tain its claims to the country as far south as the St. John's River. On Cumberland Island he built a fort which he called St. Andrew's, which would command the mouth of the St. Mary's, the stream which finally became the southern boundary of Georgia. At the southern extremity of an island at the entrance of St. John's River, he also planned a small military work, which he called Fort St. George. He also founded Augusta far up the Savannah River, and erected a stockade there as a defence against the Indians from the west who might be under the influence of the French or Spanish traders.

These preparations for defence irritated the Spaniards at St. Augustine, who detained Oglethorpe's messengers as prisoners and threatened war. The news spread among the friendly Indians, and old To-mo-chi-chi came with painted warriors to offer his aid. The Chickasaws sent a delegation to bear assurances of friendship and fidelity to the English. With such allies as these, Oglethorpe felt strong enough to cope with the Spaniards.

These alliances so alarmed the governor of St. Augustine that he expressed a willingness to treat for a settlement of all disputes, and an honorable treaty was made. The messengers were released, and the Georgians abandoned Fort St. George.

The home government at Spain disapproved of

the treaty; and Oglethorpe was notified to meet a commission from Cuba at Frederica. This conference resulted in nothing. The Spaniards peremptorily demanded the evacuation of all Georgia by the British, and of all South Carolinia below the parallel of Port Royal, claiming all of that region as a part of the dominions of Spain.

Oglethorpe hastened to England to consult the trustees and secure military aid. The Spaniards had three regiments of soldiers at St. Augustine. He was commissioned brigadier-general over all the military in Georgia and South Carolinia, and authorized to raise troops in England to serve in America. In the summer of 1738, he returned to Georgia with some troops.

The colony was not prosperous, for many of the emigrants were gentlemen unfit to build up a great province where muscle and brain were demanded. The use of slave labor, so productive in other colonies, was forbidden in Georgia, and tillage was neglected. The Scotch, Swiss and German settlers were inadequate to give that vitality to industrial pursuits necessary for the development of the resources of the virgin soil.

a

English merchants were boldly carrying on system of smuggling on the coasts of Spanish America at the expense of Spanish commerce, which was fostered by the English ministry, who

were blindly bent on destroying the Spanish colonial system in America. The result was a declaration

of war in 1739.

Oglethorpe knew that St. Augustine had been strengthened by more troops, and he resolved to strike a blow there, before the enemy should be well prepared. His rule had been anything but a peaceful one, for he had crushed out a conspiracy to assassinate him, also a negro insurrection in South Carolinia.

Early in 1740, he invaded Florida and captured some Spanish outposts. In May, he again entered Florida with six hundred Carolinia militia and a large body of friendly Indians. He marched directly on to St. Augustine, capturing a little fort twenty miles from that city and another but two miles from it.

Noah Stevens, who accompanied the expedition as a volunteer, bore a message from Oglethorpe to the Spanish governor demanding a surrender.

As

he entered the walls of that old fort he remembered the story he had often heard, how Philip Stevens, his ancestor had, one hundred and fifty-three years before, been captured by Sir Francis Drake at this fort and borne away to England.

Oglethorpe's demand for the surrender was defiantly refused, and he began a siege, determined to starve them into submission; but swift-sailing gal

leys ran the weak blockade which his little squadron formed in the harbor and threw supplies into the fort. Oglethorpe had no cannon with which to batter down the walls of the fort, and, warned by the increasing heats of the coming of the sickly season he raised the siege and returned to Savannah.

Two years later, the Spaniards, with a fleet of thirty-six vessels from Cuba and a land force about three thousand strong, started for the harbor of St. Simons, which was reached in July, 1742. Oglethorpe was on hand, but with a force of less than one thousand, including Indians. South Carolinia had failed to furnish any men and supplies, and Oglethorpe, in a stirring speech to his Georgia soldiers, informed them that they must depend on themselves. When the white sails of the Spanish fleet appeared off the shores of Georgia, he went aboard one of his small vessels, with Noah Stevens at his side, and said:

"We must protect Carolinia and the rest of the colonies from destruction or die in the attempt. For myself, I am prepared for all dangers. I know the enemy are far more numerous than we; but I rely on the valor of our men, and, by God's help, I believe we will be victorious."

When the Spanish fleet passed the English batteries at the southern end of the island, however, Oglethorpe realized that resistance would be folly.

He ordered his vessels to run up to Frederica, while he spiked his guns at St. Simons, and retreated to the same place with his troops. There he waited for reinforcements from Carolinia; but they came not, while he was annoyed by frequent attacks from the Spaniards. Noah Stevens, with a small party of Georgians and Indians, repulsed three of these attacks in one day.

Having somewhat tested the metal of the Spaniards, and finding them lacking in courage, he reported to Oglethorpe that they were encamped near St. Simons, and so carelessly guarded, that a force much inferior to their own might attack and defeat them. Oglethorpe was so impressed with Noah's statement, that he determined to attack the Spanish encampment that very night. He moved cautiously along a road which he had caused to be made, with a dense live-oak forest draped with Spanish moss on one side, and a deep morass on the other. All would have gone well, had not a Frenchman in his little army fired his musket and deserted to the enemy. The Spaniards were roused, and Oglethorpe fell back to Frederica. "We are lost," said Oglethorpe.

will betray our weakness."

66

The traitor

The fertile brain of Noah Stevens was not slow in laying a plan whereby the evil could be turned to good account.