| Berwick at War 300 Years Ago |
From 1675 until the late 1720s, much of present-day
Sponsored by the Old Berwick Historical Society, the program coincides with the upcoming 300th anniversary of the community’s formation when it separated from
The upcoming lecture will be held at
“Three hundred years ago, the community called Berwick was caught in the middle of inter-cultural warfare between the English and the Wabanaki natives,” explained DePaoli. An historical archaeologist, he has directed archaeological projects in
DePaoli’s research has revealed a community under considerable economic, social, and psychological stress as the English responded to Native American attacks.
“Late 17th and early 18th century records from
In October 1675, a large Wabanaki force attacked present-day
This and subsequent attacks here and on nearby settlements such as
In June of 1691, Francis Hooke of
In his talk, De Paoli pushes his study beyond the toll this Anglo-Indian conflict took in lives and property to explore the emotional and mental state of Berwick’s residents. He explores how victims of these attacks would have coped with personal injuries, captivity, and the loss of family members and friends. While historical records provide scanty outright evidence of the emotional strain that Berwick residents faced, close examination of wartime conditions coupled with modern examples of the psychology of civilian life during war has helped to paint a portrait of Berwick’s “community psyche.”
De Paoli delves into the emotional strain of disrupted lives as Berwick residents contended with frequent rumors of pending Wabanaki and French attacks. Life was difficult “in garrison,” where conditions were often uncomfortable and stressful due to crowded and noisy quarters, poor sanitation, shortages of personal belongings, food, and water, and illness.
De Paoli closes his presentation with a look at how Berwick and her neighbors adjusted to these unsettled and frightening times through the development of improved military tactics.
More information on the Counting House Museum and all the Old Berwick Historical Society's programs is available by calling (207) 384-0000.