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sioners also sent a party by water to found a port at the mouth of the river which, since Lord Say and Sele, and Lord Brooke, were proprietaries, was called Saybrook. Exposed to trouble in consequence of the jealousy manifested by the Dutch towards the colony, it was besides placed in great

settlement, she continued to promulgate her doctrines with the utmost ardor. Her sons, openly arraigning the justice of her banishment, were seized and thrown into prison. To fly beyond the reach of persecution, the whole family passed over into the territory of the Dutch, at the time when Kieft, the governor, had aroused by his rashness and cruelty vindictive Mr. Hooker, with his assistant, Mr. Stone, and folreprisals on the part of the Indians. The dwelling of Mrs. Hutchinson was set on fire, and she either perished with her children-except a little granddaughter-amidst the flames, or was murdered by the infuriated savages. This sad event occurred in October, 1643.

1635.

,

the first soft, warm month of the New England year,

lowed by about one hundred men, women, and children, set out upon the long contemplated journey. Over mountains, through swamps, across rivers, ford

ing, or upon rafts, with the compass to point out their irregular way, slowly they moved westward; now in

the open spaces of the forest, where the sun looked in; now under the shade of the old trees; now

struggling through the entanglement of bushes and vines-driving their flocks and herds before them— the strong supporting the weak, the old caring for the young, with hearts cheerful as the month, slowly they moved on. Mrs. Hooker was ill, and was borne gently upon a litter. A stately, well-ordered journey it was, for gentlemen of fortune and rank were of the company, and ladies who had been delicately

bred, and who had known little of toil or hardship until now. But they endured it with the sweet alacrity that belongs alone to woman, high-toned and

gentle, when summoned by a voice whose call can not be resisted, to lay aside the trappings of ease, and to step from a fortune that she once adorned, to a level that her presence ennobles. The howl of the wolf, his stealthy step among the rustling leaves, the

A permanent settlement had been formed in the valley of the Connecticut some years before.* A large body now prepared to push through the forest to the desired spot where the towns of Hartford, Windsor, and Wethersfield were founded. The expedition was attended with many hardships, being undertaken too late in the year. The cattle perished, provisions failed, and many returned through the snows to the place whence they had set out. Next year a larger body, consisting of the all these the wife, the mother, the daughter, enmembers of the two churches, with their ministers, one of whom was Hooker, made their way through the wilderness, by aid of the compass, driv ing their cattle before them through the tangled thickets. The Commis

1636.

* The Indian name Connecticoota, signifies “Long River."

† Mr. Hollister thus pleasantly enlarges upon this eventful journey :-" About the beginning of June,

sighing of the pines, the roar of the mountain torrent, losing itself in echoes sent back from rock and hill, the smoking ruins of the Indian council-fire-all

forcing upon the mind the oppressive sense of solitariness and danger, the more dreaded because unseen

countered, with a calm trust that they should one day see the wilderness blossom as the rose. At the end of about two weeks, they reached the land al

most fabulous to them-so long had hope and fancy been shaping to their minds pictures of an ideal love

liness-the valley of the Connecticut. It lay at

their feet, beneath the shadow of the low-browed hills, that tossed the foliage of their trees in billows, heaving for miles away to the east and west, as the breath of June touched them with life. It lay, holding its silvery river in its embrace, like a strong bow half bent in the hands of the swarthy hunter, who still called himself lord of its rich acres."-Hollister's "History of Connecticut," vol. i., p. 29.

CH. VII.]

ORIGIN OF THE PEQUOD WAR.

69

peril from the hostility of the neigh- of the Narragansetts, offered ample boring Indians.

apology for a crime committed without his knowledge; but the magistrates and ministers thought something further was required at their hands. Accordingly, an expedition, under command of Endicott, consisting of ninety

Islanders, and thence to go to the Pe-
quods to demand the delivery of the
murderers of Stone, and a thousand
fathoms of wampum for damages-
equivalent to from three to five thou-
sand dollars. After burning the wig-
wams, and destroying the standing
corn of the Indians on Block
Island, Endicott sailed to Fort
Saybrook, and marched thence to the
Pequod River. The Indians refusing
his demands, he burned their villages,
both there and on the Connecticut, and
returned to Boston without the loss of
a single man.

