Esopus Wars The Esopus Wars were two localized conflicts between the indigenous Esopus tribe of Lenape Indians and colonialist New Netherlander s during the latter half of the 17th century in what is now Ulster County , New York . Like many other wars during the colonial period , at bottom they were the result of competition between European and Indian cultures , aggravated by mutual misunderstanding and suspicion . The first battle was started by Dutch settlers ; the second war was a continuation of grudge on the part of the Esopus tribe . The most lasting result of the wars was the display of power by the Esopus . These two wars coincided with the broadening of English interests in the Dutch territories of the New World . The Dutch difficulty in defeating the Esopus alerted the English to the power of these Native Americans . Background . In 1609 , Henry Hudson explored the river which was named after him . Many of the natives he encountered had never seen European men before and , some were unaware that there were any other people in the world . They were disturbed when , five years later , a Dutch factorij ( trading post ) was established where Kingston , New York stands today . This land was occupied by the Esopus tribe , who used it for farming . They destroyed the post and drove the settlers back to the south . Colonists established a new settlement in 1652 at Kingston , but the Esopus drove them out again . In 1658 the Dutch returned to the area as they believed it good for farming . They built a stockade at to defend the village . The colony was named " Wiltwijck " . Skirmishes continued , but the Esopus were not able to repel the Europeans . Instead , the Esopus granted the land to the settlers . They hoped to limit the foreigners and keep them from overrunning too much important crop land . First Esopus War . The first Esopus War was a short - lived conflict between Dutch farmers and the Esopus , largely started by fear and misunderstanding on the part of the settlers . On September 20 , 1659 , several Esopus men were hired to do some farm work for the settlers . After they had finished and had received their pay in brandy , a drunken native fired a musket in celebration . Although no one was hurt , some the Dutch townsfolk suspected foul play . Although a group of soldiers investigated and found no bad intentions , a mob of farmers and soldiers attacked the offending natives . Most escaped . The next day they returned with hundreds of reinforcements , and Esopus forces destroyed crops , killed livestock , and burned Dutch buildings . Completely outnumbered and outgunned , the Dutch had little hope of winning through force . But they managed to hold out and make some small attacks , including burning the natives ' fields to starve them out . They received decisive reinforcements from New Amsterdam . The war concluded July 15 , 1660 , when the natives agreed to trade land for peace and food . The peace , however , was tentative at best . Tensions remained between the Esopus and the settlers , eventually leading to the second war . Second Esopus War . In the hope of making a treaty with the Esopus , Dutch emissaries contacted the tribe on June 5 , 1663 , and requested a meeting . The natives replied that it was their custom to conduct peace talks unarmed and in the open , so the gates of " Wiltwijck " were kept open . The natives arrived on June 7 in great numbers , many claiming to be selling produce , thereby infiltrating deep into the town as scouts . By the time word arrived that Esopus warriors had completely destroyed the neighboring village of " Nieu Dorp " ( modern day Hurley ) , the scouts were in place around the town and began their own attack . Well - armed and spread out , they took the Dutch by surprise and soon controlled much of the town , setting fire to houses and kidnapping women before they were driven out by a mob of settlers . The attackers escaped , and the Dutch repaired their fortifications . On June 16 , Dutch soldiers transporting ammunition to the town were attacked on their way from Rondout Creek . The Esopus were again repelled . Throughout July , Dutch forces reconnoitered the Esopus Kill . Unable to distinguish one tribe from another , they captured some traders from the " Wappinger " tribe , one of whom agreed to help the Dutch . He gave them information about various native forces and served as a guide in the field . In spite of his help , the Dutch were unable to make solid contact with the Esopus , who used guerilla tactics and could disappear easily into the woods . After several unproductive skirmishes , the Dutch managed to gain the help of the Mohawk , who served as guides , interpreters , and soldiers . By the end of July , the Dutch had received sufficient reinforcements to march for the Esopus stronghold in the mountains to the north . However , their ponderous equipment made progress slow , and the terrain was difficult . Realizing their disadvantage , rather than attacking the Esopus force , they burned the surrounding fields in the hope of starving them out . For the next month , scouting parties went out to set fire to the Esopus fields , but found little other combat . In early September , another Dutch force tried to engage the Esopus on their territory , this time successfully . The battle ended with the death of the Esopus chief , Papequanaehen , as well as several other men , women , and children . The natives fled , and the Dutch , led by Captain Martin Cregier , pillaged their fort before retreating , taking supplies and prisoners . This effectively ended the war , although the peace was uneasy . Outcome . After the second war , the Dutch settlers remained suspicious of all Indians with whom they came into contact . Reports made to the Dutch government in New Amsterdam cited misgivings about the intentions of the Wappingers and even the Mohawks , who had helped the Dutch defeat the Esopus . Dutch prisoners taken captive by natives in the Second Esopus War were transported through regions no white man had yet seen . Upon their release , they described the land to the Dutch authorities , who set out to survey it . Some of this land was later sold to French Huguenot refugees , who established the village of New Paltz . In September 1664 , the Dutch ceded New Netherland to the English . They were said to take a more patient and fair stance toward the natives . The boundaries of Indian territory were carefully established , the land taken for the Crown was paid for , and the remainder of the Native American land could no longer be taken without full payment and mutual agreement . The new treaty established safe passage for natives for trading , declared " that all past Injuryes are buryed and forgotten on both sides , " promised equal punishment ( execution ) for settlers and Indians found guilty of murder , and paid traditional respects to the " sachems " and their people . Over the course of the next two decades , Esopus lands were bought up and the natives were peacefully but inexorably driven out , eventually taking refuge with the Mohawks north of the Shawangunk mountains . Today , some of their descendants live on the Stockbridge - Munsee reservation in Shawano County , Wisconsin as well as among the Munsee Delaware of Ontario . Some historians believe surviving Esopus joined with the Ramapough Mountain Indians of New Jersey following the wars . In this they followed the course of some Wappinger people after Kieft ' s War in 1643 .