King Philip's War

King Philip's War (1675–76) was an Anglo-Indian struggle centered primarily in New England. It was one of America's bloodiest conflicts, and several scholars have cited it as the deadliest war in U.S. military history on a per capita basis. Approximately 2,500 settlers died, of a total New England population of 52,000. In addition, 12,000 homes, 8,000 head of cattle, and numerous farmlands were destroyed. The adversaries in this clash were the English settlers, mainly Puritans, and a loose confederation of Algonquian tribes, namely the Narragansett, Nipmuc, and Wampanoag, led by the Wampanoag sachem, or chief, called King Philip by the English or Metacom by his people.

In a rapid, massive Indian attack, King Philip's forces attacked about half of the 110 colonial settlements in New England, sowing fear and panic throughout the region. New England faced a substantial population shift as refugees from vulnerable frontier towns flooded Boston and other locations along the eastern seaboard, away from the wilderness. For the deeply religious Puritans who suffered the majority of these attacks, it appeared that God was punishing the chosen people. The war directly or indirectly affected every colonist—and indigene—in New England.

Although the impact of the war was severe among the English, it was catastrophic among the Indians. Approximately 5,000 natives were killed. Because of their smaller population of 20,000, already ravaged by disease, these war casualties were shattering. Furthermore, over 1,000 insurgents were sold as slaves to the West Indies in a reversal of the growing African slave trade, and thousands more left the New England area and headed west into the wilderness because of fears of white retribution. The Native American presence in New England essentially ceased to exist, opening the land for further white colonization.

The causes of the war were many, but they essentially stemmed from issues regarding land and attitude. Indians criticized the insatiable white desire for Native American land, while a new generation of settlers complained of the growing resentment among the Indians to the English, who had brought them civilization and religion. The change in attitude is surprising, considering the relative peace among the Algonquian Nation and the settlers during first contact.

The Battle of Bloody Brook was fought during King Philip's War. English colonial militia were ambushed by a band of Indians led by descendants of the Algonquian peoples of Nippe net while escorting a train of wagons carrying the harvest from Deerfield to Hadley, Massachusetts.

The Indians of New England had tolerated and, it could be said, had welcomed the Pilgrims in 1620. The Algonquian people were instrumental in settler survival during the harsh early years. [Page 1292]Natives taught the newcomers how to fish and to plant, and the story of the goodwill of Samoset and Squanto has become part of American folklore. Massasoit, the Wampanoag sachem, attended the first thanksgiving along with 100 other Indians who brought fresh deer meat and other foodstuffs to the celebration. Massasoit later signed a peace accord with the settlers that would last until the advent of King Philip's War in 1675. Massasoit's son, King Philip (Metacom), would later become sachem of the Wampanoag and the principal actor in the unfolding struggle that bears his name.

...