The Pequod war was, perhaps, the inevitable result of the suspicions and fears of the Indians, and the apprehensions of the colonists of sudden attack and massacre similar to that to which the settlers in Virginia had been sub-men, was sent to punish the Block jected. It was but natural that the natives should dislike the progress of the white men's settlements, and meditate, at least, upon measures for arresting their advance; on the other hand, the colonists were constantly on their guard, and determined to punish relentlessly the first symptoms of aggression. The Pequods were, at this date, the most powerful confederacy in the neighborhood of Narragansett Bay, and held authority over twenty-six petty tribes. A band of them had murdered 1636. one Stone, a drunken and dissolute master of a Virginia trading vessel, which, exciting some alarm in Massachusetts, the Pequods sent to Boston and stated that the deed had been hastily committed, in revenge for some provocation on the part of Stone and his crew.

Beside offering to give up the murderers, they begged the intervention of the magistrates to effect a reconciliation with their enemies the Narragansetts, and desired to open a traffic. The apology was accepted, and the mediation asked for accomplished; but the murderers, from inability or some other cause, were not delivered up. Not long after, an old settler on Block Island, named Oldham, was murdered by a party of Indians, probably in revenge for his opening a trade with the Pequods. Canonicus, the sachem

1636.

The Pequods, enraged at what they deemed an unprovoked attack, retaliated in every way in their power, killing, during the winter, about thirty in all, and endeavored to engage the Narragansetts in an alliance to cut off every white man from the soil. Happily, through the intervention of Roger Williams, who had sent timely information to the Massachusetts magistrates, this dreaded coalition was prevented, and the good will, or at least, the neutrality, of the Narragansetts was secured.

At a special session of the General Court, held early in December, 1636, the militia were organized into three regiments, and officers were appointed in the respective grades. Watches

were ordered to be kept, and travellers were to go armed. No active measures were taken until the spring of 1637, in consequence main1637. ly of the ferment and trouble arising out of Mrs. Hutchinson's case, of which we have spoken on a previous page. Orthodoxy having triumphed, vigorous attention was directed to the Pequod war, and a considerable force was raised to send into the field. But the decisive battle had been fought before the arrival of the Massachusetts troops. The Connecticut towns, early in May, having obtained the alliance of Uncas, sachem of the Mohegans, the greater part of the able-bodied men, -ninety in number-under the command of John Mason, who had been a soldier in Flanders, prepared for their departure. It was a perilous crisis; should they fail in the enterprise, the infant settlement, left without defenders, would fall into the power of their vindictive enemies their wives and children would be ruthlessly scalped. The night of May 10th was spent in solemn prayer. On the morrow the militia embarked at Hartford, and being joined by twenty men, sent sometime before from Boston, under the command of Underhill, sailed past the Thames, and entered, unobserved, a harbor in the vicinity of the Pequod fort. They rested on the following Lord's Day, and early in the week endeavored to engage the assistance of the Narragansetts, whose sachem, Miantonimoh, at first joined them with two hundred warriors, who, on learning that the intention of the English was to attack the Pequod forts with so small a

body, were panic-struck, and most of them retreated. The catastrophe cannot be better described than in the words of an early historian of Connecticut:

"After marching under the guidance of a revolted Pequod to the vicinity of the principal fort, they pitched their little camp between, or near, two large rocks, in Groton, since called Porter's rocks. The men were faint and weary, and though the rocks were their pillows, their rest was sweet. The guards and sentinels were considerably advanced in front of the army, and heard the enemy singing at the fort, who continued their rejoicings even until midnight. They had seen the vessels pass the harbor some days before, and had concluded that the English were afraid, and had no courage to attack them. The night was serene, and towards morning the moon shone clear. 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, and to be decided by the good conduct of less than eighty brave men. The Indians who remained were now sorely dismayed, and though at first they had led the van, and boasted of great feats, yet were now fallen back in the rear. About two hours before day, the men were roused with all expedition, and, briefly commending themselves and their cause to God, advanced immediately to the fort, and sent for the Indians in the rear to come up. Uncas and Obequash at length appeared. The captain demanded of them where the fort was. They answered, on the

CH. VII.]

DESTRUCTION OF THE PEQUODS.

