mand of Capt. PIERCE, and Capt. WATKINS, were ord dered out for the purpose of affording protection to the defenceless inhabitants of towns most exposed to their incursions on the 5th they marched to Pautuxet, near where there were a considerable body of Indians en camped, whom on the morning of the 5th, they fell in with and attacked--the enemy at first appeared but few in number, but these were only employed to decoy the English, who on a sudden found themselves surrounded by near 500 Indians, who, with their tomahawks and scalping knives, rushing furiously upon them, threatened them with instant destruction!-The English now acting upon the defensive, although surrounded by five times their number, fought with their usual spirit, and were resolved to sell their lives at as dear rate as possible, they were very soon however compelled to yield to the superior force of their savage enemies; but five escaped!-This victory, though of considerable importance to the savages, cost them a number of their bravest warriors, 93 of whom were the proceeding day found dead upon the field of action; there were in this engagement about 20 friendly Indians with the English, who fought like desperadoes, one of them observing Capt. PIERCE unable to stand, in consequence of the many wounds he had received, for nearly two hours bravely defended him; when perceiving his own iminent danger, and that he could afford the captain no further assistance, by blacking his face as the enemy had done, escaped unnoticed.

On the 25th March, a party of Indians attacked and burnt the towns of Weymouth and Warwick, killing a great number of the inhabitants.-On the 10th April following they pillaged and burnt Rehoboth and Provi

dence.

On the 1st May a company of English and 150 Mo.

hegans, under command of Capt. GEORGE DENNISON, were sent in pursuit of a body of the enemy commanded by the son of MIANTINOMI; on the 8th they met with and attacked them near Groton-the Indians, ap parently determined on victory or death, displayed an unusual degree of courage, but the English and Mohegans proved too strong for them, who after destroying the greater part with their muskets and tomahawks, drove the remainder into a neigboring river, where they soon perished.

On the 23d, CONONCHET, Sachem of the few scattered remains of the Narragansets, proposed to his Council that the lands bordering on Connecticut river, not inhabited by the English, should be by them planted with corn, for their future subsistence; which being approved of by the latter, 200 of the Narragansets were despatched for this purpose, the Governor being apprized of their intentions despatched three companies of cavalry to intercept them; about 100 of the Mohegans, under the command of ONECO, accompanied the English-the enemy were commanded by CONONCHET in person, who first proceeded to Seconk to procure seed corn; it was in the neighborhood of this place that they were first met with and engaged by the English and Mohegans-the enemy with becoming bravery for a long time withstood the attack, but being but poorly provided with weapons, they were at length overpowered and compelled to yield to the superior power of their enemies-in the midst of the action CONONCHET, fearful of the issue, deserted his men and attempted to seek shelter in a neighboring wood, but being recognized by the Mohegans, they pursued himCONONCHET perceiving himself nearly overtaken by his pursueres, to facilitate his flight first threw away his blan ket, and then his silver laced coat (with which he had been presented by the English a few weeks previous)

but finding that he could not escape from his pursuers by flight, he plunged into a river, where he was even followed by a half a dozen resolute Mohegans, who laying hold of him forced him under water and there held him until drowned. The loss of the English and Mohegans in this engagement was 12 killed, and 21 wounded, that of the enemy was 43 killed and about 80 wounded.

The inhabitants of New-London, Norwich and Stonington, having frequently discovered a number of the enemy lurking about in small bodies in the adjacent woods, by joint agreement voluntarily enlisted themselves (to the number of 300) under the command of Major PALMKE, and Captains DENISON and AVERY, who with the assistance of the Mohegans and a few friendly Narragansets, in three expeditions destroyed near 1000 of the enemy.

On the 8th June, the Indians assaulted and burnt Bridgewater, a small settlement in the colony of Massachusetts; forty of its inhabitants fell victims to savage barbarity.

The Governor and Council of Massachusetts colony, aware of the danger to which many of the inland settlements were exposed, by frequent incursions of the enemy, and finding it extremely difficult to raise a sufficient force to oppose them in the many parts to which the fragments of the broken tribes had resorted, adopted the policy of sending among them, as spies, such Indians as were friendly and could be depended on; which plan had its desired effect-these Indians representing the force of the English much greater than it really was, and warning the enemy of danger which did not at that time exist, deterred from acting in many instances on the offensive. One of the friendly Indians returning to Boston on the 10th July, reported as follows:-that a large number of Indians were embodied in a wood near Lane

Caster, which village they intended to attack and burn in a few days, that they had been encouraged to, continue the war with the English by Frenchmen, from the great lake, who had supplied them with fire arms and amunition!"

On the receipt of this important information, the Governor dispatched three companies of cavalry, under the 'command of Major SAVAGE, for the defence of Lancaster, who unfortunately by mistaking the road fell into an ambush of about 350 Indians, by whom they were instantly surrounded-the English exhibited great presence of mind, and repelled the attack of the enemy in a very heroic manner; the savages being however well provided with fire arms, soon gained a complete victory over the English, whose loss in this unfortunate engage ment was fifty-four!-the number of killed and wounded of the enemy could not be ascertained as they remained masters of the field of action.

On the 15th a severe engagement took place between a company of English cavalry and about 300 of the enemy, near Groton-the latter were not perceived by the former, until they were within a few paces of them (the Indians having concealed themselves in the bushes) when suddenly issuing forth with a hideous yell, the cavalry were thrown into confusion, but instantly forming and charging the enemy with great spirit, they fled in every direction-the cavalry, in attempting to pursue them, were once more ambushed; the contest now became close and severe, the Indians having succeeded in de coying the English into a thick wood, attacked them with great fury and success.-The commander of the English being killed, every man sought his own safetyof forty-five of which the company was composed, but twelve escaped!-the loss of the enemy was however supposed to be much greater.

H

On the 12th August a party of Indians entered the town of Westfield, killed and took several of the in. habitants prisoners, and burnt several houses.-Three of them soon after made their appearance at a house near said town and fired at the man at his door, who fell; they ran towards him, and one of them stooping to scalp him, he was saluted by the man's wife, with a stroke from a large hatchet, which went so completely into his body, that at three different efforts she could not disengage it, and the Indian made off with it sticking in him; a se. cond Indian also made an attempt, when she by a well directed stroke with a stick she had got, laid him on the ground; the third then run, and the other, as soon as he had recovered his feet, followed the example, on which the woman took her husband in her arms and carried him into the house, where he soon after recovered.

On the 17th, a party of Indians commenced an attacks on Northampton, but there being a number of English soldiers therein stationed, the enemy were repulsed.

On the 20th, a number of the inhabitants of Springfield were attacked by a party of Indians as they were returning from divine service, and although the former were provided with fire-arms, the enemy succeeded in making prisoners of two women and several children, whom they soon after inhumanly tomahawked and scalp. ed; in which situation they were the succeeding day found by a party of English sent out in pursuit of the enemy -one of the unfortunate women (although shockingly mangled) was found still alive, and when so far recovered as to be enabled to speak, gave the following account of the fate of her unfortunate companions, to wit:-That they were first conveyed by the savages to a thick wood, where they were severally bound with cords, that the Indians soon after built a fire and regailed themselves with what they had previously stolen from the English;