f the
governor's return, Bacon, collecting a force variously estimated at one
hundred and fifty, three hundred, and eight hundred, harangued them on
the situation of affairs, and marched back upon Jamestown, leading his
Indian captives in triumph before him. The contending parties came now
to be distinguished by the names of Rebels and Royalists. Finding the
town defended by a palisade ten paces in width, running across the neck
of the peninsula, he rode along the work, and reconnoitred the
governor's position. Then, dismounting from his horse, he animated his
fatigued men to advance at once, and, leading them close to the
palisade, sounded a defiance with the trumpet, and fired upon the
garrison. The governor remained quiet, hoping that want of provisions
would soon force Bacon to retire; but he supplied his troops from Sir
William Berkley's seat, at Greenspring, three miles distant. He
afterwards complained that "his dwelling-house at Greenspring was almost
ruined; his household goods, and others of great value, totally
plundered; that he had not a bed to lie on; two great beasts, three
hundred sheep, seventy horses and mares, all his corn and provisions,
taken away."

Bacon adopted a singular stratagem, and one hardly compatible with the
rules of chivalry. Sending out small parties of horse, he captured the
wives of several of the principal loyalists then with the governor, and
among them the lady of Colonel Bacon, Sr., Madame Bray, Madame Page, and
Madame Ballard. Upon their being brought into the camp, Bacon sends one
of them into Jamestown to carry word to their husbands that his purpose
was to place their wives in front of his men in case of a sally.[309:A]
Colonel Ludwell[309:B] reproaches the rebels with "ravishing of women
from their homes, and hurrying them about the country in their rude
camps, often threatening them with death." But, according to another and
more impartial authority,[309:C] Bacon made use of the ladies only to
complete his battery, and removed them out of harm's way at the time of
the sortie. He raised by moonlight a circumvallation of trees, earth,
and brush-wood, around the governor's outworks. At daybreak next morning
the governor's troops, being fired upon, made a sortie; but they were
driven back, leaving their drum and their dead behind them. Upon the top
of the work which he had thrown up, and where alone a sally could be
made, Bacon exhibited the captive ladies to the views of their