USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 3rd ed > Part 3
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And so much was true that this Mr. young Nathaniel Bacon [not yet arrived at 30 years] had a nigli relation named Colo. Nath- aniel Bacon of long standing in the council a very rich politick man,
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and childless, designing this kinsman for his heir, who [not without much paines] had prevailed with his uneasy cousin to deliver the forementioned written recantation at the bar, having compiled it ready to his hand & by whose means it 'was supposed that timely intimation was convey'd to the young gentleman to flee for his life, and also in 3. or four dais after Mr. Bacon was first seiz'd I saw abundance of men in town thither from the heads of the rivers, who finding him restored & his men at liberty, return'd home satisfied ; a few dais after which, the Govern'r seeing all quiet, gave out private warrants to take him againe, intending as was thought to raise the militia and so to dispose things as to prevent his friends from gathering any more into a like numerous body and coming down a second time to save him.
In three or ffour dais after his escape, upon news that Mr. Bacon was 30 miles up the river, at the head of four hundred men, the Govern'r sent to the parts adjacent, on both sides James river for the militia and all the men that could be gotten to come and de- , fend the town, expres's came almost hourly of th' army's approaches, whom in less than four dais after the first account of 'm att 2. of the clock entered the town, without being withstood, and form*d a body upon a green, not a flight shot from the end of the State house of horse and ffoot, as well regular as veteran troops, who forthwith possesst themselves of all the avenues, disarming all the town and coming thither in boats or by land.
In half an hour after this the drum beat for the house to meet, and in less than an hour more Mr. Bacon came with a file of ffusileers on either hand near the corner of the State-house where the Gover- 11'r. and councill went forth to him; we saw from the window the Govern'r open his breast, and Bacon strutting betwixt his two files of men with his left arm on Knebow fligning his right arm every way both like men distracted ; and if in this moment of fury that enraged multitude had faln upon the Govern'r & councill we of the assembly expected the same imediate tate, I stept down and amongst the crowd of Spectators found the seamen of my sloop, who pray'd me not to stir from them, when in two minutes, the Govern'r walk'd towards his private apartin'nt. a Coits cast distant at the other end of the Statehouse, the gentlemen of the councill following him, and after them walked Mr. Bacon with outraigous postures of his head arms body & legs, often tossing his hands from his sword to his hat and after him came a detachment of ffusileers (musketts not being then in use) who with their cocks bent presented their ffusils at a window of the assembly chamber filled with faces, re- peating with menacing voices "we will have it," we will have it," half a minute when as one of our house a person known to many of then, shook his handkerchief out at the window, "saying you shall have it, you shall have it," 3 or 4 times ; at these words they sate down their fusils unbent their locks and stood still untill Bacon com- ing back, they followed him to their main body ; in this hubub a
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servant of mine got so nigh as to hear the Govern'rs words, and also followed Mr. Bacon, and heard what he said, who came & told me, that when the Govern'r opened his breast he said, "here ! shoot me, foregod fair mark, shoot; often rehearsing the same, without any other words ; whereto Mr. Bacon answered "No may it please yo'r "hono'r we will not hurt a hair of yo'r head, nor of any other "mans, we come for a Co'mission to save our lives from th' Indians, " which you have so often promised, and now we will have it before "we go."
But when Mr. Bacon followed the Govern'r & Councill with the forementioned impetuous (like delirious) actions whil'st that party presented their ffusils at the window full of ffaces, he said "Dam my "bloud I'le kill Govern'or Councill assembly & all, and then I'le "sheath my sword in my own hearts bloud ;" and afterwards 'twas said Bacon had given a signal to his men who presented their fusils at those gazing out at the window that if he should draw his sword, they were on sight of it to fire, and slay us, so near was the massare of us all that very minute, had Bacon in that paroxism of phrentick fury but drawn his sword, before the pacifick handkercher was shaken out at the window.
In an hour or more after these violent concussions Mr. Bacon came up to our chamber and desired a co'mission from us to go against the Indians ; our Speaker sat silent, when one Mr. Blayton a neighbor to Mr. Bacon & elected with him a member of assembly for the same county (who therefore durst speak to him) made ans- wer, "'twas not in our province, or power, nor of any other, save the king's viceregent our Govern'r, he press'd hard nigh half an hours harangue on the preserving our lives from the Indians, in- specting the publick revenues, th' exorbitant taxes and redressing the grievances and calamities of that deplorable country, whereto having no other answer he went away dissatisfied.
