Contents 
Front Matter A Name to be Proud of Ready for Sea The King's Gift Why I am an Adventurer The Signal for Departure A Lad's Portion The Allotment of Land An Unexpected Delay Our Arrival at Cowes We Put to Sea The Dove Disappears A Second Tempest An Unseemly Christmas The Port of Barbadoes The Arrival of the Dove Under Sail Again The Land of America The Land Given by the King Fear of the Brown Men Where to Build the City Taking the Island A Voyage of Discovery Visiting the Indians An Unexpected Meeting Captain Fleet's Story An Indian Werowance Indian vs. English Claims Seeking a Place for the City The Bargain The Village of Yaocomico What the Indians Look Like Indian Weapons and Tools Landing the Goods Counting Our Blessings The Susquehanoughs A Land of Abundance Buying Cattle Storehouse and Fort A Visitor from Virginia A Talk with the Indians Running up the Colors Settling Down Master William Claiborne Lord Baltimore's Claims Stirring up the Indians Winning Back the Indians Busy Times Indian Women as Servants Making a Canoe A Boat of Bark Indian Money A Generous Harvest Trouble at Plymouth Strange Religious Service The Dance Begins An Odd Ceremony William Claiborne's War Settlement on Kent Island We Prepare for War The Army leaves St. Mary's In Command of the Guard A Flag of Truce Captain Fleet Repents The First Prize of War A Battle is Fought The Return of the Fleet William Claiborne's Flight The City of Saint Mary's A Cruel Murder Mystery Remains Unsolved Master George Evelin A Fatal Accident Preparing for Action Ready for a Man's Duty I Wear the Uniform My New Name On Board the Pinnance Indians in War Paint The Arrival at Kent Island The Capture of the Fort Butler and Smith Captives Back to Claiborne's Fort I am Assigned New Duties A Narrow Escape Words of Praise

Calvert of Maryland - James Otis




William Claiborne's Flight

During eight and forty hours nothing was heard concerning those people who would hold possession of Kent Island regardless of the king's command, even at the cost of human life, and then one of the Patuxent Indians came in with the news that William Claiborne had taken refuge in Jamestown, fearing lest our Captain Cornwallis should make him prisoner.

Now you must understand that we of St. Mary's claimed that this same William Claiborne should be charged with all the mischief that had been done, since even though he was one of the officers of the Province of Virginia, he had acted in open rebellion to his king's commands, and had, like a thief, tried to steal the rights and privileges which belonged to the Baltimores.

[Illustration] from Calvert of Maryland by James Otis

As soon as these tidings had been brought in, Governor Calvert sent my father and my uncle in the Dove  to Jamestown, that they might demand from Governor Harvey, as rebel and traitor, the person of William Claiborne.

Those who were of authority in Virginia refused thus to deliver a member of their council who had fled to them for protection; but agreed, however, that he, together with the witnesses against him, should be sent to England, and there tried for the offense he had committed.

This, as can readily be supposed, much the same as ended the war, and perchance those who read may say, with a smile, that I am striving to make too much out of little, in speaking of the quarrel as real warfare, yet to us of St. Mary's it was a most serious matter, and even though you judge by the loss of life as to what name shall be given this outbreak, then may you say it was in fact a bloody war, because out of three hundred and fifty people no less than four had been killed; moreover twenty-two had been taken prisoners, and one of the leaders made a fugitive.

That which to my mind caused the bloody affair to seem the more pitiful, was that it need not have come about had soft words first been spoken.

It is not pleasant to dwell upon such matters when everywhere around us is so much of beauty which the good God has permitted us to enjoy, and therefore is it with great relief of mind that I put aside all of sorrow and of pain, and tell you how we of Maryland throve, and how our city of St. Mary's grew until it was a town as fair to look upon as any you might find of its size in England.