Charles Orr

History of the Pequot War Charles Orr

This book chronicles the war between the European colonists of New England and the Native American Pequot tribe in the 17th century.

Counting as the first large-scale conflict fought between the incipient colonial settlers and Native American peoples, the series of skirmishes that constitute the Pequot War are an important episode in North American history. The Pequot tribe were dominant in Connecticut, their leadership being markedly hostile in contrast to the friendliness and cooperation of other tribes.

As the accounts in this book testify, the battles proved increasingly costly for the Pequot tribe. Initially the Pequot mounted daring raids and insurgencies into the coastal territory of the colonists, taking captives and wreaking havoc in townships and outposts.

However, the alliance between the European settlers and the Mohegan and Narragansett tribes quickly gained momentum; the tables turned, and eventually the entire Pequot tribe was routed, with its remnants sold into slavery or kept as captives.

This book details not merely the war, but relevant affairs prior to and after it. The English of the 17th century accounts is preserved; spellings and language are different from that we know today. However, the attentive narrations of Charles Orr - a historian working in the late 19th century - clarify the information each source offers.