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Jamestown and Yorktown

Jamestown and Yorktown, Virginia

We had a tour of James Fort. The buildings had thatched roofs. They had a storehouse, court of the guard, and church representing 1610 – 1614.

FOOD AND THE SETTLERS AT JAMESTOWN

 

At the Jamestown Settlement, they had baked bread made on one of the tables created with whole wheat and other grains. Small baked mincemeat pies were cooling off on a table in the kitchen. They had a smoke and salt-cured ham hanging on a rope in the kitchen. I asked the man in the kitchen what the leading cause of death was when the settlers died. Fifty percent of their population died the first few years they settled in Jamestown. He explained that they died from salt poisoning and dysentery. Salt was used to cure and preserve most of their foods. Five people would sleep in one bed as that was how it was done then.

 

The woodworker was working on drilling holes and making handles for hammers, etc. There was an outdoor brick oven and a blacksmith shop. Several colorful chickens were walking around on the grounds.

 

MEDICAL CARE AT YORKTOWN

We had a tour of Yorktown and saw the trenches where they had fought in the American Revolution. We went to the Continental Army Encampment. I visited with an army Dr., who said war casualties were very high. The 50-caliber musket would do significant bodily injury to you. He would dig out the piece of lead and give you whiskey for the pain. The Doctor would do bloodletting and drill holes in your skull to relieve pressure which they believed would help remove the disease from your body. They had a bone saw for removing fingers. They had different compounds for making medicine. The medicine was flavored with licorice root to make swallowing more accessible and tolerable. They stayed in small tents, and five men slept in one tent. Almost all soldiers who lived after being shot died one week later from horrible complications. The soldiers would get pneumonia and dysentery. They only had something similar to Vicks vapor rub to help them breathe better and loosen congestion.

 

We had a self-guided tour of the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown, Virginia. I took many pictures inside the museum of the guns, etc. The museum offers a national perspective on the struggle for independence from the 13 British American colonies. It is locaterica’s historic triangle, including Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. The battle at Yorktown was where American Independence was won.

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Jamestown and Yorktown, Virginia

184Fans
1.4kFollowers
81Followers
338Followers