DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.55111#0051
43
prosperity had blessed them with happy homes and all the com-
forts of life. But this could appear so to the casual observer
only. Most Catholic writers ') are fond of attacking the Puri-
tans on their treatment of the Indians and their spirit of in-
tolerance 8). In regard to the Indians it is difficult to conceive
how, under the circumstances any other course of action could
have been pursued. In 1637 the powerful tribe of Pequods
began war on Connecticut by murdering the crew of a small
trading vessel on the Connecticut river. “With some appear-
ance of justice they pleaded the necessity of self-defence, and
sent messengers to Boston to desire the alliance of the white
men. The government of Massachusetts accepted the excuse,
and immediately conferred the benefit which was due from
civilization to the ignorant and passionate tribes'; it reconciled
the Pequods with their hereditary enemies, the Narragansetts.
No longer at variance with a powerful neighbor, the Pequods
displayed their bitter and emboldened hostility to the English
by murdering Oldham near Block Island”1 2 3). This sounded at
once the tocsin for war. The Pequods attempted to unite the
Narragansetts and Mohegans with them, “that a union and a
general rising of the natives might sweep the hated intruders
from the ancient hunting grounds of the Indian race”. Nothing
but the great presence of mind and courage of Roger Williams
of Rhode Island prevented this formidable conspiracy from taking
effect. He persuaded the Narragansetts to withdraw, thus leaving
the Pequods to contend single handed. John Mason took Charge
of the Connecticut provincials, and marched into the Indian
country. A number of forts containing hundreds of the bravest
warriors of the Pequod nation were surrounded and set on fire.
In one hour the work of carnage was completed, and six hundred
Indians, men, women, and children, perished. The work of
death and destruction was continued. The remnants of the
race were sought out in their hiding places, the wigwams were
1) Spalding’s Miscellanea, Reviews, Lectures and essays.
2) We desire to keep in mind that Catholics aeknowledge the intolerance
of the Puritans. All liberal Protestant writers if they be true to history must
do the same.
3) Bancroft, vol. 1. p. 298.
prosperity had blessed them with happy homes and all the com-
forts of life. But this could appear so to the casual observer
only. Most Catholic writers ') are fond of attacking the Puri-
tans on their treatment of the Indians and their spirit of in-
tolerance 8). In regard to the Indians it is difficult to conceive
how, under the circumstances any other course of action could
have been pursued. In 1637 the powerful tribe of Pequods
began war on Connecticut by murdering the crew of a small
trading vessel on the Connecticut river. “With some appear-
ance of justice they pleaded the necessity of self-defence, and
sent messengers to Boston to desire the alliance of the white
men. The government of Massachusetts accepted the excuse,
and immediately conferred the benefit which was due from
civilization to the ignorant and passionate tribes'; it reconciled
the Pequods with their hereditary enemies, the Narragansetts.
No longer at variance with a powerful neighbor, the Pequods
displayed their bitter and emboldened hostility to the English
by murdering Oldham near Block Island”1 2 3). This sounded at
once the tocsin for war. The Pequods attempted to unite the
Narragansetts and Mohegans with them, “that a union and a
general rising of the natives might sweep the hated intruders
from the ancient hunting grounds of the Indian race”. Nothing
but the great presence of mind and courage of Roger Williams
of Rhode Island prevented this formidable conspiracy from taking
effect. He persuaded the Narragansetts to withdraw, thus leaving
the Pequods to contend single handed. John Mason took Charge
of the Connecticut provincials, and marched into the Indian
country. A number of forts containing hundreds of the bravest
warriors of the Pequod nation were surrounded and set on fire.
In one hour the work of carnage was completed, and six hundred
Indians, men, women, and children, perished. The work of
death and destruction was continued. The remnants of the
race were sought out in their hiding places, the wigwams were
1) Spalding’s Miscellanea, Reviews, Lectures and essays.
2) We desire to keep in mind that Catholics aeknowledge the intolerance
of the Puritans. All liberal Protestant writers if they be true to history must
do the same.
3) Bancroft, vol. 1. p. 298.