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Updated: May 11, 2025
The plan of Opechancanough succeeded perfectly. Keeping the date secret, tribe after tribe sent their warriors, to arrive at the borders of the Virginia settlements in the night of March 21. "Although some of the detachments had to march from great distances, and through a continued forest, guided only by the stars and moon, no single instance of disorder or mistake is known to have happened.
Then Opechancanough died, a chief and an enemy to the last. While in Virginia the white colonists were hard put to it by the Powatans, the good ship Mayflower had landed the Puritan Pilgrim Fathers on the Massachusetts Bay shore to the north, among the Pokanokets. The Po-kan-o-kets formed another league, like the league of the Powatans.
"How long had this been planned?" "For many moons. I have been a child, fooled and turned aside from the trail; not wise enough to see it beneath the flowers, through the smoke of the peace pipes." "Why does Opechancanough send us back to the settlements?" I demanded. "Their faith in him needs no strengthening." "It is his fancy.
That they may be the sooner placated I send with you Master Rolfe, they'll listen to him. See that the black paint is covered with red, give them some beads and a knife or two, then come home. If you like not the look of things, find out where Opechancanough is, and I'll send him an embassy. He loves us well, and will put down any disaffection." "There's no doubt that he loves us," I said dryly.
There came a long, deep breath from the Indians, then a silence, in which they fell back, slowly and sullenly; whipped hounds, but with the will to break that leash of fear. "Hark!" said Nantauquas, smiling. "I hear Opechancanough and his warriors coming over the leaves." The noise of many footsteps was indeed audible, coming toward the hollow from the woods beyond.
That Opechancanough who had succeeded Powhatan was now one hundred years old, hardly able to walk or to see, dwelling harmlessly in a village upon the upper Pamunkey. All the Indians were broken and dispersed; serious danger was not to be thought of. Then, of a sudden, the flame leaped again. There fell from the blue sky a massacre directed against the outlying plantations.
But despite this Christmas fare, there soon began quarrels, many and intricate, with Powhatan and his brother Opechancanough. Experience is a great teacher. That London Company with Virginia to colonize had now come to see how inadequate to the attempt were its means and strength. Evidently it might be long before either gold mines or the South Sea could be found.
Berkeley accepted the rebuke, and ordered him treated with all the dignity due his position as the leader of many Indian nations. Unfortunately the life of Opechancanough was shortly after snuffed out by one of his guards who shot him in the back, despite his defenseless condition. Peace was concluded with Necotowance, Opechancanough's successor, by the first act of the October 1646 Assembly.
He soon re-established good relations with Opechancanough now the dominant Indian personality. He was hampered by a great drought and a severe storm that damaged corn and tobacco, and he sought to control profit and tobacco prices by proclamation. Moreover, he was the author of a policy of watchfulness and carefulness in individual relationships with the Indians.
"Yesterday, at the full sun power, he was in the lodge of the werowance of the Chickahominies. He feasts there still. The Chickahominies and the Powhatans have buried the hatchet." "I regret to hear it," I remarked. "Whilst they took each other's scalps, mine own felt the safer." "I advise going direct to Opechancanough," said Rolfe. "Since he's only a league away, so do I," I answered.
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