History Stories Georgia CHi^PPELL Ciass F_^K2_ Book ^G H fo Copviight}!^ COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. ^4^^^^&^ STORIES OW THE STATES GEORGIA HISTORY STORIES BY J. HARRIS CHAPPELL, Ph.D. PRESIDENT OF THE GEORGIA NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE. ILLUSTRATED SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY NEW YORK ATLANTA BOSTON DALLAS CHICAGO HlBRARY of CONGRESS (wo Oopiea rtucaivea IVIAR Al iyi)5 / 6 <\ 1 (» <5 COPY Copyright, 1905, by SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY. To My Mother Mrs. Loretto Lamar Chappell A native and life-long Georgian, now in her eighty- seventh year, this little book about the State and the people she loves so well is affectionately dedicated. PREFACE. In this book the author has undertaken to relate what seemed to him to be the most interesting events in the history of Georgia, from the planting of the colony in 1733 to the years immediately preceding the War of Secession. The narrative, as a rule, is adapted to children from twelve to fifteen years of age ; however, the author believes that it will be interesting reading for grown people, and for youths of some maturity. In several instances the author has found that the subjects treated could not be well presented in the form of children's stories. Such is especially the case with nearly all that is contained in Part III, the Development Period. In preparing this volume the author has read and studied with the utmost care a great many books bear- ing on Georgia's history. He has also done much original investigation. His aim above all things has been to make his work authentic and reliable. While he has tried to write in an attractive style, he has re- frained from trifling with his subject — a fault too com- mon with many writers of the so-called history stories of the day. The following are the principal sources from which vi Preface. the facts and information contained in this vohime are derived : History of Georgia to 1798. By Rev. W. B. Stevens. 2 vols. Philadelphia, 1859. History of Georgia to end of American RevQlution. By C. C. Jones. 2 vols. Boston, 188:5. James Oglethorpe. By Henry Bruce. New York, 1890. History of Alabama. By Albert J. Pickett. Charleston, 1851. Miscellanies of Georgia. By Absalom H. Chappell. Colum- bus, 1874. Story of Georgia and the Georgia People. By Rev. G. G. Smith. Macon, 1900. Historical Collections of Georgia. By Rev. George White. New York, 1854. The Sahburgers. By P. A. Strobel. Baltimore, 1855. Tomo-chi-chi, Mico of the Vamacrazi'S. By C. C. Jones. Sa- vannah, 1876. Dead Towns of Georgia. By C. C. Jones. Savannah, 1878. School History of Georgia. By Lawton B. Evans. New York, 1898. School History of Georgia. By Charles H. Smith. Boston, 1896. Stories of Georgia. By Joel Chandler Harris. New York, 1S96. Life of Gen. James Jackson. By Thomas M. P. Charlton. Augusta, 1809. Life of George M. Troup. By E. J. Harden. Savannah, 1840. Case of the Cherokee Indians Against the State of Georgia. By Richard Peters. Philadelphia, 1831. . Qeorgia and State Rights. By Ulrich B. Phillips. Washing- ton, 1902. Preface. vii Memories of Fifty Years. By W. H. Sparks. Philadelphia, 1870. Rceolleetions of a Georgia Loyalist. By Elizabeth L. John- stone. New York, 1901. Historical Sketches of Colonial Florida. By Richard L. Camp- bell. Cleveland, 1892. Historical Record of Savannah. By F. D. Lee and J. L. Agnew. Savannah, 1869. American State Papers (numerous volumes). Old Pamphlets on Georgia Colonial history. The author is also indebted to that scholarly gentle- man, Mr. Otis Ashmore, Superintendent of Schools, Savannah, for valuable aid; to Mrs. J. J. Wilder, Sa- vannah. President of the Society of Colonial Dames of Georgia, and ^Irs. R. E. Park, Atlanta, Ex-Regent of the Georgia Daughters of the American Revolution, for information on particular points; and to numerous per- sons in different parts of Georgia for their prompt and satisfactory answers to special questions addressed to them. The author hopes his book will prove instructive and interesting both to the youth and to the adults of Georgia, and that it may be found valuable as a supple- mentary reader in the schools of the State. J. Harris Chappell. Milledgeville, Ga., September, 1904. CONTENTS Part I.— COLONIAL PERIOD^ Page. Chapter L James Oglethorpe. L Oglethorpe's Early Career 1 IL Oglethorpe's Georgia Colony Enterprise .... 7 Chapter IL Founding of Savannah. I. Seeking a Location 13 II. Planting the Colony 19 Chapter III. Tomo-chi-chi, Mico of the Yamacraws. I. Tomo-chi-ch II. Tomo-chi-ch IV. Tomo-chi-ch s Treaty with Oglethorpe .... 27 's Visit to England 33 III. Tomo-chi-chi's Religious Views 39 's Florida Expedition 42 V. Tomo-chi-chi's Death and Burial 49 Chapter IV. The Salzburgers. I. Persecution in Austria 54 II. Emigration to Georgia 57 III. Old Ebenezer 61 IV. New Ebenezer 64 Chapter V. The Highlanders 74 Chapter VI. Frederica 79 Chapter VII. The Spanish War. I. Preparations for the War 87 II. Siege of St. Augustine 92 III. Battle of St. Simon's Sound OS IV. Bloody Marsh 102 Chapter VIII. "Non Sibi Sed Aliis" ....... 109 X Contents. Part i I— REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. Page. Chapter IX. The Stamp Act in Georgia 119 Chapter X. Capture of Savannah. I. Arrival of the British Fleet 131 II. Quash Dolly and the Flank Movement 137 Chapter XL Three Georgia Tories. I. Thomas Brown . . , . . 145 II. Daniel McGirth 151 III. Colonel Grierson 155 Chapter XII. Three Georgia Patriots. 1. Elijah Clarke 157 II. James Jackson 164 III. John Twiggs 172 Chapter XIII. Siege of Savannah. I. D'Estaing Outwitted 173 II. The Bombardment 176 III. The Assault and Pulaski's Death ...... 178 IV. Death of Sergeant Jasper 185 Chapter XIV. — Nancy Hart 192 Part III.— DEVELOPMENT PERIOD. Chapter XV. Alexander McGillivray. I. McGillivray's Pedigree and Early Career .... 204 II. McGillivray in the Revolution .207 III. The Oconee War 210 IV. The Treaty of New York 218 V. William Augustus Bowles 225 VI. Passing of McGillivray 231 contents. xi Chapter XVI. The Yazoo Fraud. Page. I. The Yazoo Country and the Speculators .... 235 II. "The Yazooists" and Their Scheme 237 III. Passage of the Yazoo Act 241 IV. James Jackson and the Day of Wrath 244 V. Repeal of the Yazoo Act 248 Chapter XVII. Troup and the Treaty. I. Status of Indian Affairs in Georgia in 1823 . . . 251 II. The Indian Spring Treaty 255 III. Murder of Mcintosh 261 IV. Troup's Altercation with Major Andrews and General Gaines 226 V. Troup's Controversy with the Federal Government . 271 VI. Declaration of War 277 VII. "All's Well that Ends Well" 279 VIII. Last Days of Troup 282 Chapter XVIII. Georgia and the Cherokees. I. Early Relations 285 II. Civilizing of the Cherokees 288 III. Political Status of the Cherokees 291 IV. Georgia and the Cherokees Lock Horns .... 294 V. Georgia and the Gold Diggers 298 VI. The Cherokee Nation vs. The State of Georgia . . 300 VII. Worcester and Butler vs. The State of Georgia . . 304 VIII. Georgia's Aggressions 308 IX. Treaty Factions 310 X. Expulsion of the Cherokees 314 XI. Assassination of the Treaty Chiefs 320 Chapter XIX. Expansion of Georgia. I. Georgia at the Close of the Revolution 322 II. First Expansion: From the Ogeechee to the Oconee ^^6 xii Contents. Page. III. Second Expansion: From the Oconee to the Oc- mulgee 333 IV. Third Expansion: From the Ocmulgee to the FHnt . 340 V. Fourth Expansion : South Georgia and Its Slow Development 344 VI. Fifth Expansion : From the Flint to the Chatta- hoochee 346 VII. Sixth Expansion: The Cherokee Country . . . 349 Chapter XX. Georgia and Georgians of 1840. I. The Mountains 353 II. The Up Country 356 III. The Cotton Belt 357 IV. The Sea-Coast . . , . 364 V. South Georgia » 369 ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS. Page. James Oglethorpe. {Portrait and Autograph) . . Frontispiece. The Duke of Marlborough . 3 Prince Eugene of Savoy 4 The Houses of Parhament 5 A Philanthropist \^isiting the Debtors' Prison 7 King George II 9 The River at Savannah as It Appears To-day .... 15 llie Colony of Georgia 25 Tomo-chi-chi and Toonahowi 37 John Wesley Teaching the Indians 40 Map Showing Settlements 43 Mouth of the St. John's River as It Appears To-day ... 45 George Whittield Preaching 50 Tomo-chi-chi's Grave 53 Queen -Caroline 08 Jerusalem Church at Ebenezer 70 A Highland Officer 75 Wesley Oak at Frederica , 84 Ruins of the Old Fort at Frederica 85 The Old Spanish Gate at St. Augustine . 94 St. Mark's Castle, St. Augustine ......... 97 Map of St. Simon's Island 100 xiv Jllustratiotis and Maps. Page. Oglethorpe at the Age of Ninety-two 115 English Stamps for America 119 King George III 122 Colonists Burning the Stamp Seller in Effigy 12;] William Pilt 129 George Walton 133 Button Gwinnett 134 Lyman Hall 131 Lachlan Mcintosh 135 Noble Jones 136 Joseph Habersham 130 General Robert Howe . . 137 Residence of George Walton at Augusta 148 Colonel Andrew Pickens 158 "Light Horse Harry" Lee 161 James Jackson 165 General Benjamin Lincoln 167 Lee's Cavalry Skirmishing 169 General Anthony Wayne 171 Count d'Estaing 173 Count Pulaski 175 Monument to Pulaski 184 Sergeant Jasper at Fort Moultrie 186 Monument to Sergeant Jasper 190 Indians Plundering Cattle on a Frontier Plantation . . . 213 George Washington 218 Stone or Rock Mountain 220 William Augustus Bowles 226 General Nathaniel Greene 238 Illustrations and Maps. xv Page. William Mcintosh 254 Governor George M. Troup 25o President Monroe „ . . 257 Chiefs of the Creek Nation and a Georgia Squatter ... 261 President John Quincy Adams , . . 266 General Edmund P. Gaines 269 State House at Milledgeville 278 Major Ridge . 289 John Ridge ........■>. 289 Governor George M. Gilmer 296 William Wirt » ^^^ John Marshall ^^^ President Jackson ... ...o ....•• 307 Governor Wilson Lumpkin „ .... 308 President Van Buren ^1^ General Winfield Scott 317 The Walton-Hall-Gwinnett Monument at Augusta ... 323 Map Showing Expansion of Georgia ........ 325 A Block-House 328 Family of a Pioneer in the Interior of Georgia .... 329 Emigrants and Plantation Wagon . 330 Oglethorpe University 336 The University of Georgia 337 Picking Cotton on a Georgia Plantation ....... 339 Scene on a Cotton Plantation ..•...."•-• 343 Columbus, as It Appeared When First Settled ..... 348 Cabin of a Mountain Settler 354 A Mountaineer ........ ^ ^ - ••• 355 Mountaineer Mother and Daughter ......•• 355 xvi Illiisfrations and Maps. Page. City Hall at Augusta 358 Medical College, Augusta . . . . , 358 A Black Mammy and Her Charge 361 Type of Middle Georgia Slave : Family Cook 362 Type of Middle Georgia Slave: Mulatto House-Maid . . 363 A Mountaineer and His Wood Cart 364 A Piny Woodsman and His Splinter Cart 364 PART I. COLONIAL PERIOD CHAPTER L JAMES OGLETHORPE. I. Oglethorpe's early career. James Oglethorpe was born at Westminster, Eng- land, on June 1st, 1689. While he was yet a babe in the cradle it might have been expected that he would become a great man, for he came of a family of great people. Six hundred years before he was born, one of his ancestors, Sheriff Oglethorpe, was a high officer in the English army and was killed in the famous Battle of Hastings while bravely fighting for his country against the invader, William the Conqueror. This brave soldier had many distinguished descendants, the greatest of whom was James Oglethorpe. James's father. Sir Theophilus Oglethorpe, also was a noted officer in the English army. He fought with great valor in many battles and rose to the high rank of Major-General. When he was forty years old, he retired from the army and settled down in an elegant home in the little country town of Godalming, about 1 2 Georgia History Stories. thirty miles from London. He lived in great affluence with his family, and his children had the best educa- tional advantages that could be obtained in Europe in that day. James's mother was a Scotch-Irish lady of fine family and of good education. She was counted one of the cleverest and shrewdest English women of her day. She was one of the Ladies of the Court to "Good Queen Anne" and was a leader in society and a power in politics. She was a woman of strong will and no doubt had great influence in forming the char- acter of her distinguished son. James grew to be a tall, lithe, handsome youth, quiet mannered, good natured, and high spirited. Here is a story that illustrates both his good nature and his high spirits : When a youth of seventeen, while on a visit to Paris, he was invited to dine in company with a number of distinguished niilitary men. He sat at the table by the side of the Prince of Wurtemberg, an officer of high rank and a noted society man. The prince, thinking to have some fun at young Ogle- thorpe's expense, by a dexterous twirl of his glass flipped some drops of wine into his face. The prank was noticed by the company, and a smile went round the table. Young Oglethorpe did not relish being made a butt of ridicule, even by so great a man as the Prince of Wur- James Oglethorpe. temberg, but he kept his temper. With a smile on his lips he said, in polite French, "Well done, prince; but we do it even better than that in England," whereupon he dashed a whole glass of wine full into the prince's face. The prince flushed with rage and it looked as if the affair would end in a serious difficulty, but an old officer on the other side of the table quickly exclaimed, "Come now, prince, don't get angry ; it was rightly done by the youngster; yon started it!" Then the prince joined the others in a hearty laugh and the in- cident passed of¥ pleas- antly. Oglethorpe was ed- ucated at a military school, and before he was twenty he joined the English army. He served with the rank of ensign under the great Duke of Marlborough in The Duke of Marlborough, the Flanders War. After the war was over, he with- drew from the army and attended college for a year or two, but he was a born soldier and did not like the "weak, piping times of peace." As England had no Georgia History Stories. wars to fight at that time, he went over to the Conti- nent and joined the Austrian army, which was then engaged in a war with the Turks. The leader of the Austrian army was Prince Eugene of Savoy, the most brilhant soldier of his day. He was a small man but a great general, "a bright little soul with a flash in him as of heaven's own lightning," as Carlyle, the famous English writer, said of him. Prince Eugene took a very decided liking to }oung Oglethorpe and Prince Eugene of Savoy. made him his aide-de- camp, with the rank of Captain. By the side of this "bright little soul with a flash in him as of heaven's own light- ning," Oglethorpe thoroughly learned the soldier's trade and fought with dashing valor in many desperate bat- tles. These were his romantic days, and he always loved to talk about them. When he was an old, old man, nearly a hundred years old, he would charm brilliant company with his vivid descriptions of the battles in which he had fought by the side of Prince Eugene. James Oglethorpe. 5 When the Turkish war was over, he returned to England and settled down to ways of peace. His father and elder brothers died, and he inherited the family estates. He was now a very rich man, but he lived a simple and sober life. He was elected to Parliament and served as a member for many years. While he was in Parliament, an event occurred that The Houses of Parliament, turned his attention toward America and caused him to become the founder of Georgia. This is how it happened : There was a cruel law in England at that time by which a person in debt might be thrown into prison by his creditors and kept there until his debts were somehow paid. Many poor, unfortunate people, inno- 6 Georgia History Stories. cent of any crime, languished in these debtors' pris'ons. Oglethorpe had a dear friend, a Mr. Robert Castell, who was a scholar and an artist. He wrote a fine book on architecture, which he illustrated with splen- did pictures drawn by. his own hand. He was so much taken up with writing the book that he neglected his business affairs, and when the book was published instead of making money for him it brought him heavily in debt, and he was condemned to be cast into the debtors' prison. In the prison to which he was assigned, smallpox was at that time raging, and he had never had the disease. He begged the prison keeper, a heartless wretch by the name of Bambridge, to let him lie in the common jail until the prison should be freed of the smallpox or until his friends could arrange to pay his debts for him, which he was sure would be done in the course of a few months. Bambridge agreed to do so if Castell would pay him down in cash a certain sum of money as a bribe, but poor Castell bad not the money, so he was thrown into the small- pox-infested prison, where he soon contracted the disease ; and after a few days' suffering he died an awful death, leaving his wife and little children poverty stricken and helpless. When Oglethorpe heard of this outrage his blood James Oglethorpe. 7 boiled with indignation. He at once introduced a bill in Parliament to have a committee appointed to ex- amine the prisons of England and bring about a re- form in their management. The bill was passed, Ogle- thorpe was made Chairman of the Committee, and, with the other members, he spent several months visit- A Philanthropist Visiting the Debtors' Prison. ing the prisons. He found in them many practices of shocking cruelty, all of which were immediately abolished. II. Oglethorpe's Georgia colony enterprise. If Oglethorpe had done nothing more than bring about this reform, he would deserve the lasting grati- 8 Georgia History Stories. tilde of humanity, but he did not stop at this. While visiting the prisons his sympathies were deeply aroused for the poor debtors whom he found languishing be- hind iron bars, though innocent of any crime. He determined to try to do something to help them out of their sad condition. By his earnest appeals he got Parliament to pass a law by which they might be set free, provided they would agree to go to America and establish there for England a new colony on a broad strip of unsettled country already claimed by her, south of the Savannah River. It lay next to Florida, which then belonged to Spain and had been colonized by her. The Spaniards were at that time one of the most pow^erful and warlike nations in the world, and in their hearts they were very hostile to the English, although not openly at war with them. The Spanish soldiers were bold, skillful, and heartless ; so much so that some one said of them, *'A Spanish soldier is a machine of steel with the devil inside of it!" Fortunately for Oglethorpe's enterprise, King George II of England was anxious to plant colonies in his unoc- cupied possessions south of the Savannah River as a pro- tection for South Carolina against the bold and unscrupu- lous Spaniards of Florida. So he gladly granted to Ogle- thorpe "for the use of debtors and other poor persons" James Oglethorpe. 9 all the country between the Savannah and the Altamaha Rivers, and as far westward as they might choose to go. This strip of country was named Georgia in honor of King George. A Board of Trustees, consisting of thirty-six members, among whom were some of the King George II. most distinguished men in England, was appointed by the King to have entire charge of planting, establishing, and governing the new colony. They were to serve without pay or compensation of any sort. It must be purely a labor of love with them. The good and great 10 Georgia History Stories. Lord Perceval was president of the Board, and Ogle- thorpe was one of the members. The Trustees set about raising money to pay the cost of establishing the colony, for the poor people who were to go were not able to pay any part of their own expenses. Parliament made quite a liberal appropriation for the purpose, and a larger amount still was raised by public subscription from benevolent people in all parts of England. Al- together, the Trustees soon had in hand $150,000, which was sufficient to establish a small colony. At one of the meetings of the Trustees it was sug- gested that some member of the Board, a man of edu- cation and ability, should go over to America with the first colonists as their Governor and live in Georgia with them until they were well and thoroughly estab- lished. Oglethorpe nobly volunteered to go, and the Trustees were delighted. In undertaking this trying service, Oglethorpe would have to give up his luxurious home, the pleasures of refined society, and the splendid public career that was fast opening to him in England and would have to endure untold hardships, privations, and dangers ; and from it all he had nothing, in a worldly sense, to gain for himself. The Trustees had chosen as the official seal of the Board a group of silk worms spinning their cocoons and, written underneath, James Oglethorpe. 11 the noble motto, "Non sibi sed aliis!"* ''Not for them- selves but for others !" As those of you who have studied Latin know, the word sibi may also be correctly translated himself. The motto truly expressed the spirit of Oglethorpe in volunteering to go on this trying ex- pedition, "Noji sibi sed aliis!" "Not for himself but for others !" He was at this time forty-three years old and was yet unmarried. So far as we know, he had never had a sweetheart. Perhaps he was so busy that he had never had time to fall in love ! When it was known that the great and good Ogle- thorpe himself would accompany the expedition, hun- dreds and hundreds of poor people, debtors and others, were anxious to go, but only a few could be taken. Out of the hundreds of applicants, the Trustees carefully selected forty strong, healthy men of good morals and with small families. All together, men, women, and children, the party consisted of one hundred and twenty souls. Many poor wretches who begged to go had to be turned away with tears in their eyes and bitter dis- appointment in their hearts. The good ship Anne, a sailing vessel of two hundred * The original of this famous seal is in the British Museum, London. A few years ago a wax impression of it was obtained from the curator of the Museum by the Oglethorpe Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, at Columbus. It is the only copy extant in America. 12 Georgia History Stories. tons burden, was chartered to take the emigrants across the ocean to America. In her hold, as she lay moored to the wharf at Gravesend, were stored provisions and all kinds of tools and implements for the journey and for getting the colony well established in Georgia. Everything was then ready for the voyage. CHAPTER II. FOUNDING OF SAVANNAH. I. SEEKING A LOCATION. At high noon on the 16th of November, in the year 1732, the good ship Anne spread her white sails and, Hke some great canvas-winged bird of the sea, flew from the shores of England westward over the Atlantic, bearing in her kindly bosom James Oglethorpe and his one hundred and twenty emigrants. She did not sail straight for Georgia, but for Charleston, South Caro- lina, where Oglethorpe wished to get the advice and help of the Governor of that province in settling his colony. She reached Charleston on the 13th of Janu ary, 1733, and cast anchor just outside the harbor bar. Oglethorpe, leaving his people on board, was rowed to shore in an open boat, and was received with great honor by Governor Johnson and the Legislature of South Carolina, which was then in session. The Governor had been notified several weeks be- fore that Oglethorpe was coming and he was prepared to extend to him a hearty welcome. The people of South Carolina were very glad that an English colony was to be planted in Georgia, for well they knew that 13 14 Georgia History Stories. it would be a protection for them against the fierce Spaniards of Florida. Governor Johnson offered to do anything in his power to help Oglethorpe. He ap- pointed Colonel Bull, one of the most prominent men in South Carolina, to act as Oglethorpe's guid-e and assistant in settling his colony in Georgia and offered to take care of the emigrants until a suitable location could be found for them. The good ship Anne was taken down to Port Royal Bay where it was safely moored in the harbor. At the head of the bay was the little town of Beaufort, where there was a fort garrisoned by a hundred South Caro- lina soldiers. A new barracks building had just been erected for the soldiers, but they had not yet moved into it. Governor Johnson turned this building over to the use of the emigrants, and here they were comfortably housed until Oglethorpe could locate a permanent home for them. Having seen his people thus comfortably provided for, Oglethorpe started out in search of some favor- able spot on Georgia soil on which to plant his little colony. From study of the maps, he had already de- cided to locate the settlement somewhere on the banks of the Savannah River, that broad and beautiful stream which, coming down from the northwest, flows for one Founding of Savannah. 15 hundred and fifty miles as a boundary line between South Carolina and Georgia, and then, as it nears the sea, turns to the left in a graceful scythe-like curve and pours its wealth of waters into the great Atlantic Ocean. On the 16th of January, Oglethorpe, accompanied Copyright, 1901, by the Detroit Photographic Cumpaity. The River at Savannah, as It Appears To-day. by Colonel Bull, left Port Royal in a little vessel lent to him by Governor Johnson and manned by four sailors. He sailed down the South Carolina coast and entered the Savannah River where Tybee Island juts out as a headland into the ocean. As he ascended the river, he passed many low-lying barren islands and flat 16 Georgia History Stories. salt marshes covered with rank sea-grass. It was an ugly country, and perhaps Oglethorpe's brave heart sank within him as he surveyed the dreary prospect. But, about eighteen miles up the river, the lowlands on the south bank suddenly rose into a bold, forest-covered blufif forty-five feet high. Here the little vessel was stopped, and Oglethorpe and Colonel Bull climbed up the blufif. On top they beheld an extensive level plain covered, as far as the eye could see, with a great woods of majestic pines interspersed with broad,- spreading live-oaks. For several moments Oglethorpe stood en- raptured and then exclaimed, "Surely a merciful God has designed this glorious spot as a restful home for my poor, persecuted people !" Colonel Bull, who had visited this region before, told Oglethorpe that at the other end of the bluf¥, about three miles from where they stood, there was a small, isolated Indian tribe called the Yainacraivs, and that they were the only Indians within forty miles. Ogle- thorpe knew that it was important that he should gain the good-will of these savages before making his settle- ment ; so, accompanied by Colonel Bull, he went in search of the Indians. He found their little town of thirty wigwams scattered about under the trees, in a beautiful spot on the edge of the blufif, in full view of Founding of Savannah. 17 the river. The chief, or mico, of the tribe was a wonderful old savage named Tomo-chi-chi.'^ He was ninety years old, but was still strong and robust in body and mind. He was over six feet tall and stood straight as the great pine tree under which his wigwam was pitched. His immediate family consisted of his wife Seenawki and his nephew Toonahowi, a boy thir- teen years old whom he had adopted as his son. He had no living children of his own. On reaching the village Oglethorpe called for Tomo-chi-chi, and the old savage stepped forth like a king. He was not surprised to see the white men. He had often seen white people before, for he had once gone to Charleston, where he spent several days while making a treaty with the Governor and the Legislature ; moreover, English and Spanish traders had frequently visited his village. Indeed, at this very time there stood out in the woods, a few hundred yards from his wigwam, a log hut occupied as an English "trading post" by a white man, named John Musgrove. Musgrove's wife, Mary Musgrove, was a half-breed Indian woman who had been reared and educated among the whites in South Carolina and could speak both the Indian and the English language fluently. On the occasion of * Pronounced Tomo-chi-chi. 18 Georgia History Stories. Tomo-chi-chi's visit to Charleston, she had acted as his interpreter ; and he sent for her now. In a httle while she came, and the interview began. Oglethorpe told Tomo-chi-chi that he wished to settle with his colony in the woods near by, but that they would not interfere in any way with the Yama- craws ; that they would do no harm but only good to the Indians, would give them blankets, hatchets, guns, and other things, and would help them in many ways. He hoped they might always be good friends and live as peaceful neighbors. Oglethorpe's noble countenance, kind manner, and fine promises completely won old Tomo-chi-chi's heart, and he said : ''There is plenty of room here for both red men and white men. Bring your people on to our woods. As soon as they get settled, we will call to welcome them." Tomo-chi-chi was a wise statesman. He knew that the whites might be of great benefit to the Indians, and that to make enemies of them would bring certain ruin to the Indians. Such was the first meeting between these two remark- able men who afterwards became such fast friends, and who worked together so harmoniously for the founding of Georgia. Though one was a cultured gentleman and the other a benighted savage, in character they were strikingly alike. Founding of Savannah. 