Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-07-06
BACON'S REBELLION.
STORY OF A ROMANTIC FIGURE IN
COLONIAL HISTORY.

That short, frenzied strife in the early
colonial history known as Bacon rebel
llon' is passed over SO hurriedly by the
writer's of the big books that few are aware
OF It's real Importance. 1t occurred just 100
years previous to that greater revolution
Which was ushered in by Concord and
Lexington, and, strangely enough, the day
that Governor Berkeley put his name to
Bacon commission as general of the Vir-
gilman forces, July 4, 1876 was century
to day before the time when our Declara-
ton OF Independence was signed.
In 1916 Virginia was little garden
spot cut out of the American wilderness
between the ocean and >the Blue Ridge.
There were no large villages; Jamestown
was only a little hamlet with from 90 to
80 houses, but all along the broad rivers
and through the fertile valleys the houses
Of the planters peeped from the woods. A
population of 40, 900 whites was scattered
over this region.
The governor of this prosperous colony
was Sir William Berkeley, a sturdy royal
ist, whose long rule of 35 years had devel-
oped naughty, tyrannical disposition.
Few colonial goEeses1rs were as bigoted
and arbitrary this old gray headed mag
nate OF the seventeenth century. Il thank
God, = he wrote to Charles II of England,
from whom he held his commission, THAT
we have no free schools nor printing
presses in this country, nor shall we have
for 100 years, hope"
War broke out with the Indians, and
the governor, owing to the interest he had
in the fur trade, refused to commission
any one to lead force against the savage
enemy. A border war ran along tho
whole length of the Potomac and for
year the depredations of the Indians re-
manned unchecked At last they became
unbearable, and the settlers, under tho
leadership of a brilliant young man named
Nathaniel Bacon, marched against the
savages and defeated them. For this Ba-
con was declared rebel by Berkeley and
his partisans.
Affairs were now in an uproar. The
colony sided with Bacon, and the old as
sembly was disorganized and a new one
formed. Bacon was chosen a member
from Henrico and was Immediately elected
commander in chief of the Virginian
forces. But the obstinate old governor
would not sign his commission, although
he promised to do so if there was any fur
ther trouble with the Indians.
The young leader went back to his plan
tation on the James, below Richmond
but another Indian inroad soon called him
and his men to arms. Once more he re-
turned victorious and, flushed with their
success, Bacon and 600 men marched to
jamestown to demand his commission
One can imagine what excitement there
must have been in the little village when
Bacon and his we'll armed housekeepers
appeared on the spot. Nearly everybody
was on Bacons side, for the tyrannical old
governor was obnoxious for more reasons
than one. His leniency to the Indians be-
cause it was money in his pocket was not
his only offense.
And what did Berkeley do? He was no
coward, that is evident. When the 600
'srebels' presented themselves, shouting
and gesticulating before the gubernatorial
residence, out rushed the hot headed old
cavalier in his silk and velvet and lace, the
diamonds flashing on the insteps of his
shoes and his long white hair falling upon
his shoulders.
''Here, shoot metz he cried angrily.
GO Fore God, a fair mark Shootl''
But Bacon was as cool and deliberate a.
the old governor was violent.
mo, may it please your HONOR he
said, 1--WE will not hurt hair Of your
head nor of any other mans. We are come
for commission to save our lives from
the Indians, which you have so often
promised, and now we will have it before |
we CO.
The governor and his council met with |
those of the burgesses who were present |
No doubt there was a heated discussion, |
but in the end Berkeley was compelled to |
yield. Not only was the commission signed, |
but a paper drawn up by the burgesses
commencing the loyalty, zeal and patriot |
ism Of Bacon and his followers received |
the executive signature and was transmit
ted to the king.
It was great triumph for the young
rebel of IS. He was now at the head of |
a small army and regularly commissioned
general in chief of the Virginian forces
and, active anG energetic he soon put an
end to the Indian depredations.
The conqueror returned to his planta-
ton, followed by a picturesque procession
of Indian captives. Here he learned that
the vengeful old governor had taken adj
vantage of his absence and proclaimed
him a rebel This was more than the
young patriot could endure.
Berkeley had improved his time and had
gathered quite little force from the more
southern counties, where he was most pop
ular, and he had also secured the co-Opera-
tion of half a dozen English ships which
had lately arrived at Jamestown. The
headstrong old royalist had no intention
of being put down by an upstart boy.
Bacon did not lose his head. He had the
cool brain of a mature man on his youth
full shoulders. He called council, and
after issuing a remonstrance against the &C
tion of the governor and protesting his own
loyalty to the king he started southwark
and all his Indian fighters with him.
AS he marched along the road to James
town the people brought out food to re-
fresh his soldiers and the women cried
after him, General, if you need help, send
for u.s. T" The whole colony was on his side,
and when he arrived at the capital many
of the governors men deserted to his
standard. Poor Berkeley and his few adj
herents, after little show of resistance.
were obliged to fly, and the capital re-
manned in possession of the peoples party.
The old 'snest of empire the city
founded by Captain Smith, was never to
harbor despots again. Bacon and his off