USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > History of the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts > Part 8
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The three whom he named as the murderers were Tobias and his son, with Mattashinnay, Philip's counsellor. After these three were arrested, a jury of twelve white men and five In- dians tried them and heard Patuckson's testimony. All three were convicted, and sentence was passed upon them. Tobias's son then confessed that the other two had committed the murder. Tobias was bailed out by Tispequin for one hundred pounds, with security on land at Nemasket.1 The two guilty
1 At the General Court, March 1, 1674-75 : -
" The Court seeing cause to require the psnall appearance of an Indian, called Tobias, before the Court, to make further answare to such intergatoryes as shalbe required of him, in reference to the suddaine and violent death of an In- dian called John Sassamon, late deceased, the said Tobias and Tuspaquin, the black sachem, (soe called,) of Namassakett, and William, his son, doe all joyntly and seuerally doe heerby bind ouer off theire lands, to the vallue of one hundred pounds, vnto the Court, for the psonall appearance off the said Tobias att the Court of his matie, to be holden att Plymouth aforesaid the first in June next, in reference to the pmises." Plymouth Colony Records, vol. v, p. 159.
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men were executed at Plymouth in June, 1675, and young Tobias would probably have been pardoned, had not Philip begun hostilities in the attack on Swansea. The trial and execution of the murderers of Sassamon so enraged Philip that he determined to postpone no longer his threatened at- , tack, and the bloody scenes of that terrible encounter which spread death and devastation throughout the colony soon after began.
The proximity to Plymouth had for some time kept the early settlers here informed of the danger feared by the au- thorities. In accordance with the requirements of the laws of the colony,1 the Middleboro men had built a fort 2 for their protection on the western bank of the Nemasket River, not far from the old Indian wading-place, on the land owned in later years by Colonel Peter H. Peirce. No description of this has come down to us. It was evidently something more than a garrison house, and was large enough to accommodate, for more than six weeks, the inhabitants of the town, who, with the men, women, and children, probably numbered seventy-five or more. It was enclosed with a wall strong enough to have deterred the many roving bands of hostile Indians from at- tempting to attack or to surround it.
There was a general alarm throughout the colony, and many precautions were taken to guard against any unexpected attack. All male inhabitants between sixteen and sixty years of age were ordered to be in readiness to take the field to repel any
1 Judge Wilkes Wood, Historic Address in 1815.
2 The fort was probably built by the settlers soon after the incorporation of the town in 1669, in accordance with an act of the General Court holden at Plymouth on the 9th of June, 1653, which was as follows : -
" It is ordered by the Court, That betwixt this present day and the first Tues- day in October next the townesmen of every towne within this government shall make and fully finnish a place or places for defence of theire said towne one or more as reason shall require videlicet, a brest worke with flankers unto every such work as shalbee made ; and in case any p.son or p.sons shall refuse to worke att the said worke when the major pte of the townsmen of such townes where they live have agreed for the time and mannor and have given notice thereof ; theire names shalbee then returned to the court or counsell of warr; and if any towne shall neglect to performe the worke according to this order they shall for- feite the summe of ten pounds to the use of the country."
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assault whenever such should occur, and boys under the age of sixteen years were required to act as watchmen to keep a look- out for the sudden approach of the Indians from any quarter. The court at Plymouth issued the following : -
"It is ordered that every man that comes to meeting on the Lord's day bring with him his arms, with at least six charges of powder and shot, and that whosoever shall shoot off a gun at any game whatsoever, except at an Indian or a wolf shall forfeit five shillings."
The war began on the 24th day of June, 1675, in the then frontier town of Swansea. The Sunday previous, the Indians had killed many of the cattle belonging to the settlers. Nine men were killed on the highway, and shortly after eight more. Gershom Cobb, a resident of Middleboro, was among the num- ber. It was a butchery attended with all of the horrors of savage warfare. Encouraged by the success of their first en- counter, they extended their operations to other parts of the colony, stealthily hiding in woods and swamps, behind fences and bushes, killing the whites as they came upon them, and burning their houses.
