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The history of Rhode Island is truly remarkable. The Story of Rhode Island is my humble attempt to tell you some of the stories about the people, places, and events that have made Rhode Island the state it is today.
To learn more about the show visit the Story of Rhode Island Podcast website at https://www.storyofrhodeisland.com/
Hello and welcome to the story of Rhode Island. The Podcast that tells you the story of Rhode Island’s fascinating history. In episode 7 we saw John Clarke obtain a royal charter for Rhode Island, enabling their colony to reclaim present day Washington County from Connecticut. However, in the summer of 1675, a war between the English colonists and the tribes of New England breaks out and the Rhode Islanders now find themselves fighting for their lives. By the time it’s all over, The war known as King Philip’s War will force many Rhode Islanders to abandon their homes as native warriors burn their towns to the ground. As we jump into episode 8, it's 50 years after King Philip’s War, and we see one of the veterans of this deadly conflict lying in bed at his home in present day little Compton, Rhode Island. It’s the year 1715 and although Benjamin Church’s elderly mind isn’t what it used to be, he'll never forget the horrific events that took place all those years ago. The sounds of his men screaming in agony as they die from their wounds and the images of hundreds of innocent native men, women, and children being burned alive will forever seared into his memory. But as tragic as those memories may be, they are surrounded by stories that his son, Thomas, is all too eager to hear. Thomas is sitting in a chair at his fathers bedside, ready to take notes on the tales his father is about to tell. After hearing far too many stories from drunk men in taverns who have never seen a day of battle in their lives, Thomas now wants to hear them from a man who played such a pivotal role in this deadly conflict. Benjamin Church has been reluctant to tell his son these agonizing stories but at the age of 76 he knows that if he doesn’t share them soon then he may never get the chance to do so. Finally, after taking a sip of his coffee, Church turns to his son and asks if he’s ready. Thomas, with an eager look in his eyes, nods his head and leans forward to ensure he doesn’t miss a word his father says. With a shaking voice, Church replies, “okay then son, let’s get started”. The story of King Philip’s War, the deadliest war per capita in American history, is what we’ll cover via a two-part season finale in the Story of Rhode Island podcast.
INTRO MUSIC
It’s June of 1675 and a young Benjamin Church is riding on his horse at a dangerous speed. He’s just come from his house which is about a half mile west of present day Wilbur woods in Little Compton, Rhode Island. For the past couple of days, rumors have spread of local warriors flocking towards the Pokanoket village on Mount Hope and it’s becoming quite clear that they’re about to begin raiding English homes. The only question left to answer is just how many tribes will fight alongside the Pokanokets. Since Church has a close relationship with Awashonks, Sachem of the Sakonnet tribe who are located on the southern tip of little compton, he’s decided to rush to her village so that he can convince her not to fight alongside the Pokanokets. As he rides, he reminisces about the events that have brought them to this point. He recalls how the relationship between the Plymouth Colony and the Pokanokets started out in a civil manner, mainly because the English colonists knew they needed the natives' help to survive. However, that quickly changed as the Plymouth Colony grew stronger and the Pokanokets grew weaker from a series of economic challenges. Plymouth made their dominance in the region clear by continuously intruding in the natives way of life, slowly destroying the Pokanokets sovereignty. By the 1670s, the relationship between these two groups of people had grown sour, similar to most of the English and native relationships throughout New England. Then, tensions finally reached a boiling point at the start of 1675 when a local native man was murdered. Since no English were involved in the crime, the matter should’ve been left to the natives to deal with but the Plymouth government decided to insert themselves into the situation anyway. After a quick trial, Plymouth found 3 Pokanoket men guilty of murder and sentenced them to death. It was at that point when the Pokanokets and other local warriors decided that the only way they could protect their sovereignty is with force, something they’re now preparing to do while gathering on Mount Hope. Church knows that the Sakonnet tribe have a close relationship with the Pokanokets so he fears that they too will be recruited into the fighting. When Church arrives at their village he sees that his fears have come true as there are 6 Pokanoket warriors speaking to Awashonks. As if it wasn’t already clear enough that the Pokanokets are preparing for war, the anger in their eyes and the war paint on their faces further solidifies their future plans. When Awashonks sees Church she steps away from the warriors and quickly approaches her friend. She pulls him aside and the two begin to converse quietly. Church tells her that she mustn't ally her tribe with the Pokanokets as they stand no chance against the English. Awashonks lowers her head and tells Church that it’s too late. The Pokanoket warriors told her that if her tribe doesn’t side with them then they’ll just attack local English homes and blame it on the Sakonnets, forcing the English to destroy her tribe’s village. A feeling of rage quickly floods church’s body. He turns to the Pokanoket warriors and shouts at them, calling them a bunch of QUOTE “bloody wretches who thirst after the blood of their English neighbors” UNQUOTE. Awashonks grabs Church’s arm and turns him back towards her, telling him to settle down. She tells him that he must leave now as there’s nothing he can do. Her mind is already made up. Knowing that his friend is right, Church jumps back on his horse, and leaves her village. Instead of going back home he decides to head to the Pocasset tribe located in present day Tiverton, Rhode Island, hoping that he can convince them not to side with the Pokanokets. However, after another daring ride through the countryside, he arrives at the Pocasset village and realizes that he’s too late. The Pocasset warriors have already left for Mount Hope and are preparing to fight alongside the Pokanoket. When church enters the wigwam of their sachem, Weetamoo, he sees her sitting there despondently. She tells Church how she tried to stop her warriors from joining the fighting but the rage inside of them had grown too strong. There was simply nothing she could do to stop them. Church steps out from Weetamoo’s wigwam and looks about 3 miles to the west, towards Mount Hope. The sun has just begun to set behind the horizon and rising up from above the trees is a large cloud of smoke. Knowing that he must get back to his family, Church hops on his horse and heads home. As he makes his way back south, he wonders if the Pokanokets sachem is as committed to this war as his warriors.
