History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 2

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317


USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 2


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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700


Elihu Spicer


468


Charles P. Williams


702


William (lift


468


Maria Stanton.


703


Nathan G. Fish


469


- William llyde ..


704


Nuthan G. Fish.


470


J. F. Trumbull


705


John Palmer.


470


A. S. Matthews.


706


Robert Palmer


471


Oliver B. Grant


707


Noyes Barber


474


Ira Hart


The Avery Family.


474


Nathaniel B. Palmer


708


The Burrows Family.


476


Alexander S. Palmer


712


Benjamin Burrows, Sr.


476


Silas E. Burrows.


713


Benjamin Burrows, Jr.


477


The Greenman Family


714


Calvin Burrows.


477


Silas Greenman


715


Franklin Gallup


478


George Groenman


715


Albert Latham.


479


Clark Greenman.


717


Gurdon Gates


480


Thomas S. Greenman


718


Trumbull Family


190


Calvert Il. Cottrell


719


Thomas Whitmore


518


Nathan Babcock


720


William R. Gay


518


Stephen Babcock


721


Charles Sweet


519


Trustum Dickens


722


Edwin M. Dolbeare


520


George W. Noyes ..


729


Jeremiah Mason.


520


Thomas Hinckley.


723


The Waterman Family


520


Joseph Noyes


723


Andrew Waterman ...


521


O. M. Still


James M. Peckham


522


Alex. G. Frink


726


Joseph Holmes ..


522


Charles M. Davis


726


The Pettis Family


523


Charles S. Hewitt


P. G. Thomas


524


John Randall


726


Isaac G. Avery


525


Henry D. Langworthy


727


Erastus Gecr


525


Mason Manning.


728


Silas P. Abell


526


Alphonso I. Whitman


729


Jabez MeCall


between 526, 527


Charles P. White.


742


Asher II. Chapman ..


743


Gideon Hoxie


527


Charles Wheeler.


743


Danlel Ml:van.


527


Zebulon T. York


743


Robert Allyn.


533


Alfred Clarke.


744


Ralph Hurlbutt


534


Charles G. Ilewitt


744


Henry Denison.


535


Solomon Barber.


744


Ilbberd Stoddard.


535


Ira G. Briggs


748


Sanford B. Stoddard


535


Warren Gates


75'7


Daniel B. Hyde.


539


Joh. D. Palmer.


759


Lodowick Bill.


543


Savilion Chapman


760


David S. Bralnerd


559


Thomas M. Clarke ...


760


very Smith ..


565


Albert G. Douglas.


760


Edmund Darrow,


761


Lyman Allyn.


761


Horace C. Lanphear ..


763


572


James Rogers ...


764


572


Eliphalet Lyou ..


764


572


Orlando


765


573


John Ro


.....


chard Raymond.


570


lexander Baker


571


o luare.


418


Gideon Palmer.


591


Ilirum Appelman.


449


J. C. Bolles


449


S. S. Harris


449


George Drisdale Jerome


449


Nathaniel B. Bradford


450


William Fitch


450


David R. Dolbeare


604


Benjamin F. Stoddard


450


Henry Willians


609


The Averys.


456


Ethan Alleu.


612


Alfred N. Ramsdell


162


Richard A. Wheeler.


691


Hubbard D. Morgan.


-165


Williams Family


696


Rosa oll A. Morgan


466


William Williams


John G. Spleer ..


472


Elihn Chesebrough


707


Elisha Haley ..


575


vea Itogers


570


725


Henry A. Spafard


527


CONTENTS.


11


-


LLUSTRATIONS.


PAGE


between 12, 13


facing 40


Jirah Isham.


42


=


43


=


44


L. F. S. Foster. 45


=


46


M. R. Waite.


47


¥ John T. Wait.


J. Halsey 50


66


J. D. Park.


",


54


¥ G. W. Goddard.


66


55


William H. Potter.


56


T. M. Waller.


57


Marvin Wait.


73


Charles M. Coit


75


¥ Joseph Selden


NEW LONDON.


Residence of E. L. Palmer. facing 216


Headquarters of Gen. Washington


190


Portrait of Henry P. Havens.


= Frances M. Caulkins.


Acors Barns


234


T. W. Williams.


236


Nathan Belcher.


