The tensions begin
Captain Wingfield was elected as president of the council for the colony upon arrival in Virginia, supported by Captain Newport, whose command of the ships made him the de facto leader of the colony before his departure for England and supplies. The continuing drought, which dried up the colony’s crops and added to the shortage of drinking water, and poor food led to disease and inevitably death. Tensions among the dwindling number of settlers led to rebellion against Wingfield’s leadership by the end of the summer. In September he was deposed, arrested, and arraigned on charges which included allowing settlers to die of starvation. He was later sent to England for trial, where he was acquitted.
John Ratcliffe was selected by the colonists to be the second president of the council. Among the charges leveled against Wingfield was that he had conspired to weaken the colony with the Spanish, though Spanish had not up to then appeared to take advantage of the failing settlement. Another was that Wingfield had hidden supplies of food by burying them. Ratcliffe had his predecessor held in Discovery, Godspeed having accompanied Susan Constant on its return to England. In short order, Ratcliffe was found to be the cause of the colonies gradual starvation, and an attempt to depose him arose.