Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-07-29


years. The Spaniards had two objects in for
tifying it with some care. The defending of
St. Augustine was equivalent to maintaing
their claim to Florida; and further, the town
served as a kind of lighthouse to the fleets
passing through the gulf of Mexico and along
the coast of Florida. The castle was square
fort constructed of soft stone, with four bas-
tions. The curtain was about sixty yards in
length the parapet nine feet thick; the ram
part twenty feet high, casemented underneath
for lodgings, and arched over. The town itself
was not fortified. The castle was depended
upon almost entirely in case of an attack.
At the time of which we are speaking, St.
Augustine was kind of military post. In
the town number irregular troops were sta
toned by the Spanish government, and the
citizens were all registered and enrolled as q
kind of militia. They received soldiers pay
and depended entirely upon this pay for a
support. Most of the inhabitants were mu-
lattoes, and were lazy, triAing set, who were
ready at any time to engage in any plunder-
ing expedition that might be gotten up.
They engaged in no kind Of trade, nor even in
agriculture; but whenever the pay granted
them by the Spanish government was insufi-
cient to meet their wants, they supplied the
deficit by plundering their neighbors. This
accounts for the fact that they had no regard
for any treaties which might be entered into
between the Spanish and any other govern
ment.
So soon as Governor Moore landed his
troops, he commenced entrenching himself
The town was wholly in his hands but from
the fact that his artillery was light, he made
but little progress in getting possession of the
CASTLE After the siege had lasted about
month, Governor Moore discovered that, with
his present ordnance, it would be impossible
for him to get possession of the strong hold.
With this conviction firmly established in his
mind, he started an agent to Jamaica for
bombs and heavier artillery than be had. This
agent, for reasons not we'll known, did not 60
to Jamaica, but returned to Charles Town.
1t is very probable that the individual sent
on this business did not enter fully into the
spirit of the Governor with respect to the ex-
pedition. Oldmixon says the reason the COM
mander of the sloop, which was to bring the
mortars and bombs from Jamaica, returned to
Carolina, was "out of fear or treachery."
Growing impatient, Col. Daniel volunteer
ed his services to 90 to Jamaica after the de-
sired ordnance. During his absence, two
small Spanish vessels appeared in sight, and
Governor Moore became panic stricken.
One of the vessels had twenty-five guns and
the other sixteen. The valiant Governor
Moore never waited one moment to prepare
for either further attack or defence. He i'm
mediately burnt his ships, and hastened, with
all possible speed, to return to Carolina.
Sometime after, Col. Daniel returned from
Jamaica with the ordnance and shells, and
found, to his utter astonishment that the siege
was raised and Governor Moore gone. Col.
Daniel narrowly escaped being captured.
Fortunately for him, he fell in with Admiral
Milestone, by whom he was conveyed into
Charles Town.
Thus ended the military part of the expe-
dition against St. Augustine. The town was
burned, but the inhabitants we're not captured !;
and the reputation of Governor Moore, as a
military man, was not established. He so
conducted himself as to be charged by many,
as imbeciie and cowardly. His retreat was 50
precpitate at first as to resemble rout. The
vessels which had conveyed the troops that
we're under the command of Colonel Daniel,
were left at St. Johns. So soon as the two
Spanish ships appeared in sight, Governor
Moore made for these with all possible speed,
leaving all his artillery and stores to fall into
the hands of the Spaniards. Arratomakaw,
King of one of the Indian tribes, command
ed the Indian forces. AS soon as he arrived
at the vessels, he determined to rest. Govern
or Moore was still uneasy, and urged ARA
tomakaw to hasten up his braves and make
good his escape The brave chief told him
he might 60 if he saw fit; but as for himself,
he was determined to remain at that point
until all his men had arrived.
Very little blood was shed in this expedi-
ton. Only two men were lost; but it cost the
colony an enormous sum of money. No one
except Governor Moore derived any advan-
tage from the expedition against St. Angus
tine, and it cost the colony the enormous sum
of thirty thousand dollars, and filled the
minds of the people with bitter animosities
The headquarters of Governor Moore,
whilst conducting the siege, was the Roman
Catholic Church. This as is always the case
with such churches, was richly furnished.
Hasty and precipitate as was the retreat Of
Moore, he did not neglect to strip the church
Of all its plate. In this consisted his gain.
Arriving at Charles Town, he felt that he was
at least richer man than he was when he
left. To some extent he felt that this plate
compensated him for his inglorious campaign
of a few months.
During the time that Governor Moore was
gone on his St. Augustine expedition, the As
sembly was prorogued. Soon after his re-
turn it was convened, and ways and means
devised for paying the expenses Of the expe-
dition. Strange as it may seem, the people,
either because they felt that their Governor
had disgraced them or because war was now
actually existing between England and
Spain, desired to engage in another expedi-
tion for the subjugation of St. Augustine,
Pensacola and other strongholds of the Span
ish. A vessel was, by the Assembly, offered to
Col. Daniel that be might scour the coasts of
Florida So zealnus we're the members of the