After the disastrous attempt to go to Menemessett, the survivors of “Wheeler’s Surprise“, led by Ephraim Curtis and two Natick scouts, rushed the survivors toward what they thought would be the safety of the Quaboag Plantation, a small but very isolated settlement in what is now West Brookfield. The Siege of the Ayre’s Garrison is the central focus of this second video celebrating the 350th Anniversary of King Philip’s War, Join us for on-site history, battle reconstruction and stories from both sides of this awful war that defined the early character and history of the people of the Northeast in a 16-minute video posted on August 21, 2025 by Stan Svec of Fishing Historic Places.

Hard on Curtis’ heels were the openly hostile Nipmuc, led by Matoonas, Sagamore Sam and the skillful Muttawump bent on destroying the English outpost and returning the land to their control.

(Above) What was known as Indian Rock served as a command post for Mattawump’s warriors as they could easily observe the garrison house in the distance. Later they tried to set the garrison house on fire but were foiled by a passing rain shower. Whatever the result of the siege, the war spread west, and the Connecticut River settlements were the targets of First Nations’ revenge.

In this on-site history, historian Stan Svec describes the battle reconstruction, including the well that was next to the garrison house, and tells stories from both sides of this awful war that defined the early character and history of the people of the Northeast.