Framed Nathaniel Bacon and His Followers at the Burning of Jamestown by Howard Pyle

Nathaniel Bacon and His Followers at the Burning of Jamestown by Howard Pyle depicts a dramatic moment from Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676. Bacon’s Rebellion was an armed uprising in colonial Virginia, led by Nathaniel Bacon, a young planter, against the royal governor, Sir William Berkeley. It’s often seen as one of the first popular revolts in the American colonies, driven by tensions over land, governance, and Native American policy. On September 19, 1676, Bacon and his forces—numbering several hundred—marched on Jamestown, the colonial capital. Berkeley fled across the James River, leaving the town vulnerable. Bacon’s men looted and then set fire to Jamestown, burning homes, public buildings, and the church. This act was both a tactical move to deny Berkeley a stronghold and a symbolic rejection of his authority. The rebellion faltered after Bacon’s sudden death from dysentery in October 1676. Berkeley regained control, executed several rebel leaders, and Jamestown was later rebuilt. The event exposed deep social and economic divides in Virginia, prompting tighter colonial control and a shift toward greater reliance on enslaved labor over indentured servants.