A Narrative of the Indian and Civil Wars in Virginia, in the years 1675 and 1676

A NARRATIVE OF THE INDIAN AND CIVIL WARS IN VIRGINIA, IN THE YEARS 1675 AND 1676. PUBLISHED FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT, IN THE FIRST VOLUME (SECOND SERIES) OF THE COLLECTIONS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY. BOSTON: PRINTED BY JOHN ELIOT, NO 5

The Governour refuses to syne the Commission. Bacon disgusted. And here who can do less than wonder at the mutable and impermenent deportments of that blind Godes fortune, who in the morning leades men with disgraces, and ere night crowns him with honours

Bacon returnes to town at the head of 500 men, and forceath a Commission. The Governour did not want intelligence of Bacons designes, and therefore sent out his summons for Yorke traine bands to reinforce his gards then at towne. But the time was so short

The Gloster mens protestation. Therefore did they think that it would be a thing inconsistent with right reason if that they in this desperate conjuncture of time, should go and ingage themselves one against another; from the result of which proseedings,

Bacon proclaimed a Tratour. Since the Governour could obtaine no more he was at present to rest himselfe contented with this, while those who had advised him to these undertakings, was not a little dissatisfied to find the event not answer their expectati

Bacons declaration. He cites the wholl countrey to testifie his and his souldiers peaceable behaviours; upbrades som in authority with the meanness of their parts; others, now welthey, with the meanness of their estates, when they first came into the coun

Bacons reasons for the taking the oath. For, says he, it is to be considered that Sir William hath already proclaimed me a Rebell, and it is not unknowne to himselfe that I both can and shall charge him with no less than treason. And it is not onely mysel

Sir W. sails for Accomack. While Bacon was contriveing, and imposeing this illegall oath, for to secure himselfe against the Governour, the Governour was no less sollicitous to finde out meanes to secure himselfe against Bacon. Therefore, as the onely pla

Bland and Carver sent to Accomack. It was not long before Bacon was informed where the Governour had taken sanctuary; neather was he ignorant what it was that moved him to do what he had don: He did allso apprehend that as he had found the way out, he cou

Bacon advanceth against the Indians. Bacon haveing sent Bland, and the rest, to doe this servis, once more re-enters upon his Indian march; after that he had taken order for the conveneing an Assembley, to sit downe on the 4 of September, the summons bein

Sir W. ships himself for the western shore, Upon what terms the Accomackians were to fight. The Governour being blest with this good servis, and the better servis, in that it was efected without blood shed, and being inform'd that Bacon was entred upon h

The Indians Proseedings. * * We regret that the beginning of this Manuscript is missing, and that several parts were so much torn that it became necessary to leave vacant spaces. Where the expression is uncertain, but the page not wholly disfigured, we ha

Sir W. arrives at towne, Sept. 7. In the midest of these feares and peturbations, the Governour arrives with his fleet of 5 ships and 10 sloopes, all well man'd (or appear'd to be soe) before the Towne; into which the Governour sends his summons (it being

The Baconians forsake the towne. The Towne being thus forsaken, by the Baconians, his Honour enters the same the next day, about noone; where after he had rendred thanks unto God for his safe arrivall (which he forgot not to perform upon his knees, at his

Bacon blocks the Gov. up in towne. For Bacon haveing don his business against the Indians, or at least so much as he was able to do, haveing marched his men with a grate deale of toyle and haserd som hundreds of miles, one way and another, killing som and

Bacon sends for severall Gent: women into the camp, and for what. For emediately he despatcheth two or three parties of Horss, and about so many in each party, for more he could not spare, to bring into the camp some of the prime Gent: women, whose husban

The description of Iames towne. AN517 The place, on which the towne is built, is a perfect Peninsulla, or tract of land, allmost wholly incompast with water. Having, on the Sowth side the River (Formerly Powhetan, now called Iames River) 3 mi

