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" July 9. This day was spent in going on with the Works.
" Frederica. July 9th 1742." 1
That a small force of between six and seven hundred men, as- sisted by a few weak vessels, should have put to flight an army of nearly five thousand Spanish troops, supported by a powerful fleet and amply equipped for the expedition, seems almost inca-
1 P. R. O. Shaftesbury Papers.
359
ESTIMATE OF FORCES ENGAGED.
pable of explanation.1 General Oglethorpe's bravery and dash, the timidity of the invaders, coupled with the dissensions which arose in their ranks, and the apprehensions caused by the French letter, furnish the only plausible explanation of the victory. Whitefield's commentary was : "The deliverance of Georgia from the Spaniards is such as cannot be paralleled but by some in- stances out of the Old Testament." The defeat of so formidable an expedition by such a handful of men was a matter of astonish- ment to all. Had Don Manuel de Monteano pushed his forces vigorously forward, the stoutest resistance, offered along his short line of march and from the walls of the town, would have been ineffectual for the salvation of Frederica. Against the contin- gency of an evacuation of this stronghold Oglethorpe had pro- vided, as best he could, by a concentration of boats in which to transport the garrison to Darien 2 by way of the cut previously made through General's Island. This necessity, however, was fortunately never laid upon him. If the naval forces at Charles-
1 The following is an estimate of the forces engaged : -
SPANISH TROOPS.
One Regiment of dismounted Dra-
goons . 400
Havana Regiment 500
Havana Militia . 1,000
Regiment of Artillery 400
Florida Militia 400
Battalion of Mulattocs 300
Black Regiment
400
Indians
90
Marines
600
Seamen
. 1,000
Total .
. 5,090
GENERAL OGLETHORPE'S COMMAND.
His Regiment . 472
Company of Rangers
30
Highlanders 50
Armed Militia 40
Indians
60
Total 652
See McCall's History of Georgia, vol. i. p. 196. Savannah. 1811.
2 Of the condition of this town in 1743 we find the following account in the Lon- don Magazine for 1745, page 551 : " Our first Stage we made New Inverness, or the Darien, on the Continent near 20 miles from Frederica ; which is a Settlement of
Highlanders living and dressing in their own Country Fashion, very happily and contentedly. There is an Independent Company of Foot of them, consisting of 70 men who have been of good service. The Town is regularly laid out, and built of Wood mostly, divided into Streets and Squares ; before the Town is the Parade, and a Fort not yet finish'd. It is situ- ated upon a very high Bluff, or point of Land, from whence, with a few cannon, they can scour the River, otherwise it is surrounded by Pine-barrens, and Woods, and there is a Rout by Land to Savannah and Fort Argyle, which is statedly recon- noitred by a Troop of Highiland Rangers who do duty here. The Company and Troop, armed in the Highland manner make an extreme good appearance under arms. The whole Settlement may be said to be a brave and industrious Peo- ple ; but were more numerous, planted more, and raised more cattle before the Invasion, with which they drove a good Trade to the Southward ; but Things seem daily mending with them. They are forc'd to keep a very good Guard in this Place, it lies so open to the lusults of the French and Spanish Indians, who once or twice have shewn Straglers some very bloody Tricks."
360
THIE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
town had responded to his requisitions, a considerable portion of the Spanish fleet might have been captured. Oglethorpe's suc- cess in his military operations may be explained by the fact that he constantly acted on the offensive. He was never content to grant any peace to an enemy who was within striking distance. The temerity and persistency of his attacks inspired his followers, and impressed his antagonist with the belief that the arm deliver- ing the blow was stronger than it really was.
The memory of this defense of St. Simon's Island and the southern frontier is one of the proudest in the annals of Georgia. Thus was the existence of the colony perpetuated. Thus was lirled back in wrath and mortification a powerful army of inva- sion whose avowed object was to show no quarter,1 but to crush out of existence the English colonies. Had success attended the demonstration against Frederica, the enemy would have ad- vanced upon the more northern strongholds. Appreciating this, and deeply sensible of their great obligations to General Ogle- thorpe for the deliverance vouchsafed at his hands, the governors of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina,2 addressed special letters to him " thanking him for the invaluable services he had rendered to the British-Amer- ican Provinces, congratulating him upon his success and the great renown he had acquired, and expressing their gratitude to the Supreme Governor of Nations for placing the destiny of the southern colonies under the direction of a General so well quali- fied for the important trust."
