The National tribune., 1908-12-31
WASHINGTON

one that he had started for Augusta.
and they concentrated a force for its
protection. Sherman kept up this iliu-
sion as long as possible, sending XII
patrick to make a dashing fight at
Waynesboro, within few miles of the
city, as IL to cover his advance. While
Fitzpatrick and Wheeler were charging
and counter-charging. Sherman's heavy
columns headed down the peninsula be-
tween the Savannah and the Ogeechee
rivers for Savannah and had made such
headway that 1t was too late for the
Confederates to throw force in their
front when the mistake was discovered.
Again Sherman successfully used this
ruse to divert attention from his true
line of march when he started thru
South Carolina, After he crossed the
river into that State it was his policy
to keep the Confederates guessing
whether he intended to go to Charles
ton or Augusta. and he gave strong
impression in favor of the latter place
by sending Fitzpatrick on another furi-
GUS dash as IL to ride into the city
from the South Carolina side. Kill
patrick's rough riders put up very
lively fight at Aiken, only Is miles from
Augusta, and the Confederates were
certain that the next thing would be the
appearance Of Shefman's infantry col
umns behind his bold hOrsemen. In
stead, Sherman went to Columbia.
When Georgia was settled, in 1892,
the objects of the colony, as expressed
in the charter, were to make it home
for "decayed English gentlemen and
the prosecuted Protestants of the con-
tinent." These decayed English gentle-
men were given the low, fiat, tide-water
country as the most valuable. while
the German Protestants, who were
seeking a refuge from the prosecutions
of the Roman Catholics, had to go into
the back country, or what we know
now as the Piedmont The name Au-
gusta indicates this, as it was favor
lite German cognomen and borne by
several Queens. Grand Duchesses and
Princesses of German States.
Augusta is finely laid out, with broad.
beautifully-shaded streets, intersected
at right angles, and comfortable, home
like residences. There are many really
fine old buildings in the city and many
literary and educational institutions.
Among these Is fine public library, a
Masonic Temple, Oddfellows' Hall, Cot
ton Exchange, the Georgia Medical Col
1ege, Richmond Academy and st. Mary's
Academy. There are many parks and
two fine monuments, one to the Georgia
signers of the Declaration of Independ-
ence and the other to the Confederate
soldiers.
The city was given charter as ls6R
ago as 1886. when Oglethorpe, the wise
and benevolent founder of the colony.
established it as a trading station and
military post for his colony. It was
long an important meeting place
for conferences of the Cherokees,
Creeks and Choctaws with the whites,
and during the Revolution 1t was at
first captured by the British, then re-
taken, again captured by the British,
and then made to endure a protracted
siege by the forces of Gen. Pickins and
Col. Henry Lee, who at last compelled
its surrender. 1t was for awhile the
Capital of Georgia, and in 1917 was
chartered as city.
In spite of its great natural resources
It has grown very slowly. In 1860 it
had only 12,493 population, quite small
for a place of its importance. 1t has
grown much faster since the war than
before, tho this growth has not at