The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-06-10
iver. From there | went to Tecoi by

gustine, the Oldest city IN North Amerl-
ca, reaching there at Q p. m. the same
evening. 1t is situated on the Atlantic
coast, thirty six miles from Jacksonville.
For history and dates I am indebted to
Bloom6eld's Historical Guide:
St. Augustine, Florida, is said to be
the oldest city by forty years in the
United States. Juan Ponce de Leon is
supposed to have been the first one Who
landed in Florida, on the Sunday before
Easter, in 1912. The event of founding
st. Augustine did not take place until
1855, ffty.three years after the first
landing of DeLeon. On the 9Th day of
May, 1865, Pedro Menendez de Aviles, at
the head of some ofSpain's most valiant
knights, landed on the shores of Florida,
and planted the banner of Spain, pro-
claiming Philip II. the ruler of the whole
continent of North America.
was up early Wednesday morning,
ready to "take in" the city. The first
place l visited was old Fort Marion,
which stands at the Northeastern end
of the town. The walls are twenty.one
feet high, with bastions at each corner.
1t was begun in 1896 and completed in
1855, being the oldest fortifcation in the
United States. Its first name was "San
Juan de Pinos," afterwards changed to
"San Marco" and upon the change of
flags, in 1921, to its present name. The
fort is built of coquina. The Appala-
chian Indians were employed upon if for
more than sixty years. The Fort occu-
pies about four acres of ground. The
main entrance was by draw bridge.
Over the doorway of the entrance is
sculptured on block of stone the Span.
ish coat Of arms, surmounted by the
globe and cross, and lamb beneath.
Immediately under the coat Of arms is
this inscription in Spanish. Il give the
translation in English as I find it in
Bloomfeld's Guide): "Don Ferdinand
the VI, being King of Spain, and the
Field Marshal Don Alonzo Ferdinanda
Horeda being Governor and Captain
General Of this place, St. Augustine and
its province, this Fort was finished in the
year 1855. The works were directed by
the Csptain-Eugineer Don Pedro de
Brozassy Garay."
On entering, you find yourself in the
court or parade ground, one hundred feet
square. Inside there are twenty-seven
casemstes thirty-6ve feet long and
eighteen feet wide. These casemates
were used for different purposes. The
casemate in front of the sally-port has on
each side as you enter it niche that was
used for holy water vessels, and at the
end is an altar; above the altar is niche
where was at one time an image of some
saint or martyr of the church. This was
the chapel where service was held. In
another bomb proof is raised platform !;
this is supposed to have been the judg-
ment hall where court-martial was held.
Under the north east bastion we find a
dark, gloomy dungeon, twenty feet long,
six feet wide and nearly FIVE feet high,
where not ray of light can penetrate.
This was once built up and cut off from
all communication with the rest of the
fort. There are two other dungeons. If
walls could talk, no doubt they could tell
some wonderful tales. There are rumors
that iron cages and human bones were
found in those dungeons years ago, but
can't vouch for the certainty of the ru-
mors. In 1865, when Captain Davis, the
English pirate, plundered St. Augustine,
the fort was constructed of wood, octa.
gonal in shape. History says that on the
arrival of Mendenez, in 1865, he immedi-
ately constructed wooden fort. 1t was
bombarded by Sir Francis Drake in 1886.
Gov. Moore, of South Carolina, captured
St. Augustine in 1902, and held the town
for three months. Before he withdrew
he burned the city He, however, failed
to capture the fort. Gen. Oglethorpe
bombarded the fort in 174O, but did no
injury beyond few scars on its front
the marks of which are yet visible.
The Spanish cathedral, Governors
palace, old slave market, plaza with Con.
federate monument, city gates, pyramids
where the remains of Major Dade and
his one hundred and seven comrades who
were massacred by the Indians are in
tered are all places Of note, but l have
not time to say more now.
At Ills Thursday morning l took the
train for Jacksonville. This beautiful
city (the Indian name was "Wacco PLAT
ka," meaning "cow yard") is on the
north bank of the St. Johns River. 1t:
present name was given in honor of Gen
Andrew Jackson, the first Governor o.
Florida. 1t has now resident popula
ton of $4,000 or 10000. 1t is a port O.
entry, and has a custom house, U. S
courts and signal service Offices. Here
bought ticket for Anderson, S. c., viz
Savannah, Charleston and Columbia.
reached Anderson in 20 hours run from
St. Augustine, including six and a hall
hours delay in Jacksonville and Charles
ton-distance 592 miles.
Now 1 am away from the land, O
Flowers" I will fulfill my promise ir
my last letter. lean say, unhesitatingly
that Florida is the poorest country evel
saw i mean the soil. 1 was in twelve
counties, aud outside of Alachua County
saw nothing but poor land. 1t is fla
pine lands, with saw-palmetto or wire
grass, interspersed with clear lakes, vel
supplied with fish. Where you fine
hammock land it has different timbe
and is very good soil, but there is so lit
tie of that kind. was very much sur
prised to find the pine trees so small.
expected to see giant trees, When lef