Saturday my son and I drove to Jamestowne to see the reenactment of Bacon’s Rebellion of 1676.
Although we saw the first half of the program last year, the burning of Jamestowne was canceled due to rain.
Returning this year, we hoeped for good weather to witness the intriguing evening program.
How would they reenact the burning of a town?
GOVERNOR BERKELEY
In the afternoon, Governor Berkeley discoursed about Nathaniel Bacon’s rebellion.
Afterwards we discovered that some of the attendees were descendants of men involved in the rebellion.
DINNER
Since the burning of Jamestowne reenactment occurs in the evening, we had a rare opportunity to stay in the national park through the evening.
Near the water’s edge is a cafe where we shared a delicious sandwich served by Carrot Tree Cafe.
Eating dinner on the patio in the lovely afternoon, we decided these sandwiches were the best.
WALKING THROUGH THE RUINS
After dinner, we had over an hour for the program, so we walked among the ruins of the old town.
Memories of how the soldiers of the original fort had to keep watch for Spaniards and Indians.
Eventually Jamestown became a successful colony, a port for all the tobacco that was grown for England.
For many years it was the only allowed port in Virginia.
Here are the ruins of the 17th century town that built up around the port.
Ruins of the grandest of the 18th century homes…
STUNNING SUNSET
Then we watched the magnificent sunset the interpreters promised.
REENACTMENT
At dusk the program began.
As we listened to the speaker, guards surrounded us from behind. Uh oh. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Thomas Matthew narrated the story of the rebellion which occurred the year before.
As a guard stood nearby, we were led from scene to scene in the dark with the aid of burning, crackling cressets and Mr. Matthew’s lone candle in the tin lantern.
Moving from to each scene, we heard the story of the burning of the town from different perspectives.
While some sided with the governor, others helped Nathaniel Bacon burn the town due to their tyrannical governor.
Amid drum beats at various points in the reenactment the men surrounding us chanted to get their way…later firing their muskets into the air in unison.
In the end Bacon died, the rebellion died, and his supporters died.
At the end of the storytelling, Mr. Matthew led us to the center of the field, where turned around to see that we were surrounded by roaring, burning cressets representing the fires that burned down the town.
Mr. Matthew blew out the candle in the lantern, toppling it over, representing the fears that Jamestowne would likewise be forever burned out and toppled over.
Q&A AT VISITOR CENTER
Afterwards we walked to the Visitor Center where we visited.
I asked Mr. Matthews (who was then out of character) if that was indeed the end of the town.
He said no, it had been rebuilt.
The lady with the chicken said that the original foundations, from the burning of Jamestowne are under the ground, and the more recent ruins are from the rebuilding of the town.
However, a fire in the church caused the capitol of Virginia to be relocated to Williamsburg in 1699.
