Muttawmp (died September, 1676) was a sachem of the

Nipmuc The Nipmuc or Nipmuck people are an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who historically spoke an Eastern Algonquian languages, Eastern Algonquian language, probably the Loup language. Their historic territory Nippenet, meaning 'the f ...

Indians in the mid-17th century, originally based in Quaboag. He participated in

King Philip's War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1678 between a group of indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodland ...

, taking part in most of the major engagements as one of the most important chiefs who fought for

Metacomet Metacomet (c. 1638 in Massachusetts – August 12, 1676), also known as Pometacom, Metacom, and by his adopted English name King Philip,Praying Indian Praying Indian is a 17th-century term referring to Native Americans of New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Ver ...

. However, Metacomet began organizing the local tribes so that they could attack the colonists, and Muttawmp foreswore Christianity and joined him, together with Nipmuc sachem

Matoonas Matoonas (? - died 1676 in Boston) (also spelled Matonas) was a sachem of the Nipmuc Indians in the middle of 17th century. He played a significant role in the Native American uprising known as King Philip's War. Early life Matoonas had originall ...

.Bourne, pg. 127 He led the successful attack on Brookfield in which Edward Hutchinson was mortally wounded, son of the controversial

Anne Hutchinson Anne Hutchinson (; July 1591 – August 1643) was an English-born religious figure who was an important participant in the Antinomian Controversy which shook the infant Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1636 to 1638. Her strong religious formal d ...

. Muttawmp was also the Nipmuc leader in the Battle of Bloody Brook on September 12, 1675 near

South Deerfield, Massachusetts South Deerfield is a census-designated place (CDP) in Deerfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to the Yankee Candle Company. At the 2010 census, the population of South Deerfield was 1,880. South Deerfield is part ...

, in which 51 colonial soldiers and 17 colonial teamsters were killed, including Captain Thomas Lathrop. The name of the place was changed from "Moody Brook" to "Bloody Brook" because the stream near the battlefield turned red with blood.Schultz and Tougias, pg. 51 In October, 1675, Muttawmp surrounded

Hatfield, Massachusetts Hatfield is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,352 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The census-designated place of Hatfield consists o ...

with 800 men and tried to draw the colonists out by setting fires outside of town. However, the militia within the town resisted the temptation to come out in force and only sent out a 10-man party to investigate, nine of whom were killed or captured by the Nipmucs.Bonfanti, pg. 61 On April 21, 1676, he and 500 warriors routed civilians in an

Attack on Sudbury The Sudbury Fight (April 21, 1676) was a battle of King Philip's War, fought in what is today Sudbury and Wayland, Massachusetts, when approximately five hundred Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Narragansett Native Americans raided the frontier settlemen ...

, Massachusetts.Schultz and Tougias, pg. 60 Muttawmp finally tried to make peace with the colonists through

Richard Waldron Major Richard Waldron (or Richard Waldern, Richard Walderne; 6 January 1615 – 27 June 1689) was an English-born merchant, soldier, and government official who rose to prominence in early colonial Dover, New Hampshire. His presence spread to gr ...

, but he was executed in September 1676 along with Old Jethro and others.Bourne, pg. 142Schultz and Tougias, pg. 69

References

Works cited

*Eric B. Schultz and Michael J. Tougias, "King Philip's War. The History and Legacy of America's Forgotten Conflict", Countryman Press, 1999 *Russell Bourne, "The Red King's rebellion: racial politics in New England, 1675-1678", Oxford University Press US, 1991

*Leo Bonfanti, "Biographies and legends of the New England Indians: Volume 3 ", Pride Publications, 1972 {{DEFAULTSORT:Muttawmp Native American leaders Colonial American and Indian wars People of King Philip's War Pre-statehood history of Massachusetts 1676 deaths Year of birth unknown Native American people from Massachusetts