Norwich bulletin., 1909-07-03
25oth Anniversary Edition Norwich Bulletin

ally taken the fplaces or tne less hiBn- l | ly developed peoples. Savage and l | semi civilized races have always quar- l reled with each other upon slight pre- | texts and their alliances and treaties of peace have always lasted but brief | tn Q. It may be stated as general law of the progress of civilization that | the more highly developed races and | peoples have gradually taken the place Of those less fitted to survive.
 l When the English first came to Con- rocticut they found various Indian | tr bes, more or less connected with each other who had been and contin- ued to be quarreling on slight pretexts. To understand the history of the set | t,6ment of Norwich we need to bear in | inind the relationships of four Indian | f.tes: 1. the Pequots, living on the sf ores of Long Island Sound, includ- ing the territory now occupied by New | London Groton and Stonlngton: 2. the sl eat rivals of the Pequots. the Mar ragansetts, living to the east of the pcquot territory in what is now the state of Rhode Island: S. the Niantics, allled by race to the Narrangansetts and living to the west of the Pequots iu the territory now occupied by Lyme and Saybrook; 4. the Mohegans, living to the north and west of the Pcquots in the area where Norwich now lies.
 The Moheqans, from which this ter rilcry was purchased, were originally d part of the Pequot tribe, and were O. the same stock with the Mohicans | Of the Hudson. It Is possible that they had come to this part of Connec- t.out not long before the arrival of the | white men.
 Uncas, the chief of the Mohegaas, Trad married in 1926 the daughter of Ssssacus, the Pequot sachem, thus al- | lVfng himself still more closely With l h fxs Iyfr n TtH IIU U- ta, was exceedingly restless and ann | tltious and continually rebeliet , against his superior. Each time he was forced to yield, but always by re- rewed submission gained pardon and l recovered hIs lands.
 In April of 1637 the Peauot Indians trade an attack upon Wethersfield witch so alarmed the general court Tor the safety of the new settlements that ar was declared against them on Nay st Major John Mason secured the aid of the Mohegans. under Uncas, and Rc ger Williams that of the Narragaan- svits so that these two rival tribes were for the time united against their | common foe. An attack was made on the Peouot fort. and of the 700 Indians v-ho were supposed to be in the fort at the time only seven escaped ana seven were taken prisoners. By this 1 es petition the .Pequots were almost 1T nCt quite eXterminated
 A treaty between the English, the Mohegans and the Narragansetts was soon after signed at Hartford. the ln- dians agreeing 10 keep the peace, and I to refer their difficulties to the Eng fish But the natural jealousy of Ine | two sachems. UncaS and Miantonomo s, on led to fresh difficulties, and open war broke out. Each tried to gain the sympathy and aid of the white men; Eut Uncas was the more successful. ln the words of other Indians, the Eng l.sh made him. high"
 The land upon which the settlement of Norwich was afterwards made, ly- l ing as it did. between the territory l of the Narragansetts on the east and that of the Mohegans on the west, be- came the battle ground of the hostile tribes Here came the scouts or the Narragansetts to spy out the iand, srd here was the lookout post Of the Nohegans.
 Regardless of the treaty by which Ii ey had promised to submit their cif- faculties to the English, an open rup- ture took place between the two tribes, end war broke out in the summer oi 164S.
 Tradition has preserved for us some i,terestnq incidents of that war; Ml- antonomo, the Narragansett chief se clstlv assembled his forces and march- ed against the Mohegans, crossing tpe Slatucket at the ford not far rom the ;lrction of the Quinebaug. From thls Joint they streamed across the hill and through the woods, crossing the Yam tie by the ford at No Mans acre, aI | or near the point where the present sherman street crosses the river.
 lrncas. having been informed oi their approach, met them on me Great Plain" west of the river. Ihls | IGreat Plain. having received this name from the fact that it lay east Of the s, .tlements at SaybroOk. Uncas sent 2 | IT. ossenger to request barley Wlti Niantonomo. and this being granted tic two sachems met on the plalh pe- Itxeen their armies. Uncas sng- gested that he and Miantonmo shouio meet in single combat. thus decid' ing the fortune of the day, and at tn' same time sparing the lives of then warriors. As he said. "Let us tW' fight if out: if you kill me, my mer shall be yours; but If l XII Sou' S""i men shall be mine."
 The Narragansett chief seems t' have suspected some crafty artlhce and replied: My men came to hght and they shall fight" Uncas at thl' fell upon his face on the ground as signal to his followers. They were standing ready, with bent bows, an' I I.rows upon the foe. raising their battl' veil and rushing forward with then fomahawks Uncas himself starting ul and leading the charge The Nara gansetts were taken by surprise. Ihe! were carelessly awaiting the outcom' of thc conference between the sachems land hardly expected that the MoheSanl with their smaller numbers would ven ture to fight at all.
 In tnr battle which followed the Mar ragansetts were routed, and fled II wild manic back across the river. Ac lcordfng to the accounts given by tn jMohegars. so great was the alarm O the fugitives that they were driver like frightened sheep through wood land swamps, or captured without re sistance." It is said that one poo Narrayanse-t was found struggling am panting in the thicket near the river supposing himself in the water, ant trying to swim.
 At another time, or perhaps m con nection with this same wild flight, is said that one party of the Nara gansetts were so hard pressed by thei enemies that rashly or unawares the, plunged from the cliff on the west O the falls, and were dashed upon tn rocks below.
 Miantonomo himself in his fiieh reached hhe spot now known as Sa chem's Plain. Here he was overtake bv a Mohegan warrior who impeded hi flight aud aided Umias 10 capture hin
 For a while Miantonomo was kep prisoner. but at last his fate wa decided by the English. and it was de 1 creed that he should be put to deat by his conqueror The tradition is tha he met his fate on the spot where h ..ur ush d