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




The City of St. Mary's

After we were quieted down from warlike excitement, and the traitor Smith had been permitted by the graciousness of our governor to return to Kent Island, under the charge of two of the Yaocomico Indians, we set about building a windmill, which was sorely needed for the grinding of corn.

Millstones had been brought with us from England, but they proved to be of no service for such a mill as we now put together; therefore was one of the pinnaces sent to Jamestown, where was found all we needed, and straightway before planting time a fair building was set up on that street running back of the town which we call Mattapany, and near the creek.

This work had hardly more than been completed before the governor and gentlemen decided that we should need a water mill, as well as one driven by wind, lest, during the summer, when the air was still, there might be much grist that could not otherwise be ground, and this last was set up at a point where Mill Creek falls into the St. Mary's River.

[Illustration] from Calvert of Maryland by James Otis

It had been some time since decided that between that tract of land known as the "mill lot," and the street which we call Middle, should be laid out a square for the establishing of a market, and shortly after the water mill was finished, the governor and gentlemen set it down as a law, that in this same market square should be held each year a fair, where could be exhibited the fruits of the ground, so that the planters might be excited to do their best with the land.

And also at about this time was begun the building of a church, or a chapel, as Father White called it, to be used both by the Protestants and the Catholics, where "each at his appropriate hour might offer up a sacrifice to the Most High."

The land which was set apart for this place of worship lay on the east side of the fort, near where Middle and Mattapany streets cross. The bricks of which it was made were brought from Jamestown, and both the Dove  and the small pinnace were employed in freighting them. Each man who labored, whether by sea or in the building of the chapel, gave his time without pay, as was right, so John said, under the circumstances.