The history and antiquities of the city of St. Augustine, Florida, founded A.D. 1565. Comprising some of the most interesting portions of the early history of Florida

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REYNOLDS H1STORTCTC
GENEALOGY COLLECTION

ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

3 1833 02309 7345

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2010 with funding from

Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

http://www.archive.org/details/historyantiquitiOOinfair

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HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

OF THE CITY OK

SL AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA,

FOUNDED A.D. 15 6 5*. <

COMPRISING

SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING PORTIONS"

EARLY HISTORY OF FLORIDA.

GEORGE R. FAIRBANKS.

VICE-PEESIDENT (IF THE FLORIDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

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-gcLil^ NEW Y0RK:

"" J C 11 A B L ]•: 8 D . N 0 R TON,

A G liNT FOR LIBRARIES.

1858.

1912511

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; Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year IS5S, Ly

GEORGE R. FAIRBANKS,

In the Clerk's Ofiice of tk£ District Court of the United States Jor the Southern
District of New York.

Baker i- Godwin, Printers,
l Spruce tt., N. Y.

%

UESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED

BUCKINGHAM SMITH, E S Q . ,

U . S . BECRHTAKV UP L K G A T I O N AT MADP.ID,

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TO WHOSE EFFORTS IN THE

i

DISCOVERY AND PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES
OF THE SPANISH DOMINION IN AMERICA,

\

A GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT

IS DUE FROM

^mnifiin St jiolnts.

HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

OF THE CITY OK

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

IL L US T RATIONS. .

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1. Map ok Florida in 15155, ....

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PREFACE.

Tnis volume, relating to the history and antiqui-
ties of the oldest settlement in the United States,
has grown out of a lecture delivered. by the author,
and which he was desired to embody in a more
permanent form.

The large amount of interesting material in my
possession, has made my work rather one of labori-
ous condensation than expansion.

1 have endeavored to preserve as fully as possible,
the style and quaiutness of the old writers from
whom I have drawn, rather than to transform or
embellish the narrative with the . supposed graces
of modern diction ; and, as much of the work con-
sisted in translations from foreign idioms, this pecu-
liarly un-English style, if I may so call it, will be
more noticeably observed. I have mainly sought

6 PREFACE.

to give it a permanent value, as founded on the most
reliable ancient authorities ; and thus, to the extent
of the ground which it covers, to make it a valuable
addition to the history of our country.

In that portion of the work devoted to the
destruction of the Huguenot colony and the forces
of Ribault, I have in the main, followed the Spanish
accounts, desiring to divest the narrative of all
suspicion of prejudice or unfairness ; Barcia, the
principal authority, as is well known, professing the
same faith as Menendez, and studiously endeavoring
throughout his work, to exalt the character of the
Adelantado.

I am under great obligations to my friend, Buck-
ingham Smith, Esq., for repeated favors in the course
of its preparation.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Page.

Introductory, ........ ',»

CHAPTER II.
First discovery, 1612 to 1565. — Juan Ponce de Leon. . . .12

CHAPTER III.

Rfbmilt) Laudonniere, and Menendez — settlements of the Huguenots, and
foundation of St. Augustine.— 1562— 1565— 1568. . . 15

CHAPTER IV.
The attack on Fort Caroline.— 1565. . . . . .28

CHAPTER V.

Escape of Laudonniere and others from Fort Caroline — Adventures of

the fugitives. ....... 86

CHAPTER VI.

Site of Fort Caroline, afterwards called San Matteo. . . .51

CHAPTER VII.

Menendez's return to St. Augustine — Shipwreck of Ribault — Massacre of
part of his command. — A. D. 1565. .... 60

CHAPTER VIII.

Fate of Ribault and his followers — Bloody massacre at Matanzus. — 1565. 76

S CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IX.

Page.
Fortifying of St. Augustine — Disaffections and mutinies — Approval of

Menendez' acts by king of Spain. — 1565 — 1568. . . .91

CHAPTER X.

The notable revenge of Dominie de Gourgues — Return of Menendez —

Indian Mission.— 1568. ...... 102

CHAPTER XT.

Sir Francis Drake's attack upon St. Augustine — Establishment of mis-
sions— Massacre of missionaries at St. Augustine. — 1586 — 1638. Ill

CHAPTER XII. *

Subjection of the Apalachian Indians — Construction of the fort, sea

wall, &c— 1638— 1700. ..... 121

CHAPTER XIII.

Attack on St. Augustine by Gov. Moore of South Carolina — Difficulties
with the Georgians.— 1702— 1732. . . . .131

CHAPTER XIV.
Siege of St. Augustine by Oglethorpe. — 1732 — 1740. . . 141

CHAPTER XV.

Completion of the castle — Descriptions of St. Augustine a century ago —

English occupation of Florida. — 1755 — 17615 — 1783. . . 155

CHAPTER XVI.

Re-cession of Florida to Spain — Erection of the Parish Church — Change

of flags.— 178S— 1821. ...... 173

CHAPTER XVII.

Transfer of Florida to the United States — American occupation — Ancient

buildings, <fcc. . . . . . . .184

CHAPTER XV1H.

Present appearance of St. Augustine, as given by the author of Thano-

topsis — Its climate and salubrity. . . . . 190

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

The Saint Augustine of tlie present and the St.
Augustine of the past, are in striking contrast.

We see, to-day, a town less in population than
hundreds of places of but few months' existence,
dilapidated in its appearance, witji the stillness of
desolation hanging over it, its waters undisturbed
except by the passing canoe of the fisherman, its
streets unenlivened by busy traffic, and at mid-day
it might be supposed to have sunk under the en-
chanter's wand into an almost eternal sleep.

With no participation in the active schemes of life,
and no hopes for the future; with no emulation, and
no feverish visions of future greatness ; with no
corner lots on sale or in demand ; with no stocks,
save those devoted to disturbers of the public peace ;
with no excitements and no events ; a quiet, undis-
turbed, dreamy vision of still lite surrounds its walls,
and creates a sensation of entire repose, pleasant or
otherwise, as it falls upon the heart of the weary
2

10 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

wanderer sick of life's busy bustle, or upon the
restless mind of him who looks to nothing as life
except perpetual, unceasing action ; the one rejoicing
in its rest, the other chafing under its monotony.
And yet, about the old city there clings a host of
historic associations, which throw around it a charm
which few can fail to feel.

Its life is in its past ; and when we recall the fact
that it was the first permanent settlement of the
white man, by more than forty years, in this con-
federacy ; that here for the first time, isolated within
the shadows of the primeval forest, the civilization
of the Old World made its abiding place, where all
was new, and wild, and strange ; that this now so
insignificant place was the key of an empire ; that
upon its fate rested the destiny of a nation ; that its
occupation or retention decided the fate of a people ;
that it was itself a vice-provincial court, boasted of
its adelantados, men of the first mark and note, of its
Royal Exchequer, its public functionaries, its brave
men at arms ; that its proud name, conferred by its
monarch, "La siempre fid Ciudcul tie San Aug listing
—The ever faithful City of St. Augustine,— stood out
upon the face of history ; that here the cross was
first planted ; that from the Papal throne itself
rescripts were addressed to its governors ; that the
first great efforts at christianizing the fierce tribes

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 11

of America proceeded from this spot ; that the mar-
tyr's blood was first here shed ; that within these
quiet walls the din of arms, the noise of battle, and
the fierce cry of assaulting columns, have been
heard ; — Who will not then feel that we stand on
historic ground, and that an interest attaches to the
annals of this ancient city far more than is possessed
by mere brick and mortar, rapid growth, or unwont-
ed prosperity ? Moss-grown and shattered,' it appeals
to our instinctive feelings of reverence for antiquity ;
and we feel desirous to know the history of its
earlier days.

s

12 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

CHAPTER II.

FIRST DISCOVERY, 1512, TO 1565.— JUAN PONCE DE LEON.

Among the sturdy adventurers of the sixteenth
century who sought both fame and fortune in the
path of discovery, was Ponce de Leon, a companion
of Columbus on his second voyage, a veteran and
bold mariner, who, after a long and adventurous
life, feeling the infirmities of age and the shadows of
the decline of life hanging over him, willingly
credited the tale that in thiM, the beautiful land of
his imagination, there existed a fountain whose
waters could restore youth to palsied age, and beauty
to elVncc the marks of time.

The story ran that far to the north there existed
a land abounding in gold and in all manner of
desirable things, but, above all, possessing a river
and springs of so remarkable a virtue that their
waters would confer immortal youth on whoever
bathed in them ; that upon a time, a considerable
expedition of the Indians of Cuba had departed
northward, in search of this beautiful country and

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 13

these waters of immortality, who had never returned,
and who, it was supposed, were in a renovated state,
still enjoying tlie felicities of the happy land.

Furthermore, Peter Martyr affirms, in his second
decade, addressed to the Pope, "that anions the
islands on the north side of Hispaniola, there is one
about three hundred and twenty-five leagues distant,
as they say which have searched the same, in the
which is a continual spring of running water, of
such marvelous virtue that the water thereof beimr
drunk, perhaps with some diet, maketh old men
young again. And here I must make protestation
to your Holiness not to think this to he said lightly,
or rashly ; for they have so spread this rumor for a
truth throughout all the court, that not only all the
people, but also many of them whom wisdom or
fortune hath divided from the common sort, think it
to be true." * Thoroughly believing in the verity of
this pleasant account, this gallant cavalier fitted out
an expedition from Porto Rico, and in the progress
of his search came upon the coast of Florida, on
Easter Monday, 1512, supposing then, and for a lon^

* The fountain of youth is a very ancient fable; and the reader will be
reminded of the amusing story of the accomplishment of this miracle told
in Hawthorne's Twice Told Tales, and of the marvelous eifects produced
by imbibing this celebrated spring water.

14: THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

period afterwards, that it was an island. Partly in
consequence of the bright spring verdure and flowery
plains that met his eye, and the magnificence of the
magnolia, the bay, and the laurel, and partly in
honor of the clay, Pascua Florida, or Palm Sunday,
and reminded, probably, of its appropriateness by
the profusion of the cabbage palms near the point
of his landing, he gave to the country the name of
Florida.

On the 3d of April, 1512, three hundred and
forty-five years ago, he landed a few miles north of
St. Augustine, and took possession of the country
for the Spanish crown, lie found the natives fierce
and implacable ; and after exploring the country for
some distance around, and trying the virtue of all
the streams, and growing neither younger nor hand-
somer, he left the country without making a perman-
ent settlement.

The subsequent explorations of Narvaez, in 1526
and of De Soto, in 1539, were made in another por-
tion of our State, and do not bear immediately upon
the subject of our investigation, although forming a
most interesting portion of our general history.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 15

CHAPTER III.

PJBAULT, LAUDONNIERE, AND MENENDEZ— SETTLEMENTS OF

THE HUGUENOTS, AND FOUNDATION OF ST. AUGUSTINE.

15C2— 15C5— 15G8.

The settlement of Florida had its origin in the
religious troubles experienced by the Huguenots
under Charles IX. in France. **

Their distinguished leader, Admiral Coligny, as
early as 1555 projected colonies in America, and
sent an expedition to Brazil, which proved unsuccess-
ful. Having procured permission from Charles IX.
to found a colony in Florida ; a designation which
embraced in rather an indefinite manner the whole
country from the Chesapeake to the Tortugas, he
sent an expedition in 1562 from France, under com-
mand of Jean Ribault, composed of many young men
of good family. They first landed at the St. John's
River, where they erected a monument, but finally
established a settlement at Port Royal, South Caro-
lina, and erected a fort. After some months, how-
ever, in consequence of dissensions among the officers

16 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

of the garrison, and difficulties with the Indians, this
settlement was abandoned.

In 1564 another expedition came out under the
command of Rene de Laudonniere, and made their
first landing at the River of Dolphins, being the
present harbor of St. Augustine, and so named by
them in consequence of the great number of Dol-
phins (Porpoises) seen by them at its mouth. They
afterwards coasted to the north, and - entered the
River St. Johns, called by them the River May.

Upon an examination of this river Laudonniere
concluded to establish his colony on its banks ; and
proceeding about two leagues above its month, built
a fort upon a pleasant hill of "mean height " which, in
honor of his sovereign, he named Fort Caroline.

The colonists after a few months were reduced to
£reat distress, and were about taking measures to
abandon the country a second time, when Ribault
arrived with reinforcements.

It is supposed that intelligence of these expedi-
tions was communicated by the enemies of Coligny
to the court of Spain.

Jealousy of the aggrandizement of the French in
the New World, mortification for their own unsuc-
cessful efforts in that quarter, and a still stronger
motive of hatred to the faith of the Huguenot,
induced the bigoted Philip IT. of Spain, to dispatch

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 17

1'edro Menendez de Aviles, a brave, bigoted, and
remorseless soldier, to drive out tlie French colony,
and take possession of the country for himself.

The compact made between the king and Menen-
dez was, that he should furnish one galleon com-
pletely equipped, and provisions for a force of six
hundred men ; that he should conquer and settle
the country. He obligated himself to cany one hun-
dred horses, two hundred horned cattle^ four hun-
dred hogs, four hundred sheep and some goats, and
five 'hundred- slaves (for which 'lie had a 2">ermission
free of duties), the third part of which should be
men, for his own service and that of those who went
with him, to aid in cultivating the land and building.
That he should take twelve priests, and four fathers
of the Jesuit order, lie wiis to build two or three
towns of one hundred fainibe-i, and in each town
should build a fort according to the n stave of the
country. He was to have the title of Adelantado of
the country, as also to be entitled a Marquis and his
heirs after him, to have a tract of land, receive a
salary of 2000 ducats, a percentage of the royal
duties, and have the freedom of all the other ports
of New Spain*

II is force consisted, at starting, of eleven sail of

* Ijitra'u Knsayo, Cion. CO.

IS THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

& vessels with two thousand and six hundred men ;
but, owing to storms and accidents, not more than
one half arrived. He came upon the coast on the
28th August, 1565, shortly after the arrival of the
fleet of Ribault. On the 7th day of September
Menendez cast anchor in the River of Dolphins, the
harbor of St. Augustine. He had previously dis-
covered and given chase to some of the vessels of
Ribault, off the mouth of the River May. The Indian
village of Selooe then stood upon the site of St.
Augustine, and the landing of Menendez was upon
the spot where the city of St. Augustine now stands.

Fray Francisco Lopez de Mendoza, the Chaplain
of the Expedition, thus chronicles thejisernbarkation
and attendant ceremonies : —

" On Saturday the 8th day of September, the day
of the nativity of our Lady, the General disem-
barked, with numerous banners displayed, trumpets
and other martial music resounding, and amid
salvos of artillery.

" Carrying a cross, I proceeded at the head, chant-
ing the hymn Te Denm LauJamus. The General
marched straight up to the cross, together with all
those who accompanied him ; and, kneeling, they all
kissed the cross. A great number of Indians looked
upon these ceremonies, and imitated whatever they
saw done. Thereupon the General took possession

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. ' 19

of thc^ country in the name of his Majesty. All the
officers then took an oath of allegiance to him, as
their general and as adelantado of the whole
country."

The name of St. Augustine was given, in the usual
manner of the early voyagers, because they had ar-
rived upon the coast on the day dedicated in their
calendar to that eminent saint of the primitive
church, revered alike by the good of all ages for his
learning and piety.

The first troops who landed, says Mendoza, were
well received by the Indians, who gave them a large
mansion belonging to the chief, situated near the
banks of the river. The engineer officers immediately
erected an entrenchment of earth, and a ditch around
this house, with a slope made of earth and fascines,
these being the only means of defense which the
country presents; for, says the father with surprise,
" there is not a stone to be found in the whole
country." They landed eighty cannon from the
ships, of which the lightest weighed two thousand
five hundred pounds.

But in the mean time Menendez had by no means
forgotten the errand upon which he principally came ;
and by inquiries of the Indians he soon learned the
position of the French fort and the condition of its
defenders. Impelled by necessity, Laudonniere had

20 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

been forced to seize from the Indians food to sup-
port liis famished garrison, and had thus incurred
their enmity, which was soon to produce its sad
results.

The Spaniards numbered about six hundred
combatants, and the French about the same ; but
arrangements had been made for further accessions
to the Spanish force, to be drawn from St. Domingo
and Havana, and these were daily expected.

It was the habit of those days, to devolve almost
every event upon the ordering of a special providence ;
and each nation had come to look- upon itself almost
in the light of a peculiar people, led like the Israelites
of old by signs and wonders ; and as in their own
view all their actions were directed by the design of
advancing God's glory as well as their own purposes,
so the blessing of Heaven would surely accompany
them in all their undertakings.

So believed the crusaders on the plains of Palestine ;
so believed the conquerors of Mexico and Peru ; so
believed the Puritan settlers of New England (alike
in their Indian wars and their oppressive social
polity) ; and so believed, also, the followers of
Mcnendez and of llibault; and in this simple and
trusting faith, the worthy chaplain gives us the fol-
lowing account of the miraculous escape and deliver-
ance of a portion of the Spanish fleet : —

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 21

"God and his Holy Mother have performed
another great miracle in our favor. The day follow-
ing the hilling of the General in the fort, he said
to us that he was very uneasy, because his galley
and another vessel were at anchor, isolated and a
league at sea, being unable to enter the port on ac-
count of the shallowness of the water, and that he
feared that the French might come and capture or
maltreat them. As soon as this idea came to him
he departed, with iifty men, to go on board of his
galleon. lie gave orders to three shallops which
were moored in the river to go out and take on
board the provisions and troops which were on
board the galleon. The next day, a shallop having
gone out thither, they took on board as much of the
provisions as they could, and more than a hundred
men who were in the vessel, and returned towards
the shore ; but half a league before arriving at the
bar they were overtaken by so complete a calm
that they were unable to proceed further, and there-
upon cast anchor and passed the night in that place.
The day following at break of day they raised anchor
as ordered by the pilot, as the rising of the tide be-
gan to be felt, When it was fully light they saw
astern of them at the poop of the vessel, two French
ships which during the night had been in search of

22 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

them. The enemy arrived with the intention of
making an attack upon us. The French made all
haste vn their movements, for we had no arms on
board, and had only embarked the provisions. When
day appeared, and our people discovered the French,
they addressed their prayers to our Lady of Bon
Secoiws (V Utrera, and supplicated her to grant them
a little wind, for the French were already close up
to them. They say that Our Lady descended, her-
self, upon the vessel ; for the wind freshened and
blew fair for the bar, so that the shallop could enter
it. The French followed it ; but as the bar has but
little depth and their vessels were large, they were
not able to go over it, so that our men and the pro-
visions made a safe harbor. "When it became still
clearer they perceived besides the two vessels of the
enemy, four others at a distance, being the same
which we had seen in port the evening of our ar-
rival. They were well furnished with both troops
and artillery, and had directed themselves for our
galleon and the other ship, which were alone at sea.
In this circumstance God accorded us two favors:
the first was, that the same evening after they had
discharged the provisions and the troops I have
spoken of, at midnight the galleon and other vessel
put to sea without being perceived by the enemy ;
the one for Spain, and the other for Havana for the

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 23

purpose of seeking the fleet which was there ; and in
this way neither was taken.

" The -second favor, by which God rendered us a
still greater service, was that on the day following
the one I have described there arose a storm, and
so great a tempest that certainly the greater part of
the French vessels must have been lost at sea ; for
they were overtaken upon the most dangerous coast
I have ever seen, and were very close to -the shore ;
and if our vessels, that is, the galleon and its consort,
are not shipwrecked, it is because they were already
more than twelve leagues off the coast, which gave
them the facility of running before the wind, and
maneuvering as well as they could, relying upon
the aid of God to preserve them."*

Menendez had ascertained from the Indians that
a large number of the French troops had embarked
on board of the vessels which he had seen off the

* The Gulleon spoken of was Menendez's own flag-ship, the El Pelayo,
the largest vessel in his fleet, fitted out nt his own expense, and which had
brought four hundred men. He had put on board of her a lieutenant and
some soldiers, besides fifteen Lutherans a3 prisoners, whom he was sending
home to the Inquisition at Seville. The orders to liis officers were to go as
speed dy as possible to the island of Ilispaniola, to bring provisions and addi-
tional forces. Upon the passage, the Lutheran prisoners, with some Levant ine
sailors, rose upon the Spaniards, killed the commander, and carried the
vessel into Denmark. Menendez was much chagrined when he ascertained
the fate of his favorite galleon, a long period afterwards.

«.

24: THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

harbor, and he had good ground for believing that
these vessels would either be cast helpless upon the
shore, or be driven off by the tempest to such a dis-
tance as would render their return for some days
impossible. He at once conceived the project of \
attacking the French fort upon the river May, by
land.

A council of war was held, and after some discus-
sion, for the most part adverse to the plan proposed
by him, Menendez spoke as follows : — " Gentlemen
and Brothers ! we have before us now an opportunity
which if improved by us will have a happy result.
I am satisfied that the French fleet which four days
since fled from me, and has now come to seek me,
has been reinforced with the larger part of the Har-
rison of their fort, to which, nor to port, will they
be able to return for many days according to appear-
ances ; and since they are all Lutherans, as we
learned before we sailed from Spain, by the edicts
which Jean lvibault published before embarking in
order that no Catholic at the peril of his life should
go in his fleet, nor any Catholic books be taken ;
and this they themselves declared to us the nndit
they fled from us, and hence our war must be to
blood and fire, not only on account of the orders
we are under, but because they have sought us in
order to destroy us, that we should not plant our

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 25

holy religion in these regions, and to establish their
own abominable and crazy sect among the Indians ;
so that the^more promptly we shall punish them, we
shall the more speedily do a service to our God and
our king, and comply with our conscience and our
duty.

" To accomplish this, we must choose five hund-
red arquebuse men and pikemen, and carry pro-
visions in our knapsacks for eight days, divided into
ten companies, each one with its standard and its
captain, and go with this force by land to examine
the settlements and fort of our enemies ; and as no
one knows the road, I will guide you within two
points by a mariner's compass ; and where we canqrot
get along, we will open a way with our axes ; and
moreover, I have with me a Frenchman who has been
more than a year at their fort, and who says he
knows the ground for two leagues around the fort.

" If we shall arrive without discovery, it may be
that falling upon it at daylight Ave may take it, by
planting upon it twenty scaling ladders, at the cost
of fifty lives. If we are discovered, we can form in
the shelter of the wood, which I am assured is not
more than a quarter of a league distant, and plant-
ing there ten standards, send forward a trumpeter
requiring them to leave the fort and the country,
and return to their own country, offering them ships
3

2G THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

and provisions for the voyage. They will imagine
that we have a much greater army with us, and they
may surrender ; and if they do not, we shall at least
accomplish that they will leave us undisturbed in
this our own settlement, and we shall know the way,
so that we may return to destroy them the succeed-
ing spring."

After some discussion, it was concluded that after
hearing mass, they should undertake the expedition
on the third day. Considerable opposition was
manifested on the part of the officers ; but, with a
consummate knowledge of human nature, the ade-
lautado got up the most splendid dinner in his power,
and invited Lis recreant officers to the repast, and
dexterously appealed to their fears, as well as tbeir
pride, and overcame their reluctance to undertake
the unknown dangers of a first march through Florida
at a wet season, an actual acquaintance with which
would still more have dampened their ardor.

The troops assembled promptly upon the day
appointed, at the sound of the trumpet, the fife and
the drum, and they all went to hear mass, except
Juan de Vicente, who said he had a disorder of the
stomach, and in his leg; and when some friends
wished to urge his coming, he replied, — " I vow to
God, that I will wait until the news comes that our
force is entirely cut off, when we who remain will

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 27

embark in our three vessels, and go to the Indies,
where there will be no necessity of our all perishing
like beasts^'

This Juan Vicente seems to have been an apt
specimen of a class of croakers not peculiar to any
age or country. Of his further history, the chronicle
gives other instances of a similar spirit ; and his sole
claim to immortality, like that of many an other, is
founded upon his impudence.

28 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

CHAPTER IV.

THE ATTACK ON FORT CAROLINE.— 1565.

The troops, having heard mass, marched out in
order, preceded by twenty Biscayans and Asturians
having as their captain Martin de Ochoa, a leader
of great fidelity and bravery, furnished with axes to
open a road where they could not get alono-. At
this moment there arrived two Indians, who said
that they had been at the French fort six clays
before, and who "seemed like angels" to the sol-
diers, sent to guide their march. Halting for refresh-
ment and rest wherever suitable places could be
found, and the Adelantado always with the van-
guard, in four days they reached the vicinity of the
fort, and came up within less than a quarter of a
league of it, concealed by a grove of pine trees. It
rained heavily, and a severe storm prevailed. The
place where they had halted was a veiy bad one
and very marshy ; but he decided to stop there, and
went back to seek the rearguard, lest they might
lose the way.

•■*■-...■ &=£?tffa&

-:***■**-■'■■-■

V Jii'i' CAR 0 L 1 N E

OF AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 29

About ten at night the last of the troops arrived,
very wet indeed, for there had been much rain
during the four days ; they had passed marshes with
the watei;j"ising to their waists, and every night
there was so great a flood that they were in great
danger of losing their powder, their match-fire, and
their biscuit ; and they became desperate, cursing
those who had brought them there, and themselves
for coining.

Menendez pretended not to hear their complaints,
not daring to call a council as to proceeding or
returning, for both officers and soldiers went forward
very in quietly. Remaining firm in hi^own resolve,
two hours before dawn he called together the Master
of the Camp and the Captains, to whom he said that
during the whole night he had sought of God and
his most Holy Mother, that they would favor him
and instruct him what he should do, most advan-
tageous for their holy service ; and he was persuaded
that they had all done the same. " But now, Gentle-
men," he proceeded, " we must make some determin-
ation, finding ourselves exhausted, lost, without
ammunition or provisions, and without the hope of
relief."

Some answered very promptly, " Why should
they waste their time in giving reasons ? for, unless
they returned quickly to St. Augustine, they would

30 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

be reduced to eating palmettos ;* and the longer
they delayed, the greater trouble they would have."

