hatred. As he considered them, intruders on his domains, he was
determined to expel them, if possible. Fired with rage, he breathed
nothing but war and revenge. The utmost effort and art were employed
by him to produce a combination of Indian power against them. The
Narragansets, as related in another place, barely escaped the snare.
But though unable to effect any extensive union, Sassacus was firm in
himself, and inspired all the Indians under his influence with the
resentment that burned in his own bosom.
Finding war with this powerful and exasperated chief unavoidable, the
Connecticut people prepared for it with such means and resources as
they could command. A court was summoned to meet at Hartford on the 1st
day of May, 1637, at which it was resolved, that an offensive war should
be immediately commenced against the Pequods. Ninety men were ordered to
be raised from the three towns on Connecticut river, and Captain John
Mason was appointed to command an expedition into the heart of the
Pequod country. At the same time, the report of the slaughter and horrid
cruelties, committed by this savage tribe against the people of
Connecticut, roused the other colonies to exertions against the common
enemy. Massachusetts resolved to send two hundred men, and Plymouth
forty, to assist the sister-colony in prosecuting the war. Captains
Stoughton, Trask, and Patrick, were appointed their commanders.
The troops embarked at Hartford on the 10th of May, and sailed down
the river to Saybrook. They consisted of ninety Englishmen, and about
seventy Mohegans and river Indians. While at Saybrook, forty of the
Indians under Mason, being out at some distance from the place, fell
in with about forty of the enemy, killed seven and captured one, who
was brought to the fort, and executed by the English. Here the little
army was joined by Captain Underhill with nineteen men, who had some
months before been sent by the governor of Massachusetts to strengthen
the garrison at Saybrook. This accession to his forces permitted Mason
to send back twenty of his original number for the protection of the
infant settlements on the river, which were peculiarly exposed at this
crisis. The whole force, including the Indians, was embodied and
directed by Mason. After remaining several days at Saybrook to
complete his arrangements, he sailed, with his Connecticut forces, for
Narraganset bay, where he arrived on the 19th of May. At this place,
two hundred of Miantonimoh's warriors were engaged to accompany the
English forces on the expedition. Information was now received from
Captain Patrick, that he had arrived at Providence with forty
Massachusetts' men, under orders to join the troops of Connecticut.
For various reasons, but chiefly from an apprehension that the Pequods
might gain intelligence of the expedition, Mason commenced his march,
without waiting for Patrick's company, and soon reached Nehantick, the
seat of the Narraganset sachems. Here he was joined by an additional
company of Indians--the whole army, including the English, amounting
to more than five hundred.
Here they staid over night, and learning that the Pequods held two
forts, one at Mystic river and the other about three miles west of
that, they resolved, contrary to their original plan of attacking both
together, to make a united attack on the Mystic fort, and accordingly
commenced their march. After a march of twelve miles, through forests
and over hills and morasses, Mason reached the Pawcatuck. The day was
very hot, and the men, through the great heat and a scarcity of
provisions, began to faint. Here he halted for some time, and
refreshed the troops. In the meanwhile, the Indians, who had
previously boasted how they would fight, when they learned that the
forts were to be actually attacked, and the dreaded Sassacus to be
met, were overcome by their fears, and many of them returned home to
Narraganset. But the intrepid Mason, resolving to advance, despatched
a faithful Indian to reconnoitre the fort, who soon returned with
information that the Pequods were unapprised of their danger, and
appeared to be resting in entire security. The march was immediately
rëcommenced towards Mystic river, and on the night of the 26th, the
whole body encamped about three miles from the fort.
"The important crisis was now come when the very existence of
Connecticut, under Providence, was to be determined by the sword in a
single action, by the good conduct of less than eighty men." They
proved themselves, as the event shows, worthy of the occasion, and
properly conscious of the interest at stake. To God they looked for
aid and courage, at an hour when the decision was to be made, whether
all that they held dear in life should be secured, or wrenched from
them for ever.
[Illustration: Captain Mason and his Party attacking the Pequod Fort
in the Swamp.]
