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.

Twitter: @TheHistoryOfTh2

Facebook: The History of the Americans Podcast

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

Timeline of the Pequot War