The Adelantado said to them that what they said
seemed veiy reasonable, but he would ask of them
to hear some reasons to the contrary, without being
offended. He then proceeded — after having smoothed
down their somewhat ruffled dispositions, consider-
ably disturbed by their first experience in encounter-
ing the hardships of such a march — to show them that
the danger of retreat was then greater than an ad-
vance would be, as they would lose alike the respect
of their friends and foes. That if, on the contrary,
they attacked the fort, whether they succeeded in
taking it or not, they would gain honor and reputa-
tion.

Stimulated by the speech of their General, they
demanded to be led to the attack, and the arrange-
ments for the assault were at once made. Their
French prisoner was placed in the advance ; but the
darkness of the night and the severity of the storm
rendered it impossible to proceed, and they halted
in a marsh, with the water up to their knees, to
await daylight.

At dawn, the Frenchman recognized the country,

A low palm, bearing tin oily berry.

OF ST. AUGUSTKvE, FLORIDA. 31

and the place where they were, and where stood the
fort ; upon which the Adelantado ordered them to
march, enjoining upon all, at the peril of their lives,
to follow him ; and coming to a small hill, the
Frenchman said that behind that stood the fort,
about three bow-shots distant, but lower down, near
the river. The General put the Frenchman into the
custody of Castaneda. He went up a little higher,
and saw the river and one of the houses, but he was
not able to discover the fort, although it was ad-
joining them ; and he returned to Castaneda, with
whom now stood the Master of the Camp and Ochoa,
and said to them that he wished to go lower down,
near to the houses which stood behind the hill, to
see the fortress and the garrison, for, as the sun was
now up, thev could not attack the fort without a
reconnoisance. This the Master of the Camp would
not permit him to do, saying this duty appertained
to him ; and he went alone with Ochoa near to the
houses, from whence they discovered the fort ; and
returning with their information, they came to two
paths, and leaving the one by which they came, they
took the other. The Master of the Camp discovered
his error, coming to a fallen tree, and turned his
face to inform Ochoa, who was following him ; and
as they turned to seek the right path, he stopped in
advance, and the sentinel discovered them, who

32 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

imagined them to be French : but examining them
he perceived they were unknown to him. He hailed,
"Who goes there?" Ochoa answered, "French-
men." The sentinel was confirmed in his supposition
thatlhey were his own people, and approached
them ; Ochoa did the same ; but seeing they were
not French, the sentinel retreated. Ochoa closed
Avith him, and with his drawn sword gave him a cut
over the head, but did not hurt him much, as the
sentinel fended off the blow with his sword ; and the
Master of the Camp coming up at this moment, gave
him a thrust, from which he fell backwards, making
a loud outcry. The Master of the Camp, putting^
his sword to his breast, threatened him with instant
death unless he kept silence. They tied him there-
upon, and took him to the General, who, hearing the
noise, thought the Master of the Camp was being
killed, and meeting with the Sergeant-major, Fran-
cisco de lvecalde, Diego de Maya, and Andres Lopez
Patino, with their standards and soldiers, without
being able to restrain himself, he cried out, " San-
tiago ! Upon them ! Help of God, Victory ! The .
French are destroyed. The Master of the Camp is
in their fort, and has taken it." Upon which, all
rushed forward in the path without order, the
General remaining behind, repeating what he had
said many times ; himself believing it to be certain

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 33

that the Master of Camp had taken with him a con-
siderable force, and had captured the fort.

So great was the joy of the soldiers, and such their
speed, that they soon came up with the Master of
the Camp and Ochoa, who was hastening to receive
the reward of carrying the good news to the General
of the capture of the sentinel. But the Master of
the Camp, seeing the spirit which animated the sol-
diery, killed the sentinel, and cried out with a loud
voice to those who were pressing forward, " Com-
rades ! do as I do. God is with us ; " and turned,
running towards the fort, and meeting two French-
men on the way, he killed one of them, and Andres
Lopez Patino the other. Those in the environs of
the fort, seeing this tragedy enacted, set up loud
outcries ; and in order to know the cause of the
alarm, one of the French within opened the postern
of the principal gate, which he had no sooner done
than it was observed by the Master of the Camp ;
and throwing himself upon him, he killed him, and
entered the gate, followed by the most active of his
followers.

The French awakened by the clamor, some dressed,
others in their night-clothes, rushed to the doors of
their houses to see what had happened; but they
were all killed, except sixty of the more wary, who
escaped by leaping the walls.

34 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

Immediately the standards of the Sergeant Major
and of Diego Mayo were brought iu, and set up by
Rodrigo Troche and Pedro Valdes Herrera, with
two cavaliers, at the same moment. These being
hoisted, the trumpets proclaimed the victory, and ,:
the bands of soldiers who had entered opened the
gates and sought the quarters, leaving no Frenchman
alive.

The Adelantado hearing the cries, left Castaneda
in his place to collect the people who had not come
up, who were at least half the force, and went him-
self to see if they were in any danger. He arrived
at the fort running ; and as he perceived that the
soldiers gave no quarter to any of the French, he I
shouted, "That at the penalty of their lives, they
should neither wound nor kill any woman, cripple,
or child under fifteen years of age." By which
seventy persons were saved, the re*t were all lilUtl

llcnato de Laudonniere, the Commander of the j
fort, escaped, with his servant and some twenty or
thirty others, to a vessel lying in the river.

Such is the Spanish chronicle, contained in Barcia,
of the capture of Fort Caroline. Its details in the main
correspond with the account of Laudonniere, and of
Nicolas Challeux, the author of the letter printed at
Lyons, in France, under date of August, 1566, by
Jean Saugrain. In some important particulars, how-

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 35

ever, the historians disagree. It has been already
seen that Menendez is represented as having given
orders to spare all the women, maimed persons, and
all children under fifteen years of age. The French
relations of the event, on the contrary, allege that
an indiscriminate slaughter took place, and that
all were massacred without respect to age, sex, or
condition ; but as this statement is principally made
upon the authority of a terrified and flying soldier,
it is alike due to the probabilities of the case, and
more agreeable to the hopes of humanity, to lessen
somewhat the horrors of a scene which has need of
all the palliation which can be drawn from the
slightest evidences of compassion on the part of that
stern and bigoted leader. JMBI W

The Spanish statement is further confirmed by
other writers, who speak of a vessel being dispatched
by Menendez subsequently to carry the survivors to
Spain.

1912511

oG THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

*~ CHAPTER V.

ESCAPE OF LAUDONNIERE AND OTHERS FROM FORT CAROLINE:
ADVENTURES OF THE FUGITIVES.

The narratives of this event are found singularly
full, there being no less than three accounts by fugi-
tives from the massacre. The most complete of these
is that of Nicolas de Challeux, a native of Dieppe,
which was published in the following year. I have
largely transcribed from this quaint and curious nar-
rative, not only an account of the fullness of the de-
tails, but also for the light it throws upon the habits
of thought and modes of expression of that day,
when so much was exhibited of an external religious
faith, and so many were found who would fight for
their faith when they refused to adhere to its require-
ments. There are apparent, also, a close study of the
Scriptures, a great familiarity with its language, a
frequent use of its illustrations, and a disposition to
attribute all things, with a reverent piety, to the
direct personal supervision of the Almighty. "With
the aid of the map accompanying the succeeding
chapter, it will not be difficult to trace the perilous

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 37

route of escape pursued by De Challeux and bis com-
panions, over obstacles much magnified by the terror
of the moment and want of familiarity with the
country : — ■

" The number of persons in the fort was two
hundred and forty, partly of those who had not re-
covered from sea-sickness, partly of artisans and of
women and children left to the care and diligence
of Captain Laudonniere, who had no expectation that
it was possible that any force could approach by land
to attack him. On which account the guards had
withdrawn for the purpose of refreshing themselves
a little before sunrise, on account of the bad weather
which had continued during the whole night, most of
our people being at the time in their beds sleeping.
The wicket gate open, the Spanish force, having tra-
versed forests, swamps, and rivers, arrived at break of
day, Friday, the 20th September, the weather very
stormy, and entered the fort without any resistance,
and made a horrible satisfaction of the rage audhate
they had conceived against our nation. It was then
who should best kill the most men, sick and well,
women and little children, in such manner that it is
impossible to conceive of a massacre which could
equal this for its barbarity and cruelty.

"Some of the more active of our people, j umping
from their beds, slipped out and escaped to the ves-

3S THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

sel in the river. I was myself surprised, going to my
duty with my clasp-knife in my hand ; for uporr
leaving my cabin, I met the enemy, and saw no
other means of escape "but turning my back, and ma-
king the utmost possible haste to leap over the pali-
sades, for I was closely pursued, step by step, by a
pikeman, and one with a partisan ; and I do not know
how it was, unless by the grace of God, that my
strength was redoubled, old man as I am and grey-
headed, a thing which at any other time I could not
have done, for the rampart was raised eight or nine
feet ; I then hastened to secrete myself in the woods, /
and when I was sufficiently near the edge of the
wood at the distance of a good bow-shot, I turned
towards the fort and rested a little time, finding my-
self not pursued ; and as frOm this place all the fort,
even the inner-court was distinctly visible to me,
looking there I saw a horrible butchery of our men
taking place, and three standards of our enemies
planted upon the ramparts. Having then lost all hope
of seeing our men rally, I resigned all my senses to the
Lord. Recommending myself to his mercy, grace, and
favor, I threw myself into the wood, for it seemed to
me that I could find no greater cruelty among the sav-
age beasts, than that of our enemy which I had seen
shown towards our people. But the misery and an-
guish in which I found myself then, straitened and

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 3'J

oppressed, seeing no longer any means of safety upon
the earth, unless by a special grace of our Lord,
transcending any expectation of man, caused me to
utter groans and sobs, and with a voice broken by
distress tio thus cry to the Lord :

" ' O God of our fathers and Lord of all mercy ! who
hast commanded us to call upon Thee even from the
depths of hell and the shades of death, promising
forthwith thy aid and succor ! show jue, for the hope
which I have in Thee, what course I ought to take to
come to the termination of this miserable old acre,
plunged into the gulf of grief and bitterness ; at least,
cause that, feeling the effect of Thy mercy, and the
confidence which I have conceived in my heart for
Thy promises, they may not be snatched from me
through fear of savage and furious wild beasts on one
hand, and of our and Thy enemies on the other, who
desire the more to injure us for the memory of Thy
name which is invoked by us than for any other cause ;
aid me, my God ! assist me, for I am so troubled that I
can do nothing more.' And while I was making this
prayer, traversing the wood, which was very thick
and matted with briars and thorns, beneath the
large trees where there was neither any road nor
path, scarcely had I trailed my way half an hour,
Avhen I heard a noise like men weeping and groan-
ing near me ; and advancing in the name of God, and

40 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

in the confidence of His succor, I discovered one of
our people, named Sieur de la Blonderie, and a little
behind him another, named Maitre Robert, well
known to us all, because he had in charge the prayers
at the fcH. Immediately afterwards we found also
the servant of Sieur d' Ully, the nephew of M. Le-
brean, Master Jaques Trusse, and many others; and
we assembled and talked over our troubles, and de-
liberated as to what course we could take to save our
lives. One of our number, much esteemed as beinir
very learned in the lessons of Holy Scripture, pro-
posed after this manner: 'Brethren, we see to what
extremity we are brought ; in whatever direction we
turn our eyes, we see only barbarism. The heavens,
the earth, the sea, the forest, and men, — in brief, no-
thing favors us. How can we know that if we yield
to the mercy of the Spaniards, they will spare us ?
and if they should kill us, it will be the suffering of
but a moment ; they are men, and it may be that,
their fury appeased, they may receive us upon some
terms ; and, moreover, what can we do ? Would it
not be better to fall into the hands of men, than into
the jaws of wild beasts, or die of hunger in a strange
land?'

"After he had thus spoken, the greater part of
our number were of his opinion, and praised his
counsel. Notwithstanding, I pointed out the cruel

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 41

animosity still linappeased of our enemies, and that
it was not for any human cause of quarrel, that they
had carried out with such fury their enterprise, but
mainly (as would appear by the notice they had
already given us) because we were of those who were
reformed by the preaching of the Gospel ; that we
should be cowards to trust in men, rather than in
God, who srives life to his own in the midst of death,
and gives ordinarily his assistance when the hopes of
men entirely fail.

" I also brought to their minds examples from
Scripture, instancing Joseph, Daniel, Elias, and the
other prophets, as well also the apostles, as St. Pe-
ter and St. Paul, who were all draAvn out of much
affliction, as would appear by means extraordinary
and strange to the reason and judgment of men.
His arm, said I, is not shortened, nor in any wise en-
feebled ; his power is always the same. Do you not
recollect, said I, the flight of the Israelites before
Pharaoh? What hope had that people of escap-
ing from the hands of that powerful tyrant ? He
had them, as it were, under his heel. Before them
they had the sea, on either side inaccessible moun-
tains.

" What then ? He who opened the sea to make
a path for his people, and made it afterwards to
swallow up his enemies, can not he conduct us by
4

±2 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

the forest places of this strange country? While
thus discoursing, six of the company followed out
the first proposition, and abandoned us to go and
yield themselves up to our enemies, hoping to find
favor before\them. But they learned, immediately
and by experience, what folly it is to trust more in
men than in the promises of the Lord. For having
gone out of the wood, as they descended to the fort
they were immediately seized by the Spaniards and
treated in the same fashion as the others had been.
They were at once killed and massacred, and then
drawn to the banks of the river, where the others
killed at the fort lay in heaps. We who remained in
the wood continued to make our way, and drawing
towards the sea, as well as we could judge, and as it
pleased God to conduct our paths and to straiten our
course, we soon arrived at the brow of a mountain
and from there commenced to see the sea, but it was
still at a great distance ; and what was worse, the
road we had to take showed itself wonderfully strange
and difficult. In the first place, the mountain from
which it was necessary for us to descend, was of such
height and ruggedness, that it was not possible for a
person descending to stand upright ; and we should
never have dared to descend it but for the hope we
had of sustaining ourselves by the branches of the
bushes, which were frequent upon the side of the

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 43

mountain, and to save life, not sparing our hands
which we had all gashed up and bloody, and even
the legs and nearly all the body was torn. But
descending from the mountain, we did not lose our
view of the W, on account of a small wood which was
upon a little hill opposite to us ; and in order to go to
the wood it was requisite that we should traverse a
large meadow, all mud and quagmire, covered with
briars and other kinds of strange plants ; for the stalk
was as hard as wood, and the leaves pricked our feet
and our hands until the blood came, and bernc all the
while in the wate^up to the middle, which redoubled
our pain and suffering. The rain came down upon us
in such manner from heaven, that we were during
all that time between two floods; and the further we
advanced the deeper we found the water.

" And then, thinking that the last period of our
lives had come, we all embraced each other, and
with a common impulse, we commenced to sigh and
cry to the Lord, accusing our sins and recognizing
the weight of his judgments upon us. 'Alas!
Lord,' said we, ' what are we but poor worms of
the earth ? Our souls weakened by grief, surrender
themselves into thy hands. Oh, Father of Mercy
and God of Love, deliver us from this pain of death !
or if thou wilt that in this desert we shall draw our
last breath, assist us so that death, of all things the

44- THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

most terrible, shall have no advantage over us, but
that we may remain firm and stable in the sense of
thy favor and good-will, which we have too often
experienced in the cause of thy Christ to give way
to the spirit of Satan, the spirit of despair and of dis-
trust ; for if we die, we will protest now before thy
Majesty, that we would die unto thee, and that if we
live it may be to recount thy wonders in the midst
of the assembly of thy servants.' Our prayers
concluded, we marched with great difficulty straight
towards the wood, when we came to a great river
which ran in the midst of this meadow ; the channel
was sufficiently narrow but very deep, and ran with
great force, as though all the field ran towards the
sea. This was another addition to our anguish, for
there was not one of our men who would dare to
undertake to cross over by swimming. But in this
confusion of our thoughts, as to what manner to pass
over, I bethought myself of the wood which we had
left behind us. After exhorting my comrades to
patience and a continued trust in the Lord, I re-
turned to the wood, and cut a long pole, with the
good-sized clasp-knife which remained in my hand
from the hour the fort was taken; and I returned to
the others, who awaited me in great perplexity.
' Now, then, comrades,' said I, ' let us see if God,
by means of this stick, will not give us some help to

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 45

accomplish our path.' Then we laid the pole upon
the water, and each one by turn taking hold of the
end of the pole, carried it by his side to the midst
of the channel, when losing sight of him we pushed
him with sufficient force to the other bank, where
he drew himself out by the canes and other bushes
growing along its borders ; and by his example vre
passed over, one at a time ; but it was not without
great danger, and not without drinking a great deal
of salt water, in such manner that our hearts were
all trembling, and we were as much overcome as
though we had been half drowned. After we had
come to ourselves and we had resumed courage,
moving on all the time towards the wood, which we
had remarked close to the sea, the pole was not
even needed to pass another creek, which gave us
not much less trouble than the first ; but, by the
grace of God, we passed it and entered the wood
the same evening, where we passed the night in
great fear and trembling, standing about against the
trees.

" And, as much as we had labored, even had it been
more, we felt no desire to sleep ; for what repose
could there be to spirits in such mortal affright?
Near the break of day, we saw a great beast, like a
deer, at fifty paces from us, who had a great head,
eyes flaming, the ears hanging, and the higher parts

46 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

elevated. It seemed to us monstrous, because of its
gleaming eyes, wondrously large ; but it did not come
near to do us any harm.

" The day having appeared, we went out of the
wood and returned towards the sea, in which we
hoped, after God, as the only means of saving our
lives ; but we were again cast down and troubled,
for we saw before us a country of marsh and muddy
quagmires, full of water and covered witli briars,
like that we had passed the previous day. We
marched across this salt marsh ; and, in the direction
we had to take, we perceived among the briars a
body of men^whom we at first thought to be
enemies, who had gone there to cut us off; but,
upon close observation, they seemed in as sad a
plight as ourselves, naked and terrified ; and we im-
mediately perceived that they were our own people.
It was Captain Laudonniere, his servant-maid, Jacques
Morgues of Dieppe (the artist), Francis Duval of
Rouen, son of him of the iron crown of Itouen,
Niguise de la Cratte, Nicholas the carpenter, the
Trumpeter of Sieur Laudonniere, and others, who
all together made the number of twenty-six men.
Upon deliberating as to what we should do, two of
our men mounted to the top of one of the tallest
trees and discovered from thence one of our vessels,
which was that of Captain Maillard, to whom they

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 47

gave a signal, that he might know that we were in
want of help. Thereupon he came towards us with
his small vessel, but in order to reach the banks of
the stream, it was necessary for us to traverse the
briars aud two other rivers similar to those which
we passed the previous day ; in order to accomplish
which, the pole I had cut the day before was both
useful and necessary, and two others which Sr. de
Laudonniere had provided ; and we came pretty near
to the vessel, but our hearts failed us from hunger
and fatigue, and we should have remained where we
were unless the sailors had given us a hand, which
aid was very opportune ; and they carried us, one
after the other,J,o the vessel, on board of which we
were all received well and kindly. They gave us
bread, and water, and we began afterwards, little by
little, to recover our strength and vigor ; which was
a strong reason that we should recognize the good-
ness of the Lord, who had saved us against all hope
from an infinity of dangers and from death, by
which we had been surrounded and assaulted from
all quarters, to render him forevermore our thanks
and praises. We thus passed the entire night re-
counting the wonders of the Lord, and consoled each
other in the assurances of our safety.

" Daylight having come, Jacques Ribault, Captain
of the Pearl, boarded us to confer with us respecting

4S THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

what wag to be done by us, and what means we
should take for the safety of the rest of our men
and the vessels. It was then objected, the small
quantity of provisions which we had, our strength
broken, our munitions and means of defense taken
from us, the uncertainty as to the condition of our
Admiral, and not knowing but that he had been
shipwrecked on some coast a long distance from us,
or driven to a distance by the tempest. ,

"We thereupon concluded that we could do no

better than return to France, and were of the opinion

. that the company should divide into two parts, the

one remaining on board the Pearl, and the other

under charge of Captain Maillard.

"On Friday, the twenty-fifth day of the month of
September, we, departed from this coast, favored by
a strong northerly wind, having concluded to return
to France, and after the fust day our two ships were
si> far separated that we did not again encounter
each other. We proceeded five hundred leagues
prosperously, when, one morning about sunrise, we
were attacked by a Spanish vessel, which we met as
well as we could, and cannonaded them in such sort
that we made them subject to our disposal; and bat-
tered them st> that the blood was seen to overrun
the scuppers. We held them then as surrendered
and defeated ; but there was no means of grappling

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 49

her, on account of the roughness of the sea, for in
grappling her there would be danger of our striking
together, which might have sunk us ; she also, satis-
fied with the affair, left us, joyful and thanking God
that no one„' of us was wounded or killed in this
skirmish except our cook.

" The rest of our passage was without any rencon-
ter with enemies ; but we were much troubled by
contrary winds, which often threatened to cast us on
the coast of Spain, which would have been the fin-
ishing touch to our misfortunes, and the thing of
which we had the greatest horror. We also endured
at sea many other tilings, such as cold and hunger ;
for be it understood that we, who escaped from the
land of Florida, had nothing else fur vestment or
equipment, by day or by night, except our shirts
alone, or some other little rag, which was a small
matter of defense from the exposure lo the weather;
and what was more, the bread whieh we eat, and we
eat it very sparingly, was all spoilt and rotten, as
well also the water itself was all noisome, and of
which, besides, we could only have for the whole day
a single small glass.

" This bad food was the reason, on our landing, that
many of us fell into divers maladies, which carried
off many of the men of our company ; and we arrived
at last, after this perilous and lamentable voyage, at

50 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

Rochelle ; where we were received and treated very
humanely and kindly by the inhabitants of the
country and those of the city, giving us of their
means, to the extent our necessities required ; and
assisted t'y their kindness we were each enabled to
return to his own part of the country."*

Laudonniere'sf narrative speaks more of his own
personal escape ; and that of Le MoyneJ refers to this
description of De Challeux, as containing a full and
accurate account of what took place. Barcia men-
tions De Challeux very contemptuously as a carpen-
ter, who succeeding badly at his trade took up that

•

of preaching, but does not deny the truth of his
narrative. Those who separated from their com-
rades and threw themselves upon their enemies'
mercy, are mentioned by the Spanish writers ; but

they are silent as to the treatment they received.
L

* Ternaux Corupans. f Ilakluyt. \ Brevia Narratio.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 51

CHAPTER VI.

SITE OF FORT CAROLINE, AFTERWARDS CALLED SAN MATTEO.

It might naturally be supposed that a spot sur-
rounded with so many thrilling and interesting asso-
ciations, as the scene of the events we have just
related, would have been commemorated either by
tradition or by ancient remains attesting its situation.
But, in truth, no recognized point now bears the appel-
lation of Fort Caroline, and the antiquarfy can point
at this day to no fosse or parapet, no crumbling
bastion, no ancient helm or buckler, no shattered
and corroded garniture of war mingled with the
bones of the dead, as evidencing its position.

A writer who has himself done more to rescue
from oblivion the historical romance of the South
than any other * has well said, " It will be an em-
ployment of curious interest, whenever the people
of Florida shall happen upon the true site of the
settlement and structure of Laudonniere, to trace

* W. Gilmore Simiri3, Esq.

52 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

out in detail these several localities, and fix tliem
for tlie benefit of posterity. The work is scarcely
beyond the hammer and chisel of some Old Mortality,
who has learned to place, his affections and fix his
sympathies upon the achievements of the past."

AVith a consciousness of our unfitness to establish j
absolutely^ memorial so interesting as the site of
Fort Caroline must ever be, I shall endeavor to locate
its position, upon the basis of reasons entirely satis-
factory to myself, and measurably so, I trust, to
others.

The account given by Laudonniere himself, the
leader of the Huguenots, by whom Fort Caroline
was constructed, is as follows : — After speaking of
his arrival at the mouth of the river, which had
been named the Hivcr May by Eibaufy who had
entered it on the first day of May, 15C2, and had.
therefore given it that name, he says, " Departing
from thence, I had not sailed three leagues up the
river, still being followed by the Indians, crying
still, ' amy,' ' amy,' that is to say, friend, but I dis-
covered an hill of meane height, neare which I went
on land, hardc by the fieldes that were sowed with
mil, at one corner whereof there was an house, built
for their lodgings which keep and garde the mil. *
* * ":<" * * Now was I determined to searche
out the (pialities of the hill. Therefore I went right

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 53

to the toppe thereof; where we found nothing else
hut cedars, palms, and bay trees of so sovereign odor
that Balme smelleth not more sweetly. The trees
were environed around about with vines bearing
grapes, in such quantities that the number would
suffice to make the place habitable. Besides the
fertilitie of the soyle for vines, one may see niesquine
wreathed abouc the trees in great .quantities. Touch-
ing the pleasure of the place, the sea may be seen
plain enough from it ; and more than six great leagues
off, towards the River Belle, a man may behold the
meadows, divided asunder into isles and islets, enter-
lacing one another. Briefly, the place is so pleasant,
that those which are melancholicke, would be mforced
to change their humour. * * *

" Our fort was built in form of a triangle ; the side
towards the west, whicli was toward the land, was
inclosed with a little trench and raised with turf
made in the form of a battlement, nine feet high ; the
other side, which was towards the river, was inclosed
with a palisade of planks of timber, after the manner
that Gabions are made ; on the south line, there was
a kind of bastion, within whicli I caused an house for
the munition to be made. It was all budded with
fagots and sand, saving about two or three foote
high, with turfes whereof the battlements were made.
In the micldest, I caused a great court to be made of

5 -4 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

eighteen paces long, and the same in breadth. In
the middest whereof, on the one side, drawing:
towards the south, I builded a corps de garde and
an house on the other side towards the north. * *
* * * One of the sides that inclosed my court,
which I made very faire and large, reached unto the
grange of my munitions; and on the other side,
towards tlie river, was mine own lodgings, round
which were galleries all covered. The principal
doore of my lodging was in the middest of the great
place, and the other was towarde the river. A good
distance from the fort I built an oven."

