Saturday my son and I drove down to Historic Jamestowne to see the interpretative program about Bacon's Rebellion of 1676.
We had seen the first half of the program last year, but the actual burning of Jamestown was canceled due to rain. We were hoping to witness the evening program this year.
Unfortunately we had arrived a bit late, while Governor Berkeley was discoursing about the rebellion inside the church. We learned that Governor Berkeley had great character, was a man of the people, yet he lost his position because of a young upstart with a poor reputation, Nathaniel Bacon. Governor Berkeley had been working on forming alliances, some as old as fifty years old, with the Indians. While in the process of trying to form new alliances, some Indians, who were not allied with the colonists, attacked the settlers. In rebuttal, the colonists attacked the Indians without any regard as to who were allied with them or not. Of course this unraveled all of the Governor's peace keeping attempts with the Indians, so he had to build forts to protect the colonists, which created an exhorbitantly heavy tax burden on the colonists, who were in debt under the mercantile system with England. Thus Bacon led the colonists in rebellion over taxation. Many historians have summarized these events as a power struggle between two prideful men. Of course each side is passionate about his point of view. In this scene, the governor is talking to us about the rebellion which occured the year before. Bacon had died during the rebellion, effectively ending it. We were surprised to discover that some of the people in attendance were descendants of men who were involved in the rebellion.
We spent the rest of the day at Jamestowne, a national park. Rare is the opportunity for guests to stay through the evening in this park, overlooking the vast James River. The interpreters had told us that the sunset would be beautiful. Near the water's edge is a cafe where we shared a delicious sandwich served by Carrot Tree Cafe. That was better than sandwiches I get most places. We ate dinner on the patio where we could watch the sun set over the water.
After dinner, we had over an hour for the program. I suggested we walk around the old town. We walked past the graves in front of the church...
Memories of how the soldiers of the original fort had to keep watch for Spaniards and Indians.
Eventually Jamestown became a successful colony, a port for all the tobacco that was grown for England. For many years it was the only allowed port in Virginia. Here are the ruins of the town that built up around the port.
Being a peaceful evening, we watched five deer graze. Some are out of range of this frame...
One eagle soared very close over our heads...then further up in the sky...
Ruins of the grandest of the 17th century homes...
At dusk the program began. As we listened to the speaker, guards surrounded us from behind. Uh oh. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Thomas Matthew narrated the story of the rebellion which occurred the year before.
A guard stood nearby...
Because Mr. Matthew hadn't seen all of the beginning events, a woman who overheard volunteered her services to tell the story from her perspective.
She was hilarious! She had her chicken with her who tried to escape twice! After much proclamation that she knew what happened, she summed it up by exclaiming, "It was awful!" Mr. Matthew was exasperated. "That's all you can say about it?" She finally went into further detail, with the help of her chicken who stole the show! It was nice to have a lighthearted version of the story because the story only became heavier as we went on.
We were led from scene to scene, walking in the dark with the aid of burning, crackling cressets and Mr. Matthew's lone candle in the tin lantern. After he told more of the story at the next scene, a slave came to tell his version, of how he helped in the rebellion but for naught.
Again we moved to another scene, again the story resumed, of men who chose sides. Some on the governor's side and others on the side of Bacon.
Admist drum beats at various points in the reenactment the men surrounding us chanted to get their way...later firing their muskets into the air in unison.
The burning of the town destroyed the buildings...
This grand lady had the finest house in town. The burning of the town was done by Bacon and his men, which included her husband. Her own husband set fire to their fine home, to prove their loyalty. In the end Bacon died, the rebellion died, and his supporters died. Her husband was hung. Bitterly she proclaimed revenge.
After the program Mr. Matthew led us to the center of the field, where we could turn around. We were surrounded by roaring, burning cressets, which represented the fires that burned down the town. He blew out the candle in the lantern, toppling it over, representing the fears that Jamestowne would likewise be forever burned out and toppled over.
Then we were invited in to the Visitor Center where we could meet the dramatic characters.
We had a great time talking, asking questions, learning lots more. Mr. Matthew insisted we take a picture of this pose with the chicken who stole the show.
I asked Mr. Matthews (who was then out of character) if that was indeed the end of the town. He said no, it had been rebuilt. The lady with the chicken said that the original foundations, from the burning of Jamestowne are under the ground, and the more recent ruins are from the rebuilding of the town. The capital of Virginia moved from Jamestowne to Williamsburg in 1699.
From now on when I read or remember Bacon's Rebellion, I will think of it in far more dramatic terms than I ever did before.