1644. Virginia.— On Holy Thursday, 1644, Opechancanough and his warriors lcilled 500 white settlers in Virginia. Vigorous measures were taken by settlers, and the Indians were dispersed, their villages and the Powhatan confederacy (embracing nearly 50 petty tribes) destroyed, their chief captured and shot.
1648-56. New Sweden.— In April 1638 Peter Minuit, with his colony of Swedes, reached Delaware Bay. The colony was tmnsually prosperous, while Dutch interests there waned. Disputes arose as to titles of land; in 1648 the Dutch tried to erect a fort and houses on the Schuylkill? but were repulsed by the Swedes. Contumed friction, between the two races resulted, although Stuyvesant of New Netherlands and Printz of New Sweden agreed to be, and for three years were, allies. First one side would capture a fort, then the other; until, in 1656, after discussion by the States-General and Sweden (which came to naught), the city of Amsterdam bought the West India Company's interest on the South River (Delaware), and the colony of New Amstel was launched, while the authority of New Netherlands ceased.
1660. Bacon's Rebellion. See BACON'S RE BELLION.
1664-73. New Netherlands.—England seized New Netherlands, 8 Sept. 1664, and war was formally declared in March 1665. England suffered greatly at the hands of Holland in 1666, but continued to hold her American con quests. On 8 Aug. 1673 a Dutch fleet of 23 vessels, with 1,600 men, arrived off Staten Island and on the 9th anchored off the fort. The Dutch commander, Evertsen, at length opened fire, which the fort returned, but it then surrendered and the Dutch flag was raised.
1666. French and Iroquois,— The French waged war with the Iroquois and other tribes for 60 years, coming down from Canada, in vading and destroying their villages. As a result, peaceful white settlers suffered from Indian retaliation.
1675. King Philip's War.— John Sassamon or Sausaman, secretary and interpreter of the Wampanoags' chief (he had been a pupil of the apostle Eliot) heard of a plot to exter minate the English and reported it to the Plymouth authorities. King Philip, second son of Massasoit, who had been chief sachem of tribes between Charles River and Narragan sett Bay, was summoned and examined by the authorities. Learning of the informer, he
caused his death, 20 Jan. 1675. His slayers were, in turn, executed by the authorities. Then followed a series of Indian retaliations; eight or nine whites were killed at Swansy; in June companies from Massachusetts and Plymouth drove Pokanolcets from Mount Hope; Philip fled to Nipmucks, who killed Captain Hutchinson and 16 others; Brook field was burned; Deerfield and Northfield attaciced; Captain Beers and 20 men from Hadley slain; Captain Lathrop and 80 men icilled at Bloody Brook, near Deerfield, which was then burned; and Springfield and Hat field were attacked. War continued through the summer, and in October, fearing an attack from the Narragansetts, Governor Winslow with 1,000 men marched against them. All troops were assembled 18 December and on the 19th began the memorable battle, which ended in the complete rout of the once power ful Narragansetts. On 10 Feb. 1676 occurred the Lancaster massacre by the Nipmucics; and this, taken with the senes of calamities at Medfield, Worcester, Marlborough, Mendon, Groton, Weymouth, Sudbury, Clemsford, Springfield, Wrentham, Hatfield, Hadley, North Hampton, Andover and Bridgewater, make an appalling list of horrors. War was actively waged by Canonchet, son of Mian tonomo, until his capture by Captain Dennison and the Connecticut troops, and subsequent death at the hands of Mohegans. King Philip was killed at Bristol 12 August and the war was at an end.
1680. Port Royal, S. C.-- The Spaniards from Florida attacked the Scotch settlement at Port Royal, S. C., in 1680, completely destroy ing it. A force of 400 men was raised to re taliate, but this plan was forbidden by the proprietors, inasmuch as the colonists were supposed to be not wholly blameless.
1687-89. French and Senecas: Montreal.— The French waged war with Senecas 1687, de feating them. Indians then destroyed Fort Frontenac. In 1689 the Iroquois attacked Montreal, causing great devastation and loss of about 1,000 French.
1689-91. Leislees Rebellion.— See LEis