338 7"/^^ Discoveries ,3’^^/ S ETTLEME NT s Book I. 
follow the Bias of their Inclinations or Interefts •, but as 
in this Cafe, where the Public is at the Expence, and 
where the Management is intrufted with Perfons of 
Diftindfion for the Benefit of the Public, nothing of this 
kind can happen ; they will be fure to difcharge their 
Duty, and in Proportion, as the Colony increafes and 
anfwers the Ends of thofe who compofe it, it will be 
-likewife fure to anfwer thofe Ends for which it was fettled. 
Befides all this, the Form of Government, the enadting 
proper Laws, and the Spirit originally infufed into the 
People, will render fuch a Colony more dutiful and ob- 
fervant to her Mother- country, than any that want thefe 
Advantages. 
Laftly, we may be fure that in fuch a Colony, the 
Produce will be managed mofi: to the Advantage of the 
Country from whence it is fettled ; as for Inftance in this 
of which we are fpeaking, due Care will be certainly 
taken that they do not run into the Cultivation of fuch 
Commodities as are already produced in the neighbouring 
Colonies, but bend their Endeavours to the promoting of 
fuch as have not been yet raifed to any great Advantage 
in thofe Colonies, though perhaps their Soil and Climate 
were fufficiently fit for them. Flax, which as we have 
before fhewn, may be cultivated here to the greateft 
Advantage, will be certainly attended to ; and fo alfo Pot- 
afiies and Silk, which above all Things claim our Care, 
of which we had formerly great Hopes from Virginia *, 
and with a View of obtaining of which Carolina was 
adlually fettled ; but in both we were difappointed for 
want of fome proper Authority to diredt a continued 
Application in the Planters fettled there for that Purpofe, 
without which nothing that does not turn to large Profit 
immediately can be brought to Perfedlion ; but in Co- 
lonies fettled by Truftees, their Recommendation will 
go far, their Authority farther enforce what they defire, 
and Premiums enable them with Certainty to procure 
Succefs j as we fliall have Occafion to fliew hereafter. 
Our Aim at prefent is to prove the Excellency of this 
Method of Settling, which far furpalfes that of eftablifh- 
ing exclufive Companies, as will be evident if we con- 
fider that they regard their own Profit folely, and as foon 
as they haVe fallen into Ways of promoting it effedlually, 
they forget the Obligation received from the Public, as 
is but too evident in many Cafes, and has juftly oc- 
cafioned almoft a general Outcry againft fuch Companies; 
whereas a Board of Truftees conftituted for a limited 
Time, infpedl the Concerns, and promote the Welfare, 
of a rifing Colony, and by their Commifiion ceafe to 
have Power over it when their Care is no longer necef- 
fary ; but as for Companies, they keep all who belong 
to them continually in Leading-ftrings, and never con- 
fider how Trading may be made beneficial to a Nation 
in general ; but how it may be ordered fo as to become 
moft beneficial to themfelves. But it is time to quit 
thefe Refledtions, in order to refume the Thread of our 
Hiftory, and to fhew how, after a few Years Peace, this 
Colony became ftrong enough, not only to hold up her 
Head and preferve her Being ; but to repulfe her Ene- 
mies, and prove a Security to all her Neighbours in time 
of War ; a Thing wonderful in all Refpedts, and of which 
Pofterity will fpeak with Admiration, though from an 
unaccountable Negligence, and want of Attention, in the 
prefent Age, we are fcarce fo well acquainted with that 
TranfadUon as it deferves. 
I ir. The Government in Great Britain having, after 
many repeated Infults and Provocations, found themfelves 
Under a Neceffity of obtaining Satisfadlion from S-pain 
by Force, a Squadron for that Purpofe was fent to 
the Wejl Indies^ and Orders iftued to the Governors of 
our refpedtive Colonies, and others his Majefty’s Officers 
in America^ to annoy the Spaniards by all Methods pof- 
fible. Thefe Orders were received by Mr. Oglethorpe, in 
Quality of general Commander in chief, in the latter 
end of the Is/ionth. oi September, 1739. Whereupon he 
immediately confidered of Ways and Means for putting 
them in execution ; in order to which he put his own 
Regiment, and all the Forces he could raife in Georgia, into 
the beft Condition poffibie. He fent to inform the 
Cherokees, and other Indian Allies, of the Situation that 
Affairs were in, and to impower them to enter into the 
Spanijh Territories. Pie alfo fent up to Charles-Town, 
to acquaint the Governor and Affembiy with the prefent 
Pofture of Things ; and to acquaint them with his Readi- 
nefs to undertake an Expedition againft St. Augufiin 
for the joint Service of Carolina and Georgia. The plain 
Reafon that he was defirous of beginning to a<ft often- 
fively againft the Spaniards Was, to raife the Spirits of his 
own People, to divert the Spaniards from the Defigns 
which they were forming to our Prejudice, and to keep 
the War at the greateft Diftance poffibie. 
