USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume I > Part 4
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* Charter of the Colony.
CHAPTER II, COMING OF THE OGLETHORPE COLONY
SAILING AND LANDING OF THE COLONY -- MESSAGE AND ASSISTANCE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA-OGLETHORPE'S REASONS FOR SELECTING SITE --- HUTCHINSON'S ISLAND.
Following the thorough investigation of the matter of the inhuman treatment of those who, for eauses beyond their own control, were lying in English prisons without apparent hope of release, Oglethorpe. in con- junction with other influential men, among whom was Lord John, Viseount Percival, addressed the privy couneil in a memorial setting forth "that the eities of London and Westminster, and parts adjacent. do abound with great numbers of indigent persons who are reduced to such necessity as to become burdensome to the public, and who would be willing to seek a livelihood in any of his Majesty's plantations in Amer- ica, if they were provided with a passage and means of settling there," etc. These petitioners further declared their willingness to engage in the setting up of a eolony on receiving from the Crown a grant of lands specified by them and afterwards deseribed in the ample charter as "all those lands, countries and territories situate, lying and being in that part of South Carolina, in America, which lies from the most northern part of a stream or river there, commonly called the Savannah, all along the sea coast to the southward, unto the most southern stream of a eer- tain other great water or river ealled the Altamaha, and westerly from the heads of said rivers respectively, in direct lines to the South Seas; and all that shore, cireuit and precinet of land within the said boundaries, with the islands on the sea lying opposite to the eastern eoast of the said lands; within twenty leagues of the same, which are not inhabited already, or settled by any authority derived from the crown of Great Britain, together with all the soils, grounds. havens, ports, gulfs and bays, mines, as well royal mines of gold and silver as other minerals, precious stones, quarries, woods, rivers, waters, fishing. as well royal fishings of whale and sturgeon as other fishings, pearls, commodities, jurisdictions, royalties, franchises, privileges and pre-eminences within the said frontiers and precincts thereof and thereunto in any sort belong- ing or appertaining, and which we by our letter patents may or can grant."
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SAILING AND LANDING OF THE COLONY
We are not writing a history of Georgia, and therefore it is not neces- sary to enter into detail upon the various matters pertaining to the preparations for the departure from the mother country of the emigrants. The trustees chose as the medium of transportation a galley, called the Anne, whose eapaeity was only two hundred tons burden, and whose commander was one JJohn Thomas. Eighteen days before the vessel set sail, that is to say, on the 30th of October, 1732, the Gentleman's Maga- zine published this statement : "The Ann, Galley, of above two hundred tons, is on the point of sailing from Deptford, for the new colony of Georgia, with thirty-five families, consisting of carpenters, brieklayers, farmers, ete., who take all proper instruments. The men were learning military diseipline of the guards, as must all that go thither, and to carry musquets, bayonets, and swords, to defend the colony, in case of an attack from the Indians. She has on board ten tons of Alderman Parson's best beer, and will take in at the Madeiras five tons of wine, for the service of the colony. James Oglethorpe, Esq., one of the trustees, goes with them to see them settled." The Rev. Dr. Henry Herbert went with them as chaplain, volunteering to aet in that capacity, and to per- form all the duties of his sacred office without any pecuniary reward what- ever. The following account of the progress made from the date of sail- ing until they reached the place selected for the first settlement is taken from the South Carolina Gazette of the 31st of Mareh, 1732-3, and is generally supposed to have been written by Dr. Herbert :
