At the end of King Philip's War (1675–1678), a number of Indians fleeing the Massachusetts Bay Colony militia took refuge with the Abenaki tribe living in Dover.

In response, the Dover area militia ordered Major Richard Waldron to attack the fleeing natives and demanded the Abenaki turn over any refugee combatants.

Thirteen years passed and colonial settlers believed the incident forgotten, when members of the newly formed Wabanaki Confederacy arrived at Dover.

"[3] On June 27, 1689, two native women appeared at each of five garrison houses, asking permission to sleep by the fire, not uncommon in peaceful times.

[10] The William Damm Garrison House, built in 1675, survived the raid, and was moved to the grounds of the Woodman Institute Museum.