Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1920-08-11
St. Augustine is a Historic City.
Editor of the Advertiser:

a Editor of the Advertiser:
a I am in st. Augustine. This Newport
r of the South, chief beauty spot of the
|aSouth Atlantic, and most ancient of
the cities of the United States, invites
and welcomes. Set like jewel we'll
upon the finger with which Florida
beckons.
III st. Augustine fairly sparkles with
Ebrilliance, beauty and life as one likes
|ko live. Who can resist her smiling
welcome? The charm of old Spain
|khe romantic and historic impress of
|Buan Ponce de Leon and his hardy ad-
Ejventurers, who attacked and sacked the
@city in 15s6-is still here. But in the
! march of progress St. Augustine is
filled with the spirit of to-day.
Nature has been kind indeed to st.
Augustine, climatically and otherwise.
In the warm sunshine streaming from
almost ever-blue skies, the blue waters
of Matanza's Bay toss and sparkle. In
the distance are seen the white-capped
breakers tumbling and crashing on a
perfect beach. Thousands 'of palms
rustic welcome. and we, who are so
fortunate as to be here, are impressed
with ''The Land That Winter Forgot. :"
Tornadoes never occur here, Florida
being out of their path. Tropical storms
moving north from the equator cause
heavy rains, but the porosity of the
soil absorbs them quickly.
One of st. Augustine's foremost at
fractions is its boating facilities. Ma
tanza's Bay is part of the famous in
land waterway along the entire East
Coast of Florida from Jacksonville to
Miami. A trip through it's picturesque
bays, rivers, inlets and lagoons is un-
.equalled by any cruise of similar length
in the country.
Among the many charms of the An
cient City are numerous points of great
historic interest. The City Gates are
the remainder of the Notifications once
surrounding st. Augustine. They were
built in 1904. The former lines of for
tifcations, protected at intervals by
redoubts and batteries, and were rem
dered still stronger by a deep
ditch on the outside which connected
the water at Fort Marion with the San
Sebastian river. This ditch could be
flooded at the enemy's approach, cut
ting off all invaders by land. Only the
huge gates now remain of all the city's
original defenses, Fort Marion, be-
gun in 1865 and finished in 1756.
The old Huguenot cemetery, just out
side of the city gates. on Cordova
street, hold the remains of those who
centuries ago trod the streets of st.
Augustine. Most of the streets are
not over twenty feet-no sidewalks.
One street. is only ten feet wide. This
is in the eastern portion OF the city,
leading out to the City Gate. Fort
Marion covers three and half acres of
ground, and is a wonderful structure,
built entirely of coquina, shell sand and
cement.
General Andrew Jackson was the
first governor of Florida, and later
president of the United States. 1t is
with interest to note the official cores
pondence between Major-General Sir
Edward Pakenham, commander of the
English troops, and General Jackson,
Just before the battle of New Orleans.
1t was fought January s, 1875, sixteen
days after the treaty of peace had been
signed at Client, the capital of East
Flanders in Belgium.
The English officer, disdaining ordi-
nary courtesy, scorning the backwood's
general, forwarded this contemptuous
order:
jackson, surrender New Orleans. !"
jackson answered: "Pakenham, come
and take it." In reply Pakenham said:
jackson, l expect to take my break
fast in New Orleans Sunday morning" :"
jackson responded: "Pakenham, if
you do, you will take your supper in
hell Sunday night. +"
Pakenham did not take New Orleans,
and it is not known where he took sup
per, for he and two other generals,
many officers and nearly 1000 trained
troops, some of whom had been with
Wellington at Waterloo, were shot
down by Jackson's backwoodsmen with
squirrel rifles, and only eight of them
were killed and thirteen wounded.
This decisive engagement, more than
two weeks after peace had been ar
ranged, made jackson an idol of the
American people.
J. Russell WRIGHT,
ST. Au., lstine, Fla.
1oon