Connecticut Historical Collections

On March i2th, 1664, King Charles II. gave a patent to his brother, the Duke of York and Albany, of several extensive tracts of land in North America, in which the lands on tlie ivest side of Connecticut river were included. After granting the patent, an armament was sent from England, under Colonel Richard Nichols, for the reduction of tha Dutch possessions in America, Col. Nichols had a commission, not only for this pur[)Ose, but also for heai'ing and detei-mining all matters of comi)laint and controversy between the New England colonies. Af- ter Col, Nichols had subdued New Netherlands, and given it its pres- ent name,,iVt;jy York, he, with his associates, appointed by the Crown, met with the agents a|)pointed by Connecticut, and on the 80th of No- vember, 1661, determined that the western boundary of Connecticut should be a line beginning on the east side of IMomoronock creek or river, at the place where the salt water meets the fresh, at high water, and thence north northwest to the line of Massachusetts. The com- missioners also determined the southern bounds of the colony of Con- 20 O U T 1. I N E H 1 S C) U Y iiecticut 10 be the sea. By this decision, Connecticut lost all her pos- sessions on Long Island. The granting of such extraordinary powers 10 Col. Nichols and his associates, awakened in the colonics a serious apprehension lor tlieir liberties. Upon the pacification of the Dutch, the Duke of York took out a new patent from the king, dated June 29th, 1674, granting the same territory described in a former patent. Immediately after, he commis- sioned Major, afterwards Sir Edmund Andross, to be governor of New York and all his territories in these parts. Andross was a mere tool of the Duke, and a tyrant of the people. By virtue of the patent to the Duke of York, he laid claim to the lands on the ivest side of Connecti- cut river, notvvithstanding the priority of the patent of Connecticut, and in violation of the agreement of 1664. To enforce his claims, he attempted in 1(375 to take the fort at Saybrook ; he was however de- feated in this attempt, by the firmness and resolution of Capt. Bull. In 1G75, Philip, sachem of the Wampanogas, began the most de- structive war ever waged by the Indians upon the infant colonies. Lest he should increase his power by an alliance with the JN'arragansetts, the English made a friendly treaty with them in July, 1675. But notwith- standing this, in December of the same year, it was discovered that they were secretly aiding Phhilip's party. This determined the P^nglish to undertake a winter expedition against them. For this object tlTe colo- ny of Massachusetts furnished five hundred and twenty seven men, Plymouth one hundred and fifty nine, and Connecticut three hundred ; to all these were attached one hundred and fifty Mohegan Indians. After electing Josiah Winslow, governor of Plymouth colony, to be their commander, the whole party met at PettyqQamsquot. About sixteen miles from this place, it was found that the Narragansetts had built a strong fort in the midst of a large swamp, upon a piece of dry land of about five or six acres. The 'fort was a circle of pallisadoes, surrounded by a fence of trees, which was about one rod thick. On the 19(h of Deceniber, Kn."), at dawn of day, the English took up their march through a deej) snow, and at -I o'clock in the "afternoon attacked th^! Indians in their fortress. TJie only entrance which ap- peared practicable, was over a log or tree, which lay up five or six feet fronj the ground, and this opening was commanded by a sort of block- bouse in front. Tlie Massachusetts men, led on by their captains, first rushed into the fort, but the enemy, from the block-house and other places opened so furious a fire upon them, that they were obliged to retreat. Many men were killed in this assault, and among theni' Cap- tains Johnson and Davenport. The whole army then made a united onset. Tlie conflict was terrible, some of the bravest captains fell, and victory seemed very doubtful. At this crisis, some of the Connecticut men ran to the opposite side of the fort, where there were no pallisa- does ; they sprang in, and opened a brisk and well directed fire upon the backs of the enemy. This decided the contest. The Indians were driven from the block-house, and from one covert to another, until they were wholly destroyed or disperserl in the wilderness. As they retreat- ed, the soldiers set dw to their wigwams, (about six hundred in num- O U T I, I N E H I S T 0 U V . '^1 ber,) which were consumed by the (lames. In this action it was com- puted that about seven hundred f)ii,htinf,r Indians perished, and among ihem twenty of their chiefs. Three hundred more died from their wounds — to lliese numbers may be added many old men, women and children, who had retired to tliis fort as a place of undoubted security. " Of the three hundred Englishmen from Connecticut, eighty were killed and wounded, twenty in Captain Seely's, twenty