Staring into the large fire on Mount Hope is the Pokanoket’s Sachem, Metacom, or as the English call him King Philip. As he observes the flames flickering in front of him on this warm summer night, beads of sweat roll down his face. The young sachem in his mid-30s is deep in thought. While warriors dance all around him, Philip's mind is elsewhere, thinking of the members of his family who are no longer with him. He thinks of his brother, Wamsutta, who he believes was poisoned by the English over a decade ago. Since that day, he’s harbored a deep mistrust of his Plymouth neighbors. Then, he thinks of his father, Osemequin, the former Sachem of the Pokanokets and the man who saved Roger Williams when he was banished from Massachusetts in 1636. His father was a great man, a Sachem that led the Pokanokets through extremely challenging times and now, Philip knows it’s his turn to do the same. While the warriors around Philip have already made up their decision to go to war, he’s more hesitant to commit to such drastic measures. He knows that if the Pokanokets lose the war then their tribe will be destroyed just like what happened to the Pequot Nation decades ago. The weight of what’s at stake sits heavily on Philip’s shoulders. Deep down inside a part of Philip is telling him to make peace with Plymouth and to save his tribe from potential destruction. “Perhaps there’s still a way out of this” he thinks to himself. But as he sees the crowd of warriors dancing all around him he knows that the decisions already been made for him. Forces far stronger than himself have already set this war in motion, he’s simply just there to see it through. It started back when radical protestants known as Puritans and Separatists arrived in New England and realized what could be gained by colonizing the land all around them. As they pushed further west they decided that the natives’ hedonistic ways were not fit to coexist with their superior culture. The English believed it was their God-given duty to claim the land as their own and to bring progress to these poor people. But as Philip looks around at his warriors he realizes that they’ve had enough of this progress and are fully committed to doing whatever it takes to protect their way of life. As the beads of sweat continue to roll down Philip’s face he allows himself to be swept up by the forces all around him and accepts the role he’s meant to play in history. The young Sachem stands up and lets out a loud war cry. His warriors, inspired by their Sachem, begin shouting as well. Philip knows that it’s time to go to war.
“Father, Is this when the fighting starts?” asks Thomas. “Yes, Thomas, this is when the war begins" replies the elderly Benjamin Church while taking another sip of his coffee. Church takes his son back to June 20th 1675 when warriors from the Pokanoket tribe begin destroying homes in Swansea and end up killing 9 colonists. Then, just a couple of days later, the towns of Rehoboth, or what is now known as East Providence, and Taunton are attacked as well. At that point, Plymouth and Massachusetts combine their military forces so that they can put an end to the raids, Church being assigned to lead one of local Plymouth militia units himself. For his very first mission, he travels to Mount Hope and attempted to capture Philip. The goal being to stop the raids as quickly as possible before the more dominant New England tribes decide to join in on the fighting as well. One of these tribes is the Nipmuc Nation located in central Massachusetts, a tribe that would be able to add an additional 600 warriors to the fighting. However, nothing scares the English more than the Narragansett Nation located in present day Washington County, Rhode Island. The Narragansett nation, led by their Sachem, Canonchet, is THE strongest tribe in southern New England. It’s believed that they can field up to 3,000 warriors. If they decide to take up arms as well then it would not only mean the destruction of the Rhode Island Colony but would give the natives a real chance of winning the war. Therefore, it’s absolutely imperative that the Nipmuc and Narragansetts be kept out of the war. However, by the time the English arrive at Mount Hope, the native warriors have already escaped to present day Tiverton, Rhode Island. Philip and his band of warriors are now on the run. Church desperately tries to convince Major Savage to leave Mount Hope so that they could pursue Philip but Savage refuses. Instead he relies on his European military training and begins building a fort on Mount Hope. Benjamin Church, knowing that the Pokanokets must be stopped before they recruit the stronger New England tribes into the war, pursues the Pokanokets with a few of his men. It’s during this daring mission when Church first discovers the type of enemy the English are fighting.