"We set sail from Gravesend on the 17th of November, 1732, in the ship Anne, of two hundred tons, John Thomas, master, and arrived off the bar of Charlestown { now Charleston, S. C.] on the 13th day of Janu- ary following. Mr. Oglethorpe went on shore to wait upon the Governor, and was received with great marks of civility and satisfaction; obtained an order for Mr. Middleton, the King's Pilot, to carry the ship into Port Royal, and for small craft to carry the colony from thence to the River Savannah, with the promise of further assistance from the Provinee. He returned on board on the 14th day, and came to anchor within the bar of Port Royal, at above sixteen miles distance from Beaufort. On the 18th he went on shore upon Trench's Island, and left a guard of eight men upon John's, being a point of that istand which commands the channel, and is about half way between Beaufort and the Savannah. They had orders to prepare hnts for the reception of the colony against they should lye there in the passage. From thence he went to Beaufort Town, where he arrived at one o'clock in the morning, and was saluted with a discharge of all the artillery, and had the new Barracks fitted up, where the Colony landed on the 20th day, and were in every respect cheer- fully assisted by Lieutenant Watts and Ensign Farrington, and other officers of His Majesty's Independent Company, as also Mr. Delabare. and other gentlemen of the neighborhood; while the Colony refreshed themselves there, Mr. Oglethorpe went up the river and chose a situation for a town, and entered into a treaty with Tomo-chi-chi, the Mico, or Chief of the only nation of Indians living near it. He returned on the 24th day and they celebrated the Sunday following [January 28] as a
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day of thanksgiving for their safe arrival, and a sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Jones (the Rev. Dr. Herbert, who came with the colony, preached that day at Beaufort Town). There was a great resort of the gentlemen of that neighborhood and their families. and a plentiful dinner provided for the colony and all that came, by Mr. Oglethorpe; being four fat hogs, eight turkies, besides fowls. English beef and other provisions, a hogshead of punch, a hogshead of beer, a large quantity of wine, and all was disposed in so regular a manner that no person was drunk nor any disorder happened.
"On the 30th [Tuesday] the colony embarked on board a sloop of seventy tons, and five periaugers # and made sail, but were forced by a storm to put in at a place called the Look Out, and to lie there all night. The next day they arrived at Johns, where they found huts capable to contain them all. and a plentiful supper of venison. They re-embarked the next day, and in the afternoon arrived at the place intended for the town. Being arrived on the 1st of February, at the intended town, be- fore night they erected four large tents, sufficient to hold all the people, being one for each tything; they landed their bedding and other little necessaries, and all the people lay on shore. The ground they eneamped upon is the edge of the river, where the Key is intended to be.
"Until the 7th was spent in making a crane and unloading the goods, which done, Mr. Oglethorpe divided the people, employing part in elear- ing land for seed, part in beginning the palisade, and the remainder in felling trees where the town is to stand.
MESSAGE AND ASSISTANCE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA
"Colonel Bull arrived here with a message from the general assembly [of South Carolina] to Mr. Oglethorpe, and a letter from his Excellency Governor Johnson, and the Council, acquainting him that the two Houses, upon a conference. had agreed to give twenty barrels of rice and one hundred head of cattle, besides hogs, to the Trustees; and that they had commanded a detaelnnent of the Rangers (which are horse kept in the pay of the Province for the scouting the frontiers) and the Scout Boat (which is an armed bark employed for the same purpose by water) to attend him and take his orders.
"Colonel Bull brought with him four of his negroes, who were saw- years, to assist the Colony, and also brought provisions for them, being resolved to put the Trustees to no expense, and by this means to bestow his benefaction in the most noble and useful manner.
"On the 9th [February ], Mr. Oglethorpe and Colonel Bull marked out the square, the streets, and the lots for the honses for the Town; and the first house (which was ordered to be made of clapboard) was begun that day.
"The town lies on the south side of the Savannah, upon a flat on the
* Sometimes spelled periaguas, "Long flat-bottomed boats carrying from 20 to 30 tons. They have a kind of Forecastle and a Cabin; but the rest open, and no deck. They have two masts which they can strike, and sails like Schooners. They row generally with two oars only." Description by Francis Moore, in his Voyage to Georgia, p. 49. London, 1744.
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top of a hill, and sixty yards of it is reserved between it and the Key. The river washes the foot of the hill, which stretehes along the side of it a mile, and formed a terrace forty feet perpendicular above high water.
"From the Key, looking eastward, you may discover the river as far as the islands in the sea, and westward one may see it wind through the woods above six miles.
"The river is one thousand feet wide; the water fresh. and deep enough for sloops of seventy tons to come up close to the side of the Key."
