on his soldiers to stand to it, and fight stoutly. Now the enemy finding that place of the swamp which was not ambushed, many of them made their escape in the English tracks. The man that had shot down Philip, ran with all speed to Captain Church, and informed him of his exploit, who commanded him to be silent about it and let no man more know it, until they had driven the swamp clean. But when they had driven the swamp through, and found [that] the enemy had escaped, or at least, the most of them, and the sun and so the dew gone, that they could not easily track them, the whole company met together at the place where the enemy's night shelter was, and then Captain Church gave them the news of Philip's death. Upon which the whole army gave now up, three loud huzzas. Captain Church ordered his body to be pulled out of the mire to the upland. So some of Captain Church's Indians took hold of him by his stockings, and some by his small breeches (being otherwise naked) and drew him through the mud to the upland; and a doleful, great, naked, dirty beast he looked like.* Captain Church then said, that forasmuch as he had caused many an Englishman's body to be unburied, and to rot above ground, that not one of his bones should be buried. And calling his old Indian executioner, bid him behead and quarter him. Accordingly he came with his hatchet and stood over him, but before he struck he made a small speech directing it to Philip, [which was, that]1 "he had been a very great man, and had made many a man afraid of him, but so big as he was, he would now 1 [and said] *How natural is the propensity of man, to exult in the fall of his enemy! However great or brave, if the great disposer of events renders him unprofitably so, no allowance is made in the day of victory, though the honour of the conqueror is measured by that of his foe. chop his arse for him.”* And so he went to work and did as he was ordered.† Philip having one very remarkable hand, being much scarred, occasioned by the splitting of a pistol in it formerly, Captain Church gave the head and that hand to Alderman, the Indian who shot him, to show to such gentlemen as would bestow gra-tuities upon him; and accordingly he got many a penny by it. This being on the last day of the week, the Captain with his company, returned to the island, [and] tarried there until Tuesday; and then went off and ranged through all the woods to Plymouth, and received their premium, which was thirty shillings per head, for the enemies which they had killed or taken, instead of all wages; and Philip's head went at the same price. Methinks it is scanty reward, and poor encouragement; though it was better than [it] had 1 [what] You * Dr. Morse in copying from this history, quotes the above speech thus; "You have been one very great man. have made many a man afraid of you. But so big as you be, I will chop you in pieces." By his liberties with authors, we might take him for the Cotton Mather of the age. However, we are willing to excuse him in this instance, on the score of chastity. † Being quartered he was hanged up, and his head carried in triumph to Plymouth. Magnalia, II, 498, 499. "That very night [previous to his death] Philip had been dreaming that he was fallen into the hands of the English; and now just as he was telling his dream, with advice unto his friends to fly for their lives, lest the knave who had newly gone from them should show the English how to come at them, Captain Church, with his company, fell in upon them." Ibid. Perhaps this story deserves as much credit as that on page 20, note 1. Mr. Hubbard, no doubt heard this part of the story, but perhaps not having as much faith in dreams as the author of the Magnalia, thought proper to omit it. This was the same Indian, whose brother was killed, and who informed the English where to find Philip. Trumbull, Hist. Con. I, 349. § August 15. been some time before. For this march they received four shillings and sixpence a man, which was all the reward they had, except the honour of killing. Philip. This was in the latter end* of August, 1676. Captain Church had been but a little while at Plymouth, before a post from Rehoboth came to inform the Governour, that old Annawon, Philip's chief Captain, was with his company ranging about their woods, and was very offensive and pernicious to Rehoboth and Swanzey. Captain Church was immediately sent for again, and treated with to engage in one expedition more. He told them, [that] their encouragement was so poor, he feared [that] his soldiers would be dull about going again. But being a hearty friend to the cause, he rallies again, goes to Mr. Jabez Howland, his old Lieutenant, and some of his soldiers that used to go out with him; told them how the case was circumstanced, and that he had intelligence of old Annawon's walk and haunt, and wanted hands to hunt him. They did not want much entreating, but told him, [that] they would go with him as long as there was an Indian left in the woods. He moved and ranged through the woods to Pocasset. It being the latter end of the week, he proposed to go on to Rhodeisland, and rest until Monday; but on the Lord's day morning,† there came a post to inform the Captain, that early the same morning, a canoe with several Indians in it, passed from Prudence island to Poppasquash neck. Captain Church thought if he could possibly surprise them, The reason of this anachronism is explained in note 1 on page 94. † August 20. A long and crooked Island on the west side of Rhodeisland, extending from near the centre of Rhodeisland to Warwick neck, in length about 6 miles. § (On the west side of Bristol.) [that] he might probably gain some intelligence of more game; therefore he made all possible speed after them. The ferry boat being out of the way, he made use of canoes. But by that time they had made two freights, and had got over about fifteen or sixteen of his Indians, the wind sprung up with such violence that canoes could no more pass. * The Captain seeing it was impossible for any more of his soldiers to come to him, he told his Indians, [that] if they were willing to go with him, he would go to Poppasquash, and see if they could catch some of the enemy Indians. They were willing to go, but were sorry [that] they had no English soldiers.† So they marched through the thickets that they might not be discovered, until they came unto the salt meadow, to the northward of Bristol town, that now is, [when]1 they heard a gun; the Captain looked about, not knowing but it might be some of his own company in the rear. So halting till they all came up, he found [that] it was none of his own company that fired. Now, though he had but a few men, [he] was minded to send some of them out on a scout. He moved it to Captain Lightfoot to go with three [others] on a scout; he said [that] he was willing, provided the Captain's man, Nathaniel (which was an Indian they had lately taken) might be one of them, because he was well acquainted with the 2 [more] 1 [then] * This event was but a few days more than one hundred years before the celebrated passage of Washington over the Delaware to attack the Hessians at Trenton, which has been so beautifully described by Barlow. See his Columbiad, B. vi. line 91 to 214. Perhaps this expedition of the heroick Church, in the small days of Newengland was of as much consequence as greater ones were a century after. It is not impossible, but that another Barlow may arise and sing over the events of these days of yore. A vast theme for a poet! †They had one or more Englishmen in the company as will appear presently. neck, and coming lately from among them, knew how to call them. The Captain bid him choose his three companions, and go; and if they came across any of the enemy, not to kill them if they could possibly take them alive, that they might gain intelligence concerning Annawon. The Captain with the rest of his company moved but a little way further toward Poppasquash, before they heard another gun, which seemed to be the same way with the other, but further off'; but they made no halt until they came unto the narrow of Poppasquash neck; where Captain Church left three men more to watch, [and see] if any should come out of the neck, and to inform the scout, when they returned, which way he was gone. He parted the remainder of his company, half on one side of the neck, and the other with himself went on the other side, [-]1 until they met; and meeting neither with Indians nor canoes, returned big with expectations of tidings by their scout. But when they came back to the three men at the narrow of the neck, they told their Captain [that] the scout, [had]2 not returned, [and] had heard nor seen any thing of them. This filled them with thoughts of what should become of them. By that time they had sat and waited an hour longer, it was very dark, and they despaired of their returning to them. Some of the Indians told their Captain, [that] they feared his new man, Nathaniel, had met with his old Mounthope friends, and [-]3 turned rogue. They concluded to make no fires that night, (and indeed they had no great need of any) for they had no victuals to cook, [-] not so much as a morsel of bread with them. They took up their lodgings scattering, that if possibly their scout should come in the night, and whistle, (which was their sign) some or other of them might hear them. They had a very solitary, hun1 [of the neck] 2 [was] -3 [was] 4 [had] |