▁join ▁the ▁col ony , ▁including ▁White ' s ▁pre gn ant ▁daughter ▁Ele an or ▁and ▁her ▁husband ▁An an ias ▁D are . ▁The ▁colon ists ▁were ▁largely ▁middle - class ▁London ers , ▁perhaps ▁seeking ▁to ▁become ▁land ed ▁gent ry . ▁ ▁M ante o ▁and ▁Tow aye , ▁who ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁Lane ▁col ony ▁with ▁Dra ke ' s ▁fleet , ▁were ▁also ▁brought ▁along . ▁ ▁This ▁time , ▁the ▁party ▁included ▁women ▁and ▁children , ▁but ▁no ▁organized ▁military ▁force . ▁ ▁The ▁expedition ▁consisted ▁of ▁three ▁ships : ▁The ▁flags hip ▁Lion , ▁capt ained ▁by ▁White ▁with ▁Simon ▁Fern and es ▁as ▁master ▁and ▁pilot , ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁fly bo at ▁( under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Edward ▁Sp ic er ) ▁and ▁a ▁full - rig ged ▁p inn ace ▁( command ed ▁by ▁Edward ▁Staff ord ). ▁ ▁The ▁fleet ▁depart ed ▁on ▁May ▁ 8 . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 2 , ▁the ▁flags hip ▁and ▁p inn ace ▁anch ored ▁at ▁H atter as ▁Island . ▁ ▁White ▁planned ▁to ▁take ▁forty ▁men ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁p inn ace ▁to ▁Ro ano ke , ▁where ▁he ▁would ▁consult ▁with ▁the ▁fifteen ▁men ▁station ed ▁there ▁by ▁Richard ▁Gren ville , ▁before ▁continu ing ▁on ▁to ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay . ▁ ▁Once ▁he ▁board ed ▁the ▁p inn ace ▁however , ▁a ▁" gent le man " ▁on ▁the ▁flags hip ▁representing ▁Fern and es ▁ordered