Swamp fight,
The name of one of the fierce struggles in King Philip's War. Philip and his allies—the Narragansets— had taken refuge in a fort which they had built in a pine and cedar swamp 3 or 4 miles west of South Kingston, R. I., for the protection of their winter store of food and their women and children.
This fort was made more accessible by the cold that had frozen the surface of the morass.
It was on rising ground in the morass—a sort of island of 3 or 4 acres— fortified by a palisade and surrounded by a close hedge a rod thick.
There was but one narrow entrance to the fort, defended by a tree thrown across it, with a block-house of logs in the front and another on the flank.
The colonial soldiers were enabled to approach the fort on the frozen surface of the morass.
As they approached they were met by a galling fire from the Indians, and many fell.
The troops pressed on, forced the entrance, and engaged in a deadly struggle.
The battle lasted two hours, when the colonists were victorious.
The wigwams were set on fire and the events of the
Pequod massacre were repeated.
The stores were consumed, with old men, women, and children.
Of the colonists, six were captured and 230 killed and wounded. In the midst of a snow-storm the colonists abandoned the scene that night (Dec. 19, 1675) and marched 15 miles. The troops engaged in the battle were composed of six companies of foot and one of cavalry from
Massachusetts, under
Major Appleton; two companies from
Plymouth, commanded by
Major Bradford; and 300 white men and 150
Mohegan and
Pequod Indians, in five companies, from
Connecticut, under
Major Treat.
The whole were commanded by
Josiah Winslow, son of
Edward Winslow, of
Plymouth.
