Mystic Massacre

The Battle of Mystic Fort, part of the 1634-1638 Pequot War, is considered a defining moment in American history. In 1637 English colonists and their Indian allies attacked and burned Mystic Fort, killing more than 500 adults and children. The massacre decimated the Pequots and those who weren't sold into slavery were eventually forced onto reservations. The battle was the first documented use of Total War against American Indians, a policy that continued for the next several centuries. - NPS