The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1905-05-11

u d
derfully fair old city with its moss
hung trees filled with many-hued
swcet-throated birds, and its marvel
Gus wealth of tropical flowers, bu
above and beyond all the beauty tha
nature has flung forth with such
prodigal hand, there lies the seren
calm and dignity that time and rich
ly stored past can give.
The early history of Charlestown
like that of ali ancient cities, in boil
the old world and the new, reads lik'
thrilling page from romance, for it i
a stirring tale Of terrible danger
met and overcome, of ceaseless strug
gle against fearful odds, and of he
roic blood poured forth like water.
In 1871, the hardy little band o
French and English pioneers, who ha'
settled at Port Royal in Carolina
found their proximity to the Span
iards and the constant attacks of th
red men odds too overwhelming 70
their small force to contend against
so they left their plantations AM
moved to what is now called OIL
Charlestown. They were dependen
on England for most of their supplies
and this new settlement proving to-
far from an open harbor, in. 1880, b.
Official &C ommand of their :. leading
men, they abandoned their littl
homes for the second time, and move,
to the long, narrow strip Of Ian
known as Oyster Point. There the
pluckily erected thirty houses, an
this little settlement was the formal be
ginning of historic Charlestown. .whic
stands today one of the most beauti
full and unique cities in America, wit
her name indialutely linked with som
OF our centuries most brilliant an
and tragic history. Roundheads an
cavaliers, the prosecuted Hugeonot
and later on the exiled Arcadian:
sought refuge and freedom along tn
coast of Carolina, and provided tn
growing colony with some of it
strongest and best citizens.
Long years of struggle followed
out the settlers were enterprising a
well as brave and true, and when tn
Revolution came, century later
Charlestown was one of the wealthies
as well as the most exclusive and cor
servative towns in the new worlC
Along her narrow, crooked street
stood the beautiful, stately homes c
the wealthy. These were low-coun
try rice and inligo planters. who sper
the winter on their plantation and tn
summer in the city, the climate forC
ing them to reverse the usual order {
things. These proud old aristocrat
bore names that ranked among tn
noblest in both France and England
and when war was declared again:
the mother country they freely CAV
all they had. their wealth, and eve
their lives, for FREEDOM Charleston
boldly flung out her revolutionar
banner after the battle of Lexington
though her splendid harbor and h,
reputed wealth left little doubt of til
fate that awaited her, and toda
though none the less splendidly, ST
bears the noble scars she received du
ing that long bloody struggle, O
every hand as you pass down the ma
row, crooked streets, you. will fir
evidences of Revolutionary fame ar
colonial grandeur. going hand in har
on beautiful Marion Square, whe
the old citadel stands. are; tracks
the "tabby work" which marks whe
the ancient line of defense was ru
AID little further on is the upstai
window through which the lit
| swamp fox leaped, rather than bre;
promise given a dead mother, al
soil his lips with wine. AT the 70
! Of Broad street is the old postoffi
, used as the provost" for the cor
mandant when the English occupi
the city and agreat pity eswells Il
heart as one looks at this ancie
I building and remembers that from 4
dark cellar prison the martyred c.
9 onel Isaac Hayne. walked calmly for
D one sunny morning to give the sign
. for his own execution