The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-27
TYBEE IN TIMES OF TROUBLE.
THE SCENE OF EXCITING EVENTS
ron TWO CENTURIES.

Bloody Mnssacres in the spanish
and French Wars - OglethOrPe
Built the First FOrt-Count DIES
taing's Forces First Landed There
in Their Approach to savannah.
The BOmbnrdment of Pulaski.
Tybee Island, since the building of the
railroad which connects it with the MAN.
land, is better known as a place to enjoy
the breezes of the Atlantic than il is as
a strategic military outpost. 1t is, how.
ever. replete with war "reminiscences. and
exciting historical events.
Not so far back as the years when France
and Spain contended for the possession OF
the country from Florida TO Virginia.
when doubtless Tybee was the scene OF
their national antipathies, which were
illustrated in bloody massacres but pass
ing over the story of those two dark cen
turtles to the landing OF Gen. Oglethorpe
and his colonists the island looms up as 2
military post. Under the orders of Ogle-
thorpe a light house was built and a guard
was established there soon after
his arrival. A fort was afterward erected
soldiers. Tybee at that early day became
the resort of fishing and hunting parties.
In 1775 British ship laden with powder
was captured off Tybee by Georgia pa
triots assisted by South Carolinians. The
5000 pounds of powder which was part
of the cargo of the vessel, was equally di-
vided between the Georgia and South Caro-
lima patriots, and the story Is that part
of the share of the former was sent to the
patriots of Boston and used at Bunker
Hill
On the 9th of December, IT'S, British
fleet, under the command of Sir Hyde
Parker, with transports carrying $500 sol
diers. under Lieut. Col. Campbell appeared
off Tybee, where they remained until ad-
vices were received of. the advance of the
British army under Gen. Provost, from
Florida, when an attack was made on Sa-
vannah, and the town was captured.
The following year Tybee witnessed the
coming of the French fleet and forces UNI
der Gen. Count d'Estaing. An account says
that the gallant commander ordered the
embarkation of 700 men from the fleet TO
make landing on Tybee, but as soon as
the movement was observed, the English
opened fire from Fort Tybee. This de-
layed the French until night, so that when
they landed led by Count d I1staing In per-
son, it was found that the Fort was vaca-
ted and the English had evacuated the
island. Leaving a part of his forces on
Tybee, the French commander re-embark-
ed on the feet and sailed for Ossabaw,
landing at Bieulieu, from whence he ad-
vanced to besiege Savannah. On landing
at Bieulieu, d Estaing was met by Count
Pulaski, commanding the advance guard
of the American army under Gen. Lincoln.
The story of that siege, and the disastrous
defeat of the French and Americans by
the British at Savannah are matters of
history.
During the three years and a half that
the British held Savannah and nearly all
of Georgia, Tybee became popular re-
sort, as it were, and a considerable town
grew up there, largely due to the fact
that there was a fort and a garrison on
the island. One night force of Americans
landed unawares, burned many of the
houses and killed a large number of its
loyal inhabitants
On the evacuation of the city by the
British, 1882, many of the loyalsts went
to Tybee and remained there until vessels
arrived to take them to other countries
where they could live under the British
flag. These people were afraid to remain
In Savannah after the departure of their
friends and protectors; they dreaded tho
vengeance of the victorious patriots.
The next warlike aspect of affairs at Ty-
bee was the b0ilding of the Martello tow
er, In the first years of this century when
1t looked as if there would be war with
France, owning to the aggressions Of
Bonaparte. Tybee was fortified and had
a small garrison during the last war with
England In 1S12-15, but while the enemy
landed on ST. Simon's and other islands
on the Georgia coast they made no attack
on Tybee.
With the erection of Fort Pulaski on
Cockspur Island, Tybee ceased to be a
strategic point of defense, and it was sup
posed to be of no Importance as a point
of attack by an enemy until the war be-
tween the Northern and Southern states.
Soon after the occupation of Fort Pulaski
by. Southern troops, a couple of regiments
of infantry and battery of artillery were
sent to Tybee. Earthworks Were thrown
up near the Martello tower. This force
remained there until the bombardment and
capture of Port Royal by Duponts feet
in November, 1861, when, fearing a like
fate would befan the garrison at Tybee,
the Confederate troops were withdrawn
from the island, some going to Fort Pulas-
Xxi, and other returning to Savannah,
which was hourly expecting an attack
from the victorious Federal fleet
The Union forces occupied Tybee early
in 1862 and Immediately began the erection
of batteries from the Martelo tower to
Kings Landing, for the reduction of Fort
Pulaski. They also erected batteries at
Venus Point and Birds Island, and cut
off communication between Savannah and
the fort The power of rif1ed cannon was
then little known and no one dreamed
that the solid walls of Pulaski could be
preached from Tybee Island. Gen. Lee.
who was in command of this military de-
partment early in 1862 inspected the fort
and expressed an opinion that it was i'm
pregnable. On April 10, 1862. Gen. Hun
ter, having demanded its surrender and
Col. Olmstead its Confederate COM
mander. having refused to give up
the Fort, thirty-six cannons, ten of
which were heavy rifed ordnance
in batteries which extended over a
front of $500 yards, distant from the fort
from 3,4OO to 1850 yards, opened fire. BY
midday on the 18th all but two casemate
guns bearing on Tybee were disabled. and
only two of the barbette guns that could
bear upon the Federals' batteries were
left The southeast angle of the fort was
I'm the moat and the northwest magazine
was in hourly danger of being blown up.