Church and his men arrive in present day Tiverton, Rhode Island on July 7th and after a night's rest head southwest to Pocasset neck. But just minutes after arriving at Pocasset Neck they’re forced to flee to a nearby beach when they’re ambushed by a group of warriors. The natives pursue them with ease and begin relentlessly firing at Church and his men from a nearby hill. Almost immediately, Church realizes that he’s outmatched. The warriors’ military tactics are far different from anything he’s ever seen before. Instead of challenging his troops on the open battlefield the warriors are firing from behind rocks while remaining in constant motion. It’s nothing like the rigid, more stationary military tactics that are used by the English. Just when Church’s men think they’re aware of the natives position and ready to return fire, the natives are once again on the move. Their style of fighting proves to be far more effective in the New England terrain and Church's men are now just doing everything they can not to survive. Thankfully, they’re eventually rescued and escorted to safety by boat. The battle only lasts a few hours but it leaves an impression on church that will stick with him for the rest of his life. He realizes that if the English are going to put a stop to this war they’ll have to adopt the natives' military tactics. When he returns to Mount Hope he tells the English captains about the type of fighting he dealt with in Tiverton and tries to convince the English to adjust their strategy. But the men in charge refuse to change their ways. They are dignified Englishmen, not savages, and they will fight with the tactics that they’ve used their entire life. There’s now way that the natives' way of fighting is superior. Church refutes their position but it’s hopeless, there’s nothing he can do to convince them. And so, the Pokanokets manage to escape to northern Rhode Island and then to central Massachusetts. It’s in Massachusetts where they meet up with the Nipmucs and are happy to find out that they have also decided to fight the English. Any hope that the English once had of putting a speedy end to this war has officially passed. Over the next few months, the tribes raid and destroy towns throughout Plymouth and Massachusetts. It starts in early August when Captain Thomas Wheeler’s militia unit is ambushed by a group of Nipmuc warriors in present day New Braintree, Massachusetts. The men are completely caught off guard by the agile movement of the warriors. By the end of fighting, 8 of his men are killed. Wheeler and his men were so caught off guard by the ambush that it would forever be referred to as Wheeler’s surprise. Then, the Nipmuc warriors begin destroying towns in present day West Brookfield, South Deerfield, and Northfield, Massachusetts, killing 20 English colonists along the way. About a week later, a group of Nipmuc warriors attack another militia unit in South Deerfield. By the end of the raid 57 of the 79 men in the unit are killed. The brook they were killed at ended up so full of blood that to this day it's still known as Bloody Brooke. Eventually, The dominance of the native military tactics inspires the Pocumtucks of western Massachusetts to join in on the fighting as well and in early October they destroyed 300 homes in Springfield, Massachusetts. Even tribes up North like the East Abenaki ah-ben-ah-key in present day Maine begin raiding English settlements as well. By the winter of 1675, the native warriors have complete control of the New England countryside and colonists are forced to flee their towns to take up refuge in Boston. Back then, the city of Boston looked far different than it does today. Except for a small strip of land located about ¾ of a mile south of Boston Commons, the city was pretty much an island. To help ensure none of the warriors were able to invade Boston, a large defense structure made out of brick was built at the end of that strip of land, right around the present day intersection of Washington and East Berkeley Street. For many people in New England, their only sense of safety was on the other side of that brick wall. But even that sense of safety would erode if the colonists deepest fears came true and the Narragansett Nation decided to join in on the fighting as well. The colonists have feared a Narragansett uprising long before King Philip’s War. In fact, it’s been one of the only things that’s prevented the leaders of Massachusetts from abusing them as much as they did the weaker tribes of New England. And although Canonchet, Sachem of the Narragansett Nation, just traveled to Boston to restate that his tribe has no plans of joining the fighting, Massachusetts and Plymouth still doubt his intentions. Therefore, the English decide that they will launch a preemptive attack on the Narragansetts via the largest showing of English military forces ever to be seen in New England at the time. Their unprovoked attack will take place in a Rhode Island swamp and it will end up being the bloodiest moment of King Philip’s War.
