B I C E IU E N A RY OF THE B URN I NG 0F PR OVIDE N C E I N 1 87 8
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L S
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D D R E S S
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S U C C E S S I V E ce nturies a s they pas s away serve a s epoch s
o f human progress
They seem like mile stones reminding travelers o n the
j ourney of life to l ook back on the past for instruction and
for w ard to the future fo r improveme n t
T w o centuries a g o this day o u r forefathers behel d the
heavens reddene d by the bl a ze of their dwellings kindle d by
the n atives who had bee n their friend s \V c assemble n o w
t o consider the causes o f this calamity
O ur forefathers — their j oys and their sorrows —have
passe d away It remains for u s t o trace o u t and record the
history of the ir lives to profit by avoiding their errors and
by copying their virtues
The question i s now vividly brought u p w hat wer e the
a ns
w rongs that co nverte d the o n ce friendl
wh o s o
Indi
y
hospitably received and protected the fo under an d early s e t
t l e r s o f R ho de Isla nd i nto hostile foes " This bi -centennial
celebration i s a fit time a n d occasion to i nvestigate thi s
question which i nvolves most important principles for
human government
In moral s a s i n mechanics every re a ctio n is precede d by
an actio n What was the action —
what the wrongs that
brought about the ho stility o f the Indians to the settlers o f
R hode Island —the burning of Provide nce and the war th a t
finally swept away a once powerful people from the shore s
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4
E AR L Y A G G R E S SI O N S O N TH E I N D I A N S
.
of Narragansett bay ; the n am e o f which will forever remai n
a memorial of their existence
I n tracing out the cause o f these events principles not
me n will be considered as gleane d from the records o f
history ; with the desire to extenuate nothing— to set down
naught i n malice
I V e shall confine our atte ntio n to
extracts from authentic historical p ublications specially
relating to the conduct of the original settlers of N e w Eng
land toward the aboriginal inhabitants
The first notice of the native Indians by the emigrants
who lande d i n Plymouth a s recorded i n Morto n s New Eng
land Memorial is a n accou nt of the la n ding o f an exploring
party
The party found some f a ir baskets o f corn and
beans which they brought away i thout paying for
This act o f plu nder excited the Indians to defend their
property for self preservation Consequently the next ex
party
of
emigrants
were
assaile
d
with
arrows
by
l
o rin
p
g
the Indians 3 who were ever afterward considere d and d e s i g
The place w a s al so named F irst E n co u n
n at e d e n e m ies
”
ter
These statements show that the first act o f the newly
arrived emigrants at Plymouth w a s robbery of the Indians
and the first meeting with them a fight
In consequence of these aggressions the Indians kept o u t
The n a n Indian named
o f sight until the S pring following
Squanto i n company with another came into Plymouth
They spoke the English language A s stated by Morton
they were two of eleve n Indians w h o had bee n kidnapped
by a n Eng l ish captain of a vessel t o be sold as slaves i n the
West Indies These t w o found their way to London where
F ernando Gorges obtained from them the i nformation that
originally led to the formatio n o f a Joint Stock Company i n
Londo n for obtaining a royal Patent for the possession of
the Indian lands and the fisherie s o n the New England sea
coasts These i nterpreters state d that the cou ntry west of
Plymouth was occupied by a tribe o f Indians called P o k a n o
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H O S TIL E D E M O N S T RA T I O N S
—
5
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kets
that they were i nte nt o n reve n ge for the carrying
away o f many of their people by the English without any
cause o f inj ury committed
In the autumn ni ne of the neighboring Sachems came in
a n d made a treaty of peace
and agree d to become s u bj ects
of the "ing of Great Britain This compact e ntitled them
to be treate d as fellow subj ects
The principal Sachem name d Massasoit l ive d about forty
miles we st of Plymouth ; where the town of Warre n n o w i s
This regio n was calle d M a s s a s o i t s country and finally the
w ho l e s u r rou nding cou n try was called Massachusetts aft er
his n a me If fame be an o ffset to wro ngs this o l d chief is
remunerate d by a ffi x ing his name to o n e of the present
U nited State s o f Nort h A merica
The Sachem of the powerfu l tribe o f Narragansett Indians
C a n o n i c u s who afterw a rd prove d so k ind to the exile s in
R hode Island defying the inj ustice o f the English Colo ny at
Plymouth expressed h i s determinatio n o f resistance to a g
re ss io n s
by the diplomatic missive of a bu ndle of arrows
g
bo und together by the skin o f a rattlesnake
The P l ymouth people reciprocate d the h ostile demo n stra
tio n by returni ng the s ki n filled with gunpowder and bullets
Thi s serve d as an i nterchange of visiting cards as o n com
m e n c i n g an acq u aintance
The cupidi ty of the Londo n Joint Stock Company soo n
i nduce d them t o grant a l ice nse t o another party o f e m igrants
under Mr Westo n They made a settlement at Weymouth
Morto n states
The Indians lou dly complai ne d o f the m
for steali n their corn and that they care not for the ru le o f
right They hire d themselves to the In dians and e nde d i n
robbing them Governor Bradford wrote to the M a na er o f
the Weston Colony warning him a ga i nst su ch doings
Early i n Spri n g G overnor Bradford receive d informa
tio n that the exasperate d Indians had forme d a conspiracy to
drive away the base men of the Westo n Colony
The G overnor and Cou ncil i nste ad of check i ng and pu n
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A S S A S SI N A TI O N
6
IN D I A N S
or
B Y
S T AN D I S H
M ILE S
.
the o fi e n d e r s declared war against the Indians an d
commenced immedi a te hostilities It i s stated
Twa s a
sad business fo r they knew that VV e s t o n s men were in the
wrong i n provoking res istance Without notifying the I n
d ians o f the declaration o f war Miles Stan d ish the m ilitary
commander with four others inveigled some o f the Sachems
i nto a i g w a m spra n g su ddenly upo n them and plunged their
knive s into the bosoms of the u nsuspecting n a tive s
The
historian narrates " The Indians die d h a rd after receiving
many wou nds
Mile s Standish returned to Plymouth with
the head o f VV e t e n o m u t which was set up o n a pole in the
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fort
Their good old minister Mr R obinson rebuked this
p r oceeding in a letter written from Holland saying
How
happy it would have bee n had you co nverte d an Indian
”
before you killed o n e
S uch a massacre o f Sachems w h o had signe d a treaty o f
peace and s ubmitted to become British subj ects is revolti n g
to huma n i ty A sub sequent fl a grant i nj ustice i n killing the
Sachems w h o had come i nto Plymouth u nder a promise o f
protection made b y Captain Church during the war with
"ing Philip manifeste d a disregard n o t only o f Christian
principle s but even of the laws of civilizatio n Thi s w a s the
general system p ursue d i n settl ing the shores of the New
World Columbus deemed the p l anting o f the Spanish flag
o n the s e a
S hore a fee simple title to vast regions o f the
A merican continent and a title to ownership of the owners
o f the soil a s slaves
To this general practice the F rench a ppear not to have so
commonly conformed as they i ntermarrie d with the Indi ans
i n Canada while their priests self-deny i ngl y explored the
i nterior as m issionaries for conve r ting the Indians to Chris
i sh i n g
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t ia n it y
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In R hode Island and Pen n sylvania the lands were p ur
c h ase d o f the nat i ves and consequently harmo n y and good
will prevaile d
A recent Massachusetts historian comments o n the c o n
,
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AD V E N T OF RO G E R
W
I LLI A M S
7
.
