The massacre of natives May 19, 1676, at Gill/Turners Falls, is unthinkable. We ask ourselves, “How did this happen?” and how to best work toward reconciliation.

King Philip’s War was the bloodiest per capita of any American war. During the period of Metacomet’s Rebellion, 1675-76, roughly 1,000 English colonists and 3000 natives died. Before the war ended, over half of the colonial settlements in New England had suffered attack, including Springfield, Hadley and Hatfield. Deerfield and Northfield were abandoned. At Bloody Brook, September 1675, 70 colonists were massacred hauling harvested crops. Two months before the Falls Fight, Capt. William Turner’s militia fought off attack at Northampton.

Philip (Metacomet) was fighting a battle on two fronts. In February 1676 he lost 460 men in an attack by Mohawk at Schaghticoke, N.Y. Short of gunpowder and soldiers, this is said to be “the blow that lost the war for Philip.”

Whatever Turner knew about Indian encampments at the Falls, it was probably limited. He was a tailor, aged about 53, who had traveled west from Boston to defend the river settlements. An informant reported that Indians were encamped at the Falls. (Several Indian encampments were identified by the National Parks Service Battlefield Protection Program Grant.) While fording rivers and avoiding attack, scouts guided Turner with 150 militia to the Falls.

Lt. Samuel Holyoke of Springfield, aged 27, was second in command. Survivor reports finger Holyoke as having instigated the slaughter of women and children. During the melee, a colonial captive said that Metacomet, with 1,000 men, was nearby.

The next objective of the Battlefield Advisory Committee is to provide interpretive elements. This will honor the dead, both Indian and English, allowing us to pause, remember, and respect.

Louise Boucher Croll

South Hadley

]]>