Jamestown, Virginia: The Townsite and Its StoryHatch, Charles E., Jr.
History
Jamestown, Virginia: The Townsite and Its Story
Hatch, Charles E., Jr.
Jamestown (Va.)
The fort was completed about mid-June. It was triangular in shape, with
a “Bulwarke” at each corner which was shaped like a “halfe Moone.”
Within the “Bulwarkes” were mounted 4 or 5 pieces of
artillery—demiculverins which fired balls of about 9 pounds in weight.
The fort enclosed about 1 acre with its river side extending 420 feet
and its other sides measuring 300 feet. The principal gate faced the
river and was in the south side (curtain) of the fort, although there
were other openings, one at each “Bulwarke,” and each was protected by a
piece of ordnance. The church, storehouses, and living quarters were
flimsily built of perishable materials, within the walls of the
palisaded fort, along fixed streets arranged around an open yard. For
the first few years this fort was Jamestown.
Before the fort was completed the wheat had come up and was growing
nicely, as George Percy wrote in what was probably the first essay on
farming along the James River. About June 10, John Smith, partly through
the intercession of Robert Hunt, was released and admitted to his seat
on the council. Relations with the Indians improved. On June 21, the
third Sunday after Trinity, the first recorded Anglican communion at
Jamestown was celebrated. “We had a comunyon. Capt. Newport dyned ashore
with our dyet, and invyted many of us to supper as a farewell.” The next
day, Christopher Newport raised anchor and began the return trip to
England. He took letters from those to remain in Virginia and carried
accounts describing Virginia and the events that had occurred. The
settlement had been made, and the future seemed promising.
SUMMER AND AUTUMN, 1607.
Within the short span of 2 months, conditions changed drastically. The
Indians became cautious and distrustful, and provisions, not
sufficiently augmented from the country, began to run low. Spoilage
destroyed some food, and, with the coming of the hot, humid weather, the
brackish drinking water proved dangerous. In August, death struck often
and quickly, taking among others the stabilizing hand of Captain
Gosnold. Inexperience, unwillingness, or inability to do the hard work
that was necessary and the lack of sufficient information about how to
survive in a primeval wilderness led to bickering, disagreements, and,
to what was more serious still, inaction. They forgot a most important
bit of advice that had been given them by “His Majesties Council for
Virginia”: “... the way to prosper and achieve good success is to make
yourselves all of one mind for the good of your country and your
own...”.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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