History of the War with the Indians, Part 33 – Part 35
May 30. The Enemy appeared at Hatfield, fired about twelve houses and barns without the Fortification, killed many of their Cattel, drave away almost all their Sheep, spread themselves in the meadow between Hatfield and Hadley. Whereupon twenty five active and resolute men went from Hadly to relieve their distressed Brethren. The Indians shot at them ere they could get out of the Boat, and wounded one of them. Ours nevertheless charged on the Enemy, shot down five or six at the first volley near the River. Then they made hast toward the town fighting with a great number of the Enemy, many falling before them. And though encompast with a numerous swarm of Indians, who lay in Ambush behind almost every tree, and place of advantage, yet the English lost not one man, till within about an hundred rod of the Town, when five of ours were slain; among whom was a precious young man, whose name was Smith, that place having lost many in losing that one man. It speaketh sadly to the rising Generation when such are taken away. After this the Enemy fled, having lost five and twenty in this fight.
In these two last months of May and April, besides the Sword of War, in respect of the Heathen, the Sword of the Lord hath been drawn against this Land, in respect of Epidemical Diseases, which sin hath brought upon us; Sore and (doubtless) Malignant Colds prevailing every where. I cannot hear of one Family in New England that hath wholly escaped the Distemper, but there have been many Families wherein every one in the House was sick and ill disposed. So as that there have been many sick and weak, and some are fallen asleep, yea some eminent and useful Instruments hath the Lord removed, and made breaches thereby upon divers of the Colonies of New England.
Connecticut is deprived of their worthy and publick-spirited Governour Winthrop. This Colony of Mattachusets hath been bereaved of two, (viz. Major Willard and Mr. Russel) who for many years had approved themselves faithful in the Magistracy. And the death of a few such is as much as if thousands had fallen; yet many other righteous and useful ones are gone, leaving us behind in the storm. And amongst the common people, not a few have been carried to their Graves in these two last Months. We have heard of no less than eight in one small Plantation buried in one week, wherein also twenty persons died this Spring. And in another little Town nineteen persons have died within a few weeks. We in Boston have seen (a sad and solemn spectacle!) Coffins meeting one another, and three or four put into their Graves in one day. In the month of May about fifty persons are deceased in this Town. By which things, God from Heaven speaks to us and would give us to understand, that if the Sword will not reform us, he hath other Judgments in store, whereby he can suddenly and easily bring us down. The Lord help us to apply our hearts unto Wisdom, and make us thankful, in that he hath been intreated graciously and wonderfully to restore health unto us again.
In the latter end of May and beginning of June, the Indians have been less active in the pursuit of their mischievous designs against the English. One reason whereof hath been, in that it was now their planting and fishing time: for at this time of the year, they supply themselves with fish out of the Ponds and Rivers wherewith this good Land doth abound, and dry it against the Sun, so as that they can lay up in store, for to serve them the year about. But it would have been no wisdom for the English to suffer them so to do. Wherefore about four or five hundred Soldiers were sent out of this Colony, and as many (English and Indians together) of Connecticut, to seek out and disrest the Enemy.
June 7. Our Forces now abroad came upon a party of Indians, not far from Lancaster, and killed seven of them, and took nine and twenty of them Captive; some of which not long since had English Captives; under them. Thus did they that had led into Captivity, go into Captivity; and they that killed with the Sword were themselves killed with the Sword.
Also Connecticut Forces, whilst upon their march, killed and took above fifty Indians: and not long after that, a small party of Connecticut Souldiers with the afsistance of a few of those Indians who have been friends to the English, slew and took forty and four of the Enemy in the Narraganset Country; all these exploits being performed without the loss of any of ours.
June 12. T…e Enemy assaulted Hadly, in the morning, Sun an hour high three Souldiers going out of the Town without their Arms; were disswaded therefrom by a Serjeant, who stood at the Gate, but they alleadging that they intended not to go far, were suffered to pass, within a while the Serjeant apprehended, that he heard some men running; and looking over the Fortification, he saw twenty Indians pursuing those three men who were so terrified, that they could not cry out; two of them were at last killed, and the other so mortally wounded as that he lived not above two or three days; wherefore the Serjeant gave the Alarm. God in great mercy to those Western Plantations had so ordered by his providence, as that Connecticut Army was come thither before this onset from the enemy. Besides English, there were near upon two hundred Indians in Hadley, who came to fight with and for the English, against the common enemy, who was quickly driven off at the South end of the Town, whilst our men were pursuing of them here, on a sudden a great Swarm of Indians issued out of the Bushes, and made their main assault at the North end of the Town, they fired a Barn which was without the Fortifications, and went into an house, where the inhabitants discharged a great Gun upon them, whereupon about fifty Indians were seen running out of the house in great haste, being terribly frighted with the Report and slaughter made amongst them by the great Gun. Ours followed the enemy (whom they judged to be about five hundred, and by Indian report since, it seems they were seven hundred) neer upon two miles, and would fain have pursued them further, but they had no Order so to do. Some in those parts think, that as great an opportunity and advantage as enemy to them, and there being English and Indians enough to pursue them: But others supposing that then they should impede the design of coming upon them at the Falls, nothing was done until it was too late, only the Towns in those places were eminently saved, and but few of ours that lost their lives in this Skirmish, nor is it as yet known how many the enemy lost in this fight. The English could find but three dead Indians: yet some of them who have been taken Captive, confess that they had thirty men kill'd this day. And since we have been informed by Indians, of that which is much to be observed, viz. that while the Indian men were thus fighting against Hadley, the hand of the Lord so disposed, as that the Mohawks came upon their Head-Quarters, and smote their Women and Children with a great Slaughter, and then returned with much plunder. If indeed it was so (and the Indians are under no temptation to report a falshood of this nature) it is a very memorable passage.