From A History of the town of Gorham, Maine by Josiah Pierce (1862):

Cloutman's family had removed from the garrison some days before the Indian attack. He had gone to his field to complete some sowing of his grain; he was there discovered by the Indians; they were very desirous of capturing him; they knew he was the owner of a very good gun, which they greatly coveted and had often endeavored to obtain. Cloutman was a powerful man, in the full vigor of his muscular strength, in the prime of life. The Indians thought his capture would be a heavy and discouraging blow to the settlers in Gorham. There were eight Indians

in the party that captured him. Cloutman was alone in his field, sowing wheat; as soon as his back was turned towards them, five of the savages ran towards him; he discovered them and ran for Mr. Bryant's house; coming to the fence, where he had a short time before placed brush, in trying to leap over the fence he became entangled and fell back; he rose and tried a second time, but did not succeed; then two Indians sprang toward him; Cloutman knocked them down; a third Indian he put under his feet; two more savages came up with guns leveled at his breast; Cloutman then surrendered. Had it not been for the brush that entangled him, he would probably have saved himself and the Bryant fiimily. As it was he was carried to Canada, and was confined with about one hundred other captives, near the mouth of the river Sorell. Cloutman was more than six feet tall, and weighed 220 pounds. By his neighbors he was called the Giant—more on account of his strength than his size. After arriving in Canada, he wrote his wife a letter, which she received in September following, relating the particulars of his capture. He informed her that they took him, and Reed, and Mrs. Bryant, westerly, down the stream near where Mr. Robert Files lately lived, and remained concealed there all day. At night two Indians approached the fort so near they could hear the voices of the inmates. About midnight they waded Little River. Mrs. Bryant being very feeble, Mr. Cloutman carried her on his back over all the streams, and many miles besides, where the travelling was bad. The second day they encamped on the banks of Saco River. They followed this stream and passed through the notch of the White Mountains, and thence proceeded northerly to Canada. When they arrived there, Cloutman and Reed were confined in a large building, under guard, with other captives; but Mrs. Bryant was sold for a domestic in a French family. The able-bodied male prisoners were daily taken from the prison and compelled to work on the French fortifications. Mr. Cloutman and a Mr. Dunbar planned an escape by digging out under their prison walls. They had laid by a part of their daily allowance of food to eat on their way home, and were waiting for a favorable night to break out; but they were betrayed by an Irishman, who was going with them. They were more strictly watched till cold weather. About the first of November, Cloutman and Dunbar escaped, on a stormy night. They were not missed for two or three days ; then a large scout of French and Indians went in pursuit of them, but did not find them. It was supposed they were drowned in tempting to swim across a bay of Lake Champlain, as the next spring the skeletons of two men were found on the shore of the lake, with their clothes tied to the back of their heads, and in one garment was found a pocket compass, Avhich was identified as one Cloutman had in Canada.