Finding he could make no impression upon the people, he soon sailed for New-York.

In the year 1675, began the famous Indian war, which was termed King Philip's war.

The leading one was Philip, sachem of the tribe living within the boundary of Plymouth, Rhode Island. His brother, being suspected of plotting against the whites, was seized by a detachment of soldiers. Philip ever sought to revenge the treatment of his brother. He suc ceeded in forming a confederacy able to send into action between three and four thousand warriors.

The immediate cause of the war was the execution of three Indians by the English, whom Philip had excited to murder one Susaman, an Indian missionary. Susaman, being friendly to the English, had informed them that Philip, with several tribes, were plotting their destruction

The execution of these Indians roused the anger of Philip, who immediately armed his men, and commenced hostilities. Their first attack was made June 24th, upon the people of Swanzey, in Plymouth colony, as they were returning home from public worship, on a day of humiliation and prayer, under the apprehension of the ap proaching war. Eight or nine persons were killed.

The country was immediately alarmed, and the troops of the colony flew to the defence of Swanzey. On the 28th, the company of horse and company of foot, with one hundred and ten volunteers from Boston, joined the Plymouth forces at Swanzey. The next morning, an attack was made upon some of Philip's men, who were pur sued, and five or six of them killed. This resolute conduct of the English made a deep impression on the enemy. Philip with his forces left. Mount Hope the same night; marking his route, however, with the burning of houses, and the scalping of the defenceless inhabitants.

It being known that the Narragansets favoured the cause of Philip, he having sent his women and children to them for protection, the Massachusetts forces, under Captain Hutchinson, proceeded forthwith into their coun try, to renew a treaty with them, or to give them battle. Fortunately, a treaty was concluded, and the troops returned.

On the 17th of July, news arrived that Philip, with his warriors, was in a swamp at Pocasset, now Tiverton The Massachusetts and Plymouth forces immediately marched to that place, and the next day resolutely charged the enemy in their recesses. As the troops entered the swamps, the Indians continued to retire. The English, in vain pursued, till the approach of night, when the com mander ordered a retreat. Many of the English were killed, and the enemy seemed to take courage.

It being impossible to encounter the Indians with ad vantage in the swamps, it was determined to starve them out; but Philip, apprehending their design, contrived to escape with his forces.

He now fled to the Nipmucks, a tribe in Worcester county, Massachusetts, whom he induced to assist him This tribe had already commenced hostilities against the English; but, in the hope of reclaiming them, the gover nor and council sent Captains Wheeler and Hutchinson to treat with them. But the Indians, having intimation of their coming, lurked in ambush for them, fired upon them as. they approached, killed eight men, and mortally wound ed eight more, of whom Captain Hutchinson was one.

The remainder of the English fled to Quaboag, Brookfield. The Indians, however, closely pursued them into the town, and burnt every house excepting one, in which the inhabitants had taken refuge. This house at length they surrounded. "For two days they continued to pour a storm of musket balls upon it, and although countless numbers pierced through the walls, but one person was killed. With long poles, they next thrust against it brands, and rags dipped in brimstone; they shot arrows of fire; they loaded a cart with flax and tow, and with long poles fastened together, they pushed it against the house. De struction seemed inevitable. The house was kindling, and the savages stood ready to destroy the first that should open the door to escape. At this awful moment a torrent of rain descended, and suddenly extinguished the kind ling flames."

August 4th, Major Willard came to their relief, raised the siege, and destroyed a considerable number of the as sailants.

During the month of September, Hadley, Deerfield, and Northfield, on Connecticut river, were attacked; several of the inhabitants were killed, and many buildings consumed. On the 18th, Captain Lathrop, with several teams, and eighty young men, the flower of the county of Essex, were sent to Deerfield to transport a quantity of grain to Hadley. On their return, stopping to gather grapes at Muddy Brook, they were suddenly attacked by near eight hundred Indians. Resistance was in vain, and seventy of these young men fell before the merciless enemy, and were buried in one grave. Captain Mosely, who was at Deerfield, hearing the report of the guns, hastened to the spot, and, with a few men, attacked the Indians, killed ninety-six, and wounded forty, losing himself but two men.

Early in October, the Springfield Indians, who had hitherto been friendly to the English, concerted a plan, with the hostile tribes, to burn that town. Having, under

cover of night, received two or three hundred of Philip's men into their fort, with the assistance of these, they set fire to the town. The plot, however, was discovered so seasonably, that troops arrived from Westfield in time to save the town, excepting thirty-two houses already consumed.

