USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 3rd ed > Part 2
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The following account of the original from which this document was taken, is given by Mr. Jefferson, in his own words:
"The original manuscript, of which the following is a copy, was communicated to me by Mr. King, our late minister plenipotentiary at the court of London, in a letter of Dec. 20, 1803. The transac- tion which it records, although of little extent of consequence, is yet marked in the history of Virginia, as having been the only rebellion or insurrection which took place in the colony during the one hun- dred and sixty-eight years of its existence preceding the American revolution, and one hundred years exactly before that event; in the contest with the house of Stuart, it only accompanied the steps of the mother country. The rebellion of Bacon has been little under- stood, its cause and course being imperfectly explained by any au- thentic materials hitherto possessed ; this renders the present narra- tive of real value. It appears to have been written by a person intimately acquainted with its origin, progress and conclusion, thirty years after it took place, and when the passion of the day had subsided, and reason might take a cool and deliberate review of the transaction. It was written, too, not for public eye, but to satisfy the desire of minister Lord Oxford ; and the candor and simplicity of the narration cannot fail to commend belief. On the outside of the cover of the manuscript is the No. 3947 in one place, and 5781 in another. Very possibly the one may indicate the place it held in Lord Oxford's library, and the other its number in the catalogue of the bookseller to whose hands it came afterwards ; for it was at the sale of the stock of a bookseller that Mr. King purchased it.
"To bring the authenticity of this copy as near to that of tlie original as I could, I have most carefully copied it with my own hand. The pages and lines of the copy correspond exactly with those of the original ; the orthography, abbreviations, punctuations, interlinea- tions and incorrectness, are preserved, so that it is a fac simile except as to the form of the letter. The orthography and abbreviations are evidences of the age of the writing.
"The author says of himself that he was a planter; that he lived in Northumberland, but was elected a member of the assembly in 1676 for the County of Stafford, Colonel Mason being his colleague,
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of which assembly Col. Warner was speaker ; that it was the first and should be the last time of his meddling with public affairs ; and he subscribes the initials of his name T. M. Whether the records of the time, (if they still exist), with the aid of these circumstances, will show what his name was, remains for further inquiry."
THE MANUSCRIPT.
To the right hono' ble Robert Harley esq'r. her Mag'ties Principal Secretary of State, and one of her most Hono' ble Privy Council.
S'R.
The great honor of your command obliging my pen to step aside from its habitual element of ffigures into this little treatise of his- tory ; which having never before experienced, I am like Sutor ultra crepidam, and therefore dare pretend no more than (nakedly) recount inatters of ffact.
Beseeching yo'r hono'r will vouch safe to allow, that in 30 years, divers occurrences are laps'd out of mind, and others imper- fectly retained.
So far as the most solemn obedience can be now paid, is to pursue the track of barefac'd trutli, as close as my memory can recollect, to have seen, or believed, from creditable ffriends with concurring cir- cumstances:
And whatsoever yo'r celebrated wisdom shall finde amise in the composure, my entire dependence is upon yo'r candor favorably to accept these most sincere endeavors of Yo'r Hon'rs
Most devoted humble serv't.
The 13th July, 1705. T. M.
The beginning, progress and conclusion of Bacon's rebellion in Vir- ginia in the year 1675 G 1676.
About the year 1675, appear'd three prodigies in that country, which from th' attending disasters were look'd upon as ominous presages.
The one was a large comet every evening for a week, or more at Southwest ; thirty-five degrees high streaming like a horse taile westwards, until it reach'd (almost) the horison, and setting towards the North-west.
Another was, fflights of pigieons in breadth nigh a quarter of the mid-hemisphere, and of their length was no visible end ; whose weights brake down the limbs of large trees whereon these rested at nights, of which the ffowlers shot abundance and eat 'em ; this sight put the old planters under the more portentous apprehensions, because the like was seen, (as they said), in the year 1640 when th' Indians committed the last massacre, but not after, until that present year 1675.
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The third strange appearance was swarms of fflies about all inch long, and big as the top of a man's little finger, rising out of spigot holes in the earth, which eat the new sprouted leaves from the tops of the trees without doing other harin, and in a month left us.
