The detachment that was expected from New Plymouth was not ready to march at the time of the troops taking the field.  Captain Standish, therefore, did not set out himself; but he allowed such of his brother-soldiers as were ready, to precede him, and take part in the commencement of the campaign.  Among these, Rodolph Maitland, who still retained all the fire and energy of his youth, was the foremost; and he led a little band of brave companions to the place of rendezvous.  The learned minister Stone—­the friend and colleague of Hooker—­accompanied the troops from Boston; for a band of Puritanical warriors would have thought themselves but badly provided for without such spiritual aid.

The instructions of the government of Connecticut directed Mason to land in the harbor of Pequod,[*] and thus attack the Indian forces on their own ground.  But he found the natural strength of the place so much greater than he expected, and also observed that it was so watchfully guarded by his enemies, that he resolved to pass on to the harbor in Narragansett Bay; and, after having strengthened his forces with the warriors promised by Miantonomo, to attack the Pequodees from thence.  A circumstance occurred here that is so characteristic of the time, and of the manners of the Puritans, that it must not be omitted.  The officers under Mason were dissatisfied with this alteration in the plan of the campaign, and asserted that the instructions given to the commander ought to be literally followed.  It was, therefore, resolved to refer the question to the minister, who was directed ’to bring down by prayer the responsive decision of the Lord.’  Stone passed nearly the whole night in prayer and supplication for wisdom to decide the matter, and the next morning declared to the officers that the view taken by their leader was the right one; on which they all submitted without a murmur.

[Footnote:  Now Newhaven]

The Indian reinforcements continued to increase.  Miantonomo brought two hundred warriors, and other allied tribes joined them on their march, until the number of native auxiliaries amounted to five hundred.  In these Mason placed little confidence, and would gladly have awaited the arrival of the forty men from Plymouth, who were already at Providence on their way to join him.  But his men were eager to attack the savages, and the Indians taunted him with cowardice for desiring to delay the conflict; and he was forced to advance at once.

The great strength of the Pequodees consisted in two large forts, in one of which the redoubted Chief, Sassacus, himself commanded.  The other was situated on the banks of the Mystic, an inconsiderable river that runs parallel to the Connecticut.  These Indian forts or castles consisted of wooden palisades, thirty or forty feet high, generally erected on an elevated situation, and enclosing a space sufficiently large to contain a considerable number of wigwams for the aged men—­or whiteheads—­and the women and children.