Spring 1778

In 1775 the area in which the battle - skirmish took place was actually part of Freetown MA -commonly referred to as lower Freetown in records of the day. But it was more colloquially referred to by the villagers in the area as Fall’s river. Accounts state that there was a large pond at the top of Pocasset hill that ran over several falls that eventually lead to the Taunton River. This moving body of fresh water was part of the Quequechan River ( pronounced Quick-a-shan)  that flowed from Wattuppa pond to the Taunton river..The word Quequechan means "Falling River" or "Leaping/Falling Waters" in Wampanoag, and the would later give the the city it’s name. The area consisted of about 18-20 homes in clusters most up on the Main Street area & a few down by the mouth of the Quequechan River & Taunton River along with several small mills (grist,corn & saw) as well as homes of Thomas(son) & Richard(father) Borden

There was a small wooden bridge used by the colonist to ford the Quequechan . It is not clear if this bridge was merely a foot bridge or a "single” lane bridge for wagons but it would play a big role in the events of May 1778

After the summer of 1777 after the successful Col Wm Barton mission to kidnap General Richard Prescott the commander of forces in occupied Newport Rhode Island. Tension between the occupiers and the local mostly “Rebel” sympathizers are high. The colonist in the areas of Mount Hope , Narragansett and up and down the Taunton River are on a state of alert. Newport a region in demand as a port for the Royal Navy is packed with thousands of British Regulars, mostly bored with the fighting happening to the south in New York and New Jersey at this time. the embarrassment of the absconding of Gen Prescott and the concerns over the militia preparing attacks caused General Robert Pigot to order raids into the region. these were know as the Mount Hope Raids. -read more >