“An army of a hundred and sixty men, under the command of Captain
Underhill, were despatched, and with them was Uncas, an Indian chief:
when they landed from the river, they were joined by five hundred
Narraganset Indians. We were now informed that the Indians had retired
into two impregnable forts, one of which was the hold of Sassacus, the
chief tyrant; that fierce tiger, at the very mention of whose name the
Narragansets trembled, saying, “He was all one a God, nobody could kill
him.” The council of war determined to fall first upon the fort which
they could first find; and on their silent march in the moon-shiny
night, an Indian spy brought them word that the Pequots were in a
profound sleep. Our guide was one Wequash, an Indian revolted from
them; and now the Narragansets retired into the wood, and behind the
trees—they were overcome with fear. The English advanced against the
nearest fort, when a dog, that stood sentinel like another Cerberus,
barking, awoke them all; their cry, when they sprung from their sleep,
was dreadful to hear in the silent night; and thereupon followed a
bloody encounter; many were killed; but we set fire to their huts, and
a high wind caused them to be quickly consumed; many of the Indians
climbed to the tops of the palisadoes, and were a mark for the bullets;
some of the trees also burning, threw such a fiery light, that with
the howlings, and cries also, the place was like the pit of torment.
Samson was not in greater distress by thirst after his exploit upon
the Philistines, than was the mighty Sassacus when his strong holds
were thus burned, and his barbarians dismissed from a world that was
burdened with them. The next day, as we were returning, three hundred
of the enemy again came up, like bears bereaved of their young; they
fought, and made a fort of every swamp in the way, covering their
bodies with the green boughs and the long grass, so that we were
sometimes in the very midst of them, and knew it not, save by the
sudden yell and the volley.”
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