in Captain Gal- lop's seventeen in Captain Watt's, nine in Captain jMason's, and four- teen in Captain jMarshall's com|)any. Of these about forty were killed or died of their wounds. About half the loss, in this bloody action fell upon Connecticut. The legislature of the colony, in a representa- tion of the services they had performed in the war, say ' In that signal service, the fort light, in iVarraganseit, as we had our ftdl numb(M-, in pro- portion with the other confederates, so all say they did their ftdl piopor- lion of service. Three noble soldiers, Seoly, courageous Marshall, and bold Gallop, died in the bed of honor ; and valiant Mason, a fourth cap- tain, had his death's wounti. There died many brave officers and sen- tinels, wliose memory is blessed, and wiiose death redeemed our lives. The bitter cold, the tarled swamp, the tedious march, the stong fort, the numerous and stubborn enemy they contended with, for their God, king, and country, be their trophies over death, lie that conmianded our forces then, and now us, made no less than seventeen fair shots at the enemy, and was thereby as oft a fair mark for them. Our mourn- ers, over all the colony, ^vitness for our men, that they were not un- faithful in that day.' It is the tradition, that Majoi', afterwards Gover- nor Treat, received a balJ through the brim of his hat ; that he was the last man who left the fort, in the dusk of the evening, commanding tho rear of the army. 'I'lio burning of the wigwams, the shrieks and cries of the women and children, and the yelling of the warriors, exliibited a most horrible and Jilleciing scene, so that it greatly moved some of tho soldiers. They were in much doubt then, and afterwards often serious- ly enquired, whether burning their enemies alive coidd be consistent with humanity, and the benevolent principles of the gospel."* in IG85, Chailes II. died, and was succeeded by the Duke of York, who took tlie title of James II. The latter part of the reign of Charles liad been distinguished by an oppression of his subjects. He lightly regarded the charters which he had at diflerent times granted, and tri- fled with the rights, jjroperty and liberty of his subjects. Tiie op- pression of Charles was increased rather than diminished by James, who was a tyrant and a bigoted Catholic. It was the object of those in power at that time, to |)rocure a surrender of all the patents of the colonies, and form the whole northern part of America into twelve j)rovinces, with a governor general over the whole. In July, 1GS5, a quo warranlo was issued against the governor and company of Connecticut, requiring their appearance before him, within eight days of St. INlarlin's, to show by what warrant they exercised cer- tain powers and privileges. In July, 1G36, the Assembly of the colony * Tnuiiltull's Tlibiory of Coiinccliriit. 22 O U T L I N E TI r S T O R Y , agreed upon an acklross to his mnjesty, in uliicli lliey in the most siip- phant terms besought hiui to recall the writ against them, entreated Ins pardon for any fauhs in their govertnnent, and humbly requested the continuance of their charter. On the 21st of the same monti), two writs o[' (juo loarranto were delivered to Governor Treat. They were brought over by Edward Randolph, a noted enemy of the colonies. The time of appearance before his majesty was jjast before the writs arrived. On the ^S'lh of l>)ecember, another writ of quo warranio was served on the governor and company, bearing date Oct. 23d, requiring their a])pearance before his majesty, within eight days of the Purifica- tion of the Blessed Virgin. Though these wiits gave no proper time for the a|)pearance of the colony, yet they declared all its chartered rights vacated, upon its not appearing at time and place. When the writs of </«o warranto arrived in 1(JS(J, the governor con- voked a special Assembly, on the 23th of Jidy, :Mr. AVhiting was ap- pointed the agent of Coimecticut, to present their petition and use every ellbrt for the preservation of their chartered rights. Mr. "Whiting, how- ever, found his utmost efforts to be in vain ; tlu; king and council had determined to vacate all the charters, and unite all the colonics to the crown, under a governor of royal appointment. Sir Edmund Andross was appointed the first governor general over New England, and arrived at Boston, Dec. 19th, 168G. He immediately wrote to the governor and company of Connecticut, to resign their charter, but without suc- cess. In October, 1(J87, Andross with a company of soldiers arrived at Hartford, while the Assendjly was in session, and demanded a sur- render of their charter. The charter was produced, and while the otFi- cers of the government were debating whh Andross on the subject, the lights were suddenly extinguished, and the charter was seized and se- creted in a iioUow oak. Andross, liewever, proceeded to take formal possession of the government, annexed it to INIassachusetts and ap- pointed othccrs, civil and militar)-.