USA > Florida > Saint Johns County > Saint Augustine > History and antiquities of St. Augustine, Florida > Part 9
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front, and galleries on both sides ; to the back of the house is joined a tower, called in America a look-out, from which there is an extensive prospect towards the sea, as well as inland. There are two churches within the walls of the town, the parish church, a plain building, and another belonging to the convent of Fran- ciscan Friars, which is converted into barracks for the garrison. The houses are built of free-stone, commonly two stories high, two rooms upon a floor, with large windows and balconies; before the entry of most of the houses, runs a portico of stone arches. The roofs are commonly flat. The Spaniards consulted convenience more than taste in their buildings. The number of houses within the town and lines. when the Spaniards left it, was about nine hundred ; many of them, especially in the suburbs, being built of wood, are now gone to decay. The inhabitants were of all col- ors, whites, negroes, mulattoes, Indians, etc. At the evacuation of St. Augustine, the population was five thousand seven hun- dred, including the garrison of two thousand and five hundred men. Half a mile from the town to the west. is a line with a broad ditch and bastions, running from the St. Sebastian creek to St. Marks river. A mile further is another fortified line with some redoubts, forming a second communication between a stoc- cata fort upon St. Sebantian river, and Fort Moosa, upon St Marks river.
"Within the first line near the town, was a small settlement of Germans, who had a church of their own. Upon the St. Marks river, within the second line, was also an Indian town, with a church built of free-stone ; what is very remarkable, it is in good taste, though built by the Indians."
The two lines of defence here spoken of may still be traced. The nearest one is less than one-fourth of a mile from the city gate, and the other at the well-known place called the stockades, the stakes driven to form which still distinctly mark the place : and the ditch and embankment can be traced for a considerable distance through the grounds attached to my residence.
A letter-writer, who dates at St. Augustine, May, 1774, says, "This town is now truly become a heap of ruins, a fit receptacle for the wretches of inhabitants." (Rather a dyspeptic descrip- tion, in all probability.)
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A bridge was built across the Sebastian river by the English, "but the great depth of the water, joined to the instability of the bottom, did not suffer it to remain long, and a ferry is now estab- lished in its room ; the keeper of the ferry has fifty pounds per annum allowed him, and the inhabitants pay nothing for crossing, except after dark."
The English constructed large buildings for barracks, char- acterized by Romans " as such stupendous piles of buildings, which were large enough to contain five regiments, when it is a matter of great doubt whether there will ever be a necessity to keep one whole regiment here. The materials for this great barracks were brought from New York, and far inferior to those found on the spot ; yet the freight alone amounted to more than their value when landed." " It makes us almost believe," says the elaborate Romans, "that all this show is in vain, or at most, that the Eng- lish were so much in dread of mosquitoes, that they thought a large army requisite to drive off these formidable foes." "To be serious," says he, "this fort and barracks add not a little to the beauty of the prospect ; but most men would think that the money spent on this useless parade, would have been better laid out on roads and fences through the province ; or, if it must be in forts, why not at Pensacola ?"
There is a manuscript work of John Gerard Williams de Brahm, existing in the library of Harvard University, which con- tains some particulars of interest, relative to Florida at the period of the English occupation.
He states the number of inhabitants of East Florida, which in those days meant mostly St. Augustine, from 1663 to 1771, as follows: householders, besides women, etc., two hundred and eighty-eight ; imported by Mr. Turnbull from Minorca, etc., one thousand four hundred ; negroes, upwards of nine hundred. Of these, white heads of families, one hundred and forty-four were married, which is just one-half ; thirty-one are storekeepers and traders ; three haber-dashers, fifteen inn-keepers, forty-five arti- ficers and mechanics, one hundred and ten planters, four hunters. six cow-keepers, eleven overseers, twelve draftsmen in employ of government, besides mathematicians ; fifty-eight had left the prov- ince; twenty-eight dead, of whom four were killed acting as con- stables, two hanged for pirating. Among the names of those
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then residing in East Florida are mentioned Sir Charles Burdett. William Drayton, Esq., planter, Chief-Justice ; Rev. John Forbes, parson, Judge of Admiralty and Councillor ; Rev. N. Fraser, par- son at Mosquito; Governor James Grant, Hon. John Moultrie, planter and Lieutenant-Governor ; William Stork, Esq., historian ; Andrew Turnbull, Esq., H. M. Counsellor ; Bernard Romans. draftsman, etc., William Bartram, planter ; James Moultrie, Esq.