71

top of the hill. He demanded of defence. The captain and his men them where were the other Indians. entered the wigwams, where they were They answered that they were much beset with many Indians, who took afraid. The captain sent to them not every advantage to shoot them, and to fly, but to surround the fort at any lay hands upon them, so that it was distance they pleased, and see whether with great difficulty that they could Englishmen would fight. The day was defend themselves with their swords. nearly dawning, and no time was now After a severe conflict, in which many to be lost. The men pressed on in two of the Indians were slain, some of the divisions, Captain Mason to the north- English killed, and others sorely woundeastern, and Underhill to the western ed, the victory still hung in suspense. entrance. As the object which they The captain, finding himself much exhad been so long seeking came into hausted, and out of breath, as well as view, and while they reflected that his men, by the extraordinary exertions they were to fight not only for them- which they had made in this critical selves, but their parents, wives, chil- state of action, had recourse to a sucdren, and the whole colony, the martial cessful expedient. He cries out to his spirit kindled in their bosoms, and they men, 'We must burn them!' He imwere wonderfully animated and assisted. mediately, entering a wigwam, took fire As Captain Mason advanced within a and put it into the mats with which rod or two of the fort, a dog barked, the wigwams were covered. The fire and an Indian roared out,-'Owanux! instantly kindling, spread with such Owanux!' that is, Englishmen! English- violence, that all the Indian houses men! The troops pressed on, and as the were soon wrapped in one general Indians were rallying, poured in upon flame. As the fire increased, the Engthem through the palisadoes, a general lish retired without the fort, and comdischarge of their muskets, and then passed it on every side. Uncas and his wheeling off to the principal entrance, Indians, with such of the Narragansetts entered the fort sword in hand. Not- as yet remained, took courage from the withstanding the suddenness of the at- example of the English, and formed tack, and the blaze and thunder of the another circle in the rear of them. arms, the enemy made a manly and des- The enemy were now seized with asperate resistance. Captain Mason and tonishment; and, forced by the flames his party drove the Indians in the main from their lurking-places into open street towards the west part of the fort, light, became a fair mark for the Engwhere some bold men, who had forced lish soldiers. Some climbed the palitheir way, met them, and made such sadoes, and were instantly brought slaughter among them, that the street down by the fire of English muskets. was soon clear of the enemy. They Others, desperately sallying forth from secreted themselves in and behind their their burning cells, were shot, or cut to wigwams, and, taking advantage of pieces with the sword. Such terror every covert, maintained an obstinate | fell upon them, that they would run

back from the English into the very flames. Great numbers perished in the conflagration. The greatness and violence of the fire, the reflection of the light, the flashing and the roar of the arms, the shrieks and yellings of the men, women, and children, in the fort, and the shouting of the Indians without, just at the dawning of the morning, exhibited a grand and awful scene. In little more than an hour, this whole work of destruction was finished. Seventy wigwams were burnt, and five or six hundred Indians perished, either by the sword, or in the flames. A hundred and fifty warriors had been sent on the evening before, who, that very morning, were to have gone forth against the English. Of these and all who belonged to the fort, seven only escaped, and seven were made prisoner's. It had been previously concluded not to burn the fort, but to destroy the enemy, and take the plunder; but the captain afterwards found it the only expedient, to obtain the victory and save his men. Thus parents and children, the sannap and squaw, the old man and the babe, perished in promiscuous ruin."*

At the close of this unrelenting massacre, a new body of the Pequods from the other villages, were found to be fast approaching. Filled with rage at the sight of their ruined habitations and slaughtered companions, they rushed furiously upon the white men; but it was in vain; the destructive fire arms soon checked them, and Mason and his

84.

party easily made good their retreat to Pequod harbor, now New London. The wounded were sent by water, and Mason marched his troops to Saybrook, where he was received with a discharge of artillery.

1637.

The work of extermination thus begun by the Connecticut soldiers was, in conjunction with the Massachusetts forces, carried forward to its completion during the summer. The Pequods were hunted from their hiding places in the swamps; their forts were destroyed; the warriors were killed; the women and children were distributed as slaves among the colonists; Sassacus, their head sachem, having fled to the Mohawks, was murdered by them, at the instigation of the Narragansetts; and the adult male prisoners were sold into slavery in the West Indies. It was reckoned that about nine hundred of the Pequods had been killed or taken; and the few that had escaped and were scattered among the Narragansetts and Mohegans, were forever forbidden to call themselves Pequods. The colonists regarded their successes in this war of destruction of the "bloody heathen" as ample proof of Divine approbation; and with characteristic self-complacency, they furnished numerous quotations out of the Old Testament to justify every thing which they had done. Truly, one might well here repeat the wish of pious Robinson, "Would that you had converted some to the truth before you had killed any !"

The Pequods having been exter* Trumbull's “History of Connecticut," vol. i., p. minated, the attention of the ministers and magistrates was next turned to the

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