Assacumet
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Assacumet (also known as ''Assacomet'', ''Assecomet'', ''Sassacommett'', ''Sassacomoit'') was an early 17th-century Native American from the Wawenock
Abenaki The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pred ...
tribe.


Capture

Assacumet was captured in 1605 by Capt. George Weymouth of the ship ''Archangel'' near the
Pemaquid River The 19-mile Pemaquid River starts at Tobias Pond in Waldoboro and ends at Johns Bay, Bristol, Maine. Distances from south to north: * Mouth of Pemaquid Harbor to Route 130: * Route 130 to Biscay Pond (at point where river exits the pond): ; ...
in Maine together with four others. Some sources list the other four as ''Tasquantum'' (better known as
Squanto Tisquantum (; 1585 (±10 years?) – November 30, 1622 Old Style, O.S.), more commonly known as Squanto (), was a member of the Patuxet tribe of Wampanoags, best known for being an early liaison between the Native American population in Southe ...
), ''Manida'', ''Skettwarroes'', and ''Dehamda''; others list them as ''Tahanedo'' ("a Sagamo or Commander"), ''Amoret'', ''Skicowaros'', and ''Maneddo '' (listed as "gentlemen". Sassacomoit is listed as "a servant".) They were taken to England with the intention of teaching them English before being returned to North America in order to aid future English efforts at colonization.


Challoung expedition

In England, Assacumet and at least two of the other Native Americans were given to Sir
Ferdinando Gorges Sir Ferdinando Gorges ( – 24 May 1647) was a naval and military commander and governor of the important port of Plymouth in England. He was involved in Essex's Rebellion against the Queen, but escaped punishment by testifying against the ma ...
, and learned English. In 1606 Gorges sent an expedition to America under Capt. Henry Challoung (also known as ''Chalowns'' and ''Chalon''), with Assacumet and Manida, to the
West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
and
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
. The ship was captured by a Spanish fleet and taken to Spain. The ship and goods were confiscated, and the crew made prisoners in
Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...
. Manida was "lost" but Assacumet was eventually "recovered", after Captain John Barlee wrote to Secretary Cecil, urging him to use his influence to win the release of the two "savages.".


Epenow

Returned to Gorges' home, Assacumet was lodged with Epenow, a
Wampanoag The Wampanoag, also rendered Wôpanâak, are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American people of the Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Northeastern Woodlands currently based in southeastern Massachusetts and forme ...
captive captured in 1611, and helped him improve his English. In 1614, Assacumet accompanied Gorges' expedition under Capt. Nicholas Hobson to
Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, lying just south of Cape Cod. It is known for being a popular, affluent summer colony, and includes the smaller peninsula Chappaquiddick Isla ...
, where they had convinced him that gold lay in a ploy to escape, and where Epenow ultimately escaped.Biography and history of the Indians of North America By Samuel Gardner Drake. Boston, J. Drake, 1835.


References

{{Reflist 17th-century Native American leaders Abenaki people People from colonial Massachusetts People from pre-statehood Maine