Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-01-02
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM. ID. ID.

coy the unoffending natives OF Chi"
ouola around st. Helena sound, or
board his ships, and transport them to
st. Domingo and there sell them. The
expedition was begun in sin and ended
in shame. Upon 1t, however, and pre-
vious discoveries made by Columbus
J and the grant Of the Pope, Spain laid
claim to all the new world. AS yet
those individuals in her employ, had
only cruised amongst the islands.
France also laid claim to the conti-
nent. The thirst for gold then, as
now was great; and Spain, England
and France were anxious to get pos
session of the land discovered by Co.
lumbus. In the year 1923, Francis the
First, sent out John Verazzano, Flor
entine; but he did not touch upon the
coast of South Carolina. He arrived
on the coast Of the new world at some
place near the latitude Of Wilmington,
North Carolina. France based her
claim to the territory now known as
North Carolina and South Carolina,
upon the fact that 1t was thus visited
by Verazzano.
In 1927, Spain sent out an army un-
der Narvaez, to conquer the country.
The conquest commenced in Florida,
Narvaez failed. He was succeeded by
Ferdinand de Soto. In order that he
might succeed in the undertaking of
conquering Florida, country to which
no definite bounds were fixed at that
time, De Soto fitted out at his own ex-
pense, seven ships and thousand SOL
diers. On the 10th Of June, 1889, he
entered Tampa Bay. With four hun
dred foot soldiers and two hundred ca
valry. he set out to conquer the coun.
try. His men were we'll armed. and an
ample supply of stoves had been pro-
vided. Besides this, he drove before
him 800 swine with which he de-
signed stocking the country. Previous
to this time, there were no swine on the
continent Of America. No sooner had
De Soto landed, than he was attacked
by a large body Of the natives. No
decisive victory was gained by either
side, but the advantage was in favor
of the natives. De Soto pushed into the
country, fighting all the time with the
natives. Finally he reached the Mis-
sissippi. Here, after wandering about
for some time, he sickened and died,
and on the 10th Of May, 1912, was af-
ter having been placed in hollow log
as a coffin, sunk in the middle Of this
noble stream.
In this march, De Soto crossed
through a part Of the southwestern
section Of South Carolina. 1t has been
thought that he commenced mining
for gold in South Carolina, whilst con-
Quoting this most remarkable march.
From 1889 to 1861, nothing was done
by either England. France or Spain,
to settle the country. In fact, up to
this period, no efforts had been made
to settle the continent as far south as
South Carolina. De Soto had run over
the county from Tampa Bay on the
western coast of Florida, to the Wachi-
ia in Arkansas. He crossed, in his
march the territory now occupied by
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and
Mississippi but he planted no colony.
In 1852, Cologni, Admiral of France,
undertook to plant colony in the new
world. The object he had in view was
to secure a place Of refuge for the
French Protestants, who at this time
were prosecuted and oppressed in their
native country. In the latter part of
1861, Cologni obtained a commission
colony near Florida. The work Of ac-
tually planting the colony was intrusted
to man by the name of John Rebault.
A considerable number Of the nobility
Joined the expedition, and on the 2Sth
of February. 1862, Rebault and his
squadron set out for Florida. In May,
the st. Johns river was discovered, to
which Rebault gave the name May,
and entered Port Royal Harbor. Here
he erected a fort which, in honor OF
Charles the Ninth, was named Fort
Charles. In July, Rebault set out to
return to France, leaving twenty-six
men to retain the country in possession
until he would return with more set
tiers and supplies. With the country
around Port Royal the colonist were
n ho aH Thnty ho1
thing like it before. The woods were
full of wild animals ,and the waters
Of the bay swarming with fish. The
natives were kind and hospitable
They manifested their interest in the
newly arrived strangers by beginning
to construct an arbor from the branch
es Of the trees, to protect them from
tho heat Of the sun. Although these
colonist came from France, and had
obtained a commission from Charles
the Ninth, TO plant a colony in the
New World, the founding of the colony
was really private enterprise
Charles was a Catholic by profession
and a monster at heart: and in prac-
tice, Rebault was Protestant, and sc
were those connected with him. Coli
gni. the originator of the scheme, was
a Protestant of the highest type
Charles was a Catholic-bigoted, crue
and deceptious. The comission granted
to Coligni was only, in reality, a per.
mission, if not something worse, fol
some good men, who nevertheless were
a trouble to Charles, to leave the coun.
try.
The fate of this Huguenot colony Is
full of interest. When Ribault arrived
in France, he found the country in 6
state of great confusion When hi
left the colony, man by the name o.
Albert was placed in command of thf
twenty-six men left behind. Alber
fortified the place where the settlement
was made. This fortification was con.
sumed by fire, but the natives gener.
ously rebuilt it, Ribault not returning
the supplies left for the support of tht
colony failed, and 1t would have per.
ished of hunger had 1t not been for tht
kindness Of the Indians. The circum
stances of the colonist were very try
inc hrt Uraator roitv ouaitaf