Jacob Le Moyne, or Jacques Morgues, as he is
sometimes called, accompanied the expedition ; and
his BrevisNarratio contains two plates, representing
the commencement of the construction of Fort Car-
oline, and its appearance when completed. The
latter represents a much moro finished fortification'
than could possibly have been constructed, but may
be taken as a correct outline, I presume, of its gen-
eral appearance.

Barcia, in hi3 account of its capture, describes
neither its shape nor appearance, but mentions the
parapet nine feet high, and the munition house and
store house.

From the account of Laudonniere and Le Moyne,
it was situated near the river, on the slope or nearly

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 55

at the foot of a hill* Barcia speaks of its being
behind a hill, and of descending towards it. The
clerical-carpenter, Challeux, speaks of being able,
after his escape, to look down from the hill he was
on, into the court of the fort itself, and seeing the
massacre of the French. As he was flying from the
fort towards the sea, and along the river, and as the
Spaniards came from a southeast direction, the fort
must ]\ave been on the westerly side of a hill, near
the river.

The distance is spoken of as less than three leagues
by Laudonniere. Hawkins and Ribault say, the fort
was not visible from the mouth of the river. It is
also incidentally spoken of in Barcia as being two
leagues from the bar. Le Challeux, in the narrative
of his escape, speaks of the distance as being about
two leagues. In the account given of the expedition
of De Gourgues, it is said to be, in general terms,
about one br two leagues above the forts afterwards
constructed on each side of the mouth of the river;
and it is also mentioned in De Gourgues, that the
fort was at the foot of a hill, near the water, and
could be overlooked from the hill. The distance
from the mouth of the river, and the nature of the
ground where the fort was built, are thus made suf-

Laud<>nnicro Bays, "joujnant la moiitaijnc."

5G THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

ficiently definite to enable us to seek a location which
shall fulfill both these conditions. It is hardly-
necessary to remark, that there can be no question
but that the fort was located on the south or easterly
side of the river, as the Spaniards marched by land
from St. Augustine, in a northwesterly direction to
Fort Caroline.

The River St. Johns is one of the largest rivers, in
point of width, to be found in America," and is more
like an arm of the sea than a river ; from its mouth
for a distance of fifteen miles, it is spread, over exten-
sive marshes, and there are few points where the
channel touches the banks of the river. At its
mouth it is comparatively narrow, but immediately
extends itself over wide-spread marshes ; and the first
headland, or shore which is washed by the channel
is a place known as St. John's Bluff. Here the river
runs closely along the shore, making a bold, deep
channel close up to the bank. The land rises ab-
ruptly on one side, into a hill of moderate height,
covered with a dense growth of pine, cedar, etc.
This hill gently slopes to the banks of the river, and
runs off to the southwest, where, at the distance of
a Quarter of a mile, a creek discharges itself into the
river, at a place called the Shipyard from time im-
memorial.

I am not aware that any remains of Fort Caroline,

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 57

or any old remains of a fortress, have ever been dis-
covered here; but it must be recollected that this
fort was constructed of sand and pine trees, and that
three hundred years have passed away, with their
storms and tempests, their rains and destructive
influences — a period sufficient to have destroyed a
work of much more durable character than sandy
entrenchments and green pine stakes and timbers.
Moreover, it is highly probable, judging from present
aj)pearances, that the constant abrasion of the banks
still going on has long since worn away the narrow
spot where stood Fort Caroline. It is also to be
remarked, that as there is no other hill, or high land,
or place where a fort could have been built, between
St. John's Bluff and the mouth of the river, so it
is also the fact, that there is no point on the south
side of the river where the channel touches high
land, for a distance by water of eight or ten miles
above St. John's Bluff.

The accompanying diagram and map will illustrate
this point more fully, and starting at St. John's
Bluff, the track of the fugitives, as they crossed the
several creeks, is easily followed, until they reached
the vessels at the mouth of the river.

The evidence in favor of the location of Fort Car-
oline at St. John's Bluff is, I think, conclusive and
irresistible, and accords in all points with the descrip-
5

53 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

tions given as to distance, topography, and points of
view.

It is within the memory of persons now living,*
that a considerable orange grove and somewhat
extensive buildings, which existed at this place, then
called San Vicente, have been washed into the river,
leaving at this day no vestiges of their existence.
It has been occupied as a Spanish fort within fifty
years ; yet so rapid has been the work of time and
^the elements, that no remains of such occupation are
now to be seen.

The narratives all speak of the distance from the
mouth of the river as about two leagues ; and in
speaking of so short a distance the probability of
exactness is much greater than when dealing with
longer distances.

As to the spot itself, it presents all the natural
features mentioned by Laudonniere ; and it requires
but a small spice of enthusiasm and romance that it
be recognized as a "goodlie and pleasante spotte,"
by those who might like the abundance of the wild
grapes and the view of the distant salt meadows, „
with their " iles and islets, so pleasante that those ,
which are melancholicke would be inforced to
change their humour."

* Col. T. D. Hart ; Mrs. James Smith.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 59

It is but proper, however, to say, that at a plan-
tation known as Newcastle there is a high range of
ground, and upon this high ground the appearance
of an old earth-work of quadrangular form; but
this point is distant some six leagues from the mouth
of the river, is flanked by a deep bay or marsh to
the southeast, and the work is on the top of the hill
and not at its foot, is quadrangular and not trian-
gular, and is a considerable distance from the water.
These earth-works, I am satisfied, are Spanish or
English remains of a much later period.

60 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

CHAPTER VII

MENENDEZ'S RETURN TO ST. AUGUSTINE— SHIPWRECK OF RI-
BAULT— MASSACRE OF PART OF HIS COMMAND— A. D. 1565.

After an ineffectual attempt to induce those in
the small vessels of the French to surrender, failing
in this, the General concluded to return to St. Au-
gustine, and send two of his vessels to the mouth of
the river to intercept them.

Some of the fugitives from the fort fled to the
Indians ; and ten of these were given up to the
Spaniards, to be butchered in cold blood, says the
French account, — to be sent back to France, says the
Spanish chronicle.

The 24th September being the day of St. Matthew,
the name of the fort was changed to that of San
Matheo, by which name it was always subsequently
called by the Spaniards ; and the name of St. Matthew
was also given by them to the river, now called St.
Johns, on which it was situated.

The Spaniards proceeded at once to strengthen

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 61

the fortress, deepening and enlarging the ditch, and
raised and strengthened the ramparts and walls in
such manner, says the boastful Mendoza, " that if the
half of all France had come to attack it, they could
not have disturbed it ;" a boast upon which the easy
conquest of it by De Gourgues, three years subse-
quently, affords an amusing commentary. They also
constructed, subsequently, two small forts at the
mouth of the river, one on each side, which proba-
bly were located the one at Batten Island and the
other at Mayport.

Leaving three hundred soldiers as a garrison under
his son-in-law, De Valdez, Master of the Camp, who
was now appointed Governor of the fort, Menendez
marched for St. Augustine, beginning now to feel
considerable anxiety lest the French fleet, escaping
from the tempest, might return and visit upon his
own garrison at St. Augustine, the fate of Fort Car-
oline, lie took with him upon his return but fifty
soldiers, and, owing to the swollen waters, found
great difficulty in retracing his route. When within
a league of St. Augustine, he allowed one of the
soldiers to go forward to announce his victory and
safe return.

The garrison at St. Augustine had been in great
anxiety respecting their leader, and from the accounts
given by those who had deserted, they had feared^

63 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

the total loss of the expedition. The worthy Chap-
lain thus describes the return of Menendez : —

"The same day, being Monday, we saw a man
coming, crying out loudly. I myself was the first
to run to him for the news. He embraced me with
transport, crying, ' Victory ! Victory ! The French
fort is ours.' I promised him the present which the
bearer of good news deserves, and gave him the best
in my power.

" At the hour of vespers our good General arrived,
with fifty foot-soldiers very much fatigued. As soon
as I learned that he was coming, I ran home and put
on a new soutain, the best which I had, and a sur-
plice, and going out with a crucifix in my hand, I
went forward to receive him ; and he, a gentleman
and a good Christian, before entering kneeled and
all his followers, and returned thanks to the Lord
for the great favours which lie had received. My
companions and myself marched in front in proces-
sion chanting, so that we all returned with the great-
est demonstrations of joy."

When about to dispatch the two vessels in his
harbor to the St. John's, to cut off the French ves-
sels he had left there, he was informed that two sail
had already been seen to pass the bar, supposed to
contain the French fugitives.

Eight days after the capture of Fort Caroline, a

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. G3

fire broke out in the quarters of St. Augustine, which
destroyed much treasure and provisions, and the
origin of which was doubtful, whether to be ascribed
to accident or design. Much disaffection prevailed
among the officers and soldiers, and the fire was
looked upon with pleasure by some, as having a ten-
dency to hasten their departure from a spot which
offered few temptations or rewards, compared with
Mexico or Peru.

On the very day of Menendez's return, a French-
man was discovered by a fishing party on Anastasia
Island, who, being taken, said he was one of a party
of eighteen, sent in a small vessel, some days before,
to reconnoitre the Spanish position ; that they had
been unable to keep the sea, and had been thrown
ashore, about four leagues below, at the mouth of a
river ; that the Indians attacked and killed three of
their number, and they thereupon escaped.

Mencndez dispatched a captain and fifty men, to
get off the vessel and capture any of the French
who might be found. On their arrival at the place,
they found that all the French had been killed by
the Indians; but they succeeded in getting off the
vessel. Menendez, feeling uneasy in reference to
their encounter with the Indians, had followed on
after the expedition, in company with the worthy
Chaplain, to whom his promenade among the briars,

64 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

vines, prickly cedars, chaparral, and prickly pears
of Anastasia, seems to have been a true via dolorosa.

Upon their arrival, tliey found a considerable body
of French upon the south side of an inlet, whose
fires indicated their position.

The four vessels of Itibault, which had gone in
pursuit of the Spaniards at St. Augustine, had been
overtaken by the storm, and after keeping to sea
with incredible effort, had been finally driven ashore
upon the shoals of Canaveral,* with but little loss
of life but a total loss of every thing else ; they
>ere thus thrown on shore without shelter from the
elements, famished with hunger, borne down by
disappointment, and utterly dispirited and demoral-
ized. They were consumed, also, by the most pain-
ful uncertainty. Marching to the northward along
shore, they discovered a skiff, and resolved to send
a small number of persons in it, to make their way
by sea to Fort Caroline, to bring succor to them from
there. This boat succeeded in reaching the St.
John's, where they were informed, by friendly In-
dians, of the fate which had befallen the fort ; and
subsequently they fell in with a Frenchman who
had escaped, who related to them the whole disaster.

* Canaveral, where Ribault was wrecked, must have been some point
north of Mosquito Inlet, and not the cape now bearing that name, as he
could not have crossed Mosquito Inlet in his march to Matanzas.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 65

Upon this they concluded to seek their own safety
among the friendly Indians of St. Helena, rather
than to he the useless bearers of the tidings of their
misfortunes to their companions in arms.

There are several accounts of the sad fate which
befell the followers of Ribault, the massacre of whom
has been perpetuated by the memorial name given
to its scene, " the bloody river of Matanzas," the ebb
and flow of whose recurring tides for three hundred
years have failed to wash out the record of blood
which has associated this massacre of the Huguenots
with the darkest scenes of earth's history. In con-
sequence,of the rank and number of the victims, the
event produced various and somewhat contradictory
accounts ; but all stamped with a seal of reprobation
and execration the act and the actors, without ref-
erence to creed or nationality. Challeux relates
instances of cruel barbarity added to the atrocity
of the slaughter itself; and others, it appears, had
given other versions, all in different degree point-
ing the finger of historic justice to mark and com-
memorate the crime against humanity.

The Spanish historian, Barcia, aims to counteract
this general condemnation, of which in his own lan-
guage he says, "These calumnies, repeated in so
many quarters, have sullied the fame of the Adelan-
tado, being exaggerated by the heretics, and con-

*

66

THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

sentecl to by the Catholics, so that even the Father
Felix Briot, in his annals, says that he caused them
to be killed contrary to the faith which he had given
them ; which is altogether a falsehood, for the Adelan-
tado did not give his word, nor would he when asked
give it, to spare their lives, although they were will-
ing to pay him for doing so; nor in the capture of
Fort Caroline did he do more than has been related ;
and such is the account given by Doctor Salis de las
Meras, brother-in-law to Donna Maria de Sails, wife
of the Adelantado, who was present, and who, relat-
ing the punishment of the heretics, and the manner
in which it was accomplished, says, —

" '-The Adelantado occupied himself in fortifying
his settlement at St Augustine, as well as he could,
to defend it from the French ilcet if they should
attack it. Upon the following day some Indians
came and by signs informed them that four leagues
distant there were a large number of Christians, who
were unable to cross an arm of the sea or strait, which
is a river upon the inner side of an inlet, which they
were obliged to cross in order to come to St. Augus-
tine. The Adelantado sent thither forty soldiers
about dusk, and arrived about midnight near the
inlet, where he commanded a halt until morning, and
leaving his soldiers concealed, he ascended a tree to
see what was the state of matters. lie discovered

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 67

many persons on the other side of the river, and
their standards ; and to prevent their passing over,
he directed his men to exhibit themselves towards
the shore, so that it might be supposed that he had
with him a large force ; and when they were discov-
ered, a French soldier swam over, and said that the
' persons beyond the river were Frenchmen, that they
had been wrecked in a storm, but had all saved their
lives. The Adelantado asked what French they
were ? lie answered, that they were two hundred
of the people under command of Jean Eibault,
Viceroy and Captain General of this country for
the king of the French. He asked again, if they
were Catholics or Lutherans ? It was replied that
they were all Lutherans, of the new religion ; all of
which was previously well known to the Adelantado,
when he encountered their fleet with his vessels ; and
the women and children whom he had spared when
he took their fort, had also so informed him; and he
had found in the fort when he took it, six trunks
filled with books, well bound and gilt ; all of Avhich
were of the new sect, and from which they did not
say mass, but preached their Lutheran doctrines
every evening ; all of which books he directed to be
burnt, not sparing a single one.

"'The Adelantado then asked him why he had
come over ? He said he had been sent over by his

6S THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

Captain, to see what people tliey were. The General
asked if he wished to return. He said " Yes, but he
desired to know what people they were." This man
spoke very plainly, for he was a Gascon of San Juan
de Suz. " Then tell him," said the Adelantado, " that
it is the Viceroy and Captain General of this country
for the king, Don Philip ; and that his name is Pedro
Menendez, and that he is here with some of his sol-
diery to ascertain what people those were, for he
had been informed the day before that they were
there, and the hour at which they came."

" ' The French soldier went over with his message,
and immediately returned, saying "that if they
would pledge faith to his captain and to four
other gentlemen, they would like to come and treat
with him ; " and they desired the loan of a boat,
which the General had directed to bring some pro-
visions to the river. The General instructed the
messenger to say to his captain, "that he might
come over securely under the pledge of his word,"
and then sent over for them the boat; and they
crossed over. The Adelantado received them very
well, with only ten of his followers ; the others he
directed to stay some distance off among some
bushes, so that their number might appear to be
greater than it was. One of the Frenchmen announ-
ced himself as captain of these people ; and that in

OF ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 69

a great storm they had lost four galleons, and other
vessels of the king of France, within a distance of
twenty leagues of each other ; and that these were
the people from on board of one ship, and that they
desired they would let them have a boat for this
arm of the sea, and for another four leagues hence,
which was at St. Augustiue ; that they desired to go
to a fort which they held twenty leagues from there.
It was the same fort which Menendez had taken.
The Adelantado asked them " if they were Catholics
or Lutherans V He replied u that they were all of
the New Eeligion." Then the Adelantado said
to them, " Gentlemen, your fort is taken and its peo-
ple destroyed, except the women, and children under
fifteen years of age ; and that you may be assured
of this, among the soldiers who are here there are
many things, and also there are here two Frenchmen
wh,om I have brought with me, who said they were
Catholics. Sit down here and eat, and I will send
the two Frenchmen to you, as also the things which
some of my soldiers have taken from the fort, in
order that you may be satisfied.

" ' The Adelantado having spoken thus, directed
food to be given to them, and sent the two Frenchmen
to them, and many things which the soldiers had
brought from the fort, that they might see them,
and then retired himself, to eat with his own people ;

70 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

and an Lour afterwards, when he saw that the French
had eaten, he went where they were and asked if
they were satisfied of the truth of what he had told
them. They said they were, and desired that for a
consideration, he should give them vessels and ships'
stores, that they might return to France. The
Adelantado answered, "that he would do so with
great pleasure if they were good Catholics, or if he
had the ships for them ; but lie had not the vessels,
having sent two to St. Matteo (Ft. Caroline), the
one to take the artillery they had captured, and the
French women and children, to St. Domingo, and to
obtain provisions. The other had to go upon busi-
ness of his Majesty to other parts.

" ' The French captain replied, " that he should grant
to all, their lives, and that they should remain with
him until they could obtain shipping for France,
since they were not at war, and the kings of Spain
and of France were brothers and friends." The Ade-
lantado said, M that was true, and Catholics and friends
he would favor, believing that he would serve both
kings in doing so ; but as to themselves, being of the
new sect, he held them for enemies, and he would
wage war upon them even to blood and to fire ; and
that he would pursue them with all cruelty wherever
he should encounter them, in whatever sea or land
where he should be viceroy or captain general for

OF AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.. 71

Lis king ; and that he would go and plant the holy
faith in this laud, that the Indians might be enlight-
ened and be brought to the knowledge of the Holy
Catholic Faith of Jesus Christ our Saviour, as taught
and announced by the Roman Church. That if they
wished to surrender their standards and their arms,
and throw themselves upon his mercy, they might
do so, for he would do with them what God nhoidd of
his grace direct ; or, they could 'do as they might
deem proper ; that other treaty or friendship they
should not have from him." The French captain
replied, that he could not then conclude any other
matter with the Adelantado. He went over in the
boat, saying, that he went to relate what had passed,
and to agree upon what should be done, and within
two hours he would return with an answer. The
Adelantado said, " They could do as seemed best to
them, and he would wait for them." Two hours
passed, when the same French captain returned, with
those who had accompanied him previously, and
said to the General, " that there were many people of
family, and nobles among them, and that they would
give fifty thousand ducats, of ransom, if he would
spare all their lives." He answered, " that although
he was a j)oor soldier, he could not be governed by
selfish interests, and if he were to be merciful and
lenient, he desired to be so without the suspicion

72 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

of other motives." The French captain returned to
urge the matter. " Do not deceive yourselves," said
the Adelantado, " for if Heaven were to join to earth,
I would do no otherwise than I have said." The French
officer then going towards where his people stood,
said, that iu accordance with that understanding he
would return shortly with an answer; and within
half an hour he returned and placed in the boat, the
standards, seventy arquebuses, twenty pistols, a
quantity of swords and shields, and some helmets
and breast-plates ; and the captain came to where
the General stood, and said that all the French force
there submitted themselves to his clemency, and
surrendered to him their standards and their arms.
The Adelantado then directed twenty soldiers to go
in the boat and bring the French, ten by ten. The
river was narrow and easy to pass, and lie directed
Diego Flores do Valdes, Admiral of the Fleet, to
receive the standards and the arms, and to go in the
boat and see that the soldiers did not maltreat them.
The Adelantado then withdrew from the shore,
about two bow shots, behind a hillock of sand,
within a copse of bushes, where the persons who
came in the boat which brought over the French,
could not see ; and then said to the French captain
and the other eight Frenchmen who were there with
him, " Gentlemen, I have but few men with me, and

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 73

they are not very effective, and you are numerous ;
and, going unrestrained, it would be an easy tiling
to take satisfaction upon our men for those whom
we destroyed when we took the fort ; and thus it is
necessary that you should march with hands tied
behind, a distance of four leagues from here where
I have my camp." The French replied " that they
would do so;" and they had their hands tied
strongly behind their backs with the match ropes of
the soldiers ; and the ten who came in the boat did
not see those who had their hands tied, until they
came up to the same place, for it was so arranged,
in order that the French who had not passed the
river, should not understand what was being done,
and might not be offended, and thus were tied two
hundred and eight Frenchmen. Of whom the Ade-
lantado asked that if any among them were Catho-
lics, they should declare it. Eight said that they
were Catholics, and were separated from the others
and placed in a boat, that they might go by the
river to St. Augustine; and all the rest replied "that
they were of the new religion, and held themselves
to be very good Christians ; that this was their
faith and no other. The Adelantado then gave the
order to march with them, having first given them
meat and drink, as each ten arrived, before being
tied, which was done before the succeeding ten
6

7-i THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

arrived ; and he directed one of his captains who
marched with the vanguard, that at a certain dis-
tance from there, he would observe a mark made by
a lance, which he carried in his hand, which would
be in a sandy place that they would be obliged to
pass in going on their way towards the fort of St.
Augustine, and that there the prisoners should all be
destroyed ; and he gave the one in command of the
rear-guard the same orders; and it was done accord-
ingly ; when, leaving there all of the dead, they
returned the same night before dawn, to the fort at
St. Augustine, although it was already sundown
when the men were killed.'"*

Such is the second part of this sad and bloody trag-
edy ; which took place at the Matanzas Inlet, about
eighteen miles south of the city of St. Augustine, and
at the southerly end of Anastasia Island. The ac-
count we have given, it must be borne in niiud, is
that of I)e Solis, the brother-in-law and apologist of
Menendez ; but even under his extenuating hand the
conduct of Menendez was that of one deaf to the
voice of humanity, and exulting in cold-blooded
treachery, dealing in vague generalities intended to
deceive, while affording a shallow apology for the
actor. A massacre in cold blood of poor ship-

* Burcia, p. 87.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 75

wrecked, famished men, prisoners yielding themselves
to an expected clemency, tied up like sheep, and
butchered by poignard blows from behind, shocked
alike the moral sense of all to whom the tale came, i

without regard to faith or flag. j

76 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

CHAPTER VIII.

FATE OF RIBAULT AND HIS FOLLOWERS— BLOODY MASSACRE
AT MATANZAS— 1565.

The first detachment of the French whom Me-
nendez met and so utterly destroyed, constituted the
complement of a single vessel, which had been thrown
ashore at a more northerly point than the others.
All these vessels were wrecked between Musquito
Inlet and Matanzas.

Of the fate of the main detachment, under Hi-
bault in person, we have the following account, as
related by the same apologist, the chaplain De Solis :

" On the next day following the return of the
Adelantado at St. Augustine, the same Indians who
came before returned, and said that ' a great many
more Christians were at the same part of the river
as the others had been.' The Adelantado concluded
that it must be Jean Ribault, the General of tbe
Lutherans at sea and on land, whom they called the
Viceroy of this country for the king of France. He
immediately went, with one hundred and fifty men

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 77

in good order, and reached the place where he had
lodged the first time, at about midnight ; and at
dawn he pushed forward to the river, with his men
drawn out, and when it was daylight, he saw, two
bow-shots from the other bank of the river, many
persons, and a raft made to cross over the people, at
the place where the Adelantado stood. But imme-
diately, when the French saw the Adelantado and
his people, they took arms, and displayed a royal
standard and two standards of companies, souudiug
fifes and drums, in very good, order, and showing
a front of battle to the Adelantado ; who, having
ordered his men to sit down and take their
breakfast, so that they made no demonstration of
any change, he himself walked up and down the
shore, with his admiral and two other captains, pay-
ing no attention to the movement and demonstration
of battle of the French ; so that they, observing this,
halted and the fifes and drums ceased, while with a
bugle note they unfurled the white Hag of peace,
which was returned by the Adelantado. A French-
man placed himself upon the raft, and cried with a
loud voice that he wished to cross over, but that
owing to the force of the current he could not bring
the raft over, and desired an Indian canoe which
was there to be sent over. The Adelantado said he
could swim over for it, under pledge of his word.

78 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

A French sailor immediately came over, but the
General would not permit him to speak with him,
but directed him to take the canoe, and go and tell
his captain, that inasmuch as he had called for a
conference, if he desired any thing he should send
over some one to communicate with him. The
same sailor immediately came with a gentlemau,
who said he was the sergeant major of Jean Ili-
bault, Viceroy and Captain General of this land for
the king of France, and that he had sent him to say,
that they had been wrecked with their fleet in a
great storm, and that he had witty him three hundred
and fifty French ; that they wished to go to a fort
which they held, twenty leagues from there ; that
they wished the favor of boats, to pass this river,
and the other, four leagues further on, and that he
desired to know if they were Spaniards, and under
what leader they served.

uThe Adelantado ansAvered him, that they were
Spaniards, and that the Captain under whom they
served was the person now addressing him, and was
called Pedro Menendez. That he should tell his Gen-
eral that the fort which he held twenty leagues from
there had been taken by him, and he bad destroyed
all the French, and the rest who had come with the
fleet, because they were badly governed ; and then,
passing thence to where the dead bodies of the

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 79

Frenchmen whom he had killed still lay unburied,
pointed them out to him and said, therefore he could
not permit them to pass the river to their fort.

"The sergeant, with an unmoved countenance,
and without any appearance of uneasiness on account
of what the Adelantado had said, replied, that if
he would have the goodness to send a gentleman of
his party, to ' say to the French general, that they
might negotiate with safety, the ■ people were
much exhausted, and the general would come over
in a boat which was there. The Adelantado replied,
' Farewell, comrade, and bear the answer which they
shall give you ; and if your general desires to come
and treat with me, I give my word that he shall
come and return, securely, with four or six of his
people whom lie may select for his advisors, that he
may do whatever he may conclude to be best.'