Two hours before day, the troops were in motion for the assault. At this
juncture, Mason's Indians entirely lost their resolution, and began to
fall back. The captain bid them not to fly, but to surround the fort at
any distance they pleased, and there remain witnesses of the courage of
the English. Without delay, the fort was approached on two opposite
sides, the Pequods having just before been aroused from sleep by the cry
of one of their number, "Owanux, Owanux!"--Englishmen, Englishmen! He
had, at that instant, been awakened by the barking of a dog. While the
Pequods were rallying, Mason's troops advanced, and poured in a fire
through the openings of the palisades, and wheeling off to a side
barricaded only with brush, rushed into the fort, sword in hand.
Notwithstanding the suddenness of the attack, and their great confusion,
the enemy made a desperate resistance. Concealing themselves in and
behind their wigwams, they maintained their ground stoutly against the
English, who, advancing in different directions, cut down every Indian
they met. But the victory was not certain--it had not been achieved.
Mason felt it to be an awful moment. Happily it occurred to him to burn
the Indian wigwams. The shout was immediately uttered, "We must burn
them!" It was done. In a few moments the mats, with which their
dwellings were covered, were in a blaze, and the flames spread in every
direction. As the fire increased, the English retired without the fort,
and environed it on every side. The Indians now recovering courage,
formed another circle exterior to that of the English.
The amazed Pequods, driven from their covert by fire, climbed the
palisades, and presenting themselves in full view, more than one
hundred were shot down. Others, sallying forth from their burning
cells, were shot, or cut in pieces with the sword. In the mean time,
many perished in the flames within the fort. The battle, in this
locality, continued about an hour, and the scene of terror and blood
is hardly to be described. Seventy wigwams were consumed, and between
five and six hundred of the enemy, of all descriptions, strewed the
ground, or were involved in the burning pile. This victory was
achieved with the loss only of two men killed and twenty wounded.
In the course of the attack, in the interior of the fort, Captain
Mason's life was in immediate danger. As he was entering a wigwam to
procure a firebrand, a Pequod, perceiving him, drew his arrow to the
head, with a view to pierce the captain's body. At this critical
moment, a resolute sergeant entering in, rescued his commander from
imminent peril by cutting the bow-string with his cutlass.
Although the result of the engagement was the complete overthrow of the
Pequod camp, yet the situation of the Connecticut army was extremely
dangerous and distressing. Two of their troops were killed, and at least
one-fourth wounded; the remainder were faint with fatigue and want of
food; they were in the midst of an enemy's country, many miles from
their vessels, and their ammunition was nearly expended. The principal
fortress of their enemy was but three miles distant, where there was a
fresh army, which they knew would be filled with rage, on learning the
fate of their comrades. In this perilous condition, while they were
consulting on the course to be pursued, their vessels, as if guided by
the visible hand of Providence, appeared in sight, steering with a fair
wind into the harbor. The little band, however, were not permitted to
reach Pequod harbor without additional fighting. For no sooner had the
vessels been discovered, than three hundred Indians came from the other
fort, and were disposed to attack Captain Mason's party. He, however, so
disposed of his few available men, assisted by the Indians with him, who
carried the wounded English, that the Pequods were prevented from coming
so near as to do any mischief. But the balls of the English muskets took
effect on several of their number; and though, when the enemy came in
sight of the demolished fort, they raved, and tore their hair from their
heads, and rushed forward with the utmost fury to demolish the English,
they were taught to repent their rashness. Finding all attempts in vain,
to break in upon the little army, they left the victors to pursue the
remainder of their way to Pequod harbor unmolested. They entered it with
their colors flying, and were received on board the vessels with every
demonstration of joy and gratitude.
The troops employed on this expedition, reached their homes in about
three weeks from the time they embarked at Hartford. They were
received with the greatest exultation. Benisons were poured forth on
them from all lips. But to God, especially, as the helper of his
people in their fearful trial, did the anthem of praise ascend from
the domestic altar and the solemn assembly.
