Raid on Deerfield: The Many Stories of 1704

Dublin Core

Title

Raid on Deerfield: The Many Stories of 1704

Subject

Deerfield, MA, Native American History, Colonial History

Description

In the pre-dawn hours of February 29, 1704, a force of about 300 French and Native allies launched a daring raid on the English settlement of Deerfield, Massachusetts, situated in the Pocumtuck homeland. 112 Deerfield men, women, and children were captured and taken on a 300-mile forced march to Canada in harsh winter conditions. Some of the captives were later redeemed and returned to Deerfield, but one-third chose to remain among their French and Native captors.

Was this dramatic pre-dawn assault in contested lands an unprovoked, brutal attack on an innocent village of English settlers? Was it a justified military action against a stockaded settlement in a Native homeland? Or was it something else?

Explore this website and hear all sides of the story—then you decide.

Creator

Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association

Publisher

Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association

Date

2009-06-22

Rights

Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association

Language

eng

Coverage

Deerfield, MA

Website Item Type Metadata

Files

Collection

Citation

Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, "Raid on Deerfield: The Many Stories of 1704," in The Future of Teaching the Past, Item #25, http://chnm.gmu.edu/staff/sharon/workspace/OmekaEd/items/show/25 (accessed February 10, 2012).