A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 73

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry
Publication date: 1835
Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia > Part 73
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It might be expected that so favorable an account would soon lead to a 1585. new expedition; accordingly another was prepared for the succeeding year, consisting of seven vessels. Ralph Lane was appointed by Raleigh, govenor of the colony, which consisted of one hundred and eight persons.t Sir Richard Greenville took command of the fleet, and several Learned and accomplished men attended the expedition, one of whom has transmitted to posterity many interesting particulars of the nature, of the country, and the habits, manners, and government of its inhabitants.}

The English soon began to maltreat the harmless, unpretending, and . July 11, 1586. simple natives, and they on the other hand to grow jealous of the power of the overbearing strangers. They soon learned the inordinate passion of the new comers for gold, and taking ad- vantage of their credulity inflicted upon them the labor of many fruitless ex- peditions in search of pretended mines, hoping at the same time by these divisions to weaken the power of the little colony to such a degree that they might be able to destroy it in detachment; but the English were too cautious for this, and went too short a distance, and in force too powerful for the Indians to encounter, with the great disparity of arms. The great- est advantage which accrued from these expeditions, and indeed from the whole attempt at a settlement, was the discovery of Chesapeake bay.

The little colony finding no gold and receiving no supplies from Eng- land had begun to despond, when most unexpectedly Sir Francis Drake

* See a very pleasing account of this interesting intercourse in Hacklyt, III. 304, &c. t Bancroft says 108, Robertson 180, Holmes 107.

$ Hariot in Hacklyt, III. 324, 40.

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arrived, on his return from his expedition against the Spaniards, in South America, with a fleet of three and twenty ships. The sagacity of Drake perceived in a moment what was necessary for the colony, and his gener- osity supplied them with provisions, vessels, and other things necessary to maintain their position, axtend their researches, and if necessary to return to England; but the accomplishinent of his purpose was defeated by a violent storm which suddenly arose, and nearly wrecked his whole fleet, driving the vessel of provisions intended for the colony to sea, and destroying the vessels which had been set apart, to be left for their use. He would have supplied others, but the colony with their governor at their head, earnestly requesting permission to return to England, he complied with June 10. their wishes. Thus terminated the first English settlement in America.

'This little colony during its sojourn with the Indians, had acquired some- thing of their fondness for the use of tobacco, and learned to regard it with almost the same superstitious reverence as a powerful medicinal agent. Upon their return they introduced the use of this plant into England, and a weed at first disgusting and nauseating to all who use it, has become gra- dually the favorite luxury (and indeed with many a necessary of life) of all classes of society and of both the young and the old throughout the world, and this after experience has proven that in most cases it is an injury rather than a benefit to the health.

A few days after Lane's departure, an English vessel arrived on the coast with every necesssary for the colony, but finding it deserted returned home; Sir Richard Grenville arrived soon after with three ships well furnished with stores, for the colony, but not finding it, he also returned, leaving fif- teen men on Roanoke Island, to keep possession in the name of Great Britain .*

A. D. 1587. The genius of Sir Walter Raleigh was not of a nature to succumb to slight failures, or ordinary difficulties. The suc- ceeding year another colony was despatched to settle in Virginia, and that they might consider their settlement permanent and Virginia their home, many persons with wives and families were sent.

Jan. 7, 1587 .: A charter of incorporation was granted for a town to be call- ed the City of Raleigh, a name revived in after times in the present metropolis of North Carolina. John White was appointed govern- or, and with eleven assistants constituted the administration for the control of the colony. Ample provision was made by the noble and liberal pro- prietor for the comfort of the colonists, and a plentiful stock of instruments' of husbandry provided, to enable them to supply their own future wants and establish themselves on the only footing which could possibly be ex- pected to be permanent.

April 26. The company embarked in April and arrived in July, at the place where they expected to find the fifteen unfortunate men whom Grenville had left. But their grounds were grown up in weeds, their tenantless dwellings had become the abode of the wild animals of the' forest, and their scattered bones blanching in the sun, were the last sad me- morials which told their fate to their anxious countrymen. Whether they fell by civil dissentions among themselves, by famine or disease, or were yet more miserably cut off by the overpowering numbers of a savage host,

* Hacklyt FI1, 323.