Shortly before this, many occurrences had served to confirm the fears of the Middleboro settlers. Some of the Indians were sullen and morose, manifesting unusual boldness and eagerness in procuring firearms and powder at almost any cost. This, in addition to officiousness in many acts of friendliness with the evident design of covering some plot, did not deceive the settlers, who found their cows milked, and occasionally some animal missing. Most of the inhabitants, especially those living far from the centre, thought it unsafe to remain about their farms and came to the garrison, some taking their pro- vision and household furniture, others in such haste that they left everything, on hearing of the attack on Swansea. They were unable to gather any of their crops, and no aid could be sent from Plymouth, as all of the available forces in the colony had been despatched to towns where the danger was even greater than at Middleboro. George Danson had neglected the warning of John Tomson as he was hastening to the fort, and had been shot near Danson Brook.
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After the fort had been built, Isaac Howland, Fran- cis Coombs, John Morton, Nathaniel Southworth, Ephraim Tinkham, Samuel Fuller, and Henry Wood were chosen as council,1 with John Tomson, com- mander.
John Tomson formed 2 sixteen able-bodied men into a company for their protection. He applied to the gov- ernor and council of Plymouth for a commission. They considered the company too small for a captaincy, and gave him a general commission as ensign commander, not only of the garrison, but also of all posts of danger within the town. The company was equipped, beside the ordinary gun,3 which every settler possessed, with a
1 The council was selected in accordance with a provision of the law of the colony passed in 1658, which was as follows : -
THE ORDER OF COURT CONCERNING THE COUNCEL OF WARR
In regard of the many appearances of danger towards the Countrey by Enimies and the great nessessitie of Councell and advise in which respect the Court thought meet to make choise of a Counsell of warr consisting of eleven psons whose names are elswhere extant in the Records of the Court which said eleven being orderly called together theire acte to be accounted in force and they to bee continewed in theire places untill others bee elected to bee orderly called together is ment being sumoned by the prsedent or his deputie or in case of theire ab- sence any two majestrates of the Councell of Warr.
The number of these, considering the few in the garrison, was un- doubtedly deemed sufficient.
2 This company does not represent the number of men in town capable of bearing arms. Many were away taking an active part in the war. We have definite record of at least three, and there were probably others.
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JOHN TOMSON'S GUN
3 In addition to the armament of the fort by a pro- vision of the law passed by the General Court for 1636, each male must have provided himself for his own defence in accordance with this provision of the law of the Old Colony, passed November 15, 1636, which was as follows : -
PARTICULAR ARMS
That each person for himselfe &c. according to Jan. 2d 1632 have peece, powder and shott vizt a sufficient
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long gun, evidently made for other purposes than hunting. It was seven feet, four and a half inches long ; the length of the barrel, six and one half feet; the size of the caliber twelve balls to the pound, and the length of the face of the lock ten inches. This gun, weighing twelve pounds, was probably brought from the old country. Besides these, they had a hal- berd, a brass pistol, and a sword. The sword was three feet, five inches long ; the length of the blade two feet, eleven and three eighths inches.
Early in June a band of warriors was seen from the fort on the opposite bank of the river, near the "hand rock," so called from an im- pression of a man's hand upon it. Here for several days an Indian came and of- fered insults in ges- tures and words to the garrison to pro- voke an attack. John Tomson deemed it advisable to call his council together, and A VIEW OF THE ROCK UPON WHICH ISAAC HOWLAND SHOT THE INDIAN AT THE BEGINNING OF KING PHILIP'S WAR after careful consid- eration it was determined that they should attempt to shoot him. The gun of the commander, especially adapted to a long range, was brought out, and Isaac Howland was selected for his skill as a marksman. He fired, resting the gun upon the shoulder of a comrade, and the Indian fell, mortally wounded. The shot was considered remarkable at the time, as the dis- tance was one hundred and fifty-five rods, much beyond the range of the ordinary musket. The Indians, raising a yell, bore
musket or other serviceable peece for war with bandeleroes sword and other appurtenances for himself and each man servant he keepeth able to beare armes. And that for himselfe & each such person under him he be at all times furnished with two pounds of powder and ten pounds of bullets & for each default to for- feit ten shillings.
