A history of Savannah and South Georgia : volume I

/A HISTORY OF
SAVANNAH
AND
SOUTH GEORGIA
BY WILLIAM HARDEN
f,
VOLUME
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913
1340 U 65

FOREWORD
The preparation of this history of Savannah was undertaken in response to the urgent request of the publishers who believe there is a demand for it. The writer has been repeatedly asked by others to write such a work, and has now finished the task, sending it forth with the hope that it will measure up to the standard set for it by his friends. He does not claim that it is complete or that it is free from errors. It contains matter here and there which has been heretofore overlooked by other writers in the same field; and it has been his aim always to give, in disputed questions, the evidence which appears to carry with it the greatest weight. Believing that it will meet a long felt want, he hopes that it will prove useful in its place, and craves the indulgence of the reader in the matter of any defects which may be discovered.
SAVANNAH, GA., March 25, 1913.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I FOUNDING OF SAVANNAH
ORIGIN OP NAME--SAVANNAH TOWN FOUNDED--FORETHOUGHT OP OGLETHORPE--His PRISON REFORM RECORD--ORIGIN OP SAVANNAH .. 1
CHAPTER II COMING OF THE OGLETHORPE COLONY SAILING AND LANDING OF THE COLONY--MESSAGE AND ASSISTANCE PROM SOUTH CAROLINA--OGLETHORPE's REASONS FOR SELECTING SITE-- HUTCHINSON's ISLAND. .................................... 9
CHAPTER III FOUNDING IN DETAIL THE GOOD SOUTH CAROLINA FRIENDS--STAUNCH COL. WILLIAM BULLMOORE'S DESCRIPTION OF SAVANNAH--PROGRESS OP THE INFANT TOWN AND COLONY--SAVANNAH'S ORIGINAL SITE--THE GRANTEES.... 15
CHAPTER IV OGLETHORPE AND THE INDIANS INDIAN STATUS WHEN THE COLONY CAME--FIRST CONFERENCE WITH NATIVES--TRUSTEES' GREETINGS TO THE LOWER CREEKS--DECLARA TION OF LOWER CREEK NATION--EVIDENCES OP MUTUAL REGARD--THE GOOD CHIEF ToMO-Cffl-CHi................................ 31

vi

CONTENTS

CHAPTER V THE JEWISH ELEMENT

ATTITUDE TOWARD HEBREW COLONISTS--THRIFTY, INDUSTRIOUS AND HON EST PEOPLE--RECORD BY JEWISH DESCENDANT--JEWISH CONGREGATIONS AND SYNAGOGUES--HEBREW BURIAL GROUNDS--EARLY VINE YARD OF A PORTUGUESE JEW--BOTH PROGRESSIVE AND PATRIOTIC 44

CHAPTER VI
SALZBURG AND SILK
ACCESSION OF SALZBURG (GERMAN PROTESTANT) COLONISTS--ENCOURAG ING THE SILK INDUSTRY--THE FILATURE BUILDINGS--DRAWBACKS IN SURMOUNTABLE ........................................... 53
CHAPTER VII
ORIGINAL SAVANNAH DESCRIBED
FEEDING AND HOUSING OF FIRST COLONISTS--FATHER OGLETHORPE-- GORDON'S FIRST TOWN PLAT--PIONEER POINTS OF INTEREST--NAMES OF FIRST STREETS--THE TRUSTEES' GARDEN. ................. 59

CHAPTER VIII
RELIGIOUS, MORAL AND INDUSTRIAL
PIONEER CHURCHES--OGLETHORPE RETURNS TO ENGLAND--UNPOPULAR COLONIAL DEPUTY--INTOXICATED WITH POWER AND PRIDE--ANTI-RUM AND ANTI-SLAVE LAWS--THE TRUSTEES AGAINST SLAVERY--WHITEFIELD IN FAVOR OF SLAVERY................................. 64

CHAPTER IX
JOHN AND CHARLES WESLEY
JOHN WESLEY AND His LABORS--ABUSE OF WESLEY--NEW '' SECRFTARY OF THE TRUST"--WESLEY AND SOPHIA (HOPKINS) WILLIAMSON--MR, WESLEY's STATEMENT OF THE TROUBLE--THE TRUSTEES TREAT THE MATTER LIGHTLY--CHARLES WESLEY DEPARTS FOR ENGLAND--WHITEFIELD SUCCEEDS JOHN WESLEY .............................. 70

CONTENTS

vii

CHAPTER X
DARK COLONIAL CHAPTER
OGLETHORPE'S ADMINISTRATION APPROVED BY ENGLISH TRUSTEES--FORTI FYING GEORGIA'S SOUTHERN FRONTIER--PROMOTED TO "GENERAL" OGLETHORPE--CAUSTON'S FINANCES GO WRONG--OGLETHORPE'S SELFSACRIFICE--THE FALL OF CAUSTON. .....................;... 86

CHAPTER XI
RELIGION, COMMERCE AND DEFENCE
COMING OF WHITEFIELD, WESLEY'S SUCCESSOR--JAMES HABERSHAM, His SUCCESSOR--FRANKLIN AND OGLETHORPE ON THE ORPHAN HOME-- HARRIS AND HABERSHAM, MERCHANTS--PIONEERS, BUT NOT THE FIRST --IN DEFENSE OF THE COLONY--SECURING THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE CREEKS--THE DEATH OF TOMO-CHI-CHI. ..................... 93

CHAPTER XII
LAST OF OGLETHORPE ADMINISTRATION
FINAL REPULSE OF THE SPANIARDS--GEORGIA DIVIDED INTO Two COUN TIES--FIRST MEETING OF SAVANNAH COUNTY BOARD--OGLETHORPE'S LAST OFFICIAL APPEARANCE--CHANGES IN LAND TENURES--WILLIAM STEPHENS, 'COLONIAL PRESIDENT--BEAULIEU (BEWILE) FOUNDED BY STEPHENS--THE CREEK-BOSOMWORTH IMBROGLIO--RENEWED FRIEND SHIP ALMOST SEVERED--FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT OF TROUBLE--OGLE THORPE'S LAST DAYS IN GEORGIA. ........................... 105

CHAPTER XIII
EARLY CIVIL GOVERNMENT
HENRY PARKER, COLONIAL PRESIDENT--THE FIRST COLONIAL ASSEMBLY-- THE MILITIA--EARLY MEASURES TO ESTABLISH THE COLONY--PATRICK GRAHAM SUCCEEDS PRESIDENT PARKER. ..................... 116

CHAPTER; XIV
CIVIL, RELIGIOUS AND ROYAL
GOVERNOR JOHN REYNOLDS (1754)--CHANGES UNDER NEW GOVERNMENT --GOVERNOR REYNOLDS ARRIVES--GUBERNATORIAL PROCLAMATION--

i

CONTENTS

COLLAPSE OF COUNCIL HOUSE--NEW COUNCIL HOUSE--NOTES FROM AN EARLY "PLAN OF SAVANNAH"--REYNOLDS' ADMINISTRATION DISAP POINTING--HENRY ELLIS SUCCEEDS REYNOLDS--JAMES WRIGHT FOL LOWS ELLIS--PROVINCE DIVIDED INTO PARISHES--SECOND SAVANNAH CHURCH (CHRIST CHURCH PARISH)--INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH--LUTHERAN CHURCH ORGANIZED--GEORGE III SUCCEEDS GEORGE II--PUBLIC CEREMONIES PROCLAIMING NEW SOVEREIGN. 122

CHAPTER XV
GEORGIA'S LAST ROYAL GOVERNOR
WRIGHT's GOOD TRAITS--RISING DISCONTENT AGAINST ROYALTY--PROS PEROUS CONDITION OF COLONY--SUNBURY--SPIRIT OF SEDITION IN GEORGIA--GOVERNOR WRIGHT's DILEMMA--REPEAL OF THE STAMP ACT ACKNOWLEDGED--FRANKLIN, GEORGIA'S BRITISH AGENT--RENEWED PROTESTS AGAINST BRITISH ACTS--HOUSE RESENTS WRIGHT's INTER FERENCE ................................................. 145

CHAPTER XVI
PROGRESS TOWARD INDEPENDENCE
COUNCIL AND HOUSE DIFFER--GOVERNOR WEIGHT DISSOLVES ASSEMBLY-- THE STATE OF THE PROVINCE (1773)--THE FORTS--SAVANNAH PUTS UP A LIBERTY TREE, JUNE 2, 1775--GOVERNOR WTRIGHT FORBIDS PUB LIC MEETING--MEETING. HELD--THE "LIBERTY BOYS"--DISSENT TO RESOLUTIONS OF AUGUST 10, 1774--"LIBERTY BOYS" WORRY ROYAL COUNCIL--STEPS LEADING TO GEORGIA'S INDEPENDENCE. ........ 161

CHAPTER XVII
EVENTS PRECEDING THE REVOLUTION
"LIBERTY BOYS" RAID POWDER MAGAZINE--MEETINGS OF PROTESTING CITIZENS--ADDRESS OF PROVINCIAL CONGRESS--GEORGIA RECEIVED INTO THE UNION--UNPLEASANT FOR ROYALISTS--CONTINENTAL BATTALION FOR GEORGIA--ON THE EVE OF THE REVOLUTION ............... 177

CHAPTER XVIII -
COMMENCEMENT OF ACTUAL WAR
GOVERNOR WRIGHT's ARREST AND ESCAPE--GEORGIA'S TEMPORARY CON STITUTION--CONFLICT BETWEEN ROYAL TROOPS AND MILITIA--EXPOR-

CONTENTS

ix

TATION OP RICE STOPPED--ROYALISTS ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE RICE BOATS--ONLY Two VESSELS ESCAPE TO SEA--COUNCIL OF SAFETY TAKES HEROIC MEASURES--CONGRESS THANKS COLONIAL MILITIA-- WEIGHT GOES TO ENGLAND AND RETURNS TO SAVANNAH--JOHN GRA HAM AND THUNDERBOLT--SAVANNAH'S FIRST "FOURTH OF JULY" (AUGUST IOTH) .......................................... 190

CHAPTER XIX
SAVANNAH HELD BY BRITISH
CAPTURE OF SAVANNAH BY BRITISH--DISPOSITION OF AMERICAN FORCES-- THE BRITISH ENTER SAVANNAH--PROCLAMATION OF ROYALISTS--COM ING OF THE FRENCH FLEET--D'ESTAING DEMANDS SURRENDER OF SAVANNAH--BRITISH DEFENCE OF SAVANNAH--COMBINED FRENCHAMERICAN ADVANCE--ALLIED FORCES BOMBARD SAVANNAH--HUMAN ITY AND OBSTINACY--DISASTER TO THE ALLIES--COUNT PULASKI'S DEATH WOUND--THE SIEGE FROM A BRITISH STANDPOINT. ...... 202

CHAPTER XX
SAVANNAH AGAIN AMERICAN
ROYAL CIVIL GOVERNMENT FEEBLE--AFFAIRS MANAGED BY WRIGHT AND COUNCIL--AUGUSTA SURRENDERED TO THE AMERICANS--ROYAL CAUSE GETTING DARK--WRIGHT ;s PITIABLE MENTAL CONDITION--AMERICAN TROOPS AT GATES OF SAVANNAH--WAYNE's TERMS FOR BRITISH EVACUATION--NATHANIEL GREENE AND His SERVICES--CONFISCATED BRITISH ESTATES--"MULBERRY GROVE" MADE OVER TO GREENE-- ANTHONY WAYNE AND His SERVICES--GREENE VISITS " MULBERRY GROVE"--DEATH AND FUNERAL OF GENERAL GREENE--WAYNE ;s GEORGIA RESIDENCE ALSO SHORT ............................ 231

CHAPTER XXI
AS A CHARTERED CORPORATION
REGULAR MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION--SAMUEL ELBERT AND JONATHAN BRYAN--OLDEST ARTILLERY COMPANY IN GEORGIA--WASHINGTON'S VISIT TO SAVANNAH--WASHINGTON'S ACCOUNT OF His SOUTHERN TOUR--MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUED--DISASTROUS FIRE OF 1796--CHATHAM ACADEMY--THE GEORGIA HUSSARS--THE OLD EX CHANGE--MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS, 1797-1802--VISIT OF AARON BURRTERRIFIC STORM OF 1804--PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR OF 1812. 255

x

CONTENTS

CHAPTER XXII
THE WAR OF 1812
FORT WAYNE--LOCAL MILITIA READY TO ACT--STRENGTHENING THE FORT WAYNE WORKS--CELEBRATING THE WARRINGTON AND PORTER NAVAL VICTORIES--VIGOROUS PREPARATIONS FOR RESISTING BRITISH ATTACK --THE "MARTELLO TOWER"--CELEBRATING THE BATTLE OP NEW ORLEANS--PEACE DECLARED ............................... 274

CHAPTER XXIII
DECADE OF NOTED EVENTS
VISIT OF MONROE AND CALHOUN--THE NEW INDEPENDENT CHURCH--THE GREAT FIRE OF 1820--YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC (ALSO 1820)--LOCAT ING THE BURIAL PLACE OF NATHANAEL GREENE--CITY AFFAIRS CON TINUED--DRY CULTURE CONTRACTS--WINFIELD SCOTT AND DAVID PORTER, SAVANNAH'S GUESTS--RECEPTION OF LA FAYETTE--ME MORIALS TO GENERAL GREENE AND COUNT PULASKI--MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1821-24--CANAL PROJECT INAUGURATED--FORT PULASKI COMMENCED ............................................. 282

CHAPTER XXIV
AS A MILITARY POST
LOCATING THE OGLETHORPE BARRACKS (1834)--MILITARY PARADE GROUND --MILITARY HEADQUARTERS OF CONFEDERACY--UNITED STATES TAKES OGLETHORPE BARRACKS--HISTORY OF FIRST GEORGIA VOLUNTEER, CONTINUED--MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1826-1834............. 312

CHAPTER XXV
CENTRAL RAILROAD OF GEORGIA
SURVEY FROM SAVANNAH TO MACON--MACON DEPOT OPENED FOR BUSI NESS--WILLIAM W. GORDON, FIRST PRESIDENT--FIRST YEAR'S OPERA,TIONS--CELEBRATING THE COMPLETION TO MACON--CONNECTING SAVANNAH WITH AUGUSTA--OCMULGEE AND FLINT RIVER RAILROADTHE MONROE RAILROAD--STATUS OF RAILROADS IN 1842--MEMORIAL TO W. W. GORDON--THE SAVANNAH HOSPITX\L. ............... 325

CONTENTS

xi

CHAPTER XXVI

THE "PULASKI" DISASTER

NEWSPAPER MENTION OF BOAT--STATEMENTS BY FRANCIS SORREL, AGENT --ADVERTISING THE FATAL TRIP--FIRST NEWS OF DISASTER--POEM ON THE LOST " PULASKI "..................................... 334

CHAPTER XXVII
GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
DR. ARNOLD'S ACCOUNT OF ITS ORIGIN--ACT OF INCORPORATION--I. K. TEFFT, MOVING SPIRIT--DR. HARNEY'S FAREWELL--CHARTER MEM BERS--SECURING PERMANENT QUARTERS--FIRST' STEAMSHIP TO CROSS ATLANTIC--BURNING OF FILATURE BUILDING--BINDING THE CITY TOGETHER ................................................ 341

CHAPTER XXVIII
CITY AND COUNTY INSTITUTIONS
CITY MARKET HOUSES--FIRST CITY JAIL--COUNTY JAIL IN CONTROL OF CITY--COUNTY JAIL OF 1846--DEATH OF ANDREW JACKSON .... 354

CHAPTER XXIX
THE MEXICAN WAR
SAVANNAH'S PROMPT RESPONSE--"JASPER GREENS" OFF FOR MEXICOAID FROM THE CITY COUNCIL--PUBLIC FUNERAL OF COLONEL Mo INTOSH--THE SEMINOLE WAR OF 1836...................... 361

CHAPTER XXX
CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS
DRY CULTURE AS HEALTH PRECAUTION--NEW LAUREL GROVE CEMETERYCLOSING THE OLD COLONIAL CEMETERY--QUESTION OF FIRST JEWISH BURIAL PLACE--LAUREL GROVE CEMETERY DEDICATED--THE PULASKI MONUMENT--MONUMENT DELIVERED TO COMMISSIONERS--THE NATHANAEL GREENE MONUMENT--LOCATING THE REMAINS OF NATHANAEL GREENE ................................................... 365

xii

CONTENTS

CHAPTER XXXI
INTERESTING CITY EVENTS
PIONEER THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE (1783)--FIRST REGULAR THEATRE OPENED--THEATRE DESCRIBED--OLD AND PRESENT THEATRE SIMILAR --MACREADY'S IMPRESSIONS--SAVANNAH AND OGEECHEE CANALFIRST TELEGRAPHIC DISPATCHES--PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY--FIRST SUR VEY FOR WATER WORKS--CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERS APPOINTED--DE SCRIPTION OF WORKS (1854)--SYSTEM IN USE FROM 1854 TO 1892-- PRESENT ARTESIAN WELL SYSTEM--LIGHTING OF THE STREETS-- MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1835-1850--PROBABLY FIRST NEWSPAPER EXTRA ................................................... 385

CHAPTER XXXII
HONORS TO LIVING AND DEAD
HONORS TO DISTINGUISHED DEAD--RECEPTION TO HENRY CLAY--PUBLIC MOURNING FOR ANDREW JACKSON--SHEFTALL SHEFTALL, OLD REVO LUTIONARY SOLDIER--ARMORY OF CHATHAM ARTILLERY--VISIT OF EXPRESIDENT POLK--DANIEL WEBSTER, CITY'S GUEST--HONORS TO JOHN C. CALHOUN AND ZACHARY TAYLOR. ......................... 400

CHAPTER XXXIII
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND NOTED EVENTS
MAKESHIFT CUSTOM HOUSES--PRESENT BUILDING COMPLETED IN 1850-- FORSYTE PARK--ATLANTIC COAST LINE RAILROAD SYSTEM--WEL COME TO MlLLARD FlLLMORE--ANOTHER YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC (1854)--STORM ADDS TERRORS TO EPIDEMIC--RESULTANT SANITARY MEASURES -- SAVANNAH BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION -- SAVANNAH'S
. PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM--THE MASSIE POOR SCHOOL FUND--THE MASSIE COMMON SCHOOL--BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ORGANIZED (1866) .................................................. 409

CHAPTER XXXIV
SAVANNAH RIVER AND HARBOR
IMPROVEMENT OF SAVANNAH RIVER AND HARBOR--PROPOSAL THAT CITY ISSUE BONDS--APPROPRIATION BY CONGRESS--LIGHT HOUSE ERECTED ON BAY STREET--VISIT OF EX-PRESIDENT FILLMORE--PRESIDENT PIERCE INVITED--THACKERAY'S VISIT AND His ACCOUNT OF THE CITY --RESPECT PAID BY THE PUBLIC TO MEMORY OF HENRY CLAY AND

CONTENTS

xiii

GOVERNOR TROUP--ACTION OF COUNCIL IN HONORING PROMINENT CITIZENS ................................................ 420

CHAPTER XXXV
INCIDENTS PRECEDING CIVIL WAR
CASE OF THE SLAVE YACHT WANDERER--PROSECUTION CONDUCTED BY DIST. ATTY. JOSEPH GANAHL--QUOTATION FROM ACCOUNT OF HON. H. R. JACKSON--EXCITEMENT PRECEDING SECESSION OF GEORGIA --PROMPT ACTION OF Gov. J. E. BROWN--OLMSTEAD'S ACCOUNTSECESSION OF GEORGIA--GOVERNOR BROWN'S FIRM STAND ON SEIZURE OF GUNS BY NEW YORK POLICE--BARTOW'S WARM AND MANLY REPLY TO THE GOVERNOR--His DEATH WHILE " ILLUSTRATING GEORGIA"-- HONORING BARLOW'S REMAINS--GEN. R. E. LEE IN COMMAND AT SAVANNAH--NON-COMBATANT CITIZENS ARMED FOR DEFENSE OF CITY .................................................... 429

CHAPTER XXXVI
LITERATURE, ETC.
SAVANNAH'S LITERARY CIRCLE--SOME MEN OF LETTERS AND THEIR WORK --G. W. J. DE RENNE AND THE WORMSLOE PUBLICATIONS--OTHER WRITERS--MAYORS AND ALDERMEN CONTINUED ............... 446

CHAPTER XXXVII
SAVANNAH DURING CIVIL WAR
MAYOR PURSE'S REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR--FALL OF FORT PULASKI--HOLDING OF FORT MCALLISTER NECESSARY TO DEFENSE OF SAVANNAH--MAJ. JOHN B. GALLIE KILLED--ADDRESS OF MAYOR ARNOLD TO CITIZENS--FALL OF FORT MCALLISTER--EVACUATION OF SAVANNAH--SPECIAL ORDER OF GEN. SHERMAN--RESOLUTIONS OF COUNCIL SEEKING PROTECTION OF CITIZENS--FAMILIES OF CONFED ERATE OFFICERS REQUIRED TO LEAVE. ........................ 453

CHAPTER XXXVIII
RECONSTRUCTION
GENEROSITY OF BOSTONIANS AND OTHERS--MAYOR ANDERSON'S REPORT ON CONDITION OF CITY AT END OF WAR--BOARD OF EDUCATION

v

CONTENTS

CHARTERED--ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS TAKEN INTO PUBLIC SCHOOL
SYSTEM--CHARTER AMENDED TO INCLUDE EDUCATION OF COLORED PEOPLE .................................................. 466

CHAPTER XXXIX
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES
BEGINNING OF COTTON CULTURE IN GEORGIA--RAPID GROWTH OF COTTON BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH--SAVANNAH SECOND COTTON PORT IN THE WORLD--FIGURES SHOWING BUSINESS OF SEVERAL DECADES-- NAVAL STORES AND IMPORTANT TRADE--SAVANNAH'S BUSINESS RECORD FOR PAST FOUR YEARS--CENTRAL OF GEORGIA RAILWAY--ITS FIRST PRESIDENT, W. W. GORDON--SAVANNAH'S BANKS--SAVANNAH AND THE PANAMA CANAL. ...................................... 471

CHAPTER XL
INTERESTING ITEMS
LIST OF MEMBERS OF COUNCIL CONTINUED--VISIT OF GENERAL GRANTSAVANNAH'S SESQUI-CENTENNIAL--JASPER MONUMENT--DEATH OF HON. JOHN SCREVEN--SAVANNAH AND THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR --SOUTH BOUND RAILROAD--PUBLIC LIBRARY ESTABLISHED AND CITY HALL BUILT--TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES--RAILROAD TO TYBEE ISLAND ......................................... 482

CHAPTER XLI
CHURCHES AND ORGANIZED BODIES
CHURCHES OF SAVANNAH--BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES--OTHER ORGANIZED BODIES--STREETS AND SQUARES--OGLETHORPE MONUMENT--MIDWAY CHURCH AND MONUMENT TO GENERALS SCREVEN AND STEWART. .. 494

CHAPTER XLII
THE LEGAL AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONS
EARLY LAWYERS AND DOCTORS--SOME PROMINENT LAWYERS OF A LATER PERIOD--COLONIAL PHYSICIANS--THE PROFESSION AT THE PRESENT TIME .................................................... 502

CONTENTS

xv

CHAPTER XLIII
THE MILITARY SPIRIT
FIRST VOLUNTEER REGIMENT---FIELD, STAFF, AND COMPANY OFFICERS TODAY--MASONIC SOCIETIES--OTHER BENEVOLENT SOCIETIESPATRIOTIC SOCIETIES--NOTABLE SPOTS MARKED BY MEMORIAL TABLETS, ETC.---GEORGIA SOCIETY OF COLONIAL WARS--GEORGIA SOCIETY SONS OF THE REVOLUTION--SAVANNAH'S NEWSPAPERS. .............. 507

CHAPTER XLIV
CITIES OF SOUTH GEORGIA
BRUNSWICK -- COLUMBUS -- WAYCROSS -- BLACKSHEAR -- VALDOSTA AND HAHIRA--TOWNS IN BROOKS COUNTY--THOMASVILLE--BAXLEY-- SYLVESTER AND ASHBURN--ADEL AND NASHVILLE--STATESBOROUGH-- TOWNS IN TOOMBS COUNTY--OTHER TOWNS--CONCLUDING RE MARKS ........................................ .......... 516

INDEX

Aaron Burr, visit of, 269 Abbeville, 525 Abuse of Wesley, 73 Accession of Salzburg colonists, 53 Account of the progress of colonists, 10 Action of council in honoring prominent
citizens, 427 Act of incorporation of Georgia His
torical Society, 342 Adams, Cason F., 964 Adams, Charles E., 716 Adams, James C., 835 Adams, Thomas, 969, Address of Mayor Arnold to citizens,
457 Address of provincial congress, 179 Address to Governor Wright, 156 Address to Washington, 259 Adel, 523 Adoption of the ordinance of secession,
437 "Advertiser," 515 Advertising the fatal trip of "Pulaski,"
337
"A Farewell to Savannah," 344 Affairs managed by Wright and coun
cil, 234
Agricultural School, Tifton (view), 187 Aid from the city council, 362 Alabama Press Association, 487 Albany, 528 Alderman, Ansel, 841 Alderman, Byron A., 1029 Alderman, E^ekiel, 842 Aldermen, 1790, 258; 1797-1802, 269;
1804-1820, 292; 1821-1824, 310; 18261834, 323; 1835-1850, 396; 1850-1866, 450; 1867-1913, 482 Allied forces bombard Savannah, 217 American troops at gates of Savannah, 237 Americus, 525 Ancient Order of Hibernians, 510 Anderson, Jefferson R., 681 Anderson, Robert H., 486 Anti-rum and anti-slave laws, 66

Appling county, 522 Appropriation by congress, 423 Ard, George W., 991 Armory of Chatham Artillery, 404 Armstrong, George F., 699 Arnold, Richard D., 448, 583 Arnold's account of origin of Georgia
Historical Society, 341 Articles of Association, 178 Ashburn, 523 Assignment of lots, 26 Assistance from South Carolina, 11 Associated Charities, 510 Associated Charities organized, 500 Atkinson, David S., 582 Atkinson, Marcus H., 846 Atlantic Coast Line R. R., 410 Atlantic Coast Line System, 472, 519 Attitude toward Hebrew colonists, 44 Attwill, Charles W., 961 Augusta surrendered to the Americans,
235 Austin, Frank M., 882 Austin, George W., 883 Austin, William G., 697 Avera, Mary, 751 Avera, Randolph, 750 Avera, William G., 974
Bagley, James B., 768 Bainbridge, 528 Baker, Marcus S., 616 Baldwin, Daniel H., 608 Baldwin, George J., 610 Bank of Commerce, 478 Bank of Savannah, 478 Bank of the State of Georgia, 477 Baptist church, 494 Barfield, Robert E., 953 Barfield, Sampson B., 1022 Barnard, James M., 703 Barney, 522 Barrow, David C., 622 Barrow, Joshua, 988 Bartow's death, 442 Bartow, Francis S., 487

INDEX

Bartow's warm and manly reply to governor, 438
Barwick, 522 Baxley, 522 Beasley, David A., 801 Beasley, Thomas, 803 Beaty, John P., 997 Beaulieu (Bewlie) founded by Stephens,
109 Beautiful roads through the pines,
Tifton (view), 377 Beckham, Robert Y., 728 Beginning of cotton culture in Georgia,
471 . Bell, Charles G., 616 Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks, 511 Benevolent societies, 498 Ben Hill, 526 Berrien county, 523 Berrien, John M., 449 Berry, Alpha C., 822 Berry, Edward J., 895 Binding the city together, 351 Bishop, James, Sr., 786 Bivins, Thomas F., 1014 Blackshear, 520 Blackshear Institute, 520 Blakely, 529 Blalock, Laurence J., 924 Blandford, Mark H., 1033 Bloodworth, Francis D., 606 Blun, Henry, 695 Board of education chartered, 469 Board of Public Education for the City
of Savannah, 469 Board of Public Education organized
(1866), 418 Board of Trade established, 500 Bond, Andrew J., 858 Bosomworth, Thomas, 110
Boston, 522 Boston Port Bill, 166 Boulder in memory of Indian Chief Tomo-
chi-chi, 500, 512 Bourn, James R., 1077 Bourne, William H., 719 Bower, Robert E. L., 831 Bozeman, John D., 819 Bradley, Daniel M., 890 Bradley, Walter E., 956 Bremer, Frederika, 448 British defense of Savannah, 212 British enter Savannah, 206 Brooks, county, 521 Brown, David B., 499 Brown, Joseph E., headquarters (view),
438 Brown, Nathan A., 950 Brown, Walter G., 735 Brown's firm stand on seizure of guns
by New York police, 437 Brunner, William F., 655

Brunswick, 516 Bryan, Jonathan, 158, 159, 257 Buena Vista, 528 Bull, Colonel, 196 Bulloch, 524 Bulloch, Archibald, 161, 179, 200 Burial Grounds, 49 Burney, John G., 814 Burning of Filature building, 350 Burroughs, William B., 1074 Business and industries, 471 Bussell, James A., 736 Bussell, J. Monroe, 755
Cairo, 528 Cameron, Joseph W., 859 Camilla, 528 Canal project inaugurated, 311 Capital, surplus, etc., of banks, 479 Capture of Fort McAllister, 455 Capture of Savannah by the British, 203 Carnegie Library, Americus (view), 444 Carson, John A. G., 576 Carter, Jeremiah C., 923 Carter, John R., 1031 Case of the slave yacht Wanderer, 429 Castell, Robert, 7 Catholic churches, 496 Catholic Knights of America, 510 Causton, Thomas, 65, 74, 86, 89 Causton's Bluff, 65 Causton's fall, 91 Causton's finances go wrong, 89 Celebrating the battle of New Orleans,
280 Celebrating the completion of road to
Macon, 329 Celebrating the Warrington and Porter
naval victories, 278 Cemeteries and memorials, 365 Centennial of Chatham Artillery, 500 Central of Georgia R. R., 476, 493 Central Railroad, 472 Central Railroad and Banking Company,
478, 493 Central Railroad and Banking Company
of Georgia, 477 Central Railroad of Georgia, 325, 529 Changes under new government, 122 Chapman, David F., 933 Charleston, 12 Charlton, Robert M., 558 Charlton, Thomas U. P., 557 Charlton, Walter G., 558 Charter amended to include education of
colored people, 470 Charter members of Georgia Historical
Society, 345 Chartered corporation, 255 Chastain, John T., 1042 Chatham Academy, 265 Chatham Light Artillery, 258, 262, 383,
404, 427

INDEX

Chatham Bank, 478

Coming of the French fleet, 208

Chatham county, 432

Coming of Whitefield, 93

Chatham County Court House erected, Common council, 24

500

Commodore Decatur, 400

Chatham County Court House (view), Commencement of actual war, 190

499 Chatham Dime Savings Bank, 478

Commercial Bank, 478 Commercial Row, 409

Chattahoochee in harness, Columbus Commercial statistics, 475

(view), 517

Commissioners for trade and plantations,

Cheatham, Walter B., 1035

146

Children of the Confederacy, 511

Concluding remarks, 529

China, William T., 951

Cone, Ansel B., 804

Christ church, 497

Confederate monument erected, 500

Christ church parish, 133

Confederate monument, Savannah

Christian church, 497

(view), 461

Christian, George R., 1068

Confederate Veterans' Associations, 511

Christian Science church, 497

Confiscated British estates, 243

Churches and organized bodies, 494

Conflict between royal troops and militia,

Churches for the colored people, 497

193

Churches of Savannah, 494

Congregation B'nai B'rith Jacob, 49

Church of St. John the Baptist, 496

Congress thanks Colonial militia, 198

Cities of South Georgia, 516

Connecting Savannah with Augusta, 329

Citizens and Southern Bank of Savannah, Conoley, William B., 783

478

Construction engineers appointed, 393

Citizen's Trust Company, 478

Continental battalion for Georgia, 188

City affairs continued, 292

Continental Congress, 175

City and county institutions, 354

Cooper, Joseph J., 770

City Exchange, erected in 1799 (view), Cordele, 525

268

Corish, Nicholas P., 723

City Hall, 267

Cotton Exchange, 477

City Hall built, 489

Cotton Exchange organized, 500

City Light Guard, 436

Cotton statistics, 473

City market houses, 354

Cotton yards and docks, Savannah

City of Savannah, 256

(view), 480

Civil government, early, 116

Council and house differ, 161

Civil, religious and royal, 122

Council house, collapse of, 125

Clark, John B., 793

Council, Malcolm B., 995

Clay, Henry, 401, 427

Council of Safety takes heroic measures,

Clayton, 529

197

Clements, John, 836

Count d'Estaing, 208

Cleveland, Morgan H., 731

County jail in control of city, 356

Cleveland, Oliver C., 980

County jail of 1846, 357

Closing the Old Colonial Cemetery, 368 Cox, John M., 912

Glower, W. L. Pierce, 937

Crane, Horace A., 690

Clubs and societies, 499

Crane, William N., 821

Clyde, 528

Crawford, William B., 675

Coast Rifles, 436

Creek-Bosomworth Imbroglio, 110

Cocke, John F., 1040

Crisp, 525

Colding, Robert L., 1041

Crutchfield, Ivey P., 928

Collins Hotel begun, 500

Cultivation of the grape vine, 47

Colonel Mclntosh, public funeral, 363

Culture as health precaution, 365

Colonel William Bull, 11, 16, 17

Cumbest, Adam J., 998

Colonial physicians, 503

Gumming', Joseph, 496

Colonial presidents, 108, 116

Cunningham, Henry C., 674

Colquitt, 528

Curry, C. C., 955

Colquitt County Court House, Moultrie Custom house, 409

(view), 147 '

Cuthbert, 528

Colquitt, William K, 899

"Columbian Museum and Savanah Ad c'Daily Georgian," 514

vertiser," 514 Columbus, 518

"Daily Journal," 515 "Daily Times," 515

Combined French-American advance, 215 Daniell, William C., 427

Coming of the Oglethorpe colony, 9

Darby, V. L., 958

INDEX

Darien, 528 Dark colonial chapter, 86 Darling, Thomas J., 896 Daughters of Isabella, 511 Daughters of the Confederacy, 511 Davenport, Daniel F., 1052 Davenport, James A., 924 Davidson, William M., 565 Davis, Charles A., 671 Davis, George B., 725 Davis, William E., 951 Davis, William V., 621 Dawson, 528 Deal, Albert M., 753 Death and funeral of General Greene,
250 Death of Andrew Jackson, 359 Death of Honorable John Screven, 488 Death of Tomo-chi-chi, 102 Decade of noted events, 282 Decatur, Commodore, 400
Decker ward, 23, 29 Declaration by Lower Creek nation, 36 Deed of conveyance to General Greene,
245 Defense of the colony, 101 DeKalb Riflemen, 455 Delegates elected, 436 Delegates to continental congress, 191
Dell, Sidney D., 962 de Lyon, Abraham, 47 Derby ward, 23, 29 De Renne, George W. J., 449 DeRenne, G. W. J., and the Wormsloe
publications, 448 De Renne, Wymberley J., 533 Description of waterworks (1854), 394 DeSoto, The, 500 D'Estaing demands surrender of Savan
nah, 209 Development of the Hutchinson's Island,
14 Dillon, William C., 904 Dinner given in honor of LaFayette, 303 Disaster to the allies, 219 Disastrous fire of 1796, 264 Disastrous plague, 291 Disposition of American forces, 204 Dissent to resolutions of August 10,1774,
173 Distance from Savannah to Panama
canal, 481 Dixie, 522 Dixon, James M., 687 Dixon, Llewellyn R., 868 Dodge county, 527 Dodge county court house, Eastman
(view), 526 Donations for the relief of all volunteers,
443 "Don't Tread on Me," 433 Dooly county, 525 Dorris, William H., 777

Dorsett, Charles H., 652 Douglas, 529 Dowdy, Aaron W., 1071 Dozier, WTalter S., 1028 Dry culture contracts, 294 Dublin, 527 Duke, Willis J., 1012 Dukes, John W., 816 Duren, George L., 855 Duren, James W., 971
Early lawyers and doctors, 502 Early measures to establish the colony,
118 Early vineyard of a Portuguese Jew, 50 Eastman, 527 Edmondson, G rover C., 884 Edwards, Charles G., 549 Edwards, Milton H., 1032 Eighth Georgia Regiment, 442 Elbert county, 501 Elbert, Samuel, 257 Ellaville, 529 Elliott, Stephen, 497 Ellis, Henry, Esq., 130 Ellis, Henry, succeeds Reynolds, 130 Emanuel, John H., 948 Emerson, Henry A., 966 Encouraging the silk industry, 56 Episcopal Orphans' Home, 498 Erection of monument to Sergt. William
Jasper, 500 Evacuation of Fort Moultrie, 434 Evacuation of Savannah, 459 Evans, Benjamin F., 1007 "Evening Journal," 515 "Evening Mirror," 515 Events preceding the revolution, 177 Eve of the revolution, 188 Everett, Edward, 426 Evidences of mutual regard, 38 Exchange Bank, 478 Excitement preceding secession of
Georgia, 433 Exportation of rice stopped, 194 Exports from Savannah, 475 Ex-president Polk, visit of, 405
Falligant, Raiford, 679 Fall of Causton, 91 Fall of Fort McAllister, 457 Fall of Fort Pulaski, 454 Families of Confederate officers required
to leave, 465 Farie, James, Jr., 940 Farmers and Mechanics Bank, 478 Father Oglethorpe, 61 Feeding and housing of first colonists,
59 Field staff and company officers of 1st
Volunteer Regiment, 508 Fifty-fourth Georgia Regiment of In
fantry, 436

INDEX

Figures showing business for several dec- Franklin and Oglethorpe on the Orphan

ades,473

Horn e, 97 _

Filature buildings, 57 Fillmore, Millard, 425; welcome to, 410 Final repulse of the Spaniards, 105 Financial settlement of Bosomworth

franklin, Benjamin, 157 Franklin, Georgia's British agent, 157 Fraternal Order of Eagles, 511 Freeman, George C., 579

trouble, 114 Finch, Asbury B., 846 Finch, James B., 985 First African Baptist church, 497
First city jail, 355 First colonial assembly, 117 First conference with natives, 32 First Jewish burial place, 369
First masonic hall, 509 First meeting of Savannah county board

Gallic, John B., killed, 455
Gaudy, Thomas N,, 881 Garfield, James A., 485 Garrard, Frank U., 981 Gartland, Francis X., 496 "Gazette," 514 Geise, Reuben, 1005 General La Fayette, 297 General Lincoln orders, 220

106 First meeting of the legislature in Sa-
vannah, 240 First minister to the colony, 64 First news of disaster of "Pulaski," 338

Generosity of Bostonians and_others, 466 George III succeeds George II, 138 Georgetown, 528
Georgia & Alabama Terminal Company, 489

First newspaper extra, 398 First Presbyterian church, 496 First regiment of Georgia militia, 278 First regular theatre opened (1818), 386 First steamship to cross Atlantic, 349
First streets, 62 First survey for waterworks, 392

Georgia divided into two counties, 105 "'Georgia Gazette," 513
Georgia Historical Society, 341, 446 Georgia Hussars, 266, 436, 499 Georgia Infirmary for Colored People,
498
Georgia Medical Society, 504

First synagogue, 48 First telegraphic dispatches, 391
First town plan, 61 First Volunteer Regiment, 434, 508 F"irst year' operation of Central of
Georgia railroad, 327
Fitzgerald, 526 Flannery, John, 1078 Florida Central Peninsular Railroad

Georgia received into the union, 183 "Georgia Republican and State Intelli
gencer," 514 Georgia's independence, steps leading to
175
Georgia's last royal governor, 145 Georgia Society of Colonial Dames of
America, 511 Georgia Society of Colonial Wars, 512

Company, 489 Flynt, Roger D., 790 Folks, Frank C., 893 Folks, Gustavus P., 892 Folkston, 529 Forest City Rangers, 436 Forethought of Oglethorpe, 3 Forsyth Park, 317, 410 Forts, 166 Fort Gaines, 528

Georgia Society of Sons of the Revo lution, 487/513
Georgia Society of the Cincinnati, 257, 512
Georgia State Savings Association, 478 Georgia's temporary constitution, 191 German Club, 499 German Friendly Society, 510 Germania Bank, 478 Gibbs, Charles M., 614

Fort George, 166 Fort Halifax, 166 Fortifying Georgia's southern frontier,
87 Fort Johnson, 166 Fort McAllister, 455 Fort McAllister necessary to defense of
Savannah, 455 Fort Pulaski, 454 Fort Pulaski commenced, 311 Fort Wayne, 274 Foster, James L., 987 Foster, John A., 674 Founding of Savannah, 1
Founding of Savannah in detail, 15

Gignilliat, Leigh R., 1020 Gignilliat, William R., 1016 Gill, Andrew, 959 Gilmore, Doolly D., 977 Glynn county, 516, 518 Glynn County Court House, Brunswick
(view), 295 Good Chief Tomo-chi-chi, 40 Good South Carolina friends, 15 Googe, William R., 717 Gordon's first town plan, 61 Gordon, Peter, 61 Gordon, William W., 327, 477 Gornto, James E., 745
Government building, Savannah (view), 506

xxii

INDEX

Governor Ellis, 131 Governor Reynolds arrives, 123 Governor Wright's arrest and escape,
190 Graham, John, 199 Graham, John, and Thunderbolt, 199 Graham, Patrick, succeeds President
Parker, 121 Grantees, 28 Grant, James R., 729 Grant, U. S., 485 Gray, Joseph F., 658 Great fire, 500 Great fire of 1820, 288 Greene, Gen., death and funeral of, 250 Greene and Pulaski monument, 378 Greene monument, 380 Greene, Nathaniel, and his services, 241 Greene, Nathaniel, monument, 375 Greene visits Mulberry Grove, 249 Griffin, Pletcher W., 999 Griggs, James M., 771 Grimshaw, Harry B., 678 Groover, Daniel A., 840 Groover, James I., 838 Groover, Robert L., 860 Gubernatorial proclamation, 124 Gunnell, Charles W., 1004 Gurr, William H., 929

Habersham, James, 57, 96, 157

Habersham, Joseph, 190

Hagan, Peter S., 730

Hahira, 521

Hallam, William and Lewis, 385

Hansell, Charles P., 872

Harden, Edward J., 448

Harden, Thomas H., 988

Harden, William, 1082

Hardships of the new rule, 464

Harmon, Adam C., 640

Harmonie Club, 499

Harney, John M., 343, 514

Barney's farewell, 344

Harrell, Mathew J., 946

Harris & Habersham, merchants, 99

Harris, Charles, 400

Harris, Raymond B., 648

Harris, Raymond V., 647

Harris, Robert H., 991

Harris, Stephen N., 662

Harrison, Benjamin R., 1011

Hart, Thomas J., 921

Hart, Mattie H., 922

Hartridge, Julian, 432

Hartridge resolutions, 432

Hartridge, Walter C., 712



Hawkins, Kendrick J., 870

Hawkinsville, 528

Hazelhurst, 526

Heathcote ward, 23, 28

Hebrew Benevolent Society, 510

Hebrew burial grounds, 49

Hebrew colonists, 44 Hebrews participated in the allotment
of lands, 47 Hendry, John M., 973 Herbert, Henry, 64 Hermitage, 529 Herring, Patrick H., 942 Herring, Robert J., 834 Herrman, Soloman, 791 Hewlett, William R., 585 Heyward, George C., 687 Hibernia Bank, 478 Hibernian Society, 499 Hicks, James B., 824 Eight, Thomas J., 806 Hill, Andrew J., 850 Hill, John C., 852 Hilton, Atys P., 758 Hilton, Joseph, 715 Hinesville, 528 Historical Graves in Colonial Park, Sa-
vannah (view), 367 History of first Georgia volunteers, 322 Hitch, Robert M., 1049 Hitch, Simon W., 913 Hodges, Albert J., 861 Hodges, John A.. 766 Hodgson, Margaret T., 491 Hogan, John M., 584
Boilings worth, John C., 852 Homerville, 529 Honoring Bartow's remains, 443 Honors to distinguished dead, 400 Honors to John C. Calhoun and Zachary
Taylor, 406 Honors to living and dead, 400 Hood, Bynum H., 905 Hopkins, John M., 915 Hotel Savannah built, 50-0 House resents Wright's interference, 160 Houstoun, John, 427 Howard, George W., 818 Howell, Zacloc W., 800 Hoyl, Lee C., 902 Hubert, Robert B., 679 Hurst, George T., 1047 Hutchinson, Archibald, 14 Hutchinson's Island, 13; development of,
14
"I go to illustrate Georgia," 442 Improvement of Savannah river and
harbor, 422 Incident during the siege of Savannah,
216 Incidents preceding Civil war, 429 Independent church, 497 Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 510 Independent Presbyterian church, 136,
496 Indians, 31 Indians at conference, 32 Indian status when the colony came, 31

INDEX

Inhabitants of Georgia, 158

Largest naval stores market in the

Interesting city events, 385

world, 474

Interesting items, 482 _

Largest Sea Island cotton market in the

International Automobile Race, 500

world, 481

Invention of Eli Whitney, 472

La Roche Family, 694

Irish Jasper Greens, 361, 436

La Roche, Isaac D., 694

Irish Volunteers, 436

Lasseter, Wade H., 780

Irwin county, 525

Last royal governor of Georgia, James

Isler, James N., 856

Wright, 145

Latimer, James H., 889

Jackson, Andrew, death of, 359

Launitz, Robert E., 372

Jackson, Andrew, public mourning for, Laurel Grove Cemetery, 366; dedicated,

401

370

Jackson, George A., 759

Laurens county, 527

Jackson, Henry L., 762

Lawrence, Alexander A., 707

Jackson, Henry R., 429, 449

Lawson, Ashley, 862

Jackson, Joseph Z., 761

Lawson, Irvin, 865

Jail of 1846, 357

Lawson, Lawrence F., 864

Jasper Greens off for Mexico, 361

Lawton, Alexander, 488

Jasper monument, 486

Lawton, Alexander Robert, 570

Jasper Springs, Savannah (view), 514 Lawton, Alexander Rudolf, 575

Jeff Davis county, 526

Lawton Memorial building, 488

Jesup, 528

Leaken, William R., 932

Jewish congregations and synagogues, Lebey, Charles C., 620

49

Ledford, Mercer L., 935

Jewish element, 44

Lee county, 525

Jewish places of worship, 497

Lee, Robert E., 444; in command at Sa

Jewish settlers, names of first, 47

vannah, 444

Jews, progressive citizens, 51

Leesburg1, 528

Johnson, G. L., 727

Legal and medical professions, 502; at

Johnson, Governor, letter of, 16

the present time, 504

Johnson, J. Wade, 963

Legal profession, 502

Johnson, Seaborn W., 740

Leggett, George P., 763

Jones, Arthur P., 718

Lester, Laura E., 620

Jones, Benjamin P., 747

.Lester, Rufus E., 618

Jones, Charles S., 939

LeVasseur, A., 307

Jones," George, 544

LeVasseur's description of Savannah, 307

Jones, George N., 664

Levy, Benjamin H., 627

Jones, James G., 779

Lewis, Wiley M., 1001

Jones, Noble Wymberley, 160, 172, 533, Lewis, William J., 672

539

Lewis, William M., 977

Jones, Walter C., 1023

'Liberty Boys," 161, 172

"Liberty Boys" raid powder magazine,

Kendrick, William C., 849

177

Kent, Alfred, 668

"Liberty Boys" worry royal council, 174

Kent, William A., 670

"Liberty People," 174

Kenyon, Owen T., 853 King, Harris M., 559

Liberty Street branch of the Citizen's and Southern Bank, 478

King, John H., 797 King, Willis H., 797

Lieutenant-governor James Wright, 148 Light house erected on Bay street, 424

King's Daughters, 510

Lighting of the streets, 395

K. K. Mickva Israel, 48

Linton, Moses B., 945

Knight, Arthur M., 891

Literature, etc., 446

Knights of Pythias, 510

Littlefield, Elijah M. D., 983

Knights Templars, 510

Little Sisters of the Poor, 498

Knoll, 424

Little & Phillips, 871

Knox, Robert H., 724

Little, William H, 871

Livingston, Thomas J., 830

LaFayette's death, 401

Local militia ready to act, 276

LaFayette's reply, 300 Land tenures, 107

Locating the burial place of Nathanael Greene, 290

Land tenure changes, 107 Lane, Remer Y., 746

Locating the Oglethorpe Barracks (1834), 312

XXIV

INDEX

Locating the remains of Nat ban a el Greene, 378
Locke, William F., 976 Lowndes county, 520 Lowndes County Court House (view),
522 Lovell, Edward, 632 Lovell, Edward F., 633 Lovell, Robert P., 631 Lutheran Church of the Ascension, 494 Lutheran church organized, 138 Lyons, 524
Maclntyre, Archibald T., 828 MacMillan, Thomas H., 630 Macon depot opened for business, 326 Macon, Dublin & Savannah Railroad
Company, 489 Macready's impressions, 390 Macready, William C., 390 Make-shift custom houses, 409 Mann, William S., 1065 Mansion at the Hermitage, Savannah
(view), 528 Marine Bank, 478 Marshall, William, 796 Martello Tower, 280 Martial law in Savannah, 445 Martin, Robert V., 665 Masonic Hall, 464 Masonic societies, 509 Masonic Temple, 510 Massie common school, 417 Massie Poor School Fund, 416 May, John C., 755 Mayor Anderson's report on condition of
city at end of war, 468 Mayor Purse's report on the progress
of the war, 453 Mayors, 1797-1802, 269; 1804-1820, 292;
1821-1824, 310; 1826-1834, 323; 18351850, 396; 1850-1866, 450; 1867-1913, 482 Mayors and aldermen, 292 McAllister, Matthew H., 449 McAlpin family, 529 McAlpin, Henry, 646 McCall, John G., 734 McCallum, John D., 968 McCarthy, Joseph, 561 McCauley, William F., 644 McCoy, Olin S., 769 McDonald, William A., 874 McHancock, Joe, 858 Mclntire, Francis P., 607 Mclntosh, Lachlan, 260 Mclntosh, Olin T., 627 McKinnon, Alexander J., 930 McKinnon, Philip, 799 McLaughlin, James T., 670 McLaws, Lafayette, 487 McLeod, George F., 957 McMullen, John W., 983

McNeil Marble Company of Marietta, 501
McQueen, Alexander S., 719 McQueen, R. D., 719 McRae, 526 Medical profession, 502 Meetings of protesting citizens, 178 Meigs, 522 Meldrim, 529 Meldrim, Peter W., 701 Members of council continued, 482 Memorials, 511 Memorials to General Greene and Couni
Pulaski, 308 Memorials to Generals McLaws and Bar-
tow, 487 Memorial to William W. Gordon, 331 Mercer, Hugh W., 445 Mercer, Mrs. Susan D., 905 Merchants and Miners' Transportation
Company, 477 Merchants' National Bank, 478 Methodism, 495 Mewborn, John A., 733 Mexican war, 361 Middle Georgia & Atlantic Railroad Com
pany, 489 Midway church, 501 Midway church and monument to Gen
erals Screven and Stewart, 501 Midway church, erected in 1792 (view),
263 Military headquarters of Confederacy,
320 Military spirit, 507 Military parade ground, 315 Militia, 118 Millar, Charles C., 714 Miller, David J., 762 Miller, Martin V., 965 Milligan, Edward C., 807 Mills, George J., 551 Minis, Abraham, 554 Minis, Abram, 554 Minis, J. Florance, 577 Minis and Salomons, 100 Mitchell, Henry, 737 Mitchell, Robert G., 825 Monroe R. R., 330 Montgomery county, 524 Montgomery Guards, 436 Monument for Pulaski, 372 Monument to General Nathanael Greene,
375 Monument to General Oglethorpe, 500 Monument to Tomo-chi-chi, 103 Monument to William W. Gordon erect
ed, 500 Monuments to Generals Bartow and Mc
Laws, 500 Moody, Joseph TV., 812 Moore, Francis, 13, 18, 64 Moore, R. Lee, 960

INDEX

xxv

Moore's description of Savannah, 18

ficial appearance, 106; last days in

Moose, Loyal Order of, 511

Georgia, 114

Morgan, 528

Oglethorpe, James E. (portrait). 4

"Morning News," 513, 515

Oglethorpe Barracks, 315, 319, '500

Morrison, Angus 866

Oglethorpe Club, 499

Morion, James 0., 1081

Oglethorpe Light Infantry, 442

Morven, 522 Moses, Cornelius F., 629

Oglethorpe monument, 500 Oglethorpe Savings and Trust Company,

Motte, John W., 637

478

Mount Vernon, 524

Old and present theatre similar, 390

Move, Andrew J., 705

Oldest artillery company in Georgia, 257

Move, Thomas R., 712

Oldest hotel in Savannah, 500

Mulberry Grove, made over to breene, Old Exchange, 267

244 Municipal affairs, 1797-1802, 269

Old Prison, 128 Old view of Savannah (view), 60

Municipal government continued, 263

O'Leary, Michael J., 582

Muscogee county, 518

Olmstead's account, 434

"Museum," 514

One hundred and fiftieth anniversary,

Myddelton, Robert B., 742

485

Myers, James F. 0., 638

Order of American Firemen, 510

Myers, Sigo, 708

Original deed, 25

Myrick, Shelby, 663

Original Savannah described, 59 .

Origin of name "Savannah," 2

Names of first Jewish settlers, 47

Orphan Home, 97

Names of first streets, 62

Osborne, William W., 550

Nashville, 523

Other organized bodies, 499

National Bank of Savannah, 478

Other writers, 450

Naval stores and important trade, 474 Owls, 511

Naval stores, Savannah (view), 474

Neese, John A., 785

Parker, Henry, colonial president, 116

Newbern, Philip, 937

Parrish, Ansel A., 741

New council house, 126

Parrish, Thomas J., 730

New Independent church, 287

Patriotic societies, 511

New Laurel Grove cemetery, 366

Patter son, James M., 879

New secretary of the trust, 74

Pavo, 522

Newspaper mention of "Pulaskr" disaster, Peace declared, 281

334

Peacock, Duncan D., 1058

Newton, 528

Peeples, Charles B., 749

Nichols, Mongin B., 653

Pemberton, General, 445

Nicholson, David B., 734

Pendleton, Alexander S., 919

Nisbit, Eugenius A., 1054

Penfield Mariners' church, 497

Noel, John Y., 427

People's Savings & Loan Company, 478

Non-combatant citizens armed for de Percival ward, 23, 28

fense of city, 445

Perry, 529

Norman, Newton J., 641

Persons to whom original deed granted

Norman, William S., 641

land, 26

Norton, George M., 667

Petition to king, 181

Norton, Joseph S., 815

Phillips, Wendle C., 872

Notes from an early plan of Savannah, Pidcock, 522

126

Pierce county, 520

Pioneer churches, 64

O'Byrne, Michael, 612

Pioneer points of interest, 62

Ocean Steamship Company, 477 Ocilla, 525 Ocmulgee, 525

Pioneers, but not the first, 100 Pioneer theatrical performances (1783),
385

Ocmulgee and Flint River Railroad, 329 Pittman, David W., 911

Oglethorpe, James E., 1, 10, 13, 15, 38, Planter's Bank, 477, 478

54, 59, 61, 68, 83, 500, 529; portrait, Poem on the lost "Pulaski," 339

4; prison reform record, 4; reasons Police Benevolent Society, 510

for selecting site, 12; and the Indians, Poole, Richard W., 529

31; returns to England, 65; adminis Portraits, James Edward Oglethorpe, 4; tration approved, 86; self-sacrifice, 90; Tomo-Chachi, Mico, 34

administration the last, 105; last of Postoffice, Americus (view), 127

xxvi

INDEX

Postoffice and Court House, Valdosta Eapid growth of cotton business in Sa-

(view), 521

vannah, 472

Powell, Alfred J., 875

Rauers, John J., 611

Powell, Foy 0., 727

Real Estate & Trust Company, 478

Powell, Ivy M., 769

Reception of LaFayette, 297

Powers granted to the trustees, 24

Reception to Henry Clay, 401

Preparations for the war of 1812, 272

Reconstruction, 466

Presbyterian meeting house, 136

Regular municipal administration, 255

Present artesian well system, 395

Reidsville, 528

Present building completed in 1850, 409 Religion, commerce and defense, 93

President Pierce invited, 426

Religious, moral and industrial, 64

"Press," 513

Removal of obstructions in river, 468

Preston, 528

Removal of obstructions in the Savan-

Prison reform record of Og'lethorpe, 4

nah river, 422

Proclamation of his Majesty King George Renewed protests against British acts,

the Third, 139

157

Proclamation of royalists, 207

Resolutions adopted at public meeting,

Progress of infant colony, 22

170

Progress toward independence, 161

Resolutions by Boston council, 467

Prominent lawyers of a later period, 503 Resolutions by Confederate council, 454

Promoted to General Oglethorpe, 88

Resolutions by Jonathan Bryan, 158

Prompt action of Governor J. E. Brown, Resolutions of Rhode Island legislature,

433

382

Proposal that city issue bonds, 422

Resolutions on capture of Savannah, 464

Prosecution conducted by Dist. Atty. Respect paid by public to memory of

Joseph Ganahl, 430

Henry Clay and Governor Troup, 427

Prosperous condition of colony, 148 . Resultant sanitary measures, 413

Protestant Episcopal church, 497

Repeal of the stamp act acknowledged,

Province divided into parishes, 132

155

Provincial congress, 179; address of, 179 Report of the Honorable Jeremiah S.

Public ceremonies proclaiming new sov- Black, 430

ereign, 143

"Republican," 515

Public funeral of Colonel Mclntosli, 363 Reynolds' administration disappointing,

Public institutions and noted events, 409 128

Public library established and City Hall Reynolds, John, 122

built, 489

Richardson, Charles H., 909

Public meeting held, 170

Rich, Elijah A. J., 1007

Public mourning for Andrew Jackson, Rising discontent against royalty, 146

401

River front, Savannah (view), 421

Public school system, 415

Roberts, Hezekiah, 844

Public water supply, 392

Roberts, John B., 1065

Pulaski, Count, 223

Robertson, William II., 656

Pulasld's, Count, death wound, 224

Rochelle, 525

"Pulaski" disaster, 334

Rockingham, 523

Pulaski Guards, 436

Roddenbery, Walter B., 1072

Pulaski House, 500

Rogers, Dwight L., 982

Pulaski monument, 308, 371

Roman Catholics, 495

Pulaski monument delivered to commis- Roman Catholic schools taken into pub-

sioners, 374

lie school system, 470

Purse, Thomas, 453, 493, 567

Rowland, Charles P., 614

Purvis, John H., 654

Ryal cause getting dark' 235

Royal civil government feeble, 231

Quinn, George W., 967

Royalists attempt to capture rice boats,

Quitman, 521 Quotation from account of Honorable
H. R. Jackson, 431
Race, international automobile, 500 Ragan, Joseph T., 900 Railroad to Tybee Island, 493 Ramsey, Jason M., 810 Ramsey, Redding G., 803

Rusgell Wapi j 5g6
Sailing and landing of the colony, 10 St.. Andrew's Society, 499 st> joseph's Hospital, 498 St. Mary's, 529 St. Mary's Orphan Home, 498 Salzburg and silk, 53 Salzburgers, 65

INDEX

Salzburg exiles, 53

Securing the friendship of the Creeks,

Saussy, Gordon, 640

101

Savannah, original site, 24; first Fourth Sedition in Georgia, 150

of July (August 10th), 200; held by Seminole war of 1836, 364

British, 202; again American, 231; as Semmes, Kate F., 627

a military post, 312; prompt response, Semmes, Raphael T., 624

361; water works, 394; public school Sesqui-centennial of landing of Ogle-

system, 415; river and harbor, 420; thorpe, 500

literary circle, 446; during Civil war, Sheftall, Sheftall, old revolutionary sol

453; second cotton port in world, 472; dier, 403

commercial record, 475; business rec Sherman, General, 462

ord for past four years, 475; imports, Shuptrine, Herman C., 635

476; banks, 477; ranks fourth among Shuptrine, James T., 635

principal ports of United States, 481; Siege from a British standpoint, 225

sesqui-centennial, 485; newspapers, Silk industry, 56

513 Savannah, Albany & Gulf R. R., 519

Slade, James J., 917 Slavery, 67

Savannah & Albany E. R., 472

Smets, Alexander A., 446, 447

Savannah & Atlantic R. R., 493

Smith, Edward J., 765

Savannah and Ogeechee canal, 391

Smith, Joseph N., 959

Savannah and Spanish - American war, Sneed, John L., 728

488

Solomon Lodge of Free Masons, 509

Savannah and the Panama canal, 479 ' Sons of Confederate Veterans, 511

Savannah & Tybee R. R., 493

Sons of Liberty, 174

Savannah Artillery, 436

South Bound R. R. Company, 489

Savannah Bank and Trust Company South Carolina aids Georgians, 198

(view), 478

South Carolina Council of Safety, 196

Savannah Bank and Trust Company, Southern Bank of the State of Georgia,

478

478

Savannah Benevolent Association, 414, "Southern Centinel," 514

498, 510

"Southern Patriot," 514

Savannah Chapter D. A. R., 383, 487 South Georgia College, 526

Savannah Female Orphan Asylum, 498 Souter, James F., 984

Savannah Golf Club, 499

Special order of General Sherman, 462

Savannah Hospital, 332

Spirit of sedition in Georgia, 150

Savannah Port Society, 497

Springfield, 528

Savannah puts up a liberty tree, June Stamp act, 154

2, 1775, 167

Stanaland, John 0., 877

Savannah Rifle Association, 499

Stanfill, Lucius M., 764

Savannah Trust Company, 478

Stanley, John G., 907

Savannah Union Station Company, 489 Stanley, Vivian L., 1045

Savannah Volunteer Guards, 499

Statements by Francis Sorrel, agent, 336

Savannah Widows' Society, 498 Savannah Yacht Club, 499

Statenville, 529 State of the province (1773), 163

Scarborough, James M., 869

Statesborough, 524

Scene in the Prison Park at Anderson- Statistics of deaths during sickly months,

ville (view), 321
Schedule of the prices of goods, 37 Schirm, Edward L., 945 Schirm, William P., 944

292 Statistics of the port of Savannah, 472 Status of railroads in 1842, 330 Steamer "Pulaski," 334

Schley, Julian, 684 Schwarz, John E., 689 Screven, James P., 428, 501, 588 Sereven, John, 595 Screven, John, death of, 488 Screven, Thomas F., 605 Seaboard Air Line, 489 Seamen's Home, 497 Secession of Georgia, 436 Secession of South Carolina, 433 Second Savannah church, 133

Stephens, William, 74 Stephens, William B., 1002 Stephens, William, colonial president,
108 Steps leading to Georgia's independence,
175 Stevens, William B., 448 Stewart, Daniel, 501 Stillwell, William B., 649 Stone seat in honor of Oglethorpe, 511 Storm adds terrors to epidemic, 412

Securing permanent quarters for Georgia Streets and squares, 499

Historical Society, 346

Street scene, Dublin (view), 527

XXV111

INDEX

Strengthening the Fort Wayne works, 277
Strickland, James W., 886 Stuart, Charles T., 833 Summerlin, Algerine rr 1041 Sumner, Leonard M., 778 Sumter, 525 Sunbury, 149 Survey from Savannah to Macon, 325 Sweat, Albert C., 823 Sweat, Carey M., 743 Swedenborgian church, 497 Sylvania, 528 Sylvester, 523
System in use from 1854 to 1892, 395
Tablet in honor of John Wesley, 511 Taggart, Grantham L, 676 Taggart, James, 676 Talley, William R., 876 Tefft, I. K., 343, 446 Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences,
491 Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences
(view), 492 Telfair county, 525, 526 Telfair, Edward, 491, 526 , Telfair Hospital for Females, 498 Tennille, George F., 700 Terrell county, 528 Terrific storm of 1804, 271 Thackeray's visit and his account of
city, 426 Thackeray, William M., 426 Theatre described, 388 "The Republican and Savannah Evening
Ledger," 514 "The Villas of the Ancients," 7 Thomas county, 522 Thomas, Daniel R., 642 Thomas, Edward J., 711 Thomas, James G., 651 Thomas, Welcome H., 795 Thomasville, 522 Thompson, De Witt B., 771 Thomson, Thomas F., 634 Thornton, George E., 1010 Thunderbolt, 199 Tiedeman, George W., 552 Tifton, 529 Tigner, Germanicus Y., 1025 Tigner, Wesley F., 1027 Tillman, Jerry D., 978 Timber Cutter's Bank, 478 Tinsley, Fleming D., 704 Tithings, 23, 28 Tomo-chi-chi, 31, 40;. visit to England,
40; death of, 102; boulder in honor of, 512 Tomo-Chachi, Mico (portrait), 34 Toombs county, 524 Towns in Brooks county, 521 Towns in Toombs county, 524

Train, John K., 657 Travis, Robert J., 692 Trial of Wesley, 78 Trinity church, 495 Trosdal, Einar S., 611 Troup, Governor, 427 Trustees against slavery, 67 Trustees for establishing the Colony of
Georgia in America, 23 Trustees' garden, 63 Trustees' greetings to the Lower Creeks,
35 Tunno, Robert G., 721 Turner county, 523 Turner, Henry G., 1080 Turner, Lavinia M., 1081 Two vessels escape to sea, 196
Union Society, 498 Union Station erected, 500 United Confederate Veterans, 488 United States Bank, 478 United States custom house, Savannah
(view), 71 United States government takes Ogle-
thorpe Barracks, 320 Unpleasant for royalists, 184 Unpopular colonial deputy, 65
Valdosta, 520 Varnedoe, James 0., 781 Vashti industrial school, Thomasville
(view), 524 Vidalia, 524 Vienna, 525 View Across the Square, Waycross, 520 Views--Old View of Savannah, 60;
United States Custom House, 71; Postoffice, Americus, 127; Colquitt County Court House, Moultrie, 147; Agricul tural School, Tifton, 187; Midway Church, erected in 1792, 262; City Ex change, erected in 1799, 268; Glynn County Court House, Brunswick, 295; Scene in the Prison Park, Andersonville, 321; Historical Graves in Co lonial Park, Savannah, 367; Beautiful Roads through the Pines, Tifton, 377; River Front, Savannah, 421; Governor Joseph E. Brown's Headquarters, 438; Carnegie Library, Americus, 444; Con federate Monument, Savannah, 461; Naval Stores, Savannah, 474; Savan nah Bank and Trust Company, 478; Cotton Yards and Docks, Savannah, 480; Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, 492; Chatham County Court House, 499; Government Building, Sa vannah, 506; Jasper Springs, Savannah, 514; Chattahoochee in Harness, Co lumbus, 517; View Across the Square, Waycross, 520; Postoffice and Court House, Valdosta, 521; Lowndes County

INDEX

Court House, 522; Young's College, Wesley Monumental church, 495

Showing Annex, Thomasville, 523; Wesley's statement of the trouble, 76

Vashti Industrial School, Thomasville, Whaley, Ezekiel R., 808

524; Dodge County Court House, East Wheatly, John W., 1037

man, 526; Street Scene, Dublin, 527; Wheatley, William H. C., 1038

Mansion at the Hermitage, Savannah, Whitchard, James H., 848

528

White, Erasmus D., 752 '

Vigorous preparation for resisting Brit Whitefield, George, 68, 85, 93

ish attack, 279

Whitefield in favor of slavery, 68

Visit of Aaron Burr, 269

Whitefield succeeds John Wesley, 84

Visit of Ex-president Fillmore, 425

Whitley, James, 1057

Visit of Ex-president Polk, 405

Whitney, Eli, 472

Visit of General Grant, 485

Whittle Francis M., 906

Visit of Jefferson Davis and his daugh Wight, John B., 1054

ter Winnie, 500

Wilcox county, 525

Visit of Monroe and Calhoun, 282

Wilcox, J. Mark, 739

Willett, Asahel A., 1034

Wade, James D., Jr., 1067

Williams, Pratt A., 898

Wade, Peyton L., 789

Williamson, William W., 659

Wade, William H., 581

Williford, Preston B., 925

Walker, John L., 887

Wilson, Horace E., 1048

Walker, William A., 972

Wilson, Joseph D., 793

Waller, Eobert T., 628

Wilson, William H., 839

War of 1812, 272, 274

Wimberly, Leon P., 779

Wards, 23, 28

Winfield Scott and David Porter, Savan

Wards and tithings named, 23

nah's Guests, 297

Washington, George, 258

Woodmen of the World, 511

Washington Volunteers, 436

Woodward, Lucius L., 775

Washington's account of his southern Wormsloe Quartos, 449

tour, 262

Worth county, 523

Washington's visit to Savannah, 258

Wright dissolves assembly, 163

Waterworks, 392

Wright forbids public meeting, 169

Watkins, John E., 811

Wright goes to England and returns to

Waycross, 519

Savannah, 199

Wayne, Anthony, 238, 247, 274

Wright, James, 132, 145, 167, 231; fol

Wayne, Anthony, and his services, 247 lows Ellis, 132; good traits, 145; alarm,

Wayne, James M., 449

151; dilemma, 154; letter to British

Wayne, Richard, 427

government, 184; pitiable mental con

Wayne's Georgia residence also short, dition, 237

253

Wylly, Albert, 564

Wayne's terms for British evacuation,

238

Yacht Wanderer, 429

Webb, John E., 954

Yellow fever epidemic, 1820, 289; 1854,

Webb, William W., 926

411

Webster, Daniel, city's guest, 406

Young, Hubert 0., 645

Weddington, Cornelius A., 722

Young Men's Benevolent Association,

Welcome to Millard Fillmore, 410

414

Wellborn, Carlton J., 963

Young Men's Library Association, 431

Wesley and his labors, 71

Young, Silas M., 756

Wesley and Sophia (Hopkins) William- Young's College, Showing Annex, Thom

son, 75

asville (view), 523

We8s2ley, Charles, 70; departs for England,

Zeigler, Robert F., 948

Wesley, John, 70, 495, 498; tablet in Zouberbuhler, Bartholomew, 133

honor of, 511

History of
Savannah and South Georgia
CHAPTER I
FOUNDING OF SAVANNAH
ORIGIN OF NAME--SAVANNAH TOWN FOUNDED--FORETHOUGHT OF OGLETHORPE--His PRISON REFORM RECORD--ORIGIN OF SAVANNAH.
When the illustrious founder of the Colony of Georgia set sail from England, had he chosen a name for the place he might select as the location of the first settlement of his people? This is an interesting question, and one very easily answered. He knew, of course, all about the boundaries of the territory described in the charter granted by George II to the Trustees, and that the said territory was u in that part of South Carolina, in America, which lies from the northern part of a stream or river there commonly called the Savannah," etc. The name Savannah, then, was not unknown to him, and it is a fact that he had determined, before leaving home, to name the capital of his colony after the stream which should thereafter separate Georgia from her friendly neighbor who willingly consented to the scheme so dear to the heart of that good man, now recognized as one of the foremost philan thropists of the world. This is no mere conjecture therefore, as it is positively recorded, even before Oglethorpe left the shores of England, that the name of the first place to be settled was Savannah. The statement has been made, and is true, that he "marked out the site of a town which, from the river which flowed by, he called Savannah." *
A little more than one month after the landing of the colonists, the South Carolina Gazette published an account of a visit made to the new settlement by some Carolinians, mentioning the arrival of the colonists "at Yamacraw,--a place so called by the Indians--but now Savannah in the Colony of Georgia." Judging from the language of all writers who have touched upon this point, it seems to have been the
* History of Georgia, by Chas. C. Jones, Jr., Vol. I, p. 118.
1

2

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

general opinion heretofore that Oglethorpe had found no name for the place until he began to build the town, but the truth of the matter, as divulged in the official records of the trustees, appears to have escaped the scrutiny of them all. Fifteen days before Oglethorpe's departure from Gravesend, a meeting of the Trustees was held, when they " affix 'd their seal to a Grant erecting a Court of Judicature for trying causes, as well criminal as civil, in the town of Savannah, by the Name and Stile of the Town Court." (Colonial Eecords, edited by A. D. Candler, Vol. I, p. 83--Minutes of the Trustees, Nov. 2, 1732.) Again, the common council, on the 8th of November, 1732, ordered "That Mr. Oglethorpe do set out three hundred .acres of land in Georgia in America to be appropriated for the use of the Church of the Town of Savannah and a site for the Church and the Minister's House in the Town and likewise a Burial Place at a proper Distance from the Town" (Candler's Colonial Eecords, Vol II, pp. 10-11); and that same body, on the 7th of November, 1732, took action "appointing Peter Gordon, William "Waterland and Thomas Causton." Another item from the minutes of the trustees at a meeting held January 17, 1732-33, makes mention of the town, while the colonists were on their voyage, by ordering "That a letter be sent to Mr. Oglethorpe recommending Mr. Botham Squire to be settled in the Township of Savannah, under Mr. Christie's Grant, he paying the Expenses of his Passage himself."
ORIGIN OF NAME "SAVANNAH"
Seeing, then, that the name was chosen in advance of the coming to the territory to be occupied by the settlers, let us inquire how it came to be adopted. It was so called from the river Savannah; but how did that stream get its name? Hitherto there has been a differ ence of opinion on that point, some holding that it is purely an Indian word, while others contend for a Spanish origin. Logan, in a foot note on page 211 of Vol. I of his History of Upper South Carolina, makes this statement: "Isundiga was the Cherokee name for the ancient Keowee and Savannah. The present name of Savannah was derived from the Shawano or Savannah Indians, a warlike tribe that once lived on its western bank near the present site of Augusta. Some time after the settlement of South Carolina they removed be yond the Ohio. Adair declares they were driven away by the foolish measures of the English."

SAVANNAH TOWN FOUNDED
The settlement mentioned in this extract was called Savannah Town, afterwards known as Fort Moore. For full information as to this matter the reader is referred to Vol. Ill, part II, of Collections of the Georgia Historical Society--"A Sketch of the Creek Country," by Benjamin Hawkins, pp. 16, 17, 21, 25, 34, 35 and 83.
Advocating its Spanish origin, the Hon. A. H. Chappell, in his "Miscellanies of Georgia"* says: "It is an interesting fact, reflect-
* Part I, p. 18.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

3

ing light on the first exploration of the State, and clearing up a part
Of its history otherwise so obscure, that so many of the Atlantic rivers of Georgia have the Spanish stamp on their names--as the St Mary's, the Great and Little St. Ilia, the Altamaha, and last, and, if possible,'the plainest, of all, the Savannah. For no one can ascend that stream from the sea, or stand on the edge of the bluff which the city occupies, or on the top of its ancient Exchange [now, alas! completely obliterated, and its site marked by the new City Hall] (which may fire and war, and tempest, and the tooth of time, and the felon hand of improvement long spare) and overlook the vast expanse of flat lands that spread out on both sides of the river, forming in winter a dark, in summer a green, in autumn a saffron, contrast to its bright,
interesting waters, without knowing at once that from these plains, these savannas, the river got its name, derived from the Spanish language and the Spanish word Sabanna--and that it was baptized with the Christian, though not saintly, name it bears, by Spanish dis coverers just as certainly as the great grassy plains in South America
owed their names of savannas to the same national source." It is undoubtedly true, and the statement is made by all the writers
to this same effect, that Oglethorpe "marked out the site of the town which, from the river which flowed by, he called Savannah."'* The question is happily settled by the Hon. Albert Gallatin, who, in "Archaeologia Americana Transactions and Collections of the Ameri
can Antiquarian Society," Vol. II, pp. 83-84, says: "In the year 1670, when English emigrants first settled in South Carolina, four tribes are mentioned near the seashore between the rivers Ashley and Savannah--the Stonoes, Edistoes, Westoes, and Savannahs, * * * The name of Savannahs, most probably derived from that of the river on which they lived, and which is of Spanish origin, is there dropped."

FORETHOUGHT OF OGLETHORPE
It is hardly to be supposed that the founder of the city left Eng land without some definite plan for the laying out of the same. Gen. James Edward Oglethorpe was not that kind of a man. His purpose in providing a home for the unfortunates of a certain class of his countrymen was made after a careful investigation of the cause of their condition, and the method of providing for their relief was carefully considered, so that when the time came to carry out his plan in that respect he was ready to answer satisfactorily any questions which might be put to him by skeptics and to brush away all objec tions which might be offered to his philanthropic scheme. So it was with every part of the intricate work which he set out to accomplish. When he set the colonists to work in building homes for themselves, after landing on Yamacraw bluff, 'those houses were built according to a well-prepared plan in the marking out of which he had spent many busy hours, and perhaps days. How can there be the slightest doubt of this in the mind of anyone who walks through the streets
* History of Georgia, by Chas. C. Jones, Jr., Vol. I, p. 118.

4

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

and squares of the city which, unique under its systematic order of by-ways, lanes, and chain of parks, makes it so attractive to visitors from all parts of the world? There is no other city on the whole earth just like it, and the regularity of its lines and angles compels the wonder and admiration of everybody! Whence came the plan, and
who suggested it to Oglethorpe? Some light may be thrown on this subject when we consider the first steps leading to the founding of Geor
gia and contemplate the life and education of one who, through what the
world calls chance, crossed the pathway through life of the man we so much honor.
The following endeavor to discover the source whence the plan of the city was obtained is the substance of a paper read by the present writer before the Georgia Historical Society at a meeting held Sep tember 7, 1885, entitled "A Suggestion as to the Origin of the Plan of Savannah."

OGLETHORPE'S PRISON REFORM RECORD
Entering parliament in the year 1722, and representing his con stituents in that body for the long period of thirty-two years, Ogle-

JAMES EDWARD OGLETHORPE
thorpe's record there bears witness to the characteristic energy of the man in his efforts to secure the rights of the downtrodden and to lift up the fallen. In other ways, also, he faithfully performed the duties required of all who are chosen to.make and uphold the laws of their country. From the beginning to the end of his life Oglethorpe was indeed, and in truth, a philanthropist. -His attention was soon called to the shocking state of affairs in connection with the prisons of Eng land, but especially to the treatment of that class of prisoners known as "honest debtors/' that is, men who through misfortune could not

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
meet their pecuniary obligations, and, in accordance with the then lawful custom, were sent by their creditors to prison in the hope that friends would provide the means to pay the debts of the creditors in order to secure the release of the latter. As the author of a motion "that an inquiry should be instituted into the state of the gaols of the metropolis," the motion having been carried, he was made the chair man of a committee from the house of commons to investigate the methods of the prison keepers. The work of that committee in scruti nizing the conduct of the most notorious of these inhuman wretches form the subject of one of best known and most touching of the pic tures of the renowned artist, William Hogarth. Its title is "Examina tion of Bambridge," and, as the mention of it in this chapter will be explained a little farther on, the description accompanying the en graving of it in Hogarth's works, though rather lengthy, will not be out of place just here:
This very picture, Hogarth himself tells us, was painted in 1729 for Sir Archibald Grant, of Monnymusk, Bart., at that time Knight of the Shire for Aberdeen, and one of the committee represented in the painting; many of whom attended daily, and some of them twice a day. "That every other figure in the print is a genuine portrait there cannot be the least doubt; though at this distant period it is riot possible to identify the particular persons, they are all, however, to be found in the following of the names of the committee:
"James Oglethorpe, Esq., Chairman. FINCH, MORPETH,
THE RIGHT HON. THE LORDS : INCHEQUIN, PERCIVAL, LIMERICK.
HON. JAMES BERTIE, SIR GREGORY PAGE, SIR ARCHIBALD GRANT, SIR JAMES THORNHILL, GYLES EARLE, ESQ., GENERAL WADE,
HUMPHREY PARSONS, ESQ., HON. ROBERT BYNG,
EDWARD HOUGHTON, ESQ., Judge Advocate,
SIR ROBERT SUTTON, SIR ROBERT CLIFTON, SIR ABRAHAM ELTON, SIR EDWARD KNATCHBULL, SIR HUMPHREY HERRIES, CAPTAIN VERNON, CHARLES SELWYN, ESQ., VELTERS CORNWALL, ESQ., THOMAS SCAWEN, ESQ., FRANCIS CHILD, ESQ., WILLIAM HUCKS, ESQ.,

6

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

STAMPE BROOKSHANKS, ESQ., CHARLES WITHERS, ESQ., JOHN* LA BOCHE, ESQ., MR. THOMAS MARTIN.

" 'The scene,' says Mr. Walpole, 'is the Committee. On the table are the instruments of torture. A prisoner in rags, half starved, appears before them; the poor man has a good countenance, that adds to the interest. On the other hand is the inhuman Gaoler. It is the very figure that Salvator Rosa would have drawn for lago in the moment of detec tion. Villainy, fear and conscience, -are mixed in yellow and livid on his countenance; his lips are contracted by tremor, his face advances as eager to lie, his legs step back as thinking to make his escape; one hand is thrust precipitately into his bosom, the fingers of the other are catch ing uncertainly at his botton-holes. If this was a portrait it is the most striking that was ever drawn; if it was not, it is still finer.'
"This committee was first appointed February 25,1728-9, to examine into the state of the Gaols within the Kingdom; and the persons here represented under examination were Thomas Bambridge, then warden of the Fleet prison, and John Huggins, his predecessor in that office. Both were declared 'notoriously guilty of great breaches of trust, ex tortions, cruelties, and other high crimes and misdemeanors.' It was the unanimous resolution of the committee 'that Thomas Bambridge, the acting Warden of the Prison of the Fleet, hath wilfully permitted
several debtors to the Crown in great sums of money as well as debtors to divers of His Majesty's subjects to escape; hath been guilty of the most notorious breaches of his trust, great extortions, and the highest crimes and misdemeanors in the execution of his said office; and hath arbitrarily and unlawfully loaded with irons, put into dungeons, and destroyed prisoners for debt under his charge, treating them in the most barbarous and cruel manner in high violation and contempt of the Laws of this Kingdom.'
"Bambridge was in consequence disqualified by Act of Parliament, and he cut his throat twenty years after.
"It was also resolved 'that John Huggins, Esq., late Warden of the Prison of the Fleet, did, during the time of his wardenship, wilfully permit several considerable debtors in his custody to escape; and was notoriously guilty of great breaches of trust, extortions, cruelties, and other high crimes and misdemeanors, in the execution of the said office;' and he was for some time committed to Newgate, but afterwards lived in credit to the age of ninety."
Let this fact not slip the attention of the reader: that several of the members of this committee were afterwards associated with Oglethorpe as trustees named in the charter of the Colony of Georgia.
Dr. Thaddeus Mason Harris * asserts that the attention of Oglethorpe was first attracted to the prison conditions of England by the case of Sir William Rich, Baronet, It is certain that General Oglethorpe num'bered among his friends Robert Castell, whose life was in some respects

* '' Biographical Memorials of James Oglethorpe,'' pp. 10 and 340.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

7

remarkable, and whose maltreatment at the hands of the same Barnbridge, while a prisoner in the Fleet, is thus told by Robert Wright, in his "Life of Oglethorpe:"
'' Though born to a competent estate, he became involved in debt and was arrested. Castell was first carried to a sponging-house attached to the Fleet prison and kept by one Corbett, an underling of the warden. On giving security by virtue of 'presents,' as they were called, to the latter whose name was Thomas Bambridge, he ob tained the liberty of the rules, but at length becoming no longer able to gratify the warden's appetite for refreshers, that insatiate officer ordered him to be recommitted to Corbett's, where the small-pox then raged! Poor Castell having informed Bambridge that he had never had that disease, and was in great dread of it, earnestly implored to be sent to some other sponging-house, or even into the jail itself. But though the monster's own subordinates were moved to compassion, and endeavored to dissuade him from his purpose, he forced his unhappy prisoner into the infected house, where he caught the small-pox, of which he died after a few days, leaving a large family in the greatest distress, and with his last breath charging Bambridge as his murderer." It is asserted that Bambridge was twice tried for the murder of Castell,
but was acquitted.

ORIGIN OF SAVANNAH
Just here we find the turning point in the life of Oglethorpe which led him into an investigation of the treatment of prisoners by , their custodians and culminating in the founding of Georgia, and the building of the city which was the landing-place of the first colonists under his leadership. It was Castell's case that directed his mind to introduce his resolution in the House of Commons. In the year 1728, Robert Castell, a skilful architect, published a sumptuous work called "The Villas of the Ancients," richly illustrated, and containing matter certainly of interest, and very probably of utility to one who might have in view the founding of a town or planning the laying out of pleasure grounds. The author, in his preface, says:. " The whole work consists of three parts. The first contains the description of a Villa Urbana, or country house of retirement near the city, that was supplied with most of the necessaries of life from a neighboring market town. The second sets forth the rules that were necessary to be ob served by an architect who had the liberty to choose a situation and to make a proper distribution of all things in and about the villa; but particularly with relation to the farm house, which in this sort of build ings, according to the more ancient Roman manner, was always joined to the master's house, or but very little removed from it. In the third part is shown the description of another Villa Urbana on a situation very different from the former, with the farm house and appurtenances so far removed as to be no annoyance to it, and at the same time so near as to furnish it conveniently with all necessaries." It was usual at that time for books of an expensive sort to be sold by subscription, and a list of the subscribers was printed as an appendix to the work. The list so

8

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

added to this publication shows that James Oglethorpe subscribed for two copies. His friendship for the author is thus shown, as well as in his visits to the author-prisoner in his confinement within the walls of the Fleet. Who can say what suggestions presented in that volume were adopted by Oglethorpe in his plan of Savannah, or to what extent he was indebted to the author, either in conversation or in written com munication, for the same purpose? May not the bond of friendship which impelled the noble philanthropist to visit in prison the unfortu nate artist, leading the former to plan an asylum of refuge for "many of his Majesty's poor subjects who through misfortunes and want of employment were reduced to great necessities"* have also led him to take advice from one of these "poor subjects," well-equipped for the work, in so important a matter?
Thus far, by way of introduction, an attempt has been made to ac count for the name of the city whose history we are considering, and to show, by way of suggestion only, the probable source whence Oglethorpe acquired and finally developed the" general plan of the first settlement of his followers, having, to some extent, at least, an idea of its future growth in beauty and importance among the great cities of the world both from a commercial standpoint and otherwise. These two points have received our special attention here, for the reason that former writers have, whether through lack of knowledge or failure to see their importance, passed them by in silence.
* Charter of the Colony.

CHAPTER II
COMING OF THE OGLETHORPE COLONY
SAILING AND LANDING OF THE COLONY--MESSAGE AND ASSISTANCE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA--OGLETHORPE's REASONS FOR SELECTING SITE-- HUTCHINSON'S ISLAND.
Following the thorough investigation of the matter of the inhuman treatment of those who, for causes beyond their own control, were lying in English prisons without apparent hope of release, Qglethorpe, in con junction with other influential men, among whom was Lord John, Viscount Percival, addressed the privy council in a memorial setting forth "that the cities of London and Westminster, and parts adjacent, do abound with great numbers of indigent persons who are reduced to such necessity as to become burdensome to the public, and who would be willing to seek a livelihood in any of his Majesty's plantations in Amer ica, if they were provided with a passage and means of settling there,'' etc. These petitioners further declared their willingness to engage in the setting up of a colony on receiving from the Crown a grant of lands specified by them and afterwards described in the ample charter as'' all those lands, countries and territories situate, lying and being in that part of South Carolina, in America, which lies from the most northern part of a stream or river there, commonly called the Savannah, all along the sea coast to the southward, unto the most southern stream of a cer tain other great water or river called the Altamaha, and westerly from the heads of said rivers respectively, in direct lines to the South Seas; and all that shore, circuit and precinct of land within the said boundaries, with the islands on the sea lying opposite to the eastern coast of the said lands; within twenty leagues of the same, which are not inhabited already, or settled by any authority derived from the crown, of Great Britain, together with all the soils, grounds, havens, ports, gulfs and bays, mines, as well royal mines of gold and silver as other minerals, precious stones, quarries, woods, rivers, waters, fishing, as well royal fishings of whale and sturgeon as other fishings, pearls, commodities, jurisdictions, royalties, franchises, privileges and pre-eminences within the said frontiers and precincts thereof and thereunto in any sort belong ing or appertaining, and which we by our letter patents may or can grant."
9

10

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

SAILING AND LANDING OF THE COLONY
We are not writing a history of Georgia, and therefore it is not neces sary to enter into detail upon the various matters pertaining to the preparations for the departure from the mother country of the emigrants. The trustees chose as the medium of transportation a galley, called the Anne, whose capacity was only two hundred tons burden, and whose commander was one John Thomas. Eighteen days before the vessel set sail, that is to say, on the 30th of October, 1732, the Gentleman's Maga zine published this statement: '' The Ann, Galley, of above two hundred tons, is on the point of sailing from Deptford, for the new colony of Georgia, with thirty-five families, consisting of carpenters, bricklayers, farmers, etc., who take all proper instruments. The men were learning military discipline of the guards, as must all that go thither, and to carry musquets, bayonets, and swords, to defend the colony, in case of an attack from the Indians. She has on board ten tons of Alderman Parson's best beer, and will take in at the Madeiras five tons of wine, for the service of the colony. James Oglethorpe, Esq., one of the trustees, goes with them to see them settled.'' The Rev. Dr. Henry Herbert went with them as chaplain, volunteering to act in that capacity, and to per form all the duties of his sacred office without any pecuniary reward what ever. The following account of the progress made from the date of sail ing until they reached the place selected. for the first settlement is taken from the South Carolina Gazette of the 31st of March, 1732-3, and is generally supposed to have been written by Dr. Herbert:
u We set sail from Gravesend on the 17th of November, 1732, in the ship Anne, of two hundred tons, John Thomas, master, and arrived off the bar of CharJestown [now Charleston, S. C.] on the 13th day of Janu ary following. Mr. Oglethorpe went on shore to wait upon the Governor, and was received with great marks of civility and satisfaction; obtained an order for Mr. Middleton, the King's Pilot, to carry the ship into Port Royal, and for small craft to carry the colony from thence to the River Savannah, with the promise of further assistance from the Province. He returned on board on the 14th day, and came to anchor within the bar of Port Royal, at above sixteen miles distance from Beaufort. On the 18th he went on shore upon Trench's Island, and left a guard of eight men upon John's, being a point of that island which commands the channel, and is about half way between Beaufort and the Savannah. They had orders to prepare huts for the reception of the colony against they should lye there in the passage. From thence he went to Beaufort Town, where he arrived at one o'clock in the morning, and was saluted with a discharge of all the artillery, and had the new Barracks fitted up,
where the Colony landed on the 20th day, and were in every respect cheer
fully assisted by Lieutenant Watts and Ensign Farrington, and other officers of His Majesty's Independent Company, as also Mr. Delabare, and other gentlemen of the neighborhood; while the Colony refreshed
themselves there, Mr. Oglethorpe went up the river and chose a situation
for a town, and entered into a treaty with Tomo-chi-chi, the Mico, or Chief of the only nation of Indians living near it. He returned on the 24th day and they celebrated the Sunday following [January 28] as a

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

11

day of thanksgiving for their safe arrival, and a sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Jones (the Rev. Dr. Herbert, who came with the colony, preached that day at Beaufort Town). There was a great resort of the gentlemen of that neighborhood and their families, and a plentiful dinner provided for the colony and all that came, by Mr. Oglethorpe; being four fat hogs, eight turkies, besides fowls, English beef and other
provisions, a hogshead of punch, a hogshead of beer, a large quantity of wine, and all was disposed in so regular a manner that no person was drunk nor any disorder happened.
"On the 30th [Tuesday] the colony embarked on board a sloop of seventy tons, and five periaugers * and made sail, but were forced by a
storm to put in at a place called the Look Out, and to lie there all night. The next day they arrived at Johns, where they found huts capable to contain them all, and a plentiful supper of venison. They re-embarked the next day, and in the afternoon arrived at the place intended for the town. Being arrived on the 1st of February, at the intended town, be fore night they erected four large tents, sufficient to hold all the people, being one for each tything; they landed their bedding and other little necessaries, and all the people lay en shore. The ground they encamped upon is the edge of the river, where the Key is intended to be.
'' Until the 7th was spent in making a crane and unloading the goods, which done, Mr. Oglethorpe divided the people, employing part in clear ing land for seed, part in beginning the palisade, and the remainder in felling trees where the town is to stand.

MESSAGE AND ASSISTANCE PROM SOUTH CAROLINA
'' Colonel Bull arrived here with a message from the general assembly [of South Carolina] to Mr. Oglethorpe, and a letter from his Excellency Governor Johnson, and the Council, acquainting him that the two Houses, upon a conference, had agreed to give twenty barrels of rice and one hundred head of cattle, besides hogs, to the Trustees; and that they had commanded a detachment of the Rangers (which are horse kept in the pay of the Province for the scouting the frontiers) and the Scout Boat (which is an armed bark employed for the same purpose by water) to attend him and take his orders.
'' Colonel Bull brought with him four of his negroes, who were sawyears, to assist the Colony, and also brought provisions for them, being resolved to put the Trustees to no expense, and by this means to bestow his benefaction in the most noble and useful manner.
"On the 9th [February], Mr. Oglethorpe and Colonel Bull marked out the square, the streets, and the lots for the houses for the Town; and the first house (which was ordered to be made of clapboard) was begun that day.
'' The town lies on the south side of the Savannah, upon a flat on the
* Sometimes spelled periaguas. '' Long flat-bottomed boats carrying from 20 to 30 tons. They have a kind of Forecastle and a Cabin; but the rest open, and no deck. They have two masts which they can strike, and sails like Schooners. They row generally with two oars only." Description by Francis Moore, in his Voyage to Georgia, p. 49. London, 1744.

12

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

top of a hill, and sixty yards of it is reserved between it and the Key. The river washes the foot of the hill, which stretches along the side of it a mile, and formed a terrace forty feet perpendicular above high water.
"From the Key, looking eastward, you may discover the river as far as the islands in the sea, and westward one may see it wind through the woods above six miles. .
"The river is one thousand feet wide; the water fresh, and deep enough for sloops of seventy tons to come up close to the side of the Key."
Oglethorpe wrote a letter to the trustees, giving an account of his arrival at Charleston, and on his arrival at Savannah he opens his ac count of his progress with a reference to that paper which, however, is presumably lost, as no copy of it is given by any writer. That letter, if in existence, could probably add but little, if any, information to
what we now possess; but it seems strange that it has not been pre served. , The Minutes of the Trustees, dated February 28,1732-3, contain
this reference to it: "Read a letter from Mr. Oglethorpe dated January the 13th, 1732-3, on board the ship Ann, giving an account of his safe arrival at Charlestown and the health of the Colony, having lost in the passage only Richard Cannon's Youngest Son, Aged Eight Months, and Robert Clarke 's Youngest Son, Aged One Year and a Half.''

OGLETHORPE 's REASONS FOB SELECTING SITE
Too much stress cannot be laid upon the reasons for selecting the site of the town and the beginning of the building of houses on the same, and so, at the risk of being considered too prolix, the following accounts by Oglethorpe himself are inserted: Under date of February 10, 1732-3, from the camp at Savannah, he wrote this letter to the trustees:
"GENTLEMEN:--I gave you an account in my last of my arrival in Charlestown. The Governor and Assembly have given us all possible encouragement.
"Our people arrived at Beaufort on the 20th of January, where I lodged them in some new Barracks built for the soldiers, while I went myself to view the Savannah Eiver.
"I fixed upon a healthy situation about ten miles from the sea. The river here forms a half moon, along the South side of which the Banks are about forty foot high; and upon the top a Flat, which they call a Bluff.
'' The plain high ground extends into the country five or six miles, and along the Eiver Side about a mile. Ships that draw 12 foot water can ride within ten yards of the Bank.
"Upon the River Side, in the centre of this plain, I have laid out the town; over against it is an island of very rich Land, fit for pasturage, which I think should be kept for the Trustees' cattle.
"The Eiver is pretty wide, the water fresh, and from the key of the town you see its whole course to the sea, with the Island of Tybee, which forms the mouth of the River; and the other way you see the Eiver for about six miles up into the country.
"The Landscape is very agreeable, the stream being wide, and bordered with high woods on both sides.
"The whole of the People arrived here on the 1st of Feb.;* at night their tents were got up. Till the 7th we were taken up in unloading and making a crane, which I could not then get finished, so took off the hands, and set some to the fortification, and began to fell the woods.
* Let it be borne in mind that this is according to old style.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

13

"I mark'd out the Town and Commons; half of the former is already cleared, the first house was begun yesterday in the afternoon. *******

"I am, Gentlemen, "Your Most Obedient Humble Servant,
JAMES OGLETHORPE."
HUTCHINSON'S ISLAND
The reader will perceive that in the foregoing letter the name of the island lying opposite the town is not mentioned. Indeed, it is very probable that at that date it had no name. Thus far it has not been added to the corporate limits of the city of Savannah which has grown to such a large extent since the time of Oglethorpe, but its situation and its relation in a business way to the city, especially since its vast im provement by the Seaboard Air Line Railway Company, in the build ing of docks, wharfs and warehouses, demand that some record be here made of its history and commercial importance.
The name Hutchinspn's Island first occurs in a tract entitled "A Voyage to Georgia, begun in the year 1735," by Francis Moore, Keeper of the Stores, and at one time Recorder of Frederica, Under date Febru ary 9, 1736, he says : "I took a view of the town of Savannah. It is about a mile and a quarter in circumference; it stands upon the flat of a hill, the bank of the river (which they in barbarous English call a bluff) is steep and about forty-five foot perpendicular, so that all heavy goods are brought up by a crane, an inconvenience designed to be remedied by a bridged wharf, and an easy ascent, which in laying out the town, care was taken to allow room for, there being a wide strand between the first row of houses and the river. From this strand there is a very pleasant prospect; you see the river wash the foot of the hill, which is a hard, clear, sandy beach, a mile in length; the water is fresh, and the river one thousand foot wide. Eastward you see the river increased by the northern branch,* which runs round Hutchinson's island, and the Carolina shore beyond it, and the woody islands at the sea, which close the prospect at ten or twelve mjles distance. Over against it is Hutchinson's island, great part of which is open ground, where they sow hay for the Trust's horses and cattle. The rest is woods in which there are many bay trees eighty foot high. Westward you see the river winding between the woods, with little islands in it for many miles, and Toma Chi Chi's Indian town standing upon the southern banks, between three and four miles distance." This writer then describes the town as it appeared at the time of his visit, and at the proper point we will quote more of his words. We
* Known as Back River.

14

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

are now concerned with the island whose name appears for the first time in his short history. Oglethorpe used it for the first time in a letter to the trustees a little more than three months after the date set down in Moore's journal, namely, May 18th, 1736, written at Frederica, on St. Simon's Island. In this letter he says: "The magistrates of Savannah have seized and staved large quantities of Rum upon the River under the Hill at Savannah. This channel being between Hutchinson's Island and Savannah they deem that the water between the Island and the Town is Georgia since the Islands are so." From that time the name became commonly known, and the island has had no other name.
No one has, apparently, deemed it of sufficient interest to attempt to account for the origin of its appellation. Who first .called it by the name it has borne since the year 1736? Was it so called before that time? Apparently not, or, Oglethorpe would have said so in his letter of February 10th, 1733. It seems to this writer that the time has now come when any matter connected with this thriving, important, busy and rapidly growing city should be deemed worthy of interest and investigation, and it seems especially important that, if possible, the name of this now valuable adjunct to Savannah should be accounted for. In the progress of his research he has found nothing upon which to base a reasonable conclusion of this matter but a single item in connection with the founding of the Colony of Georgia, and that, he thinks is convincing evidence of the reasonableness of said conclusion.
The only time the name Hutchinson occurs in the colonial records is in a list kept by the trustees of "Monies Received from the Several Persons Hereafter Named for the Following Purposes; that is to say, * * * To be applied for Establishing the Colony, vizt.: from 1732 27 Octob. Archibald Hutchinson, Esq., by the hands s d
of Mr. Oglethorpe ............................... 30
That is all; but need we look further for a solution of the question? The amount subscribed by Mr. Hutchinson was not large, and, com pared with that given by some others, may be deemed insignificant; but, when we find the record of the donation coupled with the state ment that it was tendered "by the hands of Mr. Oglethorpe," it is probable that behind those words there lies hidden a depth of mean ing which, if by any possibility could be uncovered, would develop the true reason--possibly a very strong bond of friendship--for the bestowal
of his name upon this rich spot of earth.
The development of the island by the Seaboard Air Line Company was, at the time, considered a great undertaking; but the possibility
of making the river front across the river valuable in both a com mercial and industrial way was seriously considered as far back as the year 1818, when, during the month of November, two of Savannah's aldermen (Charlton and Cope) prepared a memorial to the Georgia legislature, in which this matter was touched upon as follows: "On the opposite side of that branch of the river which separates the city from Hutchinson's island, it is proposed to erect an extensive range of wharves and warehouses which, carrying with them a certain class
of population and other incidents of commerce will temporarily and unquestionably require a very active interposition of city regulations.''

CHAPTER III
FOUNDING IN DETAIL
THE GOOD SOUTH CAROLINA FRIENDS--STAUNCH COL. WILLIAM BULLMOORE'S DESCRIPTION OF SAVANNAH--PROGRESS OF THE INFANT TOWN AND COLONY--SAVANNAH'S ORIGINAL SITE--THE GRANTEES.
We have followed the colonists from England to the shores of Georgia and to the spot which, in the succeeding pages, shall have our entire attention. On the evening of their arrival they set up u on the edge of the river" four large tents, one for each tything, where they spent the night. Their leader slept in his own tent, pitched under four pine trees, on the top of the bluff, and we are told that '' this canvas was his abiding place for nearly a year. Subsequently he contented himself with hired lodgings in one of the houses of his
The next day Oglethorpe assembled the people and publicly re turned thanks to God for granting them a safe passage and asked His blessing upon their proposed work. In addition to what he said in his letter to the trustees, January 13, 1733, concerning the selection at Yamaeraw bluff of the site for the town, in a letter to that body, dated February 20th, he further said: "I chose the Situation for the Town upon a high Ground forty foot perpendicular above High-water Mark. The Soil dry and sandy, the Water of the River fresh, Springs coming out from all Sides of the Hills. I pitched on this place not only for the pleasantness of its Situation, but because from the above-mentioned and other signs I thought it healthy, for it is sheltered from the Western and Southern winds (the worst in this country) by vast Woods and Pine-trees, many of which are one hundred, and few under seventy foot high. There is no Moss on the Trees, as in most parts of Carolina they are covered with it, and it hangs down two or three foot from them. The last and fullest consideration of the Healthfulness of the place was that an Indian nation, who knew the Nature of this Country, chose it for their Habitation. "
THE GOOD SOUTH CAROLINA FRIENDS
Before we take up the matter of the actual work of laying out the town, let us see just what outside assistance Oglethorpe received before
* Jones' History of Georgia, Vol. I, p. 122.
15

16

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

he began. That help came entirely from the good people of South Carolina. We have obtained some idea of the magnitude of this gen erous conduct on their part which must have lifted from the shoulders of the leader of the colonists no small part of the heavy burden with which he set out. Let us pause here, therefore, and go to the official records of South Carolina for a proper understanding of the conduct of that noble people. The assembly, through a committee, resolved, on the 26th of January, 1733, "That * * * we are unanimously of the opinion that all due countenance and encouragement ought to be given to the settling of the Colony of Georgia.
"And for that end your committee apprehend it necessary that his Excellency [Gov. Robert Johnson] be desired to give orders and directions that Captain McPherson, together with fifteen of the rangers, do forthwith repair to the new settlement of Georgia, to cover and protect Mr. Oglethorpe, and those under his care, from any insult that may be offered them by the Indians, and that they continue and abide there till the new settlers have enforced themselves, and for such further time as his excellency may think necessary.
"That the Lieutenant and four men of the Apalachicola Garrison be ordered to inarch to the fort on Carnbahee, to join those of the rangers that remain; and that the commissary be ordered to find them with pro vision as usual.
"That his Excellency will please to give directions that the scoutboat at Port Royal do attend the new settlers as often as his Excellency shall see occasion.
"That a present be given Mr. Oglethorpe for the new settlers of Georgia forthwith, of an hundred head of breeding cattle and five bulls, as also twenty breeding cows and four boars, with twenty barrels of good and merchantable rice; the whole to be delivered at the charge of the public, at such place in Georgia as Mr. Oglethorpe shall appoint.
"That periaguas be provided at the charge of the public to attend Mr. Oglethorpe at Port Royal, in order to carry the new settlers, arrived in the ship Anne, to Georgia, with their effects, and the artil lery and ammunition now on board.
"That Colonel Bull be desired to go to Georgia with the Hon. James Oglethorpe, Esq., to aid him with his best advices and assistance in settling the place."
Previous to that time, that is to say on the 13th of January, Governor Johnson had published an advertisement in the South Caro lina Gazette, calling on the people of his province to assist in the settling of the new colony, which advertisement closed in these words: "The piety and charity of so good an undertaking, I hope will be a sufficient inducement to every person to contribute something to a work so acceptable to God, as well as so advantageous to this [South Carolina] province;" and in communicating to Oglethorpe the action taken by the Carolina general assembly, Governor Johnson and his council sent him this letter:
"Sir--We cannot omit the first opportunity of congratulating you on your safe arrival in the province, wishing you all imaginable success in your charitable and generous undertaking; in which we beg leave to assure you that any assist
ance we can give shall not be wanting in the promotion of the same.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

17

"The General Assembly having come to the Eesolution inclosed, we hope you will accept it as an instance of our sincere intentions to forward so good a work; and of our attachment to a person who has at all times so generously used his endeavors to relieve the poor, and deliver them out of their distress; in which you have hitherto been so successful, that we are persuaded this undertaking cannot fail under your prudent conduct, which we most heartily wish for.
"The rangers and scout-boats are ordered to attend you as soon as possible. Colonel Bull, a gentleman of this Board, and who we esteem most capable to assist you in the settling of your new colony, is desired to deliver you this, and to accompany you, and render you the best services he is capable of; and is one whose integrity you may very much depend on, "We are, with the greatest respect and esteem, Sir, your most obedient humble servants,
"EGBERT JOHNSON, THOMAS BROUGHTOX, AL MIDDLETON, A. SKEENE, FRA. YOUNGE, JAMES KINLOCK, JOHN FENWICKE, THOMAS WARING, J. HAMMERTON."

STANCH COL. WILLIAM BULL
Farther than this, Governor Johnson, in a letter to Benjamin Martyn, secretary of the trustees of Georgia, dated February 12, 1733, said of Colonel Bull: "I have likewise prevailed on Colonel Bull, a member of the Council, and a gentleman of great probity and ex perience in the affairs of this Province, the nature of land, and the method of settling, and who is well acquainted with the manner of the Indians, to attend Mr. Oglethorpe to Georgia with our compli ments, and to offer him advice and assistance; and, had not our assembly been sitting, I would have gone myself.''
Fortunate, indeed, was General Oglethorpe in having the aid and friendship of Col. William Bull in this most important business. All that was said of him by Governor Johnson, and others, was true. He promised his assistance, and that promise was more perfectly realized than the fondest hopes of the colonists had expected. Not only did he give his best service, but he added to it materially in providing the skilled labor of four of his servants of whom it was said that they were expert sawyers. Their part of the work was in preparing boards for the houses. As highly appreciated, however, as were the friendship and support of this man, whose name has been most prominently mentioned, there were others from Carolina whose services deserved and received the sincere gratitude and thanks of those who at this critical period stood in sore need of help. Ogle thorpe wrote to the trustees: "Mr. Whitaker has given us one hundred head of cattle. Mr. Bull, Mr. Barlow, Mr. St. Julian, and Mr. Wood ward are to come up to assist us with some of their servants." In return for all the kindness received at the hands of these friends Oglethorpe named some of the streets of the town for such as gave and did the most. In the naming of the wards and tythings he re membered the trustees of the colony who, from the very beginning,

18

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

encouraged him in his great undertaking; but of this we shall say more later on.

MOORE'S DESCRIPTION OF SAVANNAH
It seems proper just here to explain the method by which the town was divided into lots, and for this purpose we will again take the words of Francis Moore whose "Voyage to Georgia" is accurate. Continuing where we left off in Chapter II, he says: "The town of Savannah is built of "Wood; all the Houses of the first forty Freeholders are of the .same size with that Mr. Oglethorpe lives in, but there are great numbers built since, I believe one hundred or one hundred and fifty, many of these are much larger, some of two or three stories high, the Boards plained and painted. The Houses stand on large lotts, sixty foot in Front, by ninety foot in Depth; each lot has a fore and back street to it, the lotts are fenced in with split Poles; some few People have pallisades of turned wood before their Doors; but the generality have been wise enough not to throw away their Money which, in this Country, laid out in Husbandry, is capable of great improvements, though there are several People of good Substance in the town who came at their own Expense, and also several of those who came over on the charity, are in a very thriving way; but this is observed that the most substantial people are the most frugal, and make the least show, and live at the least Expense. There are some also who have made but little or bad use of the Benefit they received, idling away their time, whilst they had Provisions from the Publick store, or else working for hire, earning from two shillings, the price of a labourer, to four or five shillings, the price of a carpenter, per diem, and spending the money in Rum and Good Living, thereby neglecting to improve their Lands, so that when their time of Receiving their Provisions from the Publick ceased, they were in no Forwardness to maintain themselves out of their own Lands, As they chose to be hirelings when they might have improved for themselves, the consequence of that folly forces them now to work for 'their Daily Bread. These are generally dis contented with the Country; and if they have run themselves in Debt, their creditors will net let them go away till they have paid. Considering the Number of People there are but very few of these. The industrious ones have throve beyond expectation; most of them that have been there three Years, and many others, have Houses in the Town which those that let have, for the worst 10 per annum, and the best let for 30.
"Those who have cleared their five Acre Lotts have made a very great Profit out of them by greens, roots and corn. Several have im proved the Cattle they had at first, and have now five or six Tame Cows; others, who to save the Trouble of Feeding them, let them go into the Woods, can rarely find them, and when brought up, one of them will not give half the quantity of Milk which another Cow fed near Home will give.
"Their Houses are built at a pretty large Distance from one another for fear of fire; the Streets are very wide, and there are great squares

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

19

left at Proper Distances for Markets and other Conveniences, Near the Riverside there is a Guard-house inclosed with Palisades a Foot Thick, where there are nineteen or twenty Cannons mounted, and a continual Guard kept by the Free-holders. This Town is governed by three Bailiffs, and has a Recorder, Register, and a Town Court which is holden every six weeks, where all Matters Civil and Criminal are decided by grand and petty juries as in England; but there are no Lawyers allowed to plead for hire, nor no Attornies to take money, but (as in old times in England) every man pleads his own cause. In case it should be an Orphan, or one that cannot speak for themselves, there are Persons of the best Substance in the Town appointed by the Trustees to take care of the Orphans, and to defend the Helpless, and that without Fee or Reward, it being a Service that such that is capable
must perform in his turn. "They have some laws and customs peculiar to Georgia; one is
that all Brandies and Distilled Liquors are prohibited under severe Penalties; another is that no Slavery is allowed, n6r Negroes; a third, that all Persons who go among the Indians must give Security for their Good Behavior; because the Indians, if any Injury is done to them and they cannot kill the man who does it, expect satisfaction from the Government, which, if not procured, they break out into War by killing the first White Man they conveniently can.
"No Victualler or Ale-house Keeper can give any Credit, so conse quently can not recover any Debt.
"The Free-holds are all entailed which has been very fortunate for the Place. If People could have sold, the greater part, before they knew the Value of their Lotts, would have parted with them for a trifling Con dition, and there were not wanting Rich men who employed Agents to Monopolize the Whole Town; and if they had got Numbers of Lotts into their own Hands, the other Free-holders would have had no Benefit by letting their Houses, and hardly of Trade, since the Rich, by means of a large Capital, would underlet and undersell, and the Town must have been almost without inhabitants as Port Royal in Carolina is, by the best Lotts being got into a few Hands.
"The mentioning the Laws and Customs leads me to take notice that Georgia is founded upon Maxims different from those on which other Colonies have been begun. The Intention of that Colony was an Asylum to receive the Distressed. This was the charitable Design, and the govern mental View besides that was with Numbers of Free White People, well settled, to strengthen the southern Part of the English Settlements on the Continent of America, of which this is the Frontier. It is necessary therefore not to permit Slaves in such a Country, for slaves starve the poor Labourer, for, if the Gentleman can have his Work done by a Slave who is a Carpenter or a Bricklayer, the Carpenters or Bricklayers of that Country must starve for want of Employment, and so of other trades.
"In order to maintain many People it was proper that the Land should be divided into small Portions, and to prevent the uniting them by Marriage or Purchase. For every Time that two Lotts are united, the town loses a Family, and the Inconvenience of this shows itself at Savan-

20

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

nali notwithstanding the Care of the Trustees to prevent it. They suf fered the moiety of the Lotts to descend to the Widows during their Lives; those who remarried to Men who had Lotts of their own, by uniting two Lotts made one to be neglected; for the strength of Hands who could take care of one, was not sufficient to look and improve two. These uncleared Lotts are a nuisance to their neighbors. The Trees which grow upon them shade the Lotts, the Beasts take shelter in them, and for want of clearing the Brooks which pass thro 7 them, the Lands are often prej
udiced by floods. To prevent all these inconveniences the first Regula tion of the Trustees was a strict Agrarian Law, by which all the Lands near Towns should be divided, fifty Acres to each Free-holder. The quantity of Land by experience seems rather too much, since it is im possible that one poor Family can tend so much Land. If this Aiottment is too much, how much more inconvenient would the uniting of two be? To prevent it, the Trustees grant the Lands in Tail Male, that on the expiring of a Male-line they may re-grant it to such Man, having no other Lott, as shall be married to the next Female Heir of the Deceased, as is of good Character. This manner of Dividing prevents also the Sale of Land, and the Rich thereby monopolizing the Country.
"Each Free-holder has a Lott in Town Sixty foot by Ninety foot, be sides which he has a Lott, beyond the Common, of Five Acres for a Gar den. Every Ten Houses make a Tything, and to every Tything there is a mile Square, which is divided into twelve Lotts, besides Roads; each Free holder of the Tything has a Lott or Farm of forty-five Acres there, and two Lotts are reserved by the trustees in order to defray the Charge of the Publick. The town is laid out for two hundred and forty Free-holds; the quantity of lands necessary for that number is twenty-four square miles; every forty houses in town make a ward to which four square miles in the country belong, each ward has a constable, and under him four tything men. Where the town-lands end, the villages begin; four villages make a ward without, which depends upon one of the wards within the town. The use of this is, in case of war should happen that the villages without may have places in the town, to bring their cattle and families into for refuge, and to that purpose there is a square left in every ward big enough for the out-wards to encamp in. There is ground also kept round about the town ungranted, in order for the fortifications when ever occasion shall require. Beyond the villages commence lotts of five hundred acres; these are granted upon terms of keeping ten servants, etc. Several gentlemen who have settled on such grants have succeeded very well, and have been of great service to the colony. Above the town is a parcel of land called Indian lands; these are those reserved by King Toma-chi-chi for his people. There is near the town to the east, a garden belonging to the trustees, consisting of ten acres; the situation is de lightful, one-half of it is upon the top of a hill, the foot of which the river Savannah washes, and from it you see the woody islands in the sea. The remainder of the garden is the side and some plain low ground at the foot of the hill where several fine springs break out. In the garden is variety of soils; the top is sandy and dry, the sides of the hill are clay, and the bottom is a black rich garden mould, well watered. On the
north part of the garden is left standing a grove of part of the old wood

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

21

as it was before the arrival of the colony there. The trees in the grove are mostly bay, sassafras, evergreen, oak, pellitory, hickory, American
ash and the laurel tulip. This last is looked upon as one of the most beautiful trees in the world; it grows straight bodied to forty or fifty foot high; the bark smooth and whiteish, the top spreads regular like an orange-tree in English gardens, only larger; the leaf is like that of common laurel, but bigger, and the under-side of a greenish brown. It blooms about the month of June; the flowers are white, fragrant
like the orange, and perfume all the air around it; the flower is round, eight or ten inches diameter, thick like the orange-flower, and a little yellow near the heart; as the flowers drop, the fruit, which is a cone with red berries, succeeds them. There are also some bay-trees that have
flowers like the laurel, only less. "The garden is laid out with cross-walks planted with orange trees,
but the last winter a good deal of snow having fallen, had killed those upon the top of the hill down to their roots, but they being cut down sprouted again, as I saw when I returned to Savannah. In the squares between the walks were vast quantities of mulberry trees, this being a nursery for all the province, and every planter that desired it, has young trees given him gratis from this nursery. These white mulberry trees were planted in order to raise silk, for which purpose several Italians were brought at the trustees' expense from Piedmont by Mr. Amatis; they have fed. worms and wound silk to as great perfection as any that ever came out of Italy; but the Italians falling out, one of them stole away the machines for winding, broke the coppers, and spoiled all the eggs which he could not steal and fled to South Caro lina, The others, who continued faithful, had saved but a few eggs, when Mr. Oglethorpe arrived; therefore he forbade any silk should be wound, but that all the worms should be suffered to eat through their balls in order to have more eggs against next year. The Italian women are obliged to take English girls apprentices, whom they teach to wind and feed; and the men have taught our English gardeners to tend the mulberry trees, and our joyners have learned how to make the machines for winding. As the mulberry trees increase there will be a great quantity of silk made here.
"Beside the mulberry-trees there are in some of the quarters in the coldest part of the garden, all kinds of fruit trees usual in England, such as apples, pears, etc. In another quarter are olives, figs, vines pomegranates and such fruits as are natural to the warmest parts of Europe. At the bottom of the hill, well-sheltered from the north wind, and in the warmest part of the garden, there was a collection of WestIndia plants and trees, some coffee, some cocoa-nuts, cotton, PalniaChristi, and several West India physical plants, some sent up by Mr. Eveliegh, a publick-spirited merchant at Charles-town, and some by Dr. Houstoun from the Spanish West Indies, where he was sent at the expence of a collection raised by that curious physician, Sir Hans Sloan, for to collect and send them to Georgia where the climate was capable of making a garden which might contain all kinds of plants; to which design his grace the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Derby, the Lord Peters, and the Apothecary's Company contributed very gen-

22

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

erously, as did Sir Hang himself. The quarrels among the Italians proved fatal to most of these plants, and they were labouring to repair that loss when I was there, Mr. Miller being employed in the room of Dr. Houstoun who died in Jamacia. We heard he had wrote an account of his having obtained the plant from whence the true Balsamum Capivi is drawn; and that he was in hopes of getting that from whence the Jesuit's Bark is taken, he designing for that purpose to send to the Spanish West Indies.
" There is a plant of bamboo cane brought from the East Indies, and sent over by Mr. Towers, which thrives well. There was also some tea seeds which came from the same place; but the latter, though great care was taken, did not grow.
"There were no publick buildings in the town, besides a store house ; for the courts were held in a hut thirty-six foot long and twelve foot wide, made of split boards, and erected on Mr. Oglethorpe's first arrival in the colony. In this hut also divine service was performed, but upon his arrival this time, Mr. Oglethorpe ordered a house to be erected in the upper square, which might serve for a court house and for divine service till a church could be built, arid a workhouse over against it; for as yet there was no prison here."

PROGRESS OF THE INFANT TOWN AND COLONY
The foregoing, although somewhat out of chronological order, is given for the purpose of showing how the colonists began to build the town. Progress in that matter will now receive our attention. The Carolinians took a very active part in the beginning. Colonel Bull, with four of his servants, spent a month on the spot, and had much to do in the matter of directing how the houses should be built. Mr. Whitaker and others gave one hundred head of cattle. Several weeks were spent by Mr. St. Julian in like manner as Colonel Bull. Mr. Joseph Bryan gave two months in the same way. Mrs. Ann Drayton gave the work of four men in sawing lumber, besides which Colonel Bull and Mr. Bryan furnished twenty servants to generally assist in any way that might be helpful. These generous friends were well remembered in having their names given to the streets running through the town--names which these, streets still bear. The name Johnson was given the first square laid out, in honor of Gov. Robert Johnson who, in a special manner, made the task lighter to the com pany of pioneers, much lighter than they had any reason to expect, The street farther north was called Bay, next came Bryan, then St. Julian, all running east and west; and intersecting them were Bull, in the center, Drayton next on the east with Abercorn following in the same direction, while Whitaker was the only one lying west of Bull. One of the principal benefactors of the colony was the Right Honorable James, Earl of Abercorn, and he was complimented in the naming of one of the first streets, marking the then extreme eastern limit of Savannah. In the division of the town into wards and tythings Oglethorpe wisely determined to use in their designation the names of the trustees who, under the charter, managed the business affairs of the colony.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

23

We have already quoted from the charter those portions of that instru ment declaring the boundaries of the colony, etc., and how its affairs should be managed. For that purpose a corporation was formed and styled "The Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in Amer ica," and the names of the persons composing that body, together with the places of their residence, are as follows:
Lord Percival, Pall Mall; Lord Carpenter, Grosvernor Square, Edward Digby, Esq., Clarges street; James Oglethorpe, Esq., Old Palace Yard; George Heathcote, Esq., Soho Square; Thomas Towers, Esq., Middle Temple; Robert Moore, Esq., Duke street, York Buildings; Robert Hucks, Esq., Russell street, Bloomsbury; Rogers Holland, Esq., Essex street; William Sloper, Esq., St. James Place; Frances Eyles, Esq., Soho Square; John Laroche, Esq., Pall Mall; James Vernon, Esq., Grosvenor street; William Belitha, Esq., Kingston, Surrey; Stephen Hales, A. M. Teddington, Middlesex; John Burton, B. D., Oxford; Richard Bundy, A. M., Dean street, Soho; Arthur Bedford, A. M., Hah. Hosp., Noxton; Samuel Smith, A. M., Aldgate; Adam Anderson, Gent., Clerkenwell Green; Thomas Coram, Gent., Goodman's Fields.
Bishop William B. Stevens, in his History of Georgia, Vol. I, pp. 99100, states that the division of towns into tithings and the appointment of tithing men was an old Saxon custom, and suggests that it was de rived from the action of Moses as counseled by Jethro, his father-in-law, as recorded in the latter part of Exodus 18, and adds: "But in no in stance was a town originally lined out as Savannah was into wards and tithings, with officers appropriate to their divisions." Let us add also that no town except Savannah was ever so laid out as to have at regular intervals grassy parks, or squares as they are called,' which some one has aptly styled '' breathing places'' of the city.
When the building of houses had proceeded to a considerable extent, and the divisions indicated through the lines on which they were erected, that is to say, on the 7th of July following the landing, a. solemn cere mony was observed in the streets. At the command of Oglethorpe the people assembled early in the morning, and after being led in prayer they were, in the language of Col. Chas. C. Jones, Jr.,* "definitely advised of the precise plan of the village, taught the names which he proposed to bestow upon the square, streets, wards, and tithings, and participated in the assignment of town lots, gardens and farms.'' At that time four wards were named, and each ward was subdivided into four tithings. The names of the one square and the streets have already been mentioned. The wards and tithings were named as follows: "Percival Ward, so named in honor of John, Lord Pervical, the first Earl of Egmont, and president of the trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America; Heathcote Ward, so named in honor of George Heathcote, M. P.7 an alderman of London, and one of the most active and influential members of the board of trustees; Derby Ward, so-called in compliment to the Earl of Derby, who was one of the most generous patrons of the colonization; and Decker Ward, so named in honor of Sir Matthew Decker, whose benefactions to the charitable design had been conspicuous. The tithings embraced in Percival Ward were called, respectively, Moore,
* History of Georgia, Vol. I, p. 149.

24

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Hucks, Holland and Sloper, in honor of Robert Moore, Robert Hucks, Roger Holland and William. Sloper, members of parliament all, and influential trustees. Heathcote Ward was composed of Eyles, Laroche, Vernon and Belitha tithings, so named to perpetuate the pleasant memo ries of Sir Francis Eyles, Bart., one of the commissioners of the navy and a member of parliament, John Laroche, also a member of parlia ment, James Vernon, Esq., and William Belitha, all members of the trust. The four tithings constituting Derby Ward were Wilmington, Jekyll, Tyrconnel and Frederick. These were named in compliment to the Earl of Wilmington, Sir Joseph Jekyll, Master of the Rolls, who, with his lady, had contributed six hundred pounds in furtherance of the laudable design of the trustees, Lord John Tyrconnel, and Thomas Frederck, M. P., both members of the board of trustees. The tithings into which Decker Ward was divided were named Digby, Carpenter, Tower and Heathcote, in honor of Edward Digby, George, Lord Carpenter, Thomas Tower; M. P., and George Heathcote, M. P., trustees all."*
Allotments of the portions of land in the town having been made, as we have seen, to the citizens on the 7th of July, let us look a little further into this business, and see what steps had been previously taken which led to this transaction.
Among the powers granted to the trustees by the charter was that of appointing a common council. This council was composed of the Right Honorable Anthony, Earl of Shaftesbury; the Right Honorable John, Viscount Percival; the Right Honorable John, Lord Viscount Tyr connel; the Right Honorable James, Lord Viscount Limerick; the Right Honorable George, Lord Carpenter; the Honorable Edward
Digby, Esq.; James Oglethorpe, Esq., George Heathcote, Esq., Thomas Tower, Esq.; Robert Moore, Esq., Robert Hucks, Esq., Roger Holland, Esq., William Sloper, Esq., Francis Eyler, Esq., John Laroche, Esq., James Vernon, Esq., Stephen Hales, A. M., Richard Chandler, Esq., Thomas Frederick, Esq., Henry L'Apostre, Esq., William Heathcote, Esq., John White, Esq., Robert Kendal, Esq., alderman, with Richard Bundy, D. D., with Benjamin Martyn, as secretary. The minutes of this body show that at a meeting held in the Palace Court, on the 26th of October, 1732, among other business attended to there was "Read a Lease and Release granting five thousand acres of land in Georgia in America to Thomas Christie, Joseph Hughes and William Calvert in trust," and on the 1st of November following "A Power to James Ogle thorpe, Esq., to set out, limit and divide five thousand Acres of Land in Georgia in America was read, approv'd and order'd to pass the Seal. * * * Appointment to James Oglethorpe, Esq., to give Directions to Thomas Christie, Joseph Hughes and William Calvert concerning the division of Land in Georgia in America, was read, approved and ordered
he Seals."

