This is my so called teaser, leading up to a blog on this weekend's Scottish Games at Bethesda, I thought it would be fun too see how the Scot's history began in the Carolina Low Country and Georgia's Creative Coast.
SCOTS RECRUITED TO GEORGIA TO PROTECT FROM SPANISH INCURSIONS
By the early Eighteenth Century, the “Crown Colony” of the British Empire was the colony of South Carolina. Numerous Yemassee and Spanish raids had taken its toll on the lands north of the Savannah River. Finally in 1732, it was decided that English would establish a permanent settlement south of the Savannah River. The expedition was led by General James Oglethorpe, he chose a bluff fifteen miles west of the Atlantic Ocean, on a forty foot bluff along the south bank of the Savannah River in February of 1733. The settlement was named Savannah. The new colony was named Georgia; it was designed to help prevent raids into South Carolina by maintaining a strong British military presence in an effort to keep the Spanish and the French in check.
Initially, the Georgia colony relied on support from the governor of South Carolina. Oglethorpe would soon invite many from Europe who wanted to relocate in an effort to practice the religion of their choice. Catholics were not allowed because of the feared religious connection between the Spanish and the French. After the first few years, Oglethorpe was focused on keeping Savannah alive; he soon recruited Scottish Highlanders to help protect Georgia.
The Scots first arrived in Georgia in January 1736; they were recruited by Oglethorpe to help protect the new settlements and the colony of South Carolina. Georgia was threatened by the Spanish in Florida and by the French in Alabama. The Scots numbered one hundred and seventy seven when they arrived on the Prince of Wales; they settled Darien, about fifty miles south of Savannah. These settlers originated from the Highlands, near Inverness. Their travel expenses were paid by the Trustees of Georgia, the governing board of the colony.
The Scots soon built Fort Argyle, near the present site of Fort Stewart; its construction consisted of a moat and a stockade. It was active until 1746. They soon constructed additional forts to expand the British defensive perimeter.
In 1736, Highland Scots occupied the former site of Fort King George, it had been abandoned 1727 and had been the southern most point of the British Empire. The Scot presence was mostly for defensive purposes, for they were regarded as some of the best soldiers in Europe. Oglethorpe had decided to abandon the site to appease the Spanish who were becoming very uneasy with the increase of British troops in the area; both nations agreed that the Altamaha River would serve as boundary between Spanish Florida and British North America. The Scots later constructed Fort Darien on a bluff on the Altamaha River. Within the first month of their arrival, they had constructed a battery of four cannons, built a guardhouse, a store house and a chapel. The nearby town they settled was New Inverness, later Darien. The main clans that settled this area were the McIntosh, McDonald and Cuthbert. They were led by George Dunbar and Hugh Mackay.
The Scots soon constructed satellite fortifications; Forts St. Andrews and William on Cumberland Island, Forts Frederica and St. Simons on St. Simons Island and Fort St. George on the St. John’s River. The Spanish for the most part were not concerned about these outposts on the islands; most likely they believed they could be easily overrun. Oglethorpe divided the Scots into two units, the Highland Independent Company of Foot and the Highland Rangers, a mounted force. Additional settlers arrived in 1737 to reinforce Darien. Other forts were constructed along the Chattahoochee River to guard against French raids.
Fort Frederica was built in 1738 and soon became one of the strongest military posts in British North America; it anchored the strong defensive scheme that protected Savannah. Oglethorpe had garrisoned 600 troops here; this strong presence would later help provoke the Spanish to attack into Georgia in 1742.
The Scots made their living by raising cattle and selling timber to Savannah. In 1739, they petitioned the Trustees not to allow the use of slaves in Georgia; they were successful, for the first slaves did not arrive until 1749. Timber would be a main source of revenue until 1925.
War broke out between Great Britain and Spain in 1739, the War of Jenkins Ear, a commercial war over trading areas in the Caribbean and the southeast American coast. Since 1731, there had been some undeclared hostile actions on the high seas by their respective navies. This war would later expand into a world war, the War of Austrian Succession. Spain’s objective was to drive the British from Georgia.
In November 1739, two Scotts who garrisoned Amelia Island were ambushed and killed, this led the British to assault St. Augustine in the summer of 1740, but a Scottish force from Darien had been defeated at Fort Mose, north of St. Augustine. This defeat forced Oglethorpe to abandon his siege against the Spanish stronghold. The Spanish lost their initiative by hesitating for two years, thus allowing Oglethorpe to regroup and prepare his fortifications.
In July 1742, Manuel de Montiano landed with about 3,000 Spanish troops at St. Simons Island; they were supported by 50 ships. The Spanish invasion was a concentrated effort with forces drawn from St. Augustine and Havana. Their mission was to drive the English out of Georgia permanently. They easily overwhelmed the garrison at Fort St. Simons on July 5. Two days later, Spanish troops reconnoitered with a force of 300 along the narrow road between Fort St. Simons and Fort Frederica which led to contact with the British forces at Gully Hole Creek.
Battle of Gully Hole Creek, July 7, 1742
This was first significant action on St. Simons Island, the Highland Independent Company and the Highland Rangers attacked a Spanish force of about 100 soldiers, after an hour of heavy fighting, mostly hand-to-hand, twelve Spaniards were dead and ten were prisoners of war, only one Highlander had died, it was from heat exhaustion. The Scots pursued the Spanish for two miles and Oglethorpe placed the 42nd Regiment and Mackay’s Highlanders along the edge of a marsh, while he gathered additional troops from Fort Frederica.
Battle of Bloody Marsh, July 7, 1742
Montiano sent a relief force forward to cover the Spanish withdrawal from Gully Hole Creek, but they were ambushed by the British forces in the marsh and some of the invaders were taken prisoner. The Spanish returned with a volley and many of the British retreated. Oglethorpe soon arrived with reinforcements, the Spanish kept up their fire until their ammunition had been expelled and then retreated. They left seven dead and some prisoners, the prisoners surrendered valuable information about the size of the Spanish invasion force.
The Spanish remained in the area for another seven days and scouted up the Frederica River, Oglethorpe sent a message, through a released prisoner, that he hoped would be intercepted by the Spanish, which suggested additional English reinforcements were on their way. The appearance of scout ships from Charleston convinced Montiano that the disinformation was real; he ordered the firing of Fort St. Simons and withdrew, never too invade Georgia again. The Spanish feared envelopment by a percepted larger British force, but they had outnumbered the defenders greatly. If the Montiano had been successful, Georgia would have been known as Guale, Spanish for Georgia.