o the insurgents. Highly elated with the easy victory they had
gained over the loyalists, the triumphant patriots forgetting their
fatigue and hunger, marched into the city, amid the loud acclamations of
the fickle populace. But to the surprise of all there was still a gloom
resting upon Bacon and his officers. That cautious and far-seeing man
saw at a glance, that although he had gained an immense advantage over
the royalists, in the capture of the metropolis, it was impossible to
retain it in possession long. As soon as his army was dispersed, or
engaged in another quarter of the colony, it would be easy for Berkeley,
with the navy under his command, to return to the place, and erect once
more the fallen standard of loyalty.

While then, the soldiery were exulting rapturously over their triumph,
Bacon, surrounded by his officers, was gravely considering the best
policy to pursue.

"My little army is too small," he said, "to leave a garrison here, and
so long as they remain thus organized peace will be banished from the
colony; and yet I cannot leave the town to become again the harbour of
these treacherous loyalists."

"I can suggest no policy that is fit to pursue, in such an emergency,"
said Hansford, "except to retain possession of the town, at least until
the Governor is fairly in Accomac again."

"That, at best," said Bacon, "will only be a dilatory proceeding, for
sooner or later, whenever the army is disbanded, the stubborn old
governor will return and force us to continue the war. And besides I
doubt whether we could maintain the place with Brent besieging us in
front, and the whole naval force of Virginia, under the command of such
expert seamen as Gardiner and Larimore, attacking us from the river. No,
no, the only way to untie the Gordian knot is to cut it, and the only
way to extricate ourselves from this difficulty is to burn the town."

This policy, extreme as it was, in the necessities of their condition
was received with a murmur of assent. Lawrence and Drummond, devoted
patriots, and two of the wealthiest and most enterprising citizens of
the town, evinced their willingness to sacrifice their private means to
secure the public good, by firing their own houses. Emulating an example
so noble and disinterested, other citizens followed in their wake. The
soldiers, ever ready for excitement, joined in the fatal work. A stiff
breeze springing up, favored their design, and soon the devoted town was
enve