29 Pequot War (1635)
The Pequeats having slain one Captain Norton and Captain Stone with seven more of their company, order was given us to visit them. Sailing along the Nahanticot shore with five vessels, the Indians spying of us came running in multitudes along the water side, crying, “what cheer Englishmen, what cheer, what do you come for?” That night the Nahanticot Indians and the Pequeats made fire on both sides of the River, fearing we would land in the night. They made most doleful and woeful cries all the night so that we could scarce rest, hollowing one to another and giving the word from place to place to gather their forces together, fearing the English were come to war against them.
The next morning they sent early aboard an Ambassador. A grave Senior, a man of good understanding, portly, carriage grave, and majestical in his expressions. He demanded of us what the end [goal] of our coming was, to which we answered that the Governors of the Bay sent us to demand the heads of those persons that had slain Captain Norton and Captain Stone and the rest of their company. And that it was not the custom of the English to suffer murderers to live and therefore if they desired their own peace and welfare, they will peaceably answer our expectation and give us the heads of the murderers. They being a witty and ingenious Nation, their Ambassador labored to excuse the matter and answered, we know not that any of ours have slain any English. True it is, said he, we have slain such a number of men, but consider the ground of it. We distinguish not between the Dutch and English but took them to be one Nation. And therefore we do not conceive that we wronged you, for they slew our king. And thinking these Captains to be of the same Nation and people as those that slew him, made us set upon this course of revenge.
We suddenly set upon our march and gave fire to as many as we could come near, firing their Wigwams, spoiling their corn and many other necessaries that they had buried in the ground we raked up, which the soldiers had for booty. Thus we spent the day burning and spoiling the Country. No Indians would come near us, but ran from us as the Deer from the dogs. But having burnt and spoiled what we could light on, we embarked our men and set sail for the Bay.
This insolent Nation, seeing we had used so much Lenitie [gentleness] towards them, set upon a course of greater insolence than before and slew all they found in their way. They came near Seabrook fort and made many proud challenges and dared them out to fight. The Connecticut Plantation understanding the insolence of the enemy to be so great, sent down a certain number of soldiers under the conduct of Captain John Mason for to strengthen the Fort. The enemy lying hovering about the Fort, continually took notice of the supplies that were come, and forbore drawing near it as before. But they seeing there was no advantage more to be had against the Fort, they enterprized a new action, and fell upon Watertowne, now called Wethersfield, with two hundred Indians.
Having embarked our soldiers, we weighed anchor at Saybrook Fort and set sail for the Narraganset Bay, deluding the Pequeats thereby, for they expected us to fall into Pequeat River. But crossing their expectation, bred in them a security. We landed our men in the Narraganset Bay and marched over land above two days journey before we came to Pequeat. Quartering the last night’s march within two miles of the place, we set forth about one o’clock in the morning, having sufficient intelligence that they knew nothing of our coming. We set on our march to surround the Fort, Captain John Mason approaching to the West end where it had an entrance to pass into it; myself marching to the Southside. Surrounding the Fort, placing the Indians, for we had about three hundred of them without, beside our soldiers in a ring battalia. Giving a volley of shot upon the Fort, which volley being given at break of day and themselves fast asleep for the most part bred in them such a terror that they broke forth into a most doleful cry that if God had not fitted the hearts of men for the service, it would have bred in them a commiseration towards them. But every man being bereaved of pity fell upon the work without compassion, considering the blood they had shed of our native Countrymen and how barbarously they had dealt with them and slain first and last about thirty persons.
Worthy Reader, let me entreat you to have a more charitable opinion of me (though unworthy to be better thought of) than is reported in the other Book. You may remember there is a passage unjustly laid upon me that when we should come to the entrance, I should put forth this question, shall we enter? Others should answer again, What came we hither for else? It is well known to many, it was never my practice in time of my command when we are in garrison, much to consult with a private soldier or to ask his advice in point of War. Much less in a matter of so great a moment as that was, which experience had often taught me was not a time to put forth such a question. And therefore pardon him that has given the wrong information. Having our swords in our right hand, our Carbines or Muskets in our left hand, we approached the Fort. Master Hedge being shot through both arms and more wounded, though it be not commendable for a man to make mention of anything that might tend to his own honor. Yet because I would have the providence of God observed and his Name magnified as well for myself as others, I dare not omit but let the world know that deliverance was given to us that command, as well as to private soldiers. Captain Mason and myself entering into the Wigwams, he was shot and received many Arrows against his head-piece. God preserved him from any wounds; myself received a shot in the left hip, through a sufficient Buff coat [leather jerkin] that if I had not been supplied with such a garment, the Arrow would have pierced through me. Another I received between neck and shoulders, hanging in the linen of my Head-piece. Others of our soldiers were shot some through the shoulders, some in the face, some in the head, some in the legs.
Captain Mason and myself losing each of us a man and had near twenty wounded. Most courageously these Pequeats behaved themselves; but seeing the Fort was too hot for us, we devised a way how we might save ourselves and prejudice them. Captain Mason entering into a Wigwam, brought out a fire-brand after he had wounded many in the house, then he set fire on the West-side where he entered. Myself set fire on the South end with a train of Powder, the fires of both meeting in the center of the Fort blazed most terribly and burnt all in the space of half an hour. Many courageous fellows were unwilling to come out and fought most desperately through the Palisades, so as they were scorched and burnt with the very flame and were deprived of their arms in regard the fire burnt their very bowstrings, and so perished valiantly. Mercy they did deserve for their valor, could we have had opportunity to have bestowed it. Many were burnt in the Fort, both men, women, and children. Others forced out and came in troops to the Indians twenty and thirty at a time, which our soldiers received and entertained with the point of the sword. Down fell men, women, and children. Those that escaped us fell into the hands of the Indians that were in the rear of us. It is reported by themselves that there were about four hundred souls in this Fort and not above five of them escaped out of our hands. Great and doleful was the bloody sight to the view of young soldiers that never had been in War, to see so many souls lie gasping on the ground so thick in some places that you could hardly pass along. It may be demanded, Why should you be so furious (as some have said)? Should not Christians have more mercy and compassion? But I would refer you to David’s war, when a people is grown to such a height of blood and sin against God and man, and all confederates in the action, there he has no respect to persons but harrows them and saws them and puts them to the sword and the most terrible death that may be. Sometimes the Scripture declares women and children must perish with their parents. Sometime the case alters but we will not dispute it now. We had sufficient light from the word of God for our proceedings.
Source: “The Pequot War”, in Captain John Underhill, Newes from America (London, 1638), 9-40. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.45493/page/n459/mode/2up
