Welcome to the history of the Americans podcast episode a hundred and 56. I'm your host, Jack Han, and I'm recording this episode on 07/04/2024 in Orleans. Happy independence day everyone. A decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that we tell the history of the lands now encompassed by the United States from the beginning without intentional present.
In the last episode on the timeline war on the Hudson part 1, we talked about the Es sop Indians who occupied both banks of the Hudson River and the vicinity of Kingston New York. Aes sop were part of a larger tribal group than in the 17 twenties, would come to be known as the Mu. Robert S Gram and his 2009 book, the Mu Indians a history, puts them in context, quote, Just 400 years ago, 4 airs of Delaware speaking people.
Would later be known as Mu live quietly in an ancestral homeland that was wholly their own. He was a land of dense forests, broad, marsh lands and clear waters that stretched across the mid Atlantic slope of North America, between the lower Hudson and upper Delaware River Valleys, 2 islands. Manhattan on the lower Hudson, and mini sink in the upper Delaware, lay at the margins of this homeland. Near it's eastern, Indians on Manhattan, looking out on the bay on a fall morning in 16 o 9.
So Henry Hudson ship, a half moon. Sail into and up the river that would bear its captain's name. 150 years later. The descendants of these same Manhattan islanders living at Min. That's on the Delaware River in the far northwest corner of New Jersey for those of you without Google Maps at your fingertips would be forced to leave would it become for many a last refuge in a homeland seized by Europeans.
Although the homeland of these people is now the location of 1 of the world's great metropolis. The Indians who called at their home are a forgotten people? So thoroughly, have they rec seated from memory? That no 1 is completely sure where their lands were or what they originally called themselves. Linguist, tracing origins of Indian place and personal names recorded on maps and other documents left behind by Europeans. Think most of these people spoke mu.
The northern most dialect of the Eastern a Language they called Delaware. Their descendants became down as Mu only after 17 27. While colonists were driving them from their last ancestral lands. Than a mu appropriately enough means people for many. Most mu in turn became part of the Where Indian nation that formed an exile and Pennsylvania, Ohio shortly after many sink was finally abandoned by its original inhabitants. Just before the American revolution.
Today, descendants of these people, some of whom still call themselves mu and others who had identify themselves as Delaware or Mo lives scattered in exile in places like Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Ontario. The homeland of the mu ancestors lay across at 12000 square mile expanse of tide water and Timber. That stretch from the Atlantic ocean across Piedmont, Foot hills and Ridge valleys to the Appalachian Mountains, 100 miles farther Inland.
Their country took in the western most reaches of Long Island sound in present day Connecticut, extended across New York Harbor and it's ad joining Hint and reached over the Hudson highlands and through the Great Valley of Southeastern New York and Northern New Jersey to Northeastern Pennsylvania Coconut, Plateau and Lehigh Valley. The Cats Mountains marked its northern borders, the berkshire shares, the Tu iconic Mountains and Long Island's pine barron frame the territories eastern limits.
New Jersey pine stood watch over the southern frontier. Up divides separating the Delaware from the Su River drainage formed its western boundary. Back to me. The mu of the seventeenth century had no grand sac. The nations that fell into the language and kin group are familiar to people who know a lot of the place names in Lower New York and New Jersey, Len, Manhattan, Ra, Hack and Sa. Tap, w, rock, highs, and east sop,
among many. The first being something of a catch all name to describe several of these groups. I myself once worked in Mu, New York. Then and now, rather famously the home of an entirely different ancient tribe. Geopolitical, they were hemmed in from the north by the 5 nations of the Ir uruguay, principally the Mohawk from the west by the Su han an her a tribe that was outside of the 5 nations alliance. And from the east, by the A Speaking, Mo Pe, Nia na in Massachusetts. Among others.
The tribes were particularly different not just culturally but linguistic. It said that ir and A whereas dissimilar as Japanese and English. Astonishing as that may seem given their pro somebody in frequent interaction. Relations among these groups were anything but peaceful. Hence the presence of robust pal villages throughout the region before they even knew of Europeans.
As long standing and attentive listeners know, however, the arrival of Europeans and the robust trade that developed with them. Forever altered the relations among the tribe. The great game of the America Northeast became much more complicated. And much more dangerous. The wars along the Hudson were just 1 small example. The year is 16 63. The last complete calendar year of dutch rule in the lands of today's United States, although nobody knew that at the time.
On the Hudson, 3 years of pass since the settlement of the first Sop war, which we tackled in war on the Hudson in part 1. That piece would end on June seventh. The subject of this episode. But lots of other stuff was going on, and you know how we love context. On March 20 fourth, King Charles second of England issued the charter of Carolina, establishing the province of Carolina and dividing it between 8 lords prop. The story we will get too soon enough. On May third, Johan Bj Prince.
