Bloody Brook (Massacre of the Flower of Essex)

In 1675, The King Phillips War commenced, native tribes throughout New England banded together under the leadership of King Phillip with the intent of driving the American colonists off their lands and into the sea. Using what would much later be called guerilla warfare, set about attacking colonists in western Massahusetts. Concealing themselves in woods and natural obstacles, they would lay in wait to attack small bands of travellers. As the tribes became united under Philip, the number of warriors increasing, villages were attacked, killing or driving out the inhabitants; burning buildings and destroying crops.

Events leading up to the Massacre

The Pocumtuck Indians, whose hunting grounds were near Hadley, were initially hostile to the intentions of Philip. However, after the siege and destruction of Brookfield, Philip convinced them to join his war. Hadley was a prinicipal garrison of colonial forces and being cautious of the loyalty of local tribes, the Pocumtucks were ordered to deliver up their arms. Having been swayed by Philip, the Pocumtucks on August 25, 1675, secretly left their encampment and fled up the river. Capt. Beers and Lathrop discovering this pursued them, ccatching up with them in South Deerfield, they attack the band, killing twenty-six (colonials lost 10 men). The remainder escaped to join Philip's camp. One week later (Sept. 1, 1675), a band of natives attacked Deerfield, killing one and burning all the houses. The colonists fled to Hadley for safety. However, a garrison was established in Deerfield, under the command of Capt. Moseley. The harvest was upon Deerfield, and the attackers had not destroyed the gathered unthreshed wheat. Concerned for the available food supply and anticipating the needs for the long New England winter, it was decided to send men to Deefield to thresh the wheat and then transport it back to Hadley. Under the command of Capt. Lathrop with his eighty soldiers, teamsters were sent to Deerfield. The wheat was threshed; the grain loaded without trouble; and Capt. Thomas Lathrop, his men and teamster set out the evening of Sept. 17, 1675 toward Hadley.

The Massacre

"On discovering Lathop's march, a body of upwards of seven hundred Indians planted themselves in ambuscade at this point, and lay eagerly waiting to pounce upon him while passing the morass. Without scouring the woods in his gron and flans, or suspectinhg the snare laid for him, Lathrop arraved at the fatal spot; crossed the morras with the principal part of his force, and probably halted to allow time for his teams to drag through their loads. The ritical moment had arrived. The Indians instantly poured a heavy and destrutive fire upon the column and rushed furiously to close attack. Confusion and dismay succeeded. The troops broke and scattered, fiercely purspued by the Indians whose great superiority [in numbers] enabled them to attack at all points. Hopeless was the sitituation of the satter troops, and they resolved to sell their lives in a vigorous struggle. Covering themsleves with trees the bloody conflict a svere trial of still in sharp shooting, in shich life was the tke. Difficult would is be to desribe the havo, barbraity and misery that ensued; 'Fury raded and shuddering pity quit the sanguine field,' while desperation stood pitted, 'at fearful odds' to unrelenting ferocity... At lenghth the unequal struggle terminated in the annihilation of nearly the who of the English; only seven or eight esaped from the bloody sene to relate the dismal tale, and the wounded were indiscrimately butchered. Capt Lathrop fell in the early part of the ation; the whole loss, including teamsters, amounted to ninety. The company was a choice corp. of young men from the county of Essex... many from the most respectable families. Hubbard says 'they were the flower of the county; none of whom were ashamed to speak with the enemy in the gate.'"

Captain Moseley with his garrison in Deerfield, heard the shots some four or five miles distant and made a quick march to assist Lathrop. Major Treat, commander of the garrison at Hadley, also rushed to the battle with 100 men. They arrived late in the engagement and found the natives stripping and mutilating the dead. The natives probably low on ammunition, and possibly taken by surprise by the number of arriving reinforcements, were driven back through an adjacent swamp, Treat and Moseley in pursuit. After several hours of fighting, the natives departed.

Treat and Moseley returned to Deerfield with their men and there they slept the night. The next morning, they returned to the scene of battle and buried the dead in a common grave. The number of native killed in the initial assault and their subsequent withdrawal is reported to be ninety-six.

Aftermath

As a result of the Bloody Brook Massacre, the garrison at Deerfield was withdrawn. The next day (Sept. 19th), a party of about 50 warriors attacked Deerfield, killing one and taking three captive. Deerfield would be resettled two years later (1677).

The Slain

A complete list of those slain at Bloody Brook is not easliy compiled. The following is list compiled from a variety of sources: Capt. Thomas Laythrop. Sgt Thomas Smith, Samuel Stevens, John Hobs