Plym outh Pilgrims by sayi n g " I t is t o be r e
Westo
n
s
colony
to
live
r e t t e d that they did not compel
g
decently among them or exterm inate them rather th a n t o
have sanctio ned the i r acts and thereby ex cite d the hatred
“
of the I ndians against all Ch r i s tian white men
The mas sacre of the Indi an sachems near Plymouth i n
spire d such terror that se veral of them fl e d with their
f amilie s to the swamp s and distant forests where they per
i e he d by e x p o s u r e c r
A fe w years after thi s practical e xecutio n o f the cruel
doctrine o f the ext er m i nation of the heathen the advent o f a
peace an d
m issionary of the opposite Chr istian doctrine of
goo d wi ll t o men was destine d to S how the contrast betwee n
the two precepts for the practical government o f ma nki nd
R oger \Vi l l i a m s came t o Plymouth soon after and while
o fficiatin g a s a mi ni ster there extende d his missio nary la
bors to the adj acent tribes o f Indian s He stu d i e d their
language to com m unicate with them kindly and b e n e fice n t l y
In thi s way he wo n the friendship o f Massasoit o n whom he
d uct
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meeting the I nd ian s to make a t r eaty for t h e p u rchase of lands fo r plan t
i g
i ll i am P en n a ddressed them as follows - O ob"ect is n ot to dest r o y
b u t to d o good
e a re h ere met together on the br o ad pathwa y o f g o od will
fo r m u t u al bene fi t s o that n o ad v antage sha l l be taken on eit he r side ; as in
br o therh ood and l o v e
I w ill n ot compa re the fri en dship now so u gh t t o be establis h ed to a c h a i n ;
for t h is might be broken
e will esteem t h e I ndian s as o f the same fl esh an d
blo o d with the C h ri sti an s
T h e I di n s a fter a time appealed to t h e w hite men i n t h
f
o
llowi
n g words
g
of o n e of their ch iefs
kn ow that when t h e w h ite people fi rst came h ere
Y o
the y w ere po o r N o w the y ha v e o u r lands and are become r i c h ; and w e a re poor
h at little we recei v ed for the land was soon u sed u p ; b u t y o u ha v e the lands
fo re v er T h e r s u lt was that a d o u ble pa yme n t was fi n al l y made and g rate
fu ll y recei v ed b y the sati s fi ed nati v es
T h e fo l l o w i g l w was esta b l is h ed b y the origin al p roprietors o f P e
s yl
v a n ia
S ecti on "I I I N o man shal l b f a y ways or means b y wo r d o r deed a fi r o t
or w ron g an y I ndia witho u t su fferi n g the same pen al t y of t h e law as if the
c e were commit t ed a ga i n st h i
fell ow plan te rs
o fie
I he de e ds of t ran sfer o f t h ei r l a n ds b y the l d i a s in R hod e I sland a r e
r ecorded wit h t h e signat u res of the sachems appende d i the form of their
a t tested marks of a b o w an arrow toma h awks an d other de v ices sign ifi c an t of
a sign man u al I t is re c o rded t h at to satisfy t h e I ndians in some ca ses the
P ro v idence set t lers paid them e x t ra allowances as sta ted of the P en n s y l v an i a
plan te rs
On
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C
hronicles
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sl o w
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s
in
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t(
nn
of t h e P il gri ms )
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8
D O CT R INE
o r
T O THE I N D I A N S
J U S TI CE
.
after w ard forced to rely for shelter from persecutio n by
the Puritans in and arou nd Boston
Banishe d by his fellow co untrymen i n midwinter for four
tee n weeks he found a home w i t h h i s friend Massasoit where
as quaintly narrate d by Williams
he was sorely tossed
and k new not what bread and bed did mean A s truly stated
he fled from the savage Christians of Massachusetts Bay to
the Christian savages o f Narragansett Bay
B y carrying o u t the principles o f b e n e fi c e n ce and j ustice
to the Indians i n the new State he subsequently founded
there never was a F irst Encounter therein with n atives
u ntil t h e adj acent colonies extended their inj ustice be yond
their borders i nto the otherwise ever peaceful borders of
R hode Island
Manifestly thi s remarkable contrast between t h e r e c i p r o
cations o f friendly i ntercourse and o f hostile encounters i s
ascribable to the di fference between his practice o f the b e n e fi
cent principle s of the Christian doctrine o f peace and goo d
will to men and their practice of those opposite doctrines
which a s the Puritans s u pposed sanctione d the extermina
tio n of p eople of di fferent religions faiths
It is certainly one of the most remarkable events recorde d
i n history that a n attempt ever shoul d have bee n made to
i ntro duce an d establish a Jewish co de and system of c o m
b i n e d ecclesiastical and civil laws fo r the government of man
kind i h the new world the abolishme nt o f whic h i n t h e
O ld World w a s among the obj ects o f our Savio u r s mission
u po n earth
The strenuou s e fforts still persistently continue d for m ain
taining ecclesiastical dominatio n and infallibility by ph ysical
’
—
force by combining the powers (3 church and state i s a
very strong proof o f the necessity of mo re thoroughly teach
ing the tr u e doctrines of Christian humility
The claim that the earth is the Lord s a n d the i n h e r i
tance of H i s saints and that they were the saints suggeste d
not o nly the seizure o f the lands of the Indians by the Massa
wa
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E C CLE SI A STI C A L D O C T R INE S
ch u s e
o r
THE
PU
R IT A N S
9
.
Puritans b u t al so the treating o f all n o n -e o m fo r m i s t s
to their idea s of o rtho doxy — the Baptists Episcopalians and
—
a s having no r i ghts which
uakers
they were bound to
Q
re spect
The same struggle is still going o n betwee n dominati ng
ecclesiastics and scie ntific men The latter claim the same
l ibe rt y to study the revelatio ns of the D ivi ne will i n the
physical l a ws establ ishe d for the governme nt of the material
world as ecclesiastical stude nts claim for freely studying the
revelations of the s a me D ivine will in the Holy Scriptures
fo r t h e governme nt o f the intellectual worl d
The dark
ages of Europe were the results o f the p rohibition by eccle
s i a s t i c s of scie ntific i nvestigations
Impriso nments tort u re s
and death were i nfl icte d on i nnumerable philosophers
The prese nt discussio ns about the dubio us theories of ma
t e r i a l i s m and evol u tio n woul d ex cite little publi c notice were
they n o t ble nde d with ecclesiastical controversy I Vh e t h e r
these theories be right o r wrong the privilege o f a free dis
cu s s i o n of them i s j ustly claimed
Even ma n ifest physical facts are controvert ed by meta
physical ecclesiastics
Ga l ileo was imprisoned for a ffi r m i n g
that the earth revolve s around the su n ; and was compelle d
before an altar with bended knee and tearful eyes to abj ure
this truth reveale d to those eyes W ith these facts before
u s
we may well believe that the doctrine taught by R oger
i l l i a m s was as u nwelcome as the fact of science ta u ght by
Galileo
It was the m i ssio n o f R oger Willia m s i n New England to
carry out practically the C h ristian doctrine of peace and
goo d will to men not on l y t o the Indians but to all h i s fel
Thi s h e labore d to do and this he suc
l o w men o n earth
by fou nding the first civil governme nt
ce s s fu l l y accomplished
o n ea r th o n the b a sis of a complete separatio n of church and
state for pe r fect religious freedom
The t w o chi ef priests o f the Puritans i n Boston M r B i g
i
i
n so n a n d
Mr
Skelto
n
early
esta
b
lishe
d
and
d
recte
d
the
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tts
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W
W
W
1 0
THE C OD E
o r
JE
I SH L A
S ADO P TE D
.