It’s early December and Benjamin Church has just arrived at the English basecamp in present day North Kingstown. The English soldiers are stationed at Richard Smith’s trading post. The mood amongst the men is painfully tense. In just a few days, the soldiers will travel 12 miles southwest to present day South Kingstown and attack the most feared tribe in all of southern New England. Before embarking on that mission, Church and a group of soldiers are sent out into the woods surrounding Wickford to capture and kill any local Narragansetts. Just hours into their mission, the English soldiers end up destroying two smaller Narragansett villages, one of them being home to Queen Magnus. While about 90 Narragansetts are captured or killed, the Queen and about two hundred of her people manage to escape the raid, eventually taking up refuge in a stone fort deep in the woods of present day Exeter. The fort becomes known as Queen’s Fort and the small band of Narragansetts stay there for another several months. Hidden about 100 feet outside of the fort is a secret underground chamber built specifically for the Queen. While the location of Queen’s fort has since been discovered, people still search for the Queen’s chamber to this very day. After having their villages destroyed, the Narragansetts retaliate by raiding and killing 15 Englishmen at the Jireh Bull’s Garrison located about 9 miles south of Wickford in present day Narragansett. While these events are important battles in their own right, they are but minor skirmishes compared to the fighting that’s about to begin. After a few days at smiths castle, the soldiers decide that they’re ready to leave and begin trekking towards the Narragansett fort in south Kingstown. Waiting for them, are hundreds of narragsnett warriors, ready to do whatever it takes to defend their people’s sovereignty.
Standing at the center of a large Narragansett fort is the tribe’s Sachem, Canonchet. Above him, a flurry of snow can be seen falling from the clear winter sky. The Narragansett fort is located on a raised piece of land which lies at the center of a large swamp. Surrounding it are 12-foot high palisade walls which Canonchet hopes will protect his people from the English troops heading his way. While members of the Narragansett tribe run around the fort preparing themselves for battle, the stoic Sachem stands there silently with a stern look on his war paint covered face. The women frantically grab their children and hide them in wigwams while the warriors prepare their weapons for battle. Along with their more traditional weapons like war clubs and tomahawks they are also loading the flintlock rifle that they’ve become so skilled at using. Then, a small group of Narragansett warriors come rushing into the fort and let everyone know that the English are only minutes away. The people in the fort stop and an eerie silence fills the air. The eyes of the Narragansett women and children wander as they listen closely for the English soldiers. The warriors standing at the edge of the fort grip their rifles tightly while scanning the surrounding swamp. Then, at about 1:30 in the afternoon on December 19th, the battle begins. English troops begin charging across a long tree trunk heading towards the entrance of the fort. The warriors give out a loud war cry and begin firing at the English soldiers heading their way. As bullets whizz through the air, English men charging across the tree trunk are taken out left and right by the Narragansetts impeccable aim. Before long, lifeless bodies can be seen piling up on the swamp’s frozen ground. Eventually, the casualties prove to be too much and the colonists initial attempt at overtaking the fort fails. The Narragansett let out another loud war cry to celebrate their early success. For a minute, it seems as though they may actually survive the battle. But Canonchet knows the fight is far from over. During the English soldiers' second attempt they end up finding an unfinished section of the palisade walls, enabling them to make their way into the fort. Once in the fort, the English aim their weapons at any native they see standing in front of them, whether it be a man, woman or child. As English soldiers begin flooding into the fort at a horrific pace, the fighting quickly turns into hand to hand combat. For the past few decades, the Narragansett and English have harbored a deep sense of hatred for one another, both sides hoping to see the other destroyed. And now, they’re given the chance to unleash that fury on their enemy. A primal rage fills the men's bodies as they fight for their lives. For the next couple of hours the battle rages on and the once all-white snow is now stained with a red coat of blood. Then, as the English begin taking control of the interior Benjamin Church enters the fighting with his men. Church has seen his share of battle but has never seen anything like this. With the Narragansetts struggling to defend themselves, the English decide that all of the natives inside of the fort must be killed. Church witnesses innocent women and children being massacred all around him. Once it becomes clear that the English are victorious, they begin exiting the fort while burning its interior. Any Narragansett still inside is burned alive while those who try to escape are shot. By the end of the fighting, hundreds of Narragansett men, women, and children are killed, many being burned alive. Eventually, the English militia units regroup and begin making their way back to Richard Smith’s trading post in present day North Kingstown. Legend states that during the soldier's journey back home the flames from the burning fort could be seen from miles away. So many Narragansett men, women, and children were killed that day that the battle quickly became known as the Great Swamp Massacre. Although the exact location of the battle remains a mystery to this very day a monument commemorating the fighting is hidden deep in the woods of South Kingstown. Most Rhode Islanders will go their whole lives without ever even knowing it exists. It’s almost as if we are trying to forget this dark moment in our state’s rich history.
