The Treachery of Major Richard Waldron
Item
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Title
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The Treachery of Major Richard Waldron
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Date
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6 September 1676
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Description
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Soon after the English defeated King Philip’s Indian alliance in Southern New England, Major Richard Waldron was ordered by the Massachusetts government to discuss a peace with the Wabanaki Indians at his home in Cochecho [Dover], New Hampshire. However, Waldron also had secret orders to assemble a force of 400 militiamen and allied Indians and hide them in ambush. Soon after negotiations began, Waldron’s men sprung from the woods and seized 200 Wabanaki sagamores and warriors. Waldron sent these prisoners to Boston, where the governor executed seven or eight and sold the others into slavery in the Caribbean. Outraged by Waldron’s treachery, the Wabanaki Confederacy resumed its war against New England.
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Transcription
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[131] Many of those about Lancaster, and the Places adjoyning thereunto, did cunningly endeavour to hide themselves amongst those Indians about Pascataqua, that had newly made their Submission to the English, by Major Waiderns Means, and concluded a Peace; yet could neither dissemble their Nature and Disposition pail before from Suspicion of Mischief, nor yet so artificially conceal their Persons, but they were easily discerned by such as in former Times had any Acquaintance with the Eastern Indians by Way of Trade, or other Converse: Whereupon the Forces newly raised in the Massachusetts, under the Command of Captain William Hat home and Capt. Joseph Sill, designed for the subduing of those Indians about the River of Merrimack, and Pascataqua, that still flood out in Hostility against the English, meeting with those under the Command of Major Waldern aforesaid, and Capt. Frost of Kittery, it was mutually agreed betwixt [132] those several Commanders, to seize upon all those Indians that at that Time were met together about Major Walderns Dwelling at Quechecho [Cochecho]. The Contrivement succeeded according to Expectation, and all the said Indians were handsomely surprized, September 6tn, 1676, without the Loss of any Persons Life, either Indian or English, to the Number of near four hundred: by which Device, after our Forces had them all in their Hands, they separated the Peaceable from the Perfidious, that had been our Enemies during the late Troubles: finding about two hundred involved in the former Rebellion, more or less, accordingly they fent down to the Governour and Council at Boston, who adjudged seven or eight of them immediately to die; such as were known to have had their Hand in the Blood of the English, or that had been fried by their Means: the Rest that were found only Accessories to the late Mischiefs, had their Lives spared, but were sent into other Parts of the World, to try the Difference between the Friend- ship of their Neighbours here, and their Service with other Masters elsewhere.
[133] Those who had been always either Peaceable and True to the English never intermedling in the Quarrel, as Wannalancet the Sagamore of Pennicook, and some others, were quietly dismissed to their own Places.
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Century
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17th Century
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Decade material covers
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1670s
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Subject
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Richard Waldron (Major)
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Joseph Sill (Captain)
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Wanalancet
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Pennacook Indians
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Wabanaki Indians
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Piscataqua
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Cochecho
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Merrimack River
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Type
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Book
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War
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King Philip's War
