In December 1607, while seeking food along the Chickahominy River, Smith was captured and taken to meet the chief of the Powhatans. Although he feared for his life, he was eventually released without harm and later attributed this in part to the chief's daughter, Pocahontas, who according to Smith, threw herself across his body. Captain John Smith (1580-1631) Admiral of New England was an English soldier, explorer, and author. He was considered to have played a important part in the establishment of the first permanent English settlement in North America. He was a leader of the Virginia Colony between September 1608 and August 1609, and led an exploration along the rivers of Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay. He gave the name New England to that region and encouraged people to migrate. |