Oglethorpe wrote a letter to the trustees, giving an account of his arrival at Charleston and on his arrival at Savannah he opens his ae- count of his progress with a reference to that paper which, however, is presumably lost, as no copy of it is given by any writer. That letter, if in existence, could probably add but little, if any, information to what we now possess: but it seems strange that it has not been pre- served. The Minutes of the Trustees, dated February 28, 1732-3, contain this reference to it: "Read a letter from Mr. Oglethorpe dated January the 13th, 1732-3, on board the ship Ann, giving an account of his safe arrival at Charlestown and the health of the Colony, having lost in the passage only Richard Cannon's Youngest Son, Aged Eight Months, and Robert Clarke's Youngest Son, Aged One Year and a Half."
OGLETHORPE'S REASONS FOR SELECTING SITE
Too much stress cannot be laid upon the reasons for selecting the site of the town and the beginning of the building of houses on the same, and so, at the risk of being considered too prolix, the following accounts by Oglethorpe himself are inserted: Under date of February 10, 1732-3, from the eamp at Savannah, he wrote this letter to the trustees :
"GENTLEMEN :- I gave you an account in my last of my arrival in Charles- town. The Governor and Assembly have given us all possible encouragement.
"Our people arrived at Beaufort on the 20th of January, where I lodged them in some new Barracks built for the soldiers, while I went myself to view the Savannah River.
"I fixed upon a healthy situation about ten miles from the sea. The river here forms a half moon, along the South side of which the Banks are about forty foot high; and upon the top a Flat, which they call a Bluff.
"The plain high ground extends into the country five or six miles, and along the River Side about a mile. Ships that draw 12 foot water can ride within ten yards of the Bank.
. "Upon the River Side, in the centre of this plain, I have laid out the town : over against it is an island of very rich Land, fit for pasturage, which I think should be kept for the Trustees' cattle.
"The River is pretty wide, the water fresh, and from the key of the town yon see its whole course to the sea, with the Island of Tybee, which forms the mouth of the River; and the other way you see the River for about six miles up into the country.
"The Landscape is very agreeable, the stream being wide, and bordered with high woods on both sides.
"The whole of the People arrived here on the Ist of Feb .:* at night their tents were got up. Till the 7th we were taken up in unloading and making a crane, which I could not then get finished, so took off the hands, and set some to the fortification. and began to fell the woods.
* Let it be borne in mind that this is according to old style.
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"I mark'd out the Town and Commons; half of the former is already cleared, and the first house was begun yesterday in the afternoon. * * = * * *
"Mr. Whitaker has given one hundred head of cattle. Col. Bull, Mr. Barlow, Mr. St. Julian, and Mr. Woodward, are come up to assist us, with some of their own servants. I am so taken up in looking after a hundred necessary Things, that I write now short, but shall give you a more partienlar Account hereafter. A little Indian Nation, the only one within fifty miles, is not only at Amity, but desirous to be Subjects to his Majesty King George, to have lands given them among us, and to breed their Children at our Schools. Their Chief and his Beloved Man, who is the Second Man in the Nation, desire to be instructed in the Christian Religion.
"I am, Gentlemen, . "Your Most Obedient Humble Servant, JAMES' OGLETHORPE.""
HUTCHINSON'S ISLAND
The reader will perceive that in the foregoing letter the name of the island lying opposite the town is not mentioned. Indeed, it is very probable that at that date it had no name. Thus far it has not been added to the corporate limits of the city of Savannah which has grown to sueh a large extent sinee the time of Oglethorpe, but its situation and its relation in a business way to the city, especially since its vast im- provement by the Seaboard Air Line Railway Company, in the build- ing of doeks, wharfs and warehouses. demand that some reeord be here made of its history and commercial importance.
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The name Hutchinson's Island first oceurs in a tract entitled "A Voyage to Georgia, begun in the year 1735." by Francis Moore, Keeper of the Stores, and at one time Recorder of Frederiea. Under date Febru- ary 9, 1736, lie says : " I took a view of the town of Savannah. It is about a mile and a quarter in circumference; it stands upon the flat of a hill, the bank of the river (which they in barbarons English eall a bluff) is steep and about forty-five foot perpendicular, so that all heavy goods are brought up by a crane, an inconvenience designed to be remedied by a bridged wharf, and an easy ascent, which in laying out the town, care was taken to allow room for, there being a wide strand between the first row of houses and the river. From this strand there is a very pleasant prospect; you see the river wash the foot of the hill, which is a hard, clear, sandy beach, a mile in length; the water is fresh, and the river one thousand foot wide. Eastward you see the river increased by the northern branch, which runs round Hutchinson's island, and the Carolina shore beyond it, and the woody islands at the sea, which close the prospect at ten or twelve miles distance. Over against it is Hutchinson's island, great part of which is open ground, where they sow hay for the Trust's horses and cattle. The rest is woods in which there are many bay trees eighty foot high. Westward you see the river winding between the woods, with little islands in it for many miles, and Toma Chi Chi's Indian town standing upon the southern banks, between three and four miles distanee." This writer then describes the town as it appeared at the time of his visit, and at the proper point we will quote more of his words. We
* Known as Baek River.
