Great Events in the History of North and South AmericaGoodrich, Charles A. (Charles Augustus)
History
Great Events in the History of North and South America
Goodrich, Charles A. (Charles Augustus)
North America -- History; South America -- History; United States -- History
Philip's war proved a most serious concern to the infant colonies. It
cost them half a million of dollars, and the lives of above six
hundred inhabitants, who were either killed in battle, or otherwise
destroyed by the enemy. Thirteen towns and six hundred houses were
burned, and there was scarcely a family in the United Colonies that
had not occasion to mourn the death of a relative. Dr. Trumbull thinks
the loss exceeds the common estimate. He concludes that about one
fencible man in eleven was killed, and every eleventh family burned
out. But the war was still more disastrous to the Indians. Great
numbers of them fell in battle; their lodges were destroyed, and,
indeed, their country conquered. Scarcely a hundred warriors remained
of the great leading tribe of the Narragansets.[23]
Of Philip's warriors, several were remarkable men.--Among these were
Nanunteno, or Cononchet; Annawon, Quinnapin, Tuspaquin, and Tatoson.
We can briefly notice but one--the mighty Annawon. We have seen that
at the time of Philip's death, he escaped with a number of his men.
The place of his retreat was not long after disclosed by an Indian and
his daughter, who had been captured. It was in a swamp in the
south-east part of Rehoboth. Captain Church, upon this information,
adopted a most daring stratagem to secure Annawon. At the head of a
small party, conducted by his informers, Church cautiously approached
in the evening the edge of a rocky precipice, under which the chief
was encamped, and critically examined the position. The Indians, their
arms, their employments, (for they were preparing for a meal,) and
other defences, were all noticed by Captain Church; and particularly
the fact, that Annawon and his son were reposing near the arms. As he
learned from his guide that no one was allowed to go out or come into
the camp, except by the precipice, he determined to seek his object in
that direction. The Indian and his daughter, according to a concerted
plan, with baskets upon their backs, as if bringing in provisions,
preceded Church and his men, by their shadows concealing the latter,
and descended the rock. In this way, although with great difficulty,
they all reached the bottom without alarming the Indians. It happened,
singularly enough, that their descent was accomplished without
discovery, on account of the noise made by the pounding of a mortar; a
squaw being engaged in that work in preparing green dried corn for
their supper. Under favor of the noise thus made, the rustling sound
proceeding from their leaps from crag to crag was not noticed. Church,
with his hatchet in his hand, stepped over the young man's head to the
arms. The young Annawon threw his blanket suddenly over his head, and
shrunk up in a heap. The old chief started upon end, and cried out
_Howah!_ meaning Welcome! Finding that there was no escape, he
resigned himself to his fate, and fell back on his couch; while his
captors secured the rest of the company. English and Indian amicably
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Great Events in the History of North and South America — John Shaqi
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account