The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-01-08

opEc4ANc5ANoueH

mighty Sycamore, Powhatan. Indian
scouts had captured Smith soon alter
he left the new jamestown cclony on
his exploring trip to the interior. They
brought him before their chief for
Judgment.
opechancanough had already heard
with disgust OF the white men who
were building a settlement on Wiz.
glnia's shores, and he was glad one
OF them had fallen into his hands. He
was about to order Smith to torture
and death, when the piwcky English
prisoner drew from his pocket q com.
pass and calmly proceeded to show
Opechancanough how to use the won.
derful instrument. Then he went on
to explain the course OF the sun, moon
and stars in such amazing fashion that
OpeShancanough thought him spirit.
So, instead OF killing him (Which
would have crushed the jamestown
coionys chances OF life and have put
back for many years the white mans
rulership OF America). he passed him
on to his brother Powhatan,
Revenge for a Blow.
When Powhatan died. in 1918,
opechancanough became Sycamore Of
the thirty Virginia and Maryland
tribes that had formed his brotherS
empire" He also assumed Pow
natan's mock title OF Emperor Of tho
indies" BY this time the English had
secured a strong grip on Virginia.
jamestown was. a 1ourishiHg ptdgs.
There were smaller towns and many
rich plantation farms. l6pechancaHPlE6
foresaw that the Indians must soo15bs
crowded out. Therefore he hated 1tts
white men. He had more personal
reasons, too, for this hatred. Captain.
Arga1l OF jamestown. who had kid,
mapped his niece, Pocahontas, and had
held her for ransom. had also, in a
quarrel, struck Opechancanough n
blow with his sword. The savage
vowed to avenge that blow. And he
kept his oath.
tTe managed to stir up his people
against the English and TO draw 1,SOO
fierce indian warriors to his STANDARD,
Then he waited for the right moment
to attack. A settler and one Of the
Indians had fight, The Indian was
slain. 0pechancanough, clad for war
and brandishing tomahawk, rushed
into the presence or the English gov
ernor at Jamestown and demanded
redress. His plea was refused. In
ftiry he drove his tomahawk blade In
to the wall OF the house and called
carses down from heaven upon the
English. On the instant. however, he
saw that he had too plainly shown
his hatred, and. fearing lest he might
have put the colonists on their guard,
he said more mildly:
"Forgive me, Governor Wyatt. I
did not mean to curse all the English,
but only the vile Englishman, Samuel
A+gall, who struck me and kidnapped
Pocahontas. love all other English
men, and the skies will decay sooner
than that love"
The settlers were deceived by such
protestations. So, when on April l.,
1922, opechancanough turned loose his
1900 savages upon the peaceful col
ony he caught the English utterly ua-
prepared. In less than an hour the
Indians had killed $50 white men,
women and children. jamestown was
saved by prompt measures OF defense,
but the outlying settlements were ray.
aged with fire and steel.
Goes to War at Age Of Ninety
The settlers rallied and swept the
Indians out OF their old habitationS.
Opechancanough was forced to fec,
and this act OF cowardice lost him
much of his power among the say
ages About G.OOO Indians had lived
within sixty miles Of jamestown. ny
the time the campaign was over the
5000 squares miles about jamestown
did not contain 1000 natives. The
rest were slain or captured or had
taken fight. OpechancanOugh rallied
his stricken braves as best he could,
and for twenty years he waged an IN.
termittent warfare against the white
men. All the time he secretly planned
a mighty blow for vengeance. At last,
IN 1913, he thought his chance had
come. He heard that there was dis
satisfaction among the colon!sts over
the actions Of Sir William Berkeley
the local English governor. This
seemed good time to strike,
Opechancanough was then over ninety
years old, and so feeble he could not
open his eyes without help. Neverthe.
less he raised new Indian rebellion
against the English and was carried
along, on a litter, at the head OF his
savage forces. In April, 1914, the mas.
sacres began. Within two days 800
colonists were slaughtered and whole
districts desolated. BHt Governor
berkeley, at the head of a colonial
army, met and routed the Indians and
captured old Opechancanough,
Opechancarough was taken to
jamestown. There he was placed un.
der the charge of a white soldier.
Opcchancanough's braves had killed
members OF this latter's family. SO
the soldier, in cold blood, shot and
mortaiy wounded the aged captive.
AS Opechancanough lay dying, with
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