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taking advantage of their desolate situation, deprived of sympathy, and des- titute of the hope of succour, is one of the mysteries of history which the ken of man may not unravel.

The sagacity of Raleigh had directed the new settlement to be made on the shores of the magnificent Chesapeak, and there was the new city to be built, but the naval officer preferring trade with the West Indies, to explor- July 23. ing the coast, left White on Roanoke Island, and compelled him to establish himself there.

The colony soon became involved in difficulties with the natives, partly July 28. from accident, and partly from the previously engendered hostility of some of the tribes. Indeed it would seem impossible a priori, even if we had not unfortunately too much experience of the fact, that two nations, of such different degrees of civilization, manners and habits, with such dif- ferent designs, could longer remain together in peace, harmony and the footing of equals. It would seem to be the nature of man that the ignorant tribe should be jealous, treacherous and vindictive, that the more civilized, should be greedy, rapacious and overbearing. And when a spirit of sus- picion is once excited, the imprudence of a single individual too often in- volves in a quarrel all of the citizens of the little communities; nothing is extenuated, and nothing is attributed to accident; but suspicion in the injured party supplies the place of malice in theaggressor. These difficulties made the colonists feel more anxiously their dependance upon England, and forced upon them a melancholy foreboding that without frequent and effectual assistance from the mother country, they could not long sustain themselves in a strange and distant land, the natives of which had become bitterly hostile. Under this impression when their last ship was about to depart for England they. forced their reluctant Governor by excessive importunity to desert his charge in order that he might lend his personal aid and influence in sending them Aug. 27. his daughter Eleanor Dare, the wife of one of the assistant Go- succour from home. He sailed with the ship but not until after vernors, had presented him with the first white child born on the continent Aug. 18. with her mother was esteemed a sufficient pledge of the exertions of North America. This child was christened Virginia Dare, and of the Governor in aid of the colony, and of his speedy return.

White found all England engaged in anxious preparation to meet the threatened Spanish invasion, but this did not prevent the ge-

A. D. 1588. nerous Raleigh from despatching him with two ships of sup- plies for the relief of the colony. : But the spirit of gain overcame the spirit of humanity, and even the tender ties of parental, affection,

April 22. instead of going at once to the colony, he employed himself in- taking Spanish prizes, and was at last himself overcome, and rifled, which compelled him to return to England, much to the chagrin of the noble pro- prietor, and probably the destruction of the neglected colony.

The Invincible Armada of Spain had to be overcome, and the safety of England herself to be secured before another effort could be made to suc- cour the little colony at Roanoke, and when this was accomplished, leisure found the noble patron of the enterprise too much impoverished by his pre- vious unprofitable exertions, to fit out at his own expense another expedi- tion. He was obliged to assign an extensive portion of his powers to a company of merchants and others who might carry his schemes into exe -; cution, but with his profuse liberality, the active spring which had quick- ened previous expeditions was gone, the spirit of gain rather than of glory

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presided over the destinies of infant America, and it was not until another A. D. 1590. year had elapsed, that White was sent in questof his sub; jects and his daughter.

When he arrived the colony was gone, an inscription on the bark of a tree, indicating Croatan as the place whither they had gone, was the last re- cord of their existence seen by a civilized eye. Conjecture has pointed: to an amalgamation with the tribe of Hatteras Indians as the history of their destiny, and old Indian traditions and the physical characteristics of that tribe are said to confirm the idea, but whilst humanity may indulge a" hope, credulity itself must entertain a doubt of the truth of the hypothesis.

White returned to England as soon as he found out that the colony was: gone, and Raleigh is said to have sent five several times in vain, to search for his liege-men, but no tidings were ever received of their existence or their fate. Thus terminated the attempts at settlement on the coast of North Carolina, then called Virginia, the scene next opens upon the broad bosom of the "mother of the waters."*

CHAPTER II.

SETTLEMENT AT JAMES TOWN-SUFFERINGS OF THE COLONISTS -- AD- VENTURES OF SMITH,

New Company raised-its charter,-James Town,-Machinations against Smith,-Dificulties of the colony,-Smith taken prisoner -- his release,- Arrival of Newport,-Discovery of earth believed to be gold,-Depar- ture of Newport,-Survey of the Chesapeake and its waters by Smith,- Smith made President,-Second arrival of Newport,-Judicious con- duct of Smith,-New Charter,-New arrival of emigrants,-Badness of the selection,-New settlements,-Accident to Smith-his departure, -his character.

