Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-08

Hostilities were begun on the 10th OF
May, by Oglethorpe's making an attack
upon Diego, a place Of little import
ance, about twenty-five or thirty miles
from st. Augustine. Oglethorpe had
under his command at ttis time, only
400 men. Diego, after a feeble re-
sistance surrendered. Lieutenant Dun
bar, with a garrison Of sixty men, was
left in charge of the fort, and Oglethorpe
went to the place appointed for gen.
eral rendezvous. There he was Joined
by Colonel Vanderdussen and the regi-
ment from South Carolina, and COM
pany of Highlanders under the COM
mand Of Captain Mcintosh. In about
a week the forces set out for st. Au-
gustine.
In the meantime, the Spanish were
reinforced. Six armed vessels and two
provision ships had entered the harbor
Of st. Augustine. Oglethorpe's forces
now consisted Of but two thousand
men. The intention was to take st
Augustine by surprise. In this they
totally failed. The Spaniards were
fully aware Of their approach. All the
cattle from the surrounding country
were driven into the town, and the
forces, together with supplies for theil
maintenance were placed In the castle
The Spanish garrison consisted Of sew
en- hundred regulars, two companies OF
horse and four companies Of negroes
together with the Indians and militia
of the surrounding country. AL
things considered, the Spaniards were
in a much better condition to capture
Oglethorpe than Oglethorpe was to
capture them. Within two miles Of st
Augustine was Fort Moosa. AS the
English forces approached, the Spanish
garrison retired to st. Augustine
Oglethorpe, on his arrival, destroyed
Fort Moosa with fire. The walls were
broken in several places and then, nc
doubt with bright hopes Of soon being
in complete and absolute possession OF
st. Augustine, he set about making
preparations for the attack. The town
was ordered to surrender. The COM
manding officer sent back for reply
that he would be very glad to shake
hands with General Oglethorpe In the
castle of st. Augustine.
Oglethorpe, on his approach, discoV-
cred that 1t would cost him dearly to
make a direct attack on the castle
This place was not only we'll manned
but at the time was probably one OF
the strongest Notifications In America
It was determined to besiege the place
and thus starve out the garrison. This
was impossible for the Spanish ships
brought In both fresh supplies OF pro-
visions and endorsements. Whilst
conducting the siege, Colonel Palmer
with ninety-five Highlanders and for
ty-two Indians, was placed at For'
Moosa with orders to capture all sup
plies on their way from the country to
the Spanish garrison at st. Augustine
Palmer was charged particularly to be
constantly on the lookout. Colonel
Vanderdussen, with the South Carolina
regiment, was sent to Point Quartet
about a mile from the castle. On this
neck, Vanderdussen was ordered 70
erect a battery. General Oglethorpe
with his Indian regiment and English
allies. went to the Island Anastatia,
The Spanish forces on this island fled
to the castle of st. Augustine, on the
approach of Oglethorpe. The mouth
of the harbor was guarded by the ships
under the command Of Captain Price
one vessel being ordered to guard the
pass of Matanzas.
The besiegers being placed In posi-
ton, the batteries from the different
forts, began to open upon the castle
Bombs were thrown into the town. The
enemy returned the fire promptly. Be-
cause Of the greatness Of distance and
the lightness Of the guns on both sides,
but little damage was done. Captain
Warren Of the navy proposed to make
night attack on the enemy's ships.
He proposed to lead the attack but he
found that the bar was too great TO
admit large vessels across 1t, and to
engage in such an undertaking with
only small vessels was regarded as ex-
tremely hazardous.
The Spaniards now discovered that
Oglethorpe and his army were In
difficulty. An attack was made on
Colonel Palmer and finding him of
his guard, he and his men were cut to
pieces. The few that escaped made
their way to Point Quartet. The South
Carolina regiment under Vanderdussen
got up and returned to Charles Town.
Oglethorpe rebuked some Indians be-
cause they presented to him the scalps
Of some enemies slain and this offended
the whole and they left. The COM
mander of the fleet fearing storms. left
and thus ended the expedition.
Oglethorpe was censured by the Car
olinians, but without just grounds. No
doubt he made too long a delay at
Diego; but under the circumstances 1t
was impossible for him or any other
man to have taken the strong fortifi-
cations of st. Augustine. Forced by
the circumstances, General Oglethorpe
returned to Fredrica, and in spite Of
every attempt Of the Spaniards. con-
tinue1 daily by the aid of his Georgia
colony, to retain the territory as far
Soutl, as the st. Johns river.
This expedition cost South Carolina
a large sum of money and consid-
erable number of men. Only two were
killed by the enemy, but many sicken-
ed and died. England gained nothing
by the expedition; but indirectly the
colony gained much. The manner In
which England acted toward Spain
suggested to the colony the idea Of
freedom. Even at this early period,
we may discover the tendency to throw
off the yoke of England and be free
and Independent. To the colony Eng
land was kind but at the same time,
she acted arbitrarily. Multitudes OF
raw Africans were brought into the
colony, contrary to the wish OF the set
tiers. These negroes, the colonists
were by law forced to buy and keep In