New England Bloodbath

Marlborough has been laid waste, with only three houses left standing. In Narragansett, Warwick and Providence almost all buildings have been destroyed. Many houses have been burnt in Springfield, Scituate, Lancaster, Brookfield and Northampton. The greater part of Rehoboth and Taunton are destroyed. Many houses in Sudbury, Hingham, Weymouth and Braintree have also been burnt to the ground. And more than eight hundred men, women and children have been slaughtered.

What the heck was King Philip’s War?
The above (paraphrased) is a listing of some of the damage sustained on one side during King Philip’s War. Most Americans have never heard of this war, and if they were to guess where or when it was, would probably guess wrong. King Philip’s war was the first large-scale conflict fought by European settlers in the New World. It was fought in New England, especially in what are now the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, one hundred years before the American Revolution.

The bloodiest and most forgotten war in American history
The traditional image of the first Thanksgiving with Native Americans and English colonists feasting peacefully beside each other has some basis in truth. For several decades after the first English settlers arrived in New England they did coexist with the locals in relatively peace. However, in 1675 this calm was shattered when widespread violence broke out. It was the beginning of what some consider the bloodiest war in American History, with a higher percentage of the population (on both sides) killed than during any other conflict in U.S. history. Yet few people even know about this war, or even recognize the name history has given it.

Come over and help us? (More like, go back where you came from...)
The original official seal of the Massachusetts Bay Colony is one of the most potent expressions of the attitude of the early colonists toward the native people. The seal depicts a Native American clad only in a few leaves, clutching a bow and arrow, and speaking the words: “Come over and help us.” The Puritan colonists saw themselves as the potential saviors of the indigenous population. By bringing them Christianity and all the other trappings of English civilization, they would redeem the wild savages. At the same time, through their compassionate treatment, these English citizens would prove themselves superior to the Spanish, who were widely reviled in England for their abuse and slaughter of native people further south in the Americas.

King Philip, alias Metacom
For several decades many determined Puritans attempted to “save” the native population. Indian churches and “praying towns” were built throughout Massachusetts to teach Christianity and English literacy. The bible was even translated into Massasoit and printed in large numbers. Many American Indians moved into these towns, began wearing English style clothes, learned to develop the land, and some even to read and write in both English and the newly written form of Massasoit. But many others did not. Angry at the encroaching colonists and annoyed at their attempts to convert them to their religion and lifestyle, tensions were growing between many tribes and the Puritan colonists. When a Plymouth court executed two Indians, the leader of their tribe had had enough. He began attacks against English settlements all over New England, particularly in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This man was called Metacom but also commonly went by the name King Philip. The conflict named for him was the beginning of the end for most New England Indians.

Too gruesome to be called war?
But was this conflict really a war? One issue examined in this book is whether this 17th century conflict is correctly called a “war”. Some argue that it should be called “the Puritan Conquest”, others “Metacom’s Rebellion”, others view it mainly as an Indian civil war, and many others (especially contemporary accounts) believe that what happened in 1675-6 was simply too ugly and nasty to deserve the name “war”. A few descriptions of events are so shocking they will haunt me for some time, such as the image of young Puritan women savagely beating and kicking captured Indians (just a bit of contrast to black and white clad ladies roasting turkey and making cranberry sauce). There are also some detailed descriptions of atrocities committed by both sides that will turn just about any reader’s stomach. But whether this conflict was organized and political enough to fit the traditional definition of "war", the name King Philip's War has stuck.

Reinterpretations of war
This book is not, for the most part, a chronological retelling of the events of King Philip’s War. Instead, it examines several aspects of this conflict, in particular, how this war was remembered and interpreted both at the time and many generations later. The role of literacy in relation to the conflict, the printed histories of the war, the role of religion in the war, perceptions of captivity and bondage during and after the war, and the vilification of Philip by the colonists to justify their own actions are all considered in detail. The author also devotes a great deal of time to looking at ways the conflict was viewed much later, such as during the American Revolution and the Indian removal policy era of the nineteenth century.

A bit dry, like fine wine
Overall, this is an excellent book. It is unique in its presentation and viewpoint, elegantly written, and meticulously footnoted. The author chose to preserve the original spelling and language of all quotes, which works well and lends authenticity to the evidence she presents. There are also many interesting black and white pictures (such as that incredible Massachusetts Colony seal) included with the text. The author’s voice is extremely academic, however, which can be good or bad, depending on your preferences. I found a few spots difficult, because I was sometimes more interested in reading about action and events, and less about symbolic connections. I would not recommend this book to someone who is looking for an introduction to the events of King Philip’s War or a straightforward chronology. But for those who already have an interest in this time period, this is a worthwhile and intelligent narrative.

Final note
The author, Jill Lepore, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts and is a history professor at Boston University. The Name of War was first published in 1998 and won both the Bancroft Prize and the Ralph Waldo Emerson award.