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are now concerned with the island whose name appears for the first time in his short history. Oglethorpe used it for the first time in a letter to the trustees a little more than three months after the date set down in Moore's journal, namely, May 18th, 1736, written at Fred- erica, on St. Simon's Island. In this letter he says: "The magistrates of Savannah have seized and staved large quantities of Rum upon the River under the Hill at Savannah. This channel being between Hutchin- son's Island and Savannah they deem that the water between the Island and the Town is Georgia since the Islands are so." From that time the name became commonly known, and the island has had no other name.
No one has, apparently, deemed it of sufficient interest to attempt to account for the origin of its appellation. Who first called it by the name it has borne since the year 1736? Was it so ealled before that time ? Apparently not, or Oglethorpe would have said so in his letter of February 10th, 1733. It seems to this writer that the time has now come when any matter connected with this thriving, important. busy and rapidly growing city should be deemed worthy of interest and investigation, and it seems especially important that, if possible, the name of this now valuable adjumet to Savannah should be accounted for. In the progress of his research he has found nothing upon which to base a reasonable conclusion of this matter but a single item in connection with the founding of the Colony of Georgia, and that. he thinks is convincing evidence of the reasonableness of said conelusion. The only time the name Hutchinson oceurs in the colonial records is in a list kept by the trustees of "Monies Received from the Several Persons Hereafter Named for the Following Purposes; that is to say, * * To be applied for Establishing the Colony, vizt .: from 1732 27 Octob. Archibald Hutchinson, Esq., by the hands £ sd
of Mr. Oglethorpe 30 -
That is all; but need we look further for a solution of the question ? The amount subseribed by Mr. Hutchinson was not large, and. com- pared with that given by some others, may be deemed insignificant ; but, when we find the record of the donation coupled with the state- ment that it was tendered "by the hands of Mr. Oglethorpe," it is probable that behind those words there lies hidden a depth of mean- ing which, if by any possibility could be uncovered, would develop the true reason-possibly a very strong bond of friendship-for the bestowal of his name upon this rich spot of earth.
The development of the island by the Seaboard Air Line Company was, at the time, considered a great undertaking; but the possibility of making the river front across the river valuable in both a com- mercial and industrial way was seriously considered as far baek as the year 1818, when, during the month of November, two of Savannah's aldermen (Charlton and Cope) prepared a memorial to the Georgia legislature, in which this matter was touched npon as follows: "On the opposite side of that branch of the river which separates the city from Hutchinson's island, it is proposed to ereet an extensive range of wharves and warehouses which, carrying with them a certain class of population and other incidents of commerce will temporarily and unquestionably require a very active interposition of city regulations."
CHAPTER III FOUNDING IN DETAIL
THE GOOD SOUTH CAROLINA FRIENDS-STAUNCH COL. - WILLIAM BULL- MOORE'S DESCRIPTION OF SAVANNAH-PROGRESS OF THE INFANT TOWN AND COLONY-SAVANNAH'S ORIGINAL SITE-THE GRANTEES.