Next day there was a rumour the Govern'r & councill had agreed Mr. Bacon shou'd have a co'mission to go Generall of the fforces, we then were raising, whereupon I being n member of Staf- ford, the most northern frontier, and where the war begun, con- sidering that Mr. Bacon dwelling in the most Southern ffrontier, county, might the less regard the parts I represented, I went to Coll: Cole (an active member of the councill) desiring his advice, if ap- plicac'ons to Mr. Bacon on that subject were then seasonable and safe, which he approving and earnestly advising, I went to Mr. Laurence who was esteemed Mr. Bacon's principal consultant, to whom he took me with him, and there left me where I was enter- tained 2 or 3 hours with the particular relac'ons of diverse before re- cited transactions ; and as to the matter I spake of, he told me, the Govern'r had indeed promised him the command of the forces, and if his hono'r shou'd keep his word (which he doubted) he assured me "the like care should be taken of the remotest corners in the "land, as of his own dwelling-house, and pray'd me to advise him
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"what persons in those parts were most fit to bear commands." I frankly gave him my opinion that the most satisfactory gentlemen to govern'r & people, wou'd be co'manders of the militia, wherewith he was well pleased, and himself wrote a list of those nominated.
That evening I made known what had passed with Mr. Bacon to my colleague Coll: Mason [whose bottle attendance doubted my task] the matter he liked well, but questioned the Govern'rs ap- probation of it.
I confess'd the case required sedate thoughts, reasoning, that he and such like gentlemen must either co'mand or be co'manded, and if on their denials Mr. Bacon should take distaste, and be con- strained to appoint co'manders out of the rabble, the Govern'r him- self with the persons & estates of all in the land would be at their dispose, whereby their own ruine might be owing to themselves ; in this he agreed & said "If the Govern'r would give his own co'mis- "sion he would be content to serve under general Bacon [as now he "began to be intituled] but first would consult other gentlemen in the same circumstances ; who all concurr'd 'twas the most safe bar- rier in view against pernicious designes, if such should be put in practice ; with this I acquainted Mr. Laurance who went [rejoicing] to Mr. Bacon with the good tidings, that the militia co'manders were inclined to serve under him, as their Generall, in case the Governor would please to give them his own co'missions.
Wee of the house proceeded to finish the bill for the war, which by the assent of the Govern'or and councill being past into an act, the Govern'r sent us a letter directed to his majesty, wherein were these words "I have above 30 years governed the most flourishing "country the sun ever shone over, but am now encompassed with "rebellion like waters in every respect like to that of Massanello ex- cept their leader, and of like import was the substance of that letter, But we did not believe his hon'r sent us all he wrote his majesty.
Some judidious gentlemen of our house likewise penn'd a letter or remonstrance to be sent his Maj'tie, setting for the gradations of these erupc'ons, and two or three of them with Mr. Mingo our clerk brought it me to compile a few lines for the conclusion of it, which I did [tho not without regret in those watchfull times, when every man had eyes on him, but what I wrote was with all possible defer- rence to the Govern'r and in the most soft terms my pen cou'd find the case to admit.
Col. Spencer being my neighbor & intimate friend, and a preva- lent member in the council I pray'd him to intreat the Govern'r we might be dissolved, for that was my first and should be my last going astray from my wonted sphere of merchandise & other my private concernments into the dark and slippery mneanders of court embarrassments, he told me the Govern'r had not [then] determined his intention, but he would move his hon'r about itt, and in 2 or 3 days we were dissolved, which I was most heartily glad of, because of my getting loose againe from being hampered amongst those per-
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nicious entangleme'ts in the labyrinthis & snares of state ambigui- ties, & which until then I had not seen the practice nor the dangers of, for it was observ'd that severall of the members had secret badges of distinction fixt upon 'em, as not docill enough to gallop the future races, that court seem'd disposed to lead 'em, whose maxims I had oft times heard whisper'd before, and then found confirm'd by diverse considerate gentlem'n viz't "that the wise and the rich were "prone to ffaction & sedition but the fools & poor were easy to be governed."
Many members being met one evening nigh sunsett, to take our leave of each other, in order next day to return homewards, came Gen'11. Bacon with his handfull of unfolded papers & overlooking us round, walking in the room said "which of these Gentlem'n shall I interest to write a few words for me, where every one looking aside as not willing to meddle ; Mr. Lawrence pointed at me saying "that gentleman writes very well which I endeavoring to excuse Mr. Bacon came stooping to the ground and said "pray S'r Do me the ho'r write a line for ine."