237


Francis B. Loomis 238


66


Residence of Francis B. Loomis between 238, 239


Portrait of W. W. Billings M. K. Cady


J. C. Waldo.


C. D. Boss.


between 240, 241


¥ Israel F. Brown


Sidney Miner


facing 241


D. P. Francis


242


W. H. H. Comstock


243


Orlando C. Gorton


244


C. Arnold Weaver.


between 244, 245


Charles Treadway


244, 245


Oscar Sites, M.D. facing 245


Edward Hallam 245


NORWICH.


Portrait of Jedediah Huntington between 318, 319


¥


Eliza Huntington.


318, 319


Jedediah Huntington.


= 348, 349


William A. Buckingham


348,349


William Williams. facing 349


= Harriet P. Williams


350


Charles Johnson


351


Charles Osgood ..


352


Leonard Ballon


353


356


Edward B. Huntington between 356, 357


J. M. Huntington


356, 357


David Smith


358,359


Henry B. Tracy


358, 350


H. P. Arms .. r. N. Bentley


he. ry B. Norton. facing 359


Franklin Nichols 360


L. Blackstone.


361


John Mitchell 362


B. Durfey. between 362, 363


E. W. Williams 362, 363


363


1.


George W. Geer 365


44 Wmn. W. Backus. 368


Chauncey K. Bushnell 369


William Smith. 370


John W. Stedman 371


.


BOZRAH.


PAGE


Portrait of A. Fitch between 378, 379


Wm. Fitch ...


378,379


Douglas Fitch .. .facing 379


Stephen Fitch


380


Wm. H. Fitch between 380, 381


4


A. D. Fitch


380, 381


John W. Haughton .facing 382


Wm. F. Bailey between 382, 383


Nathan S. Hunt


382, 383


COLCHESTER.


Residence of J. N. Felton


facing 390


Portrait of D. S. Bigelow 399


FRANKLIN.


Portrait of Ashbel Woodward


.facing 402


H. W. Kingsley between 402, 403


B. F. Huntington. facing 403


GRISWOLD.


Residence of D. A. Geer between 404, 405


James C. Lord. .facing 406


H. L. Johnson .between 408, 409


232 Portrait of Thomas L. Shipman .facing 410


Andrew Lester 411


Residence of Andrew Lester.


between 412, 413


Portrait of Henry L. Johnson facing 414


B. F. Billings.


415


Samuel Geer


416


= D. A. Geer. between 416, 417


James C. Lord. 416, 417


facing 240 ¥ Bonaparte Campbell facing 417


B. II. Browning. 418


GROTON.


Groton Heights. facing 424 House used for Hospital at Battle of Groton Heights. 428


Portrait of B. F. Chandler. facing


452


Old Avery Mansion .. 4.54


Portrait of J. George Harris facing 456


A. N. Ramsdell


462


II. D. Morgan


464


Sanford Morgan


between 464, 465


Elisha Morgan ... 464, 465


R. A. Morgan facing 466


= Levi Spicer .between 466, 467


Elihn Spicer 466, 467


=


Jolın G. Spicer .facing 467


William Clift


468


Nathan G. Fish 470


John Palmer between 470, 471


Robert Palmer.


facing 471


Elisha Ilaley 474


John J. Avery. between 474, 475


. Albert L. Avery $74,475 Benjamin Burrows, Sr. facing 4" ,


= Calvin Burrows.


477


Benjamin Burrows, Jr.


472


Franklin Gallup. facing


47


¥ Albert Lathanı.


4


Gordon Gates.


LEBANON.


Portrait of Trumbull House and War Off ce.


= Jolın Trumbull.


faci:


William R. Gay


-


Edwin M. Dolbeare.


Jeremiah Mason ....


E. Waterman.


= J. M. Deckham


Joseph Xtolmes.


Outline Map of County. Portrait of Joseph Williams.


Henry Strong


HI. M. Waite.


66 Charles J. McCnrdy.


49


=


53


James A. Hovey.


131


44


228


60


238, 239


238, 239


240, 241


358,359


358, 359


=


=


Willis R. Austin.


facing


Charles Sweet


=


A. F. Smith.


12


CONTENTS.


PAGE


Portrait of Oliver Pettis.


P. G. Thomas


Erastus Geer.


= 525


526


facing 526


4


Jabez McCall.


between 526, 527


=


526, 527


Gideon lloxie.


526, 527


LEDYARD.


l'ortrait of Old Home of Ellhu Spicer. facing 530


Robert Allen.


Ralph Hurlbutt


Hibberd Stoddard. .


between 534, 535


=


Sanford B. Stoddard


534, 535


Henry Denison .facing 535


LISBON.


