It was dawn of December 8, 1620. Sixteen men, half of whom were “saints,” members of the religious separatist group that formed the nucleus of the Mayflower enterprise, had ventured ashore in their small boat, a shallop, searching for fresh water and food. After camping overnight, they awoke to a hail of arrows. The men returned fire with their muskets. n the end, no one was hurt when the natives disappeared into the brambly forest that covered the dunes.The relieved Pilgrims christened the spot where the skirmish took place “The First Encounter.”