Upon the disappearance of the Spanish forces Oglethorpe at once bent his energies to strengthening the fortifications at Frederica and repairing the damages which had been sustained by the southern forts. For a long time he seems to have counted upon a return of the expedition, and could not bring his mind to believe that the enterprise upon which so much preparation and money had been expended would be thus hastily and almost causelessly abandoned. Within a few months the works upon St.
1 Samuel Clonke, who was a pris- oner on board the Pretty Nancy, taken by the Spaniards from the English and fitted out for the invasion of Geor- gia, made oath that during the time they lay off the bar the Spaniards often " whetted their swords and held their knives to this deponent's and other Eng- lish prisoners' throats, saying they would
cut the throats of those they should take at Georgia."
Harris' Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels, pp. 342, 343. London. 1748.
2 The governor of South Carolina did not unite in these congratulations and thanks; but the people of Port Royal did, much to his chagrin.
361
OGLETHORPE INVADES FLORIDA.
Simon's, Jekyll, and Cumberland islands were more formidable than ever. What those additional defensive works at Frederica were we shall shortly see.
Not content with having repulsed the Spaniards in their effort to crush the colony, General Oglethorpe was soon engaged in " carrying the war into Africa." Finding the enemy so strong in St. Augustine that they defeated all the parties of Indians he sent against them, ascertaining that a large detachment was marching towards the river St. Mattheo, and concluding that this was a movement to extend their quarters so as to be prepared for the proper location and accommodation of reinforcements ex- pected from Havana in the spring, taking with him a considerable body of Creek warriors, a detachment from the Highland com- pany of rangers, and a portion of his regiment, Oglethorpe landed by night in Florida in March, 1743, and, moving rapidly, drove the enemy, with loss, within the lines of St. Augustine. Having disposed his command in ambush, the general, with a small party, advanced within sight of the town, intending to skirmish and draw the garrison out. The enemy declined to leave their fortifications ; 1 and the English, being too weak to attack, and having compelled the Spaniards to abandon their ad- vanced posts in Florida, returned, having performed the extraor- dinary march of ninety-six miles in four days.2 This was the last expedition led by the general against the Spaniards.3
Still persuaded that the attack upon Frederica would be re- newed at an early day, he continued to strengthen the southern frontier. Until he left Georgia on the 23d of July, 1743, never again to return, he resided at his cottage on St. Simon's Island.
1 In the language of General Ogle- thorpe, "they were so meek there was no provoking them."
2 See General Oglethorpe's letters of the 12th and 21st of March, 1743. Collec- tions of the Georgia Historical Society, vol. iii. pp. 149, 151. Savannah. 1873.
London Magazine for 1743, vol. xii. pp. 356, 357.
London Gazette, July 9, 1743.
8 This demonstration had the effect of restraining the enemy within the lines of St. Augustine ; and the active cruising of the English guard schooner and scout- boats held in check the privateers which were in the habit of annoying the nav- igation to the southward. " In fine,"
writes a Charles-Town merchant to his correspondent in London, under date Au- gust 10, 1743, " Georgia is a Gibraltar to this Province and North America, how- ever insignificant some People may make it."
London Magazine for 1743, vol. xii, p. 567.
While sailing in his shallop to recon- noitre St. Augustine, the general was nearly killed by the bursting of one of his cannon. A piece of a sail-yard struck him with such violence on the head that the blood gushed from his cars and nose. He soon recovered from the shock, how- ever, and remained on deck encouraging and directing his mien.
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362
THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Of all the places planted and nurtured by him, none so warmly enlisted his energies and engaged his constant solicitude as this fortified town at the mouth of the Alatamaha.
Upon the general's departure, William Stephens was left as deputy general of the colony, and Major Horton as military commander at Frederica. With the civil matters of the prov- ince the latter had no concern except where his assistance, as commander-in-chief of the military, was occasionally invoked to enforce the measures of the president and council. In such instances he acted with calmness and humanity, securing the respect and esteem of the better class of the colonists.
On the 22d of March, 1743, the magazine at Frederica was blown up, to the general alarm and regret of the inhabitants. Although it contained at the time three thousand bombs, so well bedded were they but little damage occurred. A vagabond Irish- man was suspected of having fired the magazine.1
We have two descriptions of Frederica in 1743, the period of its greatest prosperity and importance, which we make no apology for transcribing.
The first is from the lips of a captain conversant with the ap- pearance and condition of the town.
