PE'QUOT (from Paquatanog. destroyers). A warlike Algonquian tribe formerly occupying the coast region of eastern Connecticut from the Rhode Island border westward to beyond the Thames. They were originally a part of the No began of the Connecticut River, and appear to have acquired their later name by their success ful invasion of the coast country until then held by the Niantie. The two tribes continued to be one people until the succession of Sassacus about the time of the English settlement, when a young er chief. Uneas, seceded with his party, who thenceforth acted as a distinct tribe, retaining the old name of Mohegan. By his diplomatic al liance with the English against his rival, Uneas was able to secure for himself and his tribe the dominant influence. Before the collision with the English, Sassacus bad successfully enforced his rule over all the various bands of Connecticut from the Narraganset country westward to about the present New Haven, together with the greater part of Long Island. At the period of their greatest strength the Pequot probably numbered at least 3000. By the murder in July, 1636, of a trader, John Oldham, who had maltreated them, the Pequot became involved in a war with the English in 1037. Through the influence of Roger Williams and 'Micas, the English secured the aid, or at least the neutrality, of the neighboring tribes, and then marched against the Pequot, who were thus left to fight their battles alone. On May 26 (0. S.), 1637, their principal fort, near Mystic River, was surprised and set on fire by a company of about 90 whites, under Capt. John
Mason (q.v.), aided by a small force of Indians, and probably 600 Pequot men, women, and chil dren perished in the flames or were shot down while trying to escape. The loss of the English was only two. The tribe was so crippled by the terrible slaughter that after a few desperate but unsuccessful efforts at resistance they deter mined to separate into small parties and abandon their country. The principal body, headed by Sassacus, attempted to escape to the Mohawk, but was intercepted and nearly every person was either killed or captured. The few who escaped to the Mohawk. including Sassacus himself, were killed by that tribe. Scattered fugitives were shot down wherever found until the few sur vivors at last came in aril asked for mercy at the hands of the English. All prisoners taken had been sold into slavery, many to the West Indies, and those who now surrendered were distributed among the other neighboring tribes and forbidden any longer to call themselves Pequot. The Pequot given to the Indian allies of the colonists were treated so harshly by their masters that it was finally necessary in 1655 to gather them into two villages in their old country and place them under direct control of the Colonial Government. Here they numbered about 1500 in 1674. They decreased rapidly, as did the other tribes, and in 1762 the remnant numbered only 140, who in 1832 had dwindled to 40.