POWHATAN, Indian apawatans `falls in a current of water," a confederacy of southern Algonquian tribes resident at one time within the territory now occupied by the State of Vir ginia and a part of Maryland. They were sur rounded by the Monacan, Manahoac, Chowanoc, Nottoway and Meherrin. When the Powhatan first came into contact with the whites they were one of the most numerous and powerful tribes in America east of the Mississippi. On his map of their territory Capt. John Smith gives 160 of their villages, which were only a part of the territory under the control of their high chief. The Powhatan were among the first tribes on the continent and north of Mexico visited by the early explorers. As early as 1570 the Jesuits established a mission among them; and a few years later reports of them reached the English who finally came into contact with them on the foundation of the Jamestown settlement in 1607. The Indians were alternately friendly and hostile until finally a unity of interest was created be tween the whites and the natives through the marriage of Pocahontas (q.v.), the daughter of the high chief, to John Rolfe, an Englishman of family. On the death of Powhatan, father of Pocahontas, in 1618, he was succeeded by his brother Opechancano who had al ways been an enemy of the white settlers. On 22 March 1622 he attacked, at the same time, all the settlements in Virginia, killing 347 Eng lish and destroying all the settlements except Jamestown. The settlers declared war to the death against the Powhatan and made arrange ments to render them helpless by sending against them three yearly expeditions with a view to molesting them in every way and especially of destroying their plantations. For 14 years the war continued during which both sides suffered severely. In 1625 General Wyatt defeated a force of 1,000 Powhatan at the battle of Paumunkey and destroyed their villages and crops. The Indians continued the struggle fiercely, but at a great disadvantage owing to the better arrangement of the whites. A peace made in 1636 lasted seven years, when the aged Opechancanough headed another massacre in which over 500 whites were killed in one day.
The settlers retaliated and finally captured and shot Opechancanough and broke up the con federacy (1642), after which each tribe made its peace as best it could with the whites. Again the Indians rose in revolt, but their stronghold, near Richmond, was stormed and men, women and children were put to the sword (1676). Some 46 years later a treaty was signed in Al bany between the whites, the Powhatan and the Iroquois in which they mutually agreed to keep the peace. From this time on they gave no further trouble. They gradually mixed with the negroes and whites, and from time to time individuals, or even whole decimated .tribes, joined other tribes not of their own tongue until finally they disappeared as a tribal organ ization. The Powhatan are su ..sed to have numbered at one time at least 8,111. They lived in community houses which were well built and varying In length from about 35 to over 100 feet. Most of their villages were fortified with post-palisades about twice the height of a man. There were from one to three of these walls, one within the other. They had gone a considerable way along the road to the sedentary life that leads to civilization. They had extensive plantations of corn, beans, pumpkins, melons, squashes, vegetables, tobacco and fruits; and they kept account of time and their business transactions on knotted strings much as the ancient Peruvians did. They are represented by a considerable number of Mestizos, most of whom are either farmers or fishermen; and they are as expert to-day as in olden times in the making and management of canoes and fishing nets. See POCAHONTAS ; OPECHANCANO; VIRGINIA. Consult Eggleston, E., (Pocahontas) (New York 1879) ; Hamor, R. A.,