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Historical collections of Virginia

containing a collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c., relating to its history and antiquities, together with geographical and statistical descriptions : to which is appended, an historical and descriptive sketch of the District of Columbia : illustrated by over 100 engravings, giving views of the principal towns, seats of eminent men, public buildings, relics of antiquity, historic localities, natural scenery, etc., etc.

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION—PROGRESS OF COMMERCE—ROANOKE SETTLEMENTS.
Discovery of America.—England—Want of commerce in early times.—Voyages of the Cabots.—Progress of English discovery—Frobisher—Gilbert—Raleigh.—Failure of the Roanoke settlements	Page 11
CHAPTER II.
SETTLEMENT AT JAMES TOWN—SUFFERINGS OF THE COLONIES—ADVENTURES OF SMITH.
New company raised—its charter.—James Town.—Machinations against Smith.—Difficulties of the colony.—Smith taken prisoner—his release.—Arrival of Newport.—Discovery of earth believed to be gold.—Departure of Newport—Survey of the Chesapeake and its waters by Smith.—Smith made president.—Second arrival of Newport.—Judicious conduct of Smith.—New charter.—New arrival of emigrants.—Badness of the selection.—New settlements.—Accident to Smith—his departure—his character	Page 22
CHAPTER III.
PROGRESS OF THE COLONY—MASSACRE OF 1622—DISSOLUTION OF THE LONDON COMPANY.
State of the colony at Smith's departure—its conduct and subsequent sufferings.—Arrival of Gates—of Lord De La Ware—his departure.—Arrival of Dale.—Martial law.—Gates governor.—Grants of land to individuals.—New charter.—Marriage of Pocahontas.—Friendly relations with the Indians.—Cultivation of tobacco.—Tenure of lands.—Tyranny of Argall.—Propriety of reform in the government.— Yeardley governor.—First colonial assembly in 1619.—Introduction of women.—Introduction of negroes by the Dutch in 1620.—Constitution brought over by Sir Francis Wyatt.—Relations with the Indians.— Massacre of the 22d of March, 1622—its consequences.—Struggles between the king and the company. —Commissioners sent to Virginia.—Firmness of the Virginians.—Dissolution of the company	Page 31
CHAPTER IV.
PROGRESS OF THE COLONY FROM THE DISSOLUTION OF THE LONDON COMPANY TO THE BREAKING OUT OF BACON'S REBELLION IN 1675.
Accession of Charles I.—Tobacco trade.—Yeardley governor—his commission favorable—his death and character.—Lord Baltimore's reception.—State of religion—legislation upon the subject.—Invitation to the Puritans to settle on Delaware Bay.—Harvey governor.—Grant of Carolina and Maryland.— Harvey deposed—restored.—Wyatt governor.—Acts of the legislature improperly censured.—Berkeley governor.—Indian relations.—Opechancanough prisoner—his death.—Change of government in England.—Fleet and army sent to reduce Virginia.—Preparation for defence by Berkeley.—Agreement entered into between the colony and the commissioners of the commonwealth.—Indian hostilities.— Matthews elected governor.—Difficulties between the governor and the legislature—adjusted.—State of the colony and its trade.—Commissioners sent to England.—The Restoration.—General legislation	Page 51
CHAPTER V.
BACON'S REBELLION—HOSTILE DESIGNS OF THE FRENCH.
Indifference to change in England.—Navigation Act.—Convicts.—Conspiracy detected.—Discontents.— Cessation from tobacco planting for one year.—Royal grants.—Virginia's remonstrance.—Success of deputies.—Indian hostilities.—Army raised and disbanded by governor.—People petition for an army— elect Bacon commander—he marches without commission and defeats Indians—pursued by governor, who retreats on hearing of rising at Jamestown.—Governor makes concessions.—Bacon prisoner—is pardoned.—People force commission from governor.—Bacon marches to meet Indians—hears he is declared a rebel by Berkeley—marches to meet him—he flees to Accomac.—Convention called and free government established.—Bacon defeats the Indians.—Berkeley obtains possession of the shipping, and occupies Jamestown—is besieged by Bacon, and driven out.—Jamestown burnt.—Death of Bacon—character of his enterprise.—Predatory warfare—treaty between governor and his opponents.— Cruelty of Berkeley.—King's commissioners.—Departure of Berkeley and his death.—Acts of Assembly passed during Bacon's influence.—Conduct of king's commissioners.—Culpeper governor.—Discontents. —Conduct of Beverly.—Howard governor.—General conduct of Virginia and progress of affairs.— Plan of Callier for dividing the British colonies	Page 69
