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

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the enemies' country, one of the English soldiers wore squeaking
shoes, and the Indian leader insisted upon his changing them for his
own moccasins, while he carried the shoes slung at his back, and
himself went barefoot. Another of the soldiers wore a pair of
leather breeches, which being dry made a rustling noise, which the
Indian objected to and refused to proceed until the breeches were
either removed or soaked in water to prevent the rustling. The
chief element of success in Indian warfare was the secrecy and silence
of their movements. We can appreciate therefore the immense
advantage the early and general use of the friendly Indians would
have brought to the forces of the colony. It is probable that nearly
all the fearful disasters which came to our troops and the many defeats
and disappointments which came to their plans, might have
been prevented but for the stupid prejudice and distrust, which shut
out and contemptuously ignored the willing services of the Christian
Indians. The Governor and Council and most of the men in
authority, and many of the chief officers like Gen. Denison, Major
Willard, Major Savage, Capts. Prentice and Henchman, favored
the use of friendly Indians ; indeed the Governor, July 2, 1675,
gave orders to Gen. Gookin to raise a company of the Christian
Indians, for service at Mount Hope. In pursuance of this, one
third of the ablebodied men in all the villages were mustered and
amounted to a company of fifty-two. This company was conducted
to Mount Hope by Capt. Johnson and a small escort, and there de-
livered to the commander of the forces. All served twenty-five
days, when one half their number were dismissed, the rest remaining
until the close of the campaign, as seen under the chapter devoted
to Capt. Henchman's operations. All acquitted themselves satisfac-
torily to their officers. Some of them proved their sincerity in the
barbarous way of that day ; for it is told that John Hunter, Thomas
Quanapohit, and Felix, brought home to Gov. Leverett four of the
scalps of enemies slain by their hands in this campaign ; and Job
Nesutan, the principal assistant of Mr. Eliot in his translation of the
Bible, was killed. There can be little doubt that if in the pursuit
of Philip into the Nipmuck country, the counsel of the Natick In-
dians had been heeded by Capt. Henchman, Philip and most of his
company would have been destroyed, the Mohegans having on the
previous day sorely pressed them and driven them into swamps.
In the negotiations attempted by Capt. Hutchinson with Quabaug
Indians, three of the Christian Indians were sent as guides and interpreters,
viz. : George Memecho, and the brothers Joseph and
Sampson, sons of old Robin Petuhanit deceased. These all strongly
advised against the advance, and warned the English, but were
in the fight with Capt. Wheeler's men. George was captured
and afterwards escaped, bringing back an intelligent account of the
situation of the hostile tribes ; and it is probable that the entire
force under Capt. Wheeler would have been destroyed but for the