Using historical hindsight as a guide, the significance of King Philip’s War on Warwick takes on a different perspective than it did at the time of its occurrence. While Warwick did not directly participate in the war, it suffered from its violence and benefited from its outcome. The problems with the Indian sachem Pomham was resolved and the way was opened to harness the power of the Pawtuxet River, at first for sawmills and gristmills and then to power the 19th century textile industry, which so dramatically changed the history of the state and, to some extent, the nation.

While the town of Warwick was able to make progress politically and economically, the problems between the Gortonists and the Shawomet Indians were not resolved until after King Philip’s War. Despite the hostile feelings of the settlers regarding Pomham, the Gortonists hoped to avoid an open conflict. When the Wampanoag sachem Metacomet (King Philip) and the Massachusetts Bay Colony went to war in June 1675, most Rhode Island settlers and the Narragansett Indians hoped to remain neutral. Non-involvement proved to be impossible once the fighting began.

The Indians under Philip were very successful during the early months of the war but, as the winter approached, they began to lose momentum and Philip soon needed a safe haven for his women, children, sick and wounded. He asked Canonchet, chief sachem of the Narragansetts, for assistance. Despite threats by the Massachusetts Commissioners, Canonchet agreed and, as a result, the war was brought to Rhode Island when armies from Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth and Connecticut invaded the small colony. The fear that Canonchet, with a well-prepared Indian force, would be even more difficult to cope with in the spring and summer convinced many Rhode Islanders that it was to their best interest to aid the English army in their attempt to attack the Indians in the Great Swamp.

The English Commissioners in Massachusetts received full cooperation from Rhode Island Governor William Coddington in moving supplies across Narragansett Bay and acquiring the necessary vessels to do so. Word was sent to Warwick at this time, advising the citizens there of the plans and cautioning them to be on guard against possible retaliation. Plans were made in Warwick to move the women, children, old and infirm to the islands as quickly as possible. While most agreed, some refused to leave the land they considered home.

One who was very reluctant to seek safety was the controversial founder of Pawtuxet, William Arnold, now 90 years old. Samuel Gorton, aged 83 at the time, was also reluctant to leave. Gorton wrote to John Winthrop, governor of Connecticut, stating that he deplored the fact that some settlers were leaving instead of “standing together as one man.” Eventually, friendly Indians were able to persuade Gorton to allow them to take him to safety of Prudence Island.

Early in December 1675, over 1,000 men from Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth and Connecticut arrived at Smith’s Garrison at Cocumscussoc, a little north of Wickford. These troops, under the command of General Josiah Winslow, governor of Plymouth, were the largest force New England had ever seen.

What occurred in that fateful December changed the course of history for the Narragansett Indians. The action that followed, called The Great Swamp Fight by the colonists and The Great Swamp Massacre by the Indians, was on of the most ill-conceived and inhumane actions of the colonial period. The bitterness caused by this event wreaked havoc on much of New England as the Narragansett Indians brought death and destruction on nearly al Warwick homes. The story of this event will be continued.