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the wounded man away to the house of William Nelson, about three miles and a half distant, where he died, and was buried in the field near by with the ceremony for a departed brave. The house was then burned. Immediately after the fall of the Indian, the warriors who were about him sought revenge and attacked the grist-mill of Samuel Barrows. They crept along by a fence to within gunshot, but Mr. Barrows saw them approach and, suspecting their design, ran to shut down the mill, and then fled for his life. The bank of the river between the mill and the fort was lined with alders ; through these he ran, holding his coat and hat upon a pole above his head. They fired upon him as he fled, but mistook the coat for the man, and he escaped unharmed to the fort with some bullet-holes in his coat.
After the mill was burned, many of the houses were destroyed by fire ; 1 among them the houses of John Tomson, William Nelson, Obadiah Eddy, John Morton, Henry Wood, George Dawson, Francis Coombs, and William Clark.
In July, 1675, a man by the name of J. Marks, while walk- ing through a field of Indian corn in Middleboro, was shot by an Indian, breaking his thigh-bone, and lay in the place where he fell forty-eight hours before he was found. He was yet alive, but his wound was so severe that he died soon after from its effects.2
The inhabitants who had found refuge in the fort remained about six weeks ; then it was deemed wise to go to Plymouth. With the small amount of provisions, arms, and ammunition, they would have been wholly unable to resist a siege or an attack from as large a band of warriors as had destroyed Swansea and other towns in the colony.
On the Ioth of July Ensign Tomson sent a letter to Governor Winslow, asking for an additional guard.
1 In a note to Hubbard's Narrative, p. 41, we find that the town's guard was stationed in a mole and was not strong enough to act on the defensive, and thence the Indians swept around and burned most of the houses. Towards night they returned to Tispequin with great triumph and rejoicings.
2 Hubbard's Indian Wars, vol. ii, p. 46.
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VIEW OF DANSON BROOK, THOMPSON STREET (Where George Danson was shot by the Indians at the beginning of King Philip's War)
HONOURED SIR, - My request to you is, that you would be pleased to send sufficient guard, to guard our women and chil- dren, with what goods is left, down to Plymouth, for we are every day liable to be a prey to our enemies, neither can we subsist here any longer by reason of want of provision and shot, for we are almost out of them both. And now our rye and other English grain, which is very considerable, is all laid open to creatures to destroy, the rye being almost ripe, which had we some considerable help to preserve, we possibly might have a considerable quantity of it, which might be to the saving of our lives ; therefore my earnest request to your honor is, that, if it be possible, with as much brevity as may be, to relieve us. Sir, I conceive this place to be a very convenient place to keep a garrison, by reason the enemy makes Assawamsett and Daniel's Island his place of retreat, as we conceive. Sir, I doubt not, but if God by his providence spare my life till I see you, I shall be able to give a good account of our acting to your satisfaction.
The town's "Court of Guard," as it was termed, stationed at a mole, was overawed by numbers, while scattered parties of the Indians ranged about the settlement and burned most of the houses. "Towards night," says Sergeant Tomson, "they returned to the top of Tispequin's hill with great triumph and rejoicing, with a shout ; but we firing our long gun at them, they speedily went away. To such extremity was a
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settlement, only about twelve or fourteen miles distant from Plymouth, reduced, in a few days after the commencement of hostilities." 1
After the abandonment of the fort, it was burned by the In -. dians. The inhabitants remained in Plymouth till after the close of the war, as did also the inhabitants of Dartmouth and Swansea. The town of Scituate was attacked by a com- pany of warriors, probably under the lead of Tispequin, and suffered severely ; it was without means of defence, as Cap- tain John Williams, with a company of thirty Scituate men, was absent endeavoring to intercept or waylay the enemy supposed to be somewhere in the woods of Nemasket.
July 19, 1675, a conflict took place at Pocasset, from which Philip escaped, and for several months the fighting continued outside of the old colony. In the most severe battle of the war, which occurred in Rhode Island, in December, 1675, John Raymond, later of Middleboro, took part, and Samuel Pratt, one of the early settlers, was killed.
