The Lost Colony (1587)
Many unfortunate factors and a bit of bad luck caused Roanoke Colony to not only fail, but also mysteriously disappear, coining its name as the "Lost Colony".
- Lack of supplies --> colonists sent John White back to England to retrieve additional necessities
- Continuing war with Spain --> White not able to achieve resupply for more than three years
- Finally gained passage on privateering expedition that agreed to stop at Roanoke on its way back
White returned to Roanoke in August of 1590, only to find the settlement deserted...
The discovery of "Croatoan"
- No trace of the 90 men, 17 women, or 11 children found or any signs of struggle or battle
- "Croatoan" carved into a post of the fort and "Cro" carved into a nearby tree
- Houses and fortifications dismantled --> their departure was not hurried
White thought that the colonists had moved to "Croatoan Island". However, a massive storm was ahead and his men refused to go any further, so he was unable to conduct a search. They left the next day.
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