Secondly, it is very important to hasten the conclusion of this war before the end of this summer, otherwise the news of it will discourage both your and our friends from coming over to us next year, besides the further risk and loss it would expose us to, as yourselves may judge.
Thirdly, if the Lord please to bless our endeavours, so that we end the war, or succeed in it without you, it may breed such ill thoughts in our people towards yours, that it will be thereafter difficult to entertain such opinion of your good-will towards us as is fitting in neighbours and brethren. What ill consequences might result on both sides, wise men may well fear, and would rather prevent than hope to redress. With hearty salutations to yourself and all your council and our other good friends with you I rest,
Yours most assured in the Lord,
JOHN WINTHROP.
Boston, the 20th of the third month, 1637.
In the meantime the Pequots, especially the winter before, had sought to make peace with the Narragansetts, and used very pernicious arguments to persuade them: the English were strangers, and were beginning to overspread their country, and would deprive them of it in time if they were allowed thus to increase; if the Narragansetts were to assist the English to subdue them, the Pequots, they would only make way for their own overthrow, for then the English would soon subjugate them; but if they would listen to their advice, they need not fear the strength of the English, for they would not make open war upon them, but fire their houses, kill their cattle, and lie in ambush for them as they went about the country—all of which they could do with but little danger to themselves. By these means they easily saw the English could not long hold out, but would either be starved or forced to leave the country. They urged these and similar arguments so strongly, that the Narragansetts were wavering, and half-minded to make peace with them and join them against the English. But when they reconsidered what wrongs they had suffered from the Pequots, and what an opportunity they now had, with the help of the English, to repay them, revenge was so sweet to them that it prevailed over everything else. So they resolved to join the English against them; and they did so.
The court here agreed to send fifty men at their own expense, and with all possible speed got them armed, with sufficient leaders, and a bark to carry their provisions and supply all their needs. But when they were ready to march, with a contingent from the Bay, they had word that the enemy were as good as vanquished, and there would be no need of them.
I shall not take upon myself to describe in detail what had occurred, because I expect it will be done fully by those who best know the circumstances; I will only touch upon them in general. From Connecticut, where they were most alive to the present danger and all that it threatened, they raised a party of men, and another party met them from the Bay at a place where the Narragansetts were to join them. The Narragansetts were anxious to be gone, before the English were well rested and refreshed, especially some of them that had arrived last, for they wanted to come upon the enemy suddenly and undiscovered. A bark belonging to New Plymouth had just put in there, having come from Connecticut, and urged them to profit by the Indians’ keenness, and to show themselves as eager as they were, for it would encourage them, and promptness would result to their great advantage. So they proceeded at once, and arranged their march so that they reached the fort of the enemy, in which most of their chief men were, before day. They approached it in utter silence, and both the English and Indians surrounded it, so that they should not escape. They then made the attack with great courage, speedily forcing an entrance to the fort, and shooting amongst them. Those that entered first met with fierce resistance, the enemy shooting and grappling with them. Others of the attacking party ran to their houses and set them on fire, the mats catching quickly, and, all standing close together, the wind soon fanned them into a blaze,—in fact more were burnt to death than killed otherwise. It burnt their bowstrings and made their weapons useless, and those that escaped the fire were slain by the sword,—some hewn to pieces, others run through with their rapiers, so that they were quickly dispatched and very few escaped. It is believed that there were about 400 killed. It was a fearful sight to see them frying in the fire, with streams of blood quenching it; the smell was horrible, but the victory seemed a sweet sacrifice, and they gave praise to God Who had wrought so wonderfully for them, thus to enclose their enemy, and give them so speedy a victory over such a proud and insulting foe. The Narragansett Indians all this while stood round, but kept aloof from danger, and left the whole execution to the English, except to stop any who broke away; but they mocked their enemies in their defeat and misery, calling out to them when they saw them dancing in the flames a word which in the language of the vanquished Indians signified, O brave Pequots! and which was used by them in their prayers, and in their songs of triumph after victory.
After this attack had been thus fortunately concluded they marched to the waterside, where they met with some of their vessels, by which they were refreshed with food and other necessaries. But during their march the remnant of the Pequots, who had escaped, collected in a body, intending to take advantage of them at a neck of land they had to cross; but when they saw the English prepared for them, they kept aloof, so they neither did any harm nor received any. After refreshing themselves and taking further counsel, they resolved to follow up their victory and make war upon the rest; but most of the Narragansett Indians forsook them, and those that they kept with them for guides they found very unwilling, either from envy, or because they saw the English would profit more by the victory than they were willing they should, or perhaps deprive them of the advantage of having the Pequots become tributary to them.
For the rest of these events, and the further campaign against the Pequots, I will relate them as given in a letter from Mr. Winthrop to the Governor here.