"Tlie French gentleman then departed with this
message. Within half an hour he returned to accept
the assurance the Adelantado had given, and to ob-
tain the boat ; which the Adelantado was unwilling
to let him have, but said he could use the canoe,
which was safe, and the strait was narrow ; and he
again went back with this message.

"Immediately Jean Kibault came over, whom the
Adelantado received very well, with other eight
gentlemen, who had come with him. They were

80

THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

all gentlemen of rank ami position. He gave them
a collation, and would Lave given them food if they
had desired. Jean Ribault with much humility,
thanked him for his kind reception, and said that to
raise their spirits, much depressed by the sad news
of the death of their comrades, they would partake
only of the wine and condiments, and did not wish
any thing else to eat. Then after eating Jean Ri-
bault said, ' that he saw that those his companions
were dead, and that he could not be mistaken if he
desired to be.' Then the Adelantado directed the
soldiers to bring each one whatever he had taken
from the fort ; and he saw so many things, that he
knew for certain that it was taken ; although he
knew this before, yet he could not wholly believe it,
because among his men there was a Frenchman by
name of Barbero, of those whom the Adelantado
had ordered to be destroyed with the rest, and who
was left for dead with the others, having with the first
thrust he received fallen down and made as though he
were dead, and when they left there he had passed over
by swimming, to Eibault ; and this Barbero held it
for certain that the Adelantado had deceived them
in saying that the fort was taken, it not being so ;
and thus until now he had supposed. The Adelan-
tado said that in order with more certainty to
believe this and satisfy himself, he might converse

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 81

apart with tlie two Frenchmen who were present, to
satisfy him better ; which he did.

"Immediately Jean Hibault came towards the
Adelantado and said, ' it was certain that all which
he had told him was true ; but that what had happened
to him, might have happened to the Adelantado ;
and since their kings were brothers, and such great
friends, the Adelantado should act towards him as a
friend, and give him ships and provisions, that he
intent return to France.'

"The Adelantado replied in the same manner that
he had done to the other Frenchmen, as to what he
would do ; and that taking it or leaving it, Jean
Eibault could obtain nothing further from the Ade-
lantado. Jean Hibault then said that he would go
and give an account of matters to his people, for he
had among them many of noble blood ; and would
return or send an answer as to what he would do.

" Three hours afterwards, Jean Hibault returned
in the canoe, and said, ' that there were different
opinions among his people; that while some were
willing to yield themselves to his clemency, others
were not.' The Adelantado replied ' that it mat-
tered but little to him whether they all came, or a
part, or none at all ; that they should do as it pleased'
them, and he would act with the same liberty.'
Jean Hibault said to him, ' that the half of the peo-

'

82 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

pie who were willing to yield themselves to his
clemency, would pay him a ransom of more than
100,000 ducats ; and the other half were able to pay
more, for there was among them persons of wealth
and large incomes, who had desired to establish
estates in this country.' The Adelantado answered
him, 'It would grieve me much to lose so great and
rich a ransom, under the necessity I am under for
such aid, to carry forward the conquest and settle-
ment of this land, in the name of my king, as is my
duty, and to plant here the Holy Evangel.' Jean
Ribault considered from this, that with the amount
which they could all give, he might be induced to
spare his own life and that of all the others who
were with him, and that they might be able to pay
more than 200,000 ducats; and he said to the Ade-
lantado, ' that he would return with his answer to
his people ; that as it was late, he would take it as a
favor if lie would be willing to wait until the follow-
ing day, when he would bring their reply as to what
they would conclude to do.' The Adelantado said,
' Yes, that he would wait.' Jean Eibault then went
back to his people, it being already sunset. In the
morning, -he returned with the canoe, and surren-
dered to the Adelantado two royal standards —
the one that of the king of France, the other that
of the Admiral (Coligny),— and the standards of the

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 83

company, and a sword, dagger, and helmet, gilded
very beautifully ; and also a shield, a pistol, and a
commission given him under the high admiral of
France, to assure to him his title and possessions.

" He then said to him, ' that but one hundred and
fifty of the three hundred and fifty whom he had
with him were willing to yield to his clemency, and
that the others had withdrawn during the night ;
and that they might take the boat and bring those
who were willing to come over, and their arms.'
The Adelantado immediately directed the captain,
Diego Flores Valdes, Admiral of the fleet, that he
should bring them over as he had done the others,
ten by ten ; and the Adelantado, taking' Jean Ki-
bault behind the sand hills, among the bushes where
the others had their hands tied behind them, he
said to these and all the others as lie had done be-
fore, that they had four leagues to yo after night,
and that he could not permit theni to go unbound ;
and after they were all tied, he asked if they were
Catholics or Lutherans, or if any of them desired to
make confession.

" Jean Iiibault replied, ' that all who were there
were of the new religion,' and he then began to
repeat the psalm, ' Domine ! Memento Mei;"1 and
having finished, he said, ' that from dust they came
and to dust they must return, and that in twenty

8ri THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

years, more or less, lie must render Lis final account ;
that the Adelantado might do with them as he
chose.' The Adelantado then ordered all to be
killed, in the same order and at the same mark, as
had been done to the others. He spared only the
fifers, drummers, and trumpeters, and four others
who said that they were Catholics, in all, sixteen
persous." " Todos los demos fueron degallados?—
" all the rest were slaughtered," is the sententious
summary by which Padre de Solis announced the
close of the sad career of the gray-haired veteran,
the brave soldier, the Admiral Jean Eibault, and his
companions.*

At some point on the thickly-wooded shores of
the Island of Anastasio, or beneath the shifting
mounds of sand which mark its shores, may still lie
the bones of some of the three hundred and fifty
who, spared from destruction by the tempest, and
escaping the perils of the sea and of the savage, fell
victims to the vindictive rancor and blind rage of
one than whom history recalls none more cruel, or
less humane. But while their bones, scattered on
earth and sea, unhonored and unburied, were lost to
human sight, the tale of their destruction and sad
fate, scattered in like manner over the whole world,

*Bareia, p. 8'j.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. S5

has raised to their memory through sympathy with
their fate, a memorial which will endure as long as
the pages of history.

The Adelautado returned that night to St. Augus-
tine, where, says his apologist, some persons censured
him for his cruelty. Others commended what he had
done, as the act of a good general, and said that even
if they had been Catholics, he could not have done
more justly than he had done for them ; for with the
few provisions that the Adelantado had, either the
one or the other people would have had to perish
with hunger, and the French would have destroyed
our people : they were the most numerous.*

We have still to trace the fate of the body of two
hundred, who retired from Ribault after his fatal
determination to surrender to the tender mercies of
Menendez. As we are already aware, it comprised
the elite of his force, men of standing and rank, and
whose spirits had retained the energy to combat
against the natural discouragements of their position ;
and they adopted the nobler resolve of selling their
lives, at least with their swords in their hands.

De Solis proceeds to give the following further
account of them : —

"Twenty days subsequently to the destruction of

• Barcia, p. 89.

86 THE HISTORY AND antiquities

these, some Indians came to the Adelantado, and
informed him by signs, that eight days' journey from
here to the southward, near the Bahama Channel, at
Canaveral, a large number of people, brethren of
those whom the General had caused to be killed,
were building a fort and a vessel. The Adelantado
at once came to the conclusion, that the French had
retired to the place where their vessels were wrecked,
and where their artillery and munitions, and provi-
sions were, in order to build a vessel and return to
France to procure succor. The General thereupon
dispatched from St. Augustine to St. Matteo, ten of
his soldiers, conveying intelligence of what had taken
place, and directing that they should send to him one
hundred and fifty of the soldiers there, with the
thirty-five others who remained when he returned
to St. Augustine, after taking the fort. The master
of the camp immediately dispatched them, under
command of Captains Juan Velez de Mcdrano and
Andrez Lopez Fatrio ; and they arrived at St. Augus-
tine on October 23d. On the 25th, after having
heard mass, the Adelantado departed for the coast,
with three hundred men, and three small vessels to
go by sea with the arms and provisions ; and the
vessels were to go along and progress equally with
the troops; and each night when the troops halted,

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. S7

the vessels also anchored by them, for it was a clear
and sandy coast.

"The Adelantado carried in the three vessels, pro-
visions for forty days for three hundred men, and one
days' ration was to last for two days ; and he promised
to do everything for the general good of all, although
they might have to undergo many dangers and pri-
vations ; that he had great hope that he would have
the goodness and mercy of God to aid him in carry-
ing through safely this so holy and pious an under-
taking, lie then took leave of them, leaving most
of them in tears, for he was much loved, feared, and
respected by all.*

" The Adelantado, after a wearisome journey,
marching on foot himself the whole distance, arrived
in the neighborhood of the French camp on All
Saints Day, at daylight, guided by the Indians by
land, and the three vessels under the command of
Captain Diego de Maya. As soon as the French
descried the Spaniards, they fled to their fort, with-
out any remaining. The Adelantado sent them a
trumpeter, offering them their lives, that they should
return and should receive the same treatment as the
Spaniards. One hundred and fifty came to the
Adelantado ; and their leader, with twenty others,

« Barcia, p. 89.

SS THE niSTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

sent to say that they would sooner be devoured by
the Indians, than surrender themselves to the Span-
iards. The Adelantado received those who surren-
dered, very well, and having set fire to the fort,
which was of wood, burned the vessel which they
were building, and buried the artillery, for the
vessels could not cany them."

De Solis here closes his account of the matter ; but
from other accounts we learn that the Adelantado
kept his faith on this occasion with them, and that
some entered his service, some were converted to his
faith, and others returned to France; and thu9
ended the Huguenot attempt to colonize the shores
of Florida.

There are several other accounts of the fate of
TJibault and his followers, drawn from the narratives
of survivors of the expedition, which, without vary-
ing the general order of events, fill in sundry details of
the massacres. The main point of difference is, as to
the pledges or assurances given by Menendez. The
French accounts say that he pledged his faith to
them, that their lives should be spared.* It will be
seen that the Spanish account denies that he did so,
but makes him use language subject to misconstruc-

* Such was the understanding of those who then wrote in reference
to the transaction, as Earcia admits.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 89

tion, and calculated to deceive them into the hope
and expectation of safety. I do not see that in a
Christian or even moral view there is much difference
between an open breach of faith, and the breach of
an implied faith, particularly when it was only by
this deception that the surrender could have been
accomplished. Nor could Menendez have had a very
delicate sense of the value of the word of a soldier,
a Christian, and a gentleman, when, as his apologist
admits, he did directly use the language of falsehood,
to induce them to submit to the degradation of hav-
ing their hands tied.

Nor, considered in its broader aspects, is it a matter
of any consequence, whether he gave his word or no ;
nor does it lessen the enormity of his conduct, had
they submitted themselves in the most unreserved
manner to his discretion. France and Spain were
at peace ; no act of hostility had been committed by
the French toward the Spaniards ; and Ribault asked
only to be allowed to pass on. In violation alike
of the laws of war and the law of humanity, he first
induced them to surrender, to abide what God,
whose holy name he invoked, should put into his
heart to do, and then cajoling them into allowing
their hands to be tied, he ordered them to be killed,
in their bonds as they stood, defenseless, helpless,
wrecked, and famished men. It would have been a
1

1

90 THE IIISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

base blot upon human nature, had he thus served
the most savage tribe of nations, standing on that
far shore, brought into the common sympathy of
want and suffering. The act seems one of monstrous
atrocity, when committed against the people of a
sister nation.

OF ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 91

CHAPTER IX.

FORTIFYING OF ST. AUGUSTINE— DISAFFECTIONS AND MUTI-
NIES—APPROVAL OF MENEXDEZ' ACTS BY KING OF SPAIN.
1565-1568.

During the time of the several expeditions of the
Adelautado against the French Huguenots, the for-
tification and strengtheni ng of the defenses of the
settlement at St. Augustine had not been neglected.
The fort, or Indian council-house, which had been
first fortified, seems to have been consumed in the
conflagration spoken of; and thereupon a plan of a
regular fortification or fort was marked out by
Meneudez; and, as there existed some danger of the
return of the French, the Spaniards labored unceas-
ingly with their whole force, to put it in a respectable
state of defense. From an engraving contained in
De Bry, illustrating the attack of Sir Francis Drake,
twenty years afterwards, this fort appears to have
been an octagonal structure of logs, and located near
the site of the present fort, while the settlement itself
was probably made in the first instance, at the lower

92 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

end of the peninsula, near the building now called
the powder-house.

He also established a government for the place,
with civil and military officials, a hall of justice,
et cetera.

All of these matters were arranged by Menendez
before his expedition against the French at Canave-
ral, of whom one hundred and fifty returned with
him, and were received upon an equal footing with
his own men, the more distinguished being received
at his own table upon the most friendly terms ; a
clemency which, with a knowledge of his character,
can only be ascribed to motives of policy. The
position of the French at Canaveral was probably
inaccessible, as they had their arms, besides artillery
brought from the vessels ; and the duplicity which
had characterized his success with their comrades,
was out of the question here; the French could
therefore exact their own terms, and unshackled
could forcibly resist any attempt at treachery.

The addition of this number to his force lessened
the already diminished supply of provisions which
Menendez had brought with him ; and want soon
began to threaten his camp. He sent as many of
his soldiers as he could into camp at San Matteo, and
endeavored to draw supplies from the Indians ; but
unfortunately for him, the country between the St.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 93

Johns and St. Augustine was under the rule of the
Indian Chief, Satouriara, the friend (and ally of the
French), whose hostility the Spaniards were never
able to overcome. Satouriara and his followers
withdrew from all peaceable intercourse with the
Spaniards, and hung about their path to destroy,
harrass, and cut them off upon every possible occa-
sion.

The winter succeeding the settlement* of the
Spaniards at St. Augustine, was most distressing
and discouraging to them. The lack of provisions
in their camp drove them to seek, in the surrounding
country, subsistence from the roots and esculent
plants it might afford, or to obtain in the neigh-
boring creeks, fish and oysters; but no sooner did a
Spaniard venture out alone beyond the gates of the
fort, than he was grasped, by some unseen foe, from
the low underbrush and put to death, or a shower of
arrows from some tree-top was his first intimation of
danger ; if he discharged his arquebuse towards his
invisible assailants, others would spring upon him
before he could reload his piece ; or, if he attempted
to find fish and oysters in some quiet creek, the
noiseless canoe of an Indian would dart in upon
him, and the heavy war-club of the savage descend-
ing upon his unprotected head, end his existence.
Against such a foe, no defense could avail ; and it is

91 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

related that more than one hundred and twenty of
the Spaniards were thus killed, including Captain
Martin de Ochoa, Captain Diego de Hevia, Fernando
de Gamboa, and Juan Menendez, a nephew of the
Adelantado, and many others of the bravest and
most distinguished of the garrison.

In this crisis of affairs, the Governor concluded to
go to Cuba himself, to obtain relief for his colony.
lie in the meantime established a fort at St. Lucia,
near Canaveral. A considerable jealousy seems to
have existed on the part of the governor of Cuba ; and
he received Menendez with great coolness, and in
reply to his appeals for aid, only offered an empty ves-
sel. In this emergency, Menendez contemplated, as
his only means of obtaining Avhat he wished, to go upon
a filibustering expedition against some Portuguese and
English vessels which were in those waters. While
making preparations to do this, four vessels of the fleet
with which he had left Spain, and which had been
supposed lost, arrived ; and after dispatching a vessel
to Campeachy for provisions, he commenced his
return voyage to his colony, delaying however for a
time in South Florida, to seek intelligence among
the Indians of his lost son.

In the mean time his garrisons at St. Augustine
and San Matteo had mutinied, and were in open
revolt; provisions had become so scarce that twenty-

OF ST. AUGUSTIXE, FLORIDA. 95

five reals had been given for a pound of biscuit, and
but for the fish they would have starved. They
plundered the public stores, imprisoned their officers,
aud seized upon a vessel laden with provisions which
had been sent to the garrison. The Master of the
Camp succeeded iu escaping from confinement and
releasing his fellow prisoners, by a bold movement
cut off the intercourse between the mutineers on
board the vessel and those on shore, and hung the
Sergeant Major, who was at the head of the move-
ment. The Commandant then attempted to attack
those in the vessel, and was nearly lost with his
companions, by being wrecked on the bar. The
vessel made sail to the West India Islands. The
garrison at San Matteo took a vessel there and came
around to St. Augustine, but arrived after their
accomplices had left.

Disease had already begun to make its ravages,
and added to the general wisli to leave the country ;
which all would then have done had they had the
vessels in which to embark. They used for their
recovery from sickness, the roots of a native shrub,
which produced marvelous cures.

At this period Menendez returned to the famished
garrison, but was forced to permit Juan Vicente,
with one hundred of the disaffected, to go to St.
Domingo by a vessel which he dispatched there for

9>3 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

supplies ; and it is said that the governors of the
islands where they went, harbored them, and that
of some five hundred who on different occasions
deserted from the Adelantado, and all of whom had
been brought out at his cost, but two or three were
ever returned to him ; while the deserters putting
their own construction upon their acts, sent home to
the king of Spain criminations of the Adelantado,
and represented the conquest of Florida as a hopeless
and worthless acquisition ; that it was barren and
swampy, and produced nothing.

After this defection, Menendez proceeded along
the coast to San Matteo, and thence to Guale,
Amelia, and adjoining islands, Orista and St. Helena ;
made peaceful proposals to the Indian tribes, lectured
them upon theology, and planted a cross at their
council-houses. The cacique of Guale asked Me-
nendez how it was " that he had waged war upon
the other white men, who had come from the same
country as himself?" He replied, " that the other
white people were bad Christians, and believers in
lies ; and that those whom he had killed, deserved
the most cruel death, because they had fled their
own country, and came to mislead and deceive the
caciques and other Indians, as they had already
before misled and deceived many other good Christ-
ians, in order that the devil may take possession of

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 97

them." While at St. Helena he succeeded in
obtaining permission of the Indians to erect a fort
there, and he left a detachment. On his return he
also erected fort San Felipe, at Orista ; and after
setting up a cross at Quale, the cacique demanded
of him, that as now they had become good Christians,
he should cause rain to come upon their fields ; for a
drought had continued eight months. The same
night a severe rain-storm happened, which confirmed
the faith of the Indians, and gained the Adelantado
great credit with them. While here, he learned that
there was a fugitive Lutheran among the Indians,
and he took some pains to cause to be given to the
fugitive, hopes of good treatment if he would come
in to the Spanish post at St. Helena, while he gave
private directions that he should be killed, directing
his lieutenant to make very strange of his disap-
pearance ; an incident very illustrative of the vindic-
tiveness and duplicity of Menendez.*

He returned to St. Augustine, and was received
with great joy, and devoted himself to the comple-
tion of the fort, which was to frighten the savages,
and enforce respect from strangers. It was built, it
is said, where it now stands, do ntle e-ste ahor w, (1722.)

The colony left at St. Helena mutinied almost

* Ensay. Cron. 110.

9S TUE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

immediately, and seizing a vessel sent with supplies,
sailed for Cuba, and were wrecked on the Florida
Keys, where they met at an Indian town, the muti-
neers who had deserted from the fort at St. Matteo :
these had been also wrecked there.

The garrison again becoming much straitened for
provisions, the Adelantado, in June, was obliged to
go to Cuba for succor. He was received with indif-
ference, and his wishes unheeded. He applied to
the governor of Mexico, and others who happened
to be there, and who had the power of assisting
him; from all he received no encouragement,
but the advice to abandon his enterprise. He at
last pawned his jewels, the badge of his order, and
his valuables, thus obtaining five hundred ducats ;
with which he purchased provisions, and set sail on
his return, with only sixty-five men.

But just at this period, succor came to the fam-
ished troops ; a fleet of seventeen vessels arrived
with fifteen hundred men from Spain, under Juan
de Avila, as admiral. By this means all the posts
were succored and reinforced, and the enterprise
saved from destruction ; for the small supplies
brought by Menendez would have been soon
exhausted, and further efforts being out of his power,
they would have been forced to withdraw from the
country.

99

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

The admiral of the fleet also had entrusted to
him for the Adelantado, a letter from the king,
written on the 12th of May, 1566, which, among
other matters, contained the following royal com-
mendation of the acts of Menendez. " Of the great
success which has attended your enterprise, we have
the most entire satisfaction, and we bear in memory
the loyalty, the love, and the diligence, with which
you have borne us service, as well as the dangers
and perils in which you have been placed ; and as to
the retribution you have visited upon the Lutheran
pirates who sought to occupy that country, and to
fortify themselves there, in order to disseminate in it
their wicked creed, and to prosecute there their
wrongs and robberies, Avhich they have done and
were doing against God's service and my own, we
believe that you did it with every justification and
propriety, and we consider ourself to have been well
served in so doing.1' *

To this commendation of Philip II., it is unneces-
sary to add any comment, save that no other action
could have been expected of him. And of Charles
the Ninth, of France, the Spanish historian says that
he treated the memorial of the widows and orphans
of the slain with contempt, " considering their pun-

* Eusayo: Cron. 115.

100 TIIE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

islmient to have been just, in that they were equally
enemies of Spain, of France, of the Church, and of
the peace of the world."

During the absence of Menendez to inspect his

posts, disaffection again broke out ; and finding his

force too numerous, he with sixteen vessels went

upon a freebooting expedition to attack pirates. He

failed to meet with any ; but having learned that a

large French fleet was on its way, he visited and

fortified the forts on the islands of Cuba, Hispaniola,

and Puerto Rico, and again returned to Florida ; the

expected French fleet never having arrived. About

this time, a small vessel brought from Spain three

learned and exemplary priests ; one of whom, Padre

Martinez, landed upon the coast with some of the

crew, and being unable to regain the vessel, coasted

along to St. George Island, where he was attacked

and murdered by the Indians, with a number of his

companions.

The following year was principally occupied by
Menendez, in strengthening his fortifications at his
three forts, in visiting the Indian chiefs at their
towns, and exploring the country. One of his expe-
ditions went as far north as the thirty-seventh degree
of latitude by sea, and another went to the foot of the
Apalachian Mountains, about one hundred and fifty
leagues, and established a fort. The former was

f

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 101

about the mouth of the Chesapeake, called the Santa
Maria ; * and the land expedition, probably to the up-
country of Georgia, in the neighborhood of Rome.

All attempts at pacifying their warlike neighbor,
were as fruitless as their attempts to subjugate him ;
whether in artifice and duplicity, in open warfare,
or secret ambush, he was more than equal to the
Adelantado, and was a worthy ancestor of the mod-
ern Seminole, — never present when looked for, and
never absent when an opportunity of striking a blow
occurred.

The Adelantado having had built an extremely
slight vessel of less than twenty tons, called a frigate,
concluded to visit Spain, and ran in seventeen days
to the Azores, sailing seventy leagues per day, an
exploit not often equaled in modern times. He was
received with great joy in Spain, and the king
treated him with much consideration. The Adelan-
tado felt great anxiety to return to his colony, and
deprecated the delays of the court, fearing the result
of the indignation at his cruelty to the Huguenots,
which, says his chronicler, increased day by day.f

* Pensacola Bay was also so called.
f Eusayo : Crou. 133.

103 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

CHAPTER X.

THE NOTABLE REVENGE OF DOMINIC DE GOURGUES— RETURN
OF MENENDEZ— INDIAN MISSION— 15G8.

While Menendez thus remained at the Spanish
court urging the completion of his business, seeking
compensation for the great expenditures which he
had made in the king's service, and vindicating him-
self from the accusations which had been preferred
against him, — the revenge, the distant murmurs of
which had already reached his ears, fell upon the
Spaniards on the St. Johns.

Dominic de Gourgues, one of those soldiers of for-
tune, who then abounded throughout Europe, took
upon himself the expression of the indignation with
which the French nation viewed the slaughter of
of their countrymen. From motives of policy, or
from feelings, still less creditable, the French court
ignored the event ; but it rankled nevertheless in the
national heart, and many a secret vow of revenge
was breathed, the low whispers of which reached
even the confines of the Spanish court. Conscience

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 103

and the knowledge that the sentiment of the age was
against him, made Menendez from the moment of
his success exceedingly anxious lest well-merited
retribution should fall upon his own colony. He
guarded against it in every way in his power : he
strengthened all his posts ; he erected for the protec-
tion of San Matteo, formerly Fort Caroline, two small
forts on either side of the entrance of the river, at
the points now known as Batten Island and Mayport
Mills. He placed large garrisons at each post, and
had made such arrangements against surprise or open
attack upon his forts, that Father Mendoza boasted
that u half of all France could not take them."

De Gourgues, with three vessels and about two
hundred and fifty chosen men- animated with like
feelings with himself, appeared in April, 1508, off
the mouth of the St. Johns. The Spanish fort re-
ceived his vessels with a salute, supposing them to be
under the flag of Spain, De Gourgues returned the
salute, thus confirming their error. He then en-
tered the St. Marys, called the Somme, and was met
by a large concourse of Indians, friendly to the
French and bitterly hostile to the Spaniards, at the
head of whom was the stern and uncompromising
Saturioura. Their plans were quickly formed, and
immediately carried into execution. Their place of
rendezvous was the Fort George Inlet, called by them

104 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

the Sarabay ; and they traversed that island at low
tide, fell suddenly upon the fort at Batten Island
on the north side of the river, completely surpris-
ing it. The force occupying the Spanish forts
amounted to four hundred men, one hundred and
twenty of whom occupied the two forts at the mouth
of the river, and the remainder Fort Caroline. The
French with their Indian allies approached the fort
on the north side of the river at day-break. Hav-
ing waded the intervening marsh and creek to the
great damage of their feet and legs by reason of the
oyster banks, they arrived within two hundred yards
of the post when they were discovered by the sen-
tinel upon the platform of the fort; who immediately
cried, " to arms," and discharged twice at the French
a culverin which had been taken at Fort Caroline.
Before he could load it a third time the brave Ola-
tocara leaped upon him, and killed him with a pike.
Gourgucs then charging in, the garrison by this time
alarmed rushed out, armed hastily and seeking es-
cape ; another part of Gourgues' force coming up,
inclosed the Spaniards between them, and all but
fifteen of the garrison perished on the spot ; the others
were taken prisoners, only to be reserved for the
summary vengeance which the French leader medi-
tated.