The mountain of a man who would govern new Sweden during its glory years, so to speak, died in Sweden. Time marches on for all of us. On July 8, Charles Granted John Clark acting under the direction of Roger Williams, a royal charter for the American colony of Rhode Island and Providence plantations. On July 20 seventh, Parliament passed the second Navigation act requiring that all goods bound for the American colonies must be sent in English ships from English ports.
Economically, this was every bid is ill considered as our own Jones act of 19 20. Which drives up costs for Americans, especially in our island districts to this very day. Some lessons need to be learned over and over again. On 09/13/1663. English Irish African and Indian ind servants and slaves in gloucester County, Virginia, conspired to revolt. The first meaningful slave revolt in English in North America. The plot was foil when 1 of the servants, John Burke head, tipped off the authorities.
In return, he received his own freedom and 5000 pounds of tobacco, enough to get a good start in life. In the midst of all of this, late in the morning on 06/07/1663. Soldiers of the Es sop Indians attacked the fortified dutch settlements of new village. Now Hurley, New York and Vi bike, now Kingston. New village was fundamentally destroyed Vi vic more populous and better defended fought off the attack, but not before suffering G casualties.
At new village, 3 dutch men were killed and 34 women and children were taken captive and carried away. In Vi vic, 12 men, including 3 of the garrison and soldiers died immediately. Along with 2 children. 8 more men were injured including 1 who died a few days later of his wounds, and the Iso sop Indians took 10 women and children prisoner.
In a letter to his superior in Amsterdam back in the actual Netherlands, The minister at Vi bike, Herman blu described the suffering in terms graphic enough that you might pause the podcast if there are little kids listening along. But but, quote, they lay the burnt and slaughtered bodies together with those wounded by bullets and axes. The last ago and the moons and limitations of many were dreadful here. The burnt bodies were most fright to behold.
A woman late burnt with her child at her side as if she were just delivered. Other women lay burnt also in their houses and 1 corpse with her fruit still in her womb, most cruel murdered in their dwelling with her husband and another child. So began, the second es war. We know a lot about this war because the commander of the Dutch Garrison captain Martin K kept a detailed journal that had survived.
An English translation exists and the Internet Wave back machine with the original post t succumb to Link right, but I've rescued it and put it into a blog post on the website for the podcast. K described the attack in detail, quote. They surprised an attacked between the hours of 11 and 12:00 in the 4 noon on Thursday the seventh, entering in bands throughout all the gates. They divided and scattered themselves among all the houses
and dwelling in a friendly manner. Having with them a little maze and some few beans to sell to our inhabitants. By which means they kept them within their houses, and thus went from place to place his spies to discover our strength in men. And after they'd been about a short quarter of an hour within this place. Some people on horseback rushed through the mill gate from the new village, crying, The Indians have destroyed the new village.
And with these words, the Indians here in this village, immediately fired a shot it made a general attack on our village from the rear, murdering our people in their houses with their axes and Tomahawk and firing on them with guns and pistols. They seized whatever, women and children they could catch and carry them prisoners outside the gates, ponder the houses and set the village on fire to win word. It blowing at the time from the south.
Remaining Indians commanded all the streets, firing from the corner houses, which they occupied and through the curtains outside along the highways so that some of our inhabitants on their way to their houses to get their arms were wounded and slain. When the flames were at their height, the wind changed to the west were it not for which the fire would have been much more destructive. So rapidly and silently did murder do his work.
That those in different parts of the village were not aware of it until those who had been wounded happened meet each other. In which way most of the others also had warning. The greater portion of our men were abroad at their field labor.
But few were in the village. Near the mill gate were Albert Just with 2 servants and tier Class d vi, at the sheriff, along with 2 carpenters, 2 clerk and 1 t at Cornelius Barron s himself and his son, at the domains, himself and 2 carpenters and 1 labor man at the guard house, a few soldiers, at the gate towards the river Hen Jacobs and Jacob the brewer, but Hen Jacobs was very severely wounded in his house by 2 shots in an early hour.
By these a said men, many of whom had neither guns nor side, were the Indians, through god's mercy, chased and put a flight on the alarm being given by the sheriff. Captain Thomas Chambers was wounded on coming in from without. Issued immediate orders with a sheriff in comm areas to secure the gates to clear the gun and to drive out the savages which was accordingly done.
