The 1708 Raid on Haverhill was a Franco-Indian assault during Queen Anne's War that demonstrated the vulnerability of New England frontier settlements.
Key Facts
- Date
- August 29, 1708
- Killed in initial attack
- 16 people
- Taken captive
- 14 to 24 people
- Enemy killed in militia skirmish
- 9 fighters
- Conflict
- Queen Anne's War
- Raid commander
- Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
French authorities planned a series of raids along the Piscataqua River, anticipating a large Algonquin and Abenaki contingent. When several Indian tribes refused to join, the scope was reduced and Haverhill, a small frontier settlement in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, was selected as an easier target instead.
On August 29, 1708, French, Algonquin, and Abenaki warriors under Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville launched a surprise attack on Haverhill, killing 16 inhabitants and taking 14 to 24 captive. A swift militia muster gave chase and engaged the raiders later that day.
The ensuing militia skirmish killed nine of the Franco-Indian raiders and allowed some captives to escape. Because the province had been forewarned of the raiders' approach, the attack proved more costly to the French than earlier frontier raids such as the 1704 Deerfield raid, limiting its strategic impact.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville.