Today, the Georgia State Quarter Coin remembers when Oglethorpe fought the Spanish in a short but intense skirmish on July 5, 1742.
A Standard History of Georgia and Georgians by Lucian Lamar Knight, published in 1917, included three different accounts of the skirmish, beginning with General Oglethorpe’s:
=====
Another Spanish Fleet appeared the 28th off the Barr: by God’s blessing upon several measures taken I delayed their coming in till the 5th of July.
I raised another Troop of Rangers which with the other were of great service.
I took Capt. Thomson’s ship into the service for defence of the Harbour.
I embargoe’d all the Vessells, taking their men for the service, and gave large gifts and promises to the Indians so that every day we increased in numbers.
I gave large rewards to men who distinguished themselves upon any service, freed the servants, brought down the Highland Company, and Company of Boatmen, filled up as far as we had guns.
All the vessells being thus prepared on the 5th of July with a leading Gale and Spring Tide 36 sail of Spanish vessels run into the Harbour in line of Battle.
We cannonaded them very hotly from the Shipping and Batterys.
They twice attempted to board Capt. Thomson but were repulsed.
They also attempted to board the Schooner, but were repulsed by Capt. Dunbar with a Detachment of the Regiment on board.
I was with the Indians, Rangers, and Batterys, and sometimes on board the ships, and left Major Heron with the Regiment.
It being impossible for me to do my duty as General and be constantly with the Regiment, therefore it was absolutely necessary for His Majesty’s service to have a Lieut. Colonel present, which I was fully convinced of by this day’s experience. I therefore appointed Major Heron to be Lieut. Colonel, and hope that your Grace will move His Majesty to be pleased to approve the same.
The Spaniards after an obstinate Engagement of four hours, in which they lost abundance of men, passed all out Batterys and Shipping and got out of shot of them towards Frederica.
Our Guard Sloop was disabled and sunk; one of our Batterys blown up, and also some of our Men on board Capt. Thomson, upon which I called a Council of War at the head of the Regiment where it was unanimously resolved to march to Frederica to get there before the enemy and defend that Place: & To destroy all the provisions, Vessels, Artillery, &c., at St. Simon ‘s that they might not fall into the Enemy ‘s hands.
—–
July the 4th, they got under sail and came to in the right way off the Channel so that we expected to be attacked next day.
The General came on board of us and made a very handsome Speech encouraging us to stand by our Liberties and Country. For his part he was resolved to stand it out, and would not yield one inch to them tho’ they appeared so formidable.
He was convinced they were much superior in Numbers, but then he was sure his men were much better, and did not doubt (with the favour of God) but he would get the better.
We having but 10 seamen on board, the General sent us 100 Soldiers, and being well provided with warlike stores, were ready for twice the number of Spaniards.
There were several Vessels in the Harbour which we (as Commodore) placed in the following order, viz:
The Success, captain Thomson, 20 guns, 100 men, with springs upon our cable.
The General’s Schooner, 14 guns, 80 men, on our starboard bow.
The St. Philip Sloop, 14 guns, 50 men, on our starboard quarter.
8 York Sloops close in Shore with one man on board each in case of being overpowered, to sink or run them on shore.
July 5th. The Spanish Vessels got all under Sail and stood in. They sent two Quarter Galleys carrying 9 Pounders, and one Half Galley with two 18 Pounders in her bow to begin the Attack which were warmly received by the Fort, which exchanged several Shot with them.
The Wind and Tide both serving, they soon came up with us and fired upon us, which we returned very briskly. They attempted to come up under our stern, upon which I run out two 6 Pounders at the Stern Ports (they being the Guns I commanded) and fired upon her which made them lye upon their Oars, and drive with the Tide.
The Admiral came next and was saluted with our whole broad-side, then by the Schooner and Sloop, which made him sheer off from us.
In short we received all their Fire and returned the same very briskly, having fired near 300 Shot out of our Ship, they coming on one by one just gave us time to load, so that I believe there was not one Ship but had some Shot in her.
They fired at the York Sloops which had run aground. After, they came to anchor and landed a great many men, of which they had great Plenty.
The General sent us off Thanks for our brave Resistance and ordered his men ashore and us with what other Vessels could go to make the best of their way to Charles Town or anywhere to save the Vessels; upon which, we gott ourselves in train for going to sea, and cutting our Cable dropped down with the Tide.
The Schooner and Prize Sloop followed us, next morning got over the Bar, and said 4 Galleys standing after us, we got all ready for a second engagement, and having sea- room, would have made a market of them, but they did not care to come over the Bar.
All that night saw several fires, and a sloop blow up, which proved the General destroying all that might be of service to the Enemy, intending to march all his men to frederica and there hold it out.
—–
On the 28th of June, 1742, thirty three Spanish Vessels appeared off the Bar.
The General staid at St. Simon’s taking all possible measures for the Defence of the Harbour, and opposed them in such a manner that they could not become Masters of the Bar ’till 5th instant when they entered the Harbour in line of Battle ahead.
The General’s Disposition of the Land Troops prevented the Spaniards from Landing. The General’s three Vessels, with Captn Thomson’s Ship, fought stoutly.
The Officers and Men in the Merchant Service, as well as those of the Regiment behaved with the greatest courage. After three hours’ fight by the Land Batteries as well as the Vessels, the Spanish Fleet broke all through and made for Frederica, but in a very Shatter’d condition, which obliged the General immediately to send the Regiment for the defence of that Place, and followed in the rear himself, and before he would leave St. Simon’s, had all the Cannon, Magazines, &c., burst and destroyed, and sent out such Vessels as were on float to sea, the Harbour having been left open by the Spaniards running up the River.
The loss is very considerable, and chiefly owing to the want of Artillery, Engineers, good Gunners, and Ships of Force, — the Officers of the Regiment, Sailors, Indians, &c., having done all that men could do for their numbers.
The General himself was everywhere but chiefly at the Main Battery and Shipping, Major Herpn being with the Regiment on Shore, and Col. Cook at Charles Town, by leave of Absence by reason of sickness, on his way to England. The General is preparing to make the best defence he can in this Place.
=====
The Georgia State Quarter Coin shows with an image of a statue of James Edward Oglethorpe by Daniel C. French.
