History Comes Alive

In the aftermath of a very lopsided English victory over the Pequots at Mystic, the English were forced to make a hasty retreat. Most of their native support abandoned them. The Pequots rallied, and the English fled. Sassacus, the main sachem of the Pequots did not fare much better.

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What does total war look like? Can a people suffer the effects of total war and survive? Can their will to continue be crushed? What if they still have fighting power and ability? As we work through the massacre at Mystic, you be the judge. Were the actions taken justified? How would you have felt during the battle? In the aftermath? As an Englishmen? As a Narragansett or Mohegan? As a Pequot? You be the judge.

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They say a house divided against itself cannot stand. Well, the Pequots in 1637 were one such house. We've developed a working model of their last several years as far as relationships to other people. We've seen how the Europeans had first traded with them and then tried to subvert their power and influence. We've talked about the Narragansetts and both groups of Niantics. We talked about the debilitating effect the smallpox epidemic had had on their population. Lastly, we talked about the murder of Tatobem, their main sachem, and Sassacus, his son and successor. He was not his equal when it came to leadership and the building of consensus, which is how the natives governed -- not by authoritarian or totalitarian rule, but consensus. The main sachemship was kind of dynastic, in that it was not unusual that it followed familial lines, but the true leaders arose through both a reputation for good decision making and the ability to form a consensus around important decisions. Although the leadership would normally stay in the bloodline, a change at the top could be a little messy... especially if that change came rapidly, with many "legitimate" claims. That's what we'll look at today... the enemy within.

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The Pequots made a statement when they attacked Wethersfield. The Englishmen responded. It took a while for them to get on the same page, but eventually they did. Massachusetts Bay was the first to declare war, but Connecticut was the first to truly mobilize. They had no choice. The war would be fought on their soil. As the initial party under John Mason was leaving for Saybrook, they were joined by an unlikely group. Uncas arrived with a motley band of various native groups with the intent to assist the English...he had his own motives...but he proved himself to be a valuable asset and friend...many times over.

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The Pequots had been treated unfairly by both the English and, to a lesser extent, the Dutch, for a long time. What would happen if the Pequots fought back? This week we'll see what happened at Wethersfield when the Pequots struck. We'll also examine why they struck when they did.

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After a long lonely winter, Saybrook began to get the attention of both Massachusetts Bay and the other Connecticut settlements. How did that work? What were the motives? The Europeans had a very different mindset from the natives. Where did that come from? Was their collective world view and understanding of authority based on Niccolo Machiavelli? In this episode, we'll explore these questions.

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The winter of 1636-7 was a long and dangerous time for the folks at Saybrook Fort. Under siege and isolated. With the arrival of Thomas Stanton there would be one more meeting between the English at Saybrook and the Pequots. Stanton would be the interpreter. It did not go well. Who was Thomas Stanton, and what was his impact? What happened at the final Parlay? That's what we'll find out this week as we continue the march to total war.

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What were the conditions at Saybrook Fort? What did Edward Gibbon think about Saybrook and Lion Gardiner? Who were Thomas Hurlbut, Thomas Ramble, and Arthur Branch? What roles did they play in the Battle of the Burning Fields? These questions and more will be answered in this episode of History Comes Alive!

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What happens when you push a people too far? Who pays the price when the agitators come from far away, but leave their countrymen to deal with their actions? What is the value of having a trained military leader at these points? What happens if that trained military leader is ignored? Who was Matthew Mitchell? Find out in this episode of History Comes Alive!

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With the success of Roger Williams, the magistrates of Massachusetts Bay took the lead role in securing not just the neutrality of the Narragansetts in the coming war with the Pequots. They took the lead in securing Narragansett support. Full support on both offensive and defensive actions. Thus securing not only a powerful ally in the war to come, but also ensuring Boston and Plymouth were well protected. The war would be fought in distant Connecticut and not where the agitators lived. In this episode we'll find out how this change of heart occurred within the Narragansett camp?

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