Raid on Salmon Falls

Raid on Salmon Falls was a devastating frontier attack during King William's War, the North American theater of the Nine Years' War. Occurring on March 27, 1690, a combined force of French colonial troops from New France and warriors from the Wabanaki Confederacy assaulted the English settlement at Salmon Falls, New Hampshire, now part of Berwick, Maine. The successful raid resulted in significant casualties, the destruction of property, and the capture of numerous colonists, marking a severe blow to the northern frontier of New England.

Background

The raid was a direct consequence of the ongoing imperial conflict between France and England, known in Europe as the Nine Years' War. In North America, this conflict was called King William's War, characterized by brutal frontier warfare between New France and the northern English colonies, primarily the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Province of New Hampshire. The Wabanaki Confederacy, allied with the French under the influence of figures like Sébastien Rale, engaged in a campaign to push English settlers out of present-day Acadia and Maine. Previous attacks, such as the Siege of Pemaquid, had established a pattern of violence. The strategic goal was to disrupt English settlement and supply lines, with Salmon Falls, New Hampshire being a vulnerable target due to its location on the Salmon Falls River and its importance for lumber and provisions.

The raid

In the early morning of March 27, 1690, a force of approximately 250 to 300 men, commanded by the veteran French officer François Hertel de la Fresnière and including Abenaki warriors led by Chief Hopehood, launched a surprise attack. The settlement, defended by only about 30 to 40 militiamen, was quickly overwhelmed. The attackers systematically burned houses, barns, and mills, including the crucial sawmills on the Piscataqua River. Contemporary accounts, such as those recorded by Cotton Mather, describe the killing of roughly 34 settlers, with another 54 taken captive. The prisoners, including many women and children, were forced on a grueling march north toward New France, with some being distributed among Wabanaki Confederacy villages. The raiders also seized substantial plunder, including livestock and provisions, before withdrawing successfully with minimal losses.

Aftermath

The immediate aftermath saw the settlement at Salmon Falls, New Hampshire largely abandoned and destroyed, compounding the refugee crisis along the New England frontier. The raid directly influenced subsequent military actions in the war, notably providing motivation and additional manpower for the ambitious but ultimately failed English expedition against Quebec City later in 1690, led by Sir William Phips. The captives taken during the raid faced varied fates; some were eventually ransomed through diplomatic exchanges, while others assimilated into Wabanaki Confederacy or French communities in Canada. The attack was part of a wider wave of violence that year, which included the infamous Raid on Schenectady and continued pressure on outposts like Fort Loyal at Falmouth, Maine.

Legacy

The Raid on Salmon Falls is remembered as one of the most destructive events of King William's War, exemplifying the brutal nature of frontier conflict in early colonial America. It highlighted the effectiveness of the Franco-Wabanaki alliance and the vulnerability of isolated English settlements. The event is chronicled in key colonial histories, including those by Jeremy Belknap and Samuel Penhallow. It contributed to the prolonged period of insecurity in the region, which continued through subsequent conflicts like Queen Anne's War and Dummer's War. The site of the raid, near the modern town of Berwick, Maine, is marked by local historical remembrance, and the event remains a significant case study in the history of colonial warfare in New England and the ongoing struggle for control of Acadia.

Category:1690 in the Thirteen Colonies Category:King William's War Category:History of New Hampshire Category:History of Maine Category:Massacres in the United States Category:Pre-statehood history of New Hampshire Category:Conflicts in 1690 Category:1690 in North America