King Philip’s War 7: The Turn of the Tide

Maps of New England during King Philip’s War

March 1676 had been catastrophic for the settlers of New England. Algonquians allied with Metacom (King Philip) attacked all across the frontier, forcing the evacuation of far-flung towns in both Massachusetts and Plymouth, and destroying Providence, Rhode Island. The tide, however, was about to turn. The New English captured Canonchet, the leading military commander of the Narragansetts on April 3, 1676. Less than three weeks later, the Algonquians would win a decisive tactical victory at Sudbury, Massachusetts, but shortly thereafter their alliance would begin to fracture because of a shortage of food, a vicious epidemic, the dawning realization that the English had many more fighting men, and – perhaps most importantly – attacks by the Mohawks from the west. The coastal Algonquians, who had lived mostly at peace with the English for more than 50 years, were now between the ultimate rock and hard place.

Along the way, both sides, but especially the English, would miss many opportunities for peace, and the war would continue in spite of catastrophic losses by both sides.

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Selected references for this episode (Commission earned for Amazon purchases through the episode notes on our website)

Matthew J. Tuininga, The Wars of the Lord: The Puritan Conquest of America’s First People

 Eric B. Schultz and Michael J. Tougias, King Philip’s War.

William Hubbard, Sermon of May 3, 1676, before the General Court of Massacchusetts.