Connecticut Unscathed: Victory in the Great Narragansett War, 1675-1676

Campaigns and Commanders Series

By: Jason W. Warren PhD

Narrated by: Bob Dio

The conflict that historians have called King Philip’s War still ranks as one of the bloodiest per capita in American history. An Indian coalition ravaged much of New England, killing 600 colonial fighting men (not including their Indian allies), obliterating 17 white towns, and damaging more than 50 settlements. The version of these events that has come down to us focuses on Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay - the colonies whose commentators dominated the storytelling. But because Connecticut lacked a chronicler, its experience has gone largely untold. As Jason W. Warren makes clear in Connecticut Unscathed, this imbalance has generated an incomplete narrative of the war.

Dubbed King Philip’s War after the Wampanoag architect of the hostilities, the conflict, Warren asserts, should more properly be called the Great Narragansett War, broadening its context in time and place and indicating the critical role of the Narragansetts, the largest tribe in southern New England. In contrast to its sister colonies, Connecticut emerged from the war relatively unharmed. The colony’s comparatively moderate Indian policies made possible an effective alliance with the Mohegans and Pequots. These Indian allies proved crucial to the colony’s war effort, Jason W. Warren contends, and at the same time denied the enemy extra manpower and intelligence regarding the surrounding terrain and colonial troop movements. And when Connecticut became the primary target of hostile Indian forces - especially the powerful Narragansetts - the colony’s military prowess and its enlightened treatment of Indians allowed it to persevere.

The book is published by University of Oklahoma Press.

©2014 University of Oklahoma Press (P)2018 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Broadens our understanding of King Philip's War...commendable." (John W. Hall, author of Uncommon Defense)

A fascinating look at Connecticut history

What made the experience of listening to Connecticut Unscathed: Victory in the Great Narragansett War, 1675-1676 the most enjoyable?

It's wonderful to experience a carefully researched history that reads like an adventure story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Connecticut Unscathed: Victory in the Great Narragansett War, 1675-1676?

I found the exposition of tribal politics and the backstories of the warrior coalition to be fascinating. I especially enjoyed learning how Connecticut's policies toward the natives differed from other states, something I never knew before.

What does Bob Dio bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Bob Dio uses character accents when recreating the communications of the time, which really brings the story to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This was a captivating reading, but it's so rich in detail, I needed more than one sitting to absorb it.

17th century intrigue in CT

I listened to the audio book version while on a long drive to the mid-west. The narration is top notch and expeditiously gets the listener through the author's dense thicket of numerous historical factors from the players such as the English and Dutch colonists to the many Native American tribes throughout New England (and NY too) and their shifting loyalties over time, inter-tribal rivalries, individual players among the colonists and Native Americans, the dates, the locations, population counts, the weapons and tactics of the period, the logistics of survival, food production and supply, caloric intake and its ramifications on populations, among other factors. For history buffs, particularly those with an affinity for the history of Connecticut (and New England), this book is a must. The author's primary argument for the success of the Connecticut based colonists versus the colonists in the other New England states is a strong one and is surely correct but is repeated over and over and over again and didn't need to be. I found this a bit tedious; the recounting of various fascinating incidents more than helped support the argument. As someone who has lived in some of the Connecticut locations written about (Mystic, Simsbury), I truly enjoyed learning about their role in the Great Narragansett War. Most important, I learned much from this book about a period I had some knowledge of but now I have much more plus a greater appreciation of it. To conclude, I am glad I selected the audio book version and opted to listen to it all in one sitting (a long car drive). This helped me keep straight much of the information as so much is presented. Well done.

A must read for the serious military professional

This book goes beyond the tactical to encompass the operational level of warfare. multifaceted analysis of warfare in the early colonial period in New England. An excellent comparison of the differing colonial policies of the New England colonies with respect to the various Native American communities. Lessons learned can be applied today.