Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-03-06
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution.


diately retired to the casle. Governor
Moore had not as yet arrived; but
coming up the next day, commenced
without delay, a vigorous seige of the
castle. This fort was at that time,
perhaps one of the strongest fortifi-
cations in North America.
Oldest American Town.
ST. Augustine Is the oldest town in
North America, having been laid out
by the Spaniards in the latter part Of
the year 1865. Consequently at the
time of the expedition, it had been
built one hundred and thirty-seven
years The Spaniards had two objects
in fortifying it with some care. The
defending Of st. Augustine was equiv
alent to maintaining 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 a square fort constructed
of soft stone with four bastions The
curtain was about sixty yards in
length; the parapet nine feet thick:
the rampant twenty feet high, case
mented underneath for lodgings and
arched over. The town itself was
not fortified. The castle was de-
pended upon almost entirely in case
of an attack. At the time Of which
we are speaking, st. Augustine was a
kind Of military post. In the town a
number Of regular troops were sta
toned by the Spanish government,
and the citizens were all registered
and enrolled as kind of militia.
They received soldiers pay and de-
pended entirely upon this pay for a
support Most of the inhabitants
were mulattoes, and were a lazy
trifing set, who were ready at any
time to engage in any plundering ex-
pedition 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 INSULT
cient to meet their wants, they sup
piled 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
government. ,S-
Before st. Augustine.
So soon as Governor Moore landed
his troops he commenced entrench-
ing 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 a month, Governor Moore dis
covered that, with his present ord
nance it would be impossible for him
to get possession Of the stronghold.
With this conviction firmly establish
ed in his mind he started an agent
to Jamaica for bombs and heavier
artillery than he had. This agent,
for reasons not we'll known, did not
go to Jamaica. but returned to
Charles Town. 1t Is very probable
that the individual sent on this busi-
ness did not enter fully into the
spirit of the governor with respect to
the expedition. Oldmixom says the
reason the commander Of the sloop,
30 hi hn
bombs from Jamaica, returned to
Carolina, was "out of fear Of treach-
cry"
Growing impatient, Col. Daniel vol
unteered to go to Jamaica after the
desired ordnance. During his alb
sence, two small Spanish vessels ap-
peared 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 Immediately burnt his
ships, and hastened with all possible
speed, to return to Carolina. Some
time after, Col Daniel returned from
Jamaica with ordnance and shells,
and found to his utter astonishment,
that the siege was raised and Govern
or 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
expedition against st. Augustine. The
town was burned, but the inhabitants
were not captured; and the reputa-
ton Of Governor Moore, as military
man, was not established. He so con-
Quoted himself as to to be charged
by many, as imbecile and cowardly.
His retreat was so precipitate at first
as to resemble a rout. The vessels
which had conveyed the troops that
were under the command of Col.
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. Arratoma-
kaw, king of one of the Indian tribes,
commanded the Indian forces. AS
soon as he arrived at one Of the ves-
sells, he determined to rest. Governor
Moore was still uneasy, and urged
Arratomakaw to hasten up his
braves and make good his escape.
The brave chief told him he might go
If he saw fit; but as for himself, he
was determined to remain at that
point until his men had arrived.
Expedition a Failure.
Very little blood was shed in this
expedition. Only two men were lost;
but it cost the colony an enormous
sum of money. No one except Gov
ernor Moore derived any advantage
from the expedition against st. Au-
gustine. and it cost the colony the
enormous sum of thirty thousand
i,,lg 80 he