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CHAPTER XXVI.
Close of the war-Exhausted condition of the country-Ces- sion of the public lands- Convention at Philadelphia- Adoption of the Federal Constitution-Opposition in Vir- ginia-Origin of the Federalists and Republicans-Fears respecting the constitution-Repudiation of British claims -Opinion of Washington-Increasing prosperity of the - Union-Difficulties with France-Alien and sedition laws -Madison's resolutions-Slavery - Fears of Virginia- Acts passed in relation to-Difficulties with England-Eng- lish and French decrees-Commercial distress-Declaration of war -- Patriotism of Virginia-Peace proclaimed-Revi- sions of the constitution-Servile insurrection-War with Mexico-Past condition of Virginia-Present prospects- System of internal improvement-Relation of Virginia to the states.
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.
HISTORY OF VIRGINIA.
CHAPTER I.
Early English explorers-John and Sebastian Cabot discover North America-Voyage of Sebastian Cabot-Voyage of Frobisher-Coligny founds a colony of Huguenots in Florida -The colonists massacred by the Spaniards-Retaliation of De Gourguis-First project of an English colony-Sir Walter Raleigh-Studies the art of war under Coligny-Returns to England-In favour with Queen Elizabeth-Obtains a patent to colonize America-Voyage of Sir Humphrey Gilbert-His shipwreck and loss at sea-Voyage of Amidas and Barlow- Description of the island of Wokokon in Florida-Kindness of the natives-Colony founded at Roanoke-Deserted- Voyage of Sir Richard Grenville -- Second settlement of Roa- noke-Mysterious disappearance of the colonists-Death of Raleigh-Voyage of Newport-Character of the immigrants -Captain John Smith-His romantic adventures in the old world.
No sooner was the great problem solved by Christopher Columbus, of immense and hitherto unknown regions beyond the Atlantic, than ad- venturers from the various maritime nations of Europe sought to profit by the discovery.
Among these, England, though not foremost in her explorations, was destined eventually to become the most distinguished.
On the 5th of March, 1496, John Cabot, a
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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1498.
Venetian merchant, residing at Bristol in Eng- land, obtained from Henry VII. a patent, em- powering him and his three sons to make dis- coveries in the eastern, western, and northern seas, and to take-possession of all the countries thus newly found, in the name of the King of Eng- land, and under the protection of his banner. Under this commission, John and Sebastian Cabot embarked for the west, and on the 24th of June, 1497, discovered the continent of North America, in latitude 56° north. This was some time before Columbus in his third voyage came in sight of the continent, and two years before Americus Vespucci sailed west of the Cana- ries.
It was from this expedition, by the Cabots, that England acquired the title to North America, which she afterward so successfully asserted.
In 1498, Sebastian Cabot ranged the same coast, from latitude 58° north to about 40° south, when finding himself growing short of provisions he returned to England.
Further maritime discoveries languished until 1576, when Martin Frobisher, under the pa- tronage of the Earl of Warwick, fitted out a squadron for the purpose of attempting the dis- covery of a northwest passage to India. As he passed down the Thames, on the 8th of June, 1576, Queen Elizabeth waved her hand toward him in token of favour, and the admiral standing
21
HUGUENOT SETTLEMENTS.
1550.]
on the deck of his flag-ship, responded to the courteous recognition of his sovereign.
The fleet of Frobisher consisted of three ves- sels, one of which was soon lost in a storm. The commander of the second ship, becoming alarmed, put back for England, leaving the gallant admi- ral to pursue his voyage alone.
After enduring the most terrible hardships, Frobisher reached the coast of Labrador, entered the bay now known by his name, took possession of the country in the name of his sovereign, and gathering some stones and rubbish from the shore, which were supposed to be impregnated with gold, returned in safety to England.
Sixteen years previous to this exploit of Fro- bisher's, Admiral Coligny, chief of the Huguenot party in France, made two several attempts to found a colony far to the southward, on a portion of that vast region which was then known to Spanish adventurers as Florida. The first at- tempt ended disastrously, through dissensions among the colonists themselves. The fate of the second colony was more awful still. Spain main- tained her right to Florida, and despatched one Pedro Melendez, a man of brutal ferocity and in- famous character, with a large military and naval force, to break up the Huguenot settlement, and hold possession of the country.
