Soldiers in King Philip's war. Containing lists of the soldiers of ...

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confidence, and to have had very little trouble with them in the thirtyfive
years that he had lived near them. There had been provoca-
tions doubtless on the part of the English as well as the Indians,
and the Major, in common with other magistrates, was obstinate and
stupidly severe in the administration of English law upon a wild,
heathen people, who had no more idea of its meaning than of
Sanskrit. The Indians knew the meaning of gratitude as well as
vengeance ; they could bide their time and dissemble submission, but
they did not forget. Dover was a frontier town, and, several years
before the Avar, houses had been fortified and a stockade set up
about the meeting-house to prevent a surprise. Large numbers of
Indians were coming and going among the settlers, were received
and entertained in their houses, were well acquainted with the habits
and peculiarities of their home-life and ways of business and worship,
and it is probable that there was no other place in the Colony
where the relations of settlers and Indians were more free and kindly
than in this settlement at Dover. At the same time, here as elsewhere,
the English regarded the Indians with ill-concealed contempt
as inferior beings, and not really worth conciliating in permanent
friendship, but to be tolerated till such time as they could be conveniently
driven away.
It is probable that in military matters, as in all others, the direc-
tion had been in the hands of Major Walderne. The first record I
have found relating to this is the following commission from the
General Court, Oct. 7, 1674:
Capt. Richard Walderne having had the command of the militia in York-
shire, by authority from this Court, for the last two yeares past, & hath this
summer draune forth the regiment of foote & troope of horse there, exercised
them in military discipline, this Court doth heereby appoint him, the
said Richard Walderne, to be the sarjant majo r of the forces in Yorkshire,
and doe order, that he have commission as other majo r s have for authorizing
him to that service.
Col. Rec. Vol. v. p. 22.
When the alarm of the attack upon Swansea reached the people,
measures were at once taken to secure these frontier towns, and the
colonial authorities took steps to assist the more exposed and weaker
settlements. The following letter will show the Council alert also
to secure active cooperation of forces all along the lines :
ffor Maj r Rich d Waldern.
Having Acquainted the Council what I advised you the fifteenth Inst.
I am commanded by them to order you forthwith w th 50 or 60 sonldiers
under your owne or Mr. Plaisteds or some other sufficient conduct you
march to Pennicooke supposed to be y e great Raudevous of y e enemy,
where you may expect to meet Capt. Mosely, who is ordered thither and
hath sufficient commission, to pursue kill & destroy them w ch also you must
attend as y r work unless such as shall willingly deliver up their amies &
themselves or sufficient hostages to secure their peaceable behaviour you
22*