A Surprise Attack, a Forced March, and the Fight for Survival in Early America
May 31, 2024
The Deerfield Massacre was once a widely discussed event in early American history. On Leap Day 1704, the barricaded settlement of Deerfield, MA, was thought impregnable. However, on that fateful day, Indigenous (largely Abenaki) people and their French allies swarmed the settlement, murdering 47 colonists and taking 112 people, including children, on a more than 300-mile, two-month forced march through the rough frontier to Montreal. Narrator Stephen Graybill respectfully relays the traumatic experiences of survivors, many of whom later returned to Deerfield to live. Swanson's (Manhunt) well-researched account dives into the history of Queen Anne's War, the tension between Catholics and Protestants, and the later lives of individual captives. He provides intriguing commentary into how the massacre is remembered today and how descendants of all the groups involved have come together to promote healing and harmony. VERDICT Swanson's account of the massacre and its aftermath provides insight into details of an historical event and the ways in which it has been remembered and even mythologized over the centuries. An excellent recommendation for listeners interested in early American history.--Elyssa Everling
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