Nine Men's Misery facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nine Men's Misery
Part of King Phillip's War
The site of Nine Men's Misery in Cumberland
Date March 26, 1676 Location Current day Central Falls and Cumberland, Rhode Island Result Native American ambush successful, torture and execution of surviving militiamen
Belligerents
Plymouth Colony Wampanoag	Narragansett Nashaway Nipmuc Podunk
Commanders and leaders
Capt. Michael Pierce  †	-
Strength
~60 Plymouth militiamen ~20 Wampanoag warriors	-
Casualties and losses
Forces eliminated	-

Nine Men's Misery is a special place in Cumberland, Rhode Island. It is where nine colonists suffered greatly and were killed by Narragansett warriors during King Philip's War. A stone memorial was built there in 1676. Many people believe this is the oldest war monument in the United States.

A Look Back at the Battle

What Happened in 1676?

On March 26, 1676, a battle took place during King Philip's War. Captain Michael Pierce led about 60 soldiers from Plymouth Colony. He also had 20 Wampanoag warriors with him. They were chasing the Narragansett tribe. The Narragansett had attacked several settlements in Rhode Island and Plymouth Colony.

Captain Pierce's group found the Narragansett fighters. Other tribes like the Wampanoag, Nashaway, Nipmuck, and Podunk were also with them. The colonial soldiers were ambushed in what is now Central Falls, Rhode Island. Pierce's troops fought bravely for many hours. However, they were surrounded by a much larger force.

The Outcome of Pierce's Fight

This battle was a major loss for the colonial troops during King Philip's War. Almost all of the colonial soldiers were killed. Captain Pierce and his Wampanoag allies also died. The Narragansett tribe, however, lost only a few warriors.

Ten colonists were captured during the fight. Nine of these men were taken to a spot in Cumberland, Rhode Island. This area is now part of the Cumberland Monastery and Library property. There, the Narragansett warriors caused them to suffer greatly, and they died. One captured man managed to survive.

The First War Memorial

English colonists later found the bodies of the nine men. They buried them and made a pile of stones to remember them. This pile of stones is thought to be the oldest war memorial in the United States. A stone pile, called a cairn, has marked this spot since 1676.

Protecting the Memorial Site

Over the years, the "Nine Men's Misery" site faced some problems. In 1790, medical students tried to dig up one of the bodies. They were looking for a colonist named Benjamin Buckland. People said he was very tall and had two rows of teeth. Local people were upset and stopped them.

The site was disturbed a few more times after that. Then, in 1928, monks who owned the cemetery built a strong stone cairn. This new cairn was made with cement to protect it. You can still visit this cairn and the site on the monastery grounds today.

The End of King Philip's War

The battle known as Pierce's Fight was followed by other events. Three days later, the town of Providence was burned. Then, Canonchet, the chief of the Narragansetts, was captured and executed. King Philip's War was already coming to an end around this time. King Philip himself was killed in August of that year.