Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-11
From the Yorkville Enquirer Of 1875.
INSTALLMENT XXXVIII.

Man is a social being. No individual
of all the numerous posterity OF Adam,
lives independent. He Is linked to the
whole by countless ties. Invisible 1t
may be, but still strong and indis-
soluble. The countless hordes of hu-
man beings that swarm upon the face
of the habitable earth are made up Of
nations; these nations are made up Of
families; and these families are COM
posed of single individuals Often 1t Is
that the history Of a single person
contains all that Is important in the
history of a nation during the period
of hiss earthly existence. More fire.
quently 1t Is the case that a single act
of one individual gives direction to the
acts of succeeding generations. A single
stone completes the arch. This stone
however small or insignificant Of itself,
adds beauty and strength to the whole
fabric. So it is with human acts.
One single deed has often saved a ma
ton, whilst a slight neglect has
changed the course Of events and
caused victory to perch upon the
standard of the discounted. James
Oglethorpe saved South Carolina, II
not from determination, at least from
invasion and temporary destruction.
He did this, not directly but indirectly.
He saved Georgia and by saving Geor-
o,to ,oyad South Caralina
After this unsuccessful invasion of
st. Augustine, Oglethorpe returned to
Fredrica, near the mouth of the Alta
maha. He was grieved and distress
ed. The Carolinians abused and villi-
fled him. They had lost all confidence
In him as a military chief, and were
not backward to express their opinion
concerning him. This wounded his
generous heart; but the havoc which
the Spaniards had made upon the
brave Highlanders, under Col Palmer,
grieved his noble spirit.
Exhausted by toll and broken down
by incessant watching, he returned to
Fredrica. Not to rest. however. This
the Spaniards would not permit An
expedition was planned in Cuba. A
large naval land force was raised, part
in Cuba and part in Florida. The In
tention was first to subjugate Georgia
and then South Carolina. From Ha-
vana two thousand soldiers, under the
command Of Don Antonio de Dondon-
do, embarked and arrived in May at st.
Augustine. Here farther preparations
were made for the expedition. The
of the Spaniards were dis
covered by Oglethorpe whilst they were
still at st. Augustine. The fact was
communicated to the governor of South
Carolina Oglethorpe could not be
mistaken with respect to either the in
tended invasion or it's main object.
The Spanish fleet had been seen by
Capt. Hamer, whilst cruising between
Florida and Havana. The information
sent to the governor of South Car
olina was true, beyond doubt. The
Carolina authorities treated the intel
ligence with Indifference and positively
refused to send Oglethorpe any assist
ance. The object of contention equally
concerned Carolina and Georgia. 1t
was avowedly struggle for the exten-
sion Of boundaries, but in reality a
struggle for empire.
The territory claimed by Spain ex-
tended farther north than the English
were willing to admit. On the contra
ry, the English claimed farther south
than the Spanish would allow. Each
was in fact attempting to root the 9TH
er out of the country. The destruction
of Georgia would have been followed
by the determination of Carolina.
Hence the saving of Georgia was the
saving of Carolina.
Notwithstanding the many adverse
circumstances by which Oglethorpe
was surrounded, he determined to de-
fend the country. even If it cost him
his life. The Highlanders, whose
countrymen had been cut to pieces at
Fort Moosa, heartily encouraged his
resolution. They were burning for re-
venge. Forts were built at different
places on the banks Of the Altamaha,
on the islands contiguous to its mouth,
and Fredrica was put in readiness for
an attack. On the 18th Of July, a
fleet Of thirty-six vessels and carrying
more than three thousand men, entered
the harbor Of st. Simon, about eight
miles below Fredrica. The troops
landed on the west side Of the island
of st. Simon only a short distance from
the town which bore the same name.
Here they commenced to erect forti-
fications. A battery Of twenty guns
was soon in working order. Ogle-
thorpe who was at this time on st.
Simon's island commenced firing upon
the invaders as they entered the har-
Dor, but the enemy having learned
that the water was of sufficient depth,
rushed past him until they got out of
reach Of his guns. Amongst the land
forces of the Spaniards, was a regi-
ment of negroes, elegantly uniformed
and commanded by officers of their
own race. This regiment was equipped
and brought along more for the pur-
pose of producing discontentment
amongst the Carolina slaves and thus
instigating insurrection. than for the
purpose Of fighting.
General Oglethorpe, had only eight
hundred men on st. Simon's island.
He was anxiously expecting rein
forcements from South Carolina. The
Carolinians had determined that since
they had no confidence in Oglethorpe,
they would put Charles Town in a
state of defense and let Oglethorpe
make the best he could in repelling the
Spaniards from Georgia.
Finding that ii would be impossible
to accomplish anything by remaining
on St Simon's Island. Oglethorpe
spiked his guns, destroyed his military
and other stores and went to his
headquarters at Fredrica. On the
18th of July, the town was attacked
by the advance party of the enemy, but
failed to accomplish anything; besides
many Of these were killed. The COM
mander of the Spanish forces sent