“Were all the Indians killed, father?” Thomas asks. But Benjamin Church is too deep in thought to respond to his son's question. He’s still thinking about the gruesome scenes he witnessed on that frigid December day. The image of dead bodies lying on the frozen floor of a Rhode Island swamp will forever be carved into his mind. Unlike most of the other English soldiers, Church respected the natives and although he wanted them defeated he never wished for them to be massacred. “Father, were all the Indians killed” asks Thomas once again. “No son, far from it” Church responds. He tells his son how Canonchet managed to escape along with hundreds of other Narragansett warriors. Not only had the English failed to remove the Narragansetts from the war but they ignited a rage in the warriors that would put the English at an even greater disadvantage. From that point on the Narragansetts decide that none of the English can be trusted and none must be spared, not even their Rhode Island neighbors. As 1675 comes to a close and the new year begins, so does a new type of violence in King Philip’s War. Hundreds of Narragansett warriors head north into the Rhode Island countryside, destroying everything in their path. The religious outcasts are forced to abandon their towns and take up refuge on aquidneck iskand. As Rhode Island is being burned to the ground, the English realize that they must find a way to turn things around or they may actually end up losing king Philip’s war. But that’s a story for next time on the season finale of the Story of Rhode Island Podcast.
INTRO MUSIC
It’s June of 1675 and a young Benjamin Church is riding on his horse at a dangerous speed. He’s just come from his house which is about a half mile west of present day Wilbur woods in Little Compton, Rhode Island. For the past couple of days, rumors have spread of local warriors flocking towards the Pokanoket village on Mount Hope and it’s becoming quite clear that they’re about to begin raiding English homes. The only question left to answer is just how many tribes will fight alongside the Pokanokets. Since Church has a close relationship with Awashonks, Sachem of the Sakonnet tribe who are located on the southern tip of little compton, he’s decided to rush to her village so that he can convince her not to fight alongside the Pokanokets. As he rides, he reminisces about the events that have brought them to this point. He recalls how the relationship between the Plymouth Colony and the Pokanokets started out in a civil manner, mainly because the English colonists knew they needed the natives' help to survive. However, that quickly changed as the Plymouth Colony grew stronger and the Pokanokets grew weaker from a series of economic challenges. Plymouth made their dominance in the region clear by continuously intruding in the natives way of life, slowly destroying the Pokanokets sovereignty. By the 1670s, the relationship between these two groups of people had grown sour, similar to most of the English and native relationships throughout New England. Then, tensions finally reached a boiling point at the start of 1675 when a local native man was murdered. Since no English were involved in the crime, the matter should’ve been left to the natives to deal with but the Plymouth government decided to insert themselves into the situation anyway. After a quick trial, Plymouth found 3 Pokanoket men guilty of murder and sentenced them to death. It was at that point when the Pokanokets and other local warriors decided that the only way they could protect their sovereignty is with force, something they’re now preparing to do while gathering on Mount Hope. Church knows that the Sakonnet tribe have a close relationship with the Pokanokets so he fears that they too will be recruited into the fighting. When Church arrives at their village he sees that his fears have come true as there are 6 Pokanoket warriors speaking to Awashonks. As if it wasn’t already clear enough that the Pokanokets are preparing for war, the anger in their eyes and the war paint on their faces further solidifies their future plans. When Awashonks sees Church she steps away from the warriors and quickly approaches her friend. She pulls him aside and the two begin to converse quietly. Church tells her that she mustn't ally her tribe with the Pokanokets as they stand no chance against the English. Awashonks lowers her head and tells Church that it’s too late. The Pokanoket warriors told her that if her tribe doesn’t side with them then they’ll just attack local English homes and blame it on the Sakonnets, forcing the English to destroy her tribe’s village. A feeling of rage quickly floods church’s body. He turns to the Pokanoket warriors and shouts at them, calling them a bunch of QUOTE “bloody wretches who thirst after the blood of their English neighbors” UNQUOTE. Awashonks grabs Church’s arm and turns him back towards her, telling him to settle down. She tells him that he must leave now as there’s nothing he can do. Her mind is already made up. Knowing that his friend is right, Church jumps back on his horse, and leaves her village. Instead of going back home he decides to head to the Pocasset tribe located in present day Tiverton, Rhode Island, hoping that he can convince them not to side with the Pokanokets. However, after another daring ride through the countryside, he arrives at the Pocasset village and realizes that he’s too late. The Pocasset warriors have already left for Mount Hope and are preparing to fight alongside the Pokanoket. When church enters the wigwam of their sachem, Weetamoo, he sees her sitting there despondently. She tells Church how she tried to stop her warriors from joining the fighting but the rage inside of them had grown too strong. There was simply nothing she could do to stop them. Church steps out from Weetamoo’s wigwam and looks about 3 miles to the west, towards Mount Hope. The sun has just begun to set behind the horizon and rising up from above the trees is a large cloud of smoke. Knowing that he must get back to his family, Church hops on his horse and heads home. As he makes his way back south, he wonders if the Pokanokets sachem is as committed to this war as his warriors.