He says, the light-house on Anastasia Island had been con- structed and built of mason-work by the Spaniards ; and, in 1769, by order of General Haldimand, it was raised sixty feet higher in carpenter's work. had a cannon planted on the top, which is fired the very moment the flag is hoisted, for a signal to the town and pilots that a vessel is off. The light-house has two flag-staffs. one to the south and one to the north ; on either of which the flag is hoisted, viz : to the south if the vessel comes from thence, and the north if the vessel comes that way.
"The town is situated in a healthy zone, is surrounded with salt water marshes, not at all prejudicial to health ; their evaporations are swept away in the day time by the easterly winds, and in the night season by the west- erly winds trading back to the eastward. At the time when the Spaniards left the town, all the gardens were well stocked with fruit trees, viz : figs, guavas, plantain, pomegranates, lemons, limes, citrons, shaddock, berga- niot, China and Seville oranges, the latter full of fruit throughout the whole winter season ; and the pot-herbs, though suspended in their vegetation, were seldom destroyed by cold. The town is three-quarters of a mile in length, but not quite a quarter wide; had four churches ornamently built with stone in the Spanish taste, of which one within one without the town still exist. One is pulled down ; that is the German church, but the steeple is preserved as an ornament to the town; and the other, viz: the convent church and convent in town is in the body of the barracks. All houses are built of masonry ; their entrances are shaded by piazzas, supported by Tus- can pillars or pilasters, against the south sun. The houses have to the cast windows projecting sixteen or eighteen inches into the street, very wide. and proportionally high. On the west side, their windows are commonly very small, and no opening of any kind to the north, on which side they have double walls six or eight feet asunder, forming a kind of gallery, which answers for cellars and pantries. Before most of the entries were arbors and vines, producing plenty of very good grapes. No house has any chim- ney for a fire-place : the Spaniards made use of stone urns, filled them with coals, left them in their kitchens in the afternoon, and set them at sunset in their bed-rooms, to defend themselves against those winter seasons, which required such care. The governor's residence has both side piazzas, viz : a double one to the south. and a single one to the north ; also a Belvidere and a grand portico decorated with Dorie pillars and entablatures. On the north
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end of the town is a casemated fort, with four bastions, a ravelin, counter- scarp, and a glacis built with quarried shell-stones, and constructed accord- ing to the rudiments of Marechal de Vauban. This fort commands the road of the bay, the town, its environs, and both Tolomako stream and Matan- zas creek. The soil in the gardens and environs of the town is chiefly sandy and marshy. The Spaniards seem to have had a notion of manuring their land with shells one foot thick.
"Among the three thousand who evacuated St. Augustine, the author is credibly informed, were many Spaniards near and above the age of one hundred years, (observe ;) this nation, especially natives of St. Augustine; bore the reputation of great sobriety." #
On the 3d of January, 1766, the thermometer sunk to 26° with the wind from northwest. "The ground was frozen an inch thick on the banks ; this was the fatal night that destroyed the lime, citron, and banana trees in St. Augustine, and many curi- ous evergreens up the river that were twenty years old in a flour- ishing state." f . In 1774 there was a snow storm, which extended over most of the province. The ancient inhabitants still (1836) speak of it as an extraordinary white rain. It was said to have done little damage. #
In this connection, and as it is sometimes supposed that the climate is now colder than formerly, it may be stated that the thermometer went very low in 1799. East Florida suffered from a violent frost on the 6th of April, 1828. In February, 1835, the thermometer sunk to 7º above zero, wind from northwest; and the St. Johns river was frozen several rods from the shore ; all kinds of fruit trees were killed to the ground. and the wild orange trees suffered as well as the cultivated.