course o f training i n the public schools ; and the
New
England Primer continues to exhibit the medley of re l ig
ious and secular e ducatio n adapte d to their creed
U nder the system of these two ministers who wielded the
supremacy of Moses and A aron t h e government of the
Massachusetts Puritans was a religious despotis m under
which there was n o safety for life liberty and the pursuit
of happiness by the people A S stated by the historian
Elliot (page
John l Vi n t h r o p w ith h i s acc u stome d
pliancy yielded too much by asse n ting to the persecutions
of R oger
i lliams Mrs Hutchinson M r s VVh e e l w r i g h t
and others These ministers changed at times from kindly
men to bloo dy persecutors who imbrue d their hands i n the
blood of the Q uakers and o f the poor wome n accused o f
witchcraft i n Salem
These are the frank words o f a Massa
c h u s e t t s historian
The evils of the Jewish code carrie d o u t by the Puritan s
o f Massachusetts
and the barbarou s crueltie s practise d by
them n o t only toward the Indians but toward a l l fellow
men o f di fferent creeds by whipping the nake d backs o f
women and hangi n g them for religious opinions and by seiz
ing the lands of neighbori n g people for their inheritance as
saints were so revolting to modern civilizati on and r e fi n e
ment that a general S hudder was produced in Engl a nd at the
recitals of such conduct and the interference of kin e power
was i nvoked t o p u t a stop to it A S authentically state d
"ing Charle s a Catholic at heart was moved to grant a
royal charter t o the colo ni sts of R hode Island as a place o f
refuge for Cathol ics and Protestants alike against p e r s e cu
tions By attempting to carry out the Jewish code of u nio n
the Indians were practically treate d
o f Church and State
by the Puritans a s heathens and a system o f seizing a n d
selling them as slaves o r of exterminating them a s e n e m i e s
was commence d by those who first landed 0 1 1 the shore s at
Plymouth as has bee n narrated A ltho u gh the opposite doc
trines were ta u ght by R oger Williams yet so forcibly w ere
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T R E A T M EN T
THE
OF
IN D I A N S
B Y
PU
THE
R IT A N S
.
they oppose d that he and the colonists o f R hode Island
were i nvolve d in the co nse que nce s o f the inj ustice o f the
other w hite me n composing the New Engla nd colonie s
It was the struggle fo r self-pre servatio n a gain st i nj ustice
and exterminating cruelty which ex cite d the peaceful Narra
a n s e t t Indians to attack their frie nds i n Providence without
g
distinctio n as being t h e w h i t e m e n
A ssure d o f the friend
ship o f the I n dians whom he knew perso nally William s
crossed the ford of the Mo s h a s s i c river where the scre w
factories now are and was met by a sachem while advancing
u p the adjace nt blu ff
This blu ff l ong retaine d the name of
Camp hill a s having bee n the place of the Indian e ncamp
me nt ; and was oppos ite to the stamp ing mill fo r p ounding
corn ; the street lead i n g to whic h still retains the name o f
Stamper street He w a s tol d to go back
that h e was
a goo d ma n and not a hair of his head woul d be hurt but
it was n o w too late — th e warriors coul d be restraine d n o
lo n ger
That the Indians had bee n restraine d u ntil their treatme nt
had become u nendurable is o fli ci a l l y testified to i n a m e s
sage sent to G ov \V i n t h r o p in Connecticut by the Legisla
ture of R ho de Island da t e d O ctober 2 6 1 6 7 6 and certifie d
at Newport by the Secretary o f State i n the fo l l o w i n
words
\V e believe that if matters come to a j ust i nquiry
co ncerning the cause of the Indian a r that our N a r r a g a n
s e t Sachems w ere subj ects t o
h i s Maj esty and by h i s com
missioners were taken u nder h i s protection and put u nder
o u r governme nt
They manifeste d to u s their submission by
appearing whenever se nt for
Neither was there any manifestatio n o f war against u s
from them ; but always the contrary u ntil the U nited Colo
nie s force d the m to war o r to su ch submi ssions as it seem s
they could not submit to The U nite d Colo n ie s (Ply
mouth Mas s achusetts an d Connecticut ) th us involved u s i n
these hazards charges and losses to o u r outer Plantations
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1 2
CH ARA CTE R
o r
I N D I AN S
THE
.
This o fii c i a l document i s a verdict o f acquittal of the I n
dians of all blame for the w a r one conseque nce o f which was
the burning of Providence When it is considered that this
addre s s was written only a few mo nths after that catastrophe
and while sma r ting u nder the lo sses i ncurred the truthful
ness of this verdict mu st be admitted as co nclusive
The details o f "ing Philip s war have so recently been
recited to you here i n this room that it i s unnecessary to
repeat them eve n if o ur limite d time permitted I will
read however a testimonial o f a n esteeme d A merican
hi s torian Washington Irving which exhibits to the world a
very di fferent V iew of the character of "ing Phil i p from
that we listene d to last summer fro m the R ev H M D exter
D D
at o u r meeting on the spot at Mount Hope w here
Philip w a s killed Mr D exter i n repre senting the Puritan
side of the questio n o f the treatment o f the Indians summa
rily characterize d the whole life of the sachem as briefly p o r
t r a ye d i n the words of Captai n Church s description of him
as h i s body appeared after being d rawn o u t of the miry
swamp
He w a s a doleful great nake d d irty beast
Irving sketches the life of Metacomet popularly known as
"i n g Philip i n t h e following words
Persecute d while l iving dishonored and slandered when
dead even the acco unts p ublished by h i s enemies exhibit
traits of lofty character su fficie nt to awaken sympathy for
his fate and respect for his memory
We find that amidst all the harassing cares and fero
cions passions o f co nstant warfare he was alive to the kind
est feelings o f co nnubial a ffection and paternal tenderness ;
and to t h e exercise of generou s sentiments of frie ndship
The capture of his beloved wife and only son i s mentione d
with exultatio n by their captors a s causing him poig n ant
misery The death of each dear frie nd is triumphantly r e
corded as a painfu l blow o n his sensibilities
The final de
sertio n and treachery o f many o f his followers i n whose
a ffectio ns and faithfu lness he had confided is said t o have
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E NE F I CE NT D O CT R INE S
B
o r
desolate d his heart and bereave d
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co
m
f0
R OG E R
h im
o
f
W
I L L IA M S
1 3
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his last hope and
1
He w a s a patriot ardently attache d to his beautiful na
tive land — a Prince true to h i s subj ects and i ndignant at
their w rongs ; a daring warrior i n battle — fi r m o f p urp o se
i n adversity patient of fatigue o f hu nger o f bodily su ffer
ing and ready to die i n the cau se of his country He dis
playe d the heroic qual ities that would have grace d a civilize d
warrior H i s bol d achievements have re ndere d him the
theme o f the poet and historian
He conti nue d a wanderer
and a fugitive i n h i s native land and finally sunk down like
a lonely bark fou ndering amid darkne ss and tempest where
there was n o pitying eye to weep over h i s fall and n o
friendly hand to record his fate
Havi ng briefly glanced at the b e n e fi c e n t pri nciples which
produce the most important results i n human a ffairs we n o w
return to the practical working and carrying o u t o f these
principle s i n the treatment o f the natives o f New England
verifie d by records o f hi tory
“ he n the Pu rita n s co ntinue d to practice the Jewish code
toward the Indians R oger W illiam s c a me forward not t o
argue the questio n of e ccle siastical in fallibility but simply
t o state the material adv a ntages o f j ust and kindly treat
me nt In h i s address to them he u ses the followi ng argu
ments
I never w a s against the righteou s u s e o f the civil sword
by men o r nations
A l l desire t o consider their wars j usti
fi a b l y defe nsive
I h u m b l y p r a y your consideration w h e t h
er i t be not on l y possible but preferable to live a n d d i e i n
peace with the natives o f this cou ntry
F o r are not a l l the Engl ish of this land generally a
persecute d people —e xiles from their native soil " A nd
hath not the G od of peace and F ather of mercies made these
native s more friendly to u s i n their co untry than o u r fello w
cou ntrymen i n o u r native land " Have they not e ntere d into
le a gue s w ith us of peace and t o thi s day co ntinue d a peace
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1 4
H AR M LE S S C O N D U C T O F
TH E
N A TI V E S
.
