Military Organization: Although it is not known for certain, it seems likely that the groups of men calledpniesesconstituted an elite military society that provided leadership in battles as well as being a policy-making body. Boys with the proper characteristics—courage, strength, stature, endurance, honesty, discretion, and courtesy—were trained from childhood to endure hardships in preparation for becoming a pniese. When they were of the proper age they were initiated into the society in a ceremony which involved physical ordeal and supernatural experience.[468]Pnieses performed feats of great courage and boldness and were considered to be immune to wounds by enemy weapons. These were the leadersin battle—the men who carried long spears.[469]
Defensive Fortifications: Winter villages were often fortified against attack. Fortifications were pallisade and ditch constructions. A pallisade consisted of upright poles of some ten to twelve feet high, set into the ground as close as possible. On the inside a breast-high ditch was dug, and dirt thrown up against the base of the uprights provided further protection during combat. Spaces between the poles served as loopholes. The fort had one or two entrances, depending on its circumference. These were formed by overlapping the ends of the wall.[470]
Forts varied considerably in size, and probably there was also variation from the above structural specifications. Sizes ranged from enclosures of about fifty feet across to areas of several acres.[471]The smaller fortified areas were probably meant for the use of small groups when away from the main community, perhaps during the hunting season. Thick woods and swamps also served as refuge areas for women and children in wartime.[472]
Ordnance: Weapons consisted of bows and arrows, clubs, and tomahawks. Knives were used for taking trophies. War leaders carried long spears. When guns, swords and other European war machines had been introduced into North America, these also were used. Wampanoag fortifications were not so effective against the guns as they had been against bows and arrows.[473]
Uniform and Accoutrement: The uniform of the Wampanoag was his war paint, described in the following passage: “When they goe to their warres, it is their custome to paint their faces with diversitie of Colours, some being all black as jet, some red, some halfe red and halfe blacke, some blacke and white, others spotted with divers kinds of colours....”[474]In addition, wampum and other ornaments were worn into battle.[475]