Deerfield Raid Analysis The Deerfield Raid took place over three hundred years ago in 1704. This French-Indian massacre affected hundreds of English Deerfield residents. These residents knew they lived in a vulnerable location, so they took precautions for any type of war-conflict that may arise, even resorting to building fences around the settlement for protection. Yet, unfortunately for them, they were ill-prepared and ended up being ambushed by the French and Indians which led to many of them becoming captives. Many families became separated, and different individuals chose a way to proceed after their captivity. Gender, age, and ethnicity did not necessarily dictate their paths, but it definitely shaped their experiences following the …show more content…
After Martin Kellog’s imprisonment, he had to live without his captive sons for years, and later come to terms with the fact that his daughter was not going to be redeemed. The Kellog family was separated and consequently never completely reunited. In their patriarchal society, their identity relied on their ability to protect and lead their families, and when their efforts to redeem their families failed, they lost hope. Older English men's experiences were shaped by their influential role in Deerfield, their failures in reuniting their families, and their inevitable hopelessness. The Deerfield Raid had an immeasurable impact on its captives and captors–one that is so complex that it must be distinctively organized into demographics: young women, adult women, young men, and adult men. For the most part, young women were able to establish new identities within Iroquoian communities (like the Kahnawake), but many adult women were tragically rid of the opportunity to continue living. The young women found themselves enjoying more autonomy and value in the Indian communities, and young men experienced that liberty in a separate way–including the adoption of the Catholic