After these few men had been collected against the barbarian by degrees, the others arrived, who it has been stated, were abroad at their field laborers. And we found ourselves when mustard in the evening, including those from the new village who took refuge amongst us, in number 69 and efficient men, both qualified and un. The burnt pal aids were immediately replaced and that people distributed during the night, along the bastion and curtains to keep watch. Back to me.
It's not entirely obvious why the Es sop indians broke the peace or why they did it when they did it. There are 3 theories with a lot of ins and outs and what have yous involved. The most popular among historians has been that they were mad that Peter's S had not rep the 10 or so sop men, he'd sent to be enslaved in k in the summer of 16 60. Recent and mildly attentive of listeners will recall that S had carefully avoided committing to return them.
In the settlement of the first war, but he'd rather coy left open the possibility that he would if the indians kept the peace, which they had for 3 years. The odds are that S and knew were suspected that at least some of them had died. He was governor of K a in addition to new Netherlands. And had visited there in the interim. And in any case, the lifespan of North American Indian sent to Caribbean plantations was incredibly short. Well this is possible.
Mark Freed, the author of the early history of Kingston and Ul County, New York, argued that the es sop were well aware of the fate of prisoners. They had tortured and killed 7 dutch taken prisoner in the first war. Would probably have understood that they weren't getting those men back. The other explanations are first that the iso sop Indians were escalating and ongoing to sp over which lands had been sold to them and which had been settled by the Dutch without their consent.
And second, that they saw the Dutch is a permanent threat that had to be extinguished, both seem more likely. For my part, none of these 3 explanations are incompatible with the others. Just as nation states today have multiple justification for launching a war, so did the Indian nations of seventeenth century North America. Different movers and shaker among the sop may have had different grievances that all seemed in the moment to call from military solution.
We are unlikely ever to find evidence that clarifies their intentions better than that. On June fourteenth, a week after the attacks. S visited Sop and gave orders for the wartime governance of the settlement. Establishing a council for making local military decisions. Martin K was made captain Lieutenant over the of the Dutch west India company in New Netherlands, reporting to Stu. K was given a detachment of professional soldiers.
Volunteers in Long Island Indians, most of whom arrived at Sop on July fourth. Scouts were sent out and returned with various estimates of his sop fighting strength ranging from 80 soldiers to as many as 200. On July tenth, a smallest sop force ambushed a cavalry patrol returning to Vi vic to literally effect. On July 12, the detachment of troops returned to Vi vic after having attacked a settlement of his sop On the East Bank of the Hudson in today's Ti, New York.
They'd killed 5 soldiers, including any sop as captain named V, probably how the Dutch might have said it if they spoke Dutch badly. And 1 woman and brought back another woman in 3 children, they'd lost 2 men. 1 in combat and 1 to a rattle snake. The captured woman provided the Dutch were the most useful intelligence so far. She knew the location of any sop Fort off in the woods about 25 miles to the southwest at Vi bike where Dutch prisoners were held.
Cr kinda the old woman's description of this fort. Now now as the old fort because there's gonna be a new fort it as follows quote. The Indian had said that 40 men indians had arrived at their fort, and if 40 more were to come on the next day. Further says that each night they convey the Dutch prisoners always to a particular place without the fort.
And remain themselves therein in. Says also that they were resolved to make a stand in their fort and that they had moreover in their Fort 9 horses with which they drew Pal aids and had sold a horse to the men Indians. That the indians had also 3 houses in which they reside. These were 4 hours farther off. Says also that 1 Sac and the fort would advise them to negotiate peace, but the other Sac would not listen to it.
Says also the Fort is defended by 3 rows of pal aids, and the houses in the fort and encircled by thick cliff pal aides with port holes in them.
And covered with bark of trees says that the Fort is quite regular, but that the angles are constructed between the first and second row a Palace aids and that the third row of Pal aides stands full 8 feet off from the others toward the interior between the 2 first rows of pal aides and houses, and that the before stands on the brow of a hill and all around this table land.
Back to me. News from visiting Mohawk in early July reported that the Sop and their allies at the old fort were, quote, willing to keep at peace with the people of cat skill and a afford orange, but not by any means with the sop as a white people. Against whom, they would make war with fire and sword to the last man and the ad that if the es sop people, meaning the Europeans do not leave the place and abandon the land, they will drive them out by a fire and sword. Back to me.
Later in July, reports arrived at the Indians at the Old Fort were now less absolute, and it issued an ultimatum. They would release the captive, but only if senior Dutch leaders came to the fort, bearing trade goods for their redemption within 10 days. Confusing signals notwithstanding, K resolve to march on the old fort, which was perhaps 25 English miles to the southwest of V bike. On the afternoon of 07/26/1663, K left Built Bike with an army of over 200 men, including 35 local volunteers.
