Soldiers in King Philip's war. Containing lists of the soldiers of ...

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Jonathan Jeans. (Janes) Nathaniel Curtis.
Ebenezer Parsons. Thomas Scott.
Benjamin Diuwick. (Dunwieh) Jolm Peck.
Hadley was thirty miles from Northfield, and, unaware of this
assault, Capt. Beers on the next morning, Friday, Sept. 3d, set
forth with thirty-six mounted men and one ox team on his march to
bring off the garrison and people. The march was slow and toilsome,
and darkness came upon them when still three or four miles
from Northfield, and they were obliged to encamp for the night. It
is supposed that the camping was near the small stream called
" Four-mile brook." Early on the morning of Saturday the 4th, Capt.
Beers with most of his force started on foot, and leaving the horses at
the camp with a small guard, and taking the team with stores and ammunition,
advanced towards the town, still ignorant of the previous
day's assault, and it seems entirely unsuspicious of an enemy in the
vicinity. The best authority for the scene and circumstances of the
engagement is probably that of Messrs. Temple and Sheldon, the
historians of Northfield, which 1 follow. " He appears to have kept
up on the high plain till he came in sight of the little brook, now
known as Saw-mill brook. The ravine was now covered with a
rank growth of grass and ferns, and the leaves were thick on the
young trees." It was at this place that the Indians had placed their
ambuscade. He advanced across the brook by the accustomed fording
place, and just at the passage, and when his company was most
exposed, was furiously attacked in front and flank, and all were
thrown into great confusion, but soon rallied and fought bravelv
for their lives, but were forced back by superior numbers some
three-quarters of a mile to a narrow ravine on the south of a hill
now known as "Beers's Hill." Here a stand was made, and here
the little band fought about their leader, with the courage of desperation,
till their ammunition was exhausted, and the captain with
nearly every man had fallen ; only a i'ew escaped, joined the guard
left behind with the horses, and made their way back to Hadley,
thirteen in all. An undoubted tradition points out the grave of
Capt. Beers in the ravine where he fell. Hoyt in his history, published
in 1824, says that the bones of the slain were still occasionally
found protruding from the sandy knoll where the battle began.
Mr. Hubbard relates that twenty men were killed with their leader.
Mr. Russell, in his list, says sixteen, and gives the names of eleven.
His list is as follows :
"At Squakheage y e 4 of Sept 16 men were Slayn."
Capt. Rich d Beers. William Markham.
John Chenary. George Lycuss.
Ephraim Child. John Gatchell.
Benjamin Crackbone. James Miller.
Robert Pepper. John Wilson.
Joseph Dickinson.