able commerce with us " A re not o u r families grown u p i n
peace amo n g them "
I humbly a s k how it can suit with Christian kindness to
take hold of s ome seeming occasions for their destruction
which though only the chiefs are aime d at yet a l l e x p e r i
ence tells u s f alls on the bodies o f the i nnoce nt 3
He finally concludes this admirably benevolent letter as
follows "
I cannot lear n that the Narragansetts have e v er stai ned
their hands with any E ngl ish blood —either i n O pe n h o s t i l i
ties O r secret murders It is true that they are barbarians
b u t their greatest o ffences a gainst the Engl i sh have bee n
m atters o f money or petty revengings o f themselves o n
other Indians upon extreme provocations ; but G od kept
them clear of our blood
Many hundre ds of E n glish p eople have experimentally
found the Indian people to be incline d to peace and love
Their late famo us king C a n o n i c u s long li v ed and died i n
the same most ho norable manner ; and was buried with the
same solemnity (i n their way ) a s yo u laid to sleep your
prudent peace -maker Mr
inthrop
So did they honor
Hi s son Me x h a m
their prudent an d peaceable prince
i nherits his spirit
through all their town s a n d
Y ea
co untries how frequently doe s many a sol itary Englishman
travel alone with safety a n d loving kind n ess
Ho nored sirs I know it i s said the Bay Island Ind i ans
are subj e cts ; but I have heard this questioned ; and i ndeed
I questio n whether any Indians ‘ i n this country remaining
barbarou s a n d pagan may with truth and honor be cal l e d
English subj ects
A l l Indians are extremely treacherou s i n their own
nations for private ends r evolting to strangers What acts
will they commit upo n the sound of one defeat of t h e E n g
lish " The trade o f steal ing English cattle and persons and
pl under will m o st certainly e nsue if any considerable party
escape alive
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M I L I TA R Y
PO
W
ERS
OF
IN D I A N S
THE
15
.
I besee ch yo u n o t to forget that although we are apt to
play at this plague o f war to serio usly co nsider how wo n
Heretofore not having liberty
d e r fu l l y fickle are the results
to e nter your j urisdiction to take ship I was forced t o repair
u nto the D utch (i n New Y ork ) ; where mine eye s di d see
the first breaking forth o f that I n dian War which the D utch
began o n the slaughter of some D u tch by the I n dians ; and
which they questio ne d to fi n i sh in a fe w days B ut before
we weighed anchor their boweries were i n flames and both
D utch and English s l ain
Mine eyes s a w the flame s of their
town and the flights an d hurrie s of me n wome n and chil
dren the pressing removal of all they co uld for Hollan d
A ft er vast expe nse and m utual slaughter o f D u tch English
an d Indians after four year s o f warfare the D utch were
force d t o make an unworthy and dishonorable peace with
the India n s t o save their plantation s from rui n
The Narragansetts and Mohawks are the t w o greatest
nations o f Indians in this cou ntry They have bee n confe d
an d are both as yet frie ndly and peaceably disp ose d
e ra t e s
to t h e English I do h umbly conceive i n case o f u n a v o i d a
ble war with e ither of the m to ma ke sure of the o ne as a
friend
The Narragansetts have ever co nti n ue d friendly from the
fir st and they have been tru e to yo u i n the Pequ ot War
and induced the Mohegans t o come i n
The n e ns ue d the
downfall o f the Pequ ots
E dward Winslow states i n a letter t o a frie nd in E nglan d
We have fou nd the Indians very faith ful t o their covenants
of peace with us very l oving an d ready to pleasure u s
We go with them i n so m e cases fifty m ile s i nto the country
and wal k a s safely and peaceably i n the woods as I n the
highways of Englan d We e ntertain them familiarly in o ur
h o use s ; and they are friendly in bestowing their veni so n
They are a people without religio n ; yet very
u po n u s
trusty quick o f apprehension humorous and j ust
C ushman write s
To u s they have been like la m bs so
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16
WW
L O CAT I ON S
IN D I A N N A TI O N S
o r
.
kind so trusty and so submissive that m any Christians are
not so ki n d and si ncere
C h i ca t a b o t a sache m visiting Bosto n i n 1 6 3 1 it i s stated
Being in English clothes the governor set him at his o w n
table h ere he behaved himself a s an English gentleman
The nation of Narragansett Indians o ccup ied the cou ntry
o n the west S ide o f N arr a gansett bay
which still bears their
name extending northwardly to incl ude the valleys o f the
o n a s q u a t u c ke t
rivers Mo s h a s s i c
Pawtux et and P a w ca
tuck and also all the islands i n the bay
The adj acen t tribe of Pequots d w elt o n the lands bet w ee n
the Pawcatuck and Thames The Mohegans occupied the
valley o f t h e N i a n t i c river the Nip m ucs the Q uinebaug val
ley and eastwardly
The east side o f Narragansett bay was inhabite d by the
Wampanoags ( who were next i n power to the Narraga n
setts ) o n the broad regions of country extending to Massa
Cape C o d a n d Nantucket
ch u s e t t s Bay
The most powerful sachem of the
a mpanoags at the
time o f the arrival o f the Plymout h settlers was Massasoit
also call ed Os e m e q u i n
His t w o so ns and successors were
called by the English name of A lexander and
a m su tt a
Metacomet known as "ing Philip C a n o n i cu s w a s the first
Narragansett sachem known to the English people and M i
antiuo m o P e s s a c'u s a n d Canonchet su cceede d him
F rom Mas sasoit R oger Williams obtaine d permissio n to
o ccupy the lands i n Seekonk from which he removed across
the Blackstone river to the valley of the Mo s h a s s i c ; the
purchase of which was made of Mi a n t i n o m o i ncluding a l l
the lands and meadows on the t w o fresh water rivers called
the Mo Sh a s s i c and the Pawtuxet rivers
The co nflicting claims o f Massasoit and M i a n t i n o m o to
some part o f these tracts were satisfactorily settle d for by
the Providence colo nists
In a letter to Maj or Maso n R oger Williams gives an i m
pressive statement of h i s services to the colo n ies of Ma ssa
in regard to the Indians as follows "
ch u s e t t s and Plymou t h
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1 8
CA S E OF
JOH N
OL D H A M
.
