e gathered at the fortified house of
Jonathan Wells, at the southern end of the village. The houses of this
neighborhood were still standing, and seem not to have been
attacked,--the stubborn defence of the Stebbins house having apparently
prevented the enemy from pushing much beyond the palisaded enclosure.
The house of Wells was full of refugee families. A few Deerfield men
here joined the horsemen from the lower towns, as also did four or five
of the yeoman soldiers who had escaped the fate of most of their
comrades. The horsemen left their horses within Wells's fence; he
himself took the lead, and the whole party rushed in together at the
southern gate of the palisaded enclosure, drove out the plunderers, and
retook a part of their plunder. The assailants of the Stebbins house,
after firing at it for three hours, were put to flight, and those of its
male occupants who were still alive joined their countrymen, while the
women and children ran back for harborage to the house of Wells.

Wells and his men, now upwards of fifty, drove the flying enemy more
than a mile across the river meadows, and ran in headlong pursuit over
the crusted snow, killing a considerable number. In the eagerness of the
chase many threw off their overcoats, and even their jackets. Wells saw
the danger, and vainly called on them to stop. Their blood was up, and
most of them were young and inexperienced.

Meanwhile the firing at the village had been heard by Rouville's main
body, who had already begun their retreat northward. They turned back to
support their comrades, and hid themselves under the bank of the river
till the pursuers drew near, when they gave them a close volley and
rushed upon them with the war-whoop. Some of the English were shot down,
and the rest driven back. There was no panic. "We retreated," says
Wells, "facing about and firing." When they reached the palisade they
made a final stand, covering by their fire such of their comrades as had
fallen within range of musket-shot, and thus saving them from the
scalping-knife. The French did not try to dislodge them. Nine of them
had been killed, several were wounded, and one was captured.[59]

The number of English carried off prisoners was one hundred and eleven,
and the number killed was according to one list forty-seven, and
according to another fifty-three, the latter including some who were
smothered in the cellars of their burning houses. The names, and in most
cases the ag