My dwelling was in Northumberland, the lowest county on Potomack River, Stafford being the upmost, where having also a plantation, servants, cattle, &c. my overseer had agreed with one Rob't. Hen to come thither, and be my herdsman, who then lived ten miles above it ; but on a sabbath day morning in the sumer anno 1675, people on their way to church, saw this Hen lying thwart his threshold, and an Indian without the door, both chopt on their heads, arms & other parts, as if done with Indian hatchetts, th' Indian was dead, but Hen when asked who did that ? answered Doegs Doegs, and soon died, then a boy who came out from under a bed where he had hid himself, and told them, Indians had come at break of day & done those murders.
ffrom this Englishman's bloud did (by degrees) arise Bacons rebellion with the following mischiefs which overspread all Virginia & twice endangered Maryland, as by the ensueing account is evident.
Of this horrid action Coll: Mason who commanded the militia regiment of ffoot & Capt. Brent the troop of horse in that county, (both dwelling six or eight miles downwards) having speedy notice raised 30, or mote men, & pursu'd those Indians 20 miles up & 4 miles over that river into Maryland, where landing at dawn of day, they found two small paths each leader with his party a separ- ate path and in less than a furlong either found a cabin, which they (silently) surrounded. Capt. Brent went to the Doegs cabin (as it proved to be) who speaking the Indian tongue called to have a "Machacomicha wœwhio" i. e. a council called presently such being the usual manner with Indians the king came trembling forth, and wou'd have fled, when Capt. Brent, catching hold of his twisted lock (which was all the hair he wore) told him he was come for the mur- der of Rob't Hen, the king pleaded ignorance and slipt loos, whom Brent shot dead with his pistoll, th' Indian shot two or three guns out of the cabin, th' English shot into it, th' Indians throng'd out at the door and fled, the Englishi shot as many as they cou'd, so that they killed ten, as Capt. Brent told me, and brought away the kings son of about 8 years old, concerning whom is an observable passage, at the end of this expedition ; the noise of the shooting awaken'd the Indians in the cabin, which Coll: Mason had encompassed, who like- wise rush'd out & fled, of whom his company (supposing from the noise of shooting Brent's party to be engaged) shot (as the Coll: in- formed me) ffourteen before an Indian came, who with both hands shook him (friendly ) by one arm says Susquehanoughs netoughs i e. Susquehanough friends and fied, whereupon he ran amongst his men crying out "ffor the Lords sake shoot no more, these are our friends the Susquenhanoughs.
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This unhappy scene ended ;- Collo. Mason took the king of the Doegs son home with him, who lay ten dayes in bed, as one dead, with eyes and mouth shutt, no breath discern'd, but his body con- tinning warm, they believed him yett alive; th' aforenamed Capt. Brent (a papist) coming hither on a visit and seeing his little prisener thus lauguishing said "perhaps he is pawewawd i. e. bewitch'd, and that he had heard baptism was an effectual remedy against witch- craft wherefore advis'd to baptise him Collo. Mason, answered no minister cou'd be had in many miles ; Brent replied yo'r clerk Mr. Dobson may do that office, which was done by the church of Eng- land liturgy ; Collo: Mason with Capt. Brent godfathers and Mrs. Mason godmother, my overseer Mr. Pimet being present, from whom I first heard it, and which all the' other persons (afterward) affirm'd to me ; the ffour men returned to drinking punch, but Mrs. Mason stayed & looking on the child, it open'd the eyes, and breathi'd whereat she ran for a cordial, which he took from a spoon, gaping for more and so (by degrees) recovered, tho' before his baptism, they had often tryed the same meanes but cou'd not by no endeavours wrench open his teeth.
This was taken as a convincing proofe against infidelity.
But to return from this digression, the Susquehanoughs were newly driven from their habitations, at the head of Chesepiack Bay, by the Cinela Indians, down to the head of the Potomack, where they sought protection under the Pascataway Indians, who had a fort near the head of that river, and also were our ffriends.
After this unfortunate exploit of Mason & Brent, one or two being kill'd in Stafford, boats of war were equipt to prevent excur- sions over the river, at the same time murders being likewise com- initted in Maryland, by whom not known, on either side the river, both countrys raised their quota's of a thousand men, upon whose coming before the ffort, the Indians sent out 4 of their great men, who ask'd the reason of that hostile appearance, what they said more or offered I do not remember to have heard ; but our two com- manders caused them to be (instantly) slaine, after which the In- dians made an obstinate resistance shooting many of our men, and making frequent, fierce and bloody sallyes : and when they were call'd to, or offered parley, gave no other answer, than "where are our four Cockarouses, i. e. great men ?
