Fredericksburg, Virginia 1608-1908. Author:Sylvanius Jackson Quinn
for the river was so narrow, had it been light the land on the one side was so high they might have done us exceeding much mischief. All this while the King of Hassininga was seeking the rest, and had consultation a good time what to do. But by their spies seeing we were gone, it was not long before we heard their arrows dropping on every side the boat; we caused our savages to call unto them, but such a yelling and hallowing they made that they heard nothing, but now and then [we shot off] a piece, aiming so near as we could where we heard the most voices. Moor than twelve miles they followed us in this manner; then the day appearing, we found ourselves in a broad bay out of danger of their shot, where we came to an anchor, and fell to breakfast. Not so much as speaking to them till the sun was risen.
"Being well refreshed, we untied our targets that covered us as a deck, and all showed ourselves with those shields on our arms, and swords in our hands, and also our prisoner Amoroleck. A long discourse there was betwixt his countrymen and him, how good we were, how well we used him, how we had a Patawomek with us who loved us as his life that would have slain him had we not preserved him, and that he should have his liberty would they be his friends; and to do us any hurt it was impossible.
"Upon this they all hung their bows and quivers upon the trees, and one came swiming aboard us with a bow tied on his head, and another with a quiver of arrows, which they delivered our Captain as a present: the Captain having used them so kindly as he could told them the other three Kings should do the like, and then the great King of our world should be their friend; whose men we were. It was no sooner demanded than performed, so upon a low moorish point of land we went to the shore, where those four Kings came and received Amoroleck: nothing they had but bows, arrows, tobacco-bags and pipes: when we desired, none refused to give us, wondering at everything we had, and-heard we had done: Our pistols they took for pipes, which they much desired, but we did content them with other commodities. And so we left four or five hundred of our merry Mannahocks singing, dancing and making merry and set sale for Moraughtacund.
"In our returns we visited all our friends, that rejoiced much at our victory against the Mannahocks, who many times had wars also with them, but now they were friends; and desired we should be friends with the Rapahanocks. Our Captain told them, they had twice assaulted him that came only in love to do them good, and, therefore, now he would burn all their houses, destroy their corn, and forever hold them his enemies till they made him satisfaction. Tfcey desired to know what that should be. He told them they should present him the King's bow and arrows, and not offer to come armed where he was; that they should be friends with the Moraughtacunds, his friends, and give him their King's son in pledge to perform it; and then all King James and his men should be their friends. Upon this they presently sent to the Rapahanocks to meet him at the place where they first fought where would be the Kings of Nantantacund and Pissassac: which according to their promise were there so soon as we; where Rapahanock presented his bow and arrows, and confirmed all we desired, except his son, having no more but him he could not live without him, but instead of his son he would give him the three women Moraughtacund had stolen. This was accepted: and so in three or four canoes so many as could went with us to Moraughtacund, where Mosco made them such relations, and gave to his friends so many bows and arrows, that they no less loved him than admired us. The three women were brought our Captain, to each he gave a chain of beads: and then causing Moraughtacund, Mosco and Rapahanock stand before him, bid Rapahanock take her he loved best, and Moraughtacund choose next, and to Mosco he gave the third. Upon this away went their canoes over the water, to fetch their venison, and all the provision they could; and they that wanted boats swam over the river. The dark [darkness] commanded us then to rest.
"The next day there was of men, women and children, as we conjectured, six or seven hundred, dancing and singing; and not a bow nor arrow seen amongst them. Mosco changed his name to Uttasantasough, which we interpret stranger, for so they call us. All promising ever to be our friends and to plant corn purposely for us; and we to provide hatchets, beads and copper for them, we departed; giving them a volley of shot, and they us as loud shouts and cries as their strenghs could utter."
This account of Capt. Smith's exploration of the Rappahannock river, and the country bordering on the stream is highly interesting for three reasons. It shows beyond dispute, we think, that Capt. Smith and his little band were the first white men to tread the soil where is now located the city of Fredericksburg. It gives ua a complete history of the voyage, so that we may become his travelling companions as he ascends the river, encounters the Indians, prospects for gold and other rich deposits in the earth about the falls; also as he descends the river and calls the Indian kings together, makes friends of them, settles differences between them and their tribes and sails out of the river loaded with provisions, carrying with him their promise that they will raise more for him in the future. It gives us the names of many of the tribes of Indians, on the Rappahannock, their kings, towns and other places, so that we may look at his map of Virginia and locate many of them. It informs us that Richard Fetherstone, who accompanied Smith, was taken sick and died while he was here and was buried in the vicinity of Fredericksburg, he being the first white man to find sepulture in this part of Virginia.
The locations of the following places, found on Smith's map of Virginia, and mentioned in this work, will be of interest to many, and especially to those who are familiar with the country. They seem to be located as follows: Secobeck was just west of the city's almshouse; Massauteck was located just back of Chatham; Fetherstone's bay is in Stafford, opposite the upper end of Hunter's Island; Accoqueck was near R. Innis Taylor's residence; Sockbeck was in the neighborhood of J. Bowie Gray's; Anasheroans were about Moss Neck; King Nandtaughtacund lived near Port Royal; King Cultatawoman was located in Stafford, just below Snowdon; King Pissassack was located in Westmoreland county, near Leeds town; King Tapahanock lived in the upper part of Lancaster county; Mahakahod was about the line of Stafford and Culpeper counties; Hassininga was about Indian Town in Orange county; Stegara was in the upper part of Orange, on the Rapid Ann river; and Tauxuntania was located near the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains.
The several towns at and near the falls of the river made it a general rendezvous of all tribes for this part of Virginia It was a favorite place at which to meet for hunting, fishing and other sports, as was the case when Smith reached here. It is more than probable that the beautiful and fascinating Pocahontas, who saved the life of John Smith and who captivated the bold and fearless Rolfe, spent some time at this point, in her journeyings, resting here and feasting her youthful eyes upon the magnificent scenery of the Rappahannock falls, and engaging in the sports and pastimes of her distinguished father's subjects.
We are told [3] that in 1611 she was entrusted by her father, Powhatan, to Chief Japazaws, who carried her to his home on the Potomac river, where she lived some time in retirement—that is, away from the stirring scenes around Jamestown. It is not, therefore, unreasonable to suppose that much of the time she was with Japazaws was spent at this point, the favorite gathering place of all the tribes at the different seasons of the year.
[3] Howe's History of Virginia.
Why Pocahontas left her home for the protection of Japazaws is not positively known. Howe thinks Powhatan was preparing for a great war with the new settlers and wanted to get his daughter away from danger and the exposure and discomfort that would result from such a conflict. Stith gives no reason, "except it was to withdraw herself from being a witness to the frequent butcheries of the English, whose folly and rashness, after Smith's departure, put it out of her power to save them."
In the year 1612 Capt. Argall took a trip up the Potomac in search of corn and other supplies for the English settlers, fell in with the old chief and purchased the young princess from him, the price agreed upon being a copper kettle, which was readily given. This prize Argall took to Jamestown, where he hoped to receive a considerable sum from Powhatan for her redemption, but the old King became very angry and refused to pay anything, but declared he preferred to fight for her. The young princess afterwards married Capt John Rolfe.
At what time the first settlement was made at Fredericksburg is unknown, but it must have been at a very early date. It is more than likely that it was one of the many plantations that dotted the banks of our principal rivers in the early settlement of the country, for, in 1622, John Smith proposed to the London Company "to protect all their planters from the James to the Potomac"[4] which territory must have included one or