| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Bookworm |
Posted - February 27 2004 : 9:05:22 PM
Just came across an article in today's NY Times about an exhibit at Historic Deerfield commemorating the 300th anniversary of the February 29, 1704 event known as the Deerfield Massacre: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/27/arts/design/27ANTI.html. The article mentions friendly interactions between the descendants of captives who married into their captors' tribes, and descendants of the families in Deerfield from whom the captives were taken -- reminds me of a similar observation (by Lone Wolf, I think) in another forum here on the board. According to the article, as of Sunday (2/29)there will also be a new website dealing with this event: www.1704.deerfield.history.museum. |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| alikws |
Posted - March 01 2004 : 4:46:25 PM
was there as well, weather was a gift, to the point that 2 blankets and a canvas was plenty for saturday night...
saturdays battle was a part of the meadow fight, where some english {churches company} attacked a group with captives leaving guerre-fille, who retreated to the wood line, and with the french, as an ambush, poured volley fire into the english and pushed them off the field... the english took hits well, and only a few were scalped...
other activities that day were some singing, some english food [pork & pear pie was different], and socialising... nice to see some rarely seen early accoutrements and tactics... and the public got a chance to see how close the french and indians were, and how.....english the english were...
a group from kanawake [sp??] did some social dancing [stomp dances &c]... a good time...
they wanted to join us in the battle, but schedule kept that from happening...
the townspeople loved us - a far cry from 300 years ago...
lots of pictures taken, none by me - they should appear on the website in the next weeks... |
| Bookworm |
Posted - February 29 2004 : 10:55:55 AM
Fascinating stuff, indeed!!! I just clicked on the 1704 Deerfield website (mentioned in the first post), and it's up and running as promised, and contains so much information, I hope I can find the time needed to do it justice. And, needless to say, to take Tim's advice and GO THERE!
I've read one book dealing with the raid and its aftermath, The Unredeemed Captive: A Family Story from Early America, by John Demos. It's the story of Eunice Williams, daughter of Deerfield's minister, who at the age of seven was taken captive in the raid and adopted by a Mohawk family who lived near MOntreal. She was not allowed to, then later refused to,return to her family in Massachusetts -- married a member of the MOhawk community, had a number of children, and lived to be 89! I thought the book was written in an oddly annoying style (odd combination of chatty and scholarly), but very informative nevertheless. |
| Tim Cordell |
Posted - February 29 2004 : 09:58:18 AM
I am just returned from Deerfield. Yesterday was the most beautiful day of this intense winter. I urge anyone interested early New England history to visit Historic Deerfield. "The Street" is filled with period houses and is surprisingly unspoiled by surrounding modern Mass. I checked in at Indian House and was instantly placed back in the late 17th century. French, Indian and New England participants were many and impressive. The Deerfield raid was so horrifying to New England that I believe that it helped in maintaining the tradition of the various alarm companies, training bands and "minute men" right up to Lexington Common. The embattled farmers of lore were in reality well prepared for defending their towns 71 years later. You can get a look at the early dress and accoutrements of the Deerfield period by clicking into Church's Company in:
the Harmon's Snowshoe Company site, http://www.snowshoemen.com/
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| Wilderness Woman |
Posted - February 28 2004 : 10:05:50 AM
Oh... man! I love this stuff! Fascinating! Thanks, Bookworm!
After getting to the article (a bit convoluted, but well worth it!), I was "forced" to do some more online looking about Deerfield and the raid. I found the official Historic Deerfield site, which I need to go back to and explore some more. But I noticed something that piqued (I remembered, Seamus!) my growing interest in 18th century ladies' fashion.
Go to the site at www.historic-deerfield.org and click on "18 Century Fashion Fantasy." Follow the links to watch a video about full-sized gowns on display that are made entirely of paper! The video isn't the best quality, but you can see enough to get a good idea of the display and how the gowns were made.
Now I'm off to do some more exploring and reading about the Deerfield Raid... |
| Bookworm |
Posted - February 27 2004 : 9:11:47 PM
Sorry, seems I typed the link to the Ny Times correctly but it still doesn't work. You can always go straight to the NY Times home page and do a quick search for "Deerfield," or wait until Sunday, when the museum's website will probably have much more information anyway. |
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