The Spanish garrison in the other fort kept up

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 105

in the mean time a brisk cannonade, which incom-
moded the assailauts, who however soon managed to
point the pieces of the fort they had taken ; and
under the cover of this fire the French crossed to the
other fort, their Indian allies in great numbers
swimming with them. The garrison of sixty men,
panic-struck, made no attempt at resistance, but fled,
endeavoring to reach the main fort ; being inter-
cepted by the Indians in one direction, and by the
French in another, but few made good their escape.
These, arriving at Fort Caroline, carried an exagger-
ated account of the number of their assailants.

De Gourgues at once pushed forward to attack
Fort Caroline, while its defenders were terrified at the
suddenness of his attack, and the supposed strength
of his force. Upon his arrival near the fort, the
Spanish commander sent out a detachment of sixty
men, to make a reconnoisance. De Gourgues skill-
fully interposed a body of his own men with a large
number of the Indians between the reconnoitering
party and the fort, and then with his main force
charged upon them in front ; when the Spaniards
turning to seek the shelter of the fort, were met by
the force in their rear, and were all either killed or
'taken prisoners. Seeing this misfortune, the Spanish
commander despaired of being able to hold the for-
tress, and determined to make a timely retreat to St.
8

106 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

Augustine. In attempting this, most of his followers
fell into the hands of the Indians, and were slain upon
the spot ; the commandant with a few others alone
escaped.

De Gourgues, now completely successful in making
retaliation for the fate of his countrymen on the same
spot where they had suffered, on the same tree which
had borne the bodies of the Huguenots caused his
prisoners to be suspended ; and as Menendez had on
the former occasion erected a tablet that they had
been punished "not as Frenchmen but as Luther-
ans," so De Gourgues in like manner erected an
inscription that he had done this to them " not as to
Spaniards, nor as to outcasts, hut as to traitors,
thieves, and murderers." *

After inducing the Indians to destroy the forts,
and to raze them to the ground, he set sail for
France, arriving safely without further adventure.

His conduct was at the time disavowed and cen-
sured by the French court; and the Spanish ambas-
sador had the assurance, in the name of that master
who had publicly declared his approval of the con-
duct of Menendez, to demand the surrender of De
Gourgues to his vengeance. The brave captain,
however the crown might seem to disapprove, was

* Tcrnaux Compans, p. 357.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 107

secretly sustained and protected by many distin-
guished persons official and private, and by the mass
of the people ; to whom his boldness, spirit, and signal
success were grateful. Some years afterwards, he
was restored to the favor of his sovereign, and ap-
pointed admiral of the fleet.

That De Gourgues deserves censure, cannot be
denied; but there will always exist an admiration
for his courage and intrepid valor, with a sympathy
for the bitter provocations under which he acted,
both personal and national ; a sympathy not shared
with Menendez, who visited his wrath upon the
religious opinions of men, while De Gourgues was
the unauthorized avenger of undoubted crime and
inhumanity. Both acted in violation of the pure
spirit of that Christianity which they alike professed
to revere, under the same form.

While these scenes were enacting on the St. Johns,
Menendez was upon his way to his colonies, where
he first heard of the descent of De Gourgues, then
on his way back to France. The Adelantado upon
his arrival found his troops hungry and naked, and
their relations with the Indians worse than ever.
Having made such arrangements as were in his
power, he returned to Havana, to further his plans
for introducing Christianity among the Indians ; to
which, to his credit be it said, he devoted the greater

103 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

share of Lis time and attention. Father Rogel ap-
plied himself to learning their language, with great
success ; and an institution was established in Havana
especially for their instruction. In the Ensayo
Cronologica, there is set forth in full, a rescript ad-
dressed by Pope Pius V., to Menendez, conveying to
him the acknowledgments of his Holiness, for the
zeal and loyalty he had exhibited, and his labors in
carrying the faith to the Indians, and urging him
strongly to see to it, that his Indian converts should
not be scandalized by the vicious lives of their white
brethren who claimed, to be Christians.

A small party of Spaniards, as has already been
mentioned, accompanied by a priest, De Quiros, had
been left upon the Chesapeake, and under the auspices
of a young converted chief, who had been some time
with the Spaniards in Havana and Florida, anticipa-
ted a more easy access to the Indian tribes in that
region. Another priest, with ten associates, went
the following year ; when, after they had sent away
their vessel, they discovered that their predecessor
had been murdered, through the treachery of the
renegade apostate ; and they themselves fell shortly
victims to his perfidy. Menendez dispatched a third
vessel there ; when the fate of the two former parties
was ascertained, and he went in person to chastise the
murderers ; he succeeded in capturing six or seven,

PEDRO MERE, N DEZ ft£ AVU.fc

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 109

who, it is said (rather improbably I think), confessed
themselves to have been implicated in the massacre.
Menendez, in his summary and sailor-like way,
ordered their execution at the yard-arm of his vessel.
The Cronicle says, that they were first converted
and baptized, by the zeal of Father Kogel, before the
sentence was carried into execution. A long period
elapsed before any further efforts were made in this
quarter to establish a colony ; and it was then accom-
plished by the English. In consequence of these
temporary establishments, however, the Spanish
crown, for a long period, claimed the whole of the
intervening country, as lying within its Province of
Florida.

The annals of the city during the remainder of
the life of Menendez, present only the usual vicissi-
tudes of new settlements, — the alternations of supply
and want, occasional disaA'ect ions, and petty annoy-
ances.

Menendez was the recipient from his court of new
honors from time to time, and had been appointed
the grand admiral of the Sj)anish Armada ; when, in
September, 1574, he was suddenly carried off by a
fever, at the age of fifty-five. It is a singular coin-
cidence, that De Gourgues, five years afterwards,
was carried off in a similar manner, just after his
appointment as admiral of the French fleet. A

110 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

splendid monument in the cliurcli of San Nicolas, at
Avile3, was erected to the memory of Menendez,
with the following inscription :

M Here lies buried the illustrious Cavalier,
Pedro Menendez de Aviles, a native of this
city, adelantado of the provinces of florida,
Knight Commander of Santa Cruz of the order
of Santiago, and Captain General of the Oce-
anic Seas and of the Armada wnicii ins Royal
Highness collected at Santander in the year
1574, where he died on the 17th of September
of that year, in the 55th year of his age.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. Ill

CHAPTER XI.

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE'S ATTACK UPON ST. AUGUSTINE— ESTAB-
LISHMENT OF MISSIONS— MASSACRE OF MISSIONARIES AT
ST. AUGUSTINE— 1586— 1G38.

Nine years bad elapsed from the death of Menen-
dez, and the colony at St. Augustine had slowly pro-
gressed into the settlement of a small town ; but the
eclat and importance which the presence of Menen-
dez had given it, were much lessened ; when, in 158G,
Sir Francis Drake, with a fleet returning from South
America, discovered the Spanish look-out upon
Anastasia Island, and sent boats ashore to ascertain
something in reference to it. Marching up the shore,
they discovered across the bay, a fort, and further
up a town built of wood.

Proceeding towards the fort, which bore the name
of San Juan de Pinas, some guns were fired upon
them from it, and they retired towards their vessel ;
the same evening a fifer made his appearance, and
informed them that he was a Frenchman, detained
a prisoner there, and that the Spaniards had aban-
doned their fort; and he offered to conduct them

112 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

over. Upon this information they crossed the river
and found the fort abandoned as they had been
informed, and took possession of it without opposi-
tion. It was built entirely of Avood, and only sur-
rounded by a wall or pale formed of the bodies or
trunks of large trees, set upright in the earth ; for,
says the narrative, it was not at that time inclosed
by a ditch, as it had been but lately begun by the
Spaniards. The platforms were made of the bodies
of large pine trees (of which there are plenty here),
laid horizontally across each other, with earth
rammed in to fill up the vacancies. Fourteen brass
cannon were found in the fort, and there was left
behind the treasure chest, containing £2,000 sterling,
designed for the payment of the garrison, which
consisted of one hundred and fifty men. Whether
the massive, iron-bound mahogany chest, still pre-
served in the old fort is the same which fell into the
hands of Drake, is a question for antiquaries to de-
cide ; its ancient appearance might well justify the
supposition.

On the following day, Drake's forces marched
towards the town, but owing, it is said, to heavy
rains, wrere obliged to return and go in the boats.
On their approach, the Spaniards fled into the coun-
try. It is said, in Barcia, that a Spaniard concealed
in the bushes, fired at the sergeant major and

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 113

wounded him, and then ran up and dispatched him,
and that in revenge for this act, Drake burnt their
buildings and destroyed their gardens. The garri-
son and inhabitants retired to fort San Matteo, on
the St. Johns river. Barcia says that the population
of the place was then increasing considerably, and
that it possessed a hall of justice, parochial church,
and other buildings, together with gardens in the
rear of the town.

An engraved plan or view of Drake's descent
upon St. Augustine, published after his return to
England, represents an octagonal fort between two
streams; at the distance of half a mile another
stream ; beyond that the town, with a look-out and
two religious houses, one of which is a church and
the other probably the house of the Franciscans, who
had shortly before established a house of their order
there. The town contains three squares lengthwise,
and four in width, with gardens on the west side.

Some doubt has been thrown on the actual site of
the first settlement, by this account ; but I think it
probably stood considerably to the south of the
present public square, between the barracks and the
powder-house. Perhaps the Maria Sanchez creek may
have then communicated with the bay near its present
head, in wet weather and at high tides isolating the
fort from the town. The present north ditch may

lltt THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

have been the bed of a tide creek, and thus would
correspond to the appearance presented by the sketch, j
It is well known that the north eud of the city was
built at a much later period than the southern, and
that the now vacant space below the barracks, was
once occupied with buildings. Buildings and fields
are shown upon Anastasia Island, opposite the town.
The relative position of the town with reference to
the entrance of the harbor is correctly shown on the
plan ; and there seems no sufficient ground to doubt
the identity of the present town with the ancient
locality.

The garrison and country were then under the
command of Don Pedro Menendez, a nephew of the
Adelantado ; who, after the English squadron sailed,
having received assistance from Havana, began, it is
said, to rebuild the city, and made great efforts to
increase its population, and to induce tho Indians to
settle ill its neighborhood.

In 1592, twelve Franciscan missionaries arrived at
St. Augustine, with their Superior, Fray Jean de
Silva, and placed themselves under the charge of
Father Francis Manon, Warden of the convent of
St. Helena. One of them, a Mexican, Father Fran-
cis Panja, drew up in the language of the Yemasees
his "Abridgment of Christian Doctrine," said to be

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 115

the first work compiled in any of our Indian lan-
guages.

The Franciscan Father Corpa, established a Mis-
sion house for the Indians at Talomato, in the north-
west portion of the city of St. Augustine, where there
was then an Indian village. Father Bias de Rodri-
guez, also called Montes, had an Indian Church at a
village of the Indians, called Tapoqui, situated on the
creek called Cano de la Leche, north of the fort ;
and the church bearing the name of a Our Lady of
the Milk " was situated on the elevated ground a
quarter of a mile north of the fort, near the creek.
A stone church existed at this locality as late as
1795, and the crucifix belonging to it is preserved in
the Roman Catholic Church at St. Augustine.

These missions proceeded with considerable appa-
rent success, large numbers of the Indians being
received and instructed both at this and other mis-
sions.

Among the converts at the mission of Talomato,
was the son of the cacique of the province of Guale,
a proud and high-spirited young leader, who by no
means submitted to the requirements of his spiritual
fathers, but indulged in excesses which scandalized
his profession. Father Corpa, after trying private
remonstrances and warnings in vain, thought it ne-
cessary to administer to him a public rebuke. This

116 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

aroused the pride of the young chief, and lie sud-
denly left the mission, determined upon revenge.
He gathered from the interior a band of warriors,
whom he inspired with his own hatred against the
missionaries. Returning to Talomato with his fol-
lowers under the cover of night, he crept up to the
mission house, burst open the chapel doors, and slew
the devoted Father Corpa while at prayer; then
severed his head from his body, set it upon a pike-
staff, and threw his body out iuto the forest where
it could never afterwards be found. The scene of
this tragedy was in the neighborhood of the present
Roman Catholic cemetery of St. Augustine.

As soon as this occurrence became known in the
Indian village, all was excitement ; some of the most
devoted bewailing the death of their spiritual father,
while others dreaded the consequences of so rush an
net, and shrunk with terror from the vengeance of
the Spaniards, which they foresaw would soon follow.
The young chief of Guale gathered them around
him, and in earnest tones addressed them. " Yes,"
said he, " the friar is dead. It would not have been
done, if he would have allowed us to live as we did
before we became Christians. We desire to return
to our ancient customs ; and we must provide for our
defense against, the punishment which will be hurled
upon us by the Governor of Florida, which, if it

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 117

be allowed to reach us, will be as rigorous for this
single friar, as if we had killed them all. For the
same power which we possess to destroy this one
priest, we have to destroy them all."

His followers approved of what had been done,
and said there was no doubt but that the same ven-
geance would fall upon them for the death of the
one, as for all.

He then resinned. " Since we shall receive equal
punishment for the death of this one, as though we
had killed them all, let us regain the liberty of which
these friars have robbed us, with their promises of
good things which we have not yet seen, but which
they seek to keep us in hope of, while they accumu-
late upon us who are called Christians, injuries and
disgusts, making us quit our wives, restricting us to
one only, and prohibiting us from changing her.
They prevent us from having our balls, banquets,
feasts, celebrations, games, and contests, so that being
deprived of them, we lose our ancient valor and skill
which we inherited from our ancestors. Although
they oppress us with labor, refusing to grant even the
respite of a few days, and although we are disposed
to do all they require from us, they are not satisfied ;
but for everything they reprimand us, injuriously treat
us, oppress us, lecture us, call us bad Christians, and
deprive us of all the pleasures which our fathers

US THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

enjoyed, in the hope that they would give us heaven ;
by these frauds subjecting us and holding us under
their absolute control. And what have we to hope
except to be made slaves ? If we now put them all
to death, we shall destroy these excrescenses, and
force the governor to treat us well."

The majority were carried away by his address,
and rung out the war-cry of death and defiance.
While still eager for blood, their chief led them to
the Indian town of Tapoqui, the mission of Father
Montes, on the Cano de la Leche ; tumultuously rush-
ing in, they informed the missionary of the fate of
Father Corpa, and that they sought his own life and
those of all his order ; and then with uplifted weapons
bade him prepare to die. He reasoned and remon-
strated with them, portraying the folly and wicked-
ness of their intentions, that the vengeance of the
Spaniards would surely overtake them, and implored
them with teai-s, that for their own sakes rather than
his, they should pause in their mad designs. But all
in vain ; they were alike insensible to his eloquence,
and his tears, and pressed forward to surround him.
Finding all else vain, he begged as a last favor that
he should be permitted to celebrate mass before he
died. In this he was probably actuated in part by
the hope that their* fierce hatred might be assuaged
by the sight of the ceremonies of their faith, or that

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 119

the delay might afford time for succor from the
adjoining garrison.

The permission was given ; and there for the last
time the worthy Father put on his robes, which
might well be termed his robes of sacrifice. The
wild and savage crowd, thirsting for his blood,
reclined upon the floor and looked on in sullen
silence, awaiting the conclusion of the rites. The
priest alone, standing before the altar, proceeded
with this most sad and solemn mass, then cast his
eyes to heaven and knelt in private supplication ;
where the next moment he fell under the blows of
his cruel foes, bespattering the altar at which he
ministered, with his own life's blood. His crushed
remains were thrown into the fields, that they might
serve for the fowls of the air or the beasts of the
forest ; but not one would approach it, except a dog,
which, rushing forward to lay hold upon the body,
fell dead upon the spot, says the ancient chronicle ;
and an old Christian Indian, recognizing it, gave it
sepulture in the forest.

From thence the ferocious young chief of Guale,
led his followers against several missions, in other
parts of the country, which he attacked and de-
stroyed, together with their attendant clergy. Thus
upon the soil of the ancient city, was shed the blood
of Christian martyrs, who were laboring with a zeal

120 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

well worthy of emulation, to carry the truths of reli-
gion to the native tribes of Florida. Two hundred
and sixty years have passed away since these sad
scenes were enacted ; but we cannot even now repress
a tear of sympathy and a feeling of admiration for
those self-denying missionaries of the cross, who
sealed their faith with their Llood, and fell victims
to their energy and devotion. The spectacle of the
dying priest struck down at the altar, attired in his
sacred vestments, and perhaps imploring pardon
upon his murderers, cannot fail to call up in the
heart of the most insensible, something more than a
passing emotion.

The zeal of the Franciscans was only increased by
this disaster, and each succeeding year brought
additions to their number. They pushed their mis-
sions into the interior of the country so rapidly that
in less than two years they had established through
the principal towns of the Indians, no less than
twenty mission houses. The presumed remains of
these establishments are still occasionally to be found
throughout the interior of the country.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 121

CHAPTER XII.

SUBJECTION OF THE APALACIIIAN. INDIANS— CONSTRUCTION
OF THE FORT, SEA WALL, <fcc— 1G38— 1700.

In the year 1638, hostilities were entered into
between the Spanish settlements on the coast, and
the Apalachian Indians, who occupied the country
in the neighborhood of the river Suwanee. The
Spaniards soon succeeded in subduing their Indian
foes ; and in 1640, large numbers of the Apalachian
Indians were brought to St. Augustine, and in
alleged punishment for their outbreak, and with a
sagacious eye to the convenience of the arrangement,
were forced to labor upon the public works and for-
tifications of the city. At this period the English
settlements along the coast to the northward, had
begun to be formed, much to the uneasiness and
displeasure of the Spanish crown, which for a long
period claimed, by virtue of exploration and occu-
pation, as well as by the ancient papal grant of
Alexander, all the eastern coast of the United
States. Their missionaries had penetrated Virginia
9

122 THE niSTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

before the settlement at Jamestown ; and they had
built a fort in South Carolina, and kept up a garrison
for some years in it. But the Spanish government
had become too feeble to compete* with either the
English or the French on the seas ; and with the loss
of their celebrated Armada, perished for ever their
pretensions as a naval power. They were therefore
forced to look to the safety of their already estab-
lished settlements in Florida ; and the easy capture
of the fort at St. Augustine by the passing squadron
of Drake, evinced the necessity of works of a much
more formidable character.

It is evident that the fort, or castle as it was
usually designated, had been then commenced,
although its form was afterwards changed ; and for
sixty years subsequently, these unfortunate Apala-
chian Indians were compelled to labor upon the
works, until in 1080, upon the recommendation of
their mission Fathers, they were relieved from further
compulsory labor, with the understanding that in
case of necessity they would resume their labors.

In 1648, St. Augustine is described to have
contained more than three hundred householders
(yecinos), a flourishing monastery of the order of St.
Francis with fifty Franciscans, men very zealous for
the conversion of the Indians, and regarded by their
countrymen with the highest veneration. Besides

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 123

these there were in the city alone, a vicar, a paro-
chial curate, a superior sacristan, and a chaplain
attached to the castle. The parish church was built
of wood, the Bishop of Cuba, it is said, not being
able to afford anything better, his whole income
being but four hundred pezos per annum, which he
shared with Florida; and sometimes he expended
much more thandiis receipts.

In 1665, Captain Davis, one of the English bucca-
neers and freebooters (then very numerous in the
West Indies), with a fleet of seven or eight vessels
came on the coast from Jamaica, to intercept the
Spanish plate fleet on its return from New Spain to
Europe ; but being disappointed in this scheme, he
proceeded along the coast of Florida, and came off
St. Augustine, where he landed and marched directly
upon the town, which he sacked and plundered,
without meeting the least opposition or resistance
from the Spaniards, although they had then a garri-
son of two hundred men in the fort, which at that
time was an octagon, fortified and defended by round
towers.

The fortifications, if this account be true, were
probably then very incomplete ; and with a vastly
inferior force it is not surprising that they did not
undertake what could only have been an ineffectual
resistance. It does not appear that the fort was

121 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

taken ; and the inhabitants retired probably within
its inclosure with their valuables*

In the Spanish account of the various occurrences
in this country, it is mentioned that in 1681, "the
English having examined a province of Florida, dis-
tant twelve leagues from another called New Castle,
where the air is pleasant, the climate mild, and the
lands very fertile, called it Silvania ; and that
knowing these advantages, a Quaker, or Shaker
(a sect barbarous, impudent, and abominable),
called William Penn, obtained a grant of it from
Charles II., King of England, and made great efforts
to colonize it." Such was the extent then claimed
for the province of Florida, and such the opinion
entertained of the Quakers.

In 1081, Don Juan Marquez Cabrera, applied
himself at once, upon his appointment to the gover-
ship of Florida, to finishing the castle ; and collected
large quantities of stone, lime, timber, and iron, more
than sufficient subsequently to complete it. About
this period, a new impulse was given to the extension
of the missions for converting the Indians ; and
large reinforcements of the clerical force were re-
ceived from Mexico, Havana, and Spain ; and many

* I do not find any account of this expedition and capture of St. Augus-
tine in the Eusayo Cronologica.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 125

of them received salaries from the crown. A con-
siderable Indian town is spoken of at this period,
as existing six hundred varas north of St. Augustine,
and called Macarasi, which would correspond to the
place formerly occupied by Judge Douglas (where,
in Multicaulis' times, he built a cocoonery), and which
has long been called Macariz. Other parts of the
country were known by various names. Amelia
Island was the province of Guale. The southern
part of the country was known as the province of
Carlos. Indian Eiver was the province of Ys.
Westwardly was the province of Apalachie ; while
smaller divisions were designated by the names of
the chiefs.

It is hardly to be doubted, that the same spirit of
oppression towards the Indians, exercised in the
other colonies under Spanish domination, existed in
Florida. It has been already mentioned that the
Apalachians were kept at labor upon the fortifica-
tions of St. Augustine; and in 1680, the Yemasees,
who had always been particularly peaceful and man-
ageable, and whose principal town was Macarisqui,
near St. Augustine, revolted at the rule exercised
over them by the Spanish authorities at St. Augustine,
in consequence of the execution of one of their chiefs
by the order of the governor ; and six years after-
wards they made a general attack upon the Span-

126 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

iards, drove tlieni within tlie walls of the castle, and
became such mortal enemies to them, that they
never gave a Spaniard quarter, waylaying, and
invariably massacring, any stragglers they could
intercept outside of the fort.

In 1G70, an English settlement was established
near Port Eoyal, South Carolina, one hundred and
live years subsequent to the settlement of St. Augus-
tine. The Spaniards regarded it as an infringement
upon their rights ; and although a treaty, after this
settlement, had been made between Spain and Eng-
land, confirming to the latter all her settlements and
islands, yet as no boundaries or limits were men-
tioned, their respective rights and boundaries
remained a subject of dispute for seventy years.

About 16*75, the Spanish authorities at St. Augus-
tine, having intelligence from white servants who
fled to them, of the discontented and miserable
situation of the colony in Carolina, advanced with a
party under arms as Far as the island of St. Helena,
to dislodge or destroy the settlers. A treacherous
colonist of the name of Fitzpatrick, deserted to the
Spaniards; but the governor, Sir John Yeamans,
having received a reinforcement, held his ground ;
and a detachment of fifty volunteers under Colonel
Godfrey, marched against the enemy, forcing them

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 127

to retire from the Island of St. Helena, and retreat
to St. Augustine*

Ten years afterwards, three galleys sailed from St.
Augustine, and attacked a Scotch and English set-
tlement at Port Eoyal, which had "been founded by
Lord Cardross, in 1681. The settlement was weak
and unprotected, and the Spaniards fell upon them,
killing several, whipped many, plundered all, and
broke up the colony. Flushed with success, they
continued their depredations on Edisto River, burn-
ing the houses, wasting the plantations, and robbing
the settlers ; and finished their marauding expedition
by capturing the brother of Governor Morton, and
burning him alive in one of the galleys which a
hurricane had driven so high upon land as to make
it impossible to. have it re-launched. Such at least is
the English account of the matter ; and they say that
intestine troubles alone prevented immediate and sig-
nal retaliation by the South Carol inians.f

One captain Don Juan de Aila, went to Spain in
the year 1687, in his own vessel, to procure additional
forces and ammunition for the garrison at St. Augus-
tine. He received the men and munitions desired ;

* Carroll's S. C, Vol. 1, p. 62.

f Rivers' S. C. Hist. Coll. p. 143. Do. Appendix, 425. Carroll's Coll.,
2<1 vol., 350.

128 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

and as a reward for his diligence and patriotism, he
also received the privilege of carrying merchandise,
duty free ; being also allowed to take twelve Spanish
negroes for the cultivation of the fields of Florida,
of whoni it is said there was a great want in that
province. By a mischance, he was only able to
carry one negro there, with the troops and other
cargo, and was received in the city with universal
joy. This was the first occasion of the reception of
African slaves ; although as has been heretofore men-
tioned, it was made a part of the royal stipulation
with Menendez, that he should bring over five hun-
dred negro slaves.

Don Diego de Quiroga y Losada, the governor of
Florida in 1690, finding that the sea was making
dangerous encroachments upon the shores of the
town, and had reached even the houses, threatening
to swallow them up, and render useless the fort which
had cost so much to put in the state of completion in
which it then was, called a public meeting of the
chief men and citizens of the place, and proposed to
them that in order to escaj)e the danger which men-
aced them, and to restrain the force of the sea, they
should construct a wall, which should run from the
castle and cover and protect the city from all dan-
ger of the sea. The inhabitants not only approved
of his proposal, but began the work with so much

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 129

zeal, that the soldiers gave more than seveuteen
hundred dollars of their wages, although they were
very much behind, not having been paid in six
years ; with which the governor began to make the
necessary preparations, and sent forward a dispatch
to the home government upon the subject.

