cut troops were, when they arrived at the place of action, some, not being considered by all quite orthodox on a few points in theology, were dismissed. They imagined that the blessing of God would not follow their arms, while their was one heretical Achan in the camp to trouble the hosts of Israel. Reduced to 90, who though few were found to be sound in the ordeal of orthodoxy, they were resolved, however, to proceed without delay.

Before setting out on the expedition, one of the ministers of Hartford, by way of consecration, made to the Connecticut troops the following speech.

"Fellow soldiers, countrymen and companions! you are this day assembled by the inevitable providence of God. You are not collected by wild fancy, nor ferocious passions. It is not a tumultuous assembly whose actions are abortive, or, if successful, produce only theft, rapine, rape and murder, crimes inconsistent with nature's light, inconsistent with a soldier's valor. You, my dear hearts! were selected from your neighbors by the godly fathers of the land, for your known courage to execute such a work. Your cause is the cause of heaven; the enemy has blasphemed your God, and slain his servants; you are only the ministers of his justice. I do not petend that your enemies are careless and indifferent. No, their hatred is inflamed; they thirst for blood; they would devour you and all the people of God. But my brave soldiers! their guilt has reached the clouds, they are ripe for destruction; their cruelties are notorious, and cruelty and cowardice are always united. Therefore, there is nothing to prevent your certain and complete victory, but their nimble feet, their impenetrable swamps and woods. From these your small numbers will entice them, or your courage drive them.

not fight in such a Do you wish for Riches waken the

"I now put the question, who would cause, fight with undaunted boldness? more encouragement? More I give you! soldier's sword; and though you will not obtain silver and gold on the field of victory, you will secure what is infinitely more precious. You will secure the liberties, the privileges, the lives of Christ's church in the world. You will procure safety for your affectionate wives, safety for your "harmless, sprattling, smiling babes." You will secure all the blessings of goodness and mercy enjoyed by the people of God in the ordinances of religion. Distinguished was the honors confer

red on David in his destroying the enemies of the Lord; this honor, Oye courageous soldiers of God! is now prepared for you. You will now execute his vengeance on the heathen; you will bind their kings in chains and their nobles in fetters of iron.

But perhaps some one may fear that a fatal arrow will deprive him of this high honor. Let every faithful soldier of Jesus Christ be assured, that if any servant be taken away, it is merely because the honors of this world are too narrow for his reward; an everlasting crown is set upon his head, because the rewards of this world are insufficient. March then with christian courage, in the strength of the Lord; march with faith in his divine promises, and soon shall they fall like leaves of the forest under your feet."

The Connecticut troops had not proceeded far, before they captivated 18 Pequots, and killed 22. The English making no objections, Uncus and his warriors executed one notorious offender among their prisoners in their own peculiar way, Tied to a stake, a fire was kindled near him, till his skin was parched. The Mohegans then tore him limb from limb. Cutting his flesh into small pieces, they handed them round, each eating a bit, singing and dancing round the fire, till they concluded with throwing the relicts into the flames.

While passing through the country of the Narragansets, warriors to the amount of 500 joined the English, under the command of Miantinomi, their grand sachem. Learning that they were to be marched against the terrific Sassacus and the Pequots in their forts, their courage failed them; they even showed a disposition to return home, although they had at first manifested great spirits, and, while brandishing their knives, boasted what vast multitudes they would kill, and they were impatient for the battle. Wequash, a Pequot sachem, who offended had revolted from Sassacus, was a faithful guide to the English against his own countrymen. The enemy had retired to two forts for security. Fatigued by the march of a very warm day, they were unable to reach in season the one they had intended to attack first.

Because it was nearer at hand, they proceeded to Mystick fort. In the morning of the 26th of May, 1637, they encamped in Groton, between two rocks. They were now so near the enemy, that the advanced centinels could distinctly hear the savages singing and dancing within their forts with great merriment. Their mirth and security were ow

ing to a belief that the English had retired, as they had the day before seen several vessels past. Wequash, their guide and spy, had discovered that all the Pequots were asleep in the fort. The important moment had arrived.

