1. Nathaniel Bradford of Accomack County, Virginia - Lower ...

Though the governor’s warrant mentions “murdering whipping and burning [the Indians]” and “taking their
children by force”, it is unclear whether this refers to an isolated incident or a series of depredations
committed by Scarburgh. There are other vague hints in the court records of some general action taken
against Indians around this time, but these records lack specificity. Whatever the details of Scarburgh’s
actions, local tradition has its own version of events: that the Colonel gathered many of the native leaders
together with the promise that the Great Spirit would speak to them. He had them sit in a ditch, at one end
of which sat the ‘Great Spirit’ concealed from their view by some means or another. According to the
legend, the ‘Great Spirit’ was in fact a cannon, and when it ‘spoke’ all of the Indians were killed on the
spot. Ever since that time the episode has been referred to as the “ditch murder.” 166 Whether or not the story
is true in all its parts, it certainly bears witness to Scarburgh’s reputation for cruelty against the Indians.
No record of Scarburgh’s trial at James City survives, but the verdict of the Governor, Council and
Burgesses was that he should be suspended from all civil and military offices until restored to favor by the
Governor. It will never be known whether Berkeley might have ever reinstated Colonel Scarburgh, since
Scarburgh passed away shortly after his removal from power. 167 As for Henry Smith, he was able in 1671
to sell his plantations in Accomack and relocate safely to Somerset County, Maryland, away from the
jurisdiction of the Virginia government. 168 It remains something of a mystery exactly which “disturbances”
led the Assembly to dissolve Accomack County, or why Bowman was allowed to remain a justice while all
the others were stripped of their posts, or why the government chose not to proceed against Henry Smith.
Page 32 of 74 Copyright 2008 Adam M. Bradford