The first official record of the relations of the colonists to the Indians took the form of a declaration of war. This was made by the General Court on May 1, 1637, acting under color of the Massachusetts Bay. The vote assigned no cause and read thus:

It is ordered that there shall be an offensive warr agt the Pequoitt, and that there shall be 90 men levied out of the 3 Plantations, Harteford, Wethersfield, & Windsor out of Harteford 42, Windsor 30, Wethersfield 18: under the Comande of Captaine Jo: Mason & in Case of death or sickness under the Command of Robert Seely Leift, & the oldest Sergeant or Military officer surviving, if both these miscarry.

On June 2, the Court passed this second order:

It is ordered yt there shall be sent forth 30 men out of the several plantations in this Pequoitt Country & River in place convenient to maynteine River of Connecticut to sett downe in the or right yt God by Conquest hath given to vs. & Leiftennt Seely shall have the Commande of them. The men are to be raised 14 out of Harteford, ten out of Windsor, out of Wethersfield.

The declaration of war of May 1, 1637, called forth the following vote of assistance by New-Plymouth:

It is concluded and enacted by the Court, that the Colony of New-Plymouth shall send forth and to assist them of Massachusetts-Bay and Conectacutt, in their wars against the Pequin Indians, in revenge of the innocent blood of the English which the said Pequins have barbarously shed and refuse to give satisfaction for.

The Pequot war ended with the Battle of the Great Swamp Fight located at Sasqua Swamp in Southport, Connecticut. Below is an excerpt of the Great Swamp fight from the writings of Capt. John Mason who led the search, attack and capture of the Pequot Indians

Connecticut Colony being informed hereof, sent forthwith forty men, Captain Mason being Chief commander; with some other Gent, to meet those of the Massachusetts, to consider what was necessary to be attended respecting the future.Who meeting with them of the Massachusetts in Pequot Harbor; after some time of consultation, concluded to pursue those Pequots that were fled toward Manhatance, and so forthwith Marched after them, discovering several Places where they rendezvoused and lodged not far distant from their several removes; making but little haste, by reason of their children, and want of provision, being forced to dig for clams, and to procure such other things as the wilderness afforded:Our Vessels sailing along by the shore.In about the space of three days we all arrived at New Haven Harbor, then called Quinnypiag.And seeing a great smoke in the woods not far distant, we supposing some of the Pequots our enemies might be there; we hastened ashore, but quickly discovered them to be Connecticut Indians. Then we returned aboard our vessels, where we stayed some short time, having sent a Pequot captive upon discovery, we named him Luz, who brought us tidings of the enemy, which proved true; so faithful was he to us, though against his own Nation. Such was the terror of the English upon them such was the terror of the English upon them, that a Mohegan Indian named Jack Eatow going ashore at that time, met with three Pequots, took two of them and brought them aboard.

We then hastened our march towards the place where the enemy was. And coming into a corn field, several of the English spied some Indians, who fled them: they pursued them; and coming to the top of a hill, saw several wigwams just opposite, only a swamp intervening, which was almost divided in two parts. Sergeant Palmer hastening with about twelve men who were under his command to surround the smaller part of the swamp, that so he might prevent the Indians flying; Ensign Danport, Sergeant Jeffries & c, entering the swamp, intended to go into the wigwams were there set upon by several Indians, who in all probability were deterred by Sergeant Palmer. In this skirmish the English slew but few.; two or three of themselves were wounded. The rest of the English coming up, the swamp was surrounded.

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