English Colonial Forces take the Great Swamp Fort during King Phillip's War - 1675

On November 2, 1675, tensions escalated in King Philip's War as colonial forces from Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and Rhode Island began preparations for a brutal assault on the Narragansett stronghold known as the Great Swamp Fort. Though the actual battle occurred on December 19, the events of early November marked a turning point in colonial-Native relations and set the stage for one of the bloodiest confrontations in New England history.

Prelude to the Great Swamp Fight

King Philip's War, which erupted in June 1675, was the culmination of decades of tension between English settlers and Native American tribes in New England. The war was named after Metacom, known to the English as King Philip, the Wampanoag sachem who led a coalition of tribes resisting colonial expansion and encroachment on Indigenous lands.

By autumn 1675, the conflict had spread across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The Narragansetts, a powerful Algonquian-speaking tribe located in present-day Rhode Island, had initially declared neutrality. However, their harboring of Wampanoag refugees-women, children, and elderly fleeing colonial retaliation-was viewed by the English as a hostile act. Despite a treaty signed in October 1675 promising neutrality, colonial leaders feared the Narragansetts would soon join Metacom's uprising.

On November 2, colonial authorities from Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and Rhode Island began coordinating a military campaign to preemptively strike the Narragansetts. This decision violated Rhode Island's charter and sovereignty, as the colony had not authorized military action on its soil. Nevertheless, the United Colonies formed a joint force of over 1,000 militia and allied Native warriors, including Pequots and Mohegans.

Strategic Importance of the Great Swamp Fort

The Narragansetts had constructed a fortified winter encampment deep within the Great Swamp near present-day South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Surrounded by frozen wetlands and dense forest, the fort was considered nearly impenetrable. It housed hundreds of warriors and an even larger population of non-combatants-families seeking shelter from the war.

Colonial leaders, including Governor Josiah Winslow of Plymouth and Major Samuel Appleton of Massachusetts Bay, saw the fort as a strategic threat. They believed it could serve as a staging ground for future attacks and feared it was already harboring Metacom himself. These assumptions, though unproven, fueled the urgency of the campaign.

The Assault and Its Aftermath

Though the attack was planned in early November, logistical challenges delayed the offensive until December 19. On that day, colonial forces marched through snow and ice to reach the Great Swamp. Led by a deserter from Philip's forces, they navigated the treacherous terrain and launched a surprise assault.

The battle was ferocious. Colonial troops breached the palisade walls and set fire to the fort, killing an estimated 97 Narragansett warriors and between 300 to 1,000 non-combatants, including women and children. The fort was destroyed, and hundreds were captured. Colonial losses were also significant, with around 70 killed and 150 wounded.

Historians have described the Great Swamp Fight as one of the most brutal and lopsided encounters in New England's colonial history. The massacre shattered any remaining trust between the Narragansetts and the English. In response, the Narragansetts formally joined King Philip's alliance and launched retaliatory raids across southern New England in early 1676.

Political and Cultural Ramifications

The attack on the Great Swamp Fort had profound consequences. It marked a turning point in King Philip's War, transforming a regional conflict into a full-scale war involving nearly every major tribe in southern New England. The colonial decision to violate Rhode Island's neutrality and sovereignty also exposed deep divisions among the colonies.

Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island and a longtime advocate for peaceful relations with Native peoples, was devastated by the attack. He had personally negotiated the neutrality treaty with the Narragansetts and viewed the colonial invasion as a betrayal. When Narragansett warriors later approached Providence, Williams attempted to negotiate peace but was rebuffed. The town was burned in retaliation.

The war continued into 1678, leaving thousands dead and dozens of Native communities destroyed. The Narragansetts, once a dominant force in the region, were decimated. Survivors were enslaved, displaced, or absorbed into other tribes. The colonial victory came at a staggering human cost and reshaped the demographic and political landscape of New England.

Legacy of November 2 and the Great Swamp Campaign

While the actual battle occurred in December, the decisions made on November 2, 1675, were pivotal. They reflected the colonial mindset of preemptive aggression, territorial expansion, and racialized fear. The coordination among the four colonies demonstrated the growing power of intercolonial alliances, but also their willingness to override legal boundaries and treaties.

For the Narragansetts, the events of November and December 1675 marked the beginning of the end. Their neutrality was punished with annihilation, and their role in King Philip's War became a tragic chapter in the broader story of Indigenous resistance and colonial conquest.

Today, the site of the Great Swamp Fight is commemorated with a monument in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. It stands as a somber reminder of the violence and complexity of early American history-a history shaped not only by battles and treaties, but by the choices made in moments like November 2, 1675.

**Sources: **

Wikipedia

The National Park Service

Britannica