John Lovewell
John Lovewell (October 14, 1691 – May 9, 1725) was a militia captain in the 18th century who fought during Father Rale's War (also known as Lovewell's War). He lived in present-day Nashua, New Hampshire. He led three expeditions against the Abenaki Indians. Lovewell became the most famous ranger (scalp hunter) of the 18th century. Although the outcome was a draw, Lovewell's Fight in May 1725 marked the end of hostilities between the English and the Abenakis of Maine. This conflict was a turning point. So important was it to western Maine, New Hampshire and even Massachusetts colonists that the Fight was celebrated in song and story; more than 100 years later, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau all wrote about Lovewell's Fight. 1st and 2nd expeditions In early September 1724, Indians captured three men near Dunstable, Massachusetts, in the area now known as Nashua, New Hampshire. When the men did not return from work a party of ten or more men started in pursuit. One man, Joseph Farwell, warned the leader of the possibility of running into an ambush. Despite this the posse rushed ahead with Farwell following behind. They were ambushed and eleven of the men were killed and the others, excepting Farwell who barely escaped, were captured. Because of these attacks it was thought best to carry on the war more vigorously. Bounties for scalps were again offered by the government and volunteer companies were formed. Favored by a grant from the Assembly, Lovewell, whose maternal grandparents had been killed and scalped by Indians, raised a company of 30 men and was commissioned a captain. In part because of Farwell's commonsense Lovewell selected him as his second-in-command and he was made Lieutenant. Lovewell and Farwell went on three scalp hunting expeditions from December to May. Raid at Lake Winnipesaukee In the first expedition, Lovewell and his militia company of 40 to 50 men left Dunstable on their first expedition in December 1724, trekking to the north of Lake Winnipesaukee into the White Mountains of New Hampshire. On December 10, north of Winnipesaukee, the troop came upon a wigwam, where they killed and scalped an Abenaki man and took an Abenaki boy captive. Raid on Wakefield On January 29, 1725, Lovewell and 87 men made a second expedition to the White Mountains. For more than a month they marched through the winter forest, encountering neither friend nor foe. Some troops were sent back home. The remainder made a wide loop up towards the White Mountains, followed the Bearcamp River into the Ossipee area, then headed back in an easterly direction along the Maine and New Hampshire border. On February 20 they came across a recently inhabited wigwam and followed tracks for some . On the banks of a pond at the head of the Salmon Falls River in the present town of Wakefield they came upon more wigwams with smoke rising from them. Some time after 2:00 AM Lovewell gave the order to fire. A