A fter h i s expul sion fro m Plymouth it appears that this
,
l icentio us m a n we nt i n hi s boat to Block Island i n the year
mend his manners
and the
1 63 6
w here he did not
I ndia n s i n tur n bade him farewell with a blo w o f a
hatchet o n h i s h ead which finally put an e nd to h i s evil
doings
It appears that Captai n John G allup commanding a small
vesse l of t w enty tons i n saili n g near Block Island i n 1 6 3 6
met a p i nnace contai ning several Indians who suspiciou s
He gave chase a n d endeavored to run the
l y bore away
pinnace d own by directing the bow o f his vessel against
its frail side Captain Gal l up with o n e man and two boys
the n began to assai l the Indians from guns loaded with
d u ck shot and from pistols This caused the Indians to
j ump overboard into the sea and then the pinnace was
taken posessio n of by Captain Gallup O n searching the
boat the body of John O ldham w a s found under an ol d
seine with his head cleft by a hatchet He thre w the body
i nto the sea stripped the p innace of the goods and sails a n d
left it adrift
This was certainly a very bol d and summary way o f de
as stated by Captai n Ga l lup o n
s p a t ch i n g twe l ve Indians
suspicio n of something wrong an d before realizing it
The s e facts were communicate d to the governor of Massa
who m a de represe ntatio n to Mi a n t i n o m o o f the o c
ch u s e t t s
currence He sent seve nteen canoes with m e n to discover the
O ffen d ers a n d to obtai n the two boys who were with O ldham
He endeavored to prevail on the Pequots to make retributio n
years before in the case of
a s he had s uccessfu l l y done t w o
killing Captain Sto n e a si m ilar trader o n t h e coast o f Co n
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The governor and council o f Massachusetts decide d that pun
n o t for any regard for O ldham
i s h m e n t shoul d be i nflicted
but as a n example John Endicott was sent with ninety v o l
u nder orders to put to death all the In d ians found on
u n t e e rs
the island The Indians having es cape d from the island
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RA S H P RO CE E D I N G S OF TII E E N G LI S H
1 9
.
Endicott proceede d to burn their wigwam s But he did not
stop here an d probably transcended his orders by pursuing
the Indians to the shore on the mainland ; where he bega n to
kill a l l the people he could find and to destroy thei r towns
This rash proced u re at once i nvolved the Connecticut col
ony i n a n India n w a r without their consent o r any notice
from the Massachu setts colony G overnor \Vi n t h r o p of
Co nne cticut remonstrated against this con d uct o f Endicott
and the commander of the fort at Saybrook severely con
d e m n e d t h e act
The governor of Plymouth al so remon
s t r a t e d against it a s
needle ssly provo king a war
Captain Church states i n his history of Philip s war that a
similar sudde n a ggre ssion was made by the Plymouth pe o
ple by comme ncing hostilitie s with the tribe o f Indian s
nea r D artmouth
A bout e i g ht score ( 1 6 0 ) o f the Indians
s u rrendere d u nder the promise that if they woul d come i n
they should be fairly treate d \Vi t h o u t any regard t o the
promise made to them on their surre ndering themselves
they were carrie d to Plymouth and sold as slaves to be
transporte d out o f the country
Captai n Church states "
This actio n w a s so hateful that I oppose d it to the lo ss o f
the go od will and respect of some that were previou sly my
best friends
Church says " Had their promise to the
Indians been fairly kept it is probable that most if not all
the Indians i n these parts wo u l d have followed the e xampl e
o f t h ose who came i n ; which would have been a good step
toward finishing the war
E ndicott s ruthless i nvasio n l ed t h e Pequots t o se nd ambas
s a d o r s to M i a n t i n o m o and make a commo n cause and e x t e r m i
nate the E nglish They comme nce d imme diately killing the
English settlers i n Co nnecticut C o nsternation s ufferings
a n d losses fo r a time de solate d the new colo ny
The war w a s now begun i n earnest and no other course
w a s left than to raise a force to subd u e the Pequ ots
An
expeditio n of 1 1 6 m e n was sent from Hart ford May 2 6
1 6 3 7 ; which succeede d i n capturing the Pequot fort and
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20
C H A RA C TE R
EN D I C O TT
0 F
.
destro ying about 3 0 0 me n wome n and children and cap
turing nearly a s many m ore M i a n t i n o m o aided t h e Engl ish
Winthrop states
It w a s a fe a rful destructio n and
extermi n ation of an o l d n ation
He adds
F iftee n o f the
boys a n d two o f the girl s were se nt to Massachu setts and
from the nce S hipped by the rulers to the isla n d o f New
Providence to be sold as s l aves
The e xterminatio n o f a n ol d natio n the reductio n of
some to slavery the destru ction of many lives and the deso
latio n o f the colony of Connecticut appear by the pre
ceding statements to have bee n cause d by the rash conduct
o f a fe w reckless me n
The impul sive character of Go v ernor E ndicott was first
manifested by h i s cutting the re d cross from t h e British flag
at Salem ; for which he was temporarily depose d by the
infl uence of the mi nisters Higginso n a n d Skelton ; who pre
ferre d to uphold this emblematic unio n of church a n d state
H i s passionate temper i s recorde d in his apologetic letter to
Governor Winthrop fo r assaulting goo d m a n D exter ;
for which o ffe n ce the p ugnacious Endicott was fined forty
shillings "
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I acknowle dge I was too rash i n striki n g him ;
after I found that it is not lawful for a Justice of the Peace
to strike B ut if you had seen the manner of his carriage
with such daring o f m e with h i s arms i n k i m b o w it would
have provoked a very patient man
A nd fu rther he hath give n out that if I had a purse he
would make me empty it ; and if he cannot have j usti ce
here he would do wonders i n England ; an d if he cannot
prevail there he will try it out with me here at blows I f
it w a s lawful to try it out with blo w s and he a fit perso n for
me to deal with yo u should not hear me complain
SI
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The writer of a R eview of Palfrey s History of New
Englan d comments o n this letter as a curious e x c m p l i fi ca
tio n of the strugg l e o f the old A dam and the P u ritan spirit
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T R E A T M EN T
OF
THE
IN D I A N S
B Y
PU
THE
R IT A N S
.
It may e xcite a smile to read the co nfession of his havi ng
bee n to o rash i n stri k ing goo d man D e xter after ascertai n
i ng by a fi n e of forty shilli ngs that it is n o t lawful for a
Justice o f the Peace to strike
But it is s a d to find by
h i storical record s that into the hands o f a m a n o f such
ungovernable temper and hasty action was con signe d
the executio n o f both the eccle siastical an d civil decree s of
the Puritan settlers o f Mas sachusetts The m ercile ss co n
duct o f thi s violent man i n the trial s and ex ecu t io n s o f
the Q uakers i s re corde d by the historian Sewel l a s foll ows
J ohn E n dicott seeing the d ivi sio n of the j ury an d their
he sitatio n to bring in a verdict a gainst the priso ner “ e n
lock Christiso n exc l aime d " I coul d find i n my heart t o go
home at the same time throwing something furiously o n
the table The n We nlock said It were better for thee t o
b e at home than here about this bloo dy work
The n Governor E ndi cott stoo d u p and said " Y o u that
will not co nvict re cord it I thank G o d I am n o t afrai d t o
give j udgme nt
A n d seeing them still backward to vote
he took si l e nce for consent ; a n d precipitately pronounce d
j u dgment an d ordere d him to liste n to his se nte nce o f d eath
by hanging u ntil he was dead dead dead
Mr Sewell state s that the execution o f the Q uakeress
Mrs D yer was u rge d o n by G ov Endicott
Mr George E E l lis de scribe s h i s refusal to show her mer
c
y i n his publ ishe d address before the Lowell Institute i n
the following words
I have before me as I w
rite the sorrowful autograph let
te r of the husband of M a ry D yer addressed to G ov E ndi
cott by his most humble suppl iant I V D ye r date d Ports
mo uth R I May 3 d 1 6 6 9
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HO N O R E D S I R
My supplicatio ns to y ourself and the
Honorable A ssembly of the G eneral Cou r t is to beg a ffe c
t i o n a t e l y the life o f my dear wife
I cannot tell how she w a s moved by her spirit aga i n to
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22
T R E AT M E N T O F THE
Q
U A "E R S
B Y
PU
T HE
RI TA N S
.
