to lead us there, to shew that the former
mischance was not his fault. One hundred and thirty men were accordingly
despatched under the aforesaid Genl Van der Hil and Hendrick van Dyck,
ensign. They embarked in three yachts, and landed at Greenwich, where
they were obliged to pass the night by reason of the great snow and
storm. In the morning they marched northwest up over stony hills over
which some must creep. In the evening about eight o'clock they came
within a league of the Indians, and inasmuch as they should have arrived
too early and had to cross two rivers, one of two hundred feet wide
and three deep, and that the men could not afterwards there rest in
consequence of the cold, it was determined to remain there until about
ten o'clock. The order was given as to the mode to be observed in
attacking the Indians--they marched forward towards the houses, the
latter being set up in three rows, street fashion, each row eighty paces
long, in a low recess protected by the hills, affording much shelter
from the northwest wind. The moon was then at the full, and threw
a strong light against the hills so that many winter days were not
brighter than it then was. On arriving there the Indians were wide
awake, and on their guard, so that ours determined to charge and
surround the houses, sword in hand. They demeaned themselves as soldiers
and deployed in small bands, so that we got in a short time one dead and
twelve wounded. They were also so hard pressed that it was impossible
for one to escape. In a brief space of time there were counted one
hundred and eighty dead outside the houses. Presently none durst come
forth, keeping within the houses, discharging arrows through the holes.
The general perceived that nothing else was to be done, and resolved
with Sergeant Major Van der Hil, to set the huts on fire, whereupon
the Indians tried every means of escape, not succeeding in which they
returned back to the flames preferring to perish by the fire than to
die by our hands. What was most wonderful is, that among this vast
collection of men, women and children not one was heard to cry or to
scream. According to the report of the Indians themselves the number
then destroyed exceeded five hundred. Some say, full seven hundred,
among whom were also twenty-five Wappingers, our God having collected
together there the greater number of our enemies, to celebrate one of
their festivals in their manner, from which escaped no more than ei