Sagamore Sam (died 1676), also known as Upchattuck, Shoshanim, and Uskattuhgun, was a

sachem Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Alg ...

of the

Nashaway The Nashaway (or Nashua or Weshacum) were a tribe of Algonquian Indians inhabiting the upstream portions of the Nashua River valley in what is now the northern half of Worcester County, Massachusetts, mainly in the vicinity of Sterling, Clinto ...

tribe of Massachusetts. He was an active leader during

King Phillip'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 Woodlands ...

. Sam was a major insurgent against white settlers, acting alongside other tribal leaders such as

Monoco Monoco (died 1676) was a 17th-century Nashaway sachem (chief), known among the New England Puritans as One-eyed John. After decades of peaceful coexistence, tensions arose between settlers and natives. The Nashaway attacked the neighboring En ...

Biography

Sagamore Sam was from Waushacum. He was preceded as sachem by Matthew, the son of

Sholan Sholan (died 1654) (also known as Nashawhonan, Nashoonan, Shawanon, and Showanon) was the leader (sachem) of the Nashaway tribe who lived on small hill between the two Waushacum Lakes in what is now Sterling, Massachusetts. Bypassing Willard's ...

King Philip's War

In September 1675, Sam and Monoco led an ambush in Squakheage. Their mixed band of 150 men killed up to 20 white soldiers led by Captain Richard Beers. He would later take part in the Battle of Bloody Brook. Sam and Monoco planned the Lancaster Raid of February 1676. The battle was fielded alongside other notable leaders including the Narragansett sachem

Quinnaipin Quinnapin (also known as Quawnipund, Quanopen and Sowagonish) (died 1676) was a Narragansett leader during King Philip's War. Quinnapin was the son of Cojonoquond and nephew of Miantonomoh. Quanopen was married to three different women, Onux, We ...

Muttaump Muttawmp (died September, 1676) was a sachem of the Nipmuc Indians in the mid-17th century, originally based in Quaboag. He participated in King Philip's War, taking part in most of the major engagements as one of the most important chiefs who fou ...

of the

Quabaug The Quaboag were an Algonquian-speaking people, one of the most widespread of Indian linguistic stocks, closely related to the Nipmuc, Nashaway, and other local tribes—collectively known to colonists as the “Fresh Water Indians” or “Nip ...

band of

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 ...

, and likely other Nipmuc leaders such as Pakashoag and

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 ...

. Sam had captured several prisoners of war during his raids. In April 1676,

Tom Nepanet Tom Nepanet (fl. 1676), also known as Tom Doublet, was a Christian Nipmuc who took part in King Philip's War. In April 1676, he began working as an emissary between Nipmuc leadership and Massachusetts colonists. Nepanet was imprisoned on Deer Is ...

arrived to negotiate the release of these captives. Although initially refused, Sam later advocated for the release of the prisoners against the advice of

King Philip King Philip may refer to * Philip I of Macedon (fl. c. 593 BC) * Philip II of Macedon (380–336 BC), Greek conqueror and father of Alexander the Great * Philippe of Belgium (born 1960) * Ee-mat-la (died 1839) war leader of the Seminole in the Seco ...

. By the end of the war, Sam's own wife and children were captured by Captain Daniel Henchman and sold into slavery. Sam himself tried to surrender and asked for forgiveness, but was instead imprisoned and executed in September 1676 alongside Monoco, Matoonas, and

Tantamous Tantamous (also known as Old Jethro or John Jethro) (c. 1580–1676) was a well-known Native American Nipmuc leader in seventeenth century Massachusetts. Tantamous was a powwow (healer and spiritual leader) who lived near the Assabet River,Barry, ...

References

{{reflist 17th-century Native American people People from colonial Massachusetts Native American people from Massachusetts 1676 deaths