In 1623, Myles Standish and a group of eight men including Wampanoag pniese-warrior Hobbamock entered the Wessagusset Colony and by guile lured two of the Massachuset tribal leaders and a young native boy into a blockhouse and brutally murdered them. Later that day, the same nine men engaged in several skirmishes with the Massachuset tribe.

What were the factors that led up to this action by the Pilgrims? What effect would this have on Native/English relations for years to come?

This is a one-hour illustrated historical presentation that chronicles the arrival of the pilgrims at Plymouth and the beginnings of their colony as well as the little-known arrival of “Weston’s Men” a group that began a colony in what is now the town of Weymouth, then known as Wessagusset. 

The interaction between the natives and the two English groups (Pilgrims & Weston’s men) will be examined along with the factors that led to the bloodletting of 1623. Finally, a blow-by-blow description of the attack at Wessagusset will be depicted followed by a discussion on the far-reaching aftereffects of the attack on Wessagusset.

Christopher Daley has been speaking all over New England for the last 30 years and virtually via Zoom throughout the United States for the past two years on historical topics of interest; at libraries, historical societies, schools and all sorts of clubs and organizations!  He was formerly the President of the Pembroke Historical Society and Chairman of the Pembroke Historical Commission. He was also a docent at the John Alden House Historic Site as well as Coordinator of Educational Outreach.