19 Oglethorpe and Colonel Bnll spent several days in surveying the surrounding country. Accompanied by two or three Yamacraw Indian guides, they would tramp all day long through the deep, dark, beautiful woods, returning at night to sleep in their little boat at the foot of the bluff. The more Oglethorpe saw of the country, the better he liked it. The high bluff ex- tended more than a mile along the river bank and stretched back from the stream five miles in a level plain. Standing on the edge of the bluff, he could see the broad sweep of the Savannah River for miles above and below, as it flowed onward toward the sea. The water under the bluff was so deep that big ships could come right up to the bank. II. PLANTING THE COLONY. On the 5th of February, Oglethorpe, having finished his survey, got aboard his little vessel and sailed back to Port Royal. He found that during his ten days' absence his colonists had been most kindly treated by the soldiers and the people of Beaufort. Many of the folk from the surrounding country, too, had called to see them and had brought them presents of fat pigs, fowls, eggs, butter, and home-made bread. They were in good health and fine spirits; and no wonder, for they had been treated like heroes and had lived on the ''fat 20 Georgia Hist07'y Stories. of the land." On the night after his return, Oglethorpe got them together and described to them the beautiful spot in Georgia that he had selected for their home and told them about the Yamacraw Indians. He instructed them to be ready, bag and baggage, to start for So- vannah (as he had already named the place) early on the next Monday morning. On the Sunday morning before leaving South Caro- lina, the colonists held a special thanksgiving service. After the service, Oglethorpe gave, at his own ex- pense, a grand dining, to which, in the name of the colonists, he invited the soldiers and all the good South Carolina people that had been so kind to them. More than three hundred people partook of the feast, at which was served, as we are told by one who was present, four fat hogs, two fine English beeves, eight turkeys, one hundred chickens and ducks, a hogshead of rum punch, a hogshead of beer, and a barrel of wine. Notwithstanding the large quantity of liquor consumed, not a man got drunk and perfect order was preserved. This was the first Georgia barbecue ; for, though spread in South Carolina, it was given by the first Georgian and was served in that abundant and generous way that has since made Georgia barbecues the most famous of feasts. Founding of Savannah. 21 The morning following, the colonists boarded four little vessels and sailed away for Georgia. On the afternoon of February 12th, 1733, they landed at the high bluff on the Savannah River. By sunset, they had spread under the tall pine trees four big, white tents ; and in these the whole colony, one hundred and twenty souls — men, women, and children — were stored away "as snug as a bug in a rug." Thus they spent their first night on Georgia soil. Oglethorpe occupied by himself a little tent pitched under a group of three tall pine trees. Early the next morning, the colonists were assembled in front of Oglethorpe's tent for prayers, which were conducted by the Chaplain, Rev. Henry Herbert. After prayers Oglethorpe gave them a kind, fatherly talk and some good advice ; and then they went about their work, the men unloading the boats and the women putting their household goods in order. About eleven o'clock, while they were busy about their tasks, they were startled by hearing in the distance strange shouting of voices and the beating of some in- strument like a drum. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw far away through the level pine forest a band of Indians approaching them. The people were much frightened and began gathering around Ogle- thorpe's tent, the men with guns in their hands; but he 22 Georgia History Stories. soon calmed their fears, for he knew that it was only old Tomo-chi-chi and his followers coming to fulfill his promise, ''As soon as your people get settled, we will come to welcome them." In front of the band of visitors marched the Yama- craw priest, or "medicine man" as the Indians call him. He was dressed in gaudy and grotesque style ; his face and the upper part of his -body were painted red, blue, yellow, and black; on the top of his head were the antlers of a young stag, and over his shoulders was thrown the skin of a fawn. In each hand h« carried an outspread fan of eagle's feathers attached to a long handle which was strung from top to bottom with little jingling bells. As he approached, he cut all sorts of queer but graceful antics, now crouching low down to the ground, then straightening up to his full height, and every now and then leaping high into the air, all the time jingling his bells and keeping up a mighty jabber in" the Indian language, while those marching behind him uttered a strange grunting sound, "Ugh, ugh !" As the procession drew near, Oglethorpe stepped a few paces in front of his tent to meet them. Suddenly they all stopped still except the ''medicine man," who advanced, walked slowly, with a stately stride, around Found ing of Savannah. 23 Oglethorpe, and, stroking him from head to foot with the outspread fans, said, or rather chanted, over and over again in the Indian language, "j\Iay there be eternal peace between your people and our people!" After this ceremony was over, old Tomo-chi-chi, taking a buffalo robe from one of his attendants, stepped for- ward and Said to Oglethorpe : ''We have come to welcome you as I promised. I have brought you a present. This is the skin of a buffalo, which is the strongest of all beasts ; in the in- side you see painted the head and feathers of an eagle, which is the swiftest and farthest flying of all birds. So the English are the strongest of all people, and nothing can withstand them ; and they have a swift and far flight like the eagle, seeing that they have flown hither from the uttermost parts of the earth, over the vast seas. The eagle's feathers are soft and signify love; the buffalo's robe is warm and signifies protec- tion ; therefore love and protect our little families." As he made the speech, ?^Iary Musgrove stood by his side and interpreted what he said, sentence by sentence. Oglethorpe was deq^ly touched. He made a kind, noble speech in reply, while the colonists — men, women, and children — stood behind him looking on in wonder at this strange, impressive scene. 24 Georgia History Stories. Oglethorpe invited his visitors to stay to dinner, and they readily accepted. The women of the colony be- stirred themselves mightily to get up a ''company din- ner" for their distinguished and unexpected guests, and they managed to prepare a fine repast. By two o'clock it was ready. In the meantime, the men had no diffi- culty in entertaining the Indians by showing them the many wonderful things they had brought from Eng- land. After dinner, as the guests were leaving, Ogle- thorpe made each of them a present : a scarlet shawl with a heavy fringe to Tomo-chi-chi ; a blanket and a hatchet to each of the other men ; and to each of the three women of the party, a string of beads and a looking- glass. Then he bade them good-by and asked them to call again. Such was the first "state dining" ever given in Georgia. For more than a year Oglethorpe continued to live in his little tent under the three great pine trees over- looking the river, while he directed the work of the colonists, all of whose hardships and privations he shared. He laid off in the great forest the plan of the town that was to be builded there. That plan is per- fectly preserved in the city of Savannah of to-day, though, of course, the original streets have been lengthened, and many new streets and squares have Founding of Savannah. 25 been added. Oglethorpe's six streets — Bull, Bryan, Drayton, Abercorn, St. Julian, and Whitaker — are still the principal thoroughfares of the city. Bull street, he named for that Colonel Bull who so greatly helped him in planting his colony; and the others he named for benevolent persons in England and South Carolina who From an old print. The Colony of Georgia. had helped the colony by contributions in money and in other ways. In the mighty work of clearing the forests, build- ing homes, erecting forts, and cultivating gardens, the colonists were greatly aided during the first year by the generous South Carolinians, who furnished many laborers and 'mechanics free of charge. The Legisla- ture of South Carolina also gave to them a herd of one 26 Georgia History Stories, hundred and five cows and a drove of eighty hogs, and private citizens of the same colony presented them with flocks of sheep and a number of horses. From time to time new emigrants, sent over by the Trustees, arrived ; so that by the end of the first year the colony numbered about six hundred people, all under the fatherly care of James Oglethorpe. Such is the story of the founding of the beautiful city of Savannah and the beginning of the great State of Georgia. CHAPTER III. TOMO-CHI-CHI. I. TOMO-CHI-CHI'S TREATY WITH OGLETHORPE. Tomo-chi-chi, mice, or chief, of the Yamacraws, al- though a savage, was a truly great man. When Ogle- thorpe first met him he was ninety years old.* For one so aged, he was wonderfully vigorous in body and mind. His figure was still erect, his step light and spry, his faculties bright, and his eye undimmed. He was over six feet tall and had a noble and command- ing countenance. Anywhere in the world people look- ing on him would have felt, "He is a great man!" Georgia at this time was inhabited mainly by a na- tion of Indians known as the Creeks. They were divided into the Upper Creeks and the Lower Creeks. The Upper Creeks lived chiefly in what is now Ala- bama, and the Lower Creeks in what is now middle and lower Georgia. The Lower Creeks were divided into nine different tribes, and the smallest and weakest of these tribes were the Yamacraws of which old Tomo-chi-chi was chief or mico. *This was Tomo-chi-chi's reputed age, but it is not entirely authentic. It seems hardly credible that one so aged could have possessed such wondertul physical and mental vigor. At any rate he was a very old man. 27 28 Georgia History Stories. Tomo-chi-chi had spent most of his Hfe in middle Georgia, where he was a member of one of the most powerful tribes of the Creek Nation, and he was re- garded as one of their greatest men and most valiant warriors ; but in his old age, for some reason that we do not know, he withdrew from his people and wandered through the wilderness far to the east, where at length he settled on a high bluff on the banks of the Savannah River. Here he was joined by a number of devoted followers whom he organized into a tribe called the Yamacraws, and here Oglethorpe found them when he came to Georgia in 1733. You have learned how Tomo-chi-chi and the Yama- craws allowed Oglethorpe and his colony to settle peace- fully in the woods near them and how they became their strong friends. But Tomo-chi-chi had no right to give this land to Oglethorpe, for it belonged not only to the Yamacraws but to the whole Lower Creek Nation. Oglethorpe suspected this, and Tomo-chi-chi knew it well. He was an honest and frank man, so one day he went to Oglethorpe and said : 'The Yamacraws will never molest you, but other tribes of the Creeks may do so. They may come at any time and kill you all or drive you away. They are stronger than we are, and we cannot defend you from them. You had better make Tomo-chi-chi. 29 friends with them. I will send messengers to all of the tribes to tell their chiefs and big warriors to meet here on a certain day to hold a great council. You can have a big talk with them and make a treaty with them. I will do my best to make them your friends just as I am your friend." Oglethorpe was glad to do this, for he knew that his little colony was in constant danger of attack from hostile tribes of the Lower Creeks, and he had felt very uneasy about it. So Tomo-chi-chi sent messengers, or "runners" as he called them, to all of the tribes of the Lower Creeks to ask their chiefs to meet at Savannah on a certain day to have a "big talk" with the English, and he was careful at the same time to send them word that the English were good people and would be a great help to the Indians. The Lower Creeks consisted of nine tribes, which were widely scattered over middle and southern Georgia at great distances apart. They were the Cowetas, Cussetas, Osweechees, Chehaws, Echetas, Pallachucolas, Oconas, Eufaulas, and Yamacraws. The chiefs of all these tribes, attended by a number of war- riors, responded to the call of Tomo-chi-chi and came to the "big talk" at Savannah. A few of them came down the rivers and up the rivers in their canoes; but most of them came on foot, for the Indians of that time had 30 Georgia History Stories. no other means of traveling through the country. Many of them walked hundreds of miles and none of them less than fifty miles to attend the meeting. The council was held on the 21st of May, 1733. In all, chiefs and warriors, there were fifty-six Indians present. Not one of them, we are told, was under six feet tall, and they stood as straight and stately as the great pine trees under which they had been born and bred. They were dressed in full Indian costume. Their long, jet-black hair was adorned with eagle's feathers standing high over their foreheads and falling in a fes- toon down their backs. Their faces and the naked upper part of their "bodies were painted red, blue, and yellow. They had rings in their ears and, around their necks, beads made of shells or of the teeth of wild animals. From the waist down, they wore a skirt of buckskin ornamented with paintings and falling just below the knees with a heavy fringe ; their legs were encased in buckskin stockings, and they were shod in buckskin sandals called "moccasins." Savages though they were, these "lords of the forest" made a splendid looking assembly. The meeting was held in the largest house then in Savannah. The Indians, according to their custom, sat flat on the floor, arranged in semi-circles. In the front Tomo-chi-chi. 31 row sat the nine chiefs, and back of them the warriors. Oglethorpe, clad in the full dress of an English gentle- man, stood facing them; and with him were the prin- cipal men of the colony and two white interpreters, John Musgrove and Mr. Wiggan. Oglethorpe was glad to see that the Indians had a pleasant expression on their faces, or at least as pleasant as Indians can have. Tomo-chi-chi had given them a good talk and had done his best to gain their favor for the English. He had a powerful influence over them, for they es- teemed him as one of the best and wisest men of the Creek Nation. Oglethorpe rapped on the table in front of him and declared the council to be opened. He asked to hear from the Indians. The first speaker was Weekachumpa, chief of the Oconas. He was a very tall old man with white hair and a wrinkled face, but he stood straight as an arrow while in a pleasant voice and with graceful gestures he made his speech. It was a long speech but honest and straightforward. The substance of it all was this : ''We are glad you have come to our country. The Great Spirit who dwells in heaven and all around, and who has given breath to all men, has sent you here to help us; for we need help. The Lower Creeks own all 32 Georgia History Stories. the country from the Savannah River down to the line of Florida where the Spaniards live. You may settle in our country anywhere you please, for here we have many times more land than we can use. But you must not disturb us in our homes and our hunting grounds. You must protect us from our powerful enemies and from your own bad men, if you have any such. You must not trade with any red men but us. You must not let your traders cheat us. You must teach us wise things and instruct our children. You must do all you can to help us in every way. You must let us keep St. Catharine's, Ossabaw, and Sapelo islands forever as our own for hunting grounds and bathing places." All the other chiefs, one after another, made short speeches in which they agreed to what Weekachumpa had said. Tomo-chi-chi was the last speaker ; and no doubt he made the best speech of all, for he was a born orator. Oglethorpe replied to them in a talk full of kindness, wisdom, and good promises that he meant to keep and that he always did keep. He won their hearts completely. They trusted him perfectly, as well they might. The treaty was drawn up in writing and properly signed, and for many years it was faithfully kept by both sides. In no other part of America, in those early days, did the white man and the red man Tomo-chi-chi. 33 live together so peacefully and pleasantly as in the colony of Georgia. The credit and the thanks for this happy state of affairs were due mainly to Tomo-chi-chi, for it was his powerful influence that brought the two races so happily together. A word from him might have turned the Creek Nation against the whites and caused the destruction of Oglethorpe's little colony with much bloodshed and suffering afterward. But Tomo-chi-chi was a wise and good old man ; he raised his voice for peace and not for war. This was much the better, not only for the whites but for the Indians, too. II. TOMO-CHI-CHl's VISIT TO ENGLAND. About a year after the treaty, Oglethorpe decided to go to England on a visit; and he was anxious to take Tomo-chi-chi and a number of other Indians with him. Tomo-chi-chi gladly accepted the invitation for himself, his wife, Seenawki, and his nephew, Toona- liowi. Every Indian in the tribe was eager to go, but Oglethorpe could take only a few ; so he carefully selected six big warriors and several attendants. These with two white interpreters made up the party. On the 7th of April, 1734, they set sail for Eng- land. Never before had these "lords of the woods" been out on the vast ocean. How wonderful it must have seemed to them ! The weather was delightful, and 34 Georgia History Stories. they had a smooth and prosperous voyage. We can fancy that old Neptune, the god of the sea, pleased at the sight of these strange, new visitors to his watery realm, greeted them with smiles that beamed over the ocean and made it calm and serene. They reached England early in June. Oglethorpe took them first to his own beautiful country home where he entertained them as his guests for several days. Then they were conveyed to London where comfortable quarters had been provided for them in the Georgia Building. The news of their arrival soon spread throughout the great city, and hundreds of people flocked to see them, treat- ing them with the utmost respect and bringing them many presents. The king, George II, sent them an invitation to visit him on a certain day at Kensington Palace, and they accepted with great delight. They knew that this visit would be an important event in their lives, and they were greatly excited over it. When the appointed day arrived, they spent several hours dressing for the occasion. They wished to go, as they always did on state occasions at home, with the upper part of their bodies naked, but Oglethorpe would not permit this. He induced them to wear shawls over their shoulders, pinned at the throat ; and as the shawls were dyed Tomo-chi-chi. 35 a brilliant blue, they were quite reconciled. In other respects they were clad in full Indian costume; paint, beads, feathers, and all. Old Tomo-chi-chi wore a scar- let mantle of rich velvet trimmed with gold lace; and his wife, Seenawki, wore a crimson dress of the finest silk, made as nearly in the Indian style as was ad- missible in polite English society. The king sent three magnificent royal coaches, each drawn by six horses, to convey them to the palace. People by thousands thronged the streets and windows to see them pass. At the palace gates, they were wel- comed by the king's bodyguard standing at "present arms." At the palace door, they were received by the Lord High Chamberlain and ushered into the presence of the king, who was seated on his throne with the queen— good Queen Caroline — seated by his side. Tomo-chi-chi had prepared a set speech for the oc- casion and had practiced it over and over again to his interpreter, so he made it to the king smoothly and without a blunder. He held in his hand a bunch of eagle's feathers as a present to the king, and at the close of his speech he said: "These are the feathers of the eagle, which is the swiftest of birds, and which flieth all around our nation. These feathers signify peace in our land and have been carried from town to town 36 Georgia History Stories. there, and we have brought them over to leave them with you, O great king, as a sign of everlasting peace between your people and our people!" He made also this pretty little speech to the queen : **I am glad to see this day, and I am glad to see you who are the good mother of this great people. As our people are now joined to your people, we hope you will also be the mother of us and of our children." Eoth king and queen made gracious replies and gave a rich present to each of the visitors. Tomo-chi-chi and his party spent four months in England. During the whole time everything possible was done for their comfort and enjoyment. They were shown the great sights of London and of other parts of the kingdom. Wherever they went, crowds of people flocked to see them and to shake hands with them. Even the nobility gave them elegant entertainments, which were attended by the finest ladies and gentlemen in the land. Tomo-chi-chi met nearly all of the leading men of the country and conversed with them through his interpreter. His dignified manner, good sense, shrewd observations, and high-toned character filled them with surprise and admiration. They had no idea that an American savage could be so noble a man. He had several long talks with the Trustees of the Georgia Tomo-chi-chi. 37 From the original London portrait. Tomo-chi-chi and Toonahowi. 38 Georgia History Stories. Colony, in which he showed his good business sense by getting them to pass a number of important measures for the benefit of the Creek Indians in Georgia. While he was in London, the Trustees had a fine portrait made of him with Toonahowi standing by his side holding an American eagle in his arms. It was done by a famous portrait painter and was considered a splendid likeness. It hung for many years in the Georgia Building, and a great many copies have been made of it. It shows a stately figure and a noble countenance, worthy of a king. At times Tomo-chi-chi seemed very sad when he saw the contrast between the power, intelligence, and wealth of the English and the weakness, ignorance, and poverty of his own race. He was wise enough to know that the red men would be perfectly helpless against the whites and that it would never do to arouse their enmity. He once said : "The Great Spirit has given to the English mighty wisdom and power and great wealth, and they want nothing but more land ; to the Indians He has given vast quantities of land, more than they can use, but they want everything else ; so Indians must give lands to the English, and the English will give Indians things that they want." In October, Tomo-chi-chi and his party left England to return to Georgia. Thev carried back four thousand Tonio-chi-chi. 39 dollars' worth of useful and beautiful presents that their English friends had given them. Among these presents was a fine gold watch that the king's young son, Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, had given to Toonahowi, saying to him : "Whenever you look at this watch to see the time of day, remember me and call on the name of Jesus, the blessed Saviour of us all !" On reaching Georgia, Tomo-chi-chi gave his people a full account of what he had seen and experienced on his wonderful journey, and he distributed among them nearly all of the rich gifts he had received in England, for he was a generous hearted, unselfish man. Oglethorpe did not return to Georgia with the In- dians, but remained in England nearly two years longer, all the time busy getting money, supplies, and new emi- grants to go over to the colony in Georgia. III. TOMO-CHI-CHl's RELIGIOUS VIEWS. When Oglethorpe returned to Georgia in February, 1736, he brought over on the ship with him, as a mis- sionary to the Indians, a young English clergyman named John Wesley, who afterward became a very famous man. Tomo-chi-chi met the party at the ship and was overjoyed to welcome his good friend Ogle- thorpe back to Georgia again. ''While you were gone, I did moult like the eagle," he said. When Oglethorpe 40 Georgia History Stories. introduced John Wesley to him and explained the pur- pose of his coming' to America, the old savage welcomed the young preacher in these remarkable words : "I am glad you have come to speak the great word to us. I will do my best to get our people to listen to you well. But we don't want to be made Christians as the John Wesley Teaching the Indians. Spaniards make them. They put water on Indian's head and say, 'You are Christian,' but we want you first to explain the great word to us so that we can understand it ; then we will be baptized and be real Christians." As soon as Wesley was settled in his quarters, kind-hearted Seenawki brought him as a pres- Tomo-chi-chi. 41 ent a jar of honey and a jar of milk, saying: *'The honey signifies our feehngs and disposition toward you; the milk signifies the needs of our children; so please come and teach them." But John Wesley, though a great and good man, was an utter failure as a missionary to the savages. He lacked the power of winning their hearts and of teaching the "great word" in the simple way they needed. He didn't even try to learn the Indian language, but preached to them en- tirely throuo^h an interpreter and explained the Chris- tian religion to them in such a learned way that the poor savages could not understand him. Tomo-chi-chi seemed to take a dislike to him from the first and would have little to do with him. Tomo-chi-chi had deep religious instincts. He used to go himself every Sunday to Oglethorpe's church in Savannah, and, as we have just seen, he was anxious to have the "great word" preached to his people. But after a while he lost all interest in the Christian religion. The reason of this came out one day when some one asked him : "Tomo-chi-chi, why don't you become a Christian?" With flashing eye and scorn in his voice the old man replied : "The people at Savannah are Christians, the people at Fred- erica are Christians, but they are no good ; they get 42 Geor^^ia History Stories. drunk, they tell lies, they fight, they beat weak people, they cheat poor Indians. Devil Christian, me no Christian !" He had made the mistake that many people make, of judging religion by the lives of the worst and most hypocritical of its professed followers. IV. TOMO-CHI-CHI'S FLORIDA EXPEDITION. Not long after Oglethorpe's return from England, Tomo-chi-chi said to him : "Before I die I want you to go down the coast with me and let me show you the divid- ing line between the Creek country and Florida. While I was in England, some Spaniards and Florida Indians crossed over into our hunting grounds and killed some of our warriors. You must build forts down there to protect our country and your country." Oglethorpe was glad to go on such an expedition, for he had long wished to settle the boundary line between Georgia and Florida. Two months before, he had sent Major Richards with an escort of six men down to St. Augustine with a message to the Spanish governor of Florida asking for a conference on this subject; but the party had never returned, and Oglethorpe was uneasy about them and wished to go down and see what had become of them. So on April IGth, 1736, Oglethorpe started from St. Simon's Island down the coast on this important ex- Tomo-chi-chi. 43 Map Showing Settlements. pedition. He was accom- panied by Tomo-chi-chi and several gentlemen from Sa- vannah. They had, as an escort, forty Indian war- riors and thirty Highland soldiers from the little town of Darien, which had just been settled on the Alta- maha River by a party of Scotch emigrants. They were all fully armed and furnished with implements for building forts. They embarked in four large boats propelled partly by oars and partly by sails, and in each boat there were two or three small canoes. A few miles south of St. Simon's, they came to a beautiful island where they camped that night and to which Oglethorpe gave the name of Tekyl Island, after 44 Georgia History Stories. his friend Sir Joseph Jekyl, of England. This island is now owned by the ''Jekyl Club," composed of north- ern milHonaires, who use it as a winter resort and have erected* many costly houses there. The next day, going further down the coast, they discovered a very large and beautiful island of which Oglethorpe had never even heard before. It had a high bluff on the western side and was covered with a grand forest of pines and live-oaks, from whose boughs hung festoons of long, gray moss. The Indians called it Wisso Island, or, in English, Sassafras Island, because many sassafras bushes grew there ; but Oglethorpe changed its name to Cumberland, after the king's young son, William, Duke of Cumberland, the same who had given Toonahowi the fine gold watch. It is said that Oglethorpe gave it this name at the request of Toonahowi himself, who was with the party and had with him the much-prized watch. On the high bluff on the northwestern side of the island, Oglethorpe marked out the plan of a fort ; and at the southern end, he marked out the plan of another fort. Both of these forts were afterward built good and strong. A little below Cumberland they came to a small island that looked like the Garden of Eden, so covered was it with flower-bearing trees and shrubbery, in full bloom. Tomo-chi-chi. 45 Oglethorpe named it Amelia Island. On the northern end of this island now stands the Florida town of Fernandina, for the island belongs to Florida now though it was then a part of Georgia. Oglethorpe's party continued to sail slowly down the coast for two days longer. On the afternoon of the second day they came to a high, rocky promontory jut- ting out from the main- land a little distance into Mouth of the St. John's River as It Appears To-day. the sea. The whole party climbed to the top of these high rocks ; and looking to the southward they saw two miles away a great river emptying into the ocean, and on the high banks on the other side a lonely log house that looked Uke a small fort. The river was the St. John's. Tomo-chi-chi, pointing with his outstretched arm, said : "That river is the dividing line. All on this side we hunt ; all on the other side they hunt. That house is the Spanish fort where there are soldiers to keep us from crossing to their side. But while I was in Eng- land some Spaniards and Florida Indians crossed over 46 Georgia History Stories. to our side and killed some of our warriors, so to-night when they are all asleep in that house we will creep up and kill them/' making a gesture as if braining a man with a hatchet. The old mico spoke with great excite- ment and was in dead earnest. The Indian instinct glared fiercely in his eye. He was no longer the mild man of peace. He was nothing now but a ferocious, bloodthirsty savage gloating over an opportunity for revenge. The other Indians were equally excited, like hounds that see their prey ! It was all that Oglethorpe could do to restrain them from making a secret midnight attack on the Spanish soldiers supposed to be in the lonely house on the river bank. He knew that such an attack would bring disaster to his colony, for it would give the Spaniards an excuse for invading Georgia with a hostile army, a thing that they were only too anxious to do. At length he succeeded in getting Tomo- chi-chi to take his warriors back to their camp in a palmetto grove several miles up the coast, and the night passed without further adventure. Early the next morning Oglethorpe, attended by a few men, took a boat and rowed up the St. John's River to the Spanish fort, but he found not a living soul there ; he rowed some miles further up the stream to another fort, but that also was unoccupied. He Tomo-chi-chi. 47 then returned to the camp in the pahnetto grove, where he found that during his absence Tomo-chi-chi had shpped away with two boat-loads of Indians. Whither he had gone, no one could say. Oglethorpe feared that the old man was up to mischief, but it was night now and he could not well go in search of him. About ten o'clock that night a canoe containing four Indians rowed up to shore opposite the palmetto grove camp, and the Indians sprang out and rushed up to the camp fire, exclaiming to Oglethorpe: "Tomo-chi- chi has found enemies ! They have a big fire on a hill. When they go to sleep, he is going to creep up with his braves and kill them. He sent us back to take care of you, but we want to be at the killing. Please let us go back and help about the killing!" They were terribly excited; they brandished their hatchets and uttered the war whoop and foamed at the mouth and jumped about like men beside themselves, all the time begging Ogle- thorpe to let them go back and "help about the killing." Quickly Oglethorpe took the whole party, gentlemen, Highlanders, and Indians, in the large boat and hurried down the coast in search of Tomo-chi-chi. Four miles down he found the old man and his warriors hiding in the black darkness behind some thick bushes, like wild beasts crouching to spring upon their prey. On a Georo-ia History Stories. wars to fight at that time, he went over to the Conti- nent and joined' the Austrian army, which was then engaged in a war with the Turks. The leader of the Austrian army was Prince Eugene of Savoy, the most brilliant soldier of his day. He was a small man but a great general, "a bright little soul with a flash in him as of heaven's own lightning," as Carlyle, the famous English writer, said of him. Prince Eugene took a very decided liking to young Oglethorpe and Prince Eugene of Savoy. made him his aide-de- camp, with the rank of Captain. By the side of this "bright little soul with a flash in him as of heaven's own light- ning," Oglethorpe thoroughly learned the soldier's trade and fought with dashing valor in many desperate bat- tles. These were his romantic days, and he always loved to talk about them. When he was an old, old man, nearly a hundred years old, he would charm brilliant company with his vivid descriptions of the battles in which he had fought by the side of Prince Eugene. James Oglethorpe. 