And 41 Indians from On Island with a captive Indian woman as guide. They arrived at the fort late in the day on the 20 seventh. And found a deserted. Say for an Indian woman in a nearby field of Maze. The next day after having hunted for the Indians who had fled into the Wood Hills with a great futility. K army destroyed about 200 acres of maize and more than a hundred storage pits of corn beans. On the 30 first, K men burned the stock hay and all the houses.
They marched out with the blaze ranging. Arriving back at Vi bike about 09:00 that evening. The rains fell on August and into September almost without pause. Flooding the area, destroying bridges and wrecking even the European crops. The record does not reveal whether the more religious Dutch wondered if the terrible weather was divine retribution or maybe an artifact of climate change. Regardless, it forced a pause in the war.
With Creek at high water and flooding everywhere, no armies could march anywhere until early September. And they couldn't have kept their powder dry if they did. It was all cr could do to send out small patrols for reconnaissance. And to guard settlers struggling to salvage at least some grain from the field. Even K order to rebuild the palace say that Vi like went un heated until mid October.
Discipline fell apart in the rain. With nothing to do, the soldiers started to drink, A problem got so bad that the council of war enacted an ordinance against soldiers buying strong drink or settlers selling it to them. At the end of August, intelligence arrived from the W that the Sop Indians were building a new fort this time to the west of Build bike The new fort was said to be a perfect square with 1 row of Thick Pal aids, sunk 3 feet into the ground and rising 15 feet high.
It was also said to be so solid and strong as not to be excel by Christians. The council of war resolved to march on the new fort and requisition 20 horses from the locals to carry supplies and any wounded. The general court of Wi fight didn't take it well. Answering diplomatic that, well, they were well disposed to do their best for the public interest.
But find it present that the horse fatigued from the harvest are unfit to be road by men, The court here hereby request, the Captain Lieutenant and Council of war if it can be possibly done without prejudice to the public service. That the expedition be postponed for 6 or 7 days until the harvest be completed as the grain yet in the field is already injured. K did not take this well and pressed for horses immediately. The public spirit began to fray.
Quote K from his journal entry of August 30 first. After great trouble, they obtained 6 horses from a few. But sp insulting words for many. 1 said, lit those fur horses who commenced the war. And another said, I'll give them the devil. If they want anything, they will have to take it by a force. The third said, I must first have my horse valued and have security for it and so forth, with much other foul and un language. Not to be repeated.
Back to me, anti war resistance and bad words in that service are among the oldest American traditions. Finally, on September third, after several more days of heavy rains, K lit detachment on the March to the new fort, which he estimated was about 4 hours farther than the old Ford had been. Quote. About 01:00 in the afternoon, we started from Fort Vi vic, having of my company 2 and 20 men of lieutenant still company 4 and 20 men, and 7 Freeman with 2 of the honorable companies ne grows.
We took his guide, the young W Indian and Christ David as Indian interpreter and promise the Indian his freedom with a cloth coat, un condition that he brought us truly to the Sop indians. We got 8 horses with very great difficulty from the farmers. As they were so very unwilling and could not be brought to give us any horses. Except Thomas Chambers, who without any solicitation presented me with 2 for the expedition.
Several of the others who would not give any, used much offensive language to the sheriff into the company's officers saying they will have horses, they may see if they can get them. March that afternoon about 3 miles from our fort to the Creek, which runs past the redo out. Lay you there that night during which we had. Great rain. Back to me, the Creek were so swollen on the fourth that they sent back men on the 6 horses to get axes and rope, so they could build a temporary bridge.
Military engineering came through in the clutch. And they made another 4 miles before camping again in a driving rain. On September fifth, K sc spotted 3 women 2 in a dutch captive, picking maze in a field across a creek. He decided that they would lose the element of surprise if they tried to cross the creek that point, so they went upstream and forged it out of sight. They spotted the fort on a lofty plane about 2 in the afternoon.
Now back to K for his account of the last major battle of the second sop war, quote. Divided our force and 2. Lieutenant, K H and I led the right wing and lieutenant still well, and ends ensign knees in the left wing. Preceded in this disposition along the hill, so it's not to be seen in in order to come right under the fort.
But as it was somewhat level on the left side of the ford and the soldiers were seen by an Indian woman who is piling wood there and who sent forth 8 terrible scream, which was heard by the Indians who were standing and working near the fort, we instantly fell upon them.
Rushed for with... Through the fort towards their houses, which stood about a stones throw from the fort in order to secure their arms, and thus Has picked up a few guns and bows and arrows that we were so hot at their heels that they were forced to leave many of them behind. We kept up a sharp fire on them and pursued them so closely that they leap into the Creek, which ran in front of the lower part of their Maze land.
