During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1712), Canadian strategy was directed at "(keeping) things astir in the direction of Boston, or else the Abenaki will declare for the English." Small but devastating raids were authorized from both Canada and Acadia. Reverend John Williams, a survivor of the February 1704 raid on Deerfield Massachusetts, left this vivid account of the terror created by the Canadians and their allies:
On the 29th day of February... not long before break of day, the enemy came in like a flood upon us.... They came to my house... and awakened me out of sleep... (and) insulted over me awhile, holding up hatchets over my head. Some were so cruel and barbarous as to take and carry to the door two of my children and murder them... Yet they gave me liberty to put on my clothes... (and) gave liberty to my dear wife to dress herself and our remaining children.
Courtesy: Edward E. Ayer Collection, The Newberry Library, Chicago
