American Indian chief, born in the Pequot settlement of Connecticut. Internal dissensions caused his expulsion from the Pequot tribe, and, gathering together a number of his followers, he settled east from Lyme, CT, where he founded the tribe known as the Mohegans. In 1637 he combined with the colonists, under Colonel John Mason, for the destruction of the Pequots. The allied forces being successful, he was given a portion of the conquered territory. His close intercourse with the colonists aroused the jealousy of Miantonomo, chief of the Narragansetts, who invaded the land of the Mohegans with a thousand of his followers, and a desperate engagement resulted, in which the Narragansetts were defeated and their chief taken prisoner. Miantonomo was tried before the colonial authorities, and, upon being sentenced to death, was taken to Norwich, where he was brained by a tomahawk in the hands of a brother of Uncas. This occurrence was the signal for a coalition of the Mohawks, Potomotoes, Narragansetts and other tribes against the Mohegans, and for the next few years Uncas was almost continuously engaged in defending his country from their invasion. In one of these campaigns he was saved from capture by the timely arrival of Ensign Thomas Leffingwell of the English army, and out of gratitude he transferred to him the land upon which Norwich now stands. A monument has been erected there to his memory (1825). He died near Norwich, CT.
