USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sudbury > The history of Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1638-1889 > Part 18
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voting should have any claim to commonage. The people of Sudbury expressed full assent to the report of the com- missioners, and returned " hearty thanks unto them for their paines faithfulness and love expressed." The council of churches having also met and considered the case, a for- mal adjustment of matters was made, and again things moved on in their accustomed way. "John Parmenter having expended the sum of 17-5-12 in entertaining both the council and committee appointed to end their differences, the Court orderes the said charges to be borne by all the town."
CHAPTER XI.
1675-1700.
Philip's War: Sources of Information ; Cause and Nature. - Defensive Measures by the Town: Garrison-Houses ; Militia. - Defensive Measures by the Colony. - Services of the Town outside its Limits ; List of Men Impressed. - Swamp Fight. - Services of Ephraim Curtis among the Nipnets : As a Messenger with Proposals of Peace ; - As a Guide in Captain Hutchinson's Expedition. - Signs of Indian Hostilities in and about the Town. - Edmund Brown's Letter. - Night Attack on the Indians, and Death of Netus.
Over the hillsides the wild knell is tolling, From their far hamlets the yeomanry come; As thro' the storm-clouds the thunder-burst rolling Circles the beat of the mustering drum. O. W. HOLMES.
THE last quarter of the seventeenth century began dark and threatening to the colonists. A memorable Indian war was at hand, and gloomy and portentous was the outlook as the year 1675 set in. Sudbury, on account of its frontier position, was to be badly harassed by the enemy; and per-
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haps no New England town became more prominent than this in the annals of that remarkable period.
But, notwithstanding the prominence of Sudbury in this remarkable conflict, there is little information pertaining to it in the records of the town. This absence of information, however, is not very remarkable. The town books were for town business, and the military movements of that period largely related to the colony. The sources from which mainly we derive information are papers preserved in the State archives, historians of the period, and a valuable paper recently discovered among the old Court files. The paper last mentioned consists of a petition presented by the inhabi- tants of Sudbury to the General Court assembled Oct. 11, 1676. This document settles the date of the Sudbury fight, and gives in detail some of the events connected with Philip's attack on the town. We shall refer to it as " The Old Peti- tion."
Before commencing the narrative of the war, we will con- sider briefly the cause and nature of it. This war originated with and was conducted by Philip, a Wampanoag chieftain. His aboriginal name was Metacomet, but he was called Philip by Governor Prince, because of his bravery. Philip was a son of Massasoit, a friend of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, and lived at Mount Hope, near Bristol, R.I., a place on the west side of Mount Hope Bay. The Indian name of the place was Pokanoket. Metacomet, unlike his father, distrusted the English. He feared the gradual encroachment upon his broad forests betokened no good; and he sought to check the English advance and increase by a devastating war. To accomplish his object, he sought alliance with most of the tribes of New England, and so far succeeded that a large portion of them were engaged in the hostilities that followed. With his combination of tribes, Philip had the material to do great mischief.
Probably of all the foes that New England ever encoun- tered, Philip of Pokanoket was most dreaded ; and this war was the most destructive of any Indian war waged for the same length of time in this country. Villages and hamlets faded before his savage force; homes became smouldering
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ash-heaps ; and lands, smiling in the sunlight of civilized life, were left forsaken and desolate, again to be draped in the old forest shade.
Besides the usual ferocity expected in an Indian combatant, the peculiar characteristics of the time and place aggravated the unhappy situation of the settlers. The wild condition of the country, the isolation of dwellings, the slow commu- nication of place with place, - all these were circumstances suited to arouse feelings of distrust, and to stir the inhabi- tants to a state of alarm. They were subjected to constant expectation of sudden Indian attack. Any sign might fore- bode the approach of the foe, and send the people to the shelter of their friendly garrisons. The strange foot-print of a moccasin on the outskirts of an outlying field, the freshly made trail in the forest, the mysterious smoke rising above the distant woodlands, or the dull sound of a gun in the thicket, were omens mysterious and strange. Besides the arousing of apprehension by signs of a material character, the situation was such that the superstitious nature of the inhabitants was wrought upon to an unusual degree. It was thought there were mysterious prognostications of what was to come. Strange omens were supposed to be seen in the sky, and wild, rushing sounds heard over the tree-tops, which were considered ominous of evil. So marked, indeed, were these circumstances, that perhaps the impressions made were different from those of any other war in New Eng- land.
