ENO Journal
Volume 4, No. 2
1976
Elizabeth Duke, Mistress Bacon, was one of the first Dukes to come to America. Tormented by the Indians, her husband Nathaniel Bacon, with a posse of planters, took the law into his own hands. He chased the offending Indians onto the Occaneechi Islands, massacred them there, then turned treacherously on the Occaneechi who had helped him. Elizabeth Duke’s sympathies prevented her from recognizing the sad sequel to her story. Shortly afterwards the Occa-neechi moved south to Akenatzy town on the Eno.
. . . The fight did continue nigh a night and a day without any interriission. They did destroy a great many of the Indians, thanks bee to God, and might have killed a great many more, but the Governr were so much the Indians’ friend and our enemy, that hee sent the Indians word that Mr. Bacon was out against them, that they might save themselves. After Mr. Bacon was come in hee was forced to keep a guard of soldiers about his louse, for the Governr would certainly have had his life taken away private , if hee would have had
opportunity . . .
-“Bacon’s Rebellion”
William and Mary College Quarterly
