Tactics
focus mainly on three things: the enemy, the weather and
the terrain.
The Native American tactics were suited for the heavily
forested landscape of New England. Travel through the
forest was mainly restricted to paths familiar to the
Native Americans. Ambushes therefore were a favorite means
of engaging an enemy. They attacked in small bands. When
they encountered stiff oppostion or a larger group, they
would melt back into the forest. These are classic guerilla
tactics. The Native Americans could subsist on parched corn
and water for extended periods of time. Since they carried
little baggage, they could move swiftly either attacking or
retreating. Weapons bow and arrow, hatchet of tomahawk,
musket. There were Native American blacksmiths for
repairing muskets, but no gunsmiths for manufacturing
muskets.
The English initially used tactics more suited to the
treeless terrain of Europe.
They marched packed in close formation in order to generate
massed musket fire. The English used a baggage train to
furnish the food and spare parts needed to keep the
soldiers in the field. Where the terrain permitted, the
English had horses that gave them speedy movement. The
horses were not used in classic calvery fashion with bugles
blowing charrging at the enemy formatiion sabors flashing.
Rather the English dismounted when they engaged the enemy.
Later, Colonel Benjamin Church assembled a mixed band of
English and friendly Native Americans and used the Native
American tectics with grear success. The English were armed
with muskets, swords and knives.