Stephen Wing

Five men from Sandwich joined Captain Michael Pearse's Plymouth County Company to engage in the defense of the colonies during the King Philip War. They were Benjamin Nye, John Gibb, Stephen Wing, Daniel Bessey, and Caleb Blake. March 26, 1676, Captain Pearse's company was ambushed by the Narragansett Indians under Canonchet at Seekonk, and the day after the battle, the Rev. Noah Newman of Rehoboth wrote giving the names of forty-six of the unfortunate men who fell in the ambush. Among the names were those of Stephen Wing and Benjamin Nye. The facts are told in Bodge's Soldier's of the Colonial wars, pages 331-2. The story of young Stephen, the first to perish in defense of his home and country, is well worth preserving. The five recruits from Sandwich joined Captain Pearse's company, consisting of 50 whites and 20 friendly Indians all from Cape Cod. Captain Pearse was ordered to pursue the enemy who were under the personal leadership of the famous Narragansett Chief Cnoenchet. He came up with them at Seekonk and immediately made an attack. The fighting on the first day resulted in no loss to the whites, who rested that night in the village. The next day, Captain Pearse prepared for the second engagement. At a short distance from the town four or five Indians were discovered limping along as if wounded. Suspecting no treachery, the whites eagerly followed them and soon found themselves in the presence of an overwhelming force. To escape was impossible; to retreat was desperate. A furious attack ensued, and a fresh body of Indians appearing the gallant band like the Spartans at Thermoplae, were completely surrounded, and after a brave resistance of two hours, in which Captain Pearse and his men fought in a double ring, the company was annihilated, and of 50 white, 46 were slain. Thus perished young Stephen Wing in his twentieth year of age.

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