Captain John MacClellan, who left Georgia on the 31st of January, 1743, on his arrival in England reported the colonists busily engaged in placing themselves in the best attitude of de- fense in anticipation of a second attack from the Spaniards ; that Fort William had been fortified anew with brick work, and that " great numbers of Men were employ'd in compleating the Fortifications at Frederica, the Walls whereof are judged strong enough to be Proof against Eighteen-Pound Shot ;" that two towers, one at each corner of the town wall, capable of holding one hundred men each and designed to protect the flanks by means of small arms, had been erected ; that the men were "full of spirits and unanimous to make a vigorous Defence to the last Drop of Blood ;" that General Oglethorpe had been reinforced by two hundred men from Virginia, raised by Major Heron, many of whom were disciplined soldiers from Colonel Gouge's late regiment, and that thirty horsemen were on their way to Georgia to "recruit the Rangers." 2
1 Sec McCall's Georgia, vol. i. p. 203. Savannah. 1811. Gentleman's Magazine for 1744, vol. xiv. p. 393. London Maga- zine for 1744, vol. xiii. p. 359.
2 London Magazine for 1743, vol. xii.
p. 305.
363
DESCRIPTION OF FREDERICA.
The second is from the pen of an intelligent traveler, who made his observations early in 1743. It reads as follows : -
" Frederica, on the Island of St. Simon, the chief Town in the Southernmost Part of the Colony of Georgia, is nearly in Lat : 31° 15' North. It stands on an Eminence, if consider'd with regard to the Marshes before it, upon a Branch of the famous River Alatamaha, which washes the West side of this agreeable little Island, and, after several Windings, disembogues itself into the Sea at Jekyl Sound. It forms a kind of a Bay before the Town, and is navigable for Vessels of the largest Burden, which may lie along the wharf in a secure and safe Harbour; and may, upon Occasion, haul up to careen and refit, the Bottom being a soft oozy Clay, intermix'd with small Sand and Shells. The Town is defended by a pretty strong Fort of Tappy,1 which has several 18 Pounders mounted on a Ravelin in its Front, and commands the River both upwards and downwards ; and is sur- rounded by a quadrangular Rampart, with + Bastions, of Earth, well stockaded and turfed, and a palisadoed Ditch which include also the King's Storehouses, (in which are kept the Arsenal, the Court of Justice, and Chapel) two large and spacious Buildings of Brick and Timber ; On the Rampart are mounted a consider- able Quantity of Ordnance of several sizes. The Town is sur- rounded by a Rampart, with Flankers, of the same Thickness with that round the Fort, in Form of a Pentagon, and a dry Ditch ; and since the famous attempt of the Spaniards in July 1742,2 at the N. E. and S. E. Angles are erected two strong cov- er'd pentagonal Bastions, capable of containing 100 men each, to scour the Flanks with Small Arms, and defended by a Num- ber of Cannon ; At their Tops are Look-outs which command the View of the Country and the River for many miles : The Roofs are shingled,3 but so contriv'd as to be easily clear'd away, if incommodious in the Defense of the Towers. The whole Cir- cumference of the Town is about a Mile and a Half, including, within the Fortifications, the Camp for General Oglethorpe's Reg- iment at the North Side of the Town, the Parades on the West,
1 A mixture of lime made of Oyster- shells, with Sand, Small Shells, &c., which, when harden'd, is as firm as Stone. I have observ'd prodigious Quan- tities of Salt Petre to issue from Walls of this Cement.
2 Sec Lond. Mag. 1742, pp. 461, 515, 516, 567.
3 Shingles are split out of many Sorts of Wood, in the shape of Tiles, which, when they have been some Time expos'd to the Weather, appear of the Colour of Slate, and have a very pretty Look ; the Houses in America are mostly Shingled.
364
THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
and a small Wood to the South, which is left for Conveniency of Fuel and Pasture, and is an excellent Blind to the Enemy in case of an Attack; in it is a small Magazine of Powder. The Town has two Gates, call'd the Land-port, and the Water-port ; next to the latter of which is the Guard-house, and underneath it the Prison for Malefactors, which is an handsome Building of Brick. At the North End are the Barracks, which is an ex- tremely well contriv'd Building in Form of a Square, of Tappy work, in which, at present, are kept the Hospital, and Spanish Prisoners of War : Near this was situated the Bomb Magazine which was blown up on March 22, 1744,1 with so surprizingly little Damage.2
" The town is situated in a large Indian Field. To the East it has a very extensive Savannah (wherein is the Burial Place) thro' which is cut a Road to the other Side of the Island, which is bounded by Woods, save here and there some opening Glades into the Neighboring Savannahs and Marshes, which mueh eluci- date the Pleasure of looking. Down this Road are several very commodious Plantations, particularly the very agreeable one of Capt. Demery, and that of Mr. Hawkins. Pre-eminently appears Mr. Oglethorpe's Settlement, which, at Distance, looks like a neat Country Village, where the consequences of all the various Industries of an European Farm are seen. The Master of it has shewn what Application and unabated Diligence may effect in this Country. At the Extremity of the Road is a small Village, call'd the German Village, inhabited by several Families of Saltzburghers, who plant and fish for their Subsistence. On the River Side one has the Prospect of a large Circuit of Marshes, terminated by the Woods on the Continent, in Form like an Amphitheatre, and interspers'd with the Meanders of abundance of Creeks, form'd from the aforesaid River. At a Distance may be seen the white Post at Bachelor's Redoubt, also on the Main, where is kept a good Look-out of Rangers. To the North are Marshes, and a small Wood, at the Western Extremity of which are the Plantations of the late Capt. Desbrisay, and some others of less note ; together with a Look-out wherein a Corporal's Guard is stationed, and reliev'd weekly, called Pike's, on the Bank of the River, from whence they can see Vessels a great way to the Northward. On the South is a Wood, which is, how-
