The Deerfield Massacre: A Surprise Attack and the Fight for Survival in Early America

(Paperback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

From the New York Times bestselling author of Manhunt (now an Apple TV+ series) and in the tradition of Empire of the Summer Moon comes a vivid account (The Wall Street Journal) of a forgotten chapter in American history: the deadly confrontation between natives and colonists in Massachusetts in 1704 and the tragic saga that unfolded.

Once it was one of the most infamous events in early American history. Today, it has been nearly forgotten.

In an obscure, two-hundred-year-old museum in a little town in western Massachusetts there stands what once was the most revered relic from the history of early New England: the massive, tomahawk-scarred door that came to symbolize the notorious Deerfield Massacre of 1704. This impregnable barricadeknown to early Americans as The Old Indian Doorconstructed from double-thick planks of Massachusetts oak and studded with hand-wrought iron nails to repel the tomahawk blades wielded by several attacking Native tribes, is the sole surviving artifact from one of the most dramatic moments in colonial American history: In the leap year of 1704, on the cold, snowy night of February 29, hundreds of Indians and their French allies swept down on an isolated frontier outpost to slaughter or capture its inhabitants.

The sacking of Deerfield led to one of the greatest sagas of survival, sacrifice, family, and faith ever told in North America. One hundred and twelve survivors, including their fearless minister, the Reverend John Williams, were captured and forced to march three hundred miles north into enemy territory in Canada. Any captive who faltered or became too weak to continue the journeyincluding Williamss own wifefell under the tomahawk or war club.

Survivors of the march willed themselves to live and endured captivity. Ransomed by the 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, published soon after his liberation, became one of the first bestselling books in American history and 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. Now, in this immersive and memorable book [and] with his gifts of great storytelling and penetrating insight, James Swanson has given us a compelling account of an unjustly forgotten episode in American history (Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prizewinning author of And There Was Light).

Reviews

"A vivid account . . . Swansonre-creates Deerfields harsh environment, powerfully evoking the trepidation of the Puritan colonizers who were isolated from 'civilization' by a sinister wooded wilderness. Wall Street Journal
With his gifts of great storytelling and penetrating insight, James Swanson has given us a compelling account of an unjustly forgotten episode in American history. This is an immersive and memorable book. Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prizewinning author of And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle
It is easy to forget that Americas eastern frontiers were once just as savage as the more celebrated lands of the west. Call it the Wild Eastthe subject of James L. Swansons engaging new book The Deerfield Massacre. From a single horrific event Swanson builds an epic, violent portrait of a world most of us have forgotten. S. C. Gwynne, author of Empire of the Summer Moon
"A briskly told history of death, resilience, and recovery in the American past.Kirkus Reviews
"Acclaimed historian James Swanson's splendid The Deerfield Massacre plunges readers into the cauldron of faith, fear, and ferocity that was life in colonial New England. In this galloping work of narrative history, Swanson resurrects the long-forgotten massacre:the fate of the white captives as they fight to survive; and the plight of Native Americans as they struggle to preserve their ancestral lands. Swanson gives both sides their rightful place at the forefront of early American history."Peter Cozzens, author of the award-winning The Earth Is Weeping: The Epic Story of the Indian Wars for the American West
[A] meticulous account of the eponymous 18thcentury massacre . . .Swansons narrative pivots ingeniously from the event itself . . . to trace the massacres afterlife . . .The result is a rewarding close look at the process of history-making.Publishers Weekly


An epic thriller from one of Americas most terrifying chapterswhen the tomahawk and scalping knife ruled the New England wilderness. James Swansons brilliant, action-packed story evokes a mysterious and dangerous land haunted by legends of supernatural witches, as well as the real threat of bloody Indian raids. By the end of The Deerfield Massacre, readers will think they hear the sounds of tomahawks chopping through their front door. Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of The Lincoln Conspiracy and The Nazi Conspiracy
"A wonderful read! James Swansons eloquent and gripping account of Deerfields bloody past transports readers across space and time, while critically assessing the towns multiple efforts to grapple with its history. He explores the persistence of colonial memories, and welcomes the inclusion of often-ignored Native American voices and perspectives. From a midnight vigil in a haunting colonial graveyard, a visit to the tomahawk-splintered Indian House door, or a stroll along an icy moonlit river on a cold February night, Swanson evokes disparate and unexpectedly poetic connections. He invites readers to walk with him into, through, and beyond this complicated past."Margaret M. Bruchac, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania and author of Savage Kin: Indigenous Informants and American Anthropologists
In this magnificent book, James Swanson brilliantly uncovers the long-forgotten Deerfield Massacre. His vibrant prose transports readers back to 1704, a distant and forgotten America, a period even the Founders would not recognize. In the dead of night a barbaric attack engulfs a remote outpost on the Massachusetts frontier. At gunpoint, survivors of the slaughter are forced to march through a forbidding, frozen wilderness into captivity. Swansons thriller-like narrative is an epic tale of survival that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Highest recommendation! Patrick K. ODonnell, bestselling author of The Indispensables and Washingtons Immortals
A great book! James Swanson hits the trifecta that all popular American historians seek: a gripping and important chapter in the story of our nation; rich and fascinating research; and a propulsive, vividly cinematic sweep that transfixes readers with the physical courage, terrible suffering, and profound hope of those fighting for their lives in early America. Swanson turns the bloodbath into a key flashpoint in early New England and tells an unforgettable story of endurance and survival for the ages, restoring Rev. John Williams to our pantheon of heroes. This is first-rate American history.Douglas Brinkley, professor of history at Rice University and author of Silent Spring Revolution: John F. Kennedy, Rachel Carson, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and the Great Environmental Awakening

Author Bio

James L. Swanson is the Edgar Awardwinning author of theNew York Times bestseller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincolns Killerand an executive producer of the Apple TV+Manhuntseries. As a Historic Deerfield Fellow in Early American History, he lived in a preRevolutionary War house near the massacre site in Deerfield, Massachusetts.