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

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Capt. John Whipple, of Ipswich, and his Men.
The Whipple family in this country undoubtedly descended from
Matthew Whipple of Booking; co. Essex, England, a clothier.
Will of December 19th, 1616, probated January 28th, 1618;
mentions son Matthew, son John, daughters Jane, Elizabeth, Mary,
Anne, Johane, Amye ; "my sister, wife of Richard Rathbone
Hercules Stephens, grandchildren Hercules and Margaret Arthur
and Henry and Anne Coldham."
The two brothers Matthew and John, who were settled at Ipswich
some time before 1638, were probably the sons mentioned
above. They settled at the " Hamlet," now the town of Hamilton.
John was a deacon or ruling elder of the First Church. He was
freeman 1640, and representative for eight years between that and
1653. By first wife he had children—Mary, John, Susanna, Sa-
rah, and probably others.
Capt. John, son of "Elder" John, as above, born in Essex,
England, about 1626, married first, Martha Reyner, daughter of
Humphrey, who died February 24, 1679 ; married second, Elizabeth,
June 28th, 1680. By first wife had children—John, born
July 15, 1657 ; Matthew, born 1658 ; Joseph, born June 8, 1666 ;
Susan, Sarah and Anna. He was appointed Cornet of the Ipswich
Troop before 1675, and Captain in 1683 in place of Capt. John
Appleton. He was Lieutenant in Capt. Paige's Troop at Mount
Hope, June, 1675, and was appointed Captain of a troop raised for
service under Major Savage in March, 1676 ; was with the army in
the unsuccessful manoeuvring of that campaign. In the letter of
the Council to Major Savage, dated April 1st, 1676 (See Article
No. IV. page 56), is found the passage, "Touching that Rebuke
of God upon Cap* Whiple and y e poore people at Springfield it is
a matter of great shame and humbling to us." This was in answer
to one from Major Savage of March 28th, dated at Hadley, in
which he says that they have had advice from Springfield that eight
Indians assaulted sixteen or eighteen men, besides women and children,
as they were going to meeting from a place called Long Meadow,
" and killed a man and a maid, wounded two men, and carried
away captive two women and two children." Major Savage
says further, that being apprised of that affair and the way the Indians
went, he sent out sixteen men in pursuit, who came up with
the Indians, who, as soon as they found the English in close pur-
suit, killed the two children, and striking the women with their
hatchets upon the head, left them for dead and fled. The horsemen
brought back the four bodies, the women being yet alive, one
recovered ; and this disaster was a severe reproach to the guard,
who in a popular rhyme of the day are remembered thus :
" Seven Indians, and one without a gun,
Caused Capt. Nixon and forty men to run."
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