Dr. Nicholas Turnbull, in the year 1767, associated with Sir William Duncan and other Englishmen of note, projected a col- ony of European emigrants, to be settled at New Smyrna. He brought from the islands of Greece. Corsica, and Minorca. some fourteen hundred persons, agreeing to convey them free of ex- pense, find them in clothing and provisions, and at the end of three years, to give fifty acres of land to each head of a family. and twenty-five to each child. After a long passage they arrived out, and formed the settlement. The principal article of cultivation produced by them was indigo, which commanded a high price.
# De Brahm MSS., p. 192. + Stork, p. 11. ¿ Williams' Florida, p. 17.
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and was assisted by a bounty from the English goverment. After a few years, Turnbull, as is alleged, either from avarice or natural cruelty, assumed a control the most absolute over these colonists, and practiced cruelties the most painful upon them.
An insurrection took place in 1769 among them, in consequence of severe punishments, which was speedily repressed, and the leaders of it brought to trial before the English court at St. Au- gustine ; five of the number were convicted and sentenced to death. Governor Grant pardoned two of the five, and a third was released upon the condition of his becoming the executioner of the other two. Nine years after the commencement of their settlement, their number had become reduced from 1,400 to 600. In 1776, proceedings were instituted on their behalf by Mr. Yonge, the attorney-general of the province, which resulted in their be- ing exonerated from their contract with Turnbull; lands were thereupon assigned them in the northern part of the city, which was principally built up by them ; and their descendants at the present day, form the larger portion of the population of that place.
Governor Grant was the first English governor, and was a gentleman of much energy ; and during his term of office he pro- jected many great and permanent improvements in the province.
The public roads, known as the king's roads, from St. Augus- tine to New Smyrna, and from St. Augustine to Jacksonville, and thence to Coleraine, were then constructed, and remain a lasting monument of his wisdom and desire of improvement.
Governor Tonyn succeeded Governor Grant ; and a legisla- tive council was authorized to assemble, and the pretence and forms of a constitutional government were gone through with.
In August, 1775. a British vessel, called the Betsey, Captain Lofthouse, from London, with 111 barrels of powder, was cap- tured off the bar of St. Augustine, by an American privateer from Charleston, very much to the disgust and annoyance of the British authorities.
At this period, St. Augustine assumed much importance as a depot and point d'appui for the British forces in their opera- tions against the Southern States; and very considerable forces were at times assembled.
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In the excess of the zeal and loyalty of the garrison and in- habitants of St. Augustine, upon the receipt of the news of the American Declaration of Independence, the effigies of John Han- cock and Samuel Adams were burned upon the public square, where the monument now stands.
The expedition of General Prevost against Savannah was or- ganized and embarked from St. Augustine, in 1797.
Sixty of the most distinguished citizens of Carolina were seized by the British in 1780, and transported to St. Augustine as prisoners of war, and hostages, among whom were Arthur Middleton, Edward Rutledge, General Gadsden; and Mr. Cal- houn; all were put upon parole except General Gadsden and Mr. Calhoun, who refused the indulgence, and were committed to the fort, where they remained many months close prisoners. General Rutherford and Colonel Isaacs, of North Carolina, were also trans- ported hither and committed to the fort.
An expedition was fitted out from St. Augustine in 1783, to act against New Providence, under Colonel Devereaux; and with very slender means that able officer succeeded in capturing and reducing the Bahamas, which has ever since remained under Eng- lish dominition.
The expense of supporting the government of East Florida during the English occupation, vas very considerable, amounting to the sum of £122,000. The exports of Florida, in 1778, amounted to £48,000 ; and in 1772, the province exported 40,000 pounds of indigo : and in 1782, 20,000 barrels of turpentine.
CATHEDRAL OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
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CHAPTER XVI.
RE-CESSION OF FLORIDA TO SPAIN-ERECTION OF THE PAR- ISH CHURCH-CHANGE OF FLAGS. 1783-1821.
In June, 1784, in fulfillment of the treaty between England and Spain, Florida, after twenty years of British occupation was re-ceded to the Spanish crown, and taken possession of by Gov- ernor Zespedez.
