The Cavaliers of Virginia, vol. 2 of 2

In Short

Set during Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676, this historical romance follows Nathaniel Bacon as he leads Virginian colonists against both hostile Native American tribes and the tyrannical royal governor, Sir William Berkley. Alongside his public campaign for liberty, Bacon navigates a tumultuous personal drama involving his love for Virginia Fairfax, dark secrets regarding his lineage, and the interference of an enigmatic hermit known as the Recluse. Rich with period atmosphere, siege warfare, and dramatic escapes, the novel endures as an early nineteenth-century effort to mythologize American revolutionary origins through colonial history.

The Story

The narrative opens amidst a violent storm that mirrors the inner turmoil of Nathaniel Bacon. Having escaped immediate peril, Bacon finds himself captive to an Indian tribe whose council decrees his execution to avenge their slain chief. Wyanokee, a noble Indian maiden and newly elevated leader, steps forward to protect him, offering to marry him under tribal law to save his life. Though Bacon respects her bravery, he cannot accept her affection, as his heart belongs entirely to Virginia Fairfax. Resolving to defend his fellow colonists, Bacon escapes the native camp and returns to a terrified Jamestown, where news of widespread border massacres has thrown the populace into chaos.

Upon his return, Bacon assumes command of the colonial volunteer forces. He seeks a formal commission from the stubborn, duplicitous Governor, Sir William Berkley, to march against the warring tribes. Berkley outwardly temporizes while secretly plotting to use foreign mercenaries and loyalist troops against Bacon’s growing movement. Undeterred, Bacon maneuvers his army across the peninsula, driving the hostile tribes toward a decisive confrontation, all while attempting to minimize bloodshed and offer a lasting peace.

Simultaneously, romantic and familial betrayals unfold in the capital. Virginia Fairfax is pressured by her tyrannical uncle and the deceitful Beverly to abandon her hope of union with Bacon. A lingering doubt regarding Bacon’s parentage—instigated by the mysterious, forest-dwelling Recluse of Jamestown—threatens to brand their love as unlawful. Virginia falls gravely ill under the psychological strain, yet in a moment of visionary clarity she rejects the falsehoods surrounding her lover’s origin.

As civil strife erupts alongside the native conflict, Sir William Berkley captures Bacon and subjects him to a brief, hostile court-martial. Condemned to die, Bacon retains his composure and demands a soldier's death. Before the execution can be carried out, he escapes his damp cellar prison through a hidden breach. Meanwhile, the true identity of the Recluse is revealed: he is a former English Regicide living in hiding. The lingering mystery of Bacon’s lineage is cleared, proving his right to marry Virginia.

With Berkley’s loyalist forces routed and Jamestown captured, Bacon secures the colony. Virginia is saved from a forced marriage to Beverly at the final hour. The Recluse bids farewell to the young couple, departing for a secluded northern sanctuary among his fellow exiles. Bacon and Virginia are happily wedded in Jamestown alongside their loyal companions, restoring peace to the Old Dominion.

How It Unfolds

The captive's reprieve Bacon faces immediate execution at the hands of a native council until Wyanokee intervenes, offering herself in marriage to spare his life under tribal custom.

The capital in terror Reaching Jamestown amidst widespread frontier massacres, Bacon rallies the frightened populace while Governor Berkley secretly plans to crush the budding colonial resistance.

The march to the peninsula Bacon leads his volunteer army across the Virginia countryside, driving the hostile native forces into a single stronghold while Berkley gathers loyalist supporters to declare Bacon a rebel.

A despairing confrontation During a violent night attack upon the enemy palisade, Bacon witnesses the tragic death of his former patroness amidst the chaos of battle.

Judgment on the eastern shore Captured by the Governor's naval forces, Bacon stands trial before a hostile tribunal, receives a death sentence, and is thrown into a dark cellar.

Escape and revelation Bacon breaks out of his cell before dawn, while long-buried secrets regarding his birth and the true identity of the forest Recluse come to light.

The union restored Having overthrown Berkley's tyranny, Bacon rescues Virginia Fairfax from a forced union with Beverly, culminating in a double wedding and the Recluse's final departure.

The People

• Nathaniel Bacon: The passionate, high-minded leader of the Virginian patriots. He seeks to defend the colony from frontier attacks and resist royal tyranny, while struggling against false rumors about his birth that threaten his relationship with Virginia.
• Virginia Fairfax: The brave, steadfast heroine loved by Bacon. She resists her uncle's emotional abuse and the scheming advances of Beverly, maintaining her faith in Bacon even through severe illness and despair.
• Sir William Berkley: The tyrannical, hot-tempered Royal Governor of Virginia. He desires absolute authority, treating the colonial reformers as traitors and secretly plotting to employ mercenary force against his own people.
• Wyanokee: An Indian maiden and tribal leader who rescues Bacon from execution. She desires Bacon's love, but ultimately realizes his heart belongs to another, leaving her torn between her affection for him and the tragic displacement of her people.
• Beverly: A selfish, arrogant Cavalier allied with Governor Berkley. He attempts to force Virginia into marriage by exploiting her vulnerability and slandering Bacon's character.
• The Recluse of Jamestown: A mysterious, solitary figure living in the Virginian forests. Revealed to be an English Regicide in hiding, his cryptic warnings initially cloud Bacon's identity before he finally bestows his blessing on the lovers.
• Brian O'Reily: Bacon's devoted Irish servant, whose humorous exaggerations and fierce loyalty provide comic relief throughout the campaign.

In Its Own Voice

"The darkness which succeeded the lurid and sulphureous flashes was not more complete and unfathomable than the black despair of his own soul." A description of Nathaniel Bacon's turbulent emotional state as he rides his horse into a raging storm.

"Strike your tomahawks here, into the daughter of your chief, of him who led you on to battles and to victory, but harm not the defenceless stranger." Wyanokee throws her own body between the captive Bacon and the weapons of her tribal council.

"Do your duty--I am in his power for the present, and must submit with the best grace I can; but a day of retribution is coming..." Bacon addresses Captain Gardiner with quiet defiance as iron fetters are placed upon his wrists.

What It's Really About

Beneath its melodramatic romance and high-stakes adventure, the novel presents an early nineteenth-century interpretation of American identity forged through resistance to arbitrary power. It explores the moral friction between imperial authority and self-governance, framing Bacon's Rebellion not as mere lawlessness, but as an inevitable precursor to the American Revolution. The narrative continuously weighs personal loyalty against public duty, questioning whether individual happiness can exist under political tyranny. Additionally, through the tragic figure of Wyanokee, the text touches upon the irreconcilable conflict between expanding European settlement and native displacement, portraying the native tribes with a blend of Romantic sympathy and historical inevitability.

Why Read It Today

This second volume offers modern readers a fascinating window into the mid-1830s historical imagination, illustrating how Antebellum southern writers reconstructed colonial history to create an American mythology. Readers who enjoy classic nineteenth-century adventure literature—in the vein of James Fenimore Cooper or Walter Scott—will appreciate its dramatic set-pieces, including midnight escapes, courtroom confrontations, and stormy wilderness rides.

The prose reflects the stylistic conventions of its era, rich with heightened sentiment, formal dialogue, and dramatic monologues. Modern readers must navigate period attitudes toward Native Americans and historical liberties taken with the actual 1676 rebellion. Brian O'Reily's phonetically rendered Irish dialect and the theatrical villainy of Governor Berkley add distinct character flavor. What stays with the reader is the kinetic energy of the narrative and its earnest, unironic celebration of liberty, courage, and romantic devotion set against the untamed backdrop of the Old Dominion.