No sooner had Melendez reached the coast of Florida, than, sailing north, he discovered the
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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1564.
French fleet lying at anchor, and in answer to a demand made by the French commander of his name and objects; he replied :
" I am Melendez of Spain, sent hither with strict orders from the king, to gibbet and behead all Protestants in these regions. The Frenchman who is a Catholic I will spare ;- every heretic shall die."
The French, unprepared for action, cut their cables and fled. Melendez then returned to the harbour of St. Augustine, and after taking pos- session of the whole continent in the name of Philip II., marched overland against the Hugue- not colony on the St. John's.
Fearing no danger, the unfortunate colonists were surprised and massacred in cold blood ; men, women, and children, about two hundred in all! Of those who escaped into the woods, a part surrendered to the Spaniards, and were im- mediately murdered. Others succeeded in taking refuge on board a French vessel remaining in
the harbour. Others again, who had escaped shipwreck on the coast, were soon discovered. Wasted by fatigues at sea, and half famished for want of food, they were invited by Melendez to rely on his mercy. They accordingly surren- dered ; and as they stepped on shore, their hands were tied before them, and they were thus driven to St. Augustine like sheep to a slaughter-house.
As they approached the fort, a signal was
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THE HUGUENOTS AVENGED.
1564.]
given, the trumpet was sounded, and the Spaniards fell upon them. With the exception of a few Catholics, all were massacred ;" not as French- men, but as Lutherans."
About nine hundred, including those previously slain, were thus sacrificed on the altar of religious zeal.
The French government, itself perhaps even then meditating the terrible massacre of St. Bar- tholomew, heard of the outrage and listened to its horrid details with the most heartless indif- ference. Not even a protest was made. Re- taliatory vengeance, however, fell upon the blood- thirsty Spaniards from a quarter whence it was perhaps the least expected.
Dominic de Gourguis, a native of Gascony, and a bold soldier, burning to avenge the blood of his slaughtered relatives, and soothe the cries of his persecuted brethren, fitted out three ships, manned by one hundred and fifty gallant men, and embarked for Florida. A favourable breeze soon wafted him thither ; he landed immediately, and surprised two Spanish forts near the mouth of the St. John's. As terror magnified his num- bers, and courage and revenge nerved his arm, he was enabled to get possession of the principal fort, near the spot where his relatives and friends had been previously massacred. Too weak to maintain his position, he weighed anchor imme- diately for Europe, having first hanged all his
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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1565.
prisoners upon the trees, and placed over them this inscription :
" I do not this as unto Spaniards, but as unto traitors, robbers, and murderers."
It was to this region, so fearfully drenched with European blood, that the attention of an English gentleman was subsequently attracted as a fitting place of settlement for the first English colony.
About the time that the daring exploit of De Gourguis was creating a sensation in Europe, a young English gentleman left the university of Oxford, and passing over into France, prosecuted his studies in the art of war under the veteran Coligny. Being made familiar with the story of Spanish cruelty from the lips of those whose re- latives had been thus wantonly murdered, and excited to a thirst for similar adventure by their glowing descriptions of the wonderful natural beauty of the land which had been thus savagely desecrated, Sir Walter Raleigh returned at length to England, filled with great projects by which he might win renown to himself and glory to his country. His flattering and chivalrous gallantry in spreading his rich cloak before the feet of his sovereign, so that she might pass a muddy space unsoiled, his handsome person, and the varied charms of his conversation, very soon commended him to the favourable regard of the vainest but ablest of English queens. Any pro-
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1583.] RALEIGH EQUIPS A FLEET.
ject which would check the spread of Spanish colonies over a continent she claimed by right of Cabot's discovery, could not be otherwise than pleasing to her, who at Tilbury Fort subsequently dared the landing of the formidable Armada, and cheered the spirits of her soldiers by proclaiming that, " though she had the form of a woman, she had the heart of a king, ay, and of a king of England too."
