Relation of the Indian Troubles in New England, Account · Floating text 1
Some Grounds of the War against the Pequots.
In or about the year 1633. One Capt. Stone arrived in the Massachusets, in a ship from Virginia, who sometime after was bound for Virginia again, in a smal Bark, with one Capt. Norton, who sailing up Connecticut River, about two leagues from the entrance, cast Anchor; there coming to them several Indians belonging to that place, whom the Pequotts tyranized over, being a potent and a warlike people they being accustomed so to deal with their neighbouring 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 they being benighted, before they could come to their desired port, put the Skiffe, in which they went, ashore; 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 designe, and waiting an opportunity when some of the English were on shore, and Capt. Stone asleep in his Cabbin, set upon them and cruelly murthered every one of them, and plundered what they pleased, and afterward sunk the Bark.
These Indians were not native Pequots, but had frequent recourse to them, to whom they tendered some of those goods, which were accepted by the chief Sachem of the Pequots: and some of the Goods were tendered to the Sachim of Niantick who also received them.
The Honoured Council of the Massachusets hearing of these proceedings of the Pequots, sent to speak with them, & had some Treatyes, but no issue was made to satisfaction.
After which, Capt. John Endicot was sent forth Commander in chief, with Capt. Ʋnderhill, Capt. Turner and about an hundred and twenty men, who were firstly designed against a people living on Block-Island, who were subjects to the Narraganset Sachem, they having taken a Barke of Mr. John Oldam, murthering him and his Company. They were also to call the Pequots to an account about the murthering of Capt. Stone: who arriving at Pequod, had some Conference with them, but little was effected, only one Indian slain, and some Wigwams burnt.
After which the Pequots grew enraged against the English who inhabited Connecticut, being but a small number, about two hundred & fifty who were there newly arrived, as also about twenty men at Sey-Brook under the command of Leiut. Lion. Gardner, who was there placed by several Lords and Gentlemen in England.
The Pequots observing Lieut. Gardner going to fire the Meadows about half a mile off the Fort, with ten men with him, was violently assaulted by the Pequod Indians, so that some were slain, the rest were rescued by the Souldiers issuing out of the Fort upon the said Pequots who fled. They also seized some that were passing up Connecticut River, and tortured them in most cruel manner, with most barbarous and inhumane crueltyes; roasting of them alive &c.
They also lay sculking about the Fort almost constantly, that the English could not go out of the Fort, but they were assaulted by the pequods, so that Connecticut out of their small numbers, constrained themselves to send Capt. John Mason with twenty men to secure the place. But after his coming, there did not one Pequod appear in view for a moneths space about the Fort, which was the time he there remained.
In the interim, many of the Pequods went to a place now called Wethersfield on Connecticut, and having confederated with the Indians of that place (as it was generally thought) they lay in ambush for the English people of that place, and diverse of them going to their labour in a large field adjoyning to the town, were set upon by the Indians, nine of the English were slain upon the place, and some horses, and two young women were taken Captive.
The Pequoas at their return from Wethersfield, came down to the River of Connecticut, (Capt. Mason then being at Saybrook Fort) in three or more Canooes, with about an hundred men, the English espying of them, concluded they had been acting some mischief against us, and therefore prepared one of their great Gunns, and made a shot at them, which shot strook off the head of one of their Canooes wherein the two Captives were, al…hough the shot was made at them at a great distance, near three miles: but seing it was so placed, they hastned to the shore, and drew their Canooes with what speed they could over a narrow Beach and so got away.
The English of Connecticut being so alarmed by these insolencyes of the Pequods, saw meet to call a Court, which met in Hartford upon Connecticut the first day of May 1637. who seriously considering their condition, which did look very sad, since the Pequods were a great people, fortified, cruel, warlike, munitioned &c. and the English but an handfull in comparison of them. But their outragious violence against the English (having murthered about thirty of them) their great pride and insolency, and their constant pursuit in their malicious courses, with their endeavours to ingage other Indians in their Quarrel against the English, who had not offered them the least wrong,
These things being duly considered, with the eminent hazzard and great perill the people of Connecticut were in, it pleased God so to stir up the hearts of all men in general, & the Court of Connecticut in special, that they concluded it necessary that some Forces should be sent forth speedily, against the Pequots, their grounds being just, and necessity enforcing them to engage in an offensive and defensive War, the management of which Warr, with the good success the Most High was pleased to crown his people withall, we are nextly to relate.