The Spanish Invasion of Georgia
While the Northern colonies were at war with the French and their Indian allies, the Southern were similarly at war with the Spaniards of Florida, and the Indian wars of the North had their counterparts in the South. The troubles with the Indians of Virginia we have already described. Of the Indians of North Carolina, those in contact with the settlers rapidly disappeared, destroyed by strong drink and other accompaniments of civilization. The settlers came next into collision with more remote tribes, the Tuscaroras and the Corees, who showed decided symptoms of hostility and organized a secret attack. On the night of October 2, 1711, they suddenly fell upon the settlements and massacred one hundred and thirty persons. A war ensued, the whites being aided by a large body of friendly Indians from the more southern tribes. In 1713 the Tuscaroras were besieged in their fort, and eight hundred taken prisoners. The remainder migrated north, and joined their kindred, the Iroquois of New York. Peace was concluded with the Corees in 1715.
South Carolina, when settled, contained comparatively few of the aborigines. A long and destructive war between two tribes, and a fatal epidemic which afterwards prevailed, had decimated the Indians, and left their lands open to the settlers. In 1702, during the war of England against France and Spain which broke out that year, Governor Moore of Carolina organized an expedition against the Spanish settlement of St. Augustine in Florida. He proceeded by sea, while Colonel Daniel led a land-expedition of twelve hundred men, half of whom were Indians. The Spanish fortification proving too strong for their means of assault, Daniel was sent to Jamaica for siege-guns. During his absence two Spanish ships appeared off the harbor, and Moore, in a panic, abandoned his fleet and hastily retreated. Daniel, on his return, stood in towards the harbor, and narrowly escaped capture. This useless and expensive expedition gave great dissatisfaction to the people of Carolina. It was followed by a successful expedition against the Appalachian Indians, allies of Spain. They were completely defeated, their towns burned, and their whole province made English territory.
In 1706 a French and Spanish fleet appeared before Charleston. But the city was valiantly defended, and the invaders driven off with loss. A general Indian war broke out in 1715, comprising numerous tribes, the Yamassees at their head. For a while the colony was threatened with destruction. The frontier settlements were ruined, Port Royal abandoned, and Charleston in serious peril. At length the settlers made head, drove back the enemy, and on the banks of the Salkehatchie gained a complete victory. The Yamassees were driven from their territory, and retired to Florida. In 1719 a revolution against the Proprietors broke out in South Carolina; the settlers refused to pay their exorbitant claims, and in the name of the king proclaimed James Moore governor. The difficulty was settled in 1729, when seven of the eight Proprietors sold out to the king, and the two Carolinas were separated and became royal governments.
The colony of Georgia was first devised in 1732, by James Oglethorpe, an English philanthropist, as an asylum for the poor of England and for the oppressed Protestants of all countries. He reached America in February, 1733, with one hundred and twenty emigrants, and planted a settlement on the site of Savannah. A treaty of peace and friendship was at once concluded with the Creek Indians, a powerful neighboring confederacy. The colony rapidly increased in numbers. But trouble soon arose with the Spaniards of Florida, who claimed that the English were intruding on their territory. Hostilities being threatened, Oglethorpe returned to England, and brought out a regiment of six hundred men for the defense of his frontier. Soon afterwards, in 1739, war broke out between England and Spain, and Oglethorpe invaded Florida. He had with him five hundred men of his regiment, with other troops, and Indian allies. Several Spanish forts were taken, but St. Augustine was boldly defended, and after being nearly reduced by famine, obtained supplies from vessels that ran the blockade of the English fleet. This destroyed all hopes of success, and Oglethorpe returned to Georgia. Two years later, the Spaniards, in reprisal, invaded Georgia with a large fleet and a numerous army. Oglethorpe, with a much smaller force, withdrew to his fort at Frederica, on St. Simon's Island, near the mouth of the Altamaha River. The interesting story of this invasion we extract from the "History of Georgia," by Rev. William Bacon Stevens.]
IN May [1742] the armament destined for the conquest of Georgia, consisting of fifty-six vessels and about seven thousand men, left Havana for St. Augustine. One of their large vessels, with one hundred and fifty men, was lost in passing the Moro castle; and soon after the fleet was dispersed by a storm.. Of the arrival of this force in St. Augustine, Oglethorpe was informed by his Indian spies, deserters, and the letters of Captain Hamar; and he addressed himself at once to the task of preparing for their attack.
The Spanish fleet was unsuccessful in its first efforts against the English forts.
On the 28th [of June] the Spanish fleet, largely reinforced, again appeared off St. Simon's bar, and, having taken the bearings and soundings, lay off and on, waiting for a fair wind, to run up to Frederica. All was now activity on St. Simon's. The general raised another troop of rangers, armed the planters, extended his fortifications, dismantled many of the small vessels and from them rigged out a merchant-ship, called the Success, with an armament of twenty-two guns, which he placed under the command of Captain Thompson.