1 See Fond. Mog. 1744, p. 359.
: I have been told that in this Explo- sion ucar 3,000 Bombs burst, which, had
they not been well bedded, would have done much Mischief.
365
DESCRIPTION OF FREDERICA IN 1743.
ever, so far clear'd as to discover the Approach of an Enemy at a great Distance ; within it, to the Eastward, is the Plantation of Capt. Dunbar ; and to the Westward a Corporal's Look-out. The Town is divided into several spacious Streets, along whose sides are planted Orange Trees,1 which, in some Time, will have a very pretty Effect on the View, and will render the Town pleas- ingly shady. Some Houses are built entirely of Brick, some of Brick and Wood, some few of Tappy-Work, but most of the meaner sort, of Wood only. The Camp is also divided into sey- eral Streets, distinguished by the names of the Captains of the several Companies of the Regiment; and the Huts are built gen- erally of Clap-boards and Palmetto's, and are each of them capable to contain a Family, or Half a Dozen Single men. Here these brave Fellows live with the most laudable ŒEconomy ; and tho' most of them when off Duty practise some Trade or Employ- ment, they make as fine an Appearance upon the Parade, as any Regiment in the King's Service ; and their exact Discipline does a great deal of Honour to their Officers ; They have a Market every Day ; The Inhabitants of the Town may be divided into Officers, Merchants, Store-Keepers, Artisans, and People in the Provincial Service; and there are often, also, many Sojourners from the neighbouring Settlements, and from New York, Phila- delphia and Carolina, on account of Trade. The Civil Govern- ment does not seem yet to be quite rightly settled by the Trus- tees, but is, at present, administered by three Magistrates, or Justices, assisted by a Recorder, Constables, and Tything Men. The Military is regulated as in all Garrison-Towns in the Brit- ish Dominions. In short, the whole Town, and Country adja- cent, are quite rurally charming, and the Improvements every- where around are Footsteps of the greatest Skill and Industry imaginable, considering its late Settlement, and the Rubs it has so often met with ; and as it seems so necessary for the Barrier of our Colonies, I am in Hopes of, one Time, seeing it taken more Notice of than it is at present." 2
For the ensuing few years, and during the retention of Ogle- thorpe's regiment on St. Simon's Island, but little change oc-
1 The Inhabitants begin to plant this charming Fruit very much, and 't is to be hop'd will banish their numerous Peach Trees to their Country Settlements, which are Nurseries of Muskettos and other Vermin. The Season I was there,
they had Oranges enough of their own Growth for Home Consumption.
2 This was written in the beginning of 1743. See London Magazine for 1745, vol. xiv. pp. 395, 396. Compare notice in The North-American and the West-In- dian Gazettecr. London. 1778.
1
366
THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
curred in the condition of Frederica. It retained its importance as a military post, and was regarded as the safeguard of the province against Spanish invasion. The expectations, if indeed any were seriously entertained, of elevating this town into com- mercial importance were practically abandoned previous to the withdrawal of the troops. In fact, even before the existing diffi- culties with Spain were formally accommodated, by treaty and it became manifest that there would in all likelihood occur no further serious demonstrations along the southern frontier, the population of Frederica began to deerease.
The home authorities, however, were loath to acknowledge its manifest tendency to decadence, and for some time, by occa- sional reports and notices, endeavored to assure the public of the continued prosperity of a town which had attracted such special attention in connection with the progress and perils of the colony of Georgia.
