pioneers of the old south-第24章

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repudiated。　But　the　harm　was　done。　From　the　Potomac　to　the　James　Indians
listened　to　Indian　eloquence；　reciting　the　evils　that　from　the　first　the
white　man　had　brought。　Then　the　red　man；　in　increasing　numbers；　fell　upon
the　outlying　settlements　of　the　pioneers。

In　Virginia　there　soon　arose　a　popular　clamor　for　effective　action。　Call
out　the　militia　of　every　county！　March　against　the　Indians！　Act！　But　the
Governor　was　old；　of　an　ill　temper　now；　and　most　suspicious　of　popular
gatherings　for　any　purpose　whatsoever。　He　temporized；　delayed；　refused　all
appeals　until　the　Assembly　should　meet。

Dislike　of　Berkeley　and　his　ways　and　a　growing　sense　of　injury　and
oppression　began　to　quiver　hard　in　the　Virginian　frame。　The　King　was　no
longer　popular；　nor　Sir　William　Berkeley；　nor　were　the　most　of　the　Council；
nor　many　of　the　burgesses　of　that　Long　Assembly。　There　arose　a　loud　demand
for　a　new　election　and　for　changes　in　public　policy。

Where　a　part　of　Richmond　now　stands；　there　stretched　at　that　time　a　tract
of　fields　and　hills　and　a　clear　winding　creek；　held　by　a　young　planter
named　Nathaniel　Bacon；　an　Englishman　of　that　family　which　produced　〃the
wisest；　greatest；　meanest　of　mankind。〃　The　planter　himself　lived　farther
down　the　river。　But　he　had　at　this　place　an　overseer　and　some　indentured
laborers。　This　Nathaniel　Bacon　was　a　newcomer　in　Virginiayoung　man　who
had　been　entered　in　Gray's　Inn；　who　had　traveled；　who　was　rumored　to　have
run　through　much　of　his　own　estate。　He　had　a　cousin；　also　named　Nathaniel
Bacon；　who　had　come　fifteen　years　earlier　to　Virginia　〃a　very　rich；　politic
man　and　childless；〃　and　whose　representations　had　perhaps　drawn　the　younger
Bacon　to　Virginia。　At　any　rate　he　was　here；　and　at　the　age　of　twenty…eight
the　owner　of　much　land　and　the　possessor　of　a　seat　in　the　Council。　But；
though　he　sat　in　the　Council；　he　was　hardly　of　the　mind　of　the　Governor　and
those　who　supported　him。

It　was　in　the　spring　of　1676　that　there　began　a　series　of　Indian　attacks
directed　against　the　plantations　and　the　outlying　cabins　of　the　region
above　the　Falls　of　the　Far　West。　Among　the　victims　were　men　of　Bacon's
plantation；　for　his　overseer　and　several　of　his　servants　were　slain。　The
news　of　this　massacre　of　his　men　set　their　young　master　afire。　Even　a　less
hideous　tale　might　have　done　it；　for　he　was　of　a　bold　and　ardent　nature。

Riding　up　the　forest　tracks；　a　company　of　planters　from　the　threatened
neighborhood　gathered　together。　〃Let　us　make　a　troop　and　take　fire　and
sword　among　them！〃　There　lacked　a　commander。　〃Mr。　Bacon；　you　command！〃　Very
good；　and　Mr。　Bacon；　who　is　a　born　orator；　made　a　speech　dealing　with　the
〃grievances　of　the　times。〃　Very　good　indeed；　but　still　there　lacked　the
Governor's　commission。　〃Send　a　swift　messenger　to　Jamestown　for　it！〃

The　messenger　went　and　returned。　No　commission。　Mr。　Bacon　had　made　an
unpleasant　impression　upon　Sir　William　Berkeley。　This　young　man；　the
Governor　said；　was　〃popularly　inclined〃had　〃a　constitution　not　consistent
with〃　all　that　Berkeley　stood　for。　Bacon　and　his　neighbors　listened　with
bent　brows　to　their　envoy's　report。　Murmurs　began　and　deepened。　〃Shall　we
stand　idly　here　considering　formalities；　while　the　redskins　murder？〃
Commission　or　no　commission；　they　would　march；　and　in　the　end；　march　they
dida　considerable　troopto　the　up…river　country；　with　the　tall；　young；
eloquent　man　at　their　head。

News　reached　the　Governor　at　Jamestown　that　they　were　marching。　In　a
tight…lipped　rage　he　issued　a　proclamation　and　sent　it　after　them。　They　and
their　leader　were　acting　illegally；　usurping　military　powers　that　belonged
elsewhere！　Let　them　disband；　disperse　to　their　dwellings；　or　beware　action
of　the　rightful　powers！　Troubled　in　mind；　some　disbanded　and　dispersed；　but
threescore　at　least　would　by　no　means　do　so。　Nor　would　the　young　man　〃of
precipitate　disposition〃　who　headed　the　troop。　He　rode　on　into　the　forest
after　the　Indians；　and　the　others　followed　him。　Here　were　the　Falls　of　the
Far　West；　and　here　on　a　hill　the　Indians　had　a　〃fort。〃　This　the　Virginia
planters　attacked。　The　hills　above　the　James　echoed　to　the　sound　of　the
small；　desperate　fray。　In　the　end　the　red　men　were　routed。　Some　were　slain；
some　were　taken　prisoner；　others　escaped　into　the　deep　woods　stretching
westward。

