their desolation."

As late as March, 1676, says Hubbard, "it was full sea with Philip's
affairs." And even on the 26th of April, the Plymouth colony writes
thus to Massachusetts:

"The Lord undertake for us, for we are in a very low condition; and the
spirits of our people begin to run low, also being now averse to going
forth against the enemies. The Lord have us patient to wait God's
time, although our salvation seems still to be far from us."

The war commenced on the 24th day of June, 1675, and ended on the 12th
of August, 1676, by the death of Philip.

The colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Haven were
united, and Governor Josiah Winslow of Plymouth was appointed
commander-in-chief.

Neither the population nor the available force of the colonies is now
known. Some writers have estimated the population of New England at a
hundred and twenty thousand. This is plainly an exaggeration. From a
few scattered fragments and facts we may conclude that Massachusetts
had a force of about 4,500 men, New Haven and Connecticut about 2,000,
and Plymouth about 1,300; in all about 8,000 men. Of these
Massachusetts had a cavalry force seven hundred strong. Upon this
basis the entire population could not have exceeded 60,000, and some
writers, on the other hand, have estimated it at only forty thousand
souls. But, whatever may have been the number of able-bodied men in
the colonies, the available force for active service must have been
small. A large number of towns were to be garrisoned, and many men
were necessarily employed in the customary duties of life.

Still less is known of the strength of Philip's confederated tribes.
Pestilence and war had depopulated New England previous to the arrival
of the Pilgrims. In 1675 the Pokanokets and Narragansets were the most
powerful, and together mustered three or four thousand warriors.
Philip was sachem of the Pokanokets and Canonchet of the Narragansets.
These tribes constituted Philip's reliable strength, but he had
confederated with him and pledged to the common cause the smaller
chiefs of the Piscataqua and Merrimack, of central Massachusetts and
the valley of the Connecticut. The Narragansets occupied what is now
Rhode Island and the islands adjacent thereto, while Philip as the
chief of the Pokanokets or Wampanoags had his seat at Montaup or Mount
Hope. It was not, however, expedient or possible for him to consecrate
a large force upon any on