This surprising accostm't schockt me into a melancholy con- sternation, dreading upon one hand, that Stafford county would feel the smart of his resentment, if I should refuse him whose favor I had so lately sought and been generously promis'd on their behalf ; and on th' other hand fearing the Govern'rs displeasure who I knew would soon hear of it ; what seem'd most prudent at this hazardous dilemma was to obviate the present impending peril ; So Mr. Bacon made me sit the whole night by him filling up those papers, which I then saw were blank co'missions sign'd by the Govern'r incerting such names & writing other matters as he dictated, which I took to be the happy effects of the consult before mentioned, with the com- 'anders of the militia because he gave me the names of very few others to put into these co'missions, and in the morning he left me with an hours work or more to finish, when came to me Capt. Carver, and said he had been to wait on the Generall for a co'mission, and that he was resolved to adventure his old bones against the Indian rogues with other the like discourse, and at length told me that I was in mighty favor and he was bid to tell me, that whatever I desired in the Generals power, was at my service, I pray'd him humbly to thank his hon'r and to acquaint him I had no other boon to crave, than his promis'd kindness to Stafford county, for besides the not being worthy, I never had been conversant in military mat- ters, and also having lived tenderly, my service cou'd be of no bene- fit because the hardships and fatigues of a wilderness campaigne would put a speedy period to my dais: little expecting to hear of more intestine broiles, I went home to Potomack, where reports were afterwards various ; we had account that Generall Bacon was march'd with a thousand men into the fforest to seek the enemy In- dians, and in a few dais after our next news was, that the Govern'r had sum'oned together the militia of Gloucester & Middlesex coun-
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ties to the number of twelve hundred men, and proposed to them to follow & and suppress the rebell Bacon, whereupon arose a murmur- ing before his face "Bacon, Bacon, Bacon, and all walked out of the "field, inuttering as they went Bacon, Bacon, Bacon, leaving the Governor and those that came with him to themselves, who being thus abandon'd wafted over Chesepiacke Bay 30 miles to Accomack where are two counties of Virginia.
Mr. Bacon hearing of this came back part of the way, and sent out parties of horse patrolling through every county, carrying away prisoners all whom he distrusted might any more molest his Indian prosecuc'on yet giving liberty to such as pledg'd him their oaths to return home and live quiet ; the copies or contents of which oaths I never saw, but heard were very strict, tho' little observed.
About this time was a spie detected pretending himself a de- serter who had twice or thrice come and gone from party to party and was by councill of war sentenced to death. after which Bacon declared openly to him, "that if any one in the army wou'd speak a "word to save him, he shou'd not suffer," which no man appearing to do, he was executed, upon this manifestation of clemency Bacon was applauded for a mercifull man, not willing to spill Christian bloud, nor indeed was it said, that he put any other man to death in cold bloud, or plunder any house ; nigh the same time came Maj'r Lang- ston with his troop of horse and quartered two nights at my house who [after high compliments from the Generall] told me I was de- sired "to accept the Lieutenancy for preserving the peace in the 5 Northern counties betwixt Potomack and Rappahannock River, I humbly thank'd his hon'r excusing myself, as I had done before on that invitation of the like nature at James town, but did hear he was mightily offended at my evasions and threatened to remember me.
The Govern'r made 2d. attempt coming over from Accomack with what men he could procure in sloops and boats, forty miles up the river to James town, which Bacon hearing of, came againe down from his fforest pursuit, and finding a bank not a flight shot long, cast up thwart the neck of the peninsula there in James town, he stormed it, and took the town, in which attack were 12. men slaine & wounded but the Govern'r with most of his followers fled back, down the river in their vessells.
Here resting a few dais they concerted the burning of the town, wherein Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Drumond owning the two best houses save one, sat fire each to his own house, which example the souldiers following laid the whole town with church and State house in ashes, saying, the rogues should harbour no more there.
On these reiterated molestac'ons Bacon calls a convention at Midle plantation 15. miles from James town in the month of August 1676, where an oath with one or more proclamations were formed, and writts by him issued for an Assembly ; the oaths or writts I never saw, but one proclamation com'anded all men in the land on pain of death to joine him, and retire into the wildernesse upon arrival of the
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forces expected from England, and oppose thein until they should propose to accept to treat of an accom'odntion, which we who lived comfortably coud not have undergone, so as the whole land must have become an Aceldama if gods exceeding mercy had not timely removed him.
