Transcibed by Janice Farnsworth <[email protected]>
Mr. John Gilson of Groton (MA) owns a powder horn found many years ago in his grandfather's house which bears the following inscription:
No. 4: June ye 19, 1746. We had a fight June ye
24th. We had a fight at Coldspring & August ye
3rd we had a fight at No. 4.
p.28 History of Charlestown, NH - The Old No. 4 by Rev. Henry H. Saunderson 1876
Capt. Ephraim Brown of Sudbury, Mass., arrived at No. 4 with an additional Company of troops. But nothing transpired either at No. 4 or in the region until the nineteenth of June 1746 which is worthy of being noted. That day was made memorable by another engagement. The horses of the troops, as they had no other way to provide for them, had been turned into the meadow to graze; and either for looking after them or because they wanted them for some purpose, Capt. Phineas Stevens (descended from Cyprian Steevens of Lancaster, MA) and Capt. Ephraim Brown united their companies or portions of them together to go out after them. An account of the matter was published in Boston July 1, 1746:
"We hear that on Thursday, the 19th ult. (June 1746) at a plantation called No. 4, Capt. Stevens of the garrison there and Capt. Brown of Sudbury (MA) with about 50 men went out into the woods to look for horses and, coming near a causeway they were obliged to pass, their dogs being on the hunt before them, and barking very much, they suspected some Indians were near; whereupon keeping a good look out, they discovered a great number of them, supposed to be a hundred and fifty (Indians) lying in ambush, waiting for them on the other side, so that if they had passed over, in all probability, most of them might have been cut off. The Indians on finding themselves discovered, suddenly started up, and a smart engagement immediately ensued, in which, it is supposed, that the English fired first and engaged them so closely and briskly that they soon drew off, and being followed by our men retreated into a large swamp; whereupon the English returned to the garrison, not caring to venture, after such numbers, into so hazardous a place."
In this engagement, as above indicated, the company of Stevens and Brown had the advantage of the first fire. This disconcerted the savages in no small degree; who, being on higher ground and making no allowance for their position, almost constantly overshot the English, so as to do them comparatively little damage; who with this advantage on their side, very soon put the enemy to rout, inflicting on them as it was supposed no small loss of life and means. That a number of the Indians were killed is certain, for they were seen dragging several of the bodies of their dead after them. Their loss in other respects was also considerable. Blankets, hatchets, spears, guns etc were left behind which were subsequently sold for 40 pounds, old tenor, which was reckoned a great booty "for such beggarly enemies."
Captain Stevens and Brown in this engagement lost none on the spot but Jedediah Winchell was mortally wounded and died soon after. Jonathan Stanhope, David Parker and Noah Heaton were wounded but recovered. The spot where this conflict took place has since been called Ambush Hill or by some, the Ambuscade.
After this conflict No. 4 remained unmolested for several weeks. In the meantime a company of troops, thirty-eight in number, arrived under command of Capt. Joseph How of Marlboro which were designed to relieve Capt. Brown (of Sudbury). The men were mostly from Marlboro and Southboro. But this brief cessation of hostilities was renewed on August 3, 1746 at which time the enemy appeared again in large numbers. Their presence was first indicated by the barking of the dogs which belonged to the fort, and the peculiar movements which those animals were accustomed to exhibit when Indians were in the vicinity. Capt. Stevens in order to ascertain the certainty of his surmises sent out a scout; but the men were scarcely out of the fort before they were fired upon and Ebenezer Philips was killed.
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