At the end of six weeks, march'd out seventy five Indians with their women, children &c. who by moonlight passed our guards hol- lowing & firing at them without opposition having 3 or 4 decrepits in the ffort.
The next morning th' English followed, but could not, or (for fear of ambuscades) would not overtake these desperate fugities the number we lost in that siege I did not hear was published.
The walls of this fort was high banks of earth, with flankers having many loop-holes, and a ditch round all, and without this a row of tall trees fastened 3. feet deep in the earth, their bodies from
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5. to. 8. inches diameter, watled 6. inches apart to shoot through with the tops twisted together, and also artificially wrought, as our men could make no breach to storm it, nor (being low land) could they undermine it by reason of water neither had they cannon to batter itt, so that 'twas not taken, untill ffamine drove the Indians out of it.
These escap'd Indians (forsaking Maryland) took their rout over the head of that river, and thence over the heads of Rappahalı- nock & York Rivers, killing whom they found of the upmost plan- tations until they came to the head of James River, where (with Bacon and others) they slew Mr. Bacon's overseeer whom he much loved, and one of his servants, whose blond hee vowed to revenge if possible.
In these frightful times the most exposed small families withdrew into our houses of better numbers, which we fortified with palisa- does and redoubts, neighbours in bodys joined their labours from each plantation to others alternately, taking their arms into the ffields, and setting centinels ; no man stirrd out of doors unarm'd, Indians were (ever & anon) espied, three 4. 5. or 6. in a party lurk- ing throughout the whole land, yet (what was remarkable) I rarely heard of any houses burnt, tho' abundance was forsaken, nor ever, or any corn or tobacco cut up, or other injury done, beside murders, except the killing of a very few cattle and swine.
Frequent complaints of bloudsheds were sent to Sr. William Berkeley (then Govern'r) from the heads of the rivers, which were as often answered with promises of assistance.
These at the heads of James and York Rivers (having now most people destroyed by the Indians flight thither from Potomack ) grew impatient at the many slaughters of their neighbours and rose for their own defence, who chusing Mr. Bacon for their leader, sent oftentimes to the Govern'r, humbly beseeching a commission to go against those Indians at their own charge which his hon'r as often promised but did not send ; the misteryes of these delays, were won- dered at and which I ne'er heard coud penetrate into, other than the effects of his passion, and a new (not to be mentioned) occasion of avarise, to both which he was (by the common vogue) more than a little addicted ; whatever were the popular surmizes & mur- murins viz't.
"that no bullets would pierce bever skins.
"rebells forfeitures would be loyall inheritances &c.
During these protractions and people often slaine, most or all of the officers, civil & military with as many dwellers next the heads of the rivers as made up 300. men taking Mr. Bacon for their com- mand'r met, and concerted together, the danger of going without a commiss'n on the one part, and the continuall murders of their neighbors on the other part (not knowing whose or how many of their own turns might be next) and came to this resolution viz't to prepare themselve with necessaries for a march, but interim to send
3
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again for a commission, which if could or could not be obtayned by a certaine day, they would proceed commission or no commission.
This day lapsing & no com'n come, they marched into the wild- erness in quest of those Indians after whom the Govern'r sent his proclamation, denouncing all rebells, who should not return within a limited day, whereupon those of estates obey'd ; but Mr. Bacon with 57. men proceeded until their provisions were near spent, with- out finding the enemy's when coming nigh a ffort of ffriend Indians, on th' other side a branch of James River, they desired reliefe offering paym't, which these Indians kindly promised to help them with on the morrow, but put them off with promises until the third day, so as then having eaten their last morsells they could not re- turn, but must have starved in the way homeward and now 'twas suspected these Indians had received private messages from the Govern'or & those to be the cause of these delusive procrastina- tions ; whereupon the English waded shoulder deep thro' that branch of the ffort palisado's still entreating and tendering pay, for victuals ; but that evening a shot from the place they left on th' other side of that branch kill'd one of Mr. Bacon's men, which made them believe, those in the ffort had sent for other Indians to come behind 'em & cut 'em off.