SAVANNAH'S ORIGINAL SITE
This was the tract of land from which Savannah was settled, and from which the allotment was made July 7th, 1733. Accompanying the
* History of Georgia, by Chas. C. Jones, Jr., Vol. I, pp. 149-150.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA ^

25

errant to these three persons named was a plan of Savannah which has been lost, but the deed is in the office of the secretary of state of Georgia. It is of such great importance that it is deemed worthy of a place here,
and is as follows:

"To all to whom these Presents shall come : We, Thomas Christie and William Calvert, send greeting. Whereas by Indentures of Lease and Release made between the Trustees for establishing the Colony of Geor gia in America on the one part; and us the said Thomas Christie and William Calvert and Joseph Hughes, deceased, on the other part, bear ing date the twenty-fifth day of October, Anno Domini One Thousand
seven hundred thirty and two, under the common seal of the said Trustees, they the said Trustees did for the considerations therein men tioned Grant and convey unto us the said Thomas Christie and William Calvert and the said Joseph Hughes, deceased, and to the Survivors of us and our Assigns, Five Thousand Acres of Land lying and being in the Province of Georgia in America, being part and parcel of the Land which his Majesty graciously granted to the said Trustees by his Letters Patent bearing date the Ninth day of June Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred thirty and two, to be set out in such parts of the said Province as should be thought convenient and proper by such Person as should be appointed by the .Common Council for that purpose, under such limitations and in trust for such uses and purposes as are therein mentioned, as in and by the said Indentures, relation being to them had, may more fully appear ; And Whereas the said Common Council did by deed under the Common Seal of the said Trustees, bearing Date the Twenty Sixth day of October Anno Domini One Thousand seven hun dred thirty and two authorize and appoint James O'glethorpe Esquire, of Westbrook Place in the County of Surry, to set out and limit the said Five Thousand Acres in such part of the said Province as he should think most convenient; and Whereas the said James Oglethorpe hath set out and limited the said Five Thousand Acres in such a regular manner as is most convenient for the support of a Town and the Inhabi tants thereof, and hath set out part of the said Five Thousand Acres for a Town called Savannah, with Lotts for Houses, and left a Common round the Town for convenience of Air ; And, adjoining to the Commons, hath set out Garden Lotts of Five Acres each, and beyond such Garden Lotts hath set out Farms of Forty Four Acres, and One hundred forty and one Pole each, and hath drawn a Plan of the Town and Plot of the Garden Lots and Farms respectively, with proper Numbers, References, and Explanations for the more easy understanding thereof which Plan and Plot are hereunto annexed and set forth in Folio One and Folio Nine of this Book :
"Now Know Ye, that we, the Said Thomas Christie and William Cal vert pursuant to the said Deed, and in performance of the said Trust, do Grant and Enfeoff unto John Goddard one House Lot in Wilmington Tything in Derby Ward, expressed in the said Plan by Number One, containing Sixty feet in front and Ninety feet in depth, and one Garden Lot containing Five Acres, expressed on the said Plot by Number Eleven, lying South East from the Center of the said Town, and one Farm ex-

26

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

pressed in the said Plot by Number Five and Letter A in the said Ward and Tything, containing Forty Four Acres and One Hundred Forty and One Pole, making together Fifty Acres of Land: To Have and To Hold the said Fifty Acres of Land unto him the said John Goddard during the term of his natural life, and after his decease to the Heirs Male of his Body forever, Upon the Conditions and under the express Limitations hereinafter mentioned.''
Garden lots, farms and town lots in which the location by wards and tithings was indicated were granted in the same instrument, on the same conditions to the following: Walter Fox, John Grady, James Carwall, Richard Cannon, Francis Cox, relict of William Cox, William Cox, Jr., George Sims, Joseph Fitzwalter, Mary Samms, relict of John Samms, Elizabeth Warren, relict of John Warren, William Warren, son of the said John Warren, Mary Overend, relict of Joshua Overend, Francis Mugridge, Robert Johnson, William Horn, John Penrose, Elizabeth Hughes, relict of Joseph Hughes, Mary Hodges, relict of Richard Hodges, Mary Hodges, Elizabeth Hodges, and Sarah Hodges--daughters of the said Richard Hodges--James Muir, Thomas Christie, Joseph Cooper, John West, James Wilson, Thomas Pratt, William Waterland, Eliza beth Bowling, relict of Timothy Bowling, Mary Bowling, daughter of the said Timothy Bowling, Elizabeth Millidge, relict of Thomas Millidge, Heirs Male of the said Thomas Millidge, William Little, Jane Parker, relict of Samuel Parker, Thomas Parker, son of the said Samuel Parker, Mary Magdalene Tibbeau, relict of Daniel Tibbeau, Heirs Male of the said Daniel Tibbeau, Hannah Close, relict of Henry Close, Ann Close, daughter of the said Henry Close, Joseph Stanley, Robert Clark, Peter Gordon, Thomas Causton, John Vanderplank, Thomas Young, Joseph Coles, Thomas Tebbitt, John Dearn, John Wright, Noble Jones, Ann Hows, relict of Robert Hows, John Clark, William Gough, William MacKay, Thomas Ellis, Edward Johnson, Isaac Nunez Henriquez, Wil
liam Mears, Moses le Desma, Paul Cheeswright, Samuel Nunez Ribiero, John Musgrove, Noble Wimberly Jones, Daniel Ribiero, Charles Philip Rogers, Moses Nunez Ribiero, Robert Gilbert, Edward Jenkins, Senior, Jacob Lopez d'Olivera, William Savory, Edward Jenkins, Junior, Isaac de Val, David Cohen del Monte, Benjamin Shaftell, Bearsley Gough, Robert Hows, Abraham Nunez, Monte Santo, John Millidge, Jacob Yowel, Samuel Parker, Junior, Abraham Minis, Jacob Lopez de Crasto, and David de Pas. Specifying the particular portion of land conveyed to
each of the persons named, the deed continues and ends as follows: " yielding and paying for such Town Lott, Garden Lott, and Farm, containing together Fifty Acres as aforesaid, to the said Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America, and to their Successors, yearly and every year, the Rent or Sum of two Shillings of lawful Money of Great Britain, the same to be paid to such person or persons and at such place in the said Town of Savannah in the said Province of Georgia as by the Common Council (for the time being) of the said Trustees shall be appointed. The first Payment to be made on the first Day of the Eleventh year to be computed from the Day of the date of these Presents; provided always, and these Presents are upon these conditions that if it shall happen that the said yearly Rent, of Two Shill-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

27

ings or any part thereof be unpaid by the space of Twelve Kalendar Months next after the day of Payment, on which the same ought to be paid as aforesaid. And if the said several persons or their respective Heirs above mentioned shall not within the space of Eighteen Kalendar Months from the date hereof erect one House of Brick or framed, square timber work, on their respective Town Lotts, containing at the least Twenty four feet in length, upon Sixteen in breadth, and eight feet in height, and abide, settle and continue in the said Province for and during the full term of three years to be computed from the date hereof, and if the said several Persons and each of them respectively shall not, within the space of ten years, to be likewise computed from the date hereof, clear and cultivate Ten Acres of the said Land hereinbefore to them re spectively granted; And if the said several persons aforesaid shall not plant or cause to be planted, One Hundred plants of the White Mul-. berry Tree which are to be delivered unto them respectively by the said Trustees, so soon as the same of sufficient part thereof be cleared, and sufficiently fence and preserve the same from the bite of Cattle and in stead of such Trees as shall happen to die or be destroyed shall not set other Trees of the same sort, And if any or either of the said several persons above mentioned who shall by virtue of these Presents, or of the Grant and Enfeoffment hereby made or intended to be made, now or at any time or times hereafter become possessed of the said Fifty Acres of Land, or any part or parcel thereof respectively, at any time or times alien, transfer, or convey the same or any part thereof for any term of years, or any estate or interest in the same, to any Person or Persons whatsoever without special leave and license of the said Common Council (for the time being) or of such Officer as the said Common Council shall from time to time authorize to Grant such license; And if- the said Per son or Persons or any other Person who shall by virtue of these Presents and the Grant in Tail Male hereby made from time to time become possessed of the said Fifty Acres of Land shall do or commit any Treason, Misprison of Treason, Insurrection, Rebellion, Counterfeiting the Money of Great Britain, or shall commit Murder, Felony, Homicide, Killing, Burglary, Rape of women, unlawful Conspiracy or Confederacy, and shall be thereof lawfully convicted; and if any of the said Person or Persons hereinbefore mentioned or any other Person or Persons who shall by virtue of these Presents and of the Grant thereby made, from time to time become possessed of any of the said Fifty Acres of Land shall at any time hire, keep, lodge, board, or employ within the limits of the said Province of Georgia any person or persons being Black or Blacks, Negro or Negroes, or any other Person or Persons being a Slave or Slaves, on any account whatsoever without the special leave and license of the said Common Council (for the time being) of the said Trustees, that then and from thenceforth in any or either of the aforesaid cases it shall be lawful to and for the said Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America and their successors into and upon the said Fifty Acres of Land hereby granted of such person so offending and upon any and every part thereof in the name of the whole to re-enter and the same to have again, retain, repossess and enjoy as if this present grant had never been made; And all and every, such Person or Persons

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

so neglecting, or misbehaving him or themselves in any or either of the cases aforesaid, all other the occupyers and possessors of the said Fifty Acres of Land (to such person so misbehaving as aforesaid belonging) or any part or parcel thereof, thereout and from thence utterly to expel, put out and amove ; And also upon the Entry in any of the cases before mentioned of such Officer or Officers who shall by the said Common Council (for the time being) be for that purpose authorized and ap pointed, the Grant hereby made of the said Fifty Acres of Land unto such Person so misbehaving as aforesaid shall cease, determine, and be
come void. "In Witness Whereof the said Thomas Christie, and William Calvert
have hereunto set their Hands and Seals this twenty-first day of Decem ber in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred Thirty and
Three. "Trios. CHRISTIE [L. S.]
"WM. CALVERT [L. S.]"

THE GRANTEES
The following list of grantees is a part of the deed, and it is added to the same at the end of it. It is a valuable document inasmuch as it not only gives the names of all the grantees, but it also shows the location of the land granted to each individual.

PERCIVAL WARD

GARDENS FARMS

GARDENS h

Moore Tything

No 1 Abraham Minis,

51W 6

James Willoughby, Robert More, Robert Potter, Robert Hanks, Thomas Bgerton, John Desborough,

James Turner,

9

Thomas Atwell,

2

Hugh Frazier,

5

John Graham,

3

Samuel Marcer,

4

William Brownjohn,

8

Lewis Bowen, John Kelly, John Lawrence,

Holland Tything,

L

Sioper Tytliing,

M

Thomas Ch enter,

Henry Parker,

Hicks Tything,

-g- Thomas Gapen,

Francis Delgrass,

John Millidge,

45E 10 Jeremiah Papot,

Jacob Yowell,

65W 1 Peter Baillou,

Samuel Parker, Jr., 32W 7 James Papot,

HEATIICOTE WARD

Eyks Tything,

No. N David de Pas,

27W

LaRoche Tything,

0 Verno-n Ty thing,

Jacob Lopez de Crasto, 42W

Belitha Tything,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

WARI>

GARDENS FARMS

GARDENS FARMS

Wiimington Tything, No. A Joseph Cooper,

27E 3

John Goddard,

33E

Walter Fox,

12E

John Grady,

53E

James Carivall,

61E

Richard Cannon,

62E

Francis, reliet of

Dr. William Cox, 52E

George Sims,

41E

Joseph Fitzwalter, 37E

Relict of John Samms, 7E

Elizabeth, relict of

John Warren,

64E

Jd'ijtt Tything,

Mary, relict of Joshua

Overland,

51E

Francis Mugridge, 37E

Robert Johnson,

42E

William Horn,

59E

John Pem-ose,

30E

Joseph Hughes,

26E

Mary, relict of Richard

Hodges,

36E

James Muir,

48E

Thomas Christie,

3E

5 Tyrconnel Tything,
4 Jolm West, James Wilson, ^ Thomas Pratt, J William Waterland,
Timothy Bowling, ^ Elizabeth, relict of i{j Thomas Millidge, ; Elizabeth, relict of 6 William Little, 0 Samuel Parker, Sr., 2 Daniel Tibbcau, Q Henry Close,
Frederick TytMng,
9 Joseph Stanley, 2 Robert Clark, 6 Peter Gordon, 5 Thomas Causton, 1 John Vandcrplank, 4 Thomas Young,
Joseph Coles, 10 Thomas Tibbit, 7 John Dcam, 8 John Wright,

C
13E 3 63E 8 57E 5 22E 4 4E 2
66E 6
60E 7 49E 9 39E 1 6E 10
D
34E 6 9E 3 10E 7 8E 10 5E 9 38E 4 65E 3 51E ' 8 24E 2 IE 5

DEJOKER'S WARD

Digby TytMng,

No. E Noble Wimberly Jones, 25E 8

Daniel Ribicro,

43W 2

John Clark, William Gough,

34E 5 Charles Philip Rogers, 47E 10 36W 2 Moses Nunez Ribiero, 64W 4

William Mackav, 97W

Robert Gilbert,

2E 1

Thomas Ellis,

35E

Edward Johnson, 36E 1 Tower TytUng,

G

Isaac iNmiez Henri-

fjuez,

33W

William Hears,

23E

Moses le Desiua, 41W

Edward JenHns, Sr., 40W ' Jacob Lopez d'Olivero, 30W
^ William Savory, 33W 10 Edward Jenkins, Jr., 68W

2
7 3 9

Carpenter Tything,

F Isaac de Val,

70W

Noble Jones,

29E

Paul Cheeswright, 40E

Samuel Nunez Ribiero, 63W

John Musgrove,

45E

Heathcote Tything,

H

5 David Cohen del

3 Monte

61W 30

9 Benjamin Shaftell, 72W 6

30

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Bearsley Gough,
Robert Hows, ------ Hows,

GARDENS
23E ME

FARMS

GARDENS

Abraham Nunez Monte

5 Santo

34W

Peter Tondee

After assigning the lots, and attending to the matters connected with that business, which occupied his attention until the time of the mid-day meal, Oglethorpe then entertained his people with a dinner supplied by himself which, from the accounts coming down to us, must have been all that a set of hungry people could wish for. The bill of fare included fresh beef, turkeys, venison, and seasonable vegetables, to which was added a quantity of English beer. The feast was followed by the formal establishment of a town court, or court of record, the grant for which was read and the oncers appointed. The magistrates wore
Peter Gordon, 1st bailiff; Wm. Waterland, 2d bailiff; Thomas Causton, 3d bailiff; Thomas Christie, recorder; Joseph Fitzwalter, constable for Derby ward. The jury, which was the first empanelled in Georgia, consisted of Samuel Parker, foreman; Thomas Young, Joseph Cole, John Wright, John West, Timothy Bowling, John Milledge, Henry Close, Walter Fox, John Grady, James Carwcll, and Richard Cannon.
Before closing this chapter, it is proper to state that the deed of July 7, 1733, contains allotments to many persons who were not in Georgia at that date, including the one hundred and thirty-two persons who left England on the 12th of September, in the Savannah. As they had been previously accepted by the trustees for the Georgia Colony, lots were granted to them in anticipation of their joining Oglethorpe in Savannah.

CHAPTER IV
OGLETHORPE AND THE INDIANS
INDIAN STATUS WHEN THE COLONY CAME--FIRST CONFERENCE WITH NATIVES--TRUSTEES' GREETINGS TO THE LOWER CREEKS--DECLARA TION OF LOWER CREEK NATION--EVIDENCES OF MUTUAL REGARD--THE GOOD CHIEF ToMo-Ciii-Cm.
It is hardly necessary to remark that Oglethorpe did not immediately take possession of the land without coming to some understanding in that matter with the Indians, and without considering their claims and having a proper respect for their rights. Accordingly we find him say ing, in his second letter to the trustees, dated February 10, 1733, on the first report of his arrival at Savannah: "A little Indian nation, the only one within fifty miles, is not only in amity, but desirous to be subjects to his Majesty, King George, to have lands given them among us. Their chief,* anci his beloved man, who is the second in the nation, desire to be instructed in the Christian religion." Indeed, his just treatment of that race and his fair dealing with them so impressed them that there was never any friction except in the Mary Musgrove affair, which will in its place be fully explained. On this point, Dr. T. M. Harris, Oglethorpe's biographer, says: '' Realizing how important it was to ob tain the consent of the natural proprietors of the region to the settlement of his colony here, and how desirable to be on good terms with those in the vicinity, he sought for an interview with Tomo-chi-chi, the Mico, or chief of a small tribe who resided at a place called Yamacraw, three miles up the river.''
INDIAN STATUS WHEN THE COLONY CAME
The status of the Indian tribes in this part of the country at the ad vent of the Georgia Colony is described understandingly by Francis Moore in his u Voyage to Georgia," After mentioning the four eastern nations, the Choctaws, the Cherokees, the Chickasaws, and the Creeks, he says of the last named: '' These are divided into several small towns and nations, one of which is commanded by Tomo-chi-chi. * * * To these belonged all the islands upon the sea, and the mainland, from the mouth of the Savannah to the Choctaw and the Florida Indians. The
* Tomo-chi-chi.
31

32

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Creeks did by treaty grant the lands which the English now possess in Georgia near Savannah, and for it received presents.
"The sovereignty was in the crown of Great Britain, ever since the discovery of them by Sir Walter Raleigh. All Carolina bounded by the river St. John was the Carolina granted to the proprietors in the English possession at the Treaty of 1670. They also conceded several islands, reserving to themselves several portions of land on the main, as also the islands of St. Catherine, Sapola, and Assaba. They granted those of Tybee, Warsaw, Skidoway, Wilmington, St. Simons, and all those to the southward of it as far as St. John's river to the Colony. The Creek In dians were allies or rather subjects to the Crown of Great Britain, and did, with the assistance of the English in 1703, beat the Spaniards as far as St. Augustine, and besieged that place. But though the siege was raised, the Creek Indians still kept possession of all the lands on the north of St. John's river, but had made a treaty with General Nicholson (who commanded by commission for King George the First in those countries) that no private Englishman should possess the property of any land to the south or west of the river Savannah, without leave first had from the Indians.
'' The first thing Mr. Oglethorpe did in his first voyage was to obtain the grant from the Indians; and upon a meeting of all the upper and lower Creeks, upon Tomo-chi-chi's return from England, they confirmed the grant of all the islands (those reserved as above excepted) also of all the lands upon the continent as far as the tide flowed, and two hours' walk above it.''

FIRST CONFERENCE WITH NATIVES
The following account of the first conference between Oglethorpe and the Indians is taken from "A Brief Account of the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia under Gen. James Oglethorpe, February 1, 1733," (Tract No. 2, in Vol. 1, of American Tracts, edited by Peter Force) and is probably the most accurate on record: "Mr. Oglethorpe set out from Charlestown, S. C., on the 14th of May, 1732, and lay at Col. Bull's house, on Ashley river, where he dined the next day:--and landed at Savannah, on the 18th, at ten in the morning; where he found that Mr. Whiggan (the interpreter), with the chief men of all the Lower Creek nation, were come down to treat of an alliance with the new Colony.-- The Lower Creeks are a nation of Indians, who formerly consisted of 10, but are now reduced to 8 tribes or towns; who have each their different government, but are allied together, and speak the same language. They claim from the Savannah river, as far as St. Augustine, and up to the Flint river, which falls into the Bay of Mexico:--all the Indians inhabit ing this tract speak their language; Tomo-chi-chi, Mico, and the Indians of Yamacraw, are of their nation and language.
"Mr. Oglethorpe received the Indians, in one of the new houses, that afternoon:--they were as follows :
".From the tribe of Coweeta:--Yahou-Lakee, their king or mico; ,, their warrior, the son of old Breen (lately dead), whom the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

33

Spaniards called the Emperor of the Creeks; with 8 men, and 2 women,
attendants. "From the tribe of Cussetas:--Cusseta, the mico: Tatchiquatchi,
the head-warrior, with 4 attendants. "From the tribe of Owseecheys:--Ogeese, the mico, or war-king,
Neathlouthko, and Ougachi, 2 chief-men, with 3 attendants. "From the tribe of the Cheehaws,--Outhleteboa, the mico, Thlau-
thothlukee, Figeer, Sootamilla, war-captains, and 3 attendants. "From the tribe of Echetas:--Chutabeeche, and Robin, 2 war-cap
tains (the latter was bred amongst the English), with 4 attendants. "From the tribe of Pallachucolas:--Gillatee, the head-warrior and
5 attendants. "From the tribe of Oconas:--Oueekachumpa, called by the English,
'Long King', Coowoo, a warrior. "From, the tribe of Eufuale:--Toniaumi, the head-warrior and 3
attendants. "The Indians being all seated, Oueekachumpa, a very tall old man,
stood out, and with a graceful action, and a good voice, made a long speech; which was interpreted by Mr. Wiggan and Mr. John Musgrove, and was to the following purpose.--He first claimed all the land to the westward of the Savannah, as belonging to the Creek Indians. Next, (he said) that though they were poor and ignorant, He who had given the English breath, had given them breath also. That He who had made both, had given more wisdom to the white men. That they were firmly persuaded, that the Great Power which dwelt in heaven, and all around (and then he spread out his hands, and lengthened the sound of his words), and which hath given breath to all men, had sent the English thither for the instruction of them, their wives, and children. That therefore they gave them up freely, their right to all the land which they did not use themselves. That this was riot only his opinion, but the opinion of the 8 towns of the Creeks; each of whom having con sulted together, had sent some of their Chief-men with skins, which is their wealth. He then stopped; and the chief-men of each town, brought up a bundle of buckskins; and laid 8 bundles, from the 8 towns, at Mr. Oglethorpe's feet. He then said, those were the best thing they had; and therefore, they gave them with a good heart. He then thanked him for his kindness to Tomo-chi-chi, Mico, and his Indians, to whom he said he was related; and said, that though Tomo chi-chi was banished from his nation, that he was a good man, and had been a great warrior; and, it was for his wisdom and courage, that the banished men chose him king. Lastly, he said, that they had heard in the nation, that the Cherokees had killed some Englishmen; and that if he would command them, they would enter with their whole force into the Cherokee country, destroy their harvest, kill their people, and revenge the English. He then sat down. Mr. Oglethorpe promised to acquaint the Trustees with their desire of being instructed; and informed them that there had been a report of the Cherokees having killed some Englishmen, but that it was groundless:--he thanked them, in the most cordial manner, for their affection; and told them, that he would acquaint the Trustees with

MITER

34

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

" Tomo-ehi-chi, Mico, then came in with the Indians of Yamacraw, to Mr. Oglethorpe; and bowing very low, he said,--I was a banished man. --I came here poor and helpless, to look for good land near the tombs of my Ancestors; and the Trustees sent people here. I feared you would drive us away, for we were weak and wanted corn; but you confirmed our land to us, gave us food, and instructed our children:--we have al ready thanked you, in the strongest words we could find; but words are no return for such favors; for good words may be spoke by the deceit-

TOMO-ClJACHI. MiCO
ful, as well as by the upright heart. The Chief men of our nation are here to thank you for us, and before them I declare your goodness, and that here I design to die; for we all love your people so well, that with them we will live and die. We don't know good from evil, but desire to be instructed and guided by you; that we may do well with, and be numbered amongst the children of the Trustees.
"He sat down:--and Yahou-Lakee, Mico of Coweeta, stood up and said,--We are come 25 days' journey, to see you. I have often desired to go to Charlestown; but would not go down, because I thought I might

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

35

die in the way: but, when I heard you were come, and that you were good men I knew you were sent by Him who lives in heaven, to teach us In dians wisdom. I therefore came down, that I might hear good things:-- for I knew, that if I died in the way, I should die in doing good; and what was .said, would be carried back to the nation, and our Children would reap the benefit of it. I rejoice that I have lived to see this day; and to see our friends, that have been long gone from amongst us. Our nation was once strong, and had 10 towns; but, we are now weak, and have but 8 towns. You have but comforted the banished; and have gathered them that were scattered, like little birds before the Eagle. We desire therefore to be reconciled to our brethren, who are here amongst you; and we give leave to Tomo-chi-chi, Stimoiehe, and Illispelle, to call the kindred that love them, out of each of the Creek towns, that they may come together and make one town. We must pray you to recall the Yamasees; that they may be buried in peace amongst their ancestors, and that they may see their graves before they die; and then our nation shall be restored again to its 10 towns. After which he spoke concerning the abatement of the prices of goods; and agreed upon articles of a Treaty, which were ordered to be engrossed.
"Tomo-chi-chi invited them to his town, where they passed the night
in feasting and dancing. "On the 21st their Treaty was signed: a laced coat, a laced hat,
and a shirt, was given to each of the Indian Chiefs; and to each of the Warriors, a gun, a mantle of Duffils; and, to all their attendants, coarse cloth for clothing. There was also given, a barrel of Gunpowder, 4 kegs of Bullets, a piece of broad-cloth, a piece of Irish linen, a cask of Tobacco-pipes, 8 belts and Cutlasses with gilt handles, Tape and inkle of all colors, and 8 kegs of Rum, for to be carried home to their Towns, 1 Ib. of powder, 1 11). of bullets, and as much provisions for each man, as they pleased to take for their journey home.
"The peace concluded,--the care of the People, and of carrying on the works, being recommended to Mr. James St. Julian, and Mr. Scott, Mr. Ogk'thorpe left the Savannah on Monday, the 21st, dined at Mr, Bullodfs at Willtown, on the 22nd, and arrived here, early in the morning on Wednesday the 23rd."

TRUSTEES' GREETINGS TO THE LOWER CREEKS
Desiring that his action in making the treaty with the Indians be rati fied by the trustees of the colony, Oglethorpe forwarded the document to that body which confirmed the same at a meeting of the common council October 18, 1738, that action being formally recorded in these words :
"The Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America to the chief men of the nation of the Lower Creeks, send greetings.
"Whereas, The great king, George the Second, king of Great Britain, did by his letters patent under the great seal of Great Britain, bearing date the 9th day of June, in the 5th year of his reign, constitute and

36

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

appoint a body politic and corporate by the name of the Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America:
"And Whereas, The said Trustees have received from their beloved Mr. James Oglethorpe, of West Brook Place, in the county of Surry, Es quire, one of the comon council of the said Trustees, a copy of certain articles of friendship and commerce between the said Trustees and the said chief men, which is in the words following (that is to say), Articles of friendship and commerce between the Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America, and the chief men of the nation of the Lower Creeks.
11 First. The Trustees bearing in their hearts great love and friend ship to you the said head-men of the Lower Creek nation, do engage to let their people carry up into your towns all kinds of goods fitting to trade in the said towns, at the rates and prices settled arid agreed upon before you the said head-men, and annexed to this treaty of trade and friendship.
'' Secondly. The Trustees do by these articles promise to see restitu tion done to any of the people of your towns by the people they shall send among you; proof being made to the beloved man they shall at any time send among you, that they who have either committed murder, robbery, or have beat or wounded any of your people, or any wise injured them in their crops, by their horses, or in any other ways what ever; and upon such proof the said people shall be tried and punished according to the English law.
" Thirdly. The Trustees when they find the hearts of you the said head-men and your people are not good to the people they shall send among you, or that you or your people do not mind this paper, they will withdraw the English trade from the town so offending. And that you and your people may have this chain of friendship in your minds and fixed to your hearts, they have made fast their seal to this treaty,

DECLARATION BY LOWER CREEK NATION
"Fourthly. We, the head-men of the Coweta and Cuseta towns, in behalf of all the Lower Creek nation, being firmly persuaded that He who lives in Heaven and is the occasion of all good things, has moved the hearts of the Trustees to send their beloved men among us, for the good of our wives and children, and to instruct us and them in what is straight, do therefore declare that we are glad that their people are come here; and though this land belongs to us (the Lower Creeks), yet we, that we may be instructed by them, do consent and agree that they shall make use of and possess all those lands which our nation hath not occasion to use; and we make over unto them, their successors and assigns, all such lands and territories as we shall have no occasion to use; provided always, that they, upon settling every new town, shall set out for the use of our selves and the people of our nation such lands as shall be agreed upon between their beloved men and the head-men of our nation, and that those lands shall remain to us forever.
"Fifthly. We, the head-men, do promise for ourselves and the people of our towns that the traders for the English which shall settle

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEOKGIA

37

among us, shall not be robbed or molested in their trade in our nation; and that if it shall so happen any of our people should be mad, and either kill, wound, beat or rob any of the English traders or their people, then we the said head-men of the towns aforesaid do engage to have jus tice done to the English, and for that purpose to deliver up any of our
people who shall, be guilty of the crimes aforesaid to be tried by the English laws, or by the laws of our nation, as the beloved man of the Trustees shall think fit. And we further promise not to suffer any of the people of our said towns to come within the limits of the English settle ments without leave from the English beloved man, and that we will not molest any of the English traders passing to or from any nation in friend
ship with the English.
"Sixthly. We, the head-men, for ourselves and people do promise to apprehend and secure any negro or other slave which shall run away from any of the English settlements to our nation, and to carry them either to this town, or Savannah, or Palaehuckola garrison, and there to deliver him up to the commander of such garrison, and to be paid by him four blankets or two guns, or the value thereof in other goods; pro
vided such runaway negro, or other slave, shall be taken by us or any of our people on the farther side of Oconee river; and in case such negro or runaway slave shall be taken on the hither side of the said river, and delivered to the commanders aforesaid, then we understand the pay to be one gun, or the value thereof; and in case we or our people should kill any such slave for resistance or running away from us in apprehending him, then we are to be paid one blanket for his head, by any trader, for carrying such slave's head unto him.
"Lastly. We promise with stout hearts, and love to our brothers the English, to give no encouragement to any other Avhite people, but themselves, to settle amongst us, and that we will not have any corre spondence with the Spaniards or French; and to show that we both for the good of ourselves, our wives and children do firmly promise to keep the talk in our hearts as long as the sun shall shine or the waters run in the rivers, we have each of us set the marks of our families.''

Schedule of the prices of goods agreed on, annexed:--

Two yards of stroud....... Five buck-skins. One yard of plains........ One ditto. White blanket.............. One ditto. Blue ditto......... ........Five ditto. A gun..................... Ten ditto. A pistol................... Five ditto. A gun-lock................. Four ditto. Two measures of powder.... One ditto. Sixty bullets............... Ditto ditto. One white shirt............. Two ditto. One knife.................. One doe-skin. Eighteen flints............. One buck-skin. Three yards of cadiz....... One doe-skin. Ditto ditto of gartering..... Ditto ditto.

38

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

One hoe................... Two buck-skins. One ax....................Ditto ditto. One large hatchet........... Three doe-skins. One small ditto............ One buck-skin. Brass kettles per Ib.......... Ditto ditto.

Doe-skins were estimated at half the value of the bucks. "And, Whereas, The said Trustees are greatly desirous to maintain and preserve an inviolable peace, friendship and commerce between the said head-men of the Lower nations of Creeks, and the people the said Trustees have sent and shall send to inhabit and settle in the province of Georgia aforesaid, to endure to the world's end:
"Now know ye that we the said Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America do by these presents ratify and confirm the said articles of friendship and commerce between the Trustees for estab lishing the colony of Georgia in America, and the chief men of the Lower Creeks, and all and every of the articles and agreements therein con tained, and also the rates and prices of goods above mentioned, settled and agreed upon before the said head-men, and annexed to the said treaty of trade and friendship.
'' In witness whereof the Common Council of the said Trustees for es tablishing the Colony of Georgia in America have to these presents made fast the common seal of the corporation of the said Trustees, the eighteenth day of October, in the seventh year of the reign of our sov ereign lord George the Second, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc., and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty-three.
"By order of the said Common Council, "Benjamin Martyn, Secretary."

EVIDENCES OP MUTUAL REGARD
Oglethorpe held in high esteem the tribe of Indians inhabiting the territory in which his new settlement was situated, and his good opinion of them, formed from his very first interview with Tomo-chi-chi, was sus tained by the continued good feeling and fellowship of those people who were wholly influenced by that good chief who was no ordinary man. An nexed to an interesting pamphlet by an unknown author entitled "A New Voyage to Georgia," is printed "A Curious Account of the Indians, by an Honorable Person,'' published in 1735. It is now generally under stood that this curious account was written by Oglethorpe, and it is here reproduced as further evidence of his proper regard for that race and his Christian spirit in dealing with them: "There seems to be a door opened to our colony, towards the conversion of the Indians. I have had many conversations with their chief men, the whole tenor of which shows that there is nothing wanting to their conversion, but one, who understands their language well, to explain to them the mysteries of religion; for as to the moral part of Christianity they understand it and assent to it. They abhor adultery, and do not approve of a plurality of wives. Theft is a thing not known among the Creek nations, though frequent, and

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

39

even honorable, amongst the lichees. Murder they look at as a most abominable crime, but do not esteem the killing of an enemy, or one that has injured them, murder. The passion of revenge, which they call honor, and drunkenness, which they learn from our traders, seem to be the two greatest obstacles to their being truly Christians. But upon both these points they hear reason, and with respect to drinking rum, I have weaned those near me a good deal from it. As for revenge, they say, as they have no executive power of justice amongst them, they are forced to kill the man who has injured them, in order to prevent others
from doing the like; but they do not think that any injury, except adul tery or murder, deserves revenge. They hold that if a man commits adultery, the injured husband is obliged to have revenge, by cutting off the ears of the adulterer, which if he is too sturdy and strong to submit to, then the injured husband kills him the first opportunity he has to do it with safety. In cases of murder, the next in blood is obliged to kill the murderer, or else he is looked on as infamous in the nation where he lives; and the weakness of the executive power is such, that there is no other way of punishment but by the revenge of blood, as the Scripture calls it. For there is no coercive power in any of their nations. Their kings can do no more than to persuade. All the power they have is no more than to call their old men and captains together, and to pro pound to them the measures they think proper. After they have done speaking, all the others have liberty to give their opinions also; and they reason together with great temper and modesty, till they have brought each other into some unanimous resolution; then they call in the young men, and recommend to them the putting in execution the resolution, with their strongest and most lively eloquence. And, indeed, they seem to me,
both in action and expression, to be thorough masters of true eloquence. In speaking to the young men, they generally address to the passions: in speaking to their old men they apply to reason only. Tomo-chi-chi, in his first set speech to me, among other things, said, here is a little present; and then gave me a buffalo's skin, painted on the inside with the head and feathers of an eagle. He desired me to accept it, because the eagle signified speed and the buffalo strength. That the English were as swift as the bird, and as strong as the beast; since, like the first, they flew from the utmost parts of the earth over the vast seas, and, like the second, nothing could withstand them. That the feathers of the eagle were soft, and signified love; the buffalo's skin warm, and signified protection; therefore he hoped that we would love and protect their little families. One of the Indians of the Cherokee nation being come down to the governor, told him that he need fear nothing, but might speak freely. He answered smartly, I always speak freely; what should I fear? I am now among my friends, and I never feared even among my enemies. Another instance of their short manner of speaking was, when I ordered one of the Carolina boat-men, who was drunk, and beaten an Indian, to be tied to a gun, till he was sober, in order to be whipped; Tomo Chichi came to me, to beg me to pardon him, which I refused to do, unless the Indian, who had been beaten should also desire the pardon for him. Tomo Chichi desired him to do so, but he insisted upon satis faction; upon which Tomo Chichi said, 0 Fonseka (for that was his

40

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

name), this Englishman being drunk has beat you; if he is whipped for so doing, the Englishman will expect, that if an Indian should insult them when drunk, the Indian should be whipped for it. When you are drunk you are quarrelsome, and you know you love to be drunk, but you do not love to be whipped. Fonseka was convinced, and begged me to pardon the man; which, as soon as I granted, Tomo Chichi and Fonseka ran and untied him, which I perceived was done to show that he owed his safety to their intercession."

THE GOOD CHIEF--ToMO-Cni-Cm
The novelist, James Fennimore Cooper, in his introduction to "The Last of the Mohicans," says of the Indian: "Few men exhibit greater diversity, or, if we may so express it, greater antithesis of character, than the native warrior of North America, In war, he is daring, boast ful, cunning, ruthless, self-denying, and self-devoted; in peace, just, generous, hospitable, revengeful, superstitious, modest, and commonly chaste. These are qualities, it is true, which do not distinguish all alike; but they are so far the predominating traits of these remarkable people as to be characteristic." What he says appears to be the opinion of all who have studied the character of the Indian, and his opinion is true in respect to the usual experience of the early colonists of this country with that race, except as regards Georgia. In Tomo-chi-chi Oglethorpe found a friend from first to last in all his intercourse with him and those whom he governed, and the former was in peace, which was the only condition prevailing during the stay of the latter on American soil, nothing but just, generous, hospitable and modest; while, if anything happened to cause the slightest friction between the two races, in the nearest approach to a warlike attitude the red man's conduct was marked with a spirit of forgiveness and meekness to the whites under the leadership of Ogle thorpe who was regarded, properly, as an exceptionally good, generous, and forbearing white chief. No wonder, then, that so much respect was paid to the old warrior in his death and in the conduct of his funeral! No wonder that the good women of this age have honored his memory by erecting in a prominent spot in this city a monument to that noble specimen of a so-called heathen tribe to point out to posterity that he was truly without a shadow of doubt "the companion of Oglethorpe and a friend and ally of the Colony of Georgia."
Before proceeding to give an account of Tomo-chi-chi's visit to Eng land, we will quote from several letters of Oglethorpe to the Trustees showing his high regard for the friendly Indians, his manner of treating them, and their fair dealing with the colonists in return for their good will. In a letter dated February 13, 1735-6, he said "I will write a particular letter about the Indian Affairs which the Carolina people have in vain strove to put into confusion. Tomo-Chawchi has main tained the Trustees Interest among the Creeks till my arrival. And the French having insulted the Choctaws have made them jealous." Again, in the 16th of March following, "The Indian King Tomo-Chachi and his Nephew Toonahowhi and the Beloved Man Umpeehee who were in England with me have joined us with a party of Indians and declared

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

41

that they will live and die by us. They agreed that we shall possess the Island of St. Simons, but reserve that of St. Catharine for themselves. The War Capt. Hillispilli was sent before my arrival by Tomo Chachi up
to ye lower Creek Nation to keep up our interest with them and have brought down a large body of men, but I have denied Tomo-Chachi yet. He may bring no more than two hundred, that being sufficient for any service we can have for them," and later on in the same letter, "TomoChachi and I at his desire go out tomorrow to hunt ye Buffaloe as far as the utmost extent of his dominions towards Augustine. We shall then know how far ye lands possess by ye English Confederate Indians ex tend. Tomo-Chachi is willing that we should settle upon any place with
in his lands provided the lower Creek Nations agree to it.'' Soon after, on the 28th of the same month, he wrote "The Indians and the High landers have behaved with great courage, fidelity and affection and the English that came with me are not far behind with them." Lastly, we close these few quotations, taken from many to the same effect, with one from Frederica, dated May 18, 1730: " The Uchees * * * sent up their King and twenty Warriors with a message of thanks to me. * * *
They told me that my having done them justice before they asked it made them love me and not believe the stories that were told them against me and that therefore instead of beginning a war with the English they were come down to help me against the Spanish and that if I wanted them they would bring down four score more of their War riors who would stay with me a whole year. You see how God baffles the attempts of wicked men.'' After seeing the first colonists comfortably fixed in their homes, and being satisfied that he could safely leave them for a time, Oglethorpe made preparations to return to England in 1734. He greatly desired to take with him his friend Tomo-Chachi whom he per suaded to make the voyage. Accordingly the General, accompanied by Tomo-Chachi and Scenawki his wife, Toonahowhi his nephew and adopted son, together with the war chief Hillispilli, four other chiefs of the Creek nation named Apakowtski, Stimalchi, Sintouchi and Himguithi, and a chief from the Palachocolas (Umphichi by name), with an inter preter, set out from Savannah for Charleston on the 3d of March. Ar riving in Charlestown without accident, they remained there until the 7th of May when, they embarked in the man-of-war Aldborough for England where they landed in June.
Of the adventures of the Indians in the old world we need not say much; but will only relate such as happened of a public nature.
It was planned that a presentation to the king of these people should be held in Kensington Palace, and on the 1st of August, they were escorted to that place by Sir Clement Cotterell in three of the royal carriages each of which was drawn by six horses. Arriving at the palace the king's body-guard met them and they were presented to the king by the lord chamberlain, the Duke of Grafton. Of this ceremony the Gentleman's Magazine gave this description:

"Thursday, August 1, 1734.--Tomo-Chachi, the king, Scenawki his wife, with Tooanahowhi their son, Hillispilli the war captain, and the other Cherokee Indians brought over by Mr. Oglethorpe from Georgia,

42

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEOEGIA

were introduced to his Majesty at Kensington, who received them seated on his throne; when Tomo-cha-chi, micho, or king, made the following speech, at the same time presenting several eagle's feathers which are trophies of their country:
" 'This day I see the majesty of your face, the greatness of your house, and the number of your people. I am come for the good of the whole nation called the Creeks, to renew the peace which was long ago had with the English. I am come over in my old days, although I can not live to see any advantage to myself. I am come for the good of the children of all the nations of the Upper and of the Lower Creeks, that they may be instructed in the knowledge of the English.
" 'These are the feathers of the eagle which is the swiftest of birds, and who flieth all round our nations. These feathers are a sign of peace in our land, and have been carried from town to town there; and we have brought them over to leave with you, 0 great king! as a sign of everlasting peace.
" '0 great king, whatsoever words you shall say to me I will tell them faithfully to all the kings of the Creek nations.'
"To which his Majesty graciously answered, 'I am glad of this oppor tunity of assuring you of my regard for the people from whom you come, and am extremely well pleased with the assurances you have brought me from them, and accept very gratefully this present as an indication of their good disposition to me and my people. I shall always be ready to cultivate a good correspondence between them and my own subjects, and shall be glad of any occasion to show you,a mark of my particular friendship and esteem.'
"Tomo-cha-chi afterwards made the following speech to her
Majesty: 'I am glad to see this day, and to have the opportunity of seeing the mother of this great people. As our people are joined with your Majesty's, we do humbly hope to find you the common mother and protectress of us and all our children.'
"And her Majesty returned a most gracious answer. The warcaptain and other attendants of Tomo-cha-chi were very importunate to appear at court in the manner they go in their own country--which is only with a proper covering round their waist, the rest of their body being naked,--but were dissuaded from it by Mr. Oglethorpe. But their
faces were variously painted after their country manner, some half black, others triangular, and others with bearded arrows instead of whiskers.
'' Tomo-Chachi and Scenawki, his wife, were dressed in scarlet trimmed
with gold."

One of the Indians was at this time sick with the small pox and could not attend the reception. He died on the 3d of August, and his death had a very depressing effect on his companions.
Concerning his burial Dr. T. M. Harris* says: "He was interred after the manner of their country, in St. John's burial ground, West minister. The corpse, sewed up in two blankets, with a deal board under and another over, and tied down with a cord, was carried to the grave on a bier. There were present only Tomo-cha-chi, three of the

* Memorial Biography of James Oglethorpe, pp. 96-97.

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

43

chiefs, the upper church warden, and the grave-digger. When the body Was laid in the earth, the clothes of the deceased were thrown in; after this, a quantity of glass beads and some pieces of silver; the custom of these Indians being to bury such effects of the deceased with him. As all methods made to console them were disregarded, Oglethorpe took them out to his estate, that in the country retirement they might have a better opportunity to bewail the dead according to their custom, and that the change might serve to abate their sorrow." Altogether they spent four months in England, sight-seeing and receiving attention everywhere they went, returning to America in the transport ship Prince of Wales, commanded by Captain George Dunbar, and arriving at Sa vannah December 27th, 1734. Oglethorpe remained in England until October, 1735, when he made his second voyage to Georgia.

CHAPTEE V
THE JEWISH ELEMENT
ATTITUDE TOWARD HEBREW COLONISTS--THRIFTY, INDUSTRIOUS AND HON EST PEOPLE--RECORD BY JEWISH DESCENDANT--JEWISH CONGREGA TIONS AND SYNAGOGUES--HEBREW BURIAL GROUNDS--EARLY VINE YARD OF A PORTUGUESE JEW--BOTH PROGRESSIVE AND PATRIOTIC.
While the people were engaged in active operations in the way of building their homes and making themselves comfortable and settling down to business, nothing of special interest occurred until the arrival of the second party of colonists on the 14th of May in the ship "James," commanded by Captain Yoakley. Seventeen persons comprised this party, among whom were some Italian experts in the keeping of silk worms and the manufacture of silk. It was thought in the beginning that this would become a paying industry in the colony, and special efforts were made for its development. The seal of Georgia had as its device on one face silk-worms at work, with the motto Non Sibi Sed Aliis, a suggestion of one source of profitable labor as well as the pro posed conduct of those interested in the development of the new settle ment.
The arrival of this addition to the settlers was recorded in the Gentlenan's Magazine in a communication from Savannah dated May 20,1733, as follows: "The James, Captain Yoakley, 110 tons and 6 guns arrived here on the 14th, with passengers and stores. The ship rode in two fathoms and a half water close to the town at low water mark. The Cap tain received the Price appointed by the Trustees for the first ship that should unload at this town, there is a safe riding for much larger vessels.''
ATTITUDE TOWARD HEBREW COLONISTS
We have seen how the town was laid out in a very imposing manner on the 7th of July, 1733. This important epoch was closely followed by an incident which caused much trouble and brought forth some bitter words from the trustees in their official capacity and from individuals who became discontented and, as a consequence, denounced the whole work so far accomplished in Georgia. This was the arrival of a vessel from England with forty Hebrew colonists. The action of the trustees in this matter, when thoroughly explained, seems incomprehensible. The charter, as has been noted, prohibited Catholics from settling in
44

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

45

the province, but nothing was said in that instrument which could be construed as being unfavorable to the Jews. In fact, as early as Sep tember 21, 1732, the minutes of the trustees show that "commissions were desired by Thomas Frederick, Esq., Mr. Anthony Da Costa, Mr. Francis Salvador, Jr., and Mr. Alvaro Lopez Suasso, to take subscrip
tions and collect money for the purposes of the charter," and it was "ordered accordingly;" and on the same date it was stated that "sealed commissions for taking subscriptions and collecting money for the pur poses of the charter [were] granted to Thomas Frederick, Esq., Mr. Francis Salvador, Jr., Mr. Anthony Da Costa, and Mr. Alvaro Lopez Suasso." Those men were Jews, and the trustees knew it. They were willing to accept their services in collecting funds for the develop ment of the scheme to assist poor but honest men and women in making homes for themselves, but, as will appear, they did not want any of their race to receive the benefit of the money so collected. They virtually said to them "We are willing to Have you take part in the charitable work to which we have pledged our own support and influence, so far as you choose to relieve us of the unpleasant duty of soliciting subscrip tions to carry on that work, but you must not expect any of your race to partake of the benefits flowing from your successful efforts." They did not use those words, but they willingly accepted their offer, coupled with the mental reservation which that language implies. That such was the case there can be no doubt, as the action of their body on the 31st of January following, does not admit of any other construction.
The minutes of that date contain the following language: "Ordered, That the secretary do wait on Mr. Alvaro Lopez Suasso, Mr. Francis Salvador, Jr., and Mr. Anthony Da Costa with the following message in writing: Whereas commissions were granted to the said Mr. Alvaro Lopez Suasso, Mr. Francis Salvador, Jr., and Mr. Anthony Da Costa to collect such monies as should be contributed for establishing the colony of Georgia in America, and to transmit the same to the trustees, by them to be applied to the purposes in the charter mentioned; And the trus tees being informed that certain expectations have from thence been raised, contrary to their intentions, which may be of ill consequence to their said designs, Therefore, to obviate any difficulties that may attend the same, they desire the said Mr. Alvaro Lopez Suasso, Mr. Francis Salvador, Jr., and Mr. Anthony Da Costa will re-deliver to Mr. Martyn, their secretary, the said commissions.''
It was doubtless about this time that the trustees began to be criti cized for their action in granting the commissions.* Indeed, one of their own number in a communication to his fellow members, at a later
date, had this to say: "But I beg leave to say something of the Jews, who, to the number of between forty and fifty, have procured them selves to be already settled there contrary to the will, and without the consent of the trustees, and there are more of their nation now going over to them. I humbly conceive these shocking matters require your most serious attention for unless you speedily take some vigorous reso lution to suppress effectually the two great evils aforesaid (the first

* The communication is dated 27th March. 1734.

46

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

was what lie conceived to be an error in the matter of land grants) Georgia will soon become a Jewish colony, for that all the Christians there will, for the reasons aforesaid, fall off and desert it, as leaves from a tree in autumn, until there will not be a valuable Christian remaining except some few carpenters, sawyers, smiths, etc., whom the Jews will find most necessary and useful, and encourage them to remain to be employed in their buildings and otherwise, and that all Christian bene factions for that colony will soon cease. Therefore, for these considera tions, I beg leave to recommend the speedy entering into proper meas ures for preventing as well the ruin of the Colony of Georgia as the reproach and scandal of the trustees." The letter from which the fore going extract is taken is embodied in U A brief Account of the Causes that have Retarded the Progress of the Colony of Georgia in America," printed in London in 1743, and was evidently written by Thomas Stephens, son of William Stephens, Secretary of the Colony, and Sir Richard Everhard, son of the Sir Richard Everhard who was a governor of North Carolina, The letter, so quoted, was written by Thomas Coram.
On the 7th of February, 1732-3, "the secretary acquainted the Board that he had waited on Mr. Alvaro Lopez Suasso, Mr. Anthony Da Costa, and Mr. Francis Salvador, Jr., for the commissions granted to them, and had left a copy of the Minutes of January the 31st with Mr. Da Costa." No notice having been taken by the three persons named of that communication, the trustees, on the 2nd of December, 1733, took this peremptory action:'' Ordered, That the Secretary do wait on Messrs. Alvaro Lopez Suasso,. Francis Salvador, Jr., and Anthony Da Costa with the following message in writing: Whereas a message dated January 31, 1732-3, was sent for the Redelivery of their commissions with which they did not think proper to comply, and which on their said Refusal were vacated by the trustees: And whereas the trustees are informed that by monies raised by virtue of their commissions (which monies ought to have been transmitted to the trustees) certain Jews have been sent to Georgia contrary to the intentions of the trustees, and which may be of ill consequence to the Colony; fhe Trustees do hereby require the said Messrs. Alvaro Lopez Suasso, Francis Salvador, Jr., and Anthony Da Costa immediately to redeliver to Mr. Martyn, their Secretary, the .said Commissions, and to render' an Account in Writing to the Trustees of what monies have been raised by virtue thereof; and if they refuse to comply with this Demand, that then the Trustees will think them selves oblig'd not only to advertise the World of the Demand and Re fusal of their Commissions and Account, and of the Misapplication be fore mentioned, in order to prevent any further impositions on his Majesty's subjects under Pretence of Authority granted by those Va cated Commissions, but likewise to recover those Commissions, and de mand an Account of the monies collected in such manner as their Coun cil shall advise."
In response to this, at a meeting held January 19, 17334, the secretary acquainted the board that, pursuant to their order of January 5th instant, he had waited on Messrs. Alvaro Lopez Suasso, Francis Salvador, Jr., and Anthony Da Costa, and left with them the message of the trustees in writing, and that he had received the commissions .

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

47

formerly given to them; and then he delivered the said commissions to the board.
"Resolved, That the said Commissions be laid by, and the further consideration of this affair be postponed till Mr. Oglethorpe comes home."
It does not appear that the trustees ever again took this matter under consideration.

THRIFTY, INDUSTRIOUS AND HONEST PEOPLE The excitement caused by the coming of those people ended by their being permitted to stay, although no definite action towards that end was taken. They had come without apparent reason to believe that in doing so they had no authority, and it would have been heartless on the part of Oglethorpe to refuse a landing under the circumstances. They were thrifty, industrious and honest people, with everything connected with their advent greatly in their favor, with the single ex ception that their qualifications as colonists had not been passed upon by the trustees and the fund collected for their transportation and sup port had not passed through their hands. The trouble soon ended, and they participated in the allottment of lands equally with the colonists. Among them were the families of Isaac Nunez Henriquez, Moses le Desma, Samuel Nunez Ribiero, Daniel Ribiero, Moses Nunez Ribiero, Jacob Lopez d'Olivero, Benjamin Sheftall, Abraham Nunez, Monte Santo, Abraham Minis, and others. Some of them did not re main in Georgia, but went over into South Carolina, Descend ants of some of those who remained in Savannah are now numbered with her best citizens. Oglethorpe made special men tion to the trustees of the good work of Dr. Nunis and they requested him to offer pay to that humane physician for the medi cal services rendered by him. At a later date the valuable aid rendered by one of that race in the matter of the cultivation of the grape vine is thus acknowledged by the secretary of the colony. Mr. Benjamin Martyn: "'One, Abraham de Lyon, Portuguese Jew, in-the year 1736, by encouragement from the Trustees, planted about a score [of vines], which he had received from Portugal, where he had been bred among the vineyards; in the next year, by his skill in pruning and dressing them, they bore plentifully a beautiful large grape, as big as a man's thumb, almost transparent, and in great bunches. A. shoot, in one year, grew from the root of a bearing vine as big as a walking cane, and ran over a few poles placed to receive it, at least twelve or fourteen feet; and he has now a very promising vineyard.* "

RECORD BY JEWISH DESCENDANT The names of some of the first Jewish settlers who remained in Savannah are found in the list of persons to whom lands were alloted already given on a preceding page; but, as that list differs in some
* " An Impartial Inquiry into the State and Utility of the Province of Georgia.'' London, 1841.

48

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

respects from the one given by a descendant of one of those families to the Rev. George White and printed by the latter in his Statistics of Georgia in 1849, the whole account of this matter is here quoted as
perhaps the most accurate that can be found. Mr. White says, on pages 101 and 102 of his book: "The compiler of this work is indebted to the kindness of Hon. Mordecai Sheftall, Sr., for the following par
ticulars in relation to the history of the Jews in this state. Upon their authenticity every reliance can be placed, as they were derived from manuscripts prepared by the grandfather of Mr. Sheftall. On the llth day of July, 1733, the following persons belonging to the Hebrew nation arrived in Savannah:--Dr. Nunis and his mother, Mrs. Nunis; Da.niel, Moses and Sipra Nunis, and Shem Noah their servant; Mr. Henriques and wife, and Shem, their servant; Mr. and Mrs. Bornal; David Olivera; Jacob Olivera and wife and three children, David, Isaac, and Leah; Aaron Depivea; Benjamin, Gideon, Jacob Costa; David Depass and his wife; Vene Real, Molena, David Moranda; Jacob Moranda; David Cohen, wife and four children, Isaac, Abigail, Hannah, and Grace; Abraham Minis and wife, with their two daughters, Leah and Esther; Simeon Minis; Jacob Yowall; Benjamin Sheftall and wife; and Abraham De Lyon.
"The above-named persons sailed from London in the second ship which left that port for Savannah, and arrived four days after the wards and tithings were named. They brought with them the Safer Tom and the Hechd, which are still used in the Synagogue of Savannah. Many of the first settlers lived to an advanced age. A. Minis lived 63 years, Benjamin Sheftall 73 years, Daniel Nunis 85 years, Moses Nunis 82 years. The descendants of only three of the first settlers are now living in Savannah, viz.: Sheftail's. Minis's and DeLyon's. Shortly after their arrival, they erected a house in Market Square for the purpose of divine worship. The synagogue was called 'K. K. Mickva Israel.' Here for many years they continued to observe the forms of their religion until 1740 or 1741, when the congregation was dissolved on account of the many removals to Charleston. In the year 1774, it was determined that new efforts should be made to resuscitate their congregation; and accordingly Mr. Mordecai Sheftall, a gentle man strongly attached to his religion, fitted up, at his own expense, a room in his house for the accommodation of the people, and worship was regularly observed until the American Revolution, when again
the congregation was temporarily dissolved. "In 1786 the Jews met, and resolved to re-establish their congrega
tion K. K. Mickva Israel. A house was hired in St. James square [now Telfair Place] and the heads of the congregation chosen. For many years service was performed regularly on the Sabbath and holy days, but a combination of causes again produced a suspension of public worship.
"For a long period there was no place for religious worship; but in 1820 a neat synagogue was consecrated, and which was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1829. After this event Dr. Moses Sheftall, who was then President of the congregation, was very active in devising plans by which money could be raised to build another synagogue. Sub-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

49

scriptions were liberally made, not only by the Jews, but by Christians of every denomination; and in a short time another synagogue of brick was erected, and afterwards consecrated."

JEWISH CONGREGATIONS AND SYNAGOGUES
At the time the above account was written there was but the one synagogue in the city, and it was situated on the north-east corner of Liberty and Whitaker streets. The building erected in 1820 was a frame structure and was, as stated, destroyed by fire in 1829. It was in 1838 that the brick building spoken of was erected, and in it the people worshiped until 1878, when the present synagogue on Monterey Square was built, the corner-stone having been laid in 1876. In 1860, in the month of September, another Jewish congregation was organized, called The Congregation B'nai B'rith Jacob, and it was incorporated in 1861, holding services in Armory hall. The corner-stone of a synagogue was laid by that band in 1867, on the north-east corner of State and Mont gomery streets; but the temple erected at that time was so small and the congregation has increased to such an extent that it was found necessary to rebuild on a larger plan, and the present commodious and comfortable house of worship, amply sufficient in space to accommodate them for many years, was erected in the year 1909.
There are other Jewish congregations in the city, but at present the people composing them hold services in rented halls.

HEBREW BURIAL GROUNDS
The families comprising the early Hebrew settlers did not make use of the colonial burying ground for the interment of their dead, but established a cemetery of their own at a point then far outside of the limits of the town. The space set aside for that purpose was very small. Indeed there were two such places of interment, nearly adjoin ing each other, still existing; though the walls of the smaller one are nearly gone, one of which is said to have been for the exclusive use of the Sheftall family, and the other, somewhat larger, for more general use. Both were enclosed within substantial brick walls, and; it' is probable that within them burials were made at least as early as m the public, or colonial, cemetery, now known as Colonial Park, and at one time recognized as the Christ Church Parish Burying Ground. The oldest graves in these two Jewish places of sepulture are not marked by inscriptions; though what served as gravestones are still standing and have the appearance of being hard mortar or tabby which could not be cut into by engraving tools.
The lot, thus divided and enclosed in two sections, was doubtless a portion of the land parcelled out to the Hebrew settlers when they arrived here, as it is thus mentioned in the pamphlet of the malcontents Tailfer, Anderson, and Douglas: "Upon the west side of Savannah lie the township lots of the Jews, now [1741] deserted (they having all gone to other colonies, except three or four) as are all others on that quarter, excepting one or two."

50

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

In September, 1762, a deed from the town was made to Mordecai Sheftall of garden lot 22 west, containing five acres of land, and Mordecai Sheftall conveyed to Philip Minis et al., trustees of the Jewish cemetery, in August, 1773. one acre and a half of the same tract, but this land was entirely used, as already stated, for burial purposes long- before.
These two old burial spots of the Jews are interesting places, and it seems a pity that they are now not so well cared for as they were formerly. They are located just where Stewart and Wilson streets meet. In one of them lies the body of Mr. Philip Minis who was probably the second child born in Savannah. He died on Friday, the 6th of March, 1789, and was buried, as stated, in the Georgia Gazette of Thursday, the 12th of the same month, "in the Jews' burialplace on Sunday morning, attended by a large number of respectable citizens, who, by their solemn attention, eiivinced how sensibly they felt the loss the community had sustained in so valuable a member." This statement is also made in the account of his death recorded in the same paper: "He was the first white male born in this state," and his age is there given as 55 years. It is elsewhere recorded that at the time of the landing of the first colonists Mr. Hume gave a silver bowl and spoon for the first child born in Georgia, which being born of Mrs. Close, were given accordingly. From these two statements it is fair to conclude that the Close infant was a girl. The Hebrew place of sepulture was in the midst of the important scene of action in the siege of Savannah in the month of October, 1779, when the combined American and French troops endeavored to.retake the city from the British. In his orders, issued on the 8th, Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, in command of the land forces, after instructing his officers to endeavor to enter the redoubt on the left of the Spring Hill on the following day, commanded that "In case of repulse, after having taken the Spring Hill redoubt, the troops will retreat and rally in the rear of the redoubt. If it cannot be effected in that way, it must be attempted by the same route at which they entered. The second place of rally ing, or the first,--if the redoubt should not be carried, will be at the Jews' burying ground, where the reserve will be placed. If these two halts should not be effectual, they will retire towards camp." As the Spring Hill redoubt was not taken, that part of the instruction as to the Jews' burying ground was obeyed.

EARLY VINEYARD OF A PORTUGUESE JEW
As a matter of interest concerning the industry of the Jews as well as to show what efforts were made to develop the natural resources of the colony and to determine what the soil might be made to produce, the following account of Mr. De Lyon's vineyard is quoted from Col. William Stephens, secretary to the trustees in his Journal of Proceedings in Georgia, Vol. 1, page 48: "Tuesday, December 6, 1737--After dinner, walked out to see what Improvement of Vines were made by one Mr. Lyon, a Portuguese Jew, which I had heard some talk of; and indeed nothing had given me so much Pleasure since my arrival as what I

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

51

found here; though it was yet (if I may say it properly), only a Min iature, for he had cultivated only for two or three Years past about half a score of them which he received from Portugal for an Experiment; and by his Skill and Management in pruning, etc., they all bore this Year very plentifully a most beautiful, large Grape as big as a Man's Thumb, almost pellucid, and Bunches exceeding big; all which was attested by Persons of unquestionable Credit (whom I had it from), but the Season now would allow me only to see the Vines they were gathered from, which were so flourishing and strong that I saw one Shoot, of this last year only, which he allowed to grow from the Root of a bearing Vine, as big as my Walking-Cane, and run over a few Poles laid to receive it, at least twelve or fourteen Foot, as near as I could judge. From these he has raised more than a Hundred, which he has planted all in his little Garden behind his House at about Four Foot distance each, in the Manner and Form of a Vineyard. They have taken Root and are about one Foot and a half high; the next Year he says he does not doubt raising a Thousand more, and the Year following at least five Thousand. I could not believe (considering the high Situation of the Town upon a Pine Barren, and the little Appearance of such Productions in these little Spots of Ground annexed to the House) but that he had found some proper Manure wherewith to improve the sandy Soil; but he assured me it was nothing but the natural Soil, without any other Art than his Planting and Pruning which he seemed to set some Value on from his Experience in being bred among the Vineyards in Portugal; and, to convince the World that he intends to pursue it, from the Encouragement of the Soil proving so proper for it, he has at this Time hired four Men to clear and prepare as much Land as they possibly can upon his forty-five Acre Lot, intending to convert every Foot of the whole that is fit for it into a Vineyard; though he complains of his present Inability to be at such an Expence as to employ Servants for Hire. From hence I could not but reflect on the small Progress that has been made hitherto in propagating Vines in the publick Garden where, the Soil being the same, it must be owing to the Unskilfulness or Negligence of those who had undertaken that Charge."

BOTH PROGRESSIVE AND PATRIOTIC
Among the most progressive citizens Savannah has had during all the periods of her history, the Jews have always taken a prominent stand. No class of people has done more for her advancement and none has done better work in advancing the city's interests and to promote her increase in all that is implied in the word "progress" than that people. It is well to remember that among the many who from first to last deserted the cause of American independence during the struggle which lasted from 1776 to 1783, and whose names are mentioned in the several acts passed by the Georgia legislature in reference to the person and property of those misguided ones who, fearing the coercion of the colonies by England, abandoned the cause which they deemed hopeless, there cannot be found a single Israelite; while it is equally true that many of that race valiantly fought for independence and contributed

1

52

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

liberally of their means to the support of that cause. It is true also that in the war between the states, from 1861 to 1865, many of that race did their full duty in standing by the seceding states until all hope of suc cess was finally abandoned. Of the commendable conduct of many of them in time of action, particular mention will be made in situ; but, as proof of the patriotism of this people, we note just here that, when Gen eral Washington visited Savannah in May, 1791, a special address was made to him by the Congregation Mickva Israel.

i

CHAPTER VI
SALZBURG AND SILK
ACCESSION OF SALZBURG (GERMAN PROTESTANT) COLONISTS--ENCOURAG ING THE SILK INDUSTRY--THE FILATURE BUILDINGS--DRAWBACKS IN SURMOUNTABLE.
The attention of the trustees was called, at a very early date after receiving the charter, to the needs of foreign Protestants seeking a home where they could be free to worship God after the manner of their an cestors and as conscience led them. Thus, at a meeting held July 27, 1732, the minutes show that they "drew up a Proposal for trans porting a number of the Salzburg Exiles, and desired Mr. Vernon to lay the same before the Gentlemen now concerned in collecting benefactions for their Relief. Next month, August 3d, Mr. Vernon reported that he had followed the instructions given him, and that matter met with the approval of the persons before whom he had laid it. Still later in the month, August 31st,--"Jacob Winekler, Theobald Kupper, Ludwig Koel, Henric Croneberger, George Menglesdorff, Andereas "Winekler and Nicolas Rizer, German Swiss, being labourers and vine dressers, at tended, and received from Lord Carpenter, Mr. Vernon and Mr. Oglethorpe three guineas towards furnishing them with working tools; they, with their familys being the first Germans that are to establish the town of Purisburgh." Again, on the 12th of October of the same year, the minutes record that a Mr. Vernon and Dr. Bundy acquainted the Trus tees that the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge were desirous that the persecuted Salzburghers should have an asylum provided for them in Georgia."
ACCESSION OF SALZBURG (GERMAN PROTESTANT) COLONISTS
Willing though they were to provide at an early period homes in Georgia for those good people, the trustees were forced to put them off for a while because the funds collected for the support of the colony were well-nigh exhausted. As soon, however, as the means were pro vided for the purpose the good intention was brought to a delightful realization which added not only a substantial increase to the population of the colony but gave an impulse to the upbuilding of the design of its founders which could hardly have been looked for elsewhere. It is not positively stated how the trustees became possessed of an interest in cer-

54

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

tain lands in the Island of St. Christopher, but we do have the record that by an act of parliament the money paid for said lands was put at the disposal of the trustees to be by them applied "towards defraying the charges of the carrying over and settling foreign and other Protestants in said colony.'' Through this means the band of Salzburghers came to Georgia, and settled, in March, 1734, in that portion of the colony now known as Effingham county, at a place they named Ebenezer. Descend ants of these people now live in the city of Savannah, and most of them are among the truly good and exemplary citizens. The leaders of them were Baron Philip George Frederick Yon Reck, the Rev. John Martin Bolzius and Israel Christian Gronau. in his diary, the first named of these wrote an account of their arrival in Georgia, from which we make the following extracts:

"March 7--At nine there came from Charlestown a pilot on board our ship. We immediately cast anchor, and at ten the captain, the Rev erend divines and I, went into the pilot's boat. At one in the after noon, we caine to Charlestown, where I immediately waited on his excellency, Robert Johnson, Esq., and Mr. Oglethorpe. They were glad to hear that the Salzburgers were come within six leagues, all safe and in good health, without the loss of any one person. Mr. Oglethorpe showed me a plan of Georgia, and gave me liberty to choose a settle ment for the Salzburgers, either near the sea or further in the conti nent. I accordingly accepted his favour and chose a place 21 miles from the town of Savannah, and 30 miles from the sea, where there are rivers, little hills, clear brooks, cool springs, a fertile soil, and a plenty of grass. Mr. Oglethorpe sent on board our ship, by the Pilot's Sloop, a large quantity of fresh beef, two butts of Wine, two tun of Spring Water, Cabbage, Turnips, Radishes, Fruit, etc., as a present from the Trustees, to refresh the Salzburgers.
"March 9--We beg'd of God that he would permit us to go to our Georgia, We went away this morning at ten, and got on board our ship at two in the afternoon.
"March 10--God blessed us this day with the sight of our country, our wished-for Georgia, which we saw at ten in the morning, and brought us unto the Savannah River, and caused us to remember the vows we had made unto Him, if he did, through His infinite Goodness, bring us hither. We were today very much edified with the 32d chapter of Genesis, and the 26th of Leviticus. At noon we cast anchor, because of the Tide; at night, during the Evening Prayers, we entered the river of Savannah.
"March 12--The magistrates of the town sent on board our ship an experienced Pilot, and we were carried up to the town of Savannah by eleven in the Forenoon. They returned our salute of five guns, with three, and all the Magistrates, the citizens and the Indians, were come to the river sides. The two Divines, Mr. Dunbar, some others and myself, went ashore in a boat. We were received with all possible demonstra tions of Joy, Friendship, and civility. The Indians reached their hands to me, as a testimony of their joy also for our arrival. The Salzburgers came on shore after us, and we immediately pitched a tent for them in the Square of the Town.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

55

"March 13--1 went to see the Indians, and their King, Tomo-Chachi.
I caused some raisins, of which they are very fond, to be distributed
amongst them. "March 14--Mr. Oglethorpe had given orders for three horses to be
ready for my service, to take a view of the country, and to ride to the place where the Salzburgers were to settle. I went this morning at nine of the clock, with a Constable and a Guide; but after we had gone a mile or two, we entered some thick woods, divided by deep brooks of water, and though we could with great difficulty pass over some, yet there were others we could not pass; wherefore we returned back to the town.
"Mr. Oglethorpe, and Mr. Jenys, Speaker of the Assembly of Carolina, arrived at Savannah from Chariest-own; the first having, out of love to our Salzburgers, put off his Journey to England, being resolved to see
them settled before he went. Having informed him that the floods had made it impossible for me to pass the woods by land, he said he would go himself, to show me the country and see what place I would choose. The speaker desired to accompany him, and I did myself the honour to make one of the company. He sent to the Indian King to desire two Indians to hunt for him in the Journey; who not only granted them, but his chief War Captain, Tuskeneoi, out of civility to Mr. Oglethorpe,
came along with them to accompany us. We went on board a ten-oared boat to the place where a house was building by Mr. Musgrove, six miles up the Savannah river.
"March 16--Having slept well in a tent, which we pitched under the shade of a tree by the river side, last night, I accompanied Mr. Ogle thorpe on horseback, and the speaker and others went by water. If you ask how a country that is covered with wood, and cut with rivers and morasses, is passable, I must acquaint you that since the colony was set tled, the ways were marked by barking off the trees, to show where the roads should go, and where the rivers were passable. After passing through a morass covered with canes, we came to an unfordable river, through which the Indians swam the horses, and we crossed over upon a great tree, cut down for that purpose. The tree was cut down so as to lie across the river and serve for a bridge. And after riding some leagues in the woods, we passed another river. Night overtaking us, we were obliged to take up our quarters upon a little hill, round a fire with the Indians, who brought us a wild turkey for our supper.
"March 17--We continued our journey, and set out by break of day, and at nine arrived at the place where the Salzburgers were afterward settled. From hence I returned to the town of Savannah, through Abercorn, a village newly settled by order of the trustees, upon the Savannah river, near where Ebenezer falls into it."
The Reverend Mr. Bolzius described their arrival in his journal in these words: '' Savannah, Tuesday, March 12--At the place of our land ing almost all the inhabitants of the town of Savannah were gathered together; they fired off some Cannons and cried, huzzah! which was answered by our sailors and other English people in our ship, in the same manner. A good dinner was prepared for us. We, the commis sary, and Mr. Zwefler, the physician, were lodged in the house of the Reverend Mr. Quincy, the English minister here.

56

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"March 14--Last night we prayed on shore for the first time in the English chapel, made of boards, and used for divine worship till a church can be built; the use of which is allowed us during our stay here. The inhabitants join with us, and show much devotion. The Jews, likewise of which there are twelve families here, come to church, and seemed to
be very devout. "March 15--This day, Mr. Oglethorpe arrived here, and received
our Salzburgers and us in a friendly manner, and we dined with him. He being very solicitous that these poor Indians should be brought to the knowledge of God, has desired us to learn their language, and we, with the blessing of God, will joyfully undertake the task. Tuesday, March 26--It is a great pleasure to us that Mr. Oglethorpe approved of our calling the river, and the place where our houses are to be built,
Ebenezer."

ENCOURAGING THE SILK INDUSTRY
From the knowledge previously obtained of the climate of the country just south of the colony of South Carolina, which was to become the Colony of Georgia, it was considered, as already noted, most favorable to the breeding of silk worms and the making of silk. In this work it was thought that women and children, as well as old persons, would be use ful, as not a great deal of care and little labor were required in the feeding of the worms. Oglethorpe himself considered it of great im portance in the advancement of the colony. Pursuant to this generally accepted belief, coupled with the recently invented machinery by Mr. John Lombe for increased facility in the winding and reeling processes, the trustees early took steps to provide for the fostering of this industry. The fact that they held this opinion brought to them applications from persons skilled in that business for passage to Georgia. At their meeting on the 14th of February, 1732-3--"Mr. Nicolas Amatis attended the board, and acquainted them that he and Signor Giocomo Ottone, a man of experience in making the silk machines, Jacques Camuse and his wife (both winders of silk) and Camuse's three boys of the following ages--thirteen, four and three, were lately arrived in England, and ready to enter into agreement with the trustees to go and settle in Georgia." Mr. Amatis was one of the emigrants embarking in the Ann galley, November 16, 1732, and reaching Savannah February 1, 1733.
The production of raw silk in Georgia was apparently prosperous for a while, and the business was carried on for many years with fluctuat ing degrees of success so that on the whole, it did not approach the im portance for which its promoters prayed and earnestly desired. Dr. T. M. Harris, in an appendix to his "Biographical Memorials of James Oglethorpe," pages 391-413, gives an exhaustive account of this matter, prepared by W. B. Stevens, in which he says: "In June, 1734, General Oglethorpe carried eight pounds of raw silk, the first produced in Georgia, to England, which was fol lowed by a small trunk full of the same article, on the 2d of April, 1735, and after being made into orgazine, by the engine of Sir Thomas Lombe, at Derby, who said that it' proved exceedingly good through all the oper-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

57

ations,' was sent up to London on the 13th of August, 1735, when the trustees, together with Sir Thomas Lombe, waited on her majesty, Queen Caroline, and exhibited to her the elegant specimin of Georgia silk. The queen selected a portion of the parcel to be wove into a pattern, and being again waited on by these gentlemen and Mr. Booth, the silk weaver, on the 21st of September, she expressed 'a, great satisfaction for the beauty and fineness of the silk, the richness of the pattern, and at seeing so early product from that colony,' and to express her pleasure at such a favourable result, a complete court-dress was made from it, and on his majesty's next birthday she appeared at the levee in a full robe of Georgia silk."
Mr. Samuel Augspourger carried to England, in 1739, some of the silk which he obtained from the trustees' store-keeper, Mr. Jones, and it was classed by judges as "equal to any Italian silk, and worth full twenty shillings per pound." During some years a considerable quan tity was produced, while at other times the production was, for various reasons, much reduced. In 1746 the president of the Salzburgers wrote to Mr. Martyn, secretary of the trustees: '' The fundamental cause of its stagnation is the unaccountable backwardness of some of our dames and damsels to employ themselves in attending to the worms during the time of feeding;" at one time the falling off was attributed to the fact that "so few were disposed to this culture" to which it was added that "one reason for this reluctance is ascribed to the circumstance that, by ordi nary labor, about two shillings may be obtained per day, whereas scarcely a shilling could be earned in the same time by the silk concern.'' One season "nearly half of the silk worms died at Savannah, owing as was then supposed, either to poisoned dew or warm weather," and in 1748 "small trees were destroyed, and some of the larger ones injured, by the late frost." In 1766 the small amount of silk made was said to be on wacocromunst.''of "the badness of the seed, and consequent inferiority of the
THE FILATURE BUILDINGS
On the 4th of March, 1751, Mr. James Habersham and Mr. Pickering Robinson, commissioners to promote more effectually the culture of silk, began the erection of a filature in the city of Savannah, and work pro gressed on it so rapidly that on the 8th of May reeling began. This building stood on the lot bounded by Abercorn, St. Julian, Lincoln and Bryan streets, and was used for the purposes for which it was built until 1774, in which year, on the 19th of January, Sir James Wright, governor of the province of Georgia, sent a message to the common house of assembly in which he said: '' The filature buildings seem to be going to decay and ruin; may it not, therefore, be expedient to consider what other service or use they may be put to?" and the assembly an swered, "We shall not fail to consider how it may be expedient to apply the Filature to some public use.'' From that time it was used as a public hall, in which balls were given, and as a place for political gatherings and meetings of all sorts, including those for religious purposes. Fin ally, it was used as a dwelling-place, when, as such, it was destroyed by fire during the afternoon of March 25, 1839. Numerous advertisements

58

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

in the old Georgia Gazette announced that meetings would be held "at, the Filature."

DRAWBACKS INSURMOUNTABLE

The business of silk-making in Georgia, though started with the

general expectation that it would be the chief industry in the province,

failed to reach the point which might have placed it on a paying basis,

and it is not at all to be concluded that, if it had been given an absolutely

fair trial under the most favorable conditions, it would never have be

come remunerative. From its inception until it was finally abandoned

it was, at all points, hampered by unfortunate circumstances which had

a tendency to retard the work and to discourage those who had the

matter most at heart. Much was expected, in the very beginning, from

the man Camuse, who seemed to know the business thoroughly and from

whom so much was expected in the development of the business; but he

proved to be quarrelsome, and could not be depended on, and the dis

appointment at that point was great. Again, persons who at first took

hold with the very highest zeal, soon became despondent, and left off all

desire to continue the work. Thus we are told that'' though Oglethorpe

gave Mr. Bolzius trees, silk worms, and a book of instructions, yet he

confesses sue it.'' *

that

he

felt

no

interest

in

the

business,

nor

inclination

to

pur

* Memorials of James Oglethorpe, by T. M. Harris, p. 395.

CHAPTER VII
ORIGINAL SAVANNAH DESCRIBED
FEEDING AND HOUSING OF FIRST COLONISTS--FATHER OGLETHORPE-- GORDON'S FIRST TOWN PLAT--PIONEER POINTS OP INTEREST--NAMES OF FIRST STREETS--THE TRUSTEES' GARDEN.
Returning now to the colonists and their first efforts in making them selves secure and free to enjoy home-life in their new abiding-place, let us look upon them as they employ themselves daily under their respec ted leader. Pursuing the course he had from the very first mapped out, Oglethorpe treated his people more as members of his own family than as subordinates, advising and admonishing them as a father would advise and warn his children. He told them, among other things, "It is my hope that through your good example the settlement of Georgia may prove a blessing, and not a curse, to the native inhabitants." He set them to work felling trees, putting up a crane for hauling up the bluff the material brought in the Ann, unloading that vessel, and hewing the stuff to be used in stockading the town. The people not only assisted in the building of edifices to be used for public purposes, but they erected homes for themselves into which they moved, discarding the tents, as soon as the houses could be made habitable. Besides this they labored in the building of the fort which was to occupy a place at the extreme eastern end of the settlement, on the bluff. So busy were they from the first moment of their landing that Oglethorpe in his letter to the trustees, announcing their safe arrival, said: "I am so taken up in looking after a hundred necessary things, that I write now short, but shall give you a more particular account hereafter."
FEEDING AND HOUSING OF FIRST COLONISTS
Of course, the people had to be fed, and it is a pleasure to observe that, in addition to the help rendered by the good people of South Carolina in the way of contributing negro laborers and personally assisting Oglethorpe in every possible way, donations of food were liberally made by them, Mr. Whitaker and some friends alone, at one time, as we are told, adding to the store one hundred head of cattle, and the people of Edisto sixteen sheep.
On the 12th of March, 1733, a little more than a month after landing, General Oglethorpe wrote to the trustees: "Our people still live in tents,

I
VIE^V OP SAVANNAH

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

61

there being only two clap-board houses built and three small houses framed. Our crane, our battery, cannon and magazine are finished. This is all that we have been able to do by reason of the smallness of our number, of which many have been sick and others unused to labor; though I thank God they are now pretty well, and we have not lost one since our arrival here."

FATHER OGLETHORPE
Showing that every precaution was used to avoid attacks by enemies from outside, an account of the visit of some South Carolina gentlemen, published in the Gazette of that province, March 22d, 1733, contained this statement: '' Some time before we came to the Landing the Sentinel challenged us, and understanding who we were, admitted us ashore," and, in praise of Oglethorpe, continued, "Mr. Oglethorpe is indefatig able, takes a great deal of Pains; his fare is but indifferent, having little else at present but salt Provisions. He is extremely well beloved by all his People; the general Title they give him is Father. If any of them is sick he immediately visits them and takes a great deal of care of them. If any difference arises, he is the Person that Decides it. Two happened while I was there, and in my presence; and all the Parties went away, to outward Appearance, satisfied and contented with his Determination. He keeps a strict Discipline; I neither saw one of his People drunk, nor heard one swear all the time I was there; he does not allow them rum, but in lieu gives them English beer. It is surprising to see how cheer fully the men go to work, considering they have not been bred to it; there are no idlers there; even the boys and girls do their Parts."

GORDON'S FIRST TOWN PLAN
The first plan of the town of Savannah was made by Peter Gordon, of whom our knowledge is not very extensive. This plan was made a little more than a year after the landing of Oglethorpe's colonists, and bears this dedicatory inscription: "To the Honorable, the Trustees, for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America this View of the Town of Savannah is humbly dedicated by their Honours Obliged and most Obedi ent Servant, Peter Gordon." We have seen that the common council made "a deed dated the 7th of November, 1732, appointing Peter Gordon, William Waterland, and Thomas Christie, bailiffs of Savannah," and that at the same time Peter Gordon and six others were appointed "'con servators to keep the peace in the said town." For some reason not mentioned, action as to him was re-considered and George Symes named in his place. By the action alloting lands to the colonists, Peter Gordon drew as his share garden lot 10E and farm lot 7 in Frederick tything, Derby ward. Whether he was employed to make the plan there is no way for us to ascertain, as the minutes of both the trustees and the com mon council are silent on this point; but we do find the entry in the latter, under date, April 6, 1734: "Ordered that sixteen guineas be paid to Mr. Peter Gordon as a consideration for his Draught of Savan nah." On May 10, 1735, he appeared before the common council and

62

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

'' delivered in a Memorial to the Trustees with several Letters and Papers from several of the Inhabitants of Savannah." And that is about the substance of all the information we have of the man. The plan gives us this information: At that time stairs had been built leading from the margin of the river up to the top of the bluff, and slightly to the east of the place where General Oglethorpe pitched his tent which is shown under the four pine trees near the edge of the bluff.

PIONEER POINTS OF INTEREST
If this plan is accurate, then the stone seat lately erected by the Georgia Society of Colonial Dames of America to mark the place where* Oglethorpe's tent was placed is much too far westward of the true spot. In truth it is located too far from Bull street and too near to Whitaker street. The crane and bell were placed just midway belween those two streets. The tabernacle and courthouse were at the corner of Bull street and Bay street lane; the public hall was in the center of the lot facing Bryan street, from Bull to Whitaker, and occupied that lot entirely through to St. Julian street; south of that hall, on the north side of St. Julian and precisely opposite was the house for strangers, while the public oven was built at the southeast corner of Whitaker and Congress streets. The draw well was in the center of Bull street just where Congress street lanq intersects Bull, and the lot for the church just where Christ church stands, bounded by Bull, Congress, Drayton and St. Julian streets. Facing Johnson square on Bull street, and extending north and south from Bryan to St. Julian, stood the pub lic stores, but occupying only about one-fifth of the lot which runs back to Drayton. The fort was built on the northeast corner of South Broad and Drayton streets, and the parsonage was directly opposite the church, on the southeast corner of Drayton and St. Julian. On a line with the eastern side of Drayton street, extending from Bay southward to Bryan street, the palisades were located. At the foot of Drayton, on Bay street north, were placed the guardhouse and battery of cannon. By this plan it seems that in the course of a little over one yecr the number of houses erected for the people exclusive of public buildings, was about eighty.

NAMES OF FIRST STREETS
It is a fact not to be accounted for that Mr. Gordon did not, in what he called his "view" of the town, give the names of the streets. The names of those public-spirited South Carolinians, Joseph Bryan, Mr St. Julian, Mr. Whitaker and Mrs. Ann Drayton, who so materially assisted the first settlers, were given to the streets which still bear theii names, and one street was named for the Earl of Abercorn, who was a generous benefactor of the colony. Barnard street was named for Sir John Barnard who contributed liberally to the fund of the trustees. Jefferson street was then the western limit of Savannah, but apparently had no name given to it, but when the city grew beyond its west side, the city council by ordinance of January 12, 1791, declared that the street

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

63

parallel to Montgomery (named in the same instrument) which street "is the one between the old limits and the present addition on the west common, shall be called Jefferson street." Within the limits shown on Peter Gordon's "view" were included what were probably at the time of their laying out called King, Prince, and Duke streets. Those names remained unchanged until the year 1803, when, by ordinance of Febru ary 21st, they were changed in the following words: "Whereas, the names or titles of King, Prince, and Duke are unknown to the consti tution of Georgia, or the United States, and the permitting or suffering several streets in the city to be still called by those obnoxious names reflects highly on the police (sic) thereof:
"No. 517. (1.) The streets now called King street, Prince, street, and Duke street, shall be, hereafter, called and known by the names following: That is to say, the street now called King street shall be called President street; the street called Prince street shall be called State street, and the street called Duke street shall be called Congress
street.''
THE TRUSTEES' GARDEN
Mr. Peter Gordon did not indicate the locality of the trustees' gar den which was at that time perhaps just beginning to show the results of the care bestowed upon it from its first planting in the preceding year. It is hardly necessary to say much about this matter, considering the fact that it was not kept up many years, but, as it was deemed of great importance when laid out, and as it formed an important adjunct to the town as long as it was cultivated, the description of it by Secretary Moore, in his Voyage to Georgia in 1735 has been given in full in Chap ter III

CHAPTER VIII
. RELIGIOUS, MORAL AND INDUSTRIAL
PIONEER CHURCHES--OGLETHORPE RETURNS TO ENGLAND--UNPOPULAR COLONIAL DEPUTY--INTOXICATED WITH POWER AND PRIDE--ANTI-RUM AND ANTI-SLAVE LAWS--THE TRUSTEES AGAINST SLAVERY--WHITEFIELD IN FAVOR OF SLAVERY.
The manifestly great importance of the actual settling of Savannah and the incidents connected with that matter, including the work done in improving the place and in making the soil as productive as possible, necessitated the use heretofore of considerable space, and henceforward the many incidents to follow in this history will be recited in a more con densed form. Wherever it was possible, the facts have been given in the very words of the documents found in all cases--surely the best evidence to be had.
Apprehending trouble with the Spaniards on the southern frontier, Oglethorpe's first separation from his people occurred in January, 1734, when, early on the 23d, he departed, with Captain Ferguson and sixteen men, including two Indian guides, on a reconnoitering trip. Then it was that the sites for the future towns of Frederica and New Inverness (afterwards Darien) were chosen.
PIONEER CHURCHES
The first minister to the colony was, as we have seen, the Rev. Dr. Henry Herbert, who volunteered to act in that position, performing all necessary services without compensation. Religious services were held at first, according to the statement of Francis Moore, in a hut thirty-six feet long and twelve feet wide, made of split-boards, which was built for a courthouse at the time of the first landing.* On the return of Oglethorpe from his first visit to England in 1735, he "ordered a house to be erected in the upper square which might serve for a Courthouse and for divine service till a church could be built.'' The hut which was the first place of worship was on the northeast corner of Bay street lane and Bull street, and the second place mentioned was on the lot bounded by Bull, President, Whitaker and York streets, where the postoffice now stands; and the Colonial Dames have marked the spot with a bronze tablet recording the fact that there stood the courthouse built by Ogle-
* Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, Vol. I, p. 100.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

65

thorpe as well as the information that John Wesley preached in that building from May 6 to November 27, 1736. Doctor Herbert's term of service as rector of the church of the colony did not last long, and we have no information as to the exact time or the cause of his leaving. We only know that he was succeeded probably before the expiration of a year, by the Rev. Samuel Quincy, who himself was succeeded in 1736 by the great John Wesley. From the time of Moore's voyage until the arrival of Mr. Wesley the affairs in the town apparently "went on in a quiet way, as no matters of interest during that period have been found recorded anywhere.

OGLETHORPE RETURNS TO ENGLAND
The Salzburgers, on coming to Georgia, settled at a point south of what is now the thriving town of Springfield, in Effingham county, to which they gave the name Ebenezer, and Oglethorpe feeling the relief from the anxiety which his concern for that people had caused, felt that it was a proper time to return to England and render in person an account of the progress made in a little more than a year of experience as the steward of the trustees. We have seen how he carried out his plan of taking with him his friend Tomo-Chachi and others of the Indian tribe whose kind treatment had helped materially in the success ful development of the settlement. To Mr. Thomas Causton he com mitted the care of the town and province, and that man, who was the storekeeper of the trustees as Avell as a bailiff of the court, was assured of the advice and counsel of Mr. James St. Julian, a South Carolina gentleman deeply interested in the Georgia people, and of Mr. Francis Scott who had cast his lot with Oglethorpe's band and was a man of influence and integrity.

UNPOPULAR COLONIAL DEPUTY
In the allotment of lands Causton had drawn garden lot 8E and farm lot 10 in Frederick tything G of Derby ward. To his suburban place he gave the name Oxstead, of which the three writers of "A True and Historical Narrative of the Colony of Georgia in America,'' printed in 1741, said: "About three miles southeast of Savannah, upon Augustine creek, lies Oxstead, the settlement of Mr. Thomas Causton, improven by many hands and at a great charge, where he now resides with a few servants." This place now bears the name Causton's Bluff.
Though left in charge of the colony during the absence of the leader, Causton was fully advised beforehand as to the duties he was to per form and what authority he should exercise. Notwithstanding this, he acted in such a way as to cause great displeasure to the people and to be the subject of the special rancor of those men who have become known by the title of "malcontents," the authors of the work from which we have just quoted, and from which we again quote. They arraigned him in this language:
"Whilst we labored under those difficulties in supporting ourselves, our civil liberties received a more terrible shock: for instead of such a

66

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

free government as we had reason to expect, and of being judged by the laws of our mother country, a dictator (under the title of bailiff and store-keeper) was appointed and left by Mr. Oglethorpe, at his de parture, which was in April, 1734, whose will and pleasure were the only laws in Georgia. In regard to this magistrate, the others were entirely nominal, and in a manner but ciphers. Sometimes he would ask in public their opinion, in order to have the pleasure of showing his power by contradicting them. He would often threaten juries, and especially when their verdicts did not agree with his inclination or humor, and in order the more fully to establish his absolute authority, the store and disposal of the provisions, money, and public places of trust, were committed to him; by which alteration in his state and circumstances he became in a manner infatuated, being before that a person of no sub stance or character, having come over with Mr. Oglethorpe amongst the first forty, and left England upon account of something committed by him concerning his majesty's duties. However, he was fit enough for a great many purposes, being a person naturally proud, covetous, cunning and deceitful, and would bring his designs about by all possible ways and means.

INTOXICATED WITH POWER AND PRIDE
"As his power increased so did his pride, haughtiness and cruelty, insomuch that he caused eight free-holders with an officer to attend at the door of the court every day it sat, with their guns and bayonets, and they were commanded by his orders, to rest their firelocks as soon as he appeared, which, made people in some manner afraid to speak their minds, or juries to act as their consciences directed them. He was sel dom or never uncovered on the bench, not even when an oath was admin istrated ; and being perfectly intoxicated with power and pride he threat ened every person without distinction, rich and poor, strangers and in habitants, who in the least opposed his arbitrary proceedings, or claimed their just rights and privileges, with the stocks, whipping-post and loghouse, and many times put those threatenings into execution, so that the Georgia stocks, whipping-post and log-house soon were famous in Caro lina, and everywhere in America where the name of the province was heard of, and the very thought of coming to the colony became a terror to people's mind." There is much more of the same sort in the pamphlet from which we will make further quotations as we proceed with this nar rative.

ANTI-RUM AND ANTI-SLAVE LAWS
Among the instructions given to Causton when he was clothed with authority to govern during Oglethorpe's absence was one specially relating to the acts recently adopted prohibiting the use of intoxicating drinks. Legislation on this subject had been forced upon the people by reason of the fact that in the month of August, 1733, several per sons residing in Savannah had died, as was then stated, from the use of rum, and, in response to a report to that effect by Mr. Oglethorpe,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

67

the common council passed a resolution on the 21st of November "that the drinking of rum in Georgia be absolutely prohibited, and that all which shall be brought there be stored." As no such law existed in the neighboring colony of South Carolina, rum was freely imported there from both the West Indies and New England, and the traders of that colony who could get all they wanted supplied the trustees' store at Savannah with it. This law against the sale of rum Mr. Causton endeavored to enforce, and his action relative thereto was severely criticized by the malcontents. In their tirade against Causton, they asserted that by reason of the punishments alleged to have been in dicted by him the people of South Carolina "who had, in private and public donations, given in upwards of l,300g sterling, seeing these things and how the public money was thrown away, began to despise the colony, and out of regard to the welfare of their fellow creatures, persuaded everybody they could from settling in it." They then dedared his efforts to restrain the sending of rum from South Carolina into Georgia as an intentional "design further to exasperate the people of Carolina," adding that "he caused their boats to be searched, and whatever rum was found therein was directly stored, in pursuance of an act, as he alleged, entitled an act against the importation of rum into the colony of Georgia."
At the same time another act was passed by the common council of the trustees which, later, became the subject of much talk and excite ment, but which, together with the resolution forbidding the importa tion of rum, was some sixteen years later rescinded. It was "an act for rendering the province of Georgia more defensible by prohibiting the importation of black slaves or negroes into the same," the reason for its adoption being the fear of the trustees that by the aid of negro labor the people would relax their "habits of labour, industry, economy, and thrift by personal application." Objection to this measure was made by the malcontents in a petition to the trustees calling their at tention to the causes of what they called their "personal misfortunes" in these words: '' The want of the use of negroes, with proper limitations; which if granted, would both occasion great numbers of white people to come here, and also render us capable to subsist ourselves, by raising provisions upon our lands, until we could make some produce fit for export, in some measure to balance our importation. We are very sensible of the inconveniences and mischiefs that have already and do daily arise from an unlimited use of negroes; but we are as sensible that these may be prevented by a due limitation, such as so many to each white man, or so many to such a quantity of land or in any manner which your Honour shall think most proper."

TEE TRUSTEES AGAINST SLAVERY
This question of slavery was a matter of some concern to the trustees, and the advisability of changing the positive law on the subject was brought to their attention from time to time. On the 20th of June, 1739, they declined to accede to the request of the magistrates, and other citizens, in a letter addressed to the latter, in which, after acknowl-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
edging the receipt of a "representation signed by you, the i and many of the inhabitants of Savannah on the 9th of December last, for altering the tenure of the lands, and introducing negroes into the Province," they go on to say "they direct you to give the complainants this anwser from the Trustees: That they should deem themselves very unfit for the trust reposed in them by his Majesty on their behalf if they could be prevailed upon by such an irrational attempt to give up a constitution framed with the greatest caution for the preservation of liberty and property, and of which the laws against the use of slaves and for the entail of lands are the surest foundations.''
Oglethorpe reported to the trustees that their decision had been received and promulgated, and that its effect was noticeable for the good it had accomplished, and they took from the magistrates who had! signed the petition their commissions. At the same time the malcontents who had stirred up strife by their unruly behavior in many ways departed from Georgia. In their severe arraignment of the office-holders and others, whose conduct did not meet with their approval, those discontented persons magnified the little mistakes of those whom they despised, made assertions they could not prove, and showed a remarkable degree of spite, while, at the same time, they said some things which were true.
WHITEFIELD IN FAVOR OF SLAVERY
Once before the trustees had positively refused to yield to the de mand for the employment of slaves in Georgia, and the fight was kept up so persistently that a modification of the law finally resulted, and slave labor was permitted. Among those who advocated the rescinding of the prohibitory measure, strange to say, was the Eev. George Whitefield who played a prominent part in Georgia's history in connection, principally, with the orphan home established by him, with the aid of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, at Bethesda, near Savannah. He believed that the bringing of slaves from Africa was demanded by the claims of humanity, and declared that it was greatly to their advantage to be permitted to toil in useful labor, and went so far as to say that it was an established fact that the colony could not prosper without the use of slave labor. His views were shared by the Hon. James Habersham who came to Georgia with him. These names are here mentioned somewhat out of the regular chronological order because we are now on a subject in the discussion of which it becomes necessary to state their position. It must be borne in mind that this question was under discussion a long time before it was definitely settled and the parts taken in it by these two men was of such importance as to call for a statement of their view of the matter at this point; and we now quote from Mr. Whitefield who thus wrote to the trustees of Georgia from Gloucester, December 6, 1748: "I need not inform you how the Colony of Georgia has been declining, and at what great disadvantages I have maintained a large family in that wilderness. * Upwards of 5,000 have been expended in that under-
* Referring to the orphan-home at Bethesda which will be presented to the reader's attention presently.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

69

taking; and yet very little proficiency has been made in the cultiva tion of my tract of land; and that entirely owing to the necessity I lay under of making use of white hands. Had negroes been allowed, I should now have had a sufficient to support a great many orphans, without expending above half the sum that has been laid out. An un willingness to let so good a design drop induced me, two years ago, to purchase a plantation in South Carolina, where negroes are allowed. This plantation has succeeded; and, though I have only eight working hands, in all probability there will be more raised in one year and with a quarter of the expense than has been produced at Bethesda for several years past. This confirms me in the opinion I have long enter tained that Georgia never can be a flourishing province unless negroes are employed. * * * My chief end in writing this is to inform you that I am as willing as ever to do all I can for Georgia and the orphan house, if either a limited use of negroes is approved of, or some more indentured servants be sent from England. If not, I cannot promise to keep any large family or cultivate the plantation in any considerable manner.''
Commenting on this letter, Whitefield's biographer, the Rev. Luke Tyerman, pointedly remarks: "From such a pen this is a strange production. Whitefield, with his large heart, urging the introduction of slavery into the province of Georgia and almost threatening to abandon his Orphan House unless his proposal be granted! Whitefield's honour is best cared for by saying as little about the incident as possible.'' But there were many others in Georgia who were strongly urging the trustees to rescind the act against the use of negroes. Among them, as first stated, was the Hon. James Habersham, founder of the family of thai name in Georgia, who came over with Whitefield in 1738, and whose intercourse with the celebrated preacher was in timate and of the most friendly nature for many years and until broken by death. Others, in close touch with the trustees, stood by these men, and in spite of the repeated failures they met with, stub bornly contended the point until their demand was granted.

CHAPTER IX
JOHN AND CHARLES WESLEY
JOHN WESLEY AND His LABORS--ABUSE OF WESLEY--NEW " SECRETARY OF THE TRUST"--WESLEY AND SOPHIA (ITopKiNs) WILLIAMSON--MR. WESLEY's STATEMENT OF THE TROUBLE--THE TRUSTEES TREAT THE MATTER LIGHTLY--CHARLES WESLEY DEPARTS FOR ENGLAND--WHITEFIELD SUCCEEDS JOHN WESLEY.
After a stay of some seven months in England, Tomo-chi-chi returned to Georgia, reaching Savannah on the 27th of December, 1734. Oglethorpe remained in England resuming1 his seat in parliament whore he saw to the enactment of the laws concerning slavery and rum referred to in the preceding chapter. He secured for the colony a large number of emigrants to go with him on his returr, and they, amounting to two hundred and twenty in all, left London on the 13th of October, 1735. The next day Oglethorpe, accompanied by the Rev. John Wesley, Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, Rev. Charles Wesley, his brother, student of Christ's Church College, and Reverend Mr. Ingham, of Queen's, went by land to Gravesend, where they embarked on board the Symonds, commanded by Capt. Joseph Cornish. Besides this ship there was the London Merchant, Capt, John Thomas, which took on board such of the people as could not be accommodated on the Symonds.
Just before this the Moravians, led by the Rev. Gottlieb Spangenberg and assisted by Count Zinzendorf, arrived in Georgia and made their home on the Savannah river between the town and Ebenezer; and they were closely followed by the Scotch Highlanders, under the care of their spiritual guide, the Rev. John McLeod, who settled at a point about sixteen miles above St. Simon's Island up the Altamaha river which they called New Inverness. Here they lived, and they were a great help to Oglethorpe in the troubles with the Spanish in Florida, as well as to Georgia in her dark days covering the period of the American Revolution. Among these highlanders were the Mclntosh family and the Mackays. A road from their settlement to Savannah was laid out -by Capt. Hugh Mackay, aided by Indian guides furnished by Tomo-chi-chi, which is still known as the Darien road, Darien being the present name of the first settlement known as New Inverness.
70

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

71

JOHN WESLEY AND His LABORS John Wesley, in his journal on Thursday, February 19, 1736, says of his arrival: "My brother and I took boat, and passing by Savannah, went to pay our first visit in America to the poor heathens. But neither Tomo-Chachi nor Sinauky was at home. Coming back we waited upon Mr. Canston, the chief magistrate of Savannah. From him we went with Mr. Spangenberg to the German brethren. About eleven we returned to the boat, and came to our ship about four in the morning." Charles Wesley came to Georgia with a commission from the trustees as secretary of Indian affairs for the colony of Georgia, and was the private secretary to General Oglethorpe. While considering

This I:
the matter of providing for the spiritual care of the colonists and the conversion of the Indians, John Wesley was named to the trustees as a man well qualified for that work by Doctor Burton, president of Corpus Christ! College as well as one of the Georgia trustees. Mr. Wesley was introduced to Oglethorpe by Doctor Burton, and the mis sion was at once tendered to him but was promptly declined. He was finally persuaded to accept the position and the two brothers together engaged to accept service in the new colony. Of his first act in entering upon his duties John Wesley made this note in his journal under date Sunday the 7th of March. "I entered upon my ministry at Savannah by preaching on the epistle for the day, being the thirteenth of the first of Corinthians." In a postscript to a letter written to the trustees February 27, 1736, Oglethorpe mentioned the fact that "Mr. Wesleys' are gone up to Toma-chi-chi Mico, and live with Mr. Musgrove in his neighborhood six miles from Savannah where he has built a new town" and on the 16th of March following he said: "Mr. John Wesley

72

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

is at Savannah and I have desired him to state ye case of ye Salzburgers. Mr. Charles Wesley and Mr. Inghain are working with me.''
At this time there was some trouble among the Salzburgers, and that fact is evidently alluded to in the quotation just given. On the same day Oglethorpe wrote a letter to Mr. Vat, from Frederiea, which so clearly shows his ability to handle difficult matters and to act impartially in every affair in life that it is here given in full as showing his determination to render justice at all times. "I have received the favor of yours and am very sorry to find there are any discontents among the Salzburgers. Mr. Von Reck complains much of you, as well as you of him, I have wrote to him upon the occasion and sent him the heads of what you objected to him, that he may make his defence. I have also desired him to make good what he objects to you, and recom mended to the Rev. Mr. John Wesley to state the matter how things have past at Ebenezer, that when I have seen things in a clear light, I may be able to determine them, which I would not do in a matter where such worthy people are concerned, till the truth appeared fully, least I should by rash judgment injure any man's reputation or character." The trouble was that Mr. Von Reck and Mr. Bolzius preferred charges against Mr. Vat who had been "appointed secretary of the Salzburgers by the trustees and to him were the stores at Ebenezer entrusted," as said Oglethorpe in a letter to Von Reck the same day, and he added: "He is answerable for them, and till such time as by his behavior I am entitled to dismiss him, it is improper for me to take them from his care nor can I determine any more in his than in your case without a hearing. Mr. Bolzius and you have both accused him, therefore, as I cannot come myself yet to Savannah I refer exam ining into the matter to Mr. John Wesley who is there entirely unprej udiced. I must again repeat the uneasiness I am under in not being able to assist them personally."
John Wesley succeeded the Rev. Samuel Quincy as spiritual guide to the colony, although he always averred that he undertook the task of a missionary with the purpose of using all his powers in the conversion of the Indians. "I never promised to stay here one month I openly declare, both before, and ever since my coming hither, that I neither would nor could take charge of the English any longer than till I could go among the Indians." When reminded that his appoint ment was to be minister at savannah, he answered: "It was done without either my desire or knowledge. Therefore I cannot conceive that that appointment could lay me under any obligation of continuing here longer than till a door is opened to the heathen; and this I expressly declared at the time I consented to accept that appointment." He had been thoroughly impressed with the idea before consenting to leave England for America, that the work among the Indians would be rewarded with favorable results, and that without any vast amount of persuasion. He took literally to heart the impression conveyed to Oglethorpe in one of his letters that "a door seemed opened for the conversion of the Indians;" but he was doomed to be greatly dis appointed, and his discouragement was manifest before he had been in Georgia many weeks. He was very favorably impressed with

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

73

Savannah and its climate. In a letter to his mother he said "the place is pleasant beyond imagination and by all I can learn exceedingly healthful even in summer for those who arc not intemperate." His disappointment was twofold. Not only did he find the task of leading the Indians into a true knowledge of Christianity hopeless, but he had to admit after trial that his church work was not acceptable to most of his parishioners. Among those whom he counted as his friends one whom he questioned on this point severely remarked: "I like nothing you do; all your sermons are satires upon particular persons. Therefore I will never hear you more and all the people are of my mind, for we won't hear ourselves abused. Besides, they say they are Protestants, but
as for you they can't tell what religion you are of. They never heard of such religion before. They do not know what to make of it. And then your private behavior, all the quarrels that have been here since you came have been along of you. Indeed there is neither man nor woman in the town who minds a word what you say, and so you may preach long enough, but nobody will come to hear you." His stay in Georgia lasted only a year and ten months, but his experience during that short time was varied and exciting. The month of July, 1737, was spent by him partly in visiting from house to house, and he then estimated the number of inhabitants in the town to be 518, all of whom except 149 were over the age of sixteen years.

ABUSE OP WESLEY
The malcontents, of course, made him one of the objects of their abusive publication. They said "And now to make our subjection the more complete, a new kind of tyranny was this summer (1737) begun to be imposed upon us; for Mr. John "Wesley, who had come over and was received by us as a clergyman of the Church of England, soon discovered that his aim was to enslave our minds, as a necessary preparative for enslaving our bodies. The attendance upon prayer, meetings and ser mons inculcated by him, so frequently, and at improper hours, incon sistent with necessary labor, especially in an infant colony, tended to propagate a spirit of indolence and of hypocrisy amongst the more abandoned; it being much easier for such persons, by an affected show of religion, and adherence to Mr. Wesley's novelties, to be provided by his procurement from the public stores, than to use that industry which true religion recommends; nor indeed could the reverend gentleman conceal the designs he was so full of, having frequently declared that he never desired to see Georgia a rich, but a religious* colony. At last all persons of any consideration came to look upon him as a Roman Catholic/" and then follow four reasons for so considering him, as (1) "he most unmercifully damned all dissenters of whatever denomination, who were never admitted to communicate with him until they first gave up their faith and principles entirely to his moulding and direction, and in confirmation thereof declared their belief of the invalidity of their former baptism,

74

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

and then to receive a new one from him"; (2) "persons suspected to be Roman Catholics were received and caressed by him as his first rate saints"; (3) "his endeavors to establish confession, penance, mortifica tion, mixing wine with water in the sacrament, and suppressing in the administration of the sacrament the explanation adjoined to the words of communicating by the Church of England"; (4) "as there is always a strict connection betwixt popery and slavery, so the design of all this fine scheme seemed to the most judicious to be calculated to debase and depress the minds of the people, to break any spirit of liberty, and humble them with fastings, penances, drinking of water, and a thorough subjection to the spiritual jurisdiction which he asserted was to be established in his person; and when this should be accomplished the minds of people would be equally prepared for the receiving civil or ecclesiastical tyranny." They charged that, in order to bring about a perfection of his "well concerted scheme" families were divided in parties, spies were engaged in many houses, and the servants of others bribed and decoyed to let them into all secrets of the families they be longed to; nay, those who had given themselves up to his spiritual, guid ance (more especially the women) were obliged to discover to him their most secret actions, nay even their thoughts and the subject of their dreams."
Mr. Wesley would have done well, and would have succeeded, at least in his work among the colonists, had he followed the advice given him by his friend Doctor .Burton who induced him to take up the work in: Georgia: "With regard to your behavior and manner of address, you will keep in mind the pattern of St. Paul who became 'all things to all men, that he might gain some.' in every case distinguish between what is essential and what is merely circumstantial to Christianity; be tween what is indispensable and what is variable; between what is of divine and what is of human authority. I mention this heeau.se men are apt to deceive themselves in such cases, and we see the traditions and ordinances of men frequently insisted on with more vigor than the com mandments of God to which they are subordinate."
At the time that the malcontents wrote their bitter specifications against John Wesley, they charged that Mr. Thomas Causton was his companion and abettor in the mischief which they alleged was being made. And, indeed, at that period the two were good friends and acted to a certain extent in co-operation. Those vilifiers asserted of Mr. Wesley that "Mr. Causton and he were hand in hand." Strange to say, however, this same Causton and his family were the instruments through whom Mr. Wesley's career in Georgia not only ended in failure of accomplishing what he confidently expected to do but brought a last ing sorrow to that good man and brought about his leaving Georgia under a heavy cloud which in the minds of some has never been cleared away. Friendship and close fellowship suddenly turned into bitter hatred and the severing of ties which in this life were never re-united.

NEW "SECRETARY OP THE TRUST"
On the 8th of April, 1737, Mr. William Stephens, of the Isle of Wight, was appointed "Secretary of the Trust within the Province of

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

75

Georgia," as appears by the minutes of the common council of the trustees, and on the 27th of the same month '' a grant of enfeoffment of five hundred acres of land was made by the same body to the said Will iam Stephens and his third son Thomas, and the father was then sworn in as secretary, and instructions to the new officer were read, approved, countersigned and sealed by the Secretary of the Trustees.'' This was fol
lowed by the reading of "a paper of private instructions to William Stephens.'' For some reason the trustees requested this officer to delay the time of his departure for Georgia, and on the 10th of August they voted to pay him the sum of thirty-one pounds ten shillings'' his expenses, lie having waited three months at the request of the trust before he was ordered to imbark for Georgia." From the same minutes we learn that he "sailed the middle of August." He relates in his journal that owing to adverse circumstances he did not reach Charleston, South Carolina, until October 20; that he departed from that place on the 28th; and he arrived at Savannah at ten o'clock in the morning of the 1st of Novem ber. His attention was almost immediately called to the trouble between Mr. John Wesley and a number of the inhabitants, particularly the family of Causton and their followers, for, under date Thursday, Novem ber od, in concluding his record of the events of the day, he adds: "After wards 1 heard from different hands a long detail of the cause of discord between Mr. Causton and the parson ever since Mr. Williamson married Miss llopkins (niece of Mr. Causton) which was told me variously, as the relators were inclined; but it was carried now to that height as to engage great part of the town which was so divided that Mr. Causton and Mr. Wesley drew their greatest attention, and the partisans on both sides did not stick to throw plenty of scandal against their adversaries."

WESLEY AND SOIMITA (HOPKINS) AVILLIAMSON
Unfortunately for Mr. Wesley he had received as a pupil a young woman, Sophia llopkins, the niece of Thomas Causton, whom he engaged to instruct in the French language. His influence with her was so great that she was converted by his preaching, and joined the church. She was attractive in manners, and was accomplished, and it is generally believed that Mr. Wesley desired to marry her. Charles 'Delamotte, who accompanied the AVesleys to Georgia and who was their friend, saw the danger which this intimacy, if continued, was sure to cause, and warned his companion against a too close friendship with his pupil, and it is not a matter of wonder that the clergyman did follow the advice of one whom he knew to be a true friend. Mr. Delamotte had worked in the greatest harmony with John AVesley, had organized a school of between thirty and forty children whom he is said to have taught to "read, write, and cast accounts," and whom Mr. Wesley catechised every Saturday afternoon and before evening service on Sunday. Added to the admonition of this friend was the advice of the Moravian elders, who also became apprehensive that a marriage between the two seemed possible, and that such union could hardly be a happy one. Thus cau tioned, Wesley had the good sense to be more guided in his conduct while with the lady, and his changed manner while in her presence was morti-

76

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

fying to her, so that she and her friends harbored a feeling of hostility to him which brought to an unhappy end his missionary career in Georgia from which he expected far different results and which he fondly hoped would close in a much more glorious way. He went from one extreme to the other, and, following her marriage to Mr. Williamson shortly after, he dealt severely with her in the matter of her conduct as a church member, declaring that in certain matter she was acting in a manner which warranted him in forbidding her to participate in celebrating the Lord's Supper. This, of course, angered her and her relatives, and on the 8th of August, 1737, Wesley was arrested under a warrant issued by the town recorder in the following terms:
"Georgia-Savannah, s.s.--To all Constables, Tythinginen, and others whom these may concern: You and each of you are hereby required to take the body of John Wesley, Clerk, and bring him before one of the Bailiffs of the said Town to answer the complaint of William Williamson and Sophia, his wife, for defaming the said Sophia, and refusing to administer to her the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in a publick Congregation without cause, by which the said William Williamson is damaged One Thousand Pounds Sterling. And for so doing this is your Warrant, certifying what you are to do in the premises.
"Given under my hand and seal the 8th day of Aug., Anno. Dom., 1837.
"Trio. CHRISTIE."

MR. WESLEY 's STATEMENT OP THE TROUBLE

Considering the character of Mr. Wesley and his subsequent honor

able and saintly life, as well as the circumstances connected with the

founding by him of that influential and Godly sect of Christian people,

which has done and is still doing, and will continue to do great things ii\

the matter of saving souls, it is only just and proper that his own state

ment of this unfortunate matter be here given.

The first time he alludes to any unpleasantness between himself and

Mr. Causton's people is in the following words: "Sunday, July 3--

Immediately after the holy communion I mentioned to Mrs. Williamson

(Mr. Causton's niece) some things which I thought improvable in her

behaviour. At this she appeared extremely angry; said she did not

expect such usage from me, and at the turn of the street through which

we were walking home went abruptly away. The next day Mrs. Causton

endeavored to excuse her; told me she was exceedingly grieved for what

had passed the day before, and desired me to tell her in writing what I

disliked; which I did the day following.

But first I sent Mr. Causton the following note: '' Sir.--To this hour

you have shown yourself my friend. I ever have and ever shall acknowl

edge it. And it is my earnest desire that He who hath hitherto given me

this blessing would continue it still. But this cannot be unless you will

allow me one request which is not so easy a one as it appears; do not

condemn me for doing, in the execution of my office, what I think it my

duty to do. If you can prevail upon yourself to allow me this, even

when I act without respect to persons, I am persuaded there will never

be, at least not long, any misunderstanding between us. For even those

who seek it shall, I trust, find no occasion against me, ' except it be con

cerning the law of my God.'

"July 5, 1737.

I am, etc."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

77

The next day he wrote: "Mr. Causton came to my house with Mr. Bailiff Parker and Mr. Recorder, and warmly asked 'How could you possibly think I should condemn you for executing any part of your office ?' I said, short, ' Sir, what if I should think it the duty of my office to repel one of your family from the holy communion?' He replied, 'If you repel me or my wife I should require a legal reason, but I shall trouble myself about no one else. Let them look to themselves.' "
We find the next item bearing on the subject recorded by Wesley one month later, when he made this record: "Sunday 7--1 repelled Mrs. Williamson from the holy communion. And Monday 8, Mr. Recorder of Savannah issued out the warrant following." This warrant has already been quoted in full. He tells us that he was taken by Jones, the constable, to the recorder's court where he met also the bailiff Parker, and Mr. Williamson; there he denied the charge that lie had defamed Mrs. Williamson, and as to the other averment he made answer that "the giving or refusing the Lord's Supper being a matter purely ecclesiastical" he refused to acknowledge the authority of a magistrate to question him on such a point; that Mr. Parker gave him notice that he must appear at the next court to be held in Savannah, when Mr. Williamson said: "Gentlemen, I desire Mr. Wesley may give bail for his ap pearance," to which Parker responded, "Sir, Mr. Wesley's word is
sufficient."
On Wednesday, August 10th, he writes that "Mr. Causton (from a just regard, as his letter expressed it, to the friendship which had existed between us till this affair) required me to give the reasons in the courthouse why I repelled Mrs. Williamson from the holy communion. I answered I apprehend many ill consequences may arise from my so doing; let the cause be laid before the trustees."
"Thu. 11. Mr. Causton came to my house, and among other sharp words said, 'Make an end of this matter; thou hadst best. My niece to be used thus! I have drawn the sword, and will never sheath it until I have satisfaction.'
'' Soon after he added ' Give the reasons of your repelling her before the whole congregation.' I answered, ' Sir, if you insist upon it, I will ; and so you may be pleased to tell her.' He said, 'Write to her and tell her so yourself. ; I said, ' I will,' and after he went I wrote as follows:
" 'To Mrs. Sophia Williamson:
" ' At Mr. Causton's request T write once more. The rules whereby I proceed are these:
" 'So many as intend to be partakers of the holy communion shall signify their names to the curate at least some time the day before. This you did not do. "And if any of these have done any wrong to his neighbors, by word or deed, so that the congregation be thereby offended, the curate shall advertise him that in any wise he presume not to come to the Lord's table until he hath openly declared himself to have truly repented." If you offer yourself at the Lord's table on Sunday I will advertise you (as I have done more than once) wherein you have done wrong. And when you have openly declared yourself to have truly repented, I will administer to you the mysteries of God.
" 'JOHN WESLEY.' '"August 11, 1737'

L

78

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"Mr. Delamotte carrying this, Mr. Causton said, among other warm
sayings, 'I am the person that am injured. The affront is offered to =. me; and I will espouse the cause of my niece. I am ill used; and I will 1 have satisfaction if it is to be had in the world.'
"Which way this satisfaction was to be had I did not yet conceive. But on Friday and Saturday it began to appear:--Mr. Causton de clared to many persons that 'Mr. Wesley had repelled Sophy from the holy communion purely out of revenge; because he had made proposals of marriage to her which she rejected and married Mr. Williamson.'
"Tues. 16. Mrs, Williamson swore to and signed an affidavit, in- : sinuating more than it asserted; but asserting that Mr. Wesley had many times proposed marriage to her, all which proposals she had rejected. Of this I desired a copy; Mr. Causton replied: 'Sir you may have one from any of the newspapers of America.'
'' On Thursday or Friday was delivered out a list of twenty-six men who were to meet as a grand jury on Monday the 22d. But this list j was called in the next day and twenty-four names added to it. Of this ! grand jury (forty-four of whom only met) one was a Frenchmar who 1 did not understand English, one a Papist, one a professed infidel, three j
Baptists, sixteen or seventeen others Dissenters, and several others who had personal grounds against me, and had openly vowed revenge.
"To the grand jury on Monday the 22d Mr. Causton gave a long and earnest charge 'to beware of spiritual tyranny, and to oppose the new, illegal authority which was usurped over their consciences.' Then Mrs. Williamson's affidavit was read: after which Mr. Causton delivered to the grand jury a paper entitled 'A list of grievances presented by the. Grand Jury for Savannah this -- day of August, 1737.'
"This the majority of the grand jury altered in some particulars, and on Thursday, September 1, delivered it again to the Court under the form of two presentments containing ten bills which were then read
to the people. "Herein they asserted upon oath 'That John Wesley, Clerk, had
broken the laws of the realm, contrary to the peace of our sovereign lord the King, his crown and dignity.
" '1. By speaking and writing to Mrs. Williamson against her hus
band's consent. " '2. By repelling her from the Holy Communion; " '3. By not declaring his adherence to the Church of England; " '4. By dividing the morning service on Sundays; " '5. By refusing to baptize Mr. Barker's child otherwise than by
dipping, except the parents would certify it was weak and not able to
bear it; " '6. By repelling Win. Gough from the Holy Communion; " '7. By refusing to read the burial service over the body of Nathan
iel Polhill; " '8. By calling himself Ordinary of Savannah; " '9. By refusing to receive Wm. Aglionby as a God-father only be
cause he was not a communicant; " '10. By refusing Jacob Matthews for the same reason, and bap
tizing an Indian trader's child with only two sponsors.' (This I own was

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

79

wrong; for I ought at all hazards to have refused baptizing it till he

had procured a third.)

"Fri. Sep. 2 was the third court at which I appeared since my being

carried before Mr. Parker and the recorder. I now moved for an imme

diate hearing on the first bill, being the only one of a civil nature; but

it was refused. I made the same motion in the afternoon; but was put

off till the next day. On the next court day I appeared again; as also

at the two courts following; but could not be heard because (the judge

said) Mr. Williamson was gone out of town.

"The sense of the minority of the grand jurors themselves (for they

were by no means unanimous) concerning these presentments may

appear from the following paper which they transmitted to the Trustees:

" ' To the Honorable the Trustees for Georgia: Whereas two Present

ments have been made, the one of August 23d, the other of August 31st,

by the Grand Jury for the Town and County of Savannah in Georgia,

against John Wesley, Clerk:

" 'We, whose names are underwritten, being members of the said

Grand Jury, do humbly beg leave to signify our dislike to the said Pre

sentments, being by many and divers circumstances thor'ly persuaded in ourselves that the whole charge against Mr. Wesley is an artifice of Mr.

I

Causton's, designed rather to blacken the character of Mr. Wesley than

to free the Colony from Religious Tyranny as he was pleased in his

charge to us to term it. But as these circumstances will be too tedious to

trouble your flonors with, we shall only beg leave to give the Reasons of

our Dissent from the particular Bills.

11 'With regard to the First Bill we do not apprehend that Mr. Wesley

acted against any Jaws by writing or speaking to Mrs. Williamson, since

it does not appear to us that the said Mr. Wesley has either spoke in

private or wrote to the said Mrs. Williamson since March'12,* except one

letter of July the 5th, which he wrote at the request of her aunt, as a

Pastor, to exhort and reprove her.

" 'The Second we do not apprehend to be a true Bill because we humbly

conceive Mr. Wesley did not assume to himself any authority contrary to

Law: for we understand every person intending to communicate should

"signify his name to the Curate at least some time the day before/'

which Mrs. Williamson did not do: altho' Mr. Wesley had often, in full

congregation, declared he did insist on a compliance with that Ru-

brick, and had before repelled divers persons for non-compliance there

with.

" 'The Third we do not think a true Bill because several of us have

been hearers when he has declared his adherence to the Church of Eng

land in a stronger manner than by a formal Declaration; by explaining

and defending the Apostles,' the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds, the

Thirty-Nine Articles, the whole Book of Common Prayer, and the Homi

lies of the said Church: and because we think a formal Declaration is

not required but from those who have received Institution and Induction.

" 'The fact alleged in the Fourth Bill we cannot apprehend to be con

trary to any law in being.



* Sophia Hopkins and William Williamson were married that day.

80

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

11 'The Fifth we do not think a true Bill because we conceive Mr.

Wesley is justified by the Rubrick, viz.: "If they (the Parents) certify

that the child is weak, it shall suffice to pour water upon it:" intimating

(as we humbly suppose) it shall not suffice if they do not certify.

11 'The Sixth cannot be a true Bill because the said William Gough,

being one of our members, was surprised to hear himself named without

his knowledge of privity, and did publickly declare it was no grievance

to him, because the said John Wesley had given him reasons with which

he was satisfied.

,

'' ' The Seventh we do not apprehend to be a true Bill, for Nathaniel

Polhill was an Anabaptist, and desired in his lifetime that he might not

be interred with the Office of the Church of England. And further, we

have good reason to believe that Mr. Wesley was at Frederica, or on his

return thence, when Polhill was buried.

" 'As to the Eighth Bill, we are in doubt, as not well knowing the

meaning of the word Ordinary. But for the Ninth and Tenth we think

Mr. W'esley is sufficiently justified by the Canons of the Church which

forbid any person to be admitted Godfather or Godmother to any child

before the said person has received the Holy Communion; whereas Will

iam Aglionby and Jacob Matthews had never certified Mr. Wesley that

they had received it.'

'' This was signed by twelve of the grand jurors of whom three were

constables and six more were tithingmen who consequently would have

made a majority had the jury consisted, as it regularly should have done,

of only fifteen members, viz., the four constables and eleven tithingmen.

"Oct. 7. I consulted my friends whether God did not call me to

return to England? The reason for which I left it had now no force,

there being no possibility as yet of instructing the Indians; neither had

I as yet found or heard of any Indians on the continent of America who

had the least desire of being instructed. And as to Savannah, having

never engaged myself, either by word or letter, to stay there a day longer

than I should judge convenient, nor ever taken charge of the people any

otherwise than as in my passage to the Heathens I looked upon myself ,

to be fully discharged thereupon by the vacating of that design. Be

sides there was a good probability of doing more service to that unhappy

people in England than I could do in Georgia by representing, without

fear or favor, to the Trustees the real state the colony was in. After

deeply considering these things they were unanimous 'That I ought to

go; but not yet.' So I laid the thoughts of it aside for the moment,

being persuaded that when the time was come God would ' make the way

plain before my face.'

"Thu. Nov. 3. I appeared again at the court holden on that day,

and again at the court held Tues. Nov. 22d, on which day Mr. Causton

desired to speak with me. He then read me some affidavits which had

been made Sept. 15th last past, in one of which is was affirmed that

I had abused Mr. Causton in his own house, calling him a liar, villain,

and so on. It was now likewise repeated before some persons, which, in

deed, I had forgot, that I had been reprimanded at the last court for an

enemy to and hindrance of the public peace.

'' I again consulted my friends who agreed with me that the time we

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

81

looked for was now come. And the next morning, calling on Mr. Canston, I told Mm I designed to set out for England immediately. I set up an advertisement in the Great Square to the same effect, and quietly prepared for my journey.
"Fri. Dec. 2. I proposed to set out for Carolina about noon, the tide then serving. But about ten the magistrates sent for me and told me I must not go out of the Province; for I had not answered the allegations laid against me. I replied 'I have appeared at six or seven courts suc cessively, in order to answer them. But I was not suffered to do so, when I desired it time after time.' Then they said I must not go unless I would give them security to answer those allegations at their court. I asked, 'What security?' After consulting together about two hours, the recorder showed me a kind of bond engaging me, under a penalty of fifty pounds, to appear at their court when I should be required. He ~*a nA 'But Mr. Williamson too has desired of us that you should give bail to answer his action.' I then told him plainly, 'Sir, you use me very ill, and so you do the Trustees. I will give neither any bond nor any bail at all. You know your business and I know mine.'
"In the afternoon the magistrates published an order requiring all the officers and centinels to prevent my going out of the Province, and forbidding any person to assist me sO to do. Being now only a prisoner at large in a place where I knew by experience every day would give fresh opportunity to procure evidence of words I never said and actions I never did, I saw clearly the hour was come for leaving this place and as soon as evening prayers were over, about eight o 'clock, the tide then serving, I shook off the dust of my feet, and left Georgia, after having preached the Gospel there (not as I ought, but as I was able) one year and nine months.''
Mr. Wesley does not state in his journal who went with him, or how the journey was made, except that he landed at Purysburg the next morning and went thence to Beaufort on foot, and that there he took a boat which conveyed him to Charleston. William Stephens in his "Jour nal of the Proceedings in Georgia," Vol. 1, pp. 4147, relates that he had as companions from Savannah three men whose character was not good, named Coates, Gough .and Campbell, but he seems to have been preju diced against Mr. Wesley, and it is not likely that Wesley willingly asso ciated, in this emergency, with dissolute persons. Stephens had little use for any clergyman who did not strictly conform to the rules and practice of the Church of England as demanded by the Book of Common Prayer, and he doubtless exaggerated somewhat the facts as they came to his knowledge.

THE TRUSTEES TREAT THE MATTER LIGHTLY
_The Trustees did not apparently consider the Williamson-Causton suit against Mr. Wesley a matter of serious import. In the minutes of that body on December 7, 1737, this record was made: "Read several letters from Mr. Williamson of Savannah, complaining of the Rev. Mr. John Wesley's having refused the sacrament to his wife, Mrs, Sophia Williamson, with Mr. Williamson's affidavit thereupon, and two pre-

82

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

sentments of the Grand Jury of the Rev. Mr. Wesley for the said refusal, and for several other facts laid to his charge. Ordered, that copies of the said letters and affidavit be sent over to the Rev. Mr. John "Wesley, desiring him to return his answer for the same as soon as possible; and that a letter be sent to Mr. Williamson to acquaint him of the said copies being sent to Mr. Wesley; and that if he has anything new to lay before the Trustees he should show it first to Mr. Wesley and then send it over to them; and that the Trustees think he should not have made his application to the World by advertising his complaints before acquaint ing the Trustees with them.''
Not until February 22, 1738, did this matter again appear in the minutes of the Trustees, when it was recorded that "The Rev. Mr. John Wesley attended and delivered into the Board a Narrative of his own re lating to the complaints of Mrs. Williamson and three certificates, one signed by James Burnside, dated Savannah, November 1, 1737, another, of the same date, signed by Margaret Burnside, and another signed by Charles Delamotte, dated Savannah, October 25, 1737."
And lastly, on the 26th of April, 1738, the final action of the Trustees in this matter is thus mentioned:
"The Rev'd Mr. John Wesley attended, and left the appointment of him by the Trustees to perform Ecclesiastical offices in Georgia:
"Resolved, That the authority granted to the Rev'd Mr. John Wesley to do and perform all religious and Ecclesiastical offices in Georgia, dated October 10, 1735, he revoked."

CHARLES WESLEY DEPARTS FOR ENGLAND
Meanwhile Charles Wesley, the brother, who had accepted the posi tion of secretary to General Oglethorpe, as also secretary of Indian Affairs for the colony of Georgia, and had made Frederica his home, had his own troubles and had, after a stay in Georgia of only five months and one week, departed for England. He landed on Georgia soil on the 19th of February, 1736, and after a short stay in Savannah he reached his new home on St. Simon's island on the 9th of March. His reception was not at all such as he had anticipated and his services were distasteful to the people. His biographer, Southey, says:' ; He attempted the doubly difficult task of reforming the gross improprieties and reconciling some of the petty jealousies and quarrels with each other; in which he effected little else than making them unite in opposing him, and caballing to get rid of him in any way." Those discontented persons complained to Oglethorpe, and on this point Southey adds: ' ( The Governor, who had causes' enough to disquiet him, arising from the precarious state of the colony, was teased and soured by the complaints which were perpetually brought against the two brothers, and soon began to wish that he had brought with him men of more practicable tempers." However, Ogle thorpe did not long harbor a spirit of vexation, and felt that he had been unjust toward that godly man who, in his deep distress, wrote concerning the unfriendly conduct of Oglethorpe "I know not how to account for his increasing coldness.'' But the Christian spirit of the founder of Georgia asserted itself in this as in all other instances, and the reconciliation

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

83

was as complete as either of the men could have wished. Writers who have touched upon this matter have referred to this reconciliation as happening at a time when Oglethorpe was "on the eve of setting out upon a dangerous expedition."* This must have been the occasion described on his return in a letter to the Trustees, dated May 11, 1736: "I have been down to the Southward'to quell a Mutiny among our Fron tier Garrison. The Spaniards have, I apprehend, detained the persons 1 sent down to treat with them, contrary to faith, and T have sent up some launches to view us. 1 am forced to set out immediately to throw suc cour into the Frontier Garrison, who 1 expect will be attacked every hour." Charles Wesley describes the scene with his superior, saying that on that occasion General Oglethorpe sent for him and said to him; "You will soon see the reasons for my actions. 1 am going to death. You will see me no more. Take this ring and carry it from me to Mr. V----. If there is a friend to be depended upon, he is one. His in terest is next to Sir Robert's. Whatever you ask within his power he will do for you, your brother, and your family. I have expected death for some days. These letters show that the Spaniards have long been seducing our allies, and intend to cut us off at- a blow. I fall by my friends:--Gascoigne whom I have made, the Carolina people upon whom 1 depended to send their promised succour. But death is to me nothing. T---- will pursue all my designs, and to him I recommend them and you." "He then gave me a diamond ring," continued Charles Wesley, in his journal, "I took it and said, '.If, as I believe, Postremum fato quod te alloquor, hoc est, hear what you will quickly know to be true as soon as you are entered upon a separate state. This ring I shall never make use of for myself. I have no worldly hopes. I have re nounced the world. Life is bitterness to inc. I came hither to lay it down. You have been deceived as well as I. I protest my innocence of the crimes I am charged with, and take myself to be now at liberty to tell you what I thought I should never have uttered.' [Cipher words in the manuscript.] When I finished this relation he seemed entirely changed and full of his old love and confidence in me. After some ex pressions of kindness, I asked him 'Are you satisfied?' He replied 'Yes, entirely.' 'Why then, sir, I desire nothing more upon earth, and care not how soon I follow you.' * * * He then embraced and kissed me with the most cordial affection."
Mr. Wesley then describes the departure of Oglethorpe from Frederica, and how they met again on his return from the South. Returning the ring he said to the general "I need not. sir, and indeed I can not tell you how joyfully and thoughtfully I return this." To this Ogle thorpe replied "When I gave it to you I never expected to receive it again, but thought it would be of service to your brother and you. I had many omens of my death, particularly their bringing rne my mourn ing sword,t but God has been pleased to preserve a life which was never valuable to me, and yet in the continuance of it, I thank God, I can re-

84

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

joice.'' Wesley answered " I am now glad of all that has happened here, since without it I could never have had such a proof of your affection as that you gave me when you looked upon me as the most ungrateful of villains.''
Charles Wesley fully resolved in the month of June to resign his commission and when he left Georgia he believed another would shortly take his place. He and General Oglethorpe were as good friends as ever, and he was the bearer of important papers from the latter to the trustees. His intention, however, was not made known to the board at that time, and on this subject Mr. Wesley wrote what Oglethorpe said to him as follows: "I would not let the trustees know your resolution of resigning. There are many hungry fellows ready to catch at the office, and, in my absence, I cannot put in one of my own choosing. The best I can hope for is an honest Presbyterian, as many of the trustees are such. Perhaps they may send me a bad man, and how far such a one may influence the traders and obstruct the recep tion of the Gospel among the heathen, you know. I shall be in England before you leave it. Then you may either put in a deputy or resign." He retained his office until the month of April, 1738, at which time Oglethorpe, who said he was "unwilling to lose so honest and faithful an officer," still tried to persuade him to hold on to the work; but Charles Wesley felt that it was time to let some other man take his place, and his resignation was accepted in May. Thus the service of Charles came to an end in a shorter time than did that of his more famous brother John, although his troubles were really small compared with those of the latter. The only record in the minutes of the trustees bearing on the subject of the resignation appears in the journal of the common council of that body of May 3, 1738, when it was "resolved that Mr. John Clarke be appointed secretary for the Indian Affairs in the room of the Rev. Mr. Charles
Wesley."
WHITEPIELD SUCCEEDS JOHN WESLEY
In recording the incidents connected with the life of John Wesley in Georgia some writers have used language which may be termed harsh and even bitter. How they could apply to him some of the expressions employed in criticising his conduct, with all the evidence before them, seems incredible. That he was indiscreet in some instances cannot be denied; but that he was the tyrant that some of his enemies would hav>e us believe is utterly untrue. Let these facts not be lost sight of: that his most implacable enemy, Thomas Causton, himself a man of high ambition with the determination at all times of showing his authority and unceasingly endeavoring to assert and enforce it, was a bad man, and, as his subsequent career shows, was at the very time he was perse cuting Mr. Wesley far exceeding that authority in many respects and held under his lash many who, but for fear of him, would have sided with the latter; that William Stephens, whose journal is made the basis of the worst attacks on Mr. Wesley's character, did not reach Savannah until the matters complained of were the subject of the town talk, and that he persistently opposed all departures from the forms and customs

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

85

of the Church of England; that Causton was, for the time being, what is now termed a "political boss" in the district in which he lived, abso lutely controlling the officers of the court and seeing to it that a major ity of the jurors drawn for the trial would render a verdict such as would please him; and finally that the incident which led to the abrupt departure of Mr. Wesley was one which should never have had pub licity and that it was made public just because Mr. Causton wanted to humiliate him for his daring to assert authority, even ecclesiastical authority, over one of his household.
Not having the slightest suspicion of the trouble in store for him, and with the anticipation of having a hearty co-worker with him in the good work he expected to do in Georgia, John Wesley, some time between the 3d and the 22d of December, 1736, wrote a letter from Savannah to George Whitefield, who had been ordained to the ministry in the June previous, saying: "Only Mr. Delamotte is with me, till God shall stir up the hearts of some of His servants who, putting their lives in His hands, shall come over and help us, when the harvest is so great, and the labourers so few. What if thou art the man, Mr. Whitefield ?'' We are told by Mr. Whitefield himself that in another letter Wesley said: "Do you ask me what you shall have? Food to eat, and raiment to put on; a house to lay your head in, such as your Lord had not; and a crown of glory which fadeth not away;'' and Whitefield adds '' Upon reading this my heart leaped within me, and, as it were, echoed to the call. Many things concurred to make my way clear. * * * These things being thoroughly weighed, I at length resolved to embark for Georgia." He was, indeed, the man, as Wesley predicted, but it so happened that the two men were destined not to work together in the same field. Be fore Whitefield sailed from England the clouds began to gather about Wesley, and his way was changed so abruptly that at the time he was entering the port of Deal, England, in February, 1738, as he states it "on the anniversary festival in Georgia, for Mr. Oglethorpe's landing there," Whitefield departed from the same point, as the Rev. Dr. T. M. Harris said " on a mission; not to be his coadjutor, as he expected, but, as it proved, his successor." *
The strength of John Wesley's influence and the growth of the power ful church with which his name is indissolubly associated are both at tested by the building of that most suitable monument in the form of an ecclesiastical edifice in the heart of the city which was his home and which once spurned his labors and rejoiced in his speedy departure from her borders, but now rejoices in the fact that he did live in her midst and walk her streets.
* Memorials of Oglethorpe, p. 170.