The English residents in general, left the country,* and went either to the Bahamas, Jamaica, or the United States. Those who went to the British islands were almost ruined ; but those who settled in the States were more successful.
In April, 1793, the present Roman Catholic church was com- menced, the previous church having been in another portion of the city.f It was constructed under the direction of Don Mari- ana de la Rocque and Don P. Berrio, government engineer-officers. The cost of the church was $16,650, of which about $6,000 was received from the proceeds of the materials and ornaments of the old churches, about $1,000 from the contributions of the inhabit- ants, and the remaining $10,000 furnished by the government. One of its four bells has the following inscription, showing it to be probably the oldest bell in the country, being now 185 years old.
Sancte Joseph. Ora Pro Nobis. D 1682.
Don Enrique White, was for many years governor of Flor- ida, and died in the city of St. Augustine. He is spoken of by
# Among the families remaining were the Fatios, Flemings, and a few others.
t The old parish church was on St. George street, on the west side of the street.
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·those who knew him, in high terms, for his integrity and open- ness of character ; and many amusing anecdotes are related con- nected with his eccentricities.
In 1812, the American government, being apprehensive that Great Britain designed obtaining possession of Florida, sent its troops into the province, overrunning and destroying the whole country. The manner and the pretences under which this was done, reflect but little credit on the United States government ; and the transparent sham of taking possession of the country by the patriots, supported by United States troops, was as undigni- fied as it was futile. It is for the damages occasioned by this in- vasion, that the "Florida claims" for "losses" of its citizens have been presented to the government of the United States. The prin- cipal of the damages sustained, that is to say, the actual value of the property then destroyed, has been allowed and paid ; but the interest, or damages for the detention, has been withheld upon the ground that the government does not pay interest. The treaty between the United States and Spain in reference to the cession of Florida to the United States, requires the United States to make satisfaction for such claims ; and the payment of the bare amount of actual loss, after a detention of thirty years, is con- sidered by the claimants an inadequate satisfaction of a just claim.
In the spring of 1818 General Jackson made his celebrated incursion into Florida, and by a series of energetic movements followed the Seminoles and Creeks to their fastnesses, and forever crushed the power of those formidable tribes for offensive operations.
In the latter part of 1817, a revolutionary party took posses- sion of Amelia Island, and raised a soi disant patriot flag at Fer- nandina, supported mainly in the enterprise by adventurers from the United States ; M'Gregor was assisted by officers of the United States army. An expedition was sent from St. Augustine by the Spanish governor to eject the invaders, which failed. One Aury, an English adventurer, for a time held command there ; and also a Mr. Hubbard, formerly sheriff of New York, who was the civil governor, and died there. The United States troops eventually interfered ; but negotiations for the cession put a stop to further hostilities.
The king of Spain, finding his possessions in Florida utterly worthless to his crown. and only an expense to sustain the garri-
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sons, while the repeated attempts to disturb its political relations prevented any beneficial progress towards its settlement, gladly agreed, in 1819, to a transfer of Florida to the United States for five millions of dollars.
An English gentleman who visited St. Augustine in 1817, gives his impressions of the place as follows :
"Emerging from the solitudes aud shades of the pine forests, we espied the distant yet distinct lights of the watch-towers of the fortress of St. Au- gustine, delightful beacons to my weary pilgrimage. The clock was strik- ing ten as I reached the foot of the draw-bridge ; the sentinels were passing the alerto, as I demanded entrance; having answered the preliminary ques- tions. the draw-bridge was slowly lowered. The officer of the guard, hav- ing received my name and wishes, sent a communication to the governor, who issued orders for my innmediate admission. On opening the gate, the guard was ready to receive me; and a file of men, with their officer, es- corted me to his Excellency, who expressed his satisfaction at my revisit to Florida. I soon retired to the luxury of repose, and the following morn - ing was greeted as an old acquaintance by the members of this little con- munity.