ru n so great a h a zard to herself and trouble to me and
her childre n and to a l l her friends and wel l w i shers S o
it is that from Shelter Isla n d Narr a gansett s h e secretly
and speedily j ourneye d to your j urisdiction
U nhappy
j ourney may I say and occasion o f grief and trouble to
tho se that de sire to remain quiet by haza r ding life for an
obj ect I know not to what end or purpose
If her zeal be s o great as thu s to adventure O h l et your
p ity surmount it an d spar e her life Let n o t your comp a s
sion be conquered by her i nconsiderate m adness — but c o n
quering ; to t h e spread of your r e n o w n e
Y o u are sensible of my co n ditio n ; oh l et Me rcy s w ings
o nce more soar above Just i ce s balance and I will exalt your
goodne ss all my life ; which otherwise will be lan guishing
i n sorrow — yea so great that I would rather s u ffer the
blow O f death at once
I will forbear t o trouble your Honors with words w hich
cannot express my fee l i n gs and distress Y ourselves m a y
be hu sbands to wives ; I am one to a most dearly be l oved
0 d o not deprive me o f her ; I pray you t o save her to me
and I shal l be so much oblige d to yo u that thanks wil l be
ever uttered to render your mercy and ho nor re nowned
Pity me I beg it with tears
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Mr Ellis concludes with these w ords
The record of
these tears are still o n the paper which I have before me
”
while I write a sadly s t a l n e d au t ograph
The exe cutio n of the Sachem M i a n t i n o m o to which we
shall have o ccasio n to revert bears no comparison i n merci
less cruelty to the executio n o f Mary D yer after such an
appeal to the sympathies of humanity
It is historically instructive to learn how t h e ch aracter of
a whole people i s stampe d by the leading and determining
influence of a few headstrong and unyielding men
To
John Endicott more than to any other political leader n u
der the dictatio n of the Purita n ministers i n B oston appears
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E C CL E S
IA S TICA L
OF
P R ACTI C E S
PU
THE
R IT A N S
93
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be due the viole nt proceedings that finally arou se d t h e
attentio n and r e a ctio n which res ulted i n the legal e stablish
ment of religiou s freedom i n R hode Island as indispe nsably
nece ssary for preventing a recurre nce of such evil s
The se fe w brief historical statements S how that the f ate o f
a natio n depe nds o n the co nduct of a few leaders who may
preci p itately i nvolve the gentle a n d the j ust i n the com m is
sion o f and responsibility for wro n g doings It a ppears that
the most intelligent and j ust me n o f the Massachu setts Colony
timorously submitte d to a n inquisitional church tyranny
originating and exercised i n night meetings of the brothers
and S i sters o f congregatio ns u nder the directio n o f i n
t r i g u i n g ministers and thus prepare d t o be legal ly carrie d
out by day light i n a legislative assembly and j ury of church
members
U nder su ch a system it is n o t s urprising that goo d me n
like Wi nthrop S a l s t o n s t a l l W in slow Bradford and others
S hould have shrunk back from open O ppositio n to such an
o rganize d co ntrol o f religiou s a n d civil power enforced even
by domestic female influence s A n inadvertent word or act
at any time might seriou sly i nvolve the be st person i n d i ffi
and i n a trial before zealous i n
c u l t i e s o f church discipl ine
Imprisonments b o r
t e r p r e t e r s o f a Jewish code of l aws
ing the tongue with h o t iron s c utting o ff the ears banish
ment into the surrounding wilderne ss the n occupi ed o n l y by
Indians and death o n a gallows were all held u p i n bol d
relief to terrify every o ne i nto ready submissio n t o the will
of the ruling e ccle siastics
The wonderful cre dulity i nvolve d i n the Purit a n acceptance
o f the p opular superstitio ns o f that age u nsettle d the estab
l i s h e d belie f i n the material and nat ural laws of the u ni
to
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appears that in e e cu ting t h e d e c ree o f ban i shment of t h Q u akeresses
the penalt y w a s added o f wh ppin g their naked backs th t e lashes i
ea c h s u c c es i v e town wh le t ed o n the c a t i n w hich t he y were transp o rted to
the b d r o f the C o l n y T h present t o w n of D edham appea rs t o ha v e been
legal frontier O f the C hristian l ] i t i b l s e d wi t h e x hibiting the benign
th
spe c ta c le of t h naked ba c ks o f women bleeding u nder t h e lashes of an e x e cu
*I
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24
S U P E R S TITI O N
OF
THE
RI T AN S
PU
.
verse It w a s deeme d a s sacrilegious to disbelieve the exist
ence of witches as for G alileo to disbel ieve t h a t the s u n
revolved arou nd the earth
The testimony of children from ten to fi fteen years o f a e
was considere d by Cotton Mather and other ministers i n
Salem su ffi cient proof to hang ni neteen old women and o n e
man o n G allows H ill i n Salem There was no safety for
life o r liberty ; they were condemned without reference t o
the legal proofs require d i n courts o f civil law s H istory
state s that wome n were stripped naked and subj ected to ex
a n d
aminatio n by expe r ts to discover D evil s teats
eve n
pimple s and fle a bites were subj ects of examinatio n and dis
cussi e n To avoid such p u b l i c t r ial s nea r ly an hundred
terror stricke n persons o n being accused confesse d them
selve s to be witches
The popular commo n sense w a s fi nally arou se d for self
protection to p ut a stop to these terri fi c eccl esiastical pro
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d ing
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fter the e xcitement w a s over the accu sers came out p u b
l i cl y to acknowledge their deceptions
It is state d the
boys i n the stree t b o o t e d aft er the reverend Cotto n Mather
a n d thre w sto ne s at him
Even the respected Vl i n t h r o p i n common with others is
recorded to have bee n i m bue d with superstitiou s ideas ;
as appears by his statement that In his son s room w a s a
book containing the G reek Testament Psalms a n d the Com
m o n Prayer
E
piscopal
o
ut
of
which
the
m
ice
ate
every
(
)
leaf of the C o m m o n P r a ye r but no ne of the other parts
o f the b o o k
There was no chance o f reformation of this ecclesiastical
domi n a t io n unti l it produced a pop ular revol t by bec o ming
too i ntolerable to h e endure d ; fo r o n ly one third o f the m e n
( no ne but church members ) a s stated by J udge Story were
quali fi ed t o vote
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stor y pag e 41 4 an d 4 1 6 T h e p u b l i c t i on o f s u c h a s i n g ul a state
m ent apparent l y
l e d s t t h e i n feren ce t h at m i ce i t i c t v l y k n ew t h e
d fl
c ce betwee n
rt h d y an d h t d y
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n
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26
C H ARA CTE R
o r
U
NCA S
.