'

I

I

CHAPTER X
DARK COLONIAL CHAPTER
OGLETHORPE'S ADMINISTRATION APPROVED BY ENGLISH TRUSTEES--FORTI FYING GEORGIA'S SOUTHERN FRONTIER--PROMOTED TO "GENERAL" OGLETIIORPE--CAUSTON'S FINANCES GO WRONG--OGLETHORPE's SELFSACRIFICE--THE FALL OF CAUSTON.
Closely following the events recorded in the last chapter came the downfall of Thomas Causton. Oglethorpe, believing that he had placed the southern boundary of the colony in a position of security against the attacks of the Spaniards, left Georgia in the month of November, 1736, to lay before the British ministers an account of the attitude of that people towards the province, and to urge that he be authorized to resort to such measures as would place Georgia in a stronger condition to re ceive the attacks which he was sure would come from the enemy.
OGLETHORPE'S ADMINISTRATION APPROVED BY ENGLISH TRUSTEES
Arriving in England at the close of the year, Oglethorpe received the unanimous thanks of the trustees, at a meeting of the board held January 19, 1737. The minutes of the trustees show that James Ogle thorpe was present at a meeting held on the 12th of January, 1737, and "made a report to the Board of his proceedings in Georgia from the time of his landing there in February last, and of the present state of the colony; and likewise laid before them two treaties of peace between the people settled at Georgia and the Spaniards at St. Augustine concluded and ratified, the first by Charles Dempsey, Esq., (appointed by Mr. Oglethorpe for that purpose)' and the Council of War at St. Augustine; the other by the said Charles Dempsey, Esq., and Don Francisco Del Moral Sanchez, governor of St. Augustine, dated October 26th," and following that record this important item was adopted: '' Resolved that James Oglethorpe, Esq., be congratulated on his safe return to England, and that the thanks of the Trustees be given to him for the many and important services done by him for the Colony of Georgia.''
Oglethorpe remained in England until July, 1738, and on the 5th of that month he sailed from Portsmouth, arriving at Jekyll sound on the 18th of September. The following day he addressed a letter to SirJoseph Jekyll, for whom he had on a former trip to the southward named both the sound and the island. He began the letter by saying "I am

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

87

now got to an anchor in a harbour and near an island that bears your , name. God has given me the greatest marks of His visible protection to this colony." Proceeding on his course he landed on the south end of St. Simon's island, and, on the 21st, arrived at Frederica. This place was chosen as a settlement by Oglethorpe when he determined, in 1734, to choose a place which would be of the greatest advantage in protecting the southern border of the colony against the Spaniards and other enemies. It was on the 26th that he and his comrades, Captain Ferguson and sixteen others who started on the trip on the 23d of January, landed on that spot, and "lay all night under the shelter of a large live-oak tree and kept themselves dry." Seeing the importance of having a military station in that portion of his territory, he decided that a fort should be erected there. The plans were matured, and the fort, built of tabby, was finished in April, and a town was laid out which he named Frederica, after the Prince of Wales. Here the people who were to possess the place assembled and took possession of the lots assigned to them on the 19th.

FORTIFYING GEORGIA'S SOUTHERN FRONTIER
The statement is frequently made that Oglethorpe spent too much of his time while in Georgia at Frederica, and that consequently he neg lected to look with proper care over the affairs in the town of Savannah. The malcontents in their "True and Historical Narrative of the Colony of Georgia in America" made this statement: * "In February, 1735-36, Mr. Oglethorpe arrived in Georgia, for the second time, with great numbers of people, in order to settle to the southward, where he soon after carried them. Upon the Island of St. Simon's he settled a town, which he called Frederica; and about five miles distance from thence, towards the sea, he placed the independent company which he removed from Port Royal in Carolina, their former 'station. On one of the branches of the Altamaha he settled the Highlanders in a village which was called Darien. Then he settled a fort on Cumberland, which he named St. Andrews; and some time after he caused a garrison of about fifty men to be placed upon a sandy island (without fresh water) in the mouth of St. John's river, opposite to a Spanish lookout, where pos session was kept for about six months, and several fortifications built; but at last he was obliged to abandon it, after several people had lost their lives by the inconveniences of the place, besides great sums of money thrown away in vain;" and, further on,t "Mr. Oglethorpe staid not long at Savannah, his common residence being at Frederica, where they had, in imitation of us, built a few houses, and cleared some land; but finding planting not answer, they left it off, and as soon as the regiment came, almost everybody betook themselves to the keeping public houses; and in this manner do the few that now remain live.''
In this way Oglethorpe has been often charged with the offense of turning his attention too much to places outside of Savannah; but those who have taken that position do not seem to have directed their atten-
* Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, Vol. II, p. 206.
t Ibid., p. 216.

88

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

. tion to the importance of fortifying the southern frontier against the troublesome Spaniards. Had Oglethorpe neglected that one serious feature of his work as he saw it from a military point of view, there is no reason to doubt that advantage of that lack of judgment would have been taken by the commander at St. Augustine, and disaster would have overtaken the young colony of Georgia. His training as a soldier clearly pointed out the necessity of having a force of troops stationed at a wellfortified post in that neighborhood, and he communicated his views to the Trustees with such telling effect that we find this record in their minutes of August 10, 1737: "Read a memorial to his Majesty setting forth that the Colony of Georgia being very much exposed to the power of the Spaniards and become an object of their envy by having valu able posts upon the homeward passage from the West Indies, and the Spanish having increased their forces in the neighborhood thereof; that the Trustees in consequence of the great trust reposed in them find them selves obliged to lay before his Majesty their inability sufficiently to protect his Majesty's charter against this late increase of forces; and therefore become humble supplicants to his Majesty on behalf of his Majesty's subjects settled in the Province of Georgia, that by a neces sary supply of forces the province may be protected against the great dangers that seem immediately to threaten it."

PROMOTED TO "GENERAL" OGLETHORPE
This memorial was answered favorably, and the minutes of October 5, 1737, open with a list of the Trustees present at that time in which Oglethorpe's name appears with the title of colonel prefixed to it, the reason for it being disclosed in the journal of the common council of that body of the same date, in these words: "Mr. Oglethorpe acquainted the common council that in pursuance of the Trustees' memorial to his Majesty, dated August 10, 1737, setting forth the state of the Colony of Georgia and the inability of the Trustees to protect his Majesty's subjects settled there against the dangers which they are apprehensive of from the late increase of Spanish forces at Havanna and St. Augustine, and pray ing that his Majesty will order a necessary supply of forces for the pro tection of the province; that his Majesty had ordered a regiment of six hundred effective men to be raised for the defence of the Colony and to be sent thither, and that his Majesty had appointed him Colonel, James Cochran, Esq., Lieutenant-Colonel, and William Cook, Esq., Major of the said Regiment." The title of colonel was soon changed for that of a higher rank, and in a short time he received a commission as '' General and Commauder-in-Chief of all and singular the forces employed and to be employed in the provinces of South Carolina and Georgia in America.''
It is to be presumed that a description of the uniform worn by the officers of Oglethorpe's regiment will be acceptable to some readers who take an interest in even the smallest particulars relating to the affairs of that good man. If the uniform has ever been heretofore described this writer has not had the good fortune to see it in print, and he takes pleasure in giving it here as written in a letter to the late Bishop William

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

89

Bacon Stevens from Professor William MacKenzie of the University of Edinburgh, dated 15th September, 1845, in which the writer said it was a " description of the uniform of Oglethorpe's regiment, taken from a painting of a soldier of that regiment, in a MS. volume in the library of the deceased Duke of York: Hat, old style three cornered, low roofed; coat red and of ample dimensions, wide in the skirts--facings green,
with a narrow stripe of white between and the body of the dress." The rank of general was probably conferred about the 7th of June,
1738, as he is there mentioned with that title in the minutes of both the trustees and the common council.

CAUSTON's FINANCES Go WRONG
Added to the suspicions of the trustees that the finances of the colony, as shown by Causton 's accounts, were improperly managed, and that the increase in the number of certified accounts was not warranted, came complaints from certain persons of his overbearing spirit as well as representations of the grand jury of Savannah charging him with all sorts of misdeeds. Awakened to the fact that something was wrong, an investigation was made by a committee, and at a meeting held May 1, 1738, the following record was made in the minutes of the common council: '' Read a report from the committee on accounts to the follow ing purport: That they had examined several accounts lately received from Georgia whereby they find that large credit has been given to sev eral persons by Mr. Causton for which no orders had been sent from the Trustees, and were of opinion that he must be called upon to give an account to the Trustees why such credits were given."
At a meeting of the Trustees, held on the 7th of June following, a copy of a letter written by order of that body to General Oglethorpe by Harmon Verelst, accountant, was inserted in the minutes. It begins with this statement: '' The Trustees being greatly alarmed at the great number of certified accounts, amounting to one thousand four hundred and one pounds thirteen shillings and two pence brought for payment since Tuesday last, immediately met to concert the most proper measures to secure their effects in Georgia and Mr. Causton's person to answer for his conduct." To this letter Oglethorpe replied, "I have the Trustees' order for making an immediate seizure on Causton, his books and papers, and shall see them immediately executed. This must be kept with the greatest secrecy, for if he should know the orders before they are executed the effect will perhaps be prevented. I have not trusted even my clerk.'' On the same day the common council met and recorded this action which was communicated to Oglethorpe: "The Common Council have this day sealed the removal of Mr. Thomas Causton from the office of first Baliff and the appointment of Mr. Henry Parker in his room which they desire you to use or not according to the Trustees' letter of the 2d instant; and Mr. Holland and Mr. Henry Archer being of opinion that after the arresting of Mr. Causton, which must be done at all events, but, if so, legal process to justify the apprehending and detaining him, after wards it is the most proper the securing his books and papers, allowing him the use of his books and papers to make out his accounts from

90

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Lady Day, 1734, and taking the possession of the Trustees' effects. You should be desired only to continue him in custody, or on sufficient secur ity, until his accounts are examined into."

OGLETHORPE'S SELF-SACRIFICE
Oglethorpe's reply to the Trustees is recorded in a long letter, written at Savannah, October 19,1738, and from that letter the following extracts are taken: "I rec'd a copy of Mr. Verelst's letter dated the 4th August, and in answer to it am very glad that the prudent measures you took to stop all credit here has had an effect (as you mentioned) suitable to your intentions. * * * Upon my arrival I sent Mr. Jones from Frederica and have taken possession of the books and effects in ye store. Mr. Jones will receive them as soon as they can be delivered him regularly. I demanded an inventory of the stores which Mr. Causton has delivered (but Mr. Jones thinks 'tis imperfect). I send it herewith. * * * I am very sorry to send you such trifling papers, but they are the only accounts I can yet get. * * * I cannot as yet find that Causton has been guilty of getting for himself, tho' he has unaccountably trifled away the public money; one of the follies that has brought this ruine on is the trusting people that importuned him with goods and provisions of all kinds and let them discharge the debts by day labour in trifling works; whilst money was thus squandered, the real necessary charges of the Colony were not defrayed. The scout boatmen, rangers and others |f who defended the Province are not paid, and starving whilst the Trustees ff! owe them money, and yet they were not only contented to stay till my jf arrival, but when I told them the Trustees' circumstances their affec tion was so great that they offered to serve on until the Trustees' affairs mended. I thanked them, but reduced the Rangers, since I could not feed them with hopes of what I could not make good. The scout boats I have for this month paid out of my own money, since they are abso lutely necessary, and I will not charge the Trustees with new debts. * * * I can see nothing but destruction to the Colony unless some assistance be immediately sent us; I support things for awhile by some money I have in my hands and is the balance of my account with the Trustees, and the rest I supply with my own money, for I will not incur debts nor draw bills upon you; and if the effects here go to pay the cer tified accounts they will not near pay them, for they will not amount to half the sum of the debts incurred here that are not certified. If this (I know not what name to give it) had not happened, the Colony had overcome all its difficulties and had been in a flourishing condition. * * * I have already expended a great deal, and as far as the income of my estate and employments for this year will go, I shall sooner lay it out in supporting the Colony (till I can hear from you) than in any other diversion. * * * Another thing may lead you into a mistake in believing that there is money due to the store here, from the account Mr. Causton sent you of goods issued from- ye store to sundry persons ( a copy whereof you sent me) whereas most of those people were creditors who were paid what was due to them from the store by giving them credit with the sloop owners. The short state of your affairs is, that this

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

91

unhappy man Causton hath contracted a debt at home and abroad far beyond what the Trust is possessed of, therefore nothing can be issued from the store except in payment of debt, since all belongs to the cred itors. * * * With respect to Causton's behaviour here, I have already mentioned. I examined him to know what could be the meaning that he dare exceed so excessively your orders and thereby plunging the Colony into its present difficulties. He answered that he made no ex penses but what necessity forced him to, and that he could prove tint necessity. * * * He did not pretend to justify himself in not send ing over the balance of his accounts. His negligence to bring his ac counts to a balance half yearly, or every year at least, has been the occasion of the melancholy situation he has put us in. Some things he alleged that had weight. * * * He said further that he had not been guilty of any fraud, nor converted any of the Trustees' money to his own use. He at first seemed pretty stubborn, but upon a second exam ination he was more submissive. "When I was about to commit him, he pleaded that it was not usual here to commit freeholders for any but capital crimes; that Watson, who was accused of killing a man, and had been found guilty by a jury, was bailed upon his own recognizance. That he submitted to the Trustees, and that all he had acquired in his six years' service and all that he had in the world was laid out in his lot in the Colony, and that he would give all as security to abide and justify his accounts. He has accordingly given security. He has de livered the stores, books, etc., unto Mr. Jones, according to your appoint ment. * * * I desire to know in what manner you would have me proceed in Causton's affair."

THE FALL OF CAUSTON
This matter of Causton's defalcation, added to other troubles in the colony, worried Oglethorpe probably more than he was willing to admit, and he tried, in his correspondence at that particular time, to show a spirit of unconcern, and even to take a humorous view of his situation, as shown in this bit of pleasantry used in a letter to Alderman Heathcote (whom he addressed as "dear George") on the 20th of November; "I am here in one of the most delightful situations as any man could wish to be: a great number of debts, empty magazines, no money to sup ply them, a number of people to be fed, mutinous soldiers to command, a Spanish claim and a large body of their troops not far from us. But, as we are of the same kind of spirit, these difficulties have the same effect upon me as those you met with in the city had upon you. They rather animate than daunt me." He several times more referred to the Causton affair, as in a letter to Mr. H. Verelst on the 22d of November; '' I cannot yet get Mr. Causton's balance of accounts, nor can I be sure on the debts due in Georgia;" to the Trustees, March 9, 1739: "The store hath received a second advice from you that you have sent back an account certified by Mr. Causton of 772.4.7 due to Mr. Symonds for goods delivered to the stores here, and that you have ordered it to be paid here;" to the same March 12th: "Mr. Jones hath acted with steadiness and courage; he desired me not to confirm a certificate signed

92

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

by Mr. Causton in favour of Mr. Williams for the reasons in his letter. Mr. Williams is very angry. * * * A worse affair hath happened upon the civil letter wrote hy the Trustees to Mr. Causton to furnish Colonel Cochran with what he wanted for the Regiment and paying for the same, a credit hath been given to his order to ye amount of 935.13.3 and Mr. Causton hath taken from Colonel Cochran 198 in wines. This debt cannot be demanded of the Regiment, for regiments have nothing but the pay of each individual officer and man.'' There is very little more about this matter in the records of that period; and so fell Thomas Caus ton, the persecutor of John Wesley.

CHAPTER XI
RELIGION, COMMERCE AND DEFENCE
COMING OF WI-IITEPIELD, WESLEY's SUCCESSOR--JAMES HABERSHAM, His SUCCESSOR--FRANKLIN AND OGLETHOKPE ON THE ORPHAN HOME-- HARRIS AND HABERSHAM, MERCHANTS--PIONEERS, BUT NOT THE FIRST --IN DEFENSE OF THE COLONY--SECURING THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE CREEKS--THE DEATH OF TOMO-CHI-CHI.
The Rev. George Whitefield, friend of John and Charles Wesley, moved by the spirit in which the elder of those two brothers put the matter before him, offered his services to the Trustees and was given the position in which he fully expected to act only as a colaborer with his friend. In the month of December, 1737, he sailed from England in the Whitaker, of which Captain Whiting was the master, and with him also sailed James Habersham who became associated with him in the noble work of establishing and sustaining the orphan house, at Bethesda, about nine miles from Savannah, and who was a man of much import ance in the Province of Georgia.
They had a long passage, and did not land at Savannah until the 7th of May in the following year. Whitefield was welcomed by Mr. Delamotte, Wesley's assistant, in the parsonage house, and the next day he read prayers and preached in the courthouse, after which he called upon the magistrates. His labors did not really begin at once, for he was attacked with fever and ague and was compelled to keep within doors for a week. Naturally, he made it his business to seek out Tomochichi, as he expected to minister to the Indians, and as soon as he was able he paid a visit to the chief, whom he found extremely ill. This illness was the beginning of the breakdown of the physical being of that good old man, who did not survive many months thereafter.
COMING OF WHITEFIELD, WESLEY'S SUCCESSOR
The appointment of Mr. Whitefield was made by the Trustees on the 21st of December, 1737, when it was "ordered that a license be made out for the Rev 'd Mr. George Whitefield to perform ecclesiastical offices in Georgia as a Deacon of the Church of England,'' and following this, on the 30th it was "ordered that the seal of the corporation be affix'd to an authority for the Rev'd Mr. George Whitefield to perform ecclesiastical offices at Frederica in Georgia as a Deacon of the Church of England."

94

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

In some way Whitefield learned, before his arrival at Savannah, of the end having come to John Wesley's usefulness as a minister of the Gospel in Georgia, as shown by the following record in the journal of the Trustees, May 10,1738: "Read a letter from the Rev. George Whitefield, dated at Gibraltar, February 20th, 1737-8, intimating that since his departure from England he hears that Rev'd Mr. John Wesley is returned to England, and is therefore desirous if the Trustees think proper for him to alter his measures they would send their orders to him. Ordered that a letter be sent to the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield permitting him to perform ecclesiastical orders as a Deacon of the Church of England in Savannah, as well as Frederica, until another minister is provided for the town of Savannah."
William Stephens, secretary of the Trustees, thus wrote in his ' : .Pro ceedings" of the arrival of Whitefield at Savannah:
"Sunday, May 7, 1738.--In the evening I was informed that a ship's boat was come up with divers people on it; among whom it was said there was a clergyman, which I thought good news, if his abode was to be at Savannah, too well knowing the want of a good and discreet pastor among us.
"Monday, 8.--He (Causton) went with me to make a visit to Mr. Whitefield, the minister, whom I congratulated on the occasion of his coming, and his safe arrival, promising myself great pleasure in his future acquaintance.''
The importance of the advent of Whitefield centers chiefly in his founding of the orphan house in Georgia which is still in existence, said (though this fact is doubted by some) to be the oldest institution of the kind in America and with which his name will always be inseparably connected. Let us take his own words in explanation of the founding of his home, as given in a letter to a friend:
"Romans xii, 17. 'Provide tilings honest in the sight of all men.' "BETIIESDA, in Georgia, March 21, 1745-6--Some have thought that the erecting such a building was only the produce of my own brain; but they are much mistaken; for it was first proposed to me by my dear friend, the Rev. Mr. Charles Wesley, who, with his excellency, General Oglethorpe, had concerted a scheme for carrying on such a design before I had any thoughts of going abroad myself. It was natural to think that as the Government intended this Province for the refuge and sup port of many of our poor countrymen, that numbers of such adventurers must necessarily be taken off, by being exposed to the hardships which unavoidably attend a new settlement. I thought it, therefore, a noble design in the General to erect a house for fatherless children; and be lieving such a provision for orphans would be some inducement with many to come over, I fell in with the design, when mentioned to me by my friend, and was resolved, in the strength of God, to prosecute it with all my might. This was mentioned to the honourable the Trustees. They took it kindly at my hands, and as I then began to be pretty popular at Bristol and elsewhere, they wrote to the Bishop of Bath and Wells for leave for me to preach a charity sermon on this occasion in the Abbey Church. This was granted, and I accordingly began immediately to compose a suitable discourse. But knowing my first stay at Georgia

J

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

95

would necessarily be short, on account of my returning again to take Priest's orders, I thought it most prudent to go and see for myself, and before prosecuting the scheme till I come home. * ' * * When I came to Georgia, I found many poor orphans who, though taken notice of by the honourable Trustees, yet, through the neglect of persons that acted under them, were in miserable circumstances. For want of a house to breed them up in, the poor little ones were tabled out here and there; others were at hard service, and likely to have no education at all.
"Upon seeing this, and finding that his Majesty and Parliament had the interest of the Colony at heart, I thought I could not better show my regard to God and my country than by getting a house and land for these children, where they might learn to labour, read and write, and at the same time be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Accordingly, at my return to England, in the year 1738, to take Priest's orders, I applied to the honourable Society for a grant of five hundred acres of land, and laid myself under an obligation to build a house upon it, and to receive from time to time as many orphans as the land and stock would maintain. As I had always acted like a clergyman of the Church of England, having preached in a good part of the London churches, and but a few months before collected near a thousand pounds sterling for the children belonging to the Charity Schools in London and Westminster, it was natural to think that I might now have the use at least of some of these churches to preach in for the orphans hereafter more immediately to be committed to my care. But by that time I had taken Priest's orders, the spirit of the clergy began to be much embit tered. Churches were gradually denied me--and I must let this good design drop, and thousands (and I might add ten thousands) go without hearing the word of God, or preach in the fields. Indeed, two churches, one in London, viz,, Spitalfields, and one in Bristol, viz., St. Philip's
and Jacob, were lent me upon this occasion, but those were all. I col lected for the Orphan House in Moorfields two and fifty pounds one Sabhath day morning, twenty-two pounds of which were in copper. In the afternoon I collected again at Kensington Common, and continued to do so at most of the places where I preached. Besides this, two or three of the Bishops and several persons of distinction contributed, until at length, having gotten about a thousand and ten pounds, I gave over collecting, and went with what I had to Georgia. At that time multitudes offered to accompany me; but I chose to take over only a surgeon and a few more of both sexes that I thought would be useful in carrying on my design. My dear fellow traveler, William Seward, Esq., also joined with them. Our first voyage was to Philadelphia, where I was willing to go for the sake of laying in provision. I laid out in London a good part of the thousand pounds for goods, and got as much by them in Philadel phia as nearly defrayed the family's expense of coming over. Here God blessed iny ministry daily * * *.
"January following, 1739, I met my family at Georgia, and being unwilling to lose any time I hired a large house and took in all the or phans I could find in the colony. A great many, also, of the town's children came to school gratis, and many poor people that could not maintain their children upon application had leave given them to send

96

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

their little ones, for a month or two, or more as they could spare them till at length my family consisted of between sixty and seventy. Most
of the orphans were in poor case; and three or four almost eat up with lice. I likewise erected an infirmary, in which many sick people were cured and taken care of gratis. I have now with me a list of upwards of a hundred and thirty patients which were under the surgeon's hands, exclusive of my own private family. About March I began the great house, having only about one hundred and fifty pounds in cash. I called it Bethesda, because I hoped it would be a home of mercy to many souls. Many boys have been put out to trades, and many girls put out to service. I had the pleasure the other day of seeing three boys work at the house in which they were bred, one of them out of his time, a journeyman, and the others serving under their masters. One that I brought from New England is handsomely settled in Carolina; and another from Philadelphia is married, and lives very comfortably in Savannah. We have lately begun to use the plough; and next year I hope to have many acres of good, oats and barley. We have near twenty sheep and lambs, fifty head of cattle, and seven horses. We hope to kill a thousand weight of pork this season. Our garden is very beautiful, and furnishes us with all sorts of greens, etc., etc. We have plenty of milk, eggs, poultry, and make a good deal of butter weekly. A good quantity of wool and cotton have been given me, and we hope to have sufficient spun and wove for the next winter's clothing. If the vines
live, we may expect two or three hogshead of wine out of the vineyard. The family now consists of twenty-six persons. Two of the orphan boys are blind, one is little better than an idiot, I have two women to take care of the household work, and three men and two boys employed about the plantation and cattle. A set of Dutch servants has been lately
sent over. The magistrates were pleased to give me two; and I took in a poor widow, aged near seventy, whom nobody else cared to have. A valuable young man from New England is my schoolmaster, and in my absence performs duty in the family. On Sabbaths the grown people attend in public worship at Savannah, or at AVhite Bluff, a village near Bethesda, where a Dutch minister officiates. The house is a noble, com modious building, and everything sweetly adapted for bringing up youth. Georgia is very healthy; not above one, and that -a. little child, has died out of our family since it removed to Bethesda."

JAMES HABERSIIAM, His ASSOCIATE
Whitefield had the most hearty cooperation of the Hon. James Habersham in that good work. This gentleman was born at Beverly, in Yorkshire, England, in the year 1712, and of his early life we know scarcely anything. In some way he found Mr. Whitefield and greatly liked him. We are informed that when Mr. Habersham proposed to accompany his friend to Georgia his family demurred; but young Habersham had a will of his own and he followed his own judgment-- that the .step he proposed to take was the right one. His interest in the Bethesda scheme was intense, and he was at the head of that institution whenever Whitefield was absent. He attended to the removal of the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

97

orphans to the new building erected at Bethesda in 1741, and was made the president of the home. The position he held until 1744, when he resigned and entered into business with Mr. Francis Harris, and that is supposed to have been the first commercial house established in Georgia. It built up a great business, and was of great assistance to the colony. Mr. Habersham was the founder of the illustrious family which has always stood for what is honorable, just and patriotic in the public affairs of Georgia and of Savannah in particular. He carried on an extensive correspondence, and a large portion of his letters on public matters have been recently published by the Georgia Historical Society. He was appointed one of the assistants to the President of the province of Georgia when a change in the form of government was made. Dur
ing the administration of Governor John Reynolds, in 1754, he was ap pointed Secretary of the province and one of the Councillors, and in 1767, he was President of the upper house of assembly. While Sir James Wright was Governor he requested leave of absence and begged that Mr. Habersham be appointed to fill his place. The request was granted and that gentleman was really the Governor all the time that Wright was in England. He went to New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the summer of 1775, hoping that the trip would benefit his health, which was not good, but he died there on the 28th of August. The Georgia Gazette, printed in Savannah, in noticing his death said of him:
'Mn the first stations of the Province he conducted himself with ability, honor and integrity, which gained him the love and esteem of his fellow citizens; nor was he less distinguished in private life by a conscientious discharge of the social duties as a tender and affectionate parent, a sincere and warm friend, and a kind and indulgent master. Mr. Habersham was married by the Rev. Mr. Whitefield to Mary Bolton, at Bethesda, on the 26th of December, 1740, by whom he had ten chiliren, three of whom, sons, survived him, and were zealous in the cause
of American liberty.'' This story of him is well authenticated: That he was requested by
the Rev. Mr. Bolzius, as the best person for that purpose, to prepare a paper on the condition of the province, and that Mr. Habersham, in reply, wrote a letter which so completely covered the subject on which the inquirer wished to be informed, that the letter, which the writer specially desired should be kept from the public, was made known to the Trustees who, contrary to Mr. Habersham's belief that with them it would bring harm to himself, were so pleased with it that it was really the cause of his appointment to the place of assistant in the place of Mr. Samuel Mareer, who had not used the office to the advantage of the trust,

FRANKLIN AND OGLETHORPE ON THE ORPHAN HOME
Had Whitefield listened to Benjamin Franklin the home at Bethesda would not have been founded, but Philadelphia would have received that honor. In his autobiography Franklin wrote on this point: "I did not disapprove of the design, but as Georgia was then destitute of materials and workmen, and it was proposed to send them from Phila-
Vol.l-7

fBl

98

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

delphia at a great expense, I thought it would have been better to have built the home at Philadelphia and brought the children to it. This I advised, but he was resolute in his first project, rejected my counsel and I therefore refused to contribute. I happened soon after to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived that he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently resolved that he should get nothing out of me. I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded
I began to soften and concluded to give the coppers. Another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and determined me to give the silver; and he finished so admirably that I emptied my pocket into the collector's dish, gold and all."
The correspondence of Oglethorpe shows the first mention by him of "Whitefield in a letter written from Charleston, April 2, 1740, to the Trustees, enclosing an "answer," as he calls it, "to Mr. Jones' representa tion relating to the orphans. ^ Mr. Thomas Jones had been appointed to succeed Causton, and he must have made some complaint about the orphan house. As the letter is interesting, it is here given in full: "As for Milledge's brother and sister I think your representation is very just, that the taking them away to the Orphan House will break up a family which is in a likely way of living comfortably. Mr. Whitefield's
design is for the good of ye people and the Glory of God and I dare say when he considers this, he will be very well satisfied with the Boy and Girls returning to their brother John Milledge, since they can assist him, and you may allow them upon my account the provisions they used to have upon the Orphan account. Upon this head I am to acquaint you that I have inspected the Grant relating to the Orphan House. Mr. Seward said that the Trustees had granted the Orphans to Mr. Whitefield, but I showed him that it could not be in the sense he at first seemed to understand it. It is most certain that Orphans are human creatures & neither Cattel nor any other kind of Chattels, therefore cannot be granted, but the Trust have granted the care of the help less Orphans to Mr. Whitefield & have given him 500rt Acres of Land and a power of collecting Charities as a consideration for main taining all the Orphans who are in necessity in this Province, and thereby the Trustees think themselves discharged from maintaining of any, but at the same time the Trustees have not given as I see any power to Mr. Whitefield to receive the effects of the Orphans much less to take by force any Orphans who can maintain themselves, or whom any other substantial person will maintain. The Trustees in this act accord ing to the Law of England in case Orphans are left destitute they be come the charge upon the Parish and the Parish may put them out to be taken care of, but if any person will maintain them so that they are not chargeable to the Parish, then the Parish doth not meddle with them, and since the taking away of the Court of Wards and Liveries the Guardianship of Orphans is in their next Relation, or themselves at a certain age can chuse their Guardians and the Judges, Chancellor, Magis trates &ca., have the same inspection over the effects and persons of the Orphans as they have over those of his Majesty's other subjects, and the effects and persons of Orphans are as much under the protection

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

99

of the Laws as those of any other of His Majesty's Subjects. I send a copy of this Paragraph to Colonel Stephens and think it would be right in you and him to give an account to the Trustees of this matter and of all other things relating to the Orphan House."
[Indorsed] "Copy of General Oglethorpe's Answer to Mr. Jones's Bepresentation relating to the Orphans inclosed in the General's letter to the Trustees dated 2 April, 1740."
The letter above is inserted in the journal of Mr. Wm. Stephens, under date March 5, 1740, with this comment: "In pursuance of his Excellency's opinion this signified Mr. Milledge was advised to wait on Mr. Whitefield and desire that he should permit his younger brother and sister to go home to him, that they might be helpful to one another. But upon his so doing this day, he told me that Mr. Whitefield gave him for answer his brother and sister were at their proper home al ready, and he knew no other home they had to go to, desiring him to give his service to the General, and tell him so."

HARRIS & HABERSHAM, MERCHANTS
Mr. James Habersham began life in the colony as the schoolmaster at Bethesda, Whitefield's orphan home, and when he formed the part nership with Mr. Harris that was not the first mercantile establishment in Georgia, though the statement that such was the case has been re peatedly made. One writer * states that '' By them was the first ship chartered for a Georgia cargo. This was in 1749, and the articles ex ported consisted chiefly of pitch, tar, staves, rice and deer skins," which statement follows one that "To the house of Harris & Habersham is Georgia indebted for the establishment of her earliest commercial rela tions not only with Philadelphia,'New York and Boston, but also with London. They were the first merchants here engaged in exporting and importing." For some years the trustees used what were called "sola bills" which were really the currency of the colony. When issued they were turned over to the agents of the province who paid them out in commercial transactions. They were to be redeemed in England, and were considered as secure as the notes of the Bank of England, and when redeemed they were canceled by two of the trustees and one mem ber of the common council. This is the form used:
"Georgia Bill of Exchange, payable in England--A. No. ------ Westminster, -, 17--. Thirty days after sight hereof, we the Trustees for Establish
ing the Colony of Georgia in America, promise to pay this our sola bill of exchange to --------------------, or the order of any two of them, the sum of ------ pounds sterling, at our office in Westminster, to answer the like value received in Georgia on the issue hereof, as verified by indorsement hereon, sign'd by the said two who shall issue this bill. ----------.
'' Sealed by order of the Common Council of the said Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America.
"HARMON VERELST, Accountant."

* C. C. Jones, History of Georgia, Vol. I, p. 430.

100

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

'' [Indorsed.] " Georgia, --------:--------, 17--. This bill was then issued to for value received. Therefore please to pay the contents to him or order -- [one of the parties named in the bill] ----------------.
"------;--------------, 17-.
u [Two of the parties named in the bill.]"

PIONEERS, BUT NOT THE FIRST
Recognizing the real services of a most valuable character done by the influential firm of Harris & Habersham from the time it was established in the year 1749 and continued through descendants of the junior mem ber of that house until a very recent date, and not with any intention of calling into question the firm belief of the writer just quoted, and others, in the truth of their averment this writer feels compelled not only to question their statement that the house named was the first mercantile establishment in Georgia, but to produce evidence to show tnat such statement is wrong. As early as 1737 business transactions of a most important character and involving large amounts of money were carried on in the town of Savannah by which sola bills for sums which were far from being insignificant were paid to the house of Minis and Salomons, and these transactions show that firm to have been, commercially speak ing, of a high standard of honor, integrity and importance to the prov ince. Thus, in the common council meeting of April 27, 1737, it was resolved '' That until the two thousand pounds granted by Parliament in this session shall be received, four hundred and thirty-three pounds out of the unappropriated money be paid into the hands of Mr. Oglethorpe to pay the following of the above mentioned Sola Bills which Mr. Causton, as per advice, has paid away as received by Mr. Oglethorpe: To Messrs. Minis and Salomons from A No. 50 to 715 at one pound each dated January 27, 1736 .... 215.0.0." May 11, 1737: "Read a cer tified account from Mr. Causton to Messrs. Minis and Salamons dated December 29, 1736, before their Sola Bills were received, amounting to two hundred and eighteen pounds, seven shillings and five pence sterling." It is useless to multiply examples of such trans actions here, but a number of them appear in the minutes of the council, in one of which it is stated that the bill of that firm was for "provisions from New York,'' and in another that the sum due was '' for provisions and necessaries.'' In 1740, the firm name was changed to Abraham Minis & Company. On the 6th of March, 1738, William Stephens, secretary to the trust, entered in his journal the fact that "A sloop arrived with provisions from New York consigned to Mr. Minis;'' and on the 23d of December, the same year, "Two sloops which lately came from New York with provisions ------ Tingley and ------ Tucker, masters, for the behoof of Messrs, Minis and Provost, both freeholders, finding no pros pect upon their stopping at Tybee to dispose of their cargoes, sailed thence for St. Simons."
Again, on the 3rd of March, 1740, Stephens says: "Mr, Minis going south this morning to dispose of the provisions which arrived lately in a sloop there, Capt. Tingley, from New York, which goods were consigned to Minis, I wrote letters by him to the General, in answer to those I re-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

101

ceived'by Capt. Mclntosh and Mr. Whitefield;" and, on the 18th of July, '' Capt Tingley arrived this morning from the South, where he had been to dispose of the cargo * * * and with him came Mr. Abraham Minis * * * whom the cargo was consigned to."
These records seem to have been neglected in any search which may have been made heretofore for facts showing the commercial interests of the province before 1749. It is certain that Mr. James Habersham never stated that his firm was the first of the kind in Georgia, but he did make a statement, some time after its founding, in reference to the bulk of business it transacted which is of sufficient interest to deserve a
place here: "My present thoughts (he wrote) are that the Colony never had a
better appearance of thriving than now. Th?re have been more vessels loaded here within these ten months than have been since the Colony was settled. Our exportations for a year past are an evident proof that if proper labouring hands * could have been had years before, this Colony before now would have demonstrated its utility to the Mother Country and the West India Islands.. Two days ago a large ship arrived here, addressed to my partner and myself, which is the fifth sea vessel which has been here to load within a year; more, I may affirm, than has ever been loaded in this Colony before since its first settlement, with real
produce."

IN DEFENSE OF THE COLONY
With his appointment as general and commander-in-chief Oglethorpe began to place the colony in the best condition possible for its defence, went to Charleston in March, 1738, to notify the governor of South Caro lina of his appointment and to make sure of the co-operation of the people there, when his commission was read to the assembly on the 3d of April and regulations in reference to his military authority were agreed on. He returned to Savannah on the llth of April, remained there until the 18th, when he proceeded to Frederica, where he could observe every movement on the part of the Spaniards to the southward and learn what were their plans for the future. There he remained until July, when, learning of the activity of the enemy in certain respects, he deter mined to attend an assembly of Indian chiefs at Coweta Town, to counter act any proposed action of those people in accepting service as allies of Spain. This conference with the Indians was well-timed, as immediately after its conclusion war was declared between England and Spain.

SECURING THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE CREEKS
The purpose of the meeting with those chiefs was unfolded to the trustees in a letter written by Oglethorpe to Mr. Verelst, then accountant, which was read at a meeting of the board held on the 23d of August, containing "an account that he had received frequent and confirmed ad vices that the Spaniards were striving to win the Indians, and particu-
* Meaning negro slaves.

102

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

larly the Creek Nation, to differ with the English which made it necessary for him to go to the General Assembly of the Indian Nation at the Coweta Town, in order to hinder the Spaniards from corrupting and raising
sedition among them; and setting forth that he was obliged to buy horses and presents to carry up to this meeting of the Indians where the Choctaws and Chickasaws are to send their deputies." All that Oglethorpe
had to say in a direct way to the trustees on this point was contained in a letter to them, from Savannah, dated July 16th, closing with the state ment: "The French and Spaniards have used their1 utmost endeavors
to raise disturbances amongst our Indians, and the not deciding clearly in the Act relating to them has given such insolence to the Carolina traders that the Indians have declared if I do not come up to them they will take arms and do themselves justice; and have ordered a General As sembly of all the Nations to meet me. I set out this night.'' His efforts in this assembly were eminently successful, and, from Augusta, on the 5th of September, he wrote to Mr. Verelst a letter in which he said "I hope the Trustees will accept of this as a letter to them," and made this report: "I am just arrived at this place from the assembled estates of the Creek Nation. They have very fully declared their rights to and possession of all the land as far as the river Saint John's and their con cession of the Sea Coast, Islands, and other lands to the Trustees, of which they have made a regular Act. If I had not gone up, the troubles between them and the Carolina traders, fomented by our two neighboring Nations, would probably have occasioned their beginning a war which, I believe, might have been the result of this general meeting; but, as their complaints were reasonable, I gave them satisfaction in all of them, and everything is entirely settled in peace. It is impossible to describe the joy they expressed at my arrival." A further statement is briefly
made to the trustees in a letter from Savannah, on the 5th of October, in these words: " I've been obliged to make large presents to the Indians
who are now thoroughly engaged to us."

THE DEATH OP TOMO-CHI-CHI
It is evident from records written at the time that the health of the good old man, Tomo-chi-chi, had been failing for a long time before death came to his lowly home at Yamacraw and bore his spirit away. We have two very interesting accounts of his demise, both of which are here recorded. The first is from the journal of Mr. William Stephens, the secretary at Savannah, dated October 4, 5 and 6, 1739: "So little inter mission was found these few days from attending the General's com mands which rather multiplied than abated through the incessant appli cation that the most undesired thing which happened abroad and I thought worth noting was the death of old Mico Thomo Chichi, said to be upwards of ninety years of age; and, as the General always esteemed him a friend of the Colony, and therefore showed him particular marks of his esteem when living, so he distinguished him at his death, ordering his corpse to be brought down, and it was buried in the center of one of the principal square, the General being pleased to make himself one of his pall-bearers, with five others, among whom he laid command on me to be

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

103

one, and the other four were military officers. At the depositing of the corpse seven minute guns were fired, and above forty men in arms (as many as could instantly be found) gave three vollies over the grave which the General says he intends to dignify with some obelisk, or the like, over it, as an ornament to the town, and a memorial to the Indians how great regard the English would pay to all their nations who main tain true friendship with us."
In passing, let it be observed here that a most remarkable fact con
nected with the death of one who had done so much for the welfare of the Colonists and who undoubtedly had the esteem and friendship of the General is that the General, honoring the illustrious dead, as stated in the account just given and in the one to follow, did not, so far as is known, even mention the death of Tomo-chi-chi in any communication which he sent to the Trustees, or to any person of his acquaintance in England, or elsewhere. The other account of the Indian chief's death and burial, is from the Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. X, p. 129, as follows:

" Savannah in Georgia, Oct. 10,1739, "King Toma-chi-chi died on the 5th, at his own town, 4 miles from hence, of a lingering illness, being aged about 97. He was sensible to the last minutes, and when he was persuaded his death was near he showed the greatest magnanimity and sedateness, and exhorted his People never to forget the favours he had received from the King when in England, but. to persevere in their Friendship with the English. He expressed the greatest Tenderness for Gen. Oglethorpe, and seemed to have no Con cern at dying but its being at a Time when his life might be useful against the Spaniards. He desired his Body might be buried amongst the Eng lish in the Town of Savannah, since it was he that had prevailed with the Creek Indians to give the Land, and had assisted in the founding of the Town. The Corpse was brought down by Water. The General, attended by the Magistrates and People of the Town, met it upon the Water's Edge. The Corpse was carried into Percival Square. The pall was supported by the General, Col. Stephens, Col. Montaigut, Mr. Carteret, Mr. Lemon, and Mr. Maxwell. It was followed by the Indians and Mag istrates and People of the Town. There was the Respect paid of firing Minute Guns from the Battery all the time during the Burial, and Funeral--firing with small Arms by the Militia, who were under arms. The General has ordered a Pyramid of Stone, which is dug in this Neigh bourhood, to be erected over the Grave, which being in the Centre of the Town, will be a great Ornament to it, as well as testimony of Grati tude.
"Tomo-chi-chi was a Creek Indian, and in his youth a great Warriour. He had an excellent Judgment and a very ready Wit, which
showed itself in his Answers on all Occasions. He was very generous, giving away all the rich presents he received, remaining himself in a wilful Poverty, being more pleased in giving to others, than possessing himself; and he was very mild and good natured.''
A monument has been reared to the memory of Tomo-chi-chi in Wright Square (originally Percival Square) and it is supposed to be on the spot where he was buried; but from the foregoing it is clearly

104

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

seen that the grave was dug in the center of the square, and this state ment is corroborated by the drawing of the town by De Brahm, attached to his "History of the Province of Georgia," called by him "Plan of the City of Savannah and Fortifications." This plan was drawn about
the year 1752, and it is very probable that the grave was at that time marked and known as such.

CHAPTER XII
LAST OF OGLETHOEPE ADMINISTRATION
FINAL REPULSE OP THE SPANIARDS--GEORGIA DIVIDED INTO Two COUN TIES--FIRST MEETING OF SAVANNAH COUNTY BOARD--OGLETHORPE'S LAST OFFICIAL APPEARANCE--CHANGES IN LAND TENURES--WILLIAM STEPHENS, COLONIAL PRESIDENT--BEAULIEU (BEWILE) FOUNDED BY STEPHENS--THE CREEK-BOSOMWORTH IMBROGLIO--RENEWED FRIEND SHIP ALMOST SEVERED--FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT OF TROUBLE--OGLE THORPE'S LAST DAYS IN GEORGIA.
An account of the engagements between Oglethorpe's forces and the Spaniards and his final defeat of those people does not come within the scope of this work, and so we will say little more of that matter here. Finding the trouble from that source at an end, and feeling that the colony was safe from attack by outsiders, and that everything was se cure, he departed for England.
FINAL REPULSE OF THE SPANIARDS
Concerning this ending of the constant watch which had to be kept against the enemy until his last repulse, we will only quote from one of Whitefield's letters: "The deliverance of Georgia from the Spaniards, one of my friends writes me, is such as cannot be parallelled but by some instances out of the Old Testament. I find that the Spaniards had cast lots and determined to give no quarter. They intended to have attacked Carolina, but, wanting water, they put into Georgia, and so would take that colony on their way. But the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. Providence ruleth all things. They were wonderfully repelled and sent away before our ships were seen.''
Peace reigning within the borders of Georgia, and her affairs all in a prosperous condition, Oglethorpe left for England in the fall of 1743, the exact date of his departure being nowhere recorded; but we know that he appeared at a meeting of the trustees in London on the 5th day of December.
GEORGIA DIVIDED INTO Two COUNTIES
More than two years before that time, namely, in the early part of 1741, an important change was made in the government of the colony.
105

106

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

In the common council, on March 15th, it was resolved "that the Prov ince of Georgia be divided into two counties called the County of Sa vannah and the County of Frederica, and that the district of the County of Savannah do include all settlements upon the Savannah River and both banks of the Ogeechee River, and so much further southward of the Ogeechee as shall be appointed when a proper map of the county shall be sent to the Trustees," and "that the jurisdiction of each county be under a President and four Assistants; that William Stephens be appointed President of the County of Savannah; that Henry Parker, Thomas Jones John Fallowfield, and Samuel Mercer be the four Assistants for the County of Savannah; and that General Oglethorpe be desired to recom mend to the Trustees as soon as possible a proper person to be President for the County of Frederica & that the three magistrates of the town of Frederica be three of the Assistants for the County of Frederica and that General Oglethorpe be desired to recommend a proper person for the fourth Assistant,"
This action was followed, at the meeting of the same body, on the 20th of'April following, with a resolution that "a deed be prepared con stituting William Stephens, Esq., President, and Henry Parker, Thomas Jones, John Fallowfield and Samuel Mercer the four Assistants for the County of Savannah, and that the seal of the corporation be affixed to the deed in presence of the Trustees, and that the Secretary do counter sign the same. Read instructions to the said President and four As sistants. Read further instructions to the President."

FIRST MEETING OF SAVANNAH COUNTY BOARD
The first meeting of the president and assistants of the County of Savannah was held October 12th, 1741, when all were present, and "the general instructions for the'President and Assistants of the County of Savannah were read, and also publick instructions for the President of the said county." John Pye was appointed secretary.

OGLETHORPE 's LAST OFFICIAL APPEARANCE
Oglethorpe apparently had no idea when he left Georgia at that time that he was never again to set his feet upon her soil, and it is a fact worthy to be considered whether the change in the plan of gov ernment had anything to do with his failure ever again to visit the colony. His last appearance in the meetings of the trustees was on the 19th of May, 1746, though that body continued to meet until May 1, 1752, when "the seal was affixed to a counterpart of an indenture expressing and declaring the surrender and grant of the Trust," and ordering that the seal be defaced, which was done in the presence of the gentlemen present. The last meeting of the common council he attended was on Monday, January 19, 1749, but that body held meetings until Wednesday, April 29, 1752, when all the business they had on hand was closed up as far as it could be done then, and a committee appointed, of which the Earl of Shaftesbury was chairman, or any three of them,

F

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

107

"to do all and every necessary act previous to or concerning the sur render of the trust."

' CHANGES IN LAND TENURES
At the time of the defalcation of Thomas Causton, complaints concerning various matters were made by the people, and one in par ticular related to the tenure of the lands granted to settlers. The first grievance mentioned by the writer of the pamphlet called "A true and Historical Narrative of the Colony of Georgia in America" was "The want of a free title or fee-simple to our lands; which, if granted, would both induce great numbers of new settlers to come amongst us, and likewise encourage those who remain here cheerfully to proceed in making further improvements, as well as relieve their sunk fortunes as to make provisions for their posterity." To this demand for titles in fee-simple, the trustees, on the 20th of June, 1739, gave an unfavorable reply, but later on, that is to say on August 28th of the same year, they reconsidered their action and made through their com mon council the following revision of the titles: that lands already granted, as well as to be afterwards granted, should, in case of failure of male issue, descend to daughters of the grantees, and when there should be no issue, the grantees might devise the lands granted to them; but, should the grantees fail to devise, the lands should become the property of the legal heirs of the grantees. No one should hold more than five hundred acres; and widows of original grantees were permitted to hold and enjoy the dwelling-house, garden, and one moiety of the lands held by their husbands at time of death, for and during the term of the natural lives of said widows. This act did not meet the demand made by the petitioners. The resolutions were pub lished in sections in the Charleston Gazette, as there was then no news paper published in Georgia. The people found it hard to understand the meaning of those resolutions, and Col. William Stephens under took to read and explain them in an assembly at the court-house on a day appointed for the purpose. Capt. Hugh Me Call, in his history of Georgia* gives an amusing account of that incident from which we quote this passage: " After he had finished his task, and exerted his utmost abilities in giving an explanation, one of the settlers ludicrously remarked that the whole paper consisted of males and tails; that all the lawyers in London would not be able to bring the meaning down to his comprehension; and that he understood as little of its meaning then as he had when Stephens began. Others wished to know how often those two words had occurred in the resolutions, that the number ought to be preserved as a curiosity, and that the author ought to be lodged in Bedlam for lunacy." Further changes were made in this matter of land tenure at a later time which gave the holders title in fee-simple absolute. It is probable that the grant to Mordeeai Sheftall of September, 1762, of a garden lot from which a portion was set apart as a Jewish cemetery was then given to secure

* Vol. I, p. 140. Savannah, 1811 (1st edition).

.-.'.....'.

108

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

him in possession of that land which he previously held on more uncer tain conditions, and thus the burial place used as such for a number of years before, was formally passed over to trustees for a sacred purpose.

WILLIAM STEPHENS, COLONIAL PRESIDENT
After the division of the province into two counties it was deemed unnecessary to appoint a president for the southern county of Frederica as Oglethorpe himself was on the spot and could take care of that office, and the magistrates then acted as the assistants, as contemplated in the act making the change in the form of government. Pres. Wil liam Stephens acted as president of the County of Savannah from 1741 until 1743, when he was made president of all the colony. He was born on the 28th of January, 1671, old style, and was the son of Sir Win. Stephens, Bart., lieutenant-governor of the Isle-of-Wight where his son was born. When he was twenty-five years old the young man married a daughter of Sir Richard Newdigate, and a little later in life he entered parliament, representing the town of Newport. He held several offices in England before coming to America, and, accept ing an offer from Colonel Hersey of South Carolina to make a survey of a barony of land there, he formed the acquaintance of General Ogle thorpe upon whose recommendation he received the appointment of secretary to the trustees, which required him "to take a general over sight of affairs." When he became president of the colony he was well advanced in years, being over seventy, and his age, combined with misfortunes and family troubles rendered him in a few years incapable of performing properly the duties of his office. In 1750 his assistants made known to him the fact that his condition made it necessary for him to take a rest, and he told them to manage the affairs of the province without his aid, and that he would '' soon retire into the country, where he would be at liberty to mind the more weighty things of a future state; not doubting but the Trustees would enable him to end his few remaining days without care and anxieties." He did not live long after his retirement from office, and died in 1753. It was said of him in an obituary notice. "For many years he had made a considerable figure in the polite world; had sat twenty-six years in the British House of Commons, and to his great honor, in every change, behaved with great address 'and truth to his constituents.''
The country place to which William Stephens retired, and where it is presumed that he died, was Beaulieu, on the Vernon river, now one of the most attractive resorts adjacent to the city of Savannah, and on that account, as well as on others to be mentioned, deserving some notice here. Shortly after his arrival in the colony he secured a grant to that tract of land of five hundred acres. The grant to it was confirmed by Oglethorpe, April 19, 1738. In the interesting and rare "Journal of the Proceedings in Georgia," by the owner of the place, the author, on the 21st of March, 1739, wrote "I was now called upon to give the Place a Name; and therefore naturally revolving in my Thoughts divers Places in my native Country, to try if I could find any that had a resemblance to this; I fancied that Bewlie, a Manor of

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

109

his Grace the Duke of Montague in the New Forest, was not unlike it much as to its situation, and being on the skirts of that Forest, had Plenty of large Timber growing everywhere near; moreover a fine Arm of the Sea running close by, which parts the Isle of Wight from the main Land, and make a beautiful Prospect; from all which Tradition tells us it took its Name and was antiently called Beaulieu, though now vulgarly Bewlie; only by leaving out the a in the first Syllable, and the u in the end of the last." *

BEAULIEU (BEWLIE) FOUNDED BY STEPHENS
It was at this place that the French allies landed in the "War of the Revolution, on the llth of September, 1779, pressing on from that point to take part in the siege of the city in the month of October. When that point is reached in the history, the place will then be further considered. In connection with the description of the place from which Stephens bestowed the name, as given in his own words, the following more recent account fits in with what has just been quoted: "Beaulieu, a liberty in the union of New Forest, Southamp ton and S. division of the County of Southampton, on the road to Hythe, containing, with an extra-parochial district within its limits, 1,339 inhabitants. This place is situated on a river of the same name, which rises in the New Forest, at the foot of a hill about a mile and a half to the north-east of Lyndhurst, and is navigable for vessels of fifty tons' burthen to the Isle of Wight channel which bounds the parish on the south. On reaching the village, the river spreads into a wide surface covering several acres, on the eastern side of which stood Beaulieu Abbey, founded in 1204, by King John, for thrifty monks of the Benedictine order, and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary; its revenue at the dissolution in 1540 was 428.6.6. It had the privilege of sanctuary, and afforded an asylum to Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI, after the battle of Barnet, and to Perkin Warbeck, in the reign of Henry VII. Beaulieu has long been noted for the manufac ture of coarse sacking: near the village of Sowley, within the liberty, were formerly two large mills belonging to some iron-works; and at Buckler's Hard, another populous village in the liberty, situated on the Beaulieu river, and inhabited principally by workmen employed in ship-building, many vessels of war have been built. At Sowley is a fine sheet of water, abounding with pike, some of which are of very large size, weighing nearly 28 Ibs. Fairs for horses and horned cattle are held on April 15th and September 4th. "t
The title to this property passed from one owner to another until April, 1854, when Mr. John Schley purchased the entire tract. He divided it into lots of convenient size and sold many of them mainly to citizens of Savannah from about 1868 until his death; and the place is now a settlement of some importance.
* Vol. II, pp. 166, 318, 319. London, 1742.
^ A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis. London, 1848. 4 Vol. I.

110

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

THE CREEK-BOSOMWORTH IMBROGLIO
It was during the administration of Governor Stephens that an affair of considerable importance occurred in the city of Savannah, attended with existing scenes and incidents the like of which had never before been known there, and, it is reasonable to believe, never since. It was the trouble known as the Bosomworth affair. During all the time Oglethorpe had the reins of government in his hands, he easily and quietly held in check everything that seemed like opposition to his plans, and he was certainly understood and held in the highest esteem by the Indians who not only granted him all his desires but were even willing to bestow upon him and those under him more than they felt they should accept. With his continued absence came the first real trouble with them, and this exciting incident probably would have been averted if he had remained on the spot. When he first landed at Yamacraw bluff he engaged the services of a half breed woman named Mary, as an interpreter, as she spoke both the Creek and the English languages. Her Indian name was Consaponakeeso. Born at the Coweta town, on the Ocmulgee, she was carried, when seven years old, to Ponpon, South Carolina, where she was baptized and edu cated in a Christian way. The government of South Carolina, in 1716, tried to make a treaty with the Creeks, sending to them for that pur pose Col. John Musgrove, and then that gentleman's son, John Musgrove, Jr., fell in love with this Indian girl, who, through the ma ternal line, was a descendant of a Creek emperor, and married her. In 1723, the couple returned to South Carolina, and shortly before the landing' of the English at Yamacraw established a trading house there. Finding that she would be useful in his transactions with the Indians, Oglethorpe secured her friendship which remained firm as long as he remained in this country, and upon the death of Musgrove, about three years after his landing, by his advice she opened a trading station somewhere south of the Alatamaha where she married Capt. Jacob Matthews. Matthews died in 1742, and she afterwards was united in marriage with the Rev. Thomas Bosomworth, employed by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. Until her last marriage her conduct toward the English people was all that could have been desired, and it is a fair presumption that in marrying her Rev. Mr. Bosomworth contemplated the scheme for the betterment of his financial affairs which before long he developed. At the end of the first year of his married life he went to England, informing the trustees that he did not expect to return to Georgia, Changing his mind two years thereafter he re-appeared in the colony and began to put in action the deep-laid plot for making himself rich and which kept Georgia stirred up with disturbance and strife for some years. He claimed, that a large amount was due his wife for her valuable services, and aimed to get control and title to the lands which in the treaties with the Indians had been reserved to them, namely, Ossabaw, St. Catherine's
and Sapelo islands, together with a tract above Pipemaker's creek, on
the Savannah river. He induced Colonel Heron, of Oglethorpe's regi
ment, and others, to enter into the plot with him, and with their assist-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

111

ance a meeting was arranged with a body of Indians, led by Malatchee, at Frederica, where that chief made a speech relating the services of Mr. Bosoinworth, advising that Bosomworth's brother Adam be sent to England to inform the king that he, Malatchee, was emperor of the Creeks, and that his sister Mary had the confidence of the Creek \ation, all the people of which had determined to stand by her in her intention. Thomas Bosomworth proposed that Malatchee should have himself crowned, and a document was written in which he was clothed with all the authority claimed for him by Bosomworth. This being done, a deed was made by the newly created emperor to the husband and wife of St. Catherine's, Ossabaw and Sapelo islands, the con sideration being ten pieces of stroud, twelve pieces of duffles, two hun dred weight of powder, two hundred pounds of lead, twenty guns, twelve pairs of pistols and one hundred pounds of vermilion. Thomas Bosomworth bought on credit from some South Carolina planters a
number of heads of cattle with which to stock the islands so acquired, but the increase did not meet his expectation, and he was so involved in debt that he induced his wife to declare herself an independent empress, which she did at a council of the Creeks called for the pur pose, when they excitedly pledged their allegiance to her, declaring they would protect her rights at all hazards. Under the protection of those people she went to Savannah to demand of the president of the province a complete surrender of the lands granted to her. Her arrival there followed the announcement of her coming through a special messenger who gave information of all that had been done at
the meeting. This so alarmed the president and council that they resolved to make a pretense of trying to be friendly towards her plans until they could find an opportunity of seizing her and sending her to England, at the same time informing the commanding officers of the provincial militia to be ready to march to Savannah at a moment's notice.
The town was at once placed in the best position of defense consider ing the small number of men within its limits capable of bearing arms, not amounting, all told, to two hundred. When within a few miles of the town Mary was met by a messenger of the council desiring to be in formed whether she was really in earnest as to her claim and advising her to be more reasonable in her demands, urging her, in fact, to drop them entirely. She could not be moved, however, and it was decided to show her, on her arrival, that she must give up her wild ideas. Captain Jones, at the head of the militia, met the advancing party as they entered Savannah, and demanded an explanation of their intention. An evasive reply was made, whereupon they were ordered to lay down their arms, which command they reluctantly obeyed. Then Thomas Bosomworth, with his wife and the chiefs, entered the town in state, he being clothed in his priestly robes, their appearance frightening the inhabitants, not withstanding the militia were formed in ranks with their guns tightly grasped. They were saluted with fifteen cannon, and were escorted to the president's house where Bosomworth and his brother Adam were denied admittance, and the chiefs were permitted to make known the
reason of their appearance in force without having been invited. These

112

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Indians declared that Mrs. Bosomworth had been chosen to speak to the authorities, and that they were at her command; that learning the fact that their queen was to be sent as a captive across the ocean, they wanted to know why it was so desired. Protesting that they came with no hostile intention, they asked that their arms be given back to them, and, after an interview with Mary and Thomas Bosomworth, they would again report and come to an agreement as to the matter complained of. Foolishly, their arms were restored to them, but, wisely, no ammunition was given them, delay in that matter being considered proper until the real purpose of their visit could be ascertained.
The next day, after talking with Mrs. Bosomwonh, they showed plainly that their intention was not as peaceable as they had declared, and their actions showed a turbulent spirit. The town was indeed in a most excited state. The men were all under military orders, and the women were afraid to stay in their homes without protection. In the midst of the turmoil it was stated that the Indians had beheaded the president, and the officers could hardly be persuaded not to open fire on the enemy. It was considered wise to secure the person of Bosomworui who was accordingly arrested and placed in confinement, and that so exasperated his wife that she became like an insane person, threatening everyone who opposed her, and ordering the magistrates to leave her dominion, at the same time cursing General Oglethorpe and the treaties which she said he had fraudulently obtained, and asserted that the ground on which she stood was hers. Fearing that her leaders would yield to offers of bribery, she kept them near her at all times, forbidding them to talk to others except within her hearing.
No other plan sufficing to quell the tumult, Mary was herself taken into custody, when the president, through interpreters, informed the warriors, at an entertainment provided for them, of the real purpose of the two Bosomworths, and asserted their own desire to treat fairly the Indians who had theretofore been their friends. Setting the matter squarely before them, this speech of the president was convincing in its effect, and the warriors began to see through the design of Mary and her husband. Malatchee himself then appeared to be satisfied, and in answer to the question why he, who was really the chief of the nation, to whom the president and council were about to give gifts for himself and his companions for their services to the colony, acknowledged the woman Mary as their empress, said that the whole nation recognized her
as such, and that the presents could be distributed by none but one of her family. This answer showed how far the Bosomworths had influ enced the Indians, and, in order to lessen the expenses and the hardship to the people in keeping guard during the period of this trouble, desired to distribute the gifts himself and to dismiss these men; but Malatchee, gaining consent to visit the Bosomworths, again promised allegiance to them, and the trouble was renewed. He went among his people while they were awaiting the distribution of the gifts and spoke in a way calculated to put them at once in an attitude of strife. He claimed that Mary was the possessor of the land before Oglethorpe arrived, and that she possessed it as their queen, and declared to the inhabitants that the
three thousand warriors under her command would rush to her in

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

113

defense of her rights, ending with the production of a paper which he handed to the president containing in effect what he had just spoken. Internal evidence showed that the paper was the work of Bosomworth. In the preamble the names of all the Indians known as kings of the two divisions of Creeks appeared, but of all mentioned only two were present, and the whole paper was substantially what was said by Malatchee. In it the woman was recognized as the real chief of the tribe, and called their princess, with all authority to dispose of their affairs, as she might see fit, with the king of England and his appointees at home and in the province. Malatchee perceiving that the council did not attach to the claims the importance he expected them to show, asked that it be re turned to him, pretending he did not know it was as severe in its lan guage as he had found it to be, and declared he would return it to the sender. Then the president spoke to the Indians, assembled at his re quest, telling of the condition in which Mary was living when Oglethorpe came; of the fact that because of her knowledge of both languages he had employed her as an interpreter, paying her well for her services and mak ing her condition so much better than it would ever have become under other circumstances; of her good character and the respect in which she had been held until her marriage to Bosornworth; of the fact that she was not a kinswoman of Malatchee, but only the daughter of an Indian woman of no virtuous repute by a white man; and of her not owning the lands she claimed as her own; that the lands of the Indians formerly were lying waste and that they were glad when the white men came among them and gave them articles to help them live more comfortably; that all the present bad feeling had come about through the desire of Thomas Bosomworth to get money, as he owed a large sum in South Carolina; that it was his real purpose to take from the Indians their rights; and that all this was, if continued, bound to cause them to lose their best friends who really were willing and able to assist them in their living and to help them in their troubles with their enemies.

RENEWED FRIENDSHIP ALMOST SEVERED
He was allowed to proceed no farther, and the Indians, convinced of the truth, confessed that they now could see the matter in its true light, and were determined to stand by their real friends. Desiring to smoke the pipe of peace, their wish was granted and, in addition to pipes and tobacco, they were supplied with rum, when professions of friendship were made and received, and presents were distributed to the Indians who freely accepted them, Malatchee himself showing that he was satisfied with his portion. Just then Mary appeared on the scene, very much under the influence of fire-water, denouncing the pres ident, and telling him that he would shortly see that he had no control over the people she claimed as her own. Good advice was given her by the president, but it was unheeded, and she informed Malatchee in her own way of what had been said to her. That man, unmindful of his promise just made, held the arms of the president, and appealed to his men to follow him, daring anyone to touch their queen. Uproar and confusion followed, and the Indians swung their tomahawks, threatening

114

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

the president and his council who were in great danger. To the courage of Captain Jones, then commander of the guard, the Indians, ordered by him to surrender their arms, had to submit, and that courage was shown just in the moment when all hope seemed to be abandoned. Disarmed, the companions of Mary were helpless, and she was imprisoned and guarded, so that she could hold no intercourse with any of her people. Then her husband was summoned and was reasoned with, but he only abused the authorities, and would 'not yield to the good advice given by them, so that his person also was secured, and the Indians were persuaded to leave the town, when the place became quiet. Adam Bosomworth, a brother of Thomas, who was agent of Indian affairs in South Carolina, became acquainted with the circumstances up to this point, and made his way to Savannah, and, ashamed of his brother's action, interposed, and brought to an end all the disturbance and uneasiness. Thomas was made to see his folly, and became penitent, and apologized to the authorities, who freely forgave him. Thus was peace restored, and no further trouble came from that source just then.*

FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT OP TROUBLE
This settlement of the difficulty was not final, as the claim of the Bosomworths to the islands of St. Catherine, Ossabaw and Sapelo was not abandoned, and in one way and another was the subject of discussion for some years; but it was at last brought to an end, in 1759, by the payment to Mary Bosomworth of 450 as compensation for goods fur nished in behalf of the government by her in 1747 and 1748, in addition to a sum allowed her as back salary for sixteen and a half years, rating the annual allowance at 100 for her services as interpreter and agent of the trustees, as well as settling upon her and her husband the absolute title to St. Catherine's island. On this island they had already made their home and were engaged in raising crops.

OGLETHORPE'S LAST DAYS IN GEORGIA
In closing this chapter a few words with reference to the last days of Oglethorpe's stay in the colony may here be inserted without any impropriety. He took passage for England in the guard-ship under command of Captain Thompson, July 23, 1743, and with him went Colonel Heron, Mr. Eyre, sub-engineer, and others of the regiment. He arrived in London on the 25th of September following, and was annoyed by an impeachment filed against him by Lieut.-Col. William Cook, but he maintained that the trial should be made before a board of general officers. This trial was delayed in consequence of the difficulty in secur ing the attendance of witnesses for Cook who lived in South Carolina. It began on the 4th of June, 1744, and lasted two days, when, deciding upon the nineteen charges made the board expressed the opinion that
* The foregoing is a condensation of a full account of this matter contained in the 2d. vol. of A. Hewitt's "Account of the Eise and Progress of the Colonies of South Carolina and Georgia.''

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

115

"the whole and every article thereof was groundless, false, and mali cious, '' and when the report was submitted to the king he ordered that "the said Lieutenant-Colonel Cook should be dismissed the service."
The last letter from Oglethorpe written in Georgia is dated at Frederica, 10th June, 1743, addressed to the trustees, and, as it relates to Savannah, and is short, it is here re-produced:
'' Gentlemen--The people of the French Church at Savannah having desired of me that the Eev'd Mr. Chiffelle might assist them in Spiritual Matters and that his charges of Boat hire, etc., for coming from his residence at Purisburg to Savannah might be defrayed, I did allow thereof and it appears unto me by the annexed and other evidence that the said Mr. Chiffelle has done his duty for five years and upwards and that the sum of Twenty-one Pounds sterling may be a reasonable allow ance for his charges, etc., and that the said sum of Twenty-one Pounds is due unto him by the Honorable the Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America and therefore recommend the same for payment.
'' (Signed) JAMES OGLETHORPE. "To the Honorable The Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America.
"[A True Copy, John Dobell.]
"Not seeing any cause of objection, I humbly submit it to the Hon orable the Trust for their direction.
"WILL STEPHENS."

CHAPTER XIII
EARLY CIVIL GOVERNMENT
HENRY PARKER, COLONIAL PRESIDENT--THE FIRST COLONIAL ASSEMBLY-- THE MILITIA--EARLY MEASURES TO ESTABLISH THE COLONY--PATRICK GRAHAM SUCCEEDS PRESIDENT PARKER.
On the retirement of President William Stephens, on account of ill health, he was succeeded by Henry Parker who had held office in Georgia as early as 1734, when he was appointed one of the bailiffs in Savannah, acting, according to the custom of the time, as a magistrate. The office was one of more dignity and importance then than it is in these days, and while holding court the presiding justice wore a gown of purple edged with fur.
HENRY PARKER, COLONIAL PRESIDENT
Mr. Parker was the first settler at what is now known as the Isle of Hope, and from that fact his place then was for a long time called Parkersburg; but there were other settlers in that section, one being John Fallowfield and the other Noble Jones, of whom we shall have something definite to relate presently. The first time that we find the name by which it is now universally called is in the '' True and Historical Narrative of the Colony of Georgia in America,' '* by Tailfer, Anderson and Douglas, where it is said "Near the mouth of Vernon river, upon a kind of an island (which is called Hope isle) are the settlements of Messrs. John Fallowfield, Henry Parker and Noble Jones. They have made some improvements there, but chiefly Mr. Fallowfield, who has a pretty, little convenient house and garden, with a considerable lot of hogs, and some cattle, where he generally resides with his family. Near ad joining to this upon a piece of land which commands the Narrows, is a timber building called Jones's fort.''
Henry Parker, it will be remembered, was then one of the assistants to the president, and acted as president from January 15, 1751, until the surrender of the charter of the colony by the trustees. We have the statement that when the colonial assembly, authorized by the trus tees, was called by Mr. Parker, "the customary formalities of being ad dressed by the Executive and replied to by the Assembly were for the
* Charleston, 1741.
116

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

117

first time gone through in Georgia.'' Parker presided as vice-president from the date of his calling the assembly until the 8th of the following April, when he was appointed president. The address of the assembly was dated at the assembly room, 25th January, 1751, and was in these words :

'' Sir--We, the deputies of the several districts, in General Assembly met, desire to return you our sincere thanks for your speech to us; and we assure you we shall endeavor, with all concord and unanimity, to go through the business appointed for us to do; and we also beg leave to embrace this opportunity of heartily congratulating you on your being appointed vice-president of the Province, which we look upon as no more than a just reward for your long and faithful services in it; and we have no doubt but the same steadiness, justice, and candour which have formerly guided you in the execution of other offices, will direct and govern you in this.
" FRANCIS HARRIS, Speaker. " Henry Parker, Esquire, Vice-President of the Colony of Georgia."

The reply of the vice-president follows: u Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Assembly: I heartily thank you for your kind and flattering address, and will always make it my study and endeavor to promote anything which may tend to the service and advantage of the Colony.
"HENRY PARKER, Vice-President of the Colony of Georgia."

THE FIRST COLONIAL ASSEMBLY
The assembly was a very small body, but it must be remembered that Georgia's population was not great, and it was stipulated that the delegates were "proportioned to the population of the different par ishes or districts," and the resolution of the trustees, passed in June, 1750, called for the election of delegates to a provincial assembly to meet in Savannah on the 15th of January, 1751, with the following regulations: that once a year it was to convene in Savannah, the time to be named by the president and assistants, and that it should not re main in session more than a month; that one deputy should be appointed for every town, village or district containing ten families, but that two deputies could be sent by any district containing thirty families; that Savannah should be entitled to four, Augusta and Ebenezer two each, Frederica two, in case there should be as many as thirty families within its limits. No legislation could be enacted by the assembly, but it was authorized to suggest measures to the trustees for the advancement of the interests of the colony in general or of any district within the province. The members were to present within three days after the opening of the body a written account showing the number of inhabi tants, showing in all cases the black and white, sex, and age of such inhabitants, as well as the number of acres of land each one held under cultivation, the nature of the crop, number of negroes either owned or employed, the number of mulberry trees on each settlement, and to what

118

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

extent the culture of silk7 cotton, indigo, or other article was carried on by each family o^ man in the several districts; and those accounts were to be signed by the presiding officer and submitted to the presi dent and assistants who were required to transmit them to the trustees.
Delegates were authorized to elect their presiding officer, but such selection was subject to the approval of the president of the colony, and, in case of his refusal to accept the action of the majority, he was required, on the demand of any three delegates, to give his reasons for so doing, and to send them to the trustees for their advice.
No qualifications were required in the selection of delegates to the first assembly, but in subsequent elections no one was eligible who did not have one hundred mulberry trees planted and fenced upon every fifty acres of land owned by him, and after the 24th of June, 1753, no one could be a delegate who had not complied with the regulation in prescribing the limit as to the number of slaves in proportion to the white servants in his home, who had not at least one female in his family who was skilled in the matter of silk reeling, and who did not produce every year as much as fifteen pounds of silk to every fifty acres of land on his place.
When this first assembly met in Savannah, the three delegates from that district were Francis Harris, John Milledge, William Francis, and William Russell, and the first named was elected speaker of the body. Of the meeting of the small convention little need be said, as its transactions were of no importance.

THE MILITIA
In addition to the regular troops, such as Oglethorpe's regiment, etc., the militia was regularly kept in readiness for any trouble that might arise, and the first general muster of that force in the southern division was held in Savannah on Tuesday, the 13th of June, 1751, under command of Capt. Noble Jones, to the number of about two hun dred arid twenty men, including infantry and cavalry, and it was said of them that'' they behaved well and made a pretty appearance.'' Capt. Jones, as already stated, lived on the Isle of Hope, and was a trusted friend of Oglethorpe. He aided the latter greatly in the troubles with the Spaniards, and held important offices in Georgia, among them Treas urer of the Province, Register, and member of Council.

EARLY MEASURES TO ESTABLISH THE COLONY
The charter of the colony of Georgia was limited to twenty-one years as declared in that instrument in this language: "We do hereby, for us, our li^irs and successors, ordain, will and establish that for and during the term of twenty-one years, to commence trom the date of these our letters patent [June 9, 1732], the said corporation assembled for that purpose shall and may form and prepare laws, statutes and ordinances fit and necessary for and concerning the government of the said colony," etc.
Before the expiration of that time, however, the common council,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

119

as early as the 15th of April, 1751, convinced that under a different form

of government the affairs of the province could be more advantageously

carried on, prepared for the coining change by appointing a committee,

headed by the Earl of Shaftesbury, "to adjust with the administration

the proper means for supporting and settling the colony for the future,

and to take from time to time all such measures as they shall find neces

sary for its well being; and to frame, set the seal of the corporation to

and present such representation or representations, memorial or memo

rials, as they should think proper." For this committee, the earl re

ported, on the 8th of January, 1752, "That being informed that the

Lords of the Council had appointed Thursday evening, December the

19th, to take into consideration the Trustee's memorial to his Majesty,

and the reports thereon from the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's

Treasury and the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations,

the said committee had, at a meeting December the 14th desired and em

powered the Earl of Shaftesbury, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Vernon, Mr. Lloyd,

Mr. Tracy and Mr. Fenwick to attend and deliver to the Lords of the

Council the following paper in the name of the Trustees for Establish

ing the Colony of Georgia in case they should be called upon by their

Lordships, viz.:

"To the Right Honorable the Lords of his Majesty's most Honorable

the Privy Council:--The Trustees for Establishing the Colony of

Georgia in America, who are ready, for the service of the Crown, to

surrender their trust for granting the lands in the said Colony, think

it their indispensable duty to offer the following considerations to your

Lordships in behalf of the people settled there.

"That the Colony of Georgia be confirmed a separate and indepen

dent Province as it is expressly declared in his Majesty's charter it shall

be (in confidence of which the inhabitants both British and foreign

have gone thither), and as the Assembly of the Province of Georgia

have petitioned for a representation to the Trustees, dated January the

15th, 1750.

"That the inhabitants of the Colony be confirmed in the titles

and possessions &##

which

have

been

granted

to

them

under

the

charter

"They immediately drew up the following paper and .severally

signed the same, vizt.:

"We whose names are here under written, being a committee ap

pointed by the Common Council of the Trustees for Establishing the

Colony of Georgia in America, and being fully authorized by them, do

hereby signify that we are ready and willing to make an absolute surren

der of all the powers, rights and trusts vested in the said Trustees by

his Majesty's Royal Charter bearing date the 9th of June, 1732, with

out any condition or limitation, humbly recommending the rights and

privileges of the inhabitants of the said Colony to his Majesty's most

gracious protection.

'' SHAFTESBURY,

"ROBT. TRACY,

"JOHN FREDERICK,

"SAM'L LLOYD,

"EDWARD HOOPER.

"December 19, 1751.

120

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"That the Committee were then called in again, and they presented the said paper to the Lords of the Council, and then withdrew, and were soon after acquainted by Mr. Sharpe, Clerk of the Council, that he was ordered by their Lordships to inform them that they have referred the said paper to the Attorney and Solicitor General to consider thereof and report to their Lordships in what manner the same might be most effectually carried into execution,
"Resolved, That the Common Council do concur with and approve of all the several steps taken by the Committee, and do, in a particular man ner, approve of, ratify and confirm (as the Act of the Common Council) the paper respectively signed by the Earl of Shaftesbury and the other four members of the Committee December the 19th, and by them deliv ered to the Lords of the Council.''

Further, on the 21st of March, 1752, the following action was taken by the common council; "Read a copy of a report from the Attorney and Solicitor General in answer to a reference from the Lords of the Committee of his Majesty's most Honorable Privy Council for Planta tion Affairs, directing them to consider in what manner the Trustees offer to surrender their trust into the hands of his Majesty might best be carried into execution, setting forth that it was their opinion a deed of surrender should be executed by the Common Council under their com mon seal, thereby to surrender their charter, and likewise to grant to his Majesty the one-eighth part of the lands in Georgia granted and sold to the Trustees by the Right Honorable John Lord Carteret.
'' Resolved, That the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America, or any three or more of them, do, at such time and in such manner as they shall think fit, surrender and yield up to his Majesty the charter granted by his Majesty to the said Trustees bearing date the 9th of June, 1732, and likewise that they do grant to his Majesty the oneeighth part of the lands and territories lying within the limits described in the said charter granted and sold to the said Trustees by the Right Honorable John Lord Carteret, by an indenture bearing date the 28th of February, 1732.
"Resolved, That the Trustees, or any three or more of them, be, and they are, hereby empowered accordingly to affix the seal of the corpo ration to such surrender and grant whicfh shall be prepared by the Attor ney and Solicitor General in pursuance of an order of the Lords of Committee of his Majesty's most Honorable Privy Council for Planta tion Affairs, bearing date the 19th day of December, 1751."
Contemplating the change in the form of government which would follow the surrender of the charter, the lords justices, seconded by the privy council, issued a proclamation declaring that, until a new system should be adopted, the officers of every sort in Georgia, holding appoint ments from the trustees, should hold over, with the same regulations as to compensation for services rendered, until their successors should be named, and Mr. Benjamin Martyn was made the agent of the colony, ip

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

121

PATRICK GRAHAM SUCCEEDS PRESIDENT PARKER
just when Mr. Parker died we have no positive information, but upon his death Patrick Graham was made president, with James Habersham, Noble Jones, Pickering Robinson, and Francis Harris as assistants. We learn from information given by these officers in a communication to the Board of Trade, on the llth of April, 1753, that a census had just then been taken by which it was shown that the population of the colony amounted to 3,447, of whom 2,381 were white and 1,066 were blacks, the population of Savannah being somewhere between seven and eight hundred; but this enumeration did not include the troops in service, or the boatmen, or the Midway settlement just from South Carolina, with their slaves, or Butler's colony. At that time six vessels were docked at Savannah, loading for London and for American ports. The silk industry had been in the hands of Mr. Pickering Robinson who was suc ceeded at this time by Joseph Ottolenghe, who had been educated in the manner of caring for filatures in Italy; and this brings us to the period when Georgia became a royal province, with a governor at her head with a commission from the king of England.

CHAPTER XIY
CIVIL, RELIGIOUS AND ROYAL
GOVERNOR JOHN REYNOLDS (1754)--CHANGES UNDER NEW GOVERNMENT --GOVERNOR REYNOLDS ARRIVES--GUBERNATORIAL PROCLAMATIONCOLLAPSE OF COUNCIL HOUSE--NEW COUNCIL HOUSE--NOTES PROM AN EARLY "PLAN OF SAVANNAH"--REYNOLDS' ADMINISTRATION DISAP POINTING--HENRY ELLIS SUCCEEDS REYNOLDS--JAMES WRIGHT FOL LOWS ELLIS--PROVINCE DIVIDED INTO PARISHES--SECOND SAVANNAH CHURCH (CHRIST CHURCH PARISH)--INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH--LUTHERAN CHURCH ORGANIZED--GEORGE III SUCCEEDS GEORGE II--PUBLIC CEREMONIES PROCLAIMING NEW SOVEREIGN.
Anticipating the change which the surrender of the colonial char ter necessitated, the lords commissioners for trade and plantations were clothed with authority to prepare a plan for the government of Georgia and to lay the same before the privy council. This they did on the 5th of March, 1754, and the plan submitted by them was approved.
GOVERNOR JOHN REYNOLDS (1754)
A commission was issued to Capt. John Reynolds as governor which conferred upon him the full title of '' Captain-General and Governor-inChief of his Majesty's Province of Georgia, and Vice-Admiral of the same." The commission was dated the 6th of August, 1754, and sail ing from England a few days thereafter he arrived at Savannah on the 29th of October following.
CHANGES UNDER NEW GOVERNMENT
Before taking up the affairs of his administration, let us consider the changes required by the adaption of the plan adopted. The new system differed materially from that which existed under the trustees, but was in conformity with that of the other colonies older than Georgia. The governor could call an assembly capable of pnaking laws, create courts to enforce the laws, grant lands, and do other things not theretofore lawful. He had as his advisors twelve men of position and influence, called the council, and under him were officers to collect customs and duties, to look after quit-rents and grants of lands, in addition to the very important ones of secretary, provost-marshal, and attorney-general.
122

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

123

The colonial seal was changed in accordance with the following action: "Order of Council at the Court of Kensington, 21st of June,
1754. "Present, the King's most Excellent Majesty in Council. "Upon reading at the Board a representation from the Lords Com
missioners for Trade and Plantations, setting forth that his Majesty, having been graciously pleased to approve of a plan for the establish ment of a civil government in his Majesty's Colony of Georgia in Amer ica, and it appearing necessary that a public seal should be prepared for sealing all public documents there, according to the method practiced in all his Majesty's colonies in America, the said commissioners have therefore prepared the draught of such a seal as to them seems to be proper for the said Colony of Georgia, wherein a figure, representing the Genius of the Colony, is described, offering a skein of silk to his Majesty, with the motto, Hinc laudem sperate Coloni, and around the circumference, Sigilliini ProvincMe nostrae Georgiae in America; and on the obverse are his Majesty's arms, crown, garter, supporters, and motto, with the inscription, Georgius II Dei Gratia Magnae Britanniae Fr. et Hib. Rex Fidei Defensor, Brunswici et Lmecbergi, Dux, Sacri Romani Imperii Archi Thesaiisarius et Princeps Elector.
"His Majesty, in Council, took the same into consideration, and was pleased to approve of the same draught, and to order that his Majesty's Chief Engraver of Seals do forthwith engrave one silver seal for the use , of his Majesty's Colony of Georgia, according to the said draught, and of the same size with those sent to his Majesty's Provinces of South and North Carolina; and the said Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations are to prepare a warrant for his Majesty's royal signature to the said engraver, as usual upon the like occasions, and to direct him to lay the said seal before his Majesty at this Board for his royal Appro bation.
"(Signed) W. SHARPE."

The following are the names of the first council of Governor John Reynolds and the chief officers of his province: Councillors: Patrick Graham, Sir Patrick Houstoun, Bart,, James Habersham, Alexander Kellett, William Clifton, Noble Jones, Pickering Robinson, Francis Harris, Jonathan Bryan, William Russell.
Secretary of the Province, James Habersham; Attorney-General, William Clifton; Provost-Marshal, Alexander Kellett; Naval Officer, William Russell; Surveyors, Henry George and John Gerar William DeBrahm.

GOVERNOR REYNOLDS ARRIVES
The coming of Governor Reynolds is thus recorded, together with the solemn act of his inauguration, in the minutes of the president and assistants at a meeting held on the 30th of October, 1754, at which were present Patrick Graham, president, James Habersham, Noble Jones, Pickering Robinson and Francis Harris, assistants: "Yesterday in the

124

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

afternoon John Reynolds, Esq., who came over in His Majesty's Ship the Port Mahon, landed at this Town, and this morning the Board waited on the said John Reynolds, Esq., in Council, when he produced his most sacred Majesty's Commission or Letters patent, bearing date at Kensing ton the sixth day of August, 1754, in the twenty-eighth year of his Majesty's reign, commissionating him the said John Reynolds, Esq., his said Majesty's Captain General and Governor in Chief of the Colony of Georgia in America; and the said Commission being read, Patrick Gra ham, Esq., delivered up the chair to his Excellency.
"The Board, on this occasion, cannot omit acknowledging with the greatest gratitude his Majesty's paternal care in appointing and send ing over a Governor and settling the Government of this Province which was so much wanted.
"PAT. GRAHAM,
"JAMES HABERSHAM."
The next day (October 31) all of the council were present, except William Clifton, who hatf not- arrived in the province, and all took the oath of office except William Russell who "very respectfully declined the Honor intended him." After giving attention to certain preliminary acts, the commission of Governor Reynolds was read, then ordered to be recorded in the office of the secretary of the province and that it "be read and published at the head of the militia now under arms before the Council Chamber."

GUBERNATORIAL PROCLAMATION Then the following proclamation was read:

"GEORGIA--By his Excellency, John Reynolds, Esq. "Captain General, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over his Majesty's said Province, and Vice Admiral of the same. "Whereas his Majesty by his Royal Proclamation given at Whitehall the twenty-fifth day of June, 1752, did continue all officers then duly and lawfully possessed of, or invested in any office or trust Ecclesias tical, Civil or Military, in his Majesty's said Province in their respective offices and employments until his Majesty's pleasure should be further
known. "And whereas, his Majesty's said proclamation does now of course
determine, therefore, that the execution of Justice may not be obstructed, and that good order and tranquillity may be preserved within his Majesty's said Province, till other measures for that purpose can be taken, I have, by and with the advice and consent of his Majesty's Honourable Council, thought fit to issue this my proclamation, requiring and commanding, and I do hereby require and command all officers duly and legally invested in any office, Ecclesiastical, Civil or Military, in his Majesty's said Province, to continue to exercise their respective trusts and offices, until further orders. And I do hereby command and require all his Majesty's subjects in the said Province to be obedient to and aid ing and assisting the said officers in the performance and execution of their respective offices, as they will answer the contrary at their peril.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

125

"Given under my hand and the Great Seal of this his Majesty's Prov ince in the Council Chamber at Savannah, this thirty-first day of Octo ber, 1754, in the twenty-eighth year of his Majesty's reign.
"By his Excellency's command. "JOHN REYNOLDS.
"JAMES HABERSHAM, Secretary. (Seal of the Province.)
"Ordered, That his Excellency's proclamation be forthwith published by beat of drum as usual in this Town."
The reception of John Reynolds as their governor by the people was all that he could wish in the way of showing their belief that his inaug uration would be for their welfare and happiness. It is recorded that everyone showed the greatest respect for him and that all rejoiced, at his coming, as marked by the lighting of bonfires throughout the town at night, and the giving of a public dinner in his honor by the council who were joined in this act of esteem by the prominent citizens. This is the second instance recorded of a social function prepared on a large scale in Savannah. Bishop William Bacon Stevens has stated that the first ball given here was on the 27th of June, 1736, but does not give the authority for that statement. He quoted from a "record of the day" that "several gentlemen from South Carolina, arrived at Georgia, were entertained by Oglethorpe, and the night before leaving, a ball was given them by the ladies."*

COLLAPSE OF COUNCIL HOUSE
Scarcely had the new administration settled down to business when the building in which they met collapsed, and by the slightest chance the members of the council escaped with their lives. In the minutes of November 4th the secretary, after noting that the minutes of the last board were read and approved, added: "The house hitherto used for transacting public business, and in which the council and assembly met, being in a ruinous condition, and in appearance in great danger of falling, the Board took into consideration to provide a proper place for theirs and the Assembly's meeting, which they had hardly entered into, when they were alarmed with the falling of a stack of chimney and one end of the said house, and very providentially escaped being buried in the ruins, which obliged them immediately to quit it, and move to the Court House until some proper house could be provided, which neces sity now obliged them to take under their immediate consideration.
"It appeared to the Board that a large and commodious house erected at the public expense, and intended for lodging and sorting cocoons would be very proper, if fitted up, for public offices; and they likewise understood that it was at present of no use; but as it was thought proper not to divert anything proposed to accommodate or eneourage the valuable culture of silk, the Board sent for Mr. Ottolenghe, who has the whole care and management of the said culture, to know whether the said house would be wanted for that purpose.
* The Magnolia, or Southern Monthly, Vol. IV, p. 343--June, 1842.

126

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"Mr. Ottolenghe attended, and after being acquainted with the reason of his being sent for, informed the Board that he should have no further use for the said house. Therefore, his Excellency ordered James Habersham, Noble Jones and Jonathan Bryan, Esqs., to examine what was necessary to be done to make it fit for public offices, and to re port the same to this Board."
Those gentlemen, on the 6th, made a statement of the business, and had with them workmen skilled in their trades in order that they might make estimates of the probable cost of the necessary repairs, and after a conference, they desired a day or so in which to consider the matter and submit proposals for the work. Time was granted, and when their bids were submitted on the 9th, they were accepted, but when the work was finished the record does not show.

NEW COUNCIL HOUSE
A new council house was, at the same time, provided for, and we find that on the 20th of February, 1755, the workmen employed in that busi ness were ordered to appear and submit their bills so that the same could be examined with a view to their payment. For some reason, a conclusion in the matter was not reached until April 14th, when the secretary made this record: "The account for the whole expense for fit ting up the new Council House and public Gaol, with proper vouchers for payment of the same was laid before the Board, amounting to 256.7.814, his Excellency the Governor and Alexander Killett, Noble Jones and Pickering Robinson, Esqs. (in order to discharge the said expense) drew on Benjamin Martyn, Esq., in two sets of bills of Ex change, both dated this day, payable at thirty days sight to Messrs. Harris and Habersham, or order, namely one set for 220 and the other for 36.7.81/4, both together amounting to the aforesaid sum of 256 ^.S'Vi, which was in part of the sum of 500 allowed for the contingent expenses of this Government, and of which they likewise advised said Mr. Martyn in their letter of this date.''
At the same meeting the board found it necessary to take action in the matter of an act of lawlessness which seems remarkable for that time when it would seem that the committing of such an act could hardly be done without detection: "The Board being informed that some idle and illminded persons had thrown some of the great guns off that bluff before this Town into the River, it was ordered that any person or persons that will discover who committed the said offense shall, upon the conviction of the offender or offenders, be entitled to a reward of five pounds sterling."

NOTES FROM AN EARLY "PLAN OF SAVANNAH"
About to make use of certain information given in a plan of the city of Savannah, made at an early date by John Gerar William De Brahm, a word or so in regard to that man may well serve here as a preface to what follows. In the dedication of his "History of the Three Provinces of South Carolina, Georgia and East Florida" to the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

127

jjjngj he says: "By your Majesty's Commission, dated the 26th of June, 1764, I had the Honour to be appointed Surveyor for the South ern District of North America, and was ordered to make General Sur veys both of the inlands and sea coasts, with the soundings as well on the coasts as within the harbors, to obtain their latitudes and longitudes, and to make such remarks as might conduce to the security and informa tion of your Majesty's subjects who may navigate those seas." Further on, he says "The author begins his remarks in the year 1751," and that the history "is concreted from abstracts of journies, astronomical observations, actual surveys and voyages performed by the author from the year 1751 to 1771." There is no way by which the date of the plan of Savannah accompanying the work may be ascertained, but it is reasonable to suppose that the buildings indicated thereon were either

POSTOFFICE, AMERICUS
in existence at the later date or had been erected previous to that year. Thus, he locates an Exchange on the spot where a building so-called was located and was demolished to make room for the present city hall in recent years, and which building we know was erected in 1799; but of an earlier edifice with the same name we have no other information than that of De Brahm in his plan. Some things we learn from his sketch will properly be mentioned here in connection with the building of the new council house in the time of Governor Reynolds. He locates the "Old Council House" on the lot now occupied by the postoffice and United States courthouse on W'right square, which is 'bounded by Bull, York, Whitaker and President streets, while he places the "New Council" on the lot bounded by Abereorn, Congress, Lincoln and St. Julian streets on Reynolds square. The governor's house was on the lot bounded by Barnard, State, Jefferson and President streets on what is now Telfair Place, which was continued as such until the end of Sir
i Wright's administration; but he gives the place of residence of

128

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

John Reynolds as the lot bounded by Abercorn, York, Lincoln and President streets, on Ogiethorpe square, while his own home was on the lot just across President street from that of Reynolds, namely, bounded by Abercorn, President, Lincoln and State; and of his residence he says: '' The author had built, in the lowest part of the city a house in the year 1760, a season of remarkable drought, he sunk a well twenty-four feet deep, wherewith he obtained eighteen inches water, and after three hours in vain digging for sinking the curb deeper in the quicksand, he at last had the well wall set up, and his well water proved not only of the best kind of this city but has always water in abundance for himself and neighbors in time of scarcity." Tomochichi's tomb was located in the very center of Wright square, thus proving that the account of the burial of that chief by writers who lived at the time was taken as abso lutely correct at this short time thereafter and the correct location of the grave preserved on this plan for the information of all following generations. He shows the "Old Prison" just across President street, from the old council house, on Wright square, bounded by Bull, President, State and Whitaker streets, where Armory Hall, the home of the Chat ham Artillery, now stands. There was in his day a "Beef Market" where our present city market now holds a place. A dial then marked the spot where General Greene's monument is, and there was a well at the intersection of Bull street and Ogiethorpe avenue. The block now occupying the lot bounded by Barnard, Bryan, Whitaker and St. Julian streets was then called "Indian Meeting;" * while the lots whereon the courthouse and the Southern Church of the Ascension now stand were then called respectively "Old Basilua" and "New Basilua." The Filature stood there when it was first erected and where it always stood from the time of its erection in 1751 until its destruction by fire in 1839, where Cassel Row is now located, on the lot bounded by Aber corn, President, Lincoln and Bryan streets, on Reynolds square, and that was the building to which Governor Reynolds' council moved when the old council chamber collapsed on the 4th of November, 1754.

REYNOLDS' ADMINISTRATION DISAPPOINTING
The administration of Governor Reynolds was not a long one, nor was it a successful one. He wrote an account of his arrival in the prov ince and his cordial reception, and then described Savannah as "well situated and contains about a hundred and fifty houses, all wooden ones, very small, and mostly very old. The biggest was used for the meeting of the President and Assistants, wherein I sat with the Council for a few days, but one end fell down whilst we were all there, and obliged us to move to a kind of shed behind the Court House, which, being quite unfit I have given orders, with the advice of the Council, to fit up the shell of a house which was lately built for laying up the silk, but was never made use of," etc. He held a conference with the Indians en deavoring to keep them in a state of friendliness; called for an infantry force of one hundred and fifty men, and for cannon, small arms and
* Evidently the word Independent was intended.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

129

ammunition for the better defense of the territory; and, during an inspection of the southern portion of his dominion, became so much
impressed with the location of the little place called Hardwicke, on the Great Ogeechee river that he suggested it to the lords commissioners for
trade and plantations as the only place in his opinion "fit for the capital and strongly urging the removal of the seat of government from
Savannah thither. His successor, Gov. Henry Ellis, had the same
opinion in regard to this matter, but the home government did not heed
the recommendation, and Hardwicke never became the important place so confidently expected by those two royal governors. It may be proper
to remark here that the name was given to this place by Governor Reyn olds in honor of his kinsman, the lord high chancellor of England,
and that the place was selected by him as a proper place for a town and
as "the only fit place for the capital" and the name given on the 4th of February, 1755, but it had first received the name of the '' Elbow on Great Ogeechee River/' and changed on May 10, 1754, to "George
town." In the same letter to the lords commissioners, of the 1st of May, he said ''There are many objections to this town of Savannah being
so [the capital] besides its being situated at the extremity of the prov
ince, the slowness of the river, and the great height of the land, which is very inconvenient in the loading and unloading of ships.''
The favorable impression made by Governor Reynolds on the people of Georgia at his first coming soon gave way to a decided feeling of dis
appointment which grew into a positive dislike and repugnance, the out growth of a disagreement between the man and his council. He was selfish, and demanded of the home government an increase in his salary, on
the ground that living was expensive and that it would cost him at least
all of his present salary "to live as a private gentleman without any regard to the dignity of his office, the perquisites whereof he perceives will be extremely low.'' He charged the general assembly with disrespect
of himself and his office, and, among other things, plainly showed that he considered some of their number as not only incompetent, but even unfaithful in the performance of their duties as legislators. Offsetting
these charges it was held that Governor Reynolds did not give as much
of his personal attention to his office as he should; that soon after taking the oath he practically committed the affairs of his administration to William Little, a surgeon in the navy, brought over by the governor as
his private secretary who was unfit for the responsibilities of the office and "of the most despotic principles.' 7 The council, at a meeting held September 30, 1755, adopted a paper remonstrating against the further
employment of Little and demanding his dismissal in these words: "That the Council cannot sufficiently lament the possibility that it
should be in the power of a man of a bad head and worse heart (for he must have both to fit him for the undertaking) to lessen or invalidate your Excellency's wonted confidence in your natural Councillors who have collectively and individually given incontestable proofs of their loyalty to his most sacred Majesty, of their zeal for your Excellency's
Government and of their affection for your person; yet they confess that the Council can only attribute to such an influence, an unfortunate influ
ence to this infant Colony, should it in the least prevail, that your ExVol. I-y

130

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

eellency is pleased to issue proclamations without their advice and con sent, even in affairs in which they are to have the honour of co-operating with your Excellency; by means whereof they are precluded from giving their opinion as it is there duty to do;" and, charging Little with forgery, illegal commitments and arbitrary behavior, they stated that
the only remedy for the whole unsettled state of affairs was the prompt dismissal of the man. The remonstrance was of no avail and Governor
Reynolds refused to comply with the demand.

HENRY ELLIS SUCCEEDS REYNOLDS
Representations were made to the lords of trade of such a nature that they felt obliged to take notice of the matter, and a letter written by them on the 5th of August, 1756, but not received by him until Feb ruary 16, 1757, made the demand on him "that he should return to England, to the end that an account of the present situation and circum stances of the province, and of his conduct in the administration of the government there, might be laid before his Majesty for his further directions, and to resign the Government of the Colony into the hands of Henry Ellis, Esq." That letter was written in response to an order from the king, at AA7h itch all, directing that the lords commissioners for trade and plantations "should immediately direct Governor Reyn olds to come to England to answer for his conduct in his Government," and in that order was the "recommendation of Henry Ellis, Esq., to be appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Georgia during the absence of Mr. Reynolds." Promptly on the receipt of the letter Reynolds sailed for England in a merchant ship, the Charming Martha; but before his departure the following transaction took place by which the government passed out of his hands never to be resumed:
"Council met 16th February, 1767. "Present: His Excellency John Reynolds, Esq., and Henry Ellis, Esq., and Sir Patrick Houstoun, Bart,; James Habersham, Francis Har ris, Jonathan Bryan, James Mackay, James Edward Powell, James Read and Patrick Mackay, Esqs. "Mr. Ellis then produced a letter which he told his Excellency he was ordered to deliver to him, and after his Excellency had perused the same he acquainted Mr. Ellis he was informed that his Majesty had been pleased to appoint him Lieutenant-Governor of this Province, that he was ordered to go to England, and he should accordingly obey his Majesty's commands. "Mr. Ellis then produced his most sacred Majesty's Commission, bearing date at Kensington the fourth day of August, 1756, in the thir tieth year of his Majesty's reign, appointing him Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Georgia, and in case of the death or during the ab sence of his Majesty's Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of the said Province now and for the time being authorizing him to exercise and perform all and singular the powers and directions contained in his Majesty's Commission to the said Captain-General and Governor-inChief according to such instructions as have been or may hereafter be received from his Majesty, which said commission was read and duly

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

131

published in the presence of the said John Reynolds, Esq., and the gentlemen of the Council above named.
''Then Mr. Ellis took all the state oaths appointed by law, declared and subscribed the test, and also took the oaths for administering the government and for securing the Acts of Trade and Navigation. * * * Then John Reynolds, Esq., delivered to his Honor the Great Seal of the Province, and also acquainted his Honor he should deliver to him the papers he was possessed of agreeably to his Majesty's orders, and there upon left the Council Chamber."
The reception of Governor Ellis was as hearty and as demonstrative as that accorded to his predecessor, and the expectation of the people that he would prove to be more friendly to them and more inclined to respect their wishes and to look after their welfare was fully realized. A pleasing incident connected with his reception was the cordial wel come extended him by an association of school-boys banded together as a military company who, through their commander, after parading and passing in review before the governor, presented to him an address in these words: "Sir:--The youngest militia of this Province presume by their Captain, to salute your Honour on your arrival. Although
we are of too tender years to comprehend the blessing a good governor is to a province, our parents will doubtless experience it in its utmost extent, and their grateful tale shall fix your name dear in our memories."
It is said that Governor Ellis always looked back through the fortyeight years of his after life to this as one of the most gratifying acts connected with his life in the province.
At the first meeting of the assembly following his inauguration, held June 16, 1757, he opened the session with this address: "I can with unfeigned sincerity declare that I enter upon this station with the most disinterested views, without prejudice to any man or body of men, or retrospect to past transactions or disputes, but animated with the warmest zeal for whatever concerns your happiness or the public utility, sincerely inclined to concur with yon in every just and necessary meas ure, and fully resolved that, if unfortunately my wishes and endeavors prove fruitless, to be the first to solicit my recall." Replying to those words, council assured him "that they congratulated him upon his arrival into the Province, and that they promised themselves, from his distinguished abilities, acknowledged probity, and unwearied applica
tion,, that the day of his arrival will prove the era of the prosperity of this colony."
His stewardship proved all that his constituents desired, and the termination of his incumbency, brought about by ill-health which neces sitated his request for a recall, was a matter of regret on all sides. Of his administration Bishop Stevens has written these choice words: ''The period of his connection with Georgia will ever be in her history like the calm hour of sunshine after a tempest has blackened the sky.'' It was during his term of service that the troublesome Bosomworth litigation was finally settled, and that alone is sufficient to cause his name to be held in remembrance by all Georgians who take an interest in the history of the illustrious commonwealth. That his administration of the affairs of the province was entirely

132

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

satisfactory to the people proof exists in the reference made to him by the council in the speech of that body addressed to his successor Sir James Wright.

JAMES WEIGHT FOLLOWS ELLIS
Awaiting the time when he could hand over to the newly appointed governor the great seal of the colony, Ellis, suffering' under the in jurious effect of the climate upon his health, had to remain at his post until the arrival of Gov. James Wright whose commission had been signed in time for him to leave England in the fall of 1760, and insured his arrival at Savannah in the month of October. Wright first appeared in the assembly on the 5th of November (the departure of Ellis having occurred on the 2d), when his assumption of the duties devolving upon him is thus recorded in the journal of the upper house of that day. "His Honour James Wright, Esq., Lieutenant-Governor and Commanderin-Chief of this Province, came to this House and sent a message to the Commons House of Assembly by the master in chancery requiring their attendance in this House immediately." The two houses having assem bled in joint session, the governor's address was then delivered. It began with these words: "His Majesty having been pleased to permit his Excellency Governor Ellis to return to Great Britain and to honour me with the appointment of Lieutenant-Governor of this Province, the administration is now, on his Excellency's departure, devolved upon me," etc. In reply, the council made an address beginning "We, his Majesty's most dutiful and loving subjects, the Council of Georgia in General Assembly met, beg leave to return your Honour our unfeigned thanks for your speech to both Houses of Assembly and to present our hearty congratulations to your Honour on your safe arrival in this Province.
"However sensibly we regret the departure of his Excellency Gov ernor Ellis, we do with great sincerity assure your Honour that it is with the highest satisfaction we see your Honour appointed to preside over us," etc.
The departure of Henry Ellis was a source of the deepest regret to every citizen of Georgia, and numerous complimentary addresses were presented to him by such bodies as the merchants and citizens of Sa vannah and Augusta and the Georgia Society. The Union Society, under whose care the Bethesda Orphan House had passed, presented him with a handsome piece of plate.

PROVINCE DIVIDED INTO PARISHES
Probably the most important event in the Ellis administration was the division of the province into parishes as provided for in an act of the assembly duly passed and approved March 17, 1758. By this legislation "the Town and District of Savannah extending up the Savannah river and including the islands therein, as far as the south east boundary of Goshen, from thence in a southwest line to the river Great Ogeechee, and from the Town of Savannah eastward as far as the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

133

mouth of the river Savannah, including the sea islands to the mouth of the river Great Ogeeckee, and all the settlements on the north side of the said river to the western boundaries thereof" became Christ Church parish. The other parishes were laid out in such manner as that Abercorn, Goshen and Ebenezer were in Saint Matthew's parish; the district, covering the country between the southern boundary of St. adjoining territory were in St. Paul; Hardwicke and other settlements south of the Great Ogeeckee and extending to the Midway were placed in Saint Philip's parish; the lands lying south of the Midway and ex tending to Newport were in the parish of Saint John; Darien and its district, covering the county between the southern boundary of St. John's and the Altamaka river formed the parish of Saint Andrew; and "tke Town and district of Frederica, including the islands of Great and Little Saint Simon, and the adjacent islands" received the name of the parish of Saint James. The church in Savannah and the burial-place used in connection with it were, by the same act, named the Parish Church and Cemetery of Christ Church; and it was enacted that "Bartholomew Zouberbuhler, clerk, the present Minister of Savan nah, shall be the rector and incumbent of the said Church of Christ Church and he is hereby incorporated and made one body politic and corporate by the name of the rector of Christ Church in the town of Savannah; and shall be and he is hereby enabled to sue and be sued by such name in all courts within this province, and shall have the care of souls within the said parish, and shall be in the actual possession of the said church with its cemetery and appurtenances, and shall hold and enjoy the same to his and his successors, together with the glebe land already granted to him, and the messuage or tenement near to the said church, with all and singular the buildings and appurtenances there unto belonging, and also all other lands, tenements and hereditaments as shall or may hereafter be given and granted to the said church or the incumbent thereof.''
Mr. Zouberbuhler was appointed rector of that church in 1745 and he served until 1765. The ministers down to the time of his appointment were Dr. George Herbert, in 1733; Samuel Quincy, 1733-1736; John Wesley, 1736-1737; George Whitefield, at times from 1738 to 1770, dur ing which time the church was also served by the Rev. Mr. Dyson, chap lain of Ogletkorpe's regiment, Mr. James Habersham as reader, and by the Rev. William Norris, D. D., in 1739; Rev. Christopher Orton, 1741-1742, and Rev. Thomas Bosomwortk, 1743-1745.

SECOND SAVANNAH CHURCH (CHRIST CHURCH PARISH)
We are here brought to the consideration of the date of the founding of the second church established in Savannah and the circumstances under which it was founded; and happily the records of the time can be brought forward to prove more on this subject than previous writers have been able to discover. As early as during the presidency of Will iam Stephens some of the citizens of the province, seemingly dissatisfied with the preaching of clergymen of the Church of England, expressed a desire to have one of a different denomination employed for their edifi-

134

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

cation. The Earl of Egmont thus refers to the subject in his journal, under date January 16, 1744: "Mr. John, Joachim Zublie with a paper sign 7d by several Inhabitants of Vernonburg and the Villages adjacent address to the Trustees dated Savannah 6 Feb., 1742-3, desiring a Minis ter of Caivinistical principles, and recommending the said Zublie of St. Gall in Swizzerland, son of David Zublie of Purysburg in Carolina
for the said purpose, attended," and on the 23d of that month he wrote "Mr. Zublie attended, and being ask'd what he demanded for going Minister to Vernonburg and Acton, he proposed 50 per annum and his expenses of going thither as well as his coming from Swizzerland. The Trustees acquainted him they could not agree to his proposals." Those two statements are also found, nearly in the identical words, in the official journal of the trustees of those two dates, except that after demanding of Mr. Zubly what he required and receiving his reply, it is recorded that '' then he withdrew. Resolved, That Mr. Zoubli be acquainted that the Trustees cannot Agree to his Proposals."
Again, the journal of the trustees shows that on the 1st of Novem ber, 1745, a petition was read from Mr. Zouberbuhler, dated October 31, 1745, setting forth that he had gone from his home in St. Gall, Swit zerland, with his father and other Swiss families to Purysburg, South Carolina, where his father died and the petitioner went to Charleston; that while there, finding several of his countrymen residing near the city being destitute of a minister, the Rev. Mr. Garden, commissary of the bishop of London, recommended to his lordship that the petitioner be qualified for that service by receiving deacon's and priest's orders; that in journeying to England the petitioner was so long delayed before he could receive holy orders that his countrymen in Carolina had decided not to wait longer, but had actually engaged a Mr. Giezen Tanner to officiate among them; that hearing Mr. Bosomworth would not return to Savannah, the petitioner offered himself for the position made vacant by the departure from Georgia of Mr. Bosomworth; and he then "laid before the Trustees the Deeds of his Ordination as Deacon and Priest by the Bishop of London," whereupon it was resolved "That the Rev. Mr. Barth. Zouberbuhler be appointed the Missionary at Savan nah in the Province of Georgia in the room of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Bosomworth who has quitted the Colony." Accordingly it was recorded in the minutes of November 11, 1745, that the trustees "desire the Society [for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts] will transfer the allow ance of fifty Pounds a year from the Rev. Mr. Thomas Bosomworth to the Rev. Mr. Bartholomew Zouberbuhler, who is embarked on board the Ship Judith for the Province of Georgia."
Again, the German and Swiss settlers at Vernonburg and Acton, in 1745, brought a petition to the trustees renewing their request for a minister, stating "that they were more than two hundred and forty in Number, Men, Women, and Children," and "all agreeing in the same Protestant Confession according to the Institution of Calvin, and desir ing that the Rev. Mr. Joachim Zubli might be appointed their Minister." Then we have the record that "The Trustees took the same into consider ation, and, after reading the Minutes November 1st, 1745, by which the Rev. Mr. Bartholomew Zouberbuhler was appointed Minister at Savan-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

135

nah, who undertook to officiate not only in the English' Language to the Inhabitants of Savannah, but in the German and French likewise to the aforesaid Inhabitants of Yernonburg and Acton.
"Resolved, That it be recommended to the said Mr. Zouberbukler to make an Allowance of ten pounds per Ann. to the Rev. Mr. Joachim Zubli, on condition that the said Mr. Zubli officiate for him as an Assistant at the aforesaid places of Yernonburg and Acton, etc., which are at too great a Distance for the Women and Children especially, to go to Divine Worship; and that the said Allowance to commence from the time that the said Mr. Zouberbnhler shall receive a third Servant to be main tained for him by the Trust, during his making the said Allowance.
"Resolved, That it be recommended to the Common Council to maintain a third Servant for Mr. Zouberbuhler, during his making an Allowance of ten pounds per Ann. to the aforesaid Mr. Zubli." Pro vision was at the same time made for the erection of "a tabernacle for Divine Worship (which might serve likewise for a school)."
After the embarkation of Mr. Zouberbuhler on board the ship Judith, the common council resolved "that the passage of Mr. Barth. Zouber buhler in the cabin of the ship Judith be defray'd, and that his Clergy man's Habit, his charges of his Journey to Gosport, and the bedding purchased there for him be paid for."
That Mr. Zubly preceded Air. Zouberbuhler in taking passage for Georgia there seems to be no doubt, although the date of the sailing of the former cannot be definitely ascertained. He must have departed from England before the summer of 1745, as we find that on the 3d of August of that year the president and assistants (Pres. Wm. Stephens, and assistants Henry Parker, Wm. Spencer and Samuel Marcer being present) acted favorably upon a petition of certain, inhabitants of Yernonburg, Acton arid Hampstead for material, for the building of a tabernacle which should serve also for a school, in which it was stated that the distance was too great for them to attend divine worship in Savannah "where sometimes they have had opportunity of hearing the word of God preached to them by the Reverend Mr. Zubli."
The villages of Acton and Yernonburg were mentioned by De Brahm as "upon Yernou River." Vernonburg is now White Bluff3, although the place has been incorporated by the Georgia legislature by its original name, but the name of White Bluff is the one by which it is, and probably always will be, called. Like Thunderbolt, which is by legal enactment the town of Warsaw, the old name clings to it, and the people seem de termined not to let it pass out of remembrance. And we arc here reminded to make the statement that Warsaw is indeed a misnomer, as it is without doubt the name given by the Indians to the neighboring island which they called Wassaw. De Brahm further mentions Hamp stead and Highgate as "upon the Head of Yeriion River." The Vernon, like the Midway, is a very short stream, and its head is but a short distance above the village of White Bluff.
On the 16th ol' January, 1756, a grant, signed by J. Reynolds, in the name of George the Second, conveyed to Jonathan Bryan, James Edward Powell, Robert Bolton, James Miller, Joseph Gibbons, William Gibbons, Benjamin Farley, William Wright, David Fox the younger, and John

136

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Fox, as trustees, the lot in Savannah, known by the letter K, in Decker
ward, "to the intent and purpose that a Meeting House or place of wor ship for the service of Almighty God, be thereupon erected and built for the use and benefit of such of our loving subjects now residing, or that may at any time hereafter reside within the District of Savannah, in our said Province of Georgia, as are or shall be professors of the Doctrines of the Church of Scotland, agreeable to the Westminster Confession of Faith" with the proviso that if the meeting house should not be built within three years from the date of the grant, the lot should revert to the crown. At a meeting of the council held the same day, John Reyn olds, governor, and Councillors James Habersham, Alex. Kellett, Fran cis Harris, Jonathan Bryan and James Mackay being present, the governor signed certain grants, among which was the one to the above named, "in trust, a lot in Savannah for a Presbyterian Meeting House, known by letter K in Decker Ward.'' It will be well to remember while reading what follows that the word independent nowhere occurs in the records quoted, but that the church named was to be for those who were "professors of the doctrines of the Church of Scotland agreeable to the Westminster Confession of Faith," and that the grant itself was a "lot in Savannah for a Presbyterian Meeting House."

INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
With the advent of Mr. Zubly we turn naturally to the history of the church known as the Independent Presbyterian, as he appears to have been its first pastor. All writers who have taken up the subject state that its organization was effected previous to the year 1756, because that was the date of the grant from the Crown to James Powell, Robert Bolton, James Miller, Joseph Gibbons, William Gibbons, Benjamin Farley, William Wright, David Fox and James Fox of the lot known as a trust lot, bounded by St. Julian, Whitaker, Bryan and Barnard streets, on which to build a church. It is said by those claiming it was always independent, that the church was never in ecclesiastical connec tion with the Presbyterian church, but that its present name is really descriptive of its actual status from its very beginning, that is, that it is an independent church, free from the control of any higher court than that of its own session, but that its confession of faith is really "the doctrine of the Church of Scotland agreeably to the Westminster Con fession of Faith." It is admitted that Mr. Zubly was its first pastor, though it is not known when he became such nor when he began to per form his duties, nor where the services were first held. It is not even known when the church was built on the lot granted in 1756. Un fortunately there was no newspaper printed in the province until April 7, 1763, when the Georgia Gazette was started by James Johnson. The earliest notice we find in that paper of the intention to build a Presby terian house of worship is one dated April 29,1769, but appearing in the newspaper of Wednesday, May 3, signed by Lachlan MeGillivray, James Cuthbert, John Jamieson, and William Graeme, and is in these words: "The subscribers to the Presbyterian Meeting-House intended to be built in Savannah are desired to meet on Friday the 5th day of May

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

137

next, at ten o 'clock in the forenoon, at the house of Mr. Jonathan Peat,
to chuse Trustees, and take under consideration other matters relative to the said building." Another notice, signed by John Graham, Lachlan McGillivray, George Bailie, Lewis Johnson, John Roe, James Cuthbert, and William Graeme, appeared in the Gazette of Wednesday, Julv 19, following, addressed and giving information "to subscribers to the'Presbyterian Meeting-House that one-fifth of subscription money is immediately wanted, and to be paid into the Hands of Thomas and John Ross, Yendue masters."
The question naturally arises, could that have been the building erected on the lot in Decker ward granted for church purposes in 1756? Was the population of Savannah at that time large enough to warrant the use of two Presbyterian churches, especially as a large portion of the citizens worshiped in Christ church and were devoted to the ceremonial rites of the Church of England'! All the province of Georgia, at the end of the administration of Governor Ellis, 1760, did not have more than 9,578 inhabitants, of which number 6,000 were whites, * and many of that race lived on farms outside of the city. Was it possible, then, that there could have been two congregations in Savan nah at that time holding services according to the Westminster standards of religion ? Stress is laid upon the words of the grant that the church was founded according to "the doctrine of the Church of Scotland;" but if it was a different organization from that body engaged in the erection of a "Presbyterian Meeting-House," how can the presence of so many typical Scotch names on the list of members of the latter be accounted for? Every name mentioned in the two notices which appeared in the Gazette in May and July, 1769, is Scotch, and it would seem the most reasonable conclusion from that fact that those persons represented the congregation who so greatly desired to be classed as allies of the established church of the country they represented.
We glean some light on this question through a quotation from a letter of Mr. Zubly's to the Rev. Dr. Stiles, at Newport, Rhode Island, dated April 19,1769, and found in Dr. George Howe's "History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina." Mr. Zubly wrote: "Since my last, a Presbyterian meeting is set on foot in this place as the house I preach in is upon so general a plan as to receive the Westminster Confession of Faith. Some think it done out of opposition to me; how ever, Phil. 1:18." Commenting on that extract Doctor Howe remarks: "These allusions we do not fully understand. Dr. Zubly was ordained in the German Reformed Church at London, in August, 1744. There was no Presbyterian organization from which an effort of the kind alluded to could emanate but the Presbytery then in existence in South Carolina.''
Having, down to this point, given the facts cited by persons endeav
oring to prove on the one hand that the church began and has ever continued as an absolutely independent organization, but with form of worship in accord with the Presbyterian system, and by those contrari wise believing that its origin was under authority of some court of the

'" History of Georgia, by C. C. Jones, Jr., Vol. I, p. 541.

1

138

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Presbyterian church (presumably the Presbytery of South Carolina), we will bring this matter to a conclusion by reproducing the state ments of an author who has heretofore been entirely overlooked but whose testimony should be sufficient to satisfy even the most ardent opponent of the independence theory and so forever set at rest any doubt upon the subject. De Brahm, writing probably not later than 1771, on the 36th page of his "History of the Province of Georgia,"* and describing Savannah as it was then, says "The City consists of 400 Houses; a Church (Christ Church), an independent Meeting House, a Council House, a Court-House, and a Filatur." In the plan of flie town accompanying the description he marks the lot in Decker ward, granted in 1756, as "Indian Meeting," but with the light now before us we know, of course, that Independent was intended. And, lastly, on page 37, he says ''The prevailing Religion is, what is cultivated by the Church of England; next to this is the Lutheran & the inde pendent, then Calvinist. the Jews arc ye last," which shows that there was a Presbyterian church in the town besides the Independent; but the former must have had a precarious existence, as we find no evidence of its survival after the incident just mentioned.

LUTHERAN CHURCH ORGANIZED
Three years after the grant was made to the trustees of the Inde pendent church a Lutheran church was organized in the city, but it was too feeble to support a minister in its infancy. Founded in 1759, it had in 1771, according to the Rev. Samuel Frink, rector of Christ church from 1767 to 1771, 193 in its congregation.
Having witnessed the installation of his successor, Henry Ellis hastened his departure, and two days after the delivery of the great seal of the province to Wright he left the shores of Georgia, not to return again.
A little more than three months after the inauguration of LieutenantGovernor "Wright, the council and citizens generally were called upon to do reverence and for the first time to pay respect to the memory of a king, and that king the grantor of the charter under which the colony had been founded. The transaction was of such a solemn character and its im portance having been attested by the recording of the same in full upon the minute book of the assembly, it seems that a complete account of it deserves a place in this history, especially as it has probably never before been reproduced from the official account,

GEORGE III SUCCEEDS GEORGE II
The council met on Thursday, the 5th of February, 1761, when His Honor James Wright, lieutenant-governor, and only three of his asso ciates (Noble Jones, James Edward Powell, and William Clifton) were present. "His Honour acquainted the Board that late last Night he had received a Packet from the Lords Commissioners for Trade and
* Wornsloe, 1849.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

139

Plantations inclosing a Notification from the Lords of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council of the .Death of our late most gracious Sovereign King George the Second of blessed and glorious Memory; with directions for proclaiming his most sacred Majesty King George the Third; Also inclosing other Instructions and Proclamations neces sary on that Important Event--All which were by his Honour laid before the' Board and are as follows, viz:--
"A Letter from the Right Honorable the Lords of his Majesty's Privy Council as follows :--
" 'After our Hearty Congratulations--It having pleased Almighty God to take to his Mercy out of this troublesome Life our late Sovereign Lord King George the Second of Blessed and Glorious Memory, And therefore his Royal Majesty King George the Third being here pro claimed, We have thought fit to signify the same unto You, with direc tions that you do, with the Assistance of the Council and others of the principal Inhabitants and Planters of the Province of Georgia, forth with proclaim His most sacred Majesty King George the Third, accord ing to the form here inclosed with the Solemnities and Ceremonies requi site on the like Occasions.--And you are likewise to publish and proclaim a Proclamation for continuing the Officers in his Majesty's Plantations 'till his Majesty's Pleasure shall be further signified, which Proclamation will be transmitted to you by the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.--And so not doubting of your ready compliance herein We bid you hearty farewell. From the Council Chamber at Leicester House this 31st day of October, 1760.
Your Loving Friends, THO. CANT TEMPLE EM:
'Signed { GRANVILLE P.
GOWER,
R. NEUGENT.

" '(Subscription) on his Majesty's Service.
" 'To our Loving Friend, the Governor or Commander in Chief of Georgia. '
"The Proclamation of his Majesty King George the Third as follows: " 'Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God to call to his Mercy our late Sovereign Lord King George the Second of blessed and glorious Memory by whose Decease the Imperial Crown of Great Britain France and Ire land is also the Supreme Dominion and Sovereign Right of the Province of Georgia and all other his late Majesty's Dominions in America are solely and rightfully come to the high and mighty Prince George Prince of Wales We therefore the Lieutenant Governor and Council with Num bers of the Principal Inhabitants and Planters of this Province do now hereby with one full Voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart pub lish and Proclaim that the high and mighty Prince George Prince of Wales is now by the Death of our late Sovereign of happy and glorious Memory become our only lawfull and rightful liege Lord George the Third by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland

140

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Defender of the Faith Supreme Lord of the said Province of Georgia and all other his late Majesty's Territories and Dominions in America to whom we do acknowledge all Faith and constant Obedience with all hearty and humble Affection beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do Reign to bless the Royal King George the Third with long and happy Years to Reign over us Given.--
" 'God Save the King.' 11 An additional Instruction to his Honour the Governour as follows :-- 'George R. An additional Instruction to our Trusty and well beloved James Wright, Esq. our Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of our Province of Georgia in America. And in his Absence to the Com mander in Chief of the Said Province for the Time being Given at our Court at Leicester House the 31st Day of October 1760 in the first Year of o'"ur[LR.eSig.n].
" '"Whereas we have been pleased by our Order in Council of the 27th of October instant, (a copy whereby is hereunto annexed) to declare our Pleasure that in all the Prayers and Litanies and Collects for the Royal Family instead of the Words their Royal Highnesses, George, Prince of Wales, the Princess Dowager of Wales, the Duke and Duchesses and all the Royal Family, there should be inserted Her Royal Highness, the Princess Dowager of Wales and all the Royal Family. Our Will and Pleasure therefore is that in all the Prayers, Litanies and Collects for the Royal Family to be used within our Province of Georgia under your Government instead of the Words their Royal Highnesses, George Prince of Wales, the Princess Dowager of Wales, the Duke, the Princesses and all the Royal Family and for the better Notice thereof in our said Province. It is our further Will and Pleasure that you cause the same to be forthwith published in the several Parish Churches and other Places of Divine Worship within the said Province, and that you take Care that Obedience be paid thereto accordingly.'
'' Copy of the Order of Council as follows-- 'A Court at Saville House the twenty-seventh day of October, 1760--
" 'Present, 11 'The King's most Excellent Majesty in Council. " 'Whereas by the late Act of Uniformity which established the Liturgy, and enacts, That no Form or Order of Common Prayers be openly used in and by the said Book, it is notwithstanding, provided that in all those Prayers, Litanies and Collects which do anywise relate to the King, Queen or Royal Progeny, the Names be altered and changed from time to time and fitted to the present occasion according to the Direction of lawfull Authority. His Majesty was pleased this Day in Council to declare his royal Will and Pleasure that in all the Prayers, Liturgies and Collects for the Royal Family instead of the words [their Royal Highnesses, George Prince of Wales, the Princess Dowager of Wales, the Duke, the Princesses and all the Royal Family] be inserted [Her Royal Highness, the Princess Dowager of Wales and all the Royal Family]. And his Majesty doth strictly charge and command that no Edition of the Common Prayer be from henceforth printed but with this Amendment, and that in the meantime till copies of such Edition

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

141

may be had, all Parsons, Vicars and Curates within this Realm do (for the preventing of Mistakes) with the Pen correct and amend all such Prayers in their Church Books according to the aforegoing Direction; and for the better Notice hereof that this Order be forthwith printed and published and sent to the several Parishes and that the Eight Reverend, the Bishops do take care that Obedience be paid to the same accordingly.
" 'F. VERNON/ "A copy of the Proclamation for continuing the Officers in his Majesty's Plantations as follows, vizt.:
" 'By the King.
" 'A Proclamation. 11 'Declaring his Majesty's Pleasure for continuing the Officers in his Majesty's Plantations till his Majesty's Pleasure shall be further
signified. 11 'George R. 11 'Whereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Sixth Year of the
late Queen Ann of blessed Memory, "intituled an Act for the security of her Majesty's Person and Government and of the succession of the Crown of Great Britain in the Protestant Line," it was enacted (amongst other things) that no Office Place or Employment, Civil or Military, within any of her said late Majesty's Plantations should become void by Reason of the Demise or Death of her said late Majesty, her Heirs or Successors, Kings or Queens of this Realm; but that the Person and Persons in any of the Offices, Places or Employments aforesaid should continue in their respective Offices, Places and Employments for the Space of six Months next after such Death or Demise unless sooner removed and discharged by the next in Succession to whom the Crown of this Realm should come, remain and be according to the several Acts of Parliament for limiting and settling the Succession of the Crown as by the said recited Act may appear; and in Regard it may happen that our Pleasure may not within the- said Time be declared touching the said Offices, Places and Employments in our foreign Plantations which will at the End of the said six Months become void; We for preventing the Inconvenience that may happen thereby in our Princely Wisdom and Care of the State (reserving to our Judgment hereafter the Refor mation and Redress of any Abuses in the Execution of any such Offices, Places and Employments upon due Knowledge and Examination thereof). Have thought fit with the Advice of our Privy Council to issue this our Royal Proclamation, And do hereby order, signify and declare That all persons that at the Time of the Decease of our Royal Grand father, King George the Second of glorious Memory were duly and lawfully possessed of or invested in any Office, Place or Employment, civil or military, in any of our Plantations and which have not been since removed from such, their Offices, Places or Employments shall be and shall hold themselves continued in the said Offices, Places and Em ployments as formerly they held and enjoyed the same until our Pleasure be further known, or other Provisions be made pursuant to the Com missions and Instructions of our said late Royal Grandfather to his Governors and Officers of their Plantations aforesaid; And that in the mean Time for the Preservation of the Peace and necessary Proceedings

142

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

in Matters of Justice and for the Safety and Service of the State, all the said Persons of whatever Degree or Condition do not fail everyone severally according to his Place, Office or Charge to proceed in the Per formance and Execution of all Duties thereunto belonging as formerly appertained unto them during the Life of our late said Royal Grand father; And further we do hereby will and command all and singular our Subjects in the said Plantations of what estate or Degree they or any of them be to be aiding, helping and assisting at the Commandment of the said Officers in the Performance and Execution of the said Offices and Places as they tender our Displeasure and will answer the Contrary at their utmost Perils.
" 'Given at our Court in Saville House the twenty-seventh Day of October, one thousand seven and sixty in the first Year of our Reign.
'' ' God Save the King.' "Whereupon it was proposed by his Honour in Council that seventyseven Minute Guns be fired on Monday, the ninth Day of this Instant February, at Savannah between the Hours of nine and twelve in the Forenoon and that the High and mighty Prince George Prince of Wales be proclaimed throughout the Province our lawful and right ful Liege Lord George the third by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith Supreme Lord of this his Province of Georgia and all other his late Majesty's Territories and Dominions in America; at the Town of Savannah on Tuesday the tenth Day of this instant February; and also at Sunbury, Frederica, and Augusta, in the said Province under a triple Discharge of the Can non and Musquetry; and that the same be done in the Words and according to the Form transmitted hither by the Lords of his Majesty's most honourable privy Council, herein before inserted. "Also that his Majesty's Proclamation for continuing all Officers in his Plantations in their several Places and Employments until his Majesty's Pleasure shall be further signified, be published at the said several Places at the same Time. "And also that his Majesty's Instructions for an Alteration to be made in the Prayers for the Royal Family be likewise published and duly observed in the several Parish Churches and other Places of Divine Worship throughout the Province." At the next sitting of the council, Saturday, 7th February, it was stated in the Journal that "The several .Matters proposed on Thursday, the fifth of this Instant February, were at this Board read over, ap proved, and ordered to be carried into Execution." On Tuesday the 10th of February, 1761, "His Honour the Governor and the Council being assembled and a Proclamation in the Words and Form transmitted hither by the Lords of his Majesty's most honourable privy Council having been prepared fair, wrote on a large Sheet of Paper the same was subscribed by his Honour and the Council As also by Numbers of the Principal Inhabitants and Planters of the Prov ince who attended for that Purpose, and is as follows, viz.: "Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God to call to his Mercy our late Sovereign Lord King George the Second of blessed and glorious Memory, by whose Decease the imperial Crown of Great Britain France

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

143

and Ireland, as also the supreme Dominion and sovereign Right of the Province of Georgia and all other his late Majesty's Dominions in America are solely and rightfully come to the high and Mighty Prince, George Prince of Wales; We therefore, the Lieutenant Governor and Council with Numbers of the Principal Inhabitants and Planters of this Province do now hereby with one full Voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that the High and Mighty Prince George, Prince of Wales is now by the Death of our late Sovereign of happy and glorious Memory become our only lawful! and Rightful! Liege Lord, George the Third by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Supreme Lord of the said Province of Georgia and all other his late Majesty's Territories and Dominions in America; to whom We do acknowledge all Faith and constant Obedience with all hearty and humble Affection; beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign to bless the Royal King George the third with long and happy years to reign over Us. Given at the
Council Chamber in Savannah the tenth Day of February in the year cf our Lord, one seven hundred and sixty-one.
"God Save the King.
"Signed--Phil Delegal, William Francis, James DeVeaux, Tuigo Joues, Henry Parker, John .Morel, William Ewen, William Dews, Joseph Summers, James Mossman, Jno. Simpson, James Parker, Benja Goldwire, Pickering Robinson, AVilliam Handley, Charles "Watson, Matt Roche, W. G. D. Brahm, Grey Elliott, John Milledge, James Read, Ed mund Tannalt, David Montaigue, Thos. Hooper, Benjamin Farley, Lewis Johnson, Clemt Martin, James Wright, Patrick Houstoun, James Habersham, N. Jones, Francis Harris, James Edward Powell, William Knox, William Clifton.