5 When the Turkish war was over, he returned to England and settled down to ways of peace. His father and elder brothers died, and he inherited the family estates. He was now a very rich man, but he lived a simple and sober life. He was elected to Parliament and served as a member for many years. While he was in Parliament, an event occurred that I'he iluuses of Parliament. turned his attention toward America and caused him to become the founder of Georgia. This is how it happened : There w^as a cruel law in England at that time by which a person in debt might be thrown into prison by his creditors and kept there until his debts were somehow paid. Many poor, unfortunate people, inno- 50 Georgia History Stories. he never rose again. There for days and weeks he lay as helpless as a new-born babe. He knew that his end was very near, so he called his family and the lead- ing men of his little tribe around him and exhorted them to continue their friendship to the English, and asked that he might be buried in the settlement of Savannah that he loved and among the people that had always been so kind to him. One day John Wes- ley called on him, but he seemed too feeble to talk, and not a word did Wes- ley get from him. Per- haps he would not try to talk to Wesley ; for, as we know, the heart of the old savage had never George Whitfield Preaching. warmed to this great di- vine. A few days later George Whitfield, one of the most famous preachers that ever lived, came to see him. He found him lying on a blanket under the shade of a great live-oak tree, while his faithful old wife, Seenawki, sat by his side fanning him with a snow- white fan made of crane's feathers. Whitfield took his Tomo-chi-chi. 51 hand and (not knowing what else to say, I suppose) asked him: "How long do you think you have to live?" ''I do not know," replied Tomo-chi-chi; which was a sensible answer to a foolish question. "Where do you expect to go when you die?" pursued Whitfield. "To heaven!" answered Tomo-chi-chi, in simple faith. Maybe that was the last word he ever spoke; for a few hours after Whitfield left, the old mico died, aged ninety-seven years. For ninety years he had wandered through the gloomy, primeval forests of America, in intellectual and spiritual darkness. Many, no doubt, were his adven- tures, valiant deeds, and hair-breadth escapes, for we know that the Creeks counted him as one of the greatest hunters and warriors of their nation ; but in blackest oblivion lies all that part of his life. It was only dur- ing the last few of his many years on earth that he came out into the open where history could take note of him, like a star that has made its journey across the firma- ment under clouds but emerges for a little while just before its setting, to shine on the world ! History tells us that he was honest and truthful, bright of mind, generous of heart, earnest of purpose, strong of will, eager for improvement, anxious for the uplifting and betterment of his race, a sincere believer in Almighty xvi Illustrations and Maps. Page. City Hall at Augusta 358 Medical College, Augusta . . . . „ 358 A Black Mammy and Her Charge 361 Type of Middle Georgia Slave : Family Cook 362 Type of Middle Georgia Slave: Mulatto House-Maid . . 363 A Mountaineer and His Wood Cart 364 A Piny Woodsman and His Splinter Cart 364 PART I. COLONIAL PERIOD CHAPTER L JAMES OGLETHORPE. I. Oglethorpe's early career. James Oglethorpe was born at Westminster, Eng- land, on June 1st, 1689. While he was yet a babe in the cradle it might have been expected that he would become a great man, for he came of a family of great people. Six hundred years before he was born, one of his ancestors. Sheriff Oglethorpe, was a high officer in the English army and was killed in the famous Battle of Hastings while bravely fighting for his country against the invader, William the Conqueror. This brave soldier had many distinguished descendants, the greatest of whom was James Oglethorpe. James's father. Sir Theophilus Oglethorpe, also was a noted officer in the English army. He fought with great valor in many battles and rose to the high rank of Major-General. When he was forty years old, he retired from the army and settled down in an elegant home in the little country town of Godalming, about 1 CHAPTER IV. THE SALZBURGERS. I. PERSECUTION IN AUSTRIA. If you will look on the map of Europe, you will find located in the extreme western part of Austria a town by the name of Salzburg. It is situated on the Salza River and is surrounded by smooth green valleys, rocky mountains, and clear, swift-running streams. Two hundred years ago this town and the surrounding green valleys and mountain gorges were inhabited by a simple, honest German folk known as the Salzburgers. They were chiefly poor people, and they dressed in plain clotlies and wore big slouch hats with broad brims and peaked crowns. Those in the town were makers of famous wooden clocks that were known all over Europe, and those in the country earned their living as farmers and herdsmen. In religion most of these people were Protestants and belonged to what is called the Lutheran Church. Austria and Germany were at that time Roman Catholic countries, and by the law of the land no other form of religion was allowed, and Protestants were bitterly persecuted. In some way, however, it happened that these quiet Salzburgers in The Sahburgers. 55 their remote mountain fastnesses were for many years not molested in their religion but were allowed to wor- ship God in their own way. Perhaps the rulers of the country thought, "The poor creatures are so quiet and harmless away off there that we will let them alone." Still they did not dare to build churches or to have regular preachers. Out of doors in the thickly wooded mountain gorges they held their services and poured out their devout souls in worship to that God who "pre- fers before all temples the upright heart and pure!" But after a while their days of peace came to an end. In the year 1729, a new Archbishop was put in charge of Salzburg. His name was Leopold, Count Firmian, and he was feudal lord of the district as well as an official of the Roman Catholic Church. He immediately began a cruel persecution of the poor Protestant Salz- burgers. He made his sheriffs and bailiffs enter their houses and break open their chests and take their Lu- theran Bibles and hymn-books out and burn them in bonfires in the streets. He had their leading men ar- rested and brought before him, and said to them : 'T will throw you into prison, confiscate your property, and destroy your homes if you do not abandon your Prot- estant religion." "We cannot, your reverence, must not, dare not," bravely answered the poor men. "Then 12 Georgia History Stories. tons burden, was chartered to take the emigrants across the ocean to America. In her hold, as she lay moored to the wharf at Gravesend, were stored provisions and all kinds of tools and implements for the journey and for getting the colony well established in Georgia. Everything was then ready for the voyage. CHAPTER 11. FOUNDING OF SAVANNAH. I. SEEKING A LOCATION. At high noon on the IGth of November, in the year 1732, the good ship Anne spread her white sails and, like some great canvas-winged bird of the sea, flew from the shores of England westward over the Atlantic, bearing in her kindly bosom James Oglethorpe and his one hundred and twenty emigrants. She did not sail straight for Georgia, but for Charleston, South Caro- lina, where Oglethorpe wished to get the advice and help of the Governor of that province in settling his colony. She reached Charleston on the 13th of Janu ary, 1733, and cast anchor just outside the harbor bar. Oglethorpe, leaving his people on board, was rowed to shore in an open boat, and was received with great honor by Governor Johnson and the Legislature of South Carolina, which was then in session. The Governor had been notified several weeks be- fore that Oglethorpe was coming and he was prepared to extend to him a hearty welcome. The people of South Carolina were very glad that an English colony was to be planted in Georgia, for well they knew that 13 58 Georgia History Stories. They assembled in the town of Berschtalgaden, Bavaria, to make ready for the emigration. The good Protestants of that town furnished them with three wagons, each drawn by two horses, for the long, over- land journey through the German Empire to the sea. In two of the wagons they placed all of their earthly goods and chattels, and in the third wagon they seated the feeble women and the little children. The men and the stronger women and children walked. A noble band of martyrs marshaled under no flag save the ban- ner of the cross, carrying no weapons but their Bibles and prayer-books, following no general except the Great Captain of Salvation, they trudged patiently for hun- dreds of miles through the German Empire northwest- ward toward the sea. Most of their way lay through Roman Catholic countries where they were subjected to many indignities and insults, but ever and anon they would come to a Protestant town where they received the utmost kindness and love. About the middle of November they reached the Protestant town of Frankfort-on-the-Main, which was the end of their long, wearisome foot journey. The people of Frankfort turned out in great crowds to wel- come them and to minister to their wants. In this beautiful city, among these kind people, they rested for The Sahbiirgers. 59 several days; and then, embarking in a vessel that had been provided for them, they sailed down the River Main to the Rhine and down the Rhine toward the sea. As they glided down this beautiful river between the castellated crags, the vineyards, and the white-walled cities that adorn its banks, they poured out their hearts in joyous songs to the living God. They were fine sing- ers, for from childhood they had been taught singing as a part of their religion; and for beauty and melody their hymns have never been surpassed. On the 27th of November they reached Rotterdam, where the Rhine pours its waters into the North Sea. Here they were joined by Rev. John Martin Bolzius and Rev. Israel Christian Gronau, distinguished and cultured men, who were to accompany them to Georgia as their chosen pastors and teachers. From Rotterdam thev made a tempestuous passage across the channel and through the strait to Dover, England. On the 28th of December they at last embarked from Dover on their long voyage to the new home that awaited them in Georgia. Born and bred in the interior of Europe among the peaks and gorges of the Alps Mountains, not one of them, except Bolzius and Gronau, had ever before looked upon the grandeur of the mighty ocean. It was a great 'wonder to them and inspired their devout 8 Georgia History Stories. tude of humanity, but he did not stop at this. While visiting the prisons his sympathies were deeply aroused for the poor debtors whom he found languishing be- hind iron bars, though innocent of any crime. He determined to try to do something to help them out of their sad condition. By his earnest appeals he got Parliament to pass a law by which they might be set free, provided they would agree to go to America and establish there for England a new colony on a broad strip of unsettled country already claimed by her, south of the Savannah River. It lay next to Florida, which then belonged to Spain and had been colonized by her. The Spaniards were at that time one of the most powerful and warlike nations in the world, and in their hearts they were very hostile to the English, although not openly at war with them. The Spanish soldiers were bold, skillful, and heartless ; so much so that some one said of them, *'A Spanish soldier is a machine of steel with the devil inside of it!" Fortunately for Oglethorpe's enterprise, King George II of England was anxious to plant colonies in his unoc- cupied possessions south of the Savannah River as a pro- tection for South Carolina against the bold and unscrupu- lous Spaniards of Florida. So he gladly granted to Ogle- thorpe "for the use of debtors and other poor persons" James Oglethorpe. 9 all the country between the Savannah and the Altamaha Rivers, and as far westward as they might choose to go. This strip of country was named Georgia in honor of King George. A Board of Trustees, consisting of thirty-six members, among whom were some of the King George II. most distinguished men in England, was appointed by the King to have entire charge of planting, establishing, and governing the new colony. They were to serve without pay or compensation of any sort. It must be purely a labor of love with them. The good and great 62 Georgia History Stories. flowed into the big creek. It was rather thinly wooded with tall pines and small oaks, cypress and myrtle trees, and quantities of sassafras bushes. It was located in what is now Effingham County, six miles west of the Savannah River and about four miles from the present town of Springfield. "This suits us exactly," said Von Rek and the others ; ''we will build our town here, and we will call it Ebenezer, 'the stone of help,', for truly 'Hitherto the Lord hath helped us !' " The party re- mained in the locality for several days and, under the direction of Oglethorpe, carefully laid out the future town ; then they made their way back to Savannah through the woods, taking care to "blaze" the trees as they went so that they might easily find their way to the spot again when they returned with the colonists. Several weeks later, early in the month of April, the whole body of Salzburgers, guided through the forest by the "blazed" trees, moved from Savannah to Ebe- nezer. They made the journey on foot, their house- hold goods being carried in packs on the backs of the few horses that could be had. The strong men carried the babies and the little children in their arms. Kind- hearted Oglethorpe accompanied them on horseback, though he really walked nearly all the way, lending his horse turn about to the weakly women of the party. It The Sahhurgers. 63 was a toilsome and trying journey ; for there was no road to travel in, much of the way lay through swamps and jungles, and the streams had to be crossed on fallen trees. But the Salzburgers were strong of limb and stout of heart, and as they trudged cheerily along they often made the great forest ring with songs of praise to God. Although the distance was less than thirty miles it took them two or three days to reach their destination. On the 10th day of April they reached Ebenezer. A gang of eight stout men, who had been sent ten days ahead of them, had already erected rude bush arbor tents for them, and in these they were made fairly com- fortable until they could build better homes. Ogle- thorpe carefully divided out the land among them. To each family he gave a two-acre lot in town and a farm of fifty acres in the suburbs. They went to work with a will, clearing the lands, building houses, and planting crops. The good people of Savannah sent them a pres- ent of ten cows and calves which furnished an abun- dance of milk for the little colony of seventy-eight per- sons. In the hollow of a big tree they found a great quantity of honey which the wild bees had made. The friendly Indians near by supplied them with venison, their huntsmen killed wild turkeys and partridges in the 64 Georgia History Stories. woods, and from the clear waters of the tortuous Ebe- nezer Creek they caught perch and ''channel cats," and some one taught them how to brew a very good beer made of molasses, sassafras, and pme tops. So, as far as the table was concerned, our good Salzburgers lived "on the fat of the land." In a few months they were joined by another party of sixty or more brother Salz- burgers, who had just come over from Germany, and the town of Ebenezer now contained about one hun- dred and fifty inhabitants. Here in the wilderness of Georgia, far distant from the land of their birth and the graves of their fathers, these poor exiles found at least a sheltering home of sympathy and love. IV. NEW EBENEZER. But the trials and tribulations of the Salzburgers were not yet over. Baron Von Rek, as it turned out, was a very poor judge of land, or at least of Georgia land. The region around Ebenezer, instead of being "rich and fat," as he supposed, proved to be thin and sterile. The Salzburgers with their hardest labor could not dig a living out of it, and had to depend largely on the charity of the Trustees for a support. Further- more, the big Ebenezer Creek which Von Rek had de- scribed as "a noble river, twelve foot deep, and navi- The Salzhiirgers. 65 gable for large boats," proved to be entirely useless for commercial purposes. Its channel was so crooked and tortuous that no boat of considerable size could make the sharp bends or approach within six miles of Ebe- nezer. The little streams that emptied into the big creek, when swollen by the heavy rains of winter and spring, overflowed their banks and flooded the country: but during the droughts of summer they dried up into stagnant pools and ponds that filled the air with malaria. This caused a great deal of sickness among the people, and many of them died. Separated from the rest of the world in the depths of the wilderness, toiling like slaves and yet unable to make a living, sorely stricken with sickness and death, no wonder the poor Salzburgers, patient people though they were, became dissatisfied and disheartened. Early in the spring of 173G, John Martin Bolzius and Israel Christian Gronau, the two good pastors of the Salzburgers, appeared at Savannah as representatives of their people to ask Oglethorpe to let them move to a better locality. Kind-hearted Oglethorpe, finding that the entire colony was heartily in favor of it, gave his consent to the move. Then the whole colony of Salz- burgers packed up bag and baggage and, abandoning their farms and houses, upon which they had wasted two 66 Georgia History Stories. years of hard toil, moved for six miles through the trackless forests to the place selected for their new settlement. This place was a beautiful and romantic spot on the banks of the Savannah River. It was known as Red Bluff on account of the color of the soil. To the east, at the foot of the bluff, rolled the broad waters of the Savannah ; to the south flowed a small stream now known as Lockner's Creek ; while to the north Ebenezer Creek, their old friend, came zigzag- ging to pour its tribute waters into the Savannah. Here they had all the hard work of clearing the forest and building homes to do over again ; but they went at it with strong arms and brave hearts, and in two years their new tow^n had risen like magic. Cling- ing with affection to the old name, they called the place New Ebenezer. In the meantime Old Ebenezer went to rack and ruin. God blessed the Salzburgers in their new homes. At last, after years of persecution, exile, wandering, and misfortune, these simple, honest people found peace and happiness "under their own vine and fig tree." For some years they were the most prosperous people in Georgia. Other Salzburgers came over from the fatherland to join them. In all, about fifteen hundred Salzburgers emigrated to Georgia. Some of these settled in Sa- The Sahburgers. 67 vannah and Frederica, but most of them made their home in New Ebenezer and the surrounding country. They worked hard, and the soil yielded them abundant harvests. For a number of years they paid much at- tention to raising silk. In this industry they were greatly encouraged by Oglethorpe and the Trustees, who had a notion that Georgia could be made one of the greatest silk-growing countries in the world. The leaves of the white mulberry tree are the nat- ural food of the silk worm, and great quantities of these trees were brought from Italy and planted in the country around Ebenezer. From first to last many thousands of dollars were made by the Salzburgers by the silk culture industry ; but later on other employ- ments were found more profitable, and the raising of silk was entirely abandoned in Georgia. Good Queen Caroline of England had a dress made of Georgia silk, which she used to wear on state occasions and of which she was very proud. The Salzburgers all belonged to the Lutheran Church. In this faith they were born and bred, and for their devotion to it they had suffered cruel persecution and exile from their native land. They were served for many years by the three good pastors, Revs. Bolzius and Gronau, who came to Georgia with them, and Rev. 68 Georgia History Stories. Rabenhorst, who came over later. They were not only the pastors but also the principal governors and rulers of the colony. Three better or more saintly men never lived on earth. For many years after coming to Georgia Queen Caroline. the people adhered strictly to their mother tongue, the- German language, and they would not encourage their children to learn English. This, in the long run, proved a great disadvantage to them, as it cut them off, in a The Salzhurgers. 69 large measure, from intercourse and commerce with the other colonies in Georgia. Thus in the beautiful wilderness of Georgia on the banks of the broad Savannah River and its tributary creeks, these good people lived for many years in peace, prosperity, and happiness. "Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife, Their sober wishes never learned to stray ; Along the cool, sequestered vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their way." Still their life was not without its sorrows and its tragedies. In January, 1745, their good pastor, Israel Gronau, died after a long sickness. His mind was strong and bright to the last but his body was very weak. As his brethren gathered around his dying bed, he said to one of them, "Friend, raise my arms for me"; then clasping his thin, uplifted hands he cried in a clear, sweet voice, "Come, Lord Jesus, come !" and his pure spirit took its flight to that other world where supernal beauty dwells and the rainbow never fades. His death was felt as a keen personal grief by every member of the colony. A Rev. Mr. Lembke was called from Ger- many soon afterward to take his place and proved to be a worthy successor. Some years later the saintly John Martin Bolzius 70 Georgia History Stories. also ended his mission on earth and was gathered to his fathers. His death turned out to be not only a deep sorrow but a great calamity to the little colony. The Lutheran Council in Germany sent over to Georgia to take his place a Mr. Triebner. He was a highly edu- cated, talented, energetic young man ; but he was self- centered, imperious, and bad hearted. He was a great mischief maker, and im- mediately set about stir- ring up trouble. He soon had the peaceful and harmonious Salzbur- gers divided into two vi- olent factions that strove against each other with great bitterness, causing deep spiritual wounds that were many years in healing. During his ministration of ten years he did much harm, and was a constant ''thorn in the flesh" to the best people of the colony. About 1744, the devout souls of the Salzburgers were made happy by the erection of a fine new brick church at Ebenezer. It cost over two thousand dollars and most of the money was contributed by their kind Jerusalem Church at Ebenezer. The Salzhtirgers. 71 Lutheran friends in Germany. It would be considered a plain little church now ; but to these poor exiles in the Georgia wilderness it seemed a magnificent edifice, and they were very proud of it. It was surmounted by a neat belfry, on the spire of which appeared the figure of a swan made of shining brass ; for the swan was the ''coat of arms" of Martin Luther, the great founder of the Lutheran Church. It was built good and strong and stands there to-day as sound as when it was erected one hundred and sixty years ago. Few people in Georgia suffered more from the Revolutionary War than did the gentle Salzburgers. Most of them were true to the patriot cause, but Preacher Triebner, who might always be counted on. to be on the wrong side, was a rank Tory and led a number of the people off with him. As soon as the British had capkired Savannah in 1779, this odious Mr. Triebner mounted his horse and galloped to that plan- tation where he called on Colonel Campbell, the British commander, and advised him to send a detachment of soldiers at once to Ebenezer. He was even mean enough to lead these soldiers himself against his own town and his own people. During all of the rest of the war a British garrison was kept at Ebenezer. and armies of British soldiers 72 Georgia History Stories. were constantly marching back and forth through the place. They treated the patriot inhabitants so badlv that most of them abandoned their homes and moved away, and the houses of many of them were burned by the British and the. Tories. The soldiers desecrated Jerusa- lem Church most shamefully. They destroyed the pre- cious church records, cut up the benches and the pulpit for firewood, and used the church itself as a stable for their cavalry horses. When the refugee Salzburgers returned to Ebenezer after the war was over, they found their dear town in ruins and they had it nearly all to build over again. When the British army returned to England after the war, Preacher Triebner went with them, for well he knew that he would not be tolerated in America any longer. The Salzburgers never saw his hateful face again. As the children and the grandchildren of the pilgrim Salzburgers grew up, most of them moved away from the quiet place to seek their fortunes in other parts of Georgia and in other states. By the year 1820 the town was completely deserted and fell into decay and oblivion. Nothing is left of it now except old Jerusa- lem Church, which still stands on the bluff by the river with the brass swan glistening on its lofty spire. Near The Sahhnrgers. 