Under her auspices, accordingly, in 1583, Sir Walter Raleigh equipped a fleet at his own ex- pense. The command he gave to his step-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, who, on his departure, received from Elizabeth a golden anchor, guided by a lady, as a token of her regard. Gilbert first sailed for Newfoundland. Entering the harbour of St. John, he took possession of the country, in the name of his sovereign, with all the formali- ties then customary on such occasions. After freighting his largest ship, in secret, with the same kind of mineral which had attracted Fro- bisher at an earlier day, Gilbert sailed in a southern direction along the coast on a voyage of, exploration. His largest ship was wrecked by the carelessness of its crew, and nearly a hundred men, with all the mineral, was lost. Sir Humphrey himself had embarked on board the Squirrel, a pinnace of ten tons, in order to ap- proach nearer to the coast, ascertain its bearings, and explore its harbours ; and, being unwilling
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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1584.
1
to forsake the little company with whom he had encountered so many storms, he attempted, in this frail bark, scarcely superior to the long-boat of a merchantman, to cross the vast Atlantic.
The sea was rough, the winds high, and the oldest mariners had rarely witnessed the like. The little bark bore up manfully for a while, but was too small to dare the ocean at that season of the year ; and, when last seen, Sir Humphrey Gilbert was sitting abaft, with a book in his hand, crying out to those in another vessel that followed in his wake, "We are as near to heaven by sea as by land." The same night, a little before twelve o'clock, the lights of the Squirrel sud- denly disappeared, and neither vessel nor crew were heard of more.
Raleigh, having determined to secure, at all events, those delightful regions to England, from which the French Protestants had been expelled, was neither disheartened by the fate of his step- brother, nor appalled by the magnitude of the undertaking. He immediately set on foot ano- ther expedition, and associating with him Sir Richard Grenville, and sundry other gentlemen and merchants, equipped two ships, which were placed under the command of Captain Philip Amidas and Captain Barlow, who sailed from the Thames on the 27th day of April, 1584, taking the southerly route by the Canaries and the West Indies.
27
WOKOKON ISLAND.
1584.]
On the 2d of July they fell in with the coast of Florida in shoal water, where they were greeted with a " most delicate sweet smell, though they saw no land," which before long they spied, and coasted along it for a hundred and twenty miles without finding any harbour.
The first that appeared they entered with much difficulty, and anchored. Then returning thanks to God, they landed, and took possession in the . queen's name.
They found their landing-place sandy and low, but so full of grapes that the very surge of the sea sometimes overflowed them; of which they found such plenty in all places, both in the sand, the green soil, and the hills, as in the plains ; as well on every little shrub, as also climbing toward the top of high cedars, that they thought there was not in the world a like abundance. The place where they landed proved to be an island called Wokokon.
For three days after their arrival, they saw none of the inhabitants. On the third day three of them appeared in a little boat, one of whom, suffering himself to be taken without resistance, came boldly on board the vessel, and was dismissed with presents, with which he seemed well pleased.
The next day came many boats, and in one of them the king's brother with forty or fifty men. His name was Grangranameo : they called their king Wingina, and their country Wingandacoa.
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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1584.
Leaving his boats at a short distance from the . ships, he came with his train to the point, where, spreading a mat, he sat down.
Though the strangers came to him armed, he evinced no fear or distrust, stroking his head and breast and theirs also with his hand in sign of peace and friendship. He then addressed them with a long speech, and accepted the presents offered to him. He was highly regarded by his people, for all stood in silence but four, on whom presents were also bestowed, but he took them away, and made signs to indicate that every thing belonged to him.
The king himself was absent, in consequence of wounds received in a recent battle.
Grangranameo repeated his visits, came on board the ships with confidence, and brought with him his wife and children. They were of mean stature, but well-favoured and bashful. She wore a long coat of dressed deer-skin prettily fringed, and about her forehead a band of white coral. In her ears were strings of pearls hanging down to her middle, of the size of large peas ; the rest of the women had pendants of copper, and the chiefs, or nobles, five or six in each ear. The apparel of Grangranameo was similar to that of his wife, only the women wore their hair long on both sides, and the men on one. Their hair was black, but there were seen children having it of a light copper color.