The Pequods, on the departure of Captain Mason, burned their wigwams,
destroyed their principal fort, and were with difficulty restrained
from putting their own chief, Sassacus, to death, as they looked upon
him as the author of their calamity. They scattered themselves
throughout the country, Sassacus, Mononotto, and seventy or eighty of
their chief counsellors and warriors, taking their route over Hudson
river. In the mean time, Massachusetts, hearing of the success of
Mason, despatched a body of one hundred and twenty men under Captain
Stoughton, to follow up the victory. Arriving in the enemy's country,
the Massachusetts army, finding a body of that tribe in a swamp, made
an assault upon them, with the aid of the Narragansets. Some
twenty-eight were killed and a larger number taken prisoners.
The court at Connecticut ordered that forty men should be raised
forthwith, for the further prosecution of the war, under the same
commander. These troops formed a junction with the party under command
of Stoughton at Pequod, and the conclusion was immediately to march in
pursuit of Sassacus. They proceeded on their way as far as Quinnipiac
(New Haven), where, after staying several days, they received
intelligence that the enemy was at a considerable distance, in a great
swamp to the westward. Here the Indians were met, and an engagement
took place, under circumstances of great difficulty to the English,
many of whom were nearly mired, but it was nevertheless attended with
success. The fighting was of a most desperate character, the
assailants finding it nearly impossible to master or dislodge the foe.
Under the cover of a fog, after having been watched through the night,
Sassacus and sixty or seventy of his bravest warriors broke through
the English ranks, and escaped. About twenty Indians were killed, and
one hundred and eighty were taken prisoners. The Pequods, who remained
in the territory, amounting to some two hundred, besides women and
children, were at length divided among the Narragansets and Mohegans,
and the nation became extinct.
The character of this war, from the boldness and vigor with which it
had been prosecuted, seemed to belong to the age of romance. It is
replete with thrilling incident and daring adventure. Yet the sober,
religious spirit and convictions of duty, which accompanied the
pilgrims to battle, turn its chivalrous aspect into the features of
stern reality and unavoidable necessity. It involved the fate of an
infant republic and the interests of posterity. The conquest of the
Pequods, while it was so fatal to one party, was productive of the
most happy consequences to the other. It struck the Indians throughout
New England with such a salutary terror, that they were contented to
remain at peace nearly forty years.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: PHILIP'S WAR]
VII. PHILIP'S WAR.
CAUSES of Philip's War--Character of Philip--General spirit of
hostility among the Indians--Outbreak at Swansey--Expedition
under General Savage--Expedition under Captain
Church--Perilous situation of this latter party--Timely
arrival of Captain Hutchinson--Second expedition of Captain
Church--Critical situation of Philip--Effects his
escape--Annoys the back settlements of
Massachusetts--Treachery of the Nipmucks--Attack on
Brookfield--Bloody affair at Muddy Brook--Attack on
Springfield--Attack on Hatfield--Outrages at
Northampton--Large force raised by Massachusetts, Plymouth,
and Connecticut, against the Narragansets--Philip's fortress
at Kingston, Rhode Island--Destruction of it--Lancaster
destroyed--Other towns burned--Fatal affair at Pawtuxet river,
Rhode Island--Stratagem of Cape Cod Indians--Attacks on
Rehoboth, Chelmsford, Sudbury, &c.--Expedition of Connecticut
troops--Conanchet captured--Long Meadow
attacked--Hadley--Fortunes of Philip on the wane--Successful
expedition against the Indians at Connecticut river
falls--Attack on Hatfield--On Hadley--Remarkable interposition
of a stranger at Hadley, supposed to be Goffe--Decline of
Philip's power--Pursued by Captain Church--Death of
Philip--Disastrous effects of the war--Philip's
warriors--Annawon--Reflections.