WE have now approached the period in which the British were destined to make a permanent settlement in America. England already possessed a population considered redundant, in consequence of the inadequate means of support afforded by her limited commerce, and inefficient agriculture. The pacific and timid character of James I. threw out of employment many of the brave spirits who had served under Elizabeth, and left them the choice of only two means of acquiring wealth or distinction,-and these were either to draw a mercenary sword in the quarrels of strangers, or to serve their king and country by transplanting their energy and enterprise to a new world. -

BARTHOLOMEW GOSNOLD chose the latter. . He was a person of rank and intelligence, and had already acquired distinction by his courage and skill in arms. He solicited his friends for aid for many years in vain, but

* This is the translation usually given of the Indian name " Chesapeak" but Chilly McIntosh, the celebrated Georgia Creek Chief, now removed west of the Mississippi with his tribe, told the writer another meaning which he said was the true, one, but which the writer has forgotten ; but which was however not so unlike the one given. abovebut that the same word might well convey the two different impressions, in dif- rent Idioms of the same language,

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at length attracted the attention of the distinguished adventurer CAPT. JOHN SMITH, EDWARD MARIA WINGFIELD, a merchant, and ROBERT HUNT, a clergymen, who after taking a year for reflection entered zealous- ly into his projects.

Nothing however could be effected until persons of wealth and distinc- tion could be found tol patronise by their favor, and aid by their capital the enthusiasm of the adventurers. SIR FERDINAND GORGES, a man of wealth, rank, and influence, had been informing himself by conversation with several American Indians who had been carried to England by pre- vious voyages, and by every other means in his power of the nature of the country ; and from the information he obtained became exceedingly anxious to possess a domain on the western side of the Atlantic. He per- suaded SIR JOHN POPHAM, lord chief justice of England, to unite in his views. . RICHARD HACKLYT, the distinguished compiler of narratives of maritime adventures, and one of the assignees of Raleigh, had not yet re- linquished his hopes of a permanent settlement in America, notwithstand- ing the frequent previous discouraging failures, and cheerfully joined in this new scheme of American colonization. The exertions of these ener- getic and distinguished individuals speedily raised a company, and procured a charter from King James.

As this was" the first charter under which a permanent settlement was , made, it may be worth attention to notice some of its prominent features. April 10, 1606. hundred and six .* It grants all the country from The charter bears date on the tenth of April sixteen four and thirty to five and forty degrees of north latitude, and all islands within one hundred miles of the coast. This immense extent of country was divided by the charter between two companies, for the more speedy accomplishment of their purpose,-which have been ever since designated as the London and the Plymouth companies. The London company wished to establish a colony between the 34th and 41st degrees of lati- tude, and the Plymouth between the 38th and 45th, and the grants were made in conformity to their wishes. But as there was room for collision between the 38th and 41st degree of latitude, the colony which first settled was to possess the land for' fifty miles north and south of its location, and the other colony was forbidden to settle within one hundred miles of the colony first planted. Each of the colonies was to be governed by a coun- eil of thirteent persons, under the management and direction of a council of thirteen in England, which was to regulate both colonies. The council in the colonies were to govern according to laws, ordinances and instruc. tions prescribed by the king himself. The colonies nad full power given to search for and work mines, paying to the king a fifth part of the gold and silver obtained, and a fifteenth of the copper ; and they were further allowed to coin money to pass current in the colonies. They were also empowered to levy a duty of two and a half per cent upon the property of the king's subjects trading within their limits, and five per cent upon all others so trading, for the use of the colony for twenty one years, and after- wards for the use of the king.

Certain articles of necessity were allowed to be carried to the colonies

* See this charter preserved in Stith,-Henning's Stat. at Large, p. CO, and in T. Rynier.

t It appears afterwards that only seven were appointed ; no reason is assigned for the change.

Vi vil polly to windr

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from any part of the king's dominions tree of duty for the first seven years; and the colonists and their descendants were to have forever the privileges, franchises, and immunities of native born Englishmen.