1587.] ATTEMPTS AT COLONIZATION. 29
On one of their visits, Grangranameo took a great fancy for a pewter dish, which so pleased him that he gave twenty deer-skins for it, and hung it about his neck in great pride. For a copper kettle he gave fifty deer-skins. For an armour he would have given a bag of pearls ; but the English affected an indifference to their value, in order to ascertain the place from whence they were derived. He was just to his promise, always came true to his appointed time, and daily sent presents of game and fruits.
From thence a party proceeded in exploring the neighbouring coast, and landed at the island of Roanoke, where ultimately the location of a colony was fixed.
In 1586, another expedition was undertaken, under the command of Grenville, at the expense of a company formed for the support of the colony, but with the most unfortunate results ; and Sir Francis Drake, having sailed along the coast of Virginia, was prevailed upon by the colo- nists to take them back to England.
Efforts were renewed in 1587, by Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Grenville, for the re- establishment of the colony, and another vessel prepared, in which men with their wives and fa- milies embarked. The company was now cheered for the first time with the presence of women. They carried also implements of husbandry, in- dications of future industry.
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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1590.
Having arrived on the coast of North Carolina in July, 1587, they repaired immediately to the island of Roanoke. Soon after their landing, difficulties thickened. A detachment of English, seeing a party of Indians sitting fearlessly around their fires at night, and supposing they were ene- mies, took them by surprise, and before their error was detected, a large portion of the number were cruelly massacred. The Indians became hostile, and the immigrants gloomy and discon- tented. They urged the governor, John White, to return to England for reinforcements and sup- plies. Before his return, his daughter, who had been married to Ananias Dare, one of the magis- trates of the colony, gave birth to an infant, which, being the first child born of English parents in North America, was christened " Virginia," from the place of its birth.
By the generosity of Raleigh, White was de- spatched with supplies in two vessels. Preferring, however, a gainful rather than a safe voyage, he departed from his course in pursuit of prizes ; fell in with a Spanish man-of-war, and was board- ed, and rifled of all he had.
This delay proved fatal to the colony. Two years elapsed before White was enabled to return. When he reached Roanoke, he found the island deserted; and with the exception of the word CROATAN, carved in large Roman letters upon one of the posts of the palisades, there was no indica-
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FATE OF RALEIGH.
1606.]
tion of how or in what manner the unfortunate colonists had disappeared. Several expeditions were subsequently fitted out for their discovery ; but the manner of their fate remains a mystery to this day.
The misfortunes which afterward befell the brave and gallant Sir Walter Raleigh are well known to all students of English history. He was the first and noblest of English adventurers. His efforts at colonization, in which he expended from his own private fortune forty thousand pounds, equal at the present time to nearly a million of dollars, were stimulated as much by his zeal for the honour of his sovereign as for his own personal aggrandizement. The conquest of Cadiz and the capture of Fayal would alone have established his military fame. Implicated in the civil dissensions of his country, while lan- guishing in a prison he composed a history of the world. Broken-hearted and impoverished, his sentence, originally unjust, which had slumbered for fifteen years, was revived by the timid and pedantic tyrant James I., under whose warrant he was finally beheaded before the Tower of London.
For the space of nearly twenty years succeed- ing the disappearance of the colony at Roanoke, no further attempt to settle any portion of the American continent was made by the English people.
At length the spirit of adventure was again
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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1606.
revived ; the minds of many wealthy and influen- tial persons were directed once more to Virginia, and two rival companies sought and obtained patents from James I., who wrote with his own hand many of the regulations by which the set- tlements were to be governed.
Twelve degrees of latitude were set apart on the American coast, from Cape Fear to Halifax, for the purposes of colonization. The London company were to occupy the regions between the thirty-fourth and thirty-eighth degrees of lati- tude ; that is, from Cape Fear to the southern limit of Maryland : the Plymouth company, between the forty-first and forty-fifth degrees of latitude. The intermediate space was left open to the com- petition of both.
The conditions of the tenure were homage and rent. The latter to consist of one-fifth of the net produce of gold and silver, and one-fifteenth of copper. The superintendence of the whole colonial system was confided to a council in Eng- land, and the local administration to a council residing within its limits. The king reserved to himself the exclusive right to appoint the mem- bers of the superior council, and an almost equal control over the councils to be established in the colonies. To the immigrants nothing was given, 1 not even the right of self-government. They were subjected to the ordinances of a commercial corporation, of which they could not be members ;
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1
CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH.
