Bacon's Rebellion

and the Shipps being brought before the Sandy Beach the
better to annoy the enemy in case of any attempt of theirs to
storme the Palassadoes, upon a signall given from the Towne
the Shipps fire their Great Gunns, and at the same tyme they
let fly their Small-shot from the Palassadoes. But that small
sconce¹ that Bacon had caused to be made in the night of
Trees, Bush and Earth (under w’ch they lay) soe defended
them that the shott did them noe damage at all, and was re-
turn’d back as fast from this little Fortresse. In the heat of
this Firing Bacon commands a party of his men to make every
one his Faggott and put it before his Breast and come and
lay them in order on top of the Trench on the outside and at
the end to enlarge and make good the Fortification, which
they did, and orders more spades to be gott, to helpe to make
it yet more defensible, and the better to observe their motion
ordered a constant sentinel in the daytime on top of a Brick
Chimney* (hard by) to discover from thence how the men in
Towne mounted and dismounted, Posted and reposted, drew
on and off, what number they were, and how they moved.
Hitherto their happen’d noe other action, than onely Firing
great and small Shott at distances.

      But by their movings and drawings up about Towne,
Bacon understood they intended a Sally and accordingly pre-
pares to receive them, draw up his men to the most advantage-
ous places he could, and now expected them (but they observ’d
to draw off againe for some tyme) and was resolved to enter
the Towne with them, as they retreated, as Bacon expected
and foretold they would do. In this Posture of expecta-
tion Bacon’s Forces continued for a hour till the watchman
gave notice that they were drawne off againe in Towne, soe
upon this Bacon’s Forces did soe too. Noe sooner were
they all on the Rebells Side gone off and squandered but all
on a sudden a Sally is made by the Governor’s Party, yett in
this great hurry and disorder on t’other side they soe received
them as that they forced them to retreat in as much confusion
as they found them, to the shame of their braging Pretences

      ¹Sconce, an outlying rampart for defense.

     * On Col. Morysons Plantation that was. (Marginal note in original.)
This was the chimney of the old glass factory, the factory itself having long
since disappeared.