PUBLIC CEREMONIES PROCLAIMING NEW SOVEREIGN
"Then the Regulars and Militia, being under Arms, and drawn up by their respective Officers before the Council Chamber and the Win dows thrown open the Clerk of the Council, by order of his Honour the Governour, did publish the said Proclamation audibly and distinctly under a discharge of twenty-one Pieces of Cannon; After which the said Proclamation being delivered to the Provost Marshal, His Honour and the Council accompanied by the principal Inhabitants and attended by the Regulars and Militia proceeded to the Market Place where the Pro vost Marshal published the said Proclamation under a like Discharge of Cannon; Then the Procession moved to the Fort in Savannah called Hallifax Fort where the Provost Marshal did again publish the same under a like Discharge of the Cannon and a Triple Discharge of the Musquetry; And his Majesty's Proclamation for continuing all Officers, &c., was then published."
The next meeting of council was held on Wednesday, February 11, when--
"His Honour the Governour and the Gentlemen of the Council present did this Day severally take the State Oaths and declare and subscribe the Teste on the Occasion of his Majesty, King George the

144

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

third being proclaimed; as at the same Time did also the Clerk of the Council.
"Then his Honour proposed to the Board that an Address of Con dolence and Congratulation to his Majesty should be drawn up and transmitted Home on this interesting and important Occasion which was joyfully and unanimously assented to and drawn up accordingly in the Words following, vizt.:
" 'To the King's most Excellent Majesty the humble Address of the Lieutenant Governor and Council of the Province of Georgia.
" 'Most gracious Sovereign: " 'We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lieuten ant Governor and Council of your Majesty's Province of Georgia, though by our Distance prevented the Happiness of Approaching your Sacred Person, yet deeply affected with the most unfeigned Concern, humbly beg Leave to Condole with your Majesty on the Death of your Royal Grandfather, our late most gratious Sovereign, whose Justice and Mercy were equal to the Lustre of his Arms and Dignity of his Crown; So sensible a Loss could only be alleviated by your Majesty's immediate and happy Accession to the Throne, as from a Prince so eminently pos sessed of every royal virtue. We promise our Selves a continuance of the greatest Blessings. 11 'Permit Us therefore most gratious Sovereign to mingle our very sincere and affectionate Congratulations with those of Your Majesty's other faithful Subjects on this great and important Event; and also to assure your Majesty that the Inhabitants of this Province are zealous and united in their Attachment to your Majesty's Royal Person and Government. It is their earnest Prayer that your Majesty may long continue to reign over a grateful and happy People; That you may long continue the Arbiter of Europe, arid the sure Refuge of oppressed Nations; and that your People to their latest Posterity may be ever blessed with a Prince of your illustrious House endowed with your Majesty's most amiable Virtues and Accomplishments. " ' In the Council Chamber, Savannah in Georgia, the llth February, 1761.'_
'' Then the said Address being read over and approved was signed by his Honour the Governour and the President of the Council in Order to be forwarded for England."
At the next following meeting: "His Honour the Governor put the Question 'Whether it was at this Time necessary that a new Assembly should be called?' "The Board were unanimous in Opinion that it was extremely nec essary. '
'' Ordered, That the Secretary of this Province do prepare writs for electing Members to represent the Different Parishes and Places of this Province in general Assembly."

CHAPTER XV I
GEORGIA'S LAST ROYAL GOVERNOR
WEIGHT'S GOOD TRAITS--RISING DISCONTENT AGAINST ROYALTY--PROS PEROUS CONDITION OP COLONY--SUNBURY--SPIRIT OP SEDITION IN GEORGIA--GOVERNOR WRIGHT'S DILEMMA--REPEAL OP THE STAMP ACT ACKNOWLEDGED--FRANKLIN, GEORGIA'S BRITISH AGENT--RENEWED PROTESTS AGAINST BRITISH ACTS--HOUSE RESENTS WRIGHT'S INTER FERENCE.
The last royal governor of Georgia was James Wright, who succeeded Henry Ellis in 1760, and of whom, brief mention has been made. His appointment was dated May 13th, of that year, but he did not reach Savannah until October. His long administration was without doubt the most important as well as the most eventful since the time of Oglethorpe, as the seven years' war between Great Britain and the thirteen colonies, resulting in the independence of the latter, was embraced within that period.
WRIGHT'S GOOD TRAITS
Wright was, in some respects, well fitted for the position to which he was appointed, and his acts met with the general approval of the government in England. Of the many incidents connected with his residence in Savannah and the province of Georgia the details will be found in the following pages as they come before us in regular chrono logical sequence. The journal of the governor and council of Friday, October 31, 1760, gives an account of his inauguration which, with the exception of the insertion in full of his commission and the several oaths taken on the occasion, is remarkably brief. It states that "James Wright, Esq., being introduced, laid before the Board his most sacred Majesty's Commission appointing him Lieutenant Governor of the Province, which commission was read by the Clerk and ordered to be entered.'' After quoting the commission in full it proceeds: '' Then the said James Wright, Esq., took all the state oaths appointed by law and declared and subscribed the Tests and took the oaths for administering the Government and for securing the Act of Trade and Navigation." He found here a colony whose population amounted to no more than ninety-five hundred and seventy-eight, of whom there were thirty-five hundred and seventy-eight negro slaves, while, for the protection of the
Vol.I-10
145

146

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

people against invasion, the military force numbered about one thousand and twenty-five, included in which were two companies of rangers, inde
pendent companies known as "Independent Companies in his Majesty's service,'' and militia. The principal town, Savannah, had at that time between three and four hundred small frame houses, with a few public buildings of more imposing appearance, as mentioned by De Brahm, whom we have already quoted.
Wright adopted many plans for the welfare of the people and the progress of the colony in the matters of agriculture and commerce, and, like his predecessors, one of the first steps taken by him was to secure the friendship of the Indians, and to assure them of his desire to look after their interests. He was firm in the stand he took in respect to what he considered intrusion upon the rights of his dominion, and protested against certain acts of Governor Boone, of South Carolina, in 1763, whereby that official endeavored to retard the progress of Georgia by issuing grants to a large portion of territory south of the Altamaha. Protesting against such proceedings, and meeting with no success from that method of acting, Wright laid the matter before the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, and that body put a stop to the issuing of grants.
He had another trouble with the chief justice of the province, Will iam Grover, who proved to be anything than honorable in the performance of his duties, and who, when confronted with the charge of being unjust and with using his office for advancing his personal interests, retorted by publishing a libel upon the governor, filled with vituperation and defamatory epithets which only served to bring the writer into disgrace and to cause his suspension from office.

RISING DISCONTENT AGAINST ROYALTY
Until the news of the passage of the stamp act, in 1765. was received in Georgia, everything was calm and restful under the conservative policy of the man who represented the British government in that nation's far-away dependency, but then the time had come when his life was to be spent with a continual feeling that he could no longer carry out the will of his sovereign and at the same time please the ma jority of the people who had theretofore looked upon him as a friend. During the years to follow he had around him many who continued loyally to obey the laws of the mother country while a vast number saw in the measures adopted by parliament nothing but oppression and tyranny. The time was not far distant when he should find his task so arduous as to force him to declare, as he did in a letter to the Earl of Dartmouth, secretary of state, dated July 10, 1775, "It being impossible, my Lord, for me to submit to these daily insults, I must again request his Majesty will be graciously pleased to give me leave to return to England," and a little further on, "I begin to think a King's Governor has little or no business here;" and only a week later to make this utterance, apparently in anguish of mind: "I am humbly to request that his Majesty will be graciously pleased to give me leave to return to England in order to resign the Government." He recon-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

147

sidered the matter, however, and remained in office until the inde pendence of the colonies was established, and England had no further need of a royal governor in any of the thirteen provinces which had unitedly succeeded in winning the liberty which they stubbornly con tended for during a disastrous war of seven years.
The first act on the part of Georgia's patriots to cause his disap pointment was the adoption of a resolution by the general assembly in regard to William Knox, agent of the province in England, who wrote a letter to an American friend in defense of the stamp act. On learning this the assembly promptly, on the 15th of November, 1765, "resolved to give instructions to the Committee of Correspondence to acquaint Mr. Knox, agent of this Province, that the Province has no

COLQUITT COUNTY COURT HOUSE, MOULTRIE
further occasion for his services." The assembly then appointed Mr. Charles Garth in the place of Knox, to which action Governor Wright objected and requested the appointment of another person; but the assembly not only insisted upon the confirmation of their action by the council but asked that body to concur in fixing the salary of Mr. Garth at 100. On the ground that the appointee was the agent of South Carolina and could not represent another province, council declined to concur, but expressed a willingness to ratify the appoint ment of any other suitable person. The assembly still insisted upon the confirmation of Garth, and resolved that in the event of a continued disagreement they would appoint him themselves, and they did so on the 26th of March, 1767. This so angered Governor Wright that he wrote to Secretary Conway. "The nomination of a provincial agent by the Assembly alone is a thing, I believe, never before attempted in any province on the Continent of America, unless very lately, when

148

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

they have been seized with their strange enthusiastic ideas of Liberty and power," and again asserted in another letter of about the same date, "A large proportion of the people of Georgia are sons of liberty, and the same spirit of sedition which first appeared in Boston has reached Georgia."
He left nothing undone to keep the province from taking part with the other English dependencies in protesting against the acts of the mother country which so incensed the people who had in a more sub stantial and trying manner felt the effects of measures deemed by them as attacks upon their constitutional liberties. His efforts to keep this part of the country from overt acts of resistance were continued as long as possible, and his failure to convince the people that they were wrong in opposing the policy of the royal council was galling to his feelings and was shown in all his communications addressed to the Earl of Dartmouth as long as the war lasted, as well as in his dealings with the people of Georgia, directly or through his supporters in the council and assembly. Many scenes of violence and of opposition to his measures for "checking the spirit of rebellion," as he termed it, were enacted in Savannah, and these we will mention in their proper order.
PROSPEROUS CONDITION OF COLONY
Lieutenant-Governor James Wright was a man who not only planned for the upbuilding of the country over which he had been appointed leader and in whose interests he had taken an oath to "well and truly perform all matters and things which by the statutes" he was required to do "for the encouraging and increasing of shipping and navigation" as well as "for the encouragement of trade" and "for preventing of frauds and regulating abuses in the plantation trade;'' but he saw to it that his plans were executed in a proper manner. Consequently, just before the beginning of the troubles caused by the passing of the stamp act, Georgia was in that happy condition described so well by Hugh McCall in his "History of Savannah":* "No province on the continent felt the happy effects of this public security sooner than Georgia, which had long struggled under many difficulties arising from the want of credit from friends, and the frequent molestations of enemies. During the late war the government had been given to a man who wanted neither wisdom to discern nor resolution to pursue the most effectual means for its improvement. While he proved a father to the people and governed the province with equity and justice, he discovered at the same time the excellence of its low lands and river swamps, by the proper management and diligent cultivation of which he acquired in a few years a plentiful fortune. His example and success gave vigor to industry and promoted a spirit of emulation among the planters for improvement. The rich lands were sought for with zeal and cleared with that ardor which the prospect of riches naturally inspired. The British merchants, observing the province safe and advancing to a hopeful and promising state, were no longer backward in extending credit to it, but supplied it with

* Vol. I, p. 288. Savannah, 1811.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

149

negroes, and goods of British manufacture with equal freedom as other provinces on the continent. The planters no sooner got the strength of Africa to assist them than they labored with success, and the lands every year yielded greater and greater increase. The trade of the province kept pace with its progress in cultivation. The rich swamps attracted the attention not only of strangers, but even with the planters of Car olina who had been accustomed to treat their poor neighbors with the utmost contempt; several of whom sold their estates in that colony and removed with their families and effects to Georgia. Many settlements were made by the Carolinians about Sunbury and upon the Alatamaha. The price of produce at Savannah increased as the quality improved, a circumstance which contributed much to the prosperity of the country. The planters situated on the opposite side of Savannah River found in the capital of Georgia a convenient and excellent market for their staple commodities. In short, from this period the rice, indigo, and naval stores arrived in the markets in Europe of equal excellence and perfec tion and, in proportion to its strength, in equal quantities with those of its most powerful and opulent neighbors."

SUNBURY
The allusion in the above extract to the influx of planters from Car olina, especially to the territory lying adjacent to the Midway river, caused the population of that section to increase so rapidly that the town of Sunbury, which was settled in 1758, had grown so rapidly that in September, 1762, it was raised to the dignity of a port of entry with Thomas Carr as its first collector, John Martin naval officer, and Francis Lee searcher. At the date of Governor Wright's report the collector of customs was James Kitchen, whose salary was 65 per annum, and his fees amounted to 90, and he was "appointed as Col lector at Savannah," that is to say by the Lords of the Treasury and Commissioners of the Customs. The collector at Savannah at that time was Alexander Thompson, and his salary, according to Wright, was 60 per annum, being five pounds less than that of Sunbury's col lector, but his fees amounted to 298 a year.
Much has been said and written concerning the once important com mercial position held by Sunbury and the expectation that it would out grow Savannah. On this point we will quote what Hugh McCall says: '' Soon after its settlement and organization as a town, it rose into consid erable commercial importance; emigrants came from different quarters to this healthy maritime port, particularly from Bermuda; about seventy came from that island, but unfortunately for them and the reputation of the town, a mortal epidemic broke out and carried off about fifty of their number the first year; it is highly probable they brought the seeds of' the disease with them. Of the remainder as many as were able returned to their native country. This circumstance, however, did not very much retard the growing state of this eligible spot; a lucrative trade was carried on with various parts of the West Indies in lumber, rice, indigo, corn, &c. Seven square-rigged vessels have been known to enter the port of Sunbury in one day, and about the years 1769 and 1770 it was

150

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

thought by many, in point of commercial consequence, to rival Savannah. In this prosperous state it continued with very little interruption until the war commenced between Great Britain and America, when it was taken by the British troops under command of General Provost. After the Revolutionary war trade took a different channel, and Savannah be came the receptacle for the exports and imports of the province which had formerly passed through Sunbury."
The incidents leading to the founding of the town of Sunbury are briefly as follows: Under the government of the trustees of Georgia, tracts amounting to five hundred or more acres of land were conveyed to none but such persons as they approved of, with the promise on the part of the parties that they would within twelve months at their own expense settle upon said lands, bringing with them ten able-bodied men servants. In 1757, George II granted to Mark Carr "All that tract of land containing five hundred acres, situated and being in the District of Midway in the Province of Georgia, bounded on the east by the Midway river, on the west by land of Thomas Carr, on the south by vacant land, and on all other sides by marshes of the said river.'' In 1752 the Dor chester Society moved from their settlement in South Carolina to the Midway district in Georgia, and in 1758 Mark Carr conveyed to James Maxwell, Kenneth Baillie, John Elliott, Grey Elliott and John Stevens, of Midway, three hundred acres of the original five hundred obtained by the grant from the crown, in trust that the said land should be laid out as a town to be named Sunbury. John Stevens and John Elliott were members of Dorchester (or Midway) congregation, and they and others who from time to time came from South Carolina formed the nucleus of the town whose population comprised many of the mem bers of that body.

SPIRIT OF SEDITION IN GEORGIA
When the circular letter from the Massachusetts assembly calling for a congress to convene in New York in October, 1765, in consequence of the passage of the stamp act, was received in Georgia, Alexander Wylly, speaker of the commons house of assembly, called for a convention of the members, and on the 2d of September sixteen of them met in Savannah, but Wright's influence was then so great that he dissuaded them from sending delegates; but they did respond to the invitation by expressing a willingness to cooperate in sustaining any measure which might be adopted for the protection of the rights of the colonies.
Wright was so buoyed up by his success in preventing the representa tion of the province in the congress that he felt encouraged to believe his influence would still serve to keep Georgia out of the struggle, and to that end he wrote to the Earl of Halifax on the 20th of September, that everything within his jurisdiction was in good shape. lie did not feel safe, however, for a great length of time, and the feeling of the people who still considered their liberty in danger could not be held in check was shown so plainly as to cause him to become very apprehensive; and he expressed his anxiety and told the story of what had happened and was still happening under his eyes in Savannah in a long letter to

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

151

Secretary Conway, dated the 31st of January, 1766, as follows: "Sir,-- Yesterday I had the honour to receive the duplicates of your Excellency's letter of the 24th of October, and it is with the utmost concern that I am to acquaint your Excellency that the same spirit of sedition, or rather rebellion, which first appeared at Boston has reached this Province, and I have for three months past been continually reasoning and talking with the most dispassionate and sensible people in order to convince them of the propriety of an acquiescence, and submission to the King's authority and that of the British Parliament, until they could point out their grievances, if any, and apply for redress in a constitutional way. I have also Sir, pointed out the dangerous consequences, distresses, and misery they must inevitably bring upon themselves by following the example of the Northern Colonies. This I have done in the strongest and most striking point of view I could place it in, and exactly agree able to the sense and spirit of your Excellency's letter I had the honour to receive yesterday. At other times I had had recourse to such little force as is in my power, and have in some measure preserved and sup ported his Majesty's authority and prevented the Stamp papers from being destroyed, but Sir, I must at the same time declare that I have had the great mortification to see the reins of government nearly wrested out of my hands, his Majesty's authority insulted, and the civil power obstructed. But that your Excellency may be more clearly enabled to judge of the true state of affairs in this Province, and to lay the same before his Majesty, I humbly beg leave to state a brief narrative of some transactions here, and which I from time to time have acquainted the Lords of Trade with.
"On the 26th of October, the day of his Majesty's accession, I had ordered a general Muster; and in the evening, a little after night, there was a very great tumult in the streets, and some effigies burnt, and a day or two after several incendiary threatening letters were wrote on which I issued a proclamation as your Excellency will see by the en closed newspaper. I also issued another proclamation against riots and tumultuous and unlawful assemblies, and from that time the spirit of faction and sedition took place and increased, and those persons who falsely called themselves the Sons of Liberty began to have private cabals and meetings, and I was informed that many had signed an Association to oppose and prevent the distribution of Stamped papers, and the act from taking effect. But it was impossible to come at such proof as would enable me to support any legal proceedings against them, and I found they had determined on attacking the distributor as soon as he arrived, and compelling him to resign or promise not to act, as had been done in the Northern Colonies. I had also been informed that they intended to seize upon and destroy the papers whenever they should come. In the mean time Sir, every argument I could suggest was used to convince them of the rashness of such attempts and the dangerous consequences that must attend them, and every method, both public and private, was pursued by me to bring them to a right way of thinking, and which I frequently thought I had effected, and am sure I should have done but for the inflammatory papers, letters, and mes sages continually sent to the people here from the Liberty Boys, as they

_1

152

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

call themselves, in Charlestown, South Carolina, and by whom I am very clear all our disturbances and difficulties have been occasioned.
"And thus matters rested Sir, till the 5th of December when his Majesty's ship 'Speedwell' arrived here with the stamped papers on board. I had used every precaution necessary to prevent either papers or officer from falling into the hands of those people, which they were not ignorant of. And when it was known that the 'Speedwell' was in the
river with the papers, several of the principal inhabitants came to me and gave me the strongest assurances possible that there was then no inten tion to seize upon or destroy the papers. And they were landed with out any appearance of tumult and lodged in the King's store or ware house under the care of the Commissary. But notwithstanding these assurances with respect to the papers, I still found there was a design against the Officer.
"From the 5th of November everything remained pretty quiet, but I found cabals were frequently held and inflammatory letters sent from Charlestown, and on the 2nd of January, about 3 in the afternoon, I was informed that the Liberty Boys in town had assembled together to the number of about 200 and were gathering fast, and that some of them had declared they were determined to go to the Fort and break open the Store and take out the stamped papers and destroy them; on which I immediately ordered the officers to get their men together, but appearances and threats were such that in three days I had not less than 40 men on duty every night to protect the papers, or I am con fident they would have been destroyed.
"On the 3rd of January Mr. Angus, the distributor for this Province, arrived, of which I had the earliest notice in consequence of measures concerted for that purpose, and immediately sent the scout boat with an officer and a party of men to protect him and suffer nobody to speak to him, but conduct him safely to my house, which was done the next day at noon when he took the State oaths and oath of office, and I had the papers distributed and lodged in all the different offices relative to the shipping and opening our ports, which had been shut for some time. But here the people in general have agreed not to apply for any other papers till his Majesty's pleasure be known on the petitions sent from the Colonies. I kept the Officer in my house for a fortnight, after which he went into the Country, to avoid the resentment of the people, for awhile. No pains have been spared in the Northern Colonies to spirit up and inflame the people, and a spirit of faction and sedi tion was stirred up throughout the Province, and parties of armed men actually assembled themselves together and were preparing to do so in different parts, but by sending expresses with letters to many of the most prudent I had the satisfaction to find that my weight and credit was sufficient to check all commotions and disturbances in the country at that time, and everything was quiet again and remained so till a few days ago when some incendiaries from Charlestown came full fraught with sedition and rebellion, and have been about the country and inflamed the people to such a degree that they were again assembling together in all parts of the province and, to the number of about 600, were to have come here on yesterday, all armed, and these

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

153

people as I have been informed, were to have surrounded my house and endeavored to extort a promise from me that no papers should be issued till his Majesty's pleasure be known on the petitions sent home and if I did not immediately comply they were to seize upon and destroy the papers and commit many acts of violence against the persons and property of those gentlemen that have declared themselves friends of government. On this last alarm I thought it advisable to remove the papers to a place of greater security, and accordingly ordered them to be carried to Fort George on Cockspur Island where they are pro tected by a captain, two subalterns, and fifty private men of the rangers.
"But I have the satisfaction to inform your Excellency that I have with the assistance of some well disposed gentlemen, taken off and got a great many dispersed who were actually on their way down here, but many are still under arms and I can't yet say how the affairs will end.
"This Sir, is a wretched situation to be in, and it's clear that further force is necessary to support his Majesty's authority from insults and reduce the people to obedience to the civil power. My task is rendered much more difficult by the people in the next province going the lengths they have done, and to this day do and it's said, and I believe it may be true (although Sir, I will not aver it for a fact), that the Carolinians have offered to assist the people here with 500 men to prosecute their vile attempts.
"Upon the whole, Sir, there is still a possibility of bringing the people to reason and restoring the peace and tranquility of the Province, on which, your Excellency so justly observes, their welfare and hap piness depend. A few days will determine this point, and if not, then, agreeable to your Excellency's letter, I shall write to General Gage and Lord Colville for assistance. I have only to add that not withstanding every threat and attempt, your Excellency may be assured I will firmly persevere to the utmost of my power in the faithful dis charge of my duty to his Majesty; but really Sir, such of the King's Servants in America as are firm in their opposition to the present seditious spirit have a very uncomfortable time of it.
"The whole military force in this Province, Sir, is two troops of Rangers, consisting in the whole of 120 effective men, which occupy 5 forts or posts in different parts of the Province, and 30 of the Royal Americans,--20 of them at Fort Augusta, 150 miles from hence, and 10 at Frederica about the same distance. And on the first appearance of faction and sedition I ordered in some of the Rangers from each post and made up the number here at Savannah 56 privates and 8 officers, with which, and the assistance of such gentlemen as were of a right way of thinking I have been able in some measure to support his Majesty's authority, but I have been obliged to send two officers and 35 of those
men with the papers to Fort George." Wright's alarm had not subsided on the 7th of February following,
at which time he adds to his information to the secretary the further proceedings of the people in preparing for resistance to the oppressive measures, especially in the enforcement of the stamp act: "On the 2nd inst. I had the pleasure to hear of the arrival of his Majesty's ship 'Speedwell,' Captain Fanshawe, who had promised me when he went

154

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

from hence, after bringing the papers, that he would return again soon.^ I assure your Excellency he came at a very reasonable time, as by his taking the papers on board the King's ship I was enabled to order up the Officers and Rangers to town, and then mustered 71 Officers and men. Captain Fanshawe brought his ship up and several gentlemen and others also promised to join me if the Villains should come into town. For notwithstanding I had been able to dispose of a great number, yet two hundred and forty of them were within 3 miles, and. being much exasperated against me for sending the papers away, agreed to come to me and demand that I would order the papers to be delivered up to them, and if I did not, they were to shoot me. This Sir, was avowedly declared by some of them; and on Thursday, the 4th instant, they actually had the insolence to appear at the Town Common with their arms and colours, but finding I had near 100 men I could command and depend upon, and being told that many would join me as volunteers, after staying about 3 hours I was informed they differed among themselves and began to disperse, and I have now the great satisfaction to acquaint your Excellency that they are all dispersed; but Sir, some of them declared they were offered the assistance of from 4 to 500 men from Carolina, and if they came, would be ready to return again. If none come from thence I hope to remain quiet. I shall see some of the most dispassionate people and of the most con siderable property amongst them, and endeavour to restore the peace of the Province, but even if I succeed in this so far as to obtain prom ises of submission, yet Sir, some troops will nevertheless be absolutely necessary, for I fear I can not have entire confidence in the peoplu for some time, and your Excellency sees the insults his Majesty's author ity has received, and which I am still liable to. Possibly your Excel lency may be surprised that I have not mentioned calling out the militia, but I have too much reason to think I should have armed more against me than for me, and that volunteers were the only people I could have any confidence in or dependence upon."

GOVERNOR WEIGHT'S DILEMMA
The truth as to Governor Wright's fears and position as the repre sentative of the crown in this dilemma is but feebly expressed in the foregoing. He did not know just how many of the inhabitants were with him in his efforts to support the measure which had so highly excited the people in the American colonies and which he knew was opposed even at home by some of the leaders of public opinion there. The stand of those men in behalf of the colonies had weight, and the repeal of the act was largely due to their influence. The Georgians had a powerful example in the action of their South Carolina neighbors who had been represented in the American congress in New York by such men as Lynch and Rutledge and who on their return influenced the assembly of their colony to adopt resolutions in accord with the spirit of that congress. Indeed, it is possible that Wright may himself have had some idea of the injustice of the legislation aimed against the people.
The stamp act which brought the English colonies to that stand where they felt that it was a long step in the direction of their treatment

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

155

as slaves was upheld by James Wright, and he did all in his power to reconcile the people of Georgia to its provisions. lie did not succeed, although he had, as in all other measures that were objectionable to the sturdy patriots, his supporters. Resistance was determined upon by his opponents, and even by some of his warmest friends, like the good and pious James Habersham, who expressed himself in this way:'' The annual tax raised here for the support of our internal policy is full as much as the inhabitants can bear; and suppose the stamps produce only oneeighth of what they would in South Carolina, it would amount to as much in one year as our tax laws will raise in three; and perhaps we have not five thousand pounds in gold and silver come into the Province in five years, though the act requires it in one. If this is really the case, as I believe it is, how must every inhabitant shudder at the thought of the act taking place, which, according to my present apprehension, must inevitably ruin them."
It was unfortunate for the people of Georgia that Governor Wright's influence had prevented the people from being represented at the New York congress. The South Carolina Gazette of February 11, 1765, in commenting on his success in that matter called him a "parricide," said the people had been "deluded and bullied out of their rights and priv ileges," and added that "like Esau of old, they had sold their birthright for a mess of pottage."
Stamps were used in Georgia only to a limited extent, and in cases of emergency as in the clearing of a number of vessels which had touched at Savannah and whose commanders were afraid to depart without them. This also brought a howl from South Carolina, where Georgia was up braided as an "infamous colony," the declaration made that "every vessel trading there should be burnt" and that those persons who chose to transact business with her people "should be put to death," and it actually happened that two vessels were destroyed.
In spite of the efforts of Governor Wright to make the people see their duty as he put it before them, the "Liberty people" did things which kept the town in an excited condition as long as the act was in operation. On the 2d of January, he was informed that about two hundred of them had collected with the determination to break open the store and destroy the stamped paper, and this caused him to make arrangement to prevent the seizure. Mr. Angus, the distributor of the stamps, arrived on the 3d, and he had to be protected and guarded to the governor's house where he remained two weeks, after which, on account of the continued excitement, he was sent into the country. At one time six hundred men consorted together and made known to "Wright that if he issued any more stamps until it was known what the king would do in reply to the protests made they would surround his house, secure the papers and destroy them, and proceed to other acts of violence, and he had the papers sent to Fort George, on Cockspur island, under a guard of a captain, two subalterns and fifty men.

REPEAL OF THE STAMP ACT ACKNOWLEDGED
With the news of. the repeal of the stamp act Governor Wright called the general assembly together and addressed both houses on the

156

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

16th of July, 1766, as follows: "I think myself happy that I have it in my power to congratulate you on this Province having no injuries or damages, either of a public or private nature, with respect to property to compensate, and that you, Gentlemen of the Assembly, have no votes or resolutions injurious to the honor of his Majesty's government, or tending to destroy the legal or constitutional dependency of the Colonies on the Imperial Crown and Parliament of Great Britain to reconsider." He furnished the assembly with a copy of the act repealing the stamp net and other documents in relation to the connection of the colonies with England, referring to them in this language: "When you consider the paper I shall now lay before you, I am persuaded your hearts must be filled with the highest veneration and filial gratitude, with a most ardent zeal to declare and express your grateful feelings and acknowledg ments, and to make a dutiful and proper return, and show a cheerful obedience to the laws and legislative authority of Great Britain."
Whether the response of the representatives met with his entire ap proval we are not informed, but he seems to have left on record nothing to indicate that he was in any way dissatisfied with their action, which he anxiously waited for, and which was duly submitted in this language: "We, his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, beg leave to return your Excellency our sincere thanks for your affectionate speech. Hope ful as we were that no occasion would have offered of calling us together till the usual season of our meeting, yet it is with the highest pleasure and satisfaction, and with hearts overflowing with filial affection and gratitude to our most gracious Sovereign, that we embrace the opportu nity now presented to us of expressing our most dutiful acknowledgments to the best of Kings for his paternal and princely attention and regard manifested to his faithful subjects in these remote parts of his dominions in graciously condescending to lend his royal ear to their supplications and removing from them those evils they lamented. Nor can we suf ficiently venerate and admire the magnanimity and justice of the British Parliament in so speedily redressing the grievances by them com plained of.
"We can not indeed felicitate ourselves in that we have no injuries or damages either of a public or a private nature nor any votes or reso lutions derogatory to the honor of his Majesty's government or tending to destroy the true constitutional dependency of the Colonies on the Imperial Crown and Parliament of Great Britain to reconsider.
"We will immediately proceed to take into our most serious consider ation the papers laid before us by your Excellency, and we shall upon all occasions be ready to testify our loyalty to our King and firm attach ment to our Mother Country."
The address to the governor just quoted was followed by one to the king which is also here reproduced: "We your Majesty's loyal subjects, the Council and Commons of your Majesty's Province of Georgia in General Assembly met, beg leave to approach your Royal person with hearts full of the most dutiful affection and gratitude. Influenced by principle, and animated by your Majesty's exemplary justice and pater nal care in redressing the grievances of your faithful subjects in these remote parts of your wide extended Empire, with the deepest sense of

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

157

your Majesty's royal clemency and goodness, we humbly offer to your most sacred Majesty our sincere thanks for the repeal of the late Act of the British Parliament commonly called the American Stamp Act. Nor can we sufficiently admire the magnanimity and justice displayed by the British Parliament on this occasion. Permit us, dread Sire, while we endeavor to express our gratitude to the best of Kings for affording us so speedy and necessary relief, to assure your Majesty that we shall, upon all occasions, strive to evince our loyalty and firm attachment to your Majesty's sacred person and government, being truly sensible of the ad vantages derived to us from the protection of our Mother Country; and that it is and ever will be our honor, happiness, and true interest to re main connected with and dependent on the Imperial Crown and Parlia ment of Great Britain upon the solid basis of the British Constitution. That your Majesty's Illustrious House may continue to reign over a free,
loyal, and grateful people to the latest posterity is, most gracious Sov ereign, our constant prayer, unfeigned wish, and our most sanguine hope.
"By order of the Upper House, "JAMES HABERSHAM, President.
"By order of the Commons House of Assembly,
"A. WYLLY, Speaker."

FRANKLIN, GEORGIA'S BRITISH AGENT
In April, 1768, Benjamin Franklin was appointed agent of the Prov ince of Georgia "to represent, solicit, and transact its affairs in Great Britain," and to that appointment Governor Wright did not withhold his assent. Indeed Franklin acted in the same capacity for other prov inces, and he had replied to Grenville when the latter asked, "Do you think the people of America would submit to pay the Stamp Duty if it was modified 1 " in these words: '' No, never. They will never submit to it." A joint committee, with James Habersham, Noble Jones, James Edward Powell, Lewis Johnson and Clement Martin representing the council and John Mullryne, John Smith, Noble Wymberley Jones, John Milledge, John Simpson, Archibald Bulloch, William Ewen and Joseph Gibbons representing the Commons House of Assembly, was charged with the duty of corresponding with him, "and give him such orders and in structions from time to time as they should judge to be for the best service of this province.''

RENEWED PROTESTS AGAINST BRITISH ACTS
The determination of parliament to enforce the oppressive acts despite the protests of the Americans caused the provinces to take a decided stand and to resolve not to carry on commercial transactions with England unless an acknowledgment of their rights was admitted. It was proposed that the colonies import no goods which could be produced or made within their own borders, and to discard the use of all luxuries. Boston mer chants first made the suggestion, but the Virginia Assembly first took the firm stand by resolving to carry into effect the suggestion already made, and Georgia naturally fell in line with the others. Accordingly,

158

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

on the 16th of September, 1769, the merchants of Savannah met at the home of Mr. Alexander Creighton, and resolved that the parliamentary acts which the northern colonies had complained of "were unconstitu tional, and that the taxes therein contemplated were inconsistent with the ability of the American Provinces," and it was also resolved "That any person or persons whatsoever importing any of the articles subject to such duties, after having it in their power to prevent it, ought not only to be treated with contempt, but deemed enemies to their country; it being a circumstance that need only be mentioned to any person in spired with the least sense of liberty, that it may be detested and ab horred."
This action was closely followed by the adoption at a meeting of the citizens, with the Hon. Jonathan Bryan presiding, of the following resolutions:

"We, inhabitants of Georgia, finding ourselves reduced to the great est distress and most abject condition by the operation of several acts of the British Legislature by means whereof our property is arbitrarily wrested from us contrary to the true spirit of our Constitution and the repeatedly confirmed birthright of every Briton, under all these oppres sions finding that the most dutiful and loyal petitions from the Colonies for redress of these grievances have not answered the salutary purpose we intended, and being destitute of all hope of relief from our multi plied and increasing distresses but by our industry, frugality, and econ omy, are firmly resolved never to be in the least accessory to the loss of
any privilege we are entitled to: "Therefore, we, whose names are hereunto subscribed, do solemnly
agree and promise to and with each other that until the said acts are re pealed, we will most faithfully abide by, adhere to, and fulfill the fol lowing resolutions.
"I. That we will encourage and promote American manufactures,
and of this Province in particular. '' II. That as the raising of Sheep for the benefit of wool will be of
the utmost utility, we do therefore engage not to kill or sell any lambs that shall be yeaned, before the 1st of May in every year, to any butcher or other person who, we may have reason to think, intends to kill the same.
"III. That we will promote the raising of cotton and flax, and en
courage spinning and weaving. "IV. That we will upon no pretense, either upon our own account
or on commission, import into this Province any of the manufactures of Great Britain, or European or East India goods, other than may be shipped in consequence of former orders, except only cloth, not exceeding Is 4d pr yard, osnabrigs, canvass, cordage, drugs, and hardware of all . sorts, paper not exceeding 10s pr ream, fire arms, gunpowder, shot, lead, flints, salt, saltpetre, coals, printed books and pamphlets, white and striped flannels, not above 9s pr yard, white linen not above Is 8d pr
yard, woollen and thread hose not exceeding 24s pr doz: striped cotton not exceeding Is 4d pr yard, checks not above Is 3d per yard, felt hats not above 48s per doz: bolting cloths, mill and grind stones, cotton and wool cards, and wire, thread not above 8s pr lb., shoes not above 48s per

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

159

doz: as also the following goods necessary for the Indian Trade, viz. strouds, vermilion, beads, looking glasses, and paint. And exclusive of these articles we do solemnly promise and declare that we will immedi ately countermand all orders to our correspondents in Great Britain for shipping any goods, wares, and merchandize other than hereinbefore excepted, and will sell and dispose of the goods1 we now or hereafter may have at the same rates and prices as before.
"V. That we will neither purchase nor give mourning at funerals. "VI. That from and after the 1st June 1770 we will not import, buy, or sell, any negroes that shall be brought into this Province from Africa, nor after the 1st of January next any negroes from the West Indies or any other place excepting from Africa aforesaid. And if any goods or negroes be sent to us contrary to our agreement in this subscrip tion, such goods shall be reshipped or stored, and such negroes reshipped from this Province and not by any means offered for sale therein. "VII. That we will not import on our own account or on commission, or purchase from any masters of vessels, transient persons, or non-sub scribers, any wines after the 1st March next. "VIII. That we will not purchase any negroes imported, or any goods, wares, or merchandize, from any resident of this Province, or transient person, that shall refuse or neglect to sign this agreement within 5 weeks from the date thereof, except it appear he shall have been unavoidably prevented from so doing. And every person signing and not strictly adhering to the same according to the true intent and mean ing thereof, and also to every non-subscriber, shall be looked upon as no friend to his country."

Be it known that the chairman of the meeting at which those resolu tions were adopted was at the same time a member 'of the royal council of Georgia. He was a man "sans peur et sans reproche," and his fear less conduct on that occasion was thoroughly in keeping with his pre vious record and his subsequent stalwart action throughout a life of blameless conduct and strict integrity. That man, as already stated, was Jonathan Bryan. the fact that one of the official family of a royal province had taken such a decided action in opposition to the will of his majesty was promptly conveyed to the king who forthwith instructed the Earl of Hillsborough that Mr. Bryan "should be immediately sus pended from his seat at the Council Board, and removed from any office he might hold in Georgia," and that order was carried out as stated in a letter from Wright to the Earl of Hillsborough written at Savannah and dated March 1, 1770. The king's wish in the matter was communi cated to the former by the latter in a letter from Whitehall, of December 9,1769.
There were disagreements about this time between the council and the lower house of assembly by reason of the fact that the members of the house were chosen by the people and a majority of them shared the feel ing of their constituents in regard to the offensive acts of parliament while the council members were appointed by the crown and naturally felt bound to support the measures proposed for the maintenance of the royal government.

160

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

HOUSE RESENTS WEIGHT 's INTERFERENCE
When the assembly convened in 1770, the lower house chose Dr. Noble Wymberley Jones as speaker; but, knowing that the choice was made because of the speaker's complete sympathy with the patriot cause, Governor Wright declined to recognize him, and ordered the election of another man; but the house resented that interference with their right to elect, adopted resolutions commendatory of Dr. Jones, and asserted '' that the sense and approbation this House entertain of his conduct can never be lessened by any slight cast upon him in opposition to the unani mous voice of the Commons House of Assembly in particular and the Province in general," and went farther by declaring "that this rejection by the Governor of a Speaker, unanimously elected, was a high breach of the privileges of the House, and tended to subvert the most valuable rights and liberties of the people and their representatives." Taking excep tion to this sharp reproof of the governor, the council characterized the proceeding of the house as "a most indecent and insolent denial of his Majesty's authority" and the governor, availing himself of the only method of relief in his power, on the 22d of February, 1770, ordered a dissolution of the assembly.
Governor Wright, finding it necessary, as he put it, to visit England in the interest of his private affairs, applied, on the 3d of July, 1769, for a leave of absence to begin some time in the spring of 1770, and made this suggestion in his letter to the Earl of Hillsborough: "Mr. Habersham, the Secretary of the Province, who is the President, or eldest Councillor, is a gentleman of property, no Liberty Boy, but a firm friend to the Government, and a very worthy, honest man. He has been in the Province from nearly its first settling, and must therefore know the people, and I think him of sufficient ability to fill up a short vacancy, especially when things are in an orderly way.''
Looking back to the condition of affairs in the English provinces as existed at that time, and considering the fact that they were in the very midst of that critical period when the clouds were fast gathering for the storm which was destined to break and deluge the country in a seven years' war full of devastation and of horrors, it seems strange that James Wright should have chosen just that time to ask such a favor and stranger still that the request should have been so readily granted. Hillsborough, in the letter enclosing the royal permission to Wright, wrote: "I hope that Mr. Habersham's conduct in the administration of Government during your absence will justify the favorable report you made of him, and that it will not be found necessary to send out a Lieutenant Gov ernor." Wright found it necessary to delay his departure until the 10th of July, 1771, before he considered it safe to leave, and Mr. Habersham took the oaths of office three days after, with the rank of "Presi dent and Commander-in-Chief of his Majesty's Province of Georgia, Chancellor, Vice-Admiral, and Ordinary of the same for the time being.'' It is doubtful whether a better substitute could have been found, as "Mr. Habersham's conduct in the administration of Government" fully "justified the favorable report made of him," and his majesty's inter ests were as well protected as James Wright himself could have done.

CHAPTER XVI
PROGRESS TOWARD INDEPENDENCE
COUNCIL AND HOUSE DIFFER--GOVERNOR WEIGHT DISSOLVES ASSEMBLY-- THE STATE OP THE PROVINCE (1773)--THE FORTS--SAVANNAH PUTS UP A LIBERTY TREE, JUNE 2, 1775--GOVERNOR WEIGHT FORBIDS PUB LIC MEETING--MEETING HELD--THE "LIBERTY BOYS"--DISSENT TO RESOLUTIONS OP AUGUST 10, 1774--"LIBERTY BOYS" WORRY ROYAL COUNCIL--STEPS LEADING TO GEORGIA'S INDEPENDENCE.
In the absence of the governor the affairs of the province were in about the same state of excitement as they had been for several years before his departure. The council, led by Mr. Habersham who was true to the king, had difficulty in keeping down the spirit of resistance as exhibited by the Liberty Boys who in a large measure influenced the pro ceedings in the house of assembly.
COUNCIL AND HOUSE DIPPER
When the eighth general assembly met in April, 1772, the commons house elected Dr. Noble Wymberley Jones as speaker, and as soon as Governor Habersham received official information thereof he returned to that body a message in which he thus addressed the members: "I have his Majesty's commands to put a negative on the Speaker now elected by the Commons House, which I accordingly do; and I desire that you inform the House that I direct them to proceed to a new choice of a Speaker." After waiting a while he received through Messrs. Archibald Bulloch and Samuel Farley a message informing him that the Commons House "had proceeded to a second choice of a Speaker and had re-elected Noble Wymberley Jones, Esq., and desired to know when his Honor would please that the House should attend him to present their Speaker." Again the governor expressed his disapproval of the choice, and required the members "to proceed to the selection of some other person as Speaker." It was not until the next afternoon that Mr. Habersham was informed by Messrs. William Le Conte and Samuel Farley that the house had made choice of Archibald Bulloch as Speaker, and he was promptly confirmed. He then delivered an address in which he said: "His Majesty having been pleased to grant his Excellency Governor Wright leave of absence to go to Great Britain, the govern-
Vol. I-ll
161

162

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

ment of this Province, on his Excellency's departure, devolved upon
me. * * * My long residence in this Province, and the strong attach ment I must have for its welfare from motives obvious to you must make it extremely grateful to me to be in the least instrumental in furthering its growing prosperity, in which I am persuaded I shall have the candid advice and assistance of you gentlemen, and of every friend of this Country." To that address the house made a suitable response, and everything seemed to point to a harmonious relation between the executive and legislative branches of the government. But Mr. Habersham took it into his head that an inspection of the journal of the house might disclose facts with which he had not been made acquainted, and discovered that Mr. Jones had been elected speaker for the third time and that the choice of Mr. Bulloch had only been made upon the refusal of Mr. Jones to accept; whereupon he sent in this message: "Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Assembly: I am extremely sorry to find by your Journals that some very exceptionable minutes are entered. I particularly mean your third choice of Noble AVymberley Jones, Esq.> as your Speaker, upon whom I had, agreeable to his Majesty's express instructions, twice put a negative, and that your choice of your present Speaker was only in consequence of his declining the chair. If this min ute is to stand upon your Journals I have no choice left but to proceecK to an immediate dissolution. I desire therefore that you will come to a present and speedy determination to recede from it. If you do, 1 shall, with the most unfeigned satisfaction, proceed to business which you cannot but be sensible will be of the highest advantage to the Prov ince. I shall expect your immediate answer to this message that my conduct may be regulated by it; and shall for that purpose remain in the Council Chamber."
The house did not take long to deliberate, but very promptly re plied: "May it please your Honour: We his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of Georgia in General Assembly met, are very unhappy to find by your message to us of this day that any Minutes entered on our Journals should be construed by your Honour in a manner so very different from the true intent and design of this House. Conscious we are, Sir, that our third choice of Noble Wymberley Jones, Esq., as our Speaker was not in the least meant as disrespectful to his Majesty, or to you his representative, nor thereby did we mean to in fringe on the just prerogative of the Crown. "We have seriously recon sidered that particular minute which seems to have given your Honour so much offence, and cannot perceive wherein it is contrary to the strict mode of Parliamentary proceeding, or repugnant to anything com municated to us by your Honour. We were hopeful that no further impediment would have arisen to retard the urgent business of the public, and still flatter ourselves that we may be permitted to do that justice to our constituents which they have a right to expect from us; and we sincerely assure your Honour that it is our hearty wish and desire to finish the business by you recommended to us with all har
mony and dispatch. ARCHIBALD BULLOCH, Speaker."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

163

GOVERNOR WRIGHT DISSOLVES ASSEMBLY
That was equivalent to a refusal on the part of the house to ex punge from the minutes the objectionable language, and Mr. Habershain carried out his threat by dissolving the assembly. The effect of this action was injurious to the progress of Georgia. The assembly was charged with the duty of passing a tax act, and there was little or no money in the treasury, besides there were other matters of importance requiring the prompt attention of the legislature. On the 30th of the month (April, 1772), Mr. Habersham wrote to the Earl of Hillsborough, stating the facts, and commenting on the important measures which that assembly should have adopted. He was severe in his language con cerning Dr. Jones whom he charged, with the aid of his friends, with "opposing the public business" and that it was all through a "spurious pretense of Liberty and Privilege." He further said in regard to the one whom he considered the most guilty of them all "It is very painful to me to say or even to intimate a disrespectful word of any one; and every person who knows me will acknowledge that it is contrary to my disposition to dip my pen in gall, but I cannot help considering Mr Jones 7 conduct for some time past in opposing Public Business as very ungrateful and unworthy a good man, as his family have reaped more advantages from Government than any I know in this Province. He was several years first Lieutenant and Surgeon of a Company of Rangers paid by the Crown, and in these capacities met with great indulgence. His father is the King's Treasurer and, if I am not mistaken, reaps very considerable emoluments from it."
Governor Wright's leave of absence expired early in 1773, and he returned to Georgia about the middle of February. That his services were acceptable to the crown he was fully assured by his being compli mented with a baronetcy on the 8th of December, 1772, just before his departure from England. His first public duties on his return were performed in the settlement of some troubles with the Indians, and that matter was finally adjusted at a congress of the Upper and Lower Creeks, represented by their head men and kings, with Governor Wright and his council, in Savannah, on the 20th of October, 1774.

THE STATE OF THE PROVINCE (1773)
Towards the close of the year 1773, Governor Wright was required to report to the home government upon the state of the province, and that report was in the form of replies to a number of inquiries which embraced every part of the territory as well as every department of the government of the same. In forwarding that report to the Earl of Dart mouth, he states, in the letter accompanying it, dated at Savannah, December 20: "I have now the honor to transmit your Lordship my report in answer to the several queries relative to the state of this Province, in which I have not attempted a pompous description or ac count of the Country, etc., but confined myself to the more substantial and material facts which, from the best of my knowledge and judgment, I have truly stated, and hope the same will prove agreeable to his

164

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Majesty's royal intention, and a satisfactory account of things in the Province." From that report we make the following extracts as
bearing upon the business transacted in the town of Savannah and the standing she held from a commercial standpoint:
'' There is at present no other Port in this Province but Savannah and Sunbury, the situation of which and depth of water I have mentioned in my answer next preceding. * * * Since the surrender of the Charter by the Trustees the Constitution of this Government is estab lished by and depends upon his Majesty's commission and instructions to his Governor, by which he, with the concurrence of the Council and the House of Assembly (to consist of a certain number to be elected by the freeholders as their representatives) or the major part of them is empowered to make laws, statutes and ordinances for the public peace, welfare, and good government of the Province and the inhabitants thereof, which laws, etc., are not to be repugnant but as near as may be agreeable to the laws and statutes of Great Britain. And the Gov
ernor as his Majesty's representative, and the other branches of the Legislature are presumed to be an epitome of the Parliamentary Con stitution of Great Britain. And here I must beg leave to observe that the right of the Council to sit as an Upper House being now denied in the neighboring Province, much will depend on his Majesty's determina tion on that matter, and, if it be against that right, I am very appre hensive that disagreeable consequences may attend it.
' ' There is a Court of Chancery and a Court of General and Common Pleas, also a Court of Sessions, or Oyer and Terminer, and general gaol delivery, the rules and method of proceeding in all which are as near as may be agreeable to those in use and practice in his Majesty's several Courts in Great Britain. * * * The trade of this Province is principally with Great Britain from whence we are supplied with linens and woolens of all sorts, ironware of all sorts, hats, shoes, stock ings and all sorts of apparel, tea, paper, paints, and a great variety of other articles; and altho' the negroes are brought here immediately from Africa, yet the returns in payment for them are made to Great Britain, so that they may also be deemed as a part of our trade with Great Britain, to which place we export deer skins, rice, indigo, naval stores and sundry other articles. The annual amount of our imports from Great Britain is computed at 76,322 on an average for three years past besides the negroes imported which in the last year amounted to twenty thousand pounds, and our exports to Great Britain only in the year 1772 amounted to 68,688.10.2 sterling; and besides this we are supplied with rum and sugar from the West Indies, and also with rum, flour and bis cuit and other provisions, etc., from the Northern Colonies. To the West Indies we send rice, corn, pease, lumber, shingles, cattle, horses, and live stock; also barreled beef and pork. But the Northern trade is an injurious trade, as they take of but little of our produce, and drain us of every trifle of gold and silver that is brought here, by giving a price for guineas, moidores, Johannes's pistoles, and dollars far above their real and intrinsic value, so that we can never keep any amongst us. There is belonging to this province, that is owned and part owned here, five ships, one snow, seven brigantines, thirteen sloops and schooners,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

165

and ten coasting vessels, in all to the amount of nineteen hundred and
ninety tons, and trading boats that go up our rivers and to which may belong about two hundred and twelve seafaring men. And we have entered and cleared at the Custom House in the Port of Savannah for the last year one hundred and sixty-one sail of vessels of different sorts, and at Sunbury fifty-six, in the whole two hundred and seventeen, the tonnage of which is computed at 12,124 tons, and in all which vessels there may be employed seventeen hundred seafaring men. In the year 1761 we only entered and cleared in the whole Province forty-five ves
sels, the whole tonnage of which amounted only to 1,604 tons, from which, the increase of the trade and produce of this Province since that time is most evident. * * * The methods are by taking care that the Custom House officers do their duty, that the master of every vessel immediately on his arrival waits on the Governor with his manifesto, and then goes directly to the Custom House, when the officers send a waiter on board who stays till the ship is unloaded and in general the
laws of trade and navigation are as duly and regularly attended to and
observed as it is possible to do. This is the method observed at the Port of Savannah, and at Sunbury the Captain goes immediately to the collector who observes the same method as at Savannah, and, upon
the whole, I believe there is very little contraband trade or smuggling carried on here; there may be some, but I believe of no great conse quence, and as the Province and people increase illicit trade may also, and they have great opportunity, as the ports are not immediately on the sea coast and there are many rivers and inlets into which vessels may run and land goods before they come in sight of the towns. The Custom House officers at Savannah have complained to me that the Commissioners of the Customs will not allow them a boat and hands, and that if they were to hear of any illicit trade or landing of goods at any inlet, or in any creek, etc., before they could get a boat and hands, it would be too late to detect and seize them. Wherefore I should sup pose such trade, if attempted, might be more effectually prevented if a
Custom House boat was allowed. And as the officers have returned me what they call a Political Report or Estimate of Loss to the Revenue by illicit trade, I think it my duty to transmit it, altho' I look upon the
same to be chimerical and very erroneous. * * * The staple com modities are rice, indigo, deer skins, raw silk, pitch, tar, turpentine, beef, pork, Indian corn, pease, tobacco, staves, shingles, lumber of all sorts, and we have a great deal of fine live oak for ship-building, and
hemp will grow very well, but little is planted as yet. And besides these, cattle, horses, and live stock is exported to the West Indies. And also bees' wax, beaver skins, etc., etc. The amount of the whole ex
ports annually for five years past on an average is 101,240 sterling. * * * In the year 1761 the whole number of white inhabitants
amounted to no more than six thousand one hundred. The increase therefore since that time is eleven thousand nine hundred. The reasons of this increase are principally the great inducement people have to
come and settle in a Province where they could get fresh and good lands at a moderate price and plenty of good range for cattle, horses, and hogs, and where they will not be so much pent up and confined as

166

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

in thick settled countries. * * * The number of Militia, say effective white men from sixteen to sixty years of age, according to the several returns made to me lately by the officers amount to two thousand eiffht hundred and twenty-eight in the whole Province, and the officers are all commissioned by the Governor, and obliged by the law of the Prov ince to furnish and provide themselves with arms and ammunition and accoutrements of every kind, and to muster and exercise six times in the year, and as much oftener as the Governor may order and direct. And the Governor is empowered to order them out as occasion may require, to repel all enemies, invasions, insurrections, rebellions, etc."

THE FORTS
Wright then gave an account of the forts in the province, beginning with "Fort George on Cockspur Island, opposite to Tybee Island, being at the entrance of the River Savannah and a very necessary post as it is the key to our port and may command all vessels that come in or go out; enforce due obedience to the laws of trade and our commercial laws, and, in case of war, prevent enemies' privateers from cutting out and carrying off our shipping or from coming up the river to plunder, etc. This fort was built in the year 1762, being mud walls faced with palmetto trees, but is now almost in ruins, for, as it stands on a point of land exposed to the easterly winds from the sea, it is very liable to suffer by the sea beating and washing against it when there is strong easterly winds. On the inside is a Caponiere which serves for officers' apartments, and in lieu of barracks; it used to be garrisoned by an officer and ten men, but now it's almost in ruins. There is only an officer and three men just to make signals, etc. I look upon this fort, or having a proper fort at this place to be of the utmost consequence, and shall propose building a new fort of tabby, but as our property is yet small and our taxes pretty high, I doubt much whether the Province can afford to go to the expense of building a proper fort. I am well informed that in South Carolina the Capt. of Fort Johnson (which is near the entrance of the harbor and answers the same purposes that Fort George is intended to do) is paid two hundred pounds sterling per annum by his Majesty out of the quit rents, and if his Majesty would be graciously pleased to permit that to be done here, it would be a great encouragement and inducement to the Legislature to raise and grant money for building a new fort.
'' Fort Halifax in the town of Savannah, built in the years 1759 and 1760, made of plank fill'd in with earth, and four Caponiers, one at each corner; this is totally down, except two of the Caponiers, and in deed would be of little use."
The next step in the progress of events leading to a separation of the English dependencies from the mother country and causing excitement in Georgia was the passage of the Boston Port Bill. When the news of that legislation was received in Savannah, the spirit which had taken possession of the liberty loving people in the matter of the Stamp Act was revived, and it was with the deepest concern for the outcome of certain proceedings on their part that Sir James Wright wrote to Eng-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

167

land on the 25th of July, 1774, informing Lord Dartmouth that a public
meeting was called for the 27th, just two days after, and that he would "give a full account of the conduct and proceedings of the Liberty People here, as soon as I know for certain what they did." That letter was written on seeing the following notice in the Georgia Gazette of the
20th of July : t "The critical situation to which the British Colonies in America
are likely to be reduced from the arbitrary and alarming imposition of the late acts of the British Parliament respecting the town of Boston, as well as the acts that at present exist tending to the raising of a per petual revenue without the consent of the people or their representatives, is considered an object extremely important at this juncture, and par ticularly calculated to deprive the American subjects of their constitu tional rights and liberties as a part of the English Empire. It is there fore requested that all persons within the limits of this Province do at tend in Savannah, on Wednesday the 27th instant, in order that the said matters may be taken under consideration and such other constitu tional measures pursued as may then appear to be more eligible."
Some historians have included in the above between the words "do attend" and "in Savannah" the words "at the Liberty Pole, at Tondee's
tavern," but the reference to a liberty pole was evidently not in the original notice, as it can be clearly shown there was no such thing in Savannah at that time. How those words crept into the account cannot be ascertained, and it is not the purpose of this writer to attempt an explanation; but the facts are as follows :

SAVANNAH PUTS UP A LIBERTY TREE JUNE 2, 1775
Sir James Wright, in one of his letters to Lord Dartmouth, dated the 17th of June, 1775, said "It gives me much concern to acquaint your Lordship that on Thursday, the 13th instant, the Liberty Folks have assembled in the Town of Sav. and put up a Liberty Tree and a Flagg, and in the evening paraded about the Town I am informed to the num ber of 300, some say 400." That Governor Wright made an error of eight days can easily be proved. The liberty pole was erected on Mon day, the 5th, as stated in the following account of all that happened at that time given in the Georgia Gazette of Wednesday, June 7, 1775.
"Last Friday night [June 2] the cannon on the battery at the east end of this town, consisting of 21 pieces, were spiked up and thrown down to the bottom of the bluff by persons unknown. Some of the inhabitants, assisted by the Commanders of several vessels and their people, had them brought up again, and some of them being drilled were fired as customary on Sunday (being the Birth-Day of our most gracious Sov ereign GEORGE the Third) at one o'clock, when his Excellency the Governor, such of the members of his Majesty's Honourable Council as were in town, and a number of other gentlemen, repaired to the flag staff to drink his Majesty's health. On Monday his Excellency gave a genteel entertainment at the Court-House to the members of the Council and Assembly, the Public Officers, Officers of the Militia, and several other Gentlemen, and in the evening there were illuminations as usual.

168

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"On Monday last [June 5] a considerable number of the Inhabi tants of this town met, and having erected a Liberty Pole, afterwards dined at Tondee's Long Room. They spent the day with the utmost harmony, and concluded the evening with great decorum. Amongst many others the following toasts were drank at dinner, accompanied with a discharge of cannon placed under the Liberty Flag, viz.
"The KING. American Liberty. The General Continental Congress. Unanimity and Firmness to America. No Taxation without Representa tion. A speedy Reconciliation between Great Britain and America upon constitutional principles. The Earl of Chatham. The Protesting Lords. Mr. Burke, Governor Johnstone. and the rest of the worthy members of the House of Commons who distinguished themselves in favour of America. The Lord Mayor and Citizens of London. Mr. Hancock. Dglro.bFer.a''nklin. Mr. Dickinson. The Sons of Freedom in every part of the
Let it be remembered that the raising of a liberty pole in Savan nah was in the month of June, 1775. The matter now under discussion, namely, the meeting of the inhabitants of the Province to consider the effects of the Boston Port Bill, was in the year 1774; but we make this digression in order to show the mistake on the part of some writers in mentioning a liberty pole in connection with the incident of July 27, 1774, when the erection of the pole took place nearly a year afterwards. Governor Wright was mistaken when, in relating that incident, he placed it on Thursday the 13th of June, 1775, the fact being that the 13th was Tuesday, and he was also mistaken in saying it was on the 13th; as the full account in the Georgia Gazette proves it was on Monday, the 5th. The notice of the meeting of July 27, 1774, made no reference to any particular place in the town where such meeting was to be held, and it was with a signature or signatures, as we will now see. It has been stated that the advertisement was inserted in the Gazette of the 20th, and it is unfortunate that no copy of that issue can be found. It is not included in the files in possession of the Georgia Historical Society, but a thorough search has brought to light a communication of one sign ing himself EUGENIUS, dated August 20, and appearing in the paper of September 7, reviewing the facts concerning the meeting of July 27, quoting in full said advertisement, saying it appeared in the issue of July 20, and that it was an anonymous advertisement. It did not con tain the words "at the Liberty Pole, at Tondee's tavern," but, as already shown, it simply "requested that all persons within the limits of this Province do attend in Savannah on Wednesday the 27th instant,'' It is unaccountable therefore, how the words "at the Liberty Pole, at Tondee's tavern" ever crept into accounts of that meeting, or that the statement was ever made that the notice was signed by Noble Jones, Archibald Bulloch, John Houstoun, and John "Walton. An account of that meeting in the Gazette of August 3d, shows it was held at the Exchange. The liberty pole was, as we now see, erected in June, 1775, but the notice we are now considering was an affair of nearly a full year previous, and to that affair, namely, the consideration of the effects of the Boston Port Bill, we will now return.
In answer to that summons for a meeting on the 27th of July, 1774,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

169

a goodly number of inhabitants, we are told, met at the Exchange, but
some accounts say at the Watch House,* in Savannah, and Mr. John Glen was called to the chair. Following the organization of the meeting letters and resolutions sent by committees of correspondence in Boston, Philadelphia. Annapolis, Williamsburg, Charlestown, and other places, were read and acted on. A large committee was appointed to prepare resolutions along the same lines as those passed by the northern colonies expressive of the sentiment of the people who considered the measures proposed by Great Britain as uncalled for and unjust. On that com mittee were John Glen, John Smith, Joseph Clay, John Houstoun, Noble Wymberley Jones, Lyman Hall, William Young, Edward Telfair, Samuel Farley, George Walton, Joseph Ilabersham, Jonathan Brjan, Jonathan Cochran, George McTntosh, Sutton Bankes, William Gibbons, Benjamin Andrew, John Winn, John Stirk, Archibald Bulloch, James Screven, David Zubly, Henry Louis Bourquin, Elisha Butler, William Baker, Parmenus Way, John Baker, John Mann, John Bennefield, John Stacy and John Morel. In considering the resolutions, it was decided that, as persons residing in distant portions of the province who might be in sympathy with the meeting but had not time to respond to the call could not co-operate in any action that might be taken, it would be wise to postpone action so as to allow such persons to be present should they so desire, and the meeting therefore was adjourned until the 10th of August, at which time delegates equal in number to the repre sentatives elected to the general assembly would be recognized, and notices were sent promptly throughout all the parishes to that effect.

GOVERNOR WRIGHT FORBIDS PUBLIC MEETING
Governor Wright, fearing the effect of such a meeting, called a meet ing of his council at which a motion was made to expel Mr. Jonathan Bryan from the body, as his name appeared on the committee, but that gentleman, according to Hugh McCall, "with patriotic indignation, in formed them in a style peculiar to himself for its candour and energy, that he would 'save them the trouble,' and handed his resignation to the governor." The council, wisely concluding that nothing short of a proclamation from the governor would tend toward checking the design of the leaders of the opposing party, determined to resort to that method, with the hope that it would cause some at least to pause and consider the danger involved in the proposed action, and the following paper was promulgated:
"By his Excellency Sir James Wright, Bart., Captain General of his Majesty's Province of Georgia, Chancellor, Vice Admiral, and Or dinary of the same: Whereas I have received information that on Wednesday the 27th day of July last past, a number of persons, in consequence of a printed Bill or Summons issued and dispersed through out the Province by certain Persons unknown, did unlawfully assemble
* It seems probable that the Exchange and Watch House were names used for one place.

170

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

together at the Watch House in the Town of Savannah nnder colour or pretense of consulting together for the Redress of Grievances or imaginary Grievances, and that the Persons so assembled for the pur poses aforesaid, or some of them are, from and by their own authority by a certain other Hand Bill issued and dispersed throughout the Province, and by other methods, endeavoring to prevail on his Majesty's liege subjects to have another meeting on Wednesday the 10th instant similar to the former and for the purposes aforesaid, which summonses and meetings must tend to raise fears and jealousies in the minds of his Majesty's good subjects:
"And whereas an opinion prevails and has been industriously propa gated that Summonses and Meetings of this nature are constitutional and legal: in order therefore that his Majesty's liege subjects may not be misled and imposed upon by artful and designing men I do, by this Proclamation, by and with the advice of his Majesty's honorable Council, issue this my Proclamation notifying that all such Summonses and calls by Private Persons and all Assemblings and Meetings of the People which may tend to raise fears and jealousies with his Majesty's subjects under pretense of consulting together for redress of Public Grievances, are unconstitutional, illegal and punishable by Law.
"And I do hereby require all his Majesty's subjects within this Prov ince to pay due regard to this my Proclamation as they will answer the contrary.
"Given under my hand and the Great Seal of his Majesty's said Province, in the Council Chamber at Savannah, the 5th day of August in the 14th year of the Rieign of our Sovereign Lord George III. in the year of our Lord 1774.
JAMES WEIGHT. By his Excellency's command. TIIOS. MOODIE, Dep:
Sec: God save the King.''

MEETING HELD
Whatever effect the proclamation may have had upon some of the persons at whom it was aimed may never be known, but a large num ber treated it with no regard whatever, and the meeting, a large one we are told, was held this time at Tondee's tavern in Savannah, at the time appointed, when the following resolutions, prepared by the com mittee, were, as therein stated, without dissent, adopted:
"Resolved, nemine contradicente, That his Majesty's subjects in America owe the same allegiance, and are entitled to the same rights, privileges, and immunities with their fellow subjects in Great Britain.
"Resolved, nemine contradicente, That as protection and allegiance are reciprocal, and under the British Constitution correlative terms, his Majesty's subjects in America have a clear and indisputable right, as well from the general laws of mankind, as from the ancient and estab lished customs of the land so often recognized, to petition the Throne upon every emergency.
"Resolved, nemine contradicente, That an Act of Parliament lately passed for blockading the port and harbour of Boston is contrary to our idea of the British Constitution: First, for that it in effect deprives good

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

171

and lawful men of the use of their property without judgment of their peers; and secondly, for it is in the nature of an ex post facto law, and indiscriminately blends as objects of punishment the innocent with the guilty; neither do we conceive the same justified upon a principle of necessity, for that numerous instances evince that the laws and executive power of Boston have made sufficient provision for the punishment of all offenders against persons and property.
"Resolved, nemine contradicente, That the Act for abolishing the Charter of Massachusetts Bay tends to the subversion of American rights; for besides those general liberties, the original settlers brought over with them as their birthright particular immunities granted by such Charter, as an inducement and means of settling the Province: and we apprehend the said Charter can not be dissolved but by a volun tary surrender of the people, representatively declared.
"Resolved, nemine contradicente, That we apprehend the Parlia ment of Great Britain hath not, nor ever had, any right to tax his Majesty's American subjects; for it is evident, beyond contradiction, the constitution admits of no taxation without representation; that they are coeval and inseparable; and every demand for the support of gov ernment should be by requisition made to the several houses of repre sentatives.
"Resolved, nemine contradicente, That it is contrary to natural jus tice and the established law of the land, to transport any person to Great Britain or elsewhere to be tried under indictment for a crime committed in any of the colonies, as the party prosecuted would thereby be de prived of the privilege of trial by his peers from the vicinage, the in jured perhaps prevented from legal reparation, and both lose the full benefit of their witnesses.
"Resolved, nemine contradicente, That we concur with our sister colonies in every constitutional measure to obtain redress of American grievances, and will, by every lawful means in our power, maintain those inestimable blessings for which we are indebted to God and the Constitution of our country--a Constitution founded upon reason and justice and the indelible rights of mankind.
il Resolved, nemine contradicente, That the Committee appointed by the meeting of the inhabitants of this Province on Wednesday, the 27th of July last, together with the deputies who have appeared here on this day from the different parishes, be a general committee to act, and that any eleven or more of them shall have full power to correspond with the committees of the several Provinces upon the Continent; and that copies of these resolutions, as well as all other proceedings, be trans mitted without delay to the Committees of Correspondence in the re spective Provinces."
At the same meeting a committee was appointed "to receive sub scriptions for the suffering poor in Boston.'' The gentlemen composing that committee were William Ewen, William Young, Joseph Clay, John Houstoun, Noble Wymberley Jones, Edward Telfair, John Smith, Sam uel Farley, and Andrew Elton Wells. As the result of that action the

172

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

people of Savannah and of St. John's Parish contributed five hundred and seventy-nine barrels of rice to help in feeding those people. *

THE LIBERTY BOYS
A most interesting study of the transactions of this period, if we had time to devote to it, would be the standing of the members of the various families prominent in the meetings held to give expression to the views of the people on the events transpiring. Such an investigation would show that father and son, in a number of instances, were directly opposed to each other, and families were otherwise divided. Thus while the Hon. James Habersham was a member of the royal council and as long as he lived, loyal to England's cause, his sons were prominently connected with the "Liberty Boys," and the same was the case with Col. Noble Jones and his son Noble Wymberley Jones, Edward Telfair, from first to last, stood firm in defense of the rights of the colonies while his brother William was equally an adherent to the interests of the crown. It is a remarkable fact that in the short space of one month in the year 1775, three of the governor's council died. In a letter to Lord Dartmouth, written October 14, Sir James Wright mentioned the fact that "last week Mr. Clement Martin, one of the council, died." On the 10th of July he wrote that "Mr. Habersham is gone to Philadelphia for the recovery of his health," and on the 1st of November he penned these words: '' Ten days ago I had an account of the death of Mr. Habersham, one of his Majesty's Council and Sec retary of this Province.'' And after writing that letter on the 1st of November he kept it open, adding a postscript on the 3d, stating that '' last night Mr. Jones, one of the Council and Treasurer of this province, died."
Of course, the loyalists of the colony took steps to counteract the influence of the '' Sons of Liberty,'' and to them the spirit manifested in the meeting of August 10th, was very distasteful. A card appeared in the Gazette of Wednesday, September 7, signed by James Habersham, Lachlan McGillivray, Josiah Tattnall, James Hume, Anthony Stokes, Edward Langworthy, Henry Yonge, Robert Bolton, Noble Jones, David
* An interesting fact linked with this incident is the collecting of funds by the citizens of Boston, in January, 1865, when Savannah was evacuated by the Con federate forces and occupied by Gen. Sherman's army, and the people of the former city contributed of their substance to the relief of the wants of their brethren of the latter city, when the committee of Boston's contributors feelingly alluded to this matter as follows: "The history of former days is not forgotten. It has been deepened by the later trials of our nation. We remember the earlier kindness and liberality of the citizens of Savannah towards the people of Boston in the dark colonial days. We recall the meeting held there on the 10th day of August, 1774, when a committee was appointed 'to receive subscriptions for the suffering poor of Boston;' as to which it is recorded, 'There are large donations of rice for the suf ferers in Boston; and we had the means of sending it to them, with very little more trouble, much more would be collected and sent. Few have subscribed less than ten tierces of rice.' The rice was sent to New York, and sold there, and the proceeds, 216 Os. 5d., were remitted to the Boston committee, and by them applied to the relief of the poor here."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

173

Montaigut and many others, commenting on those proceedings in this manner:

DISSENT TO RESOLUTIONS OF AUGUST 10, 1774
"On the 10th instant, a meeting was held at Savannah, to which several districts and parishes, particularly St. Paul's, one of the most populous in the province, sent no deputies; and although one Lord and another person attended as deputies from the parish of St. George, yet upwards of eighty respectable inhabitants of that parish sent down their dissent. Nor was the parish of Christ Church represented at this meeting, unless the self appointed committee be considered as their representatives. The measure left an opening for any to appear at the meeting in the character of deputies who brought down an appointment as such, without any inquiry whether they were constituted by the ma jority of the parish or not. Several artful falsehoods, were thrown out to induce the parishes and districts to send deputies. In the parish of St. George it was said that the Stamp Act was to be enforced; and in the parish of St. Matthew the people were told that nothing was in tended but a. dutiful petition to the king, as the father of his people; and to such lengths were matters carried that when some of the in' habitants of St. Matthew's parish discovered the deception, and desired that they might scratch out their names from the instrument appoint ing deputies, it was refused them. Their adjournment from the 27th of July to the 10th of August was general, and therefore it was natural to suppose that the meeting would be held at the Vendue house, the same place as the first; for whenever it is intended that a future meeting of any kind shall be held at a different place than that which is usual, notice is always given of the alteration of the place of meeting, other wise most of those who may be desirous of attending would not know where to go. In the present case none knew that the second meeting would be held at a different place than the first, except those few who were in the secret. But the important meeting of the 10th of August, in defence of the constitutional rights and liberties of American sub jects was held at a tavern, and it was said twenty-six persons, with the door shut for a considerable time, undertook to bind them by resolution; and when several gentlemen attempted to join, the tavern-keeper, who stood at the door with a list in his hand, refused them admittance because their names were not mentioned in that list. Such was the conduct of these pretended advocates for the liberties of America, Several of the inhabitants, of St. Paul's and St. George's, two of the most populous, have transmitted their written dissent to any resolutions, and there were gentlemen ready to present their dissent had not the door been shut for a considerable time, and admittance refused. And it is conceived that shutting the door and refusing admittance to any but resolutioners was calculated to prevent the rest of the inhabitants from giving their dissent to measures that were intended to operate as the unanimous sense of the province. Upon the whole, the world will judge whether the meeting of the 10th instant, held by a few persons in a tavern, with doors shut, can with any appearance of truth or decency, be called a

174

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

general meeting of the inhabitants of Georgia. Having now given our reasons at large, we enter this our public dissent to the said resolutions of the 10th, and all the proceedings had or to be had thereon, and do earnestly desire that such resolutions may not be taken as the sense of the inhabitants of Georgia."
It was not long after this (the 24th of August, to be exact) that Gov ernor Wright reported that meeting to the Earl of Dartmouth, and he did not treat the matter as so trivial an affair as the dissenters just quoted tried to make it appear. He wrote in this strain: "Everything, my Lord, was done that could be thought of, to frustrate their attempt, but this did not totally prevent it * * '* and now again, my Lord, as in the time of the Stamp Act, I am to be reflected upon and abused for opposing the licentiousness of the people * * * : In short, my Lord, at such times as these if a man has resolution and integrity enough to stand forth and attempt to do his duty its like being set up as a mark to be shot at and raising the resentment of great numbers against him." His allusion to "the resentment of great numbers" does not tally with the scoffing charge of the dissenters that the resolutions were the senti ment of '' a few persons in a tavern,'' and in using those words he con tradicted the statement made in the first paragraph of the same letter that "it would appear that these resolutions were not the voice of the people, but unfairly and insolently made by a junto of a very few only."
At the meeting of the 10th of August the proposition to send a dele gation to the proposed congress of the American colonies was rejected, and the Parish of St. John, not satisfied with the decision, held a con vention on the 30th, at which representatives from St. David and St. George were present and passed a resolution "that if a majority of the Parishes would unite with them, they would send deputies to join the General Congress and faithfully and religiously abide by and conform to such determination as should be there entered into, and come from thence recommended;'' but the effort failed, and Georgia had no delegation in the first congress of provincial deputies.

"LIBERTY BOYS" WORRY ROYAL COUNCIL
The young patriots, styled by Governor Wright as "Liberty People," "Sons of Liberty" and "Liberty Folks" but whom we now love to honor with the appellation of "Liberty Boys," kept up a continual round of well laid schemes to worry and annoy the royal council and their asso ciates ranked among the loyalists, of which the incident of "shutting the door and refusing admittance to any but resolutioners" at Tondee's tavern was only one example. The purpose of these annoyances was fully sustained, but those ardent patriots chafed under the failure of their efforts to secure representation in the convention of representatives from the other twelve American colonies which they so ardently wished to enter.
As a step in that direction some of the leaders assembled at the Savannah market, on the 8th of December, 1774, and selected John Glen as their chairman, when it was determined that a provincial congress should be held on the 18th of January following, and the following

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

175

were chosen to represent Christ Church Parish and Savannah in that

!|

body; Joseph Clay, George Houstoun, Ambrose Wright, Thomas Lee,

Joseph Habersham, Edward Telfair, John Houstoun, Peter Tondee,

Samuel Farley, William Young, John Smith, Archibald Bulloch, John

McCluer, Noble Wymberley Jones, and John Morel. Great things were

expected of that meeting, and a correspondent of the Georgia Gazette

said: '' It cannot surely at this time admit of a doubt but every Parish

and District throughout the Province will, as soon as possible, follow so

laudable an example. Every thinking man must be convinced how much

the honor, welfare and happiness of us and our posterity depend upon a

yigorous assertion and claim of our just and natural rights which the

arbitrary system of politics adopted by the Administration is undeni

ably calculated to deprive us of."

When the delegates assembled, however, it was found that of the

twelve parishes in the province only five were represented. Governor

Wright, thinking that he would thwart the designs of the patriots, called

the general assembly together on the same day, and in his message to both

houses he called their attention to "the alarming situation of American

affairs at this juncture," and said further "I shall avoid making any

observations on the resolutions adopted by the other Colonies; but hope,

through your prudence and regard for the welfare and happiness of this

Province, of yourselves and your posterity, none will be entered into

here.'' The upper house sent a message to the commons house of assem

bly showing that "this House having taken seriously into consideration

. .,

those matters mentioned by his Excellency in his speech to both Houses

jf j

respecting the present alarming state of the unhappy dispute between

l!

Great Britain and the Colonies," they asked for "a free conference

with your House thereon, in hopes of being able to fix on such a plan of

conduct as may reasonably be expected will prove conducive to the ob

taining the great point which every true friend to America hath or ought

to have only in view, to wit that of securing to its inhabitants, on a clear,

solid and permanent footing, all the rights and privileges to which, as

British subjects, they are entitled on the principles of the Constitution."

The conference was held, but did not result in the way hoped for by

the seekers after the joint session, and the lower house took into con

sideration the resolutions of the provincial congress then also in session,

which resolutions were nearly the same as those adopted by the con

tinental congress on the 14th of October, three others having been added:

one, a tribute to the advocates of civil and religious liberty for the de

fence of the cause of America; the second, thanking the delegates to the

American congress for their efforts in the cause of American liberty;

and the third, advocating the sending of commissioners to the Philadel

phia Continental Congress called for the 10th of May.

STEPS LEADING TO GEORGIA'S INDEPENDENCE
While the house of assembly was discussing these matters Governor Wright, on the 10th of February, declared the general assembly ad journed until May 9th, thus completely frustrating the plan to nominate delegates to the Continental Congress. The provincial congress thus

176

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

found itself almost unable to accomplish anything planned for its accom plishment ; but after electing Noble Wymberley Jones, Archibald Bulloch and John Houstoun representatives to the Philadelphia congress it ad journed on the 25th of January without having taken favorable action on the resolutions adopted by the other twelve colonies, and, owing to the political influence of the governor, not in union with them as a con gress. The delegates from St. John's Parish had withdrawn when they found that they could not carry the majority with them in the attempt to ratify the resolutions of the Continental Congress, and they '' resolved to prosecute their claims to an equality with the Confederated Colonies." They were dissatisfied at the decision of the provincial congress extend ing the time for closing the port from the 1st of December to the 15th of March, in the ninth article of association, declaring that action to be con trary to the very object of the association. That parish, on the 25th of March, elected Dr. Lyman Hall to represent the people there in the Con tinental Congress, and on the presentation of his credentials he was unan imously admitted "as a delegate from the Parish of St. John in the Colony of Georgia" under certain conditions involving his right to vote. Although elected shortly before this time, Messrs. Jones, Bulloch and Houstoun did not attend the Congress with Lyman Hall, and the province was not as such recognized in that body until the adjourned session on the 13th of September, 1775.
In the meanwhile another provincial congress was held on the 4th of July, 1775, when every parish was represented, and at that time Georgia decided to cast her lot with the other colonies in the determination to break off all allegiance to the mother country, on a motion made and car ried "that this Congress do put this Province upon the same footing with our sister Colonies.'' Then it was resolved that five persons be selected to represent the people in Continental Congress, and in addition to those three gentlemen the names of the Rev. Dr. John Joachim Zubly and Ly man Hall were added. Of those five Messrs. Bulloch, Houstoun and Zubly took their seats September 13th.

CHAPTER XVII
EVENTS PRECEDING THE REVOLUTION
"LIBERTY BOYS" RAID POWDER MAGAZINE--MEETINGS OF PROTESTING CITIZENS--ADDRESS OF PROVINCIAL CONGRESS--GEORGIA RECEIVED INTO THE UNION--UNPLEASANT FOR ROYALISTS--CONTINENTAL BATTALION FOR GEORGIA--ON THE EVE OF THE REVOLUTION.
The news of the conflicts between the British troops and the Massa chusetts militia on the 19th of April, 1775, was not known in Savannah until the night of May 10th, just twenty-one days after, and created the most intense excitement.
LIBERTY BOYS RAID POWDER MAGAZINE
The Liberty Boys took immediate notice of the way things were going, and promptly let their influence be felt. Knowing that gunpowder would be needed, and that right soon, they set to work to gain possession of the supply of that useful material then stored in the substantially built brick magazine in the eastern side of the town. They held a meeting at the residence of Dr. Jones, on the following evening, and a party, formed of their leading members, broke open the structure and departed with nearly all of its contents. The raiding force consisted of Dr. Noble Wyinberley Jones, Joseph Habersham, Edward Telfair, William Gibbons, Joseph Clay, John Milledge, and others whose names have not been recorded. On the 12th Governor Wright wrote to the Earl of Dartmouth that the amount taken was about six hundred pounds, leaving in the magazine "'not above 300 Ibs of the King's Powder, and about as much more belonging to the merchants." Some ol it was sent for safety to Beaufort, South Carolina, and the remaining portion the captors took care to hide in garrets, cellars, and elsewhere. Governor Wright, of course, issued a proclamation on the subject, and offered a reward of 150 sterling for the arrest of the persons engaged in the capture, but no one ever claimed the reward. There is a tradition that some of the powder taken was sent to Cambridge and was used by the patriots at the battle of Bunker Hill. The truth of this statement cannot be sub stantiated, but it is certain that on the first of June following sixty-three barrels of rice and 122 sterling in specie were contributed by the citi zens of Savannah and sent to the relief of the people of Boston who had,
Vol. 1-12
177

178

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

in consequence of the "late acts of a cruel and vindictive ministry" been forced to leave the town. For that purpose John Eaton Le Conte was chosen to bear the present to those people and he and the stores in his charge were conveyed to Boston in the Juliana, commanded by Captain Stringham. Why, then, is it not probable that the same spirit which actuated the Georgians in this instance possessed them to such an extent as to prompt, them to send powder for their defence against a common enemy ?
On the 4th of June, according to custom, preparations having been previously made, the king's birthday was celebrated. Orders for that event had been issued on the first; but in the night of the second the liberty-loving people gathered, and, proceeding to the bay, spiked the cannon, dismounted them, and rolled them to the river bank at the bottom of the bluff. Some of them, however, were raised to their places and put in condition to be used in firing the salute. As Sunday was the king's birthday the celebration did not occur until Monday, the 5th, at which time the liberty pole was erected by those who did not believe in his treatment of his subjects on this side of the Atlantic. An account of this proceeding has already been given.

MEETINGS OF PROTESTING CITIZENS
In the Georgia Gazette of Wednesday, June 14,1775, the following ac count of a meeting of the citizens of Savannah and some others appeared, and Governor Wright was so alarmed by its import that he sent it to the home government with these remarks: "They have entered into an Association, as your Lordship will see by the inclosed paper, and what ever is agreed upon by the Continental Congress will undoubtedly be adopted and carried into execution here, and will meet with little or no opposition.''
"A number of the Inhabitants of the Town and District of Savannah and also of several other parishes within this Province having assembled together and taking into consideration the alarming heighth to which the present contest between Great Britain and America is risen, and re flecting on the danger of instigated insurrections among themselves, were of the opinion that prudence and common safety suggest the imme diate adoption of some measures within this Province; They therefore entered into and subscribed the following Association, being persuaded that the salvation of the rights and liberties of America depend under God on the firm union of the Inhabitants in its vigorous prosecution of the measures necessary for its safety, and convinced of the necessity of preventing the anarchy and confusion which attend the dissolution of the powers of government; We freemen, freeholders and inhabitants of the Province of Georgia, being greatly alarmed at the avowed design of the Ministry to raise a revenue in America, and shocked by the bloody scene now acting in the Massachusetts Bay, do, in the most solemn man ner, resolve never to become slaves, and do associate under all the ties of religion, honor and love to our country to adopt and endeavor to carry into execution whatever may be recommended by the Continental Con gress or resolved upon by our Provincial Convention that shall be ap-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

179

pointed for the purpose of preserving our Constitution and opposing the execution of the several arbitrary and oppressive Acts of the British Parliament, until a reconciliation between Great Britain and America on constitutional principles, which we most ardently desire, to be ob tained ; and that we will in all things follow the advice of our General Committee to be appointed respecting the purposes aforesaid the pres ervation of peace and good order and the safety of individuals and
private property. "And also come into the following Resolves: "First, That the foregoing Association be strongly recommended to
the inhabitants of the several parishes and districts within this Prov ince ; and also that a Committee be appointed among themselves to carry the said measures into execution.
"Second, That it is highly expedient that a General Provincial Con gress be held at Savannah on the first Tuesday in July next, and that it be recommended that each Parish and district elect Delegates to attend
the same. "Third, That the inhabitants of this Town and District meet at
Savannah on the twenty-second day of June instant, to choose Delegates to attend in the Provincial Congress, and also to elect a Committee for enforcing the foregoing Association.
"By Order of the Meeting, "N. W. JONES, Chairman." *
.Various meetings were held about this time by the people who were advocates of strenuous measures in contesting the policy of England in regard to the affairs of the province. One such was held on Monday, the 26th of June, and ordered another meeting to be held on the 30th, at nine o'clock, A. M. at the house of Mrs. Cuyler. Another was held on the 22d, when it was resolved "that Georgia should not afford protection to, or become an asylum for, any person who, from his conduct, might be properly considered inimical to the common cause of America, or who should have drawn upon himself the disapprobation or censure of any of the other colonies."

ADDRESS OP PROVINCIAL CONGRESS
Delegates having been elected in all the parishes and districts, the Provincial Congress met in Savannah, at Tondee's tavern, in what was called the "Long Room" on the 4th of July, 1775. Archibald Bulloch was elected President, and George Walton secretary, when the body ad journed to the meetinghouse of Rev. Dr. John J. Zubly where he preached a sermon on the state of American affairs. On re-assembling at the tavern a resolution of thanks to Dr. Zubly for his excellent sermon was adopted. The next day it was moved and seconded that the governor be requested to appoint a day of fasting and prayer which motion was unani-
* Historians have asserted that the foregoing Article of Association, was adopted July 13, 1775. They are at fault here, as it was adopted just one month earlier, and appeared in the Gazette of June 14, 1775.

180

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

mously adopted. Among the other acts of this congress was the appoint ment of the five delegates to the Continental Congress already mentioned, namely John Houstoun, Archibald Bulloch, J. J. Zubly, Lyman Hall and Noble W. Jones.
In June, a council of safety had been appointed, and the affairs of the province were virtually conducted by that organization. Governor Wright was helpless in his efforts to control the people who so freely took hold of the government, but he did all in his power to assert his authority as the head of the royal government. An address was presented to him by a committee appointed by the congress, signed by President Bulloch, outlining the course pursued by that body and the reasons therefor, tell ing him "we have now joined with the other Provinces in the Continental Congress, and have sent a petition to his Majesty, appointed delegates to the American Congress, and entered into such resolutions--which we mean inviolably to adhere to--or will convince the friends and foes of America that we would not live unworthy of the name of Britons,
or labour under the suspicion of being unconcerned for the rights and freedom of America." That address was delivered to him on the 13th of July, and he waited until the 18th to send a copy of it to England. In the letter accompanying it he stated that he had been misrepresented; that he had laid it before the council; and that the assembly was prac tically controlled by the liberty people. He goes on to say that: ' i They
have appointed here what they call a Council of Safety, and very nearly followed the example of the Carolinas except as to raising an army * * * I am well informed that the gentlemen who came from Carolina assured the Congress here that if they should on any account want assistance they should immediately have it to the amount of 1,000 men." He closed with making the request that he be permitted "to return to England in order to resign the Government."
The Provincial Congress sent, through a committee, the following address:

"To the Inhabitants of the Province of Georgia--Fellow-Countryraen: "We are directed to transmit to you an account of the present state of American affairs, as well as the proceedings of the late Provincial Congress.
" It is with great sorrow we are to acquaint you, that what our fears suggested, but our reason thought impossible, is actually come to pass.
"A civil war in America is begun. Several engagements have already happened. The friends and foes of America were in hopes British troops could never be induced to slay their brethren. It is, however, done, and the circumstances are such as must be an everlasting blot on their character for humanity and generosity. An unfeeling Commander has found means to inspire his troops with the same evil spirit that possesseth himself. After the starving, helpless, innocent inhabitants of Boston delivered up their arms and received his promise that they might leave that virtuous, devoted town, he is said to have broke his word; and the wretched inhabitants are still kept to fall a prey to disease, famine and confinement. If there are powers which abhor injustice and oppres sion, it may be hoped such perfidy cannot go long unpunished.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

181

'' But the enemies of America have been no less disappointed. Noth ing' was so contemptible in their eyes as the rabble of an American mil itia ; nothing more improbable than that they would dare to look regulars in the face, or stand a single fire. By this time they must have felt how much they were mistaken. In every engagement the Americans ap peared with a bravery worthy of men that fight for the liberties of their oppressed country. Their success has been remarkable; the number of the slain and wounded on every occasion vastly exceeded theirs, and the advantages they gained are the more honorable, because, with a patience that scarce has an example, they bore every act of injustice and insult till their lives were attacked, and then gave the fullest proof that the man of calmness and moderation in counsel is usually also the most in trepid and courageous in battle.
"You will doubtless lament with us the hundreds that died in their country's cause; but does it not call for greater sorrow that thousands of British soldiers sought and found their deaths when they were active to enslave their brethren and their country? However irritating all these proceedings, yet so unnatural is this quarrel, that every good man must wish and pray that it may soon cease; that the injured rights of America may be vindicated by milder means; and that no more blood may be shed, unless it be by those who fomented and mean to make an advantage of these unhappy divisions.
'' From the proceedings of the Congress, a copy of which accompanies the present, you will be convinced that a reconciliation on honorable principles is an object which your delegates never lost sight of. We have sent an humble and manly petition to his Majesty: addressed his repre sentative, our Governor; provided, as far as in our power, for internal quiet and safety; and Delegates will soon attend the General Congress to assist and co-operate in any measure that shall be thought necessary for the saving of America.
"His Excellency, at our request, having appointed the 19th inst as a Day of Humiliation, and news being recommended the 20th inst to be observed as such, both days have been observed with a becoming sol emnity ; and we humbly hope many earnest prayers have been presented to the Father of Mercies on that day through this extensive continent, and that He has heard the cries of the destitute and will not despise their prayers.
"You will permit us most earnestly to recommend to you a steady perseverance in the cause of Liberty, and that you will use all possible caution not to say or do anything unworthy of so glorious a cause; to promote frugality, peace, and good order, and, in the practice of every social and religious duty, patiently to wait the return of that happy day when we may quietly sit under our vine and fig tree and no man make us afraid.''
J. J. ZUBLY, N. W. JONSS, GEORGE WALTON.

Following the address to the people, this petition was presented to the king:

182

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"To the King's most excellent Majesty.
"May it please your Majesty: Though we bring up the rear of American Petitioners and, from the fate of so many petitions presented to your Majesty from America, your great city of London, and others
of your European subjects, have a most melancholy prospect, we still hope that He by whom Kings rule and to whom monarchs are account able, will incline you to receive and pay some regard to our most hum- . ble and faithful representation.
"In times like these, when the edge of present feelings is blunted by the expectation of calamities still greater, we must take the liberty to speak before we die. We would acquaint our Sovereign with things which greatly affect his interest. We would endeavor to waken the feelings and pity of our common father. Hear us therefore, that God may hear you also.
"Your Majesty is the rightful Sovereign of the most important em pire of the universe.
"The blessings of Providence on your arms have put a country in America under you of greater importance and extent than several king doms in Europe. In this large extent of territory, by some late acts, Popery is not only tolerated (which we conceive would have been but an
act of justice), but an indulgence has been granted, little short of a full establishment, to a religion which is equally injurious to the rights of Sovereign and of mankind. French and arbitrary laws have there by authority taken the place of the just and mild British Constitution, and all this has been done with a professed and avowed design to overawe your Majesty's ancient Protestant and loyal subjects, some of whom had no small share in the merit of that conquest.
"Acts to raise a perpetual revenue on the Americans without their consent have been enacted, which at one stroke, turn all your American subjects into slaves, and deprive them of that right which the most oppressive taskmaster does not deny to the servant bought with his own money. Experience must now have shown, as it will clearer should these acts be enforced, that instead of increasing the revenue or lessening the burdens of your European subjects, they can only serve to increase
their taxation. "Laws which we conceive fraught with so much injustice have been
attempted to be enforced by equal cruelty, and whenever we thought our selves at the height of our troubles, your Majesty's Ministry have strained their unhappy ingenuity to find out new methods of distress; and, it is believed, methods have been more than thought of too shock ing to human nature to be even named in the list of grievances suffered
under a British king. "The goodness of God hath made your Majesty the father of a very
numerous issue, on whom we place the pleasing hopes of a Protestant succession; but your Majesty's arms in America now every day make mothers childless, and children fatherless. The blood of your subjects has been shed with pleasure rather than with pity, for an action which amounted to no more, even under the worst construction, than an irregu lar zeal for constitutional liberty; and without any step taken to find out the supposed guilty persons, the capital of your American dominions.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

183

has been blocked up, deprived of its trade, and its poor of subsistence. Thousands, confessedly innocent, have been starved, ruined, and driven from, or kept like prisoners in their own habitations; their cries and blood innocently shed have undoubtedly reached, and daily do reach His ears who hateth injustice and oppression.
"Believe us, great Sir, America is not divided; all men (Crown officers not excepted) speak of these acts and measures with disapproba tion, and if there has been some difference of opinion as to the mode of relief, the rigorous experiments which your Ministry thought fit to try on the Americans have been the most effectual means to convince these of the iniquitous designs of your Ministry and to unite them all as in a common cause. Your Majesty's Ministers, after thus introducing the demon of discord into your empire and driving America to the brink of despair, place all their dignity in measures obstinately pursued be cause they were once wantonly taken. They hearkened to no informa tion but what represented Americans either as rebels or cowards. Time will every day make it clearer how much they were infatuated and mistaken. Too long, we must lament, have these men imposed on your paternal affection. Deign now, most gracious Prince, in their room, to hearken to the cries of your loyal and affectionate subjects of this extensive Continent; let the goodness of your heart interpose between weak or wicked Ministers, and millions of loyal and affectionate subjects. No longer let the sword be stained with the blood of your own children ; recall your troops and fleets; and if any misunderstanding remains, let the Americans be heard, and justice and equity take place. Let us be ruled according to the known principles of our excellent Constitution, and command the last shilling of our property and the last drop of our blood in your service.
"Uncertain as to the event of this our humble representation, it affords us a relief that we may, unrestrained, apply to the great and merciful Sovereign of the whole earth, who will not'despise the prayer of the oppressed; and to Him we most ardently pray that the wicked being taken away from before the king, the king's throne may be estab
lished in righteousness. "By order of the Congress, at Savannah, this 14th day of July.
A. BULLOCH, President."
At the meeting on the 21st of June a Council of Safety was appointed, and the members consisted of William Ewen, president; Wm. Le Conte, Joseph Clay, Basil Cowper, Samuel Elbert, Wm. Young, Elisha Butler, Edward Telfair, John Glen, George Houstoun, George Walton, Joseph Habersham, Francis H. Harris, John Smith and John Morel. Seth John Cuthbert was the secretary. Then the members of the convention dined at Tondee's tavern, the Union flag was hoisted on the liberty pole, two field pieces were posted at its foot, thirteen toasts were drunk, and the cannon were used in firing a salute with martial music accompanying.

GEORGIA RECEIVED INTO THE UNION
On the 20th of July. 1775, the day appointed as one of fasting and prayer, the news that Georgia had at last taken the step to join the

184

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

other colonies and had appointed her delegates, reached the Continental Congress, and she was received heartily into the Union. Her delegates as we have seen, appeared at an adjourned session September 13th. Dr! Zubly at first acted in full harmony with the people who had placed him in the forefront as one able to represent them in the stand they had taken, but he flinched when the determination was reached to dis solve the bond of union with Great Britain, and he severed his connec tion with the congress, returning to Georgia and siding with the loyal ists. He was banished, took refuge in South Carolina, returned to Georgia after the siege of Savannah in 1779, when he remained as pastor of the Independent church until his death in 1781.
A committee was appointed by the provincial congress "to present the association to all the inhabitants of the town and district of Savan nah to be signed," and the members of it were asked to hasten their work and to report promptly the names of those who refused to sign. Al though Governor Wright remained in Savannah, he was not permitted to exercise any of the powers theretofore vested in him by royal com mission. Georgia was really controlled by the Council of Safety, and in the seizure of the custom house by the Republicans the port was virtually closed.
UNPLEASANT FOR ROYALISTS
The "liberty boys," some of whom were members of the Council of Safety, began to make it very unpleasant for every one who showed in the slightest way his sympathy for the British government or who refused to show his respect for the cause of America, The town of Savannah must have been in a continual state of turmoil and alarm. Judged by certain statements contained in the letters he wrote to the Earl of Dart mouth about that time, Governor Wright must have been in a most piti able state of mind. In addition to the treatment to which he was sub jected he was called upon to listen to the woes of others conspicuous for their loyalty to the English government and for their determination to resist the demands of the republicans and the rollicking liberty peo ple. In a letter dated July 29, 1775, he said: "Since my last of the 18th instant, No. 54, the Council of Safety as they call themselves have in a solemn manner forbid the Rector of the Parish to preach any more in the church, and he has been so much threatened that on the 25th instant he left the town and went over into Carolina because he refused to preach a sermon and observe a fast which had been directed by the Continental Congress to be observed throughout all the Colonies, and has reflected on the conduct of the Americans. And my Lord on the 24th instant about 9 o'clock at night I heard a very great huzzaing _ in the streets, and on sending out found they had seized upon one Hopkins a pilot and were tarring and feathering him, and soon after they brought him in a cart down by my house, and such a horrid spectacle I really never saw. They made this man stand up in a cart with a candle in his hand, and a great many candles were carried round the cart, and thus they went through most of the streets in town for upwards of three hours. And on inquiring what he had done I was informed that he had behaved disrespectfully towards the Sons of Liberty and drank

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

185

some toasts which gave great offence; but for your Lordship's more par ticular information in both these matters I inclose a copy of the affida vits of the parties, and the newspaper, and I must at the same time observe that I cannot believe this conduct is promoted or approved of by the people in general, but only by some very violent ones amongst them and the mob. Your Lordship will be the best judge what is most proper to be done, but I beg leave most heartily to wish that conciliatory meas ures may speedily take place, or total ruin and destruction will soon follow, and America lost and gone."
'' The Deposition of John Hopkins of the Town of Savannah Mariner taken on Oath the twenty-fifth Day of July, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, before the Honourable Anthony Stokes Esq., Chief Justice of the Province aforesaid: This Deponent being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God maketh Oath and saith That about nine of the Clock in the Evening of the twenty-fourth instant as this Deponent was sitting at supper with his family there came to this Deponent's House a number of Persons (some were in disguise) and opened the door. That Joseph Reynolds of Savannah, Bricklayer, Capt. McCluer and Capt. Bunner at Present of Savannah Mariners laid hold of this Deponent, without saying anything to him That as soon as the aforesaid People laid hold of this Deponent a great number rushed in and hurried this Deponent out of his house and led him to the out side of the Town, That they consulted to tar and feather him but the Ma jority resolved to Carry him to a more public place. Accordingly they led this Deponent into the middle of the square near to the Dial in Savan nah and striped this Deponent of his Jacket & Shirt and with great reluctance left the rest of his Apparrel on him And then they pro ceeded to tar and feather this Deponent And immediately put this Dfeponent into a Cart & Carted him up & down the Street of Savannah for upAvards of three Hours in the Above Condition That during the aforesaid Time they Carted this Deponent to the Liberty tree And there swore they would hang him That the said Bunner said, 'he was rather fat But He would go up the tree and hang this Deponent.' That the said Bunner further said 'that unless he would drink "Damnation to all Tories and Success to American Liberty" he should be hung imme diately' which request this Deponent, was obliged to Comply with, that they continued to abuse this Deponent, gave him a great deal of ill Language and upbraided him with his Conduct That some one or other said That if they could lay hold of the Parson they would put him along side of this Deponent in the Cart, That this Deponent also heard said in the Mob that Mr. Smith should be next And that they intended to Continue until they had Tarred and feathered all the Tories or Words to That Effect, That this Deponent saw in the Aforesaid Mob, together with the Persons aforementioned, Thomas Lee Carpenter John Spencer Carpenter, Alexander Phoenix Merchant Ambrose Wright Planter Sam uel Wells Mariner Francis Arthur of Savannah Surveyor, Oliver Bowen Merchant John McCluer & Capt. McCluer Joseph Habersham and Francis Harris Gentleman Quintin Pooler Merchant Capt. Hawkins Mariner and Thomas Hamilton Butcher and several others that this Deponent cannot recollect That between the Hours of Twelve and One

186

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

of the Clock at Midnight they discharged this Deponent at the Vendue House with orders to beg 'all America pardon.'
"JOHN HOPKINS. "Sworn the Day and Year Aforesaid: ANTHONY STOKES.

"I desire that a Warrent may Issue against the abovenamed Joseph Reynolds of Savannah Bricklayer and Capt. George Bunner Mariner and against none of the other persons.
"JOHN HOPKINS." A true Copy: Preston & Pryce.
[In Sir James Wright's (No. 55) of 29th July, 1775.]

"The Reverend Haddon Smith Rector of the Parish of Christ Church being duly sworn saith: That on Saturday the Twenty-second Day of this Instant July about nine of the Clock in the forenoon some Gentle men came to this Deponent's House at the Parsonage. That this Depo nent being up Stairs in his Chambers sent down word immediately to desire the Gentlemen to walk in and he would wait upon them. That before this Deponent came down Stairs he heard some one of them to say 'We cannot "Walk in' or words to that purport. That this Depo nent then concluded who they were and went down directly to them. That this Deponent saw standing in the Porch of the House Peter Tarling of St. John's Parish, Jonathan Cochran of Saint Andrews Parish Planters, Edward Teli'air of Savannah Merchant, George Walton of Savannah Esq., and Oliver Bowen of Savannah Merchant and some others. That the aforesaid Peter Tarliug held a written Paper in his hand and read from it to this Deponent the following words 'Sir from your late Conduct in disobeying the Orders of the Congress, You are deemed an Enemy to America and by Order of the Committee We are to inform you that you are to be suffered no longer to officiate in this Town' or Words to that Effect, That the aforesaid Peter Tarling hav ing read the paper above ment'd he together with the rest of the Persons immediately went away without giving this Deponent an opportunity to reply or ask for the Paper since which this Deponent hath not thought himself safe in doing his Duty as Rector.
"HADDON SMITH. "Sworn the 25th day of July 1775 before Anthony Stokes." [A true Copy: Preston & Pryce.]
In a postscript to the letter conveying the foregoing, Governor Wright said: '' 1st of August the delegates went away for Philadelphia. I forgot to mention that the committee here take upon them to order ships and vessels that arrive to depart again without suffering them to come up to the town and unload. Some they admit, some they order away just as they please, and exactly copy after Carolina, and are making a very rapid progress in the execution of their assumed power. 10,000 sterling is to be issued in notes or certificates and your Lordship will see the proceedings of the Congress by the enclosed newspaper, and beg I leave to repeat that no correspondence is safe. I dare not venture a single letter by the post to Charles Town for the packet, or to send

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

187

any to your Lordship but under cover as private letters. No sloop of war or cruiser is come yet."
A vessel arrived from London on the 17th of September, laden with two hundred and fifty barrels of gunpowder, intended as a present for the Indians, and consigned to the superintendent, Mr. Stuart. She was boarded at Tybee by the " liberty boys" who seized the powder and transported it to Savannah for use in a way not intended by the royal shipper. Another ship with a cargo of two hundred and four slaves from Senegal was not permitted to land, and her captain set sail for St. Augustine. Hence the. reference in the postscript just quoted. Things continuing to annoy the royal governor he added another to his already long list of doleful statements in a letter to his superior on the 23d of September: "What remedy these evils may require, is for the wisdom of my superiors to determine, but I must beg leave to add that

AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL, TIFTON
from the situation of affairs here no time should be lost. It is really a wretched state to be left in, and what it's impossible to submit to much longer--Government totally annihilated and assumed by Con gresses, Councils, and Committees, and the greatest acts of tyranny, op pression, gross insults, etc., etc., etc., committed, and not the least means of protection, support, or even personal safety and these almost daily occurrences are too muck, my Lord."
Governor Wright's powers were extremely limited at that time. Indeed all he was called on to do was to issue letters of administration and to probate wills.
The provincial congress adjourned on the llth of December, and before doing so made a new appointment of members of the Council of Safety which body then assumed the entire reins of government, and made it a rule to meet regularly every Monday morning, at Tondee's Long Room, at ten o'clock. This new committee was composed of

188

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

George Walton, president; Edward Langworthy, secretary, and the following other members: Win. Ewen, Stephen Drayton, Noble W. Jones, Basil Cowper, Edward Telfair, John Bohun Girardeau, John Smith, Jonathan Bryan, Wm. Gibbons, John Martin, Oliver Bowen, Ambrose Wright, Samuel Elbert, Joseph Habersham, and Francis Henry Harris. During the existence of the council many changes were made from time to time, but all the members serving in that capacity have not been named.
CONTINENTAL BATTALION FOR GEORGIA
Among the measures enacted by the Continental Congress, Novem ber, was the raising of a battalion at the common charge of the united provinces for Georgia's protection, and for that purpose the sum of five thousand dollars was appropriated, and therefore the Council of Safety commissioned, at its first meeting, Andrew Maybank, Joseph Woodruffe, Hezekiah Wade, and John Dooly as captains, James Cochran, John Morrison, Jeremiah Beale, and Thomas Dooly as first lieutenants, James Galoche, Moses Way, Jacob Blust, Zephaniah Beale, and - William Bugg as second lieutenants, and Thomas Dowly, George Phillips, and Joshua Smith as third lieutenants. The battalion thus formed was more completely organized on the '7th of January, 1776, by the commissioning of the following . Lachlan Mclntosh, colonel; Samuel Elbert, lieutenantcolonel; Joseph Habersham, major.
1st Company--Francis Henry Harris, captain; John Habersham, first lieutenant.
2nd Company--Oliver Bowen, captain; George Handley, first lieu tenant.
3rd Company--John Mclntosh, Jr., captain; Lachlan Mclntosh, Jr., first lieutenant.
4th Company--Arthur Carney, captain; Benjamin Odingsell, first lieutenant.
5th Company--Thomas Chisholm, captain; Caleb Howell, first lieu tenant.
6th Company--John Green, captain; Ignatius Few, first lieutenant. 7th Company--Chesley Bostick, captain; John Martin, first lieu tenant. 8th Company--Jacob Colson, captain; Shadrach Wright, first lieu tenant.
ON THE EVE OF THE REVOLUTION
We will, in closing this chapter, briefly outline the state of affairs as existing in the Province of Georgia, of which Savannah was the seat of government, in fact of two conflicting governments, on the eve of the American Revolution.
Practically, on the Republican side, the Council of Safety was the maker of laws, and its president was, to all intents and purposes, the governor, and the authority for this was the result of legislation on the part of the provincial congress. All business, both of a civil and a mili tary nature, originated in and was put in force by it, as will be seen by an inspection of its minutes. The royal governor remained at his

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

189

post, but lie was powerless, without the protection of even a small mili tary guard, and his council, composed of men who were presumed to advise him, were as helpless as himself, being held in utter disregard by the opposition. The functions of the king's officers were performed by men who, in the name of liberty, asserted the right to vacate the royal commissions and transact the public affairs in a manner unobjectionable
to freemen.

CHAPTER XVIII
COMMENCEMENT OP ACTUAL WAR
GOVERNOR WEIGHT'S ARREST AND ESCAPE--GEORGIA'S TEMPORARY CON STITUTION--CONFLICT BETWEEN ROYAL TROOPS AND MILITIA--EXPOR TATION OF RICE STOPPED--ROYALISTS ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE RICE BOATS--ONLY Two VESSELS ESCAPE TO SEA--COUNCIL OF SAFETY TAKES HEROIC MEASURES--CONGRESS THANKS COLONIAL MILITIA-- WEIGHT GOES TO ENGLAND AND RETURNS TO SAVANNAH--JOHN GRA HAM AND THUNDERBOLT--SAVANNAH'S FIRST "FOURTH OF JULY" (AUGUST !()TH).
Though delayed in reaching Savannah, the relief sought by Sir James Wright came on the 12th of January, 1776, when a transport from Boston, with troops under the command of Majors Maitland and Grant, touched at Tybee. That event, coupled with the determination to put down any demonstration of authority by the royal party, forced the Council of Safety, on the 18th, to resolve "that the person of his ex cellency Sir James Wright, Bart., and of John Mullryne, Josiah Tattnall, and Anthony Stokes, Esqs., be forthwith arrested and secured, and that all non-associates be forthwith disarmed except those who will give their parole assuring that they will not aid, assist, or comfort any of the persons on board his Majesty's ships of war, or take up arms against America in the present unhappy dispute."
GOVERNOR WEIGHT'S ARREST AND ESCAPE
Naturally it would be presumed that volunteers for the patriotic act of arresting the royal governor could easily be had among the youthful constituency of the '' Liberty Boys,'' and the immediate offer of Major Joseph Habersham was accepted. Well did he perform the self imposed duty. Selecting the very hour when that official was in consultation with his council in his own home, the young man, disregarding the sen tinel at the door of the mansion, walked into the presence of his ex cellency, touched him on the shoulder, and said, "Sir James, you are my prisoner!" The act was one that might well produce the greatest astonishment not only on the part of the one arrested, but also of the witnesses to the bold transaction. Its effect on the latter resulted in a precipitate retreat from the house--their presence of mind, as has been well stated, giving way to a very hasty absence of body. Left alone with his prisoner, Habersham secured from him a pledge to make no effort
190

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

191

to depart from the town or to communicate with the royal troops at Tybee. It was deemed advisable, however, to place a guard on duty all the time to report any manifestation of the prisoner's inclination to abuse the privileges granted him or to make any attempt to escape. De spite such precaution, the royal governor did make his escape sometime in the night of the llth of February, by exit through the rear of his house, and made his way down to the river where a boat and crew, awaiting his coming, took him, by way of Tybee Creek, to the warship Scarborough, under the command of Captain Barclay, reaching her about three o'clock in the morning of the 12th. From that point he wrote, on the day of his arrival to one of the royal council, Capt. James Mackay, urging upon him, "as the best friend the people of Georgia have," to plead with them to consider well the course they had taken and to escape the in evitable punishment following subjugation by a return to their true allegiance, promising, in that case, on his arrival in England, his in fluence in their favor as to past offenses. The appeal, of course, had no effect, though the president of the provincial congress, Archibald Bulloch, made a courteous reply to the letter. For the reason that the communication of the president made no response to the offer of his services as a peacemaker, Governor Wright did not consider it a satis factory acknowledgment of his overture, and then ventured this laconic expression of his opinion as to the result of the rejection of his offer: "However, if Georgians will not be their own friends, the province will blame them and not me who through friendship put it into their power to be happy."
When the provincial congress met in Savannah on the 20th of Jan uary, 1776. it proceeded to the election of a president, and the choice again fell on Archibald Bulloch at the election held two days after wards. Following this action, on the 2d of February five delegates to the Continental Congress were appointed, namely, Archibald Bulloch, John Houstoun, Lyman Hall, Button Gwinnett, and George Walton, and the last three were the signers of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia.
GEORGIA'S TEMPORARY CONSTITUTION
The state of affairs brought about by the escape of Sir James Wright and the uncertainty as to the manner in which the province should be governed, necessitated the prompt action of the provincial congress in the matter of providing rules or laws for the guidance of the people. Nothing definite or permanent could, under the circumstances, be accom plished in this matter, but, as the groundwork of a more stable govern ment, a temporary constitution was adopted and declared to be in effect in the month of April, 1776, and it is herewith given in full:

"Whereas, the unwise and iniquitous system of administration ob stinately persisted in by the British Parliament and ministry against the good people of America hath at length driven the latter to take up arms as their last resource for the preservation of their rights and liberties which God and the constitution gave them;
"And whereas an armed force, with hostile intentions against the

192

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

people of this Province, having lately arrived at Cockspur, his Excel lency Sir James Wright, Baronet, and King's Governor- of Georgia, in
aid of the views of the administration, and with a design to add to those inconveniences which necessarily result from a state of confusion, sud
denly and unexpectedly carried off the great seal of the Province with him;
"And whereas, in consequence of this and other events, doubts have arisen with the several magistrates how far they are authorized to act under the former appointments, and the greatest part of them have absolutely refused to do so, whereby all judicial powers are become totally suspended to the great danger of persons and property;
"And whereas, before any general system of government can be concluded upon, it is necessary that application be made to the Con tinental Congress for their advice and directions upon the same; but, nevertheless, in the present state of things, it is indispensably requisite that some temporary expedient be fallen upon to curb the lawless and protect the peaceable;
"This Congress, therefore, as the representatives of the people, with whom all power originates, and for whose benefit all government is in tended, deeply impressed with a sense of duty to their constituents, of love to their country, and inviolable attachment to the liberties of America, and seeing how much it will tend to the advantage of each to preserve rules, justice, and order, do take upon them for the present, and until the further order of the Continental Congress, or of this, or any future Provisional Congress, to declare, and they accordingly do declare, order, and direct that the following rules and regulations be adopted in this Province--that is to say--

'' 1st. There shall be a President and Commander-in-Chief appointed by ballot in this Congress, for six months, or during the time specified
above. "2d. There shall be in like manner, and for the like time, also a
Council of Safety, consisting of 13 persons, besides the five delegates to the General Congress, appointed to act in the nature of a Privy Council to the said President or Commander-in-Chief.
"3d. That the President shall be invested with all the executive
powers of government not inconsistent with what is hereafter mentioned, but shall be bound to consult and follow the advice of the said Council in all cases whatsoever, and any seven of said Committee shall be a
quorum for the purpose of advising. "4th. That all the laws whether common or statute, and acts of
Assembly which have formerly been acknowledged to be of force in this Province, and which do not interfere with the proceedings of the Continental or our Provincial Congresses, and also all and singular the resolves and recommendations of the said Continental and Provincial Congress, shall be of full force, validity, and effect until otherwise
ordered. "5th. That there shall be a Chief Justice and two assistant judges,
an Attorney-General, a Provost-Marshal, and Clerk of the Court of Sessions, appointed by ballot, to serve during the pleasure of the Con-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

193

gress. The Court of Sessions, or Oyer and Terminer, shall be opened and held on the second Tuesday in June and December, and the former rules and methods of proceeding, as nearly as may be, shall be observed in regard to summoning of Juries and all other cases whatsoever.
"6th. That the President or Commander-in-Chief, with the advice of the Council as before mentioned, shall appoint magistrates to act during pleasure in the several Parishes throughout this Province, and such magistrates shall conform themselves, as nearly as may be, to the old established forms and methods of proceedings.
"7th. That all legislative powers shall be reserved to the Con gress, and no person who holds any place of profit, civil or military, shall l)e eligible as a member either of the Congress or of the Council of
Safety. "8th. That the following sums shall be allowed as salaries to the
respective officers for and during the time they shall serve, over and besides all such perquisites and fees as have been formerly annexed to the said offices respectively:

"To the President and Commander-in-Chief after

the. rate, per annum of....................sterling 300

"To the Chief Justice........................

100

"To the Attorney-General....................

25

"To the Provost-Marshal......................

60

"To the Clerk of Court.......................

50"

ill

Under this Constitution Archibald Bulloch was elected as the head

i-TMi

of the government with the full title of president and commander-in-

chief, John Glen became chief justice, William Stephens was made

attorney-general, and James Jackson filled the office of clerk of the court.

This constitution was the code by which the province was governed

until the adoption on the 5th of February, 1777, of the first regular

constitution made and promulgated by a convention chosen for that

purpose, and its provisions were sustained by the official conduct of

Archibald Bulloch who, as chief executive, served the people as faith

fully and conscientiously as well as any man within the confines of this

or any other province could have done. For the position he was probably

better equipped in every way than any of his associates in the conven

tion which elected him; and because of his fitness for such leadership

they undoubtedly insisted upon his assuming the position.

CONFLICT BETWEEN ROYAL TROOPS AND MILITIA
A conflict between the royal troops and the newly established provin cial militia was inevitable, and it came early in March, when some vessels with cargoes of rice were ready to sail from Savannah. They amounted to eleven in all, and were the property of loyalists, or, at least, of persons not in sympathy with the American cause but standing ready to violate the resolutions of non-intercourse adopted by congress.
Vol. 1-13

194

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

EXPORTATION OP RICE STOPPED
It happened that on the first day of that month the order of the Continental Congress which prohibited the exportation of rice expired, and the Council of Safety, assuming that the war vessels at Tybee would attempt to capture those rice ships, took positive action to prevent it. Indeed, on the last of February the Scarborough, Hinchinbroke, St. John, and two transports with troops moved up the river as far as
Five Fathom Hole.'' The action of the Council of Safety was in the form of resolutions as follows:
"Resolved that no ships loaded with rice or any other article of produce, in this Province, shall be permitted to sail without leave of the Council of Safety or next Congress, except such vessels as are or shall be permitted to sail for the purpose of procuring. the necessary means of defence.
"Resolved that in case any loss shall be sustained by such detention, the Delegates from this Province shall be instructed to apply to the Con tinental Congress to make the reimbursement for such loss a general charge.
"Ordered that the rudders be unshipped, and that the rigging and sails be taken away and secured from the several vessels now riding in the port of Savannah."
Colonel Lachlan Mclntosh was detailed to see that the order was enforced, and, on the 2d of March, the Council of Safety resolved "for the safety of the Province and the good of the United Colonies.
"That the houses in the town of Savannah and the hamlets thereunto belonging, together with the shipping now in port of Savannah the property of or appertaining to the friends of America who have asso ciated and appeared or who shall appear in the present alarm to defend the same, and also the houses of the widows and orphans, and none others, be forthwith valued and appraised.
'' Ordered that Messrs. Joseph Clay, Joseph Reynolds, John McCluer, Joseph Dunlap and John Glen, or any three of them, be a committee for that purpose, and that they make a return of such value and ap praisement to the Council of Safety to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock or as soon after as possible.
"Resolved That the delegates for this Province shall be instructed to apply to the Continental Congress for an indemnification to such persons as shall suffer in the defence of this town or shipping.
"Resolved That it shall be considered a defection from the cause of America, and a desertion of property in such persons as have left or who shall leave the town of Savannah or the hamlets thereunto belong ing during the present alarm, and such persons shall be precluded from any support or countenance towards obtaining an indemnification.
"Resolved, That it be incumbent upon the friends of America in this Province to defend the Metropolis as long as the same shall be tenable.
"Resolved That rather than the same shall be held and occupied by our enemies, or that the shipping now in the port of Savannah should be taken and employed by them, the same shall be burnt and destroyed.
"Resolved That orders shall be issued to the commanding officer di recting him to have the foregoing resolutions put into execution."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

195

In order that there could be no mistake in the matter the following proclamation was issued in connection with the resolutions:

"In the Council of Safety, Savannah, March 2nd, 1776.--Whereas many householders in the town of Savannah, and the hamlets thereunto belonging, have basely deserted their habitations since the commence ment "of the present alarms:
"And whereas some of them are associates in the great American Union, and, by consequence, their lives and fortunes bound to support
it: "And whereas there is a number of shipping in the port of Savannah
belonging and appertaining to persons resident in this Province: "And whereas we deem it incumbent on every person, more especially
on those who have associated to defend their property with their lives: "These are therefore to cite and admonish all persons holding any
property in the town or hamlets, or shipping aforesaid, forthwith to re pair to headquarters in Savannah to defend the same, on pain of suffer ing all the consequences contained in the foregoing resolutions.
"By order of the Council of Safety.
"WM. EwEN, President."

ROYA LISTS ATTEMPT TO CAITURE RlCE BOATS
When he secured refuge on board the Scarborough Sir James Wright endeavored to secure supplies for the fleet through the aid of the assem bly, but a refusal having been given to the request, the royal party re sorted to the expedient of trying to obtain what was needed by a capture of the eleven rice boats, and then happened the connect of which mention has been made. Two of the vessels sailed up Back river on the 2d of March, it having been found by soundings that it was practicable to do so, and one of them anchored just opposite the city while the other, in attempting to make a circuit of Hutchinson's island and reach the scene of action from above, went aground at the extreme western point of the island. That night Majors Maitland and Grant marched their troops from the first vessel, and boarded the merchant vessels on the south side of the island, their presence being discovered by the citizens the next morning. A company of riflemen, led by Maj. John Habersham, attacked the grounded ship and drove every man from deck. The inten tion of that officer to secure the vessel as a prize was thwarted for the want of boats, and she floated off at high tide and escaped. Colonel Mclntosh, at the head of three hundred men, made a stand atYamacraw Bluff, and there threw up breastworks where he stationed three fourpounder guns, and then sent Lieut. Daniel Roberts, of the St. John's Rangers, and Capt. Raymond Demere, of St. Andrew's parish, under a flag of truce, to demand the release of Captain Rice and his boat's crew, who had in the discharge of duty under the order of the Council of Safety been detained as prisoners. Roberts and Dcmere were arrested and held as prisoners, but were subsequently (about March 20th) exchanged for eight loyalists whom the liberty people had seized in retaliation, among them James Edward Powell, Anthony Stokes and Josiah Tattnall,

196

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

three of the royal council. In the meantime, insulting replies having been made to the demand for the release of Rice, Roberts and Demere two shots were fired from the four-pounders at the vessel, which brought the response that the British would treat with the enemy through two men in whom the greatest confidence could be placed, and accordingly Capt. James Screven, of the St. John's Rangers, and Capt, John Baker, of the St. John's Riflemen, were sent. They took with them twelve men of Baker's company and rowed over to the vessel, demanding the release of the prisoners. The demand meeting with an insulting reply, Baker fired at a man on the vessel. Small arms and swivels were discharged at the small boat which was nearly sunk, and one man was wounded. Firing upon that boat was kept up as long as it was within range, and the battery on shore opened upon the vessel. This was kept up for about four hours, when the Council of Safety met and resolved that fire be set to the shipping. Volunteers for this service were not wanting, and among those who thus shared in the act were Capt. Oliver Bowen, John Morel, Lieut. James Jackson, Thomas Hamilton and James Bryan. One vessel, called the Inverness, with a cargo of deer-skins and rice, was set adrift in the river in a state of conflagration, and the incident is at this point well described by; William Ewen, president of the Council of Safety, to the body of the same name in South Carolina: "Upon this, the soldiers in the most laughable confusion got ashore in the marsh, while our rifle men and field-pieces with grape shot were incessantly galling them. The shipping was now also in confusion. Some got up the river under cover of the armed schooner, while others caught the flame, and, as night ap proached, exhibited a scene as they passed and repassed with the tide, which at any but the present time would be truly horrible, but now a subject only of gratitude and applause. The ships of Captains Inglis and Wardell neither got up the river nor on fire. They were ordered on shore and now are prisoners of Capt. Screven in the country, and their vessels brought down close into a wharf. They were permitted to write to Captain Barclay in the evening, to inform him of their situation and to request an exchange of prisoners, which the latter peremptorily re fused. ''
ONLY Two VESSELS ESCAPE TO SEA

Nobly did the South Carolina Council of Safety redeem their promise to help the Georgians, and Colonel Bull with 350 militia besides 150 volunteers from Charleston, reached Savannah just in time to unite with their neighbors in bringing the conflict to a close, with the result showing three of the vessels burnt, six dismantled, and two escaping and going to sea. The British, in making their way back to Tybee, landed a party of marines at Skidaway to collect supplies, but Lieutenant Hext with a company of militia drove them away, and, on the same day, in a skirmish on Cockspur island Lieutenants Oates and LaRoche were killed.
Of that incident, Bishop Stevens, in summing up the account, says: '' The scenes of that day and night were solemn and terrific. The sudden marshalling of troops, the alarm of the people, the hurried death-volley, and the vessels wrapped in flames, every mast a pinnacle of fire, their loosened sails forming the element which was destroying them, and mak-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

197

ing the darkness hideous with a lurid glare, combined to form a scene of awful and soul-stirring sublimity. Hitherto, they had but heard of British aggression, but now, their own soil was moist with the blood of their slain; their quiet homes had been assailed; their property pillaged; and their province threatened with desolation and ruin. The crisis had arrived--they met it like heroes.'' *
The affair was undoubtedly creditable to the Georgians, but Gov ernor Wright reported to Lord Dartmouth an exaggerated account of it, claiming the capture of '' 14 or 15 merchant-ships and vessels of one sort or other, and on board of which there is about 1600 barrels of rice. It was attended with very little loss. I think on the side of the King's troops none are hurt: only four sailors are wounded and three of them very slightly, and on the part of the rebels 1 believe only one or two are wounded. The rebels burnt a ship, a brig and two small vessels, and have detained three or four more which were so situated that they could not
be brought away.'' Wishing to avoid the cramped quarters on board the vessels and to
enjoy the comforts of home as far as possible, the officers of the war-ships and the refugee governor occupied, whenever they so desired, the houses then standing on Tybee island. Considering it a little more in the way of comfort than their enemies deserved, the Council of Safety deemed it a most proper act on their part to have those houses removed, and under the orders of that body an expedition was formed with their destruction in view, and the president, Archibald Bulloch, personally led that party, burning every house except one occupied by a sick mother and her chil dren. This was done while the destroying force worked under a con stant fire from the man-of-war Cherokee and an armed sloop, in spite of which not a man was killed, while two marines and a Tory were killed on the island and one marine and several Tories were captured by Bulloch's troops.

COUNCIL OP SAFETY TAKES HEROIC MEASURES
The Council of Safety not only directed that the buildings on Tybee island be destroyed to prevent their occupancy by Sir James Wright and the other loyalists, but on the 2d of March, 1776, they took similar steps in reference to the houses in Savannah in the event that the town should at any time have to be evacuated, resolving "That rather than the same shall be held and occupied by our enemies, or the shipping now in the port of Savannah taken and employed by them, that the same shall be burnt and destroyed." Commenting on that action, Hugh McCall, the historian, says (History of Georgia, Vol. 2, p. 60, Savannah, 1816): "There are many instances of conflagration by order of a monarch 'who can do no wrong,' but there are few instances upon record where the patri otism of the citi:/en has urged him on to the destruction of his own prop erty to prevent it becoming an asylum to the enemies of his country." This incident is one of many which might be cited in proof of the un selfish spirit of the Americans in the trying times of the Revolution;

* Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, Vol. II, p. 31.

198

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

but we will here mention only one of which we are reminded at this point --that of Mrs. Motte, of South Carolina. The story is briefly told by Alexander Garden in his "Anecdotes of the Revolutionary War," and
his own words will answer our purpose: '' The patriotic enthusiasm of Mrs. Jacob Motte demands particular notice. When, compelled by pain ful duty, Lieutenant Colonel Lee informed her 'that in order to ac complish the immediate surrender of the British garrison occupying her elegant mansion, its destruction was indispensable,' she instantly replied, 'the sacrifice of my property is nothing, and I shall view its destruction with delight, if it shall in any degree contribute to the good of my country.' In proof of her sincerity she immediately presented the arrows by which combustible matter was to be conveyed to the building.''
Grandly did South Carolina come to the aid of the Georgians in this first conflict. Under Col. Stephen Bull and Major Bourquin these people, to the number of 450, hastened to render such assistance as they could give, and, according to Drayton, the various detachments were sta tioned in such way as to protect the interests of Georgia in every way. At Ebenezer forty acted as guards to the public records and the gun powder which being more that requisite for the occasion had been removed to that point. The adjutant, Thomas Rutledge, certified on the 15th of March that the following troops served during that crisis: the Charleston Volunteers, Charleston Rangers, Charleston Light In fantry, Charleston Fuzileers, Beaufort Light Infantry, St. Helena Vol unteers, Euhaw Volunteers, Huspa Volunteers, Light Horse or Pocotaligo Hunters, detachments from Oakety Creek, St. Peter's Black Swamp, Pipe Creek, Boggy Gut, New Windsor and Upper Three Runs, and the Beaufort Artillery.