Portrait of Daniel B. Hyde


.facing 539


LYME.


Portrait of Lodowick Bill.


facing 543


OLD LYME.


facing 559


Portrait of Avery Smith


EAST LYME.


facing 565


MONTVILLE.


Portrait of Elisha II. Palmer. facing 590


Carmichael Robertson


591


D. S. Browning.


Jolın C. Bolles. .between 592, 593


Samuel S. Harris facing 593


=


594


= N. B. Bradford. between 594, 595


William Fitch


594, 595


David R. Dolbeare. facing 595


PRESTON.


Portrait of G. G. Benjamin


facing 604


SALEM.


Portrait of llenry Williams facing 608


Roswell Morgan


609


SPRAGUE.


Portrait of Ethan Allen


facing 611


Charles T. Hazen


612


STONINGTON.


l'ortruit of Richard A. Wheeler facing 690


=


Charles Mallory. 691


Charles II. Mallory


693


William Williams.


700


Ephraim Williams .between 700, 701


Charles P. Williams 700,701


Maria Stanton. facing 702


William llyde 703


PAGE


Portrait of John F. Truml


facing 704


A. S. Matthews.


O. B. Grant


Elihu Chesbrough.


between 706, 707


Ira Hart.


706, 707


= N. B. Palmer


=


712


= Alexander S. Palmer.


=


Silas E. Burrows


713


Silas Greenman. between 714, 715


George Greenman.


714, 715


66


Thomas Greenman


.facing 717


Clark Greenman


718


View of C. B. Cottrell & Co.'s Manufactory between 718, 719


Portrait of C. B. Cottrell facing 719


= Nathan Babcock


=


720


Stephen Babcock.


721


Trustum Dickens.


722


= George W. Noyes.


between 722, 723


= Joseph Noyes


= Thomas Hinckley facing 723


725


= Alexander G. Frink between 726, 727


Charles S. Hewitt. 726, 727


= John Randall


726, 727


Charles M. Davis


facing 727


Mason Manning.


728


= HI. D. Langworthy. facing 728


NORTH STONINGTON.


Portrait of Charles P. White. facing 742


66 Ashor II. Chapman


.between 742, 743


Z. T. York


742, 743


Charles Wheeler.


744, 745


Alfred Clarke.


744, 745


=


Charles G. Hewitt.


744, 745


= Solomon Barber


744, 745


VOLUNTOWN.


Portrait of Ira G. Briggs facing 748


Residence of Ira G. Briggs


749


WATERFORD.


Portrait of Warren Gates facing 757


Residence of John B. Palmer.


758


Portrait of John B. Palmer


Albert G. Douglas


760


= Douglass Place.


between 760, 761


Savilion Chapman


760, 761


Thomas M. Clarke ..


760, 761


Edmund Darrow


760, 761


= Lyman Allyn .. facing 762


Residence of John T. Allyn. between 762, 763


Portrait of Horace C. Lanphear. facing 763


Eliphalet Lyon


764


=


David Rogers.


between 764, 765


John Robertson .€ 764, 765


Orlando Comstock


766


1


Silas P. Abell


Isaac G. Avery


facing 523


524


705


706


facing 708


Henry A. Spafard


533


534


Portrait of D. S. Brainerd


592


George D, Jerome


759


722, 723


O. M. Stillman.


CO


D


N


A


L


L


O


Turnerville 1


HARTFORDCO


Iron Works


Colet


te


E


S


E


3


Westchester


0


C


S


r


E


SE


×


North Lyme


0


ME Hamburg


Ely's Ferry


T ursy


D


M


Lyme


SHORE


CONN


CTICUT


RIVER


gybrook Light


MAP OF NEW LONDON COUNTY


CONNECTICUT


13


-Packwoodville


Nor


IL


OUNTY


N D CO.


W


N


D


H


A


M


C O.


V


I


MAGUE


Vystanovell


F


ter


Goshen


Cit


Bruch


0.


Vron Hof's


Colchester


U


Cristina tose Il


F


S


E


R


B


1


Heste Rester


O


NORWICH


Ter's


D


SKO


Montville Toher She Yochtenuous


CERTIFY


T


MasIG


W


L


m


0


G


S


IMON


E


D


Chesterfield


Giales Ferry


North


1


-


1


Waterfor


ME


Myster


1


Hum burg


Centre


WATERFORD


Religion


Elys Ferry


Winkelomrock


NEW


ANDON


Heights


TONINGTON RA


STONINGTON


1


YME


Lynne


Grote


-


LINE


More Costen


S


WLight mint en Hill/P!