The English counsil was to have power to name the persons who were to compose the colonial council, and the latter elected their own president, and supplied vacancies in their own body. The religion of the church of England was established ; lands were to descend as at common law ; . man- slaughter, adultery, and dangerous tumults and seditions were to be pun- ished with death. The president and council constituted the supreme tri- bunal in all cases. . The property of the colonists was to continue in joint stock for five years,

One hundred and nine years from the discovery of the North American Dec. 19, 1606. continent by Cabot, three small vessels whose joint tonnage amounted to only 160 tons burthen, sailed for the coast of Virginia with a colony of 105 men. They were detained for six weeks in sight of England by adverse winds. The voyage was prosecuted under the command of Captain Newport, who sailed by the old route of the Car naries and the West India Islands ; thus consuming the valuable time -and provisions of the colonists in a voyage unnecessarily long and circuitous. He did not arrive in the Chesapeake until the 26th of April.

Dissensions had sprung up in the course of the voyage, which there was no competent authority to quell, as the absurd affectation of diplo- matic mystery on the part of King James had sealed up his instructions and the names of those who were to constitute the council, in a box which ; was not to be opened until after they arrived in Virginia.

The southern cape of the Chesapeake received the name of Henry, and the northern that of Charles, after the names of the sons of James. After landing on cape Henry, the box of instructions was opened, and Smith *, was found to be named as one of the council, but he was excluded by the jeal- ous malignity of the rest. Wingfield was chosen President.

Soon after passing the capes they reached the mouth of a large and beautiful river which they named after their sovereign James, but which the 'natives called Powhatan. . About fifty miles from the mouth of this

river they selected a spot for their settlement, to which they gave May 13. the name of James Town. There could not perhaps beca company more unfitted for the duty which it had to perform than that which now commenced the foundation of the British empire in America. The colonists were in a wilderness surrounded by savages, without a forti- fication to repel their incursions, possessed of a seanty supply of provis- ions, without means of planting,-and without a habitation, . to protect them from the weather, save such as they might themselves erect; yet in the whole company there were but four carpenters, and twelve laborers, to fifty-four gentlemen. At first however this rare collection of pioneers fell to work with spirit, each to his appropriate duty .. The president who seems to have been a very weak man and ill-suited for his station, was too jealous of his own men to allow exercises at arms, or a fortification to be erected; and the only protection provided was a sort. of half moon formed of the boughs of trees by the exertions of Kendall. ; Newport, Smith, and twenty others were sent to discover the head of the river. In

* The council named was Bart, Gosnold, John Smith, Edward Wingfield, Christo. pher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John Martin and George Kendall,

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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA,

six days they arrived at a town called Powhatan, belonging to king Pow, hatan, situated at the falls of the river, near the site of the present city of Richmond,-they were kindly treated by the Indians. When the expe- dition returned, they found that James Town had been attacked by the savages, and 17 men wounded, and a boy killed. They were attacked while at work, and their arms out of order; so that the whole were only saved from destruction by the timely aid of the vessels. After this expe- rience of his folly the President permitted the place to be fortified, and the labor necessary to effect this, with so small a force, whilst it was necessary at the same time to guard their workmen. by day, to watch by night, to prepare ground for corn, and lumber to relade the ships, may. be better conceived than described. After a stay of six weeks, Newport prepared to depart, and the council affecting a tender regard for the character of Smith, whom they had falsely accused of a treacherous design to usurp royal authority in the colony, and kept out of his seat in the council under these charges, now proposed that he might not be utterly ruined by a trial, to send him home to the council to be disposed of as it might think proper. But Smith conscious of innocence of the absurd charge, boldly defied them, and demanded a trial. Ilis accusers suborned witnesses, who instead of answering the expectations of their employers, only exposed the subor- nation. The company were so incensed at the infamous conduct of his accusers, that they condemned the President to pay him £200, which, when received, he generously threw into the common stock. New- port sailed on the 15th of June, leaving 100 men in Virginia.

