pioneers of the old south-第19章

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villages　in　all　the　upper　troubled　country；　and　afar　into　the　sunset　woods
where　the　pioneer's　cabin　had　not　yet　been　builded。　He　acted　with　vigor。
The　Indians　could　not　stand　against　his　horsemen　and　concerted　measures；
and　back　they　fell　before　the　white　men；　westward　again；　or；　if　they　stayed
in　the　ever　dwindling　villages；　they　gave　hostages　and　oaths　of　peace。
Quiet　seemed　to　descend　once　more　upon　the　border。

But；　if　the　frontier　seemed　peaceful；　Virginia　behind　the　border　was　a
bubbling　cauldron。　Bacon　had　now　become　a　hero　of　the　people；　a　Siegfried
capable　of　slaying　the　dragon。　Nor　were　Lawrence　and　Drummond　idle；　nor
others　of　their　way　of　thinking。　The　Indian　troubles　might　soon　be　settled；
but　why　not　go　further；　marching　against　other　troubles；　more　subtle　and
long…continuing；　and　threatening　all　the　future？

In　the　midst　of　this　speculation　and　promise　of　change；　the　Governor；
feeling　the　storm；　dissolved　the　Assembly；　proclaimed　Bacon　and　his
adherents　rebels　and　traitors；　and　made　a　desperate　attempt　to　raise　an
army　for　use　against　the　new…fangledness　of　the　time。　This　last　he　could
not　do。　Private　interest　led　many　planters　to　side　with　him；　and　there　was
a　fair　amount　of　passionate　conviction　matching　his　own；　that　his　Majesty
the　King　and　the　forces　of　law　and　order　were　being　withstood；　and　without
just　cause。　But　the　mass　of　the　people　cried　out　to　his　speeches；　〃Bacon！
Bacon！〃　As　the　popular　leader　had　been　warned　from　Jamestown　by　news　of
personal　danger；　so　in　his　turn　Berkeley　seems　to　have　believed　that　his
own　liberty　was　threatened。　With　suddenness　he　departed　the　place；　boarded
a　sloop；　and　was　〃wafted　over　Chesapeake　Bay　thirty　miles　to　Accomac。〃。　The
news　of　the　Governor's　flight；　producing　both　alarm　in　one　party　and
enthusiasm　in　the　other；　tended　to　precipitate　the　crisis。　Though　the
Indian　trouble　might　by　now　be　called　adjusted；　Bacon；　far　up　the　York；　did
not　disband　his　men。　He　turned　and　with　them　marched　down　country；　not　to
Jamestown；　but　to　a　hamlet　called　Middle　Plantation；　where　later　was　to
grow　the　town　of　Williamsburg。　Here　he　camped；　and　here　took　counsel　with
Lawrence　and　Drummond　and　others；　and　here　addressed；　with　a　curious；　lofty
eloquence；　the　throng　that　began　to　gather。　Hence；　too；　he　issued　a
〃Declaration；〃　recounting　the　misdeeds　of　those　lately　in　power；　protesting
against　the　terms　rebel　and　traitor　as　applied　to　himself　and　his
followers；　who　are　only　in　arms　to　protect　his　Majesty's　demesne　and
subjects；　and　calling　on　those　who　are　well　disposed　to　reform　to　join　him
at　Middle　Plantation；　there　to　consider　the　state　of　the　country　which　had
been　brought　into　a　bad　way　by　〃Sir　William's　doting　and　irregular　actings。〃

Upon　his　proclamation　many　did　come　to　Middle　Plantation；　great　planters
and　small；　men　just　freed　from　indentured　service；　holders　of　no　land　and
little　land　and　much　land；　men　of　all　grades　of　weight　and　consideration
and　all　degrees　of　revolutionary　will；　from　Drummond…with　a　reported
speech；　〃I　am　in　overshoes；　I　will　be　in　overboots！〃　and　a　wife　Sarah　who
snapped　a　stick　in　two　with　the　cry；　〃I　care　no　more　for　the　power　of
England　than　for　this　broken　straw！〃to　those　who　would　be　revolutionary
as　long　as；　and　only　when；　it　seemed　safe　to　be　so。

How　much　of　revolution；　despite　that　speech　about　his　Majesty's　demesne　and
subjects；　was　in　Bacon's　mind；　or　in　Richard　Lawrence's　mind　and　William
Drummond's　mind；　or　in　the　mind　of　their　staunchest　supporters；　may　hardly
now　be　resolved。　Perhaps　as　much　as　was　in　the　mind　of　Patrick　Henry；
Thomas　Jefferson；　and　George　Mason　a　century　later。