An article having appeared in the " Daily Gazetteer " giving "a most scandalous and untrue account of the present state of the Colony of Georgia, particularly levelled at the Southern Part thereof (which is the Frontier against the French and Span- iards)," in justice to the public, William Thomson and John Lawrence, Jr., who had been trading with the colony for some years and who had left Georgia in June, 1747, on business call- ing them to England, united in a card to the editor of the " London Magazine"1 in which they stated: "That instead of the false Representation of the said Gazetteer ' That only seven Houses were in the Town of Frederica,' the said Town has several Streets, in every one of which are many good Houses, some of Brick, some of Tappy (which is a Cement of Lime and Oyster Shells) ; That the High Street is planted with Orange Trees and has good Houses on both sides. That the Fort, be- sides other Buildings, has two large Magazines three Stories high, and Sixty Feet long ; That there are Barracks in the Town, on the North side, ninety Feet Square, built of Tappy, covered with Cypress Shingles, and a handsome Tower over the Gateway of twenty Feet square : That there are two Bastion Towers, of two stories each, in the Hollow of the Bastions, defended on the Out- side with thick Earth-Works, and capable of lodging great Num- bers of Soldiers, the two long Sides being nearly fifty Feet, and the short Sides twenty-five ; And that instead of the Inhabitants removing from thenee, several Families were come and more
1 Vol. xvi. p. 484.
i
مجه
367
DEPARTURE OF GENERAL OGLETHORPE.
coming from North Carolina to settle in Georgia, who will cer- tainly establish themselves there unless they are prevented by any Fears which may arise from the Reduction of the Rangers and Vessels which have hitherto made that Frontier safe : That before the Barracks were finished, very good Clap-board Huts were built sufficient for the lodging of two Companies who do Duty at Frederica (with their Wives and Families) which by an Accident of Fire were lately burnt down ; since which others have been made for married Soldiers ; and the Soldiers have the Privilege of cutting Timber and building Houses for their Fami- lies, which many have done, and thrive very well, and we know the Soldiers are regularly paid and kindly treated. We also cer- tify that there are several Farms which produce not only Indian Wheat and Potatoes, but English Wheat, Barley, and other Grain. In short, Provisions in general are plentiful, Venison, Beef, Pork, at Two Pence Half-Penny per Pound, and sometimes under. Fish extremely cheap."
Upon the confirmation of the Peace of Aix-la-chapelle in 1748, most of the troops were withdrawn from St. Simon's Island, and the fortifications soon began to fall into decay.
In the departure of General Oglethorpe the province of Georgia lost its best benefactor, surest guide, and ablest defender. His return was influenced neither by rewards offered by the British ministry, alarmed at the rumors of an invasion by the Pretender and eager to conciliate the High-Church and Jacobite parties, nor by the treacherous accusations of Lieutenant-Colonel Cooke and his associates. In truth, his pecuniary resources were dried up, and bills which he had drawn "for his Majesty's Service " had been returned dishonored to the amount of £12,000. For ten years had this "Romulus, father, and founder of Georgia," with no end in view save the enlargement of his majesty's do- minion, the propagation of the Christian religion, the promotion of the trade of the realm, and the relief of the indigent and the deserving, voluntarily banished himself from the pleasures of court and metropolis, postponed his parliamentary duties, and exposed himself to dangers and privations incessant and exhaust- ing. Instead of gratifying himself with the pleasures and luxuries which his social position and fortune warranted him in enjoying, of his own free will and influenced by philanthropic and patriotic considerations of the noblest sort, he forsook his home and com- forts to share the lot of the emigrant ; his coneh the earth, his shelter the canopy of the heavens. The success of the coloniza-
368
THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
tion had been compassed not only by his encouragement, direction, and valor, but also by a liberal expenditure of his private prop- erty. The province was now established upon a sure basis. The natives were in amity with the English, and the Spaniards had learned a lesson they were not likely soon to forget. He now returned to England in fulfillment of a desire earnestly enter- tained, but repressed because of the necessitous condition of the province, and in response to a leave of absence sanctioned by the authorities at home. His separation from the colony he regarded, at the time, as only temporary. Arrived in London he demanded that the charges preferred against him by Lieutenant-Colonel Cooke, of his regiment, should be immediately investigated. That officer having named several parties as witnesses who resided in America, the inquiry was adjourned until the 4th of June, 1744, " when a Board of General Officers scrutinized the charges article after article ; and after sitting three days, pronounced the whole to be groundless, false, and malicious." The finding of the court- martial was approved, and Lieutenant-Colonel Cooke was dis- missed from the service. In the language of Dr. Holmes 1 the character of General Oglethorpe "now appeared in resplendent light, and his contemporaries acknowledged what impartial his- tory must record, that to him Carolina was indebted for her safety and repose, as well as Georgia for her existence and pro- teetion."
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