ordered all his men to throw off the meal, advance to the rise, carefully crawl up the bank, spring upon their feet, give one whoop, and instantly drop into the sweet fern. This manoeuvre had the desired effect; for as soon as the whoop was given, the Indians all arose from their ambush in a semi-circle around the path Bellows was to follow.
“This gave his men a fine chance for a shot, which they improved instantly. The first shot so disconcerted the plans and expectations of the Indians, that they darted away into the bushes without firing a gun. Bellows finding their number too numerous for him, ordered his men to file off to the south, and make for the fort. The Indians next made their appearance on the eminence east of Kilburn’s house, where the same Philip, who had visited him the summer before, came forward, and sheltering himself behind a tree, called out to those in the house to surrender. ‘Old John, young John,’ says he, ‘I know you; come out here–we give ye good quarter.’ ‘Quarter!’ vociferated old Kilburn, with a voice of thunder that rung through every Indian heart, and every hill and valley, ‘you black rascals, begone, or we’ll quarter you!’
“Philip then returned to his companions, and, after a few minutes’ consultation; the war-whoop commenced. Kilburn got the first fire, before the smoke of the enemy’s guns obstructed his aim, and was confident he saw an Indian fall, which, from his extraordinary size and other appearances, must have been Philip. The Indians rushed forward to the work of destruction, and probably not less than four hundred bullets were lodged in Kilburn’s house at the first fire. The roof was a perfect ‘riddle sieve.’ Some of them fell to butchering the cattle, others were busily employed in wantonly destroying the hay and grain, while a shower of bullets kept up a continual pelting against the house. Meanwhile Kilburn and his men were by no means idle. Their powder was already poured into hats, for the convenience of loading in a hurry, and every thing prepared for a spirited defense or glorious death. They had several guns in the house, which were kept hot by incessant firing through the port holes, and as they had no ammunition to spare, each one took special aim to have every bullet tell. The women assisted in loading the guns, and when their stock of lead grew short, they had the forethought to suspend blankets in the roof of the house, to catch the enemy’s balls, which were immediately run into bullets by them, and sent back to the savages with equal velocity. Several attempts were made to burst open the doors, but the bullets within scattered death with such profusion, that they were soon compelled to desist from the rash undertaking. Most of the time the Indians endeavored to keep behind stumps, logs, and trees, which evidently evinced that they were not insensible to the unceremonious visits of Kilburn’s bullets.
“All the afternoon, one incessant firing was kept up, till nearly sundown, when the Indians began to disappear, and as the sun sunk behind the western hills, the sound of the guns and the cry of the war-whoop died away in silence. This day’s rencounter proved an effectual check to the expedition of the Indians, and induced them immediately to return to Canada; and it is within the bounds of reason to conclude, that this matchless defense was instrumental in rescuing hundreds of our fellow-citizens from the horrors of an Indian massacre.”