Settlers versus Natives: the Great Swamp Fight, 1675

This decisive battle between militia of Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Connecticut colonies against members of the Narragansett tribe during King Phillip's War of 1675 had a cruel irony.  The Narrangansetts had not taken up arms against the colonists.  They were not members of the Wampanoag Confederacy.  They had given shelter to Wampanoag refugees including some members of King Phillip's/Metacomet's, family, but that was enough to turn the wrath of the English on them, too.

Ousamequin/Massassoit, the Great Sachem of the Wampanoag Confederacy, had been a loyal friend to the English settlers of both Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay for years following the landing at Plymouth in 1620.  Following his death in 1661, relations between the two sides quickly soured.  Colonists' demands for more land and more foodstuffs from the Natives angered Alexander, Massassoit's son, who was arrested and taken to Plymouth in 1662.  He died, possibly of poisoning, before returning home.  His brother, Metacomet took his place as Sachem and the hard feelings continued.  The Settlers accused the Natives of stealing English cattle, demanded compensation, more land and more yearly foodstuffs.  Fed up, Phillip rose against the English in 1675.  Eight soldiers were killed by the Wampanoag in an ambush near Bristol, Rhode Island.  Raids quickly followed on other Massachusetts towns. 

In December, 1675, Josiah Winslow, Governor of Plymouth Colony, led a combined force of 1,000 militia from Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Rhode Island and Connecticut, accompanied by 150 Mohegan warriors under Uncas, to what is now South Kingston, Rhode Island.  This was a large, palisaded Narrangansett village to which many of King Philip's warriors and some of his extended family had fled during the winter.  The Narrangansetts weren't part of the Wampanoag Confederacy and hadn't risen against the English.   The expedition was in the nature of a preemptive strike, as the English believed the Narragansett would join Phillip come spring, and as a means of locating those Wampanoag who had fled to Rhode Island. 

The Narrangansett were aware that English forces were in the area and, on December 15, 1675, led a strike of their own on a nearby English force at Bull's Garrison and killed 15 English soldiers.  On December 19, 1675, early in the morning, the English attacked the main Narragansett town.  Winter had frozen the swamps, making approach to the large palisade possible.  The English force of over 1,000 quickly overran the Narragansett defenses, setting the palisade and houses on fire.  The tribes winter stores were also burnt.  97 warriors and anywhere from 300 to 1,000 Native non-combatants were killed.  The English lost 70 killed and 150 wounded.  While the English wounded were tended in nearby Rhode Island settlements, Narragansett families fled into the winter cold with no food or shelter.  Hundreds more perished, although some managed to reach Wampanoag territory.  Neutral at first, they were willing to take their chances with Phillip's uprising now.  In 1676, both the Narragansett Sachem, Canonchet, and his entire family were executed.  Phillip was also killed and his wife and son sent to the Caribbean as slaves.  Colonial retribution for this uprising decimated the Wampanoag and the Narragansett, who wouldn't be able to mount any further resistance to Colonial takeover of their land.

A marker was placed at the presumed site of the battle in 1906, with descendants of the Settlers and the Natives taking part in the dedication.  When the monument was unveiled, a sudden rainstorm began, which must have been seen as an omen by those taking part.  In 1930, a Wampanoag/Narragansett scholar, Princess Red Wing, began a yearly commemoration of the battle, which includes a reenactment of the fight.