Hockomock Swamp and King Philip's War

Most Bridgewater Triangle enthusiasts know that Hockomock Swamp–the heart of the Bridgewater Triangle– was involved in King Philip’s War. But what exactly happened there? On July 30, 1676, King Philip and his people hid in the depths of Hockomock Swamp where they thought they would be safe from the English. (The English feared the unfamiliar landscape of the swamps of New England.) But King Philip’s people were anything but safe–173 Wampanoag people died that day or were taken prisoner from Hockomock Swamp. Of the 173, there were two prisoners that were of grave importance to the English: King Philip’s wife and son. It was said that King Philip was so heartbroken that he said he wished he could die right there and then. The English sold King Philip’s family into slavery, most likely in Bermuda.

It was earlier on this very day that the Colonial Militia recruited Captain Benjamin Church right off of the pews of Sunday Service in Plymouth. Church was a stealthy and proficient Indian hunter, who was familiar with the ways of the Wampanoag. The recruiting of Church was the turning point of the war in the English’s favor, for he would ultimately “finish up” the war within a month, capturing Philip and most of his Chiefs, including Chief Anawan, who continued the fight for freedom two weeks after Philip’s capture and death.

Here is Benjamin Church’s own words about the skirmish that took place in Hockomock swamp:
On Sunday, the 3Oth of July, a messenger came with great haste to Marshfield, where Governor Winslow was, with the news that a strong force of savages was on the march against either Taunton or Bridgewater. The governor made his way to Plymouth with all speed, calling out every man he could as he went, and reached the town during the morning service. Church was summoned from the meeting-house, and directed to rally his force at once. The newly enlisted men were to join him. There was no bread in the public store, so that a house-to-house visitation was made in order to gain enough to victual the party. Philip, it turned out, finding the country about Plymouth too hot to hold him, had made up his mind to get away to the Nipmuck country. When he and his followers came to Taunton River they hewed down a large tree to make a bridge. Over this bridge Philip’s uncle, Akkompoin, and several of the chief men were passing when a scouting party of the English from Bridgewater, who had hurriedly taken the field, fired upon them. The old Indian fell dead, and several of his men bit the dust beside him.

A portion of the savages, when their first terror at the alarm was over, rallied and moved back to their camp to fight their pursuers. They did not find them there, however, they being, as we know, at the further end of the swamp capturing the runaways. When they had beaten about for a time, and discovered in what direction the English had gone, they hurried after them. Church had suspected some such movement. He saw them coming before they made him out, and a volley into their ranks killed many. The skirmish that followed was a sharp one, and one Englishman fell, but the savages soon fled.”