CHAPTER VI.
EVENTS FROM THE YEAR 1705 TO THE TERMINATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
Gov. Nicholson superseded by Nott, and he by Jennings.—Administration of Gov. Spotswood.—Drysdale governor—succeeded by Gooch.—Death of Rev. James Blair.—Notice of Col. William Byrd.—Gooch's charge to the grand jury against Presbyterians, Methodists, &c.—Burning of the capitol at Williamsburg.—Revision of the colonial laws.—Departure of Gooch.—Dinwiddie governor.—Encroachments of the French.—Mission of George Washington beyond the Alleghanies to the French commandant of a fort—its inauspicious results.—Gov. Dinwiddie prepares to repel the encroachments of the French.— Expedition against them under Col. Fry, and the erection of Fort Duquesne.—Washington's skumish with Jumonville—he erects Fort Necessity—he surrenders to the French, and marches back to Virginia.—The Burgesses pass a vote of thanks to him.—Gov. Dinwiddie resolves to prosecute the war— the futility of his projects.—Arrival of Gen. Braddock.—Braddock's defeat.—Bravery of Washington and the Virginia troops.—Frontiers open to incursions from the savages.—Fauquier governor.—Troops destined for the conquest of Duquesne rendezvous at Raystown.—Defeat of Major Grant, and heroism of Captain Bullet.—Fort Duquesne evacuated.—End of the war	Page 88
CHAPTER VII.
FROM THE TERMINATION OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR TO THE SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS.
Encroachments of Britain upon the American colonies.—Spirited conduct of Virginia thereon.—Patrick Henry's resolution on the right to tax America.—Death of Governor Fauquier.—Arrival of Lord Bottetourt.—Continued aggressions of the mother country.—Death of Bottetourt.—Lord Dunmore governor.— Dunmore's war.—Battle of Point Pleasant.—Speech of Logan.—End of the Indian war.—Meeting of the Continental Congress.—Dunmore removes the gunpowder of the colony from the magazine at Williamsburg.—Patrick Henry forces the receiver general to make compensation.—Dunmore flees on board the Fowey man-of-war.—Meeting of the Virginia Convention.—Dunmore, with the British fleet, attacks Hampton.—Affair in Princess Anne.—Defeat of the enemy at Great Bridge.—Norfolk burnt.— Delegates in Congress instructed by the General Convention of Virginia to propose the Declaration of Independence.—A constitution for the state government adopted.—Patrick Henry governor.—Dunmore driven from Gwynn's Island.—First meeting of the legislature under the state constitution.—Indian war.—Col. Christian makes peace with the Creek and Cherokee nations.—Revision of the state laws.— Glance at the war at the north.—Sir Henry Clinton appointed commander-in-chief of the British army. —He transfers the seat of the war to the south.—Sir George Collier, with a British fleet, enters Hampton Roads.—Fort Nelson abandoned.—The enemy take possession of Portsmouth, and burn Suffolk.—They embark for New York.—Gen. Leslie invades Virginia, and lands at Portsmouth.—The government prepares to resist the enemy.—Leslie leaves Virginia.—Arnold invades Virginia, lands at Westover, and marches to Richmond.—He returns to Westover, and arrives at Portsmouth.—Washington forms a plan to cut off his retreat.—Clinton detaches Gen. Philips to the assistance of Arnold.—Defenceless situation of Virginia.—Philips takes possession of Petersburg, and commits depredations in the vicinity. —Death of Gen. Philips.—Cornwallis enters Petersburg.—Tarleton's expedition to Charlottesville.— Various movements of the two armies.—Cornwallis concentrates his army at York and Gloucester.— Surrender of Cornwallis	Page 104
CHAPTER VIII.
FROM THE CLOSE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION TO THE PRESENT TIME.
End of the war.—Action of the Virginia Convention upon the federal constitution.—Origin of the Federal and Democratic parties.—Opposition to the alien and sedition laws in Virginia.—Report of Mr. Madison thereon.—War of 1812.—Revision of the state constitution in 1829-30.—Action of Virginia upon the subject of slavery in 1831-2.—Policy of the state in reference to internal improvement and education	Page 123

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GENERAL OR OUTLINE HISTORY.