To communities and nations, crises arrive, in which, through danger and
sufferings, they are either overcome and extirpated, or spring forward
to an improved condition after the first hurtful effect of the trial is
passed away. The war with Philip constituted such a crisis to the New
England colonies. Their danger was imminent--their sufferings were
fearful, and the immediate consequences were lamentation, and weakness,
and indebtedness. But their recuperative energies soon rëappeared, and a
wide door thus became open to extended settlement and population.
The causes of the war lay partly in the condition of the colonies, and
partly in the character of Philip. The English settlements were
extending far into the wilderness, the home of the Indian, and were
rapidly increasing in strength. The natives viewed them as intruders,
and considered the probability that, at no distant day, they would be
dispossessed of the heritage of their fathers. They were jealous of
the designs of the English, and impatient under the encroachments
already made. They viewed themselves as the proper lords of the
forest, and they now saw that their hunting grounds were abridged, and
the wild animals on which they depended for subsistence, were
disappearing, as the white man felled the trees, and cultivated the
soil, and reared his dwellings.
In view of this progress of the whites, nothing seemed to remain to
the native savage but to be forced from his loved haunts, and to lose
his cherished possessions, or to arouse, and by a desperate effort of
strength and valor to regain all that he once owned.
The individual among the Indians whose foresight most clearly
discerned the state of things, and whose spirit was equal to the
emergency of attempting to resist it, was _Pometacom._ He was styled
_Philip_ by the English, a nickname given him on account of his
ambitious and haughty temper, and by this name he is chiefly known in
history. He was the sachem of the Wampanoags, residing at Mount Hope,
a younger son of the famous Massasoit, the friend of the whites.
Philip had not spared any pains for a long time to effect a conspiracy,
and to unite the Indians in a general war against the colonists; but it
happened that before his plan was matured, his intentions, and those of
the Indians generally, were revealed to the English. The Indian who
betrayed him was Sausaman, one of Eliot's converts. For this he was
murdered by Philip's men; three of whom were seized, tried, and
executed. This was the signal for blood. The first attack of the Indians
was upon Swansey, several of whose inhabitants were killed.
[Illustration: Flight of Philip from Mount Hope.]
Philip soon after suddenly left his place of residence and his
territory to the English. The occasion of his precipitate retreat, was
the following: Additional assistance being needed, the authorities of
Boston sent out Major General Savage from that place, with sixty horse
and as many foot. They scoured the country on the march to Mount Hope,
where Philip and his wife were supposed to be at that time. They came
into his neighborhood unawares, so that he was forced to rise from
dinner, and he and all with him fled farther up into the country. They
pursued him as far as they could go for swamps; and killed fifteen or
sixteen in that expedition.
[Illustration: Captain Church and his men hemmed in by Indians.]
At the solicitation of Benjamin Church, a company of thirty-six men
were put under him and Captain Fuller, who on the 8th of July marched
down into Pocasset Neck. This force, small as it was, afterwards
divided--Church taking nineteen men, and Fuller the remaining
seventeen. The party under Church proceeded into a point of land
called Punkateeset, now the southerly extremity of Tiverton, where
they were attacked by a body of three hundred Indians. After a few
moments' fight, the English retreated to the sea-shore, and thus saved
themselves from destruction; for Church perceived that it was the
intention of the Indians to surround them. They could expect little
more than to perish, but they knew they were in a situation to sell
their lives at the dearest rate. Thus hemmed in, Church had a double
duty to perform--that of preserving the spirit of his followers,
several of whom viewed their situation as desperate, and erecting
piles of stone to defend them.
As boats had been appointed to attend upon the English in this
expedition, the heroic party looked for relief from this quarter; but
though the boats appeared, they were kept off by the fire of the
Indians, and Church, in a moment of vexation, bid them be gone. The
Indians, now encouraged, fired thicker and faster than before. The
situation of the English was now most forlorn, although as yet,
providentially, not one of them had been wounded. Night was coming on,
their ammunition nearly spent, and the Indians had possessed
themselves of a stone house that overlooked them; but, just in season
to save them, a sloop was discovered bearing down towards the shore.
It was commanded by a resolute man, Captain Golding, who effected the
embarkation of the company, taking only two at a time in a canoe.
