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Soldiers of King Phillips War & The Narragansett Expedition


March 25, 1676 occured the skirmish known as Perces Fight in which 52 Englishman and 11 Indians were slain. The names of those slain as far as known and the town from whence they came so far as nown, are as follows:

From Scituate 18 , of whome 15 were slain, Capt. Pierce, Samuel Russell, Benjamin Chittenden, John Lothrope, Gersham Dodson, Samuel Pratt, Thomas Savary, Joseph Wade, William Wilcome, Jeremiah Barstow, John Ensign, Joseph Cowen, Joseph Perry, John Rowse (Rose)

From Marshfield, 9 slain, Thomas Little, John Eams, Josepj White, John Burrows, Joseph Phillips, Samuel Bump, John Lowe, Mae ----, John Brance.

From Duxbury, 4 slain, John Sprague, Benjamine Sola, Thomas Hunt, Josua Fobes.

From Sandwich, 5 slain, Benjamin Ney, David Bessey, Caleb Blake, Job Gibbs, Stephen Wing.

From Barnstable, 6 slain, Liet. Fuller, John Lewis, Eleazer C----(probably Clapp), Samuel Linnet, Samuel Childs, Samuel Bereman.

FromYarmouth, 5 slain, John Matthewes, John Gage, William Gage, Henry Gage, Henry Gold.

From Easham, 4 slain, Joseph Nessefield, John Walker, John M----,(torn off), John Fitz, Jr., John Miller, Jr.

Notes: John Titis, Jr.and John Miller, Jr., belonged to Rehoboth, and also Thomas Man (who returned with a sore hand). What is torn off had on it probably the name of one from Eastham and the word Rehoboth. It will be seen that besides what is torn off there are five names that follow Eastham.

[Vital Records of Rehoboth, by James Arnold 1897]

The following are the names of thoes who made advances of money. It showes that many of those who served as private soldiers in the war also advanced money to sustain it

George Kendrick, Jonathan Fuller, Jonathan Fuller, JO Miller, sr., Joseph Buckland, Wid Abraham Perem, Rice Leonard, James Gilsom, An Perry, George Robinson, John Perem, William Carpenter, John Titis, Sr., Samuel Carpenter, Widow Sabin, John Ormsby, Josiah Palmer, John Batterworth, Jr., Thomas Reasd, Stephen Paine, Jr., Robert Miller, Wid Mason, Wild Rachal Read, John Kigsley, Moses Raeade, John Reade, Sr., William Sabin, Mathaniel Pain, Samiel Reade, Thomas Willmarth, Jr., John Willmarth, Joseph Chaffee, Samuel Blulock, John Carpenter, John Titis, Jr., Nathaniel Chaffee, Robert Fuller, Richard Bowen, Rebecca Hunt, John Hall, Joseph Sabin, Gilbert Brooks, David Smith, James Readway, Sr., Preserved Abell, William Buckland, Benjamin Buckland, Samuel Peck, John Fitch, Thomas Willmarth, Sr., Francis Steplins, Joseph Peck, David Burs, John Savage, Richard Martin, Thomas Grant, Dea. Nathaniel Cooper, Samuel Sabin, Eldad Kingsley, Wid Carpenter, Daniel Allen, Samuel Humes, Noah Mason, John Jonson, Jeremiah Wheaton, Obadiah Bowen, Nathaniel Foulsom, Eben Amidown, John Crossman, Benjamin Sabin, James Redeway, Jr., William Balanding, Daniel Smith, John Peck, Deacon Walker, John Allen, Jr., John Dagget, Samuel Newman

[Vital Records of Rehoboth by James Arnold] [Bliss' History of Regoboth]

THOSE-ENGAGED IN THE NARRAGANSETT EXPEDITION

John Fitch, Jonathan Willmarth, Jasie Perry, Thomas Kendrick, John Martin, John Hall, John Miller, Jr., John Ide, Jonathan Sabin, John Carpenter, Joseph Daggett, Sampson Mason, Jr., John Redeway

[Vital Records of Rehoboth by James Arnold 1897]

THOSE WHO SERVED UNDER MAJOR BRADFORD

Preserved Abell, Samuel Perry, Stephen Paine, Jr., Samuel Miller, Silas T. Allin, Samuel Palmer, James Redway, Enock Hunt, Samuel Walker, Nicolas Ide, Noha Mason, Samuel Sabin, Thomas Read, George Robinson, Nathaniel Willmarth, Israel Read,

[Vital Records of Rehoboth by James Arnold 1897]]

When researching "Narragansett: I checkes several sources and cane away empty handed so e-mailed Edna Whitaker Kent in Rhode Island for help, In responce to my request I recived the following narriatave :

Narragansett: Indian tribe in Southwestern R.I.

Narragansett: Area of land in southern R.I.

Narragansett Bay: Great ocean body extending half-way into R.I. far up as Providence.

Item: King Philip's War 1675/76

English settlers terrorized for a year by Indian raids extending to Massachusett, Connecticut Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Main. Prompted by King Philip, Sachem of the Wampanoga Tribe, enraged by settler's encroachment on tribal hunting grounds. By his acts, had broken the peace treaty (father) Massasoit had made with the Pilgrams some fifty years prior. A treaty of neutrality with the Narragansetts had also been broken and war was declared at Boston, 2 Nov 1676.

Reason: The harboring of King Philip's Wampananogas as well as hosstilities occurring at Smith's Garrison, Southern Rhode Island.

The United Colonies of New England equiped an army of 1,000 men drawn from Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymputh Colony and Rhode Island Colony to attack the Narraugansetts in their winter fort at Narragansett, Rhode Island. Thirteen companies of infantry, and one of cavalry, was raised and from Massachusetts. 575 soldiers including 75 horse led by a Capt. Prentice, under Josiah Winslow, they set forth from Dedham, Massachusetts, 9 Dec. 1676, headed for Attelboro, thence to Seekonk, from which they sailed across Narrangasett Bay to land at Smith's Garrison. There reinforced by Rhode Island recruits, they distroyed an Indian settlement of 150 Wigwasns on their trek to the Narragansett's winter quarters. Connecticut troops (350 English + 100 Mohegan Indians) joined the march through the knee deep snow. The ensuing great battle is today known as the Great Swamp Massacre. Troops killed remained in the Great Swamp and the wounded were carried through a vicious snow storm to Smith's Garrison. On the trip, forty troops died of their wounds and lie buried in the Great Grave, 20 Dec 1676.

Legendary battles at Plymouth Colony and Rhode Island raged untill the warring Indian forces were diminished. July, 1676, King Philip was terrorizing settlers at Middleboro, Taunton, and Rehoboth, Massachusetts. 12 Augest , 1676, King Philip was killed at Bristol, Rhode Island, by Capt. Benjamin Churche's troops. During these two years, 113 English towns were totally decimated; 1200 dwellings burned, 800 cattle slaughtered, 600 settlers massacred, and 3,000 Indians perished.

The dreadful temper of the times indicated by the treatment of the Sachem's body: his head was carried through the streets of Plymouth 17 August, and set upon a pole. There it remained until 1700: an object of the Indian War. His hand ... perserved in rum ... was passed from village to village throughout New England.