Wompatuck

Wompatuck (ca. 1627^[1]-1669), known to English settlers as Josiah Sagamore, was a leader of the Mattakeesett tribe of the Massachusett Indians. He was the son of Massachusett sachem Chickatawbut. His name meant "snow goose" in the Wampanoag language.

After Wompatuck's father, Chickatawbut died in 1633, Wompatuck's uncle, Cutshamekin raised him. After Cutshamekin's death around 1655, Wompatuck succeeded him. Wompatuck was an early friend of European settlers. Like his father and uncle, he sold the British the land upon which the city of Boston, Massachusetts, was established in 1629 and other surrounding towns were established. After an harsh attack on his tribe by the Hodenesaunee Iroquois in 1665, he organized a great expedition for retaliation, involving several Massachusett tribes with 600 or 700 warriors, against Mohawk's capital, Gandaouaguè. Coming back to New England, his column was ambushed and he was slain in 1669 when he led a force of his warriors in an attack upon the Mohawks. Wompatuck's son, Charles Josiah Wompatuck, became sachem after his death.^[2]

Namesake

The United States Navy harbor tug USS Wampatuck (YT-337), later YTB-337, in commission from 1942 to 1946, was named for him. Wompatuck State Park located in Hingham, Massachusetts is also named after him. Also, he is honored by the town of Braintree, Massachusetts in calling their sports teams the "Wamps."

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
• Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Wampatuck (ship namesake paragraph)