boats went out under cover of darkness. As they approached the ship the
soldiers on deck hesitated to fire on them, thinking they were coming
at Carver's invitation. So they drew up alongside
and clambered in through the gunroom ports. As they rushed up on deck
they were joined by the sailors with handspikes,
and together they soon forced the soldiers to surrender.
In the meanwhile Carver too was approaching,
and hearing the shouts, tried to veer away. But Larrimore trained his
guns on him and captured him and all his men. Coming on board he
"stormed, tore his hair off and cursed," as well he might for he knew
that
he would soon be on the way to the gallows. This was a major
victory, for it gave the governor control of the water. From now on he
was safe from any attempt to invade the Eastern Shore. On the other
hand, he could at will strike at any
point up the
great Virginia rivers. While these events were taking place Bacon
was leading an army through the woods and swamps of upper Gloucester
and Middlesex. He had good reason to believe
that it was the Pamunkeys who had made some
recent incursions, and he was
determined to ferret them out. But it proved a
difficult task. His men, tired of wandering here and there, soaked by
drenching
rains, and half-starved, began to waver. But their dauntless
young leader, after permitting many to return, resumed the search with
the rest. They had gone but a few miles when they came upon an Indian
village, protected on three sides by swamps, and on the other by
thickets and bushes. As the English charged the terrified Indians fled.
Many were
shot down, many others
captured. The queen of the Pamunkeys escaped, and wandered
through the woods for days, half starved. Bacon led his men back in
triumph, bringing forty-five prisoners, and stores
of wampum, skin
No comments:
Post a Comment