The council of war of the Indies approved, in the
following year, of the work of the sea Avail, and
directed the viceroy of New Spain to furnish ten
thousand dollars for it, and directed that a plan and
estimate of the work should be forwarded. Quiroga
was succeeded in the governorship of Florida, by
Don Laureano de Torres, who went forward with
the work of the sea wall, and received for this pur-
pose the means furnished by the soldiers, and one
thousand dollars more, which they offered besides
the two thousand dollars, and likewise six thousand
dollars which had come from New Spain, remitted
by the viceroy, Count de Galleo, for the purpose of
building a tower, as a look-out to observe the sur-
rounding Indian settlements. Whether this tower
was erected, or where, we have no certain knowl-
edge. The towers erected on the governor's palace
and at the northeast angle of the fort, were intended
as look-outs both sea and landward.

The statements made in reference to the building
of this wall, from the castle as far as the city, con-

130 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

firms the opinion previously expressed, that the
ancient and early settlement of the place was south
of the public square, as the remains of the ancient
sea wall extend to the basin at the Plaza. The top
of this old sea wall is still visible along the center
of Bay street, where it occasionally appears above
the level of the street ; and its general plan and
arrangement are shown on several old maps and
plans of the city. Upon a plan of the city made
in 1G65, it is represented as terminating in a species
of break-water at the public square. It is unneces-
sary to add that the present sea wall is a much
superior structure to the old, and extends above
twice the distance. Its cost is said to have been
one hundred thousand dollars, and it was building
from 183T to 1843.

In the year IT 00, the work on the sea wall had
progressed but slowly, although the governor had
employed thirty stone-cutters at a time, and had
eight yoke of oxen drawing stone to the landing,
and two lime-kilns all the while at work. But the
money previously provided, and considerable addi-
tional funds was requisite, resembling in this respect
its successor. The new governor, De Cuniza, took
the matter in hand, as he had much experience in
fortifications. The defenses of the fort are spoken
of as being at the time too weak to resist artillery,
and the sea wall as being but a slight work.

OF ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 131

CHAPTER XIII.

ATTACK ON ST. AUGUSTINE BY GOV. MOORE OF SOUTH CAR-
OLINA—DIFFICULTIES WITH THE GEORGIANS.— 1702— If 32.

Hostilities had broken out between England and
Spain in 1702. The English settlements in Carolina
only numbered six or seven thousand inhabitants,
when Gov. Moore, who was an ambitious and ener-
getic man, but with serious defects of character, led
an invading force from Carolina against St. Augus-
tine. The pretense was to retaliate for old injuries,
and, by taking the initiative, to prevent an attack
upon themselves. The real motive was said by
Gov. Moore's opponents at home, to have been the
acquisition of military reputation and private gain.

The plan of the expedition embraced a combined
land and naval attack ; and for this purpose six
hundred provincial militia were embodied, with an
equal number of Indian allies ; a portion of the
militia, with the Indians, were to go inland by boats
and by land, under the command of Col. Daniel,

132 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

who is spoken of as a good officer, while the main •
body proceeded with the governor by sea in several
merchant schooners and ships which had been im-
pressed for the service.

The Spaniards, who had received intimations of
the contemplated attack, placed themselves in the
best posture of defense in their power, and laid up
provisions in the castle to withstand a long siege.

The forces under Col. Daniel arrived in advance
of the naval fleet of the expedition, and immedi-
ately marched upon the town. The inhabitants,
upon his approach, retired with their most valuable
effects within the spacious walls of the castle, and
Col. Daniel entered and took possession of the town,
the larger part of which, it must be recollected, was
at some distance from the castle.

The quaint description of these events, given by
Oldmixon, is as follows : —

" Col. Hob. Daniel, a very brave man, commanded
a party who were to go up the river in periagas,
and come upon Augustino on the land side, while
the Governour sailed thither, and attacked it by
sea. They both set out in August, 1702. Col.
Daniel, in his way, took St. Johns, a small Spanish
settlement ; as also St. Mary's, another little village
belonging to the Spaniards; after which he pro-
ceeded to Augustino, came before the town, entered

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 133

and took it, Col. Moor not being yet arrived with
the fleet.

" The inhabitants having notice of the approach
of the English, had packed up their best effects and
retired with them into the castle, which was sur-
rounded by a very deep and broad rnoat.

" They had laid up provisions there for four
months, and resolved to defend themselves to the
last extremity. However, Col. Daniel found a con-
siderable booty in the town. The next day the
Governour came ashore, and his troops following
him, they entrenched, posted their guards in the
church, and blocked up the castle. The English
held possession of the town a whole month ; but
finding they could do nothing for want of mortars and
bombs, they despatched away a sloop for Jamaica ;
but the commander of the sloop, instead of going
thither, came to Carolina out of fear of treachery.
Finding others offered to go in his stead, he pro-
ceeded in the voyage himself, after he had lain some
time at Charlestown.

" The Governour all this while lay before the cas-
tle of Augustino, in expectation of the return of the
sloop, which hearing nothing of, he sent Col. Daniel,
who was the life of the action, to Jamaica on the
same errand.

This gentleman, being hearty in the design, pro-

134 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

cured a supply of bombs, and returned towards
Augustino. But in the mean time two ships ap-
peared in the offing, which being taken to be two
very large men of war, the Governour thought fit to
raise the siege and abandon his ships, with a great
quantity of stores, ammunition, and provision, to the
enemy. Upon which the two men of war entered
the port of Augustino, and took the Governour's
ships. Some say he burnt them himself. Certain
it is they were lost to the English, and that he
returned to Charles-Town over land 300 miles from
Augustino. The two men of war that were thought
to be so large, proved to be two small frigates, one
of 82, and the other of 16 guns*

" When Col. Daniel came back to St. Augustino,
he was chased, but got away; and Col. Moor re-
treated with no great honor homewards. The peri-
agas lay at St. Johns, whither the Governour retired
and so to Charles-Town, having lost but two men in
the whole expedition."

Arratomakaw, king of the Yamioseans, who
commanded the Indians, retreated to the periagas
with the rest, and there slept upon his oars with a
great deal of bravery and unconcern. The gover-

* There must bo an error, of course, in this statement of nn 82-gun ship
entering St. Augustine, us the depth of water would never admit a vessel oi
over 300 tons: probably 82 should read 12 guns. 0. It. F.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 135

nor's soldiers, taking a false alarm, and thinking the
Spaniards were coming, did not like this slow pace
of the Indian king in his flight, and to quicken him
into it, bade him make more haste. But he replied,
" No ; though your governor leaves you, I will not
stir till I have seen all my men before me."

The Spanish accounts say that he burned the
town, and this statement is confirmed by the report
made on the 18th July, 1740, by a committee of
the House of Commons of the province of South
Carolina, in which it is said, referring to these trans-
actions, that Moore was obliged to retreat, hut not
without first burning the town.*

It seems that the plunder carried off by Moore's
troops was considerable ; as his enemies charged
at the time that he sent off a sloop-load to
Jamaica, and in an old colonial document of South
Carolina, it is represented " that the late unfortu-
nate, ill-contrived, and worse managed expedition
against St. Augustine, was principally set on foot
by the said late governor and his adherents ; and
that if any person in the said late assembly under-
took to speak against it, and to show how unfit and
unable we were at that time for such an attempt,
he was presently looked upon by them as an enemy

• Carroll's Hist. Coll., vol. 2, p. 352.

13 G THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

and traitor to his country, and reviled and affronted
in the said assembly ; although the true design of
the said expedition was no other than catching and
making slaves of Indians for private advantage, and
impoverishing the country. * * * And that the expe-
dition was to enrich themselves will appear particu-
larly, because whatsoever booty, as rich silks, great
quantity of church plate, with a great many other
costly church ornaments and utensils taken by our
soldiers at St. Augustine, are now detained in the
possession of the said late governor and his officers,
contrary to an act of assembly made for an equal
division of the same amongst the soldiers." *

The Spanish accounts of this expedition of Moore's
are very meager. They designate him as the gov-
ernor of St. George, by which name they called the
harbor of Charleston ; and they also speak of the
plunder of the town, and the burning of the greater
part of the houses. Don Joseph de Curriga was the
then governor of the city, and had received just
previous to the English attack, reinforcements from
Havana, and had repaired and strengthened the for-
tifications.

The retreat of the English was celebrated with
great rejoicing by the Spaniards, who had been for

Rivera' Hist. Sketches. S. C, app. 456.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. ; 137

three months shut up within the limited space of the
walls of the castle ; and they gladly repaired their
ruined homes, and made good the ravages of the
English invasion. An English account says that the
two vessels which appeared off the bar and caused
Moore's precipitate retreat, contained but two hun-
dred men, and that had he awaited Colonel Daniel's
return with the siege guns and ammunition, the castle
would have fallen into their hands.

In the same year, the king of Spain, alarmed at
the dangers which menaced his possessions in Flor-
ida, gave greater attention to the strengthening
the defenses of St. Augustine, and forwarded con-
siderable reinforcements to the garrison, as well as
additional supplies of munitions.

The works were directed to be strengthened,
which Governor Curriga thought not as strong as
had been represented, and that the sea wall in the
process of erection, was insufficient for the purpose
for which it was designed.

Sixty years had elapsed since the Apalachian
Indians had been conquered and compelled to labor
upon the fortifications of St. Augustine ; their chiefs
now asked that they might be relieved from further
compulsory labor; and after the usual number of
references and reports and informations, through the
Spanish circumlocution offices, this was graciously
10

138 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

granted in a suspensory form, until their services
should be again required.

During the year 1712, a great scarcity of provi-
sions, caused by the failure of the usual supply ves-
sels, reduced the inhabitants of St. Augustine to tlie
verge of starvation ; and, for two or three months,
they were obliged to live upon liorses, cats, dogs,
and other disgusting animals. It seems strange,
that after a settlement of nearly one 'hundred and
fifty years, the Spaniards in Florida should still be
dependent upon the importation of provisions for
their support ; and that anything like the distress
indicated should prevail, with the abundant resour-
ces they had, from the fish, oysters, turtle, and clams
of the sea, and the arrow-root and cabbage-tree
palm of the land.

The English settlements were now extending into
the interior portions of South Carolina; and the
French had renewed their efforts at Settlement and
colonization upon the rivers discharging into the
Gulf of Mexico. All three nations were competitors
for the trade with the Indians, and kept up an
intriguing rivalship for this trade for more than
a hundred years.

There seems to have been at this period, a policy
pursued by the Spanish authorities in Florida, of
the most reprehensible character. The strongest

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 130

efforts were made to attach all the Indian tribes to
the Spanish interest ; and they were encouraged to
carry on a system of plunder and annoyance upon
the English settlements of Carolina. They particu-
larly seized upon all the negroes they could obtaiu,
and carried them to the governor at St. Augustine ;
who invariably refused to surrender them, alleging
that he was acting under the instructions of his
government in so doing.

In 1704, Governor Moore had made a sweeping
and vigorous excursion against the Indian towns in
Middle Florida, all of whom were in the Spanish
interest; and had broken up and destroyed the
towns, and missions attached to them. In 1725,
Colonel Palmer determined, since no satisfaction
could be obtained for the incursions of the Spanish
Indians, and the loss of their slaves, to make a
descent upon them ; and with a party of three hun-
dred men entered Florida, with an intention of
visiting upon the province all the desolation of
retributive wrarfare.

He went up to the very gates of St. Augustine,
and compelled the inhabitants to seek protection
within the castle. In his course he swept every
thing before him, destroying every house, field,
and improvement within his reach ; carrying off
the live-stock, and every thing else of value. The

140 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

Spanish Indians who fell within his power, were
slain in large numbers, and many were taken
prisoners. Outside of the walls of St. Augustine
nothing was left undestroyed; and the Spanish
authorities received a memorable lesson in the law
of retribution.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, 141

CHAPTER XIV.

SIEGE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, BY OGLETHORPE.— 1782— 1740.

Difficulties existed for many years subsequently,
between the Spanish and English settlements. In
1732, Oglethorpe planted his colony in Georgia, and
extended his settlements along the coast towards
Florida, claiming and occupying the country up to
the margin of the St. Johns, and established a post
at St. George Island. This was deemed an invasbn
of the territory of Spain ; and the post was attacked
unfairly, as the English say, and some of their men
murdered. Oglethorpe, upon this, acting under the
instructions of the home government, commenced
hostilities, by arranging a joint attack, of the forces
of South Carolina and Georgia, with a view to the
entire conquest of Florida.

The instructions of the king of England to Ogle-
thorpe, were, that he should make a naval and land
attack upon St. Augustine ; " and if it shall please
God to give you success, you are either to demolish
the fort and bastions, or put a garrison in it, in case

142 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

you shall have men enough for that purpose ; which
last, it is thought, will be the best way to prevent
the Spaniards from endeavoring to retake and settle
the said place again, at any time hereafter." *

Don Manuel Monteano was then governor of Flor--
ida, and in command of the garrison. The city and
castle were previously in a poor condition to with-
stand an attack from a well-prepared foe ; and on
the 11th November, 1737, Governor Monteano
writes to the governor-general of Cuba, that " the
fort of this place is its only defense ; it has no case-
mates for the shelter of the men, nor the necessary
elevation to the counter-scarp, nor covert ways, nor
ravelins to the curtains, nor other exterior works
that could give time for a long defense ; but it is
thus naked outside, as it is without soul within, for
there are no cannon that could be fired twenty-four
horn's, and though there were, artillery-men to man-
age them are wanting."

Under the superintendence of an able officer of
engineers, Don Antonio de Arredando, the works
were put in order ; the ramparts were heightened
and casemated ; a covered way was made, by plant-
ing and embanking four thousand stakes; bomb-
proof vaults were constructed, and entrenchments

* State Tapers of Georgia. Ga. Hist. Soc.

OP ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 143

thrown up around the town, protected by ten salient
angles, many of which are still visible. The garri-
son of the town was about seven hundred and forty
soldiers, according to Governor Monteano's return
of troops. On the 25th March, 1740, the total pop
ulation of St. Augustine, of all classes, was two thou-
sand one hundred and forty-three.

Previous to his attack upon the place, General
Oglethorpe obtained the following information from
prisoners whom he took at the outposts. He says,
"They agree that there are fifty pieces of cannon in
the castle at St. Augustine, several of which are
of brass, from twelve to forty-eight pounds. It has
four bastions. The walls are of stone, and casema-
ted. The internal square is sixty yards. The ditch
is forty feet wide, and twelve feet deep, six of which
is sometimes filled with water. The counterscarp is
faced with stone. They have lately made a covered
way. The town is fortified with an entrenchment,
salient angles, and redoubts, which inclose about half
a mile in length, and a quarter of a mile in width.
The inhabitants and garrison, men, women, and chil-
dren, amount to above two thousand five hundred.
For the garrison, the king pays eight companies,
sent from Spain two years since for the invasion
of Georgia; upon establishment fifty-three men
each, three companies of foot and one of artillery,

x

144 TUE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

of the old garrison, and one troop of horse one hun-
dred each upon establishment ; of these, one hundred
are at St. Marks, ten days' march from St. Augus-
tine; upon the Gulf of Mexico, one hundred are
disposed in several small forts."

Of these out-posts, there were two, one on each side
of the river St. Johns — at Picolata, and immediately
opposite — and at Diego. The purpose of the forts at
Picolata was to guard the passage of the river, and
to keep open the communication with St. Marks
and Pensacola ; and when threatened with the inva-
sion of Oglethorpe, messengers were dispatched to
the governor of Pensacola for aid, and also to Mex-
ico by the same route. The fort, at Diego was but
a small work, erected by Don Diego de Spinosa,
upon his own estate ; and the remains of it, with
one or two cannon, are still visible. Fort Moosa
was an out-post at the place now known by that
name, on the North lviver, about two miles north
of St. Augustine. A fortified line, a considerable
portion of which may be now traced, extended
across from the stoccades on the St. Sebastian, to
Fort Moosa; a communication by a tide creek
existed through the marshes, between the castle at
St. Augustine and Fort Moosa.

Oglethorpe first attacked the two forts at Picolata,
one of which, called Fort Pappa, or St. Francis de

X

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 145

Pappa, was a place of some strength. Its remains
still exist, about one-fourth of a mile north of the
termination of the Bellamy Road, its earthworks
being still strongly marked.

After a slight resistance, both forts fell into his
hands, much to the annoyance of Governor Mon-
teano. Oglethorpe speaks of Fort Francis as, being
of much importance, "as commanding the passes
from St. Augustine to Mexico, and into the country
of the Creek Indians, and also being upon the ferry,
where the troops which come from St. Augustine
must pass." He found in it, one mortar piece, two
carriages, three small guns, ammunition, one hun-
dred and fifty shells, and fifty glass bottles full of
gunpowder, with fuses — a somewhat novel missile
of war.

The English general's plan of operation was, that
the crews and troops upon the vessels should land,
and throw up batteries upon Anastasia Island,
from thence bombarding the town; while he him-
self, designed to lead the attack on the land side.
Having arrived in position, he gave the signal of
attack to the fleet, by sending up a rocket ; but no
response came from the vessels, and he had the mor-
tification of being obliged to withdraw his troops.
The troops were unable to effect a landing from the
vessels, in consequence of a number of armed Span-

\

146 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

ish galleys having "been drawn up inside the bar ;
so that no landing could be made except under a
severe fire, while the galleys were protected from an
attack by the ships, in consequence of the shoal
water.

He then prepared to reduce the town by a regu-
lar siege, with a strict blockade by sea. He hoped,
by driving the inhabitants into the castle, so to
encumber the governor with useless mouths, as to
reduce him to the necessity of a surrender to avoid
starvation. The town was placed under the range
of his heavy artillery and mortars, and soon became
untenable, forcing the citizens generally to seek the
shelter of the fort.

Col. Vanderduysen was posted at Point Quartel ;
and others of the troops upon Anastasia Island, and
the north beach. Three batteries were erected :
one on Anastasia Island, called the Poza, which con-
sisted of four eighteen-pouuders and one nine-
pounder ; one on the point of the wood of the island,
mounting two eighteen-pounders. The remains of
the Poza battery are still to be seen, almost as dis-
tinctly marked as on the day of its erection. Four
mortars and forty cohorns were employed in the
siege.

The siege began on the 12th June ; and on the
25th June a night sortie was made from the castle

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 117

against a portion of the troops under command of
Col. Palmer, who were encamped at Fort Moosa,
including a company of Scotch Highlanders, number-
ing eighty-five men, under their chief, Capt. Mcin-
tosh, all equipped in Highland dress. This attack was
entirely successful, and the English sustained a severe
loss, their colonel being killed, with twenty Highland-
ers, twenty-seven soldiers, and a number of Indians.

This affair at Fort Moosa has generally been con-
sidered as a surprise, and its disastrous results as the
consequence of carelessness and disobedience of the
orders of Oglethorpe. Captain Mcintosh, the leader
of the Highlanders, was taken prisoner, and finally
transferred to Spain. From his prison at St. Sebas-
tian, under date of 20th June, 1741, he gives the
following account of the matter : —

" I listed seventy men, all in Highland dress, and
marched to the siege, and was ordered to scout nigh
St. Augustine and molest the enemy, while the gen-
eral and the rest of his little army went to an island
where we could have no succor of them. I punctu-
ally obeyed my orders, until' seven hundred Span-
iards sallied out from the garrison, an hour before
daylight. They did not surprise U6\ for we were all
under arms, ready to receive them, which we did
briskl}7, keeping a constant firing for a quarter of an
hour, when they prest on with numbers ; was

148 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

obliged to take our swords until the most of us was
shot and cut to pieces. You are to observe we had
but eighty men ; and the engagement was in view of
the rest of our army, but they could not come to our
assistance, by being in the foresaid island, under the
enemy's guns. They had twenty prisoners, a few
got off, the rest killed ; as we were well informed by
some of themselves, they had three hundred killed
on the spot,* besides several wounded. We were
all stripped naked of clothes, brought to St. Augus-
tine, where we remained three months in close con-
finement^

This officer was Capt. John Mcintosh; and his son,
Brig. Gen. Mcintosh, then a youth of fourteen, was
present in the engagement, and escaped without in-
jury. The family of the Mclntoshes have alwrys
been conspicuous in the history of Georgia.

The large number of persons collected within the
walls of the castle, and under the protection of its
battlements, soon gave rise to serious apprehensions
on the part of the besieged, of being reduced by
starvation to the necessity of a speedy surrender.

* This statement is unsupported by either Spanish or English author-
ity.' The writer of the letter, through want of familiarity with their lan-
guage, misunderstood his informants, in all probability, as to the extent
of their loss.

| MSS. in Geo. Hist. Soc. Library.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 149

The batteries of Oglethorpe were planted at so
great a distance that he could produce but little
effect by his shot or shells upon the castle, although
he rendered the city itself untenable. The heat of
the season and the exposure, to which the Provincial
militia were unaccustomed, soon produced considera-
ble sickness and discouragement in the invading
force, and affected Oglethorpe himself.

The Spanish governor sent most urgent messages
to the governor of the island of Cuba, which were
transmitted by runners along the coast, and thence
by small vessels across to Havana. In one of these
letters he says, " My greatest anxiety is for provis-
ions ; and if they do not come, there is no doubt of
our dying by the hands of hunger." In another, he
says, " I assure your Lordship, that it is impossible
to express the confusion of the place ; for we have no
protection except the fort, and all the rest is open
field. The families have abandoned their houses,
and come to put themselves under the guns, which
is pitiable ; though nothing gives me anxiety but the
want of provisions ; and if your Lordship for want
competent force cannot send relief, we must all
perish." *

With the exception of the Fort Moosa affair, the

* Monteano, MSS., Archives St. Augustine.

150 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

hostilities were confined to the exchange of shots
between the castle and the batteries. Considerable
discrepancy exists between the Spanish and English
accounts, as to the period when the garrison was
relieved : it was the communication of the fact of
relief having been received, which formed the osten-
sible ground of abandoning the siege by Oglethorpe ;
but the Spanish governor asserts, that these provi-
sion vessels did not arrive until the siege was raised.
The real fact, I am inclined to think, is that the pro-
vision vessels arrived at Mosquito, a harbor sixty
miles below, where they were to await orders from
Gov. Monteano, as to the mode of getting dis-
charged* and that the information of their arrival,
being known at St. Augustine, was communicated to
the English, and thus induced their raising the
siege ; in fact, the hope of starving out the garrison
was the only hope left to Oglethorpe ; his strength
was iusuilicient for an assault, and his means inade-
quate to reduce the castle, which was well manned
and well provided with means of defense.

It was in truth a hopeless task, under the circum-
stances, for Oglethorpe to persevere ; and it is no
impeachment of his courage or his generalship, that he
was unable to take a fortress of really very respecta-
ble strength.

* Montciwio, MS. Letter of, '28th July, 17-lu.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 151

The siege continued from the 13th June, to the
20th July, a period of thirty-eight days. The bom-
bardment was kept up twenty days, but owing to the
lightness of the gun3 and the long range, but little
effect was produced on the strong walls of the castle.
Its spongy, infrangible walls received the balls from
the batteries like a cotton bale, or sand battery,
almost without making an impression ; this may be
seen on examination, since the marks remain to this
day, as they were left at the end of the siege, one
hundred and seventeen years ago.

The prosecution of the siege having become
impracticable, preparations were made for retiring ;
and Oglethorpe, as a pardonable and characteristic
protest agaiustthe assumption of his acting from any
coercion, with drums beating and banners displayed
crossed over to the main land, and marched in full
view of the castle, to his encampment three miles
distant, situated probably at the point now known
as Pass Navarro.

Great credit and respect have been deservedly
awarded to Governor Monteano, for the courage,
skill, and perseverance with which he sustained the
siege.

It is well known that the English general, had in
a few months, an ample opportunity of showing to
his opponent, that his skill in defending his own
territory under the most disadvantageous circum-

152 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

stances, was equal to that of the accomplished Mon-
teano himself. The defense of Frederica, and signal
defeat of the Spanish forces at Fort Simons, will ever
challenge for Oglethorpe the highest credit fur the
most sterling qualities of a good general and a great
man.

Two years subsequently, Oglethorpe again ad-
vanced into Florida, appeared before the gates of St.
Augustine, and endeavored to induce the garrison
to march out to meet him ; but they kept within
their walls, and Oglethorpe in one of his dispatches
says, in the irritation caused by their prudence, " that
they were so meek there was no provoking them."
As in this incursion he had no object in view but a
devastation of the country, and harrassing the
enemy, he shortly withdrew his forces.

A committee of the South Carolina House of Com-
mons, in a report upon the Oglethorpe expedition,
thus speaks of St. Augustine, evidently smarting
under the disappointment of their recent defeat.
"July 1st, 1741."

" St. Augustine, in the possession of the crown of
Spain, is well known to be situated but little dis-
tance from hence, in latitude thirty degrees, in Flor-
ida, the next territory to us. It is maintained by
his Catholic Majesty, partly to preserve his claim to
Florida, and partly that it may be of service to the
plate-fleets when coming through the gulf, by show-

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 153

ing lights to tliem along the coast, and by being
ready to give assistance when any of them are
cast away thereabout. The castle, by the largest
account, doth not cover more than one acre of
ground, but is allowed on all hands to be a place of
great strength, and hath been usually garrisoned
with about three or four hundred men of the king's
regular troops. The town is not very large, and
but indifferently fortified. The inhabitants, many
of which are mulattoes of savage dispositions, are all
in the king's pay ; also being registered from their
birth, and a severe penalty laid on any master of a
vessel that shall attempt to carry any of them off.
These are formed into a militia, and have been gen-
erally computed to be near about the same number
as the regular troops. Thus relying wholly on the
king's pay for their subsistence, their thoughts never
turned to trade or even agriculture, but depending
on foreign supplies for the most common necessaries
of life, they spent their time in universal, perpetual
idleness. From such a state, mischievous inclinations
naturally sprung up in such a people ; and having
leisure and opportunity, ever since they had a neigh-
bor the fruits of whose industry excited their desires
and envy, they have not failed to carry those incli-
nations into action as often as they could, without
the least regard to peace or war subsisting between
the two crowns of • Great Britain and Spain, or to
11

15± THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

stipulations agreed upon between tlie two govern-
ments."*

Among the principal grievances set forth in this
report, was the carrying off and enticing and harbor-
ing their slaves, of which a number of instances are
enumerated ; and they attributed the negro insurrec-
tion which occurred in South Carolina, in 1739, to
the connivance and agency of the Spanish authorities
at St. Augustine ; and they proceed in- a climax of
indignation to hurl their denunciation at the sup-
posed authors of their misfortunes, in the following
terms : " With indignation we looked at St. Augus-
tine (like another Sallee !) That den of thieves
and ruffians ! receptacle of debtors, servants and
slaves ! bane of industry and society ! and revolved
in our minds all the injuries this province had received
from thence, ever since its first settlement. That
they had from first to last, in times of profoundest
peace, both publickly and privately, by themselves,
Indians, and Negroes, in every shape molested us, not
without some instances of uncommon cruelty ."f

It is very certain there was on each side, enough
supposed causes of provocation to induce a far from
amiable state of feeling between these nekdiboriner
colonies.

