History of the War with the Indians, Part 42 – Part 48
June 29. Was observed as a day of publick Thanksgiving to celebrate the praises of that God, who hath begun to answer Prayer. And although there is cause for Humiliation before the Lord, inasmuch as the Sword is still drawn against us, nevertheless we are under deep engagement to make his praise glorious; considering how wonderfully he hath restrained and checked the insolency of the Heathen. That Victory which God gave to our Army, December 19. and again May 18. is never to be forgotten: also in that divers Indian Sachims (especially their great Sachim Quanonchet) have fallen before the Lord, and before his Servants. And in that things have been no worse with us, since the year of trouble hath been upon us, that no more Indians have been let loose upon us, but many of them have been our friends, that no more Plantations have been made desolate, which nothing but the restraining gracious providence of God hath prevented, for the Enemy might easily have destroyed ten times as many Towns as they have done, had not he that sets bounds to the raging of the Sea, restrained them; yea, one whole Colony hath been in a manner untouched, saving that one small deserted Plantation therein was burnt by the Indians; also sundry Towns that have been fiercely assaulted by the Enemy, having obtained help from God, to continue to this day, as brands plucked out of the fire, and as monuments of the sparing mercy of God, although they have been in the fire they are not consumed. And God hath returned many of our Captives, having given them to find compassion before them who led them Captive; and caused the Enemy to entreat them well, in the time of affliction, and in the time of evil, and by strange wayes at last delivered them. He hath also sent in a supply of Corn from beyond Sea, this Spring and before winter, without which we could not easily have sent out such Armies (however small and not worthy of the name of Armies in other parts of the World; yet with us they are Armies) as have been pursuing the Enemy. Its wonderful to consider, how that the Lord hath visited his People in giving them Bread, when a Famine was expected. And this Summer, God hath caused the shower to come down in its season, there have been showers of Blessing when some beginnings of a Drought were upon the Land. And sore Diseases hath the Lord rebuked; whereas the small Pox and other Malignant and Contagious Distempers have been amongst us since this War began, God hath been entreated to have compassion on us, and to restore health unto his people. Moreover, we are still under the enjoyment of our Liberties, both Civil and Spiritual: for such causes as these, the day mentioned was observed (by order of the Council) as a day of publick Thanksgiving throughout this Colony: And behold when we began to sing and to praise the Lord whose mercy endureth for ever, he hath as it were set Ambushments against the Enemy, and they were smitten, yea they have since that been smiting and betraying one another.
There are two things here observable:
1. Whereas this very day of the MonethMonth (viz. June 29.) was kept as a day of publick Humiliation the last year, being the first Fast that was observed in this Colony on the account of the present War, God hath so ordered, as that the same day of the monethmonth was in the year after set apart to magnifie his Name on the account of mercies received, being the first publick day of Thanksgiving, which hath been attended throughout this Colony since the War began.
2. The Lord from Heaven smiled upon us at this time; for the day before this Thanks-giving, as also the day after, he gave us to hear of more of our Captives returned; particularly Mr. Rowlandsons Children are now brought in as answers of Prayer. It is not a small mercy, that the mother and children (only one child was killed when the other were taken) should all of them be saved alive, and carried through the Jaws of so many deaths, and at last brought home in peace, that so they and all that ever shall hear of it, might see and know, that the Lord Jehovah, is a God that heareth prayer Also the night after this Thanksgiving, intelligence came to Boston, that a chief Narraganset Sachim is now suing to the English for peace, and that an Indian was come in to the English near Rehoboth, who informed that Philip was not far off, and that he had but thirty men (besides Women and Children) with him; and promised to conduct the English to the place where Philip was lurking, and might probably be taken; Moreover, the Indian affirmed, that those Indians who are known by the name of Mauquawogs (or Mohawks, i. e. Man-eaters had lately fallen upon Philip, and killed fifty of his men. And if the variance between Philip & the Mauquawogs came to pass, as is commonly reported & apprehended, there was a marvelous finger of God in it. For we hear that Philip being this winter entertained in the Mohawks Country, made it his design to breed a quarrel betwen the English and them; to effect which divers of our returned Captives do report that he resolved to kill some scattering Mohawks, and then to say that the English had done it: but one of those whom he thought to have killed, was onl wounded, and got away to his Country-men, giving them to understand, that not the English but Philip had killed the Men that were Murdered, so that in stead of bringing the Mohawks upon the English, he brought them upon himself. Thus hath he conceived mischief and brought forth falshood, he made a pit and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he hath made, his mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate. The Heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made, in the net which they had hid, is their own foot taken; the Lord is known by the Judgment which he executeth, the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.