CONGRESS THANKS COLONIAL MILITIA
Eight vessels, unhurt and escaping capture in the conflict, were left at or near their moorings, and, in order to assure their keeping the Council of Safety decreed that their rigging should be removed and taken to land, and their rudders unhung. That duty was entrusted to Colonel Bull, but it was rumored that "the Carolinians had taken pos session of Savannah,'' and that officer therefore turned the matter over to Lieutenant Stirk who did what was necessary in- good order, assisted by forty men detailed from the Georgia militia. The troops from South Carolina then departed, and the Georgia provincial congress, on the 24th of March, adopted a resolution "That the thanks of the Congress be returned to Stephen Bull, Esqr., of Sheldon, Colonel of tne Granville County regiment of militia5 for his important services in command of the Colony forces in Savannah; and that he be desired to signify their thanks to the officers and men then under his command." It is proper to state here that the cost of this relief expedition to Georgia paid by South Carolina amounted to 6,213.7s.6d.
The province then rested entirely in the keeping of Archibald Bulloch as president and commander-in-chief, the military being under the immediate command of Col. Lachlan Mclntosh.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

199

WEIGHT GOES TO ENGLAND AND RETURNS TO SAVANNAH
Before his arrest Governor Wright had applied for and obtained leave of absence, and he acknowledged to the Earl of Dartmouth, in a letter dated December 11, 1775, the permission given him to return to England, in these words: "Two days ago I had the honor to receive the duplicate of your Lordship's letter of the second of August concern ing the leave of absence which his Majesty has been most graciously pleased to give me, and of which I retain a grateful sense, and return your Lordship my best thanks." After his capture and the events thus far recorded in this chapter he availed himself of the consent to leave, and, after making the ship Scarborough practically his home until the end of March, 1776, he sailed for Halifax which place he reached on the 21st of April. From that place he proceeded to England where he remained until the early summer of ,1779 when he was directed to return to'Savannah, that place having been taken from the Americans by the British under command of Sir Archibald Campbell in December, 1778. Sir James Wright reached Savannah on the 14th of June, 1779.

JOHN GRAHAM AND THUNDERBOLT
With the members of the council at this time this history is not particularly concerned, but a few words just here in connection with one of them, John Graham, may not be considered untimely. The date of his appointment nowhere appears, but, in a letter of November 3,1775, he is mentioned as one of the number by Sir James Wright. During his confinement, on the Scarborough the royal governor further wrote of that councillor, that he had "suffered an exceeding great loss "'"by the burning of the ship Inverness by the rebels." John Graham had lived in Georgia many years, and we find that he made application to the council on the 5th of June, 1759, for a piece of marsh containing 250 acres adjoining "two farm lots known by the numbers one and two at Thunderbolt purchased by the petitioner from -Isaac Young, and surrounded by Thunderbolt Creek.'' He also secured a deed to a tract of land on the Savannah river afterwards known as Mulberry grove and confiscated by the state of Georgia at the end of the Revolutionary war and presented to Gen. Nathanael Greene. This matter we will treat of more at large later on in this history. The first time we find the place Thunderbolt mentioned is in a list of effects received from Georgia for the benefit of the colony, when, under date March 13, 1733, acknowl edgment is made of the receipt of a gift "by Mr. Samuel Baker, mer chant" of "a cask of Pot Ash made at Thunderbolt in Georgia." We next hear of it through General Oglethorpe when writing to the trustees on the 27th of February, 1735-6, he mentioned the purchase by himself from a sloop of a cargo of provisions "on condition that she should go up and deliver them on St. Simon, and the Capt. of these two ships went up in her to sound the Bar, and I went within land, and having passed by Skidaway and Thunderbolt both which are in a very good situation, I arrived at St. Simon the 18th." Elsewhere it is related that the place was so called "from the fall of a Thunderbolt and a spring

200

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

thereupon arose in that place which still smells of the bolt.*" It is doubtless true that a sulphur spring formerly sent forth its waters at that spot, and that the tradition thus mentioned had its origin in that fact, Artesian wells recently bored in that neighborhood produce a flow of water strongly impregnated with sulphur.
From the time of the incident of the conflict opposite the city in connection with the shipping in the harbor, until the news of the formal withdrawal of the thirteen colonies from the control of the English government was received, Savannah was virtually without excitement or disturbance of any kind. The troops within the limits of the province were so stationed as to keep the people well-guarded against surprise or attack from any quarter. To prevent the stealing of cattle the line marking the Florida boundary was watched by a force of sixty mounted men, while all danger from an onslaught by way of the west from the Indians was averted by the posting in that quarter of a troop of cavalry; but it was not an easy matter to guard the sea-coast, and the people had to rely entirely upon the fighting qualities of the male inhabitants in a hand to hand fight with such of the enemy's troops as might at any time land on the soil. There was not a vessel in the harbor which would serve as protection against an English fleet or even one armed ship of war. Truly it was fortunate that at that particular time no trouble in the nature of an invasion occurred to mar the serenity of the Geor gians in a time when they could not afford to make a very stout resistance or to stand the loss from their little military force of even one man. An attack at that time would have resulted not only in disaster to their resources both of men and stores, but would have disheartened them at the very time when their spirits should have been enthused over the rapturous news of the important action of the Continental Congress,

SAVANNAH'S FIRST "FOURTH OF JULY" (AUGUST lOTii)
It is doubtful whether the excitement over the signing of the Declara tion of Independence of the United Colonies was anywhere within the limits of those colonies as intense as it was in the town of Savannah. It was over a month after its formal confirmation that the news was re ceived here, towit, on the 10th of August, when President Archibald Bulloch obtained by the hands of a special messenger a copy of that precious document, together with a letter from the Hon. John Han cock, president of the Continental Congress. No less than four times was it read in public on that memorable day. First, it was read in the presence of the Provincial Congress, assembled for that purpose, and it was with unbounded delight that the representatives of the people listened to its words of patriotism, courage and determination. Again, to the assembled people in the public square, just in front of the public assembly hall, it was deliberately read to all who had received notice of its reception by the legal head of the new administration, and at its
* Historical Collections of Georgia, by George White, p. 336.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

201

Marching thus to the liberty pole, at Tondee's tavern, on the north west corner of Broiighton and Whitaker streets, they were joined by the Georgia battalion, and the document was listened to for the third time, after which the military under command of Colonel Mclutosh fired thirteen rounds both from the small arms and the cannon. Moving from that point the vast crowd made its way to the battery at the eastern end of the bay, where the trustees' garden also was located, when for the fourth and last time the declaration was read amid the greatest rejoicing, and the siege guns at that point tired a final salute. The festivities did not end even there, for the president, joined by the members of council, Colonel Mclntosh, the militia and many gentlemen dined under the cedar frees, the banquet concluding with the drinking of the toast "Pros perity and perpetuity of the United, Free and Independent States of America." But the most imposing part of the celebration was still to come. At night fall the town was illuminated, and, in effigy, his majesty George the Third was solemnly interred in the presence of what was probably the largest procession ever before gathered within the town's limits, consisting of the grenadiers, light infantry, the Georgia battalion, the militia, and the citizens generally, preceded by drummers beating muffled drums, after marching to the place of burial, and the reading of this impressive burial service: "For as much as George the Third, of Great Britain, hath most flagrantly violated his Coronation Oath, and trampled upon the Constitution of our Country and the sacred rights of mankind: we, therefore, commit his political existence to the ground-- corruption to corruption--tyranny to the grave--and oppression to eternal infamy; in sure and certain hope that he will never obtain a resurrection to rule again over these United States of America. But, my friends and fellow citizens, let us not be sorry, as men without hope, for TYRANTS that thus depart--rather let us remember that Amer ica is free and independent; that she is, and will be, with the blessings of the Almighty, GREAT among the nations of the earth. Let this en courage us in well doing, to fight for our rights and privileges, for our wives and children, and for all that is near and dear unto us. May God give us His blessing, and let all the people say AMEN. ? '
As in Christ Church parish, so in all the other parishes were the good tidings of the adoption of the act declaring freedom from British op pression received with signal demonstrations of the hearty approval and exultation of the people; and Georgia was classed as a free state, leagued with the other twelve for active measures in maintaining the new relation into which they had entered among the separate political bodies of the wrorld.

CHAPTER XIX
SAVANNAH HELD BY BRITISH
CAPTURE OF SAVANNAH BY BRITISH--DISPOSITION OF AMERICAN FORCES-- THE BRITISH ENTER SAVANNAH--PROCLAMATION OF ROYALISTS--COM ING OF THE FRENCH FLEET--D'ESTAING, DEMANDS SURRENDER OF SAVANNAH--BRITISH DEFENCE OF SAVANNAH--COMBINED FRENCHAMERICAN ADVANCE--ALLIED FORCES BOMBARD SAVANNAH--HUMAN ITY AND OBSTINACY--DISASTER TO THE ALLIES--COUNT PULASKI'S DEATH WOUND--THE SIEGE FROM A BRITISH STANDPOINT.
Having passed from a province, subject to the laws and regulations adopted by'a legislative body whose acts were enforced only after ap proval by the royal authority of England, to a free and independent state, it became necessary that Georgia, should have a constitution of her own, and, to that end. President Bulloch issued a proclamation calling for a general election of representatives to meet in Savannah on the first Tuesday in October, 1776. Elections were held in the various parishes from the first to the 10th of September.
True to the principles actuating the electors in choosing them, the delegates met at the appointed time in Savannah, and the importance of the matter committed to them was so apparent that their delibera tions were well considered and carefully planned, so that a constitution entirely satisfactory to all was not completed until the 5th of February, 1777, and at that time the instrument then adopted and promulgated met the hearty approval and indorsement of convention and the mass of the people. Under it Georgia acted and was sustained as a common wealth for twelve successive years.
President Archibald Bulloch did not live to see the independence of the state and the Union acknowledged by England, for before the end of the month in which the first state constitution in the adoption of which he had taken a leading part had been made public, he died literally "in harness," and the mourning of the people was genuine and unal loyed. His successor, Button Guinnett, did not long hold office. Elected on the 4th of March, only to serve until the choosing of a governor under the terms of the new constitution, he sought the position of commander under the resolution of the assembly in the formation of a brigade on the continental establishment, but was defeated by Col. Lachlan McIntosh with whom, he sought a quarrel and by whom he was mortally wounded in a duel on the 16th of May following, dying from said wound twelve days afterwards.
202

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

203

CAPTURE OF SAVANNAH BY THE BRITISH
It is needless to recount the various historical incidents in the state prior to the taking of Savannah by Lieut-Col. Archibald Campbell, late in 1778. They do not form a part of the history of Savannah.
The autumn of that year brought with it the alteration in the plan of Lord George Germain in the matter of conducting the warfare on the colonies. Active measures were employed in the effort to force back the allegiance of Georgia and South Carolina whereby Gen. Augustine Prevost was to invade the former by leading an expedition from East Florida, and at the same time Colonel Campbell, with a force proceeding from New York, was to make a direct attack upon Savannah. This plan, it was thought, would bring Georgia to an immediate surrender. The appearance of some vessels, the forerunners of Campbell's fleet, at Tybee at the opening of December was the first intimation of his proposed invasion. The weather was threatening, and the consequent return to deep water of those vessels, caused the fear of the Georgians to subside, and the impression that no danger confronted the city so possessed the mind of the governor that he even ordered the return of the public records which, for safety, had been removed; but before the order could be obeyed the fleet reappeared when Captain Milton was despatched to Charleston with the precious archives. Colonel Campbell's report on this subject shows that he sailed from Sandy Hook November 27, 1778, and that his force consisted of the Seventy-first Regiment of foot, two battalions of Hessians, four battalions of provincials, and a detachment of the royal artillery, under escort of a squadron of the royal navy commanded by Commodore Parker. On the 23d of December all of the ships, except two horse sloops, were anchored off Tybee, and on the 27th they were safely lying in the Savannah river.
Sir James Baird was the. commander of a light company of the Seventy-first Highlanders, .and to his band one corps of the light infan try of the provincial battalions was attached, while another corps of the provincials was added to the company of the Highland Regiment under Captain Cameron. Acting cautiously, in his ignorance of the strength of the Americans, Baird's company, guided by Lieutenant Clarke of the navy, and manning two flatboats, proceeded to Wilmington river where two men were captured, and on their information it was decided that a landing of the troops should be made the next morning at the planta tion of Mr. Girardeau, now known as Brewton Hill, less than two miles from the town, and the first solid ground available for the purpose be tween Savannah and Tybee. With the flow of the tide the man-of war Vigilant, galley Comet, armed brig Keppel and the armed sloop Greenwich, leading, and followed by the transports in three divisions, sailed up the river, and at four o'clock in the afternoon the Vigilant on approaching the Girardeau place was fired on by two galleys com manded by the Americans which retreated when the war vessels opened on them with one shot. Delayed until the tide was too low, and dark ness coming on, the troops could not be landed until the morning fol lowing when the first division, under Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland, debarked at Girardeau's and made its way by a march of about eight

204

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

hundred yards over a narrow causeway to the family residence, standing on a bluff. The first to reach shore and proceed towards the high ground was the light infantry under Captain Cameron; but at the point which he proposed to reach a force of forty men commanded by Capt. John C. Smith, of South Carolina, was stationed, and that body opened fire upon the British killing Camerou and two Highlanders, and wounding five others; but the Americans were forced to retire in the direction of the main army, and the first division of the British troops with one of the companies of the second battalion of the Seventy-first Regiment, the first battalion of Delaucey, the Wellworth battalion, and part of Hessians of Wissenbach 's regiment occupied the bluff. Leaving a company of the second battalion of the Seventy-first Regiment, and the first battalion of Delancey to guard the landing place, Colonel Campbell, inarched his forces towards Savannah, the light infantry in the lead, followed by the volunteers from New York, and then came the first battalion of the Sev enty-first Regiment with two six-pounder guns, and the Wellworth bat talion of Hessians with two three-pounders, the rear being brought up with part of the Wissenbach Hessian battalion. The main road, when reached, was guarded by the last named against any attack from the rear. A swamp, densely wooded, protected the left of the British line, while the open plantations on the right in a state of cultivation, were patroled by the light infantry. When Tattnall's plantation was reached, a little before three o'clock in the afternoon, a stop was made in the progress of the march, and the light infantry was formed in line on the right, at a point about two hundred paces from the gate enclosing the grounds belonging to Governor Wright.

DISPOSITION OF AMERICAN FORCES
Informing himself of all the movements of the British, Gen. Robert Howe encamped his army of Americans at a point southeast of Savannah where he waited, anxiously expecting reinforcements from South Car olina, both of continental troops and militia. His army was in no con dition for the coining encounter, having just passed through the un happy Florida campaign which brought sickness and disease to about one-fourth of his troops, and left him at this time with only a numerical strength of 672, exclusive of the militia. The troops of Colonel Camp bell, on the other hand, numbered more than two thousand. Notice of the fact that a conflict was imminent was given on the 28th of December, and on the next day this order was issued to the American forces:
"Head Quarters, Savannah, December 29, 1778. "Parole, Firmness. The first brigade is to be told off into sixteen platoons of an equal number of files; the odd files to be formed into one platoon on the right wing of the brigade to act as light infantry accord ing to exigencies. "Two field officers to be appointed to the command of the right wing of both brigades. "The second brigade to be told off into eight platoons of an equal number of files to be formed on the left of the first brigade in order to act as light infantry as will be directed.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

205

"Colonel Isaac Huger will command the right wing of the army composed of the first brigade and the light troops belonging to it.
"The artillery of both brigades and the park to be posted before and during the action as shall be directed, and defend their ground until further orders. The artillery when ordered or forced to retreat are to fall into the road leading to the western defile where Colonel Roberts is to take as advantageous a post as possible to protect the re treat of the line."
At that date there were three highways leading into Savannah: the one from Thunderbolt and Brewton Hill; that by which the Ogeech.ee and White Bluff population made their way into the town; and one running from the west known as the Augusta road, leading through the swampy ground bordering on Musgrove creek.
Col. Samuel Elbert called the attention of General Howe to the great importance of holding Brewton Hill, and offered his aid in gaining con trol of that point, but Howe did not comprehend the importance of the suggestion, and most foolishly made his stand at a point not far from the southeastern limit of Savannah, probably the most disadvantageous that could have been chosen.
The most condensed account of the fall of Savannah, and, at the same time, probably as accurate as any we have, is given by Bishop W. B. Stevcus whose narrative from this point follows:
"Expecting the attack on the great road leading to Brewton's Hill [Girardeau's plantation], General Howe had burnt down a little bridge that crossed a small rivulet, and about three hundred feet in the rear of this marshy rivulet, a trench was cut which, soon filled witli water, so that the trench, the stream and the marsh through which it flowed, of fered serious embarrassment to the advance of the enemy. At this point General Howe had placed two cannon that flanked the causeway, and three that bore directly on its front. Thus stationed, the Americans awaited the onset.
"Colonel Campbell had discovered their position, and having de tailed a proper guard to cover the landing, pressed on to the attack. The light infantry, under Sir James Baird, advanced first, supported by the Xew York volunteers, under l)e Lancey. These were followed by the first battalion of the 71st, with two six-pounders; and part of Wissenbach's battalion of Hessians which formed the rear. By 3 P. M. they had reached the open country near Tattnall's plantation, and halted awhile, as if preparing for the battle.
"Advantageously posted as the Americans were, it would have been quite hazardous to have offered them battle in front, for they were too well protected by the intervening marsh and stream and ditch. The aim of Colonel Campbell, therefore, was to gain, if possible, their rear, or turn their extended flanks. In this desire he was fortunately aided by an old negro, Quash Dolly,* who informed him of a private path, leading through the wooded swamp, by which he could gain, unperceived, the rear of the Americans. This path had been pointed out to General Howe, in the morning, by Colonel AYalton, as being a place necessary

* Called by other writers Quamino Dolly.

206

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

to guard and secure; but it was culpably and, as the event proved, disas trously neglected. Manoeuvering in front, as if about to attack the left flank of General Howe, the Americans opened their fire upon the enemy, who, however, received it in silence, not a gun being fired in return. Perceiving the Americans thus deceived by the feint, the British cominander lost no time in directing Sir James Baird, with the light infan try and the New York volunteers, to follow the guidance of the negro, and secure the rear of the Americans. They reached their destined point, unperceived by General Howe, and suddenly issuing from the swamp attacked a body of militia which had been posted on the great road leading to the Ogeechee. As soon as this firing gave notice to the commander that Major Baird had effected his purpose, he gave orders for the whole British column to advance at a rapid pace; while the artillery, which had been previously formed behind a slight rising ground, to conceal it from view, was instantly run forward to the em- ' inence, and began to play upon the Americans. With a destructive fire thus unexpectedly pouring in upon them in front and rear our troops were thrown into confusion, and thus, were compelled to make a hasty re treat. The center of the American line, with the commanding general, were enabled, by the exertions of Col. Daniel Roberts--who had partially secured the road leading to the causeway over Musgrove's swamp--to pass in comparative safety; the right flank, under Colonel linger, at tempting to go through the town, rushed between two fires, and many were bayoneted in the streets; the left, under Colonel Elbert, finding it impracticable to pass the causeway, now in possession of the British, cast away their arms and accoutrements, and, throwing themselves into the swamps and ricefields, sought, by swimming the creek, then in full tide, to reach the Augusta road, though thirty men lost their lives in this perilous attempt.
"While Colonel Campbell had been thus successful by land, Sir Hyde Parker had not remitted his vigilance in the fleet. As soon as he dis covered that the troops had made an impression on the American line, he moved up the small armed vessels to the town, sending the 'Comet' galley as high up as the ebb-tide would permit, securing the shipping and commanding the town from all approaches on the Carolina side. This movement completely shut in Savannah from succor, and was effected with the loss of only one seaman killed and five wounded; while the squadron captured one hundred and twenty-six prisoners and seized three ships, three brigs, and eight smaller vessels.

THE BRITISH ENTER SAVANNAH
"The British entered Savannah without opposition, and, notwith standing the assurance of Colonel Campbell in his official dispatches, 'that little or no depredation took place, and that even less than had ever happened to a town under similar circumstances,' yet the soldiers and officers did commit atrocities and cruelties upon the inhabitants of a character more worthy of savages than of men.''
The loss to the Americans was, according to Colonel Campbell, in his report to Lord George Germain, eighty-three who were found dead

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

207

upon the common, and eleven wounded. He also stated that through prisoners he had the information that thirty were drowned in the swamp while trying to escape. Besides the loss in killed and wounded, the Americans had thirty-eight officers and 415 non-commissioned officers <md privates fall in to the hands of the enemy as prisoners, and the loss of property also was great, including forty-eight pieces of cannon, twenty-three mortars, ninety-four barrels of powder, a fort, and all of the shipping in port. Numbered among the prisoners were the Rev. Moses Alien, chaplain of the Georgia brigade, and the Hon. Jon athan Bryan whose patriotism was unbounded and whose example was such as many younger men would have done well to imitate. The former was captured in an attempt to escape capture by swimming to land. Others captured were Mordecai Sheftall, deputy commissary general of issues to the continental troops, his son, Sheftall Sheftall. Edward Davis, Dr. George Wells, David Moses Vallotton, and James Bryan, son of Jonathan Bryan. These were all sent on board prisonships and they were submitted to the most cruel and inhuman treatment. The names of the ships were the "Nancy," Captain Samuel Tait; the "Whitby," Captain Lawson; the "Eleanor," Captain Rathbone, and the "Munificence."
General Howe was on all sides censured and criticised for the man ner in which he managed his side of that affair, and the general assembly of the state appointed a committee "to take into consideration the sit uation of the state since the 29th of December, 1778," which reported as follows: "Your Committee are of opinion that the delegates of this State should be directed to promote a trial of Major-General Howe who commanded on that day. They find that the good people of the state were still further discouraged by the said Major-General Howe crossing Savannah River the next day with the troops that escaped from Savan nah, and ordering those at Sunbury and Augusta to do the same, leaving the state at the mercy of the enemy without any Continental troops, instead of retreating to the back country and gathering the inhabitants. The country, thus abandoned, became an easy prey to the British troops, they marching up and taking post at Augusta and sending detachments to every part of the State." General Howe's conduct was investigated by a court of inquiry, but he was acquitted.
Savannah having fallen into the control of the British, and Governor Wright being still in England, the command was given to a military officer, Colonel Innis, aide-de-camp to Sir Henry Clinton. His military spirit was shown by an immediate proclamation ordering the citizens of the district, including the town, to surrender to the military store keeper all their arms, ammunition, and accoutrements, as well as to make known where such articles were secreted, threatening them with severe punishment in case of failure to comply with the requirements.

PROCLAMATION OF ROYALISTS
Combining their authority in one general order, Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell and Sir Hyde Parker, on the 4th of January, 1779, published the fact that a fleet and army were actually within the borders of

208

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Georgia for the protection of the friends of the royal government, and pledging protection to all who would renounce their allegiance to the cause of liberty and to those "who reprobated the idea of supporting a French league, and wished to embrace the happy occasion of cementing a firm union with the Parent State free from the imposition of taxes by the Parliament of Great Britain, and secured in the irrevocable en joyment of every privilege consistent with that union of force on which their material interests depended"; and such as should be willing to secure the rights promised by that document were expected to present themselves in person at Savannah and take the oath prepared for that purpose in these words: " I ............ do solemnly swear that I will
bear true and faithful allegiance to his Majesty, King George the Third,
my lawful Sovereign, and that I will, at all risks, stand forth in support of his person and government. And I do solemnly disclaim and renounce
that unlawful and iniquitous confederacy called the General Continental
Congress, also the claim set up by them to independency, and all obedi
ence to them, and all subordinate jurisdictions assumed by or under their authority. All this I do sincerely promise without equivocation
or mental reservation whatsoever. So help me God."
This action was followed a week after by another proclamation offer ing "a reward of ten guineas for every committee and assemblyman
taken within the limits of Georgia," and a further offer of the amount of two guineas "for every lurking villain who might be sent from
Carolina to molest the inhabitants." Various other matters, such as
fixing the prices of merchandise, granting licenses, naming the amount
of fines for disobedience to the regulations, etc., were attended to in the
matter of local trade and the conduct of the people, until the return of Sir James Wright 011 the 14th of July, 1779. Savannah, then, was dur
ing the remainder of the period covered by the Revolution, until its evacuation by the British on the llth of July, 1782, the headquarters
of the loyalist government, and the capital of the state was removed
to Augusta.
At the time of the disaster under General Ilowe that officer was in command only in expectation of the early arrival of Gen. Benjamin
Lincoln who, on the 26th of September, 1778, had been named by the Continental Congress to take command of the army in the southern de
partment of the United States. Lincoln relieved Ilowe at Purysburg
en the 3d of January, 1779, just five days after the loss of Savannah.

COMING OP THE FRENCH FLEET
France became the ally of the United States on the signing of the treaty at Versailles, February 6, 1778, and, in furtherance of that treaty a fleet of French vessels sailed from Toulon on the 12th of April. Twelve ships of the line and four frigates, all under the command of Count cVEstaing, comprised the fleet, and a delay in the passage caused the prime object of its sailing to be frustrated, bringing about a change in the plan whereby the ships after operating for a while along the northern coast sailed to the West Indies, capturing Grenada and St. Vincent. Here d'Estaing received letters from the French minister,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

209

General Lincoln, and M. Plombard, the French consul at Charleston, asking his co-operation with Lincoln in the capture of Savannah. That request met with his approval, and sailing from the Windward Islands, he reached the Georgia coast September 3, 1779. Not expecting the appearance of a formidable naval force, Sir James Wallace, in command of the British fleet off Tybee, was forced to surrender to the French some of his ships. Before the time appointed for his joining Lincoln, which was set for the 17th of September, d'Estaing landed on Tybee, causing the evacuation of that post by the British, and proceeded to Ossabaw where Col. Joseph Habersham awaited him with instructions as to the landing of the troops. During that time General Lincoln was gathering together the militia and securing recruits for his army. In the evening of the 12th, soldiers amounting to twelve hundred, selected from the regiments, were landed at Beaulieu, formerly the residence of President William Stephens, where a detachment of the enemy with two field-pieces had been posted, but the approach of the fleet caused the immediate withdrawal of that force. Some difficulty having been encountered in the landing of the troops, it took all of three days, the 13th, 14th. and 15th, to effect that object. Meanwhile Count Pulaski had made a junc tion with the French, and the march for Savannah beginning in the morn ing of the 16th, the encampment that evening was made at Greenwich, about three miles from the town. The centre of this force was com manded by d'Estaing, the right by Dillon, and the left by Noailles. The Georgia continentals, commanded by Gen. Lachlan Mclntosh, and on duty at Augusta, received orders from General Lincoln to take the British outposts and open the way to the coast, and, having done so, retired to Miller's plantation, there to join the troops under his command.
General Lincoln was occupied on the 12th and 13th in transporting his forces across the Savannah at Zubly's Ferry, and that work was retarded by the want of boats, as the British had destroyed all they could find. A junction with the advance guard of General Lincoln's army was made by Mclntosh in the afternoon of the 13th, and those combined troops made camp at Cherokee Hill.

D'ESTAING DEMANDS SURRENDER OF SAVANNAH
Count d'Estaing, on the 16th, having with him the grenadiers of Auxerrois and the chasseurs of Champagne and Guadeloupe, and before the arrival of Lincoln with his American forces, thinking it time to take some definite step, sent a communication to Maj.-Gen. Augustine Prevost, the ranking officer of the British army, demanding the surrender of the town of Savannah, doing this, as will be seen, in the name of the King of France.
The demand was in the following words: "Count d'Estaing summons his Excellency General Prevost to surrender himself to the arms of his Majesty the King of France. He admonishes him that he will be per sonally ansAverable for every event and misfortune attending a defence demonstrated to be absolutely impossible and useless from the superior ity of the force which attacks him by land and sea. He also warns him that he will be nominally and personally answerable henceforward for
Vol. I--14

210

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

the burning, previous to or at the hour of attack, of any ships or vessels of war or merchant ships in the Savannah River, as well as of magazines in the town.
"The situation of the Morne de 1'Hopital in Grenada, the strength of the three redoubts which defended it, the disproportion betwixt the number of the French troops now before Savannah and the inconsider able detachment which took Grenada by assault, should be a lesson for the future. Humanity requires that Count d'Estaing should remind you of it. After this he can have nothing with which to reproach him self.
"Lord Macartney had the good fortune to escape in person on the first outset of troops forcing a town sword in hand, but having shut up his valuable effects in a fort deemed impregnable by all his officers and engineers, it was impossible for Count d'Estaing to be happy enough to prevent the whole from being pillaged."
To the above summons General Prevost made this reply:

"Savannah, September 16th, 1779--Sir: I am just now honored with your Excellency's letter of this date, containing a summons for me to surrender this town to the arms of his Majesty the King of France, which I had just delayed to answer till I had shown it to the King's Civil Governor.
"I hope your Excellency will have a better opinion of me and of British troops than to think either will surrender on general summons without any specific terms.
"If you, Sir, have any to propose that may with honor be accepted of by me, you can mention them both with regard to civil and military, and I will give my answer. In the meantime I promise upon my honor that nothing with my consent or knowledge shall be destroyed in either this town or river."

Count d'Estaing then promptly despatched this response to General Prevost:

"CAMP BEFORE SAVANNAH, September 16th, 1779--Sir: I have just received your Excellency's answer to the letter I had the honor of writ ing to you this morning. You are sensible that it is the part of the Besieged to propose such terms as they may desire, and you can not doubt of the satisfaction I shall have in consenting to those which I can accept consistently with my duty.
"I am informed that you continue intrenching yourself. It is a matter of very little importance to me. However, for form's sake, I must desire that you will desist during our conferences.
"The different columns, which I had ordered to stop, will continue their march, but without approaching your posts or reconnoitering your situation.
"P. S. I apprise your Excellency that I have not been able to refuse the Army of the United States uniting itself with that of the King. The junction will probably be effected this day. If I have not an answer therefore immediately, you must confer in the future with General
Lincoln and me."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

211

The correspondence was continued by this note promptly sent by General Prevost to Count d'Estaing:

"SAVANNAH, September, 16th, 1779--Sir: I am honored with your Excellency's letter in reply to mine of this day. The business we have in hand being of importance, there being various interests to discuss, a just time is absolutely necessary to deliberate. I am therefor to pro pose that a cessation of hostilities shall take place for twenty-four hours from this date; and to request that your Excellency will order your columns to fall back to a greater distance and out of sight of our works or I shall think myself under the necessity to direct their being fired upon. If they did not recoimoiter anything afternoon, they were sure within the distance."

Consenting to the cessation of hostilities, but probably making a mistake in not having the advice of others whose opinion should have been asked, the count returned the following:

"CAMP BEFORE SAVANNAH, September 16, 1779--Sir: I consent to the truce you ask. It shall continue till the signal for retreat to-morrow night, the 17th, which will serve also to announce the recommencement of hostilities. It is unnecessary to observe to your Excellency that this suspension of arms is entirely in your favor, since I can not be certain that you will not make use of it to fortify yourself, at the same time that the propositions you shall make may be inadmissable.
'' I must observe to you also how important it is that you should be fully aware of your own situation as well as that of the troops under your command. Be assured that I am thoroughly acquainted with it. Your knowledge in military affairs will not suffer you to be ignorant that a due examination of that circumstance always precedes the march of the columns, and that this preliminary is not carried into execution by the mere show of troops.
'' I have ordered them to withdraw before night comes on to prevent any cause of complaint on your part. I understand that my civility in this respect has been the occasion that the Chevalier de Chambis, a lieu tenant in the Navy, has been made a prisoner of war.
"I propose sending out some small advanced posts tomorrow morn ing. They will place themselves in such a situation as to have in view the four entrances into the wood in order to prevent a similar mistake in future. I do not know whether two columns commanded by the Viscount de Noailles and the Count de Dillon have shown too much ardor, or whether your cannoniers have not paid a proper respect to the truce subsisting between us; but this I know, that what has hap pened this night is a proof that matters will soon come to a decision between us one way or another."

On the same day the foregoing communications were written the American forces commanded by General Lincoln and the French under Count d'Estaing formed a junction, and it was supposed by those two leaders that failure was impossible. The French camp which

212

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

at first was located southeast of the town, was moved to a position nearly south, with General Dillon in command of the right, Count d'Estaing the center, and Count de Noailles the left, the front of the line resting parallel with the streets of the town. To the southwest General Lincoln's command was stationed, while to his rear was the Springfield plantation swamp. Between Lincoln and the French stood Count Pulaski's cavalry camp facing to the north. It is admitted that d'Estaing made a mistake in consenting to a twenty-four hours' delay in commencing the conflict.

BRITISH DEFENCE OF SAVANNAH
For this work of defending Savannah against the attack of the com bined American and French troops, General Prevost had well fortified the place. In addition to the twenty-three cannon, all that were mounted just before the advance of the French fleet, one hundred more were mounted. The military under Lieut. Col. Cruger at Sunbury had been sent from that point to aid in the defence, and from all the outposts troops were called in to strengthen the British army. Nearly five hun dred negroes were set to work, and the batteries from the war vessels in the river were transferred to the earthworks. When the attacking began they had erected thirteen redoubts together with fifteen gun batteries mounting eighty guns, and they were manned by sailors from the "Fowey," the "Rose," and the "Keppel." The channel had been obstructed by the sinking of ships to prevent the sailing of American and French vessels up the river, and that work was accomplished by Captain Moncrieff.
Colonel Maitland was ordered from Beaufort with a troop of eight hundred men, and when he approached Daufuslde, finding the river in possession of the French fleet, and his advance thereby stopped, he became aware, through some negro fishermen, of the fact that there was a passage called Wall's Cut, through Scull creek, through which small boats could pass at high tide, and in that way, aided by a dense fog, he led his men through to Savannah, where he arrived in the afternoon of the 17th. Of that feat Hugh McCall says: "The acquisition of this formidable reinforcement, headed by an experienced and brave officer, effected a complete change in the dispirited garrison. A signal was made, and three cheers were given, which rang from one end of the town to the other." On the arrival of Maitland, General Prevost replied to d'Estaing, as follows:
"SAVANNAH, September 17th, 1779--Sir: In answer to the letter of your Excellency which I had the honor to receive about twelve last night, I am to acquaint you that having laid the whole correspondence before the King's Civil Governor and the military officers of rank, as sembled in Council of War, the unanimous determination has been that though we can not look upon our post as absolutely impregnable, yet that it may and ought to be defended; therefore the evening gun to be fired this evening at the hour before sundown shall be the signal for recommencing hostilities agreeable to your Excellency's proposal."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

213

In the mind of Count d'Estaing there was not the slightest doubt as to the successful issue of the attack about to be made. So confident was he of the result that he did not wait for General Lincoln, and it was doubtless his ambition that victory would be achieved by the French unaided by the Americans. His desire might have been fulfilled had he not consented to the delay proposed. Finding that the demand for an immediate surrender met with a positive denial, and realizing that the enemy had made much of the time gained by his granting a respite, the count changed his plan, and, instead of making a quick assault, he planned for the capture of the town by besieging it, an'd promptly ad vanced his own line to about twelve hundred yards of the English, showing a front of thirty-two hundred yards. On the left of the French was formed the American line, under Lincoln, resting on the swamp located at the western limit of Savannah. The division of de Noailles came next, and it was composed of the regiments of Champagne, Auxerrois, Foix, Guadeloupe, and Martinique, numbering nine hundred men. To the right of de Noailles the regiments of Cambresis, Hainault, volunteers of Berges, Agenois, Gatinois, the Cape, and Fort au Prince,
one thousand strong, forming the division of d'Estaing, together with the artillery, made the center of the French army. The right was made up of Billon's division, nine hundred in all. including men of his own regiment with those of Armagnac and the volunteer grenadiers. A small
field hospital, the cattle depot and the powder magazine were on Dilion's right, and slightly in advance of the depot were stationed fifty men of the dragoons of Conde and Belzume under M. Dejean. Further to the right came the dragoons of M. de Rouvrai and his volunteer chas seurs, in all about 750. To the extreme right, but about two hundred yards in advance of M. de Rouvrai the grenadier volunteers, under M. des Framais, together with about two hundred troops, detached from the various regiments, held position. This arrangement, made on the 22d of September, closed the right of the army and completely invaded the town on the land side.
In the river lay the frigate "La Truite" and two galleys, and they were within cannon shot of Savannah; and the frigate "La Chimere" and the armed store-ship "La Bricole" were placed in such a position as to prevent communication with the islands near the mouth of the river.
Thunderbolt became the point of communication with the French fleet, and at that place a large house was used as a hospital.
The river channel had been obstructed by the sinking of the ships "Rose" and "Savannah," and four transports, and so the armed ves sels of the French could not approach near enough to render aid in the siege. Above the town small boats had been used for the purpose of preventing the passing of galleys up North river around Hutchinson's island and attacking at that point. Added to these precautions the British had guns mounted on the bluff as a protection on the north side.
We have given in detail the numerical strength of the French allies; to that number must be added the American forces engaged in the siege, under General Lincoln, amounting to twenty-one hundred, all told. It is estimated that the British numbered twenty-five hundred inside the

214

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

lines for the defense of Savannah, including Colonel Maitland's troops We now give in full, in order to a clear understanding of the situa
tion, the orders of General Prevost, issued September 9th, as to the disposition of his army: "The regiment of Wissenbach to take their ground of encampment; likewise the 2d battalion of General Delancey's In case of an alarm, which will be known by the beating to arms both at the Barracks and main guard, the troops are to repair to their several posts without confusion or tumult.
"Captain Stuart of the British Legion will take post with his men in the work on the right near the river. The main guard to be relieved by convalescents from the Hessians.
"Major Wright's corps to send their convalescents in the old fort. Twenty-four men in the small redoubt, and seventy men in the left flank redoubt above the road to Tattnall's.
'' The militia to assemble in rear of the Barracks. "The Light Infantry, the Dragoons, and Carolina Light-Horse as a reserve, two hundred yards behind the Barracks. "The King's Rangers, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, in the small redoubt on the right, with fifty men; the remainder extend ing towards the larger redoubt on the right, "The Carolinians divided equally in the two large redoubts. '' The Battalion men of the 60th Regiment in the right redoubt. The Grenadiers on the left, extending- along the abatis towards the Barracks; the Hessians on the left, so as to fill up the space to the Barracks. '' On the left of the Barracks, the 3rd Battalion of Skinner's, General Delancey's, and the New York Volunteers, and on the left the 71st Regiment lining the abatis to the left flank redoubt on the road to Tattnall's. '' If all orders are silently and punctually obeyed, the General makes no doubt that, if the enemy should attempt to make an attack, they will be repulsed and the troops maintain their former well acquired reputa tion; nor will it be the first time that British and Hessian troops have beat a greater superiority of both French and Americans than it is probable they will have to encounter on this occasion. The General repeats his firm reliance on the spirit and steady coolness of the troops he has the honor to command." So wrote Prevost on the 9th of September, and when Colonel Maitland, with his substantial addition to the defenders of the British cause against the attack of the Americans and their French supporters, was safe in the town and the time to show their mettle was near at hand, he supplemented those instructions with the following general order:

"CAMP BEFORE SAVANNAH, 17th September, 1779--Parole, Maitland. Countersign, St. George, Field officers for tomorrow, Lieutenant-Colonel Cruger and Major Graham.
"The troops to be under arms this afternoon at four o'clock. As the enemy is now very near, an attack may be hourly expected. The General therefore desires that the whole may be in instant readiness. By the known steadiness and spirit of the troops he has the most un limited dependence, doubting nothing of a glorious victory should the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

215

enemy try their strength. What is it that may not, by the blessings of Cod be expected from the united efforts of British sailors and soldiers and'valiant Hessians against an enemy that they have often beaten

"in case of a night attack, the General earnestly requests the utmost silence to be observed, and attention to the officers, who will be careful that the men do not throw away their fire at random, and warn them earnestly not to fire until ordered."

COMBINED FRENCH-AMERICAN ADVANCE

In preparation for the attack guns were landed at Thunderbolt from the French fleet, and thence taken for use on the lines outside of the
town. The first advance was made on Wednesday the 22d, by the small
company of fifty picked men from Noailles's division, led by M. de Guillaume in an effort to take an advanced post of the British; but he met with a sharp return of artillery and small arms, and was repulsed.
The besieging force on the next afternoon (the 23d), at 3 o'clock opened a trench at a distance of three hundred yards from the enemy's works, guarded by six companies to protect them while at work. This act which was begun while a heavy fog enveloped the posts, was dis covered in the morning by the British who at once attacked the eager workers, and they have asserted that this assault on the part of Major Graham with three companies of light infantry was simply for the pur pose of driving the French out of their lines to gain information as to their strength. Be this as it may, the Major was forced to retreat with a loss* of twenty-one killed and wounded.
As early as 7 o'clock in the morning of September 25th a battery under the direction of M. de Sauce began to fire upon the town with the full force of its two eighteen pounders; but the Count d'Estaing, not satisfied, ordered a reinforcement of this battery making it consist of twelve eighteen and twelve pounders, and the construction of another battery on the right of the trench, comprising thirteen eighteen pound ers. Besides, he caused the placing at a point two hundred yards to the left and rear of the trench of nine mortars, by the side of which he ordered that six sixteen pounders, to be manned by Americans, be put in position; and then he commanded that there be no firing until all that work should be completed.
We have an account of a sortie made on the 27th by Maj. Archibald MeArthur with a detachment of the Seventy-first Regiment, in an en deavor to force the allies to abandon the construction of their batteries which was unsuccessful; and the moving up the river on the 28th of the frigate La Truite and entering the north channel of the river, making an useless attempt to bombard the town.
The family of General Mclntosh was left in Savannah, and, on the 29th of September, by his request General Lincoln consented to send a flag of truce with a letter to General Prevost to obtain, if possible, per mission for Mrs. Mclntosh and the children to leave the town. General Mclntosh's aid, Maj. John Jones, was the bearer of the flag of truce, and, cruel as it may seem, General Prevost refused to grant the request.

216

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Concerning what happened in the town we have these words of Maior Jones in a letter written from the camp before Savannah on the 7th of October, eight days after:
"The poor women and children have suffered beyond description A number of them in Savannah have already been put to death by our bombs and camion. A deserter has this moment come out who gives an account that many of them were killed in their beds, and amongst others a poor woman, with her infant in her arms, was destroyed by a cannon ball. They have all gone into cellars; but even there they do not escape the fury of our bombs, several having been mangled in that supposed place of security. I pity General Mclntosh; his situation is peculiar. The whole of his family is there."
In connection with this most important event in the history of Savan nah, the following incident, written by the Rev. George White and printed in his'' Statistics of the State of Georgia,' '* well deserves a place here:
"During the siege of Savannah, one of the most extraordinary cap tures took place that the annals of warfare ever recorded. When General Prevost called in his detachments he ordered the commandant at Sunbury, on the Georgia coast, upon evacuating that post, to put the in valids on board of the small armed vessels, and to send them by the inland navigation to Savannah under the care of Captain Trench, of the British Regulars. In consequence of head winds Captain Trench and his command were detained until some of d'Estaing's fleet were in possession of the pass, and he was induced to sail up the Ogeechee river until he reached a point about 25 miles from the city of Savannah. Having arrived here, he learned that the passage over land was also blocked up by the allied force, and he therefore made a descent upon the shore, and finally took post with his party about 15 or 20 miles from Savannah. Col. John White, of the Georgia line, having ascertained that Captain Trench's force consisted of 111 soldiers possessing 130 stand of arms, and that he also had under his charge, in the river Ogee chee adjacent to his camp, five vessels, four of them fully armed, and one of them mounting 14 guns and manned by 40 seamen, formed the resolution of capturing the detachment. He disclosed his plan to those who were with him. McCall, in his History of Georgia, says that the party consisted of Colonel White, Capts. Geo. Melvin and A. E. Elholm, a sergeant and three privates, seven in all. Other histories make no mention of Captain Melvin, or of a sergeant, but give the whole praise to White, Elholm, and three soldiers, reducing the number to five. White built many watch-fires around the camp, placing them in such a posi tion, and at such intervals, as to induce Captain Trench and his soldiers to believe that he was absolutely surrounded by a large force. The deception was kept up through the night by White and his companions marching from fire to fire with the measured tread and the loud chal lenge of sentinels, now hailing from the east of the British camp, and then shifting rapidly their position and challenging from the extreme west. Nor was this the only stratagem; each mounted a horse and rode

* Pages 163-165. '

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

217

'tli haste in divers directions, imitating the manner of the staff, and W'ving orders with a loud voice. The delusion was complete. Captain Trench suffered himself to be completely trapped. White carried his daring plan forward by dashing boldly and alone to the camp of the British, and demanding a conference with Trench. 'I am the com mander, Sir,' he said, 'of the American soldiers in your vicinity. If you will surrender at once to my force, Twill see to it that no injury is done to you or your command. If you decline to do this, I must candidly inform you that the feelings of my troops are highly incensed against you and I can by no means be responsible for any consequences that iiay ensue.' Trench thanked him for his humanity, and said, despondingly, that it was useless to contend with fate or with the large force that he saw was around him, and announced his willingness to sur render his vessels, his men and himself to Colonel White. At this instant Captain Elholm came suddenly dashing up at full speed, and, saluting White, inquired of him where he should place the artillery. 'Keep them back, Keep them back, Sir,' answered White, 'the British have sur rendered. Move your men off, and send me three guides to conduct them to the American post at Sunbury.' The three guides arrived. The five vessels were burned, and the British, urged by White to keep clear of his men, and to hasten their departure from the enraged and formid able Americans, pushed on with great celerity, whilst White retired with one or two of his associates, stating that he would go to his troops in the rear and restrain them. He now employed himself in collecting the neighborhood militia, with which he overtook his guides, and conducted them in safety to the Sunbury post. This took place on the first of
October, 1779."
The besieged were, on the 2d of October, forced by a heavy fire from the frigate La Truite lying in the north channel, to strengthen their
position by the erection of a new battery and otherwise.

ALLIED FORCES BOMBARD SAVANNAH
Everything being in readiness, the allied forces began the bombard ment of the town at midnight on the 3d of October, but kept it up for only about two hours, the wild aim of the missiles showing, as it is said, that the use of rum had been too free on the part of the gunners.
The real bombardment began the next morning, and the story of the operations is told thus by a French officer: '' October 4th, Monday. At four o'clock in the morning, the enemy's beat of drum at daybreak fur nishes the signal for unmasking our batteries on the right and left of the trench, and that of the Americans to the left of the mortar battery, and we begin to cannonade and bombard the town and the enemy's works with more vivacity than precision. The cannoneers being still under the influence of rum, their excitement did not allow them to direct their pieces with proper care. Besides, our projectiles did little damage to works which were low and constructed of sand, the effect of this very violent fire was fatal only to the houses and some women who occupied them.

218

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"Protected by their entrenchments, the enemy could not have lost many men, if we may judge from the effect of their fire upon our works which had been hastily constructed and with far less skill and care than
theirs. "All our batteries ceased firing at eight o'clock in the morning
that we might repair our left battery which had been shaken to pieces by its own fire. A dense fog favors our workmen. We open fire again at ten o'clock in the morning and continue it with little intermission until four o'clock after midnight."
According to the diary inclosed in a letter from Governor Wright to Lord G. Germain on the 5th of November the firing on the 4th of October did some damage in the town. There is a difference of opinion expressed by writers as to the way in which the bombardment opened. Doctor Ramsey and Hugh McCall assert that the allied forces began by firing from nine mortars and thirty-seven cannon from the land side and sixteen cannon from the water, while Stedman says the pieces used were fifty-three heavy cannon and fourteen mortars. The British officer speaks of three batteries mounting thirty-two guns of eighteen, twelve, nine and six pounds, besides two guns, twenty-four pounders, from the galleys, and a bombardment of shells. Dr. Abiel Holmes, in his "Amercan Annals"* says: "On the morning of the 4th October, the batteries of the besiegers were opened with nine mortars, thirty-seven pieces of cannon, from the land side, and fifteen from the water."
There is authority for the statement that both Governor Wright and Lieut-Gov. John Graham took refuge from the fire of the allies in a tent next to Colonel Maitland, on the British right, outside of the town.t

HUMANITY AND OBSTINACY
The bombardment continued on the 6th, but only occasionally, and at 11 o'clock General Prevost sent the following letter to the commander of the French:
"CAMP SAVANNAH, 6th October, 1779--Sir: I am persuaded your Excellency will do me the justice to believe that I conceive in defending this place and the army committed to my charge I fulfill what is due to Honor and Duty to my Prince. Sentiments of a different kind occasion the liberty of now addressing myself to your Excellency. They are those of Humanity. The houses of Savannah are occupied solely by women and children. Several of them have applied to me that I might request the favour you would allow them to embark on board a ship or ships and go down the river under the protection of yours until this business is decided. If this requisition you are so good as to grant, my Wife and Children, with a few servants, shall be the first to profit by the indulgence."
* Vol. II, p. 416. Cambridge, 1805. i Jones, History of Georgia, Vol. II, p. 391.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

219

A prompt reply to this was returned in these words:
"C-i-MP BEFORE SAVANNAH, October 6th, 1779--Sir: We are persuaded that your Excellency knows all that your duty prescribes. Perhaps your zeal has already interfered with your judgment.
"The Count d'Bstaing in his own name notified you that you alone would be personally responsible for the consequences of your obstinacy. The time Avhich you informed him in the commencement of the siege would be necessary for the arrangement of articles, including different orders of men in your town, had no other object than that of receiving succor. Such conduct, Sir, is sufficient, to forbid every intercourse between us which might occasion the least loss of time. Besides, in the present application latent reasons might again exist. There are military ones which, in frequent instances, have prevented the indulgence you request. It is with regret we yield to the austerity of our functions, and we deplore the fate of those persons who will be victims of your conduct, and the delusion which appears to prevail in your mind.
"We are with respect, Sir, "Your Excellency's most obedient Servants, "B. LINCOLN, "D'ESTAING.
"His Excellency, Major General Prevost."
The action thus taken by those two commanders was just what Prevost might have expected after his refusal to grant the request made in behalf of the family of General Mclntosh in the month of September. The following account of what was done on the 7th, written from the standpoint of the allies, a French officer, agrees with the statement made by the British: "7th, Thursday--A very lively cannonade. We bombard and throw carcasses into Savannah, which set the town on fire for the third time. We construct a new trench in advance of our battery to persuade the enemy that we do not yet contemplate an assault, but that our intention is to push our approaches up to his works.
"8th. Friday--We cannonade and bombard feebly. The enemy does little more. He seems to be husbanding his strength for the anticipated attack. Informed of all that transpires in our army, he is cognizant of the trifling effect produced by his fire upon us in our trenches. Every thing forces us to the conclusion that we must, on the morrow, make a general assault upon the city. The length of time requisite for the operations of a siege, the exhaustion of the supplies of the fleet, and the pressing dangers resulting from our insecure anchorage decide the general to take this step.''
On the morning of the 8th Major 1'Enfant attempted to fire the abatis in advance of the British lines, but the effort failed because of the dampness of the weather which prevented the general explosion of the powder, but the British acknowledged that much damage was done to the houses by the cannonade.

DISASTER TO THE ALLIES

'

Saturday, the 9th, was a day of disaster to the allied troops when they made a most strenuous attempt in the way of an assault, beginning

: ,
|| i-1 .'fjj |j| |! j!j $} ||

220

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

at 4 o 'clock in the morning, which time was agreed upon at a conference of the highest officers; but the plan was overheard by one James Curry, sergeant-major of the Charleston grenadiers who deserted to the enemy, and divulged the fact that the approaches of the allied forces had been advanced to within pistol shot of the enemy's works, and the determina tion to make an aggressive move that morning. This prepared General Prevost for what was attempted, and, knowing that the chief point of attack would be the Spring Hill redoubt, the threatened action on the left guarded by Huger being only a feint, he assigned his best officer, Colonel Maitland, to the protection of his lines at the Spring Hill posi tion with a superior force of the best of his fighting men. Not anticipat ing the resistance prepared by the enemy on the strength of the informa tion given by the deserter, General Lincoln issued the following orders:
"Watchword Lewis. "The soldiers will be immediately supplied with forty rounds of cartridges, a spare flint, and their arms in good order. "The infantry destined for the attack of Savannah will be divided into two bodies; the first composing the light troops under the command of Colonel Laurens; the second of the Continental battalions and the first battalion of Charlestown militia, except the grenadiers who are to join the light troops. The whole will parade at one o'clock near the left of the line and march by the right of platoons. "The guards of the camp will be formed by the invalids and be charged to keep up the fire as usual in the camp. "The cavalry under the command of Count Pulaski will parade at the same time with the infantry and follow the left column of the French troops and precede the column of the American light troops. They will endeavor to penetrate the enemy's lines between the battery on the left of the Spring Hill redoubt and the next toward the river. Having effected this, they will pass to the left toward Yamacraw and secure such parties of the enemy as may be lodged in that quarter. "The artillery will parade at the same time; follow the French artillery, and remain with the corps de reserve until they receive further orders. "The whole will be< ready by the time appointed with the utmost silence and punctuality, and be ready to inarch the instant Count d'Estaing and General Lincoln shall order. "The Light troops, who are to follow the cavalry, will attempt to enter the redoubt on the left of the Spring Hill by escalade if possible; if not, by entrance into it. They are to be supported, if necessary, by the First South Carolina Regiment, In the meantime the column will proceed with the lines to the left of the Spring Hill battery. "The Light troops having succeeded against the redoubt will pro ceed to the left and attempt the several works between that and the river. '' The column will move to the left of the French troops, taking care not to interfere with them. "The Light troops having carried the works towards the river will form on the left of the column. "It is expressly forbid to fire a single gun before the redoubts are

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

221

carried, or for any soldier to quit his ranks to plunder without an order for that purpose; any who shall presume to transgress in either of these respects shall be reputed a disobeyer of military orders, which is punishable with death.
"The militia of the first and second brigades, General Williamson's, and the first and second battalions of Charleston militia will parade immediately under the command of General Isaac Huger. After draft ing five hundred of them, the remainder will go into the trenches and put themselves under the command of the commanding officer there.
"With the five hundred he will march to the left of the enemy's lines and remain as near them as he possibly can, without being discovered, until four o 'clock in the morning, at which time the troops in the trenches will begin the attack upon the enemy. He will then advance and make his attack as near the river as possible. Though this is only meant as a feint, yet, should a favorable opportunity offer, he will improve it and push into the town.
"In case of a repulse, after having taken the Spring-Hill redoubt, the troops will return and rally in the rear of the redoubt. If it cannot be effected in that way, it must be attempted by the same route at which they entered.
"The second place of rallying, or the first, if the redoubt should not be carried,, will be at the Jews' burying ground, where the reserve will be placed. If these two halts should not be effectual, they will retire toward camp.
"The troops will carry on their hats a piece of white paper by which they will be distinguished.''
The details of the history of the siege of Savannah from this point have been given by so many writers that it is not deemed necessary to go into all the particulars in this history. The French were to be di vided into three columns, of which two were for assault and the other was to act as a reserve corps to be "used as required; while the Americans were formed into two columns, both for assault. The cavalry, under Count Pulaski, was to move in advance of the Americans under Colonel Laurens, and the assault was to be made on the right of the British lines. A French officer, who wrote a journal containing his experiences at the time, thus describes the assault as made by the French troops.
"By three o'clock in the morning all our dispositions had been per fected. * * * AVe commence marching by the left to attack the city on its right, where its western side, as we have before intimated, is forti fied by three redoubts located triangularly. The columns marched by divisions (each column had been divided into three battalions), with easy gait and leisurely, that they might arrive at the point of attack at the designated hour.
"At five o'clock in the morning, the three columns, which had ob served a similar order of march, arrived within eighty toises (160 yards) of the edge of the wood which borders upon Savannah. Here the head of column was halted and we were ordered to form into platoons. Day begins to dawn and we grow impatient. This movement is scarcely commenced when we are directed to march forward, quick time, the vanguard inclining a little to the right, the column of M. de Steeling

222

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

to the left and the column of the General [d'Estaing] moving straight to the front, M. de Noailles, with his reserve corps, proceeds to a small eminence from which he could observe all our movements and repair to any point where the exigencies might demand his presence.
'''At half past five o'clock we hear on our right and on the enemy's left a very lively fire of musketry and of cannon upon our troops from the trenches who had commenced the false attack. A few minutes after wards we are discovered by the enemy's sentinels who fire a few shots. The General now orders an advance at double quick, to shout Vive k Roy, and to beat the charge. The enemy opens upon, us a very brisk fire of artillery and musketry, which, however, does not prevent the van guard from advancing upon the redoubt, and the right column upon the entrenchments. The ardor of our troops and the difficulties offered by the ground do not permit us long to preserve our ranks. Disorder begins to prevail. The head of the column penetrates within the entrenchments, but, having inarched too quickly, it is not supported by the rest of the column which, arriving in confusion, is cut down by discharges of grape shot from the redoubts and batteries and by the musketry fire from the entrenchments. We are violently repulsed at this point. Instead of moving to the right, this [Dillon's] column and the vanguard fall back toward the left. Count d'Estaing receives a musket shot almost within the redoubt, and M. Betizi is here wounded several times.
"The column of M. de Steding, which moved to the left, while travers ing a muddy swamp full of brambles, loses its formation and no longer preserves any order. This swamp, upon which the enemy's entrench ments rested, formed a slope which served as a glacis to them. The fir ing is very lively; and although this column is here most seriously in jured, it crosses the road to Augusta that it may advance to the enemy's right which it was ordered to attack. On this spot nearly all the volun teers are killed. The Baron de Steding is here wounded.
"The column of M. d'Estaing and the repulsed vanguard which had retreated to the left arrived here as soon as the column of M. de Steding, and threw it into utter confusion. At this moment everything is in such disorder that the formations are no longer preserved. The road to Au gusta is choked up. It here, between two impracticable morasses, con sists of an artificial causeway upon which all our soldiers who had dis engaged themselves from the swamps collected. We are crowded to gether and badly pressed. Two 18-pounder guns, upon field carriages, charged with canister and placed at the head of the road, cause terrible slaughter. The musketry fire from the entrenchemnts is concentrated upon this spot and upon the swamps. Two English galleys and one frigate sweep this point with their broadsides, and the redoubts and batteries use only grape shot which they shower down upon this locality. Notwithstanding all this our officers endeavor to form into columns this mass which does not retreat, and the soldiers themselves strive to regain their ranks. Scarcely have they commenced to do this when the General orders the charge to be beaten. Three times do our troops advance en masse up to the entrenchments which cannot be carried. An attempt is made to penetrate through the swamp on our left to gain the enemy's right. More than half of those who enter are either killed or remain

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

223

stuck fast in the mud. * * * Standing in the road leading to Au gusta, and at a most exposed point, the General, with perfect self-posses sion, surveys this slaughter, demands constant renewals of the assault, and, although sure of the bravery of his troops, determines upon a retreat,
only when he sees that success is impossible. "We beat a retreat, which is mainly effected across the swamp lying
to the right of the Augusta road; our forces being entirely, and at short range, exposed to the concentrated fire of the entrenchments which con stantly increases in vehemence. At this juncture the enemy show them selves openly upon the parapets and deliver their fire with their mus kets almost touching our troops. The General here receives a second shot.
"About four hundred men, more judiciously led by the Baron de Steeling, retreated without loss by following the road to Augusta and turning the swamp by a long detour. M. de Noailles, anxious to preserve his command for the moment when it could be used to best advantage,
orders his reserve corps to fall back rapidly. Unless he had done this it would have suffered a loss almost as severe as that encountered by the assaulting columns, the effect of the grape shot being more dangerous at the remove where it was posted than at the foot of the entrenchments. Accompanied only by his adjutant, he ascends an elevation fifteen paces in advance of his corps that he might with certainty observe all the movements of the army. His adjutant, M. Calignon, is mortally wounded by his side. When the Viscount de Noailles perceives the disorder reign ing in the columns, he brings his reserve corps up to charge the enemy; and when he hears the retreat sounded advances in silence at a slow step, and in perfect order, to afford an opportunity to the repulsed troops to reform themselves in his rear. He makes a demonstration to penetrate within the entrenchments in case the enemy should leave them, and prepares to cut them off in that event. Under these circum stances he encounters some loss, but the anticipated sortie would have caused the total destruction of our army. That the enemy did not make this apprehended sortie is to be attributed to the excellent disposition of his forces and the prompt manoeuvre on the part of the Viscount de Noailles.
'' The fragments of the army hastily form in single column behind the reserve corps and begin marching to our camp. M. de Noailles constitutes the rear guard, and retires slowly and in perfect order. Towards eight o'clock in the morning the army was again in camp, and a cessation of hostilities for the purpose of burying the dead and removing the wounded was proposed and allowed."
We come now to the movement on the part of the Americans whose right column, commanded by Colonel Laurens, and having in advance Count Pulaski, made a spirited assault on the Spring-Hill redoubt. Pass ing the ditch, the colors of the second South Carolina regiment were planted upon its outside incline, but the parapet being too high to be scaled, and the firing received in the bold attempt to do so being too hot to be resisted, they had to fall back when disorder reigned and the cavalry and lancers bearing in confusion to the left cut through the in fantry and carried a portion of them into the swamp.
General Mclntosh, leading the second column of Americans, reached

224

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

the vicinity of Spring-Hill redoubt in the confusion which then occurred and when Count d'Estaing, wounded in the arm, was vainly endeavoring to rally his troops. Then it was, as Major Thomas Pinckney relates '' General Mclntosh did not speak French, but desired me to inform, the commander-m-chief that his column was fresh, and that he wished his directions where, under present circumstances, he should make the attack The Count ordered that we should move more to the left, and by no means to interfere with the troops he was endeavoring to rally. In pursuing this direction we were thrown too much to the left, and, before we could reach Spring-Hill redoubt, we had to pass through Yamacraw Swamp, then wet and boggy, with the galley at the mouth annoying our left with grape shot. While struggling through this morass, the firing slacked, and it was reported that the whole army had retired. I was sent by General Mclntosh to look out from the Spring-Hill, where I found not an assailant standing. On reporting this to the General, he ordered a retreat, which was effected without much loss, notwithstand ing the heavy fire of grape-shot with which we were followed."
When the column under Laurens passed the ditch and stood at the foot of the parapet, the flag of the Second South Carolina was, as we have seen, planted as near the top as could be reached. That act was per formed by Lieutenants Hume and Bush who both were killed, when Lieutenant Grey hastened to their assistance, but he received a mortal wound, and Sergt. William Jasper, having himself been mortally wounded, with his characteristic gallantry rushed forward, seized the standard and bore it away. The colors had been presented to the regi ment by Mrs. Elliott, of Charleston, and, after the retreat of the day, Major Hoag called to see him when he remarked: "I have got my fur lough. That sword was presented to me by Governor Rutledge for my services in the defence of Fort Moultrie. Give it to my father, and tell him [ have won it with honor. If he should weep, tell him his son died in the hope of a better life. Tell Mrs. Elliott that I lost my life sup porting the colors which she presented to our regiment. If you should ever see Jones, his wife, and son, tell them that Jasper is gone, but that the remembrance of the battle which he fought for them brought a secret joy to his heart when it was about to stop its motion forever." His death occurred only a few minutes after he spoke those words.

COUNT PULASKI'S DEATH WOUND Count Pulaski, in attempting to rally the disorganized troops, as well as to charge through the enemy's line and enter the city, when the ter rific engagement at Spring-Hill was at its height, was struck by a grapeshot fired from the last gun of the bastion, and, unhorsed, was taken, wounded unto death, from the field by his officers. His last command was: "Follow my Lancers to whom I have given the order of attack." After the retreat, he was taken on board the United States brig Wasp to be conveyed to Charleston. On the voyage he had the attention of the best surgeons of the French fleet, but his wound was too severe to yield to treatment, and gangrene set in, causing his death while the Wasp was not yet out of the Savannah river. The corpse becoming offensive

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

225

i's attending officer, Colonel Bentalou, "was compelled, though reluc-

I

tantly, to consign to a watery grave all that was now left upon earth of

|

his beloved and honored commander."

THE SIEGE FROM A BRITISH STANDPOINT
The accounts of the siege of Savannah by the allied American and French troops most commonly known are those representing the matter from the American standpoint. The following statement showing how Governor Wright saw it, together with the description given by a British officer, and adopted by Wright as truthful, will enable the reader to see both sides and aid him to draw his own conclusions:
"No. 8. * * * SAVANNAH IN GEORGIA, the 5th of Nov. 1779 -- My Lord: Since I had the honor of writing to Your Lordship last by the Cork Victuallers we have met with a very unexpected alarming and serious scene, Especially in this part of the world, for no Man could have thought or believed that a French Fleet of 25 Sail of the Line with at least 9 Frigates and a number of other Vessells would have come on the Coast of Georgia in the month of September and Landed from 4 to 5000 Troops to besiege the Town of Savannah, but My Lord amazing as this is, it is certainly Fact, for on the 3d of September an account came to Savannah that 5 Large ships were in the offing and the next morning advice came that they were French Ships, and I concluded that they had been drove here by distress, however on the 7th a letter was wrote by Captain Henry Commander of His Majesty's Ship Fowey that 42 sail of French Ships appeared off Tybee Bar and on the 8th 5 of them very Large Ships came in over the Bar, on which the Fowey and Rose Ships of War were obliged to retreat and come up the River, and on the 12th several of the French Fleet went in at Ossabaw and at Night began to land their Troops at BewHe and on the 15th the Count D'Estaing sent a Summons to General Prevost to Surrender the Town and Province to the King of France on which some Messages & Letters passed, and on the 17th the Truce ended in Declaring that it was the Unanimous opin ion and Resolution of the Civil and Military that the Town should be Defended. This my Lord made me very happy as I had some strong Reasons to apprehend and fear the Contrary. The particulars of the Negotiation Your Lordship will receive from General Prevost, and from this time Hostilities began and both sides were very active in raising Redoubts and Batteries and Opening Trenches etc., etc. and now my Lord give me leave to mention the great ability and Exertions of Captain Moncrief the Chief Engineer who was Indefatigable day and Night and whose Eminent Services contributed vastly to our defence and safety, and on the 3d of October at half after 11 at Night the French began to Bombard the Town and at the Firing of the Morning Gun on Monday the 4th they began a most Furious Cannonade which continued more or less till Saturday the 9th when just before Break of day an attack was made by the united Armys of the French and Rebels, and we have it from very good authority that the flower of both armys to the amount of 2500 French and 1500 Rebels, came against us. The Conflict was sharp,

226

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

and lasted for about an hour and a half and we were well informed b French Officers who were wounded and taken, and also by some who came with Flags and by deserters and others, that they lost 700 killed & wounded, and some accounts mentioned 1000 among which are 63- of fleers--D'Estaing wounded in the thigh and arm Polaski on the Hin with a grape shot and since dead and the Rebels its said had killed and wounded 500, amongst them Charles Price.. Astonishing to think we had only 7 killed and 14 wounded but for a more Circumstantial 1 Account of the Siege, Attack etc., etc., I beg leave to refer Your Lordship to the Inclosed diary, and which altho not in the Military Language or Style, I will be answerable is as Just and True an account of the whole matter as will be transmitted from any hand whatever, and I have it my Lord from some of my Friends who had an opportunity of Knowing the condition of the French Fleet when they were ready to depart from our coast, that the Ships were much out of repair and the Men exceedingly sickly on Board the Sagittaire the Crew of which amounted to 500, they Buried with the Scurvy and other disorders but chiefly the Scurvy at least 2, 3 and 4 every day one day with another, and this for a month, and several officers who came there from the other ships said it was the same throughout and I was Informed from the same Authority that D 'Estaing was return to Brest immediately with 11 ships, 4 to go to Chesapeake for provisions and from thence to the Cape, 2 Frigates and the Cape Troops, say 1200 Men to go to Charles Town & the rest with La Motte Piquet to Martinique this Destination was learnt yet possibly may not be the fact,
'' I have the Honor to be with Perfect Esteem '' My Lord Your Lordships '' Most obliged & Obed 't Serv 't
JA. WEIGHT."

The Right Hon'ble Lord George Germain His Maj. Principal Secretary of State &c. &c. &c.
[Indorsed]
R Dec'r 21. By Capt, Shaw. Duplicate--Orig'l not received.

[Inclosed in Gov. Sir Jas. Wright's Letter of 5 Nov. 1779.] "On Friday the 3rd Sept. Capt. Henry of His Maj'tys Ship Fowey
call'd on me and told me he had heard from Tybee, that they were 5 large ships in the Offing which were imagin 'd might be the Roebuck with some
Cork Victuallers. "On Saturday the 4th he call'd on me again & Shew'd a letter from
Capt. Brown of the Rose, who wrote that he had sent a Lieut. to recon noitre the Ships, who reported them to be French & we then suppos'd they might have been drove this way by a Gale of Wind--which seem'd in some measure to be confirmed--because on Monday the 6th Accounts were bro't up that the Ships had disappeared.
"But at daybreak on Wednesday the 8th I received a letter from Gen'1 Prevost acquainting me that at 4 0'Clock that Morning, he had

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

227

received a letter from Capt. Henry informing him that there were 42 Sail of French Ships of War in Sight, most of which appeared to be ]arge Ships, on which we concluded that a serious Attack was intended
inst ^ig province; We had been repairing the Old Redoubts and raising New Works--Expecting an Attack by the Rebels, but on these Accounts of a French Fleet being on the Coast, the greatest Exertions were made by Capt. Moncrief Chief Engineer and 400 to 500 Negroes were immediately ordered in by the Gov'r and Council and set to work-- And in the whole there were 13 good redoubts raised round the Town in different places and 15 Gun Batteries were raised also in different places between the Redoubts--the whole of these Batteries contain'd 80 Pieces
of Canon, 18, 9 & 6 pounders--The Batteries were mann'd by the Sailors of the Fowey, Rose and Keppel & by Sailors & Volunteers belonging to Transports and other Ships in the River.
"Besides which there were several 6 and 4 Pounders properly placed without Batteries, also five field pieces. We soon received an Account from Capt. Henry that the French Fleet consisted of 25 sail of the Line and 9 Frigates besides other Vessels.
"On the 8th Sept, Five Frigates got over Tybee Bar, and soon after the Fowey, Rose, Keppel, Savannah & the Galleys were obliged to retire
up the River. "On Sunday the 12th at night the French began to land Troops at
Bewley, 14 miles from Town And on Wednesday the 15th a letter came from Count De Estaing containing a General Summons to surrender the
Town and Province to the King of France, he boasted in this letter of his formidable Armament by Sea and Land What he had done with them at Granada &c. mentioned how much Ld Macartney had suffered by not Capitulating, and that it was totally in vain to think of opposing or resisting his Force--And warn'd General Prevost of the Conse quences attending a Storm, hinting that he shou'd consider him as per sonally answerable for the lives of the people &c.
"The Answer to this was that the General he had a better opinion of him & of the British Army which he had the honour to command, than to expect they wou'd surrender the Town &c. on a General Summons, without knowing on what terms or conditions. That he had communi cated the above letter to the Civil Governor--And if the Count had any terms to offer, desired they might be made.
"To which the Count replied, that it was the part of the Besieged to propose Terms and not that of the Besiegers.
"The Answer to this was that it was a matter of great Consequence and there were many different Interests to be adjusted and settled, and therefore desired 24 hours to consider of it.
"This went on Thursday the 16th and the Count agreed to wait for an Answer till the firing of the Evening Gun on Friday the 17th.
"In the Afternoon a Council of War was held in the General Tent, consisting of the field Officers (the Gov'r and Lieut Gov. being present) to consider of an Answer to be sent to the Count De Estaing when it was the unanimous opinion of the whole that the Town should be de fended & that this Answer or Notice should be returned to Count De Estaing. On which Hostilities commenced--

228

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"On the 17th 18th & 19th Col. Maitland and all the Troops from Beaufort got here but with the greatest difficulty and risque, Excepting the Artillery Men of the Hessian Corps, Hessian Convalescents and about 170 of the 71st. The Vigilant Man of War, three Galleys and 3 Transports with all the Artillery Stores Baggage &c. were left at Callibogie.
'' The whole of the Troops which arrived with Col. Maitland amounted to about 800 Men.
"Two of the French Frigates with two Galleys advanced up the River to 4 Mile Point and on the 29th Sept. one of them got up to & Anchored at the Mouth of the Back River and the two Galleys at the point of Yonges Island of March and at different times they fired many Shot into the Town 24 & 12 Pounders.
"The French were employed in bringing Canon &c. &c. &c. from Bewley till the 24th,, In the night of which, they began to break ground near our lines and next day we saw 2 pieces of Canon mounted.
"A party of light Infantry were Order'd out under the Command of Major Graham consisting of about 90 men in Order to draw the French out of their Lines, who to the number of 300 came out & were drove from their Works but were then Supported by a Column of French Troops from 500 to 600 from the Woods behind their AVorks which Obliged the light Infantry to return. The french were much Galled by our Canon and the fire of the Musquetry & lost as we were informed 84 Killed & about 100 Wounded.
"The light Infantry lost Lieut. McPhersoii & 7 private Killed & 13 wounded.
"From the 24th the french were extending their lines & Works & raised three large Batteries and were bringing Canon & Mortars &c. from Bewley, Thunderbolt & Castou Bluff.
"On the 2d of Octr. The Frigate & Rebel Galleys Kept a constant fire on the Town & Camp from 11 a. in. to 1 P. M. many shot reach'd thro' the Town to Zubley's Meeting from the Galleys & from the Frigate went quite across the Camp to the Barracks.
"Sunday 3d Octr. At half after 11 at Night the French open'd a Bomb Battery of 9 Mortars & continued throwing Shells till One O'clock in the Morning--123 Shells were thrown into every part of the Town, but without doing any Material Damage.
"Monday 4th Octr. Just as the Morning Gun was fired--the Enemy began a most furious and incessade Canonade from three Batteries mounting in the whole 32 Guns of 18,12, 9 & 6 Pounders, besides a Con stant fire from the Frigate of 14 Guns 12 pounders, And of 2 Guns 24 Pounders from the two Rebel Galleys--as also a Bombardment of Shells--however only the Daur. of a Mrs. Thomson, and a Mr. Pollard Assistt. Barrack Master were kill'd, during which a constant Fire was Kept up, by our Batteries, on the Enemy's works & Shells thrown from 5 small Cohorns. Tuesday 5th Canonading & Bombardment continued-
Day & Night. "Wednesday 6th the same--This night a Woman her Mother &
Child & a Niece were killed by a Shell in the Middle of the Town, also three Negroes--Mrs Lloyds house was set on fire by a Carcase which
they now began to throw.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEOKGIA

229

"Thursday 7th The Canonade & Bombardment continued--several Carcases were thrown--Another House was burnt, most of the Houses '' Town were much damaged by the Shot but nobody kill'd either in
Town or Camp. "Friday 8th Bombardment & Canonade continued much damage
ntinued to be done to the Houses--Capt. Simpson killed by a Grape Shot in Major Wrights Redoubt at the Trustees Gardens--In the Course of this Night a very heavy Canonade from the enemy.
"Saturday 9th Especially from 12 at night also a Bombardment which continued till the firing of the Morning Gun at Day break & immediately an Attack was made by the French & Rebels on the Ebenezer redoubt & Battery by the Spring and on the redoubt by Col. Maitland is Tent, on the Right at our line, commanded by Col. Maitland; the Eenemy that made the Attack were the flower of the French Troops Virginia &" So. Carolina Continentals & So. Carolina Militia--Supposed to be 2500 french & 1500 Rebels.
"Count De Estaing Commanded himself and Genl. Lincoln as second
in Command. The Attack was made with great Spirit on the part of the French--
The Morning was favourable for them being Dark & Foggy. The At tack continued P/o hour when the Enemy were beat back & retreated with great precipitation Our Troops who alone opposed them were 30
Dragoons. "64 So. Carolina Loyalists commanded by Tawes of the Dragoons
who bravely fell in defending it. In the Ebenezer Redoubt. "90 of Col. Hamilton's No. Carolina Loyalists & 56 Georgia Militia
In the Redoubt where Col. Maitland was & 70 Granadiers of the Royal Americans who were Ordered to support the Redoubts, and bravely charg'd the Enemy with their Bayonets.
"Exclusive of the above the Spring Battery of 6 Guns mann'd by 31 Sailers Commanded by Mr. Manly & Steel did very great execution & much contributed to the repulse of the Enemy--None of the other Troops on the right of our line were at all engaged, or had occasion to fire a single musquet--these consisted of the 1st Battalion of 71st the Hessian regt Wezenbeckens & Browns Rangers.
"On the left of our Line a Feint was made by the Rebel Troops-- 500 under Command of Genl. Williamson--on Major Wrights redoubt by the Trustees Gardens & 700 under Command of Col. Sleyer on Col. Crugers Redoubt in Tatnels Road--The Rebels were beat off & lost 50 kill'd & wounded at this end of our line--Amongst the first Charles Pryce.
"After the retreat of the French & Rebels on the right of our line 270 men chiefly French were found dead--31 of whom were in the Ditch and on the parapet of the Ebenezer Redoubt & 93 more within the Abattis--A French & Rebel Standard were once fixed on the parapet of this redoubt, the French carried off theirs, but the Rebel Standard was taken by us. Since the Attack we find by Deserters, French Officers and others that the French lost in kill'd & 'Wounded not less than 700 some say 1000 & of the first 63 Officers by their own Accot. Amongst the Wounded Count De Estaing Received a Musquet Shot in his Arm & another in his Thigh, Count Polaski a Wound in the Hip by a Grape ^hot & since dead--And the Rebels by the best information we cou'd

230

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

get had kill'd & wounded about 500 & it is astonishing to think that in this attack We had only Capt. Tawes & 7 privates Kill'd and 14 wounded
"N B. Our whole force, Regulars, Militia, Sailers & Volunteers did not amount to above 2350 men fit for Duty.
'' A flag was soon sent by the French & Rebels desiring a Truce for the Burial of the Dead, & receiving the Wounded, which was agreed to till 2 o'clock & then extended till Dark. During this Night a slight Canonading on both sides & many french & Rebel Deserters came in.
"Sunday 10th Several Flags passed and Truces agreed to, for the above and other purposes, a Slight Canonading during the night & many Deserters come in.
"Monday llth No Canonading or Bombardment on the part of the Enemy. Deserters coming in who Inform'd that they were sending their Sick & Wounded & heavy Canon on board their Ships--The Rebel Militia were daily going off in Numbers.
'' Tuesday 12th Slight Canonading on each side in the night, but not a Gun fired in the day--the Enemy seem'd now to fire from two pieces of Canon only.
"Wednesday 13th The same. "Thursday 14th The same.
"Friday 15th The same and We were now Inform'd that all the Carolina Militia were gone.
"Saturday 16th The same The Enemy had removed all their Cannon but two.
"Sunday 17th The same and We were Inform'd that the french black & Mullatoe Brigade had March'd to Col. Mullrynes--to Embark.
"Monday 18th This Evening & Night all the French & Rebel Troops left their Camps & lines which were next day & a few days following all destroyed.
"Tuesday 19th Were inform'd the French had taken post 2 miles from Town at the Cross Roads leading to Brewtons & that the Rebels were crossing the River with all Expedition, at the two Sisters and Zubly's Ferry.
"20th & 21st Learn'd that all the French had Embark'd at Caston's Bluff in about 100 Boats & had gone to Tybee to embark in their Men of War lying there.
"From the 21st the Winds hanging to the Eastward, the French Frigate cou'd not move from five fathom hole Cartels during this time
coming up with prisoners. "JA. WEIGHT."

During the siege the headquarters of the English were on the north side of Broughton street, between Bull and Drayton, now known as number twenty-four Broughton street east. The guard-house was where the Citizens and Southern Bank now stands, on the lot facing Johnson square, and bounded by Bull, Bryan, Drayton and St. Julian streets. Governor Wright 's residence was on the lot now occupied by the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, bounded by Barnard, State, Jefferson and President streets. The council house faced Reynolds square, with Abercorn street on the west, St. Julian street on the north, and Congress
street on the south.

CHAPTER XX
SAVANNAH AGAIN AMERICAN
ROYAL CIVIL GOVERNMENT FEEBLE--AFFAIRS MANAGED BY WRIGHT AND COUNCIL--AUGUSTA SURRENDERED TO THE AMERICANS--ROYAL CAUSE GETTING DARK--WEIGHT'S PITIABLE MENTAL CONDITION--AMERICAN TROOPS AT GATES OF SAVANNAH--WAYNE'S TERMS FOR BRITISH EVACUATION--NATHANIEL GREENE AND His SERVICES--CONFISCATED BRITISH ESTATES--"MULBERRY GROVE" MADE OVER TO GREENE-- ANTHONY WAYNE AND His SERVICES--GREENE VISITS "MULBERRY GBOVE"--DEATH AND FUNERAL OF GENERAL GREENE--AAYNE ;S GEORGIA RESIDENCE ALSO SHORT.
From the time of the capture of Savannah by Archibald Campbell, on the 29th of December, 1778, Augusta became the capital of Georgia, and there the meetings of the Republican assembly were held, while Savannah continued to be the seat of the royal legislature.
ROYAL CIVIL GOVERNMENT FEEBLE
After the successful resistance of the combined attack on the part of the Americans and their French allies in October, 1779, Sir James Wright found it difficult to get a quorum to attend a meeting of his legislative assembly. He ordered an election of delegates returnable on the 9th of May, 1780, but of the twenty-six legal members only fifteen actually appeared, which was three less than the fixed constitutional quorum; but, with the advice of his council, he assented to an organiza tion of the commons house with a reduced number of representatives under the circumstances. On the 6th of November of the year 1779, he wrote to Secretary Lord George Germain: "In my former letters I very particularly mentioned the reason why it was impossible to call an assembly at that time and how far this Province had been suffered to relapse into rebellion again. * * * I am now, my Lord, taking every step in the power of the civil department to check the spirit of rebellion by compelling all those who I think might or ought to have come in and joined in the defense of the town but did not to (sic) give a very circum stantial account of their conduct during the siege, and have directed that those of the lower class who do not appear materially culpable shall be obliged to give security for their good behaviour for 12 months them selves in 100 sterling and 2 securities in 50 each, also to take the oaths of allegiance, &c., &c., and to subscribe the test, a copy whereof is in-
231

232

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

closed, and any who appear to have offended capitally I have ordered to be committed, and if sufficient evidence can be had against them I am determined they shall be prosecuted for high treason; but my Lord in the situation we are now the civil government, your Lordship will see must be very feeble, and will remain so till I can call an assembly. This is a point I have considered, and hope it may be done, and that the time is not very distant when I may issue writs for that purpose."
Again, in a letter to the same person, on the 9th of November fol lowing, he wrote: "When I can call an assembly which I hope will be as soon as the reinforcement comes to enter Carolina, then Government will soon strengthen and raise its head." He waited more than two months without finding it within his power to obtain the necessary ma terial for a law making organization and even then his hopes fled. On the 20th of January, 1780, he once more said to Lord Germain: "As soon as the troops begin their operations I shall issue writs of election and hope when I can get an assembly I shall be able to execute his Maj esty's commands, and my instructions to accomplish which, and every matter that I may judge to be for his Majesty's service, I shall exert to the utmost of my power." The power to grant the writs was finally sanctioned by the council in the month of March, as will be seen by the following extract from a letter written to Lord Germain on the 24th: "We had happily and most providentially escaped a danger and force almost sufficient to have swallowed us up, and on the arrival of his Majesty's troops from New York I then look'd upon peace and good order and government in this province as certain and at hand but how was I mistaken ? The first drop was the alteration on the route of the army which had been clearly settled here should be from hence to Augusta, but the change left the province so much exposed and discon certed me to that degree that with the advice of his Majesty's council I postponed using the writs of election for some time. I do not mean to censure the measure of altering the 'route, for it might be very proper and right. I will not say otherwise. But immediately on the back of this comes the proclamation, without any restriction or limita tion and without any exception of any persons whatever, and under which it is my fear that every rebel who has fled this province and committed crimes of the blackest dye may come back and claim pardon and protection, and if that is the case, my Lord, it will be scarce possible for any King's officer to remain here with any tolerable satisfaction. The moment I received it I ordered the council to be summoned and laid the proclamation before them, and, my Lord, it was then determined to issue the writs of election, for if these people return many of them will have influence enough to get themselves elected members of Assembly. And what, then, my Lord, is to be expected? So that I have at all events, and at all hazards, ordered the writs to be prepared and shall sign them tomorrow." On the 6th of April he gave the result of the election in the town as follows: "The election for the town of Savan nah began yesterday and I believe will end agreeably, and that^ the
four members will be Mr. Robertson the Attorney General, Mr. Simpson the Clerk of the Court, Mr. Mossman a planter, and Mr. Parley an
attorney."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

233

The assembly met, as we have already stated, on the 9th of May, with a questionable legal quorum. On that point we have only these few words from Governor Wright in a report to Lord Germain on the 20th: "1 have the satisfaction to acquaint your Lordship that notwith standing the wretched state the Province is just now in, and parties of rebels coming from Carolina plundering and carrying off the inhabitants within 5 or 6 miles of the town, yet we managed so as to get all the writs of election executed in every parish and district except in St. Paul's where Augusta is, and on the 9th instant we met and opened the session, and now inclose your Lordship copies of what was passed on that occasion and which I hope may be approved of.
"I think, my Lord, there is a good Assembly, and I hope I may be able to carry into execution some matters which I presume it is wished may be done. But, my Lord, much still depends on the restriction of South Carolina, after which all proper exertions will be used.
'' We are now waiting with the utmost anxiety to hear of that event. 3 months and a half since the troops left Savannah, and Charles Town (for aught we know) still in the hands of the rebels."
It seems strange that although Charleston was surrendered to the British eight days before (May 12th, 1780) Sir James Wright had not then received the news.
We hear no more of the proceedings of the assembly until the 17th of July, at which time a letter from Wright to Lord Germain informed the latter of eight acts passed by that body and approved by the former --two on the 1st of July, and six on the 10th. Of these we will only mention two--those approved on the 1st, They were important meas ures as viewed from a British standpoint, and the governor thus men
tioned them: '' On the 1st instant I assented to a bill entitled an Act to disqualify
and render incapable'the several persons thereinafter named from hold ing or exercising any office of trust, honor, or profit in the Province of Georgia for a certain time and for other purposes therein mentioned. This bill, my Lord, I judged very necessary for his Majesty's service, as some kind of punishment to delinquents and check to rebellion, and indeed for the support of government and the peace and quiet of the inhabitants. For by it they were not only disabled as in the title, but they were disqualified from serving on juries, from sitting as members of the Assembly, and are disarmed and obliged to take the state oaths and a new test, also to find security for their good behavior, &c., and I am hopeful it will answer many good purposes, and when such a strong disposition appeared to general pardon, forgiveness and oblivion, I thought it the more necessary that something of this kind should be
done, and doubt not but his Majesty will be graciously pleased to ap prove it.
"At the same time I assented to a bill entitled an Act for the relief of such of his Majesty's loyal subjects as are inhabitants of the Province of Georgia, or have any property or intercourse therein. It was thought very necessary, my Lord, to pass a law of this kind, for altho' all the pretended laws and proceedings of the rebels were absolutely null and void, yet it will very much quiet and satisfy the minds of the people to

234

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

declare them by law to be so, and we had an exceeding good precedent and example in the statute of the 1st William and Mary session 2d Chap 9 after the Rebellion in Ireland."
Those two measures were adopted as acts of retaliation for the passing by the republican legislature on the 1st of March, 1778, of an act attaint-
ing of high treason all of the prominent loyalists, property owners, who decided to support the British government, and confiscating their real and personal property, and appointing commissioners to sell such con fiscated estates.

AFFAIRS MANAGED BY WEIGHT AND COUNCIL
The legislature at this period of Savannah's history appears to have had little business to attend to, and the affairs of the town and province were managed by Governor Wright and his council. Sir James wrote again to the principal secretary of state on the 19th of July. "in my letter of the 17th instant, No. 24, I have given your Lordship an account of the several bills assented to by me during the session of the Assembly. There were one or two more which I had in view, but the weather was excessively hot, and the gentlemen grew tired of attending to business, and I thought it most prudent to let 'em alone till our next meeting." The town and district of Savannah did not present to him a very pleasing picture in the way of being able to withstand a sudden attack. On the 20th of August he wrote: "The troops at Savannah, my Lord, are in all about 500, and at Augusta now only about 240, and which I believe are the whole of his Majesty's forces at present in the Province of Georgia. But your Lordship will be precisely in formed by the returns, and when any of these or any others may be sent either to Sunbury or Dartmouth I can't say, but I understand that if there should be reason to apprehend an attack upon East Florida, in such case the garrison at St. Augustine is to be re-inforced from hence, and I must say that I think this Province is already too soon and too much weakened.
"I find we have only 15 nine pounders, 4 six pounders and 1 four pounder, all mounted on ship carriages, late the guns of his Majesty's ship Rose--2 pieces of brass six pound ordnance 5 four pounders and 2 three pounders, two of which are only fit to take the field--and 3 twenty-four pounders not mounted."
Realizing the situation in which, through the failure of those respon sible to help him, he found the province, he assented to the passage of a bill on the 30th of October by which he was authorized to put upwards of four hundred negroes to work upon the fortifications, and, on the 1st of December, he wrote to Lord Germain: "We are making five redoubts and batteries, and there is to be a parapet made of fascines and earth from the river at each end and on the back of the town. This parapet is 10 foot wide and 7 foot high, with a ditch on the outside 15 foot wide at top, 10 foot deep, and sloping to the bottom 3 foot. I think the redoubts will be finished and each parapet about half done, or say the whole 4 foot high, by Christmas, and I expect the work will be entirely finished in all January."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

235

Still he saw that without considerable help he could not expect to iake headway against any real attempt to capture the town. On the 20th of December he again wrote: '' The parties of militia which were mployed under the authority given by Sir Henry Clinton * * * ere very soon at an end, I being given to understand that they could not be paid and subsisted any longer, and I have no power to oblige the militia to do military duty without pay & subsistence. * * * Not a man has been sent here, and all my applications hitherto taken very little notice of and this province too much weakened and left almost destitute." In a letter written on the 26th of January, 1781, he among other things, asserted that "I cannot think this province and So. Carolina in a state of security, and if Lord Cornwallis penetrates far into No. Carolina I shall expect a rebel army will come in behind him and throw us into the utmost confusion and danger--for this province is still left in a defence
less state." That the patriots, at this time, could easily have recaptured the
town is evident from the statements quoted from the letters of Sir James Wright, but unfortunately for them their condition was almost as deplorable as was that of the enemy. They were not only weak in regard to numbers but they were in a condition of absolute want not only of supplies, but of provisions; and at the same time many of them were then on duty serving the cause in other parts of the country.

AUGUSTA SURRENDERED TO THE AMERICANS On the 5th of June, 1781, Augusta was surrendered by the British, and the cause of the Americans in Georgia became brighter while Gov ernor Wright's spirits in a corresponding degree began to fall. He wrote to Lieutenant-Colonel Balfour, on the llth, "It gives me the greatest concern to acquaint you of the loss of Augusta. * * * I must observe that if this Province is not recovered from the rebels with out the least delay I conceive it may be too late to prevent the whole from being laid waste and totally destroyed and the people ruined. We are now in a most wretched condition. I should not reflect on the causes. * * * I can only represent facts which it is my indispensable duty to do, and which I have hitherto from time to time done. Our distresses are many, and how to furnish the militia on actual duty with rations I can't tell, for there is not a single barrel of beef or pork to be pur chased here, even if I had the money to buy it,"

ROYAL CAUSE GETTING DARK The time was surely coining when England's hold on the American colonies must be let loose, and Sir James Wright clearly saw that, unless something was done speedily and materially for the protection of British interests in Georgia the royal cause there was doomed. It was not long before the republicans saw their opportunity and set to work to take advantage of the same. News of such activity reached the ears of Wright, and we find him writing in this doleful strain to Lord G. Ger-

236

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

main from Savannah on the 18th of December, 1781: "We are at this moment in the utmost danger and distress and expect every day to have a formidable force against us, for a few days ago we received accounts from General Leslie who now commands in Charles Town that General Green is on his way to the southward and had crossed Edisto river, and that Generals St. Clair and Wayne were at Santee river with 2,500 Continentals mounted, and were to join General Green, who was said to have about the same number, and we have also intelligence that the Marquess l)e la Fayette is on his way here (but this is rebel intelli gence), and we have received accounts many different ways of a very serious and formidable attack being preparing and intending against us, and by a gentleman of undoubted credit who is come to Savannah a few days ago, from the Creek nation, we are informed that letters passed through that country some time ago from General Green to the Spanish officer commanding at Pensacola acquainting him that they should be ready to act against this Province by the middle of this month, and we have many rebel accounts that they expect a French and Span ish fleet here every day. This gentleman (Mr. Taitt) was a prisoner in "West Florida for some time, and says they avowed an intention to take East Florida and Georgia; and the garrison in Charles Town being dwin dled away one half, we cannot depend on much assistance, if any, from hence. . And thus your Lordship sees the consequences of not protecting and holding these two provinces. I always dreaded it from the moment Lord Cornwallis went into Virginia, and the cruel 10th article in his Lordship's capitulation I fear has ruined the King's cause in America, and I need not comment upon it. God knows what will become of us, but without immediate assistance T think we shall not be able to stand it, and if we fall I much fear that St. Augustine and Charles Town will soon follow."
His fears were well-founded, and the events immediately following did not tend towards allaying them as lie showed in writing one month iater, January 18, 1782: "Yesterday I received advice from Charlestown that Wayne and St. Clair have joined Green, and that the lastparty, with their artillery, &c., are not far off, and that they are ad vancing towards us, but with what force we cannot certainly learn, tho' it is said about 3,000 Continentals, horse and foot together, and I presume the South Carolina militia will join them in great numbers, and many here, some from principle and some from necessity, seeing they can get no protection from government. Surely, surely, my Lord, the commanders of the King's forces in America ought to have supported these southern provinces, and happy would it have been for the King's cause and friends, and a most valuable footing secured in America, if they had, or may yet be, for if they fall I fear New York will be of little consequence." And, as that letter was not promptly sent off, he added this postscript on the 23d: "A party of Continental horse have showed themselves at different times and places for 2 or 3 days past within 8 or 10 miles of Savannah, and now all our outposts are broke up and called in, and we expect every day to hear of the main body of the rebel army, &c., having crossed the Savannah river. The horse come are said to be about 200, which we presume are an advance party."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

237

WEIGHT'S PITIABLE MENTAL CONDITION
The mental condition of the royal governor in Savannah at this time, judged by his communications to the home government, must have been well-nigh unbearable. He wrote on the 12th of February, 1782, a short letter to Under Secretary William Knox, beginning with the statement that he was so hurried he had not time to Avrite to Secre tary Lord Germain, and continuing: "General Leslie, after promising a re-inforeement, altered his mind, and countermanded it--and this Province will be totally lost, unless very soon relieved. I know what I wrote long ago, tho' not regarded, and, as I find it's in vain to write, I shall trouble none of your generals any more--a strange kind of conduct or infatuation seems to have lost every thing. * * * It's said Green recommends it strongly to the people here to pass an act of oblivion and to receive all with open arms who will join them, and they are doing all they can to cajole the negroes and get them over. John Martin, a northward man who used to go by the name of Black Jack, is now chosen Governor. But I will stop, for, as I can tell you nothing pleasant, I shall say no more;" and he added this: "P. S. At night. I have this moment rec'd a letter from Sir H. C. * a trifling answer that a man might be ashamed to write; and thus do the King's Generals conduct everything.''
He wrote again to William Knox on the 23d of February, and these are some of his words: "Appearances are very gloomy * * *. I am informed beyond a doubt that my life is threatened, and that offers have been made to General Wayne to assassinate me, or carry me off, which he chooses, and in this situation I am at present, and ought to have been in England long ago, and sure I am it would have been for the King's service. * * * P. S. 4th March. * * * A party of rebels came here last Tuesday night and burnt me another barn, almost within musket, shot of the town. This is the tenth barn they have burnt of mine. Fine ample protection to civil government, even within musket shot of our lines! * * * 5th March. The rebel Governor Martin, now at Ebenezer, has issued 3 proclamations, one to the King's troops, one to the Hessians, and another to the militia, inviting them all to revolt and join the virtuous Americans against the tyranny of the British govern ment, for which each man is to have 200 acres of land and a cow, &c.''

AMERICAN TROOPS AT GATES OF SAVANNAH
With the American army almost at the gates of the town, having their headquarters, as we have seen, at Ebenezer, Wright was practically at the mercy of his enemies. Savannah then had about 240 houses occu pied by some 750 white inhabitants and the officers and soldiers of whom we have no definite count. His real danger will be apparent when we consider the words of one of his military officers who described the town as "so closely blockaded by the rebel army that it was dangerous to go without our lines." This condition of affairs is partly shown by the

* Sir Henry Clinton.

238

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

extracts we have given from Sir James Wright's letters. General Na thanael Greene, after his successful operations in South Carolina, was
prepared to give that attention to the situation in Georgia which he so ardently desired.
General Anthony Wayne was sent "to reinstate as far as might be possible the authority of the Union within the limits of Georgia," ln this he was assisted by Col. Anthony Walton while in command of one hundred of Colonel Moylan's dragoons and a battery of artillery. Cross ing the Savannah river on the 12th of January, 1782, with his cavalry and leaving his artillery for a more favorable time to cross, he was re inforced by Colonel Hampton with three hundred cavalrymen from General Sumter's brigade. Lieut.-Col. James Jackson, under Colonel Twiggs, had previously moved towards Savannah, and was in readi ness to aid in the work to be performed. When the headquarters of General Wayne were settled at Ebenezer, Governor Martin made that place the capital of republican Georgia, Skirmishes between the Amer
ican troops and the loyalists and Indians occurred from time to time and one decided victory was gained in the defeat of the chief Guristersigo who, at the head of three hundred men, struck out with the inten tion to relieve General Alured Clarke in the town of Savannah.

WAYNE's TERMS FOR BRITISH EVACUATION
Governor Wright had received information of the action of parlia ment--looking to a settlement with the colonies, arid believing, as we may conclude from his letters so freely quoted, that England's cause was hopeless, proposed to General Wayne a suspension of hostilities; but matters were brought to a conclusion by the receipt of an order from Sir Guy Carlton to Wright, dated at New York, May 23d, 1782, author izing the evacuation of Savannah and the whole province of Georgia, and advising Wright that vessels would be sent for the transportation of troops, stores, and all British subjects who cared to leave. General Wayne was appealed to by the subjects of Great Britain to define their rights particularly in regard to their property, and to know upon what terms they would be allowed to remain in Savannah should they so wish. Governor Martin was consulted on the subject, and it was decided to offer assurances of safety for the persons and property of such in habitants as chose to remain in Savannah after it should be evacuatedby the British troops, and that a reasonable time would be allowed them to dispose of their property and settle their pecuniary concerns in the state." Other conditions relating to offenders against the cause mentioned in the agreement are here omitted as not strictly belonging to this history; but it is well to reproduce here the words of General Wayne covering his view of the subject. He said: "In offering these terms I have in view not only the interest of the United States but also that of Georgia: by retaining as many inhabitants and merchants as cir cumstances would admit, and with them a considerable quantity of goods much wanted for public and private use, but (what was yet of greater consequence) to complete your quota of troops without any ex pense to the public, and thus reclaim a number of men who, at another

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

239

lay will become valuable members of society. This also appeared to e an act of justice tempered with mercy: justice to oblige those who have joined or remained with the enemy to expiate their crime by mili-
service; and mercy to admit the repentant sinner to citizenship after a reasonable quarantine. By these means those worthy citizens who have so long endured every vicissitude of fortune with more than Roman virtue, will be relieved from that duty.''
No mistake was to be made as to the true intent of the terms of sur render, and they were given to Major John Habersham to be put in writing, and, in view of the almost immediate evacuation of the town, (}eri Anthony Wayne issued orders regulating the behavior of the troops on that occasion, while he was in camp at Gibbons' plantation, a few miles west of Savannah, which were in the following words:

"HEAD QUARTERS, CAMP AT GIBBONS, July 10, 1782.--As the enemy may be expected daily to evacuate the town, the troops will take care to be provided with a clean shift of linen, and to make themselves as re spectable as possible for the occasion. The officers are particularly called upon to attend to this order and see it executed in their respective corps. No followers of the army are to be permitted to enter the town until the main body has marched in. Lieut. Col. Jackson, in considera tion of his severe and fatiguing service in the advance, is to receive the ' keys of Savannah, and is allowed to enter at the western gate, keeping a patrole in town to apprehend stragglers who may steal in with the hopes of plunder. Marauders may assure themselves of the most severe and
exemplary punishment.''

It was just one day after the date of the foregoing order that the British departed, and the occupation of the town by the American forces followed that afternoon, July 11, 1782, when the second order from General Wayne was published in the following form:

"HEAD QUARTERS, SAVANNAH, llth July, 1782.--The light infantry
company under Captain Parker to take post in the centre work in front of the town, placing sentries at the respective gateways and sally ports to prevent any person or persons going from or entering the lines without written permits until further orders.
"'No insults or depredations to be committed upon the persons or property of the inhabitants on any pretext whatever. The civil author ity only will take cognizance of the criminals or defaulters belonging to the State, if any there be. The merchants and traders are immediately to make out an exact and true invoice of all goods, wares, or merchan dise of every species, dry, wet, or hard, respectively belonging to them or m their possession, with the original invoices, to the Commissary, who will select such articles as may be necessary for the army and for the
public uses of the State, for which a reasonable profit will be allowed. No goods or merchandise of any kind whatever are to be removed, se creted or sold, or disposed of, until the public and army are first served, which will be as soon as possible after the receipt of the invoices, &e.
"N. B. Orders will be left with Captain Parker for the immediate

240

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

admission of the Honorable the Executive Council, and the Honorable the Members of the Legislature, with their officers and attendants.''

General Wayne wisely appointed Col. James Jackson to receive the sur render of the town, and historians have delighted in recounting the fact that to him "were the keys of the town delivered at its principal gate."
Of the exact procedure on the part of the persons acting on both sides of this solemn transaction we have no definite account, but that its im portance was fully realized we cannot for one moment doubt. When Savannah was evacuated by the British, July 11,1782, as we have shown, the capital of the state was at Ebenezer, but the legislature met there only on the 3d of July (having adjourned at Augusta on the 4th of May "to meet at Ebenezer on the 3d of July," both place and time being named in the motion to adjourn), and the day following, the 4th, when by motion, it "adjourned to meet in Savannah" on the 13th, when its sessions were held in Christ church. At that time John Martin was
governor, and his term lasted from January 8, 1782, to January 9,1783, at which last named time Gov. Lyman Hall, who had been elected two days before, took his seat. Just how long the assembly met in the church is not known, but during Governor Hall's administration, probably at its very beginning, it met and continued to meet in the house now known as 110 Oglethorpe avenue east (then South Broad
street) and that is said to be the oldest brick house in Savannah. After that time it was used as a public house, and was known as "Eppinger's Ball Room." The first meeting of the legislature in Savannah is thus mentioned in the record book of the clerk: '' The following members met in Savannah, at the church, agreeable to the adjournment at Ebenezer." There were forty-one members present--7 from Chatham County, 6 from Richmond, 6 from Burke, 6 from Effingham, 5 from Wilkes, and 11
from Liberty. The first business transacted was the election of a speaker, and James Habersham was the unanimous choice. The seat of Nathan Brownson, a representative at the time from Glynn County, was declared vacant, and it was ( ' ordered that a writ of election do issue for a mem ber" to fill the place. It was "resolved that the Governor be requested to order the public filature to be immediately filled up and put in order for the use of the General Assembly.''
There was another Eppinger house, built on the northeast corner of South Broad (now Oglethorpe avenue) and Jefferson streets, and it was undoubtedly an old structure when it was removed some years since to make place for a more modern edifice. Many persons have mistaken that old house for the historic Legislative Hall; but the only fact con necting it with the latter is that it was owned by one of the family of the Eppingers.
Other measures were adopted looking to the welfare of the state and the people. Among others were the plans for the remuneration of officers
of high rank whose efforts in ridding Georgia of the presence of the enemy were successful. To Col. James Jackson, by resolution, "the house which heretofore belonged to Mr. Tattnall in Savannah" was granted because of his "great and useful services to his country for which he is entitled to the notice and attachment of the Legislature."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

241

NATHANIEL GREENE AND His SERVICES
More important were the services of Generals Greene and Wayne onsidered, and consequently more legislation was required to befittingly
y them for what they had done. This was especially true of the former, and, as action in his behalf was in an important respect connected with Savannah's subsequent history we will here give in full the pro ceedings in his case.
Extracts from House Journals of 1782 and 1783 in regards to Genl. Nathaniel Greene.--
"Augusta, January 1st, 1782: Being the time appointed by the con stitution of this State for the meeting of the General Assembly * * *
"January 4th, 1782: The House met according to adjournment * * * "Ordered, That the Speaker be requested to write to his Excellency General Nathaniel Greene, informing him of the Honorable John Martin, Esquire, being elected Governor of this State, which was as follows: House of Assembly, 4th January, 1782.--Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the Honorable John Martin, Esquire, has been elected Governor of this State for the ensuing year, agreeable to the Constitution. I have the Honor to be Your Excellency's
"Most obedient, humble Servant. To His Excellency,
'' Majr. General Greene.''
"Wednesday, May 1st, 1782. The House met according to adjourn ment. * * *
"Whereas, the Honorable Major-General Nathaniel Greene hath since his taking the Command of the Southern Army rendered high important services to these Southern States by wresting them from the hands of British oppression, and establishing the foundation of their independence and prosperity
" And Whereas, services so glorious and honorable to the United States in general and this State in particular, services which at once characterize the able and judicious General as well as the intrepid asser tion of American freedom, call for the distinguished approbation of the Legislature of this State,
"Be it therefore Resolved, That the sum of Five Thousand guineas be granted to three Commissioners to be appointed by this House for the purpose of purchasing an Estate for Major-General Nathaniel Greene, in such part or parts of this State as he shall appoint.
"Resolved, That the said Commissioners be empowered and author ized to draw on and receive the said sum of five thousand guineas from the ^public treasury of this State.
"Ordered, That a committee be appointed to write to Major-General Greene, and Brigadier-General Wayne, on the substance of the Resolve in their favour. And that Mr. Howly, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Baker be that Committee.''

men"tSa*turd*ay*, May 4th, 1782.--The House met according to adjourn

242

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"Ordered, That Mr. Howley, Mr. Clay, and Mr. O'Bryan be a committee to purchase Estates for Generals Greene and Wayne." * * *

'Wednesday, July 31st, 1782.--The House met according to adjournmerit. * * *
"The Committee appointed to purchase lands for the Generals Wayne and Greene, agreeable to the Resolve of this House of the 1st day of May last, report. * * * * That they have purchased another tract of land for the Honorable Major-General Greene, formerly the property of Graham, Esqr., supposed to contain two thousand one hundred seven ty-one acres. Amount of purchase, seven thousand Ninety-seven pounds nineteen Shillings. The Committee request if the House approves of the same that this House will give directions to the Commissioners for the forfeited estates to execute titles for the above tracts of land to Gen erals Greene and Wayne." * * *

"Monday, January 13th, 1783.--The House met according to ad journment * * *
"Motion being made and seconded that a committee be appointed to prepare and report an address, to be printed, to the Honorable MajorGeneral Greene, Commander-in-Chief in the Southern Department.
"Ordered, that Mr. William Houstoun, Mr. Telfair, and Mr. Jack son be that Committee.
"To the Honorable Nathaniel Greene, Esquire, Major-General, and Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Department, etc., etc.: The ad dress of the Representatives of the Freemen of the State of Georgia-- The Legislature of the State of Georgia wish to assure you of the real happiness your presence in their Capital has given them--words are too inexpressible to convey their sentiments of the difficulties you have surmounted during your command in the Southern Department, not only your well directed exertions, and the virtuous struggles of your victorious army, but your views of ease to the Citizens, in drawing your resources through a Scattered Country, will be ever gratefully remem bered by a State which has felt so particularly the happy consequences of them.
"They congratulate you, Sir, on the Signal success wherewith the arms of the United States under your Command with the blessings of Divine Providence has been crowned by the total expulsion of the enemy from the southern States--an annal in the history of our Country which must endear the name of Greene as long as the remembrance of British tyranny shall be handed to posterity.
'' They beg you to accept their unfeigned thanks for your decided and intrepid conduct and to believe their ardent desire your future days may meet that care and happiness a glorious and serviceable life through this grand revolution most deservedly entitle you to.
"By order, etc., * * ' *

"Tuesday, January 14th, 1783--The House met according to ad journment. * * *
"A letter from the Hon'rable Major-General Greene was read.

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

243

"Ordered, that the said letter be inserted in the minutes: and is follows: ' Sir:--Your polite and obliging address to welcome me to this State afford me the most singular satisfaction: Nor are your liberal acknowledgments for my small services and generous wishes for my future care less pleasing. It affords me the most agreeable sensations to Contemplate the happy change in the affairs of this Country, and it is among the first of my wishes that you may long, long enjoy the blessings of freedom and independence--free from further alarms: But should it be your misfortune to have the flame of war rekindled in this quarter,
my early endeavors shall not be wanting to check its progress--and I can not but hope by the smiles of Providence the virtue and spirit of the Army, joined by the genious of the Country we shall triumph over our enemies. I beg the Legislature to believe I am highly Sensible of the honor they have done me, and take the liberty to assure you of my ready
disposition to serve them. " 'I have the honor to be, etc.' "

"Saturday, January 18th, 1783--Resolved', that the persons ap pointed to purchase lands for the Honorable Major-General Greene be desired to report a full state of their proceedings thereon and in what stage the business stands. * * *
"The Committee having received Satisfactory information that Major-General Greene had declined the purchase made by the Commis sioners appointed by the State to purchase certain lands on the condi tions therein contained, therefore
"Resolved, That the Commissioners appointed to sell and dispose of the Confiscated property do make titles to Major-General Greene, for a tract or tracts of land formerly the property of John Graham, Esquire --containing, as it is said, Two Thousand, one hundred and Seventy-one acres--Known by the name of Mulberry Grove, and the New [Place] in lieu of a grant of five thousand [guineas as passed in his favor by the Legislature]* of this State of the thirteenth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, if the same be agreeable to him."

CONFISCATED BRITISH ESTATES
On the 4th of May, 1782, the legislature passed an act entitled "An Act for Inflicting Penalties on, and Confiscating the Estates of such Persons as are Therein Declared Guilty of Treason, and for other Pur poses Therein Mentioned." Naturally Sir James Wright's was the nrst named on the list of persons against whom the legislation was in voked, and his lieutenant-governor, John Graham was the second. Gra ham's property was to be used in the remuneration of General Greene. The third name was Alexander Wright whose property was specially set aside for the benefit of General Wayne; and Josiah Tattnall's name came sixth, and his house, as we have seen, was appropriated to the use
The words here inserted in brackets are not now legible in the original, and pave consequently been left out of copies made for use in the several histories bearjng on this subject; but the missing words are fortunately preserved in the deed irorn the Commissioners of Confiscated Estates to General Greene, hereinafter tran scribed, and are now supplied from that document.

244

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

of Col. James Jackson. Under said act the house of assembly appointed a commission composed of two persons from each county, except Camden and Glynn which should each have only one, to take possession of and sell

the property of the loyalists, and the commission so appointed began the work assigned to them on the 13th of June. From an imperfect record of that body we take the following, from its first transaction, and before it was decided to make titles to Generals Greene and Wayne
of the lands confiscated: "At a Board of Commissioners held at the town of Ebenezer in the
County of Effingham, for the Sales of Confiscated Estates in the County of Chatham on the 13th of June, 1782.

'' Present:

JOHN BAKER, ; JOSIAII POWELL, : CHARLES ODINGSELL'S, THOMAS WASHINGTON, ; JOHN

THOMAS LEWIS, PETER PARIS, JAMES MARTIN, DANIEL COLEMAN.'

"MULBERRY GROVE" MADE OVER TO GREENE

"' Messrs. Clay, 0 'Bryen & Howley for Generals Greene & Wayne.

Dr.

s

1782, June 13th--To

1,000 Acres of Land

late the property of

Alexander Wright

on Savannah River

@38/pr. Acre.. 3,400

1

Dr.

s

To 847 Acres Land

late the property of

John Graham and

known by the Name

of New Settlement

@35/pr. Acre.. 2,752 15

To 1,224 Acres of

To 300 Acres of Land

Land late the prop

late the property of

erty of John Gra

Sir James Wright

ham known by the

on Great Ogeechee

name of Mulberry

known by the Name

Grove @ 3 ll/ pr.

of Mulberry Grove

Acre ............ 4,345 4 0 @151/pr.Acre.. 4,515 0 0

*15,512 19 0

Per Contra Cr. s d 1782--By a resolve of the House of Assembly General Greene was voted 5,000 and Gen'1 Wayne 4,000..... 9,000 0 0

* 15,012.19.0 is the correct amount, but the above is given in the record.

J

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

245

At last, to give General Greene absolute title to the Mulberry Grove place, the'Commissioners of Confiscation made the following deed of
conveyance:
"STATE OF GEORGIA--This Indenture, made the fifth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five and in the ninth year of the independence of the United States of Amer ica Between Hugh Lawson, Hepworth Carter and Abraham Ravot, Esquires, Commissioners of Confiscated Estates in the said State, of the one part, and the Honorable Nathanael Greene, Esquire, Major-General of the army of the said United States, of the other part. Whereas in and by a certain Act of Assembly, made and passed at Augusta in the said State, on the fourth day of May which was in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, entitled: 'An Act for inflicting Penalties on and Confiscating the Estates of such persons as were therein declared guilty of treason,' and for other purposes therein mentioned, John Graham, late of the County of Chatham, Esquire, being named in the said Act, was and is thereby declared guilty of treason and banished from the State forever, and all his estate, both real and personal, confiscated to and for the use of the said State; and whereas the said John Graham was, at the time of the passing of the said Act, or on the nineteenth day of April which was in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, seized in fee simple of, in, and to all and singular the lands and hereditaments herein after par ticularly mentioned and described, which said lands and hereditaments being forfeited and confiscated by the said Act, the same thereby became vested in the good people of the said State; and whereas the Honorable the General Assembly of the said State did, on the eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, resolve as followeth (that is to say) 'That the Commis sioners appointed to sell and dispose of the confiscated property do ma.ke titles to Major-General Greene for a tract or tracts of land for merly the property of John Graham, Esquire, containing, as it is said, two thousand one hundred and seventy-one acres known by the name of Mulberry Grove and the New Place, in lieu of a grant of five thousand guineas as passed in his favor by the Legislature of this State of the thirteenth day of April one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, if the same be agreeable to him'; and whereas the said Hugh Lawson, Hepworth Carter and Abraham Ravot, parties to these presents, are three of the Commissioners authorized and appointed by the Honorable the General Assembly of the said State for carrying into execution the Act aforesaid: Now Therefore, This Indenture Witnesseth that the said Hugh Lawson, Hepworth Carter and Abraham Ravot, parties to these presents and three of the Commissioners authorized and appointed by the Honorable General Assembly of the said State for carrying into execution the Act aforesaid--as Commissioners as aforesaid, in pursu ance and execution of the said Act of attainder and confiscation and of the above recited resolve of the General Assembly and by: virtue of the power and authority to them thereby given, and for and in con sideration of the sum of ten shillings to them in hand well and truly

246

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

paid by the said Nathanael Greene at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, they the said Hugh Lawson, Hep worth Carter'and Abraham Ravot, as Com missioners aforesaid, have granted, bargained, sold, conveyed and con firmed, and, by these presents, do grant, bargain, sell, convey and con firm into the said Nathanael Greene, his heirs and assigns forever, all that tract of land known by the name of Mulberry Grove Plantation situated and being in the County of Chatham at Joseph's Town on the River Savannah, containing by re-survey eight hundred and thirtythree acres to the same more or less originally granted to Ann Graham widow, bounded on the east by the said River Savannah, on the north by land then of Patrick Mackay, and south by land formerly of David Cuthbert, and west on land lately vacant; and also that other tract of land containing two hundred and seventy-four acres by resurveying ad joining the above tract, bounded eastwardly partly on the land before mentioned and partly on land formerly of Henry Kennari and lately of James Parsons, southerly by land late of John Joachim Zubly, westerly by land of Joseph Wood and John Dodd, and northerly on land heretofore of John Ross; and also all that other tract of land containing one hundred and seventeen acres, part and parcel of a tract adjoining the above mentioned tract of eight hundred and thirtythree acres originally granted to Patrick Mackay, easterly by the River Savannah, southerly by the first mentioned tract of eight hundred and thirty-three acres, northerly by the remainder of the tract, and westerly by Andrew Lord's tract which he purchased of John Joachim Zubly; and also all that other tract of land called and known by the name of New Settlement adjoining Mulberry Grove tract containing six hundred acres, bounded on the northeast by the River Savannah, northerly on land formerly of Patrick Mackay and sold by him to David Douglass, and on the south by land formerly of Ann Graham, widow, with the surplus contained in the said tract, the same having been re-surveyed by John Douglass and including River Savannah, part of Morton Hall tract, making together eight hundred and forty-seven acres, more or less, which said several tracts of land above mentioned were late the absolute property of the said John Graham, named in the said act of attainder and confiscation, and contain in the whole two thousand and seventy-one acres, and are the same tracts mentioned and intended by the resolve aforesaid to be granted to the said Nathanael Greene: To gether with all and singular the houses, out-houses, edifices, buildings, improvements, trees, woods, underwoods, ways, paths, passages, waters, water courses, lights, easements, profits, commodities, privileges, advan tages, emoluments, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever on the said several tracts of land standing and being, or thereunto in any wise belonging or appertaining, and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, rent, issues and profits thereof and of every part and parcel thereof; and all the estate, right, title interest, inheritance, prop erty, profits, benefit, claim and demand whatsoever either at law or in
equity of the said John Graham, his heirs and assigns, of, in and to the said several tracts of land and every part and parcel thereof; and also all the estate, right, title and interest of the people of the State of

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

247

Teorgia and of them the said Hugh Lawson, Hep worth Carter and

Abraham Ravot, as commissioners as aforesaid, and their successors

office, of in and to the same and every part and parcel thereof: To

Have and To Hold the said several tracts of land and all and singular

ther the premises above mentioned and hereby intended to be bargained

and sold with their and every of-their rights, members and appurte

nances unto the said Nathanael Greene, his heirs and assigns, to the only

proper use and behoof of the said Nathanael Greene, his heirs and

assigns forever for such estate as the said John Graham had or which he,

his heirs or assigns, might or could have had, held, or enjoyed in the

same had he the said John Graham not been attained as aforesaid and

these' presents not been made. And the said Hugh Lawson, Hepworth

Carter and Abraham Ravot and their successors in office the said several

tracts of land above mentioned hereby bargained and sold, or intended

so to be, with their and every of their appurtenances unto the said

Nathanael Greene his heirs and assigns against the said John Graham

his heirs and assigns and all and every other person and persons claim

ing or to claim by, from or under him, them, or any of them, and against

the good people of the State of Georgia under the Act and resolve afore

said shall and will warrant and forever defend by these presents.

''In Witness Whereof the said Hugh Lawson, Hepworth Carter, and

Abraham Ravot, commissioners aforesaid, have hereunto set their hands

and seals the day and year first above written.

"HUGH LAWSON,

[L. S.]

"HEPWORTH CARTER, [L. S.j

"Sealed and delivered in presence of Peter Taarling, Sam'1 Stirk."

ANTHONY WAYNE AND His SERVICES
Having shown how highly esteemed were the services of General Greene, we will turn our attention to the similar action in the case of Anthony Wayne.
On Wednesday, May 1,1782, the Georgia House of Assembly, in addi tion to the action appropriating 5,000 guineas to General Greene, passed the following: " Whereas Brigadier General Wayne hath, since his com manding the force of the United States within this state, rendered great and meritorious services to the country by driving in the posts of the enemy, and with a very inferior force keeping them confined to Savannah; and whereas the gallant and judicious conduct of the said General highly merits the generous attention and approbation of the Legislature of this state:
"Resolved that a high sense of the great merits and services rendered by the Honorable Brigadier General Anthony Wayne is entertained by this House, and that the same be acknowledged in a letter from the speaker to the said General.
"Resolved that the sum of four thousand guineas be granted to three Commissioners to be appointed by this House for the purpose of pur chasing an estate for Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, in such part or parts of the State as he shall appoint.
"And be it further resolved that the said commissioners be em-

248

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA '

powered and authorized to draw on and receive the said sum of fom. thousand guineas from the public treasury of this State."
On the fourth of May: "Ordered that Mr. Howley, Mr. Clay and Mr O'Bryan be a Committee to purchase estates for Generals Greene and Wayne" July 13. "A letter from the Hon'rable Brigadier General Wayne was read.
"Ordered that a committee be appointed to take the same into con sideration and that Mr. Clay, Mr. Wereat, and Mr. McNeil be that com mittee to report on Monday next.''
July 22d. '' The Committee appointed to take into consideration Gen eral Wayne's letter of the thirteenth July reported.
"That it is their opinion that the terms offered by Gen'1 Wayne to said persons as were within the British lines at the time they were made were proper and for the interest of this State, and ought to be confined to all such whose names are not mentioned in the Act for inflicting penal ties in and confiscating the estates of such persons as are therein declared guilty of treason, and for other purposes therein mentioned, and shall faithfully and strictly comply with the conditions required. That is to say, who shall lona fide enlist in the Georgia Regiment of Infantry, and there for the term of two years, or during the war, faithfully serve and discharge their duty, and no other.
"And that all offenses committed by any of the persons under the above description before the time of their enlistment as aforesaid (murder excepted) ought to be buried in oblivion.
"Nothing in this resolve is intended to interfere with the right of individuals to civil actions who may suppose themselves aggrieved by persons under the above description.''
July 31. "The Committee appointed to purchase lands for the Gen erals Greene and Wayne, agreeable to a resolve of this House of the first day of May last, report.
"That they have purchased another tract of land for the Hon'orable Brigadier Gen'1 Wayne formerly the property of Alexander Wright, Esq., supposed to contain eight hundred forty seven acres. Amount of purchase three thousand nine hundred pounds. * * * .
'' The Committee request if the House approve of the same that this House will give directions to the Commissioners for the Forfeited Estates to execute titles for the above."
When the house adjourned on Saturday, August 3, 1782, it was to meet the next day, (Sunday) the 4th, when "The Committee to whom was referred the letter and several enclosures from General Wayne report.
'' That they recommend a committee be appointed to wait on General Wayne, and express the high sense this House entertains of his important services already rendered the State; and the full assurance they have that all his plans and operations will have for their object the welfare of this and the other confederated States. And that the said Committee do further inform the General that no exertions on their part have been spared, or shall in future be spared, to complete their quota of troops. That the House have already ordered two galleys and two gun boats to be built for the protection of the rivers in the State, and that their best

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

249

endeavour shall be exerted to complete this very necessary piece of

"Ordered that Mr. Le Conte and Mr. Houstoun be that Committee."

GREENE VISITS MULBERRY GROVE
The deed to General Greene was executed on the 5th of March, 1785; but it is to be presumed that he had looked over the place before that time. A news item in the Georgia Gazette of August 12, 1784, copied from a Charleston, South Carolina, paper of the 4th, said that "last Sun day evening the sloop Charleston Parker, William Cornell, master, arrived here from Rhode Island, with whom came passengers the Honor able Major General Greene, Sir Peyton Skip with, and several others." General Greene's daughter Cornelia married Peyton Skipwith who was the second son of this gentleman. * Doubtless the General visited Savan nah while on that southern trip and saw the place which even at that early date had been selected as his future home. Again on the 28th of January, 1785, according to a statement of the Savannah newspaper, on the authority of a Charleston paper, the general arrived at the latter place in the evening, and from Charleston he proceeded to Savannah, as the Georgia Gazette of Thursday, February 24th, said: '' The Honorable Major General Greene arrived here on Saturday from Charleston." He probably went to his plantation then and spent some time there, as he did not hasten his departure from Savannah, from which place Governor Samuel Elbert wrote on the 8th of March.
"To his Excellency, the Governor of East Florida:--Sir:--I was honored by the receipt of your Excellency's letter * * * The Hon orable Major General Greene, who does me the honour to he the bearer of this letter, I beg leave to introduce to your Excellency. This gen tleman's character is so well known to you that it is unnecessary for me to say anything to induce your excellency to pay that attention to him which would be done to a person of his distinguished mind.
"'The General has a valuable estate on the Island of Cumberland which he goes to take a view of, and intends visiting your province before his return.
"S. ELBERT." The general undoubtedly visited Savannah first "to take a view of" Mulberry Grove, of which place he seems to have taken possession in the latter part of 1785, as the Georgia Gazette of November 3d said: "Last Sunday the Honorable Major General Greene and his lady arrived here from Rhode Island.'' Of this trip to east Florida in March the following account is preserved. From the Gazette of the state of Georgia, Savannah, Thursday, April 7, 1785: "On the 10th ult, Gen. Green and Col. Hawkins set out from this town to take a view of "the islands and inland navigation of this state, and to visit his Excellency Don Vincent Emanuel De Zespedes, Governor of East Florida, and returned on Saturday last. They were received at St. Augustine with every mark of politeness and attention,
* Burke's Peerage and Baronetage.

250

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

and every military honour was paid to the General worthy so great Jm character. A Captain and 50 men were sent to his quarters as his guard f which the General modestly refused accepting as being no longer in J1 military character. Sentinels were placed at his quarters, and the difJf
ferent guards of the garrison paid him the same honours as they do Jl Lieutenant-General of their own nation. They were entertained duringf their residence by the Governor in & most splendid and elegant manner! The Commandant, The Treasurer, the Secretary, and every other officer1 of his Catholick Majesty in East Florida seemed to vie with each other in I those marks of unaffected friendship which so justly characterizes I the Spanish nation. The General was escorted to St. John's by1 ' the Colonel Commandant of horse and a party of dragoons; he was! received by the Officer commanding at that post with hospitality andI politeness, and from thence he was attended by the Colonel Commandant! through the inland navigation to the river St. Mary's where the Commo-i dore commanding his Catholic Majesty's ships on that station received! him with the flag of Spain displayed at his fore top, and saluted by thfeJ discharge of 13 cannon. After partaking of an elegant entertainment^ which the Commodore had provided for the occasion, he was attended^
by the Commodore in his barge and again saluted by 13 cannon toff Cumberland Island in this state, where the Colonel Commandant of horsel and the Commodore took their leave of the General and Colonel Hawkins.3 --Such attention and respect as has been paid by the Governor and Offi-1 cers at East Florida to a great and beloved General must impress the | minds of the Citizens of the United States with like sentiments to every " officer of his Catholic Majesty who may come amongst them."

DEATH AND FUNERAL OF GENERAL GREENE
General Greene did not live to enjoy the easy and quiet life which a residence at the beautiful and comfortable home provided for him was i calculated to afford him. He was struck down suddenly at the very time 4 when he seemed to be ready and anxious to lay off the cares and troublesJ of an active military life, after having most successfully fought the,i battles which so materially aided in the achievement of the independence 1 of this great republic, and when he was probably looking forward to the -.3J enjoyment of a long rest in the midst of his growing and happy family, i surrounded with all the comforts of life in a home prepared by its former owner for just such pleasure and freedom from worry and anxiety as might be looked for under such conditions.*
Presuming that he took actual possession of Mulberry Grove at the time he brought Mrs. Greene to Savannah, late in October, 1785, his life
* On his arrival at Mulberry Grove he wrote: "We found the house, situation, and out-buildings more convenient and pleasing than we expected. The prospect is delightful, and the house magnificent. * * * " In April, two months before his ' death, he wrote: '' The garden is delightful. The pine-trees and flowering shruba form a pleasing variety. * * * The mocking birds surround us evening and morning. * * * We have in the same orchard apples, pears, peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums of different kinds, figs, pomegranates and oranges. And we have a strawberries which measure three inches round. All these are clever, but the want of our friends to enjoy them with us renders them less interesting."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

251

th re came to an end in somewhat less than eight months. Business Savannah on Monday, the 12th of June, 1786, compelled him to leave Tme and he took Mrs. Greene with him. In the town they stopped at the home of Maj. Nathaniel Pendleton who had been one of his aids dur. the war, and they spent the night there. The Pendleton home was on the south side of Bay street, next to the western corner of Barnard, and to that home General Greene's body was taken on Tuesday, June 20, 1786 the day after his death, and thence escorted to the burial place. On the morning of the 13th, General and Mrs. Greene started back to Mulberry Grove, and stopped at the house of Mr. William Gibbons where they breakfasted, after which the gentlemen of the party went to the rice-field to view Mr. Gibbons's crop. It was observed that the sum was very hot, but at the time no complaint was made of its effect on any of them; but, in the evening, on his was home, the general complained of intense pain in the head, as he did also on Wednesday, the 14th. The pain increased on Thursday, and was very severe over the eyes, the fore head becoming swollen and inflamed. At that period Major Pendleton arrived on a visit, and becoming alarmed, a physician was sent for, and Doctor Brickel arrived in the morning of Friday, and bled the patient, at the same time giving some medicine; but the symptoms becoming more alarming, Doctor M'Cloud was called in, when blistering the temples was resorted to, and more blood was taken. All efforts to save the life of the distinguished patient were unavailing, and he sank into a stupor in which he died early in the morning of Monday, the 19th. His neighbor, Gen, Anthony Wayne, hearing of his illness, went to him, and reached his bedside before he died. His account of the scene we will presently quote. The following is copied from the Georgia Gazette of Thursday, June 22,1786: "On Monday last, the 19th day of June, died, at his seat near Savannah, Nathanael Greene, Esq., late Major-General in the Army of the United States; and on Tuesday morning his remains were brought to town to be interred. The melancholy account of his death was made known by the discharge of minute guns from Fort Wayne; the shipping in the harbour had their colours half-masted; the shops and stores in the town were shut; and every class of citizens, suspending their ordinary occupations, united in giving testimonies of the deepest sorrow.
"The several military corps of the town, and a great part of the mili tia of Chatham county, attended the funeral, and moved in the following procession:
"The Corps of Artillery,
"The Light Infantry, "The Militia of Chatham County,
"Clergy and Physicians, "Band of Music,
"The Corpse and Pall Bearers, '' Escorted on each side by a Company of Dragoons,
"The Principal Mourners, '' The Members of the Cincinnati as Mourners,
"The Speaker of the Assembly, "And other Civil Officers of the State,
'' Citizens and Strangers.

