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After the killing of John Oldham and his crew at Block Island, the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony mobilized an expedition of 90 men under the command of John Endicott. The goal was to deter Pequot aggression, but Endicott would prove, yet again, to be a stern and inflexible man who would fundamentally blunder into full-scale war with the Pequots. In this episode we look at Endicott’s raid, the attempt by the Pequots to seduce the Narragansetts into an alliance, the skillful diplomacy of Roger Williams, and the attack by the Pequots on Fort Saybrook in retaliation. We end the episode with one last missed opportunity for peace.
There’s a map on the website in the episode notes that is useful for sorting out the geography, if you don’t know southern New England like the back of your hand.
Also, if you live in Austin or within a reasonable drive, please let me know if you will join our meet-up of listeners on June 1, 2023 at 6 pm, at a venue still to be arranged. Please send me a note by email or direct message on Twitter or Facebook to let me know if you can make it, so I can estimate attendance and pick the right place.
See Jack’s interview with Jon Gabriel
Twitter: @TheHistoryOfTh2
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Selected references for this episode
John M. Barry, Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul
Francis J. Bremer, John Winthrop: America’s Forgotten Founding Father
Alfred A. Cave, The Pequot War
Charles Orr, History of the Pequot War: The Contemporary Accounts of Mason, Underhill, Vincent and Gardener
I’m very much enjoying the podcast and was eagerly anticipating the series in the Pequot War. Today’s episode was especially enjoyed because you mentioned my 8th great grandfather, Thomas Hurlbut.
Thank you! Tough times at the Saybrook Fort. I suppose you’re here only because he had survived his wound, unless he was a father before the siege. Do you know?