Chapter 15, Part IV 

General Daniel Denison's Letter

Sr.
Yesterday I received a letter from Capt. Brocklebanck at Marlborough signifying his desire of being dismissed with his company the reasons he alleadges are 1. their necessities & wants having beene in the countryes service ever since the first of January at Narriganset & within one weeke after their return were sent out againe having neither time nor money (save a fortnights paye upon their march) to recruite themselves 2. he saith they doe little where they are: & he understands they are called off by the Council. 

I shall make bould to request the like favor in the behalfe of those (at least) some of those troopers & dragoons of Essex that went out last, intended for Hadley but by reason of the disaster at Groton diverted to Concord &c. to beate of & prosecute the enemy in those parts and I directed orders to Major Willard, that with those he first tooke up wth him & then sent, together with the garrisons at Marlborough Lancaster & Chelmsford (if need more) in all above 200 men he might not only defend the townes but might prosecute the enemy there, being within 2 dayes march, but I heare of no such attempt nor indeed of any considerable improvement of them that hath beene, or is like to be. 

I am therefore sollicitous for many of them that out of a respect to myself went willingly, hoping of a speedy returne to their families and occasions some of them more than ordinary great and urgent I intreate therefore they may be prsently considered & eased to attend the seed time &c. and if there be necessity that others may be sent in their roomes, who may with far less detriment be spared. The stockade from Watertowne to Wamesit, might better be from Watertowne to Sudbury river 9 miles taking in more country, & that river being as good a stop as the stockade the greatest objection is Merrimack river though broad yet I understand is fordable in 20 places betweene Wamesit & Haveril, & cannot be safe without guards wch must be kept upon it, for hast I Jumble many things, wch be pleased to pardon The Lord Look in mercy upon his poore distressed people upon your selves in particular so prayes

your humble Servant
Ips March 27: 1676 DANIEL DENISON.

The inclosed are certificates of delinquents on the last press in Norfolk & of the troopers that should have gone with Capt. Whipple to Hadley

Mass. Archives, vol. 68, p. 179.

First Letter of the Council to Lieut. Jacob.

Left Jacob. The Council having lately receaved Information of Gods further frowne upon us in taking and depriving the Country both of yr Captaine and Capt Wadsworth wth severall others by permitting the enemy to destroy them yesterday so yt yr Capt. Brocklebanke's chardge is devolved on yrself The Councel judge meet to leave the souldiers under his charge to yor care and chardge, and doe order you to take the care and chardge of the sayd Company that you be vigilant & diligent in that place & as seasonably and speedily as you cann to give Information to ye Councel of the state, numbers & condition of

yr souldiers in that Garrison under yr command desiring God's Grace & blessing to be wth you. Remayne

yor loving freinds
EDW. RAWSON, Secretary.
Boston 22 Aprill 1676 by Order of the Council
Postscript. you are alike ordered to take care & command of the place (ie) Marlborrow to preserve it what in you lyes.

EDW. RAWSON, Secretary
Mass. Archives, vol. 68, p. 222. like order

Lieut. Richard Jacob's First Letter.

from Malbary ye 22 April 1676.
Honord Sirs This morning aboute Sun two hours high ye Enimie Alarmed us by firing & Shooting towards ye Lowermost Garason Next Sudbury, which made us feare yt Garason to be in Danger which shooting we afterward understood was ye Enimie killing off Cattle. Some after they gave a shout & Came in sight upon ye Indian hill great Numbers of them & one as their accustomed maner is after a fight, began to signifie to us how many were slaine. They Cohoop'd seventy-four times, which we hoped was only to affright us seing we have had no intelegence of any such thing, yet we have Reason to feare the worst Considering Theire Numbers which we aprehended to be five hundred at ye least others Thinke a thousand ye most of yem hasted toward ye Northwest side of ye towne firing ye Remainder of ye Garason houses & others yt were deserted as they went: they have been hunting in al quarters of ye towne to kill & take what Cattle were without Comand of ye four Garasons That yet Remain. Severall of ye furthermost houses of this town next Sudbury have bin fired now toward Night which gives Reason to Thinke that ye Enimie is not yet Departed from us: Thus I thought it my Duty to give a briefe account of ye present proceedings of ye Enimie: to your Honuours Leaving itt with your wisdoms Consideration.

Beging pardon for This my Bouldness I Remaine your Honoures
Humble Servant RICHARD JACOB.

Attached to the above letter is Secretary Rawson's Copy of an Order of the Council, as follows:

Lieutenant Richard Jacob's Second Letter.

Marlborough 24. Aprill 1676.
Honoured Sirs, Having now Received Information of God's ffurther frowns on ye Country In Suffering two Such worthy Captaines to fall before ye Enimie whome we might have hopt to have bin Instruments of more good in these troublous times: But In this God's will is Done.

Receiving an Order from your Honours wherein your Honours are pleased to Devolve ye charge and betrustment of our late Capt. Brocklebanke upon me, for which I am sensible of my Inefficiency & Incapacity, yet Since tis your Honours pleasure, to Require me to Certifie your Honours of ye state of ye soldeirs & of ye place. That I shall Readyly, here is Remaining of our Company about fourty-six, Several whereofe are young soldiers left here by Capt Wadsworth being unable to march. The Towne is wholy consumed Excepting four Garasons that were man'd when the Enimie was last with us, all ye cattle without Reach of The garasons are Lost: one of ye Garason Houses which was Judg'd to be most fitt by our Captaine: who your Honours did apoynt to order according to his Discretion for a stated garason now burnt by Reason off ye Inhabitants not attending thereunto Every one being Carful to Secure his private Interest, here is only Remaining These two houses where the Magazine Lyes That are in a Capacity to assist each other. ye other two Lying att a greater Distance with other Inconveniences. May it please your Honours further to Order of ye state of our Company being Generally such as live upon Husbandry & seed time being now far spent which may be prejudiciall to ourselves & others if ye season so slipt. But I shall leave that to your Honours Consideration only begging pardon for my bouldnes I Rest your Honours Servant to my utmost ability

RICHARD JACOB

Postscript: Some of ye principle of ye Towns men In the behalfe of ye Rest yt are yet Remaining which are but few Would Desire your Honours to Consider their present Condition being altogether incapable for Remaining without assistance both with Carts & a Guard They are destitute of Carts Their Teames being at Sudburie & not Daring to Returne. Removing of theire goods if your Honours see meete to Grant it or otherwise willing to refer their loss to your Honours further Consideration.

Mass. Archives, vol. 68, p. 227.

Most of the inhabitants deserted their farms after the destruction of the town on March 26, 1676, and with the exception of a few families who remained for a time in the garrisoned houses, the families came to the towns nearer Boston, and returned only after the war was over. The garrison was maintained until the close of the war, and was an important rendezvous for the forces.