Staring into the large fire on Mount Hope is the Pokanoket’s Sachem, Metacom, or as the English call him King Philip. As he observes the flames flickering in front of him on this warm summer night, beads of sweat roll down his face. The young sachem in his mid-30s is deep in thought. While warriors dance all around him, Philip's mind is elsewhere, thinking of the members of his family who are no longer with him. He thinks of his brother, Wamsutta, who he believes was poisoned by the English over a decade ago. Since that day, he’s harbored a deep mistrust of his Plymouth neighbors. Then, he thinks of his father, Osemequin, the former Sachem of the Pokanokets and the man who saved Roger Williams when he was banished from Massachusetts in 1636. His father was a great man, a Sachem that led the Pokanokets through extremely challenging times and now, Philip knows it’s his turn to do the same. While the warriors around Philip have already made up their decision to go to war, he’s more hesitant to commit to such drastic measures. He knows that if the Pokanokets lose the war then their tribe will be destroyed just like what happened to the Pequot Nation decades ago. The weight of what’s at stake sits heavily on Philip’s shoulders. Deep down inside a part of Philip is telling him to make peace with Plymouth and to save his tribe from potential destruction. “Perhaps there’s still a way out of this” he thinks to himself. But as he sees the crowd of warriors dancing all around him he knows that the decisions already been made for him. Forces far stronger than himself have already set this war in motion, he’s simply just there to see it through. It started back when radical protestants known as Puritans and Separatists arrived in New England and realized what could be gained by colonizing the land all around them. As they pushed further west they decided that the natives’ hedonistic ways were not fit to coexist with their superior culture. The English believed it was their God-given duty to claim the land as their own and to bring progress to these poor people. But as Philip looks around at his warriors he realizes that they’ve had enough of this progress and are fully committed to doing whatever it takes to protect their way of life. As the beads of sweat continue to roll down Philip’s face he allows himself to be swept up by the forces all around him and accepts the role he’s meant to play in history. The young Sachem stands up and lets out a loud war cry. His warriors, inspired by their Sachem, begin shouting as well. Philip knows that it’s time to go to war.
“Father, Is this when the fighting starts?” asks Thomas. “Yes, Thomas, this is when the war begins" replies the elderly Benjamin Church while taking another sip of his coffee. Church takes his son back to June 20th 1675 when warriors from the Pokanoket tribe begin destroying homes in Swansea and end up killing 9 colonists. Then, just a couple of days later, the towns of Rehoboth, or what is now known as East Providence, and Taunton are attacked as well. At that point, Plymouth and Massachusetts combine their military forces so that they can put an end to the raids, Church being assigned to lead one of local Plymouth militia units himself. For his very first mission, he travels to Mount Hope and attempted to capture Philip. The goal being to stop the raids as quickly as possible before the more dominant New England tribes decide to join in on the fighting as well. One of these tribes is the Nipmuc Nation located in central Massachusetts, a tribe that would be able to add an additional 600 warriors to the fighting. However, nothing scares the English more than the Narragansett Nation located in present day Washington County, Rhode Island. The Narragansett nation, led by their Sachem, Canonchet, is THE strongest tribe in southern New England. It’s believed that they can field up to 3,000 warriors. If they decide to take up arms as well then it would not only mean the destruction of the Rhode Island Colony but would give the natives a real chance of winning the war. Therefore, it’s absolutely imperative that the Nipmuc and Narragansetts be kept out of the war. However, by the time the English arrive at Mount Hope, the native warriors have already escaped to present day Tiverton, Rhode Island. Philip and his band of warriors are now on the run. Church desperately tries to convince Major Savage to leave Mount Hope so that they could pursue Philip but Savage refuses. Instead he relies on his European military training and begins building a fort on Mount Hope. Benjamin Church, knowing that the Pokanokets must be stopped before they recruit the stronger New England tribes into the war, pursues the Pokanokets with a few of his men. It’s during this daring mission when Church first discovers the type of enemy the English are fighting.