On March 12, 1676, a massacre took place near Plymouth ; eleven men were killed, and Mr. Clarke's house was attacked. This was followed by the destruction of a band of Scituate men at Pawtucket. At this time a body of three hundred additional men was raised, and was ordered to march on the IIth of April. They went through Middleboro, and some re- fused to march further and returned, it being a time of gen- eral insubordination throughout the colonies. On April 20 Scituate was attacked, and nineteen houses were burned.
On the 8th of May, 1676, some three hundred warriors under the leadership of Tispequin made a second attack upon Bridgewater, which was repelled by the inhabitants, and after- wards renewed upon that portion of the town bordering on the Taunton River which included Titicut, where they burned two houses and one barn; but it does not appear that they crossed the river into that portion of Titicut at present in- cluded in Middleboro. Philip had given orders that Bridgewater and Taunton should not be destroyed until the last.
1 New England's Memorial, Davis edition, p. 430.
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On or about the IIth of May 1 Middleboro was again visited, and the houses which had not been burned in the summer and fall before were totally destroyed.
About this time Captain Benjamin Church had charge of a number of volunteers for the purpose of more vigor- Encamin Church ously prosecuting the war. The following was the order from the governor and council of the colony : 2-
Captain Benjamin Church, you are hereby nominated, or- dered, commissioned, and empowered to raise a company of volunteers of about two hundred men, English and Indians ; the English not exceeding the number of sixty, of which com- pany, or so many of them as you can obtain, or shall see cause at present to improve, you are to take the command, conduct, and to lead them forth now and hereafter, at such time, and unto such places within this colony, or elsewhere within the confederate colonies, as you shall think fit ; to discover, pur- sue, fight, surprise, destroy, or subdue our Indian enemies, or any part or parties of them, that by the providence of God you may meet with, or them, or any of them, by treaty and composition to receive to mercy, if you see reason, (provided they be not murderous rogues, or such as have been princi- pal actors in those villanies.) And forasmuch as your com- pany may be uncertain, and the persons often changed, you
1 In a letter supposed to be written by Governor Josiah Winslow to Thomas Hinckley and John Freeman, under date of May 23, 1676, referring to Philip's War on the towns of Plymouth Colony, he says : -
"The people in all our towns (Scituate excepted) are very desirous to be ranging after the enemy. Last Saturday, about four, afternoon, a second post came from Bridgewater, informing that they had that morning discovered a party of about two hundred of the enemy at Teeticut, very busy killing cattle and horses, as if they intended some stay there; and that Taunton and Bridgewater had agreed in the night to advance towards them with about sixty men, to fight them in the morning, and requested a few men from us if possible. The warning was very short ; yet we obtained from Plymouth, Duxbury, and Marshfield about forty smart lads, and sent to Bridgewater that night, but have not as yet heard of or from them. They knew of your intended march; and, if they miss of those Indians, may very probably meet and join with yours to range towards Dart- mouth and Seaconet." The Hinckley Papers, Mass. Hist. Coll. vol. v, Fourth Series, p. 9.
2 Church, History of Philip's War, Part I, p. 100.
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are also hereby empowered with the advice of your company, to choose and commissionate a Lieutenant, and to establish Sergeants, and Corporals as you see cause. And you herein improving your best judgment and discretion, and utmost ability, faithfully to serve the interest of God, his Majesty's interest, and the interest of the colony ; and carefully govern- ing your said company at home and abroad. These shall be unto you full and ample commission, warrant and discharge. Given under the publick seal, this 24th day of July, 1676.
Per Jos. WINSLOW, Governour.
July 25 Captain Church, again on the march with a com- pany of eighteen English and twenty-two Indians, reached Middleboro before daylight in pursuit of a party of Narra- gansetts.1
They were led by Philip's warriors, who for some time had been making depredations in Middleboro and other towns. Friendly Indians had reported their supposed whereabouts, and Captain Church, upon receiving his commission, marched immediately to Middleboro. During the night of the first day he reached Thomastown, where these warriors were encamped not far from the residence of the late Perez Thomas, in a swamp which he surrounded. They were accustomed to hide on an island in the middle of the swamp in the daytime, and to carry on their devastations during the night. Some of his Indian scouts brought the information that they had seen the smoke of their fires. Captain Church immediately ordered his forces to approach the swamp, and to be careful that none should escape. Before the sun rose, tracks were discovered in the dew on the grass on a narrow strip of land that led from the high ground on the edge of the swamp to the island. See- ing that there was no possible means of escape, and that they had been so completely surprised, the whole force of the Indians surrendered,2 and were conveyed to Plymouth as prisoners of war. Captain Church hastened through the woods back to
1 Baylies's New Plymouth, Part III, pp. 152-153.
2 " Upon examination, they agreed in their stories, that they belonged to Tispa- quin, who was gone with John Bump, an Indian, to kill horses." Church, History of Philip's War, Part I, p. 176.