During these tumults in Virginia a 2d danger menaced Mary- land by an insurrection in that province, complaining of their heavy taxes &c. where 2 or 3 of the leading malcontents [men otherwise of laudable characters] were put to death, which stifled the farther spreading of that flame. Mr. Bacon [at this time] press't the best ship in James river, carrying 20 guns and putting into her his Lieu- tenant Generall Mr. Bland [a gentleman newly come thither from England to possesse the estate of liis deceased uncle late of the coun- cil] and under him the forementioned Capt. Carver, formerly a con- 'ander of Merch'ts ships with men & all necessaries, he sent her to ride before Accomack to curb and intercept all small vessels of war com'ission'd by the Govern'or com'ing often over and making depre- dations on the Western shoar, as if we had been fforeign enemies, which gives occasion in this place to digress a few words.
Att first assembly after the peace came a message to them from the Govern'r for some marks of distinction to be set on his loyal friends of Accomack, who received him in his adversity which when came to be consider'd Col: Warner [then Speaker] told the house "Ye know that what mark of distinction his hon'r coud have sett "on those of Accomack unlesse to give them ear marks or burnt "marks for robbing and ravishing honest people, who stay'd at "home and preserv'd the estates of those who ran away, when none "intended to hurt 'em."
Now returning to Capt. Carver the Govern'r sent for him to come on shoar, promising his peaceable return, who answer'd, lie could not trust his word, but if he wou'd send his hand & seal, he wou'd adventure to wait upon his hon'r which was done, and Carver went in hissloop well arın'd & man'd with the most trusty of his men where he was caress'd with wine &c. and large promises, if he would forsake Bacon, resigne his ship or joine with him, to all which he answered that "if he served the Devill he would be true to his trust, "but that he was resolved to go home and live quiet.
In the mean time of this recepc'on and parley, an armed boat was prepared with many oars in a creek not far off, but out of sight, which when Carver sail'd, row'd out of the creek, and it being al- most calm the boat out went the sloop whilst all on board the ship were upon the deck staring at both, thinking the boats company coming on board by Carvers invitation to be civilly entertained in requitall for the kindness they supposed he had received on shoar. untill coming under the stern, those in the boat slipt nimbly in at the gun room ports with pistolls &c. when one courageous gentle- man ran up to the deck, & clapt a pistoll to Blands breast, saying you are my prisoner, the boats company suddenly following with
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pistolls swords &c. and after Capt. Larimore (the com'ander of the ship before she was presst) having from the highest and hindmost part of the stern interchang'd a signal from the shoar, by flirting his handkercher about his nose, his own former crew had laid hand- spikes ready, which they [at that instant] caught up &c. so as Bland & Carvers men were amazed and yielded.
Carver seeing a hurly burly on the ships deck, would have gone away with his sloop, but having little wind & the ship threat' ning to sink him, he tamely came on board, where Bland & he with their party were laid in irons, and in 3. or 4 dais Carver was hanged on shoar, which S'r Henry Chichelly the first of the councill then a prisoner, [with diverse other gentlemen] to Mr. Bacon, did after- wards exclaime against as a most rash and wicked act of the Gover- 11'or he in particular expected to have been treated by way of repri- zall, as Bacons friend Carver had been by the Govern'r. Mr. Bacon now returns from his last expedic'on sick of fflux ; without finding any enemy Indians, having not gone far by reason of the vexations behind him, nor had he one dry day in all his marches to and fro in the fforest whilst the plantations [not 50. miles distant] had a sum'er so dry as stinted the Indian corn and tobacco &c. which the people ascribed to the Pawawings i. e. the sorceries of the Indians, in a while Bacon dyes & was succeeded by his Lieuten't Gen'll In- gram, who had one Wakelet next in com'and under him, whereupon hasten'd over the Govern'r to York river, and with whom they arti- cled for themselves, and whom else they could, so all submitted and were pardoned exempting those nominated and otherwise proscribed, in a proclamac'on of indemnity, the principall of whom were Laur- ence and Drum'ond.
