The Outbreak of King Philip’s War

THE occasion of Philips so sudden taking up arms was this: There was one John Sausaman a very cunning and plausible Indian, well skilled in the English language, and bred up in the Christian religion, employed as a schoolmaster at Natick, the Indian town, who upon some misdemeanor fled from his place to Philip, whose Secretary and Chief Counselor he became. But afterwards, whether upon the sting of his own conscience, or by the frequent solicitations of Mr. Eliot, that had known him from a child, and instructed him in the principles of our religion, who was often laying before him the heinous sin of his apostacy, and returning back to his old vomit, he was at last prevailed with to forsake Philip, and return to the Christian Indians at Natick where he was baptized, manifested public repentance for all his former offenses, and made a serious profession of the Christian religion: and did apply himself to preach to the Indians, wherein he was better gifted than any other of the Indian Nation; so as he was observed to conform more to the English manners than any other Indian.

Yet having occasion to go up with some others of his countrymen to Namasket, whether for the advantage of fishing or some such occasion, it matters not; being there not far from Philip’s country, he had occasion to be much in the company of Philip’s Indians, and of Philip himself: by which means he discerned by several circumstances that the Indians were plotting anew against us; the which out of faithfulness to the English the said Sausaman informed the Governor of; adding also, that if it were known that he revealed it, he knew they would presently kill him. There appearing so many concurrent testimonies from others, making it the more probable, that there was certain truth in the information; some inquiry was made into the business, by examining Philip himself, several of his Indians, who although they could do nothing, yet could not free themselves from just suspicion; Philip therefore soon after contrived the said Sausaman’s death, which was strangely discovered; notwithstanding it was so cunningly effected, for they that murdered him, met him upon the ice on a great pond, and presently after they had knocked him down, put him under the ice, yet leaving his gun and his hat upon the ice, that it might be thought he fell accidentally through the ice and was drowned: but being missed by his friend, who finding his hat and gun, they were thereby led to the place where his body was found under the ice. When they took it up to bury him, some of his friends, especially one David, observed some bruises about his head, which made them suspect he was knocked down before he was put into the water. However, they buried him near about the place where he was found, without making any further inquiry at present: nevertheless David, his friend, reported these things to some English at Taunton (a town not far from Namasket), occasioned the Governor to inquire further into the business, wisely considering, that as Sausaman had told him, if it were known that he had revealed any of their plots, they would murder him for his pains.

Wherefore by special warrant the body of Sausaman being digged again out of his grave, it was very apparent that he had been killed, and not drowned. And by a strange Providence an Indian was found, that by accident was standing unseen upon a hill, had seen them murder the said Sausaman, but durst never reveal it for fear of losing his own life likewise, until he was called to the Court at Plymouth, or before the Governor, where he plainly confessed what he had seen. The murderers being apprehended, were convicted by his undeniable testimony, and other remarkable circumstances, and so were all put to death, being three in number; the last of them confessed immediately before his death, that his father (one of the counsellors and special friends of Philip) was one of the two that murdered Sausaman, himself only looking on.

This was done at Plymouth Court, held in June 1674. Insomuch that Philip apprehending the danger his own head was in next, never used any further means to clear himself from what was like to be laid to his charge, either about his plotting against the English, nor yet about Sausaman’s death: but by keeping his men continually about him in arms, and gathering what strangers he could to join with him, marching up and down constantly in arms, both all the while the Court sat, as well as afterwards.

The English of Plymouth hearing of all this, yet took no further notice than only to order a militia watch in all the adjacent towns, hoping that Philip finding himself not likely to be arraigned by order of the said Court, the present cloud might blow over, as some others of like nature had done before; but in conclusion, the matter proved otherwise; for Philip finding his strength daily increasing, by the flocking of neighbor Indians unto him, and sending over their wives and children to the Narragansetts for security (as they use to do when they intend war with any of their enemies,) immediately they began to alarm the English at Swanzy (the next town to Philip’s country,) as it were daring the English to begin; at last their insolencies grew to such a height that they began not only to use threatening words to the English, but also to kill their cattle and rifle their houses; whereat an Englishman was so provoked that he let fly a gun at an Indian, but did only wound, not kill him; whereupon the Indians immediately began to kill all the English they could, so as on the 24th of June, 1675, was the alarm of war first sounded in Plymouth Colony, when eight or nine of the English were slain in and about Swanzy, they first making a shot at a company of English as they returned from the Assembly where they were met in way of humiliation that day, whereby they killed one and wounded others. At the same time, they slew two men on the highway sent to call a surgeon, and barbarously the same day murdered six men in and about a dwelling-house in another part of the town: all which outrages were committed so suddenly that the English had no time to make any resistance….

However the Governor and Council of Plymouth, understanding that Philip continued in his revolution, and manifested no inclination to peace, immediately sent us what forces they could to secure the towns thereabouts, and make resistance as occasion might be: and also dispatched away messengers to the Massachusetts Governor and Council, letting them know the state of things about Mount Hope; and desiring their speedy assistance, upon which, care was immediately taken with all expedition to send such supplies as were desired…. At Woodcok’s House, thirty miles from Boston, where they arrived next morning, they retarded their motion till the afternoon, in hope of being overtaken by a company of volunteers under Captain Samuel Mosely, which accordingly came to pass; so as on June 28 they all arrived at Swanzy, within a quarter of a mile of the bridge leading into Philip’s Lands. Some little time before night, twelve of the troopers, unwilling to lose time, passed over the bridge for discovery into the enemies territories, where they found the rude welcome of eight or ten Indians firing upon them out of the bushes, killing one William Hammond, wounding Corporal Belcher, his horse also being shot down under him; the rest of the said troopers having discharged upon those Indians that ran away after their first shot carried off their dead and wounded companions….

The enemy thought to have braved it out by a bold assault or two at the first; but their hearts soon began to fail them when they perceived the Massachusetts and Plymouth forces both engaged against them…. and a resolute charge of the English forces upon the enemy made them quit their place on Mount Hope that very night, where Philip was never seen after, till the next year, when he was by a divine mandate sent back, there to receive the reward of his wickedness where he first began his mischief.