Long after its devastations had ceased, the tale of Philip's . raids was rehearsed by the farm-house fireside; tradition passed the story of the times to posterity ; children received it from the lips of the parent who had heard, while within garrison walls, the wild whoop from the woods, or witnessed the skulk of the savage along forest, bramble, and rock. It was a wild, weird story to tell, and late listeners lingered about the bright hearthstone, and left with reluctance the warm kitchen precinct for the remote chamber beneath the old roof.
For a better understanding of the particular relation of this war to Sudbury, we divide the subject thus : -
,
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First, the defensive condition of the town when the con- flict set in.
Second, The part its citizens took in military operations outside the town limits.
Third, the Indians' near approach, their repulse, and the death of Netus.
Fourth, the attack on the town and the defense of the gar- risons.
Fifth, the contest at the causeway and old town bridge.
Sixth, the battle at Green Hill, or the Sudbury fight.
DEFENSIVE MEASURES.
The principal means of defense in this war were the garrison-houses. These were not always under colonial authority, but were often private dwelling-places conven- iently located. They were sometimes a rendezvous for the town's militia in times of expected attack, and used occa- sionally to shelter colonial soldiers when sent to a belea- guered place. Some of these garrison-houses were built strong, for the purpose of defense, while others were built in the ordinary way, and fortified when the danger became imminent.
Sudbury had several of these places of defense, a knowl- edge of which has come down to us, namely: The Brown Garrison, the Walker Garrison, the Goodenow Garrison, the Haynes Garrison, two others whose names are now unknown, and a block-house. Of these places we give the following information, derived from personal knowledge, rec- ord, and tradition : -
THE BROWN GARRISON.
This stood on the present estate of Luther Cutting, about a dozen rods southeasterly of his residence, or a few rods east of the Sudbury and Framingham road, and about a half mile from the town's southern boundary. It had a gable roof, was made of wood, and lined with brick. It was per- haps built by Major Thomas Brown, and was owned and occupied by the descendants of the Brown family till a mod-
-
THE BROWNE GARRISON HOUSE.
From an original painting by A. S. Hudson, from descriptions given by persons once familiar with it.
-
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ern date. It was demolished about thirty-five years ago, when in the possession of Mr. Conant.
THE WALKER GARRISON.
The Walker Garrison-house is in the west part of the town, a little south of the Massachusetts Central Railroad, on the Willard Walker estate. This building is a curious structure, with massive chimney, large rooms, and heavy frame-work. It is lined within the walls with upright plank fastened with wooden pins. It may have been erected by Thomas Walker, whose name, with others, is subscribed to " The Old Petition."
THE GOODNOW GARRISON.
This garrison stood a little southeasterly of the present Coolidge house, or a few rods northeast to east of the East Sudbury railroad station, and perhaps twenty or thirty rods from the South Sudbury and Wayland highway. A lane formerly went from the road to a point near the garrison. This house was standing about three-quarters of a century ago. Tradition states, that an old building a few feet square stood by it, which was called "the old barrack," and was removed to the Farr Farm. An old inhabitant, - C. G. Cutler, - who had been to the house in his early life, informed the writer that there was no mistake about this being the Goodnow Garrison ; for years ago it was generally considered so by the community.
THE HAYNES GARRISON.
This garrison stood on the Water-Row Road, by the mar- gin of the river meadow, a little northerly or northeasterly of the Luther Goodenow house. It was about an eighth of a mile from the Wayland and Sudbury Centre highway, two or three rods from the road, and fronted south. In later years it was painted red. In 1876 it was still standing, but has since been demolished. It is supposed to have been erected by Walter Haynes, and was probably the place which, in the early records of the town, was repeatedly referred to as "Mr. Haynes' old house."
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One of the buildings which common tradition says was a garrison, but whose name is unknown, stood near the Adam How place, about twenty-five rods northwest of the house. It was one story high, and had a room at each end. For a time it was owned and occupied by Abel Parmenter, and was torn down years ago. It is stated by tradition, that, when the Wayside Inn was built, the workmen repaired to this house at night for safety.