The　Governor　was　in　Accomac；　breathing　fire　and　slaughter；　though　as　yet
without　brand　or　sword　with　which　to　put　his　ardent　desires　into　execution。
But　he　and　the　constituted　order　were　not　without　friends　and　supporters。
He　had；　as　his　opponents　saw；　a　umber　of　〃wicked　and　pernicious
counsellors；　aides　and　assistants　against　the　commonalty　in　these　our　cruel
commotions。〃　Moreoverand　a　great　moreover　is　that！it　was　everywhere
bruited　that　he　had　sent　to　England；　to　the　King；　〃for　two　thousand　Red
Coates。〃　Perhaps　the　Kingperhaps　England…will　take　his　view；　and；　not
consulting　the　good　of　Virginia；　send　the　Red　Coats！　What　then？

Bacon；　as　a　measure　of　opposition；　proposed　〃a　test　or　ecognition；〃　to　be
signed　by　those　here　at　Middle　Plantation　who　earnestly　do　wish　the　good　of
Virginia。　It　was　a　bold　test！　Not　only　should　they　covenant　to　give　no　aid
to　the　whilom　Governor　against　this　new　general　and　army；　but　if　ships
should　bring　the　Red　Coats　they　were　to　withstand　them。　There　is　little
wonder　that　〃this　bugbear　did　marvellously　startle〃　that　body　of　Virginia
horsemen；　those　progressive　gentlemen　planters；　and　others。　Yet　in　the　end；
after　violent　contentions；　the　assembly　at　Middle　Plantation　drew　up　and
signed　a　remarkable　paper；　the　〃Oath　at　Middle　Plantation。〃　Historically；
it　is　linked　on　the　one　hand　with　that　〃thrusting　out　of　his　government〃　of
Sir　John　Harvey　in　Charles　I's　time；　and　on　the　other　with　Virginian
proceedings　a　hundred　years　later　under　the　third　George。　If　his　Majesty
had　been；　as　it　was　rumored；　wrongly　informed　that　Virginia　was　in
rebellion；　if；　acting　upon　that　misinformation；　he　sent　troops　against　his
loyal　Virginians…who　were　armed　only　against　an　evil　Governor　and
intolerable　woes　then　these　same　good　loyalists　would　〃oppose　and　suppress
all　forces　whatsoever　of　that　nature；　until　such　time　as　the　King　be　fully
informed　of　the　state　of　the　case。〃　What　was　to　happen　if　the　King；　being
informed；　still　supported　Berkeley　and　sent　other　Red　Coats　was　not　taken
into　consideration。

This　paper；　being　drawn；　was　the　more　quickly　signed　because　there　arrived；
in　the　midst　of　the　debate；　a　fresh　Indian　alarm。　Attack　threatened　a　fort
upon　the　York…whence　the　Governor　had　seen　fit　to　remove　arms　and
ammunition！　The　news　came　most　opportunely　for　Bacon。　〃There　were　no　more
discourses。〃　The　major　portion　of　the　large　assemblage　signed。

The　old　Government　in　Virginia　was　thus　denied。　But　it　was　held　that
government　there　must　be；　and　that　the　people　of　Virginia　through
representatives　must　arrange　for　it。　Writs　of　election；　made　as　usual　in
the　King's　name；　and　signed　by　Bacon　and　by　those　members　of　the　Council
who　were　of　the　revolt；　went　forth　to　all　counties。　The　Assembly　thus
provided　was　to　meet　at　Jamestown　in　September。

So　much　business　done；　off　rode　Bacon　and　his　men　to　put　down　this　latest
rising　of　the　Indians。　Not　only　these　but　red　men　in　a　new　quarter；　tribes
south　of　the　James；　kept　them　employed　for　weeks　to　come。　Nor　were　they
unmindful　of　that　proud　old　man；　Sir　William　Berkeley；　over　on　the　Eastern
Shore；　a　well…peopled　region　where　traveling　by　boat　and　by　sandy　road　was
sufficiently　easy。　Bacon；　Lawrence；　and　Drummond　finally　decided　to　take
Sir　William　captive　and　to　bring　him　back　to　Jamestown。　For　this　purpose
they　dispatched　a　ship　across　the　Bay；　with　two　hundred　and　fifty　men；
under　the　command　of　Giles　Bland；　〃a　man　of　courage　and　haughty　bearing；〃
and　〃no　great　admirer　of　Sir　William's　goodness。〃　The　ship　proceeded　to　the
Accomac　shore；　anchored　in　some　bight；　and　sent　ashore　men　to　treat　with
the　Governor。　But　the　Governor　turned　the　tables　on　them。　He　made　himself
captor；　instead　of　being　made　captive。　Bland　and　his　lieutenants　were
taken；　whereupon　their　following　surrendered　into　Berkeley's　hands。　Bland's
second　in　command　was　hanged；　Bland　himself　was　held　in　irons。

