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

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where they arrived on March 8th. Major Savage found that there
were indications of large numbers of Indians in the vicinity, and
immediately disposed his forces for the defence of the several towns.
Capt. Turner was sent across the river to Northampton for the defence
of that town. The inhabitants had placed "palisadoes" about
their village " for their better security," and two companies of Connecticut
men under Major Treat joined Capt. Turner's company proba-
bly on the 13tb, as the Indians were amazed to find the town full of
English soldiers, when, early in the morning of March 14th, they
made a vigorous and combined assault. Gathering about the town in
the darkness undiscovered, and breaking through the palisades in
three places, they crept in and close about the houses, and there seem
to have been no guards or night-watch, and the first intimation of the
enemies' presence was their furious attack upon several houses.
They succeeded in setting fire to ten before the sleeping garrison could
be roused ; but when the Indians realized their situation , and found
themselves confronted with three strong companies instead of a defenceless
hamlet, they turned and rushed headlong to the breaches
they had made in the palisades, panic-stricken to find themselves in
a trap, and in their frantic crowding to get out were confronted with
the troops, and many were shot down by ours, at the gaps, inside.
Eleven of their dead were left. Five of the English known to have
been killed, were Robert Bartlett, Thomas Holton, and Mary Earle
of Northampton, James McRenell (or Macranell) and Increas
Whetstone of Capt. Turner's company. The following extract from
a letter of Rev. John Russell, of Hadley, is of interest here. It is
dated at Hadley, March 16th, 1675-6 :
" Although the Lord hath granted us an intervall of quiet this winter yet
since y e coming on of y e Spring the warr here is renewed with more strength
and violence here than in any other part while we remaine for as we had
intellegence by the captive who is returned (commonly called ' Speckled
Tom '), Philip intended with his whole power to come upon these Towns
and taking them to make his planting place a fort this year at Deerfield so
on y e 14 th instant the enemy to the number of a 1000 d as judged made a
sudden and violent iruption upon Northampton brake through their works
in three places & had in reason taken the whole Town had not Providence
so ordered it y* Maj r Treate was come in with his men within y e night y e
same evening yet they burned five houses and five barns, one within the
fortification, slew five persons wounded five. There are s d to be found
about a dozen of the enemy slain. Here allso above Deerfield a few miles
is the great place of their fishing w ch must be expected to afford them their
provisions for the yere, So that the swarme of them being here and like to
continue here we must look to feele their utmost rage except the Lord be
pleased to breake their power. My desire is we may be willing to do or
suffer live or dy; remaine in or be driven out from o r habitations as the
Lord o r God would have us and as may be Conducible to y e glory of his
name and y e publike weale of his people," &c. &c.