[Letter from Rev. Noah Newman, the minister of Rehoboth, to the Rev. John Cotton of Plymouth. The original letter is still preserved in the library of the American Antiquarian Society, at Worcester, Mass.]
Rehoboth 27 of the first 76
Reverend and dear Sir.
I received yours dated the 20th of this instant wherein you gave me a doleful relation of what had happened with you, and what a distressing Sabbath you had passed. I have now according to the words of your own letter, an opportunity to retaliate your account with a relation of what yesterday happened to the great saddening of our hearts, filling us with an aweful expectation of what further evils it may be antecedaneous to, both respecting ourselves and you. Upon the 25th of this instant, Capt. Pierce went forth with a small party of his men and Indians with him, and upon discovering the enemy, fought him, without damage to himself, and judged that he had considerably damnified them. Yet he, being of no great force, chose rather to retreat and go out the next morning with a recruit of men; And accordingly he did, taking pilots from us, that were acquainted with the ground. But it pleased the Sovereign God so to order it, that they were enclosed with a great multitude of the enemy, which hath slain fifty-two of our Englishmen, and eleven Indians. The account of their names is as follows. From Scituate 18, of whom 15 were slain, viz: Capt. Pierce, Samuel Russell, Benjamin Chittenden, John Lothrope, Gershom Dodson, Samuel Pratt, Thomas Savary, Joseph Wade, William Wilcome, Jeremiah Barstow, John Ensign, Joseph Cowen, Joseph Perry ,John Rowse [Rose]. Marshfield, 9 slain: Thomas Little, John Eams, Joseph White, John Burrows, Joseph Philips, Samuel Bump, John Low, More ..., John Brance. Duxbury, 4 slain: John Sprague, Benjamin Soal, Thomas Hunt, Joshua Fobes. Sandwich, 5 slain: Benjamin Nye, Daniel Bessey, Caleb Blake, Job Gibbs, Stephen Wing. Barnstable, 6 slain: Lieut. Fuller, John Lewis, Eleazer C--- [probably Clapp] , Samuel Linnet, Samuel Childs, Samuel Bereman. Yarmouth, 5 slain; John Matthews, John Gage, William Gage, Henry Gage, Henry Gold. Eastham, 4 slain: Joseph Nessefield, John Walker, John M...[torn off], John Fitz, Jr., John Miller, Jr. Thomas Man is just returned with a sore wound.
Thus sir, you have a sad account of the continuance of God's displeasure against us: Yet still I desire steadfastly to look unto him, who is not only able but willing to save all such as are fit for his salvation. It is a day of the wicked's tryumph, but the sure word of God tells us his tryumphing is brief. O that we may not lengthen it out by our sins. The Lord help us to joyne issue in our prayers, instantly and earnestly, for the healing and helping of our Land. Our Extremity is God's opportunity.
Thus with our dearest respects to you and Mrs. Cotton, and such sorrowful friends as are with you, I remain
Your ever assured friend,
NOAH NEWMAN
[Note: footnote: "John Fits, Jr. and John Millder, Jr. belonged to Rehoboth, and also Thomas Man. What is torn off had on it, probably, the name of one from Easham, and the word Rehoboth. It will be seen that besides what is torn off, there are five names that follow Eastham."]