The garrisons previously mentioned were named from their early occupants. Parmenter was the name of the first occu- pant of this house of whom we have any knowledge; if he was the first, then doubtless this house was formerly known as the Parmenter Garrison.
The other garrison, the name of which is unknown, was north of the Gulf Meadows, and on or near the present Dwier Farm (Bent place). Tradition concerning this one is less positive than concerning the other. An old inhabi- tant, once pointing towards the old Bent house, said, "There is where the people used to go when the Indians were about." It is quite evident that the Bent house was not a garrison, for that was built about a century ago; but across the road southwesterly there are indications that some structure once stood, which may have been a garrison.
THE BLOCK-HOUSE.
The block-house stood in the north part of the town, on the Israel Haynes Farm. It was situated, perhaps, from thirty to fifty rods southwest of the house of Leander Haynes, on a slight rise of ground. It was small, perhaps fifteen feet square, more or less, and so strongly built that it was with difficulty taken to pieces. It was demolished about three-quarters of a century ago, when owned by Mr. Moses Haynes. Mr. Reuben Rice of Concord, a relative of Mr. Haynes, when over ninety years of age informed the writer that when it was torn down he chanced to be passing by, and looked for bullet-marks, and believed he found some. He stated there was no mistake about the house being used as a garrison.
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
There may have been garrisons in town about which tra- dition is silent ; and doubtless other dwellings were put in a defensive attitude when Indian hostilities began. It is stated that "many houses were fortified and garrisoned." On the cast side we have heard of no garrisons, but Rev. Edmund Brown fortified his house. In a letter sent to the Governor, Sept. 26, 1675, he states as follows: " I have been at a round charge to fortify my house, and except finishing the two flankers and my gate have finished. Now without four hands I cannot well secure it, and if for want of hands I am beaten out, it will be very advantageous to the enemy, and a thorn to the town." The men asked for were granted him ; and his house afforded a place of defense to the inhabi- tants of that locality, who were directed to resort to it in time of peril. After the war began the meeting-house was made a place of security, and fortifications were constructed about it.
Such were some of the means provided for protection in the coming conflict. These were the strongholds that stout hearts defended. In view of their service, it is unfortunate that these relics have to such an extent been destroyed. But, as we have stated, only one remains. With regard to the others, all that can now be done is carefully to mark the site and preserve the traditions concerning them.
MILITIA.
Beside the garrison-houses, the town had a small force of militia. Says " The Old Petition": "The strength of Our towne upon ye Enemy's approaching it, consisted of eighty fighting men." These men were able bodied and strong for the work of war, liable to do duty forreither country or town ; while others, younger and less vigorous, could stand guard and do some light service. When the war was fairly begun, the town's force was replenished by outside help. So that, with the people collected in garrisons, and the armed men able to fight in a sheltered place, a stout defense could be maintained against a considerably larger force.
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
COLONIAL MEASURES OF DEFENSE.
Beside the defensive measures adopted by the town, there were also others devised by the colony. The cause was a common one. If the frontier towns were left unprotected, the seaboard settlements would be rendered unsafe. Some of the defensive measures adopted by the colony, in which Sudbury shared, are set forth in the following papers : -
CAMBRIDGE, 28: 1 mo. 1676.
In obedience to an order of the Honorable Council, March, 1675-6, appointing us, whose names are underwritten, as a committee to consult the several towns of the county of Middlesex, with reference to the best means of the preservation of our out-towns, remote houses, and farms, for their security from the common enemy, we having sent to the several towns to send us their apprehensions by some one meet person of each town, this day we consulted concerning the same, and have concluded to purpose as followeth.
1. That the towns of Sudbury, Concord and Chelmsford be strength- ened with forty men apiece, which said men are to be improved in scout- ing between town and town, who are to be commanded by men of pru- dence, courage and interest in the said towns, and the parties in each town are to be ordered to keep together in some place commodious in said towns, and not in garrisoned houses; and these men to be upon charge of the country.