A salley made upon Bacon. The Governour understanding that the Gent: women, at the Legure, was, by order, drawne out of danger, resolved if possible to beate Bacon out of his trench; which he thought might easily be performed, now that his Gardian Angles

Bacon sets the towne on fire. Goes over into Gloster. Haveing performed this flagitious, and sacralidgious action (which put the worst of Sperits into a horid consternation, at so inhumane a fact) he marches his men to the Greene spring (the Governours ho

Brents men forsake him. Bacon had not marched above 2 or 3 days jurney (and those but short ones too, as being loth to tire his laberours before they came to their worke) but he meets newes in post hast, that Brents men (not soulders) were all run away, a

The oath tendered to the Gloster men. This business of Brents haveing (like the hoggs the devill sheared) produced more noyse than wooll, Bacon, according to summons, meets the Gloster men at the Court howse: where appeared sore 6 or 7 hundred horss and f

Bacon designes to go to Accocomack. The Gloster men having taken the ingagement, (which they did not till another meeteing, and in another place) and all the worke don on this side the Western shore, Bacon thought it not amiss, but worth his labour, to go

Cruelties of the Indians. These proposals not being assented to by the English, as being derogatory and point blank both to honour and intress, these Indians draw in others (formerly in subjection to the Verginians) to their aides: which being conjoyned (

Bacon dyes October 1st. Bacon haveing for som time, bin beseiged by sickness, and now not able to hould out any longer; all his strength, and provissions being spent, surrendered up that Fort, he was no longer able to keepe, into the hands of that grim a

Bacons Epitaph, made by his Man. Death why soe crewill! what no other way To manifest thy splleene, but thus to slay Our hopes of safety; liberty, our all Which, through thy tyrany, with him must fall To its late caoss? Had thy rigid force Bin delt by ret

Upon the Death of G. B. Whether to Ceaser he was Friend or Foe? Pox take such Ignorance, do you not know? Can he be Friend to Ceaser, that shall bring The Arms of Hell, to fight against the King? (Treason, Rebellion) then what reason have Wee for to waite

Ingrams Proseedings. Ingram takes up Bacons Commission. The lion had no sooner made his exitt, but the ape (by indubitable right) steps upon the stage. Bacon was no sooner removed by the hand of good providence, but another steps in, by the wheele of fick

Proclamed Generall. The first thing that this fine fellow did, after that he was mounted upon the back of his commission, was to spur or switch those who were to pay obedience unto his Authorety, by geting himselfe proclamed Generall of all the forces now

Hansford Executed. Cheis-man and Wilford taken by Beverly. The business being so well accomplished by those who had taken Hansford, did so raise their spirits, that they had no sooner delivered their fraight at Accomack, but they hoyse up their sailes, an

Cheisman dies in Prison. There is one remarkable passage reported of this Major Cheismans Lady, which because it sounds to the honor of her sex, and consequently of all loveing Wives, I will not deny it a roome in this Narrative.

Mrs. Cheismans grate affections for her husband. A kinde wife. When that the Major was brought into the Governours presence, and by him demanded, what made him to ingage in Bacons designes? Before that the Major could frame an answer to the Govenours dema

Capt. Farlow executed. Capt. Carver and Capt. Farlow was now (or about this time) executed, as is before hinted. Farlow was related to Cheisman, as he had maried Farlows neice. When that he went first into the servis (which 35 was presently after that Bac

Sir W. removes to York river. The nimble and timely servis, performed by Major Beverly (before mentioned) haveing opened the way, in some measure, the Governour once more salleyeth out for the Westerne shore, there to make tryall of his better fortune; wh

Forts to be built. At last it was concluded, as a good expedient for to put the countrie in a good degree of safety, for to plant forts upon the Fronteirs, thinking thereby to put a stop to the Indians excursions, which after the expence of a grate deale

The strength Sir Will. had, at his coming to Yorke. He had with him now in Yorke River 4 shipps besides 2 or 3 sloops. Three of the ships he brought with him from Accomack; the other (a marchant-man, as the rest were) was som time before arrived out of En

