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A Brief History of the Pequot War
Some Grounds of the War Against the Pequots.
by Mason, Captain John
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About the Year 1632
one Capt. Stone arrived in the Massachusetts in a Ship from Virginia; who
shortly after was bound for Virginia in a small Bark with one Capt. Norton; who
sailing into Connecticut River about two Leagues from the Entrance cast Anchor;
there coming to them several Indians belonging to that Place whom the Pequots
Tyrannized over, being a potent and warlike People, it being their Custom so to
deal with their neighbour Indians; Capt. Stone having some occasion
with the Dutch who lived at a trading House near twenty Leagues up the River,
procured some of those Indians to go as Pilots with two of his Men to the Dutch:
But being benighted before they could come to their desired Port, put the skiff
in which they went, ashoar, where the two Englishmen falling asleep, were both
Murdered by their Indian Guides: There remaining with the Bark about twelve of
the aforesaid Indians; who had in all probability formerly plotted their bloody
Design; and waiting an opportunity when some of the English were on Shoar and
Capt. Stone asleep in his Cabbin, set upon them and cruelly Murdered every one
of them, plundered what they pleased and sunk the Bark.
These Indians were
not native Pequots, but had frequent recourse unto them, to whom they tendered
some of those Goods, which were accepted by the Chief Sachem of the Pequots:
Other of the said Goods were tendered to Nynigrett Sachem of Nayanticke, who
also received them.
The Council of the
Massachusetts being informed of their proceedings, sent to speak with the
Pequots, and had some Treaties with them: But being unsatisfied therewith, sent
forth Captain John Endicot Commander in Chief, with Captain Underhill, Captain
Turner, and with them one hundred and twenty Men: who were firstly designed on a
Service against a People living on Block Island, who were subject to the
Narragansett Sachem; they having taken a Bark of one Mr. John Oldham, Murdering
him and all his Company: They were also to call the Pequots to an Account about
the Murder of Capt. Stone; who arriving at Pequot had some
Conference with them; but little effected; only one Indian slain and some
Wigwams burnt. After which, the Pequots grew inraged against the English who
inhabited Connecticut, being but a small Number, about two hundred and fifty,
who were there newly arrived; as also about twenty Men at Saybrook, under the
Command of Lieutenant Lyon Gardner, who was there settled by several Lords and
Gentlemen in England. The Pequots falling violently upon them, slew divers Men
at Saybrook ; keeping almost a constant Siege upon the Place; so that the
English were constrained to keep within their pallizado Fort; being so hard
Beset and sometimes Assaulted, that Capt. John Mason was sent by Connecticut
Colony with twenty Men out of their small Numbers to secure the Place: But after
his coming, there did not one Pequot appear in view for one Month Space, which
was the time he there remained.
In the Interim
certain Pequots about One Hundred going to a Place called Weathersfield on
Connecticut; having formerly confederated with the Indians of that Place (as it
was generally thought) lay in Ambush for the English; divers of them going into
a large Field adjoyning to the Town to their Labour, were there set upon by the
Indians: Nine of the English were killed outright, with some Horses, and two
young Women taken Captives.
At their Return from
Weathersfield, they came down the River of Connecticut (Capt. Mason being then
at Saybrook Fort) in three Canoes with about one hundred Men, which River of
necessity they must pass: We espying them, concluded they had been
acting some Mischief
against us, made a Shot at them with a Piece of Ordnance, which beat off the
Beak Head of one of their Canoes, wherein our two Captives were: it was at a
very great distance: They then hastened, drew their Canoes over a narrow Beach
with all speed and so got away.
Upon which the
English were somewhat dejected: But immediately upon this, a Court was called
and met in Hartford the First of May, 1637, * [* May 1, 1637, was
Monday.] who seriously considering their
Condition, which did look very Sad, for those Pequots were a great People, being
strongly fortified, cruel, warlike, munitioned, &c. and the English but an
handful in comparison: But their outragious Violence against the English, having
Murdered about Thirty of them, their great Pride and Insolency, constant pursuit
in their malicious Courses, with their engaging other Indians in their Quarrel
against the English, who had never offered them the least Wrong; who had in all
likelihood Espoused all the Indians in the country in their Quarrel, had not God
by more than an ordinary Providence prevented: These Things being duly
considered, with the eminent Hazard and great Peril they were in; it pleased God
so to stir up the Hearts of all Men in general, and the Court in special, that
they concluded some Forces should forthwith be sent out against the Pequots;
their Grounds being Just, and necessity enforcing them to engage in an offensive
and defensive War; the Management of which War we are nextly to
relate.
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