The condition of the men thus left was the most melancholy that can well be imagined. They consisted for the most part of men entirely unused to labor, or hardship; who were doomed to encounter every kind of difficulty, in the midst of summer, in a hot and sickly climate. In ten days from the departure of Newport scarce ten men could stand from sick- ness and weakness. 'T'he food was scanty in quantity, and of the most unwholesome quality. The allowance of each man was half a pint of wheat, and as much barley, boiled in water, which was served out from a common kettle, and which having been closely stowed in the ship's hold for 26 weeks in a warm and moist atmosphere, was reduced to a condition any thing but tempting. Smith, the narrator of these sufferings, humor- ously remarks, "If we had been as free from all sins as from gluttony and drunkenness, we might have been canonized for saints." As might be supposed in such an unfortunate state of affairs great mortality prevailed, and fifty were buried between May and September, and those that survived relied principally for their subsistence upon sturgeon and sea crabs. The suffering in this state of affairs must have been greatly aggravated by the" knowledge, that the President was indulging himself in every luxury which the stores afforded,-and his detection in an attempt to escape in the. pinnace, from the suffering colony. 'T'his last act of treachery was more than the little colony could endure, and weak as it was, it deposed him, and Kendall his accomplice. Ratcliffe was made President. The council do not seem to have exercised the power granted them in their charter, of filling up vacancies, and it was now reduced to three,-Ratcliffe, Smith, and Martin; Gosnold had perished, Newport sailed for England, and Wingfield and Kendall had been deposed.

The President and Martin being unpopular men, and very deficient in judgment and energy, committed the control of affairs nearly entirely to

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Smith, who by his example and his skill in managing men, speedily reduc- ed affairs to order, induced the men to work, and provided comfortable ha- bitations. His next object was to obtain a supply of corn for the immediate necessity of the people, which he did effectually by frightening the people of Kecoughtan, an Indian village situated near the site of the present town of Hampton,-after first trying every means to purchase their provision. Smith now constituted the only hope not only for the existence of the colo- ny as such, but for the lives of the individuals of whom it consisted. Their recent wretchedness was not a sufficient warning to them to preserve order, and to husband their resources with prudence, now that plenty was provid- ed, but they lived as wastefully as if they had boundless magazines at com- mand. Smith seeing this, caused the pinnace to be fitted up for a cruise, and in the mean time availed himself of the opportunity to become ac- quamted with the country lying on the Chickahominy.

During one of these temporary absences of Smith, Wingfield and Ken- dall, who had lived in disgrace since they were deposed, laid a plot to car- ry off the pinnace to England, which the fortunate return of Smith before they had time to effect their purpose, prevented. But not even then were they defeated, without firing on the pinnace, by which means Kendall lost his life.

. Smith having gained possession of the pinnace, ascended the" Chicka- hominy, and procured an abundance of corn. Winter coming on soon af- ter afforded an ample supply of game, and wild fowl, so that plenty was once more restored, and thought no longer entertained of going to England, ; Little souls cannot look upon the greatest exploits of nobler creatures, without suffering a captious and jealous malignity to detract from their merit. The very beings whom Smith had preserved by his good conduct, now murmured against him their absurd complaints-because he had not discovered the head of the Chickahominy, although he had returned only to supply them with food. His spirit could not brook reproach, however undeserved, for any thing which was yet possible to be accomplished. He again ascended the Chickahominy as far as was practicable in the pinnace, and leaving it in a position which he supposed to be safe, he advanced yet higher, with two whites and two Indians in a canoe. He left his men with his little boat, and taking only his Indian guide, advanced into the forest with his gun to procure them provision. Unfortunately, in disobedience to his orders, the men in the pinnace went ashore, and one of them was taken by the Indians, who learned from their prisoner whither the Captain had gone. The savages pursued him, and slew the men-left with the canoe whilst they slept. They next sought Sinith, but found him no easy prey, `for tying his guide to his arm as a buckler to keep off their arrows, ho de- fended himself so gallantly that they dare not approach him, until falling accidentally into a marsh, he was at length forced by cold and fatigue to surrender. The savages conducted him to their Chief Opechankanough; king of Pamunkee. Smith endeavored to impress the king with a high idea of his powers, by presenting him with a mariner's compass, explaining its uses, and instructing him in the rudiments of astronomy, by explaining the motion of the earth, its shape, and the motion of the sun, moon and planets; truths which it is difficult to believe he could make the savage comprehend, especially as he had but little knowledge of their language. It is more. probable that the king was pleased with the ivory case of the compass, and. the mysterious play of the needle, which he could see but not touch, and

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A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 73

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry Publication date: 1835 Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry
Publication date: 1835
Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin
Number of Pages: 1278