73 by is the grave-yard where rest the bones of the saintly preachers, Bolzius, Gronati, Lembke, and Rabenhorst, and many other good Salzburgers of that olden time. Hundreds of the descendants of the Salzburgers still live in different parts of Georgia, mainly in Savannah and in Lowndes, Liberty, and Effingham counties. They are among the most substantial citizens of the State ; some of them have become wealthy as merchants and farmers, but not many of them seem to have ever attained to any great distinction in the professions or in public life. CHAPTER V. THE HIGHLANDERS. The Spaniards down in Florida were dangerous neighbors for the Georgia settlers. There had been a long dispute between Spain and England concerning the territory claimed by the two countries in America. Spain declared that both Georgia and South Carolina belonged by rights to her, and she was constantly threat- ening to invade the country and take it away from the English. To guard against this threatened invasion, Oglethorpe determined to plant colonies and build forts along the sea coast and on the sea coast islands south of Savannah, as far down as the mouth of the St. John's River, which was then considered the boundary line between Georgia and Florida. He began to cast about to see where he could find people to send down into this dangerous region, and he was very fortunate in finding them. In the year 1736 there emigrated to Georgia a splendid body of Highlanders from the hills and moun- tains of Scotland. The company consisted of one hun- dred and fifty men and fifty women and children. They were not paupers, like the debtors who settled in Savan- 74 The Highlanders. 75 nah, nor impoverished exiles like the Salzburgers who settled Ebenezer, but brave, sturdy, independent folk, whose spirit had never been broken by poverty or perse- cution. They belonged to the farming class of people in Scotland, and were accustomed to hard work out in the open air. The men had all been trained, too, to mili- tary service. They were tall, broad-shouldered, stalwart fellows ; and dressed in their plaids, with their broadswords, targets, and fire-arms, they made a superb body of soldiers. Altogether they were the finest lot of emigrants that had yet come to Georgia. They were the very people that Ogle- thorpe needed to guard the dangerous southern frontier. Oglethorpe had se- lected as their home a place on the banks of the Altamaha River, near its mouth, sixty A Highland Officer. 76 Georgia History Stories. miles below Savannah, right where the little town of Darien now stands. They called the place New Inver- ness, after the city of Inverness in Scotland, from the neighborhood of which most of them had come; but the name was afterward changed to Darien. While the emigrants were in Savannah, some med- dlesome Carolinians tried to frighten them from going south by telling them, "The spot that Oglethorpe has selected for your home is so situated that the Spaniards can shoot you from the houses in their fort." "Why, then, we will beat them out of their fort, and shall have houses ready built to live in !" answered the brave Highlanders. New Inverness was beautifully located on a high bluff on the river bank, in a grove of broad spreading live-oaks, while all around for many miles stretched the vast, level pine forests of southern Georgia. In this great wilderness the hardy Highlanders went to work in high spirits and with intelligent industry, and it is wonderful what they accomplished. In a few months under their busy hands a strong fort was built on the banks of the river, and a pretty little town arose with many houses surrounded by well-cultivated gardens and outlying fields. The soil was very thin and poorly adapted to agriculture ; but for a few years The Highlanders. 77 while it was yet fresh and enriched with the decayed leaves of centuries, it yielded abundant harvests. Well might it be said of these good Scotch emigrants, in the beautiful language of the Bible, "The wilderness and the solitary places shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose!" The Highlanders were great favorites with Ogle- thorpe. His soldier heart was completely won by their energy, heroism, and fine military bearing. Soon after they had settled at New Inverness, and before they had yet built their houses, he paid them a visit of several days. While he was there, in order to please them, he wore the Highland costume. Captain Mackay, the leader of the colony, offered him the use of his own comfort- able tent and warm bed, the only one in the settle- ment that was furnished with sheets, but Oglethorpe declined the offer and slept out of doors by the camp fire wrapped in his Scotch plaid. While he remained, he cheerfully shared all the hardships of the people, and by his kindness and genial manners made himself greatly beloved by them. All the other colonists of Georgia felt grateful to the Highlanders, for well they knew that these doughty men stood as a bulwark and a protection between them and the dreaded Spaniards. In the Spanish war that 78 Georgia History Stories. came a few years later, the valiant Highlanders, as we shall see in the next chapter, were Oglethorpe's main- stay. They fought with reckless bravery, and it was mainly through them that the colony of Georgia was saved from destruction. Many of them were slain, and in all ways they bore the brunt of the conflict and were the chief sufferers of the war. This gallant band of emigrants suffered dreadfully from the Spanish war. Many of them were killed in battle, many taken prisoners, and the colony was broken up and scattered. Altogether they had a hard time in America. Their story was a short, brave, sad one. Their little town of New Inverness passed into other hands, and its name was changed to Darien. No body of emigrants that crossed the great waters in those early days to make their home in the New World was more interesting and picturesque than the doughty High- landers who settled on the banks of the Altamaha in the somber piny woods of Georgia. CHAPTER VI. FREDERICA. Having seen his Highlanders well settled at New Inverness, Oglethorpe went ahead with great energy to carry out his plan of establishing forts along the south- ern coast of Georgia as a protection against the Span- iards. With his fine military eye he saw that the first and most important of these forts should be located on St. Simon's Island near the mouth of the Altamaha River. St. Simon's is separated from the mainland by a narrow strip of water which is really an arm of the Altamaha. It is a narrow stream, but the water is very deep and navigable for the largest boats. Oglethorpe knew that if the Spaniards should ever invade Georgia, their fleet would be sure to come up this stream: and for this reason he determined to place a strong fort on the west side of the island by the river's edge. He also thought it best to plant a colony back of the fort and establish a sort of military town there. St. Simon's was a beautiful island ; and at that time it was covered with a grand primeval forest of live-oak, water-oak, laurel, bay, cedar, sweet gum, and pines. The trees were festooned with long gray moss ; and 79 80 Georgia History Stories. from many of them hung vines bearing muscadines, purple fox-grapes, and fragrant yellow jasmine. The ground beneath them was covered with palmettoes and bushes of azaleas, white, pink, and scarlet honeysuckles, and all manner of beautiful wild flowers. The woods abounded with deer, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, squir- rels, wild turkeys, turtle doves, mocking birds, and great droves of rice birds; while the adjacent marshes were frequented by wild geese, herons, cranes, and marsh hens ; and the waters teemed with fishes, crabs, shrimps, and oysters. The soil was fertile, the climate healthful, and the air delightful, the temperature being neither very warm nor very cold. Surely it was a choice place for the habitation of man ! On the northwest side of the island there was a cleared spot about forty acres in extent where an Indian town and cornfields had once stood, but which was now deserted. On this spot Oglethorpe determined to plant his colony and build his fort. For this purpose he brought over from England a shipload of two hun- dred emigrants. Some were German Lutherans, like the Salzburgers ; a few, perhaps, were Scotch High- landers ; but most of them were English people. They landed at Savannah in February, 1730. Oglethorpe took thirty of the strongest men of the company and one Frederica. 81 hundred other workmen and a number of Indians and sailed down to St. Simon's to begin the building of the town and the fort. Arriving at the island, he immediately put his labor- ers to work, and under his energetic supervision they worked like beavers. The town was soon laid off and the land cleared. There was in the company a shrewd Jew, who had lived in Brazil and who knew how to make houses out of palmetto leaves. This plant fortunately grew in great abundance on the island. So under the skilful direction of the Jew many palmetto booths or bowers were erected. Each one was thirty feet long and twenty feet wide. They made a pretty appearance as they stood in rows like soldiers' tents, only much further apart. They were so well constructed that they kept perfectly dry inside, even during the hardest and most driving rain ; and they served finely as a temporary abode for the colonists until more sub- stantial houses could be built. To the town thus started, Oglethorpe gave the name of Frederica, after Frederick, Prince of Wales, eldest son of King George II of England. While the Jew was attending to the erection of the palmetto houses, Oglethorpe was directing the building of the fort; and a great fort he made of it. There 82 Georgia History Stories. is no rock or stone in that part of Georgia, so Ogle- thorpe made his fort of a sort of artificial stone called tabby, composed of crushed shells and cement, a com- position almost as enduring as granite. The fort was built at the water's edge and commanded the full sweep of the river, so that no hostile ship could pass it. Back in the woods several hundred yards from the fort, he erected a large storehouse and barracks building, also made of tabby and possessing considerable archi- tectural beauty. Besides this great fort Oglethorpe built a number of others down the southern coast of Georgia ; one at the south end of St. Simon's Island, two on Cumberland Island, — one at the north and the other at the south end, — one on Amelia Island, and one on St. George Island at the mouth of the St. John's River. In each of these forts he placed cannon and a small garrison of soldiers. This pushing of his forts and his soldiers down to the very edge of the Spanish country was a very bold, audacious step on Oglethorpe's part. It was what the gamblers call "playing a blufif game" ; that is, putting on the appearance of being stronger and more confident than he really was. It had the intended effect : it frightened the Spaniards and deterred them for several years from making the invasion they so much desired. Frederica. 83 Early in M'arch, the palmetto houses being finished, the colonists, who had been waiting at Savannah for a month, were brought down to Frederica. They came in broad, open rowboats called periaguas. It was a trying voyage for them, exposed, as they were, to the chill March winds. When at last beautiful St. Simon's was reached, it looked like Paradise to them. The women went cheerily to housekeeping in their cozy pal- metto bowers, while the men cleared the lands and erected more permanent homes. The people were all charmed with their new home, as well they might be. Frederica grew and flourished mightily. When at its best it numbered, including the soldiers, more than a thousand inhabitants ; and, except Savannah, it was the largest and most important town in Georgia. It was a favorite place with Oglethorpe. He made his home there from the time the town was founded until his departure for England. The only house he ever owned in America was there, and the spot on which it stood can still be pointed out. He always spoke of the place with great aflfection ; and yet while he lived there he had no end of worry and trouble with insub- ordinate officers, mutinous soldiers, Spanish spies, un- just critics, and all sorts of cranky and mean people. Charles Wesley, the famous younger brother of the still 8-i Georgia History Stories. more famous John Wesley, also lived at Frederica. The great live-oak under which he preached his first sermon is still standing in its green old age, and is pointed out to visitors as an object of sacred interest.* After the Spanish Colonial War was over, Fred- erica declined rapidly, because there was no longer any reason for its existence. During the Revolutionary War, what remained of it was almost completely destroyed by the Brit- ish army. Afterwards, mighty and patriotic ef- forts w^ere made to re- vive it and to restore it to its old glory, but all Wesley Oak at Frederica. in vain. It had finished its mission and must pass away. By the year 1820 it was entirely deserted. In recent years three or four modern * The short life of this island town was full of tragedies and comi- tragedies, but we have not space to relate them here. You may find a full and interesting account of them in Bishop Stevens's and C. C. Jones's big and good histories of Georgia. The extremely important part that the town played in the Spanish Colonial War and why historians call it "The Thermopylae of Georgia," you will soon learn in another chapter of this book. Fredenca. 85 houses have been erected on the ground where the town stood, but Frederica itself is no more. Like Ebenezer, it is one of the dead towns of Georgia. A fragment of the old fort with one of its iron cannon still stands by the water's edge f and out in the Ruins of the Old Fort at Frederica. woods near by, the arched and castellated front of the barracks building rises "grand, gloomy, and peculiar," among the green trees — and a handsome piece of archi- tecture it is, too, in its gray and neglected old age. * Since these lines were written the Colonial Dames of Georgia have had the old fort restored, as nearly as practicable, as it stood in 1735. The unveiling of the tablet took place April 11, 1904. 86 Georgia History Stories. Still further back in the woods is the colonial grave- yard, where, under moss-covered trees centuries old, good people of the vanished town have been sweetly sleeping for one hundred and sixty years. That is all that is left of Frederica. ''Sic transit gloria mundi!" CHAPTER VII. THE SPANISH WAR. I. PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR. One day in the latter part of the year 1736, a Span- ish officer, one Captain Don Antonio Arredondo, came from St. Augustine to Frederica with this message for Oglethorpe : "The King of Spain demands that the English evacuate all towns and forts south of St. Helena Sound as being located on the dominions of Spain !" Oglethorpe replied, "We refuse to evacuate these towns and forts, for they belong to the King of England and not to the King of Spain 1" Having re- ceived this answer the messenger returned to St. Augus- tine. Soon after this, Oglethorpe was informed that a large fleet of ships and a big army had been sent by the Spanish Government from Havana to St. Augus- tine. What could this mean but preparation for the invasion of Georgia? Oglethorpe saw the danger and acted with his usual promptness and vigor. He at once got aboard a ship and sailed for England, where he laid the whole situation before the king. The king and parliament made him general of all the forces in 87 88 Georgia History Stories. South Carolina and Georgia, with orders to protect these provinces from the Spaniards "to the last ex- tremity." They also furnished him with a splendid regiment of English soldiers to aid in the defense and sent them over on a vessel to Frederica. Having ac- complished this much, Oglethorpe got aboard his ship and hastened back to Georgia. On reaching Savannah he found that the Spaniards had been up to mischief while he was gone. They had sent emissaries, or se- cret agents, to all the tribes of the Creek Indians to try to turn them against the English, and to induce them by bribes and fair promises to join the side of Spain. The Indians at this time really had some just ground of complaint against the English, on ac- count of the bad way in which they had been treated by dishonest English traders. The Spaniards made the most of this grievance and caused the Indians to take a greatly exaggerated view of it. It looked as if they might succeed in winning nearly the whole Creek Nation over to their side, which would have been ruin- ous to Georgia. Chiefs of several of the tribes, stanch friends of Oglethorpe, came to Savannah to tell him of these things and to warn him of the danger. They also told him that during the coming summer the chiefs of all The Spanish War. 89 the tribes of the Creeks and of several other Indian nations would assemble in their yearly council at Coweta Town on the Chattahoochee River; and they urged him to attend this meeting, so that he might con- fer with the chiefs and fix their loyalty to him. Ogle- thorpe determined so to do, though it would be a most arduous and perilous expedition ; but when duty called, Oglethorpe was always indifferent to hardship and reck- less of danger. He sent word to the chiefs of the vari- ous tribes that he would meet them in the big council at Coweta Town. Coweta Town was situated on the west side of the Chattahoochee River a few miles below the present city of Columbus, and on the spot where now stands the little village of Fort Mitchell, Alabama. It was, of course, an Indian town, and few if any white men had ever seen the place. It was two hundred and fifty miles in a bee line from Savannah, but by the zigzag route that Oglethorpe would have to pursue it was four hun- dred miles. Oglethorpe's party consisted of three white attend- ants, two white interpreters, and three Indian guides. They were mounted on horses, and there were several pack horses besides to carry their baggage. With this little retinue Oglethorpe, starting from Savannah, 90 Georgia History Stories. plunged into the wilderness, with which nearly the whole state of Georgia was then covered. Over swamps, through tangled thickets, along ravines, past rivers that had to be crossed on rafts or by swimming, he pushed his way to the westward. At night he slept on the ground by the watch-fires, giving up to his at- tendants the two little tents that were brought on the pack horses. He was guided through the wilderness by the "blazed trees" of traders or by the narrow In- dian trails that he struck now and then, or frequently by nothing but his pocket compass. For over two hun- dred miles he journeyed without meeting a human be- ing, for Georgia was very thinly settled by Indians; their towns and villages were few and far between. When forty miles from Coweta Town, he was met by a number of Indian chiefs who had come to es- cort him and bring him supplies of provisions. He crossed the Chattahoochee River in a canoe at the point where the city of Columbus now stands. The exact place on the river bank from which he embarked on the Georgia side is still pointed out and has been marked with a suitable stone and inscription by the Oglethorpe Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Proceeding a few miles further to the southwest, he reached Coweta Town, where the chiefs The Spanish War. 91 were holding their big council. The Indians were over- joyed to see him, for he held a very deep place in their affections. For days he listened patiently to their long, tire- some "talks," as they called their public speeches. At night he witnessed their wild, satyr-like dances in the lurid glare of the big bonfires. He was lulled to sleep by their weird incantations and the dreary beating of the "torn tom." He assured them that their grievances against the dishonest traders should be adjusted and that they should be cheated no more. He convinced them that the English were still their best friends. He easily induced them to make a solemn promise that they would continue to stand by him and that they would aid the English in any trouble that might arise between them and the Spaniards. No other white man that ever came to America, not even the great William Penn him- self, had such a powerful and wholesome influence over the Indians as did James Oglethorpe ! Having fully accomplished his purpose in coming to Coweta Town, Oglethorpe turned his face eastward and again plunged into the great wilderness. His return trip was even more toilsome than his coming, for the weather was bad and men and horses were jaded. He reached Augusta on September 7th, 1739, and for three 92 Georgia History Stories. weeks he was prostrated by fever brought on by fatigue and exposure. In this wild and wonderful journey he had taken his life in his hands. Aside from other perils, he was in daily danger of assassination by some treach- erous Indian ; for there was not a red man in all the Creek Nation that did not know he would receive a princely reward from the Spaniards for James Ogle- thorpe's scalp. As soon as he had recovered from the fever, he went to Charleston to see what aid South Carolina would extend in case of a struggle with Spain. He had some trouble with the authorities of that selfish colony ; but at last they made him fair promises, which they never kept. He had now done everything in his power to get ready for the threatened conflict with Spain ; and, as it turned out, that conflict was very near at hand. II. SIEGE OF ST. AUGUSTINE. About the middle of November, 1739, a party of Spaniards landed on Amelia Island during the night and concealed themselves among the palmetto bushes. At daybreak next morning, they shot to death two unarmed Highland soldiers who had come out of the fort to gather fuel, and cut ofif their heads and mutilated their bodies horribly. Their purpose was to push on and capture the little fort; but Captain Francis Brooks, who com- The Spanish War. 93 manded an English scout boat, hearing the firing that killed the Highlanders, came quickly up and drove the Spaniards away. The murder of these two Highland- ers was the first bloodshed of the Spanish War. When Oglethorpe, at Frederica, heard of this out- rage, he determined not to wait for the Spaniards to in- vade Georgia, but to take the initiative himself and in- vade Florida and capture St. Augustine. This was a bold step, but Oglethorpe felt that he must continue to play a bluff game with the Spaniards. He was greatly delayed in his preparations by the conduct of South Carolina. That colony at first refused to render any assistance, but at last consented and furnished a con- siderable contingent for the war, though not nearly so large a one as was rightly due from her. The Creek Indians did much better. Mindful of the promise they had made to Oglethorpe at Coweta Town, they readily furnished him with all the warriors he called for — nearly one thousand in number. By the last of May, 1740, he had everything ready to start on the great invasion. His army numbered over two thousand men, nearly one thousand of whom were Indians, the rest being made up of the five hundred regulars that had been sent from England, of Scotch Highlanders, and of South Carolina and Georgia militia. He also had a 94 Georgia History Stories. considerable fleet of ships that was to operate against St. Augustine from the water side. The land army was transported in vessels to the mouth of the St. John's River, where it disembarked. Starting from the mouth of the St. John's, Ogle- thorpe swept southward, capturing with little trouble all Spanish forts and outposts up to the very gates of St. The Old Spanisii Gate at St. Augustine. Augustine; but there he was completely checkmated. St. Augustine was splendidly protected by walls, forts and entrenchments, well built and skilfully arranged. Its army of defense consisted of 1,400 veteran Spanish sol- diers under a very able commander. General Manuel de Monteano. On the ocean side it was so well guarded by Spanish warships that the English fleet could not approach near enough to render much assistance to the The Spanish War. 95 land army. Oglethorpe was greatly astonished to find the city so strongly protected. He soon saw that he could not take it by storm, as he had fully expected to do. He must try to take it by siege and the "starv- ing out" plan. He completely surrounded the city with his army and his ships, so that no provisions or reinforcements could be brought in. For a while this plan worked ad- mirably, but it soon failed through the disobedience of one of Oglethorpe's officers. To the west several roads led from the city out into the country. On one of these roads, two miles from the town, was Fort Moosa, which Oglethorpe had taken from the Spaniards. He ap- pointed Colonel Palmer with a force of ninety-five Highlanders and forty Indians to guard these roads, saying to him, "Patrol the roads night and day. See that not a soul passes over them into the city. Make your headquarters at Fort Moosa, but don't stay there or anywhere else any two nights in succession; move constantly about from place to place, lest the Spaniards capture you by a surprise attack." For a while Colonel Palmer obeyed these orders strictly, but he soon grew careless. He spent three nights in succession in Fort Moosa. It was so much more comfortable there than lying out in the woods ! On the third night, June 24th, 96 Georgia History Stories. the great iron gate of St. Augustine opened and out miarched a body of three hundred Spanish soldiers, picked men, the very flower of the army. Stealthily they crept near the fort and hid in the bushes. Just before day, when men are wont to sleep most soundly, they made the attack. The Highlanders were taken completely by surprise, but they fought like tigers. Although awakened from sound sleep by this terrific attack they were not panic stricken, but seized their broadswords and slashed the Spaniards right and left. Spanish blood flowed like water. Many of the High- landers, too, fell under Spanish bullets and bayonets. Among the first to fall was the disobedient but brave Colonel Palrner. Perhaps he sought death, feeling keenly that this disaster was all his fault. Twenty-two brave Highlanders were killed. The Indians fled panic- stricken in the early part of the fight. More than a hundred Spanish soldiers lay dead ; only a few of them were shot ; nearly all were killed by the terrible broad- swords of the Highlanders. But the Spaniards had gained a great victory. Colonel Palmer's command was utterly destroyed, Fort Moosa was recaptured, the roads were opened, and provisions came pouring into St. Au- gustine for the pent-up garrison ! Oglethorpe's starving-out plan had failed, but he The Spanish War. 97 still held the city in siege, hoping that he might force a surrender with his cannon balls. For days and days, all day long, his cannon boomed and boomed away at St. Augustine, while, in reply, the Spanish cannon thundered forth; but the distance between the two was too great, the shots mostly fell short, and with all the booming not much damage was done on either side. Midsummer had now come. The heat of the tropical sun was terrible to Ogle- thorpe's poor soldiers in their open camps, unac- customed as they were to such a climate. Many of them sickened and died; and the rest had their St. Mark's Castle, St. Augustine. lives almost tormented out of them by the terrible heat, sand flies and mosqui- toes. The Indians, who can never stand a waiting fight, became restless, and deserted by hundreds. The South Carolina soldiers became mutinous and threatened to disband and go home. At last Oglethorpe, finding that with all his cannon- ading he could do no great hurt to the Spaniards, gave up the whole thing as a hopeless undertaking. So on the 20th day of July he ordered the siege to be raised. 98 Georgia History Stories. He marched his weary and bedraggled Georgia soldiers back to Frederica, while the South Carohna contingent sailed for Charleston. The whole expedition had been a dismal failure. Poor Oglethorpe was most severely and unjustly criticized by all America and all England. III. BATTLE OF ST. SIMON's SOUND. Oglethorpe's unsuccessful attack on St. Augus- tine proved, after all, to be of great benefit to Georgia. The boldness of the attempt so frightened Spain that she deferred for many months her proposed invasion of Georgia and South Carolina. For nearly two years there was a lull in the war and almost a complete ces- sation of active hostilities. Oglethorpe spent the time preparing with great energy for the terrific storm that he knew would, sooner or later, burst upon him. He greatly strengthened the defences around Frederica ; he built a new fort at the other end of St. Simon's Island, nine miles from Frederica ; he withdrew the forces from St. George's Island, Amelia Island, and Fort St. An- drew and used them to strengthen the garrison at Fort William ; he reinforced his army as far as possible and drilled the soldiers constantly. Scarcely were these preparations completed before the storm burst upon him. In May, 1742, a Spanish armada consisting of fifty- The Spanish War. 99 four warships and seven thousand soldiers left Havana for St. Augustine. Its avowed purpose was to sweep up the Atlantic coast and wipe the English colonies out of Georgia and South Carolina and add those provinces to the possessiciis of Spain. When Oglethorpe re- ceived this alarming news he dispatched a messenger to Charleston to call on South Carolina to send to him at once her quota of soldiers and ships for the com- mon defence, but much to Oglethorpe's chagrin South Carolina refused to give any assistance. So the brave Oglethorpe, with his little army of less than a thou- sand mew, whites and Indians, and only three warships, was left to meet alone the dreadful war storm that was gathering to the south. But his heroic spirit rose with the danger, and his noble language was, "We are re- solved not to suffer defeat ; we will rather die like Leonidas and his Spartans, if we can but protect Georgia and Carolina and the rest of the Americans from desolation !" On the 21st of June, a Spanish fleet of fourteen warships appeared off the south end of Cumberland Island and tried to pass between the island and the mainland, but was driven off by a cannonading from Fort William, aided by one of Oglethorpe's warships that was patrolling in the sound. Six days later, on the 100 Georgia History Stories. 