raid raid military engagement took place august queen anne war french warriors command descended small frontier community surprise attack people killed taken captive rapid militia muster gave chase skirmish later day french indian party killed prisoners escaped original target raiders expecting larger indian contingent french authorities planned engage series raids communities indian tribes participate expedition forced french reduce scope operation choose easier target raid costly french previous frontier raids like massachusetts province warned raiders advance background queen anne war war spanish succession called colonies broke sparked war tense frontier english colonies new_england colonies new france including canada french military officers marine defense force new france led parties indians settlements saint lawrence river south northern new_england included small communities northern massachusetts southern new_hampshire maine largest successful raid war occurred february led men principally indians raid frontier town band killed took prisoner returning canada difficult trek number prisoners died surviving captives adopted indian communities afterward massachusetts fortified frontier militia response raid launched raid retaliation massachusetts village subjected smaller scale raids originally target ambitious expedition planned governor general aftermath failed english siege port royal criticized french marine minister failing apply sufficient pressure new_england colonies concerned increasing tendency indians french influence engage illicit trade cutting new france economic activity decided address issues organizing major raid new_england intended larger scope raid plan force men attacks towns new_hampshire order maintain secrecy size target expedition forces points saint lawrence river descend lake rendezvous tribal parties main french party departed consisted men drawn canadian militia marine command party included number veterans raid accompanied bands band tribes depart montreal command additional come near quebec reports major expedition planned way indian traders albany new_york boston expedition targets known little prepare specific defenses party provincial militia sent response reports expedition difficulties elements expedition departed mid july quebec party ascended saint river died accident viewed bad indians turned montreal traveled men fell sick rest refused continue contemporaries thought ruse avoid conflict believed case reports reached english albany deliberately chosen abandon expedition join war new_england despite setbacks ordered press received reinforcements company reached lake found eastern indians willing participate expedition found consequently left band men limited options raiding targets places fortified chosen target reasons village layout known raids earlier raid years war particularly large houses location lent poorly defense houses fortified fast moving raiding party village alarm raised party arrived outside prepared begin raid sunday august joined point travels exiled war chief lived far received word expedition advance time responsibility defense divided local militia command simon house view entire village town defenses supplemented small man garrisons colonial troops overall command major turner raid raiders successfully past outer garrisons provincial militia spotted pre dawn light firing gun raise alarm ran village french indians noisy pursuit action quickly general raiders descended houses village colonial garrisons stationed home minister barred door attempt raiders raiders fired door wounding broke door slaughtered wife infant child colonial paralyzed fear begging mercy house baby thrown open window suffered injury number villagers escaped hiding discovered raiders captain preparing organize defense gunfire raiders passed door house killing instantly raiding continued sounds approaching militia companies reached raiders quickly lit town fire left accumulated prisoners reinforcements came neighboring communities far away salem mustered major turner command arrived party discovered raiders baggage camp miles village took packs captain company numbering pursued retreating raiders eventually strengthened militia engaged raiders furious rear guard action raiders fought militia killing action lost killed including brother wounded skirmish raiders abandoned prisoners got away village recorded people killed captured included escaped later skirmish aftermath raiders return canada difficult captives described suffered loss force baggage day caught hawk divided men share head largest meal days remained captivity indians years attempt journey supplies surrendered massachusetts authorities french accounts raid greatly exaggerated numbers involved claiming killed post raid skirmish involved english colonists raid costly french previous raids better massachusetts militia french suffered higher proportion casualties raid raid large scale attack french launched massachusetts war minor attacks occurred frontier wells massachusetts maine attacked substantial force port royal fell expedition included british marines british abandoned naval expedition quebec troop transports ran aground mouth lawrence significant loss life
Raid on Haverhill (1708)