Pequot War

Massachusetts Bay forces disembarked on the east side of Thames River, and after several hours of unsuccessful negotiations with an aged Pequot ambassador, attacked and burned a village.

and thus began the war between the Indians and us (English) in these parts.

Prior to the events at Wethersfield in April 1637, the Connecticut English did not have just grounds for an offensive war against the Pequot.

in less than two hours more than 400 Pequot men, women, and children lay dead; 200 of them burned to death.

being we could not come at them, I then resolved to set it on fire after diverse of them were slain, and soe of our men sore wounded

Underhill chose to “set fire on the South end with a traine of Powder, the fires of both meeting in the center of the Fort.”

The Battle of Mistick Fort, while historically characterized a massacre (and rightfully so, as 400 men, women, and children died in the attack), was in fact a short but very intense battle between two highly capable adversaries that the English came very close to losing.

women and children were given to colonists as spoils of war, placed in captivity under other tribes who had pledged allegiance to the English, or transferred to Massachusetts Bay Colony, sold into slavery, and shipped to the Caribbean islands and British outposts.

Connecticut orders “Offensive War” against the Pequot.

Pequot attack Wethersfield. Nine English settlers are killed in the Great Meadow while at work. Two girls are taken captive.

At dawn English Allied forces surround the Pequot fortified village at Mistick.

English forces indiscriminately killed all fleeing Natives and accidently wounded allied Natives as well.

When the battle was over the English suffered two dead and twenty wounded

The combined English Allied force now consisted of 77 English, around 100 Mohegans and River Indians, and around 300 Narragansett and Niantics.

It assigned Pequot captives to the Mohegan and Narragansett.

It was conceived they thus destroyed about 400. at this time.

but ye victory seemed a sweete sacrifice, and they gave the prays therof to God

others rane into their howses, & brought out fire, and sett them on fire, which soone tooke in their matts

Those yt scaped ye fire were slaine with ye sword

15.] There was a day of thanksgiving kept in all the churches for the victory obtained against the Pequods, and for other mercies.