“Another man proposed planting settlements throughout Opechancanough's territory and driving him from his island stronghold in the Pamunkey River. [4] …
In June 1644 the Grand Assembly resolved to
"forever abandon all formes of
peace and familiarity
with the whole [Indian] nation and to the uttermost of our Power pursue and root out those which have in any way had their hand in the shedding of our blood and massacring of our People" (Stanard 1915:229). The colonists embarked upon retaliatory expeditions designed to extirpate the Indians,…
in August 1645, many of the Pamunkey
warriors who had been taken prisoner when Governor Berkeley stormed Opechancanough's stronghold and took him
captive, were transported by ship from the
mainland to Western (now Tangier) Island in the Chesapeake Bay, where they were abandoned. Specifically, all of the Indian males age 11 or over
were removed, isolated, and left to fend for themselves (Hening 1809-1823:I:237, 239, 277, 293, 296, 315, 318,
323-329, 386, 410; Beverley 1947:49-50,
60-61; McIlwaine 1924:564; Force 1963:II:8:1). “
Martha McCartney