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Plymouth, where he left them to be dealt with by the governor, with the exception of one Jeffrey, a Narragansett, who had proved a faithful guide, and had been of great assistance to him after the Indians surrendered.
Middleboro men had all moved to Plymouth, and undoubt- edly, as this expedition was in part to capture these Indians, not a few of them took part, but of this we have no record. Later, Captain Church's command reached Nemasket in the early morning and discovered another company of the enemy, whom they approached and surprised, capturing sixteen. Upon exam- ination, they informed him that Tispequin was at Assawamp- sett with a large company. It is to be noted that during this campaign some of the Indians who were taken by Captain Church proved so friendly that they assisted him in capturing the enemy.
Captain Church was in charge of a number of wagons laden with provisions, bound to Taunton, which he had been ordered to protect. He was therefore obliged to lose the opportunity of seizing Tispequin and the warriors with him. Upon reaching Taunton, he was indignant to find Major Bradford, the commander of the forces, idle at the tavern, and asked that the latter's soldiers might be sent over the river to guard the provisions, while he continued on his expe- dition.1
After leaving Taunton, he hastened to Assawampsett Neck, where he proposed to camp that night. As soon as they came to the brook 2 which runs into the great pond through a swamp, the Indians fired, but no one was injured. Those in his com- mand ran into the swamp where the enemy were supposed to be and fired upon them, but it being in the edge of the even- ing, they escaped.
Captain Church then moved his company to Assawampsett Neck, where, being exceedingly fatigued, he concluded to
1 The route which Captain Church probably took with his train was over what is now known as Summer Street.
2 This place is probably at the bridge over the stream that connects the two ponds, a little south of the house of Mr. Perry.
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encamp and rest for the remainder of the night. He placed a guard about the camp, a part of his men holding his horses while they ate. In the middle of the night, Tispequin's scouts having fired upon them, he stealthily moved away by another route and proceeded to Acushnet, some three miles to the south, where the Indians had previously burned the houses after the inhabitants had fled. Neither party seems to have been willing to risk an encounter, as both were well pre- pared and acquainted with the country, and, well knowing the strength of each other, they withdrew without further engage- ment.1
On July 30 another force of Indians was reported to the authorities, and the "Governor hastened to Plymouth, raised what men he could by the way, came to Plymouth in the beginning of the forenoon exercise, sent for Captain Church out of the meeting-house, gave him the news. . . . The Captain bestirred him- SITE OF THE ENCOUNTER AT THE BRIDGE, LAKEVILLE self but found no bread in the storehouse and so was forced to run from house to house to get household bread for their march."2 They went to Bridgewater, where Philip, with some of his followers, desiring to escape, had cut down a tree to serve as a bridge across the Taunton River. Church, on reaching this temporary bridge, saw an Indian sitting, and was about to fire, but was restrained by one who thought him a friendly Indian. He proved to be Philip, and Church, with Isaac Howland, pursued him to a swamp, where they captured several, but not the wily Philip. On returning to Plymouth, the captain received the governor's thanks for this victory, in which one hundred and seventy-three were killed or captured.
1 This encampment was probably upon the farm of Sidney T. Nelson. Pierce, Indian History, p. 200; Baylies's New Plymouth, Part III, pp. 154-155.
2 Church, History of Philip's War, p. 121.
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Again he started in pursuit, and finally, on the 12th of August, surrounded and captured Philip 1 at Mount Hope.
"They let him come fair within shot, and the Englishman's gun missing fire, he bid the Indian fire away and he did so to the purpose ; sent one musket bullet through his heart, and another not above two inches from it. He fell upon his face in the mud and water, with his gun under him."
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