A True Relation of the Late Battell fought in New England, between LONDON, Printed by M.P. for Nathanael Butter and Iohn Bellamie. 1637. so wonderfuly for them, thus to inclose their enîmise in their hands, and give them so speedy a victory over so proud and insulting an enimie. The Narigansett Indeans, all this while, stood round aboute, but aloofe from all danger, and left the whole [224] execution to the English, exept it were the stoping of any that broke away, insulting over their enimies in this their ruine and miserie, when they saw them dancing in the flames, calling them by a word in their owne language, signifing, O brave Pequents! which they used familierly among them selves in their own prayes, in songs of triumph after their victories. After this servis was thus happily accomplished, they marcht to the water side, wher they mett with some of their vesells, by which they had refreishing with victualls and other necessaries. But in their march the rest of the Pequents drew into a body, and acoasted them, thinking to have some advantage against them be [by] reason of a neck of land; but when they saw the English prepare for them, they kept aloofe, so as they neither did hurt, nor could receive any. After their refreishing and repair to geather for further counsell and directions, they resolved to pursue their victory, and follow the warr against the rest, but the Narigansett Indeans most of them forsooke them, and shuch of them as they had with them for guides, or other wise, they found 1 Williams (Key, 200) gives the words Keénomppaûog and Mûckquomppaûog, meaning captains or valiant men. From the second word the term "mugwump" has been derived. As allies the Indians were of little service in the Pequot war. Their attitude was one of uncertainty, and so impaired the confidence in them that the soldiers had "a great itch to fall foul" upon the Narragansetts. "Captain Patrick confesseth that they were the chief actors in the last captives, and had taken all by a wile and slaine two before the English came. I heare no speech at present about inequality, but content and affection toward vs." Roger Williams to John Winthrop, July, 1637, 4 Mass. Hist. Collections, vi. 196. The Indians claimed that they had been slighted by the English, and that Miantunomo, after performing good service, had been in sulted and even threatened with bodily injury. For that reason they separated from the English, refusing even to supply them with guides. 3 Mass. Hist. Collections, 1. 163. them very could and backward in the bussines, etheir out of envie, or that they saw the English would make more profite of the victorie then they were willing they should, or els deprive them of such advantage as them selves desired by having them become tributaries unto them, or the like. For the rest of this bussines, I shall only relate the same as it is in a leter which came from Mr. Winthrop to the Gov[erno]r hear, as followeth.1 WORTHY SIR: I received your loving letter, and am much provocked to express my affections towards you, but straitnes of time forbids me; for my desire is to acquainte you with the Lords greate mercies towards us, in our prevailing against his and our enimies; that you may rejoyce and praise his name with us. About 80 of our men, haveing costed along towards the Dutch plantation, (some times by water, but most by land,) mett hear and ther with some Pequents, whom they slew or tooke prisoners. 2. sachems they tooke, and beheaded; and not hearing of Sassacous,2 (the cheefe sachem,) they gave a prisoner his life, to goe and find him out. He wente and brought them word wher he was, but Sassacouse, suspecting him to be a spie, after he was gone, fled away with some 20 more to the Mowakes, so our men missed of him. Yet, deviding them selves, and ranging up and downe, as the providence of God guided them (for the Indeans were all gone, save 3 or 4 and they knew not whither to guide them, or 1 This letter is in substance what appears in Winthrop, History, 1. *233. 2 Sassacus lived on the Thames (Mohiganic, according to Roger Williams) River, but his sway extended from the Narragansett Bay almost to Hudson's River, and to Long Island. The Mohegans, the Nahanticks and the Pequots formed one confederacy, and Sassacus was now the chief. A brother, Tassaquanott, survived the Pequot war, and another brother, Puppompoges, is mentioned by Roger Williams. The manner of describing Sassacus by the Commissioners of the Colonies, in 1649, as “the mallignant furious Pequot," indicates the fear he inspired, and a mere rumor of a marriage between one of these brothers and a daughter of Ninigret gave rise to a belief that the Pequots would again be united and prove dangerous to the colonies. Plymouth Col. Rec., 1x. 145. The Nahanticks are the Niantics. 3 His name was Puttaquapruonck-quame. Caulkins, History of New London, 37 n. els would not), upon the 13 of this month, they light upon a great company of them, viz. 80. strong men, and 200 women and children, in a small Indean towne, fast by a hideous swamp, which they all slipped into before our men could gett to them. Our captains were not then come togeither, but ther was Mr. Ludlow 1 and Captaine Masson,2 with some · 10. [225] of their men, and Captaine Patrick with some 20 or more of his, who, shooting at the Indeans, Captaine Trask with 50 more came soone in at the noyse. Then they gave 4 1 3 1 Roger Ludlow (1590– ), of Dinton, Wilts., was one of the Dorchester settlers at Windsor, and had served as assistant and deputy governor of Massachusetts Bay. Taking a prominent position in the Connecticut settlement from the start, he was chosen deputy governor of the colony. Later he removed to Virginia and died there. 2 John Mason ( -1672) was also one of the Dorchester people at Windsor. you unhainedly John His life has been written by George E. Ellis, in Sparks, American Biography, 2d. ser. III. 3 Daniel Patrick, one of two captains in regular pay, possessed some military experience before he came to New England with Winthrop. A resident of Watertown, he became a freeman in 1631, and about 1640 removed to Connecticut, purchasing in Norwalk land of Roger Ludlow. He was killed by a Dutchman at Stamford, in 1643. your fio Domma unda 'William Trask, of Salem, was in New England before the coming of the Endecott party and declared his intention of becoming a freeman in October, 1630. No record order to surround the swampe, it being aboute a mile aboute; but Levetenante Davenporte1 and some 12 more, not hearing that command, fell into the swampe among the Indeans. The swampe was so thicke with shrubwoode, and so boggie with all, that some of them stuck fast, and received many shott. Levetenant Davenport was dangerously wounded aboute his armehole, and another shott in the head, so as, fainting, they were in great danger to have been taken by the Indeans. But Sargante Rigges, and Jeffery, and 2 or 3 more, rescued them, and slew diverse of the Indeans with their swords. After they were drawne out, the Indeans desired parley, and were offered (by Thomas Stanton, our interpretour) that, if they would come out, and yeeld them selves, they should have their lives, all that had not their hands in the English blood. Wherupon the sachem of the place came forth, and an old man or 2. and their wives and chilldren, and after that some other women and children, and so they spake 2. howers, till it was night. Then Thomas Stanton was sente into them shows that he was sworn as such, but his election to the office of captain in 1632 and in subsequent years proves his estimation in the plantation. He died in 1666. ys youtons shall sure we may sinh уз 1 Richard Davenport came with the Endecott party in 1628, from Weymouth, in Dorsetshire. He settled in Salem, and proved loyal to Endecott when the latter cut the red cross from the ensign, and also in the antinomian troubles. Removing to Boston in 1642, he was captain of the castle in 1665. While serving in that capacity he was killed by a stroke of lightning. 2 Edward Riggs, of Roxbury. yourt while I am Band Davenport/ Thomas Jeffrey, of Dorchester, who later removed to New Haven, where he died in 1661. |