28th day of June, the same fleet, reinforced to thirty- six warships and carrying five thousand soldiers, hav- ing sailed up along the east side of Cumberland and Jekyl, made its appearance just outside St. Simon's Sound, as the strip of water between Jekyl and St. Simon's is called. There for several days it rode back and forth, waiting for a favorable wind to take it through the sound and up the narrow river to Fred- erica. All was now energy and activity on St. Si- mon's, preparing for the life-and-death struggle that was so near at hand. Oglethorpe and his little band of eight hundred must defend Frederica to the last gasp against this overwhelming Spanish armada; for if the enemy should succeed in taking this strong- hold, they could sweep almost without resistance over the whole of Georgia and South Carolina. Frederica being lost, all would be lost. The situation was not ST.SIMONS ISLAND SCALE OF MILES BORMAY i CO., N,Y. The Spanish War. 101 unlike Leonidas and his Spartans facing Xerxes and his mighty host at the Pass of Thermopylae. Ogle- thorpe drew his soldiers up on parade ground and made them an inspiring speech that fired their hearts with heroism. The first resistance was to be made down at Fort St. Simon's, on the south end of the island. The fort stood at the water's edge overlooking the sound, just where a great lighthouse stands at this day. At this point Oglethorpe concentrated nearly all of his forces. Besides the fort, he had in the sound three battleships and eight small sloops moored close against the shore, each sloop having on board a little cannon and one man to fire it. On July 5th, a favorable wind sprang up, and at the same time the high spring tide came in and raised the waters in the sound and in the river ; so the Span- ish ships spread their sails and, forming in line of battle, started through the sound. It was a grand and appalling spectacle ! Just as they turned northward to go up the narrow river, the fort, the three English bat- tleships, and all the little sloops opened fire on them. A terrific naval battle ensued. It lasted three hours, during which more than two thousand cannon shots were fired. One of the English battleships was sunk. 102 Georgia History Stories. and several of the Spanish vessels were badly dam- aged. Eighteen Spaniards were killed and many were wounded, and the English loss also was considerable. It was an heroic fight on the part of the English, but they were too greatly outnumbered. In spite of their utmost efforts the Spanish ships ran past them, and, turning northward, sailed up the river to within four miles of Frederica, where they cast anchor at Gas- coigne's Bluff, very near where the big sawmills of the Hilton and Dodge Lumber Company now stand. The river above this point was so narrow that the Spanish commander was afraid to risk his ships under fire of Fort Frederica, until he could arrange to have his land army cooperate with him against the place ; so he dis- embarked his soldiers on Gascoigne's Bluff. IV. BLOODY MARSH. The situation was now more desperate than ever. Night had come on, but for the almost exhausted sol- diers of Oglethorpe there must be neither rest nor sleep. Oglethorpe knew that to prevent being cut off from his retreat to Frederica, he must move with utmost promptness and celerity. He ordered his two remain- ing battleships to sail at once for Charleston ; for they could be of no further service here, and if they re- mained they would certainly be captured by the enemy. The Spanish War. 103 He spiked the guns in the fort, destroyed the supplies, and blew up the magazine. Then he set fire to the eight sloops moored by the shore ; and by the lurid conflagration that they made, he started a little after midnight on his retreat to Frederica, nine miles away, and reached the place just at daybreak. The fight down at Fort St. Simon's had been fierce, but well he knew that the great life-and-death struggle was yet to come! On the morning of the 6th, the Spanish commander, finding that the English had abandoned Fort St. Simon's, marched his forces from Gascoigne's Bluff three miles across the country down to the fort, so that he might have the protection of its walls from any attack the English might make. From this point he prepared to march against Frederica. On the morning of the 7th, the Spanish advance guard, consisting of four hundred picked men, started towards Frederica. When within two miles of the place, they came upon a company of thirty mounted rangers whom Oglethorpe had sent out as a picket, and with a sin- gle volley drove them back, killing one of their num- ber. Oglethorpe, hearing the firing, sprang upon his horse, and at the head of the Highlanders, Indians, and three companies of British regulars, all of whom hap- 104 Georgia History Stories. pened to be under arms at the time, dashed through the woods and drove the enemy back, with much slaughter, to an open plain, or savannah, seven miles from Frederica. He posted the forces with him in the thick wood along the edge of the savannah, and put them in charge of the Highland captains, Sutherland and Mackay, while he himself galloped back to Fred- erica to get the rest of the troops and bring them up. While he was gone, the Spaniards, largely rein- forced, advanced across the savannah, and with loud huzzahs charged on the forces in the edge of the woods. Two companies of British regulars, becoming panic- stricken, gave way before the charge and fled in wild confusion. The Spaniards, following hot on their heels, pursued them to within two miles of Frederica, and then turning, started back, thinking all the time that they had driven back the entire command. In the mean time, the soldiers who had remained at their post were ordered by Captains Sutherland and Mackay to conceal themselves behind the palmetto bushes in the woods, for they knew that the Spaniards would soon be coming back. So the fatal ambush was prepared. Behind every palmetto bush on both sides of the road and far back into the woods an English soldier lay con- cealed with his gun ready, still as death. The Spanish War. 105 In a little while, sure enough, the Spaniards were seen coming down the road with martial tread and heads erect, proud of their victory, and having not the least suspicion of the death trap into which they were about to march. When near the edge of the woods they halted, stacked their guns in the road, and sat down on the ground to rest and to eat the break- fast that they carried in their haversacks. But scarcely were they seated when Captain Mackay gave to his men the signal agreed upon, by raising his Highland cap on the point of his uplifted sword ; and then ''bang ! bang! bang!" from behind the palmetto bushes a deadly fire was poured into the poor astounded Spaniards. Quickly they sprang to their guns, but before they could form in line of battle the English charged through the rustling palmettoes right down upon them. Some of their officers bravely tried to make them take a stand, but all in vain. They broke and ran in a perfect stampede, and were charged by the English out of the woods and across the savannah as a flock of sheep are chased by a pack of wolves. On the other side of the Savannah was an open salt marsh extending to the sea. The terror-stricken Spaniards, seeing that their way by the road was cut off by the EngHsh, tried to make their escape by rush- 106 Georgia History Stories. ing straight across this marsh to the shcUcr of the sand dunes on the other side ; Imt they mired np in the marsh so that they conld scarcely move, and were shot down there by scores, their bodies falhng into the long sea grass and their life's blood staining with red the black swamp ooze. This awful place of slaughter is known to this day as ''Bloody Marsh," and is pointed out to visitors as the most tragic spot on this tragic island. The forests have been mostly cleared away from this vicinity, but the open savannah, the marsh, and the white sand dunes beyond appear to-day precisely as they did when the battle was fought one hundred and sixty years ago. Over two hundred Spaniards were killed in that day's fight, and many more w^re taken prisoners. Very few got back to the Spanish lines to tell the dreadful tale. In the battle no soldier on the English side be- haved more heroically than did our young Indian friend, Toonahowi. He had succeeded Tonio-chi-chi as chief of the Yamacraws, and had joined Oglethorpe's army at the head of a hundred Creek warriors. In the thick- est of the fray just described he was charging with up- lifted tomahawk on a Spanish captain, when the cap- tain, with a pistol ball, broke his right arm. Down dropped arm and tomahawk ; but quick as a flash he The Spanish War. 107 drew his pistol with his left hand and shot the captain through the brain, killing him instantly. Two years later this young Indian chief was killed in a skirmish with the Spaniards down in Florida, but not until he had, by many feats of arms and deeds of valor, fulfilled the dear wish of old Tomo-chi-chi's heart, that Toona- howi should "be big warrior!" General Monteano, commander of the Spaniards, was greatly alarmed at this terrible defeat of his advance guard, and deemed it necessary to exercise extreme caution in his further movements ; he therefore post- poned until the next day marching against Frederica with his main body. That night Oglethorpe, by prac- ticing a most shrewd and cunning stratagem, which we have not space to relate here, but a full and very interesting account of which you may. find in C. C. Jones's history, made the Spaniards believe that he had a large and powerful fleet at Frederica and vicinity. Brave General Monteano was anxious to go ahead and fight it out anyhow ; but his soldiers were panic-stricken, and several of his generals, especially the one commanding the Cuban contingent, which com- posed more than half of his army, refused tO' act with him. So on the 8th day of July, the great Spanish host — ships, soldiers, and all — sailed away for St. Angus- 108 Georgia History Stories. tine ; and never again did Spain attempt the invasion of Georgia. The war was continued in a feeble, half- hearted sort of way for two years longer, when it was brought to a close by a final treaty of peace between Spain and England. Thus, with a little band of only eight hundred men and three ships, Oglethorpe had driven ofif a Spanish armada of thirty-six warships and an army of five thousand men and had saved Georgia and South Caro- lina, and perhaps the whole of English America, from Spanish conquest ! There is no more brilliant event in American history. The memory of it should ever be cherished among the proudest annals of our beloved State of Georgia! CHAPTER VIII. **NON SIBI SED ALUS." On the 2;)d of July, 1743, James Oglethorpe left Georgia never to return. As he was tossed on the waves of the Atlantic on his way back to his old home in England, what must have l)een his thoughts and feelings about the work in Georgia to which he had given eleven of the best years of his life? They had been years full of trial and tribulation to him. Of some of the hardships and dangers that he had to en- dure, you have learned in the foregoing pages ; but these were the least of his troubles. In carrying ont this great enterprise he had to deal with many very mean people. He was constantly harassed (if so strong and firm a mind as his would allow itself to be harassed) by the dishonesty and treachery, the ''envy, hatred, malice and all uncharitableness" of per- sons who should have lent him a helping hand. Yet in coming to America to undertake this hard and trying work, Oglethorpe had made many sacrifices ; for he gave up a luxurious home, the delights of literature, the pleasures of refined society, and a splendid public career that was just opening to him in England, and 109 110 Georgia History Stories. from it all he had absolutely nothing, in a worldly sense, to gain for himself. A' on sibi scd aliis! Tomo-chi-chi, that grand old savage, showed a spirit as unselfish and noble as Oglethorpe's. By the practice of a little business cunning he might have obtained for himself rich rewards from the English for the great services that he rendered to them, but not one cent did he ever ask or receive. Even the presents that were made to him while he was in England, he gave away with a free hand to the poor people of his tribe on his return to America. He died at last in his humble wigwam, one of the poorest of men. In all that he did, he was governed by no other motive than to promote the best interests of his people. American his- tory furnishes no finer illustration of pure and lofty patriotism. Non sibi sed aliis! The Trustees of Georgia served without pay or re- ward of any kind. The work required much of their time and was full of grave responsibility. They looked after the affairs of the colony with as much care and diligence as if Georgia had been their private property and was being run as a money-making enterprise ; and yet they well knew that, in a selfish sense, there was absolutely nothing in it, neither fame nor fortune, for themselves. Non sibi sed aliis! ''Non Sihi Sed Aliis." Ill Of all the American colonies, Georgia was certainly the one established on the noblest principles ; and yet for a long time Georgia did not prosper. At the time of Oglethorpe's leaving, the whole enterprise seemed lit- tle better than a failure. Boundless enthusiasm, de- voted self-sacrifice, strenuous work, and many hun- dreds of thousands of dollars had been expended on the undertaking; and yet after ten years there were less than three thousand people in the colony, and most of these were in a deplorable condition. Hundreds of peo- ple who had settled here moved away in disgust to the Carolinas and other more prosperous provinces. The reason generally given for this discouraging state of afifairs is the obstinacy of Oglethorpe and the Trustees in not allowing negro slavery and the rum trade in Georgia. And yet Oglethorpe was neither an abolitionist nor a teetotaler. He owned slaves himself on a place in South Carolina and he was fond of a glass of wine at dinner, and you have seen how liberally he dispensed rum punch to the guests at his big barbecue in South Carolina. His reason for prohibiting slavery in Georgia was (to use his own language somewhat para- phrased) : ''Owing to its proximity to the hostile and treacherous Spaniards, Georgia should be a sort of mili- tary colony ; every citizen should also be a soldier. The 112 Georgia History Stories. people should live on small farms close together, so that, whenever need be, the men may quickly combine into an army. If slavery were introduced, rich men would buy up the lands, the State would be divided up into large plantations occupied by multitudes of negroes and only a few white men. The Spaniards would incite the negroes to rise in insurrection and murder the whites. South Carolina has already been much disturbed in this way; it would be very much worse for Georgia, lying so near Spanish Florida." His reason against rum was: "Indians are extremely fond of rum and, when they can get it, drink to great excess, bringing on madness, disease and death. For many years to come the welfare of Georgia will depend largely on the help and good behavior of the Indians, therefore rum should be kept away from them." So the prohibi- tion of slavery and rum in Georgia was not at all a matter of morality, but purely a matter of economics or pubHc policy. From this standpoint it was, under all the circumstances, an unwise prohibition, and worked greatly to the detriment of the colony. Another cause of the lack of prosperity was, no doubt, in the kind of people of whom the colony was largely composed. For, if the truth must be told, many of the emigrants who came to Georgia dur- ''Non Sibi Sed Aliis:' 113 ing Oglethorpe's rule were a sorry lot of folk — debt- ors, paupers, beggars, and all sorts of folk who had not been able to take care of themselves at home. Ogle- thorpe has been much blamed for peopling Georgia with such slipshod, knock-kneed human beings ; but really it redounds to his glory that he was willing to extend a helping hand to those poor creatures whom no one else would help, and to give them one more chance in the world. True, as might have been expected, these persons made poor use of the opportunity, but Ogle- thorpe was not to blame for that. There were, of course, many good settlers, such, for instance, as the Salzburgers, who were an earnest, sturdy, industrious folk ; but they seem to have lacked spirit, enterprise, and ambition. Of all the early emigrants to Georgia, those who seem to have been made of that heroic stuff neces- sary to the right upbuilding of a new country were the doughty Highlanders who settled on the Altamaha River, and, alas! they were wiped out of existence in the Spanish war where they so bravely threw them- selves "in the imminent and deadty breach," non sibi sed aliis! But Oglethorpe's work in Georgia was far from being the failure that it seemed. He had laid deep the foundation of splendid success. He had gained the 114 Georgia History Stories. lasting good-will of the Indians. He had saved Georgia, and Carolina, too, from Spanish conquest. In the face of dangers and obstacles that might have appalled the stoutest heart, he had planted a colony that was destined to grow into the great Empire State of the South ! In 1751 the Trustees of Georgia surrendered their charter to the king. For twenty years they had man- aged the afifairs of the colony with the greatest faith- fulness and zeal, though, it must be confessed, with but little wisdom. For their pains and unselfish devotion they received nothing but harsh criticism from the pub- lic and base ingratitude from those whom they had tried so hard to help. No doubt they were glad to be free from the thankless task. Georgia was at once changed into a Royal Province. Under the new regime the re- strictions on slavery and the rum trade were removed, and a number of unwise regulations of the Trustees were abolished or changed. Many energetic, enterpris- ing people, some of them wealthy and influential, moved into the colony, and Georgia forged rapidly forward. By the year 1766, it had ten thousand white inhabitants and eight thousand negro slaves. It had at last grown to be a prosperous and flourishing colony. In 174-4, about a year after his return to England, 'Non Sibi Sed Aliis/ 115 Oglethorpe at the Age of Ninety-two. 116 Georgia History Stories. Oglethorpe at length was married, aged fifty-five years. His bride was Miss Elizabeth Wright, aged thirty-five years. As he was quite an old bachelor and she was somewhat of an old maid, it is to be presumed they lived happily together. She was very wealthy, and her money came in nicely for him, since his own fortune had been much depleted from his generosity to the Georgia colony. Soon after his marriage he was made Major- General in the British army and took an active part in the famous campaign against the Pretender. Sub- sequently he was promoted to the higher rank of Lieu- tenant-General, and later still to that of full General, or Commander-in-Chief. It is often told that at the be- ginning of the Revolutionary War, when he was eighty- six years old, he was offered but refused the command of the army that was to fight against the Americans ; but there is no truth in this absurd story. After his retirement from the army, he was re-elected to Parliament, where he served with distinction for many years. Like his friend Tomo-chi-chi, he lived to be a very old man ; and, like Tomo-chi-chi, too, to the very last his figure was erect, his step light and spry, his eye undimmed, and his faculties unimpaired. His youth had been stormy, his middle life tempestuous, but his long old age was entirely serene. He lived in great ''Non Sibi Sect Aliis." 117 ease and luxury at his rich wife's beautiful country home, but he paid frequent visits to London, where he entered with great heartiness into the literary and social pleasures of the city. One night he would be at the Authors' Club enjoying the brilliant company of such men as Dr. Johnson, Goldsmith, Burke, Burton, and other great literary lights; and the next night he would be at a court ball, dancing with the belles of the sea- son. Until he was ninety years old, he continued to enjoy such pastimes and gayeties with unabated zest. In his marvelous old age he was the most striking fig- ure and the most honored man in all England, and wherever he went he was the "observed of all observ- ers." On the 1st of July, 1785, he died at Cranham Hall, Essex, aged ninety-six years. Georgia has a county and a town named for Ogle- thorpe, but, strange to say, the State has never erected a monument to his memory. The Colonial Dames and the Daughters of the American Revolution of Georgia are now trying to raise funds by popular subscription for this purpose. The movement should have the hearty sympathy and help of all Georgians and should be aided by a liberal appropriation from the State Legisla- ture. There has never lived a man who more richly deserved such an honor at the hands of the Georgia IIB Georgia History Stories. people. To the many superb patriotic monuments that already adorn the beautiful city of Savannah, let one, more splendid than any of the others, be added to the memory of James Oglethorpe ; and let there be carved on it as a suitable epitaph the noble phrase, NON SIBI SED ALUS! PART II. REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD CHAPTER IX. THE STAMP ACT IN GEORGIA. In the year 1765 the EngHsh ParHament passed the celebrated law known as the Stamp Act. This law re- quired the American colonists to write all their legal' documents, such as promissory notes, deeds, contracts, English Stamps for America * bonds, leases, mortgages, etcetera, on "stamped paper," which they had to buy from the English Government, and which was very costly. It required them also to put expensive government stamps on all newspapers, *From Green's "A Short History of the English People." Reproduced by permission of Harper and Brothers. 119 120 Georgia History Stories. pamphlets and almanacs published in America. This was a heavy tax on the Americans, who were poor and ill able to bear it ; but England declared it necessary in order to help pay the expenses of the French and Indian War, which had been fought for the benefit of the col- onies. The passage of the law made the Americans very indignant, because, as they asserted, England had no right to tax them without their own consent. In Vir- ginia the great orator, Patrick Henry, made against the Act a bold and eloquent speech that fired the hearts of the people. James Otis of Massachusetts and other able and patriotic men also spoke and wrote against it. Soon the people throughout the whole country were aroused, and they determined not to permit the outrage. All of the colonies were invited to send delegates to a convention, or congress, to be held in New York City for the purpose of protesting against the Stamp Act. The Governor of Georgia at that time was James Wright. He was born and reared in South Carolina and belonged to a very fine family. He was appointed Governor of Georgia by George II, King of England, in 1760. He was a brave, able and honorable man, but he did not sympathize with the Americans in their stand against the Stamp Act. He believed that England had a right to tax the Americans, and that they ought to The Stamp Act in Georgia. 121 submit to it without a murmur ; so he did everything in his power to keep the people of Georgia from taking part in the movement against the Act. Through his influence Georgia was prevented from sending any dele- gates to the congress in New York. So Georgia was not represented in the famous First Colonial Congress, as it was called, that met in New York in October, 1765. The congress drew up a re- spectful petition and sent it by special messenger across the ocean to the King and Parliament of England, pro- testing that England had no right to tax the colonies without their own consent, and begging that the Stamp Act be repealed ; but the King and Parliament were ob- stinate and headstrong, and were determined to enforce the Act. Ships laden with boxes containing the odious "stamped paper," and accompanied by officers ap- pointed to sell the paper to the colonists, sailed from England for all the principal American ports. When they arrived in America, both stamps and stamp officers received rough treatment at the hands of the angry people in nearly all of the colonies, as you may learn from United States history. What we want to learn now is exactly what the people of Georgia did about it. In spite of Governor Wright's earnest efforts to get the people of Georgia to submit quietly to the Stamp Act, 122 Georgia History Stories. they were determined to rebel against it. They had good reason to rebel ; for besides the wrong principle of the Act itself, Georgia was at that time the poorest of all the colonies, and the one least able to bear this oppres- sive tax. In all parts of the colony the people banded King George III. themselves together in societies called "Sons of Lib- erty," and took a solemn pledge not to allow the stamps to be sold or used in Georgia. Young men formed themselves into military companies called "Liberty Boys," and vowed that they would capture and destroy the stamps as soon as they reached Savannah, and The Stamp Act in Georgia, 123 would compel the stamp officer to leave the colony or else would bind him hand and foot and throw him into the river and drown him. The 26th of October was the anniversary of King- George Ill's accession to the throne of England; and Colonists Burning the Stamp Seller in Effigy. Governor Wright, wishing to honor his royal master, called on the people to assemble in Savannah to cele- brate the occasion. Big crowds came ; but most of them, instead of honoring King George, spent the day in listening to speeches against him and his Parliament and their wicked Stamp Act. In the evening the crowd made images, or effigies, of Governor Wright and other 124 Georgia History Stories. prominent men who favored the Stamp Act, and put- ting them on high poles, paraded the streets with them, accompanied by jeers and insults, ending at last late at night by burning the effigies on the public square amid great cheering and hurrahing. Governor Wright thought the people were very wrong to act this way and tried by talks and speeches and writings to get them to behave themselves, but they heeded him not. In all parts of the colony they continued to hold public meetings to denounce the King and Parliament and the Stamp Act. It was expected that the ship bearing the stamps would reach Savannah about the 1st of November, but for some reason it was delayed. At last, on the 5th of December, an English vessel called The Speedzvell was seen sailing up the river. It was laden with boxes containing the much-talked- of "stamped paper," but this fact was known only to Governor Wright and a few of his council. The Governor had the vessel stopped several miles down the river until late in the night, when it was brought up to the landing, and the boxes of ''stamped paper" were secretly transferred to a strong warehouse, known as Fort Halifax, where they were locked up and put under guard. All this was done to keep the Liberty Boys The Stamp Act in Georgia. 125 from destroying the stamps, which they certainly would have done if they could have got their hands on them. The stamp officer for Georgia, a Mr. Angus, did not come over on The Speedzvell, but on a vessel that was to arrive later. This vessel reached Savannah on the 3d of January. Governor Wright knew that the Liberty Boys were on the lookout for the stamp officer and, if they should get their hands on him, would han- dle him very roughly; so he was taken off the ship away down at Tybee Island and put in a small boat and brought to the landing and then smuggled through the streets to the Governor's mansion, where he was strictly guarded. Everything now seemed ready for the sale of the stamps to begin ; but the people wxre determined that the stamps should not be sold or used, and this they let Governor Wright and Mr. Angus know very plainly. However, they made one exception. There were at this time sixty merchant ships at Savannah, all loaded and ready to sail ; but before a ship is allowed to leave a port it must have what is called "a clearance certifi- cate," and the Stamp Act required that all "clearance certificates" should be written on "stamped paper." It was very necessary that these ships should sail away with their merchandise, or else the commerce of Savan- 126 Georgia History Stories. nah and the whole colony would be utterly ruined. So the Sons of Liberty held a meeting and agreed to allow stamps to be bought and used for the clearance of these ships, but not for any other purpose ; and these were the only *'Stamp-Act" stamps ever used in Georgia. The people grew more and more excited. Every night they gathered in noisy, angry crowds on the streets of Savannah. They threatened the life of the Governor and of Mr. Angus. The Governor's mansion had to be guarded day and night by forty British Rangers. For four days and nights in succession Gov- ernor Wright did not take off his clothes, not even his boots, expecting every moment to be attacked. Mr. Angus did not dare walk out on the streets or even put his head out of the door. At last he decided that it would be best for him to leave the city, so he was smuggled out to the country home of one of the Gov- ernor's friends. One day a great crowd of Liberty Boys began gathering on the streets for the purpose of taking the "stamped papers" from Fort Halifax and destroying them ; but Governor Wright, hearing of it, took a company of fifty Rangers and marched to the fort, and loading the stamps on a cart drawn by two stout horses, carried them to the guard house and locked them up behind its iron doors and iron-barred windows. The Stamp Act in Georgia. 