Battle of Norridgewock facts for kids

The Battle of Norridgewock was a surprise attack on the Abenaki village of Norridgewock. This attack was carried out by colonial soldiers from the New England Colonies. It happened in an area that both the Abenaki and the colonists wanted to control.

The attack led to many Abenaki villagers being killed by the soldiers. The main goals of the raid were to reduce the Abenaki's power and to stop French influence among them. It also aimed to open up Abenaki lands for new English settlements. The French believed this land started at the Kennebec River in southern Maine.

Another reason for the raid was a special reward. The government of Massachusetts offered £100 for the head of a French priest named Father Sébastien Râle. They also offered rewards for other Abenaki people during the conflict.

About 200 New England soldiers attacked the village. Captains Johnson Harmon, Jeremiah Moulton, and Richard Bourne led them. The village, also known as Narantsouak, was on the Kennebec River. Today, the town of Norridgewock, Maine is nearby. Important Abenaki leaders like Bomazeen and Welákwansit (also called Mog) lived there. A French Jesuit priest, Father Sébastien Râle, ran the village's Catholic church.

Reports on the number of people killed vary. Most accounts say about 80 Abenaki people died. Both English and French reports agree it was a surprise night attack on a village. They also say many of those killed were unarmed, including women and children. After the raid, many New Englanders moved into the lower Kennebec area. They built new settlements there after the war.

Why the Battle Happened

A monument honoring Father Sébastien Râle at the Norridgewock battle site in Madison, Maine.

The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 ended a war called Queen Anne's War. This treaty allowed New England settlements to grow. However, the treaty was signed in Europe. No members of the Wabanaki people were involved in the discussions.

Because they weren't asked, the Wabanaki protested. They raided British fishing boats and settlements. For the first time, the Wabanaki fought the New Englanders and British mainly for their own reasons. They were not just defending French interests.

To respond to the Wabanaki's actions, the Governor of Nova Scotia, Richard Phillips, built a fort. This fort was in traditional Mi'kmaq territory at Canso, Nova Scotia in 1720. The Massachusetts Governor, Samuel Shute, also built forts. These were on traditional Abenaki land at the mouth of the Kennebec River.

The French also claimed this land. They built a church in the Abenaki village of Norridgewock on the Kennebec River. They also built a church in the Maliseet village of Medoctec on the Saint John River. These forts and churches made the conflict worse. By 1720, Massachusetts had offered a reward for Father Râle.

In the winter of 1722, New England soldiers tried to capture Râle at Norridgewock. He escaped, but the soldiers destroyed the church and mission house. In revenge, the Mi'kmaq attacked the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, John Doucett, in May 1722 at Annapolis Royal.

On June 13, 1722, in what is now Maine, the Abenaki and their allies burned Brunswick. They took people hostage to exchange for their own people held in Boston. Because of this, Governor Shute declared war on the "eastern Indians" on July 25.

However, on January 1, 1723, Shute suddenly left for London. He was frustrated with the government. The Assembly and the Governor's Council argued over who should manage the war. Lieutenant-governor William Dummer then took charge. More Abenaki attacks convinced the Assembly to act. This conflict became known as Dummer's War.

The Attack on Norridgewock

In August 1724, a group of 208 soldiers set out. They were led by Captains Johnson Harmon and Jeremiah Moulton. They left Fort Richmond (now Richmond, Maine) in 17 whaleboats. They traveled up the Kennebec River.

At Taconic Falls (now Winslow, Maine), 40 men stayed behind to guard the boats. The rest of the soldiers continued on foot. On August 21, the soldiers killed Chief Bomoseen. They also badly wounded his daughter and captured his wife.

On August 22, 1724, Captains Jeremiah Moulton and Johnson Harmon led 200 soldiers. Their goal was to reach the main Abenaki village on the Kennebec River, Norridgewock, Maine. They wanted to kill Father Sébastien Râle and destroy the village.

On August 23, there were 160 Abenaki people in the village. Many were killed as they tried to escape. The soldiers fired at canoes filled with families. Harmon reported that at least 50 bodies floated downstream before the soldiers could get them.

About 31 Abenaki people chose to fight. This allowed others to escape. Most of these defenders were killed. Lieutenant Richard Jacques killed Father Râle at the start of the battle. Chief Mog was also killed. The soldiers killed nearly two dozen women and children.

The English soldiers had few losses, with two militiamen and one Nauset person killed. Harmon destroyed the Abenaki farms. Those who escaped had to leave their village. They moved north to the Abenaki village of St Francois (Odanak, Quebec). Many of the Abenaki were defeated. Twenty-six warriors died, and 14 were wounded. Chief Wissememet was also killed.

The French and Abenaki people said that Father Râle died like a "martyr". They said he died at the foot of a large cross in the village square. He supposedly drew the soldiers' attention to himself to save his people. The English soldiers said he was shot in a cabin while reloading his flintlock gun.

A Mohawk person named Christian, who was with the soldiers, returned after they left. He set the village and church on fire.

What Happened Next

About 150 Abenaki people survived the attack. They returned to bury those who had died. Then, they left Norridgewock for St. Francis and Becancour, Quebec. Some of them later came back to the area.

Father Râle was buried under the altar where he had led church services. In 1833, Bishop Benedict Joseph Fenwick dedicated a monument. It was an 11-foot tall obelisk built by donations. It stands over Râle's grave at what is now St. Sebastian's Cemetery in Madison, Maine.