massacre massacre beaver wars occurred warriors attacked surprise small settlement lower end morning august attack precipitated growing dissatisfaction increased french incursions territory encouraged settlers new_england way leverage power king william war attack destroyed substantial portion settlement fire killed captured numerous inhabitants historic sources varied widely estimates number killed background motivations attacked french native allies variety reasons related economic cultural circumstances cultural motives europeans french dutch english northeast developed fur trade natives including beaver desired 17th century dominance historian refers french takeover contributed erosion french native relations french mission natives required abandonment native tradition met resistance large numbers especially started arriving lawrence valley mission villages escape effects warfare including resented destroying traditional native society unable stop reluctantly accepted establishment mission order good relations french needed trade cultural invasion increased tensions factions relationship french strained long massacre french maintained relations tribes trade war alliances following end war raided native villages west pushing tribes west claimed hunting grounds right conquest kept inhabitants order encourage hunting result regularly raided trading parties western frontier french protection took following military confrontation negotiated peace treaty new france governor treaty stated free attack western indians french crown objected treaty replaced sympathetic native relations pay attention tensions attacked french willing accept constraints warfare related traditional enemies known mourning wars important cultural factor native warfare natives fought war avenge perceived committed people mourning wars means replace dead native community times war natives capture members native group adopt order rebuild society new diseases smallpox killed large numbers native people communities survivors motivated warfare order captives rebuild economic motives wanted war instead better share fur trade serve punishment attacks french fur fleets new france ordered expeditions territory expeditions burned villages destroyed winter corn supply addition invasion nation country destroyed approximately corn economy kind aggression served fuel retaliation come following decades uneasy peace britain france declared war despite treaty european forces agreed continental conflicts disrupt colonial peace neutrality war fought primarily new_england british new_york prompted local warriors attack new france settlements british preparing engage acts warfare inhabitants new france ill prepared defend indian attacks isolation farms villages quoted saying war save country miracle god attack rainy morning august warriors surprise launch nighttime raid settlement traveled saint lawrence river boat crossed lake saint louis landed south shore colonists slept invaders surrounded homes waited leader signal attack begin attacked homes breaking doors windows dragging colonists outside killed colonists village structures attackers set fire buildings waited settlers flee flames according article wielding weapons killed french took prisoners sources claim settlers soldiers lost lives massacre wanted avenge corn burned french unable reach food stores montreal kidnapped killed crop producers instead main departure point westward traveling fur traders provided extra motivation attack aftermath word attack spread survivors reached local garrison miles away notified soldiers events response attack french mobilized soldiers command daniel armed civilians soldiers nearby forts marched defended fleeing colonists prior reaching armed forces recalled order governor trying local inhabitants governor soldiers disposal montreal barracks overtaken forces decided follow diplomatic route numerous attacks sides followed fatal groups quickly realized attempts drive february french began peace negotiations french returned captured natives exchange beginnings peace talks major french native raids english peace talks continued time relative peace eventually led montreal treaty promised remain neutral case war french english following events recalled france matters unrelated massacre took governorship montreal october launched raids vengeance english colonists south style attacking winter months bias american historian write natives colonial historical narrative argues wars products fury mad ambition said waged wars extinction beaver growing dependence european goods resentment native culture argues dependent european goods needed items order survive research evidence support claims assumed natives culture inferior british american overlooked potential reasons attacks interpretation neglected explain waged war native groups view later dismissed interpretation events historian specializing north american native history suggests contemporary analyses continue demonstrate cultural bias criticizes historians citing growing dependence european goods according historians viewed superior goods reason dissatisfaction violence dismisses theory largely interpretation little evidence support dismisses hunt suggestion natives similar europeans waged wars economic reasons historical accounts according historian factors influencing course war peace region exclusive relations french french british crowns number factors provide context sources information victims new france writings jesuit priests state registry parishes quebec montreal letters written french incarnation writings accuracy sources reports vary instance town approximately deaths attributed missing names according canadian historian cruelty real threat constant terrible sources time represented feeling siege european accounts massacre come primary sources survivors attack catholic missionaries area initial reports inflated death toll significantly arrived total number dead examining catholic parish registers attack french catholic accounts attack recorded fifth superior montreal wrote history canada total victory unhappy band prisoners subjected rage vengeance inspire taken far victorious army shouted ninety times crossing indicate number prisoners taken saying tricked trick landed lit fires planted stakes ground burned children ate surviving prisoners massacre reported colleagues tortured burned eaten shortly taken captive survivors showed evidence ritual torture recounted experiences following attack french colonists retrieved english weapons left retreat island evidence english long standing hatred english colonists new_york demands revenge accounts attack recovered recounted oral histories french sources reported attackers killed written accounts attack french victims reports parents forced throw children burning fires exaggerated time ritual torture warfare honor bravery enemy warriors common practice native tribes time
Lachine massacre