What Happened in Roanoke? Sir Walter Raleigh founded Roanoke in August of 1585. It was the first American colony but their time in the Americas were cut short due to insufficient food supplies and continuous Native American attacks. In 1586 they retreated back to England. They weren’t in England long, though. Come 1587 they set sail back to Roanoke lead by John White. Soon After White went back to England to retrieve more supplies. When he returned back to Roanoke, everyone had vanished. All that was left was the word “CROATOAN” on a tree.