1606.]
to the dominion of a domestic council, in the ap- . pointment of which they had no choice; to the control of a superior council in England, which had no sympathy with their rights; and, finally, to the arbitrary legislation of the sovereign.
On the 19th of December, 1606, three ships, freighted by the London adventurers, set sail from Blackwall, in England. One hundred colo- nists accompanied the expedition, the command of which was intrusted to Captain Newport, an experienced mariner. Of these colonists more than one-half were gentlemen by birth and edu- cation ; and, of course, from previous habits, the least fitted for the purposes of a new settlement. Among these latter, however, were a few whose inherent energy of character speedily rendered them conspicuous both for conduct and enter- prise. The most remarkable of all, both on account of his previous adventures, and the ro- mantic incidents connected with his subsequent history, was Captain John Smith. Although his age did not at this time much exceed thirty years, he had already acquired a fame for noble daring, and a character for singular exploits, which, were they not so well authenticated, would in this age be esteemed as little less than fabulous.
Bred to the profession of a soldier, his first effort in arms was in the Low Countries, where he fought for the independence of Holland. From thence he travelled through France, visited
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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. [1606.
Egypt, and returned to Italy. Having there heard of an hereditary warfare between the Chris- tian and the Moor on the borders of Hungary, he repaired thither, and in three successive com- bats, with as many infidel champions, came off victorious. He thus gained the favour of Sigis- mund, the unfortunate Prince of Transylvania, by whom he was commissioned as a captain in the army of Christendom.
Overpowered by numbers, in a sudden skirmish with the Moslems among the glens of Wallachia, he was severely wounded, and left for dead upon the field. He was soon after carried to Con- stantinople, as a prisoner of war, and sold in its market for a slave.
The lady of his master, taking pity on his suf- ferings, and admiring his bravery, sent him to her friend in the Crimea, intending from thence to restore him to freedom. Contrary, however, to her commands, he was there subjected to the severest hardships, against which his indignant spirit rebelled. Rising upon his task-master, whom he slew in the struggle, he mounted a horse and escaped into Russia. Travelling across that country on foot to Transylvania, he bade adieu to his companions, and resolved to return to Eng- land.
Hearing, however, on his journey thither, of civil wars raging in Northern Africa, he hastened to Morocco in search of new adventures, and pro-
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JAMESTOWN.
1607.]
ceeded thence to his own country, where he arrived some short time previous to the period when New- port and others were about to sail for Virginia. Partaking of their excitement, at the instance of Captain Gosnold, he embarked with them, and was destined at a future day to render his name, already famous in the old world, immortal in the new.
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CHAPTER II.
Jamestown-Description of site selected for settlement-Ga- thering of the colonists-Charges preferred against Captain John Smith-His innocence substantiated-Wingfield fined -Exploration of James River-Village of Powhattan-De- scription of an Indian village -- Its place of games-Its sacred fire-Sepulchre of the chiefs-Their idol Kiwasa-Construc- tion of their wigwams-Internal arrangement-Regal state of Powhattan-His wives-Obedience of his subjects-His places of residence-Orapakes-Description of Powhattan's dwelling-Character of Powhattan.
ABOUT fifty miles from the mouth of James River, and forming a part of its left bank, as the stream flows, there is a remarkable tongue of land, jutting well out into the river, which is navigable up to this point for ships of the largest burden. The lower shoulder of this peninsula is intersected by a creek, which, curving sharply across it, nearly cuts it off from the main land. It was this peninsula which the adventurers se-
-
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HISTORY OF VIRGINIA.
[1607.
lected as the site for their colony, and named it Jamestown.
The reasons which influenced the council in their selection, were, probably, its capabilities of defence from the natives, and its easy access from the ocean. In most other respects the situation thus deliberately chosen was unfavour- able. The banks were low, and the place, by rea- son of marshes in its immediate vicinity, pecu- liarly unhealthy to persons whose constitutions had been formed in the less genial, but more in- vigorating climate of England. It has long since been deserted for more attractive localities, and all the indications that now remain of its early settlement are the venerable ruins of an old brick church, and a few half obliterated graves within whose narrow limits the ashes of the first adven- turers repose.
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