Outskirts Press, INC.

Could our early American history have been much different?

John Sassamon was a Wompanoag Indian who lived in southeastern Massachusetts and died under mysterious circumstances in January of 1675. Sassamon was a "Praying Indian", an Indian who could communicate in English as well as various native dialects and, as such, found himself operating in two separate but adjacent cultures. The Sassamon Circle examines the inherent tensions and conflicts that arose between the English and Indian populations during the first fifty years after the arrival of the Pilgrims, tensions that led directly to Sassamon's death and culminated with King Philip's War.

Cover art by Janelle Krone.

“What troubles you my brother?” Attaquin asked, still gazing at the far shoreline. Tokanauset seized the opportunity.

“What happens when the English settle on your cove and bring their houses and their animals and their fences down to this very shoreline? Where will Attaquin find his peace then?”

Attaquin was stunned into silence by his brother’s fury. Now was not the time for rebuttal. Tokanauset stormed away from the shoreline with one final retort.

“Some of us will fight!”