2. That for the security of Billerica there be a garrison of a number competent at Weymessit, who may raise a thousand bushel of corn upon the lands of the Indians in that place, may be improved daily in scouting and ranging the woods between Weymessit and Andover, and on the west of Concord river on the east and north of Chelmsford, which will discover the enemy before he comes to the towns, and will prevent lurk- ing Indians about our towns. Also that they shall be in a readiness to succor any of these towns at any time when in distress; also shall be ready to join with others to follow the enemy upon a sudden after their appearing.
3. That such towns as Lancaster, Groton, and Marlborough, that are forced to remove, and have not some advantage of settlement (peculiar) in the Bay, be ordered to settle at the frontier towns, that remain, for their strengthening ; and the people of the said towns to which they are appointed, are to see to their accommodation in the said towns.
4. That the said towns have their own men returned that are abroad, and their men freed from impressment during their present state.
5. That there be appointed a select number of persons in each town of Middlesex, who are, upon any information of the distress of any town,
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
forthwith to repair to the relief thereof; and that such information may be seasonable, the towns are to dispatch posts, each town to the next, till notice be conveyed over the whole country, if need be.
Your humble servants, HUGH MASON, JONATHAN DANFORTH, RICHARD LOWDON.
Another paper, setting forth suggestions for defensive measures, is the following : -
For the better securing our frontier towns from the incursion of the enemy, it is ordered by this Court, and authority thereof, that in each and every of these towns hereinafter mentioned, respectively, shall be allowed for their defence a sutible numbers of soldiers, well armed and furnished with ammunition fit for service; the number or proportion in such towns to be as follows, viz.
Groton,
20 men.
Weymouth,
. 15 men.
Pawtucket, .
men.
Billerica,
20 men.
Sudbury,
.
30 men. Andover, .
. 20 men.
Braintree, .
. 15 men. Concord,
. 20 men.
Bradford,
. 10 men. Milton,
10 men.
Haverhill,
20 men.
Hingham,
· 20 men.
Chelmsford,
20 men.
Dedham,
. 20 men.
Medfield,
· 30 men.
·
·
And it is further ordered, that each and every of the towns above mentioned, shall well and sufficiently maintain their several proportions of men with suitable provisions, respecting diet, at their own proper cost and charge during the time of their service.
These garrison soldiers, together with those who are to be in the prosecution of the enemy, are to be raised out of the four counties in which the garrisons are to be settled, and that these soldiers that are raised out of the garrison towns, shall be allowed them in part of the garrison, according as their proportion shall be, and that the settling of these garrisons in the respective towns, as to the place, and also the commander-in-chief, together with direction for the improvements of said garrisons to the best advantage for the security of towns and per- sons, it shall and is hereby left to the committee of militia in the several towns, who are hereby required and impowered to act therein according to this order. And this to be instead of a line of garrisons formerly proposed.
The deputies have past this with reference to the consent of the honored magistrates hereto. WILLIAM TORREY, Clerk.
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
Still another paper, showing the country's alarming condi- tion, and the effort made by the colony to meet it, is the fol- lowing: It was ordered, May 3, that each of the frontier towns be "divided into so many parties as a meete number may each day by turns be sent forth vpon the scout wth whom a party of Indians at the charge of the county shall be joined." (Colonial Records, Vol. V., p. 79.) These were to be managed by suitable commanders appointed by the military committee, and the soldiers who were absent "in service appertaining to sayed townes " were to be returned home and freed from the impress. In connection with said order, Sudbury was mentioned. Six others only were given. It was also ordered, at the same time, that when any town was assailed by the savages the chief commander, if present in any town, shall "send forth with what ayde can be spared with safety at home, for the security of the distressed." It was also ordered, - lest the frontier towns be endangered by persons leaving them in an exposed condition, - that no per- son " who is by law engaged to trayne, watch, ward or scout, is to leave the town he is an inhabitant of, without the con- sent of the committee of mellitie, or vpon their denial of the council of the commonwealth." Also, no party capable of doing garrison duty was to absent himself without the leave of the garrison commander. The Court also ordered, that soldiers should be employed daily "in scouting and warding, to prevent the skulking of the enemy about the sayd townes, and to give tymely notice of approaching danger, and also that the brush in highways and other places [judged neces- sary] be cut up;" "such persons, youth, &c." as were not in "traine bands, and exempt by law," were to be under obliga- tions " to attend command for that service."