The fate of Connecticut was now to be decided. At the dawn of day, the English moved in two squadrons to the fort. The courage of the Indian allies now totally failed, at the moment they were needed. Capt. Mason bid them not retre, but to stand round the fort at a distance, and only looking on see what white people could do. A dog within the fort began to bark. A Pequot centinel cried out, "Wanux! Wanux!" meaning, English! English! At this moment, the English entered the fort. They fired upon the inhabitants as they lay asleep on the floors of the wigwams. The blaze and the thunder of the musketry first awaked them to a sense of dangers! If they rushed out, the sword pierced them. If they climbed over the palisadoes, the balls brought them to the ground, Every way they fled, death met them with all his terrors. The Pequots indeed displayed feats worthy of Roman courage, rallied by their sachems and aided even by their women.

After a desperate conflict of two hours, victory being still doubtful, Capt. Mason with his own hand caught a firebrand, which instantly communicated the devouring element to all the wigwams, which were covered with mats. As the fire

advanced the English formed a circle round the fort. Their Indian allies now began to venture to become nearer spectators of the scene of death, forming another circle still behind the English. There was for the Pequots no escape. Whom the flames did not devour, the sword met. Five or six hundred perished in as many minutes. The roar of arms, the

blaze of the wigwams, the shrieks of the sufferers, the trenendous yells of 500 Indian allies, and the darkness of the woods all around, exhibited a scene of sublimity, heightened by the horrors combined with it.

Crowned with a great victory, the joys of which were abated by the loss in killed and wounded of 25 only, the English began to retire to the vessels now appearing in the harbor to receive them. In the mean time, the Pequots from the other fort had sent 300 men to aid their brethren, who had fallen. These assaulted the rear of the English, who in return gave them a warm reception. The Indians, driven back to the fort yet smoking both with blood and flames, viewed the

scene with amazement and horror. They stamped, they bellowed, they tore the hair from their heads, when with increased fury they renewed the pursuit for 6 miles after the English.

This, however, was a decisive victory. The Pequots were utterly ruined. Many were taken captives and more destroyed. 600 Indians were also surrounded in a swamp, 60 only of whom made their escape. The captive Indians were made servants, some were sold as slaves, and those who survived fled to the westward, among whom was Sassacus himself.

In these several engagements, 2000 Pequots were killed, and 1000 captivated. The Mohawks totally destroyed the remainder; and, in the autumn of 1628, the scalp of Sassacus himself was presented to the governor and council of Plymouth. This ended the war with the Pequot nation, leaving the Indian tribes to contend with each other, while the English enjoyed peace for more than thirty years. The English troops were very orthodox no doubt, but their wild excesses are to be deeply regretted; and it must be allowed by all, that their barbarities were sometimes such as to make them differ very little in character from that of the savages themselves! And if christians could conduct as these did, what worse could infidels do? Orthodox creeds do not always sanctify the heart and conduct.

CHAPTER V.

New conspiracies formed by the Indians. State of the English. Indians secretly prepare for war. Philip's revenge. War commenced. The Narragansetts submit. Distress and escape of Philip. Battle at Brookfield. Judge Goffe at Hadley Battle at Deerfield. At Springfield. With the Narragansets. Domestic Indians treacherous. Towns garrisoned. A terrible battle. Canada Indians. Their massacres. Indian art. English in danger. The fortune of Philip declines. His death.

A peace was the consequence of events so disastrous to the savage tribes. But it was a peace which, after the experience of the past, could not fail to mingle fears with it. Nor were these without a foundation in the present state of things.

Although peace could not be of any long duration, still the English had become much more able to make a defence. New England in 1673 is said to have contained 123,000 souls, and it had 16,000 men able to take the field against the enemy.

From the year 1670, the Indians were in secret making great preparations for war till 1675, when their designs were too obvious to be longer even doubtful. A great part of this preparation consisted in spreading discontent and forming alliances. Metacom, which was the original name of Philip, second son of Massasoit, his eldest son having died young in a fit of violent passion, was the grand mover of all the difficulties which followed. In the course of the war, Massachusetts and Plymouth colonies suffered much more severely than any part of New-England. At length, Philip became so much suspected of bad designs, that he was required to appear before the general court at Plymouth. He declared his entire innocence, and made new professions of friendship for the white people. By them, however, Indian faith was considered in the same light as Punic faith was by the Romans.

A law had been made forbidding to sell guns or implements of war to the Indians; but still they had found means to sup