Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

-1752-

During the administration of Governor Dinwiddie negotiations for a treaty with the Cherokee Indians were under way. In order to gain the favor of the Indians the Governor invited them to the Palace, provided for their entertainment, and on their departure made them presents of clothes and firearms. The account of the Cherokee visits as related in the Virginia Gazette follows:

November 17, 1752.

Friday last, being the Anniversary of his Majesty's Birth Day, in the Evening, the whole City was illuminated. There was a Ball, and a very elegant Entertainment, at the Palace, where were present the Emperor and Empress of the Cherokee Nation, with their Son the Young Prince, and a brilliant appearance of Ladies and Gentlemen; several beautiful fireworks were exhibited in Palace Street, by Mr. Hallam, Manager of the Theatre in this City

November 17, 1752

The Emperor of the Cherokee Nation with his Empress and their Son the Young Prince attended by several of his Warriors and great Men and their Ladies, were received at the Palace by his Honour the Governor, attended by such of the Council as were in Town and several other Gentlemen, on Thursday the 9th Instant, with all the marks of Civility and Friendship, and were that Evening entertained, at the Theatre, with the Play, (the Tragedy of Othello) and a Pantomime Performance, which gave them great Surprise, as did the fighting with Naked Swords on the Stage, which occasioned the Empress to order some about her to go and prevent their killing one another. The 2 Business of their coming is not yet made publick; but it is said to relate to the opening and establishing a Trade with this Colony, which they are very desirous of. They were dismissed with a handsome Present of fine Cloaths, Arms and Amunition; and expressed great Satisfaction in the Governor's kind Reception, and from several others; and left this Place this Morning.

-1775-

Early in the morning of April 20, 1775, Lord Dunmore ordered gunpowder stored in the Magazine at Williamsburg removed to the armed schooner, The Magdalen, and early next morning when the news seeped out the town was aroused. In fact it was this incident which precipitated the Revolution in Virginia.

The town was thronging with angry patriots and Lord Dunmore thought it discreet to load all the available muskets in the Palace and to call for a guard. Captain Stretch arrived on May 8, 1775, with forty sailors and marines, but the temper of the populace was such that they came through the back roads in the Governor's Park. After living virtually in a state of threatened siege, the royal governor suddenly withdrew at 2 o'clock on the morning of June 8th, 1775 to the armed Fowey, man of war.

On the 24th of the same month Theodorick Bland, jr. and a group of about twenty other patriots forced open a window of the closed palace, and then broke open the main door, and carried off all the firelocks, small swords, broad swords and other arms which Dunmore complained had "always been kept in the hall of this house."

The arms were paraded through the streets and formally stored in the Powder Magazine, to be removed later when the Revolution was well under way.