It is very clear, that from the Situation of Things in 
Georgia, it was altogether impoffible for him to obtain 
a Force fufiicient for the Execution of thefe Defigns, 
without the Affiftance of the Province of Carolina ; and 
as it was of equal importance to that Province, that thofe 
Defigns fhould be carried into Execution, it was but rea- 
fonable for him to expedl, that all the Affiftance poffibie 
flioLild be given him. Governor Bull, upon the General’s 
Application, acquainted the Affembiy of with what 
had been propofed ; and as they were very fenfible of 
the Importance of the Undertaking, of the Views the 
Spaniards had to their Prejudice, and of the Prepa- 
tions they were making to annoy both Provinces, they 
fhewed a Difpofition to give him what Affiftance was in 
their Power. 
But at the fame time that they had thefe Inclinations, 
they could not help confidering the Situation of the 1 
Province, which under its Circumftances at that time, 
was very far from being in a Condition to enter into a i 
large Expence, unlefs there was a great Probability of 
Succefs ; by which it feems they underftood the reducing 
the Fortrefs of St. Augujiin, with the Strength of which, ; 
as it was a regular Fortification, had always in it a good 
Garrifon, and was highly confidered by the Spaniards, they 
were very well acquainted ; and they knew, befides, that 
feveral former Attempts upon that Place had been difap- 
pointed. That they might adt therefore in fuch a manner 
as might equally ftiew their Zeal for his Majefty’s Ser^ 
vice, and their Regard for the Welfare of their Confti- 
tuents, the Affembiy diredled, that General Oglethorpe 
fhould be defired to explain himfelf fully, as to the Na- 
ture of the Affiftance he expedted, and the Ends he con- > 
ceived it might anfwer, in cafe they fhould agree to grant 
him the Affiftance he required. 
Upon which the General, by the following Letter, 
dated at Frederica December the 29th, 1739, laboured 
to give them all the Satisfadlion that was poffibie, as 
well in Regard to the Matters under their Confideration, 
as with refpedl to his own Condudl, in Reference to the 
Defigns he had in View, and the Affiftance he expedled. 
This Letter was conceived in the following Terms, 'viz. 
“ I fend up with this an Officer to concert Meafures for 
“ the Siege of St. Augujiin ; it will be neceffary to have 
“ twelve Cannons of eighteen Pounders each, with two 
“ hundred Shot for each Gun, and Powder proportion- 
“ able; one Mortar-Piece, and Bombs, with Powder 
“ fufficient ; eight hundred Pioneers, Negroes, or white 
“ Men, with Tools fufficient for that Number of Men ; 
“ fuch as Spades, Hoes, Axes, and Hatcheis, to dig 
“ Trenches, make Gabelines, and Fafeines. If they 
“ are Negroes, there muft be white Men fufficient to 
“ guard them, and overfee them ; Veffels and Boats 
“ fufficient to carry the Artillery-Men, Provifions, 
“We fliall have one thoufand Indians ; fix thoufand 
“ Bufhels of Corn will be neceffary to feed them, or Rice 
“ proportionable ; alfo as many Horfemen as can be 
“ had, who may pafs over the River Savannah, and paf- 
“ fing the Oakmulgy, and Orony, and from thence to the 
“ Ferry, on the River Alata, where they may pafs over 
“ into the Spanijh Florida. Captain IvFPherfon, or 
“ Mr. Jones of Ponpon, can fliew them the Path ; for I 
“ fhould think the People of Carolina would do very well 
“ to raife a Troop of Rangers, under the Command of 
“ Captain NPPherfon, who is a very good Officer. 
“ Captain Warren affured me that he would be very wil* 
“ ling to affift in convoying the Veffels, and in carrying : 
“ Cannon, i£c. The Cherokee Indians have promifed 
“ me to be down in March ; I have not heard from the : 
Creek Nation lately, but I expeft them down about : 
I 
