Metacomet's War

Book excerpt: Of all the wars fought in or by America, only one takes its name from a single person. In 1675, when the English hold on New England was still fragile, one Indian, King Philip, organized the seperate Algonquin tribes into one powerful, military force with a single objective - to drive the English settlers back into the sea. King Philip's War almost did just that. For a year Algonquin forces terrorized English settlements. Out of ninety New England towns, fifty-two felt the ferocity of the Algonquin attack. Twelve were completely destroyed before the English regained the upper hand. To the settlers, King Philip represented all that was despicable about the Indians. They considered him a wicked savage, a devilish scoundrel. But to himself, he wasn't even King Philip. He was - Metacomet - sachem of the Algonquin. But he did agree with the English on one thing. This was his war.