Podcast – Jamestown Colony Abandoned

Jamestown Colony Abandoned
Today the author talks about the abandonment, and the saving, of the Jamestown colony

From the Book:
Colonial American History Stories – 1215 – 1664

Transcript:

Jamestown Colony Abandoned

Greetings, today I will talk about the abandonment, and the saving, of the Jamestown colony

Before getting started, I would encourage you to subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the “Like,” button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I I also entreat you to visit my website, http://www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. This episode is based on my book, Colonial American History Stories 1215 – 1665.

On February 28, 1610 Thomas West Baron De La Warr was Appointed First Governor of Virginia
Thomas West, Baron De La Warr, and Anne Knollys West, birthed their son, Thomas West, on July 9, 1576 in Wherwell, Hampshire, England. He attended Queen’s College, Oxford, where he received a degree. After graduation, he entered the army and served under Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. The Queen accused him of participating in Devereax’s insurrection against her, however, the court acquitted him. Upon the death of his father, he succeeded to the title of Baron De La Warr. He became an advisor to the Court in 1602 when he joined the Privy Council.
Appointment as Governor
The newly planted Jamestown Colony faced many difficulties. This led King James I to appoint him a member of the royal council that governed Virginia in November 1606. He became the biggest investor in the Virginia Company of London when he invested 500 pounds in it. The adoption of the Charter of 1609 abolished the council. It empowered the company to appoint a permanent resident governor. The company chose Baron West on February 28, 1610.
Travel to Jamestown
The Baron traveled to Jamestown, arriving in June 10, 1610. His ships encountered the colonists just as they were setting sail for New Foundland. They wanted to catch a ride with the fishing fleet there for a return to England, abandoning the colony.
The Baron convinced them to stay in Jamestown. He took immediate steps to stabilize the colony by instituting military procedures. He solved a festering problem with the native Indian tribes by launching the First Anglo-Powhatan War.
Illness
Illness forced him to return to England in 1611. While he remained in England, he published a book about Virginia, The Relation of the Right Honourable the Lord De-La-Warre, of the Colonie, Planted in Virginia. He remained in England until 1618, when he attempted to return. He died en route on July 7, 1618.

Shipwrecked on his way to the Jamestown Colony, Governor Sir Thomas Gates arrived at Jamestown on May 24, 1610. He immediately instituted a harsh new civil code.
Sir Thomas Gates (?–1621)
Historians know little of Gates early life other than that he was born in Colyford in Colyton Parish, Devonshire. His parents are unknown as well as the date of his birth. By 1585, he served under Captain Christopher Carleill as lieutenant in Sir Francis Drake’s American Armada. He published an account of that voyage, A summarie and true discourse of Sir Francis Drakes West Indian voyage. Gates also served with Sir Walter Raleigh when he sacked the Spanish port of Cadiz in 1596. He received a knighthood for his service in that campaign. He became a strong supporter of the English effort to plant a colony in the new land of Virginia. His efforts led to the King listing his name first on the royal charter for Virginia issued in 1606.

He did not accompany the first colonists to go to Virginia in 1607. Residing in the Netherlands, he continued in his position there as captain of a company of infantry. By 1608 he requested, and received, a leave of absence. He went to England and helped prepare a fleet of new supplies and colonists. After months of preparation, the small fleet of ships was ready to depart.

The fleet of nine ships left England on June 2, 1609. This fleet, the “third supply” to Jamestown, had hundreds of new colonists, supplies and the first women. The Virginia Company’s new flagship, Sea Venture, led the expedition with Gates aboard. He had a new charter from the king, issued on May 23, 1609, that transferred control from the king to the Company. The royal council had appointed Gates governor. They gave him explicit instructions on his priorities after his arrival in Jamestown. On July 24, 1609, the fleet encountered a fierce storm, separating the fleet.

Battered by the storm, the Sea Venture sprang a leak. Sir George Somers, who had taken the helm, drove the ship onto a reef to prevent it from sinking. Thus marooned, the crew and passengers took refuge on an island where they survived for the next few months. The other ships, thinking the Sea Vulture lost in the storm, continued on to Jamestown. Gates and the others at first attempted to repair the Sea Vulture. Unable to do this, they finally built two new boats, Deliverance and Patience. After completing these, they departed after ten months of survival on the island. They arrived in Jamestown on May 24, 1610.

Upon arrival, Gates and the survivors found a colony in deep distress. Only about a tenth of the colonists survived the winter and these survivors huddled in the fort. This winter the colonists called the “starving time.” Conflicts with the local tribes had kept them from hunting for food and most had died. George Percy, who had taken over the governorship from the injured John Smith, had provided inept leadership. Gates assumed command. To instill military discipline to the colony immediately issued his civil code. This code would later be amended and expanded as For the Colony in Virginea Brittania. Lawes Divine, Morall and Martiall, &c. Food.

Starving Time
The Jamestown colonists had arrived at Jamestown during a time of drought. The drought, accompanied by severe winters, lasted six long years, from 1606 through 1612. The colonists had come ill prepared. They had inadequate supplies and little provision to grow or provide for themselves. Supplies were supposed to come from England. These supplies came irregularly and in inadequate quantities. This put them at the mercy of the local tribes, who initially gave them corn and other foodstuffs. During 1608, the colonists began stealing corn and other supplies from the natives. Their harvest had also been low, due to the drought. This led to animosity, fueled by the English attempts to break out of the isolation Powhoton tried to enforce. The colonists had attempted, with some success, to contact other tribes. Powhatan halted trade with the settlers, putting them at a serious disadvantage. The winter of 1609 was especially severe, reducing the numbers of the colonists from about 240 to around sixty. During this time, the colonists consumed snakes, rats, mice, musk turtles, cats, dogs, horses. They possibly even indulged in cannibalism in a desperate attempt to survive.
Abandonment of the Colony
By spring 1610, Sir Thomas Gates arrived at the colony to find it in a crisis. He decided to evacuate it and the remainder of the settlers boarded his ship for the return to England. Lord De la Warr had left England with a relief expedition a year earlier but his fleet had been scattered by a hurricane. He managed to regroup some of his ships and arrived in time to intercept Gates and convince them to return to the colony. The fleet had adequate supplies and a fresh supply of colonists. West and his relief expedition arrived at Jamestown as the colonists were leaving the harbor.

The episode is based upon my book, Colonial American History Stories – 1215 – 1664, available on the web site, http://www.mossyfeetbooks.com. The book is the first book in the 6 volume Timeline of United States History Series . Discover some of the famous and almost forgotten historic stories of America. The story begins with the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 and the beginnings of the concept of limited government and ends, for now, with the beginning of the American Revolution in 1775. The articles in the book have much more detail as well as articles not included in this podcast series.