Church and his men arrive in present day Tiverton, Rhode Island on July 7th and after a night's rest head southwest to Pocasset neck. But just minutes after arriving at Pocasset Neck they’re forced to flee to a nearby beach when they’re ambushed by a group of warriors. The natives pursue them with ease and begin relentlessly firing at Church and his men from a nearby hill. Almost immediately, Church realizes that he’s outmatched. The warriors’ military tactics are far different from anything he’s ever seen before. Instead of challenging his troops on the open battlefield the warriors are firing from behind rocks while remaining in constant motion. It’s nothing like the rigid, more stationary military tactics that are used by the English. Just when Church’s men think they’re aware of the natives position and ready to return fire, the natives are once again on the move. Their style of fighting proves to be far more effective in the New England terrain and Church's men are now just doing everything they can not to survive. Thankfully, they’re eventually rescued and escorted to safety by boat. The battle only lasts a few hours but it leaves an impression on church that will stick with him for the rest of his life. He realizes that if the English are going to put a stop to this war they’ll have to adopt the natives' military tactics. When he returns to Mount Hope he tells the English captains about the type of fighting he dealt with in Tiverton and tries to convince the English to adjust their strategy. But the men in charge refuse to change their ways. They are dignified Englishmen, not savages, and they will fight with the tactics that they’ve used their entire life. There’s now way that the natives' way of fighting is superior. Church refutes their position but it’s hopeless, there’s nothing he can do to convince them. And so, the Pokanokets manage to escape to northern Rhode Island and then to central Massachusetts. It’s in Massachusetts where they meet up with the Nipmucs and are happy to find out that they have also decided to fight the English. Any hope that the English once had of putting a speedy end to this war has officially passed. Over the next few months, the tribes raid and destroy towns throughout Plymouth and Massachusetts. It starts in early August when Captain Thomas Wheeler’s militia unit is ambushed by a group of Nipmuc warriors in present day New Braintree, Massachusetts. The men are completely caught off guard by the agile movement of the warriors. By the end of fighting, 8 of his men are killed. Wheeler and his men were so caught off guard by the ambush that it would forever be referred to as Wheeler’s surprise. Then, the Nipmuc warriors begin destroying towns in present day West Brookfield, South Deerfield, and Northfield, Massachusetts, killing 20 English colonists along the way. About a week later, a group of Nipmuc warriors attack another militia unit in South Deerfield. By the end of the raid 57 of the 79 men in the unit are killed. The brook they were killed at ended up so full of blood that to this day it's still known as Bloody Brooke. Eventually, The dominance of the native military tactics inspires the Pocumtucks of western Massachusetts to join in on the fighting as well and in early October they destroyed 300 homes in Springfield, Massachusetts. Even tribes up North like the East Abenaki ah-ben-ah-key in present day Maine begin raiding English settlements as well. By the winter of 1675, the native warriors have complete control of the New England countryside and colonists are forced to flee their towns to take up refuge in Boston. Back then, the city of Boston looked far different than it does today. Except for a small strip of land located about ¾ of a mile south of Boston Commons, the city was pretty much an island. To help ensure none of the warriors were able to invade Boston, a large defense structure made out of brick was built at the end of that strip of land, right around the present day intersection of Washington and East Berkeley Street. For many people in New England, their only sense of safety was on the other side of that brick wall. But even that sense of safety would erode if the colonists deepest fears came true and the Narragansett Nation decided to join in on the fighting as well. The colonists have feared a Narragansett uprising long before King Philip’s War. In fact, it’s been one of the only things that’s prevented the leaders of Massachusetts from abusing them as much as they did the weaker tribes of New England. And although Canonchet, Sachem of the Narragansett Nation, just traveled to Boston to restate that his tribe has no plans of joining the fighting, Massachusetts and Plymouth still doubt his intentions. Therefore, the English decide that they will launch a preemptive attack on the Narragansetts via the largest showing of English military forces ever to be seen in New England at the time. Their unprovoked attack will take place in a Rhode Island swamp and it will end up being the bloodiest moment of King Philip’s War.
Benjamin Church arrives at the English basecamp in present day North Kingstown, Rhode Island on December 17th. They are stationed at Roger Williams old trading post that has since been sold to the Smith family. It sits about a mile outside of Wickford Village. The mood at the trading post is painfully tense. In just a couple of days these men will travel 12 miles southwest to present day South Kingston, an area which at the time is in the heart of Narragansett territory, and fight in what will probably be the biggest battle of their lives. By the time Church arrives at Smith’s trading post, minor skirmishes with the Narragansetts have already occurred. A few days earlier, on December 14th, a militia unit traveled 3 miles west to present day Exeter and attacked one of the Narragansett subtribes. 7 of the natives died in the fighting and their fort, known as Queen’s fort, was destroyed as well. However, their sachem, who is sometimes referred to as the Old Queen, managed to survive. Legend states that the queen was able to avoid death by hiding in a secret underground chamber that people still search for to this very day. The Narragansett retaliated by killing 3 English soldiers near Smiths trading post. Then, they raided the Jireh Bull’s Garrison, which lies about 9 miles south of Wickford right by the modern day intersection of Route 1 and Route 138. By the end of the raid, 15 Englishmen were killed. While important battles in their own right, they were but minor skirmishes compared to the fighting that’s about to begin. In a matter of days, the English soldiers and native warriors will engage in the deadliest battle of the entire war.