Hereupon they fired the polisado's, storm'd & burnt the ffort and cabins, and (with the losse of three English) slew 150 Indians. The circumstances of this expedic'n Mr. Bacon entertain'd me with, at his own chamber, on a visit I made him, the occasion hereof is hereafter mentioned.
ffrom hence they returned home where writts were come up to elect members for an assembly, when Mr. Bacon was unanimously chosen for one, who coming down the river was commanded by a ship with guns to come on board, where waited Major Houe the high sheriff of James town ready to seize him, by whom he was carried down to the Govern'r & by him receiv'd with a surprizing civility in the following words "Mr. Bacon you had for got to be a gentleman." No, may it please yo'r hon'r answer'd Mr. Bacon ; then replyed the Govern'r I'll take yo'r parol, and gave him his liberty ; in March 1675-6 writts came up to Stafford to choose their two members for an assemby to meet in May ; when Collo. Mason Capt. Brent and other gentlemen of that county invited me to stand a candidate ; a matter I little dreamt of, having never had inclina- c'ions to tamper into the precarious intrigues of Govern't. and my hands being full of my own business ; they press't severall cogent argum'ts. and I having considerable debts in the county, besides my plantation concerns, where (in one & th' other, I had much more severly suffered, than any of themselves by th' Indian disturbances in the summer and winter foregoing. I held it not [then] discreet to disoblige the rulers of it, so Collo: Mason with myself were elected without objection, he at time convenient went on horse back ; I took my sloop & the morning I arriv'd to James town after a weeks
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voyage, was welcomed with the strange acclamations of All's Over Bacon is taken, having not heard at home of these Southern com'o- tions, other than rumors like idle tales, of one Bacon risen up in rebellion, no body knew for what, concerning the Indians.
The next forenoon, tli' Assembly being met in a chamber over the General court & our Speaker chosen, the Govern'r sent for us down, where his hon'r with a pathetic emphasis made a short abrupt speech wherin were these words.
"If they had killed my grandfather and my grandmother, my " father and mother and all my friends, yet if they had come to treat "of peace, they ought to have gone in peace, and sat down.
The two chief commanders at the aforementioned seige, who slew the ffour Indian great men, being present and part of our assembly.
The Govern'r stood up againe and said "if there be joy in the " presence of the Angels over one sinner that repented, there is joy "now, for we have a penitent sinner come before us, call Mr. Bacon : then did Mr. Bacon upon one knee at the bar deliver a sheet of paper confessing his crimes, aud begging pardon of god the king and the Govern'r whereto [after short pause] he answered "God forgive you, I forgive you, thrice repeating the same words ; when Collo. Cole [one of the council] said "and all that were with him, Yea, said the Govern'r & all that were with him, twenty or more persons being then in irons who were taken coming down in the same & other ves- sels with Mr. Bacon.
About a minute after this the Govern'r starting up from his chair a third time said "Mr. Bacon ! if you will live civily but till next Quarter court [doubling the words] till next Quarter court, Ile promise to restore you againe to yo'r place, there pointing with his hand to Mr. Bacons seat, he having been of the Councill before these trouble, tho' he had been a very short time in Virginia but was de- posed by the aforesaid proclamoc'on and in the afternoon passing by the court door, in my way up to our chamber, I saw Mr. Bacon on his quandam seat the Govern'r & councill which seemed a marvel- ious indulgence to one whom he had so lately prescribed a rebell.
The Govern'r had directed us to consider of means for security from th' Indian insults and to defray the charge &c. advising us to beware of two rogues amongst us, naming Laurence and Drummond both dwelling at James town and who were not at the Pascataway siege.
But at our entrance upon businesse, some gentlemen took this opportunity to endeavour he redressing severall grievances the coun- try then labor'd under, motions were made for inspecting the pub- lick revenues, the Collectors accompts &c. and so far was proceeded as to name part of a committee whereof Mr. Bristol [now in London] was and myself another, when we were interrupted by pressing mes- sages from the Govern'r to ineddle with nothing until the Indian business was dispatch't.
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This debate rose high, but was overruled and I have not heard that these inspections have since then been insisted upon, tho such of that indigent people as had no benefits from the taxes groaned undr our being thus overborn.
The next thing was a Co'mittee for the Indian affaires, whereof in appointing members, myself was unwillingly nominated having no knowledge in martiall preparations, and after our names were taken, some of the house moved for sending 2 of our members to in- treat the Govern'r wou'd please to asssign two of his councill to sit with, and assist us in our debates, as had been usuall.
