The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-02-12
Spaniards, under Menendez, Pre-
coded The English By About
Fifty Years
By Harold Randall Manakee, in the
Baltimore Sunday Sun

Long before Leonard Calvert led
band of colonists to St. Mary's, long
before Capt. John Smith headed his
party of explorers into the wilder
ness north of Virginia, even before
Lord Baltimore first saw light of day
in England, strange ships manned by
swarthy, bearded men knew the wat
ers of the Chesapeake Bay. From the
mastheads of these ships fluttered the
standard of Spain-a Standard which
at that time, from the viewpoints of
wealth, naval supremacy and extent
of land controlled, came near to being
the banner of the world. Indeed, it
was the sole flag raised above any
permanent settlements in all of the
New World.
Spain was at the height of her
glory in Europe and in the Americas.
The day of the daring Sir Francis
Drake and his fellow English sea
fighters had not yet dawned; the
Spaniard's beard was still unsinged
and it fourished to full growth,
spreading itself haughtily over the
riches of the New World. 1t was dur
ing this golden age" that Spain
made use of the Chesapeake and even
endeavored to plant on it's shores a
colony. But the chain of events lead
ing up to those attempts are long and
stranger than fiction.
#*#
After the so-called discovery of
America by Columbus, such Spanish
adventures as Vespucius, Cortez, and
Pizarro had vigorously explored the
West Indies, Mexico, Central and
South America. Here they found
much wealth, which by boldness and
cruelty and treachery they succeeded
in wrestling from the natives. For
the moment they were satisfied and
more northerly America was I'M
touched; for from the mines, store
houses, palaces and temples of the In
cas- and the Aztecs poured gold sill
yer and precious stones enough to
hold all their attention. Great fleets
of treasure-laden galleons left Mexico
and Central America astern, cut
across the gulf and up the east coast
of North America to about the point
we now know as Cape Hatteras. Here
they turned prows seward, spread all
sail and struck across the Atlantic,
almost due east, for Spain.
| ***
Much of the supervision and protec-
ton of these fleets fell to the re-
sourceful and energetic Pedro Menen-
DEE, Governor of Florida, which had
been discovered in 1912 by Ponce de
Leon in his search for the mythical
Fountain of Youth. This Menendez
was the scourge Of French pirates in
both hemispheres, and Spain's great
est naval commander in SPANS brav-
est days. Not without merit had he
been appointed to this position Of
trust. So much did Spain rely on him
that, when Philip sailed to England
for the hand of Queen Mary, Menen-
DEE commanded the vessel which car
ried him. On one occasion, when the
Spanish King, after waging war
against France, found himself stran-
ded in Flanders, Menendez crossed all
of France in disguise, safely reached
his native country, equipped a battle
fleet and sailed to his Majesty's relief
before his absence was even noticed!
Years later, at the forming of the In
vincible Armada, death alone-per
haps fortunately for him when we re-
member the fate of that expedition
was to prevent his being it's fleet COM
mander. Spain then, for good reason,
had the highest respect for his ability.
#**
Curioulsy enough the connection of
this dashing Menendez with Florida
was purely accidental. While in COM
mand of a treasure fleet in 1861 one
of his ships unaccountably disap-
peared. Sad enough blow to his pres
tige was this calamity, but misfortune
on misfortune, his own son command
ed the missing vessel! Sadly the
stern old commander continued on to
Spain, for the riches under his protec-
ton could not be risked in which
might prove to be fruitless searching.
Once his commission was discharged,
however, he lost no time in fitting a
searching party at his own expense,
since his sovereign would have no
part in the expedition.
Yet Menendez did not gain Florida
for Spain without strife and blood
shed; for just as he was about to sail
in quest of his son he received orders
to root out from Florida colony of
French Lutherans under one Captain
Ribault. This he proceeded to do and,
as was his wont, he made thorough
job of it. Immediately upon arriving,
he attacked the French fleet off their
Fort Caroline with such skill that in