126 



the shade of a magnificent tree. The unpretentious mar- 

 ble bears this inscription. "Erected Aug. 1838." "On 

 this ground Capt. Thomas Lothrop and eighty-four men 

 under his command including eighteen teamsters from 

 Deerfield, conveying stores from that town to Hadley 

 were ambuscaded by about 700 Indians, and the Captain 

 and seventy-six men slain, Sept. 18, 1G75." The soldiers 

 who fell were described by a cotemporary historian as a 

 "choice company of young men, the very flower of the 

 County of Essex, none of whom were ashamed to speak 

 with the enemy in the gate." 



"And Sanguinetto tells you where the dead made the 

 earth wet, and turned the unwilling waters red." 



I am sure you will pardon me if I quote the opening and 

 the closing paragraphs of the address of the silver tongued 

 orator of Massachusetts on this occasion. 



"Gathered together in this temple not made with hands, 

 to commemorate an important event in the early history of 

 the country, let our first thoughts ascend to Him whose 

 heavens are spread out as a glorious canopy above our 

 heads. As our eyes look up to the everlasting hills which 

 rise before us, let us remember that in those dark and 

 eventful days, the hand that lifted these eternal pillars to 

 the clouds was the sole stay and support of our afflicted 

 sires. On this sacred spot where they poured out their 

 life blood in defence of that heritage which has de- 

 scended to us, we this day solemnly bring our tribute of 

 gratitude. 



Ages shall pass away, the stately tree which over- 

 shadows us all shall wither and fall, and we who are now 

 gathered beneath it shall mingle with the honored dust we 

 eulogize, but "the flower of Essex" shall bloom in undying 

 remembrance ; and with every century, these rites of 

 commemoration shall be repeated as the lapse of time 

 shall continually develop in richer abundance the fruits of 

 what was done and suffered by our fathers.'' 



James S. Grinnell. 



