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was born August 8th, (O.S.) 1741 in the town of Rehoboth, Mass.
I was the oldest child of Eliakim and Sarah Perry. The first thing
of consequence that occurs to my mind, was the transactions
relating to the war between the English and French. An army was raised
in the New-England States, to go against Cape Breton, under
Gen.
Pepperell, at which time I was in my fifth year. My father and one of his
brothers, and also one of my mother's brothers, enlisted into this army.
And what strengthens my memory with regard to these events, one of my
uncles above mentioned, whose name was Abner Perry, was killed at the
taking of the Island Battery.
Nothing of consequence took place until the fall after I was seven years
old, when my mother died, leaving four small children, viz: one brother
and two sisters. There was something very singular took place respecting
her sickness. She went with my father, to visit his relations at Eastown.
They rode on horse-back. While they were there, on Lord's day, I was
at play with my brother and two little sisters, and it appeared to me that
I saw my mother ride by on the same horse she rode away on, and dressed
in the same clothes. I mentioned the circumstance to my brother and sisters
at the time; but she rode out of my sight immediately. At this time she was
taken sick at Easton, in which condition they brought her home; and she
died a few days afterwards. In consequence of this event, my father broke
up house-keeping, [and put out his children]. Myself and sisters went to live
with our uncle David Joy, the brother of my mother who, as I before said,
went with my father to Cape Breton. I lived with my uncle
(who treated me very kindly),*
until my fifteenth year; when
I was placed with Mr. David Walker,
in Dighton, Mass. [, to learn the trade of
tanner and shoe-maker.]
About this time war again broke out
between the English and French,
and it raged sorely in our part of the country, especially near the lakes.
Our people made a stand at the south end of Lake George, where they
built a fort, and another about 14 miles below, on the Hudson River, called
Fort Edward. In 1755, a
bloody battle was fought at the half-way-house,
between Fort Edward and Lake George. Gen. Johnson commanded the
English forces; and under him Maj. Rodgers commanded the Rangers.
They had a number of sore battles with the French and Indians, and lost
a great many of our best men. In the year 1757, Gen. Mont Calm came
against Fort George, with a large army of French and Indians, and obliged
the garrison to surrender; after which, contrary to his express agreement,
he let loose his Indians upon our men, and massacred a great many of
them.
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