* Report upon Expedition to St. Augustine. Carroll's Coll. 2d vol.,
p. 854.

f Carroll's Hist. Coll. S. C, p. 859.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 155

CHAPTER XV.

COMPLETION OF THE CASTLE— DESCRIPTIONS OF ST AUGUS-
TINE A CENTURY AGO— ENGLISH OCCUPATION OF FLORIDA.
1755 — 1703— 1783.

Don Alonzo Fernandez de Herrera was appointed
governor of Florida in 1755, and completed the
exterior works and finish of the fort. It is this jzov-
ernor who erected the tablet over its main entrance,
with the Spanish coat of arms sculptured in alto
relievo, with the following inscription beneath. : —

REYNANDO EN ESPANA EL SEN*

DON FERNANDO SEXTO Y SIENDO

GOV0K Y CAPN DE ESA CD SAN AUGN DE

LA FLORIDA Y SUS PROVA EL MARISCAL

DE CAMPO DNALONZO FERND0 HEREDA

ASI CONCLUIO ESTE CASTILLO EL AN

OD 1756 DIRI^ENDO LAS OBRAS EL

CAP. INGNR0 DN PEDRO DE BROZAS

Y GARAY.

Don Ferdinand tiie Sixth, being king of Spain,
and the Field Marshal, Don Alonzo Fer-

156 the history and antiquities

nando hereda, being governor and captain
General of this place, St. Augustine, of Flo-
rida, AND ITS PROVINCE. TniS FORT WAS FINISHED

in the year 1*756. tne works were directed
by the Captain Engineer, Don Pedro de Brazos
y Garay.

I am not sure but that the boastful governor
might with equal propriety and truth, have put
a similar inscription at the city gate, claiming the
town also as a finished city.

The first fort erected was called San Juan de
Pinos, and probably the same name attached to the
present fort at the commencement of its erection ;
when it acquired the name of St. Mark, I have not
discovered. The Apalachian Indians were employed
upon it for more than sixty years, and to their efforts
are probably due the evidences of immense labor in
the construction of the ditch, the ramparts and glacis,
and the approaches ; while the huge mass of stone
contained in its solid walls, must have required the
labor of hundreds of persons for many long years,
in procuring and cutting the stone in the quarries on
the island, transporting it to the water, and across
the bay, and fashioning and raising them to their
places. Besides the Indians employed, some labor
was constantly bestowed by the garrison ; and for
a considerable period, convicts were brought hither

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 157

from Mexico to carry on the public works. During
the works of extension and repair effected by Mon-
teano, previous to the siege by Oglethorpe, he em-
ployed upon it one hundred and forty of these
Mexican convicts. The southwestern bastion is said
to have been completed by Monteano. The bastions
bore the names respectively of St. Paul, St. Peter,
St. James, &c.

The whole work remains now as it was in 1756,
with the exception of the water battery, which was
reconstructed by the government of the United
States in 1842-3. The complement of its guns is
one hundred, and its full garrison establishment
requires one thousand men. It is built upon the
plan of Vauban, and is considered by military men
as a very creditable work ; its strength and efficiency
have been well tested in the old times ; for it has
never been taken, although twice besieged, and
several times attacked. Its frowning battlements
and sepulchral vaults, will long stand after we and
those of our day shall be numbered with that long
past, of which it is itself a memorial ; of its legends
connected with the dark chambers and prison vaults,
the chains, the instruments of torture, the skeletons
walled in, its closed and hidden recesses — of Coa-
couchee's escape, and many another tale, there is much
to say ; but it is better said within its grim walls,

158 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

where the eye and the imagination can go together,
in weaving a web of mystery and awe over its sad
associations, to the music of the grating bolt, the
echoing tread, and the clanking chain.

Of the city itself, we have the following descrip-
tion in 1754 : —

"It is built on a little bay, at the foot of 'a hill
shaded by trees, and forms an oblong square, divided
into four streets, and has two full streets, which cut
each other at right angles. The houses are well
built, and regular. They have only one church,
which is called after the city. St. John's Fort,
standing about a mile north of it, is a strong, irreg-
ular fortification, well mounted with cannon, and
capable of making a long defense."

I am inclined to think that the mile between the
fort and the city, and the hill at the foot of which,
lie says, the city was built, existed only in the focus
of the writer's spectacles.

The Provinces of Florida were ceded by treaty
to England in the year 1763, and the Spanish inhab-
itants very generally left the country, which had
then been under Spanish rule for near two hundred
years ; and certainly in no portion of this country,
had less progress been made. Beyond the walls
occupied by its garrison, little had been attempted
or accomplished in these two hundred years. This

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 159

was in part, perhaps, attributable to the circumstan-
ces of the country, — the frequent hostility of the
Indians, and the want of that mutual support given
by neighborhoods, which in Florida are less practi-
cable than elsewhere ; but it was still more owing
to the character of the Spanish inhabitants, who
were more soldiers than civilians, and more towns-
men than agriculturists ; at all events, at the cession
of Florida to Great Britain, the number of inhab-
itants was not over five thousand.

Of the period of the English occupation of Flor-
ida, we have very full accounts. It was a primary
object with the British government, to colonize and
settle it; and inducements to emigrants were
strongly put forth, in various publications. The work
of Roberts was the first of these, and was followed in
a few years by those of Bartram, Stork, and Romans.
The works of both Roberts and Stork, contain
plans and minute descriptions of St. Augustine. The
plan of the town in Stork, represents every build-
ing, lot, garden, and flower-bed in the place, and
gives a very accurate view of its general appearance.

The descriptions vary somewhat. Roberts, who
published his work the year of the cession, 17G3,
shows in connection with his plan of the town, an
Indian village on the point south of the city, at the
powder-house, and another just north of the city.

160 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

The one to the north has a church. A negro fort is
shown about a mile to the northward. Oglethorpe's
landing place is showrn on Anastasia Island, and a
small fort on the main land south of the city. The
depth of water on the bar is marked as being at low
water, eight feet.

Roberts describes the city as " running along the
shore at the foot of a pleasant hill, adorned with
trees; its form is oblong, divided by 'four regular
streets, crossing each other at right angles ; down
"by the sea side, about three-fourths of a mile south
of the town, standeth the church, and a monastery
of St. Augustine. The best built part of the town is
on the north side, leading to the castle, which is called
St. John's Fort. It is a square building of soft stone,
fortified with whole bastions, having a rampart of
twenty feet high, with a parapet nine feet high, and
it is casemated. The town is fortified with bastions,
and with caunon. On the north and south, without
the walls of the city, are the Indian towns."

The next plan we have, is in the work by Dr.
Stork, the third edition of which was published in
17G9. He gives a beautiful plan of the place. Shows
the fort as it noAV exists, with its various outworks ;
three churches are designated, one on the public
square at its southwest corner ; another on St. George
street, on the lot on the west side, south of Green

^oven.lieEm.TiSrtc

ttVo>

\i''

OF ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 161

lane, and a Dutch church near where the Roman
Catholic cemetery now exists. From the size of the
plan, it does not embrace the Indian village. The
present United States Court-house was the gov-
ernor's official residence, and is represented as
having attached to it a beautiful garden. The
Franciscan house or convent, is shown where the
barracks are now, but different in the form of the
buildings. With the exception of the disappearance
of a part of one street then existing, there appears
very little change from the present plan of the town
and buildings.

He describes the fort as being finished " according
to the modern taste of military architecture," and as
making a very handsome appearance, and "that it
might justly be deemed the prettiest fort in the
king's dominion." He omits the pleasant hill from
his description, and says " the town is situated near
the glacis of the fort ; the streets arc regularly laid
out, and built narrow for the purposes of shade. It is
above half a mile in length, regularly fortified with
bastions, half-bastions, and a ditch ; that it had also
several rows of the Spanish bayonet along the
ditch, which formed so close a chevaux de frize,
with their pointed leaves, as to be impenetrable ; the
southern bastions were built of stone. In the
middle of the town is a spacious square, called the

162 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

parade, open towards the harbor ; at the bottom of
the square is the governor's house, the apartments
of which are spacious and suitable ; suited to the
climate, with 'high windows, a balcony in front, and
galleries on both sides ; to the back of the house is
joined a tower, called in America a look-out, from
which there is an extensive prospect towards the sea,
as well as inland. There are two churches within
the walls of the town, the parish church, a plain
building, and another belonging to the convent of
Franciscan Friars, which is converted into barracks
for the garrison. The houses are built of free-stone,
commonly two stories high, two rooms upon a floor,
with large windows and balconies ; before the entry
of most of the houses, runs a portico of stone arches.
The roofs are commonly flat. The Spaniards con-
sulted convenience more than taste in their build-
ings. The number of houses within the town and
lines, when the Spaniards left it, was about nine
hundred ; many of them, especially in the suburbs,
being built of wood are now gone to decay. The
inhabitants were of all colors, whites, negroes, mulat-
toes, Indians, &c. At the evacuation of St. Augus-
tine, the population was five thousand seven hundred, '
including the garrison of two thousand five hundred
men. Half a mile from the town to the west, is a
line with a broad ditch and bastions, running from

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 163

the St. Sebastian creek to St. Marks river. A mile
further is another fortified line with some redoubts,
forming a second communication between a stoccata
fort upon St. Sebastian river and Fort Moosa, upon
St. Marks river.

" Within the first line near the town, was a small
settlement of Germans, who had a church of their
own. Upon the St. Marks river, within the second
line, was also an Indian town, with a church built
of freestone ; what is very remarkable, it is in good
taste, though built by the Indians."

The two lines of defense here spoken of, may still
be traced. The nearest one is less than one-fourth
of a mile from the city gate, and the other at the
well-known place called the stoccades, the stakes
driven to form which, still distinctly mark the place ;
and the ditch and embankment can be traced for a
considerable distance through the grounds attached
to my residence.

A letter-writer, who dates at St. Augustine, May,
1774, says u This town is now truly become a heap
of ruins, a fit receptacle for the wretches of inhabit-
ants." (Rather a dyspeptic description, in all proba-
bility.)

A bridge was built across the Sebastian river by
the English, " but the great depth of the water,
joined to the instability of the bottom, did not suffer

164 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

it to remain long, and a ferry is now established in
its room ; the keeper of the ferry has fifty pounds per
annum allowed him, and the inhabitants pay nothing
for crossing, except after dark."

The English constructed large buildings for bar-
racks, characterized by Romans " as such stupendous
piles of buildings, which were large enough to con-
tain five regiments, when it is a matter of great
doubt, whether there will ever be a 'necessity to
keep one whole regiment here. The material for
this great barracks was brought from New York,
and far inferior to those found on the spot ; yet the
freight alone, amounted to more than their value
when landed. It makes us almost believe," says the
elaborate Romans, " that all this show is in vain, or
at most, that the English were so much in dread of
musquitoes, that they thought a large army requisite
to drive off these formidable foes. To be serious,"
says he, " this fort and barracks, add not a little to
the beauty of the prospect; but most men would
think that the money spent on this useless parade,
would have been better laid out on roads and fences
through the province ; or, if it must be in forts,
why not at Pensacola ? "

There is a manuscript work of John Gerard Will-
iams de Bahm, existing in the library of Harvard
University, which contains some particulars of inter-

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 165

est, relative to Florida at the period of tlie English
occupation.

He states the number of inhabitants of East Flor-
ida, which in those days meant mostly St. Augus-
tine, from 1663 to 1771, as follows: householders,
besides women, &c, two hundred and eighty-eight ;
imported by Mr. Trumbull from Minorca, &c, one
thousand four hundred; negroes, upwards of nine
hundred. Of these, white heads of families, one
hundred and forty-four were married, which is just
one-half; thirty-one are store-keepers and traders ;
three haberdashers, fifteen innkeepers, forty-five
artificers and mechanics, one hundred and ten plan-
ters, four hunters, six cow-keepers, eleven overseers,
twelve draftsmen in employ of government, besides
mathematicians; fifty-eight had left the province;
twenty-eight dead, of whom four were killed acting
as constables, two hanged for pirating. Among
the names of those then residing in East Florida are
mentioned, Sir Charles Burdett, William Drayton,
Esq., planter, Chief Justice ; Rev. John Forbes,
parson, Judge of Admiralty and Councillor ; Rev. N.
Fraser, parson at Mosquito ; Governor James Grant,
Hon. John Moultrie, planter and Lieutenant Gover-
nor ; William Stork, Esq., historian ; Andrew Turn-
bull, Esq., II. M. Counselor ; Bernard Romans,
draftsman, &c. ; William Bartram, planter ; James
Moultrie, Esq.

16G TIIE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

lie says, The light house on Anastasia Island
had been constructed and built of mason-work by
the Spaniards ; and, in If 69, by order of Gen. Hal-
dimand, it was raised sixty feet higher in carpenter's
work, had a cannon planted on the top, which is
fired the very moment the flag is hoisted, for a sig-
nal to the town and pilots that a vessel is off. The
light house has two flag-staffs, one to the south and
one to the north ; on either of which the flag is
hoisted, viz., to the south if the vessel comes from
thence, and the north if the vessel comes that way.

" The town is situated in a healthy zone, is sur-
rounded with salt water marshes, not at all preju-
dicial to health ; their evaporations are swept away
in the day time by the easterly winds, and in the
night season by the westerly winds trading back to
the eastward. At the time when the Spaniards left
the town, all the gardens were well stocked with
fruit trees, viz., figs, guavas, plantain, pomegranates,
lemons, limes, citrons, shadock, bergamot, China and
Seville oranges, the latter full of fruit throughout
the whole winter season ; and the pot-herbs, though
suspended in their vegetation, were seldom de-
stroyed by cold. The town is three-quarters of a
mile in length, but not quite a quarter wide ; had
four churches ornamentally built with stone in the
Spanish taste, of which one within and one without

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 167

tli e town still exist. One is pulled down; that is
the German church, but the steeple is preserved as
an ornameut to the town ; and the other, viz., the
convent church and convent in town is taken in the
body of the barracks. All houses are built of ma-
sonry ; their entrances are shaded by piazzas, sup-
ported by Tuscan pillars or pilasters, against the
south sun. The houses have to the east windows
projecting sixteen or eighteen inches into the street,
very wide, and proportionally high. On the west
side, their windows are commonly very small, and
no opening of any kind to the north, on which side
they have double walls six or eight feet asunder,
forming a kind of gallery, which answers for cellars
and pantries. Before most of the entrances were
arbors of vines, producing plenty and very good
grapes. No house has any chimney for a fire-place ;
the Spaniards made use of stone urns, filled them
with coals left in their kitchens in the afternoon,
and set them at sunset in their bed-rooms, to defend
themselves against those winter seasons, which
required such care. The governor's residence has
both sides piazzas, viz., a double one to the south,
and a single one to the north ; also a Belvidere and
a grand portico decorated with Doric pillars and
entablatures. On the north end of the town is a
casemated fort, with four bastions, a ravelin, counter-

168 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

scarp, and a glacis built with quarried shell-stones,
and constructed according to the rudiments of Mare-
chal de Vauban. This fort commands the road of
the bay, the town, its environs, and both Tolomako
stream and Matanzas creek. The soil in the gar-
dens and environs of the town is chiefly sandy and
marshy. The Spaniards seem to have had a notion
of manuring their land with shells one foot deep.

" Among the three thousand who evacuated St.
Augustine, the author is credibly informed, were
many Spaniards near and above the age of one hun-
dred years, (observe) this nation, especially natives
of St. Augustine, bore the reputation of great sobri-
ety." *

On the 3d of January, 1766, the thermometer
sunk to 26°, with the wind from N. W. "The
ground was frozen an inch thick on the banks ; this
was the fatal night that destroyed the lime, citron,
and banana trees in St. Augustine, many curious
evergreens up the river that were twenty years old
in a flourishing state." f In 1774, there was a snow
storm, which extended over most of the province.
The ancient inhabitants still (1836) speak of it as an
extraordinary white rain. It was said to have done
little damage.J

* DeBrahm MS., p. 192. f Stork, p. 11.

X Williams' Florida., p 17.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 1G9

In this connection, and as it is sometimes sup-
posed that the climate is now colder than formerly,
it may be stated that the thermometer went very
low in IT 9 9. East Florida suffered from a violent
frost on the Gth April, 1828. In February, 1835,
the thermometer sunk to 7° above zero, wind from
N. W. ; and the St. Johns river was frozen several
rods from the shore ; all kiuds of fruit trees were
killed to the ground, and the wild orange trees suf-
fered as well as the cultivated. -

Dr. Nicolas Turnbull, in the year 1767, associated
with Sir William Duncan and other Englishmen
of note, projected a colony of European emigrants to
be settled at New Smyrna. He brought from the
islands of Greece, Corsica, and Minorca, some four-
teen hundred persons, agreeing to convey them free
of expense, find them in clothing and provisions,
and, at the end of three years, to give fifty acres of
land to each head of a family, and twenty-five to
each child. After a long passage they arrived out,
and formed the settlement. The principal article of
cultivation produced by them was indigo, which
commanded a high price, and was assisted by a
bounty from the English government. After a few
years, Turnbull, as is alleged, either from avarice or
natural cruelty, assumed a control the most absolute
12

170 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

over these colonists, and practiced cruelties the most
painful upon them.

An insurrection took place in 1769 among them,
in consequence of severe punishments; which was
speedily repressed, and the leaders of it brought to
trial before the English court at St. Augustine ; five
of the number were convicted and sentenced to
death. Gov. Grant pardoned two of the five, and a
third was released upon the condition of his becom-
ing the executioner of the other two. Nine years
after the commencement of their settlement, their
number had become reduced from 1,400 to 600.
In 1776, proceedings were instituted on their behalf
by Mr. Yonge, the attorney-general of the province,
which resulted in their being exonerated from their
contract with Turnbull ; lands were thereupon as-
signed them in the northern part of the city, which
was principally built up by them ; and their descend-
ants, at the present day, form the larger portion of
the population of the place.

Governor Grant was the first English governor,
and was a gentleman of much energy ; and during
his term of office, he projected many great and per-
manent improvements in the province. The public
roads, known as the king's roads, from St. Augustine
to New Smyrna, and from St. Augustine to Jackson-
ville, and thence to Coleraine, were then constructed,

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 171

and remain a lasting monument of his wisdom and
desire of improvement.

Gov. Tonyn succeeded Gov. Grant ; and a legisla-
tive council was authorized to assemble, and the
pretense and forms of a constitutional government
were gone through with.

In August, 1775, a British vessel, called the Bet-
sey, Capt. Lofthouse, from London, with 111 barrels
of powder, was captured off the bar of St. Augustine,
by an American privateer from Charleston, very
much to the disgust and annoyance of the British
authorities.

At this period, St. Augustine assumed much im-
portance as a depot and point cVappui for the Brit-
ish forces in their operations against the Southern
States ; and very considerable forces were at times
assembled.

In the excess of the zeal and loyalty of the garri-
son and inhabitants of St. Augustine, upon the receipt
of the news of the American Declaration of Inde-
pendence, the effigies of John Hancock and Samuel
Adams were burned upon the public square, where
the monument now stands.

The expedition of Gen. Prevost against Savannah
was organized and embarked from St. Augustine, in
1779.

Sixty of the most distinguished citizens of Carolina

172 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

were seized by the British in 1780, and transported
to St. Augustine as prisoners of war and hostages,
among whom were Arthur Middleton, Edward Rut-
ledge, Gen. Gadsden, and Mr. Calhoun; all were
put upon parol except Gen. Gadsden and Mr. Cal-
houn, who refuged the indulgence, and were commit-
ted to the fort, where they remained many months
close prisoners. Gen. Rutherford and Col. Isaacs, of
North Carolina, were also transported hither, and
committed to the fort.

An expedition was fitted out from St. Augustine
in 1783, to act against New Providence, under Col.
Devereux ; and, with very slender means, that able
officer succeeded in capturing and reducing the
Bahamas, which have ever since remained under
English domination.

The expense of supporting the government of
East Florida during the English occupation, was
very considerable, amounting to the sum of £122,000.
The exports of Florida, in 1778, amounted to
£48,000 ; and, in 1772, the province exported 40,000
lbs. indigo; and in 1782, 20,000 barrels of turpen-
tine.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 173

CHAPTER XVI.

RE-CESSION OF FLORIDA TO SPAIN— ERECTION OF THE PARISH
CHURCH— CHANGE OF FLAGS.— 1783— 1821. ,

In June, 1784, in fulfillment of the treaty be-
tween England and Spain, Florida, after twenty
years of British occupation, was re-ceded to the
Spanish crown, and taken possession of by Governor
Zespedez.

The English residents, in general, left* the coun-
try, and went either to the Bahamas, Jamaica, or the
United States. Those who went to the British isl-
ands were almost ruined ; but those who settled in
the States were more successful.

In April, 1793, the present Roman Catholic church
was commenced, the ju'evious church having been in
another portion of the city.f It was constructed

* Among the families remaining were tlie Fatios, Flemings, and a few
others.

f The old parisli church was on St. George street, on west side of the
street.

174 THE niSTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

under the direction of Don Mariana de la Rocque
and Don P. Berrio, government engineer-officers.
The cost of the church was $16,650, of which about
$6,000 was received from the proceeds of the mate-
rials and ornaments of the old churches, about
$1,000 from the contributions of the inhabitants,
and the remaining $10,000 furnished by the govern-
ment. One of its four bells has the following inscrip-
tion, showing it to be probably the oldest bell in this
country, being now 175 years old.

O

Sancte Joseph

Ora Pro Nobis

D 1682

Don Enrique White was for many years governor
of Florida, and died in the city of St. Augustine.
He is spoken of, by those who knew him, in high
terms, for his integrity and openness of character ;
and many amusing anecdotes are related connected
with his eccentricities.

In 1812, the American government, being appre-
hensive that Great Britain designed obtaining pos-
session of Florida, sent its troops into the province,
overrunning and destroying the whole country. The
manner and the pretenses under which this was done,

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 175

reflect but little credit on the United States govern-
ment ; and the transparent sham of taking possession
of the country by the patriots, supported by United
States troops, was as undignified as it was futile.
It is for the damages occasioned by this invasion,
that the " Florida claims " for u losses " of its citizens
have been presented to the government of the Uni-
ted States. The principal of the damages sustained,
that is to say, the actual value of the property then
destroyed, has been allowed and paid ; but the in-
terest, or damages for the detention, has been with-
held upon the ground that the government does not
pay interest. The treaty between the United States
and Spain in reference to the cession of Florida to
the United States, requires the United States to
make satisfaction for such claims ; and the payment
of the bare amount of actual loss, after a detention
of thirty years, is considered by the claimants an
inadequate satisfaction of a just claim.

In the spring of 1818, General Jackson made his
celebrated incursion into Florida, and by a series of
energetic movements followed the Seminoles and
Creeks to their fastnesses, and forever crushed the
power of those formidable tribes for offensive oper-
ations.

In the latter part of 1817, a revolutionary party
took possession of Amelia Island, and raised a soi

176 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

disant patriot flag at Fernandina, supported mainly
in the enterprise by adventurers from the United
States: M'Gregor was assisted by officers of the United
States army. An expedition was sent from St. Au-
gustine by the Spanish governor to eject the inva-
ders, which failed. One Aury, an English adven-
turer, for a time held command there ; and also a
Mr. Hubbard, formerly sheriff of New York, who
was the civil governor, and died there. The United
States troops eventually interfered ; but negotiations
for the cession put a stop to further hostilities.

The king of Spain, finding his possessions in
Florida utterly worthless to his crown, and only an
expense to sustain the garrisons, while the repeated
attempts to disturb its political relations prevented
any beneficial progress towards its settlement,
gladly agreed, in 1819, to a transfer of Florida to
the United States for five millions of dollars.

An English gentleman who visited St. Augustine
in 1817, gives his impressions of the place as follows :
" Emerging from the solitudes and shades of the pine
forests, we espied the distant yet distinct lights of
the watch towers of the fortress of St. Augustine, de-
lightful beacons to my weary pilgrimage. The clock
was striking ten as I reached the foot of the draw-
bridge ; the sentinels were passing the alerto, as I
demanded entrance ; having answered the prelimi-

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 177

nary questions, the draw-bridge was slowly lowered.
The officer of the guard, having received my name
and wishes, sent a communication to the governor,
who issued orders for my immediate admission. On
opening the gate, the guard was ready to receive
me ; and a file of men, with their officer, escorted me
to his Excellency, who expressed his satisfaction at
my revisit to Florida. I soon retired to the luxury
of repose, and the following morning was greeted as
an old acquaintance by the members of this little
community.