Per.st.


Point


Light


HERSO


Hace


FIA


MAP OF


NEW LONDON


little Gull I Greut Guil 1.


COUNTY


CONNECTICUT"


ISLAND


Presto


2


0


O


NORTH


7


D


RHODE


D


Stani


2 N


-


OF


I SSH


Flanders


NavyYard


N


Tasville


A


STATE


Watch. Hili


0


UND


SHORE


ErKUT


saybrook Light


A


L


L


HARTFORDCO


- Fix. Inrowbille


Coruer.


WD


Hish Hill


PRALL


1


RA


NORWICH"


Greenfull


W


-


S


Saler Willayes


E


NORTH.


×


-


0


0


C


LONDON


HNEMELONDON


P.


PROVIDENCE


·ER


SIslaml


HISTORY


OF


NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.


CHAPTER I.


OUTLINE HISTORY.1


NEW LONDON COUNTY lies in the southeastern part of Connecticut, and is bounded as follows : On the north by Hartford, Tolland, and Windham Coun- ties ; on the east by the State of Rhode Island; on the south by Long Island Sound ; and on the west by Middlesex and Tolland Counties.


The county is watered by the Connecticut, Thames, Shetucket, Quinnebaug, Yantic, Pawcatuck, Mystic, Poquonock, and Niantic Rivers and their tributaries, all of which mingle their waters with Long Island Sound. The southern part of the county is deeply indented by the waters of the Sound, which form some of the best harbors on the Connecticut seaboard. Oysters of excellent quality are found in abundance along the coast. The soil is generally strong and fertile, and well adapted to grazing. Many of the streams in the county afford an excellent water-power, and manufacturing-principally of cotton and woolen goods-forms an important industry.


The face of the county is diversified by hill and dale, and is well supplied with streams of water. The soil is well adapted to grazing, and to grain and fruit culture. Its navigable waters are extensive, and unsurpassed by those of any section of equal extent upon the coast.


Notwithstanding all these natural advantages, which rendered it one of the most inviting fields or locali- ties for the early English settlers to improve, more than one-fourth of a century elapsed after the arrival of the "Mayflower" before any attempt was made to plant a colony, or even for individual settlement.


As a principal reason for this inaction, the territory was preoccupied by the Pequots,2 a powerful tribe of


Indians belonging to the wide-spread Algonquin or Delaware race. This powerful tribe had by their cruelty become the dread of the whites far and near. Rendered bold by numbers, and jealous of every en- croachment, they had resolved upon nothing less than the utter extermination of the whites, and shrank from no means, however appalling, which might con- duce to the accomplishment of their bloody purpose. Massachusetts had in 1634, with much effort, induced them to allow the peaceable settlement of certain portions of their domain, and to offer satisfaction for former outrages. But the natives were slow to fulfill the conditions of this treaty, and Capt. Endicott was sent out by the Massachusetts colony, at the head of ninety men, to enforce the treaty and to cliastise them for their past offenses.


This ill-advised expedition failed utterly of its ob- jects, and only tended to exasperate the Pequots, who during the succeeding fall and winter were untiring in their attempts to league the other Indians with them in a war of extermination against the whites, and redoubled their own efforts to rid themselves of the noxious strangers. Savages lurked in every cov- ert, and there was no safety for life or property. The colonists could not travel abroad, or even cultivate their fields, but at the peril of their lives. Their cattle were driven off, their houses burned, the navi- gation of the river was seriously impeded, and even the fort at Saybrook was in a state of constant siege. By spring the situation had become critical in the ex- treme. Nearly thirty murders had been committed, and utter ruin threatened the colony unless decisive measures should at once be taken. In this emergency a General Court was convened at Hartford on the 11th of May, 1637, at which it was decided to proceed at once to an offensive war against the Pequots, and for the first campaign to send out a force of ninety men under Capt. John Mason, then in command of the fort at Saybrook.


About this time Mason and the warrior Uncas met and formed a temporary alliance, which was, low- ever, destined to continue without serious interruption


1 By Ashbel Woodward, M.D.


2 The Pequots originally dwelt upon the banks of the Hudson, but had at a period anterior to the arrival of the English migrated by successive stages towards the south, and finally settled in this county, upon territory chiefly occupied by the Niantic Indians, whom they crowded out.