252

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"About five o'clock the whole proceeded, the Music playing the Dead March in Saul, and the Artillery firing minute guns as it advanced When the Military reached the vault in which the body was to be entombed they opened to the right and left and, resting on reversed arms let it pass through. The funeral service being performed, and the remains deposited, thirteen discharges from the artillery, and three from the musquetry, closed the scene. The whole was conducted with a solemnity suitable to the occasion.
"With respect to the public character of this great man, it is so well known, by the distinguished services he has rendered his country that it requires, and indeed can receive no addition from what might be said here. As to his private virtues, they will live in the remembrance of all his fellow citizens.
'General Greene left behind him a wife and five children, the eldest of whom is about eleven years. The loss of such a man, to such a family must be truly afflicting!
11 'Thy darts, 0 death: that fiy promise'ous round. In such a victim many others wound.'
"Immediately after the interment of the General the members of the Cincinnati retired to the coffee house, and came to the following reso lution: 'On motion, That, as a token of the high respect and venera tion in which this Society hold the memory of their late illustrious Brother, Major-General Greene, deceased, George Washington Greene, his eldest son, be admitted a member of this Society, to take his seat on his arriving at the age of eighteen years:
" 'Resolved, therefore, unanimously, That he be admitted a Member of the Cincinnati; and that he may take his .seat in the Society on his arriving at the age of eighteen:
" 'That this resolve be published in the Georgia Gazette, and that the secretary transmit a copy of the same to the several state societies, and to the guardian of the said George Washington Greene.' "

"Regimental Orders, 20th June, 1786.--The Honorable Major-Gen eral Greene (whose memory ought to be sacredly dear to every citizen of America, and respected by every lover of the rights of mankind) having departed this life, the Colonel, from a sense sufficient honor can not be paid his remains, but what is in the power of the regiment ought to be
done, requests the regiment to exert themselves on the occasion. "The regiment will parade in the Church Square, the Infantry equally
divided into eight platoons, and marched off with shouldered arms to the front of Major Pendleton's house on the Bay, from whence the procession will take place: The dragoons and Artillery will proceed-in front of the regiment: When the procession begins the Light Infantry will conduct the Corpse, with reversed arms, to the left of the regiment, it being received, they file off to the right and left, and take their former post in front of the battalion: The whole will then march off with reversed arms, the Artillery advancing firing minute guns, till they arrive at the place of interment. The Dragoons will flank the corpse on the right and left: Music playing a solemn dirge. The procession being arrived at the place of burial, the regiment will file off to the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

253

.vht and left, face inwards, and rest on their arms, so as to let the "rose pall-bearers, mourners, citizens, etc., pass through. The corpse \ luff 'deposited, and funeral rites executed, the regiment will close their files, march up on the right of the vault, and give three general lischarges, the Artillery at the same time firing thirteen rounds in 1 onor of this truly great and good man. The regiment will then march off with trailed arms to the place of parade, shoulder, and be discharged.
"BEN1 FlSHBOURN,
"Major C. C. M."

Although no statement was made of the precise spot where the body of General Greene was buried, it is now known that, as the estate of Lieutenant-Governor John Graham was confiscated and given as a present to General Greene, the family vault belonging to that man, in the Savannah cemetery, was considered a part of said estate, and there the general's remains were deposited. In later years, when the subject of building a monument to his memory was discussed, efforts were made to find the body which resulted in a complete failure and the mystery connected with the locating of the same remained unsolved for a long period of years to be finally settled in 1901, when, on the 4th of March it was found just where it had been interred nearly one hundred and fifteen years before. We leave the subject here, but will
return to it again.

WAYNE's GEORGIA RESIDENCE ALSO SHORT
It is a singular fact that the residence in Georgia of Gen. Anthony Wayne, like that of General Greene, was of short duration, and it is also singular that writers heretofore have been sc uncertain as to the time of his taking possession of his plantation as well as to the time of his departure. Unlike Greene, he lived some time after the grant was signed, but he sold out his possessions in Georgia and lived elsewhere.
In "The Life of Major General James Jackson," by Thomas II. P. Charlton, the statement is made (page 119 of the reprint by James F. Meegan) "like General Greene he [Gen. Anthony Wayne] was led to make Georgia his home. The precise time of his coming I have no means of fixing, but it was certainly later than the year 1787, for we find him in the last months of that year still a citizen of Pennsylvania, and serving as a delegate in her convention called to ratify the new Federal Constitution.'' Notwithstanding that assertion, the same author shows that General Wayne was residing at the plantation given him by the state of Georgia, near that of General Greene, in June, 1786, and that he witnessed the death of the latter as shown in the same volume, page 134, where Wayne's letter to Jackson is given in these words: My dear Sir:--I have often wrote you, but never on so distressing an occasion. My dear friend General Greene is no more. He departed this morning, six o 'clock A. M. He was great as a soldier, greater as a citixen,---immaculate as a friend. His corpse will be at Major Pendleton's this night; the funeral from thence in the evening. The honors-- the greatest honors of war are due his remains. You, as a soldier, will

254

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

take the proper order on this melancholy affair. Pardon this scrawl, my feelings are but too much affected, because I have seen a great and good man die." If this is not conclusive evidence of the fact that General Wayne was living in Georgia on the 19th of June, 1786, when General Greene died, surely no one will deny that fact on learning that the Georgia Gazette, on Thursday, April 20, 1786, mentioned the drowning on the 17th of a white man, "groom to General Wayne."
By deeds dated April 1 and 2, 1791, Anthony Wayne transferred all of his property in Georgia, both real and personal, including a num ber of slaves, to John Penman.

CHAPTER, XXI
AS A CHARTERED CORPORATION
REGULAR MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION--SAMUEL ELBERT AND JONATHAN BRYAN--OLDEST ARTILLERY COMPANY IN GEORGIA--WASHINGTON's VISIT TO SAVANNAH--WASHINGTON'S ACCOUNT OF His SOUTHERN TOUR--MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUED--DISASTROUS FIRE OF 1796--CHATHAM ACADEMY--THE GEORGIA HUSSARS--THE OLD EX CHANGE--MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS, 1797-1802--VISIT OF AARON BURR-- TERRIFIC STORM OF 1804--PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR OF 1812.
Having brought our readers to that point where Savannah was finally set free from the government which had been set up under Oglethorpe's administration and kept up as the capital of the British colony and province under its peculiar form, we will now relate the circum stances under which it became a city, governed like other cities by a regular municipal administration known as mayor and aldermen.
REGULAR MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION
Not until more than three years after the treaty of Paris had been ratified by the congress of the United States did the legislature of Georgia take action in the matter of changing the old for the new plan, and on the 19th of February, 1787, by an act it divided the town into seven wards, adding to the six already existing (Anson, Decker, Derby, Heathcote, Percival and Reynolds) another to be called Oglethorpe, and constituting the hamlets of Yamacraw and Ewensburg. The second section declared "that on the first Monday in March annually, and every year, the proprietors of lots or houses within the said wards, who shall be of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, shall meet at the court house of the said town, and under the direction of two or more magistrates proceed to ballot for a warden for each ward, who shall also be a proprietor of a house or lot within the limits of the town or hamlets as aforesaid; and the wardens so chosen, or a majority of them, shall meet on the Monday next following, and choose by ballot out of their own body a person to act as president of the board, and they shall also appoint a clerk and such other officers as may be deemed necessary to carry this act into execution." It is needless to say anything here about the other provisions of that act. Under its authority the town
255

256

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

was governed until December 23, 1789, when a charter was granted which, after the preamble, reads as follows: "Now be it enacted, That the said town of Savannah shall be hereafter known and called by the style and name of the City of Savannah; and that on the first Monday in March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety, and thereafter annually, the owner or ocupiers of any lot or house in the said City or hamlets shall, under the direction of any two or more justices in the said City elect an alderman for each ward mentioned in the said act [of Feb 19, 1787] from among the said citizens generally, who shall, on the Monday following after the election of such aldermen, choose from their own body a mayor; and that from and after the election of said aldermen and mayor their style shall be the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah and the trustees thereof; and are hereby empow ered to carry into execution the power intended by the said act [of Feb. 19, 1787], and shall be a body politic and corporate, to have and to use a common seal, with power to sue and to be sued, plead or be impleaded, and may require, have, hold and enjoy real and personal property for the use and benefits of the said city and hamlets.
"And be it further enacted, That so much of the said recited act as is repugnant to the principles of this act be, and the same is hereby repealed."
It is remarkable that the legislature was so late in granting a charter to the city of Savannah, when it is recalled that the matter had been previously considered. Indeed, as early as October 6, 1785, the grand jurors of the October term of the superior court of Chatham county, in their general presentments made this special presentment in that matter: "We present, as a grievance, that the town of Savannah is not incor
porated, and most seriously ask for the attention of the Legislature to this very important matter. To show that we are pointed in presenting this as a grievance, we beg to offer, by way of observation, that the shattered and dirty situation of the town, and the neglected condition of our public buildings make the most unhappy impression on foreign ers, and injure materially the credit and consequence of this country."
The impression seemed to have been made on the minds of some per.sons that Savannah was not to be considered a place designed to grow, on account of its unhealthy situation. A correspondent of the Georgia Gazette, to correct that impression, wrote thus to that journal in its columns of Thursday, June 14, 1787:
"Mr. Johnston: The general although illfounded prejudice against the healthiness of the lower part of the state of Georgia induced a citizen of Savannah to take the following account of the inhabitants now living in the town, and within ten miles thereof, being the first settlement of Georgia 54 years ago, wherein there is perhaps as great a proportion of aged persons as in any other country. There are now living 10 persons between 80 and 90--33 between 70 and 80--69 between 60 and 70-80 between 60 and 50; and, from the best information that can be had, the whole number of residents in the above district amounts to 2,290. It is well known that within the last two years several persons have died
in Georgia from 90 to 100 years of age."

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

257

SAMUEL ELBERT AND JONATHAN BEYAN
On the 1st of November, 1788, occurred the death of a man who, as good citizen, faithful officer with a proud record of service well perf rmed in both civil and military life, was highly esteemed by the people f Savannah and the state of Georgia. That man was Samuel Elbert. One of the two brigadier-generals in the continental line from Georgia, his conduct during the War of the Revolution honorable and fearless; as governor of the state from January 14, 1785, to January 9, 1786, he was a chief executive of ability and sound judgment; and as sheriff of Chatham county in the discharge of the duties pertaining to said office at the time of his death, his record was clean and marked with the strictest integrity. Besides the last mentioned office he held at the last moment of his life the offices of major-general of the state militia and vice-president of the Georgia Society of the Cincinnati. His funeral was attended by the military of Savannah and the Cincinnati Society, together with the Masonic lodges. A funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Benjamin Lindsay, rector of Christ church, and minute guns were fired by the artillery. He was buried at Rae's Hall, about three miles above the city on the Savannah river. Another venerable and most highly respected citizen died on the 9th of March, 1788, of whom we have already given some words of praise, too feeble, however, to do one-half the honor due the memory of the man who shall now be mentioned. Let the following, therefore, taken from the Georgia Gazette of Thursday, March 13, 1788, suffice at this
time : "On Sunday last died at his plantation near Savannah, in the 80th
year of hi& age, the Hon. Jonathan Bryan, Esq., who had been for nearly 50 years an inhabitant of this State, during which time, both under the former and present governments, he filled several very important stations. The many virtues which this gentleman possessed, both of a social and private nature, will not readily be forgotten. Having at an early day removed into this State, he acquired an accurate and thorough knowledge of the country. This enabled him, and his benevolent heart always inclined him, to render that aid to new settlers that he may justly be styled one of the principal Founders and Fathers of Georgia. Zealous in the cause of Christianity, he considered modes of worship but as secondary, whilst a great first principle with him in all true religion was universal charity. Being in the late war taken prisoner, he was made to undergo a series of persecution and hardship scarcely to be paralleled, and never to be justified; but the strength of his constitution and the unshaken firmness of his mind, even at the advanced period of 70 years, rose superior to all difficulties and at length brought him to die in the arms of peace.''

OLDEST ARTILLERY COMPANY IN GEORGIA
_ Turning backward just for the space of about two years, we will take this opportunity to mention briefly the facts connected with the organ ization of the oldest artillery company in the state of Georgia--a com-

258

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

pany with a record that should be preserved reverentially and with pride. On the 1st of May, 1786, through the efforts of Edward Lloyd, an officer of the Revolution, the Chatham Artillery became a regularly officered and equipped military force, beginning its distinguished career which has lasted unbroken down to this day, with a parade as escort of honor on an occasion of the most solemn and imposing character. Before the close of two full months of its history, with its chief organizer in command, the corps made its first public appearance at the funeral of Mag.-Gen. Nathanael Greene on the 20th of June, 1786.
Under the terms of the charter the aldermen elected in 1790 were John Houstoun, Joseph Habersham, Samuel Stirk, Matthew McAllister, Edward Lloyd, Joseph Clay, Jr., and Justus H. Scheuber, and they chose the first named as mayor. The following year, 1791, Mr. Scheuber was the only member of the board of aldermen who was re-elected, the others being Thomas Gibbons, who was the choice of the body for mayor, with associates Jacob Waldburgh, Win. Lewden, Richard Wayne, John Berrien and Joseph Welscher.

WASHINGTON'S VISIT TO SAVANNAH
Early in this year Gen. George Washington, president of the United States, began his southern tour, reaching Savannah on the 12th of May, on which day, anticipating his arrival, the Georgia Gazette said: "The President of the United States, it is expected, will honor the city of Savannah with his presence this afternoon. A boat elegantly fitted out, set off yesterday forenoon, having on board five of the principal gentlemen of this place who are to receive him at Purysburgh, from whence he is to be rowed by nine captains of vessels, neatly dressed in blue silk jackets and round hats, with black ribbon, having the words 'Long Live the President' wrought in gold. The Mayor and Aldermen have requested the citizens to illuminate their houses, and every prepa ration is making to welcome this truly illustrious character to the metropolis of Georgia.''
That morning he arrived at Purysburgh to which point he had been escorted by Gen. William Moultrie and others from Charleston, South Carolina. There a committee of citizens of Savannah met him and con ducted him to this city by boat leaving Purysburgh between 10 and 11 o'clock. Nine American captains rowed the boat. Those men were Captains Putnam, Courter, Rice, Fisher, Huntington, Kershaw, Swain, Mclntire, and Morrison. Ten miles up the river a number of gentlemen in boats, accompanied with a band of music, met the party, the band playing "He Comes, the Hero Comes," in which song many voices united. AVe quote the following at this point:
"On his approach to the city, the concourse on the bluff, and the crowds which had pressed into the vessels, evinced the general joy which had been inspired by the visit of this most beloved of men, and the ardent desire of all ranks and conditions of people to be gratified by his presence. Upon arriving at the upper part of the harbor he was saluted from the wharves, and by the shipping, and particularly by the ship Thomas Wilson, Captain White, which was beautifully decorated

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

259

with the colors of various nations. At the foot of the stairs where the president landed, he was received by Colonel Gunn and General Jackson, who introduced him to the mayor and aldermen of the city. The artillery company sainted him with twenty-six discharges from their field pieces, and he was then conducted to a house prepared by the corporation for his accommodation, in St. James' Square, in the following order of procession:
11 Light Infantry Company. "Field Officers and other Officers of the Militia. "Marshal of the City. "Treasurer, Clerk and Recorder. "Aldermen, the Mayor. "President and Suite. "Committee of Citizens. "Members of the Cincinnati. "Citizens, two and two. ' ' Artillery Company.''
"The following address by the Mayor and Aldermen was delivered: 'To the President of the United States--Sir: The Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah, do unanimously concur in presenting their most affectionate congratulations to you on your arrival in this city. Impressed with a just sense of your great and eminent services to Amer ica, permit us, the representatives of the city, to assure you of the high opinion the citizens entertain of your elevated virtues.
" 'We respect you as one of the richest and most valuable blessings divine goodness has bestowed on the people of these United States; your presence is an evidence of the watchful care you have for every part of the extended empire over which you preside. If we can not, by external show, demonstrate that respect for you which is in the power of the more wealthy of our sister States to display, yet none estimate your merits higher than the people of Georgia. The historic page bears record of our sufferings in the late revolution, and the vestiges of war remain within view of our Capital, and although peace was, in 1783, restored to America, yet Georgia continued to suffer under the destruc tive ravages of an Indian war, and it has been reserved for the efficacy of the present government to give peace to our State.
" 'May the blessings of the government long continue under your administration, and may it please the Great Ruler of Events, to grant you long residence on earth, and to length of days add the blessings of uninterrupted health, that the advantages of the present government may be permanently established.' "
To the foregoing address the president made the following response: "To the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah--Gentlemen: Your affectionate congratulations on my arrival in this city, and the very .favorable sentiments you express towards me, are received with gratitude and thanks, with sincerity. Estimating favors by the cordial ity with which they are bestowed, I confess, with real pleasure, my obligations to the corporation of Savannah, and I can never cease to entertain a grateful sense of their goodness.

260

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"'While the virtuous conduct of your citizens, whose patriotism braved all the hardships of the late war, engaged my esteem, the distress peculiar to the State of Georgia, after the peace, excited my deepest regret.
" 'It was with singular satisfaction I perceived that the efficacy of the general government could interpose effectual relief, and restore tranquility to so deserving a member of the Union. Your sentiments on this event are worthy of citizens, who, placing a due value on the bless ings of peace, desire to maintain it on the immutable principles of justice and good faith.
" 'May the harmony of your city be consequent on your admimstrai ion, and may you individually be happy.' ''
At six o'clock in the afternoon the president and his suite by invitation of the mayor and aldermen dined with the latter at Brown's Coffee House, Gen. Anthony Wayne, president of the Society of the Cincinnati, also being an invited guest. Toasts were drunk and the Chatham Artil lery fired three guns. The city was brilliantly illuminated. The next day the Cincinnati entertained Washington at the same place, and a ball was given in the evening in the long room of the filature where, at 8.30 Washington made his appearance and was introduced to ninetysix elegantly dressed ladies, "some of whom displayed infinite taste in the emblems and devices on their sashes and headdresses out of respect to this happy occasion." The Georgia Gazette said: "The room which had been lately handsomely fitted up and was well lighted, afforded the President and excellent opportunity of viewing the Fair Sex of our City and vicinity, and the Ladies the gratification of paying their respects to our Federal Chief. After a few Minuets were moved, and one Country Dance led down, the President and his Suit retired about 11 o'clock. At 12 o'clock the supper-room was opened, and the ladies partook of a repast, after which dances continued until 3 o'clock. The company retired with the happy satisfaction of having generally con tributed towards the hilarity and gaiety of the evening."
On Saturday, Gen. Lachlan Mclntosh, who had taken part in the siege of Savannah in October, 1779, took the president and others on a tour to inspect the lines made at that time by the British as well as the works of the Americans and their French allies in which Washing ton showed a deep interest.
The Georgia Gazette furnishes the following information as to the remainder of the time spent by the president in Savannah: "In the afternoon the President honored the Citizens with his company at a dinner prepared for him under a beautiful arbor supported by three rows of pillars entirely covered with laurel and bay leaves so as to exhibit uniform green columns. The pillars were higher than the arbor, and ornamented above it by festoons, and connected below by arches covered in the same manner. The place on which it stood was judiciously chosen, presenting at once a view of the city and of the shipping in the harbor, with an extensive prospect of the river and rice lands both above and below the town. But the principal advantage which resulted from its situation and structure was the opportunity which it afforded to a great body of people to have a distinct and uninterrupted view of that object to which all eyes and hearts appeared to be attracted.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

261

"A company of nearly 200 citizens and strangers dined under it,

and the satisfaction which each one enjoyed in paying this personal

tribute to the merit of a man who is, if possible, more beloved for his

o-oodness than admired for his greatness, produced a degree of convivial

and harmonious mirth rarely experienced. Every one beheld with de

light, in the person of our President, the able General, the virtuous

Patriot, the profound Politician--in a word, one of the most shining

ornaments that ever dignified human nature.

"The Artillery Company dined under another arbor erected at a

small distance, and received merited applause for the great dexterity

which they displayed in firing at each toast. Their fires were returned

by Fort Wayne, and the ship Thomas Wilson which was moored op

posite the arbor. Her decorations through the day, and illuminations

at night, had a fine effect.

"The following toasts were given:--

"The United States of America.

"Prosperity to the Citizens of Savannah and its vicinity. [By the

President,]

"The Fair of America.

"The Vice-president of the United States.

"The Memorable Era of Independence.

"The Count d'Staing.

......

"The Memory of General Greene.

"The Arts and Sciences.

"The Memory of those Brave Men who fell before the Lines of Savan

nah on the 9th of October, 1779.

"The Friends to Free and Equal Government throughout the Globe.

"All foreign Powers in Friendship with the United States.

"May Religion and Philosophy always triumph over Superstition

and Prejudice in America.

"The present dexterous Corps of Artillery. [The President's toast.]

"[After the President retired.] The President of the United States.

"The construction of the arbor and the manner in which the enter

tainment was provided and conducted did great honor to the gentlemen

to whose direction the whole was committed.

"In the evening there was a handsome exhibition of fireworks, and

the amusements of this day of joy and festivity were concluded by a

concert.

"On Sunday morning the President attended Divine Service in

Christ Church, and soon after set out on his way to Augusta. On taking

his leave of the mayor and committee of the citizens he politely expressed

his sense of the attention shown him by the Corporation and every

denomination of people during his stay in Savannah. He was attended

out of the city by a number of gentlemen, and escorted by a detachment

of Augusta dragoons commanded by Maj. Ambrose Gordon. At the

Spring Hill the President was received by General Jackson, where the

Artillery and Light Infantry Companies were drawn up, and was there

saluted by 39 discharges from the field pieces, and 13 vollies of platoons.

After which he proceeded to Mulberry Grove, the seat of the late Major-

General Greene, where he dined, and then resumed his tour."

262

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

The account we have given of Washington's visit to Savannah, the only one he ever made,. discloses the second service of very great im portance rendered by the Chatham Artillery within the space of five
years after the organization of the company, and the fact that a special toast was given in its honor by that great man who characterized it as "the present dexterous Corps of Artillery." He still further showed his appreciation of the services rendered by it on that notable occasion and his pleasant memories of the same by presenting it, shortly after tis re turn, with two field pieces of bronze which had been captured at Yorktown ; and these guns are still held by the company which values them be yond anything that the world can estimate by any conceivable pecuniary measurement.

WASHINGTON'S ACCOUNT OF His SOUTHERN TOUR
The southern tour of General Washington began on Monday, the 21st of March, 1791, when he left Philadelphia, as he said "about 11 o'clock, to make a tour through the Southern States," He thus men tioned his approach to and experiences at Savannah: "Thursday, 12th [May]. By five we set out from Judge Heyward's, and road to Puris burgh 22 miles to breakfast.
"At that place I was met by Messrs. Jones, Col. Habersham, Mr. Jno. Houston, Genl. Mclntosh and Mr. Clay, a committee from the City of Savannah to conduct me thither. Boats also were ordered there by them for my accommodation; among which a handsome 8-oared barge rowed by 8 American Captains attended. In my way down the River I call upon Mrs. Green the Widow of the deceased Genl. Green, (at a place called Mulberry Grove) and asked her how she did. At this place (2 miles from Purisburgh) my horses and carriages were landed, and had 12 miles further by land to Savannah. The wind and tide being both against us, it was 6 o'clock before we reached the City where we were received under every demonstration that could be given of joy and respect. We were seven hours making the passage which is often performed in 4, tho' the computed distance is 25 miles--Illuminns at night.
'' I was conducted by the Mayor and Wardens to a very good lodging which had been provided for the occasion, and partook of a good dinner by the Citizens at the Coffee Room. At Purisburgh I parted with Genl. Moultree. Friday 13th. Dined with the members of the Cincinnati at a public dinner given at the same place--and in the evening went to a dancing Assembly at which there was about 100 well dressed and hand some ladies. Saturday 14th. A little after 6 o'clock, in company with Genl. Mclntosh, Genl. Wayne, the Major and many others (principal Gentlemen of the City,) I visited the City, and the attack and defense of it in the year 1779, under the combined forces of France and the United States, commanded by the Count d'Estaing and Genl. Lincoln. To form an opinion of the attack at this distance of time, and the change which has taken place in the appearance of the ground by the cutting away of the woods, &c., is hardly to be done with justice to the subject; especially as there is remaining scarcely any of the defences.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

263

"Dined today with a number of the Citizens (not less than 200) in elegant Bower erected for the occasion on the Bank of the River h low the Town. In the evening there was a tolerable good display of fireworks. Sunday, 15th. After morning Service, and receiving a number of visits from the most respectable ladies of the place (as was the case yesterday) I set out for Augusta, Escorted beyond the limits of the City by most of the Gentlemen in it, and dining at Mulberry Grove the seat of Mrs. Green,--lodged at one Spencers--distant 15

In the honors shown the illustrious visitor the Society of the Cincin nati took a large part. At that time its officers were: President, Gen. Anthony Wayne; vice-president, Maj. William Pierce; secretary, Maj-

MIDWAY CHURCH, ERECTED IN 1792
John Habersham; treasurer, Col. Richard Wylly; assistant secretary, John Peter Ward; and assistant treasurer, Edward Lloyd.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUED
In 1792 Joseph Habersham succeeded Thomas Gibbons as mayor, and Messrs. Scheuber, Lewden, Waldburger, Berrien and Wayne were retained as aldermen while Joseph Clay, Jr., was chosen in the place of Welscher. William Stephens became mayor in 1793, and John Cunningham, Andrew McCredie and George Jones stepped into the places of Scheuber, Waldburger and Wayne. Again in 1794 Thomas Gibbons took his seat as chief magistrate, and Messrs. Clay and McCredie retired in favor of George Throop and Ulrick Tobler. After a year of rest from the conduct of municipal affairs Wm. Stephens took the head of government in 1795, during which year he had as fellow members of the board Messrs. John Moore, Balthasar Schaffer, George Throop, James

264

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Box Young, George Faries, Ulrick Tobler, Andrew McCredie, Richard Wayne and Thomas Gibbons. One of Savannah's noted lawyers became mayor in 1796, and he afterwards served the city as alderman several times and twice again as mayor. John Y. Noel was the man, and he had on his aldermamc board Ulrick Tobler, Richard Wayne, Thomas Gibbons, and John Moore, whose experience on former occasions aided them in their work, while Owen Owens, John Miller, John McCall and Thomas Norton were newly elected to office in that year 1796.

DISASTROUS FIRE OP 1796
On the 26th of November of the last mentioned year a fire occurred in Savannah which was most disastrous in its effects. It is so well described in an editorial article in the Columbian Museum and Savmmak Advertiser of the 29th, just three days after, that we quote it here in full:
"On Saturday the 26th instant this City exhibited a scene of deso lation and distress, probably more awfully calamitous than any pre viously experienced in America,
"Between six and seven o'clock in the evening a small Bakehouse belonging to a Mr. Gromet, in Market Square, was discovered to be on fire. The citizens, together with the officers and crews of the vessels in the harbor, were soon convened; but, unfortunately, no immediate and decisive measures were adopted by which the fire could be stopped at its beginning. The fortunate escape from the destructive element which the City for many years past experienced had greatly lulled the vigil ance of its inhabitants, and prevented suitable preparations for such a calamity.
"The period when such prevention and the united efforts of actual exertion could have been useful was, however, of very short duration.
'' The season for two months previous to this incident had been dry; the night was cold, and a light breeze from N. N. "W, was soon increased by the effect of the fire. The covering of the buildings being of wood, were, from the above circumstances, rendered highly combustible. Sev eral of the adjoining houses were soon affected, and then almost instantly in flames. The wind now became strong, and whirled into the air, with agitated violence large flakes of burning shingles, boards and other light substances which, alighting at a distance, added confusion to the other terrors of the conflagration.
'' The use of water was now rendered totally vain, its common extin guishing power seemed to be lost. Torrents of flames rolled from house to house with a destructive rapidity which bid defiance to all human control, and individual exertions were from this time principally pointed towards the securing of private property.
'' The direction of the fire being now committed to the wind its rav ages were abated only when, by its extending to the common, it found no further object wherewith to feed its fury.
"On the north side of Market Square, and thence in a southeasterly direction, the inhabitants were enabled, by favor of the wind, to save their houses and limit the conflagration. On the other hand, by the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

265

time it had extended on the Bay, nearly to Abercorn street, the pro digious quantity of heat already produced in the centre of the city began to draw in a current of air from the east, and enabled some of the most active inhabitants and seamen to save a few houses in that quarter, after having been in imminent danger.
"Between twelve and one the rage of the fire abated, and few other houses from this time took fire. The exhausted sufferers of both sexes had now to remain exposed to the inclemency of a cold frosty night, and to witness the distressing spectacle of their numerous dwellings, covered with smoke and flames, tumbling in ruins.
"Thus was the little City, soon after emerging from the ravages of a revolutionary war, and which had lately promised a considerable figure among the commercial cities of our sister States, almost destroyed in a single night. The number of houses (exclusive of other buildings) which are burned is said to be nearly three hundred, but of this (to gether with an estimate of property destroyed) a more particular state ment than we can now furnish is expected shortly to be offered to the public. We can now only say that two-thirds of the city appears in ruins, in a direction from the corner of Market Square along the Bay to Abercorn street, thence in a southeast direction, taking the whole centre of the city to the south and east commons, a few houses quite in the southeast part only excepted. "Pis said that three or four white men and two or three negroes lost their lives in rendering assistance during the fire, and whether any more is not yet ascertained.
"The following statement is just handed, as this paper is going to press :
"During the conflagration on Saturday night last in four hours 229 houses, besides out-houses, &c., were burnt, amounting to One Million Dollars, exclusive of loose property. Three hundred and seventy-five chimneys are standing bare, and form a dismal appearance--one hun dred and seventy-one houses only of the compact part of the city are standing--upwards of four hundred families are destitute of houses. Charities are solicited.''

CHATHAM ACADEMY
The people of Savannah and the surrounding territory had become impressed with the necessity for a building suitable for the education of children farther advanced than those in the primary grade, and to that end a plan was inaugurated for the chartering of trustees for building and maintaining a schoolhouse to accommodate for a long time the children of Chatham county seeking an education from the infant class to the high school. The charter was obtained long before the build ing was erected, and we are in the dark as to what was done from 1788 to the opening of the new building called the Chatham Academy in 1813, outside of the negotiations between the trustees and the Union Society.
The legislature of Georgia, in session at Augusta, passed an act, dated February 1, 1788, incorporating Chatham Academy. The act is too long to be quoted in this place, but the original trustees named in

266

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

it were John Houstoun, John Habersham, William Gibbons, Sr., William Stephens, Richard Wylly, James Houstoun, Samuel Elbert, Seth John Cuthbert, and Joseph Clay, Jr. It is needless to give particulars in rela tion to the arrangement by which the property of the Bethesda Orphan
House managed by the Union Society and the newly created board of trustees was used in common to erect the building, known always as Chat ham Academy but used for a time jointly by the two corporations, but an act was passed on the 22nd of December, 1808, by the terms of which cer tain money was set aside for the use of the commissioners of the Chatham Academy, said commissioners being required to " support and educate at least five orphan children from its funds as soon as they shall receive the property herein vested in said institution.'' We learn from a state ment in the Republican and Savannah Evening Ledger of Tuesday, Janu ary 21, 1812, that: "At a meeting of the Union Society, Savannah, 6th January, 1812, it being represented to this Society that John Bolton, Esq., one of the building committee from the Academy of Chatham County, is BOW four thousand dollars in advance towards the erection of the joint building to be completed for the benefit of the two institutions, and that the workmen were now idle for the want of funds.
"'Resolved, That the President be directed to place in suit every bond or evidence of debt due the Society," etc.
The same paper of December 12, 1812, contained a notice signed by John Bolton, R. M. Stites and John Lawson, the first paragraph of which
was in these words: i ' The undersigned committee of the trustees of the Chatham Academy are happy to announce to their fellow citizens and the public that the academy will be opened in the elegant and convenient edifice, lately erected in this City, for the reception of pupils in the various branches of literature proposed to be taught in the institution, on the first Monday in January next." This was followed by the an nouncement on Friday, January 1, 1813, in the same paper, of this invitation: '' The ladies and citizens of Savannah in general are respect fully invited to attend at the academy on Tuesday, the 5th of January next, at 12 o'clock, at which time the building will be opened for the reception of scholars, and an appropriate address will be delivered on the occasion." The manuscript of that address by the Rev. Henry Kollock, D. D., pastor of the Independent Presbyterian church is still in the possession of the Board of Education of Chatham county. The trustees announced that they had "appointed as principal of the academy Mr. Jared D. Fyler, a gentleman highly recommended, and
well known as possessing every qualification for that office, not only in extensive erudition but in experience as a skillful instructor."

THE GEORGIA HUSSARS
About this time the cavalry company known as the Georgia Hussars which has won for itself a reputation deservedly high and honorable was organized. There is considerable doubt concerning the precise time of its founding. Some persons hold to the belief that it is really much older, and that it .formerly held another name, only making a change for some special reason at a late day of its history. It is certain that

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

267

cavalry companies of various names had existed in the city, and it is not at all unlikely that such a change in name was actually made. It is also claimed that the Georgia Hussars began their history in the year 1785. Another statement is that they "were organized shortly after the War of 1812, by the consolidation of the Chatham Hussars and the Chatham Light Dragoons, the latter of which was an organized command as early as 1781, and affiliated with the Chatham Artillery at the funeral of General Greene in 1786."

THE OLD EXCHANGE
As the reader has been already informed the site of our present city hall was occupied by a building known as the Exchange long before the erection of the one known by the same name and used as a city hall from about 1801 until it was replaced a few years since by the present edifice. Perhaps no clearer account in as few words of the olden struc ture can be given than that contained in the annual report of Mayor ' Edward C. Anderson in 1866: "It may not be amiss in connection with the Mayor's report to replace upon record a brief history of this old landmark, as derived from the minutes of Council. Many of its archives have been lost in the occupancy of the city by the United States forces * * * The question of the erection of an exchange building was first agitated in 1798, and in the following year the foundation of the present structure known as the Exchange was laid. It was built by a joint stock Company, in which the city was a stockholder to the amount of twenty-five shares. The ground was leased to the Company for ninety-nine years. The estimated cost of erection was twenty thousand dollars the stock being divided into two hundred shares of one hundred dollars each. The subscription was limited to the inhabitants of Chat ham County. In the year 1806 a committee of Council was appointed to purchase stock for the City, and they reported having bought eleven shares at one hundred and fifty-six dollars per share. The city con tinued to purchase at prices generally much above par until the year 1812, when it secured the entire balance of the stock in private hands at one hundred and fifty dollars per share. The purchase money was raised by the issue of certificates of stock at eight per cent; redeemable in ten years. One year previous to this purchase the subject of erecting a new city hall was agitated in Council, and a Committee was appointed as a preliminary step to ascertain on what terms the City shares in the Exchange could be sold. At the time of the sale to the city the revenues of the company were $3,000, and had been as high as $4,000. The estimated revenue to accrue to the city was twenty-four hundred dol lars per annum. From this brief history of the Exchange it appears that it was originally the property in part of certain citizens; that in 1812 it became public property and that the building which was the Exchange became the City Hall. It was a profitable property to the company which owned it, but the merchants ceased to use it as an Exchange long before it was sold to the City at the enormous profit of fifty per cent."
The corner stone of the building just described was laid on the 4th

268

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

of June, 1799, as this account of the ceremonies attending it is from the records of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. "The Grand Lodge convened in consequence of an invitation by the Mayor and Aldermen to lay the Corner Stone of the City Exchange. The members present were in procession, attended by the corporation, when the stone was placed in position in the usual Masonic form by Most "Worshipful Grand Master Win. Stephens, aided by the Grand Wardens, and accompanied by the brethren; after which the Grand Master deliv
ered an appropriate oration.

THE CITY EXCHANGE, ERECTED IN 1799
le pla 'A. L. 5799.' 'A. D. 1799. 'Of American Independence the 23d year. 'Matthew McAllister, Mayor. '"William Stephens, Grand Master.' The plan of the building provided that it be a 'brick and stone,' three stories high, with apartments for the different public offices, and otherwise calculated for a city exchange."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

269

It is not known when it was completed, but it was probably early jn 1801. The bell bore the date 1803.

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS 1797-1802
Savannah's Mayor in 1797 was John Glen, who became a member of the corporation then for the first and only time. He served from July 10 to July 9 of the following year, and the new members of council were George Anderson, John Glass, James Robertson, John Peter Ward, and John Holland Messrs. Gibbons, Young and Moore, of the former council holding over. Matthew McAllister was mayor in 1798, with Messrs. Robert Bolton, Wm. Hunter, Richard Dennis, Richard Wayne, Jr., and Henry Putnam as new members of the board, and John Y. Noel, Joseph Welscher and John Glass who had served before. In 1799 Thomas Gibbons became mayor for the third, but not successive time, with only three new aldermen Levi Sheftall, John Millen, and Samuel Lawrence Messrs. Bolton, Dennis, Lewden, McCredie, Belcher, and McAllister being former aldermen. Again in 1800 Thomas Gibbons served as chief magistrate, and, as new members, he had in his council Messrs. J. G. Williamson, Wm. Taylor, Archibald Smith, and Edward Harden, the old being Levi Steftall, John Glass, Robert Bolton, Andrew McCredie and Richard Dennis. David B. Mitchell was chief magis trate in 1801, with Stephen Blount and James Johnston, Jr., serving for the first time, and Glass, Bolton, Noel, Dennis and Harden reseated. For the first time Chas. Harris was mayor in 1802, with all old members of council, except Steffins and Jones; Blount, Williamson, Sheftall, Edward Steffins, Glass, George Jones, Harden and Welscher.
The year 1802 was marked by the organizing of that military com pany, the Savannah Volunteer Guards, which has made an enviable history and has continued the history with nothing to mar its character for usefulness and readiness for duty at all times a continuous line of patriotic activities with not a single item of record to its discredit.

VISIT OF AARON BURR
It was in this year also that Aaron Burr, then vice president of the United States visited the city, and the guards assisted in honoring him. Learning of his contemplated arrival the city council appointed three of its board to select a place for him to lodge, and appropriated $250 for the purpose. The three aldermen were Messrs. Charles Harris, Richard Dennis, and Edward Harden. On Thursday, May 20th, the Georgia Gazette announced: u The Vice President of the United States is expected in town this day;'' and the account of what was done was recorded in its next issue, the 27th, in this short statement. "On Thursday last the Vice President of the United States arrived here from Charleston. About six miles from town he was received by a num ber of gentlemen and the troop of horse; on his approaching Spring Hill he was saluted by discharges of cannon from the artillery company [Chatham Artillery]; at Spring Hill the Chatham rangers and Savan nah volunteer guards joined the troop, and escorted him to lodgings

270

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

fitted up for him in the city where he was again saluted by the artillery. On Monday he partook of an elegant dinner at the City Hall in company with a numerous and most acceptable assemblage of citizens. And on Tuesday forenoon he left the city on his return to the Northward, being saluted by guns of the revenue cutter on his departure.'' The Columbian Museum and Savannah Advertiser, however, considered the event one of sufficient importance to devote a large portion of its columns to it, as follows :
"On Thursday, the twentieth instant the Vice President of the United States was received on his way to this city by the Military and Civil. Officers and several companies of volunteers, and was congratulated on his arrival by Charles Harris, Edward Harden, and Richard Dennis, Esqrs., a committee on behalf of the corporation, and by Win. B. Bulloch, James Iloustoun and George M. Troup, Esqs., a committee on behalf of the citizens of Savannah. And on the Monday following a festival was given in honor of the Vice .President by the citizens of this place. The brilliancy of the entertainment, the number and respectability of the Company, and the harmony which universally prevailed have never been exceeded, perhaps never equalled, on any former occasion. The following toasts were given:
"1. The United States of America, the retreat of toleration and of freedom. May they continue to afford an asylum to the virtuous of all nations.
"2. The Soldiers and Statesmen of '76 who made an Empire of British dependencies. The Republicans of 1800 who redeemed the Con stitution.
"3. The Constitution of the United States, perpetuity to this illus trious example of a Government founded on the voluntary consent of the people.
"4. Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States.--May his measures continue to meet the confidence of his friends and defeat the calumnies of his enemies.
"5. The memory of the great and good Washington.
r '6. The officers presiding over the Federal departments of State. Their talents, industry, and vigilance eminently entitle them to the
gratitude of the people. "1. The support of the State Governments in all their rights as
the Surest bulwark against anti-republican tendencies, and the preser
vation of the general government in its whole constitutional vigour as
the sheet anchor of our peace at home and safety abroad.
"8. The State and Government of Georgia. "9. Our delegates to Congress. May their late zealous and patriotic
exertions for their Country's good be justly esteemed and treasured
up in the hearts of their constituents.
"10. Economy in the public expenditure and the honest payments of our debts, without impairing the sacredness of public faith.
"11. May those who would wish, to dissolve our union or to change
its present republican form stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated when reason is left free
to combat it.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

271

"12. The existing judiciary of the United States. The Judges dependent on God, their good behaviour and the existence of their
offices. "13. The Militia, Army, and Navy of the United States. May
they continue the prompt defenders of their country, under the control of the Civil Authorities.
"14. A jealous care of the right of election by the people "15. The memory of General Greene. Respect to the wisdom of those sages and the blood of those heroes who devoted themselves to the liberties of their country.
"16. The memory of General Oglethorpe whose arduous toils and struggles in the establishment of Georgia entitled him to our warmest
gratitude. "17. An unrestrained freedom of the press, and universal
toleration of religion.--Where there is equal liberty, justice and truth will triumph over calumny and falsehood.
"Volunteer toasts. After the Vice President retired.--The Vice President of the United States. After General Melntosh retired.-- General Mchitosh. After General Jackson retired.--General Jackson. By Mr. Simon Mclntosh.--The Governor of the State of New York. By Captain 0. Smith.--The Republicans of Georgia and South Caro lina. By Major Harden.--The Memorable fourth of March, 1801. After Mr. Telfair retired.--Mr. Telfair."
During his stay in Savannah Mr. Burr was domiciled in the home of Mr. Montmollin whose wife was a relative, on the north side of south Broad street [now Oglethorpe avenue] between Whitaker and Barnard. Charles Harris was again elected mayor in 1803, and his former asso ciates aldermen Blount, Williamson, and Welscher were likewise honored by being returned as councilmen; but Messrs. John IT. Morel, Pingal T. Flyming, Geo. D. Sweet, George Woodruff and Solomon Shad were chosen as new members of the aldermanic board. The popularity of Judge John Y. Noel was shown in his being called to preside over council to succeed Mr. Harris in 1804, in which capacity he was asso ciated with aldermen Adam Cope, Isaac Fell, Levi Sheftall, F. T. Flyming, G. D. Sweet, Win. Davies, Jos. Welscher, Solomon Shad, Geo. H. Davis and Edward L. Davis.

TERRIFIC STORM OF 1804
It was in this year that one of the worst storms ever known occurred. Beginning at about nine o'clock in the morning of the 8th of September, its fury lasted until after ten in the night, and its work of destruction was most serious. Besides the damage done in the city the whole of Hutchinson's island was under water, caused by the high tide, and the plantations with the rice crops on them were greatly damaged. More than a hundred negroes were drowned. The wharves along the liver front were flooded while the warehouses adjoining with their con tents were almost ruined. Falling chimneys injured many persons, three of whom died, and the Exchange and Filature, courthouse and jail were badly battered and torn. At that time the Independent Pres-

272

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

byterian church, moved from Market square to the southwest corner of Whitaker and President streets, suffered from the effects of the gale. Its steeple fell, and, in its fall, struck a house in which was a sick man, cutting off a part of the bed, but, strange to say, left the man uninjured. The bell was not broken but was used for a while in the new building erected in 1819 on its lot extending from Bull to Whitaker street on Oglethorpe avenue; but it was replaced with another bell in 1824.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR OF 1812
For several years before the actual declaration of war between the United States and England in 1812 the country was in a state of unrest and the condition of affairs bore anything but a peaceful aspect. Mr. Jefferson, President of the United States, in 1807, recommended an embargo and was supported in his view by the Republican party while the Federal party opposed it. In advocating the measure the President said that circumstances existed "showing the great and increasing dangers with which our vessels, our seamen and merchandise arc threat ened on the high seas and elsewhere, from the belligerent power of Europe, and it being of great importance to keep in safety these essential resources, I deem it my duty to recommend the subject to Congress," and a bill was introduced and passed in December to lay "an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States." The organization of a military company in Savannah the following year, 1808, called the Republican Blues doubtless sprang from the desire of its supporters to aid the government in the war which everyone believed to be imminent. The company has ever since maintained its position as a permanent and reliable portion of the city's military force of which her inhabitants have always been justly proud. The spirit of the people in the alarming condition of the country at that time may be judged by; the fact that a special meeting of council was held on the 9th of July, 1807, to discuss the proposal to remove from the magazine thirteen casks of gun powder. A resolution was adopted that "it is expedient at the present alarming crisis that care be taken to prevent any powder from being removed from the magazine for improper purposes," and only a few days after a committee of citizens applied to council for a loan of powder "to meet any emergencies that may arise out of the present situation of our affairs with Great Britain," and, the matter having met with approval, economy was exercised in actually dispensing with the lighting of the streets at night for a whole month in order to supply the amount asked for. Other steps were taken which need not now be mentioned.
Thus we see that the time was ripe for the raising of volunteer com panies to defend the city and country in case of a clash of arms between the United States and Great Britain. All accounts of the rise of the Republican Blues hitherto published give the year 1808 as the time of its organization; hut a thorough search for the facts has convinced the present writer that, although steps in that direction may have been taken in the latter part of that year, the company was not placed on a firm footing by being legally officered until early in the next year, and, in evidence of this statement he presents the following .

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

273

No reference to the subject is found in the newspapers of 1808, but on the llth of February, 1809, being Saturday, this advertisement appeared in the Republican and Savannah Evening Ledger:

, "NOTICE.

'' The Election of Captain, Lieutenant and Ensign, to command the EEPUBLICAN

BLUES, which was to have taken place on Monday last, is postponed until MONDAY

NEXT, the 12th instant, when said Election will be held at the Court House, at 11

o'clock precisely.

"WILLIAM A. MOORE,

"JOHN PETTIBONE,

"ALTON PEMBERTON,

"Feb. 11, 18--."

"Justices of the Peace.

But even at the time appointed, which appears to have been the second time, no election was held; for another notice appeared in the same paper of Tuesday, February 14th, in this form:

'' NOTICE.
'' An Election will be held at the Court House on FRIDAY the 24th inst,, for a Captain, Lieutenant and Ensign, to command the EEPUBLICAN BLUES. The poll will be opened at 11 o'clock A. M.
"WILLIAM A. MOORE, "JOHN PETTIBONE, "ALTON PEMBERTON.
"Justices of the Peace. "Feb. 14, 18--."
It is reasonable to believe that the election was held on the 24th of February, 1809, as no further notices were published.
Organized, as seems probable, for service in the event that war between this country and England should be declared, the company stood ready for duty, and its action was just what it engaged to do in the events which soon followed.

CHAPTER XXII
THE AVAR OF 1812
FORT WAYNE--LOCAL MILITIA READY TO ACT--STRENGTHENING THE FORT WAYNE WORKS--CELEBRATING THE WARRINGTON AND PORTER NAVAL VICTORIES--VIGOROUS PREPARATIONS FOR RESISTING BRITISH ATTACK --THE "MARTELLO TOWER"--CELEBRATING THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS--PEACE DECLARED.
War being deemed inevitable, the citizens of Savannah, as always, stood by the government and determined that the city should be loyal in every respect. In proof of this, we give in full a resolution, offered by Alderman Charlton, May 22, 1812, and unanimously adopted by council: "Wlio'eas, it is at all times important that the government should know the sentiments of the people in every section of the nation, and particularly at a crisis like the present
"Resolved, That the citizens of Savannah be and they are hereby requested and invited to assemble at the Court house on Saturday, the 30th inst., at 12 o'clock for the purpose of taking into consideration the present situation of their country, of expressing their opinion thereon, and of adopting such other business as their patriotism may dictate." At the meeting resolutions of a most patriotic character were submitted and adopted and at an adjourned meeting, on the 3d of June, it was asserted that the country had grievances against both England and France which were sufficient to cause war, and calling for the seizure by the United States of East Florida,
FORT WAYNE
The trustees of the colony of Georgia, it will be remembered, were honored in the laying out of Savannah by having a tract at the extreme northeastern portion of the bluff set off and known as the Trustees' Garden. On a portion of that tract a guard house was built, protected with a battery of cannon. This point was strongly fortified by the British during the siege by the allied troops, and when the city was evacuated in 1782, the fort there was named for Gen. Anthony Wayne. In con sequence of the fact that for so long a time that spot was protected by some sort of fortification it has, together with the adjacent land been called "the fort." It is not at all unusual, when a dweller in that district (particularly one of the colored tribe) is asked where he lives, to get promptly the reply: " In the fort side," or " down in the fort.''
274

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

275

On the 16th of January, 1756, a grant of "10 acres of laud to the eastward of the town of Savannah" was, after approval of the governor and council, signed by the governor in favor of John Reynolds, he being at that time himself the chief magistrate of the province; and, on the 5th of March following, he acquired, in the same way, title to lot 7i in the city of Savannah, containing sixty by one hundred and eighty feet. It is not recorded when the trustees' garden was aban doned for the purpose of an orchard which seems to have been the use to which it was adapted, but there can be no question that the tract of land granted to Governor Reynolds was a part of that original garden, and included probably, the site of the old fortifications. An act passed April 24, 1760, named commissioners with full power "to construct and cause to be built a Fort to include the Magazine in the Town of Savannah of such form and space as to them shall be judged most con venient."
The exact date of the naming of the point Fort AYayne cannot be ascertained, but the first mention of it that this writer can find is in a. preamble and resolution adopted by the House of Assembly, February 21,1784, which are in these words: "Whereas, from the multiplicity of business it will not be practicable to pass a bill now before this House for establishing a Seamen's Hospital, therefore be it
''Resolved, that it shall be lawful for Gen. Samuel Elbert, Edward Telfair, James Habersham, Joseph Clay, Peter Bard, Seth John Cuthbert and William O'Bryan, Esquires, and Mr. Leonard Cecil, or any three of them, to remove the barracks from Fort Wayne to any part of the Common of Savannah which they may judge most proper and con venient for receiving sick seamen."
That the location of Fort Wayne was originally a portion of the trustees' garden cannot be doubted when the record now to be quoted is considered. On the 2nd of January, 1809, John C. Lucena and Miss Joanna Lucena granted to the United States, for a valuable considera tion, "all that and those parts and parcels of land marked and desig nated and known as a copy of the plan thereof hereto annexed, all that piece of ground taken off a lot known by the number sixteen (16) seventyfive feet by one hundred and ten of all that piece of ground taken off of lot known by number seventeen (17) one hundred and seventy-five feet by one hundred and ten," and other pieces of land adjacent "originally part of ten acres of land called Trustees Garden, granted to John Rey nolds." Later on, namely, on the 30th of January, 1810, Francis Wells sold and conveyed to the United States portions of a tract of land originally a portion of Trustees Garden; and on the 6th of March, 1810, Edwin H. Bolton sold to the said United States a certain piece of land "formerly Trustees' Garden"--all conveyed to the government, as stated in the deeds, for the '' building of a fort, arsenal, or other public use."
Foreseeing the probability of a clash of arms between England and this country, the United States had taken the precaution to look out for a place or places on which to build fortifications, and the deeds just mentioned were the outcome of that foresight; but even before that time, in fact as early as 1808, the government made an effort to secure

276

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

the land for such purpose in which the city of Savannah was interested. "We learn that on the 17th of January of that year George Jones wrote 'd letter to council in which he disclosed the fact that the secretary of war desired the city "to donate as a site for fortifications that part of the premises of the old fort and adjoining lots, including streets, together with the part of Reynolds street which extends from the old fort to
the water's edge and a part of Wright Street," and that the city assented to the request. Of that transaction the Columbian Museum and Savan nah Advertiser of January 15th said: "We are informed that the City Council have made a cession to the United States of that part of the old Fort contained in Wright and Reynolds Streets to the water's edge, excepting such lots as have become private property; which we under stand the Hon. Judge Jones is authorized to purchase on account of the United States--the whole intended as a permanent site for fortifications ; and we are happy to hear that the works will shortly commence."

LOCAL MILITIA READY TO ACT
On the 22nd of May, 1812, the city council of Savannah, at a regular meeting, "Resolved unanimously," as wre have seen, to ask the citizens to hold a meeting and discuss public affairs, on Wednesday, the 3d of June, at twelve o'clock, when, among others, the following resolution was adopted: "Resolved, that the erection of works at Fort Wayne, ad joining Savannah, by the federal government, on the ground lately pur chased by it, is highly and immediately necessary for the safety of the citizens and their families; and that our senator and representatives be requested earnestly to represent the same to the executive of the United States.
"Resolved, That these resolutions be published, and that copies be transmitted to the President of the United States, and our delegates in Congress."
No apology is deemed necessary for the insertion at this point of the following lines, in relation particularly to the then new company of Republican Blues and the older military corps of Savannah Volunteer Guards which appeared in the Republican and Savannah Evening Ledger of Tuesday, June 1.6, 1812:
"Colonel Cuthbert, aid-de-camp to Governor [David B.] Mitchell, and commander of the Corps of Republican Blues of this city, arrived here last week in gun-boat No. 168, for the purpose of procuring one hundred men to proceed to East Florida.
"A call was made on the patriotism of the young men of this place, which was so promptly attended that the number of volunteers soon exceeded that required. The Republican Blues and Savannah Volun teer Guards were accepted for the service, and were shortly after en camped on the South-Common, where they remained until Friday fore noon, when they struck their tents, marched to the bluff and embarked amidst a heavy fall of rain, accompanied by the best wishes of their fellow-citizens who had assembled in crowds on the shore for the purpose of taking leave.
"They were escorted to the place of embarkation by the Chatham

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

277

Artillery and Chatham Rangers, who fired salutes on the occasion, which were returned by the gun boat. They went down the river on Saturday, and, we understand, proceeded to sea on Sunday morning.
''The youths of Savannah have done honor to themselves on this occasion. More volunteers offered than were authorized to be re ceived by general orders--none were accepted but from the Blues and guards--the two other uniformed corps being deemed necessary to be left and assist in the protection of the city in case of danger.
"What is life without honor? What is dearer than the interest and admiration of one's fellow citizens?" The city council placed on record its hearty approval of the action of those two military organiza tions in these words: "Whereas one of the greatest rewards that can be conferred upon patriotic citizen soldiers is the expression of the public approbation through the medium of the constituted authority, be it therefore resolved by the mayor and aldermen of the city of Savannah that the said volunteer company of Republican Blues and detachment of the Guards have deserved well of their fellow citizens at large and particularly of this city." The resolution was offered by Alderman T. U. P. Charlton, and Aldermen Charlton, James Bond Read and Archibald Stobo Bullock composed a committee "to have inscribed and enrolled on parchment the names of the officers and privates, pre faced by these resolutions, to be framed and suspended in the city hall as a just and honorable tribute of respect conferred by this corporation upon the patriotism and valor of said volunteers."

STRENGTHENING THE FORT WAYNE WORKS
Whatever may have been the response on the part of the United States government to the request of the citizens in the matter of strengthening the works at Fort Wayne, it is certain that on the 19th of June, 1812, the city council appealed to the people in this behalf for such male slaves whose labor can be dispensed with with the under standing that the appeal was "to the patriotism of our fellow citizens" and that "the negroes furnished in the city will return to their owners to their meals, and those from the country will be furnished with pro visions and lodgings." Of the funds collected for the work one thou sand dollars given to begin the repairs was charged to the United States.
Fortunately Savannah was not a special object of spite or of ill-will on the part of the English forces, and her interests suffered little by the war. In response to the "War Message" of President Madison, sent to Congress on the 1st of June, 1812, the house, on the 4th, promptly passed a bill declaring war between Great Britain and the United States, which bill passed the senate with amendments on the 17th, the amendments were concurred in by the house on the 18th and were the same day signed by the president. The news of the declaration of war through special ef forts of the mail contractor reached Savannah on the 24th, and Maj. Gen. Thomas Pinckney of the southern division of the army, who had arrived in the city on the 22nd; with his aid Colonel Harris and had been received with honors including a salute by the Chatham Artillery and the Bangers, immediately left, having suggested plans for fortifying the

278

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

place. The work was carried on by a committee of council composed of Aldermen J. B. Read, G. V. Proctor, and T. U. P. Charlton who in serted in the Georgian this advertisement:
"Whereas Major-General Thomas Pinckney has determined to cause to be built immediately on the site of Fort Wayne such works as are deemed advisable, and adopt such other measures recommendatory of its enlargement as in his judgment may seem proper,
"And whereas the Major-General has recommended to the City Council to direct their attention to the erection of such works on the South Common agreeably to a plan pointed out and explained as of great importance to the protection of the City;
"Resolved, That the Committee of Council appointed for the purpose of superintending the works intended to be erected in this City by the corporation and the citizens of Savannah thereby adopt the General's recommendation and now call upon the citizens to contribute their aid and furnish the laborers subscribed by them, to commence the works to be erected on the South Common which will be under the direction of Captain McRae as engineer.''
Work on the fortifications was kept up for some time, and in a "Plan of the City and Harbour of Savannah in Chatham County and State of Georgia taken in 1818" by I. Stouf, on the 9th of April of that year, the "line of defense thrown up in 1814" is very distinctly shown.

FIRST REGIMENT OF GEORGIA MILITIA
A regiment, known as the First Regiment of Georgia militia, composed of the Savannah Volunteer Guards and the Republican Blues together with other Savannah companies, was organized and kept on duty at all times. The Chatham Artillery and Chatham Rangers were other companies of the city not included in the infantry, that rendered all service necessary at the time. The regiment was regularly mustered into service under command of Lieut. James Johnston, but, as there Avas no actual fighting around Savannah the enlistment lasted not more than a month.

CELEBRATING THE WARRINGTON AND PORTER NAVAL VICTORIES
Of course the good people of Savannah took their own peculiar way of rejoicing whenever news was received of a victory or of any event showing the advantage of our cause over the British. The successes of Capts. Isaac Hull and Jacob Jones as well as of Commodore Decatur were marked by the designation by council of the 1st of January, 1813, as a time for the citizens to give "expression of their gratitude to the Supreme Being for the aforesaid signal victories and the high sense they entertain of the gallant conduct of the said naval command ers their officers and crews, and also for the -general joy which these naval victories have produced upon our citizens."
In May, 1814, the Epervier, a British brig of eighteen guns, cap tured by the United States sloop of war Peacock, Capt. Lewis War-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

279

rington, was brought into port. That prize had treasure amounting to $110,000. On the occasion of her capture council took this action:
"Whereas, another victory has added to the glory, the lustre, and renown of the American Navy, the Mayor and Aldermen of the city of Savannah are anxious on this, as they- have been on other occasions of similar triumphs, to pay the tribute of respect to unparalleled skill and
valor of the heroes of the ocean. Be it therefor unanimously resolved, that the mayor and aldermen of the city of Savannah do feel sincere gratitude and respect for the distinguished conduct and noble services of Captain Warrington, the gallant officers and crew in the late victory over the British sloop of war Epervier.''
Other victories met with the same spirit of congratulation, exulta tion and thankfulness. The people were not then, nor have they ever been, slow to show their appreciation of acts of bravery and patriotism, and the events of that war--a war which singularly touched Savannah gently and produced little disastrous-effects--were as truly watched and made a part of the city's concern as though she was in the very midst of the greatest danger and suffering.
When the news of the victory of Captain Porter in the conflict of the Essex with the two British war ships Phoebe and Cherub reached Savannah, the mayor and aldermen, in council assembled, on the 22nd of July, 1814, made it a matter of so much cause for rejoicing that they let loose their feeling in the form following :
"Whereas, another great and brilliant exploit has bestowed on the skill, courage, Self Devotion and Patriotism of the hero Porter, his officers and crew, a splendour and glory never before acquired under similar circumstances and given a reputation to the American Navy which neither vaunts nor misrepresentations of the enemy can prevent carrying fear and terror to his thousand ships, and whereas this glorious achievement, united to the noble efforts of the illustrious Porter, his officers and crew, to promote the fame and the interest of their Country in their long perilous and unexampled cruise, demand not only heartful gratitude of every citizen of the Republic, but particularly of every public body and department of the Country: Be it therefore unani mously resolved by the Mayor and Aldermen of the city of Savannah that for and in behalf of themselves, and their Fellow Citizens of Savannah, they beg leave most respectfully to tender to Captain David Porter, late of the Essex Frigate, his officers and crew, this high opinion of his skill, Perseverance and Patriotism evinced throughout the long raid perilous cruise of the Essex, as well as the sincere profound and un affected gratitude with which they have been inspired by the great glorious and unexampled skill and heroism displayed by Captain Porter, the brave officers and gallant Seamen in the unequal contest of the Essex, with the British Frigate Phoebe and the Sloop of War Cherub.''

VIGOROUS PREPARATION FOR RESISTING BRITISH ATTACK
At one time it was supposed that the enemy would actually attack the city, and special efforts were made to fortify all points considered weak, so that on the 2nd of September, 1814, a special meeting of council

280

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

was held and all the citizens were urged to do all in their power to { the city, their aid being especially invoked to help in throwing up breast works. On the 14th the aldermen elected were John B. Norris, Isaac Fell, T. U. P. Charlton, James Bond Read, Robert Mackav, George Jones, J. Hersman, H. Mclntosh, Edward Harden, Alexander S. Roe, Matthew McAllister, Thomas Bourke, and William B. Bulloch. Those gentlemen were as active in their efforts to serve the people and their country as any set of men could be. The board was divided into special committees for certain work to look after. Messrs. McAllister, Read, Mackay, Hers man and Charlton were to co-operate with a committee of military offi cers. A committee called on citizens to subscribe to a fund for the city's defense, and General Pinckney was importuned to send an engineer to look after fortifications; and the mayor was authorized to borrow $10,000. Messrs, Jones, Bourke, Mackay, Harden and Read composed the com mittee on defense, holding meetings every day. Planters were requested to send their negroes to work on the fortifications, and council called for action looking to the calling out of the Georgia militia, so '' as to be effi ciently prepared to resist and probably to avert the blow of the enemy," declaring that "all considerations of economy should be banished." Aldermen Roe, Charlton, and Norris were appointed as a committee whose duty it was "to guard against the introduction of suspicious char acters into the city, and to have weekly returns from all taverns, lodging and boarding-house keepers of the numbers, names and business of such persons, and to act towards them as the law and ordinances direct, and they are required to aid in ascertaining the earliest information of the approach of the enemy by land or water and are empowered to appoint a secretary to record proceedings.
"Resolved, that the sum of five hundred dollars be and is hereby ap propriated and put at the disposal of the committee for the public good."
Even the mayor and aldermen met at the Exchange on the morning of September 29, 1814, with spades, hoes and axes, to work on the for tifications.
THE "MARTELLO TOWER"
Some time during the war the structure on Tybee island commonly known as the "Martello Tower," Avas erected by the United States gov ernment. The idea that it was an old Spanish work is entirely erroneous. If it was true, then surely some mention of it would have been made in the many accounts we have of that island during the time Oglethorpe was in Georgia and afterwards. No such edifice was named or described in any of them; and the fact of the matter is now given in order that all doubt in connection with the subject may be forever set aside. It was built sometime during the War of 1812-15 by the United States as some sort of a fortification, and Mr. Isaiah Davenport was the contractor who supervised its erection. Mr. Davenport was afterwards an alder man of Savannah in the years 1818, 1819 and 1822.

CELEBRATING THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS
On the 21st of February, 1815, on receipt of tidings of victory at New Orleans on the 8th of January and the subsequent events the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

281

thanks of the citizens of Savannah were returned to Gen. Andrew Jack son and his colleagues, Coffee and Carroll and their soldiers, the resolu tion reciting that "their late distinguished deeds have humbled our late inveterate foe and added ever blooming laurels and glory to the arms of America.'' It appears that a military parade had been given on the first receipt of the news of the battle of New Orleans which was not as enthu siastic as it should have been, and another was ordered by council under the control of the city which came up to the full expectations of all the people, though council cautioned the people against illuminating their houses '' owing to the material of which most of them are composed;'' but the Exchange was illuminated, and a band was kept there from seven o 'clock to ten in the evening, giving musical selections all the time.

PEACE DECLARED
The proclamation of the president in which the treaty of peace was ratified was made public by the mayor on the 28th of February, 1815, and a recommendation that the Exchange be again illuminated on Sun day, the 4th of March, was adopted, when the people were asked to ob serve that day "as a day for innocent recreation and amusement in con sequence of the ratification of a treaty of peace with Great Britain founded on the basis of perfect reciprocity, and honorable to this nation, resolved that the board having heretofore devoted all the means and ener gies in the prosecution of just war, now hails the return of peace and amity and commerce which it is hoped will follow this gratifying event, and declare itself equally devoted to the maintenance of peace and friend ship with the subjects of Great Britain, always having in view the sacred and patriotic duty of considering in the scope of its authority all persons 'enemies in war, in peace friends.' "
The result of the War of 1812-15 gave to the people of Savannah that satisfaction which might have been looked for in those whose greatest interests were centered in the principles involved in the questions upon which that war was waged; and it is shown in the naming of localities in the city such as Hull, Perry and McDonough streets and Orleans and Chippewa squares.

CHAPTER XXIII
DECADE OF NOTED EVENTS
VISIT OF MONROE AND CALHOUN--THE NEW INDEPENDENT CHURCH--THE GREAT FIRE OF 1820--YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC (ALSO 1820)--LOCAT ING THE BURIAL PLACE OF NATHANAEL GREENE--CITY AFFAIRS CON TINUED--DRY CULTURE CONTRACTS--WINFIELD SCOTT AND DAVID PORTER, SAVANNAH'S GUESTS--RECEPTION OF LA FAYETTE--ME MORIALS TO GENERAL GREENE AND COUNT PULASKI--MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1821-24--CANAL PROJECT INAUGURATED--FORT PULASKI COMMENCED.
Savannah was visited in 1791 by Washington, the first president of the United States, and, in 1802, by the then vice president, Aaron Burr.
VISIT OF MONROE AND CALHOUN
The fifth president, James Monroe, together with Secretary of War John C. Calhoun, General Gaines and staff, Mr. Gouverneur, Lieutenant Monroe and the president's secretary, entered the city on Saturday, the 8th of May, 1819, at six o'clock in the evening. Anticipating the visit, the city council, as early as the 18th of March, appointed a committee composed of Aldermen T. U. P. Charlton, Charles Harris and John H. Ash to take measures for the reception and entertainment of the hon ored guest. By action of these gentlemen the military and social organ izations promised their assistance, and council was requested "to attend with its officers on the President the day after his arrival and congratu late him in his visit to the city and express such other sentiments of gratitude and joy as the occasion and the comforts and simplicity of Republicans should warrant to the eminent patriot and virtuous cit izen they propose to felicitate on his arrival, and that the address on such occasion be passed and voted in council and delivered by the mayor who is to adopt the same." The mayor at that time was James M. Wayne who resigned on the 12th of July following and was succeeded by T. U. P. Charlton. The report of the committee showed that "William Scarbor ough, Esq., had politely offered his new and elegant house at the west end of the town for the reception and residence of the President and which your committee have accepted with thanks." To meet the ex penses of the reception the sum of five thousand dollars was appropri ated, and an additional sum of five hundred dollars was set apart to pro vide for a ball and supper.
282

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

283

The Georgian, of May 9th, said: "He was rowed from the Carolina shore in twenty minutes, and when he reached the Georgia waters was saluted with 21 guns from the Revenue Cutter Dallas, which was re peated when the barge reached the wharf, the Chatham Light Artillery, at the same time, opening a Federal salute on the bluff. He was received at the wharf by the Mayor and Receiving Committee of Aldermen who conducted him up the bank. Nearly the whole population of Savannah thronged the bank, and every voice and every heart welcomed him to Georgia. The military, consisting of the Georgia Hussars, the Chatham Light Artillery, the Republican Blues, the Fencibles, and the Savannah Volunteer Guards, were drawn out on a verdant plain, parallel with the river, and exhibited an appearance to the President which must have excited his admiration. Colonel Marshall, with his staff officers, occu pied their proper stations in front of this splendid line, elegantly mounted and caparisoned. It is not uninteresting to state that the company of Light Artillery is the same that received General Washington on his visit to tl'is city in 1791, and that the two brass pieces with which it saluted President Monroe were presented to it by the father of our country, as a compliment for the merits which it displayed on that occasion. The President having reviewed, on foot, with great attention, their whole front, mounted a horse, which he preferred to a superb barouche which was also in waiting for his accommodation, and rode to the new and elegant home of Mr. Scarborough, escorted by the Mayor, the different committees and the military companies. On his way to his lodgings, down Broughton street, the President was preceded by half the Hussars and followed by the other half with all the military companies, and we do not hesitate to declare that with regard to precision of movement and elegance of appearance they have never been surpassed in the United States. Those companies were soon displayed in front of his horse and fired feux de joie, by platoons, companies, and divisions. The President attended Divine Service at the new Presbyterian Church,* and witnessed the dedication of that magnificent building by the Rev. Dr. Kollock.''
Continuing, the Savannah papers recorded the fact tiiat "On Monday the citizens in a body marched in procession to the President's lodgings preceded by the municipal officers, accompanied by the officers of the army and navy, and the military companies, and at 2 p. m. James M. Wayne, the Mayor, delivered to him a congratulatory address, to which the President made a respectful reply.''
The address of the mayor is too long to be copied here in full, but it began with these happy expressions: ' l The corporation and citizens of Savannah present to you their assurance of the respect which they have for your public services and their sincere regard and admiration of those virtues and attainments which have placed you among the best and most eminent of our countrymen. In the present state of our country, to have attained the exalted station which you now hold is to the world, and it will be to posterity, a sufficient proof of your fitness for it however much experience may show the elevation of persons and officers to be but an equivocal testimonial of worth and merit." And in conclusion he said: "May you long live, sir, to enjoy this happiness, and we sincerely
* The Independent Presbyterian Church.

284

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

hope that the termination of your political career may be as gratifying to yourself as your life and administration have been hitherto beneficial to your country.''
The president's reply was all that could have been wished for, and ended in these words: " I beg you to accept my best thanks for your kind reception, and best wishes for the prosperity and welfare of the town and citizens of Savannah."
The citizens gave him a public dinner on the llth, and his whole time was taken up during the days of his visit with partaking of the hospitality of the officers and people and in lending his presence to social functions and the enjoyment of pleasure trips. During his stay he witnessed the dedication of the new building of the Independent Presbyterians, and it so happened that at that very time the new steamer Savannah, the first steamship to cross the ocean, was at the wharf preparing for the yoyage which made her famous.
Columbian Museum and Savannah Daily Gazette of Thursday, May 13th, copied an editorial which appeared in the Republican of the even ing before, describing the public dinner, beginning with an account of the president's visit to the ship and trip in her to Tybee, in these words: " Yesterday the President with the gentlemen who accompany him, the Secretary of War, General Gaines, Colonel Clinch, General Floyd and staff, General John Mclntosh, General D. B. Mitchell, General Huger, of South Carolina, the Rev. Dr. Kollock, Judge Berrien, Col. Marshall and staff, the committee of reception, Judge Charlton, Charles Harris, Esq., and Dr. Waring, and a number of our most reputable citizens, both civil and military, went down to Tybee in the elegant steamship Savannah. The wind being from the northwest the sails were but partly used against the floodtide; but the wheels were the essential powers that forced her way through the water--and with the utmost majesty she proceeded down the river, until she came opposite the light-house-- when she cast anchor for a few minutes to enable our distinguished guest to take a more certain view of our harbor, the different bearings and dis tances of either the impediments to the navigation which might be dis tinguished by beacons, or ports which might be made capable of defence.
'' The anchor was then weighed and she proceeded up the river, accom panied by the steamboat Altamaha, and two barges manned by a picked crew and steered by two experienced masters of vessels. On going by the Patriot brig La Fortuna, lying near Long Island, the American colors were hoisted at her foremast, and those with the national flag of the brig were lowered as the steamship passed--a salute was then fired from her and three loud cheers acknowledged the respectful esteem of foreigners to our beloved chief magistrate. The tide having fallen too low for the ship to come farther up, the whole party went on board the steamboat and partook of a collation prepared for the occasion.
"We are happy to learn that Mr. Monroe was very much pleased with the attention paid him on the pleasant excursion.
'' On the steam-boat's passing the revenue cutter Dallas commanded by Captain Jackson, lying opposite the town, handsomely dressed with colors, a salute of 21 guns was fired from her. The boat proceeded to the steam-boat wharf, when Mr. Monroe landed amidst a large concourse

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

285

of our population whose loud acclamations evinced their respect and admiration for talents and virtue.''
From the 5th to the 8th of May (the day of the president's arrival) this advertisement was running in the columns of the Museum and Gazette: " Passage for New York. The steamship SAVANNAH, Capt. Rodgers, will make one trip to New York, previous to her departure for Liverpool, should a sufficient number of passengers offer, and will be ready to proceed in course of this week or commencement of the next. Apply on board at Taylor's wharf, or to Scarborough & McKinne.
It was at Mr. Scarborough's house the president was being enter tained, and that house was on West Broad street, then one of the most imposing private houses in the city. It is now the West Broad Street
Colored School. The steamship Savannah sailed from this port on the 20th of the same
month on her famous trip across the Atlantic. On the Tuesday of his stay in Savannah, Mr. Monroe partook of a
public dinner under a large booth at the east end of the bay, under the trees. This account is copied from the Savannah Republican and Even
ing Ledger: "The booth was ornamented with wreaths and branches of laurels.
At the head of the table was an arch composed of laurels beautifully dec orated with roses, so disposed as to form the name of James Monroe. The company having dined the following toasts were announced from the chair accompanied with appropriate music from the stand. During the giving of toasts, the Dallas fired salutes, her commander having obligingly tendered his services for the occasion. On the president re tiring from the table a grand national salute was opened which made the welkin ring. The regular toasts were:
"1. Our Country. In her infancy she is nighly in the first class of nations, what will be the meridian of her life ?
"2. The Federal Union. May the head be accursed that shall in sidiously plot its dissolution, the arm withered that shall aim a blow at its existence.
a 3. The Constitution of the United States, framed by the wisdom of sages, may our statesmen and our posterity regard it as the national ark of political safety never to be abandoned.
"4. The military, naval, legislative, and diplomatic worthies of the Revolution. It is our duty and delight to honor them and to tell their deeds with filial piety.
"5. General George Washington, revered be his memory! Let our statesmen and our warriors obey his precepts, our youth emulate his vir tues and services, and our country is safe.
"6. The cession of the Floridas--Honorable to the adminis tration and useful to the United States, it completes the form of the Republic.
"7. Major General Andrew Jackson--The hero of New Orleans, the brave defender of his country and vindicator of its injured honor.
U 8. Adams, Jefferson and Madison--They have withdrawn from public duty, and illustrious by their virtues, and services carry with them a nation's gratitude.

286

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

'' 9. The Navy. Imperishable fame accompanies the Star Spangled Banner. In the last war we coped with Britain on the ocean; now we hear of no search, no impressment.
"10. The Army. Our pillar of protection on the land; their valor and patriotism won the victories of York and of Erie, of Chippewa, and of Niagara.
"11. The Militia--Yet the bulwark of our country. Invincibles fell before them in the battle of Baltimore, and of Plattsburg, of the Thames and of New Orleans.
"12. Concord between the North and the South, the East and the West. May unanimity till the end of time, falsify the timid fears of those who predict dissolution.
"13. The American Fair--May they always be mothers to a race of patriots.
"The following informal toasts were proposed:
"By president of the United States.--The people of the United States. They constitute but one family, and may the bond which unites them together as brethren and freemen be eternal.
"By John C. Calhoun, secretary of war--The freedom of the press, and the responsibility of public agents. The sure foundation of the noble fabric of American liberty.
1 "By Major-General Gaines--The memory of Jackson, Tattnall, and ' Telfair. The choice, the pride, and ornament of Georgia.
"By Mr. Middleton--The memory of General Greene, who con quered for liberty.
"By Major-General Floyd--Our Country--May its prosperity be as lasting, as its government is free.
"After the president and secretary of war had retired the follow ing toasts were proposed:
"By the mayor--The President of the United States. "By William Bulloch, Esq., vice-president--Mr. Calhoun, secre tary of war. The distinguished statesman, the virtuous citizen. "By General John Mclntosh--Peace with all the world as long as they respect our rights--disgrace and defeat to the power who would invade them. "By Colonel James E. Houstoun--The memory of General Lachlan Mclntosh. "By General Mitchell--The late war--a practical illustration of the energy of our republic. "After the mayor retired--James M. Wayne, Mayor of City. By Colonel Marshall--The governor of the State of Georgia, a virtuous man and zealous chief magistrate. "After the vice-president retired--William B. Bulloch, Our re
spected citizen. "By Colonel Harden--The assistant vice-presidents of the day,
Charles Harris, Matthew MeAllister and John Eppinger, Esqs. "By John H. Ash--Colonel James Marshall, a skillful officer, and
the friend of his country. '' By Major Gray--We are a free and happy people, and while enjoy-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

287

ing every blessing let us not forget the great Author from whom all good emanates.
; 'By Isaiah Davenport--The union of our country. May the last trump alone dissolve it."
THE NEW INDEPENDENT CHURCH
In the grant of George the second to the trustees of the Independent church, in 1756, it was stipulated that the grant was made "upon condition nevertheless that in case such meeting house shall not be erected and built within three years * * * that then the said lot [letter K Decker Ward] hereby granted shall revert to us, our heirs and successors." A meeting house was erected within the time stated, and in it the congregation worshiped until that building was destroyed by the great fire of 1796, when for a while they by permission (in the failure to procure a pastor) of the Baptists their house of worship was used. In 1800 a new church was finished on lot Q, in St. James square (now Telfair Place) between York and President streets. That church was of wood, and in the storm of 1804 its ste'eple was blown down. In 1816 a committee was appointed to select another building site, and they succeeded in securing the five lots on the south side of South Broad street (now Oglethorpe avenue) between Bull and Whitaker, and on the 13th of January, 1817, the corner stone was laid of the new building which was designed by Architect John H. Green, of New York. It was finished in 1819, at a cost of $96,108.67y2, and was dedicated by its pastor the Rev. Henry Kollock, D. D., on Sunday, May 9th, be fore it was actually finished, President James Monroe being present.
The Columbian Museum and Savannah Daily Gazette of the day following, Monday, the 10th, had this to say of the services: "Yester day the new Independent Presbyterian Church which has been build ing in this city and now nearly finished, was solemnly dedicated to the service of Almighty God. An able and impressive discourse was deliv ered from the second chapter of Haggai, and ninth verse. For grandeur of design and neatness of execution we presume this Church is not surpassed by any in the United States. It is seldom that we discover a scene more affecting and impressive than this solemn ceremony afforded; and in this city we never witnessed such an immense con gregation, so large a portion of which was formed by female beauty; also the President of the United States and suite, and other dis tinguished personages belonging to the Army and Navy of the United States, who listened with pious attention to the learned, appropriate and eloquent discourse of the reverend Pastor. In no other than the house of God, in the midst of so imposing a scene, we could, and with emphasis echo the words of the reverend preacher, Dr. Henry Kollock, ' The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, saith the Lord of hosts, and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.' The psalms and hymns interspersed through the service were particularly well adapted to the solemnity of the occasion, and the per formance of the vocal music tended to elevate the soul to sublime and heavenly musings. The respectful attention and the fervency of the responses all combined to induce the belief that the heart accompanied the lips in supplication to the throne of Divine Grace."

288

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

THE GREAT FIRE OF 1820
From a scene of rejoicing, embracing the visit of a president, the dedication of a magnificent church building and a description of what was then considered a floating palace which made a glorious record for itself and the city whose name it bore, we must pass to one of a sad nature. The next important incident in the history of the city, closely following that just given was the very disastrous fire of 1820.
The Georgian of Monday, January 17, 1820, gave a description of the great conflagration and it is herein copied as the only means of giving the reader the best account obtainable: "The city of Savannah after a lapse of twenty-four years, has again experienced the horror of a conflagration far surpassing in violence and destruction the mel ancholy fire of 1796. Numbers were at the time reduced to extreme dis tress, yet the buildings consumed were generally of so little value com pared with those we have just lost, and the property they contained was so inferior in every respect to that with which our warehouses were filled, that it was generally considered beneficial, by making room for other buildings better adapted to the growing commerce of the place. But the Genius of desolation could not have chosen at this day a spot within the limits of our ill-fated city where so wide a scene of misery, ruin and despair might be laid as that which was recently the center of wealth and industry but is now a heap of worthless ruins. It is with the most painful reluctance that we are obliged to recur to the horrors of a scene the recollection of which can never be effaced from the minds of those who witnessed it, and whose effects continue to present themselves at every turn, and in every variety of distress.
"On Tuesday morning last, between the hours of one and two, the usual signals communicated an alarm of fire. It commenced in the liv ery stable of Mr. Boon, on a trust lot of the estate of Isaac Fell, Esq., situated in the Baptist church square * and in the immediate vicinity of Market square, around which for a considerable distance in every direction the buildings were almost exclusively of wood, and in the most combustible state. The fire had gained a great height before the citi zens and fire companies could assemble or organize any efficient plan of action; and even when the most strenuous exertions were made, the flames advanced with a widening and appalling violence that seemed to deride resistance. Burning cinders were carried by the wind which was strong and steady at W. N. W. to the remotest parts of the town, where the roofs of houses were repeatedly on fire. When we consider the mass of wooden buildings which had been exposed for years to the influence of the sun, and the almost total absence of rain for several months past, it is surprising that the progress of the devouring element should have been arrested at all before it had swept every house in the direction of the wind. When the fire reached Market Square two heavy explosions of gunpowder occurred from the vaults of stores where that article was kept in large quantities, in violation of the ordinance of council and the common feeling of humanity. * * * From Jefferson

* Now Franklin square, and the Baptist church lot was where the First African Baptist clmreh now stands.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

289

street, where the fire began, to Abercorn street, where it was stopped, there are included four streets bearing nearly N. or S., but it is to be observed that the building lots being of an oblong form there was a larger number of tenements between these latter streets than between those running N. and S. The ground included * * * describes a complete parallelogram with its longest sides on Bay and Broughton
streets, and on a line drawn from Bay street nearly through the centre of this figure stands the Exchange, the Seat of Commercial business. Within its limits also was comprehended the market, where the quan tity of retail stores gave an extravagant value to every inch, of ground. Excepting a few solitary buildings at the extreme corners of this figure above described, (among which we are happy to say are the Episcopal church, the State and Planters' Bank and Washington Hall) all that contained was burned down to the ground.*

"Ninety-four lots were left naked, containing 321 wooden buildings, (many of them double tenements) 35 brick ditto exclusive of those owned by the Presbyterian church, and by Messrs. Gibbons, Shad, Morrison, Johnston and Hunter, which comprised 30 tenements--making altogether 463 tenements exclusive of out-buildings!
"The total loss of property is variously estimated, but the prevail ing opinion calculates it to be upwards of Four Millions of Dollars!
"'The fire was extinguished between twelve and one o'clock A. M., and, if possible, the scene became still more painfully interesting. Wherever an open space promised security from the flames, property of every description had been deposited in vast heaps. Some were gazing in silent despair 011 the scenes of destruction, others were busily and sorrowfully employed in collecting what little was spared to them. Alas! never did the sun set on a gloomier day for Savannah, or on so many aching hearts. Those whose avocations called them forth that night will long remember its sad and solemn stillness, interrupted only by the sullen sounds of falling ruins. During the excitement, while the heart of the city was wrapt in flames, each one was too busy for reflec tion, but when the danger was past, and the unfortunate sufferers had leisure to contemplate the extent of their losses, a generous mind may conceive, but it is impossible to describe, their feelings of despair."

YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC (ALSO 1820)
The year 1820 was one of great disaster to Savannah. The fire of the early part of the year was followed in the summer by a terrible epidemic of yellow fever, the most serious, perhaps, that had occurred since the founding of the city. That disease must have appeared before that date, in a milder form, or, at least, with less pronounced results. There are traditions of such epidemics in the earlier part of that cen-

* The State Bank (Bank of the State of Georgia), stood where the Citizens and Southern Bank now stands, the Planters' Bank faced Eeynolds Square, bounded by Abercorn, Bryan, St. Julian and Drayton Streets, and Washington Hall was on the lot in which the Commercial Bank now stands, and just to the east of that bank, on Bryan Street,
Vol. 1-19

290

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

tury, and it has been said that the year 1804 was marked by the num ber of deaths from fever, supposed to have been of that fearful type.
The first record we have in connection with that disease is set down
in the journal of William Stephens, secretary to the trustees of the colony whose remarks applied especially to Charleston, South Carolina .but whose words indicate that at the date of writing certain deaths were caused by yellow fever. On the 23d of October, 1740, he said"This Fall of the Leaf produced a sickly season with us of various kinds. Fluxes, dry Gripes, lingering Fevers, &c., that within two months past has carried off seven or eight People, which is more than died in one whole year before: And from Charles Town we hear of a dangerous distemper there which they call the yellow Fever, from the corpse immediately so changing after death; and it is observed to have proved most fatal to new comers, whereof many have been taken offsuch as we have lately lost have been weakly People, and children for the most part."
The year 1819 was one of considerable sickness in Savannah, and the newspapers mentioned the cause of death in many instances as the " prevailing fever." While it was not stated that there were cases of yellow fever in the city, it is probable that the disease so-called was such, as the same papers noted the fact that yellow-fever was epidemic in Charleston. Whatever may have been the nature of the fever of 1819 in Savannah, it is certain that it was looked upon as alarming in its effects, and efforts were made to prevent its spread. At that period the ordinances of the city were strict in the matter of forbidding exca vations, or turning up the soil in the summer season.
About that time steps were taken looking to the erection of monu ments in memory of Gen. Nathanael Greene and Count Casimir Pulaski, and it was with that object in view that the suggestion was made that the remains of the former be found so as to place them beneath such memorial. It then probably never occurred to any one that there was a doubt as to the statement that the body of the latter had been buried at sea. In order to assist in the recovery of the bones of Gen eral Greene, the city council, at a meeting held July 26, 1819, adopted
this minute:

LOCATING THE BURIAL PLACE OF NATHANAEL GREENE
"The frequent inquiries made by citizens and strangers 'Where lie the remains of the gallant General Greene who died and was buried in your city?' and the acknowledged want of information on the sub ject imply a neglect highly reproachful to the known patriotism and feelings of the inhabitants; and whereas it would be desirable, and, in fact, almost our duty, to satisfy public curiosity in this instance, and thereby give an opportunity to the people of this State, among whom the General lived and died, to testify a share of their gratitude for the noble and important services rendered in the Revolution by this great and eminent soldier and patriot, and tho' this be done late it is yet^but a common respect to his memory for this body to claim his precious remains and remove them from the vault where they are now sup

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

291

to be deposited and mingling with those in no wise akin to him, and have them interred under the order, sanction and special protection of this Board so as to enable the Legislature, or the public, hereafter to erect some monument worthy the memory of this great and good
"'Resolved, That the Mayor and Aldermen [Charles] Harris and [John H.] Ash be a committee to ascertain by all means in their power the vault where the remains of General Greene have been deposited, and, on identifying the same, to have such remains placed in a neat mahogany coffin, and thereupon report to council for their further pro ceedings on this interesting subject." A further resolution required that the action of council be "communicated to the representatives of the deceased who may now be in the State, and also to the proprietors of the vault to be opened, to obtain leave for the committee to carry this resolution into effect." Provision was made to have the expenses of the search paid by the city.
As already stated Savannah was a place of considerable sickness in 1819, and the sanitary regulations at that time were very rigid. It was the general impression that General Greene's remains were in the vault owned by the family of John Graham whose confiscated estate had been given to that officer. In addition to the unfit condition of the city at what was then regarded as a most sickly season, there had been a burial in the Graham vault during that same year of Mr. Philip Young, a relative of the Mossman family who were connected with the Grahams. For those reasons it is doubtful whether a search was made in that vault, and the committee appointed made no conclusive report which caused the city council to appoint another committee the follow ing year (1820) with Alderman Ash still a member. The year 1820 was the year of the great yellow fever epidemic, and it is improbable that the committee made an investigation, as it never filed a report; and thus the matter stood for many years. This subject will be further considered, and the story of the finding of General Greene's remains will be told in its proper place. It was introduced here only in connection with the yellow fever incident which will now be resumed.
Before entering upon a detailed account of that disastrous plague, the following extract from the report of Dr. William R. Waring, one of Savannah's most illustrious physicians and at that time an alderman, may be deemed peculiarly interesting as an attempt at accounting for the epidemic at this time when the whole world has come to the belief that yellow fever is spread entirely by one particular species of the mosquito. The report was made in 1821, the year following the epi demic. He wrote: "To sum up then all which I have suggested, it appears that the causes of the fever of 1820 have been: 1st. A gen eral epidemic condition of the atmosphere, of extraordinary virulence, either proved to exist, or produced, by an uncommon deficiency of the electric fluid; 2d. The early establishment of that condition of the atmosphere, by the reduction of the winter of 1819-20, to the tempera ture of spring, and the reduction of spring to the heat of summer; thus bringing upon us in the spring the usual evils of summer; in the summer a combination of these evils, with the usual evils of that season, and,

292

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

in the fall, an agitation of the evils which are usually incident to it, with this extraordinary combination of those which preceded them; 3d. The prevalence of easterly winds which has been predominant, and uncommonly injurious, in consequence of the general abundance of moisture and miasmata; 4th. The growth of the city within a few years, and the rapid increase of its population, thus producing a source of internal putridity, and incorporating it with the soil; 5th. The unnecessary luxuriance of the trees, by the shade and protection which they afford to dews and fogs, and moisture of the atmosphere after rain; 6th. The great number of small wooden houses unpainted, and in a complete state of putrescence; 7th. Uncovered vaults and cellars, the consequence of the fire; 8th. The remarkable number of foreigners and persons unaccustomed to the climate, producing not an aggravation of the cause of the disease, but of its general grade and character; 9th. The high position of the city, on the border of extensive marsh grounds, thus attracting and concentrating upon itself their products of un wholesome vapor and miasmata. All these causes together give a com pound origin to the disease which is internal and external.''
The statistics giving the number of deaths prepared in the form here presented will show at a glance the effect of the disease during what were then called "the sickly months:"
Total for July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec, whole year Males ........ 49 82 169 166 45 23 605 Females ..... 4 36 63 54 14 5 191

53 118 232 220 59 28 796

Georgians .... 5 25 45 38 13 11 161

Southerners ..3 8 14 52 2

44

Northerners.. 19 38 62 71 13 6 228

Foreigners ... 25 41 91 93 28 8 320

Of fever...... 38 106 106 187 43 10 516

Greatest number of deaths, in September, 232.

Least number of deaths, in March, 8.

This fact should be borne in mind in contemplating the effect of the

yellow fever on the population. At that time the census showed the total

number of residents to be 7,523; but on the appearance of the disease

many fled from the city, and while it was at its height the population

was thereby so materially reduced that it numbered only 1,494. A vessel

arrived in the harbor from the West Indies on the fifth of September

with yellow fever among her crew, and only a few days thereafter cases

were reported among the citizens.

It took some time for the city to recover from the effects of the fever

and the fire, and there is not much of importance to record in her history

for several years from that time.

CITY AFFAIRS CONTINUED
Resuming our account of the managers of the city affairs, left off in 1804 with the election of John Y. Noel as mayor, we now record the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

293

fact that he was re-elected in 1805 and 1806, and that in the former of those years the only associates of his who had been members of the board in 1804, were Adam Cope and Win. Davies, the other aldermen in 1805 being James Marshall, John H. Morel, Balthasar Shatter, James Hunter, Samuel Howard and John Love. In 1806, besides Mayor Noel the city fathers were John Pettibone, John Gumming, Fingal T. Flym-
ing, Oliver Sturges, John P. Williamson, .Benjamin Ansley, Samuel Stackhouse, Edmond Harden, Win,. Davies, Thomas W. Rodman and Christian Gugel. Alderman Win. Davies succeeded Noel in 1807 as mayor, and he had with him on his aldermanic board his former col leagues, B. Shaffer, E. Harden, J. P. Williamson, B. Ansley and J. H. Morel, the new members being John Y. White, John Tebeau, Edward Stebbins, Thos. Rice, and Thos. Bourke. After five years experience as an alderman, John P. Williamson stepped into the mayoralty in 1808. supported by aldermen E. Stebbins, Jeremiah Cuyler, Thos. Mendenhall, Thos. Rice, John Grimes, John Pettibone, Norman McLeod, Jas. Bond Read and Asa Hoxey. Mr. Williamson retired altogether in 1809. when Win. Bellinger Bulloch took the chair at the head of the city council, having the support of aldermen Shaffer. McLeod, Cope, J. B. Read, Grimes, Gardner Tuffts, George Myers, Jas. Eppinger, R. J. Houstoun and Win. A. Moore. Mr. Bulloch served again as mayor in 1810, and Messrs. Isaac Fell, Geo. Harral, Thos. Mendenhall, Win. Davies, Isaac Minis, G. V. Proctor, G. R. Duke, Thos. Bourke, N. G. Rutherford, Thos. Rice, John Y. White and Steele White composed the aldermanic board. Mr. Mendenhall 7s experience as a city father in 1808 and 1810, made him so popular that in 1811 he was called to act at the head of the board and he has as able co-workers Messrs. T. Bourke, J. B. Read, T. U. P. Charlton, G. V. Proctor, J. Y. White, A. Pemberton, Jno. Pettibone, M. W. Hughes and I. Minis. The year 1812 brought Dr. George Jones to the mayoralty, and he had in the adminis tration of the city's affairs the valuable assistance of such experienced aldermen as J. B. Read, G. R. Duke, Chas. Harris, M. W. Hughes, T. U. P. Charlton, Archibald Stobo Bulloch, Isaac Minis, G. V. Proctor, Matthew McAllister and Frederick S. Fell; and in the following year (1813), Dr. Jones served again at the head of the board, with Thos. Decheneaux, Isaac Fell, E. Harden, J. B. Norris and J. Hersman, newly elected, and Messrs. Harris, Hughes, Minis, Proctor and Mc Allister retired. Mr. McAllister was mayor in 1814, with an aidermanic board composed of J. B. Norris, T. U. P. Charlton, J. Hersmau, Hampden Mclntosh, I. Fell, E. Harden, J. B. Read, A. S. Roe, Robt. Mackay, Geo. Jones, Thos. Bourke and William B. Bulloch. After four successive terms as alderman the Hon. T. U. P. Charlton was chosen mayor in 1815, and he had a board of aldermen in which we find these names: Charles Harris, Isaac Fell, Jacob Hersman, Wm. Davies, Geo. V. Proctor, J. B. Norris, Geo. L. Cope, John II. Ash, Samuel Russell, Hampden Mclntosh, Edward Harden, Robert Mackay. Judge Charlton was mayor again in 1816, with aldermen G. R, Duke, H. Mclntosh, Levi S/D'Lyon, Jacob P. Henry, Geo. L. Cope, Gardner Tuffts, Steele White, Chas. Harris, Thos. N. Morel, Geo. V. Proctor, and Isaac Fell. The year 1817 saw the Hon. James Moore

294

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Wayne placed at the head of city council, with an aldermanic board composed of James Johnston, Wm. Davies, Hazen Kimball, John Tan ner, James Mork, James S. Bulloch, Geo. L. Cope, Frederick Densler, Paul P. Thomasson, Wm. R. Waring and Geo. W. Owens, Judge Wayne was re-elected in 1818, and the aldermen serving with him that year were Adam Cope, Moses Herbert, Ebenezer S. Rees, Isaiah Daven port, John H. Ash, P. P. Thomasson, Thos. Bourke, Geo. L. Cope, Wm.
R. Waring, T. U. P. Charlton, Steele White, Mordecai Sheftall, senior, and Chas. Harris. The Hon. T. U. P. Charlton again sat at the head of the council table in 1819, sharing the responsibility of conducting the municipal affairs with aldermen Chas. Harris, Moses Herbert, Thos. Bourke, Isaiah Davenport, Geo. L. Cope, Jas. Morrison, W. R. Waring, E. S. Rees, M. Sheftall, senior, Steele White, J. P. Henry, John Kelly and L. S. D'Lyon. Again in 1820 Thos. U. P. Charlton was Savannah's mayor, and he had all his old associates with him except Isaiah Daven port, E. S. Rees, Mordecai Sheftall, Sr., and John Kelly, whose places were taken by Messrs. Thos. E. Lloyd, Thos. N. Morel, Moses Sheftall and Michael Brown.
From the time that the charter was granted until 1823 the mayor of Savannah served without compensation. In 1821 it was deemed proper to make a change in this matter, and a committee of aldermen was charged with the duty of preparing an ordinance to fix the salary of that office; but a report was made that an act of the legislature of February 10, 1787, stood in the way, and it became necesslary to have a special act passed to authorize the payment. The new act was passed, but even after the adoption of an ordinance granting the salary the amount of the same was not fixed until December 26, 1822, by which the mayor received compensation to the extent of $1,000 in the year 1823.

DRY CULTURE CONTRACTS
For many years it had been believed that the planting of rice oppo site and to the east and west of the city, involving the cultivation of the grain by the wet culture process, was considered very detrimental to the health of the city, and in 1817, on the 24th of March, an ordi nance providing for what were known as the "dry culture contracts," was adopted. It was entitled "An ordinance to improve the health of the City of Savannah, and for other purposes," and is as follows:
"Whereas, any plan calculated to improve the health of this city will greatly add to its population, and increase its prosperity in every re spect ; and whereas the citizens in town meeting assembled on the eight eenth day of the present month did adopt certain resolutions annexed to a report of the committee previously appointed, which report and resolutions recommend a change of culture of the low lands contiguous to this city as essential to the health of the inhabitants, and to effect that object also recommend that contracts be entered with the proprietors of said low lands for a perpetual change of the wet to the dry culture, that the city do authorize and direct the proper officer of the corporation to sign and execute said contracts; that a sum to be raised by loan on the faith of the city property which the said contracts may require; that a

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

295

certain portion of the resources of the city may be set apart and appro priated for the punctual payment of the interest and gradual extin guishment of the sum obtained; and that a board of commissioners be organized, of which the Mayor shall be a member ex-officio, to direct" the application of said loan, and to be invested with all necessary powers in relation to the health of the city upon the aforesaid plan of a change of
culture; "And whereas it does appear to council that the measures recom
mended in said report will have the effect of so ameliorating the health of this city as to check, if not to prevent, the ravages heretofore produced by autumnal fevers, and to render it a safe and healthy residence which,

GLYNN COUNTY COURT HOUSE, BRUNSWICK
from its dry, high, and advantageous situation, nature intended it should be;
"And whereas an object of more importance could not occupy the attention of Council, or justify more satisfactorily the application of the funds and resources of the city;
"The Mayor do forthwith sign and execute such contracts with the proprietors of the low lands in front and on the eastern and western extremities of this city as he, in conjunction with the commissioners hereinafter appointed, shall approve: the condition of said contents to be a perpetual change of the present wet to a dry culture, under such penalties and with such reservations as to occasional irrigations and over flowing the lands as said Mayor and Commissioners may agree to and designate.
"As soon as the said contracts shall have been entered into and duly executed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Commis sioners associated with him, each of said contracts shall be delivered to the Clerk of Council, to be by him kept among the records of the cor-

296

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

poration, after the same shall have been recorded by the Clerk of the Superior Court of Chatham County.
'' Annexed to each contract there shall be an accurate and exact sur vey of the land upon which a dry culture is to take place, designating its quality and number of acres, which shall be referred to and specified in the contract,
"The sum of seventy thousand dollars be, and is hereby appropri ated for the purpose of complying with the payments which may be mentioned and contained in said contracts, and the said sum shall be raised and obtained in the following manner . The said sum shall be con verted into stock to be called 'City Land Stock,' and payable in cer tificates or scrip, signed by the Mayor and countersigned by the City Treasurer each; certificates shall have the following form:
"HEALTH AND PROSPERITY--CITY LAND STOCK
"SAVANNAH, March 31, 1S17--The Corporation of the City of Savannah promise to pay -------------------- the sum of ---------- dollars, clue on contracts with the Mayor and Aldermen for a change of culture of low lands with seven per cent, interest, payable semi-annually, from -------- day of ----------------, the principal to be extinguished by annual instalments within ten years, pursuant to the directions and provisions of an ordinance passed the 24th day of March, 1817.
'' The said sum of seventy thousand dollars shall be divided into cer tificates of one thousand, five hundred, and one hundred dollars each, and the Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to deliver to any mem ber of said Board of Commissioners who may be appointed for that pur pose by the Board, the certificates to the full amount of stock hereby created, to be by him deposited in any bank or banks of this City, and that each member of said Board be, and he is hereby, also authorized to insert the name or names of payee or payees and the date when inter est is to commence, when a loan or loans shall become necessary.
"The faith of the City of Savannah and the public property are hereby pledged as a security for the redemption of the aforesaid stock, to be effected within ten years as by the appropriation of the annual revenue and taxes of the City hereinafter mentioned.
'' In aid of the foregoing pledge for the purpose of paying the inter est of said stock, and the gradual extinguishment of the principal, the rents of the city lots are hereby set apart and specifically appropriated.
"The annual surplus revenue of the City, together with said rents and other taxes, shall be, when collected, paid over to the said Board of Commissioners by the City Treasurer to the amount of ten thousand dollars annually, to be by them so appropriated and applied as may within the time mentioned honorably extinguish the interest and prin cipal of the debt thus contracted by the Corporation of Savannah."
The necessity for such a system as that adopted was a matter of se rious discussion for some years. In 1823 Dr. James P. Screven who had traveled in the south of Europe, made a report to council on his return, in August, on the effect of dry culture in the countries he had visited, and the committee to whom it was reported announced that "it was well calculated to set the question of the utility of a system of dry culture permanently at rest."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

297

The city having escaped the dangers of an epidemic in 1821, Septem ber 15th and December 12th were observed as days of thanksgiving by
the people. Until 1823 the appointment of a health officer to Savannah was made
by the governor of the state, but the legislature passed an act placing the appointment with the city council, and under that act Doctor Screven was elected on the 8th of January, 1824.

WlNFIELD SCOTT AND DAVID PORTER, SAVANNAH'S GUESTS
The next distinguished person to visit Savannah after President Monroe was General Winfield Scott, in the year 1822, at which time the city council appointed a committee to see to his proper entertainment and to accompany him on a tour of inspection of the defenses of the city.
In 1823 Commodore David Porter was a guest of Savannah when the mayor and three aldermen composed the committee to tender him a public dinner which he politely declined. The committee however pro posed to present his crew with fruits and fresh vegetables, which the commodore gratefully accepted.

RECEPTION OF LA FAYETTE
The tour of the country by General La Fayette in 1824-25 was one of the most important events in the history of the United States, in con nection with visits by distinguished persons and heroes, and Savannah took a part in that affair by which she not only did credit to herself but gratified the honored guest to an unusual degree. On receiving infor mation of La Fayette's intended visit to the United States council deter mined to bid for the inclusion of Savannah among the places in his itin erary, and a formal invitation was made on the 5th of August, 1824. The legislature of the state took action in the matter and it was decided that he should be the guest of Georgia whose governor at that time, George M. Troup, should represent her and her people in the way of showing him all honor and respect. The city then invited Colonel Warren, of Pendleton, South Carolina, a veteran of the Revolution who lost a leg during the siege of Savannah, to be her special guest; but illness pre vented his attendance. The following account of this most interesting event is taken almost in its entirety from a pamphlet published shortly after La Fayette ;s visit.
The City Council, the citizens, and the military, each appointed com mittees which united in one body under the name of the La Fayette Com mittee. That committee was composed of Win. C. Daniell, Mayor; Joseph W. Jackson, Chairman; Aldermen Chas. Harris, Isaac Minis, Geo. Millen, and Win. R. Waring, from the City Council; George Jones, Ebenezer Jackson, Alexander Telfair, John Shellraan, Sheftall Sheftall, Robert Habersham and John Screven, from the citizens; and Col. James Mar shall, Major Win. Thorne Williams, Capt. James Hunter, Oapt. Chas. A. Higgins, Capt. Robt. W. Pooler, Capt. Edward F. Tattnall, and Lieut. George Sibley, from the military. The arrangements made by the com mittee were perfect in every respect, and it is doubtful whether anything more could have been done than was done to make the occasion a happy

298

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

one. La Fayette reached the city on Saturday, March 19, 1825. The pamphlet referred to says:
"At half past 5 o'clock, by a signal from the Chatham Artillery, the military were warned to repair to their several parade grounds. The line was formed at 8 o 'clock, soon after which, there being no appearance of the boat, the troops piled their arms, and were dismissed until the ar rival. At an early hour the French and American flags were hoisted on the Exchange Steeple; the Revenue Cutter Gallatin, Capt. Matthews, was also decorated with flags, and the merchant vessels were dressed in the same manner. On Bay street, on each side of the entrance to the city from under the bluff, were placed two French brass pieces, one of which, tradition informs us, was received in this country by the same vessel that brought over La Fayette; they were manned by a company of masters of vessels and others who volunteered for the occasion. The resort to the eastern part of the bluff was general at an early hour of the morning, continuing to increase during the day, and at the time of the arrival was crowded with ladies and citizens on every part which could command a view of the landing. A temporary landing was erected at the wharf, consisting of a flight of steps and a platform. During the morning many an eye was strained in the hopeless task of transforming the fog banks and mists which hung over the low lands between Savannah and Tybee into the steamboat bearing the guest of the nation. About 9 o'clock, however, the mists dispersed, the skies were cleared, and the remainder of the day was as pleasant and delightful as spring and a balmy atmosphere could make it. At this time the weather cleared up, a gentle breeze arose, blowing directly up the river, as if to add speed to the vessel which was to land him on our shores. At an early hour the Committee of Reception, deputed from the Joint Committee, together with Colonels Brailsford and Randolph, aides to his Excellency Gov ernor Troup, proceeded to Fort Jackson in three barges, decorated with flags, and rowed by seamen in blue jackets and white trousers, under the command of Capts. Nicholls, Campbell and Dubois.
"The first notice of the arrival of the welcome vessel was by a few strokes of the Exchange bell. A few minutes after, the volume of smoke which accompanied her was perceptible over the land; she was then about twelve or fifteen miles off, but rapidly approaching. The intelligence, 'the boat's in sight,' spread with electrical rapidity, and the bustle which had in some measure subsided, recommenced, and everyone repaired to the spot where his lauding was to take place. The troops were imme diately formed and marched to the lower part of Bay street, where they were placed in position on the green, in front of the avenue of trees, their right in East Bay. A more gallant and splendid military display we have never seen; the effect was beautiful; every corps exceeded its customary numbers; many who had not appeared under arms for years shouldered them on this occasion, and the usual pride of appearance and honorable emulation was increased by the occasion. Those who know the volunteer companies of Savannah will believe this to be no empty com
pliment. "As the steamboat passed Fort Jackson, she was boarded by the
Committee of Reception, and on their ascending the deck the General

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

299

was addressed by the Chairman, George Jones, Esq. An address was also delivered by Col. Brailsford in behalf of Governor Troup. To both these addresses the General made an appropriate reply, expressive of the pleasure he felt on visiting Georgia. The boat now came up in gallant style, firing by the way, and with a full band of music on board playing tlie Marseilles Hymn and other favorite French and American airs. Her appearance was imposing and beautiful, to which the splendid and glittering uniforms of the officers from South Carolina, who attended the General, greatly added. As the steamboat came up to her anchorage, a salute was fired by the Revenue Cutter Gallatin, Capt. Matthews. General La Fayette was now assisted into the first barge, accompanied by the Committee and others, the other boats being occupied by the re mainder of the suite. As the boats reached the shore the excitement in every face increased. A line was then formed from the landing place on the wharf, facing inwards, composed of the Mayor and Aldermen of the city, the clergy, the judges and officers of the District Court, the Supe rior Court, and the Court of Oyer and Terminer,* the Union Society, deputations from the Hibernian Society, with their badges and ban ners; from the St. Andrew's Society, with their badges; and from the Agricultural Society, with their badges; and citizens.
"The officers and gentlemen who accompanied the General in the steamboat from Charleston, besides the Governor of that State, were. Col. F. K. Huger, Major-General Youngblood, Gen. Geddes, Adjt.-Gen. Earle, Col. Keith, Col. Butler, Col. Chesnutt, Col Brown, Col. Clounie, Col. Fitzsimmons, Col, Taylor, Major Warley, Major Hamilton, Capt. Moses, and Messrs. Bee and McCord. Col. Huger and Major Hamilton alone accepted the invitation of the Committee to land and participated in the ceremonies of the procession; the Constitution of South Carolina having prohibited the Governor of that State from passing its limits obliged him to decline the civility of the Committee; and courtesy to the chief magistrate of their state, no doubt, was the dominant motive with the officers who accompanied him in likewise declining the invita tion to join in the review and procession.
"As the General placed his foot upon the landing place, a salute was fired by the Chatham Artillery in line on the bluff, with four brass field pieces, 4 and 6 pounders, -one of which was captured at Yorktown. He was here received by Dr. Win. C. Daniell, Major of the City. Six cheers were now given by the whole of the Citizens who were assembled on the gratifying occasion; for which the General expressed his grateful acknowledgements to those nearest him. Supported by the Mayor, and attended by the Committee of Reception, he now ascended the bluff, followed by his suite, the members of the Corporation, the Societies and Citizens. Here he was again enthusiastically cheered. On arriving at the top of the bluff on the green he was presented to Governor Troup,
;:' This Court was established by an Act of December 18, 1819, and called "Court of Common Pleas and Oyer and Terminer," which "should have cognizance in assumpsit, debt, covenant, trover and of actions on the case, when the damages or cause of actions did not exceed the sum of $200 nor less than $50." It is now the City Court of Savannah. At the time of La Fayette's visit the Hon. John C. Nicoll was judge; Robert W. Pooler, clerk; and Abraham I. U'Lyon, sheriff.

300

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

by whom, in the most feeling manner, he was welcomed to the soil of Georgia.''
The speech of welcome by Governor Troup, short as it is, is a gem in the way of an address of the sort, and well deserves a place here It follows, together with the response of the distinguished guest the Miarquis de LaFayette, which also is a noteworthy production,' and should not be omitted from this account. Governor Troup spoke thus-
"Welcome, LaFayette! '' General: 'Tis little more than ninety years since the Founder of this State first set foot upon the bank on which you stand. Now, four hundred thousand people open their arms to receive you. Thanks to a kind Providence, it called you to the standard of Liberty in the help, lessness of our early revolution--it has preserved you, that, in your latter days, the glory of a great empire might be reflected back upon "you amid the acclamations of millions. '' The scenes which are to come will be, for you, comparatively tran quil and. placid--there will be no more of dungeons--no more of frowns of tyrants. Oh, Sir, what a consolation for a man who has passed through such seas of trouble, that the million of bayonets which guard the bless ings we enjoy stand between you and them. "But, enough--welcome, General! Welcome--thrice welcome to the State of Georgia!" To this kind and hearty welcome LaFayette made this reply. "The kind invitation I first received from your Excellency, and which, on the meeting of the General Assembly, was bestowed on me by both houses in terms most gratifying, could not but confirm my eager resolution to visit the State of Georgia, This State, Sir, I had not the good fortune to serve on its own soil; but our more northern movements were not unconnected with its Safety and rescue. I have long been attached to it by my sense of its patriotism, suffering and exertions, by personal obligation, and private affections. Permit me here to express a regret at the rapidity of my happy visit through the several States. The celebration of the greatest, of all birth days at the seat of the General Government could not be omitted; and although I have been obliged to sacrifice the motives of propriety and the feelings of personal friendships which called me to witness the inauguration of the executive branch of the Union, I could not so give up the honourable part conferred upon me, on the half secular Jubilee of Bunker's Hill, at the representative, being the only surviving Major General of the Revolutionary Army. My dear Sir, I am happy to witness the improvements which, within less than a century of existence !and fifty years of independence, have attended, in this State, the blessings of Republican institutions. Accept, if you please, for yourself and the two houses of the legislature my most
affectionate and respectful thanks." After the speech of welcome and the response, the account, given in
the pamphlet from which we quote goes on: "He was then introduced to several revolutionary soldiers; among those present were General Stevens, Colonel Shellman, Ebenezer Jackson, Sheftall Sheftall and Captain Rees. The utmost animation appeared to sparkle in the eyes of the General at this time. This was particularly the case when the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

301

addressing him with a cordial grip of the hand, said: 'I remember Yi saw you in Philadelphia,' and proceeded to narrate some trifling 'V.''lents of the occasion; to which the General replied, 'Ah, 1 rememJ!1C>V and taking Captain Rees's hand between both of his, the eyes f l ,'ach glistening with pleasure, they stood for a few moments apparntlv absorbed in recollections of the days of their youth.
eQ <"' The officers of the brigade and of the regiment were then introduced. AVIiile these introductions were going on, a salute was fired along the -hole line of infantry. The General and Suite, together with the Gover\r and Suite, the Revolutionary officers, Mayor, Committee of Recep?on guests, General Harden and Suite, Col. McAllister and the Field Officers for' the adjoining counties, proceeded on foot down the- front of the line, in review. After passing the troops the General ascended the carriage prepared for his reception, and the procession moved up East Broad street to Broughton street, from there to West Broad street, down that street to Abercorn street, and through Abercorn street to
Oglethorpe Square." The procession moved in the following order: 1. F. M. Stone, marshal of the city, with staff of office.
2. Divisions of the Georgia hussars, Liberty and Melntosh troops of cavalry. Jos. Barnard, first marshal with staff.
3. General LaFayette, and Governor Troup, in a landau, drawn by four gray horses.
4. The mayor of the city, and Colonel linger, in a second carriage. 5. G. W. LaFayette, and M. LeVasseur, in a third carriage.
6. Revolutionary officers, in a fourth carriage.
7. Brigadier General, the suites of the governor and the general, J. Habersham, second marshal, with staff.
8. The committee of council, of the citizens and of the officers. 9. Aldermen.
10. The Rev. Clergy, judges, officers of the United States, consuls, officers of courts. A. Cope, third marshal, with staff.
11. E. Bourquin, fourth marshal, the Union, the Hibernian, the St. Andrew's, and the Agricultural Societies, in ranks of eight. Citizens in ranks of eight. Sam M. Bond, fifth marshal. Jos. S. Pelot, sixth marshal.
12. Divisions of the Georgia hussars, Liberty and Melntosh troops of cavalry.
13. Field officers of other regiments. 14. Officers of the army and navy.
15. Company officers of the First and other regiments. Lieuten ant-Colonel, Chatham Artillery, United States troops, Savannah Fencibles, Savannah Volunteer Guards, Georgia Volunteers, Republican Blues, Savannah Juvenile Guards, major and regimental staff.
" "When ^ the procession commenced moving a third salute was fired by the marine corps. About half past five o'clock in the afternoon the General arrived at the lodgings appropriated for him at Mrs. Max well's, the same in which Governor Troup resided. The time of his

302

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

landing was 3 o'clock; so' that the reception and procession took im about two hours and a half. The troops then filed off to the South Com mon and fired a national salute, after which they returned to the qua " ters of the General, to whom they paid the marching salute. During th" passage of the procession, the windows and doors, as well as the spaciou streets through which he passed, were crowded to excess; and the pression of enthusiastic feeling was repeatedly displayed by all, from the highest to the lowest. He was saluted by the ladies from every place affording a view of the procession, by the waving of handkerchiefswhich he returned by repeated and continual inclinations of the head' bowing in acknowledgment. At sundown, another salute was fired bv the Marine Volunteer Corps."
The house kept by Mrs. Maxwell in which LaFayette was entertained is that situated in Oglethorpe square, bounded north by State street south by President street, west by Lincoln street, with the front or east side facing Abercorn street. It passed into the possession of the Owens family, and is now owned and occupied by Mrs. M. W. Thomas, widow of Dr. J. G. Thomas and daughter of the late Mr. George Owens.
It is proper here to state that among the military companies uniting to do honor to the nation's guest were the Liberty County Independent Troop, commanded by their revered Capt. William Maxwell, and the Darien Hussars, with Capt. Charles West, their friend and guide at their head in the procession.
WThen the reception committee boarded the steamboat at Fort Jack son, their chairman, George Jones, Esq., addressed General LaFayette, and, as it was the first greeting received by the guest on Georgia soil and is itself worthy of preservation, it is now given, although somewhat out of its regular order. Mr. Jones said:
"General: This committee, the representatives of a general com mittee of the City Council and of the civil and military citizens of Savannah, offer you on behalf of themselves and their fellow citizens congratulations upon your safe arrival, and a sincere welcome to the State of Georgia. They invite you to accompany them to the spot where their ancestors, with their beloved Oglethorpe, first landed; and thus afford them an opportunity of discharging the pleasing duty assigned them of presenting you to his Excellency the Governor of the State and the civil authority of the city, who, with a grateful people, anxiously wait to receive you with a heartfelt welcome."
The reply of LaFayette to this address has not been preserved. Colonel Brailsford also addressed the General, but neither that nor the reply fittingly made to it has been recorded.
During the visit of LaFayette to Savannah the time was chosen as the most fitting occasion for the presentation to the First Eegiment of State Volunteers of a stand of colors made for it and intended as a gift to it by Mrs. Harden, the wife of Gen. Edward Harden, commander of the brigade to which the regiment was attached; and Governor Troup was selected to make the presentation speech in the presence of LaFayette, all of the military of the city and a very large number of citizens being also present. This is the speech of the governor:--
'' Colonel: I present to you, by command of Mrs. Harden, i

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

303

f colors for the First Regiment, worked by her own hands. It is a fine offering from the fair to the brave, in the presence of the veteran hero whom all hearts delight to honor. I am happy to be the instru ment of unfurling them for the first time before the Regiment. They ,re consecrated by the fair donor and the presence of the Nation's guest. The hand which executed this beautiful work has painted, in indelible colors, the emblems which will guard them. Look on this picture, or on that---this repels dishonor, that animates to patriotism and to deeds of valor. They cannot be tarnished. Death before their inglorious sur-

The references in the speech may be understood by reading the following description of the flag: '' The principal emblems were, on one side,, the arms of the State, the Constitutional arch being supported by three female figures representing 'Wisdom, Justice and Moderation;' and on the reverse, a bust of LaFayette, (in the old Continental uni form,) and which is being crowned with a laurel wreath by the American

The dinner given in honor of LaFayette was served in the council
chamber in the Exchange. It was an affair of more than usual impor tance, and a very large number attended. When we consider the part taken by the man whom our whole country then delighted to honor in the long war which brought us our independence, it is not to be wondered at that he was treated as a great hero and that no expense was spared in showing him that we loved him for what he had done. With that feeling of respect and veneration for the man, there need be no excuse for recording in detail every step taken by our citizens in the plan laid out for his entertainment, and so we give the full account of the dinner which he attended and which he evidently enjoyed to the very end.
"The dinner of the citizens, which was prepared at four o'clock, owing to the late hour at which General LaFayette arrived, was neces sarily delayed. It however took place at seven o'clock, when the com pany sat down in the Council Chamber which was prepared for the occasion with arches, branches, &c., of which we shall have occasion to speak hereafter. It comprised a profusion of substantial fare, and every delicacy of the season. The company, including the guests, were at least three hundred in number. The Mayor presided, assisted by George Jones, 1st Vice-President; Charles Harris, 2d do.; W. B. Bulloch, 3d do.; Dr. John Gumming, 4th do.; Win. Davies, 5th do.; and George Anderson, 6th do. Among the guests, besides General LaFayette, were Col. Francis K. Huger, George Washington LaFayette, Monsieur LeVasseur, and the officers from So. Carolina who accompanied the General, viz.: Major-General Youngblood, General Geddes, Cols. Keith, Butler, Chesnut, Brown, Clounie, Fitzsimmons, and Taylor, Majors Hamilton and Warley, Capt. Moses, and Messrs. Bee and M'Cord; there were also present Col. Murat, General Stewart, Capt. Rees, Col. McAllister, Capt. Maxwell, and the other officers of the Liberty and Mclntosh Cav alry, and the several clergymen of the city. In the centre window back of the seats of the Mayor and General LaFayette appeared a transpar ency, representing Gen. LaFayette, over which was a scroll inscribed 'He fought for us;' in the opposite window Washington, inscribed in

304

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

like manner, ' The Father of his Country.' The centre window, in front presented an allegorical transparency representing a monument, sur mounted by a bust of LaFayette; on one side Liberty, on the other History, presenting a tablet inscribed with the dates of the arrival in America of LaFayette, of his appointment as Major-General, of his being wounded at Brandywine, and that of the surrender at Yorktown. The following is a. copy of the toasts which were given:
"1st. The Constitution of the United States--Its level the people's rights; its power their protection; its protection their virtue.
'' 2d. Georgia--Rich in her resources, rich in the bounties of nature and rich in the spirit and enterprise of her people; we look to the wisdom of her rulers for the improvement of these advantages.
'' 3d. "Washington--A name associated with every ennobling quality of man; his fame is identified with our history, and its lustre will be reflected upon ages to come.
"4th. LaFayette--The name shall be a badge worn in the hour of peril by freemen in every quarter of the globe, when our rights are assailed by oppression.
"General LaFayette expressed his acknowledgments for the affec tionate welcome he had the happiness to receive from the citizens of Savannah, and particularly for their honourable and so very gratifying toast; after which he begged leave to offer the following sentiment:
" 'The City of Savannah--And may her young prosperity more and more show to the Old World the superiority of Republican Institutions and self government.'
"5th. The Heroes and Statesmen of '76--In life or death equally the objects of our regard and veneration.
"6th. The President of the United States--Although chosen amidst the conflict of public sentiment, the nation receives him as her chief magistrate, and is ready to support him in the spirit of the Constitution.
"7th. The Republics of Mexico and South America--We hail them as the nations of the earth, and may the voice of freemen ere long thun der from the Andes of Brazil the rights of man,
'' 8th. The Holy Alliance--The bitterness of political death to those who are no friends to 'the world or the world's Law.'
"9th. Beautiful France--Munificent Patroness of Science and the Arts, Nurse of Heroes--she shed her blood for us and we are grateful.
"10th. Win. H. Crawford--His greatness is founded upon the qualities of his mind and the virtues of his heart; Public Station has only served to illustrate it, and private life cannot detract from it.
"llth. The People--The spontaneous burst of their gratitude to one of the early champions of their country's freedom speaks a moral lesson to the nations of the world that will not be disregarded.
"12th. The Army and Navy of the U. States--Niagara, New Orleans, the Lakes and the Ocean proclaim their victories and perpetuate their glory.
'' 1.3th. Woman--The graces of her mind refine our manners, the vir tues of her heart correct our morals, and civilized man derives his strongest impulse to excellence from the hope of her approbation.
"A deputation was sent during the dinner to wait upon his Excel-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

305

lency Governor Manning, of South Carolina, on board the steamboat Henry Schultz, then at anchor in the river.
"The deputation was composed of Cols. Brailsford and Randolph, aids of his Excellency Governor Troup, bearing a complimentary mes-
e from him; and of a committee from the Citizens composed of Rich ard W. Ilabersliara, Esq., Col. E. F. Tattnall, Major W, T. Williams and Capt. R. W. Pooler.
"Governor Manning received the deputation with great politeness, expressing his regret that the Constitution of his own State should have prohibited his landing on the shores of another, and thus deprive him of the pleasure of participating in the festivities of the day.
"The President, on the return of the committee, communicated to the company the circumstances of the deputation, and gave as a toast 'The Governor of South Carolina' which was received with the warmest approbation. Upon which, Major-General Youngblood, of South Caro lina. proposed, as a volunteer toast, 'The State of Georgia.'
"The volunteer toasts were as follows: "By Gen. LaFayette--The memory of Gen. Greene. "By Gov. Troup--The Guest of the Nation, in union with the Vol unteers and Citizens of Georgia; a Father surrounded by his Children, it is ias it should be; who can say that his civil and military virtues have contributed most to the benefit of mankind. "By George Washington LaFayette--The principles of 1776--they will regenerate the whole world. "By Mon, LeVasseur--The year 1776; American youth have not degenerated from the principles of their fathers. "By Col. Francis K. Huger--The youth of the U. S. may they see and feel that the admiration, esteem and gratitude of the nation are the highest and most honourable rewards of ambition. "By Gen. Stewart--Our sister State of South Carolina, near and dear to us.
"Major James Hamilton, Jr., from South Carolina, replied to the compliment from General Stewart, and gave the following toast :
"The State of Georgia--Founded by one of the most chivalrous and enterprising spirits of the age in which he lived, she has received a kindred impulse from his character; may her prosperity be equal to the patriotism and gallantry of her sons.
"By Col. E. F. Tattnall, in reply--The memory of General. Marion; distinguished for everything chivalric, for everything patriotic, for everything Carolinian.
"By Major-General Youngblood--The memory of General Mont gomery; in the cause of Freedom and self-government our country, when in a sinking condition, made large drafts on the sons of Erin-- they were always honored.
"By Gen. Geddes--The memory of Gen. Pulaski who died in defense, of American liberty.
"By Col. Murat--Florida and General Jackson, to whom Floridians are^imlebted for being citizens of the United States.
"By the President--Col. Warren--We sincerely regret that his bad health hag deprived us of the pleasure of the company of a soldier who
a ^3 *n tempting to rescue this city from its oppressors.

306

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"By Geo. Jones, Esq., 1st Vice-President--The memory of Oglethorp e, the founder of Georgia.
"By Charles Harris, Esq., 2d Vice-President--General James Screven, who fought for liberty, and was killed by its enemies in defense of its sacred cause.
"By Win. B. Bulloch, Esq., 3d Vice-President--General James Jack son, than whom a purer and more disinterested patriot Georgia never produced.
"By Dr. Jno. Gumming, 4th Vice-President--The memory of Colonel Joseph Habersham.; the first in Georgia who raised his arm against royal power.
"By Win. Davies, Esq., 5th Vice-President--Gen. John Mclntosh a hero of the revolution.
"By George Anderson, 6th Vice-President--The memory of General Elbert.
"The General retired at this time. "By Major Williams--DeKalb, Steuben, Pulaski, and yet another and a greater--the chivalry of other lands concentrated in the cause of ours their names are hallowed by the glory of their deeds, and ten millions of freemen express their gratitude to the survivor. "By Col. Hunter--The memory of Dr. Noble Wimberly Jones; the pupil of Oglethorpe, a republican in principle, a philanthropist in prac tice. "By Capt, Wm. Law--Our Republic: Constituted for the freedom and happiness of man, its stability is founded in the intelligence of its people, and the virtues of its rulers. "By Lieut. Baker--The departed heroes of the Revolution: the stars of freedom, they have sunk to rest. "By Capt. Higgins--This tribute of respect which emanates from the purest principles of the heart--patriotism and gratitude. "By Capt. Pooler--Our Guest, LaFayette--The nobleman by birth, the republican from principles. "By Robert Campbell, (after the President had retired.) The Mayor, W. C. Daniell, who has presided with so much ability and propriety at the present interesting festival. "By R. W. Habersham--The memory of Gen. Lachlan Mclntosh. "By Lieut.-Col. D'Lyon--Andrew Jackson, the people's choice for the Presidency--though intrigue and bargaining have defeated his eleva tion, yet in their hearts he stands first among the independent republican patriots of our Country. "By Colonel Marshall--The memory of Pulaski, who fought for the liberty of his own land, and died in defense of ours. "By Gen. Harden--The Generals Pinckney--of a conterminous and
sister State--patriots without fear or reproach. "By Col. McAllister--The civic arrangements of this day may be
equalled but not excelled by our sister States. "By George B. Gumming--Cobb and Berrien--their vote on the Clay
nomination is decisive of their principles. "By Major Wayne--The officers, non-commissioned officers and pri
vates of the squadron.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

307

"By Dr. McConnell--Gen. LaFayette, and his surviving: compatriots
throughout the Union. "By Js- V- Sevan, Esq--The memory of Col. Baker--one of the st eminent partisans known to our own or to the history of any other
State; one indeed, who had the additional merit of belonging to that f untV which gave to Georgia its first determined feeling for Liberty.
"Bv (japt. John Davidson--The United States, the cradle of liberty --may"it never cease rocking the sons of freedom.
"By Capt. Stiles--The glories of Bolivar, the Washington of South

"By Mr. Gwathney--The inhabitants of LaGrange; may they be made as happy by the return of LaFayette as we have been by his visit.
"By Col. Dennis--The people's favorite, General Andrew Jackson." Monsieur A. LeYasseur, LaFayette's secretary during his journey, wrote an account of the tour, and in his book he described rather fully the proceedings in Savannah. The account is too long to be quoted as a whole. After describing the arrival in the Savannah river and the parting with the governor of South Carolina, the writer says: "Some minutes after, we were in Georgia, at the entrance of Savannah, when the General was received and addressed by Governor Troup, in the midst of an eager crowd. The triumphal bars and arches, the acclamations of the 'people, the wreaths and flowers scattered by the ladies, the sound of bells and camion, everything proved to LaFayette that though he had passed into another State, he was, nevertheless, among the same friendly and grateful people." He described the dinner, and ended the description thus: "A hymn to liberty, to the air la Harsettaise, terminated the ban quet, and we returned to our quarters by the light of an illumination which blazed over all the City.'' He thus described the city as it then appeared to him: "Savannah is the most important city of the State of Georgia. It is situated on the right bank of Savannah river, and about seventeen miles from its mouth. Its large and straight streets cross at right angles, and are planted on each side with a row of delightful trees, called the Pride of India, and for wrhich the inhabitants of the South have a marked predilection. Although elevated forty feet above the level of the river, the situation of Savannah is unhealthy; an autumn seldom passes without the yellow fever making cruel ravages. Commerce is notwithstanding very active there; its port, which can admit vessels drawing forty feet, annually: exports more than six million dollars worth of cotton. Its population is 7,523 inhabitants, divided thus: 3,557 white individuals, 582 free people of Colour, and 3,075 slaves. The number of persons employed in the manufactories nearly equals that of those occupied in commerce, which is about six hundred.''
His information, of course, was derived from answers to questions, and his informant must have been one possessed of little accurate knowl edge of the subject. To say nothing of the rest of the statement, his assertion that yellow fever was a disease which made its appearance annually almost without exception was as much exaggerated as that declaring that vessels drawing forty feet could enter the port.

