Violence, Captivity, Torture
Trouble arose when Indians from New England and the Dutch-held colony of New Amsterdam came into New France. For centuries, the Dutch, English, Spanish, and Portuguese had been battling each other for control of the Atlantic World, New World lands, and all of the riches contained within. These battles for empire bled into control over native peoples. All European settlers and explores had committed atrocities that would shock even 21st century sensibilities. For the Dutch and the English, all they had to do was convince the Mohawk and others that wherever the French and Jesuits went they “brought calamity” with them.
The Dutch and English settlers spread rumors that the French and Black Coats would kidnap women and children and sell warriors and chiefs into slavery. Tribes of the Iroquois League were committed to eradicating the French. The Mohawk took it upon themselves to go into Huron territory and get rid of the Black Coats and French settlers. The Dutch and English were thrilled. The French settlers would be preoccupied with warring natives allowing for the Dutch and English to swoop in and take over New France without ever raising a weapon.
The Huron acted upon the kidnapping and slavery rumors and turned violent toward Father Jogues and French settlers. With violence coming from both the Huron and the Mohawk, the Jesuits were forced to flee St. Joseph and they wandered from village to village. At each place they were greeted with hostility. As despair took over, the Jesuits decided to abandon any prospect they had of establishing a mission and return home to France. A miracle happened in 1639 when Isaac Jogues was entrusted to build Fort Sainte-Marie which would provide the Jesuits and settlers with protection from hostile native peoples. Returning from Quebec City, the Mohawk nation attacked and took the Christians captive.
The Mohawks tortured their captives. They took Father Jogues and ripped out his finger nails, gnawed on his bare fingers until bone showed, and hit him with sticks. He and his fellow Christian captives were paraded single file through a gauntlet of Mohawks who were armed with sticks and rods. A captive Algonquin woman was forced to cut off Jogues thumb. The captives were then placed on a platform where Mohawks could yell and throw objects at them.
When night came, the prisoners were placed in a cabin and tied spread eagle at their wrists and ankles. Children were permitted then to take hot coals and throw them onto the captives causing excruciating pain. Over the next few days, they were marched from village to village. At each village, members of the Iroquois Confederacy took sticks and jabbed them into the wounds of the captives and flogged them. In one village, Father Jogues was hung from a wooden plank and left to die. An observer took pity on the Father and cut him down.