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

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there with us any towne so beset since y e warre began, with twelve or
fourteen hundred fighting men various Sagamores from all Parts with their
men of Armes & they resolved by our ruin to revenge y c releife which Our
Sudbury volunteers afforded to distressed Marlborough in slaying many of
y e Enemy and repelling y e rest. The strength of our towne upon y e Enemy's
Approaching it consisted of Eighty fighting men. True many houses
were fortified & Garrison'd, & tymously after y e Enemy's invasion, and fireing
some Volunteers from Watertowne, & Concord & deserving Capt:
Wadsworth with his force came to Our releife, which speedy & noble ser-
vice is not to be forgotten. The Enemy well knowing our Grounds, passes,
avenues, and Scituations had neare surrounded Our towne in y e Morning
early (wee not knowing of it) till discovered by fireing severall disserted
houses : the Enemy with greate force & fury assaulted Deacon Haines
House well fortified yet badly scituated, as advantageous to y e Enemys approach
& dangerous to y e Repellant, yet (by y e help of God) y e garrison
not onely defended y e place from betweene five or six of y e clock in y e
Morning till about One in y e Afternoon but forced y e Enemy with Considerable
slaughter to draw-off.
Many Observables worthy of Record hapned in this assault, Viz 1 That
noe man or woman seemed to be possessed with feare ; Our Garrison men
kept not within their garrisons, but issued forth to fight y e Enemy in theire
sculking approaches: Wee had but two of our townesmen slaine, & y 4 by
indiscretion, none wounded ; The Enemy was by few beaten out of houses
which they had entered and were plundering ; And by a few hands were
forced to a running flight which way they would ; The spoyle taken by
them on y e East side of y e river was in greate p te recovered.
Furthermore p'mitte yo r humble Petition" to present a second Motion,
And let it be acceptable in y e eyes of this our Grand Court Vizt.
That whereas by an Act of Our late Gen 11 Court Tax rates are leavied
upon Our towne amounting to £200 (as appeareth p r Warrant from Our
Treasurer, which said sum was leavied by Our Invoice taken in y e yeare
before Our greate damage susteyned. It is y e humble & earnest request of
yo r Petition" to commiserate Our Condition in granting to us some abatement
of y e said sum, for y e eusueing considerations, Viz' ffirst Our towne
to pay full for their Rates then taken, which in greate p te they have now
lost by the Enemys invasion may seeme not to savour of pitty no not of
equity. Secondly if y e Service p'formed at Sudbury (by y e help of y e Almighty)
whereby y e Enemy lost some say 100, some 105, some 120,
and by that service much damage prevented from hap'ning to other places
whereby y e Country in generall was advantaged, reason requires some favorable
consideration to yo r Servants of Sudbury. For if it be considered
what it hath cost Our Country in sending out some forces some of which
p ties e
have not returned with y certaine newes of
with us, is it not reasonable that this service soe
such a number slaine as
beneficiall should not be
considered with some reward which may most easily be effected by issueing
forth an Act of your grace in a sutable abatem 4
e
of y
said Sum leavied,
e
with y conferring of a Barrill of Powder & sutable shott in regaurd that
yo r Petitioners have spent not onely theire owne stock of either, but much
e ble
of y Towne stock. To which humble and Equitable Motions if Our hon
Court shall benignely condescend, You will deeply oblidge yo r humble petitioners
not onely to
e
pray for y p r sence of
c
y Lord to
u
be with yo in all