Editing Jamestown, Virginia (section)

===1609–1610: Starving Time and third supply===
{{Main|Starving Time}}
[[File:Graveyard at Jamestowne Historic National Park - Sarah Stierch.jpg|thumb|A mass grave at Jamestown beneath the foundations of the later capitol buildings, which was later discovered by archaeologists]]
<!--the following is intended to be a summary of the key points for the casual reader; a detailed articled exists at History of the Jamestown Settlement (1607–1699)-->
After Smith was forced to return to England because of an explosion which gave him deep burn wounds during a trading expedition,<ref>''John Marshall,'' p. 44.</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=August 2024}} the colony was led by [[George Percy (governor)|George Percy]], who proved incompetent in negotiating with the native tribes. There are indications that those in London comprehended and embraced Smith's message. The third supply mission of 1609 was by far the largest and best equipped. They also had a new purpose-built flagship, ''[[Sea Venture]]'', constructed and placed in the most experienced of hands, Christopher Newport.

On June 2, 1609, ''Sea Venture'' set sail from [[Plymouth|Plymouth, England]], as the flagship of a seven-ship fleet (towing two additional [[Full-rigged pinnace|pinnaces]]) destined for Jamestown as part of the third supply mission, carrying 214 settlers.<ref name="apva.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.apva.org/history/ |title=History of Jamestown – Jamestown Rediscovery |publisher=Apva.org |access-date=October 26, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107053739/http://www.apva.org/history/ |archive-date=November 7, 2015 }}</ref> On July 24, the fleet ran into a strong storm, likely a [[hurricane]], and the ships were separated. Although some of the ships did make it to Jamestown, the leaders and most of the supplies had been aboard ''Sea Venture'', which fought the storm for three days before the Admiral of the company, Sir [[George Somers]], deliberately drove it onto the reefs of [[Bermuda]] to prevent its foundering. This allowed all aboard to be landed safely.<ref>Horn, James (2006). ''A Land as God Made It: Jamestown and the Birth of America'', pp. 158–160. New York: Basic Books. {{ISBN|0-465-03094-7}}.</ref> The survivors (including Lieutenant-General [[Thomas Gates (governor)|Sir Thomas Gates]], Captain Christopher Newport, [[Silvester Jourdain]], [[Stephen Hopkins (settler)|Stephen Hopkins]]—later of ''[[Mayflower]]''—and secretary [[William Strachey]]) were stranded on Bermuda for approximately nine months. During that time, they built two new ships, the pinnaces ''Deliverance'' and ''Patience''. The original plan was to build only one vessel, ''Deliverance'', but it soon became evident that it would not be large enough to carry the settlers and all of the food (salted pork) that was being sourced on the islands.<ref>Evans, Cerinda W. (1957). ''Some Notes On Shipbuilding and Shipping in Colonial Virginia''. Williamsburg, Virginia 350th Anniversary Celebration Corp. p. 7.</ref>

While the third supply was stranded in Bermuda, the colony at Jamestown was in even worse shape. The settlers faced rampant starvation for want of additional provisions. During this time, lack of food drove people to eat snakes and even boil the leather from shoes for sustenance.<ref>{{cite book |last1=LaCombe |first1=Michael |title=Political Gastronomy: Food and Authority in the English Atlantic World |date=2012 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |page=53 |language=en-us}}</ref> Only 60 of the original 214 settlers at Jamestown survived.<ref name="apva.org" /> There is historical and scientific evidence that the settlers at Jamestown had turned to [[Human cannibalism|cannibalism]] during the starving time.<ref>{{cite news |author=O'Brien |first=Jane |date=May 1, 2013 |title='Proof' Jamestown settlers turned to cannibalism |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22362831 |url-status=live |access-date=May 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502014046/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22362831 |archive-date=May 2, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-02/cannibalism/4664156|title=Skull proves settlers resorted to cannibalism|work=ABC News|date=May 2, 2013|access-date=May 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502062754/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-02/cannibalism/4664156|archive-date=May 2, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kelso |first=William M. |title=Jamestown: The Truth Revealed |publisher=University of Virginia Press |year=2017 |isbn=9780813939933 |location=Charlottesville, Virginia |language=en-us |oclc=964303596}}</ref>

The ships from Bermuda arrived in Jamestown on May 23, 1610.<ref>Vaughan (1991), p. 41.</ref><ref>Evans, Cerinda W. (1957). ''Some Notes On Shipbuilding and Shipping in Colonial Virginia''. Williamsburg, Virginia 350th Anniversary Celebration Corporation. p. 5.</ref><ref>Vaughan, Alden T., and Vaughan, Virginia Mason (1991). ''Shakespeare's Caliban: A Cultural History'', pp. 38–40. Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0-521-45817-X}}.</ref> Many of the surviving colonists were near death, and Jamestown was judged to be unviable. Everyone was boarded onto ''Deliverance'' and ''Patience'', which set sail for England. However, on June 10, 1610, the timely [[Jamestown supply missions#"Fourth" supply mission|arrival of another relief fleet]], bearing Governor [[Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr]] (who would eventually give his name to the colony of [[Delaware]]), which met the two ships as they descended the James River, granted Jamestown a reprieve. The colonists called this ''The Day of Providence''. The fleet brought supplies and additional settlers.<ref>Woodward, Hobson. ''A Brave Vessel: The True Tale of the Castaways Who Rescued Jamestown and Inspired Shakespeare's The Tempest''. Viking (2009).</ref> All the settlers returned to the colony, though there was still a critical shortage of food.

Relations between the colonists and the Powhatans quickly deteriorated after De La Warr's arrival, eventually leading to conflict. The [[Anglo-Powhatan Wars|Anglo-Powhatan War]] lasted until [[Samuel Argall]] captured [[Powhatan (Native American leader)|Wahunsenacawh's]] daughter Matoaka, better known by her nickname [[Pocahontas]], after which the chief accepted a treaty of peace.