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

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the first of these were sent out about Jan. 6th 117 under Capt. Samuel
Brocklebank of Rowley (I think). The weather was extremely
cold, and they suffered severely on the march, part of the way
through a fierce snow-storm "that bit some of them by the heels
with the frost," according to Mr. Hubbard. The writer of " The
Present State of New England," the letters above mentioned,
says that eleven of the men were " frozen to death, and many others
were sick and disheartened." January 10th these recruits arrived
at head quarters and were joyfully received,
An order of the Council of Massachusetts, given January 14th,
directs Major Gookin "to order the Eastern Soukliers with Horse
and Foot, as soon as they come to Cambridge, to march to the army
and to put them under such conduct as he sees right, until they get to
Narraganset to Major Appleton, sending away with them the Armorer
that is there already." On Jan. 17th the Council ordered the Committee
of the Army to "forthwith furnish James Foord of Ipswich,
a Souldjer under Capt. Brocklebank, now going up under Lent.
Swett to Narraganset, with one pr. of good shoos and on good
Coate and place it to his acco'." Ephraim Sawyer and Walter Davis,
also, " now going forth to y e Narraganset," were furnished with
apparel. These referred to in the above orders were a second body
of recruits that were sent by the Massachusetts Council ; the Commissioners
having voted on January 6th, that the colonies should
have their recruits at head quarters at Smith's Garrison on or before
January 20th.
January 12th, a proposition came from the sachems for a cessation
of hostilities for a month, which so stirred General Winslow's
indignation and convinced him of their treachery, that he determined
on a forward move at once, but still felt his force to be too weak
in the absence of the promised troops of Connecticut. He fears the
foe is escaping, and sends frequent messages to the Commissioners
and to Major Treat and the Connecticut Council, to hurry up their
preparations.
The Connecticut Colony meanwhile was making every endeavor,
the while however being somewhat impatient of the urgency of the
General, feeling that their own borders were threatened by the In-
dians quite as much as the other colonies. Their archives afford
ample proof of the thorough and energetic manner of their [(reparation.
Major Treat's reorganized army rendezvoused at New London.
From all the settlements recruits and arms and supplies were
gathered as speedily as possible, and yet it was not until the 26th
of January that their troops started for the field. The following
the order shows Dedham to be the common rendezvous of the four counties.