The Gloster men rise los Sir W. This Block (and no less was the commander of the forementioned sleepers) being removed out of the way, the Gloster men began to stir abrode: not provoked thereto out of any hopes of getting, but through a feare of loseing:

The properties of a good generall. I have eather heard, or have read, That a compleate Generall ought to be owner of these 3 induments: Wisdom to foresee, Experience to chuse, and Curage to execute. He that wants the 2 last, can never have the first; sinc

A rising in Midlesex Walklett sent to suppress it. Smith marches after Walklett. Much about the time that the Gloster men mustred at M. Pates, there was a riseing in Midlesex, upon the same account: Who were no sooner gott upon their feet, but the Baconia

Ingram takes the Gloster men at M. Pates. In the meane time that this buisness was a doeing, Ingram understanding upon what designe M. L. Smith was gon about, by the advice of his officers strikes in betweene him and his new made (and new mand) Garrisson

M. L. Smith retracts his march from Walklett. Ingram had no sooner don this jobb of jurney worke (of which he was not a litle proud) but M. L. Smith (haveing retracted his march out of Midlesex, as thinkeing it little less then a disparagement to have any

Major Bristow chall: to Inram. For the saveing of Pouder and Shott (or rather through the before mentioned Generossety of curage) one Major Bristow (on Smiths side) made a Motion to try the equity, and justness of the quarrill, by single combett: Bristow

Farrill attemps the Baconians under Whalys command. Much about this time, of the Gloster buisness, his hon. sends abrode a party of men, from off aboarde, under the command of one Hubert Farrill, to fferitt out a company of the Rebells, who kep Gard at Co

Ingram reduced by Grantham. Capt: Grantham had, now, bin som time in Yorke River. A man unto whom Verginia is very much beholden for his neate contrivance, in bringing Ingram (and som others) over to harken to reason. With Ingram he had som small acquaint

Grantham at West Point. What number of soulders was, at this time, in Garrisson at West Point, I am not certaine: It is saide about 250, sumed up in freemen, sarvants and slaves; these three ingredience being the compossition of Bacons Army, ever since th

Not valued by the Indians. The small good that was by most expected, and now by them experienced from those useless fabricks (or castells, if so we say ) excited a marvellous discontent among the people. Some thought the charge would be great, and the ben

Greene Spring secured for William. Of all the obstickles that hath, hitherto, lane in the Governours way, there is not one (which hath falne within the verge of my intilligence) that hath bin removed by the sword; excepting what was performed under the co

Short carreer of Drummond and Larance. The gratest difficulty, now to be performed, was to remove Drummond and Larance out of the way. These two men was excepted out of the Governours pardon, by his Proclamation of Iune last, and severall papers since, an

Drummond and Coll. Larance at the Brickhowse, at New-Kent. When that West Point was surrendred, and Greene Spring secured, for the Governour, these two Gen: was at the Brick-howse, in New-Kent: a place situate allmost oppossitt to West Point, on the South

9 The Forts disliked by the English. But for the effecting this business they found themselves under a very grate disadvantage, for tho' it may be more easier to cast downe than irect well cemented structures, yet the rule doth not hould good in all cases

Bacons Proseedings. Bacon appears against the Indians. The people chose Col. Bacon their Generall, which post he accepted. He was a man of quality and merit, brave and eloquent, became much endeared, not so much for what he had yet done as the cause of th

10 Bacon advanceth against the Indians. It seemes that at the first rise of the war this Gent: man had made some overtures unto the Governour for a commission to go and put a stop to the Indians proseedings. But the Governour at present, eather not willin

Bacon meets with the Indians. After som days the Governour retracts his march, (a jurnye of som 30 or 40 miles) to meet the assemblie now redy to set downe at our Metroppolis, while Bacon in the meane while meets with the Indians, upon whom he falls with