Standing at the center of a large Narragansett fort is the tribe’s Sachem, Canonchet. Above him, a flurry of snow can be seen falling from the clear winter sky. The Narragansett fort is located on a raised piece of land which lies at the center of a large swamp. Surrounding it are 12-foot high palisade walls which Canonchet hopes will protect his people from the English troops heading his way. While members of the Narragansett tribe run around the fort preparing themselves for battle, the stoic Sachem stands there silently with a stern look on his war paint covered face. The women frantically grab their children and hide them in wigwams while the warriors prepare their weapons for battle. Along with their more traditional weapons like war clubs and tomahawks they are also loading the flintlock rifle that they’ve become so skilled at using. Then, a small group of Narragansett warriors come rushing into the fort and let everyone know that the English are only minutes away. The people in the fort stop and an eerie silence fills the air. The eyes of the Narragansett women and children wander as they listen closely for the English soldiers. The warriors standing at the edge of the fort grip their rifles tightly while scanning the surrounding swamp. Then, at about 1:30 in the afternoon on December 19th, the battle begins. English troops begin charging across a long tree trunk heading towards the entrance of the fort. The warriors give out a loud war cry and begin firing at the English soldiers heading their way. As bullets whizz through the air, English men charging across the tree trunk are taken out left and right by the Narragansetts impeccable aim. Before long, lifeless bodies can be seen piling up on the swamp’s frozen ground. Eventually, the casualties prove to be too much and the colonists initial attempt at overtaking the fort fails. The Narragansett let out another loud war cry to celebrate their early success. For a minute, it seems as though they may actually survive the battle. But Canonchet knows the fight is far from over. During the English soldiers' second attempt they end up finding an unfinished section of the palisade walls, enabling them to make their way into the fort. Once in the fort, the English aim their weapons at any native they see standing in front of them, whether it be a man, woman or child. As English soldiers begin flooding into the fort at a horrific pace, the fighting quickly turns into hand to hand combat. For the past few decades, the Narragansett and English have harbored a deep sense of hatred for one another, both sides hoping to see the other destroyed. And now, they’re given the chance to unleash that fury on their enemy. A primal rage fills the men's bodies as they fight for their lives. For the next couple of hours the battle rages on and the once all-white snow is now stained with a red coat of blood. Then, as the English begin taking control of the interior Benjamin Church enters the fighting with his men. Church has seen his share of battle but has never seen anything like this. With the Narragansetts struggling to defend themselves, the English decide that all of the natives inside of the fort must be killed. Church witnesses innocent women and children being massacred all around him. Once it becomes clear that the English are victorious, they begin exiting the fort while burning its interior. Any Narragansett still inside is burned alive while those who try to escape are shot. By the end of the fighting, hundreds of Narragansett men, women, and children are killed, many being burned alive. Eventually, the English militia units regroup and begin making their way back to Richard Smith’s trading post in present day North Kingstown. Legend states that during the soldier's journey back home the flames from the burning fort could be seen from miles away. So many Narragansett men, women, and children were killed that day that the battle quickly became known as the Great Swamp Massacre. Although the exact location of the battle remains a mystery to this very day a monument commemorating the fighting is hidden deep in the woods of South Kingstown. Most Rhode Islanders will go their whole lives without ever even knowing it exists. It’s almost as if we are trying to forget this dark moment in our state’s rich history.
“Were all the Indians killed, father?” Thomas asks. But Benjamin Church is too deep in thought to respond to his son's question. He’s still thinking about the gruesome scenes he witnessed on that frigid December day. The image of dead bodies lying on the frozen floor of a Rhode Island swamp will forever be carved into his mind. Unlike most of the other English soldiers, Church respected the natives and although he wanted them defeated he never wished for them to be massacred. “Father, were all the Indians killed” asks Thomas once again. “No son, far from it” Church responds. He tells his son how Canonchet managed to escape along with hundreds of other Narragansett warriors. Not only had the English failed to remove the Narragansetts from the war but they ignited a rage in the warriors that would put the English at an even greater disadvantage. From that point on the Narragansetts decide that none of the English can be trusted and none must be spared, not even their Rhode Island neighbors. As 1675 comes to a close and the new year begins, so does a new type of violence in King Philip’s War. Hundreds of Narragansett warriors head north into the Rhode Island countryside, destroying everything in their path. The religious outcasts are forced to abandon their towns and take up refuge on aquidneck iskand. As Rhode Island is being burned to the ground, the English realize that they must find a way to turn things around or they may actually end up losing king Philip’s war. But that’s a story for next time on the season finale of the Story of Rhode Island Podcast.