"I had arrived at a season of general relaxation. on the eve of the car- nival, which is celebrated with much gaiety in all Catholic countries. Masks, dominoes, harlequins, punchinellos and a great variety of grotesque disguises, on horseback, in cars, gigs, and on foot, paraded the streets with guitars, violins, and other instruments; and in the evenings, the houses were open to receive masks, and balls were given in every direction. I was told that in their better days, when their pay was regularly remitted from the Havana, these amusements were admirably condneted, and the rich dresses exhibited on these occasions, were not eclipsed by their more fash- ionable friends in Cuba ; but poverty had lessened their spirit for enjoy- ment, as well as the means for procuring it ; enough, however, remained to amuse an idle spectator, and I entered with alacrity into their diversions.
"About thirty of the hunting warriors of the Seminoles, with their squaws, had arrived, for the purpose of selling the produce of the chase, consisting of bear, deer, tiger, and other skins, bears' grease, and other tri- fing articles. This savage race. once the lords of the ascendant, are the most formidable border encinies of the United States. This party bad arrived, after a range of six months, for the purpose of sale and barter. After trafficking for their commodities, they were seen at various parts of the town, assembled in small groups, seated upon their haunches, like monkeys. passing round their bottles of aque dente (the rum of Cuba), their repeated draught upon which soon exhausted their contents; they then slept of the effects of intoxication, under the walls, exposed to the influ- ence of the sun. Their appearance was extremely wretched ; their skins of a dark, dirty, chocolate color, with long, straight, black hair, over which they had spread a quantity of bears' grease. In their ears, and the carti- lages of the nose, were inserted rings of silver and brass, with pendants of
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various shapes ; their features prominent and harsh, and their eyes had a wild and ferocious expression.
"A torn blanket, or an ill-fashioned dirty linen jacket, is the general costume of these Indians; a triangular piece of cloth passes around the loins the women vary in their apparel by merely wearing short petticoat., the original color of which were not distinguishable from the varions in- crustations of dirt. Some of the young squaws were tolerably agreeable, and if well washed and dressed would not have been uninteresting ; bnt the elder squaws wore an air of misery and debasement.
"The garrison is composed of a detachment from the Royal regiment of Cuba, with some black troops ; who together form a respectable force. The fort and bastions are built of the same material as the houses of the town, coquina. This marine substance is superior to stone, not being liable to splinter from the effects of bombardment ; it receives and imbeds the shot, which adds rather than detracts from its strength and security.
"The houses and the rear of the town are intersected and covered with orange groves ; their golden fruit and deep green foliage, not only render the air agreeable, but beautify the appearance of this interesting little town. in the centre of which (the square) rises a large structure dedicated to the Catholic religion. At the upper end are the remains of a very considerable house, the former residence of the governor of this settlement; but now (1817), in a state of dilapidation and decay, from age and inattention.
"At the southern extremity of the town stands a large building, for- merly a monastery of Carthusian Friars, but now occupied as a barrack for the troops of the garrison. At a little distance are four stacks of chimnies, the sole remains of a beautiful range of barracks, built during the occu- pancy of the British, from 1763 to 1783; for three years the 20th regiment was stationed there, and in that time they did not lose a single man. The proverbial salubrity of the climate has obtained for St. Augustine the des- ignation of the Montpelier of North America; indeed, such is the general character of the Province of East Florida.
"The governor (Copinger), is about forty-five years of age, of active and vigorous mind, anxious to promote by every means in his power the pros- perity of the province confided to his command; his urbanity and other antiable qualities render him accessible to the meanest individual, and jus- tice is sure to follow an appeal to his decision. His military talents are well known, and appreciated by his sovereign ; and he now hokls, in addition to the government of East Florida, the rank of colonel in the Royal Regi- nient of Cuba.
"The clergy consist of the padre (priest of the parish), Father Crosby, a native of Wexford, in Ireland ; a Franciscan friar, the chaplain to the gar- rison, and an inferior or curé. The social qualities of the padre, and the general tolerance of his feelings render him an acceptable visitor to all his flock. The judge, treasurer, collector, and notary, are the principal officers of the establishment, besides a number of those devoted solely to the mili- tary occupations of the garrison. The whole of this society is extremely courteous to strangers ; they form one family, and those little jealousies and animosities, so disgraceful to our small English communities, do not sully their meetings of friendly chit chat, called as in Spain, tertulias. The
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