127 Towards the end of January a body of six hundred men from nearly all parts of the colony assembled in the woods near Savannah and sent word to Governor Wright that if he did not surrender the stamps to them they would kill him and take them by force. The Governor, always energetic and prompt, instead of yielding to their threats, hurried the stamps down the river to a fort on Cockspur Island, where they were guarded by a garrison of British Rangers ; but, fearing that they might not be safe even there, a few days later he had them placed on the English ship The SpeedzveU, the same vessel that had brought them over from Eng- land, and which was then at anchor just inside the har- bor bar. There, at last, the precious stamps were safe from the terrible Liberty Boys ! A day or two after the removal of the stamps a body of nearly two hundred Liberty Boys from the crowd which was camped in the woods near Savannah, marched boldly into the city and took possession of the public square. The Governor quickly called the Rang- ers from Cockspur Island to defend the city, and a number of volunteers also joined him, so that he had nearly a hundred well-armed soldiers. It looked as if there would be a bloody battle in the very heart of the town; but the Liberty Boys, awed by the Governor's 128 Georgia History Stories. bold front, soon dispersed and returned to their camp in the woods. You will notice that through all this trying time Governor Wright showed himself to be a firm, brave, wise man. Against great odds he protected the stamps and the stamp officer from violence, but at the same time he was very prudent in his dealings with the angry people. A single rash act on his part would have caused fighting and bloodshed. Through it all he had a number of strong friends and adherents to stand by him and help him ; for there were many people in Georgia who sincerely agreed with him that the col- onists ought to submit to the Stamp Act as obedient subjects of England, and that to rebel against it was treason. These persons were called Loyalists or Royal- ists, but afterwards they became known as Tories. Those that resisted the Act called themselves Patriots. In the spring of 1766 all of the trouble about the Stamp Act came to a sudden and happy end. Over in England Parliament had at last repealed the hated Act. This was done, not so much on account of the pleadings of the Americans, as through the influence of certain great Englishmen who thought that the Act was wrong, and who sympathized with the Americans. The greatest of these was William Pitt, afterwards Earl The Stamp Act iji Georgia. 129 of Chatham. Bent with rheumatism, swathed in flan- nels, suffering acute pain, he hobbled into the Parlia- ment House on his crutches, and made on behalf of the Americans one of the greatest speeches ever deliv- ered. All Americans should ever love the great Eng- lishman, William Pitt, Earl of Chatham. After him, Chatham County, Georgia, is named. The news of the repeal of the Stamp Act was hailed with mighty rejoic- ing by all the colonies, and by none more than by the colony of Georgia. Every colony sent earnest and grateful thanks to the King and Parliament, with assur- W^illiam Pitt. ances of loyalty to the English Government. So for a while there was again peace and love between the col- onies and the mother country ! James Wright was Governor of Georgia for many years, and he was one of the ablest and best Governors that Georgia has ever had. He did a great deal for the good of the colony in its early days of poverty and hard 130 Georgia History Stories. struggle. It is a pity he did not sympathize with the people in their righteous and noble struggle for inde- pendence ; but he really believed they were wrong, and he acted according to his convictions. Through many hard trials he was faithful to what he thought was his duty. He was an able, brave, honest man. We should honor his memory. CHAPTER X. THE CAPTURE OF SAVANNAH. I. ARRIVAL OF THE BRITISH FLEET. The good feeling between the colonies and the mother country, that had been brought about by the re- peal of the Stamp Act, did not last long. King George III and the English Parliament still insisted that they had a right to tax the colonies, and they soon passed an- other tax law as bad in principle as the Stamp Act. The colonies resisted it, and England tried to force them to submission. The strife between the two countries grew worse and worse, until at last it resulted in the great Revolutionary War, which began with the Battle of Lexington, fought in Massachusetts, April 19, 1775. An account of how the war broke out and of its early battles you can learn from United States history. When the news of the Battle of Lexington reached Georgia it caused great excitement, and the patriotic people began making vigorous preparations for war. The Royal Governor, James Wright, about whom you learned in the last lesson, did his best by persuasion and by threats to keep the colony loyal to the English Gov- ernment, but all in vain. At last he was forced to flee 131 132 Georgia History Stories. the country and take refuge in England. Many other leading Tories were driven from the colony, and those that remained were required to take a solemn oath not to do anything to aid the British. All the British officials were turned out of their positions, and the Patriots took complete posses-sion of the government. In place of the banished Governor Wright, Archibald Bulloch,* an able and noble Patriot, was put at the head of afifairs with the title of President and Commander-in-Chief. The people of Georgia refused to carry on commerce with England or to buy anything brought over in Eng- lish ships, thus voluntarily depriving themselves of many comforts and almost of many necessities of life. They sent large donations of money, clothing and provisions to the fighting American soldiers at the North. They raised a fine regiment of volunteers to defend Georgia from British invasion ; and this regiment, on the 2d of March, 1776, most gallantly drove back a fleet of Brit- ish warships that was trying to capture the American merchant vessels lying at the wharves of Savannah. In the fight three British marines were killed and several were taken prisoners, while the Americans had only one man wounded. This was the first bloodshed of the *This Archibald Bulloch was the great-grandfather of Theodore Roose- velt, President of the United States. The Capture of Savannah. 133 Revolution in Georgia. Georgia was represented in the Continental Congresses that met in Philadelphia during the Revolution; and her three delegates, George Wal- ton, Button Gwinnett, and Lyman Hall, signed the Declaration of Independ- ence passed by the Con- gress of 17 7 ().'•' Among the men who took a leading part in the stirring incidents of the early days of the Revolution in Georgia were Archibald Bulloch, Joseph Habersham, Sam- uel Elbert, Lachlan ^Ic- George Walton. Intosh, George Houston, Jonathan Bryan, Button Gwin- nett, Noble Jones, and Lyman Hall. You will observe that there is a county in Georgia named for each of these great patriots, and well do they deserve the honor. During the first three years of the Revolution the war was waged almost entirely at the North, mainly in the states of Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; but in the latter part of 1778 the *You will find a full account of these interesting ^-nts in th^ histo^^^ of Georgia by Rev. Wm. B. Stevens and by Hon. C C. Jones excellen books for every Georgia man and woman to read. 134 Georgia History Stories. British commanders determined, for several reasons, to transfer the seat of war to the South. They decided to begin with the invasion of Georgia. Their plan was to swoop down on Savan- nah from the sea and then overrun and subju- gate the whole State. The people of Georgia knew nothing of these plans. For nearly three years they had been let alone, and they hoped Button Gwinnett. that the war would be fought out at the North, where it began, and that no British army would ever set foot on Georgia soil ; but they were doomed to be rudely awakened from this fond dream of security. On the Gth of De- cember, 1778, a de- serter from the British Lyman Hall. The Capture of Savannah. 135 navy, a man by the name of William Haslan, managed somehow to make his way to Savannah, and he told the people a startling story, like this : "On the 2od of No- vember a large fleet of British warships and transports, accompanied by a big army of soldiers, sailed from the harbor of New York and is now on the high seas on its w^ay to Savannah to capture the city. You may look for it to reach here about the 12th of the month." The story filled the people with alarm, for they Laohlan Mcintosh, were wholly unprepared to defend themselves against such an invasion. Every day after the 12th of the month they looked with fear and trembling for the appearance of the dreaded fleet, but day after day passed and not a warship hove in sight. The people began to believe that the deserter was mistaken or else had purposely told them a lie, but in this hope they were doomed to bitter disappointment. Just at sunset on the 23d of December the people on Tybee Island, about eighteen miles below Savannah, at the m.outh of the 136 GeoTQ-ia History Stories. river, saw a large fleet of ships coming from the northeast witli ^11 sails spread and the EngHsh flag floating from the mastheads. On came the ships Hke a company of evil spirits and cast an- chor off the island. The Noble Jones. fleet consisted of five men-of-war and five transports, having on board three thousand five hundred soldiers, besides sailors and ma- rines. The news of their arrival was quickly conveyed to the city, and you may be sure there was no "Merry Christ- mas" for the people of Savannah that year. Maybe the children had their Christmas trees and their stockings filled by Santa Claus, but for the grown folks there were neither feasts nor merry- makings. It took the British officers several days to Joseph Habersham. The Capture of Savannah. 137 get their bearings before they were ready to begin the attack. The Patriots, with their utmost efforts, could get together an army of only nine hundred men to defend the city. This little army was under the command of General Robert Howe, a cousin of General Howe, of the British army. He w^as a true patriot and a well-meaning man, but a very stupid general, as , ,- rr-i General Robert Howe. we shall soon see. ine second in command was Colonel Huger; the third in command was Colonel Elbert ; the fourth in command was Colonel Walton. II. QUASH DOLLY AND THE FLANK MARCH. At daybreak on the 29th of December the British army was landed on the banks of the Savannah River, in the rice fields of Mr. Girardeau's plantation, at a point just two miles in a bee-line southeast of the city. The army, which consisted of about three thousand men, was commanded by Colonel Archibald Campbell, a very able officer. As soon as the soldiers had landed, they 138 Georgia History Stories. were formed into ranks and started marching straight toward Savannah. To reach the city they had to cross a boggy marsh over a causeway, or raised road, half a mile long, and then ascend a high bluff, known at the present time as Brewton Hill. Colonel Elbert urged General Howe to marshal the American army along the edge of the bluff, so that they might pour their cannon shots and volleys of musketry into the ranks of the British as they crossed the narrow causeway ; but Gen- eral Howe, instead of taking good advice, drew up his men in line of battle about a mile back of the hill to- wards the city,* in the rice fields on Governor Wright's plantation. To the right of the American line there was a swamp, thickly covered with trees and under- growth. Colonel Walton said to General Howe, "Gen- eral, you had better have the edge of that swamp strongly guarded, lest the enemy steal a march through it and turn our flank." "Nonsense," sneered Howe, "nothing but a wildcat could get through that jungle!" and so he left the swamp unguarded — a stupid blunder, as we shall soon see. General Howe sent Captain John Smith's company of forty men forward to Brewton Hill to watch for the *This line crossed the Thunderbolt Road about where the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad freight depot now stands. The Capture of Savannah. 139 coming of the enemy and act as skirmishers. Captain Smith made his men lie flat down on their stomlachs along the edge of the bluff and keep a sharp lookout in front of them. In a little while here came the British army, with drums beating and flags flying, marching over the causeway. Considerably in advance of the others marched Captain Cameron's company of one hundred Scotch Highlanders. They crossed the cause- way and were just starting up the hill when Captain Smith's Americans rose suddenly to their feet and fired a volley of musketry into their ranks. Captain Cam- eron and three of his men fell dead and five were wounded. The company was thrown into disorder and the men started to run back, but quickly rallied when they saw the rest of the British army hurrying up to their assistance. Captain Smith's company now fefl back to the main American line. The British army marched up the hill and a con- siderable distance beyond, and there formed in line of battle* close behind a long rail fence. Eight hundred yards in front of them, and in plain view, was the Amer- ican line of battle, drawn up behind some low earth- works that had been hastily thrown up the night before. *This line crossed the Thunderbolt Road about where the tollgate now stands. 140 Georgia History Stories. About midway between the two armies ran a little creek, the bridge across which had been burned by Gen- eral Howe ; and a short distance beyond the creek there was a ditch filled with water. The banks on both sides of the creek were miry and boggy. So to get at the Americans the British would have to labor through the bog, wade the creek, jump the ditch, and scale the earth- works. Colonel Campbell knew that to make a frontal attack on the Americans in this strong position would be a hard fight and would cost him the lives of many of his men. Looking over towards the swamp on the American right he said to a Tory standing by, "Is there any way to get through that swamp over there?" '*Yes," answered the Tory; "there is a private path through it, and there is an old negro named Quash Dolly on Girardeau's plantation who can show you the way." Quickly Colonel Campbell, guided by the Tory, galloped over to the negro quarters on Girardeau's place in search of Quash Dolly. He found the old negro standing in front of his cabin calmly smoking his pipe. Quash was a native African who had been cap- tured on the coast of Guinea in his young manhood and brought over to America and sold into slavery. He was a short, stout, chunky man, with the kinky hair, flat nose, and thick lips of his race, and as black as The Capture of Savannah. 1-il the ace of spades ; but he was sharp and shrewd. He wore on his head a coonskin cap which he had made himself, and of which he was very proud ; it was so made that the bushy and ringed tail of the coon waved from the top like a plume. Colonel Campbell asked him if he would guide him through the swamp, at the same time showing him an English sovereign, a gold coin equal to about five dollars in our money. Ouash's black eyes sparkled at the sight of the gold, and he readily agreed to undertake the job. Colonel Campbell ordered two regiments of light infantry, under command of Major James Baird, to make the flank march through the swamp under the guidance of Quash Dolly, while he himself stayed with the rest of the British army in front of the Americans. So secretly was Baird's move- ment made that the Americans had not the slightest sus- picion of what w^as going on. They were watching the British behind the rail fence in front of them and won- dering why they did not come on to the attack. The British soldiers kept marching and counter-marching behind the fence, as if they were getting ready to charge the Americans ; but not a step forward did they move. Thus hour after hour passed. "They are scared of us and will sneak back to their ships as soon as night comes. Savannah is already saved !" exclaimed Gen- 142 Georgia History Stories. eral Plowe ; but he was badly mistaken. All this time Major Baird's two regiments of light infantry were stealing a march through the swamp so as to get to the Americans' rear. In front trudged the low, stout figure of Quash Dolly with the coon tail plume of his coonskin cap streaming proudly above his head, while behind him marched Major Baird and his thousand men, making their way as best they could through the thick bushes. By three o'clock in the afternoon they had gained the American rear. Bursting from the cover of the woods they rushed across the rice fields, and with loud yells and volleys of musketry swooped down on the Americans from behind, while at the same time Colonel Campbell's forces charged upon the patriots from the front. So the poor Americans were suddenly caught between two fires by an army that outnumbered their own nearly four to one. Brave as the American sol- diers were, they could not stand against such odds. They broke and fled in wild confusion back towards the city, many of them being killed as they ran. They were pursued by the British through the very streets of Sa- vannah, where a number of them were shot down and bayoneted almost in the presence of their wives or their mothers. On the west side of the town they were ral- lied somewhat by their officers near the spot where the The Capture of Saz-annali. 143 Central Railroad Depot now stands, and passed out in rapid retreat by the Augusta road and across Musgrove Creek. In this way many made their escape. But the British soon got possession of the road and the bridge across the creek. Colonel Elbert's regiment, finding itself thus cut ofif from this avenue of escape, rushed through the rice fields to the banks of the creek near where it empties into the river. The tide was up and the creek was full of water. A hundred men jumped in and tried to swim across the creek. All of them suc- ceeded except thirty poor fellows, who were drowned in the attempt. Two hundred others, afraid to make the plunge, stood on the bank until the British came up, when they surrendered themselves as prisoners of war. The brutal British soldiers, wild with fiendish joy at their victory, committed all sorts of outrages on the people of Savannah, such as the bursting open of doors, the robbing of houses, the insulting of women, and the maltreating of prisoners. Colonel Campbell either could not or would not restrain them. Night came at last, and brought to a close one of the saddest and most awful days that the city of Savan- nah has ever known. In this fight eighty-three Amer- icans were shot dead on the field, thirty were drowned in trying to swim Musgrove Creek, over a hundred were 14^ Georgia History Stories. wounded, and many were taken prisoners, while the British lost altogether only four men killed and ten wounded. Of the nine hundred soldiers composing- the American army, scarcely more than four hundred es- caped. These gathered together the next day at a place eight miles above Savannah. With General Howe at their head they marched far up the river to Sister's Ferry and crossed over into South Carolina. So poor Georgia was abandoned to her fate ! A few weeks later the British army had overrun and practically subju- gated the whole State. CHAPTER XL THREE GEORGIA TORIES. I. THOMAS BROWN. By the 1st of February, 1779, the British had gained ahnost complete possession of Georgia. Their com- mander, Colonel Campbell, issued a proclamation call- ing on the people to take the oath of allegiance to the King and the Government of England. He promised that those who would take the oath should not be molested, but declared that those who refused would be driven from the colony and would have all their prop- erty confiscated. Frightened by this threat a great many people took the oath and became British sub- jects; these people were called Tories. But many re- fused to take the oath because they would rather suf- fer banishment and the loss of their property, or even death, than give up their heroic struggle for Amer- ican independence; these were called Patriots. So the people of Georgia were divided into these two parties, Tories and Patriots, which hated each other with a bitter hatred. In proportion to the population there were more Tories in Georgia than in any other state. Some of them 145 146 Georgia History Stories. were no doubt good, honest people who really believed that the Americans were wrong in rebelling against the English Government ; but many of them were mean, selfish men who only wished to be on the strong or winning side. By the British subjugation of Georgia nearly all of the Patriots of fighting age were driven out of the State, leaving their property and their helpless fami- lies behind, while the Tories remained unmolested in their homes. James Wright, the royal Governor, came back from England and was once more placed at the head of the Georgia Government. So the British and the Tories now held full sway in Georgia, and most cruelly did they use their power. The Tories were far worse than the British. They formed themselves into military companies that were nothing more than bands of ruffians. They roved over the country on horseback and on foot committing all sorts of outrages, robbing the people, burning houses, throwing old men into prison, insulting women, hanging every Patriot soldier that they could lay their hands on, sometimes even murdering children, and show- ing no mercy to any one who favored the American cause. In no other state were the Tories so wicked and cruel as in Georgia. They were even worse than Three Georgia Tories. 147 the savage Indians, whom they employed to help them. The worst of these Georgia Tories was a man bv the name of Thomas Brown. He had always been a Tory; and in the early days of the Revolution he had made himself so obnoxious to the patriotic peo- ple of Augusta, where he lived, that one day a crowd of men dragged him out of his office, and, stripping him to the waist, poured over his naked body a pot of soft tar and over that emptied a pillow case full of feathers, which stuck to the tar and made poor Brown look like a big, ugly frizzled chicken. Thus "tarred and feath- ered," they seated him in an open wagon drawn by three mules and hauled him about the streets of Augusta, while a great crowd followed with hoots and jeers. After parading him for an hour or two they turned him loose with the warning that if he did not leave town within twenty-four hours they would kill him. For sev- eral hours Brown kept his negro servant busy washing the tar and feathers from his body; then he put on his clothes, and, raising his right hand towards heaven, he took a solemn oath that he would be avenged for this great shame and outrage that had been done him. He left the city and the State, but many months afterwards he came back, and how well he kept his oath is a story that has been written in blood ! us Georgia History Stories. It was when Georgia fell into the hands of the Brit- ish that Brown came back, and soon he became the chief leader of the Tories in the State. He was a well edu- cated, intelligent man, and had fine military ability, so that he was made a colonel in the English army and was placed in command of Augusta, his old home. His army was composed about half and half of Tories and Indians. His opportu- nity had now come, and he kept his oath. All of the Patriots of fight- ing age had left Au- gusta and were in the American army. Brown confiscated their prop- erty, threw their old From an old print. Residence of George Walton at Augusta. gray-haired fathers and grandfathers into prison, ex- pelled their helpless wives and children from their homes, and drove them two hundred miles away into North Carolina. Their sufferings on the journey were awful. A number of them died from exposure and ex- haustion, and many others had their health ruined for life by the hardships they endured on that dreadful march. In September, 1780, General Elijah Clarke, with a Three Georgia Tories. 149 small army of Patriots, undertook to recapture Augusta. He succeeded in driving Brown's army out of the city, and they took refuge in a large building just outside of the town known as the ''White House." Brown had the doors and windows barricaded and bored holes through the walls, through which his marksmen, with their long-range rifles, held the Americans at bay. The building was completely surrounded by the Americans, and it seemed impossible for Brown and his men to es- cape. General Clarke had no cannon with which he could batter down the house, so he had to depend on starving out the Tories. For four days and nights he held them besieged. Their provisions were nearly ex- hausted, and every drop of water was gone. Tn one of the large upper rooms of the house lay forty poor wounded Tory soldiers with no medicines and no band- ages or salves for their wounds, and not a drop of water to slake their feverish thirst. Their shrieks of agony and their wild cries for "water ! water !" could be plainly heard in the American camp. Brown himself was severely wounded, shot through both thighs, and was suffering dreadfully ; but he never gave up. He had himself carried around in a big arm-chair from room to room to direct and encourage his men, who were nearly crazed with famine and thirst. General 150 Georgia History Stories. Clarke sent a flag of truce to him and begged him in the name of humanity to surrender, but he positively refused. He was as brave and heroic as he was bad and cruel. At last, on the morning of the fifth day, the relief for which Brown had been looking came. Colonel Cruger, with a large regiment of British regulars, sud- denly appeared on the other side of the river. Brown had sent a secret messenger for them on the day he had been driven from Augusta, and at last they had arrived. General Clarke, knowing that he could not contend against this large force, withdrew his army from the vicinity of Augusta and quickly retreated. He left be- hind thirty wounded Americans who were unable to march. He supposed, of course, they would be treated as prisoners of war. He knew not then the cruel heart of Thomas Brown, though he afterwards learned to know it well. Brown selected thirteen of the wounded Americans and had them hanged from the high balustrade of the staircase in the "White House," so that he might wit- ness their dying agonies as he lay on his couch in the hall below. As each victim was pushed fjom the bal- ustrade and fell with a dull thud at the end of the rope, Brown would utter a grunt of satisfaction. He Three Georgia Tories. 151 turned the rest of the prisoners over to the tender mer- cies of his Indian alhes, who, forming a circle around them in the front yard of the "White House," put them to death by slow and horrible tortures. A long chap- ter might be filled with the inhuman cruelties of Brown, but it would be too horrible a story for you to read. When in 1781 Augusta was at last captured by the Americans, Brown was taken prisoner. Knowing that if the soldiers could get their hands on him, they would tear him limb from limb, the American commander had him carried down the river in a boat under a strong guard. It is strange that he was not court-martialed and hanged, a fate that he richly deserved. The Amer- icans were only too merciful to him. He was soon after^ wards exchanged and rejoined the British army, and till the end of the war he continued his fierce fighting and cruel deeds. After the war was over, knowing that he could not live in America, he took refuge in England. There, in the year 1812, he was convicted of forgery and thrown into prison, where he ended his infamous life in disgrace and ignominy. II. DANIEL McGIRTH. Daniel McGirth was another notorious Tory of Georgia. Unlike Brown, he was an ignorant, unedu- cated man ; and unlike Brown, too, he started out as 152 Georgia History Stories. an ardent Patriot. He was born and reared in South Carolina when that was a new, wild country. He was a good woodsman and as active and lithe as a pan- ther. He was a fine horseman and a splendid shot. He was among the first to take up arms in the American cause. Somehow he drifted down to South Georgia, where he belonged to the little band of Patriots that so bravely resisted the invasion of the British from Florida. He acted as a scout and spy for the Ameri- cans, and he rendered them extremely valuable service. He brought with him from South Carolina a thor- oughbred horse, of which he was very proud. She was an iron-gray mare with a snow-white blaze in her fore- head, and he called her Gray Goose. She was consid- ered the finest horse in the American army, beautiful, intelligent, and swift as the wind. A captain in the American army took a great fancy to the animal and tried to buy her from McGirth, offering him a large price; but McGirth refused to part with her. This angered the captain who, out of spite, mistreated McGirth in many mean, petty ways, as an officer can mistreat a subordinate, if he chooses. McGirth was a high-spirited fellow. Irritated beyond endurance, he one day insulted the officer and raised his arm to strike him ; but some one intervened and stopped the blow. Three Georgia Tories. 