Roanoke Colony

In 1607, the Susan Constant landed on the shores of the James River, in present day Virginia. That day, May 14th, marked the beginning of the American adventure. However, the prologue, much needed in our first chapter as a people as in any book, was the failed Roanoke settlement.

Twenty years earlier, in 1587, Sir Walter Raleigh sent out his third expedition to the Chesapeake Bay area, specifically near Roanoke Island. This was to be Raleigh’s last opportunity for New World colonization, as he would come out of Queen Elizabeth I’s favor five years later and be imprisoned in the Tower of London twice.

One hundred and fifteen colonists, men and women, set out on five ships to the New World, being led by John White. They arrived at Roanoke with only some water damage to food supplies on their flagship, the Tiger. Many of the native tribes were friendly to the new colonists, but others were hostile. After the murder of one colonist, George Howe, the colonists convinced their governor, White, to return to England to plead for help in their situation, growing desperate by the day.

However, because of the Spanish-Anglo War, White was not able to return with much-needed aid for the colonists for four years. When he returned to the island, there were no traces of the colonists, nor of any battling. The only hint was a word edged on a tree, “CROATOAN”, and the letters “CRO” edged on a neighboring tree.

When John Smith settled with the Plymouth colonists, he recorded that when interviewing Chief Powhatan, the chief claimed that he slaughtered the Roanoke colonists. Other theories have been found through mysterious stones, supposedly written by White’s daughter, Elizabeth Dare. However, these stones have been identified as most likely being a hoax.