June 30. This day Souldiers marched out of Boston towards the place, where Philip was supposed to be. But when they came thither, they found that he was newly gone. We hear that he is returned to Mount-hope, and that a considerable body of Indians are gathered to that place, where the War began, and where (it may be) way must be made towards an end of these troubles. Yet who knoweth how cruelly a dying Beast may bite before his expiration? Also Plimouth Companies being abroad under the conduct of Major Bradford, the Lord went forth with them, this day causing the enemy to fall before them. They were in danger of being cut off by a party of Indians who lay in Ambush for that end, but some of the Cape-Indians, who have been faithful to the English, discovered the Stratagems of the Adversary, whereby their intended mischief was happily prevented. Divers of them were killed and taken, without the loss of so much as one of ours. And whereas, three Messengers from Squaw Sachem of Sakonet, were gone to the Governour of Plimouth, offering to submit themselves, and engaging Fidelity to the English for the suture, if they might but have a promise of life, and liberty; before the Messengers returued from their treaty, that Squaw-Sachim with about ninety persons, hearing that Plimouth Forces were approaching to them, came and rendred themselves to Major Bradford; wholly submitting to mercy, so that this day were killed, taken, and brought in no less then an hundred and ten Indians. And the providence of God herein is the more observable, in that the very day before this, the Lords People in Plimouth did unanimously consent to renew their Covenant with God, and one another, and a day of Humiliation was appointed for that end, that so a work so sacred and awful might be attended with the more solemnity; also in the week before these signal smiles from Heaven upon that Colony, most of the Churches there, had renewed their Covenant, viz. on the day of Humiliation which was last attended throughout that jurisdiction. God then saith unto us, that if we will indeed hearken unto his voice, the haters of the Lord shall soon submit themselves.
July 1. Whereas the Council at Boston had lately emitted a Declaration, signifying, that such Indians as did within fourteen dayes come in to the English, might hope for mercy, divers of them did this day return from among the Nupmicks. Amongst others, James an Indian, who could not only read, and write, but had learned the Art of Priuting, notwithstanding his Apostasie, did venture himself upon the mercy and truth of the English Declaration which he had seen and read, promising for the future to venture his life against the common Enemy. He and the other now come in, affirm that very many of the Indians are dead sicne this War began, and that more have dyed by the hand of God, in respect of Diseases, Fluxes, and Feavers, which have been amongst them, than have been killed with the Sword.
July 2. This day Connecticut Forces being in the Narraganset Country met with a party of Indians, pursued them into a Swamp, killed and took an hundred and fourscore of them (amongst whom was the old Squaw-Sachem of Narraganset) without the loss of one English-man. Only an Indian or two that fought for the English, was killed in this engagement. The English would gladly have gone further, and have joined with Boston and Plimouth Companies to pursue Philip at Mount-hope, but the Connecticut Indians would by no means be perswaded thereunto, until such time as they had returned home with the booty they had taken. And as they were on their march homeward, they took and slaughtered threescore more Indians. In the mean while the other Colonies are sending out souldiers towards Mount-hope, where Philip with a multitude of Indians lately flocked thither is reported to be, designing speedily to fall upon the neighbouring Towns.