" I had arrived at a season of general relaxation,
on the eve of the carnival, which is celebrated with
much gayety in all Catholic countries. Masks, domi-
noes, harlequins, punchinellos, and a great variety of
grotesque disguises, on horseback, in cars, gigs, and on
foot, paraded the streets with guitars, violins, and
other instruments ; and in the evenings, the houses
were open to receive masks, and balls were given in
every direction. I was told that in their better days,
when their pay was regularly remitted from the Ha-
vanna, these amusements were admirably conducted,
and the rich dresses exhibited on these occasions,
were not eclipsed by their more fashionable friends
in Cuba ; but poverty had lessened their spirit for
enjoyment, as well as the means for procuring it ;
enough, however remained to amuse an idle specta-

17S TIIE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

tor, and I entered with alacrity into their diver-
sions.

"About thirty of the hunting warriors of the Seni-
inoles, with their squaws, had arrived, for the pur-
pose of selling the produce of the chase, consisting
of bear, deer, tiger, and other skins, bears' grease,
and other trifling articles. This savage race, once
the lords of the ascendant, are the most formidable
border enemies of the United States.- This party
had arrived, after a range of six months, for the
purposes of sale and barter. After trafficking
for their commodities, they were seen at various
parts of the town, assembled in small groups, seated
upon their haunches, like monkeys, passing round
their bottles of aqua dente (the rum of Cuba), their
repeated draughts upon which soon exhausted their
contents ; they then slept oft: the effects of intoxica-
tion under the walls, exposed to the influence of the
sun. Their appearance was extremely wretched ;
their skins of a dark, dirty, chocolate color, with
long, straight, black hair, over which they had
spread a quantity of bears' grease. In their ears,
and the cartilages of the nose, were inserted rings of
silver and brass, with pendants of various shapes ;
their features prominent and harsh, and their eyes
had a wild and ferocious expression.

" A torn blanket, or an ill-fashioned dirty linen

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 179

jacket, is the general costume of these Indians; a
triangular piece of cloth passes around the loins ;
the women vary in their apparel by merely wearing
short petticoats, the original colors of which were
not distinguishable from the various incrustations of
dirt. Some of the young squaws were tolerably
agreeable, and if well washed and dressed would not
have been uninteresting ; but the elder squaws wore
the air of misery and debasement.

" The garrison is composed of a detachment from
the Eoyal regiment of Cuba, with some Hack troops ;
who together form a respectable force. The fort
and bastions are built of the same material as the
houses of the town, coqutna. This marine substance
is superior to stone, not being liable to splinter from
the effects of bombardment ; it receives and embeds
the shot, which adds rather than detracts from its
strength and security.

" The houses and the rear of the town are inter-
sected and covered with orange groves ; their golden
fruit and deep green foliage, not only render the air
agreeable, but beautify the appearance of this inter-
esting little town, in the centre of which (the square)
rises a large structure dedicated to the Catholic reli-
gion. At the upper end are the remains of a very
considerable house, the former residence of the
governor of this settlement; but now (1817), in a

180 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

state of dilapidation and decay, from age and inat-
tention.

" At the southern extremity of the town stands a
large building, formerly a monastery of Carthusian
Friars, but now occupied as a barrack for the troops
of the garrison. At a little distance are four stacks
of chimnies, the sole remains of a beautiful range of
barracks, built during the occupancy of the British
from 17G3 to 17S3; for three years the 29th regi-
ment was stationed there, and in that time they did
not lose a single man. The proverbial salubrity of
the climate, has obtained for St. Augustine the des-
ignation of the Montpelier of North America ; indeed,
such is the general character of the Province of East
Florida.

"The governor (Coppinger), is about forty-five
years of age, of active and vigorous mind, anxious
to promote by every means in his power the pros-
perity of the province confided to his command ; his
urbanity and other amiable qualities render him
accessible to the meanest individual, and justice is
sure to follow an aj>peal to his decision. His mili-
tary talents are well known, and appreciated by his
sovereign ; and he now holds, in addition to the
government of East Florida, the rank of Colonel in
the lloyal Regiment of Cuba.

" The clergy consist of the padre (priest of the

OF ST. AUGtJSTINE, FLORIDA. 181

parish), Father Cosby, a native of Wexford, in
Ireland ; a Franciscan friar, the chaplain to the gar-
rison, and an inferior or cure. The social qualities of
the padre, and the general tolerance of his feelings,
render him an acceptable visitor to all his flock.
The judge, treasurer, collector, and notary, are the
principal officers of the establishment, besides a
number of those devoted solely to the military occu-
pations of the garrison. The whole of this society
is extremely courteous to strangers ; they form one
family, and those little jealousies and animosities, so
disgraceful to our small English communities, do not
sully their meetings of friendly chit-chat, called as
in Spain, turtulias. The women are deservedly
celebrated for their charms ; their lovely black eyes
have a vast deal of expression ; their complexions
a clear brunette ; much attention is paid to the
arrangement of their hair ; at mass they are always
well dressed in black silk basquinas (petticoats),
with the little mantilla (black lace veil) over their
heads ; the men in their military costumes ; good
order and temperance are their characteristic virtues ;
but the vice of gambling too often profanes their
social haunts, from which. even the fair sex are not
excluded. Two days following our arrival, a ball
was given by some of the inhabitants, to which I
was invited. The elder couples opened it with

182 TIIE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

minuets, succeeded by the younger couples display-
ing their handsome light figures in Spanish dances."*
The old inhabitants still speak in terms of fond
regret of the beauty of the place when embowered
in its orange groves, and the pleasantness of its old
customs and usages. Dancing formed one of their
most common amusements, as it now does. The
posey dance, now become obsolete, was then of
almost daily occurrence, and was introduced in the
following manner. The females of the family erect
in a room of their house, a neat little arbor dressed
with pots and garlands of flowers, and lit up brightly
with candles. This is understood by the gentlemen
as an invitation to drop in and admire the beauty of
their decorations. In the mean time, the lady who
has prepared it, selects a partner from among her
visitors, and in token of her preference honors him
with a bouquet of flowers. The gentleman who
receives the bouquet becomes then, for the nonce,
king of the ball, and leads out the fair donor as
queen of the dance ; the others take partners, and
the ball is thus inaugurated, and may continue sev-
eral successive evenings. Should the lady's choice
fall upon an unwilling swain, which seldom hap-
pened, he could be excused by assuming the expenses
- , _ ,

» Voyage to Spanish Main. London, 1819. Page 116, et teq.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 183

of the entertainment. These assemblies were always
informal, and frequented by all classes, all meeting
on a level ; but were conducted with the utmost
politeness and decorum, for which the Spanish char-
acter is so distinguished.

The carnival amusements are still kept up to some
extent, but with little of the taste and wit which
formerly characterized them, and without which
they degenerate into mere buffoonery.

The graceful Spanish dance, so well suited in its
slow and regular movements to the inhabitants of a
warm climate, has always retained the preference
with the natives of the place, who dance it with that
native grace and elegance of movement which seems
easy and natural for every one, but is seldom
equaled by the Anglo-Saxon.

184 THE niSTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

CHAPTER XVII.

TRANSFER OF FLORIDA TO THE UNITED STATES— AMERICAN
OCCUPATION— ANCIENT BUILDINGS, ETC.

On the 10th day of July, in the year 1821, the
standard of Spain, which had been raised two hund-
red aud fifty-six years before, over St. Augustine,
was finally lowered forever from the walls over
which it had so long fluttered, and the stars and
stripes of the youngest of nations, rose where sooner
or later the hand of destiny would assuredly have
placed them.

It was intended that the change of flags should
have taken place on the 4th of July ; owing to a
detention, this was frustrated ; but the inhabitants
celebrated the 4th with a handsome public ball at
the governor's house.

The Spanish garrison, and officers connected with
it, returned to Cuba, and some of the Spanish fami-
lies; but the larger portion of the inhabitants
remained. A considerable influx of inhabitants
from the adjoining States took place, and the town
speedily assumed a somewhat American character.
The proportion of American population since the
change of flags, has been about one third. Most of

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 185

the native inhabitants converse with equal fluency in
either language.

In the year 1823, the legislative council of Flor-
ida held its second session in the government house
at St. Augustine. Governor W. P. Duval was
the first governor after the organization of the terri-
tory. The Ralph Ringwood Sketches of Irving have
given a wide celebrity to the character of our
worthy and original first governor, now recently
deceased.

During the month of February, 1835, East Florida
was visited by a frost much more severe than any
before experienced. A severe northwest wind blew
ten days in succession, but more violently for about
three days. During this period, the mercury sunk
to seven degrees above zero. The St. Johns river
was frozen several rods from the shore. All kinds
of fruit trees were killed to the ground ; many of
them never started again, even from the roots. The
wild groves suffered equally with those cultivated.
The orange had become the staple of Florida com-
merce ; several millions were exported from the St.
Johns and St. Augustine during the two previous
years. Numerous groves had just been planted out,
and extensive nurseries could hardly supply the
demand for young trees. Some of the groves had,
during the previous autumn, brought to their owners,
one, two, and three thousand dollars; and the
13

186 THE niSTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

increasing demand for this fruit, opened in prospect
mines of wealth to the inhabitants.

"Then came a froat, a withering frost."

Some of the orange groves in East Florida were
estimated at from five to ten thousand dollars, and
even more. They were at once rendered valueless.
The larger part of the population at St. Augustine
had been accustomed to depend on the produce of
their little groves of eight or ten trees, to purchase
their coffee, sugar, and other necessaries from the
stores ; they were left without resource.

"The town of St. Augustine, that heretofore
appeared like a rustic village, their white houses
peeping from among the clustered boughs and gol-
den fruit of their favorite tree, beneath whose shade
the foreign invalid cooled his fevered limbs, and
imbibed health from the fragrant air, — how was she
fallen! Dry, unsightly poles, with ragged bark,
stick up around her dwellings ; and where the
mocking-bird once delighted to build her nest, and
tune her lovely songs, owls hoot at night, and sterile
winds whistle through the leafless branches. Never
was a place rendered more desolate." *

The groves were at once re-planted, and soon bid
fair to yield most abundantly ; when, in 1842, an
insect was introduced into the country, called the
orange coccus, which spread over the whole country

* Williams' Florida, pp. 18, tt tcO.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 187

with wonderful rapidity, and almost totally destroyed
every tree it fastened upon. Of late, the ravages of
this insect seem less destructive, and the groves
have begun to resume their bearing ; these add to
the beauty of the residences at St. Augustine, with
their glossy, deep-green leaves, and golden fruit;
and hopes of an entire restoration are now confi-
dently entertained.

In December, 1835, the war with the Seminole
Indians broke out ; and for some years St. Augustine
was full of the pomp and circumstance of war. It
was dangerous to venture beyoud the gates ; and
many sad scenes of Indian massacre took place in the
neighborhood of the city. During this period, great
apparent prosperity prevailed ; property was valua-
ble, rents were high ; speculators projected one city
on the north of the town, and another on the west ;
a canal to the St. Johns, and also a railroad to Pico-
lata ; and great hopes of future prosperity were
entertained. "With the cessation of the war, the
importance of St. Augustine diminished ; younger
communities took the lead of it, aided by superior
advantages of location, and greater enterprise, and
St. Augustine has subsided into the pleasant, quiet,
dolcefar niente of to-day, living upon its old mem-
ories, contented, peaceful, and agreeable, and likely
to remain without much change for the future.

Of the public buildings, it may be remarked that
the extensive British barracks were destroyed by

1SS THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

fire in 1792; and that the Franciscan Convent was
occupied as it had been before, as barracks for the
troops not in garrison in the fort. The appearance
of these buildings has been much changed, by the
extensive repairs and alterations made by the United
States government. It had formerly a large circular
look-out upon the top, from which a beautiful view
of the surrounding country was obtained. Its walls
are probably the oldest foundations in the city.

The present United States Court-house, now occu-
pied by many public offices, was the residence of
the Spanish governors. It has been rebuilt by the
United States ; and its former quaint and interesting
appearance has been lost, in removing its look-out
tower, and balconies, and the handsome gateway,
mentioned by De Brahm, which is said to have been
a fine specimen of Doric architecture*

Trinity Episcopal Church was commenced in 1827,
and consecrated in 1833, by Bishop Bowen, of
South Carolina. The Presbyterian Church was
built about 1830, and the Methodist chapel about
1846.

The venerable-looking building on the bay, at the
corner of Green lane and Bay street, is considered
the oldest building in the place, and has evidently.

* It is said to have been taken down by the contractor, to form the
foundation of hia kitchen.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 189

been a fine building in its day. It was the residence
of the attorney-general, in English times.

The monument on the public square was erected
in 1812-13, upon the information of the adoption of
the Spanish constitution, as a memorial of that event,
in pursuance of a royal order to that effect, directed
to the public authorities of all the provincial towns.
Geroninio Alvarez was the Alcalde under whose
direction it was erected. The plan of it was made
by Sr. Hernandez, the father of the late General
Hernandez. A short time after it was put up, the
Spanish constitution having had a downfall, orders
were issued by the government, that all the mon-
uments erected to the constitution throughout its
dominions, should be demolished. The citizens of
St. Augustine were unwilling to see their monument
torn down ; and, with the passive acquiescence of the
governor, the marble tablets inscribed Plaza de la
Constitucion being removed, the monument itself
was allowed to stand ; and it thus remains to this
day, the only monument in existence to commemo-
rate the farce of the constitution of 1812. In 1818,
the tablets were restored without objection.

The bridge and causeway are the work of the
government of the United States. The present
sea-wall was built between 1835 and 1842, by the
United States, at an expense of one hundred thou-
sand dollars.

190 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

CHAPTER XVIII.

PRESENT APPEARANCE OF ST. AUGUSTINE, AS GIVEN BY THE
AUTHOR OF THANOTOPSIS— ITS CLIMATE AND SALUBRITY.

St. Augustine has now attained, for this side of
the Atlantic, a period of most respectable antiquity.
In a country like America, where States are ushered
into existence in the full development of maturity,
where large cities rise, like magic from the rude
forest, where the " oldest inhabitant " recollects the
cuttiug down of the lofty elms which shadowed the
wigwam of the red man, perchance on some spot
now in the heart of a great city ; an antiquity of
three centuries would be esteemed as almost reach-
ing back (compared with modern growth) to the
days of the Pharaohs.

The larger number of the early settlements were
unsuitably located, and were forced to be abandoned
on account of their unhealthiness ; but the Spanish
settlement at St. Augustine has remained for near
three hundred years where it was originally planted ;
and the health of its inhabitants has, for this long
period, given it a deserved reputation for salubrity,
and exemption from disease, attributable to locality
or extraneous influences or causes.

The great age attained by its inhabitants was

i feifi &

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1*1

E-

OF ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 191

remarked by De Brahm ; the number and health-
fulness of the children that throng its streets, attract
now, as they did then, the attention of strangers.
This salubrity i9 easily accounted for, by the almost
insular position of the city, upon a narrow neck of
land nearly surrounded by salt water; the main
shore, a high and healthy pine forest and sandy
plains, so near the ocean as to be fanned by its
constant breezes, and within the sound of its echoing
waves ; a situation combining more local advantages
for salubrity could hardly be imagined. While it
will never probably increase to any great extent in
population, it will hardly be likely to decrease. Its
health, easy means of support, unambitious class of
inhabitants, with their strong attachments, and fam-
ily and local ties, will contribute to maintain St.
Augustine as the time-honored ancient city, with its
permanent population, and its visitors for health, for
centuries perhaps yet to come.

I cannot perhaps better conclude these historic
notices than by giving the impressions of the author
of Thanatopsis,* one whose poetic fame will endure
as long as American literature exists. Writing from
St. Augustine in April, 1843, he says, —

"At length we emerged upon a shrubby plain,
and finally came in sight of this oldest city of the

* Bryant.

192 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

United States, seated among its trees on a sandy
swell of land, where it has stood for three hundred
years. I was struck with its ancient and homely
aspect, even at a distance, and could not help liken-
ing it to pictures which I had seen of Dutch towns,
though it wanted a wind-mill or two to make the
resemblance perfect. We drove into a green square,
in the midst of which was a monument erected to
commemorate the Spanish constitution joi 1812, and
thence through the narrow streets of the city to our
hotel.

" I have called the streets narrow. In few places
are they Avide enough to allow two carriages to pass
abreast. I was told that they were not originally
intended for carriages ; and that in the time when
the town belonged to Spain, many of them were
floored with an artificial stone, composed of shells and
mortar, which in this climate takes and keeps the
hardness of rock ; and that no other vehicle than a
hand-barrow was allowed to pass over them. In
some places you see remnants of this ancient pave-
ment ; but for the most part it has been ground
into dust under the wheels of the carts and carriages
introduced by the new inhabitants. The old houses,
built of a kind of stone which is seemingly a pure
concretion of small shells, overhang the streets with
their wooden balconies ; and the gardens between
the houses are fenced on the side of the street witli

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 193

high walls of stone. Peeping over these walls you
see branches of the pomegranate, and of the orange-
tree now fragrant with flowers, and, rising yet higher,
the leaning bousrhs of the Hi>* with its broad luxuriant
leaves. Occasionally you pass the ruins of houses —
walls of stone with arches and stair-cases of the same
material, which once belonged to stately dwellings.
You meet in the streets with men of swarthy com-
plexions and foreign physiognomy, and -you hear
them speaking to each other in a strange language.
You are told that these are the remains of those -who
inhabited the country under the Spanish dominion,
and that the dialect you have heard is that of the
island of Minorca.

u ' Twelve years ago,' said an acquaintance of mine,
1 when I first visited St. Augustine, it was a fine old
Spanish town. A large proportion of the houses
which you now see roofed like barns, were then flat-
roofed ; they were all of shell rock, and these mod-
ern wooden buildings were then not erected. That
old fort which they are now repairing, to fit it for
receiving a garrison, was a sort of ruin, for the out-
works had partly fallen, and it stood unoccupied by
the military, a venerable monument of the Spanish
dominion. But the orange-groves were the wealth
and ornament of St. Augustine, and their produce
maintained the inhabitants in comfort. Orange-tree3
of the size and height of the pear-tree, often rising

194 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

higher than the roofs of the houses, embowered the
town in perpetual verdure. They stood so close in
the groves that they excluded the sun ; and the
atmosphere was at all times aromatic with their
leaves and fruit, and in spring the fragrance of the
flowers was almost oppressive.'

" The old fort of St. Mark, now called Fort Marion,
— a foolish change of name — is a noble work, frowning
over the Matanzas, which flows between St. Augus-
tine and the island of Anastasia ; and it is worth
making a long journey to see. No record remains
of its original construction ; but it is supposed to
have been erected about a hundred and fifty years
since,* and the shell rock of which it is built is dark
with time. We saw where it had been struck with
cannon balls, which, instead of splitting the rock,
became imbedded and clogged among the loosened
fragments of shell. This rock is therefore one of the
best materials for fortification in the world. We
were taken into the ancient prisons of the fort-dun-
geons, one of which was dimly lighted by a grated
window, and another entirely without light ; and by
the flame of a torch we were shown the half obliter-
ated inscriptions scrawled on the walls long ago by
prisoners. But in another corner of the fort, we
were taken to look at the secret cells, which were

* It is much more ancient.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 195

discovered a few years since in consequence of the
sinking of the earth over a narrow apartment be-
tween them. These cells are deep under ground,
vaulted over-head, and without windows. In one of
them a wooden machine was found, which some sup-
posed might have been a rack, and in the other a
quantity of human bones. The doors of these cells
had been walled up and concealed with stucco, before
the fort passed into the hands of the Americans.

" You cannot be in St. Augustine a day without
hearing some of its inhabitants speak of its agreeable
climate. During the sixteen days of my residence
here, the weather has certainly been as delightful as
I could imagine. We have the temperature of early
June as June is known in New York. The morn-
ings are sometimes a little sultry ; but after two or
three hours a fresn breeze comes in from the sea
sweeping through the broad piazzas, and breathing
in at the windows. At this season it comes ladeu
with the fragrance of the flowers of the Pride of
India, and sometimes of the orange tree, and some-
times brings the scent of roses, now in bloom. The
nights are gratefully cool ; and I have been told by
a person who has lived here many years, that there
are very few nights in summer when you can sleep
without a blanket.

" An acquaintance of mine, an invalid, who has
tried various climates, and has kept up a kind of

196 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

running fight with death for many years, retreating
from country to country as he pursued, declares to
me that the winter climate of St. Augustine is to be
preferred to that of any part of Europe, even that
of Sicily, and that it is better than the climate of the
West Indies. He finds it genial and equable, at the
same time that it is not enfeebling. The summer
heats are prevented from being intense by the sea-
breeze, of which I have spoken. I have looked over
the work of Dr. Forry on the climate of the United
States, and have been surprised to see the uniformity
of climate which he ascribes to Key "West. As ap-
pears by the observations he has collected, the sea-
sons at that place glide into each other by the softest
gradations ; and the heat never, even in midsummer,
reaches that extreme which is felt in the higher lati-
tudes of the American continent. The climate of
Florida is, in fact, an insular climate : the Atlantic
on the east, and the Gulf of Mexico on the west,
temper the airs that blow over it, making them
cooler in summer and warmer in winter. I do not
wonder, therefore, that it is so much the resort of
invalids ; it would be more so if the softness of its
atmosphere, and the beauty and serenity of its sea-
sons were generally known. Nor should it be sup-
posed that accommodations for persons in delicate
health are wanting ; they are, in fact, becoming
better witlr every year as the demand for them
increases. Among the acquaintances whom I have

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 197

made here, I remember many who having come
hither for the benefit of their health, are detained for
life by the amenity of the climate. ' It seems to
me,' said an intelligent gentleman of this class, the
other day, ' as if I could not exist out of Florida.
When I go to the north, I feel most sensibly the
severe extremes of the weather ; the climate of
Charleston itself appears harsh to me.'

" The negroes of St. Augustine are a good-looking
specimen of the race, and have the appearance of
being very well treated. You rarely see a negro in
ragged clothing ; and the colored children, though
slaves, are often dressed with great neatness. In the
colored people whom I saw in the Catholic church,
I remarked a more agreeable, open, and gentle phys-
iognomy than I have been accustomed to see in that
class. The Spanish race blends more kindly with
the African than does the English, and produces
handsomer men and women.

" Some old customs which the Minorcans brought
with them from their native country, are still kept
up. On the evening before Easter Sunday, about
eleven o'clock, I heard the sound of a serenade in the
streets. Going out, I found a party of young men
with instruments of music, grouped about the win-
dow of one of the dwellings, singing a hymn in honor
of the Virgin,* in the Mahonese dialect. They be-

* This Bong ia usually culled the Fromajardit.

19S TIIE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

gan, as I was told, with tapping on the shutter. An
answering knock within had told them that their
visit was welcome, and they immediately began the
serenade. If no reply had been heard, they would
have passed on to another dwelling. I give the hymn
as it was kindly taken down for me in writing, by a
native of St. Augustine. I presume this is the first
time that it has been put in print ; but I fear the copy
has several corruptions, occasioned by the unskillful-
ness of the copyist. The letter e which I have put
in italics, represents the guttural French e1 or, per-
haps, more nearly the sound of the u in the word
but. The sh of our language is represented by sc
followed by an i or an e / the g, both hard and soft,
has the same sound as in our language.

" ' Disciaron lu dol
Cantamn aub' alagria

Y n'arein a da

Las pascuas a Maria

0 Maria !
" S Sant Grabiel,
Qui portaba la ambasciado
Des nostro rey dol eel,
Estaran vos prenada
Ya omitiada
Tu o vais aqui serventa
Fia del Dieu contenta
Para fo lo que el vol

Disciamn lu dol, &c.
"lYa milla nit
Parigucro vos rcgina
A un Dieu infinit,
Dintra una establina.

Y a nulla dia,

Quclos angles von cantant

Pan y aborulant

Do la gloria de Dieu sol

Diseiamn lu dol, &c.

OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. 190

'"Ya Libalam,

Alia la terra santa ,

Nus nat Jesus

Aub' alagria tanta

Infant petit

Que tot lu mon salvaria

Y ningu y bastaria

Nu mes un Dieu tot sal

Disclaim lu do!, &.c.
" 'Cuant de Orion lus
Tres reys la stralla veran
Dicu omnipotent
Adora lo vingaran
Un present inferan
Demil encens y or
A lu beneit seno
Que conesce cual se vol

Disciaran lu dol, &c.
" ' Tot fit gayant
Para cumple la prumas

Y lu Esperit sant

De un angel fan gramas
Gran foe enecs,
Que crania lu curagia
Dieu nos da lenguagia
Para fe lo que Dieu vol

Disciaran lu dol, &c.
" ' Cuant trespasa
De quest mon nostra SeFIora
Al eel s' empugia
Sun ill la mateseia ora
0 ! Empcradora
Que del eel san eligida
Lu rosa florida
Me resplenden que un sol

Disciaran lu dol, &C. .
" ' Y el tercer giorn
Que Jesus resunta
Dieu y Aboroma
Que la mort triumfa
De alii se balla
Para perldra Lucife
An tot a sen penda.
Que de nostra ser el sol

Disciaran lu dol, &c.'

"After this hymn, the following stanzas, soliciting
the customary gift of cakes or eggs, are sung : —

" ' Ce set que vani cantant,
Rejrina celestial 1

200 THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES

Damos pan y alagria

Y bonas festas tingan

Y vos da sus bonas festas
Danos dines de sus nous
Sempre tarem lus neans Uestas
Para recibi un grapat de nes,

Y el giorn de pascua florida
Alagramos y giuntament

As qui es mort par dar nos vida

Y via glorosiamentc,

A questa casa csta cmpedrada
Bien halla que la empedro ;
San amo de aquesta casa
Baklria duna un do
Formagiada o empanada
Cucutta a flao ; ,

Cual se val casa rue grada,
Sol que no rue digas que no.'

"The shutters are then opened by the people
within, and a supply of cheese, cakes or other pas-
try, or eggs, is dropped into a bag carried by one of
the party ; who acknowledge the gift in the following
lines, and then depart: —

" ' Aquesta casa reta empedrada
Empedrada de cuatro vens ;
Sun amo de aquesta casa
Es omo de compliment'

" If nothing is given, the last line reads thus : —

" ' No es homo de compliment.' "

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