John Smith, trading in Virginia
Source: National Park Service - Sidney King collection of paintings created for the 350th Anniversary of Jamestown
At the end of the first day the English that landed at Cape Henry (on April 26, 1607), five Indians attacked the 30 Englishmen onshore and injured two of them. This attack must have been on the initiative of the local Indians - Powhatan would not have had time to be notified and to issue any commands.
The Native Americans under the leadership of Powhatan allowed the English to explore the James River and settle on Jamestown Island. Powhatan did not attempt to kill or capture all the Europeans upon their arrival in his land of Tsenacommacah (what the English called "Virginia"). However, Powhatan probably ordered the mild resistance to the English during later explorations between April 26-May 13, when the English started to unload the ships at Jamestown Island.
From his point of view, the Europeans were a potential source of valuable tools (hatchets, knives) and prestige goods (copper, blue beads). The English had the potential of becoming Powhatan's military allies, fighting together with Powhatan's tribes to resist the Manahoacs and Monacans from west of the Fall Line, or Susquehannocks from the northern edge of the Chesapeake Bay.
At a minimum, Powhatan expected to exploit the English as a source of supply for scarce and valuable goods. He wanted guns, metal, and decorative objects for trade (English food and clothing was not of much interest). These would increase his power and prestige... as long as he could keep the English from trading directly with other tribes.
Even if Powhatan had wanted to wipe out the English before they got settled, he understood that the English would be difficult to attack while on the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery. The Native Americans could shoot large numbers of arrows at the ships from shore and from canoes, but the wooden hulls offered too much protection. Powhatan must have calculated that he could not seize the three sailing ships in April-May, 1607. (In 1608, the Nansemonds attacked a barge on which John Smith was leading a trading/raiding expedition. The Native Americans were easily repulsed and their valuable canoes were captured.)
Powhatan allowed the English to settle in initially at Jamestown, but he sent spies into the English camp to assess both their resources and their defense capabilities. One day in late May (when over 20 of the English were exploring upriver, the English camp at Jamestown had no defensive fortifications except one half-moon of brush, and most of the English guns were still unpacked), Powhatan ordered a frontal assault on the English camp.
In the attack, one boy was killed and 17 men hurt. The death toll could have been much worse, but one of the ships in the James River fired a cannon and the projectile struck the branches of a tree above the camp. That noise and the affect on the trees of the unfamiliar weapon frightened the attackers, so they fled. Afterwards, the colonists started construction of the 3-sided pallisade known as James Fort.
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From John Smith's The generall historie of Virginia, New England & the Summer Isles, together with The true travels, adventures and observations, and A sea grammar - Volume 1 (emphasis added).1 Note that the "salvages" were the Native Americans ("savages"), the weapons were in storage barrels ("dry fats"), and spelling/grammar in John Smith's time was... well, flexible.
Their first landing. Mona, and the Virgin Isles, we spent some time, where, with a lothsome beast like a Crocodil, called a Gwayn, Tortoises, Pellicans, Parrots, and fishes, we daily feasted. Gone from thence in search of Virginia, the company was not a little discomforted, seeing the Marriners had 3 dayes passed their reckoning and found no land, so that Captaine Ratliffe (Captaine of the Pinnace) rather desired to beare up the helme to returne for England, then make further search. But God the guider of all good actions, forcing them by an extreame storme to hull all night, did drive them by his providence to their desired Port, beyond all their expectations, for never any of them had seene that coast. The first land they made they called Cape Henry; where thirtie of them recreating themselves on shore, were assaulted by five Salvages, who hurt two of the English very dangerously. That night was the box opened, and the orders read, in which Bartholomew Gosnoll, John Smith, Edward Wingfield, Christopher Newport, John Ratliffe, John Martin, and George Kendall, were named to be the Councell, and to choose a President amongst them for a yeare, who with the Councell should governe. Matters of moment were to be examined by a Jury, but determined by the major part of the Councell, in which the President had two voyces. Untill the 13 of May they sought a place to plant in, then the Councell was sworne, Mr. Wingfield was chosen President, and an Oration made, why Captaine Smith was not admitted of the Councell as the rest. Matters of government Now falleth every man to worke, the Councell contrive the Fort, the rest cut downe trees to make place to pitch their Tents; some provide clapbord to relade the ships, some make gardens, some nets, &c. The Salvages often visited us kindly. The Presidents overweening jealousie would admit no exercise at armes, or fortification, but the boughs of trees cast together in the forme of a halfe moone by the extraordinary paines and diligence of Captaine Kendall, Newport, Smith, and twentie others, were sent to discover the head of the river: by divers small habitations they passed, in six dayes they arrived at a Towne called Powhatan, consisting of some twelve houses, pleasantly seated on a hill; before it three fertile Isles, about it many of their cornefields, the place is very pleasant, and strong by nature, of this place the Prince is called Powhatan, and his people Powhatans, to this place the river is navigable: but higher within a myle, by reason of the Rockes and Isles, there is not passage for a small Boat, this they call the Falles, the people in all parts kindly intreated them, till being returned within twentie myles of James towne, they gave just cause of jealousie, but had God not blessed the discoverers otherwise then those at the Fort, there had then beene an end of that plantation; for at the Fort, where they arrived the next day, they found 17 men hurt, and a boy slaine by the Salvages, and had it not chanced a crosse barre shot from the Ships strooke down a bough from a tree amongst them, that caused them to retire, our men had all beene slaine, being securely all at worke, and their armes in dry fats. The Fort assaulted by the Salvages. Hereupon the President was contented the Fort should be pallisadoed, the Ordnance mounted, his men armed and exercised, for many were the assaults, and ambuscadoes of the Salvages, & our men by their disorderly stragling were often hurt, when the Salvages by the nimblenesse of their heeles well escaped. What toyle we had, with so small a power to guard our workemen adayes, watch all night, resist our enemies, and effect our businesse, to relade the ships, cut downe trees, and prepare the ground to plant our Corne, &c, I referre to the Readers consideration. |
