Legends of Loudoun: An account of the history and homes of a border county of Virginia's Northern NeckWilliams, Harrison
History
Legends of Loudoun: An account of the history and homes of a border county of Virginia's Northern Neck
Williams, Harrison
Historic buildings -- Virginia -- Loudoun County; Loudoun County (Va.) -- History
Chipawansic and Giles Vandercastel whose plantation was on the upper
Accotink, to summon the "Emperor" of the Conoy Piscataways to
Williamsburg. Mounted on horseback and, we may believe well armed, the
two intrepid emissaries promptly set out upon their mission, travelling
it is thought, an Indian trail about a mile or more south of the
Potomac, which is in its course approximately followed by the present
Alexandria Pike, and fording as well as they could the various creeks
which run into that stream from the south. The Governor had ordered that
they keep a record of their journey and a description of their route and
the land traversed and complying with those instructions they wrote the
first detailed description of any part of Loudoun. Their report exactly
complied with the Governor's orders as to its scope and became a
document of primary importance in Loudoun's history. It reads:
"In obedience to His Excellency's command and an order of this Corte
bearing date the 12th day of this Instance, April," (1699) "We, the
subscribers have beene with the Emperor of Piscataway, att his forte,
and did then Comand him, in his Maj'tys name, to meet his Excellency in
a General Assembly of this his Maj'ties most Ancient Colloney and
Dominion of Virginia, the ffirst of May next or two or three days
before, with sume of his great men. As soone as we had delivered his
Excellency's Commands, the Emperor summons all his Indians thatt was
then at the forte--being in all about twenty men. After consultation of
almost two oures, they told us they were very bussey and could not
possibly come or goe downe, but if his Excellency would be pleased to
come to him, sume of his great men should be glad to see him, and then
his Ex-lly might speake whatt he hath to say to him if Excellency could
nott come himself, then to send sume of his great men, ffor he desired
nothing butt peace.
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