Mr. Bland was then a prisoner having been taken with Carver, as before noted, and in a few dais Mr. Drumond was brought in, when the Govern'r being on board a ship came im'ediately on shore and complimented him with the ironicall sarcasm of a low bend, say- ing "Mr. Drummond ! you are very unwelcome, I am more glad to "see you, than any man in Virginia, Mr. Drumond you shall be "hang'd in half an hour ; who answered What yo'r hon'r pleases, and as soon as a council of war cou'd meet, his sentence be dis- patchat & a gibbet erected [which took up near two houres] he was executed.
This Mr. Drumond was a sober Scotch gentleman of good re- pute with whome I had not a particular acquaintance, nor do I know the cause of that rancour his hon'r had against him other than his pretensions in com'n for the publick but meeting him by accident the morning I left the town, I advis'ed him to be very wary, for he saw the Govern'r had put a brand upon him, he [gravely expressing my name] answered "I am in over shoes, I will be over boots," which I was sorry to heare & left him.
The last account of Mr. Laurence was from an uppermost plan- tation, where he and ffour others desperado's with horses pistolls &c.
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march'd away in a snow ancle deep, who are thought to have cast themselves into a branch of some river, rather than to be treated like Drum'ond.
Bacon's body was so made away, as his bones were never found to be exposed on a gibbet as was purpos'd, stones being laid on his coffin, supposed to be done by Laurence.
Near this time arrived a small ffleet with a regiment from Eng- land S'r John Berry Admirall, Coll: Herbert Jefferies com'ander of the land forces and Collo: Morrison who had one year been a former Govern'r there, all three joined in a com'ission with or to S'r Wil- liam Barclay, soon after when a generall court, and also an assem- bly were held, where some of our former assembly [with so many others] were put to death, diverse whereof were persons of honest reputation and handsome estates, as that the Assembly petitioned the Govern'r to spill no more bloud, and Mr. Presly at his coming home told me, he belived the Govern'r would have hang'd half the country, if they had let him alone, the first was Mr. Bland whose friends in England had procured his pardon to be sent over with the ffleet, which he pleaded at his tryall, was in the Govern'rs pocket [tho' whether 'twas so, or how it came there, I know not, yet did 110t hear 'twas openly contradicted] but he was answered by Collo: Morrison that he pleaded his pardon at swords point, which was look'd upon an odd sort of reply, and he was executed ; [as was talked] by private instructions from England the Duke of York hav- ing sworn "by god Bacon & Bland shoud dye.
The Govern'r went in the ffleet to London [whether by com- 'and from his Majesty or spontaneous I did not hear] leaving Col. Jefferyes in his place, and by next shipping came back a person who waited on his hon'r in his voyage, and untill his death, from whoni a report was whisper'd about that the king did say "that old "fool had hang'd more men in that naked country, than he had done for the murther of his father, whereof the Govern'r hearing dyed soon after without having seen his majesty ; which shuts up this tragedy.
APPENDIX.
To avoid incumbering the body of the foregoing little discourse, I have not therein mentioned the received opinion in Virginia, which very much attributed the promoting these perturbac'ons of Mr. Laur- ence, & Mr. Bacon with his other adherents, were esteeined, as buit wheels agitated by the weight of his former & present resentments, after their cholor was raised up to a very high pitch, at having been [so long & often] trifled with in their humble supplications to the Govern'r for his im'ediate taking in hand the most speedy meanes towards stopping the continued effusions of so much English bloud,
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from time to time by the Indians, which com'on sentim'ts I have the inore reason to believe were not altogether groundless, because my self have heard him [in his familiar discourse] insinuate as if his fancy gave him prospect of finding (at one time or other) some expedi- ent not only to repair his great losse, but therewith to see those abuses rectified that the country was oppressed with through (as he said) the forwardness avarice & french despotick methods of the Govern'r & likewise I know him to be a thinking man, and tho' nicely honest, affable, & without blemish ; in his conversation and dealings, yet did he manifest abundance of uneasiness in the sense of his hard usages, which might prompt him to improve that Indian quarrel to the service of his animosities, and for this the more fair & frequent opportunities offered themselves to him by his dwell- ing at James town, where was the concourse from all parts to the Govern'or and besides that he had married a wealthy widow who kept a large house of public entertainm't into which resorted those of the best quality and such others as business called to that town, and his parts with his even temper made his converse coveted by per- sons of all ranks ; so that being subtile, and having these advantages he might with less difficulty discover mens inclinations, and instill his notions where he found those woud be imbib'd with greatest satisfaction.
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