Committee appointe d by the Co m missio ners of the Unite d
Colonies in 1 6 6 3 who m ade the followi n g report "
F ive Sachems o ccupying the lands near Norwich being
brothers grew s o great and proud that while o n a hu n ting
expedition they quarrelle d with t h e Pequots living east
w a r d l y ; at which the great Pequot Sachem made war u po n
them and co nquered the ir country The n they fle d to the
Narragansetts leav ing thei r co u ntry an d people to the con
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u e ro r
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Therefore the Indians a ffi rm that all their land s incl ud
i ng Uncas lands according to their customs and ma n ners
were Pequot lands a s being by them conque r ed ; a n d now
a r e the true right of the Engl ish
who have co n quered the
Pequots
The father of Uncas having marrie d into the royal Pequot
family acquire d by this alliance a right to a certain tract o f
land o n the west side of Pequot river since known as Mohe
gan proper T
The following notice of the character of Uncas explains
hi s subservie ncy i n carrying o u t the designs of the Puritan
Colo nists
Uncas was exceedingl y restless and ambitious F ive times
the Indians s a y he rebel l ed against h i s superiors and w a s
defeated by S a s s a cu s
Then he retired to the territory near
the present town o f i n dsor Thi s bro u ght him into pro x
i m i t y with the English settle r s at H artford and to an a c
quaintance with Captain Maso n by whom he was employed
with seventy Mohegans i n the exterminatio n o f S a s s a cu s and
the Pequot natio n i n May 1 63 7
H e w a s thenceforth pro
t e ct e d and fostered by the Engl ish who concede d t o him
large tra cts of land and also many captives taken by them
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on n C o l on i al R ecor d s 3 ; 47 9
t h e e x ce l l ent h i stor y f N orw i c h C on n ect i c u t wr i tten b y F r n ces M 0 11 1
t I
re g on
f t h e I n d i ans w h o on ce occ u p i e d t h
k i ns
e conta i n e d se v era l n o t i ces
F rom t h i s wor k
w h ere U n cas l v e d w h i c h h a v e not been pr v i o u s ly p u b l i s h e d
t h e re d er ma y obta i n i nterest n g i t m t i
f t h e tr i bes f I n d ans w h o l i v e d
on t h e presen t East ern bor d ers o f C on n ect i c u t a d"acent to t h e N arrag ansett
co u ntry
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M I A N T I N OM O
W
S U MM O N E D T O
H e thereby became powerful
OSTON
B
27
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and i n the words of other
Indians the Engl ish made him high
The N a r r a g a n s e t t s and Mohegan s w ere rival tribe s ; N o r
wich was then the M hegan fro ntier the battle gro und an d
l urking place o f the ho stile tribes
These t w o p owerfu l tribes e re annoying to the frontier
settlers at H artford and New H ave n an d as their lands were
covete d by them it w a s manife stly for their interest t o allow
a war betwee n these tribes that they might weake n eac h
other
To prevent the se two tribe s from making w arlike prepara
tio ns which might sudde nly h e turne d again s t the adj ace nt
colo nies Mi a n t i n o m o and Uncas were prevailed up on by the
E nglish to agree — not t o make war up o n one another without
fi rst notifying the English
This a reement was i n favor o f the security o f the Co n
n e c t i c u t frontier colo nists against the Narragansetts
An
easy acquiese nce if not enco uragemen t was give n to U ncas
t o assai l the Narr agansetts
H e fi rst attempte d t o e xcite the fears o f the English set
t l e r s in Co nnecticut and Massachusetts
by reports o f the
pl otting of the N a r r a g a n s e t t s and Mohawks
H e next
a fli r m e d that the Narr a gansett chief had employe d an Indian
to assassinate him a s a reason for ho stilities
Of thi s
however no proof was adduced
M i a n t i n o m o ind i gnantly denie d this charge and showe d
that Uncas cut his arm with a fl int a n d the n accuse d h i m o f
employing a n Indian t o attempt to kill him
Still the apprehensio ns o f the colo nists were n o t entirely
remove d R umors of a co a litio n betwee n the vari o us Indian
tribes looking t o a general i nsurrectio n fl oate d i n the air
O n allege d fears of hostility from the Narrag ansetts
the Massachusetts r u lers se nt for Mi a n t i n o m o to come t o
Bosto n and e x a u l p a t e himself
H e obeye d the sum m ons a n d appeared before the Com
missi o n ers of the fo ur Colo nies ; and demande d that his a o
c u s e r s shoul d meet h i m
face t o fac e
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28
IN N O CEN C E
o r
M I A N T I N OM O
.
H e said h e was willing to meet Uncas i n Boston o r to
go and settle with him elsewhere H e then put his han d i h
t o that o f the G overnor with an expression o f honesty that
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satis factory
But Mi a n t i n o m o went back indignant at the treatment
”
he received a s a culprit and at the refusal to him of a seat
M uch dissatisfactio n had been excite d by taking away
the fi re arms from the Po k o n o k e t Indians who had bought
and paid for them
Conscious o f the inj ustice and numerou s wro n gs done to
the Indians t h e Puritan colonists antici pated resistance to
such co ntinued aggressions and were i n constant expecta
tio n o f some sudde n o utbreak
A m a n coul d not halloo at
night without exciting a general alarm o f an onslaught of
the I n dians
as state d by Elliott
H ow surely conscience doth make cowards of us all
The attempt to convict Mi a n t i n o m o o f hostile intentions
actio ns against the English having failed Uncas next
o r
appears t o have bee n e ncouraged by the support o f the fron
tier settlers to act aggre ssively against the Narr a gansetts
a nd provoke M i a n t i n o m o t o comme nce a war
A ccordingly he assaile d a kinsman of M i a n t i n o m o Se
qu a s s o n living within the pr esent borders o f Connecticut
and kille d several of his people
The Narragansett chief
gave notice to the governor of Massachusetts of these
wrongs and the necessity for resistance
It appears that the governor assente d to the proposal of
Mi a n t i n o m o to settle the a ffront he had received from Uncas
elsewhere than i n Boston It woul d be pro fi table any way
t o have the tribes weaken each other
I n 1 6 4 3 hostilities were commenced betwee n the adj a
cent Sachem Uncas an d the border Narragansett Indians
The crafty
M i a n t i n o m o i nvade d the territory of Uncas
Mohegan propos ed a conference for a private settlement o f
the di ffi c u lty while the hostile tribes were arraye d agai nst
each other ; and when Mi a n t i n o m o went out to meet him
wa
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M I A N T I N OM O A
P
R I S O NE R
W
o r
A R
99
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with no suspicio ns of treachery the Mohegan warriors sud
d e n l y sprang forward and sei z e d h i m aided by two of Mian
ti me mo s m e n ; and succee ded in bearing him o ff as a cap
tive To cover up the treachery Uncas kille d the two trait
o r s o n the spot ; for
D ead me n tell n o tales
The haughty chief stood s ile nt before his captors u ntil
asked by Uncas
D o you beg for l ife " the n he replie d
"ill m e ; I fear not
But well knowing the desire o f the unite d colo nists to dis
p ose o f the Narragansett chief a d v a n t a g o u s l y both to them
selves and to himself Uncas carrie d the prisoner t o H art ford
t o be dispose d of as the colon ial rulers saw fi t
The rulers i n Hartford having no cause of complaint
against the Narragansett chief advise d that the w hole affair
shoul d be referre d to the Commissioners of the Unite d Col
at their meeting as there was no l a w fo r keeping him
o n ie s
a prisoner I n this way the Commissioners of the four Colo
nies obtaine d posse ssio n of M i a n t i n o m o as a prisoner o f
war ; a n d they assemble d i n Boston o n the l 6 t h o f Septem
ber 1 6 4 3 to dispose of him
The Commi ssioners havi n g n o criminal allegations a gainst
the captive reporte d a deci sion that nothing worthy o f
death had bee n done by M i a nt i n o m o but it might n o t be
safe t o set him free
The n they turne d him over to be dealt with by the te n
der mercies of a co nvocatio n of numerou s ministers who