Thus the inhabitants of the frontier towns were to remain at their posts, and fight. If they fled to the forest, it was a lurking place for the foe; if they ventured for security to the seaboard settlements, they were liable to seizure and exile. All they could do was to gird themselves for the contest, and, gathered about their cordon of garrisons, await the com- ing foe.
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
SERVICES OF SUDBURY OUTSIDE ITS OWN TERRITORY.
The people did not have long to wait inactive about their garrisons ; for though at the beginning of the war the town of Sudbury was not attacked, as the Indians chiefly confined hostilities to the county of Plymouth, yet it was soon called upon to send aid to other places. Nov. 22, 1675, a warrant came from Major Willard to John Grout, Josiah Haynes and Edmund Goodnow, who called themselves the " humble ser- vants the militia of Sudbury," requiring the impressment of nine able men to the service of the country. They state to the Governor and Council that they have impressed the fol- lowing men, namely : William Wade, Samuel Bush, John White, Jr., Thomas Rutter, Peter Noyes, Jr., James Smith, Dennis Headly, Mathew Gibbs, Jr., and Daniel Harrington ; but that they wish to have them released. Joseph Graves, master of Harrington, states that his servant had not cloth- ing fit for the service; that he was well clothed when he was impressed before, but that he wore his clothes out in that service, and could not get his wages to buy more. The ser- vice that he was formerly impressed for was the guarding of families in " Natick Bounds." One of those families is sup- posed to be that of Thomas Eames, which was attacked by the Indians near the outbreak of the war. (See Chapter II.) A further reason for their release from this service is found in the following extracts from their petition : "Considering our condition as a frontier town, and several of our men being already in the service, our town being very much scat- tered ;" furthermore, that, several families being sickly, no use could be made of them for " watching, warding, scout- ing or impress, whereby the burden lies very hard on a few persons."
But, notwithstanding the imperiled condition of the peo- ple, we find that the town was represented a few weeks later in the "swamp fight," which was one of the hard- fought battles of the war. This conflict occurred Dec. 19, 1675, in what is now Kingston, R. I. At this place the Nar- ragansett Indians had a stronghold that the English resolved to attack. For this purpose an expedition of one thousand
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
men was fitted out from the united colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, and Connecticut, under command of Major Josiah Winslow, Governor of the Plymouth Colony. The march of the expedition was in winter, and heavy snows impeded the progress of the troops. The fort, for one built by Indians, was unusually strong. It was situated on a few acres of upland, in a swampy morass. The work was con- structed of pallisades, surmounted by brush work, and the way to it was by fallen trees, which could be protected by firing from a block-house. As the English charged over this bridge, they were swept by the fire of the foe in a murderous manner, and before the fight was over seventy of the English were slain, and one hundred and fifty were wounded, while the Narragansetts, it is supposed, lost about one thousand. Sudbury was represented in Captain Mosely's company. which company, together with Captain Davenport's, it is said, led the van. Among the nine of Captain Mosely's men who were wounded was Richard Adams of Sudbury.
Not only did Sudbury furnish its quota of militia, but it supplied farther aid to the colony by the services of Lieut. Ephraim Curtis, the famous guide and scout. Mr. Curtis was a carpenter by trade, and at this time about thirty-three years of age. He had an intimate acquaintance with the country and its native inhabitants, and could speak their language with fluency. One prominent service that he per- formed was in acting as a messenger of the colonial authori- ties to the Nipnet Indians, who inhabited western and cen- tral Massachusetts. Supposing that an alliance of those Indians with Philip had not already been made, or that, if made, it might be broken, the authorities selected Ephraim Curtis to go among them and make overtures of peace. In giving information to the country of what had been done to avert the war, the authorities state as follows: "When our forces were sent out against Philip, We to satisfy and secure them, (the Nipnets), sent them, by Ephraim Curtis, a dec- laration with the public seal, that we had no design or intent to disturb them or any other Indians, that would remain in the plantation peaceable. Which message and messenger were rudely entertained by many of them there assembled, and the
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