The Parade of Colonial History

The Parade of Colonial History. Marlborough, Massachusetts. In the Colonial era, Marlborough was both on the frontier and on the main road, and acted as a primary parade route for early American history. , In August 1675, in the midst of King Philip's War, a party sent to Brookfield to negotiate with the Indians, was ambushed while on their way. They later found refuge in Marlborough but their wounded captain, Edward Hutchinson died on August 19th from wounds he had sustained. He became the first person buried in Marlborough's oldest graveyard, Spring Hill Cemetery. , Two weeks later, the notorious Captain Samuel Moody falsely arrested fifteen Praying Indians, marched them, tied neck to neck, from Marlborough to Boston for trial. They were eventually acquitted. , The following January, the Colonial Army ran out of supplies while battling the Narragansett Indians. The Colonials retreated, and passed through Marlborough on a journey which came to be known as the “Hungry March”, wherein horses were slain and eaten to prevent starvation. , Fast forward 100 years while the Colonials were battling for independence; two English spies arrived in Marlborough in February 1775 seeking the best route for an attack on Worcester. Local Patriots discovered they were in town, but British Loyalist Henry Barnes helped them escape during a raging blizzard. Barnes and his family were eventually exiled to England. , Marlborough's most famous visitor was George Washington. He passed through Marlborough twice; first as General in 1775 to assume command of the Continental Army, and later as the first President of the new United States.