153 Now, to strike a superior officer is a grave crime in the army, so McGirth was tried by court-martial and sen- tenced to receive ten lashes with a cowhide on his bare back three days in succession. The first whipping was administered and he was put in the guard house to await his second humiliation. You can imagine the feelings of this high-spirited man, as he paced up and down in his cell brooding over the bitter shame to which he was being subjected! About twilight, as he was gazing through his prison bars, he spied Gray Goose hitched to a tree not far away. He gave a low, peculiar whistle, and Gray Goose, recogniz- ing the signal, raised her beautiful head and uttered an affectionate whinny in response. This was more than he could stand. With a broken trowel that he found in. his cell and with his bare hands, he tore the masonry from around the prison bars ; then, with almost super- human strength, he pulled out one of the bars and through the narrow crack thus made squeezed his long, lithe body and rushing out, sprang on Gray Goose and dashed away ! The guards called to him to halt, but he only shook his fist at them and yelled a dreadful curse, and dashed away in the darkness on his fleet-footed steed, heedless of the musket balls that whistled about his head! 154 Georgia History Stories. His whole nature seemed perverted by the bad treat- ment which he had received. He deserted to the enemy and joined the British army, and from then to the end of the war fought ferociously against the Americans. Of course, the bad treatment he had received from the American officer was no excuse for this, but McGirth was as unprincipled as he was brave and fierce. He was made a colonel in the British army and was put at the head of a powerful Tory band, which for many months was the scourge of the State. He was a perfect ruffian in his manner of warfare. From the Florida line to Elbert County and over into South Carolina his name was a terror to the people. Many were the fearful stories told of ''McGirth and his blazed-faced horse!" A whole book might be written about his daring deeds and his inhuman cruelties. He was twice wounded, but was never taken prisoner. A big reward was offered for his capture, and a thousand people were trying to catch him and often had him in a tight place; but in every emergency he was saved by the fleet foot of his best friend. Gray Goose! After the war was over, he went to Florida, which was then owned by the Spaniards. For some offense or crime there he was arrested and thrown into prison in the old fort of St. Augustine. After five years' im- Three Georgia Tories. 155 prisonment he was released, so weak and broken in health that he could barely drag himself back to his wife in their rude country home in Sumter District. South Carolina. There he soon died in peace, and there he now lies buried ! III. COLONEL GRIERSON. Colonel Grierson was another bad Tory. He was Brown's right-hand man. They were two of a kind. They were companions in arms and companions in many acts of cruelty. Never was there joined together in the commission of wicked deeds two men worse than Brown and Grierson, the Georgia Tories. Grierson, like Brown, was a colonel in the British army. Fort Grierson, at Augusta, was named for him. It was one of the strongest forts in Georgia, and around it at the siege of Augusta was fought one of the blood- iest battles of the Revolution in the State. When Au- gusta was captured by the Americans, Grierson, like Brown, was taken prisoner. To save him from being mobbed by the soldiers, the American commander had him hid away in a little house some distance from town and placed a strong guard around him; but suddenly about twilight a soldier on horseback galloped up and, before the guards knew what he was about, threw his gun to his shoulder, shot Grierson through the window, 156 Georgia History Stories. and then, wheeling, galloped away. That night Grier- son died of the wound, in dreadful agony. The man that shot him was supposed to be Samuel Alexander, the son of John Alexander, an old man seventy-eight vears old, whom this Grierson had treated with hor- rible cruelty when he and Brown held sway in Augusta. Young Alexander was never arrested or tried for the deed. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay !" says the Bible, but perhaps a merciful God will pardon a man for taking vengeance in his own hands in a case like this. CHAPTER XII. THREE GEORGIA PATRIOTS. I. ELIJAH CLARKE. Nearly all the Patriots of fighting age had left the State to join the American army elsewhere, so there was nothing to restrain the demon Tories. The people became cowed and hopeless. Alany who had been Patriots gave up the struggle and took the oath of al- legiance. The State seemed to be abandoned to her unhappy fate. But by the blessing of Almighty God there arose in this dark day a few great, heroic souls to redeem Georgia and avenge her wrongs! The greatest of these heroes was Colonel Elijah Clarke. Just a year before the war broke out he moved with his wife and children from North Carolina to Wilkes County, Georgia, where he settled as a farmer. In the early part of the war he joined the Patriot army, and in a fight with the British in Florida he was des- perately wounded and for a long time disabled. He was at his home in Wilkes County recovering from this wound when the British, under Colonel Campbell, cap- tured Savannah and began overrunning the State. As soon as Colonel Clarke heard the news, he buckled on 157 158 Georgia History Stories. his good sword, mounted his horse, and, leaving his wife and children on the farm, rode day and night over the country, getting together a band of Patriots to fight the British if they should come into that sec- tion of the State. He mustered one hundred dragoons, all Georgians, and as good fighters as ever mounted a horse or shouldered a gun. Colonel Boyd, a British officer, with a band of a thousand Tories, while march- ing through north Georgia on his way to Augusta to join Colonel Campbell, camped one night in an open field on Kettle Creek, in Wilkes County. The following day Colonels Pick- Colonel Andrew Pickens. ^^^^ j^^^^^,^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^.^^^ ^ band of five hundred Carolina and Georgia Patriots, bursting through the thick cane brakes, made a sur- prise attack on them and a desperate battle took place. The Tories greatly outnumbered the Patriots and were getting the best of them, when Colonel Clarke, with his hundred Georgians, made a bold flank movement, and, gaining a hill on the other side of the creek, poured a deadly fire into the enemy's rear, and ''snatched victory from the very jaws of defeat." The Three Georgia Patriots. 159 Tories were completely routed. Seventy-two of them were killed, more than a hundred were wounded, many were taken prisoners, and the rest were scattered to the four winds. Colonel Boyd himself fell mortally wounded, and died the next day. This battle of Kettle Creek, fought February 12th, 1779, was the most bril- liant American victory in Georgia, and Colonel Elijah Clarke was the hero of the day. For months Colonel Clarke, at the head of his little band of Patriots, carried on a guerrilla warfare with the British and Tories throughout what was then north Georgia, including especially Elbert and Wilkes coun- ties. Constantly in the saddle, moving rapidly from place to place, suffering from hunger, thirst, fatigue, and all kinds of hardships, rarely ever sleeping under a roof, living in swamps and jungles, striking the enemy a blow whenever a chance offered, he was the only pro- tection the people had from the outrages of the brutal Tories. Through it all, by his side rode and fought his son, John Clarke, a youth of seventeen years, who after- wards became a famous man in Georgia. Worn out with the hard life that they had to endure, many of Colonel Clarke's men left him and returned to their homes or crossed over to South Carolina and joined the regular American army, and some of them even IGO Georgia History Stories. took the oath of allegiance to the British Government. At one time his command had dwindled down to less than twenty men; but the heroic spirit of Elijah Clarke would not be discouraged. He rode day and night among the mountains of north Georgia and over into South Carolina stirring up the people and calling them to arms. By this means he increased his force to three hundred men. With these he marched against Augusta and made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the city from the Tory, Brown. After this failure he saw that for the present he could do nothing more in Georgia ; so, accompanied by his devoted followers, he crossed over into South Carolina and joined the American army in that State, where he fought with great gal- lantry in many fierce battles. In the spring of 1781 he returned to Georgia for the purpose of making another attempt to capture Au- gusta. Together with the commands of Pickens, Jack- son and McCall, he succeeded in surrounding the city. About the 1st of June the investing army was rein- forced by the famous Legion of "Light Horse Harry" Lee, and that officer assumed principal command. The main defense of Augusta was a powerful fort which stood on a bluff of the river and in the yard of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. This fort was built ]:)y (Jgle- Three Geon^ia Patriots. 161 thorpe in 1736, and had always been known as Fort Augusta. Colonel Brown, the Tory, had enlarged and strengthened the structure and had changed its name to "Light Horse Harry"' Lee. Fort Cornwallis. Towards the close of the siege the British army, driven back from the outposts, took refuge in this fort, which seemed absolutely impreg- nable. For several days the Americans were greatly puz- zled what to do. At length they resorted to the strata- gem of the ''Mayham tower," so called because the de- 162 Georgia History Stories. vice was invented by Major Mayham of the American army. It consisted of a square tower built of huge unhewn logs and rising forty feet high. As the tower rose, the inside of it was filled with dirt packed down hard. Near the top an embrasure, or opening, was made through the logs ; and through this opening a single little six-pound cannon, the largest piece of ar- tillery the Americans had, looked down into Fort Corn- wallis, which was within easy range of its plunging fire. For days this terrible little war dog poured a tem- pest of well-aimed shot and shell down into the fort, destroying its barracks, demolishing its walls, and kill- ing and wounding its garrison by scores. The poor, pent-up soldiers, driven to desperation, dug holes in the ground, into which they crept for protection from the pitiless iron hail. At length, on the 5th of July, Colonel Brown, see- ing that further defense was worse than useless, sur- rendered himself, the entire garrison, the fort, and the city (or village as it then was) to the Americans. This device of the Mayham tower was one of the most brilliant stratagems of the Revolutionary War. The fort, which had been practically destroyed by the plunging fire of the little six-pounder, was never re- built. The spot on which it stood has been marked by Three Georgia Patriots. 163 a stately and beautiful monument, erected by tiie Colonial Dames of Georgia. It is made of granite from the quarries in Oglethorpe County. This noble me- morial of both Colonial and Revolutionary history was unveiled with impressive ceremonies on November 23, 1901. The IMayham tower was located near where the Cotton Exchange of Augusta now stands. Till the close of the war Colonel Clarke (or Gen- eral Clarke as he had now come to be) continued to do glorious service for Georgia. His martial tramp was heard from one end of the State to the other, and his strong right arm dealt blow on blow upon the doomed heads of British and Tories. He was four times wounded, twice nigh unto death. In camp he con- tracted a severe case of smallpox, from which he lay prostrate for six weeks ; but in each instance, as soon as he was able to mount a horse, he was up and about again, encouraging the faint-hearted and leading the brave to battle. Elijah Clarke was an uneducated man and was rough and uncouth in his manners. He had his faults of character, too, but with it all he was a truly great man. He dealt severely with the Tories that fell into his power; hanged a number of them, burned their homes, confiscated their lands, and destroyed their prop- 164 Georgia History Stories. erty. Some people have blamed him for this, bnt he believed he was justified in it. These horrid Tories had driven his own wife and children from home and burned his house. They had treated old men, women and chil- dren with inhuman cruelty, had murdered scores of Patriots in cold blood, and had spread ruin and desola- tion throughout the land. He believed it was but a mild retaliation to hang a score or two of them ; and who will say that he was wrong? Among the many heroes that Georgia produced during the Revolutionary War, Elijah Clarke stands out in bold relief as the most heroic figure of them all. 11. JAMES JACKSON. Another great Patriot of the times was James Jack- son. He w^as born and partly reared in England. His father was a worthy, well-to-do, intelligent man, wdio sympathized keenly with the Americans in their strug- gle against English tyranny and often talked to his son about it ; so James was in spirit an American Pa- triot before ever he saw^ America. Tn 1772, when he was fifteen years old, his father sent him over to Amer- ica to become an inmate of the household of John Wereat of Savannah, an old and intimate friend of the family, who was anxious to have the boy. His father was glad to give him this opportunity of growing to Three Geors-ia Patriots. 165 manhood in the new and promising countr}-. He went to the best schools then in Savannah and at the same time studied law. When the Revolutionary War broke out, young Jackson, though only eighteen years old, was among the General James Jackson. first to shoulder a musket in the American cause. In the fight at Savannah with the British troops in March, 1776, he behaved so bravely that President Bulloch wrote him a letter of thanks and commissioned him a captain. When in January, 1779, the British, under Colonel Campbell, captured Savannah and destroyed the 166 Georgia History Stories. little American army defending the place, Jackson managed to make his escape into South Carolina. His command was now gone, but he was determined to enter the army again as a private. Friendless, penniless, rag- ged and barefooted, he and young John Milledge were making their way through the country to join Colonel Moultrie's regiment in the northern part of the State, when a party of American soldiers took them for spies. In vain did they protest their innocence. They were condemned to be hanged the next day, and the gallows was already prepared for them, when Major Devaux, happening to come along, recognized them and had them set free. Thus the two noble youths had a narrow escape from an awful and ignominious death. Jackson joined Colonel Moultrie's Carolina regiment as a private, but on account of his fine ability and great courage he was rapidly promoted until he got to be a major. He distinguished himself at the famous battles of Cowpens and Blackstocks in South Carolina. After- wards he came back to Georgia and was put in com- mand of a legion of militia. In the spring of 1781 the Americans besieged Au- gusta. The town was surrounded by an army of militia- men who were ordered to guard the place until General Lincoln and "Light Horse Harry" Lee could come down Three Georgia Patriots. 167 from South Carolina with an army of Continentals''' and take the place by storm. The wait was a long and try- ing one. It looked as if Lincoln and Lee would never come. The militiamen, whose time of enlistment was out, became discontented and insubordinate. They threatened to disband and go home. The great colonel, Elijah Clarke, was sick with smallpox ; and Colonel Hammond, who was then commanding in his stead, could do nothing with the men. Ham- mond called on Major Jackson for help. Jack- son said, "Get the men General Benjamin Lincoln. together and let me talk to them." So the soldiers were assembled in a great crowd in an open space in the middle of the camps. When Jackson rode up in front of them, they scowled at him with morose and surly faces, and some of them even started to hoot and jeer him. He began to speak to *Continental troops were those in the service of the Congress of the United States, and not under the control of any one state, as were the militiamen. 168 Georgia History Stories. them. He was a born orator as well as a born soldier, and he spoke with burning eloquence. He did not scold or chide or threaten them; he appealed to their manhood ; he spoke straight to their hearts ; he stirred the nobler spirit in them, and soon the scowls vanished from their faces and they were cheering wildly. They were carried away by his eloquence. When he had fin- ished he called on all who were willing to stand by the post of duty to hold up their right hands, and the hand of every man went up. They kept their promise and stood guard faithfully around Augusta until a month later, when Lincoln and Lee, with the Continental troops, came from South Carolina and joined in the capture of the city. Many other times Jackson used his eloquence to good purpose in reviving the sinking spirits of the peo- ple and the waning heroism of the soldiers. But on one occasion he had to use sterner means than this to teach his men their duty. The legion was made up about half and half of dragoons and infantrymen. The dragoons were picked men and were faithful to him ; but the infantrymen, exasperated by the hardships of war, formed a conspiracy by which they were to assas- sinate Jackson and then disband and go to their homes. A faithful servant told him of the plot two days before Two Georgia Patriots. 169 Lee's Cavalry Skirmishing. it was to be executed. Without appearing to know any- thing about it, he ordered the infantrymen to assem- ble without arms on the parade ground at sunset to 170 Georgia History Stories. hear a very important proclamation that he had to read to them. Suspecting nothing, and curious to know what the proclamation could be about, the men gathered on the parade ground promptly at the appointed hour. Jackson rode slowly in front of them as if about to read the proclamation, but instead of doing so he made a signal by waving his handkerchief over his head, whereupon the dragoons, fully armed, came galloping up and surrounded the astounded infantrymen and held them prisoners. All night they were guarded like criminals. The next day Jackson picked out the six ringleaders of the conspiracy and had them hanged in the presence of the whole legion. Then he made a speech to the men, in which he told them he knew they had been led into this foul plot by the few bad men who had been hanged, and from whose fate they must take warning; he would pardon them for what they had done. Then he appealed to them to return to their duty like true soldiers. The lesson sank deep into their hearts, and they gave him no further trouble. Jackson was a kind-hearted man, but he could be severe when duty required it. Towards the close of the Revolutionary War, Jack- son and his men had harder service to perform than any other soldiers in Georgia. At last, when the war was Three Gcorcria Patriots. 171 brought to a close by the British surrendering Savan- nah, General Anthony Wayne, Commander-in-Chief of the American army in Georgia, said : "The keys of the captured city must be handed not to myself, but to my young brother officer. Colonel James Jackson ; for to him more than to any other man is due the triumphant is- sue of this trying cam- paign !" Thereupon the keys were formally handed to Jackson, and he was the first American soldier to tread the streets of recaptured Savannah, from which he had been driven by the bay- onets of the British four years before. He was still only twenty-three years old. James Jackson, unlike Elijah Clarke, was an edu- cated, cultured gentleman. He had a splendid intel- lect, and afterwards became a great lawyer and states- man. He was a man of medium height and slender figure, but was perfectly formed. He had light hair, clear penetrating blue eyes, and commanding features. General Anthony Wayne. 172 Georgia History Stories. He was noble natured and warm hearted, but very high tempered. He was a briUiant soldier of the Revolu- tion, but the most glorious part of his career came after the war was over. III. JOHN TWIGGS. Another great Georgia soldier of the Revolution was General John Twiggs. Not long before the war started, he came to Georgia from Maryland as a young me- chanic. He entered the army as captain and rose rap- idly to the rank of brigadier-general. Brave, active, talented, and influential, he was a tower of strength to the Patriots. No partisan leader in Georgia was en- gaged in more fights and battles with the enemy, and never once did he suffer defeat. He lived for twenty- five years after the war was over, and filled many posi- tions of honor and trust in Georgia. He was a member of the State Legislature for a number of years, and was a trustee both of Richmond Academy, Augusta, and of the University of Georgia. He died in Richmond County in April, 1816. Each one of this great trio of Revolutionary heroes, Clarke, Jackson, and Twiggs, became the founder of families that have given to Georgia a number of able and distinguished men. CHAPTER XIII. SIEGE OF SAVANNAH. I. d'estaing outwitted. You remember that Savannah was captured by the British on the 29th day of December, 1778. For eight months they kept undisturbed possession of it, but in the early fall of 1779 the Americans laid a careful plan to recap- ture the city. Already, France had espoused the cause of America, and had sent a large fleet of warships and an army of men to help in the struggle for in- dependence. This fleet and army, which was under the command of Count d'Estaing, a noted French general, was ordered to proceed to Georgia and aid the Americans in the recapture of Savannah. The plan was for the American and the French forces to get to Savannah about the same time, to sur- 173 Count d'Estaing. 174 Georgia History Stories. round the city and demand its surrender. It happened, however, that the French fleet under d'Estaing reached the mouth of the Savannah River before Lincoln's American forces had arrived from South Carolina. In- stead of waiting for Lincoln's arrival, as he should have done, d'Estaing landed his army at once, and, advanc- ing within two miles of Savannah, called on the Brit- ish general, Prevost, to surrender. General Prevost seemed much alarmed, and talked as if he might comply with the demand, but asked for twenty-four hours to consider the matter. He also insisted that during this time d'Estaing should withdraw his forces four miles from the city and remain there until the twenty-four hours had expired. D'Estaing very unwisely agreed to this truce and withdrew his troops to a distance Shrewd General Prevost spent the twenty-four hours in vigorous preparation for defense. He kept fifteen hun- dred men, soldiers and negroes, working in relays night and day, constructing fortifications, or redoubts, around the city. He took many large cannon from the warships lying in the river and placed them in the redoubts. He sent a secret messenger to Colonel Maitland over in South Carolina to hurry to his assistance. That officer managed, in a wonderful way, to slip past the French fleet in the mouth of the river and to land safely at Siege of Savannah. 175 Savannah with his regiment of five hundred men. The pent-up garrison was overjoyed at the arrival of this strong reinforcement. During this time Prevost was keeping up a cunning correspondence with d'Estaing, leading him to believe that he would surrender ^v^KB^^S^B B^^^^^E^wSswIu at the end of the twenty- four hours if satisfactory terms could be agreed upon. In the meantime, Gen- eral Lincoln arrived from Count Pulaski. South Carolina with the American forces. In Lincoln's command was the famous Pulaski Legion, led by the valiant Count Pulaski, a Polish nobleman and soldier, who, having been driven from his own coun- try by Russian despotism, had come over to the United States and joined the American army. He had been put in command of a legion of cavalry, and had rapidly gained great distinction as a daring and successful leader. At this time he was about thirty-five years old, the very beau ideal of a soldier — tall, stalwart, handsome, with a fine military bearing. As soon as Lincoln arrived, d'Estaing said to him, 176 Georgia History Stories. with great elation : ''I have Savannah already sur- rounded, and it is completely in our power. Negotia- tions are now going on for its surrender, and the city will be ours before sunset without the firing of a gun!" But in this, poor d'Estaing was wofuUy mistaken. He had ''reckoned without his host." When the twenty-four hours' truce had expired, General Prevost sent word to the Americans that he had no idea of surrendering, but would defend Savannah to the bitter end. D'Estaing and Lincoln were greatly surprised and disappointed at this reply, and all the more so when they approached the city and found it too strongly protected to be taken by storm. D'Estaing had been completely outwitted by Prevost. II. THE BOMBARDMENT. Deciding that Savannah could not be taken by storm, Lincoln and d'Estaing determined to try to take it by siege and bombardment. The bombardment was begun on the 26th of September ; and from then until the 8th of October the Americans and the French boomed and boomed away at the British, and the British, in reply, boomed and boomed at them ; but with all the cannonading not much damage was done on either side. The American cannon balls passed mostly over the heads of the British in the redoubts and fell Siege of Savannah. Ill in the city. Many houses were struck, several were de- moHshed, and two were set on fire and burned. Nearly all the women and children were taken over to Hutcher- son Island, where they lived during the siege in the great rice barns there. Those that remained moved into the basements and cellars of their houses, where they would be in less danger. In the cellar in which General Pre- vost's wife and children stayed, the walls were lined with mattresses and feather beds, so as to make them bomb-proof. A bomb shell penetrated a cellar in which a family was living and, bursting, killed two of the negro servants. Another shell crashed into a room and killed a young mother and her three-weeks-old infant. Several negroes were killed on the streets by exploding shells. Savannah at that time was one great sand bed, and the shells falling in the streets or in the squares would generally bury themselves in the sand and have their fuses extinguished, for a bomb shell is burst by a fuse just as fire-crackers are. The negro children got so accustomed to the shells that when they saw one fall they would run up and extinguish the sputtering fuse by stamping it with their feet or by throwing sand on it, and would take the unexploded shell and sell it to the artillerymen for sixpence. A dangerous business surely for such small pay! 178 Georgia History Stories. For two weeks the bombardment was continued without making any progress towards forcing the Brit- ish to surrender. The French fleet in the mouth of the Savannah River was now in constant danger of being attacked by a more powerful British fleet that might at any time be sent against them from England. Count d'Estaing was therefore naturally restless and anxious to get away. So he and Lincoln determined to try to take Savannah by one brave, desperate assault. III. THE ASSAULT AND PULASKl's DEATH. The American and French generals planned very carefully for the grand assault. It was to take place at daybreak on October 9th. On the east side the approach to Savannah was mostly over dry, firm, level ground, by good roads, and through concealing forests ; so for defensive purposes that was the weak side. Hence the British had placed their strongest fortifications there. On the west side the ap- proach was more difficult ; for over there were Musgrove Creek and swamp, and marshy rice fields lying below the level of the city. The French and the Americans de- termined to make the attack on that strong west side for the very reason that the British would not be expecting it at that point. To mislead them still further, they ordered General Huger's regiment to make a vigorous Siege of Savannah. 179 pretended, or feigned, attack on the east side just before daybreak, so as to cause the enemy to concentrate his forces at that point, while the real assault was being made on the w^est side. The plan w^as a splendid one, and might have succeeded if treachery had not taken a hand in this exciting game of war. On the night of the 8th of October, James Curry, of Charleston, ser- geant-major of a regiment of South Carolina volunteers, deserted and made his way into Savannah and revealed the whole plan to the British.