The Deerfield Massacre: A Surprise Attack, a Forced March, and the Fight for Survival in Early America
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- Create Date：2024-02-26 13:22:02
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：James L. Swanson
- ISBN：1501108166
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Summary
In the tradition of the New York Times bestseller Empire of the Summer Moon comes a spellbinding account of a forgotten chapter in American the deadly confrontation between Native Americans and colonists in Massachusetts in 1704 and the tragic saga that unfolded， written by acclaimed historian James Swanson。
Once it was one of the most famous events in early American history。 Today， it has been nearly forgotten。
In an obscure， two-hundred-year-old museum in a little village in western Massachusetts， there lies what once was the most revered but now totally forgotten relic from the history of early New England—the massive， tomahawk-scarred door that came to symbolize the notorious Deerfield Massacre。 This impregnable barricade—known to early Americans as “The Old Indian Door”—constructed from double-thick planks of Massachusetts oak and studded with hand-wrought iron nails to repel the flailing tomahawk blades of several attacking native tribes， is the sole surviving artifact from the most dramatic moment in colonial American Leap Year， February 29， 1704， a cold， snowy night when hundreds of native Americans and their French allies swept down upon an isolated frontier outpost and ruthlessly slaughtered its inhabitants。
The sacking of Deerfield led to one of the greatest sagas of adventure， survival， sacrifice， family， honor， and faith ever told in North America。 112 survivors， including their fearless minister， the Reverand John Williams， were captured and led on a 300-mile forced march north， into enemy territory in Canada。 Any captive who faltered or became too weak to continue the journey—including Williams’s own wife and one of his children—fell under the knife or tomahawk。
Survivors of the march willed themselves to live and endured captivity。 Ransomed by the King of England’s royal governor of Massachusetts， the captives later returned home to Deerfield， rebuilt their town and， for the rest of their lives， told the incredible tale。 The memoir of Rev。 Williams， The Redeemed Captive ， became the first bestselling book in American history and published a few years after his liberation， it remains a literary classic。 The old Indian door is a touchstone that conjures up one of the most dramatic and inspiring stories of colonial America—and now， finally， this legendary event is brought to vivid life by popular historian James Swanson。
Once it was one of the most famous events in early American history。 Today， it has been nearly forgotten。
In an obscure， two-hundred-year-old museum in a little village in western Massachusetts， there lies what once was the most revered but now totally forgotten relic from the history of early New England—the massive， tomahawk-scarred door that came to symbolize the notorious Deerfield Massacre。 This impregnable barricade—known to early Americans as “The Old Indian Door”—constructed from double-thick planks of Massachusetts oak and studded with hand-wrought iron nails to repel the flailing tomahawk blades of several attacking native tribes， is the sole surviving artifact from the most dramatic moment in colonial American Leap Year， February 29， 1704， a cold， snowy night when hundreds of native Americans and their French allies swept down upon an isolated frontier outpost and ruthlessly slaughtered its inhabitants。
The sacking of Deerfield led to one of the greatest sagas of adventure， survival， sacrifice， family， honor， and faith ever told in North America。 112 survivors， including their fearless minister， the Reverand John Williams， were captured and led on a 300-mile forced march north， into enemy territory in Canada。 Any captive who faltered or became too weak to continue the journey—including Williams’s own wife and one of his children—fell under the knife or tomahawk。
Survivors of the march willed themselves to live and endured captivity。 Ransomed by the King of England’s royal governor of Massachusetts， the captives later returned home to Deerfield， rebuilt their town and， for the rest of their lives， told the incredible tale。 The memoir of Rev。 Williams， The Redeemed Captive ， became the first bestselling book in American history and published a few years after his liberation， it remains a literary classic。 The old Indian door is a touchstone that conjures up one of the most dramatic and inspiring stories of colonial America—and now， finally， this legendary event is brought to vivid life by popular historian James Swanson。
Reviews
Elyssa
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While I had heard of the Deerfield Massacre， I didn't know much about it。 This was an informative and interesting book。 While I had heard of the Deerfield Massacre， I didn't know much about it。 This was an informative and interesting book。 。。。more
Cassy
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Who recommended this book to me: SBF '24， interest in Native American history， thrown off by the cover though Who recommended this book to me: SBF '24， interest in Native American history， thrown off by the cover though 。。。more
Maddy Blair
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As a new Massachusetts resident， I really enjoyed learning about a local historical event I had never heard of before。 I love reading about colonial America/the American Revolution so this time period already captures my interest。 The author does a good job of using primary sources in combination with storytelling to detail the events of the Deerfield Massacre。 I also enjoy how it’s highlighted what’s not know and acknowledges prejudices of the day and not ignoring and erasing them from history。 As a new Massachusetts resident， I really enjoyed learning about a local historical event I had never heard of before。 I love reading about colonial America/the American Revolution so this time period already captures my interest。 The author does a good job of using primary sources in combination with storytelling to detail the events of the Deerfield Massacre。 I also enjoy how it’s highlighted what’s not know and acknowledges prejudices of the day and not ignoring and erasing them from history。 The first half of the book discusses colonial Deerfield and the massacre/raid itself。 I think it does a great job of capturing the time period and the events。However， I was not expecting that nearly half the book was about the history of preserving the history of the event。 Ultimately， I did enjoy it and found the information cool as it’s not something I know a lot about。 However， I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first half of the book or find it as immersive。 The book does have me wanting to take a trip to Deerfield and see some sites and exhibits firsthand。 [Received an advance copy from NetGalley。 This opinion is my own。] 。。。more