We have followed the colonists from England to the shores of Georgia and to the spot which, in the succeeding pages, shall have our entire attention. On the evening of their arrival they set up "on the edge of the river" four large tents, one for each tything, where they spent the night. Their leader slept in his own .tent, pitched under four pine trees, on the top of the bluff, and we are told that " this canvas was his abiding place for nearly a year. . Subsequently he contented himself with hired lodgings in one of the houses of his people." *
The next day Oglethorpe assembled the people and publicly re- turned thanks to God for granting them a safe passage and asked His blessing upon their proposed work. In addition to what he said in his letter to the trustees, January 13, 1733, concerning the selection at Yamaeraw bluff of the site for the town, in a letter to.that body, dated February 20th, he further said: " I chose the Situation for the Town upon a high Ground forty foot perpendicular above High-water Mark. The Soil dry and sandy. the Water of the River fresh, Springs coming out from all Sides of the Hills. I pitched on this place not only for the pleasantness of its Situation, but because from the above-mentioned and other signs I thought it healthy, for it is sheltered from the Western and Southern winds ( the worst in this country ) by vast Woods and Pine-trees, many of which are one hundred, and few under seventy foot high. There is no Moss on the Trees. as in most parts of Carolina they are covered with it, and it hangs down two or three foot from them. The last and fullest consideration of the Healthfulness of the place was that an Indian nation, who knew the Nature of this Country, chose it for their Habitation.
THE GOOD SOUTH CAROLINA FRIENDS
Before we take up the matter of the actual work of laying out the town, let us see just what outside assistance Oglethorpe received before
* Jones' History of Georgia, Vol. I, p. 122.
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he began. That help eame entirely from the good people of South Carolina. We have obtained some idea of the magnitude of this gen- erous conduct on their part which must have lifted from the shoulders of the leader of the colonists no small part of the heavy burden with which he set out. Let us pause here, therefore, and go to the official records of South Carolina for a proper understanding of the conduct of that noble people. The assembly, through a committee, resolved, on the 26th of January, 1733, "That we are unanimously of the opinion that all dne countenance and encouragement ought to be given to the settling of the Colony of Georgia.
"And for that end your committee apprehend it necessary that his Excellency [Gov. Robert Johnson] be desired to give orders and directions that Captain McPherson, together with fifteen of the rangers, do forthwith repair to the new settlement of Georgia, to cover and proteet Mr. Oglethorpe, and those under his care, from any insult that may be offered them by the Indians, and that they continue and abide there till the new settlers have enforced themselves, and for such further time as his excelleney may think necessary.
"That the Lieutenant and four men of the Apalachicola Garrison be ordered to march to the fort on Cambahee, to join those of the rangers that remain ; and that the commissary be ordered to find them with pro- vision as usual.
"That his Excellency will please to give directions that the scont- boat at Port Royal do attend the new settlers as often as his Excellency shall see occasion.
"That a present be given Mr. Oglethorpe for the new settlers of Georgia forthwith, of an hundred head of breeding cattle and five bulls, as also twenty breeding cows and four boars. with twenty barrels of good and merchantable rice; the whole to be delivered at the charge of the public, at such place in Georgia as Mr. Oglethorpe shall appoint.
"That periaguas be provided at the charge of the public to attend Mr. Oglethorpe at Port Royal, in order to carry the new settlers, arrived in the ship Anne, to Georgia, with their effects, and the artil- lery and ammunition now on board.
"That Colonel Bull be desired to go to Georgia with the Hon. James Oglethorpe. Esq., to aid him with his best advices and assistance in settling the place."
Previous to that time, that is to say on the 13th of Jannary, Governor Johnson had published an advertisement in the South Caro- lina Gazette, calling on the people of his provinee to assist in the settling of the new colony, which advertisement closed in these words: "The piety and charity of so good an undertaking, I hope will be a sufficient inducement to every person to contribute something to a work so acceptable to God. as well as so advantageons to this [South Carolina] province :" and in communicating to Oglethorpe the action taken by the Carolina general assembly, Governor Johnsou and his couneil sent him this letter:
"Sir-We cannor omit the first opportunity of congratulating you on your safe arrival in the province. wishing you all imaginable success in your charitable and generous undertaking; in which we beg leave to assure you that any assist- ance we can give shall not be wanting in the promotion of the same.
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"The General Assembly having come to the Resolution inclosed, we hope you will accept it as an instance of our sincere intentions to forward so good a work; and of our attachment to a person who has at all times so generously used his endeavors to relieve the poor, and deliver them out of their distress; in which you have hitherto been so successful, that we are persuaded this undertaking cannot fail under your prudent conduct, which we most heartily wish for.
"The rangers and scout-boats are ordered to attend you as soon as possible.
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