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In the Classroom > Unit Overview > Lesson 6

Lesson Six
The Bars Fight by Lucy Terry Prince

August, twas the twenty-fifth,
Seventeen houndred forty-six,
The Indians did in ambush lay,
Some very valiant men to slay
Twas nigh unto Sam Dickinson's mill,
The Indians there five men did kill.
The names of whom I'll not leave out,
Samuel Allen like a hero foute,
And though he was so brave and bold,
His face no more shall we behold.
Eleazer Hawks was killed outright,
Before he had time to fight,
Before he did the Indians see,
Was shot and killed immediately.
Oliver Amsden he was slain,
Which caused his friends much grief pain.
Simeon Amsden they found dead
Not many rods from Oliver's head.
Adonijah Gillett, we do hear,
Did lose his life which was so dear.
John Sadler fled across the water,
And thus escaped the dreadful slaughter.
Eunice Allen see the Indians comeing
And hoped to save herself by running:
And had not her petticoats stopt her,
The awful creatures had not cotched her,
Not tommyhawked her on the head,
And left her on the ground for dead.
Young Samuel Allen, Oh! lack-a-day!
Was taken and carried to Canada.


1. Compare the story written by Dr. Williams with the poem believed to have been written by Lucy Terry. Do they contain the same information?
2. Why do you believe Lucy wrote the poem?
3. Do you think that Lucy and Eunice Allen knew each other? How could they have become acquainted?
4. Do you believe that their knowing each other had anything to do with Lucy writing the poem?

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