The Red King's Rebellion: Racial Politics in New England 1675-1678

by Russell Bourne

"The Red King's Rebellion," fought more than three hundred years ago between the Algonquian peoples and New England settlers, was in per-capita terms the bloodiest war in our nation's history. Before the conflict ended, over 9,000 people were dead (two-thirds of them Native Americans), and
homelessness, starvation, and economic hardship plagued the descendents of both races for generations to come. In this fascinating book, Russell Bourne examines the epic struggle from both sides, seeking to explain how the biracial harmony that once reigned--when the Plymouth Colony's neighboring
Wampanoags, under the stately Massasoit (King Philip's father), shared their corn with desperate settlers--could degenerate into such mistrust and hatred. More than just a war, Bourne shows how it was a simultaneous rebellion on many fronts against inequalities practiced by white settlers, and
demonstrates how it constituted a massive and tragic breakdown of colonial civilization.
Distrusting the accounts of early nationalists as propaganda, and drawing on the recent work of archaeologists, the expertise of local historical societies, and his own considerable knowledge of the New England countryside, Bourne brings this turbulent era to life. We are led along the old Indian
trails that once criss-crossed New England, we visit the settlements of colonists and Native Americans alike, and we meet a fascinating cast of characters. These include the intrepid settler Benjamin Church (who first sought to dissuade colonial leaders from slaughter, then taught them how to fight
woodland battles), the radical preacher and trader Roger Williams (who had learned the native language and tried for decades to keep the cultures together), and Metacomet himself--soon to be known as King Philip--whom we glimpse striding proudly through pre-war Boston wearing "buckskins set thick
with these beads [of wampum] in pleasant wild works and a broad belt of the same." Bourne weaves together character sketches, community descriptions, and, whenever possible, the words of both combatants and witnesses to fashion a gripping narrative account of a period that--in both its successes
and failures--helped shape the nature of early America.
The Red King's Rebellion helps us to understand not only the causes and effects of the war, but the importance and values of the men and women who tried to prevent it. And in an age when cultures continue to clash and quick, brutal actions still seem to offer easy solutions, it is a tale that
demands renewed attention.

Genres: History, Native American, Native Americans

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1990

About the author

Russell Bourne began his career as a writer-editor on LIFE Magazine in 1950. Career interrupted by the Korean War, he operated as a Special Agent in the US Army’s Counter-Intelligence Corps in Berlin until 1953. He then returned to Time, Inc and served as Henry Luce’s assistant at Time-Life Books and went on to run several publishing departments for American Heritage, National Geographic and Smithsonian. In the 1980s, he began creating books on his own and published about a dozen works, mostly on American History and Transportation, while also writing poetry. His poems have been published in reviews and journals across the country. He was a Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society. For many years his habit has been to spend summers in Maine and winters in the Finger Lakes.

Reviews

[Dave Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Granted this book is for serious students of American Indian history, I find it well written and an exciting, enjoyable read, though at times I thought he needed another edit. The story is about the war between East Coast Indian tribes and the Puritans (sometimes allied with the Pilgrims of Plymouth) and also the Maine settlers. This war is sometimes called (inaccurately) "King Philip's War" or (better) "The First Indian War." Russell Bourne strives for a middle ground between traditional histories which are often unsympathetic depictions of "wild savages," sometimes racist, and the revisionist histories, first written in the 1970's, more sympathetic to the natives, and which paint the Puritan governments as cruel theocracies. The war in New England definitely becomes genocidal in nature in its last stages, as mercantilism takes hold and displaces any cooperative movements between the English and the Native tribes. The "Praying Indians" who fought with the Puritans don't come off well in the story. This feeling of being disturbed stems from the fact that my Ojibwe family, Catholic converts, might be classified among them. I have to reconcile the "truths" of Christianity with those of Ojibwe religion based on their well-formulated philosophy.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a chronicle of one of America's first wars, which became known as "King Philip's War". Fought between 1675 and 1678, it was the deadliest war in U.S. history in that more people per capita died than in any other U.S. war. For decades, the only histories of this war available presented it from the point of view of the English colonists. Later in the 20th century, revisionist histories -blaming the colonists entirely- were published. Russell Bourne now provides a history as seen by both sides. He combines recent(as of 1990)archaeological evidence with narratives obtained from descendents of the Native Peoples of New England as well as journals kept by the colonists to present a balanced history of this war.

Bourne's writing is fast moving and colorful. Having grown up in southeastern Massachusetts where the war began and where many battles were fought, I could picture the people and action vividly from his descriptions.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another look at the costly King Phillip War in New England in 1675-78. This takes a look at relations between the Native Americans and the New England colonists. Although at first it seemed to get off to a good start relations deteriorated which first lead to the Pequot War in the 1630's then to a climax in 1675. What set this apart was that it's a little more in depth about the Pequot war and the clashes in what is now Maine that lingered long after King Phillip's death in August 1676. What thing I've noticed about this war is that it's hard to feel sympathetic for either side. The colonists conducted a ruthless war which held no mercy and even sold prisoners into slavery. Even acts against women and children were merciless on either side. This probably contributes to the perception of this often being a overlooked portion of American history

[John Hively · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well researched and wonderfully written book. The only problem I had with it is the dark hole into which the Native Americans disappeared in the middle of their successful attacks against the Puritans during the late spring and early summer of 1676. The author speculates, but it doesn't hold water with me. On the other hand, this is a great read.

[Stephen Fidelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be an excellently researched work on 'King Philip's War," and my only disappointment in it was that there were not enough maps for a visual learner like me to get a feel for where these events happened in relation to each other.