308

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

MEMORIALS TO GENERAL GREENE AND COUNT PULASKI
LaFayette's visit was made the opportunity to lay the corner stones of monuments to the memory of Gen. Nathanael Greene and Count Casimir Pulaski. On this point we resume our quotations from the pamphlet already mentioned:
"It was * * * determined by the Committee that the Corner Stone of the Monument to be erected in honour of General Greene should be laid in the middle of the eastern section of Johnston's Square; and that in honour of Gen. Count Pulaski in the middle of the eastern section of Chippewa Square; and sub-committees were appointed to request the co-operation of the several Masonic bodies, and to make the necessary arrangements for the ceremonial.
"Accordingly the Masonic Brethren formed a procession at their Grand Lodge Room at 9 o'clock on Monday morning 21st March, accom panied by a band of music, and waited upon General LaFayette at his lodgings. * * * The procession then moved to the site selected for the Monument to General Greene. Upon reaching the arch opening into the Square, the military escort wheeled to the left and formed fronting the Square. The procession then halted and opened to the right and left to allow the rear to pass through it. The head of the procession on entering the enclosure wheeled to the right and passed around the circle.
' ' Here a most beautiful and interesting sight was presented. Around the interior of the enclosure the children from the various schools, up wards of five hundred in number, in nelat and appropriate costumes, were arranged with baskets of flowers with which they strewed the path of their venerable benefactor. The crowd of spectators outside of the enclosure entirely hid these innocent little creatures from view, and they burst upon the sight like the creations of enchantment, on enter ing the area. Pleasure brightened in every eye, and happiness beamed in every countenance as they received the paternal salutations of an affec tionate Guest."
The stone bore this inscription . " ' This Comer-Stone of a Monument TO THE MEMORY OF MAJ. GEN. NATHANAEL GREENE WAS LAID BY GENERAL LAFAYETTE, At the request of the Citizens of Savannah, on the 21st of March, A. D., 1825.'
"The Stone was lowered to the place prepared for it, while the band performed a solemn dirge, succeeded by Hail Columbia.
"The principal architect then presented to the Grand Master the square, plumb, and level.
"The Deputy Grand Master William Schley, who was deputed by the Grand Master to act, applied them to the Stone, and pronounced it to be 'well formed, true and trusty.'
''' The gold and silver vessels were then brought to the platform, and delivered to the "Deputy Grand Master and the two Wardens who suc cessively presented them to General LaFayette. The General then poured, according to the ancient ceremony, the corn, the wine, and the oil contained in them, upon the Stone; repeating, according to the pre scribed ceremony, the following:

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

309

it t-^Qy the All-bounteous Author of nature bless the inhabitants of

! " Gen.'LaFayette then descended to the stone which he struck three times with a mallet; after which the public grand honours were given
by the brethren. * * * "A large stone slab was then lowered to its place over the stone,
and a patriotic tune was played by the band. "The ceremonies at the monument were concluded by three volleys
from the U. S. troops who acted as the escort, commanded by Lieut.

"Upon leaving the consecrated spot the procession moved around the circle and through the tasteful arch by which it entered the Square. From this arch, beautifully ornamented with myrtle and cedar, was suspended a shield, on one side of which was inscribed: 'Greene, The friend of LaFayette, and the Saviour of the South.' On the reverse: 'Greene died near Savannah, 19th June, 1786.'
"The original order of the procession being resumed, it moved to Chippewa Square, at the entrance of which an arch, similar in design and decorations, was erected, from which, in like manner a shield was suspended; on the one side was inscribed: 'Pulaski, Always valiant, but always Foe to Kings.' On the opposite side was inscribed: 'Pulaski fell at the Siege of Savannah, 9th October, 1779.'
"On entering the enclosure the same arrangement and disposition was made as in the former case. 1"
Without going into details, let it be stated that the proceedings in Chippewa square were about the same as those in Johnson square where the corner stone of the Greene monument was laid. The Pulaski mon ument corner stone bore this inscription: "On the 21st day of March, A. D., 1825, was laid by General LaFayette, at the request of the Citizens of Savannah, This Foundation-Stone of a Monument To the Memory of Brigadier Count Pulaski."
The monument to Pulaski, intended to be erected in Chippewa square was eventually erected, as is well known, in Monterey square, and the corner stone was laid there on the llth of October, 1853. At that time suitable arrangements were made, on a grand scale, for the ceremony, and we will say more on the subject when we reach that period in our history; but as a matter of information which may well be related at this point, the following quotation is made from the report, subsequently printed, relating all the circumstances connected with that matter:
"On the 21st of March, 1825, General LaFayette, while on a visit to Savannah, performed, at the request of our citizens, the ceremony of laying the corner stones of two monuments, to be erected to the mem ory of Major-General Greene and Brigadier-General Count Pulaski. One was laid in Johnson Square and the other in Chippewa Square. In the course of ten or twelve years a sufficient fund had been collected to erect the monument now [1853] standing in Johnson Square, and, as it was believed that the efforts to raise the necessary means to erect another would be fruitless, the one which had been built* was called
* In 1829.

310

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

the Greene and Pulaski Monument, and the corner stone which ; been laid in Chippewa Square was removed to Johnson Square, ; placed by the side of that dedicated to General Greene.
"The Commissioners, however, to whom the Legislature of Geori had entrusted the duty of raising the necessary means, determined renew their efforts; and having, at the session of the Legislature y
1837, procured a renewal of their grant, with some additional powe proceeded energetically in their work, and, for fifteen years, pursued with untiring devotion their disinterested task, until a fund of {' had been accumulated."
The writer of the above does not explain how the sum of money the erection of the Pulaski monument was raised. The committee having! the burden of raising the funds for the two monuments was composed of Messrs. John Shellman, John Stevens, W. B. Bulloeh, J. V. BevanJ . R. "W. Habersham, A. Porter, James P. Screven, William Gaston, Alexjf ander Telfair, A. B. Fannin and Jas. Bond Read. They obtained the!
permission of the city council on the 31st of March, 1829, to pla. the monument to the memory of both Greene and Pulaski in the cente of Johnson square, instead of on the spot where the corner stone hadlf been laid by LaFayette. They had secured the passage of an act by the! legislature of Georgia chartering the "Greene and Pulaskis Monument!. Lottery,'' on the 26th of November, 1826, the commissioners named in 1 the act for conducting the lottery were John Stevens, Win. B. Bulloch, Jas. B. Read, Richard W. Habersham, James P. Screven, Alexander! Telfair, Abraham B. Fannin, Mordecai Myers, John Shellinan, "William P. Marshall, Anthony Porter, Samuel B. Parkman, and Joseph Vallance , Bevan. The commissioners, instead of managing the business of the lottery themselves, disposed of their right to others who had ; better ideas in regard to the business, by which transaction the pur- i chasers were bound to pay to the monument fund the sum of $1,000 ; annually; and to the amount so raised the state added an appropriation. J
The monument which served a double purpose for so many years < as a memorial to the two distinguished officers of the Revolution was .I] without any inscription whatever until the year 1886, when the two f bronze tablets, one with an inscription and the other with an alto relievo, j
portrait of General Greene, were unveiled in connection with the cele bration of the centennial of the Chatham Artillery.

MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1821-24

:

In 1821 James Morrison was elected mayor of Savannah, and the board of aldermen serving with him were the same as the associates of his predecessor, Charlton, except Dr. W. C. Daniell, M. Sheftall, Sr., i Jacob P. Henry, Frederick A. Fell and Joseph Gumming. Mr. Morri- .
son was mayor for the second time in 1822, with a board of aldermen composed of R. W. Habersham, Wm. C. Daniell, Wm. Davies, Moses Sheftall, Chas. Harris, Isaiah Davenport, Ohas! H. Hayden, F. A,? Fell, Thos. Clarke, A. B. Fannin, Moses Herbert, Oliver Sturges and > Gardner Tuffts. For a third time successively Mr. Morrison was the
mayor of the city in 1823, his aldermen being R. W. Habersham, Moses

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

311

Herbert, F. S. Fell, Geo. Sibley, C. H. Hayden, Fred'k Densler, Moses SheftaU, Wm. Davies, James S. Bulloch, Philip Brasch, Thos. N. Morel,
Oliver Sturges and Chas. Harris. Dr. Wm. C. Daniell filled the office of chief magistrate of Savannah in 1824, assisted by aldermen Wm. B.
Bulloch, Geo. Shick, Chas. Harris, Jos. W. Jackson, Geo. Miller, Jas. Morrison, J. B. Gaudry, Isaac Minis, Wm. E. Waring, Jos. Clay Haber-
sham, Fred'k Densler, Jos. Gumming and Wm. C. Wayne. Dr. Daniell again served as mayor in 1825, with aldermen Chas. Harris, Geo. Miller, Jas. Morrison, Jos. W. Jackson, Wm. Thorne Williams, J. B. Gaudry, Wm. B. Waring, Jos. Gumming, Wm. C. Wayne, I. Minis, S. B. Parkmanj Sam'1 Philbrick and Chas. Gildon.

CANAL PROJECT INAUGURATED
In the year 1826, shortly after LaFayette's visit, steps were taken in the matter of digging a canal to connect the Ogeechee with the Savan nah river, and eventually to extend it to the Altamaha. In February the citizens met in mass meeting at the Exchange to discuss the matter of a grant which had been made to E. Jenckes, but it seems that there was not sufficient enthusiasm at that time to produce favorable results. The first real step in advance was made on the 21st of October when council consented to the cutting of the canal through the city lands, on petition of the commissioners of the Savannah, Ogeechee and AltamSaha canal, when the president of the company showed in a letter to the board that the canal would surely "open new sources of profit to enterprising men, and thus add to the aggregate wealth of the city. It is," he said, "an enterprise undertaken as a measure of public benefit imperiously required by the declining commerce of the City." The city was induced, through the report of a committee appointed to look into the matter, to subscribe for $7,000 of the stock of the company, which represented seventy shares, at $100 per share, and that subscription was later on increased to $10,000. The city was interested in the project for many years, but does not seem to have made anything out of its investment. In 1843 council appointed a committee to look into the affairs of the company, and to report upon the feasibility of the city's taking the canal under its care and completing it; but no report of that committee can be found.
FORT PULASKI COMMENCED

The next matter of public interest in chronological order is the begin ning of the building of Fort Pulaski on Cockspur island. The site for
this fort was chosen, we are told, by Major Babcock, of the United States
Engineer Corps, and it was built by Captain Mansfield of the same corps, work having been begun in 1831, and the cost of it amounted to nearly one million dollars.

CHAPTER XXIV
AS A MILITARY POST
LOCATING THE OGLETHORPE BARRACKS (1834)--MILITARY PARADE GROUND --MILITARY HEADQUARTERS OF CONFEDERACY--UNITED STATES TAKES OGLETHORPE BARRACKS--HISTORY OF FIRST GEORGIA VOLUNTEER, CONTINUED--MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1826-1834.
At this point our attention will be directed to the subject of the city as a military post.
It is known that before the year 1823 certain companies of United States troops had been stationed in Savannah. We have no means of ascertaining where they were quartered; but on the 4th of April of the year just mentioned, the troops having been in part previously removed, council petitioned the secretary of war to make Savannah a military post and consented to furnish land for the location of barracks.
LOCATING THE OGLETHORPE BARRACKS (1834)
Nothing seems to have been done by the government at that time, and the remaining troops were withdrawn early in 1824. Dissatisfied with that action, council resolved, on the 15th of April, to correspond, through a committee, with the war department, urging that at least two companies be kept on duty here at all times. To that appeal the secretary responded that, provided suitable quarters could be secured, he would send the troops back, and another committee was appointed to take the matter up with him; but no report was made by the com mittee.
The next step was taken by the secretary of war in March, 1826, when he inquired as to the best place for the building of a proposed barracks. Then council took a more decided stand, and appointed the mayor, Dr. Win. C. Daniell, and Aldermen John Shellman and William Thorne Williams a committee to proceed in the matter; and they recom mended for the purpose a point on the Great Ogeechee road a little beyond the one-mile post as the best they could find, and that it could be purchased for about $3,000. They further reported that the city could furnish, free of charge, as long as it should be used for military purposes, a site on the south common, should that be preferred. The location of this tract of land is just where the city now extends from Gummett street to Park avenue. The offer of the city was accepted,
312

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

313

(\ on the 17th of January, 1827, Secretary James Barbour transar! ' | ^0 C0ngress estimates for "an appropriation for barracks and "ti r buildings at Cantonment Oglethorpe, Georgia; soldiers to perform
'flhor- amount of material required." The buildings were erected by the government and Cantonment Ogle-
thorpe was the abode of the United States troops until the building of ' *|cks on the splendid site where the DeSoto hotel now stands and Siich barracks stood there from about 1834 to the time they were torn down to make room for the hotel.
At the first session of the 22d congress on the 22d of March, 1832, the following correspondence was submitted to the house of representa tives and, notwithstanding the adverse reports, the barracks were
erected two years afterwards. "Mr. Drayton, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was
referred the memorial of the mayor and aldermen of the city of Savan nah relating to the expediency of erecting barracks in that city for the United States troops who are stationed in its vicinity, reported:
"That they have had communications with the AVar Department upon the subject of the above memorial, as will be seen upon an inspec tion of the papers herewith filed, marked A, B, and C, from the tenor of which they are of opinion that it would be inexpedient, at this time, to authorize'the erection of barracks in the City of Savannah. They therefore submit to the House the following resolution:
"Resolved, That the Committee be discharged from the further consideration of the memorial of the mayor and aldermen of the City
of Savannah. "To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States in Congress assembled: The memorial of the mayor and aldermen of the City of Savannah showeth: That it has been the practice of late years to remove the United States troops from Cantonment Ogle thorpe, near Savannah, to a distant post for several months in summer. Your memorialists are informed, and have reason to believe, that this course has boon pursued solely in consequence of the extreme unhealthiness of the situation ; and the permanent location of United States troops among them being of importance to the community they represent, they respectfully invite the attention of Congress to this subject. You me morialists do not ask for the continuance of the troops at the post they now occupy to the imminent hazard of their lives, but they would with due deference submit to the consideration of Congress the expediency and necessity of forming another military establishment, to be located in this city. For years past Savannah has been favored with as much health as most of our Atlantic cities, and has been exempt from any malignant disease; and the professional gentlemen who have been con sulted on the occasion are decided in the opinion that, under proper restrictions, the troops might enjoy a good degree of health in a position within its limits. An eligible site for barracks could be obtained at a fair valuation; and your memorialists respectfully and earnestly solicit your^ honorable bodies to authorize the purchase of ground, and the erection of buildings of durable materials, within the city of Savannah, sufficient for the accommodation of at least one hundred men, in. order

314

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

that this community might be benefited by the residence of United States troops among them, and particularly at a time when, from the periodical emigration of many of our white population, a military force is most needed. And your memorialists will ever pray.
"(Signed) WM. R. WARING, Mayor.

"DEPARTMENT OF WAR, March 23, 1832--Sir: I have the honor to transmit a letter from Major-General Macomb, which contains the views of this department in relation to the subject referred to in your letter
of the 4th instant. "With great respect, I am, sir, your obedient servant. "(Signed) LEW CASS.

"Hon. William Drayton, Chairman of the Military Committee,
House of Representatives. "HEADQUARTERS OP THE ARMY, WASHINGTON, March 13, 1832--Sir:
In pursuance of your directions as to the expediency of abandoning the barracks lately built near Savannah, and erecting new quarters within the city, as proposed by the mayor and aldermen, as set forth in the memorial addressed to Congress and transmitted to you by the honor able chairman of the Military Committee of the House of Representa tives in his letter of the 4th instant, I have to state that, although some years since the present position of the quarters of the troops stationed near Savannah for the protection of that city was visited with disease, it is possible that, owing to the newness of the station, or to some acci dental cause which might not occur again, the unhealthiness may be attributed as well as to the fact that the troops were unaccustomed to the climate. As the erection of the barracks in the city would be attended with great expense, and as it is doubtful whether, taking all things into consideration, the troops would enjoy better health in the city than in their present quarters, I would respectfully recommend that they con tinue to occupy the barracks in which they are now quartered, with a view of ascertaining whether there be any improvement in the salubrity of their position; but should it turn out to be sickly the commanding officer may be authorized to hire quarters in the city in case there should appear among the troops any disease of a character to render the re moval to the city proper, or quarters in the city might be hired imirediately and the troops stationed in them. Then should the city, after a year or more experience, prove to be more healthy than the present bar racks, a suitable lot might be purchased, and permanent barracks bo ; H.
"I am, sir, your obedient servant, "(Signed) A. MACOMB, Major-General
"Hon. Secretary of War.

"QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, March 14, 1832--Sir: I return you the letter of the honorable Mr. Drayton, chairman of the Military Committee of the House of Representatives, covering a memorial from the City Council of Savannah, praying for purchase of a site and the erection of permanent barracks at that place, and have the honor to state, in reply to the inquiry as to the cost of complying with the request,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

315

that the expense of erecting barracks and quarters for the accommoda tion of two companies would be above fifty thousand dollars. With re spect to the cost of the necessary ground I have no means of forming an estimate. The memorial represents that an eligible site could be obtained at a flair valuation, but what that would be it is impossible at this time
to say. '' I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, "(Signed) TII. S. JESUP, Quartermaster-General.

"Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of War." The ordinance following was passed in council on the 22d of August, 1833: " Be it ordained by the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savan nah and the Hamlets thereof, in Council assembled, and it is hereby ordained by the authority of the same, That upon the payment into the City Treasury of the sum of twelve thousand dollars, a conveyance be made in fee simple to the United States for the purpose of erecting bar racks thereon for the accommodation of the troops of the United States, of all that piece of ground or parcel of land situate, lying and being on the South Common of said City, extending from the southern line of Liberty street, as herein after defined: two hundred and twelve feet six inches southernly, and from the eastern line of Bull street continued, three hundred and two feet six inches to the western line of Drayton street continued, embracing within said limits a space equal to the op posite tything, in Brown Ward, including the lane. "Section 2. And be it further ordained, That the width of Liberty street shall be one hundred and forty feet, measured from the southern line of lots on said street and extending to the northern line of the piece of ground hereby granted." The buildings to be occupied by the troops at Oglethorpe barracks must have been erected just after the action of council in granting the land. The military force of the United States army took possession in 1834.
MILITARY PARADE GROUND
Upon the completion of the new Oglethorpe Barracks in 1834 the United States troops abandoned the old cantonment ground which was unoccupied until 1852. at which time the city assented to its being set apart as a parade ground for the military companies of Savannah; but the actual dedication was not made until the passing of an ordinance in the following year.
Long before that time, namely, on the 7th of July, 1821, a memorial was presented to council by a regimental court of inquiry asking that a part of the South Commons be granted for a term of years for that pur pose but nothing was definitely settled. Later on, in 1843, a committee of council recommended the grant of a parcel of land "along the eastern side of Abercora street 651 feet from the lane south of Liberty street, thence eastwardly 845 feet, so as to form the northern boundary of the negro cemetery, thence northwardly 651 feet until the intersection of the said lane "'as the northern line of the parcel of land; and, in 1844, an

316

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

appropriation of $200 was made to help in the work of enclosing this ground which, by resolution, was called the "Military Square."
In November. 1851, the officers of the volunteer companies asked for the twenty acres just purchased by the city, a part of Springfield planta tion, for use as ia military parade ground. In May, 1852, the city proposed to purchase from the United States the site of Oglethorpe can tonment, and in January following, 1853, the government granted that site to the city of Savannah.
This ordinance was passed in council, August 11, 1853: "Be it ordained by the Mayor and Aldermen, etc., That nineteen acres of the land known as the old cantonment, lately granted by the United States to the city of Savannah, bounded on the north by the southern line of Gwinnett street, from Whitaker street to Montgomery street, on the east by Whitaker street, up to New Houston street [now Park Avenue], from Whitaker street to Montgomery street, and west by the eastern line of Montgomery street from New Houston street [now Park Avenue] to Gwinnett street, to be set apart as a parade ground for the volunteer companies of the City of Savannah, and the same is hereby dedicated to that purpose, under the conditions and limitations in this ordinance hereinafter contained.
"Section 2. That the control, custody and management of the said parade ground shall be vested in the captains for the time being of the several volunteer companies of the City of Savlannah who shall have ex clusive charge thereof, subject nevertheless to the police regulations of Savannah.
'' Section 3. That the grant of the aforesaid parade ground and dedi cation thereof is made under the condition that the several volunteer companies shall have the said parade ground properly cleared, and a neat and sufficient fence placed around the same, within five years from the day and date of the passage of this ordinance, and shall always keep the same in proper order, and the fences in good and sufficient repair, and in case of their failure to do so, or in case they shall use or attempt to use the said parade ground for other purposes than that to which it is dedi cated, that the same .shall revert to the city, and again fall into the com mon public domain, and all grants, privileges, and advantages in the first section of this ordinance continued shall cease and become void and of none effect."
The above ordinance was amended on the following 19th of November (1853) in this way:
"The above ordinance * * * is amended by striking out the words in the third section ' and a neat and sufficient fence placed around the same within five years from the day of the date of the passage of this ordinance, and shall always keep the same in proper order and the fence in good and sufficient repair, and in case of their failure to do so, or,' and by adding the word 'and' before the words 'in case they; shall use' in the same section." Again, on the 6th of February, 1867, council ordained that "the piece of ground known as the Military Parade Ground, containing nineteen acres, more or less, and bounded on the north by Forsyth Place, on the east by Drayton street, on the south by New Houston street [now Park Avenue], and on the west by Whitaker

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

317

street, is hereby added to said Forsyth Place, and made a part of the same, and that said Forsyth Place, so extended as aforesaid, is hereby forever set apart as a public place to be called and known as Forsyth Place, in the same manner as the said ground now enclosed is and has
been so set apart.''
There was much difficulty in getting a definite place for the providing of a suitable parade ground for the Savannah military companies. On the 9th of June, 1859, an appointment of a committee of freeholders was made to investigate the subject, and on the 13th an appropriation of $2,000 was made by council as a contribution towards the expense of erecting a fence around what was supposed to constitute the place that should be used for military purposes, which was settled upon as the space comprised within the boundaries of Gwinnett, New Houston [now Park Avenue], Montgomery, and Whitaker streets; but before building a fence the officers of the companies, upheld by many civilians, found rea
sons for suggesting a change of locality, and, on the 4th of August, of the same year, Col. Alexander R. Lawton, commander of the First Regiment of Georgia Volunteers, and Capt. John W. Anderson, of the Republican Blues, asked for a hearing before council on a petition desiring that in exchange for the parade ground previously dedicated to that purpose the land just south of Forsyth Park, as far as New Houston street be granted, "so that there should be one large park, instead of two open places so near each other.'' Council did not act directly on the petition, but referred it to a committee of which aldermen Thomas Holcombe, John M. Guerard and Martin J. Ford were members, and the result was a favorable recommendation, provided that Hall street extend through it
and not be enclosed. Although the report was adopted, the mijitary de clined to accept it on such condition; whereupon Council, in November,
decided to grant the petition as it went to them originally. We have seen how, in 1867, the military parade ground was made a
part of Forsyth Park, and thus became a part of the public domain constituting a pleasure ground for the people of Savannah, and it may be further stated here that on the 31st of December, 1873, Mayor Edward C. Anderson even suggested that "the southern half of the extended park be portioned off into city lots, under a just arrangement with the owners
of property bordering thereon, from the northern line of Bolton street to New Houston street, 40 lots, the proceeds arising to be specially appro priated and set apart as a sinking fund to meet maturing bonds.'' That recommendation was made a year and a half after the following communi cation was made by the Savannah military to council, and it shows that council did not then consider the "Park extension" as in any way to be regarded as having passed into the hands of the volunteer companies. This petition was laid before council on the 5th of June, 1872. ' ''The
undersigned commanding officers of a number of the military organiza
tions of this city, beg leave to represent that by an ordinance passed in Council the llth day of August, 1853, nineteen acres of the site of the
old Oglethorpe barracks, which had shortly before that time been con veyed to the city by the secretary of war, under a resolution of congress,
were 'set apart as a parade ground for the Volunteer Companies of the City of Savannah,' and 'dedicated' for that purpose under the condi-

318

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

tions and limitations set forth in that ordinance. The second section of the ordinance was as follows: ' The control, custody and management of the .said parade ground shall be vested in the Captains for the time being of the several volunteer companies of the City of Savannah who shall have exclusive charge thereof, subject nevertheless to the police regula tions of Savannah.' The third section prescribed the conditions referred to in the second section, and they were simply that volunteer companies should have the ground cleared, and that if they should use, or attempt to use, the ground for any other purpose than that for which it was dedicated, it would revert to the city.
"The land above referred to lay south of the jail, but on November 10,1859, a petition was presented to Council by a Committee of the vol unteer corps of the city, requesting Council to exchange for that land the land south of and immediately adjoining Forsyth Place. The peti tion was granted, and it cannot be doubted that the land thus described and now known as the 'Park Extension' became thereby subject to the uses specified in the ordinance of 1853. It was improved largely, if not wholly, at the expence of the volunteer corps. It was used as a parade ground and for no other purpose, and was exclusively controlled and managed by the Commanding Officers of the Volunteer Corps until the war. Notwithstanding these public proceedings of Council and the use of the ground for the purpose specified and the universal recognition of the dedication, an ordinance was passed in Council February 6, 1867, adding the parade ground to Forsyth Place, and declaring that the 'said Forsyth Place, so extended, was thereby forever set apart as a public place to be called and known as Forsyth Place,' etc. Upon the publica tion of this ordinance for information after its first reading, a communi cation was addressed to the then Mayor by several of the undersigned, requesting his attention to the facts herein before stated. The then condition of the State in its Federal relations, and the apprehension that the land might be lost to the city and the volunteer corps induced the signers of that communication to refrain from a public protest against the ordinance, and to confine themselves to a request that their communication might be filed in order that they might have the benefit of it at the proper time. At that time the volunteer corps were not in a position to assert their rights. But the recent repeal of the act of congress which prevented them from exercising their ordinary functions has been followed by a general re-organization under the sanction of the Governor who will supply them with arms as soon as they can be pro cured. Having thus a near prospect of again making use of the parade ground for the purpose for which it was dedicated, and desiring to resume that exclusive control of it which was conferred upon their prede cessors by the original dedicating ordinance, the undersigned beg leave to submit to your consideration the propriety of a repeal of the ordinance of 1867, and of a discontinuance of the planting of trees and the placing of other obstructions upon the ground which may tend to defeat the use for which it was designed.
"Signed, "Wm. S. Basinger, Major Commanding Savannah Volunteer Guards; George W. Stiles, Captain Co. A., S. V. G.; T. F. Screven, Capt. Co. B., S. V. G.; John R. Dillon, Capt. Co. C., S. V. G.; John Flannery,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

319

Capt. Commanding Irish Jasper Greens; S. Yates Levy, Capt. Johnston Light Infantry; John F. Wheaton, Capt. Chatham Artillery; Geo. W. Lamar, Jr., Capt. Phoenix Riflemen; A. F. Butler, Capt. Oglethorpe Light Infantry; John W. Anderson, Capt, Savannah Cadets."
The communication was referred to the committee of council on parks and trees, and a strict search of the minutes reveals the fact that there was no record made of any report on the subject by the committee. The matter has remained since then entirely unsettled, the only incident in connection with it by which an opinion may be formed being the fact that in the consideration by council, on the 17th of August, 1891, of the subject of paving Hall street through the Forsyth Park extension, Judge Samuel B. Adams advised council that in order to accomplish the work, consent must be first obtained from the military; and the paving was not
done. Unsettled though the question may be as to any actual formal title
by which the military can hold to the claims of ownership, it does seem to be by common consent both of the council and the military, backed by the citizens generally, a settled fact, that the plot of ground in which stands the monument erected in memory of the Confederate dead, called sometimes Park Extension, but almost universally known as the "Parade Ground," is the proper place for all military displays and reviews; and, in evidence of this let it be distinctly understood that for such purpose no one ever thinks of asking the consent of council to its use, and the people believe, almost unanimously, that it belongs to the volunteer companies of Savannah and do not see any reason why there should be doubt on that point. No one in council will probably ever again spring the question against the will of the people, and it is very doubtful whether that body will ever attempt to plant trees in the place or otherwise attempt to make it like the other part of the park.
On the 5th of November, 1833, in consideration of the sum of $12,000, the city of Savannah, through council, transferred to the United States the piece of land bounded by Liberty, Bull, Harris and Drayton streets, and on that land Oglethorpe Barracks were built, and troops were quar tered there from 1834, on their completion, until 1853, when they were removed to Fort Pulaski. The old Cantonment Oglethorpe having been abandoned for many years, the secretary of war, Chas. M. Conrad, on the 22d of February, 1853, by virtue of a joint resolution of congress (ap proved Jan. 20, 1853) relinquished all interest of the United States in that tract to the city of Savannah. The resolution was in these words: "That the Secretary of War be and he is hereby authorized to convey to the City of Savannah, Georgia, the site of the old Oglethorpe Barracks adjacent to said City which said site has long been abandoned by the Government, and, in consideration of the liberality of said City in sur rendering to the Government heretofore certain lands now known as the new Barracks in said city." The description of the old Cantonment Oglethorpe site in the deed of transfer as well as in the deed from the city to the United States, April 3,1827, is in these words: "All the north ern half part of that lot or parcel of land lying and being in the County of Chatham and State of Georgia near the City of Savannah known as farm lot No. 1, bounded north by the Commons of the City of Savannah

320

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

and garden lot, west by farm lot No. 2, south by farm lot No. 5, and east by the road leading from White Bluff district to the City of Savannah, the said lot containing in the whole fifty-six acres, three roods and four teen perches.''
On the removal of the United States troops from the new Oglethorpe Barracks, in the year 1854 the city arranged to have the police force quartered in the recently deserted premises, and Mayor James P. Screven, in 1851, recommended to council the practicability of purchasing the houses on that land for the use of the police force who had used them "since 1854, through permission of the government, the troops having been removed to Fort Pulaski."

MILITARY HEADQUARTERS OP CONFEDERACY
At the commencement of the War of Secession the Confederate States government took possession of the property which then became the mili tary headquarters of this military district land remained so until Sherman's entry into the city on the 21st of December, 1864. At the time the Confederates took possession of Oglethorpe Barracks, the police force moved to quarters prepared for them in the City Exchange, remaining there until the erection of the city police barracks at South Broad [now Oglethorpe avenue] and Habersham streets.

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TAKES OGLETHORPE BARRACKS
Again the United States government took possession of Oglethorpe Barracks through the result of the war, and held such possession until 1879, and then finally abandoned the property forever, and later on sold all interest in it.
For reasons deemed sufficient it was determined that Savannah should no longer be used as a military post, and all troops were taken out of the city.
Although somewhat out of regular chronological order, the following account of the manner in which the United States lost possession of the property is quoted at length, a place for the same being made at this point, mainly for the purpose of showing just what the property con sisted of:

"WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON CITY, May 22, 1.880.--The Secre tary of War has the honor to inform the Senate that the military post of Savannah, which was established about 1834, and which is known as 'Oglethorpe Barracks,' located in the City of Savannah, Ga., having been no longer needed for military uses, was abandoned in April, 1879, and to recommend such legislation by Congress as will authorize the sale to the highest bidders, after public advertisement, of the site and buildings occupied by said barracks.
"Inclosed is a transcript from the official records, giving a descrip tion of the property referred to.
"(Signed) ALEX RAMSEY, Secretary of War. "THE PRESIDENT of the United States.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

321

"Post of SAVANNAH (Oglethorpe Barracks) GEORGIA. (Established about 1834). Information given by G. A. De Russy, Major Third Artil lery, April 1870, commanding officer at the time.
'"Location--In the city of Savannah, Ga.
"Quarters--One barrack, 130 by 30 feet, two stories, built of brick. Two companies could be crowded into the garrison, or two companies could be easily provided for, if laundresses were otherwise quartered.
"Officers' quarters--One building, 63 by 33 feet, two stories, built of brick and containing' one room for quartermaster and commissary stores. There is at the post one stable, built of brick, also one small building built of brick, used as the commanding' officer's office.
"Hospital, guard-house, etc,--Two-story building, built of brick and wood; foundation and first story, 59 by 24 feet; second story, 7,9 by 42 feet. Accommodation for sixteen patients.
"Guard-house.--Two stories, built of wood, with one room for guard, one room for sergeant of the guard, large room for prisoners, and four

SCENE IN THE PRISON PARK AT ANDERSONVILLE
cells. The second story contains one room, used by company tailor. "Oglethorpe Barracks, Savannah, Ga.--Garrison withdrawn April
18-23, 1879, and post left in charge of Ordnance Sergeant Charles A. Campbell.
"Buildings.--See preceding transcripts, from Description of Mili tary Posts and Stations, prepared in Quartermaster-General's Office.
"Supposed to be in good condition. General Sherman, in June, 1879, reported that they could not be built for much less than $60,000 or $80,000.
"April 22, 1879, application for use of by First Volunteer Regiment of Georgia refused by Secretary of AVar.
Vol.I~21

322

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"May 8, 1879, application from president Young Men's Christian Association of Savannah, Ga., also declined by Secretary of-.War.
' ' Applications also made to vest the title in the City of Savannah, but, upon recommendation of the General of the Army, the Secretary decided to recommend sale of buildings at next session of Congress.
"The use of one building by the engineer assistant to General Gillmore has been authorized.
"Reservation.--Land ceded to the United States by the City of Savannah, November 5, 1833."

HISTORY OF FIRST GEORGIA VOLUNTEERS CONTINUED
Reference having been made to the first regiment of Georgia volun teers, we will now enter into an explanation of the organization of that command. We have heretofore mentioned the Chatham Artillery, the Savannah Volunteer Guards, the Republican Blues and the Georgia Hussars as Savannah military companies, and we at this point add the Phoenix Riflemen, organized in 1830; the Irish Jasper Greens, founded in 1843; the German Volunteers dating their beginning in 1846; and the De Kalb Riflemen, dating in 1850. In January, 1856, the Oglethorpe Light Infantry began its useful and honorable career; and the Savannah Cadets, a company of youths, was organized, for service in the War of Secession in 1861. These all belonged to the first regiment, being ad mitted at various dates as parts of the organization. There were other companies which were admitted at some time, but their existence was only temporary, and we do not bring them into this history. The Phoenix Riflemen, and De Kalb Rifiement, after making a good record, have passed cut of history. On the 20th of January, 1852, the governor of Georgia approved "an act to organize a volunteer Battalion in the City of Savannah, to be called the 'Independent Volunteer Battalion of Savan nah','' hy which it was enacted:
"1. That the volunteer companies now existing in the City of Savan nah, and belonging to the First Regiment, First Brigade, First Division, Georgia Militia, be and the same are hereby organized and erected into a separate Battalion, which shall be called the Independent Volunteer Battalion of Savannah and be no longer a part of the said First Regiment.
"2. That any other volunteer companies, of foot, which may here after be organized in the City of Savannah shall be attached to said bat talion until the number of companies in said battalion shall be eight (8), when the said companies shall be organized and erected into a regiment which shall be called the 'Independent Volunteer Regiment of Savan nah,' and said regiment shall not consist of less than eight (8) or more than fourteen (14) companies.
"3. That the said battalion shall be commanded by a LieutenantColonel who shall be elected by the members of the companies composing said battalion, in the manner prescribed by the Militia Laws of this State, and commissioned by the Governor, and the said LieutenantColonel shall be entitled to a staff as full and complete as if the said battalion were a regiment,
"4. That the Provost Marshal and Clerk of said battalion shall

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

323

be elected and sworn, and perform the duties, exercise the powers, and be subject to the instructions prescribed by the Militia Laws now govern ing the First Regiment, First Brigade, First Division, Georgia Militia.
"5. That the said battalion should be attached to the First Brigade, "First Division, Georgia Militia.
"6. That the said battalion shall be regulated by the Militia Laws of this State, so far as the said laws are compatible with the provisions of this Act; except, in addition to the regular annual parade, it shall be subject to the orders of the commanding officers at any and such other times as he may deem necessary or expedient, and the said bat talion shall be exempt from the effect of all such laws as militate against the provisions of this Act."
At the time that law was enacted the first division of Georgia Militia was composed of the companies in the counties of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Mclntosh and Wayne, and the volunteer companies of Savannah were a part of the first regiment of the first brigade in the division.
Upon the organizing of the Oglethorpe Light Infantry and its be coming a part of that military organization the law providing for a regiment became effective, and, with eight companies the First Inde pendent Volunteer Regiment of Savannah was formed. Then the law was amended so that under the first section the regiment became "The First Volunteer Regiment of the State of Georgia, authorized to consist of as many infantry corps formed in Savannah as might choose to accept the conditions attached to the joining of the regiment. Under the second section the full field and staff were provided for. Section 3 pro vided that the rights and privileges accruing to the regiment should not +'ail through the consolidation of two or more companies, or the with drawal or dissolution of one or more companies, but that the same should vest in and be enjoyed by the corps comprising the Volunteer Regi ment, And Section 4 took the regiment from the First Brigade of Georgia .Militia, placing it under command of its OAVH officers."

MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1826-1834
Col. Joseph W. Jackson was Savannah's mayor in 1826, and he was ably supported by a board of aldermen composed of Messrs. Charles Harris, James Proctor Screven, Edward Harden, A. J. C. Shaw, Charles Gildon, John Spellman, Thomas Clark, Michael Brown, "William Clifford Wayne, W7illiam Thorne Williams, Moses Sheftall, George Shick and James Morrison.
Colonel Jackson was again chief magistrate in 1827 with Thomas Clarke, J. P. Screven, A. J. C. Shaw, G. Shick, and W. T. Williams of the old board, while the places of the other aldermen were filled by Messrs. Geo. W. Anderson, L. S. D'Lyon, J. P. Henry, Wm. P. Hunter, IT. McLeod, I. Minis, Geo. W. Owens and Samuel B. Parkman.
Col. William Thorne Williams became mayor in 1828, with a board of aldermen whose names follow: Richard R. Cuyler, William R. War ing, Geo. W. Owens, William Law, A. J. C. Shaw, Moses Sheftall, Thos. Clarke, J. P. Screven, A. J. C. Shaw, G. Shick, and W. T. Williams Wayne, Jos. W. Jackson and F. H. Welman.

324

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Again in 1829 Col. W. T. Williams was elected mayor, backed by Aldermen W. R. Waring, J. B. Gaudry, G. W. Owens, M. Brown, Geo. ' W. Anderson, Geo. Shick, R. R. Cuyler, F. H. Welman, Thos. Clarke, Chas. Gildon, Samuel Miller Bond, Jacob Shaft'er and Moses Sheftall.
Savannah honored Dr. Win. R. Waring in 1830 by placing him at the head of the city government, and his colleagues were Aldermen Thos. Clarke, G. W. Owens, Geo. Shick, I. Minis, J. B. Gaudry, A. J. C. Shaw, F. Densler, James Eppinger, Wm. Morel, Jno. H. Ash, Amos Scudder and F. H. Welman.
For the second time Dr. Waring served as mayor in 1831, when the aldermanic board comprised Messrs. Geo. Shick, Jas. Eppinger, Geo. W. Owens, Richard Dennis Arnold, Jacob Shaffer, F. H. Welman, I. Minis, Thomas Clarke, A. J. C. Shaw, J. B. Gaudry, F. Densler, Amos Scudder and John H. Ash.
Mr. Geo. W. Owens succeeded Mayor Waring in 1832 with a board composed of Aldermen Geo. Shick, Thos. Clarke, Jas. Eppinger, Jno. H. Ash, Jacob Shaffer, F. Densler, W. T. Williams, Amos Scudder, A. J. C. Shaw, Thos. Purse, Wm. Robertson, E. De La Motta and Richard D. Arnold.
Col. William Thorne Williams was again called to the mayoralty in 1833, when services were rendered as aldermen by the following named gentlemen: Jacob Shaffer, Jas. Eppinger, Wm. Washington Gor don, Jos. "W. Jackson, Thos. Purse, Thos. Clarke, Phineas Miller Kollock, A. J. C. Shaw, Nicholas J. Bayard, Wm. Robertson, Geo, W. Owens and Jno. H. Ash.
Mayor William Washington Gordon sat at the head of the board of city fathers in 1834, with co-laborers of some experience, most of them having served before, namely, Thos. Clarke, Jacob Shaffer, Robt. Milledge Chaiiton, Geo. AY. Owens, Wm. H. Cuyler, Thos. Purse, Adam Cope, Henry McAlpin, Amos Scudder, Chas. S. Henry, P. M. Kollock, A. J. C. Shaw, and Matthew Hopkins.

CHAPTER XXV
CENTRAL RAILROAD OF GEORGIA
SURVEY FROM SAVANNAH TO MACON--MACON DEPOT OPENED FOR BUSI NESS--WILLIAM W. GORDON, FIRST PRESIDENT--FIRST YEAR'S OPERA TIONS--CELEBRATING THE COMPLETION TO MACON--CONNECTING SAVANNAH WITH AUGUSTA--OCMULGEE AND FLINT RIVER RAILROAD-- THE MONROE RAILROAD--STATUS OF RAILROADS IN 1842--.MEMORIAL TO W. W. GORDON--THE SAVANNAH HOSPITAL.
Georgia was not slow in giving encouragement to the building of railroads, and the Central Railroad of Georgia was among those built at an early date in America. The account of the early history and building of that enterprise given in the "Statistics of the State of Georgia" by the Rev. George White, is so well done that it is here given as it appears in that work:
SURVEY FROM SAVANNAH TO MACON
"In the report of L. 0. Reynolds, Esq., Chief Engineer of the Cen tral Railroad, there is much information in regard to this work achieved in a comparatively short period 'under the most discouraging circum stances and in the face of a doubting public.'
'' In the summer and fall of 1834, an experimental survey was made under the direction of Colonel Cruger, at the request and cost of the City of Savannah, to ascertain the practicability, and approximate the cost of constructing a railroad from this City to Macon. The survey was made and the practicability of the road demonstrated. In April, 1836, the company was formed, and preparations made for commencing the road without delay. The line leaves the depot in the southwestern part of Savannah, and continues straight N. 77 deg. 10 min. W. for 13 miles--then curving slightly to the left, on a radius of 150,000 feet, it approaches within a mile and a half of the Ogeechee, then bending to the right, on a curve of 5,000 feet radius, it follows the general direction of that river, and at a mean distance of about three miles from it, through the flat lands of Effmgham County, until it reaches the County of Sereven; then taking the hammocks bordering on the river swamp, it follows them to Brinson's Mill Creek; then takes the valley of this creek which leads out from the river; having passed around Paramore

326

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Hill, and across Buck Head Creek, the line again resumes the river flats, and continues over them through the County of Burke, crossing the Ogeechee at the point before mentioned about 12 miles from. Louisville. From this point it follows the valley of Williamson 's Swamp, and crosses that stream near the Double Bridges, then taking the southernmost of the two southern prongs ascends the summit of the ridge separating the waters of the Ogeechee from those of the Oconee, which ridge it crosses about 2y2 miles south of Sandersville. Having passed the sum mit, the line goes along the valley of a prong of the head branches of the Ohoopee for a short distance; then along the head of Sand Hill Creek by which a descent is made to the Oconee river. This river is gained near a spot called 'Rag Point,' three miles above the mouth of Commissioner's Creek, and 16 or 18 miles below Milledgeville. The river swamp is here about one mile wide on the E., and two miles on the "W. The grade is here supported at a mean height of labout 16 feet above the level of the swamp for about three miles; one-third of this distance is of trestle work, and the remainder of embankment.
"The river is crossed by a bridge 266 feet long, supported by stone abutments and a pier in the center. Having passed the Oconee river, the road proceeds near the mouth of Commissioner's Creek, and then crosses the south side of this creek, and follows its valley for 26 miles; then leaving it, the road passes, by a cut of 31 feet, the highest point of land it crosses being about 500 feet above tide water, into a prong of Big Sandy Creek; following this stream about two miles it crosses it, and takes another branch of the same creek Avhich it keeps for about the some distance; then crossing the main branch of Sandy Creek, it ascends to the summit between the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers; then fol lowing a branch of Swift Creek for a mile and a half, it crosses the main creek; then taking another branch of Swift Creek, it reaches Boggy Branch which leads it to the Valley of the Ocmulgee. After reaching the river valley about three miles below the city of Macon, it keeps along the low grounds, and enters the river swamp near the great mound, and terminates at East Macon, the whole distance being 190 miles 3,900 feet,
MACON DEPOT OPENED FOR BUSINESS
'' The road was extended to Macon on the 13th of October, 1843, and the Macon depot was opened for regular business on the 1st of November following.
"The superstructure of the road for the distance of one hundred miles is laid with the common plate rail. This has become much worn by the heavy increase of tonnage which the road has sustained for the past year, and the Directors, availing themselves of the present low price of iron, have ordered a sufficient quantity of heavy rails to re-lay the whole of this part of the road.
"A considerable quantity of the new iron is already received and is now being laid down. When this shall have been accomplished the efficiency and capacity of the road for business will be much improved.
"The work on this road is done in a superior manner. The arrange ments for the comfort of passengers are surpassed by few roads in the United States.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

327

'The conductors, some of whom have been in the service of the company from its commencement, have acquired an enviable reputa tion for their courtesy and attention to passengers.

WILLIAM W. GORDON, FIRST PRESIDENT

"The first President, William W. Gordon, Esq., is justly entitled to the gratitude of the citizens of Georgia for the great interest which he took in this enterprise. With industry which nothing could weary; with a spirit undaunted by opposition; and with talents which eminently qualified him for the direction of a work of this character, he devoted his whole time to the duties of his office.
"Richard R. Cuyler, Esq., the present President of the company, is a gentleman to whom much credit is due for his indefatigable attention to the interests of the road.
"We cannot, in justice to another officer of this company, conclude this notice without mentioning the name of L. 0. Reynolds, Esq., Chief Engineer, who has faithfully performed his duty to the company from its very beginning.''
The work from which the above account is taken was published in the year 1849.
FIRST YEAR'S OPERATION
The following account of the beginning of the road is taken from the first report of Mr. L. 0. Reynolds, engineer-in-chief:
"SAVANNAH, May 10, 1838--To Wm. W. Gordon, Pres't: Sir: It is one year since the charge of the operation of this department was committed to me, and I now have the honor to present you a report of the same.
" It is proper that I should first state the progress that had been made, and the condition of the work at the time it was placed under my direc tion.
"In the summer and fall of 1834, an experimental survey was made under the direction of Col. [Alfred] CRUGER, at the request and cost of the city of Savannah, to ascertain the practicability, and at a moderate cost, of what we have since denominated the 'Northern Route/ A full report has been published, with which you and the public generally are well acquainted.
'' In April, 1836, this company was organized, and preparations made for commencing operations without delay. A chief engineer was ap pointed, and under his order a more minute and careful examination of the 'Northern Route' was commenced at Macon on the 15th of Sep tember of that year, by a party under my direction. The Board of Di rectors as well as the stockholders were by a large majority in favor of this Route, in preference to one further South, provided it could be pursued without too great a sacrifice of distance and expense.
"The general features of the Route of this second survey were sim ilar to the first, with such variations as a knowledge of the county, gathered from the first examination, suggested. ''
Further on in his report he said:

328

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"In the southwestern part of the City is our Depot, a tract of five acres, which was bestowed on the Company by the City Council of Sa vannah. ''
At the time of the agitation of the question of building the road Mr. Wm. W. Gordon was mayor of Savannah, and was deeply interested in the project. On account of his interest and his investment in the stock of the company he was elected not only a director but the first president of the corporation. As mayor he was, on the 10th of January, 1835, authorized to learn from capitalists on what terms the city could "bor row money based on its good faith and its interest in the undertak ing." A resolution was offered in council on the 19th of February of the same year, pledging the city to a subscription for 5,000 shares of stock; and the citizens of Macon, in public meeting, authorized the city council "to transfer all the title and interests and control which the corpora tion of Macon has in and to a charter for a railroad or canal granted by the legislature of Georgia in the year 1833, to the corporation of the city of Savannah, provided that should the city authorities of Macon offer to and secure to the city of Savannah within eighteen months from the time of said Muster a good and sufficient security, to be ad judged so by the city authorities of Savannah, for stock in said rail road or canal to the amount of if'200,000, then and in that event the city authorities of Macon shall become and be entitled to all the rights, bene fits and privileges to which the corporation of the city of Macon would have been entitled under the before recited Act as though no such trans fer had been made." The city council of Savannah did not agree to that proposition, but did secure the rights controlled by Macon without such restrictions as were proposed. A report was made to the Savannah city council by a special committee to which belonged Mayor Gordon and aldermen Thomas Purse, Wm. II. Cuyler 'and Amos Scudder, show ing a most prosperous condition of Savannah's affairs, and that the time was ripe "for undertaking work which, although involving a heavy ex penditure in the first instance, cannot fail to place this city in a high rank and to give the citizens of this state those facilities to a marked de gree which are so much needed. Macon is not in a condition to partici pate, and Savannah is thrown on its own resources. It can offer to capi talists disposed to a safe investment of money such security as will make a loan of the same which the city is pledged to subscribe. If books are opened this committee felt assured many citizens would subscribe and sufficient soon be taken to authorize the commencement of the work." On opening the subscription book it was required that the sum of five dollars a share should be paid on all shares taken at the time subscrip tions were entered. Mayor Gordon was authorized to enter the city as a subscriber for 5,000 shares. A charter was obtained for the com pany, and at first opposition was made to the granting of banking pow ers to the concern, but finally the legislature passed the requisite meas ure, and on the 14th of December, 1835, a meeting of council was held to hear a letter from the mayor giving the joyful news of the passage of the act, and the Exchange was that night illuminated in honor of the
event.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

329

CELEBRATING THE COMPLETION TO MA CON

On the 6th of October, 1843, the mayor and aldermen as well as the citizens of Savannah, were invited to Macon to attend a festival there given to celebrate the completion of the Central Railroad to that city. A committee of the Savannah council attended. This was what the Macon Telegraph of the 21st of May, 1839, had to say about Savannah's part in the completion of the road: "After a long and almost fatal slumber old Yamacraw has at length put out her front, determined to go ahead. She had slumbered so long it was almost feared by her friends they might as well provoke the river to run up stream as to arouse her into action. * * * But Savannah once aroused it requires no mighty effort to keep her on the qui rive. Since the commencement of this gigantic Central Railroad other works, scarcely less imposing, have been accomplished, are in progress, or under consideration. She has erected a number of splendid public buildings, she has put several additional steam mills in operation, she has established various steam packet lines, she proposes to construct one expensive bridge across the Savannah river, etc., etc. Had she shown the same spirit, possessed the same enterprise, twenty years ago, she would now have been at the very head of Southern Cities."

CONNECTING SAVANNAH WITH AUGUSTA
The project for connecting Savannah with Macon by railroad hav ing proved to be popular and successful, the next step proposed was to connect Savannah with Augusta in the same way. That design was set on foot by action of the city council of Savannah on the 6th of June, 1839, in giving to Mayor Robert M. Charlton power to confer with the mayor of Augusta as to the propriety of subscribing for stock in the "Waynesborongh Railroad, but that action was taken only after a favor able consideration of the matter by the citizens of Savannah in public meeting. The city council of Augusta was requested to unite with Savan nah in a memorial to the legislature asking the state for a loan to each city of $100,000 to be invested in the proposed railroad, and to that proposition Augusta consented with the understanding that no invest ment should be made by her unless by consent of her council, but Savan nah, in proposing it, demanded that the Chatham county representa tives prepare the bill so as to provide that the scrip could only be used for that one purpose, and that should either city refuse to perfect or to commence the proposed work within a time limited it should forfeit its right to use the scrip which in that case should be for the use of the city not so in default.

OCMULGEE AND FLINT RlVER RAILROAD
Late in the year 1842 Savannah's citizens recommended that the council extend its help to the Ocmulgee & Flint River Railroad to the extent of indorsing that company's note for $5,000. That was done, and another meeting of citizens was held in October at which the city

830

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

was urged to subscribe for $50,000 of the stock of the Monroe Railroad and Banking Company, to be paid in bonds of Savannah. The road so named was intended to connect the Central Railroad with the Western & Atlantic, known as the Georgia State Railroad, giving Savannah, through the Central, uninterrupted communication to the Tennessee river. The result was that an ordinance was passed authorizing the issue of bonds to the amount of $50,000 to aid said railroad. In November, 1843, it was reported to council that the Monroe Railroad had been built to Griffin, sixty-one miles and that forty-one miles more would make it connect with the Western & Atlantic at Whitehall. Then it was stated that a branch road from Rome to the State road, about seventeen miles long, was in process of construction, then reaching a point seventeen miles above the terminus of the State road at the Etowah river. The report stated that "when the State road is extended through this seven teen miles the Rome road will be put in operation, and this will put Savannah within sixty miles of the Tennessee river. A fair prospect is opened up of a communication with the great West, the great object of our hopes, which is to crown our labors with complete success. It be comes the city to preserve her credit by the imposition of the necessary taxation and her citizens to bear these burdens with cheerfulness under the assurance that they are but temporary, and that they have been created for the wise purpose of increasing in the end their wealth, pros perity and happiness, and of elevating the city of their affections to the position of greatness and renown which nature intended her to fill.''
In 1843 the Flint & Ocmulgee River Railroad proposed to mort gage its road and pledge its receipts to the city of Savannah to secure the payment of bonds amounting to $100,000 which Savannah was asked to guarantee, that amount to be used to complete the road; but council refused to grant the request after hearing the report of a committee appointed December 14th of that year.

THE MONROE RAILROAD
In 1845 the Monroe Railroad was levied 011 and was advertised to be sold in order to satisfy executions against it to the extent of $135,000; and the representative of Savannah, Mr. L. 0. Reynolds, reported on the 15th of May, that it had been decided to let the sale take place for the purpose of re-organization which meant the loss of Savannah's $50,000, or as Mr. Reynolds stated it, "an entire sacrifice of the amount paid by the city."
STATUS OF RAILROADS IN 1842
While on the subject of the interest of Savannah in railroads, the following paragraph from the report of ex-governor Wilson Lumpkin, agent of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, to the legislature of Georgia, dated November 4, 1842, may be of interest to the reader:
"Notwithstanding the extraordinary times through which we have passed, and the embarrassments thereby brought upon railroad com panies, in common with the rest of the community, nevertheless the companies most intimately connected with our state enterprise have still

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

331

persevered and progressed. In the course of twelve months, it is claimed that the Central and Monroe railroads will be in complete operation, and the fifty-two miles of the eastern portion of the Western & Atlantic Railroad being in operation, will give to our people a continuous line of railroad of 350 miles, commencing at our largest sea port, Savannah, and running diagonally through the state to the rich and beautiful valleys of northwestern Georgia. The fifty-two miles of the State Road being in
operation, will be able to sustain itself under proper management, as soon as it is intersected by a road from the Atlantic, The Central and Monroe Railroads are entitled to all the aid and encouragement which the State may be able to extend them. The State now has a direct interest in their speedy completion. And the Georgia Railroad will cer tainly be completed at a day not far distant. The importance of that work, its present progress, and the enterprise and capital enlisted in its accomplishment, insures its speedy success. Of the speedy and ultimate completion of these roads I do not entertain a doubt. It is true that the state, as well as private stockholders in such works, is at this time severely
pressed, and a state of despondency overspreads the minds of many of our most valuable citizens. Nevertheless, the state of our common coun try will be permanently benefited and elevated in character by the pres ent sacrifices of our enterprising and patriotic citizens. The name of
Gordon, in connection with the Central Railroad, will live in honor on the pages of Georgia's history so long as the English language shall be read; and the patriotic and successful exertions of Dearing and Griffin, in accomplishing so much in carrying forward the Georgia and Monroe Railroads, will survive any detraction from their efficient services in con nection with these works.''

MEMORIAL TO W. W. GORDON
The reference in the foregoing to the services of William Washington Gordon in connection with the successful enterprise of the Central Railroad of Georgia, now known as the "Central of Georgia Railway," furnishes a fit occasion for the recital of the facts as to the building of a monument in memory of that gentleman by the company which he so faithfully served. Having determined, though tardily, to erect such a monument, the city council, on the 21st of December, 1881, on appeal from the directors, granted to the Central Railroad and Banking Com pany of Georgia permission "to erect in the center of Wright square a memorial monument to the late William W. Gordon, first President of that Company." The monument stands on the very spot where history records the body of the great Indian Chief Tomo-chi-chi, friend of Oglethorpe and of Georgia, was interred on the 5th of October, 1739.
The monument is one of beauty, and is greatly admired by visitors to our "forest city." It was placed in position in 1883, and on the south side a panel bears this inscription: "In Memory of William Washington Gordon. Born June 17, 1790. Died March 20, 1842.
"The Pioneer in works of internal improvement in his native State, and President of the Central Railroad and Banking Company of Georgia, to which he gave his time, his talents, and, finally, his life."

332

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Shortly after the death of Mr. Gordon his services in connection with the road were thus referred to by Chief Engineer L. 0. Reynolds in his report for the year 1842: "The steadiness and determination with which he pursued the great object of benefiting his native state and this City, and promoting their prosperity, ought to give his name a place among the most distinguished of public benefactors. It was an object which was remembered in his latest aspirations to heaven, but a few moments before he yielded up his spirit to Him who gave it."

THE SAVANNAH HOSPITAL
Among the public buildings referred to as having been built in Savannah about this time by the Macon Telegraph, quoted a little farther back, was the Savannah Poor House and Hospital, now known as the Savannah Hospital. As early as 1795, it was deemed necessary that a hospital should be built in the city, and a lottery was authorized to raise the means for such an institution. In the month of February, 1803, commissioners were appointed by the justices of the inferior court to build a Seaman's Hospital and Poor House on a lot granted by council, and in 1805 the city donated the sum of $3,000, with which to purchase a building. The mayor and one alderman were appointed to attend to that business, and the money was spent in the purchase of a house from Dr. Lemuel Kollock. A petition was sent to the legis lature in 1809, signed by council, asking for a charter for the hospital, and it is known that in the year 1811, as many as 240 persons were in mates or treated as patients, and that of the total number "131 were cured, 8 were taken out by the collector [of the port], 5 relieved, 5 left the hospital, 29 remained at the close of the year, 19 were out-of-door pa tients, and 43 died."
Authority was given by the legislature in 1815 for three lotteries for the benefit of the hospital. In 18.17 the managers, through Mr. L. C. Dunning, their chairman, asked for aid to build a new edifice, and the appeal brought a contribution from the city of $4,000.
In 1791, lots thirty-three and thirty-four, Washington ward on Broughton street, were granted to a hospital by an ordinance dated January 12th, and those lots were held until March 10, 1817, when coun cil authorized the president and managers of the poor house and hospital to sell them so as to increase the fund for putting up a new building. The managers, in 1818, asked the city to grant to them certain lots in Brown ward. That was in January. In June the Georgia Medical Society asked council to set apart five acres of land for building an institution of the kind under consideration, specifying a spot either near the Fair Lawn tract (now the location of the East Broad Street Colored School) or in the western part of the city, and three aldermen were appointed to act with the committee of the society in choosing a site which it was understood the city would pay for. The persons so authorized reported on the 29th,, that they had selected a site on which the hospital was finally built, and from that time the history of the institution was marked with a variety of misfortunes. The building was erected in 1819, and "in 1852 in order to carry out the plan of

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

333

Forsyth ward it became necessary to exchange some land for other. As a result, on May 6, an ordinance was passed to exchange certain parts of the public domain then occupied by the Savannah Poor House and Hospital for an equivalent on certain conditions. Mayor Arnold was authorized to execute*a conveyance to the Poor House and Hospital of the domain between Gaston street on the north, and Huntingdon on the south, Abercorii on the east and Drayton on the west, in con sideration of the relinquishment of all and every claim by it to any por tion of the public property or domain of the city of Savannah, and on the express condition that the lands therein before described and directed to be conveyed should never be improved or used for the purpose of pecuniary profit, or for any other purpose than the care and comfort of the poor and sick according to the charitable intentions of the founders of the Poor House and Hospital, and on the further condition that the said land should not be in any manner subject to the debts contracts or engagements of the said Savannah Poor House and Hos pital, but in case that corporation should at any time attempt to sell or in any way encumber the said lands, or in case of the insolvency or dissolution of the said corporation, the said land and all the improve ments thereon should at once revert to the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah."
The institution was incorporated in 1835, and in 1877 the buildings were re-modeled so as to make an almost new affair, and it is managed entirely by its directors, relying for its support mainly on the interest upon its investments, but receiving annual appropriations from the city of Savannah and Chatham county.

CHAPTER XXVI
THE "PULASKI" DISASTER
NEWSPAPER MENTION OF BOAT--STATEMENTS BY FRANCIS SORREL, AGENT --ADVERTISING THE FATAL TRIP--FIRST NEWS OF DISASTER--POEM ON THE LOST "PULASKI."
The summer of 1838 had scarcely begun when Savannah, in com mon with other communities of the South, was called upon to mourn over the results of one of the greatest disasters she has ever known. The recent sinking of the new and powerful steamship '' Titanic," is fresh in the minds of the people of all the world, and the loss of life by her destruction brought pain and sorrow to the whole world because of the fact that her passenger list included citizens of prominence, not from one particular locality, but from many places. The loss of the steamer "Pulaski," in June, 1838, was a disaster which, though small in com parison with the destruction of life by the sinking of the "Titanic," taken in connection with the percentage of loss of life of Savannah citizens, caused a greater degree of mourning among our own people than can be shown by any single city whose citizens went down in the latter.
NEWSPAPER MENTION OF BOAT
The steamer "Pulaski" was mentioned several times during the^ latter part of 1837 by the Savannah Georgian when news was printed in that paper, as having been received through the arrival at Charleston of that vessel from Baltimore. In the shipping news of that paper on Monday, February 26, 1838, it was announced that the "Pulaski" had arrived at Savannah two days before, in eight hours, and in the editorial column this item appeared: "By the steamer Tulaski,' Capt. Dubois, , we on Saturday afternoon received Charleston papers of that morning.'' Extracts are subjoined.
"From a passenger we learn that the boat left the wharf at 9 o'clock precisely--passed 'the outer buoy at 12 minutes before 10--lost sight of the light (the atmosphere being smoky) at 25 minutes before 11 o'clock--made Tybee light ten minutes before 3, and passed the bar at five minutes past 3 o'clock, and reached the city quarter before 5; making seven hours and three-quarters from Charleston to Savannah. We also learn that but for the strong current in our river the boat would have reached the city half an hour earlier."
334

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

335

The next we hear of that new steamer is through the following, taken from the Georgian of March 1, 1838: "We are rejoiced to learn from the following communication that this splendid steam packet, identified in name, as her owners are in affection and in interest, with our soil, is not to leave our waters except to bear from or to our wharves the traveler for pleasure or for business. As a regular packet between this city and New York, via Charleston, inducements will be held out in her superior accommodations to the citizen or stranger, which must make them prefer a conveyance in which speed and comfort are com bined. Her recent voyage from Charleston evinces her power in the water, while a visit to the steamer will convince all of the superiority of her accommodations.
"We cherish this noble steamboat as a standard of that spirit which in 'enterprises of great pith and moment' will not 'lose the name of action,' but increase until Savannah in her prosperous state--her great railroad, and her splended steam vessels, will silence the idle taunts of jealous scribblers. As the "Pulaski" will not probably commence her trips to New York until April, we suggest, for the consideration of the directors, a trip or more to Charleston or elsewhere, on a pleasure ex cursion, in which we expect many would participate."
"The long mooted question of the future destiny of this splendid steam packet has been finally settled. The directors, with patriotism worthy of citizens of Savannah, have assumed the responsibility en trusted to them by the stockholders of running the boat and employing her according to the letter and spirit of the act of incorporation, as a means of communication between this city, Charleston, and New York. With our railroad on one hand, and steam packets on the other, who shall fix the limit to the rapid increase of our beautiful city in popu lation, and in wealth ? To the directors we would say, well done! ' All's well that ends well.' "
The next time the steamer is mentioned is in an advertisement of the "agent and treasurer of the Sav. and Charleston Steam Packet Company." Francis Sorrel, in the newspaper of March 12th, announced that she would leave Savannah "on the 14th, at 9 o'clock a. m. pre cisely and return the day after, or remain in Charleston one day," provided "a sufficient number of passengers offer;" and the shipping news next day recorded as having departed "Steamboat Pulaski, Dubois, Charleston." She returned to Savannah on Friday, the 16th, in seven hours. After making several round trips to Charleston, in the nature of excursions, the company determined to place her regularly on the line from Savannah to Baltimore, including the stop at Charles ton, and we take the following from the announcement to that effect as advertised in the Georgian, beginning April 10, 18381 "For Charles ton and Baltimore,' Steamer Pulaski,' Capt. Dubois.
'' For the greater convenience and despatch of travellers going north and south, the Savannah and Charleston Steam Packet Company have built at Baltimore a splendid Steamer called the 'Pulaski.' No ex pense has been spared to have a vessel to answer the purpose she is intended to accomplish. Her engine is one of the best ever made in

336

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

this Country, of 225 horse-power: her boilers are of the best copper, and of great strength. She has ample accommodations, and everything that *is requisite for the comfort of passengers. Her qualities as a sea vessel, for ease, safety, and speed, are superior to any steamer that ever floated on the American waters. This superb steamer will begin her regular trips to Baltimore, touching at Charleston, on Wednesday, 2d day of May next, and on every other Wednesday thereafter, from Baltimore and from Savannah. The Tulaski' will run as follows"-- then is given the schedule up to the 18th of July when she was to leave Baltimore coming south, and ending with the words '' and so on during the season." The schedule was strictly adhered to until Wednesday, the 13th of June, 1838, when she departed from Savannah in the afternoon, arrived at Charleston on time, took on passengers and left for Baltimore, which place she never reached, for reasons which will be shortly given.

STATEMENTS BY FRANCIS SORREL, AGENT
On the 14th of May a communication signed by Mr. Francis Sorrel, agent of the "Pulaski," appeared, in which he begged leave to assure the public, on the statement of Captain Dubois and several of the passengers who were on board the "Pulaski," that during the whole passage [from Baltimore to Savannah] the steam was never raised above twenty-six inches, and more frequently not above sixteen to nineteen inches, whereas she could with the greatest safety carry thirty inches. * * * The directors are unwilling that the Tulaski' should ever be used as a race boat, with passengers on board."
He went on to say in regard to the rivalry between the owners of the "Georgia" and those of the "Pulaski"; "It will be borne in mind that the present position of the two boats before the public was not sought by the Savannah and Charleston Steam Packet Co. * * * It must be obvious to all that the course pursued by the owners of the 'Georgia' is to compel all other boats to subserve the interest of their monopoly to the Chesapeake Bay. It would be needless for the owners of the Tulaski' to change her day of departure, which they would do at once, and thus remove every apprehension as to any race being run; but it is 'known on good authority that the agent at Charleston has positive instructions to alter the day for the 'Georgia' to any day and hour that may be fixed upon for the Tulaski.' Further comments are unnecessary.--Francis Sorrel, Agent."
This matter was further written up by the Georgian on the 19th of May when a long editorial appeared, showing the determination of the owners of the "Georgia" to keep up the fight on the "Pulaski." The article is too long to be reproduced, but it began with the statement: "The owners of the 'Georgia' steam packet have greatly mistaken their own interest in ordering that boat to start, as advertised, on ' the same day and hour with the " 'Pulaski.' " It is a contempt of public opinion which the public will resent, for there is no blinking the matter; it is well known that the object is monopoly. * * * The contest between the two boats has not been, and is not, sought by the owners of the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

337

'Pulaski.' As appears by their publication in the Courier, were they to change the day for the departure of their boat, the orders are for the 'Georgia' to alter her day accordingly, to ensure the race."
On the 28th of May, the Georgian announced that'' The steam packet 'Georgia' will not hereafter leave Charleston at the same hour with the 'Pulaski,' but in the afternoon. The advertisement published in our columns speaks of the 'superior speed of the Georgia.' We doubt it, and were the owners of the 'Pulaski' willing to endanger the lives of the officers and crew for a temporary gratification, we doubt not a purse could soon be made up to test the ' superiority.' But other motives actuate them, and she will continue to run as a safe packet for the con venience of the public."
In the same issue appeared the advertisement in these words: "For Baltimore, via Charleston--Only one night at sea, and passing Cape Hatteras by day light, the new and splendid steamer 'Pulaski,' Capt. Dubois, is now receiving engagements for passage to Charleston and Baltimore. She will leave here precisely at 6 o'clock on WEDNESDAY MORNING, 30th inst.
'' Slave passengers must be cleared out tomorrow. May 28.-- FRAN CIS SORREL, Agent.''
It happened that on the 30th of May the tide made it necessary for the "Pulaski" to "drop down below the wrecks previous to her time of departure" and that the steamboat Florida had to be engaged to take the passengers down in order to board the "Pulaski" there; and that was the last successful trip of the ill-fated steamer. She reached Baltimore on Saturday, June 4th, making the run from Charleston in 48 hours. On the return trip they reached Savannah June 10th, making Charleston from Baltimore in 46 y2 hours and running from Charleston to Savannah in 7 hours.
ADVERTISING THE FATAL TRIP
The advertisement of the leaving for the north on the 13th of June-- her fatal trip--contained the statement of her being "only one night at sea," coupled with the announcement that persons could secure "passage to Charleston and Baltimore, and also to Philadelphia, as an arrange ment has been made with the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Rail Road Company to carry passengers of this boat in the cars that leave Baltimore only at half past six and half past nine in the morning, and arrives at Philadelphia in six hours.''
On Thursday, June 14th, the Georgian printed the following list of "Passengers per steam packet 'Pulaski,' for Baltimore and Charleston --Mrs. Nightingale and servant, Mrs. Fraser and child, Mrs. Wilkins and child, Mrs. Wm. Mackay, child and servant, Mrs. Wagner, child and servant, Miss A. Parkman, Miss C. Parkman, Miss T. Parkman, Mrs. Hutchinson, two children and servant, Mrs. Lamar, Miss R. Lamar, Miss M. Lamar, Miss R. J. Lamar, Miss E. Lamar, Miss C. Lamar, Mrs. Dunham, Mrs. Cummings and servant, Mrs. Stewart and servant, Mrs. Woart, Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Williamson, Messrs. S. B. Parkman, G. B. Lamar, C. Lamar, W. Lamar, T. Lamar, R. Hutchinson, R. Brower, Dr. Wilkins, S. Livermore, B. W. Fosdick, H. Eldridge, C. Ward, G. .Hunt-

338

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

ington, J. H. Couper, Col. Dunham, Rev. E. Crofts, H. B. Nichols, A. Lovejoy, L. Bird, W. W. Foster, Dr. Cummings, Dr. Stewart, J. L. Woart, Col. Hodson, W. A. Stewart, Dr. Ach, A. Hamilton, S. Miller, R. W. Pooler, R. W. Pooler, jr., W. Robertson, A. Stanchfield, Carter, Burns, Maj. J. P. Heath, and Master Parkman; for Charleston, Messrs. J. Middletown, King, Travers, M. H. McAllister, Goddard, and others."

FIRST NEWS OF DISASTER The first news of the terrible disaster was received in Savannah on the 20th of June, ajid the Georgian of the 21st appeared in deep mourning, with this editorial:

"AWFUL CALAMITY
"We hasten to lay before our readers all the information received in regard to a calamity which has befallen our city, but one the parallel to which we have never before been called on to announce. We have no words to express our feeling. Sym pathy even for the survivors of those who have perished would be poor consolation in this the hour of their bereavement.
"Our city has sustained a loss which years cannot efface. Many families have been suddenly whelmed in sorrow, we mourn the valued companions and bosom friends of yesterday, while our whole city sympathize, deeply sympathize, with the survivors.
"Other sections of our state, as well as our sister city--Charleston--were great sufferers on this melancholy occasion. The boat was uncommonly full, near sixty hav ing probably embarked at Charleston, besides the large number from this city.
'' Some of our most respected and valuable citizens, principally engaged in com mercial pursuits, and others retired from business, have, we fear, met a watery grave, for, many of them having most of, if not all, the members of their families with them, they were compelled to share their fate.
"Letters received from Capt. E. W. Pooler and Col. Bobertson, of this city, by yesterday's mail, confirm this heart-rending intelligence, while they announce their own safety, that of Capt. Pooler's son and of Mr. J. Hamilton Couper, and ladies under his charge, Mrs. Nightingale and Mrs. Fraser, of St. Simon's, who are men tioned with others, in the Charleston and Wilmington extras, as saved.
'' We must await anxiously further tidings, and trust that surviving friends may still be allowed to hail the deliverance of some cherished relative or friend from the fated wreck who may have been picked up by the vessels or reached the shore on pieces of the wreck." Then the Georgian inserted a postscript from the Charleston Courier, dated June 19, 8 A.-M., with headlines in large capitals worded: "Awful Steamboat Accident!!! Loss of the Steam Packet, Pulaski, and the destruction of between 160 and 170 Lives.''
The account further stated that "at 11 o'clock on the night of the 14th inst. one of her boilers exploded with such violence 1 as to destroy the whole of the midship of the boat, including so much of the hull that the water rushed in with such violence as to sink her in three-quarters of an hour.'' The account to the paper had been sent from a point ten miles south of New River Inlet, North Carolina, and, continuing, said: "Two small yawls with 23 persons, after remaining three-quarters of an hour near the wreck to pick up as many of the sufferers as they could safely carry, succeeded in landing near this place yesterday even ing, after losing five oi: the number from the swamping of both of the boats in passing through the breakers.
"The destruction of the 'Pulaski' took place about forty-five miles south of Cape Look Out, and thirty miles from land."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

339

The Wilmington Advertiser, in an extra issued June 18th, gave an account of the disaster under headlines announcing the loss of the steamer "with a crew of 37, and 150 or 160 passengers."
Mr. Wm. Robertson wrote from Stump Sound Coast, North Carolina, June 16th, a letter, in which he said "Of about 200 persons on board but 21 escaped from the wreck, of whom 5 afterwards perished in the surf on this miserable coast."

POEM ON THE LOST PULASKI
The Hon. Robert M. Charlton wrote a poem on the loss of the "Pulaski" which deserves, and shall have, a place here. He used to great advantage throughout the stanzas the words of the advertisement of the sailing of the vessel given as an inducement to travellers to take passage in her. The poem was sent to the Georgian accompanied with a letter explaining the circumstances which directed him in the writing of the lines. He wrote:
"In the advertisement which announced that the Steamer Pulaski was ready to convey passengers to her destined port a strong induce ment held out was that she would be ' only one night at sea,' The terri ble consequence of the 'one night' we all know and shudder at. The words I have alluded to were made the subject of a very forcible and eloquent commentary by the Rev. Edward Neufville, of Christ church, in a sermon delivered on the last Sabbath. An extract from that dis course was handed to me yesterday afternoon, with a request from a friend that I would give it a poetic form. I have complied, under the pressure of sterner duties, and with many misgivings that I have but faintly embodied the touching language of the reverend author."
"Thou destroyest the hope of man."--Job 14:19.
'' ' Only one night at sea,' 'Twas .thus the promise ran,
By frail presumptuous mortal given, To vain, confiding man;
' Only one night at sea,' And land shall bless thy sight,
When morning's rays dispel The shadows of that night.
"The pledge has been received, The vessel leaves the shore,
Bearing the beautiful and brave Who ne 'er shall greet us more;
And every heart beats high, As, bounding o'er the wave,
The gallant bark moves on To bear them to their grave.

340

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"The merry beams of day Before the darkness flee,
And gloomy night comes slowly on That 'only night at sea;'
The watch upon the deck Their weary vigils keep,
And countless stars look down In beauty o'er the deep.

"Within that stately boat The prattler's voice is still,
And beauty's lovely form is there Unheeding of the ill;
And manhood's vigorous mind Is wrapped in deep repose;
And sorrow's victim lies, Forgetful of his woes.

"But hark! that fearful sound, That wild, appalling cry,
That wakes the sleepers from their dreams, And rouses them--to die;
Ah, who shall tell the hopes
That rose, so soon to flee, The good resolves destroy'd
By that ' one night at sea.'

"That hour hath passed away, The morning beams are bright
As if they met no record there Of that all-fearful night;
But many souls have fled To far Eternity,
And m&ny hearts been wreck M In that 'one night at sea.'

"Great God! whose hand hath launch'd Our boat upon life's sea,
And gives us as a Pilot there A spirit bold and free;
So guide us with thy love, That our frail bark may be
Mid waves of doubt and fear,
' Only one ]

CHAPTER XXVII
GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
DR. ARNOLD'S ACCOUNT OF ITS ORIGIN--ACT OF INCORPORATION--I. K. TEFFT, MOVING SPIRIT--DR. BARNEY'S FAREWELL--CHARTER MEM BERS--SECURING PERMANENT QUARTERS--FIRST STEAMSHIP TO CROSS ATLANTIC--BURNING OF FILATURE BUILDING--BINDING THE CITY TOGETHER.
In 1839 the Georgia Historical Society was organized, at the sugges tion of Mr. Israel Keech Tefft, who had devoted many years of his life to the collection of autographs. He was joined by Dr. Richard D. Arnold and Dr. [afterwards Rt. Rev.] William Bacon Stevens.
DR. ARNOLD'S ACCOUNT OF ITS ORIGIN
In relating the facts connected with the society's origin, in an ad dress before that body on the 24th of July, 1871, Dr. Arnold said: '' It was in the spring of this year that a new movement was inaugurated to establish another society, for the purpose of rescuing from oblivion the records of the past, and furnishing authentic data for the history of Georgia. The origin of this society is given so accurately and fairly by Dr., now the Rt. Rev. Bishop Stevens, of Philadelphia, that I shall quote it as given by him in the appendix to the 2d volume of the Georgia Historical Collections:
''' The necessity of some historical institution had long been felt by literary men, but no regular effort had ever been made for its estab lishment.
" 'The splendid autographical collection of I. K. Tefft, Esq., together with the many valuable documents in his possession pertaining to the colonial and revolutionary history of Georgia, suggested the importance of such a society, and it was immediately determined by Mr. Tefft and Mr. Win. B. Stevens to proceed without delay to its foundation. This measure was first decided on towards the close of April, 1839, and at the suggestion of Mr. Tefft the latter endeavored to prepare the way and awaken attention to the subject by two articles on this topic, which ap peared in the Savannah Georgian of May following. These individuals were now joined by a third, Richard D. Arnold, M. D., and after many conferences as to the best method of procedure, they resolved to { "
341

342

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

the following circular to those whom they thought would be interested in their design.' ''
Continuing, Dr. Arnold said, "On the 24th of May, 1839, a meet ing was held at the Savannah Library Society's room, in pursuance of a call made through that circular, which was signed by I. K. Tefft, R. D. Arnold and W. B. Stevens, for the purpose of organizing an Historical Society for the State of Georgia.
"There were present Judge Charles S. Henry, Hon. John McPherson Berrien, Hon. Jas. M. Wayne, M. H. McAllister, George Jones, Dr. Wm. Bacon Stevens, Win. Neyle Habersham, Dr. J. T. Posey, Wm. Crabtree, Jr., Dr. William A. Caruthers, A. A. Smets, Solomon Cohen, A. G. Oemler, C. McArdell, John E. Ward, Dr. R. D. Arnold; Judge John C. Nicoll, Dr. Edward Coppee, Dr. P. M. Kollock, Hon. Robert M. Charlton, Charles Stephens, M. Myers, H. K. Preston, I. K. Tefft, George Jones Kollock.
"To this list were added the names of twenty-seven gentlemen who were not able to be present, but who had signified their desire to co operate and become members of the Society.
"A constitution was submitted to the meeting which was read and referred to a committee for revisal and to report at an adjourned meeting.
"The adjourned meeting took place on the 4th of June, 1839, and the Society was fully organized by the adoption of a constitution and by-laws, and the election of the following officers:
"President--Hon. John McPherson Berrien. "Vice Presidents--Hon. Jas. M. Wayne, Hon. Wm. B. Bulloch. "Corresponding Secretary--I. K. Tefft, "Recording Secretary--Wm. Bacon Stevens. "Treasurer--George W. Hunter. "Librarian--Henry Kirk Preston. "Curators--Wm. Thorne Williams, Chas. S. Henry, John C. Nicoll, Wm. Law, Richard D. Arnold, Robt. M. Charlton, Matthew Hall Mc
Allister. "Thus was the Georgia Historical Society fairly launched on the
stream of time. '' The Society immediately set to work to collect from every available
source every document, Mss or printed, which could illustrate the his tory of Georgia. At the session of the Georgia Legislature of 1839 the Society was duly incorporated, and it was made the custodian of the copies of the Mss in the State Paper office at London, relating to the early history of Georgia, which had been transcribed by the Rev. C. W. Howard as agent of the State."

ACT OF INCORPORATION
The charter was assented to by Gov. Charles J. McDonald on the 17th of December, 1839, and in it the objects of the organization were set forth by declaring it to be "a society instituted in the City of Savan nah for the purpose of collecting, preserving and diffusing informa tion relative to the history of the State of Georgia in particular, and of American history generally." *

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

343

In section 5 of the act of incorporation it was stipulated "that the Governor be and he is hereby authorized and requested to confide to the care and keeping of the proper officers of said Society the transcripts of the Colonial records lately taken by the Rev. C. W. Howard in London, until further disposition of the same shall be made by the General Assembly.''
It was further declared in the charter "that it should be the duty of the Governor of the State to transmit, or cause to be transmitted to the said Society a set of the Acts and also of the journals of the present and future session of the legislature, and also copies of all other docu ments, papers, books, and pamphlets that shall hereafter be printed under, or by virtue of, an act of legislature, or joint resolution of both branches thereof, unless such act or resolution shall otherwise provide, and that the said Society may, by their agent or agents, have access at all reasonable times to the several public offices of this State, and at the corporate town and cities thereof, and may Cause such documents to be searched, examined and copied without paying office fees as they may judge proper to promote the object of the Society."

I. K. TEFFT, MOVING SPIRIT
Mr. I. K. Tefft was the moving spirit in the forwarding that im portant and honorable institution, and it is conceded that the first proposition in that direction came from him. He was the first corre sponding secretary of the society and served in that capacity until his death in 1862. It was evidently an oversight on Dr. Arnold's part to have omitted to say more than he did concerning that man and to accord to him the praise due his memory in the address from which we have quoted; but, convinced of his mistake, he took the occasion of the dedica tion of the society's new home, Hodgson Hall, on the 14th of Febru ary, 1876, to correct his error and to make Mr. Tefft the subject of a special address, in order, as he said, to "show the effect which his literary tastes had in securing him an honorable position during life, and affectionate memories after death."
In the course of his remarks Dr. Arnold mentioned several matters illustrating periods of historical interest to those who care for facts relat ing to Savannah; and what he said concerning Mr. Tefft's connection with the newspaper called Tli.e Georgian is well worth reading. "On the 25th of November, 1818," said Dr. Arnold, "the first number of The Georgian, was issued by Dr. John M. Harney, an erratic son of genius, whose remarkable 'Curse upon Savannah' has given him an undying notoriety amongst us. Harney was a brilliant bohemiau, and he ex hausted the patience and the purses of his friends, which were both on a liberal scale."
Continuing, the speaker said: "Mr. Tefft saw his opportunity. The late distinguished actor, Harry James Finn, came to Savannah in the fall of 1818, in the dramatic company of Mr. Gilbert, when the present Savannah Theatre was first opened. That company was a bright galaxy of histronic talent. On the 21st of March, 1821, The Georgian appeared with the name of Tefft & Finn at its head.

344

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"Mr. Finn did not continue long in his vocation as editor. He re sumed his profession, and adopted an entirely new line of acting, and when ultimately death occurred, from his being burnt up on a steamer on Long Island Sound, he had acquired the reputation of the best repre sentative of genteel comedy who had ever graced the American stage.
"Mr. Tefft edited the paper alone for some time, when he sold it to Mr. George Robertson, who afterwards associated his brother, William Robertson, with him; Mr. Tefft ever showing a lively interest in the prosperity of the paper, and my first intimacy with him commenced when, in January, 1833, I became joint editor and proprietor with my esteemed friend William H. Bulloch. In 1822 Mr. Tefft entered the State Bank* as a clerk. He was gradually promoted to the tellership and finally to the cashiership, which latter office he held at the time of his death. He was elected cashier in 1848, and he died at his residence, southwest corner of Jones and Bull streets, on the 30th of June, 1862.
"When Mr. Tefft gave up The Georgian he did not give up his literary pursuits. He took an active part in trying to develop American literature, which we all know was then in its very cradle * * * His literary researches took the form of autographs. The collection of auto graphs, particularly those illustrating our Revolutionary history, be came a passion with him. Quietly, unostentatiously, he worked this literary mine. Patience and perseverance reap their usual reward. Gradually he accumulated a rare and valuable collection. His repu tation as a successful autograph collector became spread abroad. He had been particularly fortunate in his material for Revolutionary his tory. He had not obtained mere signatures, but very many long and interesting letters upon contemporary affairs from the hands of some of the most distinguished men of those times. His correspondence with various distinguished collectors in all parts of the cultivated world became extensive. His rich collection, as to Revolutionary matter, en abled him to supply his correspondents with many valuable originals in exchange for others of a different era. Thus his autograph collection became one of great extent and value, and there was no individual in Savannah who had a more varied and extensive literary acquaintance than Mr. Tefft."
DR. HARNEY'S FAREWELL
The reference in the above to Dr. Harney furnishes the opportunity to reproduce at this point the curious but clever parting words of that eccentric character on his departure from the city whose people had treated him well, but from whom he wished to exact more than patience could endure.
"A FAREWELL TO SAVANNAH.
By John M. Harney.
"Farewell, oh, Savannah, forever farewell, Thou hot bed of rogues, thou threshold of hell, Where Satan has fixed his headquarters on earth,

* Bank of the State of Georgia, where the Citizens and Southern Bank now stands, in Johnson Square.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

345

And outlaw'd integrity, wisdom and worth, Where villainy thrives and where honesty begs,
Where folly is purse-proud, and wisdom in rags;
Where man is worth nothing, except in one sense, Which they always compute in pounds, shillings and pence; Where the greatest freeholder is a holder of slaves, And he that has most, about freedom most raves, Where they'd worship a calf, if like Aaron of old, Where the Devil may reign, if his sceptre be gold;
Where ------------ against knavery is constantly bawling, For they seldom agree who pursue the same calling. With bailiffs he drives every rogue from the town, Determined to put all competitors down; Where even the churches, subservient to gain,
Are bought in by stock-jobbers, to sell out again. Each pew is a lucrative turnpike to heaven,
At which an exorbitant toll must be given.
At fifty per cent, you must purchase salvation,
And the rich have monopolized all that's in fashion. When the most approved tests of a gentleman are
The taste of his wine and his Spanish segar;
If these recommend, he's a gentleman sure,
Though a fool, or a rogue, whether Christian or Moor. Where your friend must "compute, ere he asks you to dine, First your value to him, then the cost of his wine, Then, if it appears he will not be a winner,
To the Devil you may go--not to him--for a dinner. When the girls cannot tell, if they win you they'd wed you Without pencil and slate to subtract and to add to. They make a shrewd bargain miscalled matrimony-- 'Tis a mercantile business, a matter of money;
For a union in wedlock, in friendship, and trade,
Are alike by the rules of arithmetic made. Each nation is marked by some national crime, Which is charged as the first of the soil or the clime. But the soil of Savannah new vigor imparts, To vices transplanted from all foreign parts.
Cursed be the winds that blew me to your strand; Your houses are board, and your alleys are sand! Oh, still may your beds be the moss from your trees! Long life to your bed-bugs, the same to your fleas!
May all your free citizens, wealthy or poor, Be bribed for their votes, as they have heretofore! May every quack doctor be patronized still, And his talents be judged by the length of his bill; May all your quack lawyers find themes for their tongues, And their brains get the applause that is due to their lungs; May your miserly merchants still cheat for their pence, And, with scarce any brains, show a good deal of cents!
Now, to finish my curses upon your ill city, And express in few words all the sums of my ditty, I leave you, Savannah--a curse that is far The worst of all curses--to remain as you are!'

CHARTER MEMBERS
Returning to the founding of the Georgia Historical Society, it seems proper that the names of the persons asking for a charter in the act of incorporation be here given. They were: John McPherson Berrien, James M. Wayne, Matthew Hall McAllister, I. K. Tefft, Wm.B. Stevens,

346

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Geo. W. Hunter. H. K. Preston, Win. T. Williams, C. S. Henry, J. C. Nicoll, Win. Law, R. M. Charlton, R. D. Arnold, A. A. Smets, J. W. Anderson, Wm. B. Bulloch, Wm. II. Bulloch, Jos. H. Burroughs,' J. Balfour, Jos. G. Binney, Win. P. Bowen, Theodosius B. Bartow, James Barnard, Morgan Brown, Geo. B. Gumming, Solomon Cohen, Joseph Gumming, D. C. Campbell, James Hamilton Couper, W. A. Caruthers, W. H. Cuyler, Edward Coppee, Wm. Crabtree, Jr., Archibald Clarke,
Wm. Duncan, Wm. C. Daniell, Geo. M. Dudley, Jacob De La Motta, Jr., Joseph S. Fay, S. H. Fay, Wm. B. Fleming, J. F. Griffin, Robert Haber-
sham, Wm. Neyle Habersham, Joseph Clay Habersham, Edward J. Harden, S. L. W. Harris, George Jones, Jos. W. Jackson, P. M. Kollock, Geo. J. Kollock, Ralph King, Thos. Butler King, Wm. MeWhir, J. B. Mallard, John Millen, W. H. Miller, C. McArdell, James S. Morel, Mordecai Myers, J. F. O'Neill, Edward Neufville, E. A. Nisbet, A. G. Oemler, Anthony Porter, John F. Posey, Thos. Paine, Willard Preston, Edward Padelford, Thos. Purse, R. W. Pooler, Wm. Robertson, L. 0. Reynolds, Jas. Bond Read, R. H. Randolph, F. M. Robertson, George Schley, James Smith, Wm. H. Stiles, Benjamin E. Stiles, J. C. Shaffer, Chas. Stephens, Wm. P. White, John E. Ward, and Georgia White.

SECURING PERMANENT QUARTERS
Again quoting from Dr. Arnold's sketch: "From the time of its organization in 1839, up to 1841, the Georgia- Historical Society con tinued to hold its meetings in the room of the Savannah Library Society, on the northwest corner of Bay lane and Whitaker street.* It was the reading-room of the Library Society. This was done free of rent up to the first of February, 1843, when the Georgia Historical Society rented the room for its exclusive use."
The city of Savannah granted a lot to the society, known as No. 73 Liberty street, LaFayette ward, on the 28th of November, 1844, and exempted it from ground rent, but, on request, council passed an ordi nance on the 6th of August, 1846, permitting the society to exchange it for another lot. Again, on the 22d of July, 1847, the city granted to the society the first mentioned lot, in LaFayette ward, in fee simple, but in the following month of August, permission was given to substitute the word Crawford for LaFayette, making the change only in the ward, the lot in Crawford corresponding in number and location with the former. Then the society disposed of it, and used the proceeds of sale in putting up a building of its own of which we will now give an account.
Doctor Arnold relates that, "In the spring of the year 1845, the attention of the Society was called by the President, the Hon. James M. Wayne, to the eligibility of what was known as the Custom House lot, which was owned by the United States Government, and was then covered by the debris of the brick building which had been burned in the great fire of 1820.
"During his judicial sojourn at Washington, Judge Wayne had
* Where the building of the Savannah Morning News now stands.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

347

opened the subject of a purchase to the authorities there, and he was formally authorized by the Society to act in the premises.
'' The Society continued to meet at the room of the Savannah Library Society. In January, 1846, Dr. Arnold offered a resolution as to the practicability of purchasing the shares of the Savannah Library Society for the use of the Georgia Historical Society. * * *
"On the next anniversary, the 12th of February, 1847, the Society met at their new rooms in Owens' building, on Johnson's (better known as Monument) Square. It had been under the same roof with the Savannah Library Society for nearly eight years, and certainly had but a precarious pecuniary foothold. What was wanting in funds was made up by energy and perseverance.
"On June 14th, 1847, it was determined to purchase the Custom House lot, and means were ordered to be taken to raise the money
"In the meantime the union of the two Societies had not been lostsight of. The ground was ready for the seed. The Library Society had literally sheltered the Georgia Historical Society for nearly eight years. Most of the shareholders in the former were also members of the Georgia Historical Society. It was the predominant feeling that the sphere of action of both societies would be widely extended thereby, and their usefulness consequently increased."
The Savannah Library Society was an old institution, organized as early as January 6, 1809. It had done a good work for Savannah, but, according to the writer from whom we have so liberally quoted "that Society languished, in 1837 it nearly collapsed," and in 1847 its condi tion was very much like that of the Georgia Historical Society and at the meeting of the latter on the 14th of June, 1847, "the President (Judge Wayne) stated that, acting on a suggestion formerly made, he had proposed to the Savannah Library Society to form a union with i~his, A committee, consisting of Messrs. Win. Crabtree, Holmes Tupper, and Solomon Cohen, had been appointed by that Society to confer with any which might be appointed by them."
Following that statement, Doctor Arnold offered this resolution which was adopted: "Resolved, That the President appoint a committee of three, himself to be one, to confer with the committee of the Savannah Library Society, with full powers, to negotiate a union of the two Societies, and that they report at an ensuing meeting." With the president as chairman, Messrs. A. A. Swets and Edward J. Harden formed that committee.
"The two committees met and agreed upon a plan of union which was ratified by the Savannah Library Society at a meeting held on the 17th of June, 1847, and by the Georgia Historical Society, at a called meeting held July 12,1847. Certain rights were reserved by the Library Society in case of the non-fulfilment by the Georgia Historical Society of certain conditions; but all the conditions imposed, and all the obliga tions entered into have been fulfilled, and as the union has lasted without a ripple * * * it may be fairly considered indissoluble."
The Georgia Historical Society purchased the custom house lot in Bryan street, between Bull and Drayton, and a building was erected

348

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

according to plans drawn by Architect Norris which was occupied by the society until 1871, when it was found too small for the large and steadily increasing library, and at that time the society leased Armory Hall, the property of the Chatham Artillery, from that company for five years, and the library was promptly removed, the books being placed on shelves specially made for them at considerable expense. Before the expiration
of the lease the building erected for the society by Mrs. W. B. Hodgson as a memorial of her husband and named the W. B. Hodgson Hall was finished, and the books were again taken from their shelves in Armory Hall and carried to the elegant new building where they still remain.
The society has done good work in the matter of collecting and pub lishing "information relating to the history of the State of Georgia," as its charter provides, and it is now in as prosperous condition as it has ever been. The latest step taken by it in making it a means of edu cation to the people was its agreement with the city of Savannah, in March, 1903, whereby its valuable library became a part of the free public library established at that time by the city government and now entirely supported by the latter.
Just before the founding of the Georgia Historical Society the build ing on Johnson square in which the congregation of Christ church wor shiped, became unfit for use and was pulled down to make way for the present building which has since its erection in 1838, been remodeled. The edifice razed in 1838 had been injured by fire the previous year after having served as a place of worship from the year 1810. The Georgia Historical Society, as we have seen, purchased the lot near that church, on Johnson square, from the United States. The Right Rev. Bishop Stephen Elliott was made the first bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church in Georgia, and served also as rector of Christ church. He died suddenly on the 21st of December, 1866, at which time he was the president of the Georgia Historical Society.
The laying of the corner stone of that church in 1838, proved an interesting occasion.
From the Georgian, Tuesday, February 27, 1838: "The interesting ceremony of laying the corner stone of the new edifice to be erected for the Congregation of Christ Church, was performed yesterday at 12 M. A very numerous assemblage walked in procession from the 'temporary building' in Court House square to the site of the Church, where, after the performance of appropriate religious exercises, the Rev. Edward Neufville, rector of the Church, who officiated on the occasion, made the following announcement:

" 'In the name and in behalf of the wardens and vestrymen of Christ Church, I deposite in a glass vessel, within this stone, a copy of the Holy Bible--of a volume which we hold next in estimation, to wit: the Book of Common Prayer--a journal of the Convention of the Dio cese of Georgia held in 1837--the Churchman's Alamanac for 1838--the newspapers of the day--Sundry Coins--and a roll of parchment con taining the following inscriptions:

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

349

I. H. S.
GLORY TO GOD
CHRIST CHURCH
Founded in 1743; destroyed by fire, 1796. Re-founded on an enlarged plan in 1803. Partially destroyed in the hurricane of 1804. Rebuilt in 1810; taken down in 1838. This corner stone laid (February 26th, 1838.) of a new edifice to be erected (according to a plan furnished by James Hamilton Couper, Esq. of Georgia,) by Amos Scudder, mason, and Gilbert Butler, Car penter, under the direction of Wm. Scarborough, Win. Thorne Williams, Robert Habersham, Wm. P. Hunter, and Dr. T. Bartow, building committee. Rev. Edward Neufville, rector. Geo. Jones, M. D., and Wm. B. Bulloch, wardens. T. Bartow, M. D., Wm. Thorne Williams, Robert Habersham, Wm. Scarborough, R. R. Cuy" ler, Wm. P. Hunter, and P. M. Kollock, M. D. Vestrymen.'

"The books were placed in the glass vessel by two of the Sundayschool scholars, Masters George Jones and William H. Turner.
"After the placing of the stone, followed by a prayer, the singing of the last two verses of the 90th psalm, and a short address, the assembly was dismissed."

FIRST STEAMSHIP TO CROSS ATLANTIC
The fact that the steamship "Savannah" was the first vessel using steam to cross the Atlantic has been told so often and the circumstances attending the incident are so well known that it is strange to find that the story has been repeatedly desired and is still being called for. In some of the books written on the subject of steam navigation, although the truth is told in part, the statement is made that credit should not be given the story about the "Savannah" because a part of the time her sails were used in aiding her passage.
We quote one such discrediting account given as early as 1838, with its reputation.
From the Georgian, Wednesday, April 11, 1838.

" STEAM NAVIGATION. "The following we extract from the Baltimore American: 'An aricle has been going the rounds of the newspaper press in which it is stated that the English steamer "City of Kingston," at present lying in our harbor, is the "first steam ves sel that has ever crossed the Atlantic.'' In this there is certainly a mistake. In the

350

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

year 1818 or '19, there was a steamship built in New York, called the "Savannah," which, after being supplied with her engines in New Jersey, proceeded to Savannah, Georgia, where she was owned. From Savannah she went under the command of Capt. Rogers to Liverpool, where she arrived after a passage of 22 days, during 14 of which her engines were in operation.
" 'From Liverpool she proceeded to St. Petersburg, and thence returned to Savannah. The experiment being found to be unprofitable, was not repeated. It will thus be seen that our own country lost the credit of having been the first to apply steam machinery to the navigation of the Atlantic. As our Fulton was the first person whose ingenuity demonstrated the practicability of propelling vessels of large dimensions by steam, so it was reserved for our hardy and fearless seamen first to prove to northern Europe and the world at large, that even the stormy ocean that reaches the Russian strand could not check their enterprise nor cause their courage to quail. To some this may appear a matter of little moment, but we con fess that as Americans we are always gratified to sustain the just claims of superior ity to which our countrymen may be entitled. 7 "

BURNING OP FILATURE BUILDING
In the year 1839, one of Savannah's historic buildings, of little pecu niary value, it is true, but with an interesting record, nevertheless, was destroyed.
The year 1839 was in its infancy when several attempts were made by persons who were probably led by spite to burn a number of houses in the city. For some time all such attempts were brought to naught by the prompt appearance of the fire department, and the fires were soon put out; but, on the 25th of March there were two fires starting from one source but not, however, of incendiary origin, which made such rapid headway that, before they could be subdued, much damage was done. In fact, the results of these two conflagrations were almost as disastrous as were those remarkable fires of 1796, and 1820. It was at this time (March 25, 1839) that the old Filature which had stood since the early days of the colony of Georgia was destroyed, and for that reason we give the account of the Georgian of the next day, March 26, in full: "About four o'clock yesterday afternoon, a fire broke out in the yard of the Savannah Steam Saw Mill Company, on the other side of the river, opposite the yard of the Steamboat Company of Georgia. It proceeded from an old building from one to two hundred yards below the mill, and about 100 feet long by 30 feet wide, the roof of which ignited from a spark from the mill pipe, the wind at the time blowing strong from the North West. The building was immediately in a blaze, and the fire communicated in ten minutes, or less, to the Schooner 'Medora,' of Providence lying at the wharf near. The fire was by the wind rapidly extended to a cargo of white pine boards on the wharf, owned by Captain Wm. Crabtree, Jr., to which gentleman and George Hall, Esq., both of this city, the building in which the fire originated also belonged.
"In this building (on which there was some insurance, not yet ascer tained, in the Howard Insurance Company of N. York,) there was a new engine intended for a new Steam Saw Mill about to be erected, which was owned by the same gentlemen, and which we are happy to learn is partially injured. This engine was not insured.
"The flames also extended to another old building, of same dimen-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

351

sions as the former, the property of the Estate of the late Robert ] which was also totally consumed, as also a portion of a pile of 200 Chald rons of Liverpool coal on the wharf, the property of Messrs. Crabtree & Hall. The wharf heads have also been more or less injured.
"The Schooner 'Medora' was the property of Col. R. J. Arnold, of Bryan County, valued about $3,000, and, we regret to learn, not' insured. Two men on board at the time endeavored to loose her from her moor ings, but before she could be got adrift, they were compelled by the flames to desert her, in one of the boats. She was afterwards scuttled, and when our informant left her had been burnt to the water's edge. The mill was fortunately preserved.
"While the second building was in flames, and before engines could be carried across the river, the alarm was again sounded, and when we reached the scene, the old building on Reynolds Square, on the lot known as the old filature lot, was in flames, the roof having caught from a spark wafted several hundred yards across the river, which, ignited like tinder, threatened a serious conflagration. The engines were, however, on the spot, and though the element was very obstinate, by the timely aid of water well directed by the firemen, and by the exertions of many citizens, the fire was arrested, after destroying the double tenement wooden building occupied by Mrs. Russell as a boarding house, and by Mrs. Austin, and extending to a small double tenement also of wood cm St. Julian street, occupied by Mrs. John and Mr. P. Cartier, which was totally consumed with outbuildings on the lot. The large building owned by Mr. Thomas Clark, and by Mr. Amos Scudder, was under insurance, as we learn, $800, made by Mr. Clark. Mr. Scudder had not insured on this building or on the other tenement which belonged to him. His loss, we regret to state, is therefore heavy, as two other dwellings (not insured) on the lot, one a double tenement on Lincoln street, were more or less destroyed by the axemen to arrest the conflagration. The dwelling of Mrs. Bourke, Mr. Sibley, and Mr. Thos. S. Wayne were, with other contiguous buildings repeatedly on fire, but preserved by great exertion. We regret to learn that much furniture was lost by Mrs. Russell and Mrs. Austin, and that two of their boarders, Messrs. Roberts, lost considerable, as also a Mr. Gardiner.
"We congratulate our citizens that it proved not more serious in its effects, and would urge upon Council the necessity of procuring more hose, some of which proved very deficient, and of keeping in good repair the cisterns, from two of which in the vicinity material benefit at this fire was derived. ; '
The next day a correspondent, writing to the Georgian urging the citizens to contribute to the relief of certain of the sufferers by the fire, referred to the building on the Filature lot as "being very old and com bustible--originally built as a silk manufactory, was rapidly consumed by fire, from a spark lighting on the roof, wafled from the fire at the lumber yard."
BINDING THE CITY TOGETHER
In the year 1839 the thoughts of the city authorities were turned in the direction of deepening the channel of the Savannp.h river, and an

352

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

I was made to the Georgia legislature to give an amount of money for that purpose, including the removing of the sand bars between the city and Augusta, and in 1845 the latter joining Savannah in presenting a petition to the general assembly asking for an appropriation to deepen the river between the two cities for the improvement of navigation; but no response was made to the demand. In addition to that enterprise at the same time came the question of building a bridge across the Savan nah river, and, on the 23d of May the mayor, Hon. R. M. Charlton. was induced to call a public meeting of the citizens to receive a report of a committee previously charged with the duty of estimating the cost of the work should it be declared feasible. A favorable report was made by the committee, recommending that the bridge be built "to bring Savannah into direct communication with South Carolina,'' and advising that another meeting be called to discuss the advisability of the work being done by the city of Savannah.
In calling the attention of the people to the importance of attending the meeting that day, the Georgian of the 28th of May said: "We hope it is not necessary to dwell on the importance of a measure of this nature. It would promote that social intercourse which is so desirable among sister States. It would improve our market, and it would do many other things of public benefit;'' and in commenting on the result of that meeting, the same paper said in its issue of the 30th: "It was the greatest meeting ever held in this City at this season of the year for the purpose of advancing the prosperity of our City and our State, We have been convinced with Mr. McAllister that 'now is the time to strike the blow; now will Savannah, like the strong man whose arms were bound, arise in her might and burst her bonds asunder.' And we have been convinced with him, and every day shows the fact more clearly, that ' Georgia is the gate through which the great trade of the mighty West is destined to pass to the Atlantic Ocean.' Could our fellow citizens of the interior but witness the enthusiasm, the determination that exists in Savannah to forward the true interests of Georgia, they would shake off that apathy which seems to have made them rather in different to the fate of the great seaport of their State." Others who addressed the meeting in support of the measure besides Mr. McAllister were Judge John M. Berrien, Judge John C. Nicoll, and Mr. Richard R. Cuyler.
At the meeting it was stated that South Carolina had appointed a commission to ascertain whether Georgia would build a bridge across the river to unite with a road which South Carolina contemplated build ing which road should commence at some point on the old Charleston and Savannah stage road and extend to Savannah back river, and to report to the legislature of their state; whereupon, the following reso lutions were adopted by the Savannah meeting:
''Resolved, by the citizens of Savannah in public meeting assembled, That they duly appreciate the mutual benefits which will result from establishing the communication proposed by the citizens of South Caro lina, and will cordially unite with them in the accomplishment of that object by the construction of a bridge or bridges to connect the road proposed to be constructed by the citizens of South Carolina to Savan nah back river, with the city of Savannah.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

353

, That the Committee appointed at a former meeting of the Citizens of Savannah employ an engineer to make such surveys and estimates as they may deem necessary in the execution of the duty con fided to them, and that the corporation of the City be requested to pro vide for the payment of the same a sum not exceeding $500.''
The matter seems to have dropped there, and there is no evidence on record that the city ever appropriated the amount asked for in the
resolution.

CHAPTER XXVIII
CITY AND COUNTY INSTITUTIONS
CITY MARKET HOUSES--FIRST CITY JAIL--COUNTY JAIL IN CONTROL OP CITY--COUNTY JAIL OF 1846--DEATH OF ANDREW JACKSON.
On the 7th of April, 1763, a lot was set apart by the colonial assem bly, in Ellis square, for a public market, and there a market house was built; but it was destroyed by tire in 1788.
On the 16th of October, 1787, while the old building was still stand ing, the wardens of Savannah made a contract with Messrs. Thomas Newell and Robert Bolton, Jr., copartners and merchants, for the build ing of a market on the public slip under the bluff at the foot of Bull street, of wood, the dimensions of which should be forty by eighteen feet and ten feet high. That market was separate and distinct from the regular market and was established for the convenience of persons bring ing produce to the city by water which "by reason of the steep ascent of the bluff cannot, without a great labor and charge be conveyed to the regular city market."
CITY MARKET HOUSES
On the destruction of the Ellis square building in 1788 a special tax was ordered by ordinance of December 16th to raise money to rebuild, but the new edifice was to be forty feet square. Under the contract with Newell & Bolton the building and lot used by them at the end of Bull street were to be used by them and their successors for fifteen years and the rates of commissions on articles to be sold were fixed by the words of the contract. When that agreement expired in 1802 the city built a market for the convenience of the eastern district in Warren square and that new building was forty feet long, thirty feet wide, and had a steeple. It was built by William Worthington at a cost of $953. The building was removed in 1811, and a new one built opposite the Exchange dock just where the former building stood and which had been known as the fish market.
The fire of 1820 destroyed the market in Ellis square, and fhe ques tion of changing its location in rebuilding was submitted to the people with the result that 375 were in favor of a change while 275 voted against it. The election was held in January, immediately after the fire, and on the 24th of that month an ordinance was passed authorizing the
354

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

355

building to be placed in the center of South Broad street at its inter section with Barnard street. The house was to be 117y2 feet in length by twenty-two feet wide, with a pavement four feet wide all around, arid the price agreed upon by contract was $5,982. The stalls were rented, and the income to the city amounted to $2,622 annually. The name of South Broad street was changed on the 17th of June, 1820, to Market street, but on the 20th of December, 1821, an act of the legis lature was approved which authorized the erection of a market house on the lot originally used for that purpose as granted in 1763, where a market house had been erected and used until its destruction in 1820, and the citizens, in public meeting held January 20, 1821 (before the passage of the act just mentioned), having expressed their desire to erect at their own expense another building at that place the work was immediately commenced and, when finished, it was accepted by council on the 13th of August, 1822, and the name of Market street was again changed to South Broad by ordinance passed the 30th of December, 1822.
Another effort was made, in 1854, to have the market removed or, if retained on its old site, to be rebuilt. The committee, 011 the 29th of June, recommended that something be done as the building was too small, 8ml in May, 1855, instructions were given to the market committee to have designs made for a new market house to be built either in Ellis square or on some other site more desirable. The plans were drawn, and the finance committee of council received instructions to provide for an issue of bonds amounting to $40,000 for the building; but the matter was brought to a stop when the finance committee of the council of 1856 made an adverse report to the bond question.
The next time the .matter was discussed was in the year 1869, and in February the city advertised for fifteen plans and estimates for a market house with a city hall in the building, with the proposal that the bidders state what amount in city bonds they would be willing to take in payment; and on the 20th of July, 1870, the market committee, as instructed, advertised for "bids for the erection of a market under plans prepared by Schwaab and Mulieiy' not to exceed $60,000. Eight days later the amount was increased to $75,000. Contracts were awarded on-the 28th of September. The city proposed to issue $500,000 in bonds for local improvements out of which amount the market was to be paid for. Tt was estimated that the building would cost $75,000, but the amount actually expended on it was much more. It was begun in November, 1870, and finished in June. 1872. During its erection sheds built in Barnard and St. Julian streets were used in the place of stalls.

FIRST CITY JAIL The first record in relation to the building of a jail by the city is what the minutes of council in March, 1743, reveal. At that time pro vision was made for the building of a pair of stocks under the old exchange at the foot of Bull street. The exchange was destroyed by fire in 1796. In 1794, however, it was ordered that a jail be built, and

356

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

that it should be seventy by fifty feet, two stories above the ground and one story below, the material to be of brick or stone.

COUNTY JAIL IN CONTROL OF CITY
A new jail was begun in 1801, the legislature having, on the 30th of November of that year passed an act placing the control of the county jail in the hands of the mayor and aldermen, and it was finished in the next year, when John Peter Oates was elected keeper. Council paid for the building, but looked for re-imburseinent from, the state by the authorization of the levy of a special tax. Concerning this matter Mayor John Y. Noel commented thus in his report of July, 1804: '' Despite the liberal resources of which this city has had the benefit during several years, that its revenues should still be scanty and inadequate to extensive improvements is due to the erection of the goal and rebuilding the court house for the use of the county with funds of the city, producing a deficit of more than $30,000. This use of the city funds for a purpose so beneficial and important was made in reliance on the good faith of the State in imposing an annual tax on the County for the purpose of gradually refunding to the City the sums which it might expend upon these County buildings. For want of this just provision the 'corporation has necessarily been employed during several years past in putting into execution one resource after another until it is ascertained that our revenues still continue in a state of depression from which nothing but the justice of the Legislature can relieve it.''
The expense of maintaining the jail was so great that in October, 3822, the Chatham county representatives in the legislature were asked to have the law which gave the city council control of the jail and court house repealed; and on the 21st of December an act was passed by which such control was transferred to the justices of the inferior court and the sheriff of the county, at which time the city was considering the ques tion of building a new courthouse in Chippewa square. The jail and courthouse property belonged to the city by reason of the expenditure by the council in erecting the same of $50,000, and a relinquishment of the keys was refused until that sum was repaid. An appeal was made to the superior court by the justices of the inferior court and the sheriff resulting in the issuing of a writ requiring the city to deliver possession to the appellants. The city was duly represented by Mayor Morrison, Recorder Gordon and Mr. John C. Nicoll, but on the 20th of February, 1821, the court granted a peremptory order of mandamus upon which the city gave up to the sheriff the property in dispute.
With the purpose of getting control of the jail again, the city suc ceeded on the 4th of December, 1834, in having an act passed again making that institution a part of the corporation's affairs, and when demand on the sheriff and justices was made for possession by the mayor and aldermen who, by ordinance, had been created commissioners of the jail, they were met with a refusal when they obtained their desire by writ of mandamus; but the building was found in such a state of ruin that it seemed a waste of time and trouble to have resorted to such a measure to secure possession.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

357

COUNTY JAIL OF 1846

Until 1846 the jail of Savannah stood on Lafayette square, on the lot

bounded by Abercorn, Harris, Dayton and Macon streets, and, as we

have seen, it was sometimes a question whether the institution should be

controlled by the county authorities in the persons of the justices of the

inferior court, or by the mayor and aldermen representing the city. In

1841 the former took the matter of the building a new jail into consider

ation, at which time a plan was submitted by architect C. B. Clusky, and

on the 20th of July a resolution was adopted calling for "proposals for

contracts" to be published in the Savannah papers as well as in Augusta,

Charleston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. On the

first of November the proposals received were opened, but as all were

higher than expected a delay was caused, and it was determined to call

for other plans which resulted finally in the acceptance of the one sub

mitted by Mr. Benjamin Gardner, of Wilmington, N. C., on the 27th

of January, 1845. On the 19th of February "after mature consideration

it was resolved that the separate proposals for each species of work and

each kind of material being deemed preferable to making the entire

contract with one party that the proposals of the following persons be

accepted and the securities named be approved." Then followed the

names of the successful bidders for the various kinds of work. "It was

further resolved that Mr. Justice [Anthony] Porter be instructed to

address the mayor and aldermen announcing that being now ready to

proceed with the building that the justices will confer with the proper

committee of council in laying out the ground.

"The following is the resolution of Council granting the lot.

"Site of New Jail, page 188.

"Between Whitaker and Barnard streets, continue near the South

line of the Common parcel of land marked A, B, C, D, on the map of the

new town lately presented by the Surveyor containing 300 feet by 2221/2

feet a true extract.

"Signed, EDW'D G. WILSON,

"Said 20th Feb'y, 1845.

"Clerk of Council."

Mr. Gardner was himself made superintendent of the building of the jail after his own plan.
The justices of the inferior court met on the 26th of March, 1845, when the minutes disclose the following proceedings: '' The foundation of the Jail having so far been completed as to be prepared for the corner stone, it was this day laid in presence of the Justices, accompanied by E. W. Pooler, Clerk of the Superior & Inferior Courts.
"The stone was excavated to receive a copper box in which were deposited the following articles, after which the box was soldered, and a stone top fitted to the cavity with hydraulic cement.
"Inscription on parchment:--'The corner stone of this Jail Erected By the County of Chatham, State of Georgia was laid on the 26th day of March in the year of our Lord 1845, and the 70th year of the Inde pendence of The United States of America. In the presence of their honours Anthony Porter, Francis Sorrel, William Thorne Williams,

358

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Elias Reed, Robt. M. Goodwill, Justices of the Inferior Court of the County and Robert W. Pooler, Clerk, & Benj 'n Gardner, Architect and Superintendent. President of the United States James K. Polk, Vice President, George M. Dallas; Governor of Georgia, George AV. Crawford; Mayor of the City of Savannah, Richard Wayne.'
"In the box were placed several specimens of the federal currency and copies of the Savannah Republican & Savannah Georgian."
At a meeting of the justices, held on Tuesday, the 12th of May, 1846, Mr. Gardner reported the jail "to be entirely completed, except locks" and "Mr. Gardner's duties as Superintendent having terminated, it was deemed proper before his departure to give the Mayor & Aldermen an opportunity of inspecting the building and to receive all requisite
explanations, it was therefore "Resolved that the Mayor & Aldermen and City Officers be invited
to attend at the Jail on Friday afternoon, the 15th inst. at 4 o'clock. "Resolved that the Judges and officers of the Circuit and District
court of the United States, the Judge & Officers of the Inferior Court, the Judge & Officers of the Court of Common Pleas, the members of the Bar, the Grand Jury of the Superior Court now in session, and the
County Treasurer be likewise invited. "Resolved that the Contractors & Builders engaged in erecting the
building lie likewise invited. * * * The following description of the building was submitted by Mr. Gardner.* The exterior of the
building is in the castellated style of Gothic architecture. Its length, including the prison and keeper's house is 129 feet. The Keeper's house has 46 feet front and forty feet flank. An octagonal tower ornaments the northeast and northwest corners, one of which is appropriated to the stairway and the other is fitted up with rooms for the use of the family.
"The basement floor has two rooms for the servants, a kitchen and
laundry, which are furnished with a caldron, sinks & hydrant. "The principal floor has two debtors' rooms, the keeper's reception
room, a dining-room and two closets. "The second floor has three chambers, a sitting-room for the family,
and a private stairway leading from the chambers directly into the
garden. The roof is of tin. "The prison is two stories high, 89 feet long, 41 feet wide and has 24
cells on each floor, five feet wide, ten feet long, eight feet four inches high, and double ceiled on the inside with plank. The cells are surrounded by a hall five feet wide, and have a ventilating passage between them two feet wide, into which the apertures for the admission of fresh air open into each cell. At the south end of the cells are four wing rooms 12 by 24 feet. Three of these are intended for the detention of United States prisoners, free persons of colour taken from vessels, and witnesses. The other has two large bathing places made in the floor with concrete, and plastered with cement. The Jail roof is composed of galvanized iron, secured to iron rafters with iron clamps. This roof has a declina-

* The picturesque old building stood for many years near the corner of Hall and Whitaker streets, and is still remembered by many persons now living. Its appearance was so much like that of an old castle that strangers asking its origin
were surprised to learn that it was a prison.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

359

lion to the centre of the building where there is a reservoir that will contain 2,400 gallons of water which may be filled with rain water, or with well water supplied by two force pumps erected for that purpose. The reservoir supplies ten hydrants--three to the scullery, two to the baths, and five to the wing rooms and hall at the south end of the prison.
"The first floor of the prison, cells and halls is constructed of flag stone. On the second floor the cells have flag stone floors, but the halls and wing rooms have floors made by building brick arches between castiron joists, and levelling off with concrete. The cells are well ventilated, and are provided with two doors, one an iron-grated door, and the other a close wooden door, to be used when required. Each cell has an iron bedstead so hung that when not in use it can be hooked up to the side of
the cell. "There are cast iron pipes passing horizontally through the whole
length of the cells, furnishing a water-closet in each. The pipes are to be kept constantly full of water from the reservoir, and are prevented from overflowing or becoming dry by means of cast iron boxes--the one at the northern end is called the receiving box, and is furnished with a valve and float; the one at the south end is the discharging box, and contains only a valve which is to be lifted when the pipes are to be emptied. These pipes, as do those attached to the sinks, empty into a sewer under the prison, and the sewer discharges into a cess-pool provided for the purpose.
"The inclosure is 302 feet front and 222 feet back, having a wall 11 feet high.
"A dividing wall runs from east to west, separating the enclosure and yards of the keeper from that of the prison, having a recreating yard for the prisoners 300 by 172 feet, and giving two yards to the Jailor 50 by 78. There are two buildings, one at the north-east and the other at the southwest corner of the enclosure 50 by 20, one story and a half high, to be used as out-buildings.
"The whole of the work is constructed of gray bricks, and washed v^ith hydraulic lime."
On the 19th of August, 1846, the justices of the inferior court in formed the mayor and aldermen of Savannah that the new jail was fin ished, and that the cost had exceeded the estimate, leaving the court with out means to finish paying for the same, and requesting that an ordinance may be passed or such other measures adopted as will carry into effect the resolutions of council of the 29th of August, 1839, by which the four lots occupied by the old jail, and the materials of the building, were assigned to the use of the justices of the inferior court "to aid them by the proceeds of their sele in the construction of the new building."
On the 29th of the same month the Justices informed the City Council that they "are now prepared to deliver into your charge the new County Jail of which the laws of the State Constitute you Commissioners."

DEATH OP ANDREW JACKSON
The citizens of Savannah held Pres. Andrew Jackson in the highest esteem, and his memory was greatly honored, perhaps to a more exalted de-

360

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEOEGIA

gree than that of any other person, and whose death was anounced at an hour not looked for. The board of mayor and aldermen, at a meeting held on the 26th of June, 1845, informed of his decease, eulogized him in a set
of resolutions in which he was declared to have been '' the most extraordi nary man of the age, the patriot in whom was more of the Roman, more
of that spirit which in the love of country forgets self more than in any other man of the era which he signaled." It was resolved that every alderman should wear crape for sixty days, "as a feeble testimony of grief," and the citizens were requested to do the same; the council chamber was draped in mourning during all that time, and the people were urged to suspend all business on the day of his funeral, the 4th of July, and the board attended in a body to listen to the eulogy delivered in the Independent Presbyterian church by the Hon. Matthew Hall McAllister. The day was made one of public mourning in which the civil and military organizations all participated. The procession, led by Francis Matthew Stone, was composed of the United States troops, the volunteer companies of the city, with Colonel White in command, the committee of arrangements, the reverend clergy, the judges and officers of the superior court, the justices and officers of the inferior court and the court of ordinary, the judge and officers of the Court of Common Pleas and Oyer and Terminer, the mayor and aldermen, all city officers, justices of the peace, foreign consuls and officers, the collector of the port and his officers, officers1 and soldiers of the Revolution, officers of the revenue marine, officers of the militia, the Union Society, St. Andrew's
Society, the German Friendly Society, the Georgia Historical Society, the Catholic Temperance Society, the Mechanics' Temperance Society, the Agricultural Society, Georgia Chapter No. 3 and Masonic Lodges of Savannah, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the United Ancient Order of Druids, the teachers of public schools and their pupils, teachers of Sabbath-schools and their pupils, the pilots of the port of Savannah, the captains and officers of the vessels in the harbor, and marines.

CHAPTER XXIX
THE MEXICAN WAR
SAVANNAH'S PROMPT RESPONSE--" JASPER GREENS" OFF FOR MEXICOAID FROM THE CITY COUNCIL--PUBLIC FUNERAL OF COLONEL MoINTOSH--THE SEMINOLE WAR OF 1836.
We now reach the period in the city's history when again the citizen soldiery, by a willingness to serve their country showed their patriotism and courage to such full measure that the government was forced to accept the offer of only a select few who offered to fight the battles of their country.
It is a pleasing fact that, instead of a formal declaration of war with Mexico, congress, on notice from President Polk that the blood of certain citizens of the United States had been actually shed on territory belonging to our government by Mexican soldiers, asserted that war was in progressby the overt acts of the government of Mexico. Then that body appro priated the sum of $10,000,000 and authorized the call for fifty thousand volunteers.
SAVANNAH'S PROMPT RESPONSE
To that call three hundred thousand men responded, and Savannah was not behind in that important matter. Indeed virtually all of the infantry companies expressed a desire to take part in the fighting, but, S only one regiment was required from the state of Georgia, so conse quently the city was not called on to furnish more than one company, and the choice of that one was decided by lot. The lot fell to the Irish Jasper Greens, composed of Irishmen who had been commanded by Capt. Henry R. Jackson, and who, in addition to the love they bore their brave leader, were eager to take a part in the just quarrel of their adopted country with an enemy so arrogant and unjust in the position taken in that war.
''JASPER GREENS" OFF FOR MEXICO
Captain Jackson was appointed colonel of the regiment, and the Jasper Greens went to Mexico with the brave John McMahon as their commander. The names of those truly courageous men deserve a place on a special roll of honor, and Savannah may well be proud to have
361

362

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

them so well preserved in all the accounts of her history that they shall never in any age be forgotten. Besides Captain McMahon, they are as
follows: Lieutenants G. Curlette and D. 0'Connor; Sergeants John Devany,
M. Carey and P. Martin; Corporals Leo Wylly, M. Feery, P. Tierney, T. Bourke, and Owen Reilly; Privates William Bandy, W. D. Burke, P. Bossu, Francis Camfield, James Chalmers,1 P. Clark, Patrick Cody,
John Coffee, William Coffee, James Coulihan, Elijah Condon, Joseph Davis, Dennis Desmond, Michael Downey, Michael Duggan, Francis Dutzmer, Charles Farrelly, Thomas Fenton, David Fountain, James
Fleeting, James Flynn, William P. Fielding, James Feely, Patrick Gerrin, Moses Gleason, 0. B. Hall, Michael Hoar, Timothy Howard, R. M. Howard, E. W. Irwin, John Keegin, Humphrey Leary, W. S. Levi, David Lynch, Michael Lynch, L. Mahoney, Henry Marony, John Makin, Bryan Morris, Jas. McFeehilly, H. V. Morel, John Meldrum, William Murray. Michael Murphy, Daniel Murphy, Hugh Murtagh, Henry Nagle, Dan Nickels. M, M. Payne, George Perminger, Thomas Pidgeon, John Began, Francis Reeves, R. Richardson, J. Rinehart, B. Rodebuck, R. M. Robertson, J. D. Ryan, Thomas Ryan, John Sanderlin, Michael Shea, Peter Suzmell, David Stokes, C. F. E. Smith, R. L. S. Smith, Patrick Shiels, Patrick Tidings, Daniel F. Towles, J. W. Warden, James Waters, Mich ael Weldon, John Whaling, James Waters, Jr., Jacob Zimmerman; Musicians William Gatehouse, George Gatehouse.

AID FROM THE CITY COUNCIL
The city council was generous in aiding in the equipment of the company, and the citizens also subscribed to the fund raised for that purpose. Further than that, council took steps to look after the families of such members of the Greens as might be in need during the absence of their heads.
Leaving Savannah about the end of May, 1846, the company spent more than a year in active service in Mexico. Colonel Jackson and three members reached the city on their return, June 5, 1847, and two days after Lieut. D. 0'Connor and five others greeted their friends on the streets. Expecting their arrival shortly, the Georgian, on Tuesday, the 1st, said "We shall * * * soon see Jackson with Corlette and the Greens, and, as some public demonstration should be got up in Savannah on the return of those who have done honorable service, we suggest two modes of honoring them: One, a civil and military picnic at the Pine Grove, south of the city; another, an excursion to Fort Pulaski and a picnic there, where the waters of Georgia blend with those of the ocean, typifying the mingling of those ties which associate in the same ranks for the Nation's service the native and the adopted citizen." The sug gestion was not heeded, and there was no public demonstration. That paper, on the 16th of June, gave a complete list, compiled by Lieut. D. 0 'Connor, of all'' deaths and discharges which occurred in this company from the time of their departure from Savannah for the seat of war to their return to New Orleans.''

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

363

PUBLIC FUNERAL OP COLONEL MC!NTOSH
Wounded at the battle of Molino del Key, on the 8th of September, 1847, Col. James S. Mclntosh, a citizen of Savannah, died in October, 1847. His remains were brought here on the 18th of March in^ the next year, and a public funeral was held that day which is thus described in the Georgian of the 20th:
"Our fellow-citizens generally on Saturday forsook their usual avo cations to mingle around the bier of the veteran soldier, the gallant leader of the Third Infantry, and acting Brigadier-General in more than one well-fought battle on the plains of Mexico. The music of the military at an early hour of the forenoon summoned the members of the respec tive Volunteer Corps attached to the First Regiment, and theij? full ranks attested the admiration of the Citizen Soldier for the character ) the warrior who now rested from his labor.
"The National Banner was displayed at half-mast at the Garrison and on the Chatham Light Artillery Armory, and all the shipping in port displayed their colors also at half-mast. The following Corps formed as a battalion on the Bay: The Georgia Hussars, Captain Bailey; the Chatham Light Artillery, Captain Stephens, the Republican Blues, Captain Anderson; the Savannah Volunteer Guards, Captain Richardsone; the Irish Jasper Greens, Captain M'Mahon; the German Volunteers, Captain Stegin; the Phoenix Riflemen, Lieutenant Palin.
"Under the command of Colonel Knapp the battalion proceeded to the residence of Major William J. Mclntosh, where the mortal remains of his gallant brother reposed. The veteran lay in a leaden coffin, in closed in one of mahogany, with the following inscription: Colonel Jas, S. Mclntosh, Fifth Regiment United States Infantry, died first October, 1847, of wounds received in the battle of El Molino del Rey, Mexico, eighth September, 1847. The American flag was thrown as a pall over the coffin, and the sword with the dress of the deceased, (pierced by eight bullet holes) which was worn by him at the fatal battle of El Molino del Rey, rested upon the coffin. Reverend Rufus White of St. John's Church, assisted by Edward Neufville, D. D., officiated at the house, and read the funeral service of the Episcopal Church. Escort, Clergy--Pall Bearers, W. B. Bulloch, Judge J. M. Wayne, Major Wade, U. S. A., Lieutenant Colonel Law, Colonel Williams, Colonel J. W. Jackson, Captain Stephens, Major Tallott, U. S. A., Family, Colonel John G. Park, and Major M. D. Husen, the Commander on the part of the State in charge of the body from Mexico. Officers of the Army and Navy, Brigadier-General White and Staff, Committee from the Floyd Rifles and Macon Volunteers under Capt. Comer; officers of the First Regiment; Grand Marshal not on duty; Mayor and Aldermen; Citi zens.
"On entering the old cemetery, the services at the grave were per formed by Reverend Rufus White. After which the coffin was deposited in the vault which contains the remains of one whom in life we cherished as a gallant citizen, ready at any moment to lay down his life for his country.''

364

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

THE SEMINOLE WAR OF 1836
The trouble with the Seminole Indians in Florida began in 1836, and continued for several years. With true military zeal and patriotism the Savannah volunteer companies offered their services, and, as in the case with the Mexican war one company was chosen from the city, and it was the Republican Blues. Their record was all that could be expected of men whose devotion to their country could not be questioned and Savannah's honor was fully sustained by their conduct throughout the whole period of their enlistment.

r
CHAPTER XXX
CEMETERIES AND MEMORIALS
DRY CULTURE AS HEALTH PRECAUTION--NEW LAUREL GROVE CEMETERYCLOSING THE OLD COLONIAL CEMETERY--QUESTION OF FIRST JEWISH BURIAL PLACE--LAUREL GROVE CEMETERY DEDICATED--THE PULASKI MONUMENT--MONUMENT DELIVERED TO COMMISSIONERS--THE NATHANAEL GREENE MONUMENT--LOCATING THE REMAINS OF NATHANAEL GREENE.
In considering the matter of dry culture contracts made by the city with owners of lands suitable for the cultivation of rice, we purposely omitted to mention the fact that much difficulty was encountered with the estate of Joseph Stiles, owner of Springfield Plantation, adjacent to and lying southwest of the city. The omission was in order that the whole subject might be presented to the reader in connection with the establishing of a new cemetery when it became absolutely necessary. So much trouble arose from misunderstandings between the parties and opposition on the part of the owners to the making of such contract that the city finally purchased the tract in order to get control of the same, and it proved to be a beneficial transaction which led to the open ing of the way to the laying out of a new burial-ground. After many suggestions as to the need of it, the board of health, on the 17th of June, 1849, took measures in the right direction and declared that it was a public necessity.
DRY CULTURE AS HEALTH PRECAUTION
The first move by council in the matter was made on the 29th of October, 1850, when an ordinance was passed in relation to dry culture from which we quote: "Whereas, the City of Savannah has recently become the purchaser in fee simple of that tract of land called Spring field, lying on the southwestern border of the City, which purchase was made for the sole purpose of reducing to and keeping in a state of dry culture the said tract of land which is low and swampy and has been in its wet state the cause of disease to the people of Savannah; and whereas, it is the duty of the City Council to remove the said cause of disease, and to place the said tract of land in a dry and healthful state; and whereas, the Legislature of the State have conferred upon the
365

366

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

city government ample power for the discharge of that duty; and whereas, it is essential to the dryness of the said lands and to the pro tection of the health of the citizens that the said tract of land should
be perfectly drained in the natural course of the water to the extent of its drainage capacity and that the flow of the water through the said drains should not be impeded:
"Be it ordained, &c., That it shall not be lawful for any person or body corporate by any embankment, dam, or works to be erected, or which may have been heretofore erected across the natural channels of drainage of the said Springfield tract or any other tract or in any other manner to impede the flow of water from the said tract through the drains which have been or may be constructed for the purpose of drain ing the said tract of land or through the natural channels and outlets thereof to the Savannah river. And it shall be the duty of all persons or bodies corporate who may have lawfully acquired a right of way over said tract, or may have constructed embankments or dams across the said tract, to cause sufficient culverts to be built under the same, so that the drainage of said lands shall not be impeded," etc.