During all this time, the Indians plied their fire-arms; and Church,
who was the last to embark, narrowly escaped the balls of the enemy,
one grazing the hair of his head, and another lodging in a stake,
which happened to stand just before the centre of his breast. The band
under Captain Fuller met with a similar fortune, but escaped by
getting possession of an old house, close upon the water's edge, and
were early taken off by boats. He had two of his party wounded.
Church soon after joined a body of English forces, and again
penetrated Pocasset, and renewed his skirmishes with the enemy. The
main body of the English, not long after, arrived at the place; on
which, Philip retired into the recesses of a large swamp. Here his
situation, for a time, was exceedingly critical; but at length he
contrived to elude his besiegers; and, effecting his escape, fled to
the Nipmucks, by whom he was readily received.
Soon after the war began, an effort had been made by the governor of
Massachusetts to dissuade the Nipmucks from espousing the cause of
Philip. But at the time, not agreeing among themselves, they would
only consent to meet the English commissioners at a place three miles
from Brookfield on a specified day. The English authorities deputed
Captains Hutchinson and Wheeler to proceed to the appointed place.
They took with them twenty mounted men, and three Christian Indians as
guides and interpreters. On reaching the place agreed upon, no Indians
were to be seen; upon this, the party proceeded still further; when,
on reaching a narrow defile, they were suddenly attacked. Eight men
were killed outright, and three mortally wounded; among the latter,
was Captain Hutchinson. With the above loss, a retreat was effected;
and, under the guidance of the three Christian Indians, the remnant
made their way to Brookfield.
[Illustration: Attack on Brookfield.]
They were, however, immediately followed by the Indian foe. Luckily,
there was barely time to alarm the inhabitants, who, to the number of
seventy or eighty, flocked into a garrison-house. It was slightly
fortified about the exterior side, by a few logs hastily thrown up,
and in the interior by a few feather beds suspended to deaden the
force of the bullets. The house was soon surrounded by the enemy, and
shot poured upon it in all directions. But the fire of the besieged
kept the Indians from a very near approach. By persevering exertions,
the English were enabled to maintain themselves, until a force under
Major Willard came to their relief. He was in the vicinity of
Lancaster with forty-eight dragoons, when he learned the critical
condition of Brookfield. With a forced march of thirty miles, he
reached the place the following night.
At the very time Major Willard arrived at Brookfield, the Indians were
contriving some machinery to set the garrison on fire. They first
endeavored to effect their purpose by fire-arrows, and rags dipped in
brimstone tied to long poles spliced together. But this method was
without effect, while it exposed them to the deadly fire of those within
the building. They next filled a cart with hemp, flax, and other
combustible materials; and this, after they set it on fire, they thrust
backward with their long poles. But no sooner had the flame began to
take effect, than it was extinguished by an unexpected shower of rain.
Major Willard soon left the region of Brookfield, and marched the
principal part of his forces to Hadley, for the protection of the
settlements in that quarter. When he had completed his business, he
returned to Boston, leaving Lathrop and Beers at Hadley. A
considerable number of christianized Indians, belonging to the
neighborhood of Hadley, occupied a small fort about a mile above
Hatfield. On the occurrence of the difficulties in that region, these,
as all other Indians, were watched and suspected of conniving with
Philip. To put their fidelity to a test, Captains Lathrop and Beers,
with a force of one hundred and eighty men, ordered these Indians to
surrender their arms. They hesitated to do so then, but promised a
speedy compliance. Yet, on the following night, August 25th, they left
their fort, and fled up the river towards Deerfield to join Philip.
The English captains commenced a pursuit early the next morning, and
came up with them at a swamp, opposite to the present town of
Sunderland, where a warm contest ensued. The Indians fought bravely,
but were finally routed, with a loss of twenty-six of their number.
The whites lost ten men. The Indians, who escaped, joined Philip's
forces, and Lathrop and Beers returned to their station in Hadley.
[Illustration: Battle of Muddy Brook.]