THE CHARLEMONT BUTTONWOOD 



"On Wednesday morning the nth of 

 June 1755, Captain Rice, his son Artemus 

 Rice, his grandson Asa Rice — a boy nine 

 years of age • — Titus King, Phineas Arms 

 and others, went into the meadow which 

 lies south of the present village road ... for 

 the purpose of hoeing corn. Captain Rice 

 was ploughing and the boy riding the horse. 

 The others were engaged in hoeing, except 

 one who acted as sentinel — passing through 

 the field . . . with musket in hand, while 

 the firearms of the others were placed against 

 a pile of logs near the western brook. . . . 

 Meanwhile a party of six Indians, as tra- 

 dition informs us, having carefully observed 

 their victims from the neighboring hill, stole 

 cautiously down the western brook; and 

 concealed by the thick brush-wood upon 

 its banks, watched till the working party 

 were . . . farthest from their firearms, when 

 they suddenly fired and rushed upon the 

 defenseless party. Arms fell dead in the 

 corn-field; Captain Rice received a severe 

 wound in the thigh and was taken prisoner, 

 together with the lad, Asa, upon the horse, 



C1073 