In　the　meantime　another　force　of　horsemen　had　been　gathered。　It　was　headed
by　Berkeley　and　was　addressed　to　the　pursuit　and　apprehension　of　Nathaniel
Bacon；　who　had　thus　defied　authority。　But　before　Berkeley　could　move　far；
fire　broke　out　around　him。　The　grievances　of　the　people　were　many　and　just；
and　not　without　a　family　resemblance　to　those　that　precipitated　the
Revolution　a　hundred　years　later。　Not　Bacon　alone；　but　many　others　who　were
in　despair　of　any　good　under　their　present　masters　were　ready　for　heroic
measures。　Berkeley　found　himself　ringed　about　by　a　genuine　popular　revolt。
He　therefore　lacked　the　time　now　to　pursue　Nathaniel　Bacon；　but　spurred
back　to　Jamestown　there　to　deal　as　best　he　might　with　dangerous　affairs。　At
Jamestown；　willy…nilly；　the　old　Governor　was　forced　to　promise　reforms。　The
Long　Assembly　should　be　dissolved　and　a　new　Assembly；　more　conformable　to
the　wishes　of　the　people；　should　come　into　being　ready　to　consider　all
their　troubles。　So　writs　went　out；　and　there　presently　followed　a　hot　and
turbulent　election；　in　which　that　〃restricted　franchise〃　of　the　Long
Assembly　was　often　defied　and　in　part　set　aside。　Men　without　property
presented　themselves；　gave　their　voices；　and　were　counted。　Bacon；　who　had
by　now　achieved　an　immense　popularity；　was　chosen　burgess　for　Henricus　County。

In　the　June　weather　Bacon　sailed　down　to　Jamestown；　with　a　number　of　those
who　had　backed　him　in　that　assumption　of　power　to　raise　troops　and　go
against　the　Indians。　When　he　came　to　Jamestown　it　was　to　find　the　high
sheriff　waiting　for　him　by　the　Governor's　orders。　He　was　put　under　arrest。
Hot　discussion　followed。　But　the　people　were　for　the　moment　in　the
ascendent；　and　Bacon　should　not　be　sacrificed。　A　compromise　was　reached。
Bacon　was　technically　guilty　of　〃unlawful；　mutinous　and　rebellious
practises。〃　If；　on　his　knees　before　Governor；　Council；　and　Burgesses；　he
would　acknowledge　as　much　and　promise　henceforth　to　be　his　Majesty's
obedient　servant；　he　and　those　implicated　with　him　should　be　pardoned。　He
himself　might　be　readmitted　to　the　Council；　and　all　in　Virginia　should　be
as　it　had　been。　He　should　even　have　the　commission　he　had　acted　without　to
go　and　fight　against　the　Indians。

Bacon　thereupon　made　his　submission　upon　his　knees；　promising　that
henceforth　he　would　〃demean　himself　dutifully；　faithfully；　and　peaceably。〃
Formally　forgiven；　he　was　restored　to　his　place　in　the　Virginia　Council。　An
eyewitness　reports　that　presently　he　saw　〃Mr。　Bacon　on　his　quondam　seat
with　the　Governor　and　Council；　which　seemed　a　marvellous　indulgence　to　one
whom　he　had　so　lately　proscribed　as　a　rebel。〃　The　Assembly　of　1676　was　of　a
different　temper　and　opinion　from　that　of　the　Long　Assembly。　It　was　an
insurgent　body；　composed　to　a　large　degree　of　mere　freemen　and　small
planters；　with　a　few　of　the　richer；　more　influential　sort　who　nevertheless
queried　that　old　divine　right　of　rule。　Berkeley　thought　that　he　had　good
reason　to　doubt　this　Assembly's　intentions；　once　it　gave　itself　rein。　He
directs　it　therefore　to　confine　its　attention　to　Indian　troubles。　It　did；
indeed；　legislate　on　Indian　affairs　by　passing　an　elaborate　act　for　the
prosecution　of　the　war。　An　army　of　a　thousand　white　men　was　to　be　raised。
Bacon　was　to　be　commander…in…chief。　All　manner　of　precautions　were　to　be
taken。　But　this　matter　disposed　of；　the　Assembly　thereupon　turned　to　〃the
redressing　several　grievances　the　country　was　then　labouring　under；　and
motions　were　made　for　inspecting　the　public　revenues；　the　collectors'
accounts；〃　and　so　forth。　The　Governor　thundered；　friends　of　the　old　order
obstructed；　but　the　Assembly　went　on　its　way；　reforming　here　and　reforming
there。　It　even　went　so　far　as　to　repeal　the　preceding　Assembly's
legislation　regarding　the　franchise。　All　white　males　who　are　freemen　were
now　privileged　to　vote；　〃together　with　the　freeho