A magazine is not always something you read. Most of us,
when we hear the word, magazine, we think of those paper magazines we see at
the grocery store before we pay for our food.
There is another meaning for the word magazine. According the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, the
first definition is actually “a place
where goods or supplies are stored”.
The second definition states a magazine is “a room in which powder and other explosives are kept in a fort or a
ship”.
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| The Magazine at Williamsburg |
This particular magazine at Williamsburg has a place in history. As a matter of fact, the Magazine proved a
key event in Virginia’s battle against the British. What many people don't know is this event mirrored the events also happening at Lexington and Concord as well as what later happened in Boston. Emotions ran high in the colonies. The men and women were tired of being pushed around by the British. This move by Lord Dunmore was just one more example of Britain flexing its royal muscle and saying "You have no power! I am in control." The men and women in Williamsburg were not about to let this sneaky incident go without some form of notification.
The events according to naval documents state that 20 armed
men landed at the James River with the intent of seizing the gunpowder at the
Magazine on April 20, 1775. The
schooner, under the command of Lieutenant Henry Collins was prepared for any
attacks by the colonists and had his guns loaded and ready.
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| gunpowder kegs |
Sometime between 3 and 4 in the morning, Governor Dunmore’s
men took 20 barrels of gunpowder from the Magazine and brought them to the
schooner, Magdalen, in the James River.
The people of Williamsburg were quite upset by this and went
before the assembly to complain. They
stated “this magazine was erected at the
public expense of this colony, and appropriated to the safe keeping of such
munitions as should be there lodged from time to time, for the protection and
security of the country, by arming thereout such of the militia be necessary in
case of invasion and insurrections, they humbly conceive it to be the only
proper repository to be resorted to in times of imminent danger”.
Of course the governor replied “he had removed the powder from the magazine, where he did not think it
secure, to a place of perfect security; and that upon his word and honour,
whenever it was wanted in any insurrection, it should be delivered in half an
hour; that he had removed it in the night time to prevent an alarm, and that
Captain Collins had his express commands for the part he had acted; he was
surprised to hear the people were under arms on this occasion, and he should
not think it prudent to put powder into their hands in such a situation”.
Then, of course on April 23, 1775, the powder was
transferred to the sloop Liberty by Captain Montagu and moved to Hampton Road.
The people were incensed by the situation. Several men in
Fredericksburg decided to join the march to protest the situation further.
Peyton Randolph writes on the 27th of April back
to the men. He relays the events of that
night and explains how several men took it upon themselves to act rashly. He then explains how the governor explained
he was merely protecting the gunpowder and that how his words were soon found
to be ridiculous. The governor continues
to state he will return the gunpowder and realizes his reputation is at
stake. Randolph asks the men to be
patient. He thanks them for their assistance and tells them to just wait and
see what happens. He feels certain the
governor will indeed return the gunpowder to the people of Williamsburg.
The building seen in Williamsburg was reconstructed in
1934. The original structure was built
in 1715 by Governor Spotswod and was used to protect the weapons and other
munitions needed to protect the people who lived in the area from the
natives. Some of the things that can be
found in the Magazine included gunpowder, rifles, pistols, swords and other equipment
needed for soldiers including camping materials.
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