2


13


14


HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.


for a long series of years, and prove of great and last- ing benefit to the settlements. Uncas was related, both by birth and marriage, to the Pequot royal fam- ily, but soon after his marriage he became involved in difficulties, the nature of which is not exactly known, which resulted in his banishment to the Nar- ragansett country. He was afterwards permitted to return, but a recurrence of the same troubles led to his banishment for a second and even third time. He thus at length became permanently exiled from his own people, and we find him upon the Connecti- cut River, near the infant settlements of Hartford and Windsor, in the spring of 1637, at the head of about seventy warriors. Both Mason and Uncas were emi- nently fitted to be military leaders, each of his own race. Mason possessed marked military tastes, which had been developed and trained in the wars of the Netherlands under Lord Fairfax; while Uncas, by nature brave and shrewd, had, as a member of the royal family of a strong and warlike nation, abundant opportunity to acquire a thorough knowledge of the methods of Indian warfare. An alliance of two such representative men of the two races then competing upon American soil could not fail to make an impress upon their peculiar surroundings. Uncas agreed to join the expedition with his warriors, and the united forces embarked at Hartford on the 20th of May of the same year and proceeded to drop down the river. In the course of the voyage the Indians had oppor- tunity to demonstrate their fidelity, which had been unjustly suspected by some. As the water in the river was low and the passage tedious, the Indians were at their own request allowed to disembark and proceed along the bank. When near Saybrook they met and defeated a party of Pequots, killing seven and taking one prisoner. After their arrival at Say- brook, the commandant of the fort, still distrustful of Uncas, addressed the sachem as follows: "You say you will help Capt. Mason, but I will first see it; therefore send twenty men to Bass River, for there went last night six Indians there in a canoe; fetch them, dead or alive, and you shall go with Mason, or you shall not." Uncas did as he was required. His warriors found the enemy, killed four of them, and took another prisoner. This exploit of the sachem was regarded by Lieut. Gardiner as a sure pledge of his fidelity.


Capt. Mason had received instructions to land at Pequot Harbor, but his military judgment led him to sail direct to the Narragansett country and make his attack upon the enemy from a point whence they would least expect it. He accordingly proceeded thither, and on Saturday, May 30th, towards evening, dropped anchor off the shores of the Narragansett. As there was a strong northwest wind they remained on shipboard until Tuesday, when Mason landed and marched directly to the residence of Canonicus, the Narragansett chief, and informed him of his design of attacking the Pequots in their strongholds, and


demanded a free passage through the Narragansett country. The request was readily granted, and Mi- antonomoh, nephew of Canonicus, suggested that the numbers of the English and Mohegans were too small for an invasion of the Pequot country, and volunteered to send two hundred of his braves with the expedition, though he did not himself offer to accompany them.


On the following morning the vessels were manned with a small force, as a larger could not be spared, and were ordered to sail for the mouth of Pequot River. The land force, consisting of seventy English- men and sixty Mohegan warriors, under Uncas, with the addition of two hundred Narragansett volunteers, commenced its march westward. After proceeding about twenty miles through a rough country, with only a narrow Indian foot-path for their passageway, they arrived at a place called Nehantic, where they remained overnight. When the English resumed their march on the following morning they were overtaken by others of the Narragansett people, so that they were followed, as they supposed, by near five hundred warriors. As the day was warm and the way rough several of the men fainted from ex- posure and want of food. After a, march of about twelve miles they reached a ford in the Pawcatuck River, where a halt was made for rest and refresh- ment. It had been ascertained that the majority of the Pequot warriors were in two forts or inclosures of palisades, one of which was commanded by Sassacus in person, and both regarded by the Indians as within and without impregnable. Mason had originally de- signed to divide his forces and attack both places si- multaneously, but from information received during the halt upon the Pawcatuck he learned that the forts were situated at too great a distance apart to allow of a division of his force, and he decided to advance at once upon the fort on Pequot Hill. The Narragansetts, on learning of his design to attack Sassacus in his strong- hold, were smitten with deadly fear. "Sassacus," they said, " was all one god, and could not be killed." So great was their trepidation that a hundred of their number beat a precipitate retreat, and reported in the Providence plantation that the English had all fallen.


