The Deerfield Massacre

A Surprise Attack, a Forced March, and the Fight for Survival in Early America

By: James L. Swanson

Narrated by: Stephen Graybill

From the New York Times bestselling author of Manhunt (now an Apple TV+ series) and in the tradition of Empire of the Summer Moon comes “a vivid account” (The Wall Street Journal) of a forgotten chapter in American history: the deadly confrontation between natives and colonists in Massachusetts in 1704 and the tragic saga that unfolded.

Once it was one of the most infamous events in early American history. Today, it has been nearly forgotten.

In an obscure, two-hundred-year-old museum in a little town in western Massachusetts there stands what once was the most revered relic from the history of early New England: the massive, tomahawk-scarred door that came to symbolize the notorious Deerfield Massacre of 1704. This impregnable barricade—known to early Americans as “The Old Indian Door”—constructed from double-thick planks of Massachusetts oak and studded with hand-wrought iron nails to repel the tomahawk blades wielded by several attacking Native tribes, is the sole surviving artifact from one of the most dramatic moments in colonial American history: In the leap year of 1704, on the cold, snowy night of February 29, hundreds of Indians and their French allies swept down on an isolated frontier outpost to slaughter or capture its inhabitants.

The sacking of Deerfield led to one of the greatest sagas of survival, sacrifice, family, and faith ever told in North America. One hundred and twelve survivors, including their fearless minister, the Reverend John Williams, were captured and forced to march three hundred miles north into enemy territory in Canada. Any captive who faltered or became too weak to continue the journey—including Williams’s own wife—fell under the tomahawk or war club.

Survivors of the march willed themselves to live and endured captivity. Ransomed by the royal governor of Massachusetts, the captives later returned home to Deerfield, rebuilt their town and, for the rest of their lives, told the incredible tale. The memoir of Rev. Williams, The Redeemed Captive, published soon after his liberation, became one of the first bestselling books in American history and remains a literary classic. The Old Indian Door is a touchstone that conjures up one of the most dramatic and inspiring stories of colonial America. Now, in this “immersive and memorable book [and] with his gifts of great storytelling and penetrating insight, James Swanson has given us a compelling account of an unjustly forgotten episode in American history” (Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of And There Was Light).

©2024 James L. Swanson (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Fascinating Historical Account

I used to live in Deerfield, so I ordered this book expecting it to be a somewhat dry but interesting to someone like me with a connection to the area. I was pleasantly surprised at how great it was, and would now recommend it to anyone with an interest in history or colonial America.

Extremely well researched and written, this book provides a true account of 17th and 18th century America and how events then continue to impact today. Not only is it fascinating, but educational as well. This books corrects the currently fashionable, but false narrative of the innocent and peaceful natives being genocided by the evil white-surpremacist colonists.

Amazing frontier story

This was a very interesting listen. I truly enjoyed it. Well written with great narration.

repetitive and bloated

Amongst over a hundred Audible titles I’ve listened to, this was only the second I could not finish. It is repetitious of information, even within chapters, and it is clear the author struggled to forge a book of a length unsupportable by the actual story. This should have been two hours in length.