Ever heard of King Philips war? I hadn’t until I stumbled upon that bit of history while working on my family tree. There was more loss of life, by colonists, later Americans, per capita than in any other war the United States has been involved with. The low estimate is 5% of the total popualtion and ranges as high as 30%. I suspect, although I can’t prove it, that an ancestor of mine was one of the casulties of that war. Murdered by the Indians! Well, native Americans, indignious or whatever term you choose, but just as dead.

I will not attempt to provide a history of this war, you can google it if you’re interested. Philip was known as King Philip by the colonists. That wasn’t his real name but he was the “big chief” of a loose alliance of tribes. The thing was a few years earlier there had been a plague and many of those native Americans had died from diseaese. There numbers had been reduced and other tribes knew about that, the concern was those others might attack. So, against advive from others Philip made an alliance with the colonists. Later on he changed his mind deciding the coloniists had to go! A war of annilation would follow, King Philips war.

Today we hear a lot about the injustices of the past and what should and shouldn’t have been done. Hindsight is indeed 20/2o but also smothered in bias. The bitterness of defeat never really leaves us. I’ve been seeing meme’s saying how the Trail of Tears should be more in the spotlight in history classes. I’ve seem other meme’s detailing and outlining other tragic events in history. I haven’t seen any about Philips war though.

“In the 1670s, the New England colonies required “every able-bodied man between the ages of sixteen and sixty”[4] to maintain a weapon and ammunition and enroll in the militia. The General Court of Massachusetts, however, exempted Harvard presidents, fellows, students, and officers from militia service. The General Court also exempted four professions: ministers, teachers, doctors, and public servants (magistrates and officers of the court) from militia service.[5] Most Harvard graduates became ministers, and those who dtid not typically entered one of the other three exempted professions. As a result, attending or graduating from Harvard usually resulted in an exemption from militia duty.”

(https://www.harvardveterans.org/history-series/blog-post-three-s5z5g-hhz2t}

The above paragraoh came from the source cited. It’s an interesting read, although a bit lengthy. It is the history of that war as told by the victors, well by the apolgetic victors that is, as Harvard is known to be quite liberal these days, That wasn’t always the case however, history does show otherwise. It is interesting to note however the exceptions provided if you were a graduate of harvard, that elite status. Would they be draft dodgers today? Only if they were Republicans is the answer to that.

My ancestor, Jonathan Benit was attacked and murdered while working in the field. His settlement was effectively wiped out, destroyed and burned. His wife and small children somehow managed to escape and fled to Long Island where they sought shelter and safety. Seems like I am owed reparartions! It was the Naragansetts and Wampanog tribes that are responsible for that, along with the Mohegans and Pequots. Those Mohegans can certainly afford to pay up! Who was right and who was wrong? Read the history and decide for yourself. My ancestor did nothing wrong, just peacefully plowing in his fields. A dreamer, an immigrant to a foreign land, trying to make a better life for himself and his family. No due process for him, or for anyone else! Reparartions are due!

King Philip was defeated at the batlle of the great swamp. That ended the war.