Nathaniel Bacon
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Bacon was a colonist of the Virginia Colony, famous as the instigator of Bacon's Rebellion
of 1676, which collapsed when Bacon himself died from dysentery
.
, and was appointed to the council of Governor William Berkeley.Some sources have claimed that Berkeley's wife, Francis Culpeper, was a cousin of Nathaniel Bacon by marriage.
living on treaty-protected lands be driven out or killed. Later that same year, a group of Virginia militia
men raided a settlement and killed some thirty natives. Acting against Berkeley's orders, a larger force surrounded and attacked a fortified Susquehannock
village, killing the chiefs whom Berkeley had persuaded to negotiate.
The Susquehannocks retaliated in force, attacking plantations and killing 60 settlers.
Seeking to avoid war, Berkeley advocated a policy of containment, proposing the construction of several defensive fortifications along the frontier. Dismissing the plan as expensive and inadequate, settlers on the frontier also questioned the plan as a possible excuse to raise tax rates.
In the meantime, Bacon had emerged as a rebel leader, accusing Berkeley of corruption. When Berkeley refused to grant Bacon a military commission to attack the natives, Bacon mustered his own force of 400-500 men and attacked the Doeg and Pamunkey
tribes, who previously had not been involved in the conflict. Berkeley had Bacon removed from his governing council and arrested; Bacon's men quickly secured his release, and forced Berkeley to hold legislative elections. The recomposed House of Burgesses
enacted a number of sweeping reforms, limiting the powers of the governor and restoring suffrage
rights to landless freemen
. Berkeley had refused to authorize retaliation against the natives. One of his main motivations in this decision was that he was invested in a fur trading business with the Native Americans which would have been jeopardized if relations had gone sour.
On July 30, 1676, Bacon and his makeshift army issued a Declaration of the People of Virginia
, which criticized Berkeley's administration, accusing him of levying unfair taxes, of appointing friends to high positions, and of failing to protect outlying farmers from Indian attack. After months of conflict, Bacon's forces burned Jamestown to the ground on September 19, 1676.
Before an English naval squadron could arrive, Bacon's death from dysentery
on October 26, 1676 led to the collapse of the rebellion. Governor Berkeley returned to power, seizing the property of several rebels and hanging twenty-three men. After an investigative committee returned its report to King Charles II
, Berkeley was relieved of the governorship, and returned to England. Charles II later supposedly commented, "That old fool has put to death more people in that naked country than I did here for the murder of my father." This is, however, likely to be a colonial myth, arising about 30 years later.
. The 1922 edition of the Dictionary of National Biography
does not give him a specific birthdate but does say he was "of Friston Hall". Although, from a contemporary document, his father is said to be "Thomas Bacon", his mother is Elizabeth Brooke.
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was an uprising in 1676 in the Virginia Colony in North America, led by a 29-year-old planter, Nathaniel Bacon.About a thousand Virginians rose because they resented Virginia Governor William Berkeley's friendly policies towards the Native Americans...
of 1676, which collapsed when Bacon himself died from dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
.
Early life
When he arrived in Virginia, Bacon settled on the frontier near Jamestown, VirginiaJamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
, and was appointed to the council of Governor William Berkeley.Some sources have claimed that Berkeley's wife, Francis Culpeper, was a cousin of Nathaniel Bacon by marriage.
Bacon's Rebellion
Before the "Virginia Rebellion," as it was then called, began in earnest, in 1674, a group of so-called "freeholders" on the Virginia frontier demanded that Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
living on treaty-protected lands be driven out or killed. Later that same year, a group of Virginia militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
men raided a settlement and killed some thirty natives. Acting against Berkeley's orders, a larger force surrounded and attacked a fortified Susquehannock
Susquehannock
The Susquehannock people were Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay...
village, killing the chiefs whom Berkeley had persuaded to negotiate.
The Susquehannocks retaliated in force, attacking plantations and killing 60 settlers.
Seeking to avoid war, Berkeley advocated a policy of containment, proposing the construction of several defensive fortifications along the frontier. Dismissing the plan as expensive and inadequate, settlers on the frontier also questioned the plan as a possible excuse to raise tax rates.
In the meantime, Bacon had emerged as a rebel leader, accusing Berkeley of corruption. When Berkeley refused to grant Bacon a military commission to attack the natives, Bacon mustered his own force of 400-500 men and attacked the Doeg and Pamunkey
Pamunkey
The Pamunkey nation are one of eleven Virginia Indian tribes recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The historical tribe was part of the Powhatan paramountcy, made up of Algonquian-speaking tribes. The Powhatan paramount chiefdom was made up over 30 tribes, estimated to total about...
tribes, who previously had not been involved in the conflict. Berkeley had Bacon removed from his governing council and arrested; Bacon's men quickly secured his release, and forced Berkeley to hold legislative elections. The recomposed House of Burgesses
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses was the first assembly of elected representatives of English colonists in North America. The House was established by the Virginia Company, who created the body as part of an effort to encourage English craftsmen to settle in North America...
enacted a number of sweeping reforms, limiting the powers of the governor and restoring suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
rights to landless freemen
Freeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
. Berkeley had refused to authorize retaliation against the natives. One of his main motivations in this decision was that he was invested in a fur trading business with the Native Americans which would have been jeopardized if relations had gone sour.
On July 30, 1676, Bacon and his makeshift army issued a Declaration of the People of Virginia
Declaration of the People of Virginia
The Declaration of the People of Virginia was a list of complaints issued by Nathaniel Bacon on July 30, 1676, in which he proclaims Virginia's colonial governor, William Berkeley, corrupt and expresses his displeasure at what his followers regarded as unjust taxation and the government's failure...
, which criticized Berkeley's administration, accusing him of levying unfair taxes, of appointing friends to high positions, and of failing to protect outlying farmers from Indian attack. After months of conflict, Bacon's forces burned Jamestown to the ground on September 19, 1676.
Before an English naval squadron could arrive, Bacon's death from dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
on October 26, 1676 led to the collapse of the rebellion. Governor Berkeley returned to power, seizing the property of several rebels and hanging twenty-three men. After an investigative committee returned its report to King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, Berkeley was relieved of the governorship, and returned to England. Charles II later supposedly commented, "That old fool has put to death more people in that naked country than I did here for the murder of my father." This is, however, likely to be a colonial myth, arising about 30 years later.
Identification controversy
No one knows for certain when he was born. An earlier attribution of him as the Nathaniel Bacon born in 1646 or 1647 appears to be spurious, based on no firm foundation, although widely repeated in later literature including Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
. The 1922 edition of the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
does not give him a specific birthdate but does say he was "of Friston Hall". Although, from a contemporary document, his father is said to be "Thomas Bacon", his mother is Elizabeth Brooke.
Further reading
- Bailey, T., Kennedy, D., & Cohen, L. (eds.). (2002). The American Pageant, 12th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0-618-10349-X.
- Edmund S. Morgan, American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia (1975), pp. 250-279.