Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES. 411
their quotas. This appears in the division of the lands, in Gorham,
Maine, granted to those soldiers or their heirs, in consideration
of their service in King Philip's War. The Plymouth forces
were commanded by Major Cudworth, and were at Swanzey June
28, and were joined by the troops of Massachusetts.
In the latter part of August the theatre of the war was transferred
to the banks of the Connecticut. Capt. G-orham and his
company marched into Massachusetts. He arrived after the total
defeat of Capt. Lothrop at Sugar Loaf Hill, in which Capt. L.
lost the greater part of his force, consisting of eighty picked men,
"the flower of Essex." The following letter written by Capt.
Gorham, is copied from the original in the Secretary of State's
office in Boston. It has never been published and will be inter-
esting to his descendants :
[From the original in the Secretary's office.]
Mendum, October th 1 : 1675
Much Honoeed : My service with all due respects humbly
presented to yourself and unto the rest of the Council hoping of
your healths. I have made bold to trouble you with these few
lines to give your honors an account of our progress in your jurisdiction.
According unto your honors order and determination I
arrived at Mendum with fifty men, and the next day Lieutenant
Upham arrived with thirty-eight men, and the day following we
joined our forces together and marched in pursuit to find our enemy,
but God hath been pleased to deny us any opportunity therein
;—though with much labor and travel we had endeavored to
find them out, which Lieut. Upham hath given you a more particu-
lar account. Our soldiers being much worn but having been in
the field this fourteen weeks' and little hopes of finding the enemy,
we are this day returning toward our General, but as for my
own part, I shall be ready to serve God and the country in this
just war, so long as I have life and health, not else to trouble
vou, I rest yours to serve in what I am able.
JOHN GORRUN.
Oct. 4, 1675, he was appointed by the Court, captain of the
second company of the Plymouth forces in King Philip's war.
Mr. Jonathan Sparrow, of Eastham, was lieutenant. Capts.
Bradford and Gorham were ordered by the council of war, to rendezvous
their men at Plymouth Dec. 7, Taunton Dee. 8, Rehobeth
Dec. 9, and at Providence Dec. 10.
Capt. Gorham and his company were in the sanguinary battle
at the Swamp Fort, in the Narraganset country, fought Dec.
19, 1675. That battle was decisive in its results, it not only
crushed the power of the Narragansetts ; but it destroyed the
hope of King Philip and his alies, of exterminating the white race
in New England. The forces of the United Colonies had assembled
on the 18th within fifteen miles of the Swamp Fort. The
weather was cold and severe, the forces had to remain in an open