* At three o'clock on the morning of October 9th, in the darkness before dawn, the French and American forces concentrated in the woods of Musgrove swamp to the west of Savannah, and were there marshalled into battle array for the grand assault. Three hundred yards in front of them was the line of British redoubts manned with cannon, and in front of the redoubts were trenches for the infantry. The assault was to be di- rected mainly against Spring Hill redoubt, which stood very near where the "round house" of the Central Rail- road shops now stands. The assaulting column con- sisted of about four thousand men, three thousand French and one thousand Americans. About eleven * It is gratifying to know that a year later the Americans captured this traitor at Hobkirk Hill (N. C). and hanged him. 180 Georgia History Stories. hundred men were held in reserve to strike in at the critical time whenever their services might be most needed. Pulaski's Legion was among these reserves and occupied a position to the left and back of the as- saulting column, where, from an elevated piece of ground, Pulaski could clearly see the whole battlefield. A little before sunrise, in the gray light of the break- ing day, the assaulting column emerged from the woods and started at quick-step across the open space toward the enemy's works. As they approached the redoubts they were disappointed to find that the British were not surprised, but on account of the information brought by the traitor Curry, were ready to give them a warm reception. Fifty cannon poured an iron storm of grape, canister and chain shot into their ranks. They fell like grass before the mower. Their line was torn into fragments and went reeling back, but under the rallying cry of their brave officers they gath- ered themselves together and charged forward again. As they drew still nearer to the enemy's works, a leaden hail from the muskets in the trenches was added to the iron storm from the cannon in the redoubts. Still they pressed on, until some of the trenches were captured and the American flag was planted on one of the re- doubts. The opposing columns stood within a few feet Siege of Savannah. 181 of each other, and fired point blank into each other's faces. At this critical moment Count Pulaski said to Gen- eral Lincoln : "Let me take my horsemen, dash in be- tween those two redoubts on our left and gain the enemy's rear. We will spread havoc among them from behind, while the infantry press them in front, and the victory will soon be ours !" General Lincoln readily agreed to this bold stroke. The bugler blew the rally, the two hundred cavalrymen formed in column for the charge. Pulaski, galloping to the front on his superb black charger, raised his sword aloft and cried "For- ward !" The men put spurs to their horses and away they dashed, swift as the wind, straight towards the open space between Spring Hill redoubt and the one next to the right of it. A more splendid cavalry charge was rarely ever seen on earth. But as they came sweep- ing like a cyclone up to the enemy's works, Pulaski saw that the infantry whom he had come to support, driven back by the terrible fire, had abandoned the assault and were streaming to the rear in a wild stampede. Still on dashed Pulaski and his horsemen. The concen- trated fire of both redoubts was now turned upon them. Pulaski, on his black charger, leaped the entrenchments and dashed into the gap between the two redoubts. 182 Georgia History Stories. Only a few of his horsemen and some infantry whom he had raUied were with him now. All the rest had been shot down or driven back. At this moment a small cannon ball, called grape shot, fired from the Spring Hill redoubt, struck the gallant Polander in the right groin. Still retaining his sword in his right hand, he threw his left hand over to the wounded side. His horse, feeling the reins slacken, made a great lunge. Pulaski reeled in his saddle and fell heavily to the ground. His brother Polander, Major Rogowski, sprang from his horse and knelt by his side. "J^sus ! Mary !" faintly groaned Pulaski, for he was a devout Roman Catholic. A glancing musket ball struck Rogowski on the fore- head, making only a slight wound but filling his eyes with blood and knocking him senseless by Pulaski's side. Several of Pulaski's brave soldiers rushed up at the imminent risk of their own lives, bore their chief- tain through the sulphurous smoke and death-dealing missiles to the rear of the battlefield, where Dr. James Lynah of Charleston extracted the ball — an operation which, though exceedingly painful, was borne by Pulaski with inconceivable fortitude. The grape shot is still in possession of Mr. J. H. Lynah of Savannah, a great- grandson of Dr. Lynah. This was one of the fiercest and bloodiest battles of Siege of Savannah. 183 the Revolutionary War, and in it the Americans with their French alHes suffered a complete and crushing defeat. Men never fought more bravely than they did, but nothing human could stand before the terrible can- nonade from the enemy's lines. Out of the 5,000 sol- diers actually engaged on the American side 1,133 were killed or wounded, 821 French and 312 Americans. Nearly all of the officers were either killed or wounded. Count d'Estaing, who most bravely led the assault, was wounded in the early part of the battle, but refused to leave the field until he was prostrated by a second shot and had to be borne away by his men. He finally re- covered from his wounds, and afterwards had a very distinguished career in France. The British lost only one hundred men all told. The battle started at sun- rise and by nine o'clock it was all over; the last sound of the strife had died away, and amid the drifting smoke the black-robed Angel of Death brooded in silence over that bloody plain. All hopes of taking Savannah were now abandoned. Immediately after the .battle General Lincoln retreated to Ebenezer, and a little later crossed over the river into South Carolina. In a few days d'Estaing with the whole French fleet and army sailed away for France. On the day after the battle, as soon as Dr. Lynah 18-i Geoviiia History Sto rics. had attended to his wound, Pulaski was put on board a ship to be carried to Charleston for safety and proper attention. But he had received a mortal hurt, and, in spite of the best surgical attention, he died on shipboard the next day. He was buried in the sea, somewhere between Savannah and Charleston. In 1853 the city of Savannah erected a mag- nificent marble monu- ment to this heroic for- eigner who had sealed with his life's blood his devotion to the cause of American liberty. The monument stands in Monterey Square, in the heart of the city. It was made in Italy, at a Monument to Pulaski. cost of eighteen thousand dollars, and is probably the finest 4Diece of tombstone work in Georgia. The figure of Pulaski falling from his horse as he receives his death wound, carved in high relief on one side of the monument, is especially beautiful, and is regarded by art critics as a masterpiece of sculpture. Siege of Savannah. 185 Georgia has honored Pulaski also by naming one of her counties for him. IV. DEATH OF SERGEANT JASPER. In the assault on Savannah an American soldier of immortal fame received his death wound within a hun- dred yards of where Pulaski fell, and at almost the same moment. His name was William Jasper, a young vol- unteer from South Carolina. He was a man of hum- ble origin. His parents were poor, honest Irish, who emigrated to America and settled in South Carolina, where they earned a livelihood by the toil of their hands. Their famous son was brought up not only in poverty, but in ignorance, for in those days the children of the poor had little or no chance for getting an education. William Jasper never went to school a day in his life, and he grew to manhood without being able to read or write. At the outbreak of the war he joined the Second South Carolina Regiment, one of the finest regiments in the American army. He proved a model soldier and won the admiration of his officers. He was a splendid specimen of physical manhood. There was not a loose stitch in his body nor in his character. Although en- tirely uneducated, he was endowed with an abundance of mother wit and the gift of ready and eloquent speech. In t4ie Battle of Fort Moultrie, at Charleston, S. C, 186 Georgia History Stories. in the early part of the war, he distinguished himself by a deed of great daring. In the midst of the fight a cannon ball fired by the British struck the flag staff on the fort, and the American flag fell to the ground. Jasper picked it up, and, amid shot and shell, clam- From the painting by Oertel. Sergeant Jasper at Fort Moultrie. bering to the top of the fort, replaced the flag in its former position, shouting, ''God save liberty and my country forever!" In recognition of his bravery, Gov- ernor Rutledge, in the presence of the whole regiment, ofifered him the commission of lieutenant ; but Jasper replied in these words : "Governor, I thank you most heartily for this honor, which is more than I deserve. Siege of Savannah. 1^'^ but I can't accept it. I am a poor, ignorant body; I can-t write my own name or even read a line. As ser- geant I may do pretty well, but as lieutenant I would onlv get myself laughed at and lose the respect of my fellow soldiers." The Governor replied: "Good sergeant, that was noblv spoken! I see that you are as modest as vou are brave. Since you will not accept the com- mission, I beg that you will accept this sword as a per- sonal gift from me." At the same time, he unbuckled his own weapon from his side and handed it to Jasper, who received it, saying, with tears in his eyes: "Gov- ernor, I pray that I may never do anything to dishonor this sword!" In the vears after the Battle of Fort Moultrie, Jas- per was frequently detailed to act as scout and spy for General Lincoln, This is the most dangerous service that a soldier can perforn>, and requires not only cour- age, but great shrewdness and intelligence. Many were the daring deeds done by Jasper in discharge of the duties of this position. In a number of his expeditions he was accompanied by another famous scout and spy, Sergeant Newton. On one occasion, in the darkest days of the Revolu- tion in Georgia, six American soldiers were being con- ducted under a strong guard from Ebenezer to Savan- 188 Georgia History Stories. nah, where they were to be tried for their Hves for en- tering the American army after having taken the oath of allegiance to the British Government. They were accompanied by a Mrs. Brown, whose husband was one of the prisoners, and her little seven-year-old boy. She was going to Savannah to plead with the authorities for the life of her husband. Jasper and Newton, while spying through the British camp at Ebenezer, found out all about this intended expedition, and they determined to try to rescue the prisoners. On the road that the prisoners and their guard would have to travel, and only a few miles from Savannah, there was a famous spring known as The Spa. Jasper knew that the party would probably stop at this spring to rest before pro- ceeding to the city. So he and Newton went ahead through the woods, and concealed themselves behind the thick bushes near the spring, and awaited the com- ing of the party. After a short while the party arrived and halted. The soldiers, leaving two of their number to guard the prisoners, stacked their muskets ; and, after quenching their thirst at the spring, the whole party sat down on the ground to rest. Quick as a flash Jas- per and Newton sprang from their covert, snatched two muskets from the stack, shot the two armed guards dead, and then, seizing two other muskets, held at bay Siege of Savannah. 189 the other guards, who were required to remove the manacles from the wrists of the Americans. Then the Americans transferred the manacles to the wrists of the British, and so the tables were completely turned! The British prisoners, eight in number, were marched to an American camp ten miles away. This was one of the most daring and wonderful exploits of the Revolu- tionary War. The spring at which it occurred became a noted historic spot, and has ever since been known as Jasper Spring. In the year 1902 the Lachlan Mc- intosh Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revo- lution erected at the place a memorial in the form of a beautiful fountain made of white Georgia marble. All travelers who pass that way stop to drink at the spring and to ponder on its tragic story. The assault on the British works in the siege of Savannah, already described, was led by the Second South Carolina Regiment, to which Jasper belonged. They carried the first line of works and planted their flag on one of the fortifications. This flag had been presented to the regiment several years before by Mrs. Elliott, of Charleston, one of the leading ladies of South Carolina. In a few moments British reinforcements came up and drove the Americans back from the posi- tion which they had gained. As they were retreating, 190 Geon^ia Histor\ Stories. Jasper remembered that the flag floating from the breastwork had been left behind, and was about to fall into the enemy's hands. Determined to rescue it at the hazard of his life, he turned, rushed back, and mounted the fortification; but just as he seized the flag, a cruel musket ball from the enemy tore through one of his lungs. Holding one hand to his wound- ed side, he painfully made his way to the rear with the rescued flag. The next day he died of his wound, sur- rounded by devoted comrades. To Major Horry, who was hold- ing his hand, he said : Monument to Sergeant Jasper. <ossession of their own. Down to the close of the War of Secession and for a number of years afterwards, this so-called "pine barren" region of Georgia was very sparsely inhabited, and mainly by very poor and ignorant people. You could ride from ten to twenty miles in many parts of it without passing a human habitation. By degrees, however, it was discovered that mixed with the pine barrens there were many acres of fertile hummock lands, and that the barrens themselves were not so barren after all. Railroads penetrated the country, and a rapid and wonderful development followed. The great pine forests yielded an enormous output of lum- ber and naval stores (tar, pitch and turpentine), which made fortunes for many men, and a substantial living for very many more. The hitherto despised lands, under careful cultivation and fertilizing, produced from year to year abundant crops of long staple cotton, Georgia cane syrup, tobacco and early vegetables for the North- ern markets. Thus within the past decade south Georgia has forged forward more rapidly than any other part of the State, and its population and wealth have increased enormously. It is to-day in material prosperity one of the most flourishing parts of Georgia. Georgia and Georgians in 1840. 375 The proud citizen of this region might say without great exaggeration : "This stone rejected of the builders has become the chief corner stone of the temple!" INDEX. Adams, President John Quincy, con- troversy with Governor Troup, 271-280; attitude toward Cherokee Indians, 292. Alexander, Samuel, murders Grier- son, 155, 156. Amelia Island, 45, 92. Andrews, Major T. P., investigates charges against Indian Agent Crowell, 267, 268. Angus, Mr., British stamp officer for Georgia, 125, 126. Anne, the, Georgia emigrant ship, 11, 13, 14. Assassination of Cherokee Indian chiefs, 320. Augusta, city of, visited by Ogle- thorpe, 91; occupied and defended by Brown, the Tory, 148-150; siege and capture of by Americans, 160-163. Baird, Colonel James, 141, 142. Baldwin County, 336. Banks County, 339. Bartow County, 352. Beaufort (S. C), town of, 14. Bibb County, 340. Big Warrior, Creek Indian chief, 254, 255, 257. Block-houses, 327. Bloody Marsh, battle of, 104-106. Bolzius, Rev. Martin, Salzburg pastor, 59, 65, 67, 69. Boudinot, Elias, Cherokee Indian chief, 289, 320. Bowles, William Augustus, 225-231. Boyd, Colonel, killed at battle of Kettle Creek, 158. Brewton Hill, Savannah, 138. Brown, Colonel Thomas, Tory lead- er, career, 147-151; at siege of Augusta, 160-162. Brown, Mrs., scene with Alexander McGillivray, 221. Bryan, Jonathan, 133. Bull, Colonel William, 14, 15, 16, 19, 25. Bulloch, Colonel Archibald, Presi- dent of Georgia, 132, 133. Cameron, Captain, killed at Savan- nah, 139. Campbell, Colonel Archibald, 137, 140, 141, 143, 145, 157, 158, 165. Campbell, Duncan G., United States Indian Treaty Commissioner, 260. Caroline, Queen, receives Tomo-chi- chi, 35; wears dress made of Georgia silk, 67. Castell, Robert, dies in Debtors' Prison, 6. Chappell, Absalom H., his "Miscel- lanies of Georgia," 233, 250. Charter of the Georgia Colony, 8, 9. Chattooga County, 352. Cherokee Indians, general account of, 285; relations with Colonial Georgia, 285; in the Revolution, 286; civilization of, 288-291; po- litical claims, 292-294; contro- versy with State of Georgia, 294- 300; suits before United States Supreme Court, 301-308; Treaty of New Echota, 313, 314; expul- sion from Georgia, 316, 317; as- sassination of Treaty chiefs, 320. (See also Treaties with Cherokee Indians.) Cherokee Country, the, 349, 350. Cherokee County, 351. Clarke, General Elijah, 148-150, 157- 164, 193, 196, 213. Clarke, John, 159. Cobb County, 351. Colonial Congress of 1765, why 378 Index. Georgia not represented at, 121; protest against the Stamp Act, 121. Colonial Dames of Georgia, erect monument to Tomo-chi-chi, 52; restore old Fort Frederica, 85; project monument to Oglethorpe, 118; erect monument on site of old Fort Augusta, 163. Colonists, Georgia, character of, 112, 113. Columbus, city of, 90, 348. Condition of Georgia at close of Revolutionary War, 322-324. Cornwallis, Fort, 161. Cotton, beginning of the cultivation of in Georgia, 339; becomes "King," 341; wealth and civiliza- tion produced by, 358; princely planters and management of plan- tations, 359-361. Coweta County, 89, 90, 347. Coweta Town, great council of . Creek Nation held at, attended by Oglethorpe, 89, 90; great council of Creek Nation held at, attended by Alexander McGiHivray, 208. Creek Indians, 27-33, 88, 93, 208- 234, 251-281, (See also Treaties with Creek Indians.) Crowell, John, United States agent to Creek Indians, 258, 260, 267, 268, 272. Cumberland, Duke of, his present to Toonahowi, 39. Cumberland Island, 44, 82. Curry, James, the traitor, 179, 180. Darien, town of, settled by Scotch Highlanders, 76. Daughters of the American Revolu- tion, obtain copy of Georgia Col- onial seal from London, 11; mark spot where Oglethorpe crossed Chattahooche River on way to Coweta Town, 90; project monu- ment to Oglethorpe, 117; erect marble memorial fountain- at Jasper Spring, 189; purchase Nancy Hart place in Elbert County, 203. Debtors' prisons in England, 5, 6. Dodge County, 336, 369, 372. Dolly, Quash, negro guide to Brit- ish army at capture of Savannah, 137-141. Dooly, Colonel John, 158, 197-202. Ebenezer, Old, settled by Salzburg- ers, 62-64; abandoned, 65. Ebenezer, New, settled by Salz- burgers, 65, 66; during Revolu- tionary War, 71, 72; decay of, 72. Elbert, Colonel Samuel, 133, 137, 138, 143. Elbert County, 154, 159, 192, 202. Emanuel County, 332, 369. Estaing, Count d*, at siege of Sa- vannah, 173-183. Eugene of Savoy, Prince, Oglethorpe serves under, 4, 5. Extinguishing of Indian land titles, 251, 252, 256, 261. Florida, 8, 45, 74, 225. Floyd County, 352. Forsyth County, 351. Franklin County, 326, 329, 351. Frederica, town of, founded by Oglethorpe, 81, 82; progress and decay, 81-85; the "Thermopylae of Georgia," why so called, 101, 102. Frederica, Fort, built by Oglethorpe, 82; ruins of, 85; in Spanish War, 102. French, espouse American cause, 173; army at siege of Savannah, 174-183. Gaines, General Edmund P., investi- gation of Creek Indian affairs and controversy with Governor Troup, 269-271. Gascoigne's Bluff, in Spanish War, 102. George II., 8, 9, 34, 120. George III., 122, 131. Gilmer, Governor, 296, 297, 299, 302, 304. Girardeau's plantation, landing of British at, 137, 140. Gold region, the, in Georgia, 298, 299, 349, 350. 1 n d e X. 379 Greene County, 329. Greene, General Nathaniel, 238. Grierson, Colonel, Tory leader, 155, 156. Grierson, Fort, 155. Gronau, Rev. Israel, Salzburg pastor, 69, 65, 67, 69. Gunn, James, connection with the "Yazoo Fraud," 237-240; death, 247. Gwinnett, Button^ 133. Habersham, Joseph, 133. Hall County, 351. Hall, Lyman, 133, 210. Hancock County, 210, 247, 329. Harris County, 347. Harris, Joel Chandler, his "Stories of Georgia," 202, 215, 238. Hart County, 203. Hart, Benjamin, American Partisan captain, 192, 197, 201, 202. Hart, Nancy, 192-203. Haslan, William, British deserter, 135. "Head Right," land title, 327. Henry, Patrick, speech against Stamp Act, 120. Highlanders, Scotch, in Georgia, 43, 74-78, 80, 92, 95, 96, 103, 113, 139. Houston County, 340. Houston, George, 133. Howe, General Robert, 137, 138. Huger, Colonel, 137, 178. Indian affairs in Georgia in 1823, 251-255. Indian Spring Treaty, 257-261. Jackson County, 351. Jackson, President Andrew, dealings with Cherokee Indian case. 307, 309, 310, 313. Jackson, James, in the Revolution, 164-172; fight against the Yazoo Fraud, 244-248. Jasper, Sergeant, in the Revolution, 185-190; monument, 191. Jekyl Island, 43. Jerusalem Church of the Salzburgers, 70-72. Jones, C. C, his "History of Geor- gia," 84, 107, 133. Jones County, 336, 340. Jones, Noble, 133. Land-claim tragedy, 372, 373. "Land Lottery," 334, 335, 340, Laurens County, 282, 336. Lee, "Light Horse Harry," 160, 166, 167, 168. Lembke, Rev., Salzburg pastor, 69. Leopold, Archbishop, persecution of the Salzburgers, 55, 56. Lexington, Battle of, 131. Liberty Boys, the, 122, 125, 127. Lincoln, General, 167, 168, 174, 175, 178, 183. Little Prince, Creek Indian Chief, 254, 255, 257. Loyalists (see Tories). Lumpkin, Governor Wilson, 308. Lynah, Dr. James, 182. McCall, Colonel, American officer, 160. McGillivray, Alexander, parentage, 205; education, 206, 207; made chief of the Tribe of the Wind, 207; becomes Supreme Chief of the Creek Nation, 208; in the Revolution, 208-210; connection with Oconee War, 210-225; op- posed by William Augustus Bowles, 230; character, 231-233; death and burial, 234. McGillivray, Lachlan, father of Alexander McGillivray, 204-207, 209. McGirth, Colonel Daniel, Tory lead- er, 154, 155. Mcintosh, Chilly, 262, 264, 265. Mcintosh, Lachlan, 133. Mcintosh, William, parentage and character, 253, 254; speech at Broken Arrow, 255; leader at In- dian Spring Treaty, 257; murder of, 263-265. Mackay, Captain, Highland leader, 77, 104, 105. Macon County, 341. ]\Iadison County, 329, 351. Maitland, British officer, 174. 380 Index. Marshall, Chief Justice, decisions in Cherokee Indian cases, 302, 306. Mathews, Governor George, connec- tion with Yazoo Fraud, 242, 247. Mayham tower, at siege of Augusta, 1G1-1G3. Milledge, John. 1G6. Meriwether County, 347. Meriwether, J., United States In- dian Treaty Commissioner, 257. Money-making period in Georgia, 342, 343. Monroe County, 340. Monroe, President James, 256, 257, 292. Monteano, General Manuel, in Span- ish War, 94, 107. Montgomery County, 329, 336, 369. Moosa, Fort, in Spanish War, 95, 96. Morgan County, 336. Mountaineers, Georgia, 353-356. Muscogee County, 17, 23. Musgrove Creek, Savannah, 143, 178 Musgrove, Mary, 17, 23. Negroes, great increase of in G'eor gia, 342; treatment of by whites 359, 360; feeling between master and slaves, 361; superiority of cot ton-belt negroes, 361, 362; benefi cence of Southern slavery, 362 363, 367; rice plantation negroes 366, 367. New Inverness (see Darien). North Carolina emigrants to Georgia, 328, 329, 331, 336. Oconee War, the, 213-224, 327, 328 Oglethorpe, James, parentage, edu cation, and early career, 1-5 prison reform measures, 6-8 Georgia Colony enterprise, 8-12 conference with Governor John son of South Carolina, 13, 14 finding a location for colony, 15 16; first meeting with Tomo-chi chi, 17; reception of Yamacraw visitors, 21-24; treaty with Lower Creek Indians, 30-33; visit to Eng- land, 34; expedition down Georgia coast, 40-49; kindness to Salz- burgers, 62-05; settles Darien with Scotch Highlanders, 74-77; settles Frederica, 79-83; builds forts down Georgia coast, 82; expedi- tion to Coweta Town, 90, 91; in Spanish War, 92-108; takes final leave of Georgia, 109; closing years of life, 114-117. Oglethorpe County, 58, 163, 246, 329. Palmer, Colonel, in Spanish War, 95, 96. Panton, William, Scotch merchant, 234. Patriots, 128, 145, 146, 157, 194. Perceval, Lord, 10. Pickens, Colonel Andrew, 158. Pine Barrens, 332, 345, 369. "Pine Barren Speculation," the, 371, 372. Piny Woods Folk, 333, 346, 349, 363, 364. Pitt, William, Earl of Chatham, 128, 129. Population of Georgia in 1783, 1790, 1800, 333; 1840, 353. Prevost, General, at siege of Sa- vannah, 174-177. Products, early agricultural in Georgia, 332. Pulaski, Count, career, 175; at siege of Savannah, 180; death of, 184; monument to, 184. Pulaski County, 336. Putnam County, 336, 340. Rabenhorst, Salzburg pastor, 68. Religious revivals, 338. Rice planters of Georgia, 365-369. Richards, IMajor, 43, 48. Ridge, John, Cherokee Indian Chief, 289, 311, 320. Ridge, Major, Gierokee Indian Chief, 289, 311. Ross, John, Cherokee Indian Giief, 289, 301, 311, 318. Royalists (see Tories). Rum trade, prohibition of by Ogle- thorpe and trustees, reasons for, 111, 112. I n d V X. 381 St. Augustine, siege of by Ogle- thorpe, 94-98. St. Simons, Fort, built by Ogle- thorpe, 98; battle of, 101, 102. St. Simons Island, 41, 79-82, 98, 99. Salzburgers, the, persecution in Austria, 54-57; emigration to Georgia, 58-60; settlement and life in Georgia, 61-72; descendants, 73; compared with the Highlanders, 75; lack of enterprise, 113. Savannah, founding of, 21-25; cap- ture of by British, 133-144; siege of by Americans, 173-183. Schermerhorn, Mr., United States Indian Treaty Commissioner, 313. Schools, Old Field, 338. Scotch-Irish in Georgia, 253, 288, 329, 369-370. Scott, General Winfield, in Chero- kee Indian case, 317. Sea-coast region, 364-369. Seal, Georgia Colonial, 10, 11. Sehoy, Indian mother of Alexander McGillivray, 205, 207, 234. Senawki, wife of Tomo-chi-chi, 17, 33, 35, 40, 50. Silk culture in Georgia, 67. Slavery, prohibition of in Georgia by Oglethorpe and trustees, rea- son for. 111, 112. Smith, Captain John, at capture of Savannah, 139. Sons of Liberty, 122, 126. South Carolina, 13, 14, 17, 25, 88, 92, 93, 98, 99, 108, 159, 166. Spain and Spaniards, 8, 14, 42, 45, 48, 72, 77, 87-108, 212, 223, 225, 230. Speedwell, the, Georgia stamp ship, 124. Stamp Act in Georgia, 120-130. States' Rights, 224, 270-281. Stevens, Rev. W. B., his "History of Georgia," 84, 133. Talbot County, 347. Tallassee Country, the, 214, 222, 344. Tassel, George, Cherokee Indian hanged for murder, 296, 297. Tattnall County, 332, 369. Telfair County, 336, 372. Thunderbolt Road, Savannah, lines of battle across, 138, 139. Tomo-chi-chi, first meeting with Oglethorpe, 17; visit and speech to Oglethorpe, 21-24; character, aid to Oglethorpe in founding Georgia, 27-49; death and burial, 50-52; monument, 52, 53; un- selfish patriotism, 110. Toonahowi, adopted son of Tomo- chi-chi, 17, 33, 39, 44, 48, 106, 107. Tories (Loyalists, Royalists), 128, 132, 140, 145-149, 157-171, 194- 202, 324. Treaty, with Cherokee Indians, of Augusta, 210; of 1819, 287; of New Echota, 313, 314. Treaty, with Creek Indians, of Sa- vannah, 30; of Augusta, 210; of G'alphinton, 214; of Shoulderbone Creek, 215; of New York, 222, 223; of Coleraine, 225; of 1802- 1804, 333; of 1821, 340; of Fort Jackson, 344; of Indian Spring, 258. Triebner, Rev. Christopher, Salzburg pastor, 70, 71. Troup County, 347. Troup, Governor George M., 225-284. Trustees of Georgia, 9-11, 57, 110, 111. Twiggs County, 336. Twiggs, General John, 172. Tybee Island, 15, 135. University of Georgia, founding of, 338. L"p-country folk, 355-356. Van Buren, President, in Cherokee case, 316. Vinton, Lieutenant J. R., 277. Virginia emigrants to Georgia, 328- 331, 339. Von Rek, Baron, leader of Salz- burg emigrants, 61, 62, 64. Walton, Colonel George, 133, 137, 138. 382 I n d e X. Washington County, 326, 329. Washington, President George, 218, 222, 225, 236. Watkins, George, 242. Wayne, General Anthony, 171. Weekachumpa, Creek Indian chief, 31. Wereat, John, 164. Wesley, Rev. Charles, 83. Wesley, Rev. John, meetings with Tomo-chi-chi, 40; as Indian mis- sionary, 41 ; last visit to Tomo- chi-chi, 50. West Point, town of, 235, 275, 276. White House, Augusta, used as a fort by Brown, the Tory, 149, 150. Whitfield, Rev. George, 50. Whitney, Eli, invents the cotton girt, 338. Wilkes County, 157, 158, 159. Wilkinson County, 336. William, Fort. 98. 99. Wilson, Judge Henry, connection with Yazoo Fraud, 239, 240. Worcester, Rev. Samuel A., connec- tion with the Cherokee Indian case, 304-308. Wright, James, Royal Governor of Georgia, loyalty to English Gov- ernment, 120; tries to get Geor- gians to submit to Stamp Act, 121-128; character, 129, 130; flight to England, 131; return to Georgia, 146. Yamacraw Indian tribe, 16, 27, 28, 53, 106. Yazoo Fraud, the, the Yazoo coun- try, 235; land speculators, 236; the Yazooists and their corrupt methods, 237-241; passage of the Yazoo Act, 241, 242; sale of lands by the speculators, 243; James Jackson's fight against the Yazoo Act, 244, 245; popular in- dignation against Yazooists, 246, 247; repeal of the Yazoo Act, 248; public burnings of the Yazoo records, 249; settlement of the Yazoo claims, 250. MAR 27 1909 i Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing Agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: JfJN BBRREEPER PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGIES. LP. Ill Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724)779-2111 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 005 416 452 A