In Cumberland, in a 170 acre wooded land, is a monument marking Nine Men's Misery, where graves of militia men during King Phillip's War are located, and where reports of various supernatural sightings have been reported.
Getting to the monument is difficult without a map. You can download one from the Cumberland, RI government site, or you can get one at the Cumberland Library, located within the old monastery building in the center of the property. In general, there is a path that loops generally north and the monument is near the apex of that loop on the right about 100 ft off trail on top of a short knoll. The path runs through both highlands and lowlands, wooded and open. The conservation land covers some 170 acres, which is surrounded by residential and commercial land.
The monument is a combined stone and cement object about six feet long, and five feet wide and tall. There is cement pillar at one end and a plaque on it with the following:
"Nine Men's Misery
On this spot where they were slain by the Indians were buried the nine soldiers captured in Peirce's fight March 30, 1676.
Erected by the State of Rhode Island, 1828"
The historical aspect is that there was a bloody conflict between the Native Americans and English Colonists in today's Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, in 1675-1676. Metacomet, also called King Phillip, brought together bands to fight and hopefully displace the settlers, who were spreading out and often making promises that they didn't keep. The men were on a militia in pursuit of a band when the militia was ambushed. Nine of the men were captured, tortured, let die, then beheaded-their facial features formed into a smile to mock the promises never kept. The militia found them later and buried them at this location. A plaque was set here later. A stone cairn was piled at the location, and, later the monks at the monastery that owned the property, came upon this monument and used cement to make the cairn more permanent.
So, it would seem that this is a good candidate for supernatural happenings. According to one location, screams are often heard at this locale, to the point where police were called in to investigate. Disembodied voices have been heard. Even a phantom horse and a girl in white in the swamp have been reported.
What's the truth? Historically, one source suggested that there is little evidence that the men were tortured, though the bodies were buried there (and exhumed several times). The sightings vary, so it's difficult to determine how many saw the phantom horse, for instance. While at the spot, myself, I didn't feel any different here than being at any of the other veteran and war memorials that are stationed near the entrance to the land, though, since I knew that this was a mass grave, I felt the solemness of the area.
Several paranormal groups have visited the place and given their opinion, including the Warwick based Ghosthunters. The group, which has a TV show, investigated both this location and the library, which is within the old monastery building. There were scenes of them at the location in the day and in the dark. One of them read the nine names who were buried there, and may have had a spike in the EMF sensor. Otherwise, there didn't seem to be much activity at the spot.
Bring a map (or a GPS with this waymark loaded) and find out for yourself!
Other sources:
comcast.net/~johnk4678 (Pierce):
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visit link)
preservation.org (historic-or-haunted):
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visit link)
Ghosthunters (S9 E22):
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visit link)
Cumberland, RI (Map):
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visit link)