happe ne d to be then assembled i n Bosto n ; to be disposed o f
u nder some of thei r constr u ctions o f the J e w ish code of laws
The Commissio ners thus shifte d all legal responsibility
from themselve s upon the chi ef priests o f the colony in Bo s
t o n precisely as the R oman governor Pilate shifte d his l e
gal respo nsibility u pon the chief prie sts i n J erusalem A
s imilar spee dy response o f a se ntence of death was returned
fro m the chief priests i n Boston
They al so j usti fi e d their se ntence of d eath i n the same
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3O
M I A N T I N OM O
C O N D E MNE D T O D E A T H
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way by sayi ng they had a l a w whereby he w a s worthy o f
death
quoting the J e w ish precedents in slaying A gag and
others
A ccordingly the clerical decree endorsed by the Commis
sioners was sent t o the custodi ans i n H artford to deliver
over M i a n t i n o m o to Uncas t o be killed
T o see that the bloody work w a s duly executed two white
m e n were se nt with U n cas with spe cial directio ns to kill
Mi a n t i n o m o beyond their precincts
The account of the death o f this chieftain as given in
i nthrop s J ournal state s 2
Ta ki n g M i a n t i n o m o along
with them on the way between H artford and i ndsor where
the people of Uncas dwelt the brother of Uncas followe d
after M i a n t i n o m o and clove h i s head with a hatchet
A s suggested i n the H istory of Norwich " The Commis
probably had i n view Uncas domain adjacent t o
sio n e rs
H artford when they made their decree directing Uncas t o
carry the captive i nto the next part of your o w n govern
ment and there p ut him to death — A ccordingly the locality
of the execution of the Narragansett Sachem must have been
somewhere between East H artfo r d and i ndsor ; and there
i n an u nknown grave his remains rest beneath the forest
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The brutality of the barbarous agent Uncas is n arrate d
by Trumbul l the historian who state s
Uncas cut a p l ece
of fl esh from the shoul der o f the captive and ate it in savage
triumph
The place o f capture is still known a s Sachem s Plains
near Norwich and an adjacent spring as Sachem s Spring
It is narrate d that the Mohegans made a pile of stone s o n
the spot like a cairn o n ancie nt battle fi elds
Every Indian
passin g by added a stone to the pile the Mohegans with a
shout o f triumph and the N a r r a g a n s e t t s w ith a m e a n o f
ion
l a m e n t a tIn the co urse o f a g ricult u ral improvements the cairn
gradually disappeared But on the 4t h o f J uly 1 8 4 1 a
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M O N U M EN T T O
M I A N T I N OM O
3 1
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granite mo nume nt w a s erecte d o n the spot principally
through the in fl uence and exertions o f \Vi l l i a m C G ilman
It is made of a blo ck
E s q aide d by citi z ens of Norwich
place d o n a pe destal
o f granite fi ve fe et square at the base
It bears the simple inscriptio n "
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M I A N T I N O M O
W
1 6 43
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In a ho stile lan d a monume nt h a s been re a re d m a gnani
m o u s l y to thi s chief ; but o n his native shores no mo numental
i nscriptio n a s yet records his name
A fter having bee n instrumental i n exciting Uncas to de
stroy the Narragansett chief the Colonial Commissioners
felt bou nd to protect th e ir agent from the ve n geance o f the
Narr a gansetts and accordingly they fu r n i s h e d a b ody guard
o f fi ft ee n m e n for hi s safety
as the Colonial R ecords testify
h en a Narra ganset t army i nvade d the territory of Unca s
i n 1 6 4 4 and drove him into a strong fort built fo r him by
the E n glish a n d be sieged him therein Co nnecticut colo ni sts
rallie d to aid him Uncas l iberally pai d them for their ser
vice s by signing title deeds t o Pequ ot lands Trumbull says
Mr L e ffi n g w e l l receive d from Uncas a conveyance O f nearly
the whole town o f Norwich for his servi ce s
Indee d some
O f the English serve d as merce nary soldi ers u nder the brutal
Indian chief and received their pay i n lands
O n seve r al occasio ns the Narragansetts wo uld have pun
ish o d Uncas for h i s treachery but were O ppose d by the s ur
rou n d ing settlers whom they woul d n ot attack an d aban
do ued their expe ditions i n despair
This fact i s referre d t o in the history o f Norwich as follows
Through a l l the long co ntinued contests O f the N a r r a g a n s e t t s
with Uncas the English of Connecticut though ostensi bly
neutral always protecte d Uncas
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3 2
H O N OR
T O T H E N A ME
OF
M I A N T I N OM O
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The characte r of this m a n so useful an ally to the Conn e c
tient settlers i s depicted i n a few words by G eneral G o o ki n s
and the R ev A sa F itch
Uncas an O l d and willfully
—
wicke d man a drunkard and every way vicious h a t h
alwa ys bee n an opposer a n d despiser o f G o d
h at a n i mpressive co ntrast is thi s character O f Uncas
t o that O f C a n o n i c u s and M i a n t i n o m o
given by R oger
i lliams a s previously de scribe d I
The list o f crimes O f the agent w h o kille d M i a n t i n o m o
fi lls t w o pages of the history of Connecticut
In comme nti n g o n the execution of M i a n t i n o m o an able
Massachusetts historian J udge Savage sadly avows — I
regret to acknowledge the belief i s forced upo n me that
M i a n t i n o m o w a s condemned beca u se he favore d G orton and
his heterodox associates by the sale of his lands at Shawo
m e t and Pawtuxet
Elliott s N e w England H istory refers to the execution O f
Mi a n t i n o m o a s
a wicked wanto n and cruel dee d n u sus
t a i n e d by any ex cuse
It w a s sp ecially advised by a com
m i t t e e o f fi ve ministers
and sanctione d by some O f the
leading and best rulers such as \Vi n t h r o p
i nslow F e n
wick and Eato n
The gentle historian of Norwich yields to impul ses o f
j ustice and humanity in the following expressions
The sentence o f M i a n t i n o m o i s o n e O f the most flagrant
acts o f inj ustice recorded against the E nglish settlers H e
had shown many acts o f kindne ss t o the whites and evi nced
a n oble and magnanimo us sp ir it i n receiving into the bosom
Mason and his little band of soldiers from
o f h is country
H artfo rd ; a n d great l y ass i ste d them i n the conquest of the
”
Pequots
I woul d gladly come to a di fferent conclusio n says Mr
H ol l ister i n h i s history o f Connecticut
and j oyfu lly admit
the extenuatio n O f ex cited fears of false testimonies and
blinding prej udices ; but never to j ustify this deed
I n extenuation of t h e sentence of death passed o n the
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3 4
PE
R M A NE N CE
IN D I A N N A ME S
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say the y all ha v e p assed away
T hat a nc ie n t r a c e a n d b r a v e ;
—T hat thei r light c a n oes ha v e v a n ished
F r om Ofl the c r ested wa v e "
-T hat mid the fo r ests
whe r e the y r oam e d
T he r e r i ngs n o h u n te r s sho u t
—B u t thei r n ames a r e o n y o u r wate r s
Y e may n ot wash them o u t
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T hei r
memo r y li n ge r s o n y o u r hills
T hei r b ap tism o n y o ur sho r e ;
Y o u r e v e r lasti n g r i v e r s s p ea k
T hei r diale c t O f y o r e
0 ld M assa c h u sets wea r s it
i thi n h e r lo r dly cr ow n
A n d b r oad O hio b ear s it
M i d all h e r y o u n g r e n ow n
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C o nn e c ti c u t hath w r eathed it
h e r e h e r q u iet foliage wa v es
A n d b old "e n t u c k y b r eathed it
T h r o u gh all h e r a nc ie n t c a v es
M o n a d n o c o n his fo r ehead hoa r
U p holds the sa c r ed t r u st ;
T h e mo u n tai n s a r e thei r mo n u me n ts
T ho u gh y e destr o y their d u st
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T hi nk y e the E te r n al s e a r is d u ll
H i s s lee p less v isio n dim "
T hi n k ye H e ll fail i n "
u sti c e fu ll
T o the wr o n ged w h o c a ll o n H i m "
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