When seeing all silent looking at each other with many discon- tented faces, I ventur'd to offer my humble opinion to the Speaker "for the " co'mittee to form methods as agreeable to the sense of the " house as we could, and report 'em whereby the would more clearly "see, 011 what points to give the Govern'r and Councill that trouble "if perhaps it might be needfull."
These few words raised an uproar ; one party urging hard "it liad been customary and ought not to be omitted ;" whereto Mr. Presley iny neighbor an old assembly man, sitting next me, rose up, and [in a blundering manner replied] "tis true, it has been custom- "ary, but if we have any bad customs amonst us, we come here to "mend 'em" which set the house in slaughter.
This was huddl'd off without coming to a vote, and so the co'- mittee must submit to be overaw'd, and have every carpt at expres- sion carried streight to the Govern'r.
Our co'mittee being sat, the Queen of Pakunky [descended from Oppechankenough a former Emperor of Virginia] was introduced, who entered the chamber with a comportment graceful to admira- tion, bringing on her right had an Englishman interpreter and on the left her son a strippling twenty years of age, she having round her head a plat of black & white wampam peague three inches broad in imitation of a crown, and was clothed in a mantle of dress't deerskins with the hair outwards & the edge cut round 6 inches deep which made strings resembling twisted fringe from the should- ers to the feet ; thus with grave courtlike gestures and a majestick air in her face, she walk'd up our long room to the lower end of the table, where after a few intreaties she sat down ; th' interpreter and her son standing by her on either side as they had walk'd up, our chairman asked her what men she would lend us for guides in the wilderness and to assist us against our enemy Indians, she spake to th' interpreter to inform her what the chairman said, [tho we be- lieve she understood him] he told us she bid him ask her son to whom the English tongue was familiar, & who was reputed the son of an English colonel, yet neither wou'd he speak to or seem to un- derstand the Chairman but th' interpreter told us he referred all to his mother, who being againe urged she after a little musing with an earnest passionate countenance as if tears were ready to gush out and a fervent sort of expression made a harangue about a quarter of
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an hour, often interlacing [with a high shrill voice and vehement passion] these words "Tatapatomoi Cliepiack, i. e. Tatapamoi dead: Coll: Hill being next ine, shook his head, I ask'd what was the mat- ter, he told me all she said was too true to our shame, and that his father was generall in that battle, where diverse years before Tata- patamoi her husband had led a hundred of his Indians in help in th' English against her foriner enemy Indians, and was there slaine with most of his men ; for which no compensation [at all] had been to that day rendered to her wherewith she now upbraided us.
Her discourse ending and our morose Chairman not advancing one cold word towards asswaging the anger and grief of her speech and demeanour manifested under her oppression, nor taking any no- tice of all she had said, neither considering that we (then) were in our great exigency, supplicants to her for a favor of the same kind as the former, for which we did not deny the having been so ingrate he rudely push'd againe the same question "what Indians will you now contribute &c? of this disregard she signified her resentment by a disdainful aspect, and turning her head half aside, sate mute till that same question being press't a third time, she not turning her face to the board, answered with a low slighting voice in her own language "six, but being further importun'd she sitting a little while sullen, without uttering a word between said, twelve, tho she then had a hundred and fifty Indian men, in her town, and so she rose up and gravely walked away, as not pleased with her treatment.
Whilst some dais past in settling the Quota's of men and arms and ammunic'on provisions &c. each county was to furnish one morning early a bruit ran about the town Bacon is fled Bacon is fled, whereupon I went straigh to Mr. Laurence, wlio (formerly) was of Oxford university, and for wit learning and sobriety was equall'd there by few, and who some years before [as Col. Lee tho one of the councill and a friend of the Govern'rs inform'd ine] had been parti- ally treated at law, for a considerable estate on behalf of a corrupt favorite ; which Laurence complaining loudly of, the Govern'r bore him a grudge and now shaking his head, said "old treacherous vil- "lian, and that his house was searcht that morning, at day break, "but Bacon was escaped into the country, having intimation that "the Govern'rs generosity in pardoning him and his followers and "restoring him to his seat in the councill, were no other than previ- "ous wheadles to amuse him & his adherents & to circumvent them " by stratagem, forasmuch as the taking Mr. Bacon again into the " councill was first to keep him out of the assembly, and in the next "place the Govern'r knew the country people were hastening down "with dreadful threatenings to double revenge all wrongs shoul'd be " done to Mr. Bacon or his men, or whoever shou'd have had the " least hand in 'em.'
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