A Continuation of the state of New-England being a farther account of the Indian warr, and of the engagement betwixt the joynt forces of the United English collonies and the Indians on the 19th of December 1675 ... Together with an account of the intended rebellion of the Negroes in the Barbadoes.

BOSTON In NEW-ENGLAND, February the 8th. 1675/6.

SIR,

MY last to you beared Date the 21st. of December, 1675. wherein I gave you a true Account of the state of our Affairs in New-England, particularly of the Engagement of our Forces with the Indians on the 19th, of December, 1675. and the number of the Slain and Wounded. I shall now continue my Intelligence according to your request, and my promise, and give you a true Account of all trans∣actions here (worth your information) since the foresaid 19th. of De∣cember.

Our wounded men (thanks be to God) are most of them pretty well re∣covered, and only Captain Sealy is dead that I can hear of. By some Indian-Prisoners, lately taken, we are certainly informed that they had 355. men killed out-right, besides several burnt in their Waggons, with Women and Children, and 180. wounded, many of which are since dead, particularly Sachem Quanepins Brother, who was a man of great Com∣mand among the Indians. That Night the Indians left the place where the Fight was, and Retreated 5. miles farther into the Country. Ninecroft an old Sachem in that Country, who hath hitherto continued Neuter, and neither assisted the Indians nor us, sent some of his men the next day, and Buried the dead Indians, and as many of the English as were left behind dead.

On the 23. and 24th. of December, the Indians sent some Commissioners to our General to Treat of Peace, which they had no mind to conclude; but we soon perceived it was only to prevent our falling upon them, and to gain themselves more time to remove their Army and Provision twenty miles farther into the Country, to some Rocks where we could not get at them without great danger. Although our General knew this, he was desi∣rous to keep the Treaty on foot by reason the Forces of the Collony of

Connecticot had left our Army, and we at home to recruit, and those sup∣plies from Boston, that are daily expected, not being yet Arrived, our Army was not in a condition to make any new attempts on the Enemy; but had not the Connecticot Forces left our Army, we had hopes that we might have compelled the Enemy to yield to our mercy. During this time, our Forces foraged the Country, and brought in great quantities of Indian-Corn to the Army.

About the beginning of January, the Forces from Boston that were sent to Reinforce our Army arrived at Narraganset, where our Army then lay: the extream coldness of the Season had mightily incommended them in their march; they lost Eleaven of their Men on their march, that were frozen to death, and brought many others sick and disheartned with the ex∣tream coldness of the Season: they were joyfully received by the Army; and soon after them the Connecticot Forces came to the Army, having Re∣inforced their Companies with some fresh men, and brought with them Unkus an Old Sachem, who dwelt in the Connecticot jurisdiction; he brought with him some Companies of his own Indians to the assistance of the English.

The Winter being now broke up, and the Snow and Ice all gone, our Army consisting in all of 1600. men, began their March to the Rocks, where the Indians were fled for protection; but in their way, they had in∣telligence that 300. Indians had been at Patuxit, an English Plantation on the Narraganset Bay, where they had burnt Mr. Carpenters Corn and Hay, and all his Houses, except his dwelling House, which likewise they had set on fire, but it was again quenched by some English that were in it: They likewise drove away with them 180. Sheep, 50. head of large Cattle, and 15. Horses: Besides, they took much Cattel from young Mr. Harris, and killed a Negroe-Servant of his; and having done this mischief, returned home with their Booty.

Our Army being Arrived in Pumham's Countlry, an Indian Sachem, we burnt his Town, and had a small Reincounter with some of his Indians, where we wounded his chief Captain Quaquash on the knee, and killed five of his Men, and had four of our Connecticot men wounded.

Our Scouts brought in Prisoner one Tift, a Renegadoe English man, who having received a deserved punishment from our General, deserted our Army, and fled to the Enemy, where he had good entertainment, and was again sent out by them with some of their Forces; he was shot in the Knee by our Scouts, and then taken before he could discharge his Musket, which was taken from him and found deep charged, and laden with Slugs: He was brought to our Army, and Tryed by a Counsel of War, where he pretended that he was taken Prisoner by the Indians, and by them com∣pelled to bear Arms in their Service; but this being proved to be false, he was Condemned to be Hanged and Quartered, which was accordingly done.

Our Army beat the Indians from the foresaid Rocks, and pursued them almost as far as Quabog, in which pursuit we killed about 60. or 70. of them, and found many of the Matts scattered in the way, with which they cover their Houses, which we suppose they could not carry with them by rea∣son

of our close pursuit. Some Prisoners taken from them, inform us, that their body consists of 4000. whereof 1800. were Fighting Men, half of which wanted Arms, that they were in great want of Powder, and greater want of Provisions.

Provision growing scarce in our Army, and the Enemy having cleansed the Country of things that might tend to our Relief, our General resolved to pursue them no farther, but to hasten homewards, which accordingly was done with what speed we could; but the scarcity of Victuals daily en∣creasing, we were forced to kill several of our Horses for our Sustenance. Our General dismist the Connecticot-Men, and sent them home the nearest way, and Old Unkus and his Indians along with them. They proved very faithful in our Service, and were well treated by us. Our General having left 60. men in Garrison at Mr. Smiths House, at Narraganset, where the Fight was on the 19th. of December, came home by the way of Malborough: Many of our Souldiers are troubled with the Flux, of which our General is one.

King Philip hath not yet been at Narraganset, as we feared; but is retired with his Men near Albany, where he hath kept his Winter Quarters. We very much fear the Indians falling on our Out-Towns this Spring, which if they should, would extreamly damnifie us.

Our Friend Mr. H. O. went out again into the Army, before he was cured of his old wound, and hath received another on his Elbow-joynt, which we fear will cause him to lose his Arm, if not his Life. Our Enemies are yet very Unmerciful, sparing no persons life that they can Master.

I see no likelihood of any Peace, but much fear our Wars are far from an end: Our Trade to Virginia is quite decayed, not one Vessel having gone from hence thither since the Wars began; but by a small Vessel Arrived here from thence, we are informed that the Indians have fallen unexpected on the English, and destroyed many of them, and done much harm with very little loss to themselves, but this report finds very little credit with us; by the next Shiping I shall (God willing) give you a farther Account of our Affairs, and in the mean time shall neglect no opportunity of informing my self of the transactions of these Parts, being sensible how much you have obliged

Your Friend to his Power, N. S.