Soon after hostilities were commenced by Philip, the Tarrenteens began their depredations in New-Hampshire, and the province of Maine. They robbed the boats, and plundered the houses of the English. In September they fell on Saco, Scarborough, and Kittery, killed between twenty and thirty of the inhabitants, and consigned their houses, barns, and mills, to the flames.

Elated with these successes, they next advanced towards Piscataqua, committing the same outrages at Oyster River, Salmon Falls, Dover, and Exeter. Before winter, sixty of the English, in that quarter, were killed, and nearly as many buildings consumed.

The Indians in those parts, however, had real ground of complaint. Some seamen, hearing it reported that Indian children could swim by instinct, overset the canoe of Squando, sachem of the Saco Indians, in which were his squaw and infant child. This act Squando could not over. look, especially as, some time after, the child died, and, as

the sachem believed, on account of some injury that it then received. Besides this, several Indians had been enticed on board a vessel, carried off, and sold into slavery. To redress these wrongs, the Indians commenced hostilities.

Notwithstanding the Narragansetts had pledged themselves, by their treaty, not to engage in the war against the English, it was discovered that they were taking part with the enemy. It was deemed necessary, therefore, for the safety of the colonies, early to check that powerful tribe.

Accordingly, Governor Winslow, of Plymouth, with about one thousand eight hundred troops from Massachusetts and Connecticut, and one hundred and sixty friendly Indians, commenced their march from Pettyquamscot, on the 19th of December, 1675, through, a deep snow, towards the enemy, who were in a swamp about fifteen miles distant.

The army arrived at the swamp at one in the afternoon. Some Indians, at the edge of the swamp, were fired upon, but fled. The whole army now entered, and pursued the 'Indians to their fortress.

This stood on a rising ground in the middle of the swamp. It was a work of great strength and labour, being composed of palisades, and surrounded by a hedge about sixteen feet in thickness.

One entrance only led to the fort, through the surrounding thicket. Upon this the English providentially fell; and, without waiting to form, rushed impetuously towards the fort. The English captains entered first. The resistance of the Indians was gallant and warlike. Captains Johnson and Davenport, with many of their men, fell at the entrance. At length the English gave back, and were obliged to retreat out of the fort.

At this crisis, the army being on the point of a fatal re pulse, some Connecticut men, on the opposite side of the fort, discovered a place destitute of palisades; they instantly sprang into the fort, fell upon the rear of the Indians, and, aided by the rest of the army, after a desperate conflict, achieved a complete victory. Six hundred wigwams was now set on fire The scene was awful. Deep volumes of smoke rolled up to heaven, mingling with the

dying shrieks of mothers and infants, while the aged and infirm were consuming in the flames.

Even at this distant period, we cannot recal this scene without pain, and can justify this severity of our ances tors, only by admitting its necessity for self-preservation.

The Indians in the fort were estimated at four thousand; of these seven hundred warriors were killed, and three hundred died of their wounds; three hundred were taken prisoners, and as many women and children. The rest, except such as were consumed, fled.

The victory of the English, complete as it was, was purchased with blood. Six brave captains fell; eighty of the troops were killed, or mortally wounded, and one hundred and fifty were wounded, who recovered.

From this defeat the Indians never recovered. They were not yet, however, effectually subdued. During the winter they still continued to murder and burn. The towns of Lancaster, Medfield, Weymouth, Groton, Springfield, Northampton, Sudbury, and Marlborough, in Massachusetts, and Warwick and Providence, in Rhode-Island, were assaulted, and some of them partly, and others wholly destroyed. In March, Captain Pierce, with fifty English, and twenty friendly Indians, were attacked, and every Englishman, and most of the Indians, were slain. In April, Captain Wadsworth, marching with fifty men to the relief of Sudbury, was surrounded, and all either killed on the spot, or reserved for long and distressing tortures.

The success of the Indians, during the winter, had been great; but, on the return of spring, the tide turned against them. The Narraganset country was scoured, and many of the natives were killed, among whom was Canonchet, their chief sachem.

On the 12th of August, 1676, the finishing stroke was given to the war in the United Colonies, by the death of Philip. After his flight from Mount Hope, he had at tempted to rouse the Mohawks against the English. To effect his purpose, he killed, at several times, some of that tribe, and laid it to the English. But his iniquity was dis covered, and he was obliged hastily to flee. He returned at length to Mount Hope.

Tidings of his return were brought to Captain Church,