On reaching the opposite side of the kill, they courageous returned our fire, which we sent back. So that we were obliged to send a party across to dis them. In this attack, the indians lost their chief, 14 other warriors 4 women and 3 children, and we saw a lying both on this and the other side of the Creek, but probably many more were wounded. When rushing from the fort to the houses when we did give them a brave charge. On our side, 3 were killed and 6 wounded.
And we have recovered 3 and 20 Christian prisoners out of their hands. We've also taken 13 of them prisoner. Both men and women decides an old man who accompanied us about half an hour, but would go no farther. We took him aside and gave him his last meal. A captive indian child died on the way. So that there remained 11 of them still our prisoners. The enemy being conquered, we reviewed our men.
Found we had 1 wounded more than we had horses, convene the council of war, submitted to them what was now best for us to do relative to cutting down the Maze. The council board decided that we could indeed cut it down. But were any more of our men wounded, how could they be removed, having already 1 more than we had horses? And this 1 must be born with great trouble on a litter by 2.
Resolve to let the maze stand for the present p the houses wherein in was considerable booty, such as bare skins, dear skins, blankets, elk kinds, besides several other smaller articles, many of which we were obliged to leave behind. We destroyed it as much as we could. Broke the kettle into pieces, Got also 24 or 5 guns, more than the half of which we smashed and threw the barrels here and there in the stream. Hacking and breaking into pieces as many as we could.
Found also several horns and bags of powder. And all about 20 pounds. Got also 31 belts and some strings of w them. Took the best of the boot along and resolved a set off, place the wounded on the horses and had carried in a blanket on poles by 2 soldiers in turn. Back to me. The army reached Vi Fight by the end of the day on September seventh.
For the rest of September, creatures and out patrols to look for Indians near the town, and detachment to guard the people who are harvesting what remained to the crops. There were no meaningful on encounters with these opus or even intelligence suggesting a continuing threat. Neither, however, were their peace officers. At the end of September, the council of war again resolved to pursue the Sop Indians into their territory. And on October first, K and his men marched out of Vi bike.
This time the detachment included a hundred and 2 soldiers, 46 Indian allies, 6 Freeman from Vi bike and 14 horses to accommodate the wounded? Should we have any? They proceeded to the site of the new Fort arriving there in October second. There they found 5 large pits into which they had cast their dead. Noting that some of the corpses have been dug up and eaten by wolves. They tore down and burn the Pal and w w and rome through the area destroying any remaining crops
over the next few days ranging around. K men encountered a few str and took their guns and captured them. But found out concentrations of indian soldiers or settlements that had not been abandoned. The destruction of the new Fort was the last meaningful military event of the second sop war. During November and December, the Sop sent peace overt. And during those months, the 2 sides negotiated through various neutral aliens for the return of the remaining Dutch captive.
S and meanwhile had gotten win that the English might attack New Netherlands and was eager to concentrate his military forces in the lower Hudson. The peace treaty ending the second sop war was concluded with surviving es sop Sac at new Amsterdam on 05/15/1664. Fewer than 5 months before, new Amsterdam itself would surrender to the English without any loss of life.
The settlement included a resolution of the long standing viewed over the territory that might or might not have been sold to the Dutch in the 16 fifties, very much to the favor of the Dutch. That said they did allow the Sop to continue to plant in the area of the new Fort for 2 more years. Trade would be allowed, but only under terms the guaranteed that fighting would not en ensued. The sop were allowed to come to town to sell corn and meat and presumably fur. But not with more than 3 canoe at
a time. And only after sending 1 of their own under flag of truce ahead of time to establish the date and time of trading. The Dutch built a house for visiting Indians on the other side of the Creek, near their Fort, so they would have a place to spend the night when they came to trade. Mark Fried wrote the half of the sop Indians, quote, The power of the Iso opus Indians had been broken. Mil, economically and spiritually, they were a fallen people.
However, the extreme poverty in the Demo state of the tribe prevalent at the close of the war was not a permanent condition. For although the Sop Indians would never again rise as a group to engage in general warfare with the settlers. Yet, it was not long before the tribe it regained sufficient strength and unity to cause rumors of impending hostilities to circulate once more among the white city sop.
And although their subsequent history is 1 of peaceful retreat, through the sale of land to the settlers who spread through the valleys of the vol Ron out, and he's sop. Yet is a remnant. The sop indians were to persist in their ancient territory in ever decreasing numbers for nearly 200 years more. Back to me. Long standing and attentive listeners will see in this a pattern or at least the repetition of the fate of the po confederacy in the years following the final defeat of Ob.
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