Part 7 p. 13 to 14
Major Savage disposed his forces to guard the towns. On
March 14th an attack was made upon Northhampton, but was
repulsed with severe loss to the enemy. On the 24th
they appeared at Hatfield, but finding it well garrisoned
made no attack, though driving off some horses and cattle.
The Indians began to prepare for planting fields along
the river; and Canonchet with a body of his men went back
to their country to bring up seed-corn, of which large
quantities were there stored. It is probable that a
large company went towards Plymouth colony, a small
party of whom destroyed the house and family of Mr.
Clarke at Plymouth village. March 17th they burned War-
wick. Plymouth Colony sent out a company of fifty under
Capt. Michael Peirse of Marshfield, to protect its front-
iers. A party of twenty friendly Indians under "Capt.
Amos" was joined with Capt. Peirse. This company marched
to Seekonk and there had a sharp skirmish with the Indians
on the evening of March 25th. Next day, supposing they
had beaten the Indians, they pursued them and were drawn
into an ambush and surrounded near Patuxit River with
great numbers so that they were obliged to fight to the
death. The whole company including the officers were
killed, together with eight out of the twenty Indians.
The enemy too lost very heavily. March 28th and 29th
the Indians burned seventy houses and thirty barns at
Providence.
In the meantime in Massachusetts the enemy were not idle.
Lurking parties hovered about Groton plundering the
vacated houses and driving away any stray cattle within
safe reach. On March 13th they fell upon the town in
force. The people were gathered in five garrison houses
One of the garrison houses was captured but the people
mostly escaped to another. The other garrison houses
were stoutly defended. The Indians burned the unforti-
fied houses and withdrew. On March 26th the fatal day
of Capt. Peirse's destruction, they burned sixteen houses
and thirteen barns at Marlborough. Capt. Brocklebank
then in command at Marlborough, sent out a party in pur-
suit who overtook and surprised the enemy at night,
sleeping about their fires, fired into their midst and
put them to flight. On the same day at Longmeadow a
party going to Springfield to church was ambushed by a
small company of Indians and several were captured and
killed.
Finding the campaign to have failed in its main object,
the Council ordered Major Savage to withdraw his troops
leaving Capt William Turner with a hundred and fifty
men to garrison the towns. April 7th the army marched
homeward.
But not the Connecticut authorities, fearing a return
of the Narragansets to their vicinity, in numbers such
as overwhelmed Capt. Peirse, mustered a mixed company
of English and Indians and sent them into the Narraganset
country under command of Captains Dennison and Avery.
p.14
These, guided by a captive whom they had taken, surprised
and captured Canonchet not far from the Patuxit River,
where he was encamped with a few of his men, while the
great body were scattered, scouting and foraging. He
was soon after executed by Oneko, by the judgement of the
English authorities. The death of Canonchet was really
the death blow of the war, for he was the real leader of
all active operations at this time.
Philip was still the chief instigator, however, and now
more than before, became, for the time, the controlling
mind of a larger number than ever before. There were
dissensions, however, and many of the chiefs began to
murmer and some to threaten against him as the cause of
all their troubles. Some of the river tribes began to
show signs of weakening, and proposed negotiations with
the English. Philip withdrew to the strong-hold near
Wachuset with such as adhered to him, and with Quinnapin,
and such of the Narragansets as followed him. The Indians
were still active, and watched every chance to strike
a blow. They came to Marlborough on April 18th and
burned the abandoned houses of the settlers. Capt.
Brocklebank commanded the garrison there and refused to
be drawn into the ambuscades, which before the burning,
the Indians had set. On April 20th they crept down, and
encompassed the town of Sudbury. On that day Capt.
Wadsworth marched up from Boston with a company of fifty
men, passed through Sudbury and doubtless the lines of
the enemy without any knowledge of their vicinity. He
was forcing his march to relieve the garrison at Marl-
borough, where they arrived about midnight on the 20th,
and without delay leaving their recruits, took those re-
lieved to come home, including Capt. Brocklebank, and
came back towards Sudbury. The great numbers of Indians
had encompassed the town and in the morning of the 21st
began to burn outlying houses to draw out the inhabitants
from the garrison.
They soon made a furious and persistant attack on Haine's
garrison from morning to mid-day, but were beaten off
until rumors of reinforcements from various quarters
caused them to withdraw to meet these. Edward Cowen and
eighteen coming to the relief of Sudbury, were attacked
but escaped with only four killed, they turned back,
suspecting the ambush laid out for them. Capt. Wadsworth
soon after arrived by another road and meeting with an
outpost of the enemy rushed forward to engage them and
as usual they soon found themselves surrounded by great
numbers, and were forced to a position on a hill, where
most of the company fell fighting, including Capt. Wads-
worth, Capt. Brocklebank and Lieut. Sharpe. Some sixteen
of the company managed to escape to a mill, and there
defended themselves until relieved.
A company from Watertown arrived soon after Capt. Wads-
worth and crossing the river, made a brave attempt to
get to the hill to join him in his desperate fight, but
were nearly surrounded themselves and forced to retire.
Capt. Hunting with a company of Christian Indians and a
squad of troopers arrived from Charlestown late in the
afternoon, in time to rescue the men at the mill.
To be continued Part 8 p. 15 to p. 16
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth Farns10th@aol.com
bigelow@slic.com
Rod Bigelow at SLIC 