July. 6. Five or six Indian Sachems did make peace with the English in the Eastern parts of this Colony. They have brought in with them three hundred men besides women and children. One of the Sachims did earnestly desire, that the English would promise that no more liquors should be sold or given to the Indians, that so they might not be in a Capacity of making themselves drunk, having fouud by woful experience, that that hath been a ruining evil to many of them. This week also about two hundred Indians more came and submitted themselves to mercy, in Plimouth Colony, being partly necessitated thereeuto by the distresses which God in his holy providence hath brought them into, and partly encouraged by a promise from the Government there, that all such Indians as would come in and lay down their arms should have life and liberty granted to them, excepting only such as had been active in any of the murthers which have been committed. When these Indians were in the hands of the English, a certain Squaw amongst them, perceiving that it would be pleasing to the English, if the murderers were discovered, she presently told of one who had had a bloudy hand in the murthers which were done in Mr. Clarks house March the twelfth, the Indian immediately confessed the Fact, only said that there was another who had as great a hand therein as he, which other Indian being examined confessed the thing also, and he revealed a third Indian Murderer, who upon Examination owned the thing, whereupon they were all three forth with executed, thus did God bring upon them the innocent blood which they had shed. Also the Indians who had surrendred themselves, informed that a bloody Indian called Tuckpoo (who the last summer murdered a man of Boston at Namasket) with about twenty Indians more, was at a place within 16 miles of Plimouth, and manifested willingness to go and fetch him in, whereupon eight English with fourteen Indians, marched out in the night, and seized upon them all, none of ours receiving any hurt at this time. Justice was speedily executed upon the Indian, who had been a murderer; the other having their lives granted them.
July 7. A small party of our Indians having some English with them, took and killed seven of the Enemy in the Woods beyond Dedham, whereof one was a petty Sachem. The two Indians which were then taken Prisoners, say that many of their men who were sent to Albany for a supply of Powder, were set upon in the way by the Mobawks, and killed,. It is is certain that about this time, some of those Indians who are in Hostility against the English (amongst whom the Sachim of Springfield Indians, was one) came to Albany to buy Powder, and that they might effect their design, they lyed and said, that now they had made peace with the English, and desired Powder only to go an hunting in the Woods: we hear, that the other Indians were very desirous to have slain them, but the Governour of New-York secured them, and gave notice to the Councill at Hartford: since that we have Intelligence that many of our enemies, yea and such as have been notorious Murderers, are fled for refuge to those about Albany.
July 11. A Party of Indians ('tis conjectured that there were about two hundred of them) assaulted Taunton. And in probability, that Town had at this time been brought under the same desolation other places have experienced, had not the Lord in his gracious providence so ordered, that a Captive Negro, the week before escaped from Philip, and informed of his purpose speedily to destroy Taunton; whereupon Souldiers were forth with sent thither, so that the enemy was in a little time repulsed, and fled, after they had fired two Houses: but not one English Life was lost in this Engagement. What loss the enemy sustained is as yet unknown to us. There was a speciall providence in that Negroes escape, for he having lived many years near to the Indians, understood their Language, and having heard them tell one another what their designs were, he acquainted the English therewith, and how Philip had ordered his men to lye in Ambuscadoes in such places, to cut off the English, who by means of this intelligence escaped that danger, which otherwise had attended them.
About this time we hear that there are three hundred Mohaugs, who have armed themselves, as being desirous to be revenged upon those Indians who have done so much harm to New-England (if they receive no discouragement as to their designed Expedition) And that they purpose to colous their heads and make them yellow, that so they may not upon their approach to any of our Plantations, be mistaken for other Indians.
There is another thing which though it doe not concern the Warr, yet hapning this week, it may not be amiss here to take notice of it. At Saconesset in Plymouth Colony, a female Child was born with two heads, perfectly distinct each form other, so that it had four eyes, and four ears, and two mouthes and tongues, &c.