Now　Berkeley's　star　was　climbing。　In　Accomac　he　gathered　so　many　that；　with
those　who　had　fled　with　him　and　later　recruits　who　crossed　the　Bay；　he　had
perhaps　a　thousand　men。　He　stowed　these　upon　the　ship　of　the　ill…fated
Bland　and　upon　a　number　of　sloops。　With　seventeen　sail　in　all；　the　old
Governor　set　his　face　west　and　south　towards　the　mouth　of　the　James。

In　that　river；　on　the　7th　of　September；　1676；　there　appeared　this　fleet　of
the　King's　Governor；　set　on　retaking　Virginia。　Jamestown　had　notice。　The
Bacon　faction　held　the　place　with　perhaps　eight　hundred　men；　Colonel
Hansford　at　their　head。　Summoned　by　Berkeley　to　surrender；　Hansford
refused；　but　that　same　night；　by　advice　of　Lawrence　and　Drummond；　evacuated
the　place；　drawing　his　force　off　toward　the　York。　The　next　day；　emptied　of
all　but　a　few　citizens；　Jamestown　received　the　old　Governor　and　his　army。

The　tidings　found　Bacon　on　the　upper　York。　Acting　with　his　accustomed
energy；　he　sent　out；　far　and　wide；　ringing　appeals　to　the　country　to　rouse
itself；　for　men　to　join　him　and　march　to　the　defeat　of　the　old　tyrant。
Numbers　did　come　in。　He　moved　with　〃marvelous　celerity。〃　When　he　had；　for
the　time　and　place；　a　large　force　of　rebels；　he　marched；　by　stream　and
plantation；　tobaccofield　and　forest；　forge　and　mill；　through　the　early
autumn　country　to　Jamestown。　Civil　war　was　on。

Across　the　narrow　neck　of　the　Jamestown　penin　sula　had　been　thrown　a　sort
of　fortification　with　ditch；　earthwork；　and　palisade。　Before　this　Bacon　now
sounded　trumpets。　No　answer　coming；　but　the　mouths　of　cannon　appearing　at
intervals　above　the　breastwork；　the　〃rebel〃　general　halted；　encamped　his
men；　and　proceeded　to　construct　siege　lines　of　his　own。　The　work　must　be
done　exposed　to　Sir　William's　iron　shot。

Now　comes　a　strange　and　discreditable　incident。　Patriots；　revolutionists；
who　on　the　whole　would　serve　human　progress；　have　yet；　as　have　we　all；　dark
spots　and　seamy　sides。　Bacon's　parties　of　workmen　were　threatened；
hindered；　driven　from　their　task　by　Berkeley's　guns。　Bacon　had　a　curious；
unadmirable　idea。　He　sent　horsemen　to　neighboring　loyalist　plantations　to
gather　up　and　bring　to　camp；　not　the　plantersfor　they　are　with　Berkeley
in　Jamestownbut　the　planters'　wives。　Here　are　Mistress　Bacon　（wife　of　the
elder　Nathaniel　Bacon）；　Mistress　Bray；　Mistress　Ballard；　Mistress　Page；　and
others。　Protesting；　these　ladies　enter　Bacon's　camp；　who　sends　one　as　envoy
into　the　town　with　the　message　that；　if　Berkeley　attacks；　the　whole　number
of　women　shall　be　placed　as　shield　to　Bacon's　men　who　build　earthworks。

He　was　as　goodor　as　badas　his　word。　At　the　first　show　of　action　against
his　workmen　these　royalist　women　were　placed　in　the　front　and　were　kept
there　until　Bacon　had　made　his　counter…line　of　defense。　Sir　William
Berkeley　had　great　faults；　but　at　timesnot　alwayshe　displayed　chivalry。
For　that　day　〃the　ladies'　white　aprons〃　guarded　General　Bacon　and　all　his
works。　The　next　day；　the　defenses　completed；　this　〃white　garde〃　was　withdrawn。

Berkeley　waited　no　longer　but；　though　now　at　a　disadvantage；　opened　fire
and　charged　with　his　men　through　gate　and　over　earthworks。　The　battle　that
followed　was　short　and　decisive。　Berkeley's　chance…gathered　army　was　no
match　for　Bacon's　seasoned　Indian　fighters　and　for　desperate　men　who　knew
that　they　must　win　or　be　hanged　for　traitors。　The　Governor's　force　wavered
and；　unable　to　stand　its　ground；　turned　and　fled；　leaving　behind　some　dead
and　wounded。　Then　Bacon；　who　also　had　cannon；　opened　upon　the　town　and　the
ships　that　rode　before　it。　In　the　night　the　King's　Governor　embarked　for
the　second　time　and　with　him；　in　that　armada　from　t