book_bear
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A great book about a forgotten story in American history。 Very violent， as much of American history is。 I really enjoyed learning about the subject matter。
Dan
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My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Scribner for an advance copy of this history book about a horrific event that took place in early American history， what led to it， and the lives of those who survived。America is a violent place with a very violent history。 So much so that events that were pivotal at the time， written about， shared with friends， family and later generations are forgotten by the people not directly involved。 Another massacre， lynching， family killing， or mass act of v My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Scribner for an advance copy of this history book about a horrific event that took place in early American history， what led to it， and the lives of those who survived。America is a violent place with a very violent history。 So much so that events that were pivotal at the time， written about， shared with friends， family and later generations are forgotten by the people not directly involved。 Another massacre， lynching， family killing， or mass act of violence， will be talked about and forgotten again。 Even in New England where I live where plaques are prominent pointing out famous houses， battles， even sleeping quarters for famous generals， there are still many acts that have been lost in the march of history。 Deerfield， Massachusetts is a small town， not as well off as it once was， though many would question that。 Eleven houses are designated as National Historic Landmarks， a few kept as museums， as tourism is a economic necessity。 Inside one museum is a door， built to be very stout with marks from weapons， a totem of what happened that horrible day， and how that day became much worse for many involved。 James L。 Swanson， historian， and Edgar Award winning author， talks about a lost time in American history， and the survivors that made it in， The Deerfield Massacre: A Surprise Attack， a Forced March， and the Fight for Survival in Early America。Deerfield， Massachusetts is located in the western part of the state in the Connecticut River Valley， now known as Pioneer Valley。 Deerfield was an outpost colony in Colonial America， built in a very fertile area for crops， with many native tribes in the area。 While the ground was fertile the colonists were not。 Barter was an economic reality， and constant raids， added with bad harvests and winter weather made things tough for the people who lived there。 Regional wars were also quick to start and end， with the people of the town not knowing they were at war， finding out when people were attacked， farms burned， crops destroyed。 One of these wars was Queen Anne's War， which came to Deerfield in February of 1704。 A combined force of French advisors， trappers， and looters， working with a few native tribes attacked the town， breached the walls， burned the village， and took over a 100 prisoners。 And for these prisoners things would only get worse。 James L。 Swanson has a real gift for writing and giving readers an almost 'you are there' sense as they follow the narrative。 Swanson really captures the feeling of colonial times， the fear of starving， being killed while planting， or even being forgotten。 Books like this remind us of how little we know our history， and the horrible price paid by natives and colonists with reverberations that still affect us to this day。 Swanson educates readers with his writing， showing situations， explaining local history， and even throwing in a lot of facts and what seems like trivia， but again explain what is going on。 The book is balanced， it's not much in the way of bad natives， doing bad things， but explains the exploitation by governments of their people， and those they had to deal with。 One learns about the accepted use of ransoms， and how there was a whole literary style of writing called Indian Captive Narrative， which were almost the first memoirs， or probably true crime books of their day。 A very interesting history。 Recommended for American history fans， and for those who enjoy a very well-written historical narratives。 Swanson is very good at what he does， and creates word that can entertain as well as enlighten us about the things we have forgotten。 。。。more
Liz
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I have recently become more interested in American history， for what reason I’m not entirely sure but I’m really enjoying a lot of historical reading， both fiction and non fiction。 I was drawn to this as I’m from Massachusetts and honestly don’t know a lot about our pre-revolution history outside of the Salem area。 I don’t think I’d heard of the Deerfield massacre at all， and had never considered how the Pioneer valley really was the frontier back at this time。 This was a wonderfully researched I have recently become more interested in American history， for what reason I’m not entirely sure but I’m really enjoying a lot of historical reading， both fiction and non fiction。 I was drawn to this as I’m from Massachusetts and honestly don’t know a lot about our pre-revolution history outside of the Salem area。 I don’t think I’d heard of the Deerfield massacre at all， and had never considered how the Pioneer valley really was the frontier back at this time。 This was a wonderfully researched account of the events and politics that led to the raid on Deerfield and gives a good picture of what life was like at the end of the 17th century。 I will say the second half of the book got a little sluggish for me， but as I finished it I saw how the entire history of Deerfield was being wrapped into this story， including future efforts at preservation and bringing the Native narrative better into focus （instead just being the savage， inferior “red man” who was pushed to extinction）。 As a not-particularly-scholarly person， this was accessible， very informative， and enjoyable to read: it made me want to drive a couple hours out to Deerfield to explore， as I have been there before but never paid attention to the history！Note - I hope someone goes back over the text with a fine toothed comb before final publication， I noticed at least half a dozen small editing/grammatical errors like missing punctuation， missing articles and some words pushed together。 This was an electronic advance copy so hopefully that is not an issue in the final edition。 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this！ 。。。more
Marika
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Review to come。*I read an advance copy and was not compensated。
Patricia Ann
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