At this time Mason called Uncas to him, and asked him what he thought the Indians would do. "The Narragansetts," replied this brave sachem, "will all leave us, but as for himself he would never leave us; and so it proved, for which expression I shall never forget him. Indeed, he was a great friend, and did great service." The Pawcatnck was the last boundary before the country of the Pequots, and as the Narra- gansetts found themselves nearing the strongholds of their dreaded rivals their timidity increased, and all but a handful turned back. The Mohegans, however, encouraged by their chief, mustered the courage to proceed. The small army advanced cautiously till towards evening, when they came to a little swamp between two hills, near what are now called Porter's


15


OUTLINE HISTORY.


Rocks, where they halted for the night. Rising at an early hour on the following morning, they reached the fortress a little before daybreak. The plan of attack had been so arranged that Mason was to ap- proach the enemy through the main entrance on the northeast side with one division, while Underhill was to make an attack on the southwestern entrance with his division. Uncas, with his force, was to form an outer line to act as circumstances might indicate. When within a rod or two of the fort a dog barked, and the alarm was given. The troops rushed on, dis- charged their muskets through the palisades, and then forced an entrance. Mason, with his party, drove the Indians along the main avenue of their fortress towards the west till they were met by Underhill and his di- vision, who had effected an entrance upon that side, when, finding themselves between two fires, they were forced to retreat to their wigwams, where a desperate resistance was made. For a few moments the conflict seemed doubtful, when Mason, realizing the gravity of the situation, hit upon the expedient of burning out the foe, and snatching a brand from the fire ap- plied it to the dry matting of a wigwam. The fire spread with great rapidity, and the whole seventy wigwams were soon in flames. The English retired without the wigwams, and Uncas and his followers formed a circular line close in the rear of the English. The consternation of the Pequots was so great that but few attempted to escape. About six or seven hundred perished in the flames. Seven were made prisoners by the English, eighteen were captured by the Mohegans, and seven only made their escape. It so happened that one hundred and fifty warriors from the other fortress were this night in the fort upon Pequot Hill, which made the victory still more com- plete.


This famous encounter occurred on Friday, June 5tlı. The same day, at an early hour, the small fleet entered Pequot Harbor. As Mason's force was about to move in the direction of the vessels, a party of In- dian warriors approached them from the other fort, but one or two volleys from their trusty weapons served to keep them at a safe distance. The few Nar- ragansetts that hung upon the rear of the little col- umn as it moved steadily up the hill were not slow in making their appearance when the contest was de- cided, evincing all the courage of tried veterans. They finally accompanied Capt. Mason to the harbor, and afforded some assistance to those who conveyed the wounded. The total loss on the part of the Eng- lish was two killed and twenty wounded.


Sassacus at this critical period was in the fortress on Fort Hill, where he was loudly denounced by his warriors as the procuring cause of their late disaster at the other fort. The Pequots at this fort were also greatly exasperated at the course of Uncas and his followers, and caused all of their near relatives to be slain, except seven who made their escape.


On the day after the battle a council of the Pequot


nation was held to decide upon their future course of action, and after a hasty deliberation they resolved to leave their country, but not till they had destroyed their fortress and wigwams and such remaining prop- erty as could not be carried away. The principal band, headed by Sassacus in person, fled westward, and did not make any considerable halt till they had reached a large swamp in Saco, the present township of Fairfield. Thither they were pursued by Capt. Mason and his faithful ally Uncas. Capt. Stoughton also accompanied the expedition in command of a company from Massachusetts. The fugitives were discovered in their new quarters, and were without difficulty routed and utterly dispersed. Sassacus did not risk a halt at the swamp, but with a few of his followers fled directly to the Mohawk country for a safe retreat, but was there slain by the nation, and his scalp was sent to Connecticut as a trophy. As a result of the swamp fight and the death of their late chieftain, the Pequot nation became nearly extinct. Although powerless for harm, the few remaining fugi- tives were pursued with unrelenting malignity by the English. Even the surrounding tribes were not per- mitted to harbor them with impunity, but were re- quired by treaty and otherwise to effect, if possible, their utter annihilation. The Pequots were not al- lowed to dwell in their old homes, to visit the graves of their fathers, or to be called Pequots any more. Lastly, the conquered territory was not to be claimed by the sachems, but to be considered as the property of the English of Connecticut, as their own by right of conquest.


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The expedition against the Pequots is the most remarkable recorded in American history, and one which for boldness of plan and brilliancy of execu- tion may well claim a place among the most daring exploits of universal history. The Pequots outnum- bered Mason's forces ten to one, and the day might have been lost had it not been for the faithful service of Uncas and his followers.




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