NEW LAUREL GROVE CEMETERY
Further suggestions having been made, from time to time, in rela tion to want of a new place of burial, council adopted an ordinance on the 3d of June, 1853, declaring that'' So much of the Springfield Planta tion as is herein set forth and described be, and the same is hereby set apart and dedicated as a public Cemetery forever, to be known by the name of Laurel Grove Cemetery--that is to say--The parcel of land beginning at the northern fence recently built, running across the land purchased from the heirs of Joseph Stiles--between the lands, of Dr. Bulloch on the east and the dam of the old rice field on the west, and running southwardly between the said lands of Dr. Bulloch and land of the heirs of Morel on the east and said dam on the west, to the corner of the bank on land of the heirs of Morel on the eastern side--then from said corner westwardly to within sixty feet of the fence now running from a point near said corner in a south-westwardly direction, and thence by said fence and a line in the direction thereof on the western side to the southern line of the said lands purchased from the heirs of Joseph Stiles. And that the space of sixty feet next to said fence and a line in the direction thereof, from said corner to the southern line of said purchase, shall be a public highway or street forever, and be called by the name of Kollock street.
; 2. A pillar of granite shall be placed at each of the corners of said land so set apart and dedicated, and a map of the land so set apart and dedicated shall be made by the City Surveyor, and be recorded on the County Record, in order that the true location of the said Cemetery may be known and perpetuated.
U 3. The plan of the interior of said Cemetery, made by James 0. Morse, and now in the office of the Clerk of Council, be and the same is hereby declared to be the true plan thereof, and that all the ways, pas sages, avenues, and corners thereon delineated snail forever be kept free

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

367

and unobstructed for the use of those who may at any time hereafter become owners of lots in said Cemetery, and for the public, subject, how ever, at all times, to such rules and regulations as may from time to time be made by Council for the government of same."
The ordinance from which the foregoing is taken is a long one, and contains all the regulations concerning the keeping, burials, lots, etc. As bearing on the importance of the subject, we further quote as fol lows :
"And whereas, the crowded stale of the old Cemeteries renders it absolutely necessary that interments therein should close at as early a day as possible; and whereas it is the duty of Council to encourage the voluntary removal of remains now within the old Cemeteries:
"No interment of the body of any deceased person shall be made in

HISTORICAL GRAVES IN COLONIAL PARK, SAVANNAH
either of the present Cemeteries after his Honor the Mayor shall, under the direction of Council, give public notice in all the City Gazettes that Laurel Grove Cemetery is prepared to receive all remains of deceased persons.
"And whereas it is the duty of Council also to provide a suitable place for the interment of deceased free persons of color and slaves:
"There shall be laid out in the south-western portion of the lands before set apart for the Cemetery fifteen acres of ground which.shall be used alone for the interment of the remains of deceased persons of color, under such regulations as Council may from time to time prescribe.
"From and after the day of publication of preparation of said Laurel' Grove Cemetery shall be made by the Mayor as above provided for, it shall not be lawful to inter any dead body in any other place within the corporate limits of the City of Savannah than in the said Laurel Grove Cemetery, and in the present Hebrew Cemetery, and any

368

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA.

person who shall so inter, or cause to be interred, or be in any manner concerned in interring any dead body within the corporate limits, save in Laurel Grove Cemetery and said Hebrew Cemetery, shall be subject to a fine of five hundred dollars, to be recovered on information before the Mayor of said City.''
In explanation of the permission given in the above recited ordinance for burials in the Hebrew cemetery, statement is here made that by ordi nance of August 17, 1839, "The Hebrew Burial Grounds shall be con sidered and deemed public Cemeteries of the City of Savannah."

CLOSING THE OLD COLONIAL CEMETERY
Final action in relation to closing the old Colonial cemetery was taken when the mayor issued the following proclamation:
"PROCLAMATION.
"Mayor's Office, Savannah, May 9, 1853.--Whereas, Council at a regular meeting, held on the 27th of January, 1853, passed a resolution requiring me to issue my proclamation ' Closing the Old Cemetery for the purpose of interment after the first of July next:'
'' Therefore, I do hereby proclaim, that after the first day of July next, the Old or Brick Cemetery will be closed for the purpose of interment,
"E. WAYNE, Mayor. '' Attest: EDWARD G. WILSON, Clerk of Council.''
Mr. Thomas Gamble, in his "History of the City Government" states that "one-fifth of the Cemetery was offered to the Catholic Church for a burying ground at one-fifth of the total expense. Bishop Gartland declined to purchase the section proffered unless it was unfettered by restriction and placed solely under the control of the Church. He offered to purchase fifteen or twenty acres outside of the Cemetery enclosure for a private Cemetery, but nothing resulted. In June, 1853, the section south of Pine, Locust and Jessamine avenues was set apart for the Catholics. Mr. Prendergast in the meantime had given Bishop Gartland fifteen acres of land on the White Bluff road for a Cemetery, and as Council declined to confer special privileges in Laurel Grove, the second offer was likewise declined.'"
The following is taken from an act of the general assembly of Georgia approved February 18, 1854: "Whereas, a piece of ground, consisting of five acres, more or less, situated and lying in Chatham County, on the Thunderbolt and Causton's Bluff roads, in the vicinity of Savannah, immediately adjoining the two mile stone on the Causton Bluff road, has been purchased and set apart for the purposes of a cemetery for the deceased members of the Roman Catholic Congregation worshiping in the City of Savannah; and whereas, it is meet and proper that places set apart for the burial of the dead should be protected from all undue interferences:
"It shall not be lawful to open any private or public road through the Cemetery aforesaid, any laws heretofore passed to the contrary not withstanding.
'' If any person or persons shall commit any act of trespass, or shall

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

369

injure or destroy any of the fencing, or injure or deface any of the monuments in the said Cemetery, such person so offending shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction be punished by fine or im prisonment, at the discretion of the Court."

QUESTION OF FIRST JEWISH BURIAL PLACE
A more thorough investigation of the question of the first Jewish burial place, treated of in the earlier portion of this book, throws a clearer light on it, as follows: When the Georgia commons house o assembly met on the 16th of December, 1762, that body received a peti tion from sundry inhabitants and free-holders of Savannah, professing the Jewish religion, "setting forth that from the first of families settling in this province a cemetery of burial place hath been and allowed to and made use of by them for the interment of their dead, but the same never having been ascertained in its extent no inclosure thereof could be made, and further setting forth that the petitioners are informed a bill is now pending in this House for the enlarging and inclosing cem eteries or burial grounds, and are very willing and desirous at their own cost and expense to inclose a portion of ground for the solemn pur pose aforesaid; and therefore praying this House to take the premises into consideration and allot by law a certain stated quantity of ground (including the spot where they have constantly deposited their dead) to be inclosed and appropriated for the use and service aforesaid.'' It was "ordered that the petition do lie on the table," and it was not brought up again at that session.
Again, at a session of the same body, on the 14th of March, 1770, another petition was read, said petition then being from certain other inhabitants of Savannah objecting to the granting of the petition, of certain Jews "for a lot or burial place opposite the lot of David Truan." That petition was laid on the table to be examined by all parties inter ested ; but the next day, the 15th, another petition was received, setting forth that'' as the place had been many years since allotted for a burial ground for the Jewish people and in which many have been interred, and it being a reasonable request, petitioners ask that it be confirmed to the holders." No action seems to have been taken on the subject.
But the matter did not end there. During the next month of that same year 1770, namely, on the 6th of April, the upper house of as sembly received "a memorial of sundry freeholders and inhabitants of the town of Savannah setting forth that the memorialists were informed that a petition had been received by the Commons House of Assembly from the few inhabitants of Jewish religion praying for a certain spot of ground on the Common to be aliened and conveyed to them for burial purposes which they alleged, tho' it did not appear on any record, was formerly allotted to them by General Oglethorpe for the purpose afore said," and, in objecting to the granting of that memorial of the Jewish citizens, the new petitioners asked to be heard by the upper house, when it was '' ordered that the memorial lie on the table to be perused by the members of this House.'' The minutes show that on the 9th, three days afterwards, the bill granting the request of the Jewish petitioners was

370

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

committed to the committee of the whole house, and it does not appear by the journal that it was acted on.
We have already shown that council, by ordinance of August 27, 1839, declared the Hebrew burial grounds to be public cemeteries.

LAUREL GROVE CEMETERY DEDICATED
The city council, through the committee of that body on health and cemetery for the years 1851-1852, arranged for suitable ceremonies in connection with the dedication of Laurel Grove cemetery, and the Hon. Robert Milledge Charlton was invited to prepare a poem while the Hon. Henry R. Jackson was asked to deliver the public address. Both of those gentlemen consented, and the day appointed was the 10th of Novem ber, 1852. The services began with prayer by the Rev. Willard Preston, D. D., pastor of the Independent Presbyterian church. The prayer was followed by the reading of the poem which is too long for repetition here, but we cannot refrain from quoting the closing lines:
"Brethren! let no vain strife, today, Hold o'er your minds its hateful sway; Banish each thought of wrong and ill. Oh, restless hearts,--be still! be still! Why should ye strive f Death's ceaseless tide A\7ill sweep ye hither, side by side; When ye have yielded up life's trust, Here shall ye moulder--'dust to dust!' Behold, behold, the final bourne, Where ye shall come--but ne'er return! Now part we--here to meet no more, 'Till care, and hope, and life are o'er; Time flieth with unerring flight, Death cometh with its dismal might; So let us live--so let us die, That we may time and death defy, That when affection's hallow'd tear Shall fall above our ashes here, Our souls, released from error's stain, Shall dwell on God's eternal plain.
Oh, Father! hear our humble prayer, And bless us, ere we slumber here!"
Mr. Jackson's address followed the poem, and we make room for only one short passage: "Behold a new city which we now consecrate to the dead! Behold its walls, its gates, and its streets! At present it lies with out a population! But soon your gates shall be thrown open again and again to admit the mourning procession. These streets shall be pressed by the funeral hearse; arid the dull sound shall be heard of the covering clay, as earth receives her frail children back to her bosom. Soon from other cemeteries will be brought the remains of the beloved dead,
'Not lost, but gone before,'

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

371

to be consigned to this safer, more desirable and more permanent place of burial; and the hearts of this community will soon be bound by a thousand tender ties to the earth upon which we stand and over which we gaze. Soon upon these vales and trees a holy calm will descend; the morning and the evening sun will shine upon them with a softer ray, and the breeze play around them and among them, with a sadder, sweeter music. As, with solemn step and hushed voices, we tread along these paths, the dead will rise before us, will walk with us and speak to us again: these beautiful grounds will soon have become a sacred city of the dead.
"And do they not deserve it at our hands? Even in a small com munity like our own, what do we not owe to the dead? and to those, too, who have fallen within the memory of the youngest of us all? To them are we indebted for many of the comforts of life. To them do we owe the initiatory steps in those works of improvement which have made our city what it is, and opened before us a brilliant future of indefinite expan sion. But, above all, to them are we indebted for examples of goodness, purity and worth which have given character to our community, and should be held up, as guiding stars, to the young. The character of her distinguished citizens is a precious treasure as well to a city as a state. They should be guarded with a never sleeping eye. They should be kept constantly fresh and bright in the hearts of the young. They should be transmitted, as a precious legacy, from generation to generation. In honoring them we honor ourselves.
''And an honor always accorded to the illustrious dead has been a dis tinguished sepulture. Many of the noblest works of art, which have come down to us from ancient times were monuments erected in honor of the distinguished dead. And what is not Westminster Abbey--'that vast assemblage of sepulchres'--where sleep the great and good of past generations--statesmen, warriors, philanthropists, poets, and orators-- what is it not to England, her story, her genius and her fame, Our city may never have produced heretofore, may never hereafter produce, such eminent individual renown as has shed a peculiar halo about the greater cities of ancient or of modern times. Yet has she already given birth, and with the blessing of heaven, she will continue to give birth, to men of distinguished talent, of eminent worth and honorable fame; men whose monuments would impart an interest to any cemetery, and whose examples might be proudly held up to any community!
"To the graves of such men it were a consummation to direct the .steps and the attention of 'the living. All honor be paid to their memory!''
At the conclusion of the address the Rev. Dr. Lovick Pierce, of the Methodist Episcopal church, offered a prayer which concluded the service.
THE PULASKI MONUMENT
AVe have in another place recorded the facts connected with the laying of corner stones of monuments intended to be erected in memory of Greene and Pulaski, and the finishing of the one in Johnson square

372

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

which was known as the Greene and Pulaski monument until the time when arrangements were made for the building of the second one, when the former became the Greene monument and the latter the Pulaski monument.
On the llth of October, 1853, the corner stone of the Pulaski monu ment was laid, with interesting ceremonies, in Monterey square, in accordance with the plans of the commissioners appointed to raise the means for that purpose. A plan for that monument, submitted by Mr. Robert E. Launitz, of New York, was selected by the commissioners in the month of May, 1852. The height was to be fifty-five feet, the material to be Italian marble, and the cost $17,000. The monument was to be ready for erection by the first of July, 1854. This is its description as stated by its designer:
"In designing this monument I have had particular regard to purity of style, richness of effect, and strength and durability in material and execution, while I have not lost sight of the main object, which is to design a Monument for Pulaski.
'' It is perceived, at the first glance, that the monument is intended for a soldier who is losing his life, fighting. Wounded he falls from his horse while still grasping his sword. The date of the event is recorded above the subject, the arms of Poland and Georgia, surrounded by branches of laurel, ornament the cornice on two sides or fronts. They stand united together, while the eagle, emblem of Liberty, Independence and Courage, rests on both, bidding proud defence; the eagle being the symbolic bird both of Poland and America, the allegory needs no further explanation. The inverted cannons on the corners of the die are emble matic of military loss and mourning, while they give to the mourner a strong military character. To facilitate the execution of the shaft, which it would be impossible to execute in one piece, I have divided the same into several parts, separated by bands, so as to remove the unsightliness of the horizontal joints on a plain surface. The bands are alter nately ornamented with stars, emblems of the States and Territories, now and in embryo, who enjoy, and will enjoy, the fruits of the valor and patriotism of the heroes of the Revolution. The garlands on the alter
nate bands above the stars denote that they (the States) are green and flourishing. The shaft is surmounted by a highly elaborate Corinthian top, which adds richness, loftiness, and grandeur to the structure. The monument is surmounted by a statue of Liberty, embracing with her left arm the banner of the stars and stripes, while in her right hand is extended the Laurel Wreath. The love of liberty brought Pulaski to America; for love of liberty he fought, and for liberty he lost his life. Thus, I thought that Liberty should crown his monument, and share with him the homage of the free."
As Pulaski died on the llth of October, 1779, it will be seen that the corner-stone of the monument was laid on the seventy-fourth anniver sary of that event, and, in their report, the commissioners stated that the corner-stone originally laid by Lafayette, and which had been again removed from its place in Johnson square, together with another of equal size united to it by copper bands, and containing the records of the present day, which the commissioners desired to deposit beneath

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

373

the monument, was laid on its final resting-place. The following record, written on parchment and placed in a copper tube, was enclosed in the stone: ' ' Pulaski Monument, Savannah, Georgia, Chatham County, United States of America; llth October, 1853.
''This parchment is to record the laying of the corner-stone of a Monument in the center of Monterey Square, at the junction of Bull and Wayne Streets, City of Savannah, to the memory of Brigadier General Kasimir Pulaski, who fell mortally wounded by a swivel shot,
while on a charge at the head of a body of Cavalry, before the British lines, at the Siege of Savannah, on the ninth day of October, seventeen hundred and seventy-nine. Kasimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman, was born in Mazovia, in Poland, in the year Seventeen Hundred and Forty-
eight, arrived in the United States in the year Seventeen Hundred and Seventy-seven (1777) and volunteered his services to the American Government, in the great and glorious cause of Liberty and resistance to British Tyranny--received a commission from the Government as Brigadier General of Cavalry, on the 15th day of September, 1777, and fought gallantly in the battles of this country, at Brandywine, Germantown, Charleston and Savannah. Aged thirty-one years.
"Robert E. Launitz, of New York, Designer, Sculptor and Builder. "M. Lufburrow and E. Jones, Builders of the Foundation. 11 Robert D. Walker, Sculptor of the Corner-Stone." The address on the occasion of laying the corner-stone was delivered by Henry Williams, Esq. Continuing, the report of the commissioners said: u At three
o'clock, P. M., upon the appointed day, the Independent Volunteer Battalion of Savannah, consisting of the Chatham Artillery, with a battery of six guns, under Capt. Gallie; the Phoenix Riflemen, under Capt. Mills; the Republican Blues, under Lieut. Davis, commanding; the Savannah Volunteer Guards under Capt. Screven; the German Vol unteers, under Capt. Stegen; the Irish Jasper Greens, under Capt. Devanny; and the De Kalb Riflemen, under Capt. Ganahl; together with the Georgia Hussars, on the right, under Capt. Lamar, the whole under the command of Lieut. Col. Alexander R. Lawton, poured in Liberty street, and marched to the ground, taking position in Bull street, with the right resting in Madison Square, and their left extend ing to Monterey Square. In this position they received, with the cus tomary military salute, the civic procession, marshaled by Commissioner Win. P. Bowen, comprised of the Chaplain and Orator of the day, escorted by Commissioner Richard D. Arnold, the Mayor and Alder men of Savannah, then Masonic Lodges and their officers of the First Brigade and First Squadron of Cavalry, with their staffs. The proces sion having passed into the square, occupied the seats which had been provided on a platform erected above the foundation of the monument. The immense concourse of spectators, of whom a large number were ladies, filled the entire square and open space in the vicinity, as well as the windows and piazzas of the surrounding dwellings. The military, after the entrance of the procession, took a new position, forming on three sides of the square, where they remained during the performance
of the ceremonies.

374

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"These arrangements having been completed, the assemblage was called to order by Commissioner Win. P. Bo wen, after which the Rever end Aaron J. Earn [Pastor of the Lutheran Church], Chaplain of the day, addressed the Throne of Grace in an impressive and appropriate prayer.
"Henry Williams, Esq., who had been invited by the Commissioners to deliver an address on the occasion, then arose and enchained the attention of the entire assemblage, perhaps the largest ever congregated in Savannah in the * * * graphic and eloquent tribute to the mem ory of Pulaski.
'' Upon the conclusion of the address, Commissioner Bowen exhibited a list of the * * * articles which had been placed within the corner stone. * * *
"The members of the Masonic Fraternity then rising from their seats, assembled around the base of the monument, when, conducted by the Acting Grand Master Richard R. Cuyler, the solemn forms of their ceremonial were observed, and the corner-stone duly deposited by their hands in the place prepared for its reception. A benediction was then pronounced by Rev. T. L. Hutchings.
"The Chatham Artillery, who had previously taken an independent position, then fired a National Salute, which concluded the most bril liant and imposing civic and military pageant ever witnessed in Savan nah.
"In the evening of the same day the Commissioners entertained, at the Exchange, a number of invited guests, consisting of the Commis sioned Officers of the Military, and others who had taken part in the ceremonies of the occasion."

MONUMENT DELIVERED TO COMMISSIONERS
The contract with Mr. Launitz called for the delivery of the monu ment by the second day of July, 1854; but it was net until early in November that he began the work on the foundation which, it appears had to be changed somewhat, and consequently the corner-stone had to be moved so that it rests "on the foundation in the northeast corner, enclosed by the plinth at that corner."
It took him until the 22d of December to conclude the work which embraced also the placing of the railing enclosing the monument, and the next day he announced its completion to the commissioners, tender ing the monument "for your inspection and acceptance," Promptly came their response on the 26th in which they said: "We * * * accept it, and while congratulating you upon its completion in accord ance with your design and contract, we most heartily tender to you .our very sincere thanks for this specimen of monumental architecture, alike creditable to yourself and ornamental to our City."
On the 5th of January, 1855, the commissioners announced to the mayor and aldermen of the city the fact of the completion, and closed their communication in these words: '' They now desire a tender of that structure to the Municipal authorities as part and parcel of the public property of the City, and invite your attendance in Monterey Square on Monday, the 8th January, at 12 o'clock, M., for its reception." They

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

375

also wrote to each teacher in the city inviting every one of them "and the male department of your school" to be present at that time "to participate in the ceremonies in honor of the Pulaski Monument."
The ceremonies at that time were thus described by the Morning News of the next day:'' The final act of the Commissioners of the Pulaski Mon ument was consummated yesterday in the delivery of that chaste and elegant structure, the object of their labors and their pride, in all its beauty and perfectness, into the custody of its future guardians, the Mayor and Aldermen of Savannah. The presentation was made at the base of the monument by Dr. R. D. Arnold, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, in the presence of the Judges of the Supreme Court, a detachment of military under Capt. AV. II. C. Mills, a number of other distinguished persons, and a large concourse of citizens. The address of Dr. Arnold was an impromptu effort, that duty having been previ ously assigned to Col. Win. P. Bo wen who was taken ill in the morning, and found it impossible to leave his bed at the appointed hour--but, like other impromptu efforts of that popular orator, was most happily conceived and eloquently expressed.
"After a short and appropriate reply by the Hon. Edw, C. Anderson, .Mayor of! the City accepting the trust and pledging himself and his associates to protect and preserve it, the Commissioners with their invited guests adjourned to the Pulaski House, where a sumptuous colla tion had been prepared. Here a few hours were spent in discussing the comestibles provided, and in short, happy addresses and appropriate sentiments, delivered by Dr. Arnold, the Chairman, Mr. Robertson, the Treasurer, the Hon. John E. "Ward, Judge Howard, Father O'Neill, Messrs. Alexander, Bryan, and others, of Savannah; and by Col. Hull, of Athens, Hon. Andrew J. Miller, of Augusta, and other distinguished guests.
"A novel and most happy idea was the collation prepared in the Square, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, for the pupils of the various schools of the City. Nearly five hundred covers were laid, and a perfect mountain of sweetmeats, cakes, fruit, and all those things most likely to tempt the appetite of the juveniles. These (ample as was !:he provision) were soon annihilated, and the 'Boys of Savannah' gathered around the stand to listen to the words to be addressed to them by Dr. Arnold. At this time Col. Bowen stood at the side of the orator, but was too ill to address his little friends.
"It was a beautiful sight to see the neatly dressed scholars, with their white satin badges and silk banners of various designs, marching with their several teachers at their head around the Square, into the places assigned them by the order of the ceremonies. This was altogether a most happy idea, and the scene was one which will be long and fondly remembered in rnaturer years by the little participants, in the happiness which the Commissioners must have felt as they imparted it to all who approached them on this memorable occasion."

THE NATHANAEL GREENE MONUMENT
No such imposing ceremonies were observed on the completion of the monument to General Nathaiiael Greene. It will be remembered that the

3T6

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

first monument, of which we are now to speak, was erected as the Greene and Pulaski monument. The time being near when its placing in posi tion was an assured fact, the Georgian of March 28,1829, published this statement: "The public will no doubt be gratified to learn that the memorial in honor of these distinguished patriots of the revolution, so long in contemplation but which appears never to have been forgotten by the committee entrusted with its erection, may soon be expected to be commenced. We understand that the committee, in preference to di viding their resources between two monuments, distant from each other, and of inferior beauty and dimensions, have determined to erect one, dedicated to both the illustrious individuals intended to be commemor ated; and we are gratified to state our belief that it will prove when completed a splendid monument to our city, creditable to the State by whom a large portion of the funds for its erection has been furnished and honorable to the public spirited citizens who by their personal exer tions and their subscriptions have been engaged in thus, in some measure, liquidating the large debt of gratitude we owe two of the most distin guished among the founders of our liberties.
"The monument will be erected in Johnson's Square, on the spot where LaFayette laid the corner stone for that of Greene during his visit to this City. The form of the obelisk has been chosen, the plan of which was furnished by the celebrated architect of Pennsylvania, Mr. Stricldand--the material of the obelisk will be white marble from the quarry known in New York as 'Kane's Quarry,' being the same as that of which the front of the City Hall, at New York, is built, nnd will be furnished by Messrs. Matterson and Smith of New York. The founda tion of the monument will be sunk eight feet, sixteen feet square at bottom, and ten feet by twelve at the top--the outside of the base to be composed of four large granite stones, of which material also the steps surrounding the pedestal will be erected. The altitude of the whole will\ be fifty feet.
"The contract for the erection we understand has been taken by Mr. Scudder. It will be immediately commenced, and we are assured that it will be completed by the next anniversary of our independence,"
The prediction as to the time of its completion was not verified, and the next information given on the subject was by the same paper, on the 3d of October following, when it was announced that "we feel gratified in being enabled to assure our readers, upon the very best authority, that the materials for this structure will be ready for shipment at New York on the 15th of the present month."
We next hear of this matter on the 17th of November, when the Georgian again said: "About twenty-four tons of the material intended for this structure arrived here from New York by the Statira; another portion will come by the Tybee, which is hourly expected, and the bal ance by another vessel that was to have sailed with despatch." This was soon followed with the announcement, ten days later, that "The monument to the memory of Greene and Pulaski is now in such a state of forwardness as to render it very certain that it will shortly be com pleted. Most of the pieces of which it is to be composed, and which are cut ready for putting up, have arrived from New York, and will

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

377

no doubt be immediately erected. It will be a great ornament tc the City, and we hope early measures will be taken for enclosing the square. The following are the dimensions of the monument as given by the artist in the New York Courier:--Its height is fifty feet, resting on a base twenty feet by eleven. The pedestal is 8 ft. 5 in. by 4 ft. 8 in, rising 13 feet, and surrounded by a cornice of one foot. From the pedestal a needle rises 26 feet which is 5 ft. 4 in. by 3 ft. at base, and 4 ft, by 2 ft. 3 in. at apex. The material is marble, and the needle is com posed of only seven pieces, each of which weighs more than eight thou sand pounds!"

BEAUTIFUL ROADS THROUGH THE PINES, TIPTON
The following is here quoted merely to show how and when the corner stones for two monuments laid by La Fayette in 1825 were re moved. The Georgian, reviewing Le Vasseur's A^ols. "La Fayette in America," said, in its issue of Thursday, December 3, 1829: "As the corner stones of the Greene and Pulaski monuments were yesterday removed, in the presence of the Committee, from the spots in which they had been laid by General La Fayette, to the foundation of the monu-

378

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

merit in the center of Johnson's Square, now being rapidly erected, the extracts relating to them will be considered interesting."
We get this excellent description of the Greene monument from the Georgian of Saturday, February 6, 1830, being the last notice concern ing its erection, and saying nothing as to any suggestion of its formal dedication: "The Greene and Pulaski monument is at last completed. It is a simple obelisk of white marble, of the following dimensions. The base is 20 feet by 11. The pedestal 8 feet 5 inches, by 4 feet 8%, rising 13 feet and surrounded by a cornice of one foot. The needle is 5 feet 4 inches at the base and 4 feet by 2 feet 3 at the apex rising 36 feet. The pedestal is formed of 12 pieces, each 1 foot 7 inches in height, and the needle of seven pieces each 5 feet 1% in height, and weighing to gether 56,000 pounds. The altitude of the whole 50 feet.
"We have expressed no opinion of the structure during its progress, although we have heard a thousand. Yet, among those who, in its un finished state, condemned it, likening it to everything ludicrous, we be lieve there are few who have not, since its completion, modified their opinions. At any rate, those in whose taste and judgment we rely have pronounced it a beautiful and appropriate structure. That it might have been more extensive in its dimensions and imposing in its appear ance none will deny; but because all the ideas of ardent imaginations have not been realized, it is not reasonable or just to condemn all that has been effected with limited means, in short, it is good as far as it goes, and that is as far as the means for its erection wculd permit. We do not pretend to judge scientifically of the work, and as a matter of taste on the part of others we do not feel disposed to dispute what it is admitted is not to be disputed. Were we to urge an objection, and we mention it with perfect reference to those better informed, it would be to the extent of ground covered by the base, by which the height of the whole is diminished to the eye. AVe however feel no disposition to carp at the design or execution of the monument--on the contrary we think that the highest praise is due to the successful exertions of the committee. To our untutored eye it appears to be a beautiful ornament to the city, honorable to those by whose subscriptions it has been erected, and such we have no doubt will be the judgment of every unbiased individual who shall examine it. A railing to preserve it from the mischievous assaults of boys and negroes is required immediately; and the enclosure and improvement of the Square we trust will be com menced at an early day."

LOCATING THE REMAINS OF NATHANAEL GREENE
In the course of this record we have outlined the facts connected with the burial of General Nathanael Greeue and the belief that any effort, after the search in 1819 and 1820, to locate the spot where his body was interred would prove fruitless. There were many who, when the matter was discussed, expressed the opinion that his burial place would never be known, while a few thought it possible that the mystery would some day be solved. There were reasons for believing that the searches said to have been made were not very thorough, and, on a revival of the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

379

discussion on the 28th of January, in the year 1901, the matter was brought to the attention of the Rhode Island State Society of the Cin cinnati of which he was the first president, and that society then adopted the following resolutions.
" Whereas, after diligent inquiry, it is believed that full investiga tion has never yet been made to ascertain definitely where the remains of .Major-General Nathanael Greene, President of the Rhode Island So ciety of Cincinnati were finally deposited after his decease at Mulberry Grove, near Savannah, Georgia, in 1786; and
"Whereas, it is believed that a thorough search of the four old burial vaults in the old cemetery now forming a part of Colonial Park in Savannah, Georgia, will determine whether the remains are deposited in one of the said vaults, as believed by persons well informed in matters of local history, or at a certain place in the said old graveyard, as in sisted by a venerable citizen of the State of Georgia, who has for seventy years been a member of the Chatham Artillery Company which acted as escort at Major-General Greene's funeral, such insistence being based on statements made to him by former members of said artillery organiza tion who had assisted at said funeral; and
"Whereas, it is particularly appropriate that the Society of Cincin nati in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations should do whatever may be necessary towards ascertaining the burial place of its first president, the great patriot and soldier who, next to Washington, aided so potentially in securing the independence of the United States;
"Resolved, by the said society, that one hundred dollars are hereby appropriated for the purpose of making the proposed inquiry.
"Resolved, that the following committee be appointed and respect fully asked to accept said appointment, to do all that is needful to carry out the intent of the above resolution to wit:
"Hon. Asa Bird Gardiner, LL. D., President of the Rhode Island Cincinnati
"Mr. Philip I). Baffin, Chairman of the Savannah Park and Tree Commission;
"Hon. Walter G. Charlton, President of the Society of Sons of the Revolution in the State of Georgia;
"Hon. George A. Mercer, President of the Georgia Historical So ciety ;
"Alfred. Dealing Harden, Esq., member of the South Carolina So ciety of the Cincinnati;
"William Harden, Esq., Secretary of the Society of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of Georgia and Librarian of the Georgia His torical Society."
The members of the committee named in the resolutions all consented to serve, and, on the first of March Colonel Gardiner reached Savan nah and consulted them before entering upon the search which began after the receipt of the following communication from the mayor of the city whose consent to the search had been solicited.

380

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

of this date, requesting permission to open and examine certain vaults in the Colonial Park, for which no living representatives of former owners can be found, permis
sion is herewith given, subject to the consent of the Park and Tree Commission, to open the said three vaults, provided no representatives of the owners can be found in the city or state, and that the vaults be restored after the examination to their former condition.
"Very respectfully,
"HERMAN MYERS, Mayor."
The attention of the committee was specially directed to four "vaults in a row, located at a right angle to Oglethorpe avenue," formerly South Broad street. The one nearest the street was first opened, and was found to be that of Col. Richard Wylly, deputy quartermaster-general of the Continental Army in the Revolution, whose coffin was found with the plate on it. For some reason, not stated, the second vault, next to that of the Wyllys, was supposed to be that of the Jones family of which Capt. Noble Jones "the trusted lieutenant of Oglethorpe whose watchful eye and brave sword were ever instant for the protection of the infant-colony against the encroachments of the jealous Spaniards and the incursions of the restless Indians" was the first to set foot on Georgia soil. This vault was not examined in regular order, as the per mission of owner, Mr. Wymberley Jones De Renne, had not then been obtained. Surprise was expressed when the third was opened and found entirely empty. The committee did not then know that they had really struck the Jones vault from which all remains had, years be fore, been removed by Mr. George Wymberley Jones De Renne and placed in Bonaventure cemetery. After examining the fourth which was dis covered to belong to the Thiot family "the committee then gave its final attention to the second vault in line which was opened aL the front, to permit workmen to enter, and a smaller opening was made through the rear brick wall to permit entrance of light and air. In the center of the vault were found probably a cart load of broken bricks, which had first to be removed." It was on the 4th of March that it was opened, and the first thing to be found after the removal of the broken bricks was a coffin, well preserved, bearing a silver plate with the name of Robert Scott, and the date of his death, June 5, 1845, and it may be here stated that this discovery, a surprise to all present, led to the verification of the theory advanced at an early date in the investigation of the subject, that the family of General Greene, supposing that with the granting of the Mulberry Grove plantation title to the Graham vault in the old cemetery was also vested in the grantee, General Greene, buried him there.
After the finding of the Scott coffin the search revealed a mass of rotten wood and human bones mixed with the sand in the bottom cf the vault among which was found a piece of metal badly corroded but resem bling a coffin plate. Despite the corrosion the article evidently bore an inscription in which many persons to whom it was shown were sure they could distinguish the figures "1786," from which it was at once inferred by Colonel Gardiner, as he mentioned to an employee of the Park and Tree Commission, "that the coffin-plate of General Greene had been found." That man was Mr. Edward M. Keenan who, in his affidavit relating these facts made this statement: "That in the per-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

381

formance of my labors for said committee I entered said vault in the Colonial Park in said city of Savannah on said 4th day of March, and that in order to examine the remains and debris in said vault I was sent to the city green-house at No. 608 Barnard street, near the corner of Huntingdon and Barnard streets for a sieve. Upon my return I was in formed by Colonel Gardiner that the coffin-plate of General Greene had oeen found. I again entered the vault and after picking out the larg est of the bones among the remains from which the plate had been taken the dirt and mold was sifted and among the particles remaining in the sieve I found three metal buttons which were corroded, and when rub bing off some of the green substance on one of said buttons I dis tinguished the faint outlines of an eagle, thai; among the bones removed were the rotted fragments of as many as three silk gloves the fingers of which were partially gone but the portions covering the palms of the hands were in a fair state of preservation and were sufficiently firm as to be shaken to remove the dust and mould with which they were cov ered; that among the remains from which the coffin-plate of General Greene was found there appeared to be the bones of two persons, one much younger than the other, which facts I believe from the size of the
Mr. Chas. C. Gattman, another employee assisting in the opening of the vault, made an affidavit as to his connection with the investiga tion in which he stated '' I further depose and say that alongside of the remains among which I found said piece of metal on which the figures 1786 appeared there was the remains of another human skeleton which I believe to be those of a male person of the age of nineteen or there abouts." To account for the bones of the second person it is only nec essary to state that the eldest child of General Nathanael Greene, named George "Washington Greene, was drowned in the Savannah river on the 28th of March, 1793, and his body was buried beside that of his father; and his age was eighteen years. The skull of the older person crumbled into dust soon after its discovery, but not before measurements of it were taken from which no doubt remained that it was that of General Greene. In the report of the committee of the general assembly of Rhode Island completely covering the subject it is said that "measure ments of the skull * * * corresponded to the details in Sully's original portrait of Major-General Nathanael Greene, and the state ments made by the late Hon. Nathanael Greene and other members of the Greene family."
The remains were placed in two boxes and were deposited in the safe deposit vault of the Southern Bank of the State of Georgia to await the public re-interment of them at a later date. The coffin-plate was delivered to Gen. L. P. DiCesnola, director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, who had it properly cleaned, when the lettering on it appeared distinctly in these words
"NATHANAEL GREENE
Obit June 19 1786
Ae 44 Years.''

382

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

It was subsequently presented to the Georgia Historical Society, and is now hanging, framed, in the society's library.
The attention of the general assembly of Rhode Island was called to the fact that the remains of General Greene had been found, and that body adopted measures to have those remains suitably re-interred. It was desired that they be carried to Rhode Island and placed under a monument in the city of Providence erected in memory of that dis tinguished character. The legislature "Resolved that two members of the senate and three members of the house of representatives be and they hereby are appointed a joint special committee to inquire into and ascertain the desirability of securing within the state of Rhode Island a permanent resting place for the remains of Gen. Nathanael Greene." Messrs. Horace F. Horton and James E. Bannigan were appointed from the senate and Messrs. Frank T. Easton, J. Stacy Brown, and Harry H. Shepard from the house, but by a subsequent resolution Francis W. Greene, of the house, was added to the committee, and Mr. Edward Field was made secretary. The last named was very active in the matter of the final disposition of the remains, and a better appointment could not have been made. The action of the Rhode Lsland legislature will be best understood by the reader when the following paper adopted at the January session, 1902, is considered:
if Whereas, The people of Rhode Island have learned, with profound satisfaction, that the remains of Major-General Nathanael Greene, who died at his plantation, at Mulberry Grove, in the State of Georgia, on the 19th of June, 1786, have recently been discovered in a vault in Colonial Park, formerly one of the ancient cemeteries in the City of Savannah, Georgia;
"And Whereas, the people of Rhode Island, recognizing the eminent services which Nathanael Greene gave to the cause of liberty during the struggle for American independence, desire to show its appre ciation of his great genius as a military commander and his sterling worth as a citizen, and to pay its tribute to the memory of so distin guished a son of Rhode Island when those remains are finally committed
to earth. "Be it therefore Resolved, That the joint special committee of the
General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island, appointed to take into consideration the permanent location of the remains of General Na thanael Greene within the State, be and is hereby authorized to take such action as may be necessary to ascertain the wishes of the descend ants of General Greene as to the place of final interment of those hon ored remains, and in the event that the descendants of General Greene desire to have his remains buried within this State, said committee is hereby directed to report the fact to the General Assembly forthwith, in order that suitable provision may be made for the ceremonies therefor and for an appropriate memorial to mark the place of such interment; but in the event that the descendants of General Greene desire to have his remains finally buried elsewhere than within this State, then said committee is hereby authorized to make such arrangements as may be suitable and proper in order that the State of Rhode Island may be represented at such interment and may do full honor to the memory of
its distinguished son.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

383

"Rfi.wlved, That the sum of two thousand dollars he and the same hereby is appropriated to defray the expenses of said committee, includ ing' the making of said inquiries of the descendants of General Greene, and provisions for the representation of the State at his burial, in case such burial shall be without the State; and the State Auditor is hereby directed to draw his orders from time to time upon the General Treas urer for so much of said sum as may be necessary, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, upon the receipt of proper vouchers approved by the Governor."
A letter of inquiry was sent to each of the descendants of the General, twenty-three in all, to which eighteen replied. With three'exceptions they expressed the hope that the re-interment be in Savannah. An "Association of Patriotic Societies" was formed in that city, to take
charge of the re-interment, pledged to raise the funds for that purpose, and the 14th of November, 1902, was appointed as the time. The gov
ernor of Rhode Island and the committee from the legislature of that state Avere invited to be present, as were also descendants of General
Greene. By agreement, a reception for Gov. Charles Dean Kimball was
held during the session of the United States courts in the Government building at half past ten o'clock, on the morning of the 14th, when the Hon. Emory Speer, judge of the district court delivered an address of welcome, and Governor Kimball responded. In the afternoon the ceremonies connected with the re-interment were observed, and the re port of the Rhode Island legislative committee thus mentioned the matter:
"These ceremonies were of a most dignified and imposing kind. A proclamation of the acting Mayor had made the day practically a holi day ; all the public offices were closed, and many of the merchants and tradesmen laid aside their business to unite in paying their tribute of respect to the memory of the distinguished son of Rhode Island, the great commander in the struggle for American Independence, and the sterling citizen of Georgia. People from without the city joined with those of Savannah to take part in this patriotic demonstration. Your committee took part in these proceedings, and a full account of the ex penses will be found in the historical account heretofore referred to and made a part of this report and annexed hereto.
"The City of Savannah is to be congratulated on the success of this great patriotic ceremony. It was formal, dignified, patriotic; and, in its perfect systematic arrangement of details, showed the high qualities of the military genius under whose direction the whole affair was
planned and so successfully carried out. "The remains were placed in a casket made of Georgia curly pine
which was borne to its final resting place on "a caisson by a detail from the Chatham Artillery. * * * This same military organization had borne a conspicuous part in the funeral obsequies of General Greene in 1786, this being one of the first duties the artillery company was called upon to perform after its organization, the year of his death.''
In connection with the ceremony the Savannah Chapter D. A. R. presented a bronze wreath, which was made secure to the monument under the portrait tablet on the south side, to commemorate the removal

384

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

of the remains. It was presented in an address by Mrs. Edward Karow and the speech of acceptance was made by Alderman Robert L. Colding.
When the remains of General Greene were discovered those in charge of the search were of the opinion that the place where they reposed was
the Jones or DeRenne vault. Such was never the opinion of the present writer who at once set to work to prove that they had been placed in the Graham-Mossrnan vault where they had always rested and from which they were now taken. That opinion was proved to be correct,
and the proof of it was absolutely established. Col. Asa Bird Gardiner, in his address in representatives' chamber, state house, New
port, Rhode Island, July 4, 1901, on the "Discovery of the Remains of Major-General Nathan?el Greene First President of the Rhode Island Cincinnati" said: "The representatives of the Graham-Mossman family always insisted that the remains had never been disturbed, but were still in their tomb. To the Hon. William Harden, who is Librarian of the Georgia Historical Society and Secretary of the Sons of the Revolution in that State, we are indebted for most painstaking record investigation and elucidation of this interesting subject." He then gave in full all the facts collected in proof of the statement, and stated his conclusion thus: "Accordingly the Hon. William Harden made care
ful search through probate and other court records, cemetery records and inscriptions, and newspapers of the day, with the indisputable results hereinbefore recited as to the Graham-Mossmari family." Mr. Thomas Gamble, Jr., in his "History of the City Government of Savannah," gives a concise account of this subject, in these words: "Mr. William Harden, Librarian of the Georgia Historical Society, who had made researches for some years with a view of securing clews that would lead to the discovery of the resting-place of General Greene, continued his investigations, and on March 12 (1901) announced that he had become satisfied that the vault in which the remains were found was not that of the Jones family, but the one belonging to the Mossmans to whom the vault had been restored and who had not, as tradition had it, removed the body of General Greene. Where placed in 1786 there the body, Mr. Harden declared, had remained undisturbed until 1901.
"In the vault, just before the discovery of what is supposed to be the Greene Coffin-plate, a coffin-plate was found bearing the name Robert Scott, This Scott, it appears, married Miss Margaret Oliver, the niece of James Mossman. On his death, in 1845, Scott was buried in the Mossman vault. Philip Young, nephew of James Mossman, died in June, 1819, and as at the time there was an epidemic of yellow-fever in Charleston, with Savannah in an extremely sickly state, Mr. Harden's conclusion is that the alderraanic committee did not open this vault ow ing to his body having been recently placed therein." It is well to state here, in further elucidation of this incident, that Elizabeth Moss man, wife of James Mossman, was the sister of John Graham, lieutenantgovernor of Georgia, owner of the vault and of the Mulberry Grove plan
tation confiscated and given to General Greene.

CHAPTER XXXI
INTERESTING CITY EVENTS
PIONEER THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE (1783)--FIRST REGULAR THEATRE OPENED--THEATRE DESCRIBED--OLD AND PRESENT THEATRE SIMILAR --MACREADY'S IMPRESSIONS--SAVANNAH AND OGEEOHEE CANALFIRST TELEGRAPHIC DISPATCHES--PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY--FIRST SUR VEY FOR WATER WORKS--CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERS APPOINTED--DE SCRIPTION OF WORKS (1854)--SYSTEM IN USE FROM 1854 TO 1892-- PRESENT ARTESIAN WELL SYSTEM--LIGHTING OF THE STREETSMAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1835-1850--PROBABLY FIRST NEWSPAPER EXTRA.
At this point we take up the subject of the drama in Savannah, and what is now related is substantially the account furnished by this writer to the Morning News some years ago.
It seems to be pretty well settled that the first theatrical performances in this country were given in New York about the year 1733, but the actors were probably not professionals. Investigation has satisfactorily proved that the first theatrical troupe to visit the colonies was that of the brothers William and Lewis Hallam, and the date of the first per formance is variously recorded as having been in Philadelphia, in 1749; in New York, February 26, 1750; in New York, September 17, 1753. It is probable, however that the first date is correct, as there is'author ity for the statement that a theatrical company of "certain persons who had lately taken upon themselves to act plays" figured in the police records of Philadelphia, and went to New York in 1750, playing in a wooden building in Nassau street hastily converted into a theatre which would seat three hundred people.
PIONEER THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES (1783)
There is no evidence at hand to show that theatrical performances were given by any regular dramatic troupe before the year 1783, when this advertisement appeared in the Georgia Gazette:
[By Permission.] '' At the Filature, on Thursday, the 9th day of October next, will be performed, for the benefit of the poor, by a set of gentlemen, the tragedy called 'The Fair Penitent,' to which will be added an entertainment, 'Miss in Her Teens; or, The Medley of Lovers.' The door will be opened at half past five o'clock, and the play
Vol. 1-25
385

386 SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
to begin precisely at seven. Tickets to be had of Captain Fields and Mr. Polack Pit 4s. Sd. Gallery 3s. 6d. No money will be received at the door,, and no gentle men will be admitted behind the scenes on any pretence.
"Savannah, 27th September, 1783."
That the company was a regular dramatic troupe cannot be doubted as it was under the management of Messrs. Gordon and Kidd, who came to Georgia, as stated, to "settle in the way of their profession," and met with encouragement. They were assisted in the performance by their wives and some "gentlemen who acted for their amusement." Gordon opened a dancing school in the city, and the theatrical entertain ments were kept up during the years 1783, 1784 and 1785. Until the present theatre was built the Filature, erected in colonial days for the making of silk, was used as a play-house.
FIRST REGULAR THEATRE OPENED (1818)
The earliest notice of a purpose to erect a theatre in Savannah is of a gathering of citizens at the Exchange, Friday, March 16, 1810, who organized an association called '' Friends to the Drama.'' Thomas Mendenhall was called to the chair, and John G. Cowling was made secretary. Messrs. William B. Bulloch, Thomas Young, William Gaston and Henry Hall were made a committee to obtain subscriptions for erecting a theatre, and the price of shares in the stock was fixed at $100 each, one-fourth to be paid at the time of subscribing. Mr. Mendenhall was appointed treasurer. They met the second time one week thereafter, and received the report of the committee, after which they adjourned for another week; meeting again on the 30th of March, the committee was increased by adding Messrs. Hugh McCall, T. V. Gray and James Bilbo, and it was resolved "that it is expedient to petition the City Council for the grant of a lot in an eligible part of the City for the purpose of erecting a theatre, ; ' for which purpose it was deemed necessary to draft a memo rial and Messrs. Benjamin Maurice, Thomas Telfair, John G. Cowling and John J. Evans were appointed a committee to prepare the same. All efforts in this direction proved fruitless, and on the 12th of July it was shown that not more than three or four thousand dollars had been raised, when the following announcement was made:
"Those who have subscribed and paid their first installment are re quested to call on Thomas Mendenhall, Esq., Treasurer, and receive the amount of the same, as the object of the institution has not been suffi ciently supported.''
Again, in 1816, another attempt was made to accomplish the pur pose, this time successful, and a joint stock company was organized with subscriptions to the stock sufficient to build, and the stockholders, through Messrs. James Morrison and James Marshall, petitioned council, on the 16th day of July, for a grant of two lots on which to erect the theatre. The effort was encouraged, and on the 28th of February, 1818, a deed was signed by Mayor James M. Wayne, and Aldermen ^ John Tanner, Hazen Kimball, Joseph Habersham, Frederick Densler, William Davies, Paul P. Thomasson and G. W. Owens, a majority of the board, conveying to James Bilbo, James Morrison, Alexander Telfair, Jonathan

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

387

Battelle and William Gaston, trustees of the Savannah theatre, and their successors, the two lots twenty-nine and thirty, Brown ward, which had already, by resolution, been given for that purpose. No delay was made,'and, under a Mr. Jay, the construction of the theatre began at
once. The building was completed before the end of the year 1818, and
was opened for the first time on Friday, the 4th of December, with the following' programme.
[From the Columbian Museum and Savannah Daily Gazette, Thurs day, December 3, 1818.]
'' THEATRE "The manager has the pleasure of respectfully informing the public that the New Theatre will open on Friday, December 4th, 1818, with Cherry's Comedy of 'The Soldier's Daughter.'

Gov. Heartall .............................. Mr. Faulkner Frank Heartall ............................... Mr. Young Malfort, Sen................................... Mr. Horton Malfort, Jr.................................... Mr. Fennel Capt. Woodley............................. Mr. Drummond Mr. Ferret.....................................Mr. Clarke Timothy Quaint................................Mr. Dalton Simon ......................................... Mr. Quinn William ...................................... Mr. Seward John ....................................... Mr. Schonotti Widow Cheerly................................ Mrs. YoungMrs. Malfort.............................. Mrs. Drummond Mrs. Fidget...................................Mrs. Clarke Susan .......................................Mrs. Horton Mrs. Townley...............................Mrs, Faulkner
The epilogue will be spoken by Mrs. Young. To which will be added the farce of 'Raising the Wind.' Jeremy Diddler .............................. Mr. Dalton Fainwould .................................... Mr. Fennel Richard ......................................Mr. liyatt Plainway ...................................... Mr. Clarke Sam ..........................................Mr. Brown Waiters ................................ Quinn and Seward Miss Durable.................................. Mrs. Clarke
................................. Mrs. Drummond
"Admission to the Boxes and Pit, One Dollar; to the Gallery, Fifty Cents.
"The doors to be opened at' half past 5, and the performance to commence at half past 6 o 'clock precisely.
'' Tickets and places for the boxes to be had at the box office at the Theatre on days of performance from 10 to 2 o'clock, and from 3 till 5; and on non-play days from 10 till 2 o'clock.
'' Smoking in the Theatre cannot be allowed.

388

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"Tickets can be admitted on those nights only for which they are expressly sold--Checks not transferable.
'' The Public is respectfully informed that Mr. Hilson is engaged for a few nights, and will make his first appearance on Saturday evening, in the characters of Robert Tylee and Nipperkin.''

THEATRE DESCRIBED
A description of the new building was fortunately given in the Georgian a few days later, .so that from it we may get a good idea of how Savannah's first theatre looked.
[From the Georgian, Wednesday, December 9, 1818.]

"To the Editor of the Georgian: Having, in common with many citizens of Savannah, enjoyed the pleasure afforded by your Theatre, I have thought it a fair tribute due from a stranger and visitor to offer to the public through the medium of your paper a description of the building as it has struck me, and to add a few remarks of my own. The Savannah Theatre belongs to the German order of architecture, and though not so capacious as some houses of the same description in the Northern cities, yet it may vie with and even excel most of them in taste and elegance. It has been built by private contributions, and too much cannot be said in commendation of the zeal of the stockholders.
"The plan of the interior of the building is semi-circular, following the choice of the ancient German and Roman theatres in this particu lar, being not only better adapted to the climate, but also best calculated for seeing and hearing, than the elliptical form used in modern the atres; and a moment's reflection on the radii drawn from the center of the stage to the different seats will convince one of the soundness of the choice of the architect, Mr. Jay, who has displayed great taste in the outfit. The house is capable of containing 1,000 spectators, and from the easy access and egress by numerous spacious entrances is perfectly safe to the visitors in case of fire, the breadth of the lobbies affording instant relief to a crowd. The pit, arranged in the usual manner, is approached by a distinct entrance. There are two rows of boxes, sup ported by sixteen cast-iron columns, fluted, with gilt capitals and backs, uniting an air of great lightness with strength. The panels of the lower tier of boxes are adorned by golden eagles, with a wreath of green foliage, relieved on a white ground. Between each box is a pilaster panel, laid on crimson, and enriched with a Grecian scroll. The second tier is orna mented by the following basso-relievos, painted by Mr. Etty, of London.
"No. 1. The descent of the Genius of Dramas, Comedy, Tragedy,
and their attributes. "No. 2. Jove, when an infant, nursed by the Nymphs and suckled
by the goat Amalthaca, "No. 3. 'The bright morning star, day's harbinger, comes dancing
from the east, and leads the flowery May, who from her green lap throws
the yellow cowslip and the primrose pale.' "No. 4. The passions of Rage, Fear, and Pity, accompanied by Hope
and Revenge.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

389

"No. 5. The votaries of Vice arrested in their career by Fate and Fiends.
"No. 6. Cleopatra sailing down the Cydnus.
"No. 7. Venus, Adonis, Cupid, Psyche and the Graces. "No. 8. Hesperus and his daughters.
"No. 9. The triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne.
"The upper circle is alternately relieved by a lyre and a wreath, the first in green and the second in gold, on white panels. The decorations are very well thrown out by the back ground of the boxes being crimson, at once rich and chaste. The second circle is open to the lobbies which will contain a number of spectators and afford a free circulation of air through the house. The space is relieved by a drapery of crim son, in very happy contrast with the white ceiling of the boxes,
"The proscenium of the stage is formed by an elliptical arch, sup ported on four pilasters. The stage doors and boxes panelled, and with golden mouldings, The arch is decorated with green and gold on a white ground. The seats in the boxes are covered with crimson cloth--those in
the pit are green--and an orange cushion is carried round the circle. The ornaments are generally symbolical of the amusement of the place, and shortly a fine allegorical painting, getting up by Mr. Etty, will supplant the present ornament of the ceiling. It is understood that the
present lamps are only temporary; the house is to be lighted by some fine chandeliers and fixed stage lights. There are a large lobby and rooms for refreshments in the front of the building. For the sake of sound, the partitions and ceiling are all hollow. The painting over the stage is in imitation of basso-relievo, by Mr. Reinagle L'Auegro, is represented by a female figure floating on clouds, in one hand she holds a triangle, the emblem of pleasure; in the other a lily, the emblem of innocence. The cornucopias shedding an abundance indicate the suffi ciency of the drama for every pleasure consistent with civilized life. The scenery in not yet finished, but, under such an artist, will certainly be fine. The drop curtain was executed some years ago by Mr. Calton, of New York. On the right in the background is the portico of a temple, from the steps of which Columbia, in her starry mantle, attended by two of the muses, Terpsichore and Euterpe, advance to meet Genius who introduces into our Western hemisphere the British drama.
"Thalia and Melpomene, the muses of Comedy and Tragedy, ad vance arm in arm with Shakespeare, followed by Ben Jonson, Gibber, and other dramatic writers. At the foot of the steps of the portico, on the right foreground, is seated Eroto, and farther up Polyhymnia, Clio, Calliope and Urania, On the left foreground is Jack Falstaff in full costume. In the background Macbeth, in scarlet tartans, dimmed by a murky cloud, holds communion with the weird sisters, whose horrid forms are partly hid by the darkness that enshrouds them. This is a very feeble description of the Theatre, which really deserves the efforts of an abler pen.
(Signed) "PEREGRINUS."

The drop curtain described by the author of that communication was replaced in 1859 by one painted by Russell Smith, of Philadelphia, and

890

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

first used on Monday, the 28th of November, of that year. It was very much admired and served its purpose for many years, having finally to be removed because it was literally worn out and became too shabby to be seen.
OLD AND PRESENT THEATRE SIMILAR
The theatre is externally very little altered, since it was first erected, the walls being almost as they were originally built. The building has several times been renovated, and, after the fire of September 21, 1906, when it was, with the exception of the outer walls, almost totally de stroyed, it was completely remodeled.

MACREADY'S IMPRESSIONS
Many of the most celebrated actors of the world have appeared on the stage of the Savannah theatre, and it would be interesting to have the opinion of all of them as to the impressions received by them, when acting, of the edifice which was so favorably commented on by the writer just quoted; but we have not found the recorded impressions of any except William C. Macready, who acted three nights in January, 1844. We quote from his journal: "Savannah, January 22.--Rested. Acted Hamlet pretty well; these are not theatres for Shakespeare's plays! Walked home in darkness, not visible; quite a journey of difficulty through deep sand, and threading a way through posts, etc. Costas came and spoke to me.
"23d.--Macbeth. '' 24th.--My spirits were very much depressed. I was not quite well, and suffering from the exertion and the temperature of last night. Spoke with Mr.. Ryder. The treasurer called and paid me. The day was wretched; a deluge was descending the entire morning; densissimus imber! I could not go out; looked at the papers, and began a letter, which occupied me all day, to my dear Lydia Bucknill. "Rested a short time. Acted Cardinal Richelieu very fairly. "25th.--Packed up as far as I could for my journey to New Orleans," "Walked down to the bluff and saw the places of business, etc., ad mired the novel appearance of the street, upon the face of the bluff, planted as it is with trees and looking over an extent of low land, river, and sea." He concluded his account of his visit to the city by telling of the horror produced in his mind by learning that a duel was to be fought that day at twelve o'clock by two members of the Savannah bar and after saying he had received an invitation from a stranger to join him in a glass of wine, ending with these words on being pressed to visit a reading-room: Must come in and see the reading-room; it's the best room in all the south; come, it's just here.' I complied with the importunity of my new acquaintance, who informed me all about him self, but my stomach felt sick with horror at the cold-blooded preparation for murder with which he acquainted me." We will close this chapter with some facts relating to public works and works of utility in which the city's interests are involved.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

391

SAVANNAH AND OGEECHEE CANAL
In 1848, Joseph Bancroft in his '' Census of the City of Savannah,'' said at that time of the Savannah and Ogeechee Canal Company that its capital was $160,000, in shares of $50 each, and that its directors were George W. Anderson, Amos Scudder, and M. Marsh. Continuing, he gave this information: "This Company was formerly the Savannah, Ogeechee, and Altamaha Canal Company--capital $199,225. It ex pended $246,693 on the work and suffered it to go down. In January, 1846, the present Company purchased the concern, and have since that time put the canal in thorough repair, built a new lock near the City in Stiles' field, and one near the Ogeechee river, and constructed a water way at the Little Ogeechee to vent off the surplus water. Amount of expenditures of the new Company on the work, about $16,000.
"The locks are all of brick 110 feet long, 18 feet wide, except the lock at the Savannah River, which is 30 feet wide, and will admit a vessel of 10 feet water--the Canal from the lock to the Rail Road bridge is 160 feet wide, and with a little deepening a vessel drawing 10 feet water can pass up to the Rail Road bridge. It is estimated that at least 20,000 to 25,000 cords of wood and 10,000,000 feet of lumber will annually pass down the Canal, besides rice, bricks, and various other articles. The present Company have reduced the tolls, and they design to make it the interest of the public to use the Canal. The charter is a very liberal one, being perpetual and free from taxes and the expense of keeping up bridges over the Canal."*

FIRST TELEGRAPHIC DISPATCHES
The inauguration of the electric telegraph in Savannah received but little attention.
The Georgian of Tuesday, March 21, 1848, said: "All the wires of the telegraph between the City and Augusta have been laid, and^there will be communication tomorrow."
On Thursday, the 23d, this brief statement is all that was written concerning what was undoubtedly the first telegraphic despatch received in Savannah:
"From our correspondent at Augusta we last evening received the following despatch, dated:
" 'CHARLESTON, March 21--The cotton market is at a stand. The sales today are only 50 bales, at '6% @ 7%.' "
On Friday, the 24th, the following which has been quoted heretofore as the first, was given in the same paper:
"BY TELEGRAPH
"The following was received yesterday at the Telegraph office, at 10 o'clock, 5 minutes, A. M., dated, Charleston, March 23d, 1848.
'From our Charleston Correspondent--Steamer Northerner arrived at New York. Steamer" Eariton burnt off Bedlow's Island--passengers saved. N. York
* The canal fell into disuse a number of years since; but just at this time there is talk of digging it out again and utilizing it.

392

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

cotton market depressed sales at % to % decline on 20th. Yesterday's sales, eight hundred bales. Extremes 6 to 7%.' "

SECOND DISPATCH
The following dispatch was received last evening at a few minutes past eight o'clock:
"CHARLESTON, March 23.--'Cotton.--The sales today are 580 bales at 6% @ 7%--decline % to % below yesterday. Arrived, bark Harriet and Martha fromMatanzas.' "

PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY
From the time the city was founded until the year 1854, the people were supplied with water by means of wells, and for fire protection, cisterns were built in the squares into which water was pumped from the wells and thence drawn by suction to be thrown on the burning buildings. From time to time new wells had to be sunk, and in 1830 twelve large cisterns were constructed. The time came when a better method had to be adopted, but it was slow in coming. Waterworks were needed, and inquiries were made concerning the cost of providing the same. On the 21st of February, Mr. George M. Towers made a proposition to give the people all the water needed for all purposes from the river, but it was found to be a more expensive business than the city could afford, and no contract was made with him. Another proposition for the same pur pose was made in 1825, by a Mr. Campbell, and Dr. W. C. Daniell, the mayor, was authorized to have a conference with him which, however, produced no result. The same mayor was, in 1826,,instructed to adver tise for bids to supply the city with water sufficient for domestic and fire purposes, which action brought the proposal of a plan from Mr. John Martineau by which it was expected that a supply could be had at a cost to the city of $50,000, after which the annual cost for maintain ing the plant would be $8,000, but even that was deemed too expensive. It seems that the time had not come for the consummation of that most important matter, and not until 1850 was any progress made in the right direction, at which time the legislature of Georgia passed measures under which the city received power to promise the requisite funds. Accord ingly, on the 6th of June Dr. C. P. Richardsone and Mr. Hiram Roberts addressed a communication to council on the subject, and, in September, an appropriation of $300 was made to pay the expenses of an agent to investigate the waterworks system of other cities.

FIRST SURVEY FOR WATERWORKS.
A survey was made by Mr. J. 0. Morse who reported to council on the 13th of February, 1851, his views on the subject of waterworks, in which he advocated the use of the Savannah river water, considered pure enough for the purpose, and he made this statement: "The purity of the water is owing to the fact that the river rises in a region of primitive formation, the turbidness due to the mere mechanical admixture of clay

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

393

taken up by the river in its course through the low country. This clay is very speedily given up in the form of sediment when once the water is allowed to remain for a short time unagitated. Earthy particles are readily precipitated in two days, leaving the water clearer than that^ of the Croton or the Schuylkill. A gallon, 44.08 grains, in a normal state contains 7.6 grains of solid matter, the greater part of which is alumina or clay, a minute trace of carbonate of lime and magnesia con stituting the remainder. Of the solid matter 60 per cent, is held in suspension in an insoluble form, leaving but three grains of soluble matter in the clarified water after three days repose.''
Then a public meeting of citizens was called, and the people settled on the wise conclusion that it was time that Savannah had a system of waterworks, and Mr. Morse was paid for the preliminary survey for which he charged the moderate sum of $300. So entirely in earnest were those who had reached the point of enthusiasm necessary to pro duce results that a large committee was appointed to thoroughly go over the proposals and make choice of the plan. The names of the men composing that committee are worthy of presentation and all honor is due to Messrs. Cosmo P. Richardsone, James Seymour Williams, Ed ward Clifford Anderson, Robert Lachlison, Hiram Roberts. Charles Wil son, at that time private citizens, and aldermen Robert D. Walker, John F. Posey, James Proctor Screven, Thomas M. Turner, Robert H. Griffin and Thomas Purse. Those men are all dead, but they were publicspirited men, and they knew what was for the good of their home city. The 4th of December, 1851, found them ready to report, and they recommended the plan of Worthington, Baker and Morse as altogether the best for a city sucli as Savannah was at that time

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERS APPOINTED
The committee of council on waterworks was authorized, at a meet ing on the 26th of February, 1852, to employ an engineer fully compe tent to superintend the building of the works, and secured the services of Mr. A. W. Craven, chief of the Croton Waterworks of New York, as supervising engineer. At the same time negotiations were entered upon for the purchase of a proper site for the plant, and land west of the canal belonging to Mr. A. A. Smets, Mr. Amos Scudder and Mr. Robert Lachlison was bought for $22,000, and the contracts were made. Dr. Richard D. Arnold was at that time mayor, and he and Alderman James P. Screven went to New York and, by authority, closed the con tract with Messrs. Worthington & Morse. For that work the city issued bonds, known as Waterworks Bonds, to pay for the site. The distrib uting reservoir was built in Franklin square where it remained until 1900, some years after the change in the water system was made by which the tower became a useless structure. That tower was for a long time one of the city's landmarks, and a description of it and an account of its use in connection with the distribution of water by the old system may at this point be in order. We are indebted to White's Historical Collection of Georgia for the following:

394

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

DESCRIPTION OF WORKS (1854)

"The Savannah Water-Works, now [1854] in process of construction, were commenced in the winter of 1852-3, and are to be completed in 1854. A brief description of this important public work will perhaps be deemed interesting.
u The supply is obtained from the Savannah River, the water of which, though turbid in its appearance, (rendered so by the minute particles of clay held by it in suspension,) is nevertheless of remarkable purity inasmuch as it contains no soluble impurities, the sources of the river being in regions of a primitive formation.
"The water is taken from the river above the city, and received into a reservoir located on the low lands west of the Ogeechee Canal. In order to free the water from the earthy matter it holds in suspension, this reservoir is divided into four compartments, rendered distinct from each other by partitions forced with masonry. Into any or all of these compartments, or basins, the water is admitted by means of iron gate ways; the contents of one basin, therefore can be used while the process of sedimentation is going on undisturbed in the others. Each one of these basins is made to communicate, by means of culverts of masonry and iron gate-ways, with a chamber, or 'pump-well,' of masonry, situ ated underneath a building which contains the boilers and engines of the pumping apparatus, by means of which the water is forced into the city.
'' The plateau upon which' the city of Savannah is built has an alti tude of about forty feet above the river. Upon this elevation is built the Distributing Reservoir, having a height of about'eighty feet above the general grade of the streets. This structure * * * consists of a cir cular tower of substantial masonry, upon which is placed the reservoir of iron. From this reservoir, having an elevation sufficient for all pur poses, the water is distributed throughout the city in the usual manner, by means of cast-iron pipes, furnished with all necessary fire hydrants, stop-gates, etc.
'' The whole height to which the water is raised by the pumping en gines is one hundred and twenty feet; the distance from the receiving to the distributing reservoir is somewhat more than half a mile.
"Most of the cities of the United States that are supplied with water under pressure sufficient to carry it to all parts of the buildings, are so situated as to have in their vicinity ground of sufficient elevation to com mand their town, and on 'which the reservoir is built. The city of Savan nah having no such advantages, it became necessary in the design for these works to devise some means whereby an ample supply of water might be delivered into the town with height, or 'head,' sufficient to give the necessary pressure in the pipes of distribution, without incurring the enormous expense of erecting an artificial elevation of large area on which to build the usual plan of reservoir containing many days' sup ply. The plan adopted to effect the object required is this: Upon a tower of masonry, a tank, or reservoir, is erected, of a capacity to hold the quantity of water required for the night supply; while the pumping apparatus is so arranged as to place beyond all contingency of failure

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

395

the ability of the apparatus to preserve in the reservoir the quantity of water necessary for the day supply.
"The pumping apparatus consists of three direct-action, condensing pumping engines, ^each one independent of the other, and each capable of delivering into the reservoir one million gallons in twelve hours. These are supplied by two steam boilers, each in like manner independ ent of the other. From these engines, situated, as before mentioned, at the lower or receiving reservoir, two distinct lines of forcing pipes, or 'mains/ are laid to the upper or distributing reservoir, and from thence
the water is conveyed, under the pressure due to' the height of this reservoir, throughout the streets of the city.
"By the arrangement it will be seen that not 6nly is the apparatus amply able to meet the demands that the town makes upon it, but that it is sufficiently large to respond to the increased wants due to an in
crease of population."

SYSTEM IN USE FROM 1854 TO 1892
The time set for the completion of the system was March 1, 1854. With changes and expenditures for new engines and machinery from time to time, that system continued in operation until 1892, when the present system by which water is supplied from artesian wells was adopted.
PRESENT ARTESIAN WELL SYSTEM
The first suggestion of wells for the water supply of the city was made by Mayor John F. Wheaton, in 1879, and their use has given en tire satisfaction. The water from these wells is pure and wholesome; but it is questionable whether with the rapid growth of the city the supply can be kept up. It is not at all improbable that at some time in the future the river will again be called on to supply the city with water. If so, it is to be hoped that a method of filtering at a reasonable cost may be discovered by which the river water will be as pure and useful in all respects at that obtained from the wells.

LIGHTING OF THE STREETS
Another instance of the lack of action in the adoption of necessary improvements was the long delay in having the streets properly lighted. Oil lamps were used even as late as the year 1850. Late in 1849 steps were taken to form a gas company in Savannah, and council agreed to enter the city as a subscriber for the stock to the ex tent of $25,000, and on the completion of the works during the follow ing year the streets were lighted with gas for the first time. On the introduction of the electric lighting system that method was employed with little delay, the city being lighted by electric lamps in May 1883, when most of the lights were placed at the top of very tall towers which were, after a few years, replaced with swinging lamps as at present used, with some on ornamental iron columns in a few of the principal streets.

396

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1835-1850

In enumerating the names of the mayors and aldermen composing the city council of Savannah our last record brought us to the close of the year 1834. The year 1835 opened with the reelection of "William W. Gordon as mayor and his associates as councilmen in the previous years, R. M. Charlton, Thomas Clark, Jacob Shaifer, Win. H. Cuyler, Thomas Purse, Henry McAlpin, Amos Scudder, P. M. Kollock, A. J. C. Shaw, and Matthew Hopkins. The only two new members were Wm. H. Stiles and Isaac D'Lyon.
The Hon. John C. Nicoll was elected mayor in 1836, succeeding Mr. Gordon who still* remained on the board as an alderman associated with W. H. Stiles, A. J. C. Shaw, Amos Scudder, M. Hopkins, J. Shaffer, Thos. Purse and W. H. Cuyler of the preceding council, with Peter G. Shick, Aaron Champion, James H. Wade, John Miller and Michael Dillon new members.
As chief magistrate the city was served in 1837 by Matthew Hall McAllister with an aldermanic board composed of R. M. Charlton, A. Scud der, P. G. Shick, Jno. Wagner, F. Densler, Jno. W. Anderson, Jno. C. Nicoll, Wm. Scarborough, W. H. Stiles, Alexander Drysdale, Michael Dillon, Eobt. M. Goodwin and James H. Wade.
Mr. M. H. McAllister secured a second term in 1838, and the aldermanic associates were R. M. Charlton, Dr. Wm. R. Waring, Richard R, Cuyler, Joseph Gumming, F. Densler, Jno. W. Anderson, James Smith, R. M. Goodwin, Alex. Drysdale, Michael Dillon, Amos Scudder, Dr. John F. Posey and John Wagner.
Judge Robert Milledge Charlton was chosen as mayor in 1839, and had a board of aldermen to support him among whom we find the names of several who had gained experience in rendering the same service in former years, the list being Messrs. W. R. Waring, Gilbert Butler, M. H. MeAllister, M. Dillon, Jno. Wagner, J. F. Posey, R. M. Goodwin, F. Densler, Jno. W. Anderson, A. Drysdale, R. R. Cuyler, Wm. H. Davis, M. Hopkins.
There was no change in the mayoralty in 1840, Judge Charlton re maining in office, with aldermen John W. Anderson, M. H. McAllister, Gilbert Butler, Wm. R. Waring, John Dillon, John Wagner, Jacob Shaffer, John Boston, John Lewis, M. Hopkins, M. Dillon, James M. Folsom,
and Wm. H. Cuyler.
In 1841 Col. William Thorne Williams, who had been the mayor in 1828, 1829 and 1833, besides serving as alderman a number of times, was again placed at the head of council, with a board of aldermen, some of whom served (like others in the preceding lists) for a while and retired, composed of Messrs. Wm. H. Davis, William Law, Elias Reed, Alexander A. Smelts, Wm. A. Caruthers, Henry K. Burroughs, Solo mon Goodall, Thomas Holcombe, Chas. F. Mills, John W. Anderson, Thomas Clarke, John Lewis, David Bell, Richard D Arnold, Francis.
M. Stone and John Millen.
Dr. Richard D. Arnold succeeded Wm. T. Williams as mayor on the 12th of September, 1842, with aldermen J. W. Anderson, John Bos
ton, Solomon Cohen, Bernard Constantine, W. H. Cuyler, R. M. Good-

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

397

win, John Millen, Alvin N. Miller, Geo. "W. Owens, A. J. C. Shaw, Francis M. Stone, Joseph Washburn and Richard Wayne.
In 1843 the board stood as follows: Mayor Wm. T. Williams, alder men Benjamin Snider, Robt. A. Lewis, Francis S. Bartow, John M. Clark, Elias Reed, Asa Holt, Wm. A. Caruthers, Wm. B. Fleming, Noble A. Hardee, Joseph W. Jackson, Richard Wayne, Hiram Roberts and
Orlando A. Wood. The council of 1844-45 comprised Richard Wayne, mayor, and alder
men J. W. Anderson, Aaron Champion, Wm. H. Cuyler, Frederick Densler, Michael Dillon, Matthew Hopkins, Noah B. Knapp, Gazaway B. Lamar, Joseph W. Roberts, Alex. J. C. Shaw, Jacob Waldburg and Joseph Washburn.
From 1845 to 1846 Dr. Henry Kollock Burroughs was mayor and the aldermen were Alex. A. Smets, Robt. A. Lewis, Hiram Roberts, Asa Holt, Augustus Lafitte, John M. Clark, Seaborn Goodall, Timothy G. Barnard, Thomas Hutson Harden, William H. C. Miles, Henry Harper and Joseph W. Jackson.
Again in the year 1846 to 1847, Dr. Burroughs presided over coun cil, and his associates on the aldermanic board were Messrs. Smets, Lewis, H. Roberts, Lafitte, Clark, Goodall, Harper, Barnard, Harden, H. D. Weed, Thos. M. Turner and Benjamin Snider.
For the third consecutive term Dr. Burroughs was mayor in the year 1847-48, during which period the aldermen were Joseph Story Fay, Robert A. Lewis, Thos. H. Harden, Robt. A. Alien, A. A. Smets, B. Snider, F. S. Bartow, S. Goodall, T. G. Barnard, Jno. M. Clark, Henry Harper and Hiram Roberts.
Dr. Richard Wayne was the mayor from December, 1848, to Decem ber, 1849, having served in the same capacity from 1844 to 1845. He had with him at this second period aldermen Wm. H. Bulloch, Solomon Cohen, Robt. H. Griffin, Wm. H. Morgan, John F. Posey, Thomas Purse, Thos. M. Turner, Robert D. Walker, Francis S. Bartow, Robt. A. Lewis, Joseph Story Fay, and Richard R. Cuyler.
Again from 1849 to 1850 it fell to the lot of Dr. Wayne to secure the mayoralty, and the responsibilities of controlling the affairs of Savan nah were shared by the following aldermen: Thomas Purse, Solomon Cohen, Robt. H. Griffin, Thos. M. Turner, Jno. F. Posey, Robt, D. Walker, Joseph Lippman, John Mallery, Montgomery Gumming, Dr. James Proc tor Screven, Dominick O'Bryne and Dr. Joachim R. Saussy.
Mr. Robert D. Walker whose name occurs several times in the fore going list served as an alderman continuously from 1848 to 1854, and again from 1855 to 1857. He afterwards served for a long time as com missioner of Chatham county, a part of the period as the chairman of the board of county commissioners. It is interesting to know that he was a survivor of the Steamer "Pulaski" disaster in 1838.
The name of Col. Joseph W. Jackson also appears as alderman for six terms; he was a member of congress from the first district of Georgia from 1850 to 1853. He was the son of Gen. James Jackson who was so prominently connected with the circumstance of the evacuation of Savannah by the British in 1782, was governor of the state of Georgia, United States senator, and held other responsible positions. Gen.

398

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

James Jackson was highly honored by the people of Georgia and the document which follows, though not in chronological order, is so interesting that the writer offers it without apology.

PROBABLY, FIRST NEWSPAPER EXTRA
An early specimen of a newspaper extra appeared in Savannah in the year 1798, and it is the first that has come under the present writer's notice. The occasion was the return of Gov. James Jackson from Washington, after having resigned his seat in the senate to become governor of the state, and the mayor and aldermen called upon him and presented him with a congratulatory address. So important was this considered that the proceedings, in accordance with the suggestion of council, were printed as a supplement to the Columbian Museum and Savannah Advertiser, of Friday, April 20th, but the newspaper chose to issue the whole account as an extra. We give it in full:

" COLUMBIAN MUSEUM AND SAVANNAH ADVERTISER,
Friday, April 20, 1798.
"We request the Printers immediately to publish, by way of Sup plement, the Address of the Mayor and Aldermen, to his Excellency, the Governor, together with his Answer * * * Agreeable to a Resolution of Council.
"H. C. JONES, "HENRY PUTNAM, "JOHN LOVE. "SAVANNAH, 20th April, 1798.
'' On Wednesday last, the corporation of this City waited on His Ex cellency the Governor, with the following Address, which was presented by the Mayor. "To His Excellency James Jackson, Governor and Commander-in-Chief
of the State of Georgia. '' Sir: The Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah, embrace the earliest opportunity of addressing your Excellency on your arrival in this City from the Seat of Government; and to assure your Excellency that they feel with their fellow citizens the highest satisfaction in your appointment as Chief Magistrate of this State; assured that under your administration every exertion will be made for the public good. "They therefore, sir, for themselves, and in behalf of their constit uents, request you to accept of their congratulations on the occasion. '' That a life so well spent in the service of his country may be long preserved is the sincere wish of
"Your Excellency's '' Obedient Servants.
"Signed by order and in behalf of the Corporation, "JOHN GLEN, Mayor.
"SAVANNAH, April 17, 1798.
"To which His Excellency was pleased to return the following answer:

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

399

"SAVANNAH, April 18, 1798.

"SiR, AND GENTLEMEN: Your expressions of satisfaction on my

appointment, and your congratulation on my arrival from the Seat of

Government, are not only grateful to my feelings, but have filled me

with respectful attachment for the Corporation of Savannah.

''The generous conduct and patriotism you have exhibited by the

step must be deservedly admired. It evinces to the world that you

know how to respect duty in an officer, even under his official rebuke;

and must prove a worthy, example for all other inferior jurisdictions.

May Providence enable me to answer the high expectations you have

formed of my administration, and direct my exertions for the public

good. "The flattering conclusion of your address is beyond my expres

sion; I can only return you my humble thanks, with this observation,

that I shall bear in grateful remembrance, to my latest moment, the at

tentions and political countenance the Citizens of Savannah have ever

shown me; and if I deserve the compliment they now, through you, pay

me, the merit of it proceeded from their support, and to them am I in

debted for it.

"That you and your Constituents may long enjoy happiness and

prosperity, and that your City, the parent spot of Georgia, may increase

and flourish in proportion to its manifold advantages, will always be

the sincere prayer of

"Sirs, and Gentlemen,

"Your Fellow Citizen,

"JAMES JACKSON.

"The Worshipful the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah."

CHAPTER XXXII
HONORS TO LIVING AND DEAD
HONORS TO DISTINGUISHED DEAD--RECEPTION TO HENRY CLAY--PUBLIC MOURNING FOR ANDREW JACKSON--SHEFTALL SHEFTALL, OLD REVO LUTIONARY SOLDIER--ARMORY OF CHATHAM ARTILLERY--VISIT OF EXPRESIDENT POLK--DANIEL WEBSTER, CITY'S GUEST--HONORS TO JOHN C. CALHOUN AND ZACHABY TAYLOR.
Savannah has always taken a prominent part in doing honor to illustrious persons during their lifetime and in paying respect to their memory at death. In addition to the instances already mentioned we will here record other instances without regard to chronological sequence. The records of council contain resolutions passed, and, in many cases, the newspapers show what the citizens did in public meetings on learn ing of the deeds of honor and of patriotism performed by noble men and on the occasion of the death of such characters.
HONORS TO DISTINGUISHED DEAD
When news of the death of Commodore Decatur was received in March, 1820, council went into mourning for thirty days, the members wearing crape on their sleeves for that period of time.
The Hon. Charles Harris, an alderman, died in 1827, on the 17th of March. He had been mayor of Savannah three terms, and, in addi tion to the fact that he had at the time of his death served as alderman consecutively for seven years and, with intermissions, for several other periods, rendered, as was stated in the official action of council, a long service in the cause of Savannah of twenty years. The resolutions adopted contained this remarkable statement: "During that long period none can accuse him of wilful wrong doing, and all of us can bear tes timony to his excellency, to his ability, and to the purity of his mo tives." The period of wearing crape on the arm, usually thirty days, was in his case, extended to two months.
The death at the same time of two ex-presidents of the United States, Jefferson and Adams, on the 4th of July, 1826, was an occasion which caused unusual action on the part of the city council. Dr. Win. C. Daniell was then the mayor, and he was directed to call a meeting of the citizens to take suitable action, and an appropriation of $250 was made "to de fray the expenses of a committee of citizens paying funeral respects to the ex-presidents."
400
J

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

401

La Fayette's death in 1834 was the occasion of a large demonstra tion when council asked the people to unite in a civic and military proces sion including their attendance on religious services when the Rev. Dr. Capers, son of a revolutionary soldier, delivered the eulogy. The ar rangements for the proper observances of the day were entrusted to aldermen W. H. Cuyler, John H. Ash, and Jacob Shaffer who were cer tainly capable of doing all that was appropriate and proper. It was pro posed that the citizens wear crape on the -left arm for thirty days "as a badge of mourning for the loss which the cause of liberty throughout the civilized world has sustained.''
Again, in 1841, a meeting of the citizens, including the council, passed resolutions on the death of President Harrison and listened to a eulogy delivered by Judge John Macpherson Berrien.

RECEPTION TO HENRY CLAY
The Hon. Henry Clay was invited to visit Savannah in 1844, and, on his arrival, the long room of the Exchange was tendered to the committee of arrangements for a public reception, at which time the mayor and aldermen paid their respects to him. The original letter of acceptance of Mr. Clay, addressed to the committee, hangs in the library of the Georgia Historical Society, and is as follows:
"N. ORLEANS, 19th Feb., 1844.--Gentlemen: I have received the invitation to visit Savannah, which you have done me the honor to transmit. Some business which I have there coinciding with my desire to see that city, had determined me to comprehend it in my route to North Carolina. Your polite invitation strengthens the motives which I previously had to see it. I tender my respectful acknowledg ments for it, and for the friendly sentiments which accompany it.
"I regret my inability to fix the day of my arrival at Savannah. It will be not earlier than the 15th of March, and perhaps about the 20th of that month.
"Being anxious that there should be as little ceremony as possible on my arrival, I hope that there will be acquiescence on your part, in my respectfully declin ing any public entertainment.
"I am with great respect, "Your friend & obed't serv't
"H. CLAY. "Messrs. Wm. Thorne Williams,
G-. B. Gumming, Jno. B. Gaudry, William Law, John J. Maxwell, Jos. Clay Habersham, Blias Eeed, James Hunter."

PUBLIC MOURNING FOR ANDREW JACKSON
We have already referred to the most unusual action of council on the death of Andrew Jackson, but it is in order just here to give the proceedings of the citizens on the death of that illustrious man which resulted in the arrangement of the ceremonies on the 4th of July, 1845, the day observed as one of mourning. The following is the account given in the Georgian. "The committee appointed by the Citizens of

402

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Savannah to make arrangements for the commemoration of the life, serv ices and character of Andrew Jackson, announce that a eulogy on the illustrious dead will be pronounced on Friday, the fourth of July next, at the Independent Presbyterian church by Matthew McAllister, Esq.
"That Friday next, the fourth of July, be solemnized as a day of public mourning on which the banks, stores, shops, offices, etc., shall be closed, and the citizens shall abstain from their usual employments. That vessels in port and public houses display their flags at halfmast throughout the day, bells of the different churches, the Exchange and
Academy, be slowly tolled from five to seven o'clock in the morning, during the forming and moving of the procession and from six to seven o'clock in the afternoon. That seventy-eight minute guns, correspond ing with the age of the deceased patriot, be fired in the morning, begining at sunrise, and the same number in the afternoon, beginning seventy-
eight minutes before sunset. That minute guns be fired from the Revenue Cutter ' Crawford,' Captain Fatio, from the time the procession shall move until the services in the churches shall have begun. That a national salute be fired at Ogiethorpe Barracks by the United States Artillery under the command of Major Wade, immediately after the procession shall have been dismissed. That the Reverend Clergy; the Magistracy and other officers of the United States, the State and the
City, and Consuls, and other foreign officers, the Free and Accepted Masons, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Union Society, and all other organized societies; teachers and their respective pupils, the
United States troops, the Second Volunteer Corps of this City, the of ficers of the army and navy, and Revenue Marine and militia, soldiers of the Revolution, pilots, masters of vessels, their officers and crews, and the citizens generally, join, and they are earnestly invited to join, in the procession. A procession will be formed at ten o 'clock on that day at the Exchange; under the direction of Francis M. Stone, Esq., chief Marshal, with the aid of six Assistant Marshals. The United States troops and volunteer companies of the City of Savannah will constitute the escort, commanded by Colonel White. The order will be as follows: The escort, Chief Marshal, Standard of the United States, the orator and Committee of Arrangements, the Reverend Clergy, Judges and officers of the Superior Court, Justices and officers of the Inferior Court and Court of Ordinary, Judge and officers of the Court of Common Pleas and Oyer and Terminer, the Mayor and Aldermen, and all officers deriv ing their appointments from the city, Justices of the Peace, foreign con suls and officers, the Collector and other officers of the Customs, Officers and Soldiers of the Revolution, Officers of the Revenue Marine, Officers of the militia, the Union Society, the Medical Society, the Library So ciety, the Hibernian Society, the St. Andrew's Society, the German Friendly Society, the Georgia Historical Society, the Catholic Temper ance Society, the Mechanics Temperance Society, the Agricultural Society, Georgia Chapter "No. 3 and Masonic Lodges of Savannah, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the United Ancient Order of Druids, teachers of public schools and their pupils, the pilots of the port of Savan nah, Captains and officers of vessels and marines (the last in blue jack ets and white trousers) in a dress corresponding as readily therewith

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

403

as circumstances will admit, headed by the Harbor Master. Citizens, teachers and their pupils will assemble in Johnson Square and join the procession when moving at the intersection of St. Julian and Drayton streets. The procession will march down the Bay to Drayton street, up Drayton street to South Broad [now Oglethorpe avenue], and up South Broad. It is respectfully recommended that the Mayor, Aldermen, civil officers and citizens appear in black or dark-colored suits; that the staves of the Marshals, Sheriff and attending officers be surmounted with black ribbons, the banners of the military and societies be mourned, that all who unite in the procession be distinguished by some appropriate badge of mourning, and that the ladies and female children who may attend the delivery of the eulogium wear white dresses with black rib bons, or black dresses.
"RICHARD WAYNE, Treasurer, "R. G. GOERARD, Secretary."
SHEFTALL SHEFTALL, OLD REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIER
Another instance of the proper treatment of a hero who had re garded the time spent in the service of his country as the best period of his life occurred in the case of a survivor of the Continental Army in the War of the Revolution. Sheftall Sheftall the son of Mordecai Shef tall, of the family coming to Georgia with the first Jewish settlers, was a soldier of the Revolution, and died at an advanced age in the year 1855. He was so proud of his having lived during the struggle of the colonies for independence and of his having taken a part in the suc cessful conflict that until his death he wore no other outer clothing than the Continental uniform. In the year 1841 the city council, in regard for his services to the cause and respecting him as a most worthy citizen took the following laudable action: "It appearing to Council that Sheftall Sheftall, Esq., one of the oldest citizens of Savannah and a relic of the Revolution, a pensioner of the United States government for services rendered in the War of the Revolution, is in arrears for taxes due the city.
"Resolved, That all back taxes be remitted and the Treasurer di rected not to require any returns of taxes during his life; and
"Resolved further, That Sheftall Sheftall be and hereby is entitled to all the privileges of a citizen in every respect the same as if his taxes had been returned and paid into the City Treasury."
That old soldier died on the 15th of August, 1847, and was buried the next day. In announcing his death the Georgian gave a sketch of his life which is well worth preserving. It is from the paper of the 16th:

' ' A REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIER GONE

'' The lapse of years has left among the living but few of the vener able men whose fortune it was to witness the stirring times of our Revo lutionary War, and to take part in giving birth to our young Republic. Wherever they have survived, however, they have always been objects of public notice, esteem, and affection. For many years past in our own community, lingering among us like a sacred leaf from a departed sum-

404

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

mer, distinguished by Ms 'Knee-Breeches' and his 'Cocked-Hat,' in the person of Sheftall Sheftall, Esq., was recognized one of the soldiers of the Revolution. Born in Savannah eighty-five years ago, his fate has ever been identified with her's. Here he partook of all the intense ex citement which attended its approach; and here he joined the Continental Army and linked his individual destiny with that of his suffering, strug gling country. He shared the dangers and withstood the horrors attend ant upon the bloody siege of Savannah, and fought side by side with men whose names are now historic. It was in the surrender .of this city that he was taken prisoner by the British, and was confined for six months upon the prisonship at this port and at Charleston, during which time he suffered much from hardship and mal-treatment. From Charleston he was taken to the West Indies where he was permitted to return to Philadelphia on his parole of honor. He was subsequently sent to Charleston, with a flag of truce, to take money for the relief of the American prisoners there. He held the appointment of Assistant Commissary in the Army.
" After the close of the Revolutionary War he continued to live in this city which, in fact, he never left except during the period of his imprisonment and while it remained in the hands of the English. He was admitted to the Bar in Camden County shortly after the war, and was the oldest lawyer in the State. For a number of years he held the responsible office of Justice of the Peace, under appointment from the Governor; an office in which so much can be done for the good or injury of society. Out of near twenty thousand cases which he" tried there was not one in which his decision was reversed. His unceasing effort was to prevent unnecessary litigation, and to do justice between parties fully and fearlessly.
'' For seven years past his health has been growing exceedingly feeble. For the last one or two his venerable form has been missed from its accustomed place in his piazza, and the time has at last come for him to depart. So long identified with Savannah, having been acquainted with all whose names are connected with her history, possessed, even in advanced age and sickness, of a most extraordinary memory, he will be greatly missed by our citizens. He will go to his tomb respected by all. May he rest in peace.''

The respect mentioned in the above was feelingly shown as will be seen from the annexed account of the funeral in the same paper of Tuesday, August 17th, 1847: "The funeral of our late venerable fellow citizen, Sheftall Sheftall, Esq., was yesterday attended by numbers of our citizens; escorted to the grave by the Georgia Hussars and the Volun teer Corps composing the First Regiment, under the command of Major Lewis. The last volley was fired over the grave of the soldier of a pre vious century by the Chatham Light Artillery, of which corps he was an honorary member."

ARMORY OF CHATHAM ARTILLERY It was only a few days after, that the historic military organization named in the 'last sentence of the record just given laid the corner-stone

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

405

of a new armory on the spot where the old quarters of the same com pany stood. It was then that the building known as Armory Hall was started, and the corner-stone was laid by William Thorne Williams on the 7th of September, 1847. The company formed on the bay at five o'clock in the afternoon, and marched to Wright square and were ad
dressed by James Preston, Esq., before the stone was deposited in its place. Beneath the stone was placed a miniature portrait in oil of Gen. George Washington, said to be a copy of the Stuart picture. Mr. J. M. Jones contributed a breast-plate or clasp of 1786, on which were in scribed the words

"Chatham Artillery

1786.

J. M. Jones,

Savannah.''

On the same lot the Chatham Artillery had, up to that time, occu pied the upper floor of a building built by the city of which the lower floor was used as a fire engine house. The lot was, in 1807, leased to the company for ten years, at a nominal rent of $1.00, for a gun house, laboratory and workshop, and the term of occupancy began in the course of that year, and in 1810 the city built the brick addition in which the engine was placed and the military company found quarters above the engine room. In 1816 the lease which was about to expire was renewed for a term of twenty-one years, and, at the expiration of that time it was again renewed, the last renewal expiring on the 20th of February, 1845. when the city granted the tract (three-quarters of lot letter E, Percival ward) to the company in fee simple. Finally, on the 20th of June, 1857, council ordained that "the eastern part of lot letter E, Percival Ward, and the improvements thereon, known as the Armory Building, and belonging to the Chatham Artillery, be and the same are hereby exempt from city taxation while the same is used by the afore said company for military purposes.'' *

VISIT OF EX-PRESIDENT POLK
The people of Savannah were again, in 1849, eager to show respect to a notable character who honored the city with his presence, and, as usual, the military display was easily the dominating feature of the imposing ceremonies of the occasion which was the visit of ex-President J. K. Polk. His arrival in the evening of March 10th had been antici pated, and everything was done to make him feel that he was among friends. Council appointed a committee composed of aldermen Robert H. Griffin, Solomon Cohen and Joseph Story Fay to meet the honored guest at Charleston and escort him to this city, giving him at meeting
* Since the foregoing was written the property has been sold by the company.

406

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

the official invitation to partake of its hospitality. The party came in the steamer '' General Clinch,'' and was met by Mayor Richard Wayne
and his board of aldermen and a committee of twenty-one citizens. The Chatham Artillery, waiting on the bluff near the gas house welcomed him with a salute from their guns. With the ex-president were his wife, nieces, and Robt. J. Walker, ex-secretary of the treasury. On landing the party received a salute from the battalion comprising the Georgia Hussars, Lieutenant Blois; the Republican Blues, Capt. John W. Anderson; the Savannah Volunteer Guards, Capt. Cosmo P. Riehardsorie: the Irish Jasper Greens, Captain AVylly; the German Volun teers. Capt. J. H. Stegin; and the Phoenix Riflemen, Capt, W. H. C. Mills, after which they proceeded to the Pulaski House where Mr. Polk was to be quartered during his stay. It was nine o'clock when he arrived, but a reception was held at Armory Hall which did not last long, owing to the lateness of the hour. The next day being Sunday, Mr. Polk and party attended services at the Independent Presbyterian church in the morning, and at Christ church in the afternoon. The Republican Blues acted as escort on the departure of the guests, accom panying them to the Central Railroad depot where they took the cars for Macon. Mr. Polk died just three months after his visit to Savannah, and the city council chamber was draped in mourning for sixty days, and the people were asked to wear crape for the same length of time.

DANIEL WEBSTER, CITY'S GUEST
Two years before the visit of Mr. Polk the great statesman, Daniel Webster, was a guest of the city, arriving on the twenty-fifth of May, 1847, accompanied by his wife and Miss Seaton. Mr. Webster was publicly received at the foot of the monument to Gen. Nathanael Greene in Johnson square, and during his short stay two public dinners were given him--one by the citizens and the other by the bar. He departed on Friday, the 28th, for Charleston.

HONORS TO JOHN C. CALHOUN AND ZACHARY TAYLOR
On the llth of April, 1850, the death of John C. Calhoun was an nounced, and the minutes of council record the fact that the members of that body had "received with the deepest regret the intelligence of the death of Hon. John C. Calhoun, and mourn over him as over one whose lofty genius and impassioned patriotism are unsurpassed in the history of our country, and whose long and illustrious career from its auspi cious beginning to its glorious close is the property of the whole Amer ican people, but the peculiar treasure of the South in whose services he sacrificed his life" and it was resolved that the council chamber be draped in mourning for thirty days, and the citizens were invited to put on the badge of grief.
On the 8th of August in the same year, shortly after receipt of the news of the death of President Zachary Taylor, council as well as the citizens generally showed their feelings in a manner which forbids the suggestion of any lack of appreciation of his services to the country.

I

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

407

The Georgian of the 7th gave this full account of the manner in which his memory was to be honored:
"The joint committee of citizens and the Mayor and Aldermen, ap
pointed to adopt suitable measures for the solemn commemoration of the death of General Zachary Taylor, late President of the United States, and for paying tributes of respect to his memory, announce the follow ing as the ceremony and arrangements for the occasion. Francis S. Bartow, Esq., will deliver a eulogy on the public life and character of the deceased, on Thursday, the eighth of August, at the new Methodist church in St. James square [now Telfair Place]. A procession will be formed at ten o'clock on the morning of that day, on Bay street, in front of the Exchange, under the direction of Wm. W. Gates. Esq., as Marshal, with four assistants.
"The volunteer Companies of the City will constitute the escort, under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel William F. Law, and will be formed in line, the right resting on Barnard street, displaying west. The Chatham Artillery, Lieutenant [John R.] Wilder, will fire minute guns during the march of the procession to the number of sixty-six, Ihe age of the deceased. At sunset they will fire a, national salute. The colors of the shipping in port, and at all public places will be hoisted at half-mast during the day. The bells of all the churches will be tolled during the march of the procession, and again for half an hour at sunset. All standards and banners carried in the procession to be in mourning. The committee requests that all the banks and pub lic offices be shut during the day, and that the citizens close their places of business from ten o'clock until the termination of the ceremonies. The order of the procession will be as follows:

"The Escort of Volunteer Companies
Chief Marshal
The Standard of the United States The Orator and Committee of Arrangements The Reverend Clergy--Teachers of Public Schools The Mayor and Aldermen and their Officers Judges and Officers of the Superior Court Justice of the Inferior Court and their Officers Judges of Court of Common Pleas and Oyer and Terminer and Officers Magistrates and Officers of the City and County--Foreign Consuls
Officers of the United States Collector and Officers of the Customs Military and Naval Officers of the United States Brigadier-General of the First Brigade and Staff
Major of Cavalry and Staff. Field, Staff, and Company Officers First Regiment The Union Society. The Medical Society. The Library Society. The Hibernian Society. The St. Andrew's Society. The German
Friendly Society. The Georgia Historical Society. The Irish Union Society. Temperance
Societies.

408

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

"All the Societies not specified--The Worshipful Deputy, Grand Master and Masonic Lodges of Savannah. The several Lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Captains and Officers of Vessels in Port, Marines in uniform dress. Citizens. The Oglethorpe and Wash ington Fire Companies will form the rear of the Procession. The vari ous Societies, Associations, Public Bodies, Officers and all others named, and the Citizens generally are requested to consider this as the invitation of the Committee to unite in the procession without further notice. Route of the Procession--Down Bay Street to Whitaker, up Whitaker to South Broad street [now Oglethorpe Avenue], up South Broad street to Bar nard Street to St. James Square, fronting the church. Returning, down Barnard street to Broughton street, down Broughton street to Bull street, down Bull street to Bay street.
11 Committee of Arrangement: R. R. Cuyler, W. Thorne Williams, F. S. Bartow, ^illiam Law, W. P. White, W. B. Fleming, J. L. Locke, Alderman J. Lippman, Robt. Habersham, E. J. Harden, A. R. Lawton, Chas. S. Henry, Geo. Schley, R. D. Arnold, Alderman R. H. Griffin, Alderman M. Gumming,"
The programme was carried out as arranged.

r
CHAPTER XXXIII
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND NOTED EVENTS
MAKESHIFT CUSTOM HOUSES--PRESENT BUILDING COMPLETED IN 1850-- FORSYTE PARK--ATLANTIC COAST LINE RAILROAD SYSTEM--WEL COME TO MILLARD FILLMORE--ANOTHER YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC (1854)--STORM ADDS TERRORS TO EPIDEMIC--RESULTANT SANITARY MEASURES--SAVANNAH BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION--SAVANNAH 's PUB LIC SCHOOL SYSTEM--THE MASSIE POOR SCHOOL FUND--THE MASSIE COMMON SCHOOL--BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ORGANIZED (1866).
Notwithstanding the great amount of business transacted in Savan nah, the city had no custom house worthy of being so-called until 1850. We have seen it recorded that the first building of the sort was little more than a hut, but the records fail to give its location.
MAKE-SHIFT CUSTOM HOUSES
What has been known to an older generation as '' Commercial Row,'' owned by Mr. Robert Bolton, and situated just a little to the west of the City Hall, served the purposes of the government in that line from the time it was built in 1789 until the government erected a small brick building on Bryan street about the centre of the block on the north side between Bull and Drayton, and that was the Custom House until its destruction by fire in 1820 when the government transacted the business of entering and clearing vessels in a rented portion of the old City Exchange, now the location of our new and up-to-date City Hall.
PRESENT BUILDING COMPLETED IN 1850
In 1848 the old lot was sold with the ruins of the custom house heaped upon it to the Georgia Historical Society, and the United States shortly thereafter began the erection of the present custom house on the south east corner of Bay and Bull streets. It was planned by Mr. John S. Norris, and was finished in 1850. The Custom House finished that year was two years in building. The cornerstone was laid July 18,1848, with appropriate ceremonies, and an interesting address was made to an attentive audience by the Hon. Henry R. Jackson. In this building the United States district and circuit courts were held until the new post-

410

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

office was erected in the year 1898, in which building ample room was provided for court purposes.
FORSYTE PARK
Savannah's first park was laid out in 1851 through the suggestion of Mr. William Brown Hodgson, who even went so far as to have, at his own expense a temporary fence placed around the land as a begin ning of the efforts lie made to induce the city authorities to set apart a place of recreation for the people. Slowly did council act upon the sug gestion which was made some time before the year 1851. When the necessary action was tatfen to enclose it properly the name of John Forsyth of Georgia, then minister to Spain, was given to the park. It was for a long time enclosed with an ornamental iron fence which was afterwards removed and it is now entirely open on all sides.
ATLANTIC COAST LINE RAILROAD Si STEM
In 1853"the railroad which now forms a part of the Atlantic Coast Line system had its origin in the formation of a company called the Savannah & Albany Railroad Company. Dr. James P. Screven was largely interested in it, and it is conceded that he was the first to sug gest its founding. He was its first president, and, at his death, his1 worthy son and a most admirable citizen John Screven became his successor. Its name was changed in 1854 to the Savannah, Albany & Gulf Railroad, and later still to the Savannah, Florida & Western Railroad. A still later change took it into the Plant System by which it lost entirely its separate name, and now it is only known as a portion of the Atlantic Coast Line Railway.
WELCOME TO MILLARD FILLMORE
In 1854 another ex-president of the United States visited the city, and the people turned out in large numbers to welcome the Hon. Millard Fillmore.
The Georgian of Friday, April 21, thus announced the event: "It is announced in another column that Ex-President Fillmore will arrive here this evening at half past five o 'clock and remain over Sunday. The Ex-President is accompanied by the Honorable John P. Kennedy. A deputation from the Committee of Arrangements will depart on this morning's train to meet the Ex-President and suite at Griffin's Dinner House, on the Central Railroad. On his arrival at the Railroad Depot here he will be formally welcomed by the Mayor and Aldermen, and the Committee of Reception, followed by a salute of thirty-one guns from the Chatham Artillery. The reception ceremonies will take place in the extensive warehouse of the Central Railroad, after which the distin guished guest and suite will be honored by a civic and military escort to quarters provided at the Pulaski House. During the sojourn of the guests, a complimentary ball, at St. Andrew's Hall, and an excursion to Fort Pulaski are contemplated.''
"Tuesday, April 25th.--Ex-President Fillmore in Savannah:--At the time we write the Ex-President and Suite, accompanied by a select

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

411

party of our fellow citizens, are going down the river, to view Fort Pulaski, and other places of interest, on board the beautiful Steamer 'Seminole.' On Saturday, in company with Savannah gentlemen, he visited Bonaventure.* On Sunday morning he attended Christ church Reverend Bishop Elliott officiating. In the afternoon he attended the Independent Presbyterian Church, and listened to a sermon from Rev
erend Chas. Rogers, in the absence of the Pastor, Reverend Doctor Pres
ton. In the evening he attended the Unitarian Church, Reverend John Pierpont, Jr., to which denomination we believe he is attached as a member. Yesterday from ten to eleven o'clock a public levee was held at the Pulaski House. The citizens without distinction paid their re
spects to the Ex-President. At eleven o'clock, by invitation of Captain Hardie, Mr. Fillmore and suite visited the steamship 'Keystone State/ He was welcomed by a salute of twenty-one guns. Afterwards the Steamer 'Seminole' was placed at his disposal--the Ex-President and his friends viewing the scenery down the river. Dinner followed, and many toasts were enjoyed on board the ' Seminole.' The boat returned to the city at an early hour of the evening, in time to attend the ball, where there was a large gathering. On Tuesday morning the party departed for Charleston accompanied by several citizens."

ANOTHER YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC (1854)
In that same year, 1854, a most serious blow was given to the appar ently prosperous era that seemed to be in sight.
Another epidemic of that fearful scourge, yellow fever, set in not quite four months after the rejoicing occasioned by the visit of Mr. Fillmore. It was the most disastrous Savannah has ever had, and for a long time its effect was apparent in the check given to the natural growth and prosperity of the city. After the fever had done its work of destruction, the mayor, Hon. John E. Ward, in summing up the events of his term of service, said in his report for that year, "After an exemption from' epidemics unknown in any other city, and the en joyment of unexampled health for almost half a century, in the month of August our citizens were startled with the announcement that the yellow fever had made its appearance as an epidemic. The first case occurred on August 5th, in a hcase situated at the southwest corner of Lincoln and Broughton streets. Regarded merely as a sporadic case, it was not reported as yellow fever. Between that date and the middle of the month a few more cases occurred, but nothing to excite any alarm or create any apprehension of an epidemic among us. About that date it manifested itself in an epidemic form, and swept with a fearful deso lation over our city." It was five days after the fact that a case had occurred that council had the matter brought to the attention of the board. On the 10th, Capt. William P. Bowen, chairman of the board of health, considered it his duty officially to make a statement to the city authorities, and he appeared in council and told of the conditions of

* This beautiful cemetery, about 4 miles from Savannah, has recently been pur chased by the city and is now a public burial-place.

412

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

inhabitants of "Washington ward and Gilmersville. when an appropria tion of $500 for the relief of those people was promptly made. Com plaint was made that patients were removed from the places where they were first attacked by the disease to parts of the city where no cases had previously been reported, and the complainants argued that by stop ping the transfers the fever could be confined to one locality, or, at most, that the spread would not be extensive. Council therefore ordered that such removals should cease, or that fever patients should be sent to the Marine Hospital. The fever, however, rapidly spread to all sections of the city and did its full work. Two-thirds of the people left the city, and, the material on which to work being so greatly diminished, the disease was limited in the number of its victims. The death-rate was frightful, and on the 12th of September there were fifty-one interments. Among those who fell were the Rt. Rev. F. X. Gartland, bishop of the Roman Catholic church, ten physicians, and three medical students. It was estimated that the population amounted to about six thousand per sons, a majority of whom were attacked, and the number of deaths were as follows:

August ..........Whites 235 Negroes 22 total 257 September .......Whites 591 Negroes 55 total 646 October ..........Whites 108 Negroes 29 total 137

934

106

1,040

As in all the other cases of epidemics of yellow fever various causes were suggested for its appearance in Savannah at the time. One was that it was brought from Havana by the Danish brig " Charlotte Hague," bound to Copenhagen and stopping at Cockspur on the 29th of June. It was shown that only two cases of sickness had occurred on the vessel, and that neither was caused by yellow fever. It was then attributed to the removal of mud from the river in dredging; but, as the mud had, by actual proof, never been exposed to the air, that theory was aban doned. It was supposed that the condition of the rice lands adjacent to the city was the cause of the trouble; but it was shown that those lands were in the very best condition during the whole of the season; and that theory fell to the ground. No one at that time dreamed that the pestiferous little mosquito had anything to do with it.

STORM ADDS TERRORS TO EPIDEMIC
In the very midst of the excitement caused by the fever, on the 8th of September, a storm of great intensity, accomplishing vast destruc tion of life and property, added to the terrors of the situation. Aid was extended from all sides to the suffering people. After the trouble was all over, council adopted the following resolution of thanks, pro posed by Alderman James P. Screven:
"Whereas, by the dispensation of Providence this City has been afflicted with an epidemic of the most fatal character, and its inhabitants during its prevalence have been the recipients of the munificence and

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

413

benevolence of various public bodies, charitable associations, and in dividuals ; be it therefore
"Resolved, that the thanks of this body are due, and are hereby tendered to the corporate authorities of our sister cities for the symthe epidemic; to transient physicians for their professional gallantry pathy they have manifested in the afflictions of this city, and for their generous contributions in aid of its suffering and destitute inhabitants.
"Resolved, that the thanks of this body are due, and are hereby ten dered, to all benevolent and other associations, and to individuals, who have, in any manner, contributed to the relief of the afflicted in this city. Thanks to the resident physicians for their noble conduct during
the epidemic; to transient physicians for their professional gallantry when our physicians were falling in our midst, victims to the faithful discharge of duty. Thanks to the devoted clergy who, without excep tion, pursued their holy calling. Thanks to the Young Men's Benevolent Association."
The mayor of the city thus addressed the governor of the state of Georgia:

''To his Excellency Herschel V. Johnston, Governor of the State of Georgia.--My dear Sir:--I have been directed to transmit to you the enclosed resolutions. They but feebly express the gratitude and affec tion which the people of Savannah feel for you. The generosity of our people, which saved us from the necessity of calling upon you for the aid which you had tendered to us, affords the highest evidence that you understood the character of the people of Georgia when you were will ing to assume the responsibility of relieving distress, relying upon them for support. Your noble conduct has commanded the approval of all classes in every section of the State.
"And I beg of you, my dear Sir, to accept from me my warmest thanks.
"Very respectfully and truly "Your Obedient Servant, "JOHN E. WARD, "Mayor of Savannah."

As evidence of the manner in which the sympathy of the people everywhere was aroused in behalf of Savannah, let it here be recorded that the Young Men's Benevolent Association alone raised in cash the sum of $24,396.63, besides accepting for the use of the afflicted inhab itants a large amount of clothing, food, and other useful and valuable supplies. It has been said of that noble organization "So important a factor was this Association in the operation of the public benevolence that it received more than forty per cent of the whole money fund con tributed by the public at home and abroad for the relief of the com munity. ' ;
RESULTANT SANITARY MEASURES
At the end of the year 1854, the committee of council on health reported that "whatever conflicting opinion there may be relative to the cause of the late epidemic, there appears to be no doubt in the mind

414

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

of many that its virulence was greatly increased by local causes. The unaccountable amount of filth about the domiciles in the eastern part of the city is believed to have been a fruitful source of disease. At all events it is well known that the intense rays of the sun never do pro duce putrefaction and infectious malaria when acting' upon a purely clear surface." In its report the committee therefore urged the ward committees of the board of health to be particular in the matter of having the different wards of the city kept in the best condition. Further than that council instructed the city surveyor to make an estimate of the cost of a proper sewerage system.
Charleston took the matter up, and having adopted a stringent quar antine ordinance, communicated with the mayor of Savannah, urg ing him to see to it that this city "take a similar step" adding that "we have ceased all dispute and discussion in the matter. We have neglected the exclusion of disease for fifty years and have had the disease oftener than was beneficial to us. We have now decided, no matter what the result may be, to keep it in the lazaretto, to try the ex periment of preventing its entrance from abroad, and, if it arises then among us, we will be satisfied that quarantine is useless."
For Savannah Mayor Edward C. Anderson made a suitable reply, assuring the Charlestonians that there would probably be no changes made in our quarantine law, believing that it was proper to permit vessels from any part of the world to come up to the city without de tention at quarantine, in case there was no sickness aboard.

SAVANNAH BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
The organization named above as the Young Men's Benevolent Asso ciation had its origin during the prevalence of the yellow fever in 1854 when, on the 12th of September, a number of gentlemen met for the pur pose of giving "aid and comfort amid scenes of pestilence, destitution, sorrow, and death." Standing ready to carry out in every particular the objects for which they had associated themselves, the men compos ing the body readily consented to the very first request made of them by the acting mayor who expressed his desire in the following note:
"SAVANNAH, September 28,1854.--Wm. Hone, Esq., President Young Men's Benevolent Association--Dear Sir:--The community is already so much indebted to your Association for acts of benevolence that place it under obligations which can never be repaid, except by the more heartfelt acknowledgment of the benefit it has conferred, that it may, perhaps, be tasking the kindness of its members too much to ask a favor which is rather foreign to the objects of their organization. But inasmuch as the ascertainment of the population of the city will be of advantage for future reference, and will probably correct erroneous statements now so prevalent abroad on this important subject, and it being the duty of the committee of the Association to call at each house in the city daily, thus rendering the information we seek of more easy acquisition than by the ordinary process, may I ask the favor of

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

415

your association to take the necessary steps to procure a census of the
city? "I would respectfully suggest Saturday next as an appropriate time
for the performance of this duty. Should any aid be required, a num ber of volunteers who have had experience will render assistance.
"I have the honor to be, very respectfully, "Your obedient servant, "JAMES P. SOREYEN, "Mayor pro tern."
Without delay, the work was taken up, and the population, as already stated, was found to be six thousand. That number did not include negroes "because the black and colored population was cared for in the main by their owners. Being immune also, very few * * * perished from the fever." In this connection it is interesting to learn that of the whole number of deaths among the colored people during the prevalence of the yellow fever only fifteen of them were caused by that disease.
On the 20th of October a'committee was appointed to "draw up a constitution and by-laws for the permanent organization of the Asso ciation" and a report was made one week later, when it was proposed to change the name to The Savannah Benevolent Association and that name it has ever since borne. The organization is kept up, and when ever a vacancy occurs by death or resignation the vacancy is immedi ately filled. There is no way of estimating the amount of good it has accomplished, and its influence was great during the epidemics of 1858 and 1876. It was duly incorporated on the 13th of July, 1893.

SAVANNAH'S PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
The gift to the city of a sum of money to be used for educational purposes was the first step in the establishment of Savannah's public school system. On the 8th of April, 1841, the last will and testament of Peter Massie, of Glynn county was read to council by Hon. R. M. Charlton, mayor. One item of it reads: "I give and bequeath for the education of the poor children of the city of Savannah the sum of $5,000, to be applied for that purpose in such a manner as the cor porate authorities of said city shall direct;" but when demand was made on the executors for payment it met with a refusal, and a resolu tion, offered by Alderman Jacob Waldburg, was adopted on the 9th of January, 1845, that formal demand be made in the name of the city for payment of the bequest. That action was followed on the 17th of April by the appointment of Messrs. John E. Ward and Geo. W. Owens as counsel for the city to prosecute the claim which resulted in a decree at that term of the superior court of Glynn county against the executors in favor of the city of Savannah for the full sum of $5,000 with interest from the 4th of March, 1841. In accordance with that decree the executors paid to the city of Savannah, as reported by Mayor Richard Wayne, on the 29th of March, 1849, $2,115.33 in cash and an accepted draft for $5,400, payable twelve months after date.

416

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Of the money thus received $2,000 was invested, in May, in the guar anteed eight per cent stock of the Central Railroad and Banking Com pany of Georgia, and at the maturity of the draft the sum of $5,500 was invested in the stock of the Savannah Gas Light Company. The interest on the investment was kept in the city treasury until 1852 when the fund was found to amount to the sum of $8,750.46. In the follow
ing year the gas company declared a dividend of thirty-four shares of stock on the investment of the city and ninety-nine additional shares were subscribed for.

THE MASSIE POOR SCHOOL FUND
In the meantime, in 1849, council appointed a committee to "pre pare a plan to invest the legacy as a foundation for an asylum or work house for indigent children," but it reported that the fund could not be diverted from the purpose stated in the will which was for the education of poor children. In December, 1852, a committee of council recommended that $3,750.46 be spent for a school house and that the original $5,000 be kept as an investment, with the interest available for the salaries of teachers, and an ordinance was passed providing that the mayor and two aldermen be annually appointed to constitute the Massie Poor School Fund Committee "to control and manage the fund so far as the present and future interest was concerned." They were empowered to associate with them such poor school commissioners as the justices of the inferior court might appoint as well as any com mittee that might be appointed by the Savannah Poor School, and power was given the committee to select a site and erect the Massie Free School House from the Massie fund and other school houses for which funds might be provided from any source. Evidently as a plan of co-operation, a meeting of citizens was held and on the 27th of Jan uary, 1853, Messrs. Anthony Porter, Francis S. Bartow, Solomon Cohen and J. P. Tustin who had previously been appointed a committee to establish a public school system, reported a plan to the meeting as well as to the justices of the inuperior court, suggesting that two schools be established to meet the requirements of the then population and the increase. They further recommended that a lot at South Broad and Habersham streets, 70 by 120 feet, be granted for the building of the Massie School, to be paid for by the Massie fund, and that another lot be procured near Liberty and West Broad streets for a school to be known as the Chatham County Free School, the latter to be paid for by one year's interest on the education fund held by the inferior court as well as Chatham county's proportion for one year of the State School fund to which should be added such subscriptions as might be made to insure the completion of the second building. Further details were given in the report, but the committee of council to whom it was re ferred reported on the 10th of March that it was inadvisable to join the Massie fund with any other, and, in advising against the putting up
of a building by the expenditure of a fund deemed too small for that purpose and the payment of salaries of teachers, added: "By careful investment, in a few years it can be so increased as to found and main-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

417

tain a school which will be an honor and advantage to the city." It was proposed that the fund be reserved until it reached the sum of $20,000, and that the lot at South Broad and Habersham streets be granted for the building when it should be needed. The inferior court appointed Messrs. A. Porter, John Stoddard and Josiah P. Tustin school commissioners, and, on the 21st of April, reported to council that they controlled an amount sufficient to build one large school, and asked that council appropriate $2,000 with which to purchase a lot. On the 4th of May council appropriated the sum asked for on condition that the inferior court give the same amount. Then lot 14, Chatham ward, theretofore a ground rent lot, was exempted from that class for school purposes.
THE MASSIE COMMON SCPIOOL
Council repealed the ordinance setting apart the site for the Massie School in 1854, and the lot was selected for the building of police quar ters, and, on the 2d of June, by ordinance "Lots numbered thirty-four (34) and thirty-five (35) Calhoun Ward were set aside for educa tional purposes, and for the purpose of having erected thereon, at some future period, a school house to be designated the Massie Common School."
The school commissioners Porter, Stoddard and Cohen on the 22d of March, 1885, recommended that the Massie school be built, and that for the purpose $4,000 be expended in 1855 and $5,000 in 1856, when the erection was commenced on the lot at the corner of Gordon and Abercorn streets. In the last mentioned year the Massie school fund accounts were closed when 188 shares of the stock of the Savannah Gas Company and a bond for $1,000 of the South Western Railroad Company were trans ferred to the commissioners. The next year, 1857, on the 26th of Novem ber, the commissioners reported that the fund was exhausted, and it was shown that it took $4,500 annually to support the school. Of that sum the tuition of pay scholars would provide $1,000, and the city was asked to appropriate $3,500; but council refused to do so, and offered the school to the justices of the inferior court with the request that they maintain it with the county's share of the state school fund.
An ordinance was passed by council December 24, 1857, to the effect that "The Mayor, four Aldermen and four citizens at large, to be appointed by the Mayor, shall constitute a Board of Commissioners for the care, support and management of the Massie Common School. The four citizens shall hold their office for three years from the passing of this ordinance. The four Aldermen shall be appointed by the Mayor of each succeeding Board of Aldermen, and the Mayor of each succeeding Board shall always be one of said Commissioners.
'' The persons so appointed shall meet and organize themselves into a Board by the choice of a Chairman, from their own number, and may make such rules and regulations for their own government, and such rules and regulations for the government of said school as they may deem expedient; such rules and regulations to be reported to the City Council at its first ensuing regular meeting for the approval of Council, and when approved by Council shall be of full force.

4,.loQ

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

u l the event of vacancies in said Board by death, resignations, 1 expiration of term, or otherwise, the Mayor shall have power to
fill said vacancies. ' < The chairman of said Board of Commissioners shall, on or before the
fii"t dav of January next, and quarterly thereafter, make a report in \tm& to the City Council of the condition of said Massie Common
wri ing ^ ^ ^e property connected therewith, also an account of all C ^Dts and expenditures, together with any information or suggestions
r 1' 1 the said Board of Commissioners may deem important, and shall Vtl l same'time submit in writing a report from the principal teacher as t the number, ages and sex of the scholars, and their proficiency, and whether paying scholars or not.
'' F r the support of said school there shall be appropriated annually f the City Treasury a sum not exceeding three thousand dollars, bl quarterly by the City Treasurer to the Chairman of said Board
of Commissioners, upon the same being countersigned by the Mayor." At the same time "the following resolution, reported at the last meeto> b the committee on Education, was again read and adopted, viz:
IU^" Resolved, That when the Board of Commissioners to be appointed nee'of said ordinance, shall have been organized, it shall be
th ^rTtv of the Chairman thereof to render to the Mayor a full state6 t U f all bills outstanding against the Massie Common School, and
menn ^ same being countersigned by the Mayor, the City Treasurer

lis Honor the Mayor reported that, by virtue of the ordinance

] this night, he had appointed the following named gentlemen 'to

^a5SSt't te a Board of Commissioners for the care, support and manage-

cons i

Jessie Common School,' to hold their offices for the term

Scribed by ordinance, viz:

"TT hard Wayne, Mayor; Thomas M. Turner, James E. Godfrey,

wir l "R Svmons, John G. Falligant, Aldermen; Thomas Holcombe,

Montomery Gumming, Edward C. Anderson, Richard D. Arnold,

TlT 'city had leased to the trustees of Chatham Academy the lots ' "R 6 >n ward known as numbers 17, 18 and 19, for the building of a! r^prav and on the expiration of the lease in December, 1859, it the acaa^vej for a term lasting as long as the lots should be used for WfT ^ional purposes, on condition "that the trustees of the Academy eauca i ^ ^^ gve g^^g ^0 be known as City Scholars and to ITtaken from the Massie School."

BOARD OP PUBLIC EDUCATION ORGANIZED (1866) 0 the organization of the board of public education for the city of Q n ah and the county of Chatham in 1866 the Massie School became bavann ^ public school system of Savannah by the passing of an a H'&r e in which it was declared that "At the first regular meeting ordinal! ^ ^^ succeeding year the Mayor shall appoint three Comioners of the Massie School, one of whom shall be the Mayor, when f118?10 , a regular member of the 'Board of Public Education for the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

419

City of Savannah,' and the said Commissioners may be selected from the Aldermen, or Citizens, or both as the Mayor may elect;" and "That said Commissioners shall hold their offices until their successors are appointed, and shall unite with and become part and parcel of the 'Board of Public Education for the City of Savannah,' as created by an act of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, approved March 21st, 1866, and be governed by said act and such by-laws, rules and regulations as said Board of Public Education for the City of Savannah may from time to time ordain for its government."

CHAPTER XXXIV
SAVANNAH RIVER AND HARBOR
IMPBOVEMENT OF SAVANNAH RIVER AND HARBOR--REMOVAL OF OBSTRUC TIONS THEREIN--PROPOSAL THAT CITY ISSUE BONDS--AID OF U. S. GOVERNMENT--APPROPRIATION BY CONGRESS--LIGHT HOUSE ERECTED ON BAY STREET, AND LAND GRANTED BY CITY FOR IT--VISIT OF EXPRESIDENT FILLMORE--PRESIDENT PIERCE INVITED, BUT SAVANNAH NOT INCLUDED IN ITINERARY--THACKERAY'S VISIT AND His ACCOUNT OF THE CITY--RESPECT PAID BY THE PUBLIC TO MEMORY OF HENRY CLAY AND GOVERNOR TROUP--ACTION OF COUNCIL IN HONORING PROMINENT CITIZENS.
The matter of deepening the channel of the Savannah river had to some extent been considered before the year 1851, but it was during that year that definite steps were taken when, on the 3d of June, a committee of council with Mayor Richard Wayne as chairman was appointed "to examine into and report on the propriety of appropriating the sum of $100,000 from the city treasury for the improvement of the river and harbor to be expended under the direction of such officers of the United States as might be charged with such duty and 'in the just and reason able expectation that congress will pass a law to return the same with interest from the national treasury' and that a memorial be sent to congress asking for such an appropriation.'' It was doubtless the opin ion of the members of council that, in order to the accomplishing of anything along that line, the city must show a willingness to incur some expense. A committee to inquire into the cost of doing such work and to recommend a method of procedure was appointed in October, 1825, which recommended the sending of a memorial to congress for the removal of the wrecks sunk by the city, and it was shown that abso lutely nothing in the way of accomplishing any good could be accom plished without an outlay of at least $50,000. Furthermore the com mittee recommended that congress be asked to establish a naval depot at Savannah for the building of vessels " which would keep the govern ment's eyes on the river. This preference of the government would serve to disclose new sources of wealth, open a demand for many of our productions, and with spirited exertions in internal improvements by the state show what the emphatic language of General Barnard has de clared, ' that Savannah is destined to become the New York of the South. The memorial of the mayor and aldermen to congress was read on the

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

421

20th of February, 1826, recommending "the removal by the general government of obstructions placed in the channel of Savannah river during the war," and a bill covering the purpose was reported. The obstructions were wrecks sunk in the channel during the War of the Revolution. The memorial showed how it was proposed to improve the bar and the river, and confirmed the report on surveys made by the officers of the government showing the advantage of Savannah over Charleston and St. Mary's. A report was afterward filed by Secretary S. L. Southard, dated December 27,1827, on a survey of harbors at Charles ton, Beaufort, Savannah and St. Mary's. Attention was paid to the memorial, and congress authorized an expenditure of $50,000, which proved wholly insufficient for the accomplishment of the good intended. A letter on the subject of payments for the work was transmitted to

THE RIVER FRONT, SAVANNAH
congress May 19, 1830, by Secretary S. D. Ingham, and it was shown that by the 24th of March $45,916.59 had been expended, for which little results could be seen. Again, on the 16th of February, 1831, the same officer made a statement of disbursements on account of the work of'' removing obstructions from the Savannah River, Georgia,'' In June of the last mentioned year council appointed a committee to consult one Henry Schultze on the subject of a plan proposed by him for im proving the channel which secured from that person a pledge to deepen the channel at a cost of $150,000 so that vessels drawing eighteen feet of water could come up to the city, and guaranteeing to do the work which was to be a permanent job by the end of two years. A favorable report on this plan was made to council that a recommendation be made to the legislature for the necessary appropriation, as the work was considered of benefit to the entire state. The report was at first

422

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

adopted, but later on it was deemed the proper course to appeal to congress.
Further discussion of the subject was made in council without definite result, and in the month of January, 1840, Captain J. Mackay of the corps of topographical engineers submitted a plan, accompanied with a map, showing that obstructions placed in back river at certain places would cause the deepening of the main channel, and recom mending that the city appeal to congress for the necessary means to carry it out, and it was adopted.

IMPROVEMENT OF SAVANNAH RIVER AND HARBOR

The next step to which our attention is directed is that on the 27th of March, 1844. Representative Joseph H. Peyton submitted to congress
a report recommending the improvement of the Savannah river. Through the efforts of our congressman,, Hon. William H. Stiles, an appropriation was secured from congress in that year, and council thanked hjun for his work in that behalf. The next congress passed a bill making appropriations available for river and harbor work, but the President vetoed it, and a convention of the people of the United States was called to meet at Chicago, July 5, 1847, to protest against his veto. In 1845 the Savannah Chamber of Commerce sent a memorial to congress urging the removal of obstructions in the Savannah river, dated the 16th of December; and that was followed by another memorial from the citizens of Savannah, on the 8th of January, 1846, "praying for the removal of certain obstructions to navigation.'' Once again, on the 21st of December, 1846, the Chamber of Commerce memorialized congress to make an appropriation "for the removal of wrecks in the Savannah River." In 1850, as early as the 28th of January, Secretary Geo. W. Crawford sent a report to congress "with a copy of Lieutenant Smith's survey and examination of the Savannah River," and it was accom panied with a map, and the minutes of city council show that the recom mendations of that officer met with the approval of the mayor and aldermen who urged the Georgia senator and representatives in congress to secure an appropriation to carry on the work so recommended.
Having briefly shown the steps taken in the matter of improving the harbor from time to time, we now return to the period with which this chapter begins. The committee appointed by council in 1851 was com posed of Mayor Wayne and Aldermen James P. Screven and Francis S. Bartow. No record of any success on their part can be found.

PROPOSAL THAT CITY ISSUE BONDS

A mass meeting of citizens was held on the 4th of May, 1853, when resolutions were adopted in relation to the matter of deepening the river channel, and recommending the issue of bonds to the amount of $160,000 to pay for the work, and council went so far in sanctioning the expressed views of the people as to pass an ordinance authorizing the bonding of the city in the amount stated. That action was taken, however, following the exhaustion of an appropriation made in August,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

423

1852, by the United States under direction of Lieutenant Jeremy F. Gilmer, U. S. A., in "the removal of obstructions in the Savannah River at a place called 'The AVrecks,' and the improvement of said river," done at the request of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce. A com mission, of which Prof. A. D. Bache, Capt. A. II. Bowman and Lieut. Gilmer were the members, had been appointed to decide upon the nature of the work to be done, and the last named gentleman was detailed to supervise it. They reported back a plan which was "to deepen the front river over 'the wrecks,' along Garden Bank, and over two shoals above the city by dredging, and at the same time to throw sufficient water along the branch of the river to preserve the depth attained. To accomplish the latter object, timber jetties and closing works were to be constructed at the upper end of Hutchinson's Island, across Fig Island channel, and at the upper end of the last named island." It was calculated that the whole of the work so laid out would cost $201,427; but the appropriation of the United States was only $40,000, and as it was deemed absolutely necessary that all the work recommended should be done, the money given by the government was spent in the preliminary surveys and in working the dredge machine along the Garden Bank and over "the wrecks," and the city council agreed to advance the funds for the balance of the designed improvements, expect ing that they would be refunded by the United States. On the request by council Captain Gilmer, then promoted, was permitted to continue to direct the work contemplated under the expenditure authorized by the city. A convention held in Memphis, Tennessee, at this time, adopted measures asking congress to see to the deepening of southern rivers. In 1855, as shown in the reports, 102,500 cubic yards of earth had been removed from Savannah river, giving a depth of ten feet at mean low water, or sixteen feet six inches at mean high water.
APPROPRIATION BY CONGRESS
Congress came to the relief of the city by making an appropriation of $160,000 in March, 1855, for the removal of obstructions in the Savannah river below the city, placed there during the Revolutionary War for the common defense, and Captain Gilmer was ordered on the 7th to take up the subject and present as soon as possible a plan by which the improvements should be made. Mayor Edward C. Anderson, in referring to the services of that officer said '' The people of Savannah are under lasting obligations to that able and judicious officer for his untiring efforts in their behalf." The report was submitted on the 24th of March, showing that the recommendations of the commission already referred to were the best that could be suggested, and advising that they be adopted with slight modifications. It showed that in what had up to that time been done the city had expended the sum of $49,000 for materials, machinery and wages of skilled workmen and laborers, as well as for timber, a large part of which was unused and still available for piling, etc., and could be purchased from the present owners. The report also embraced an inquiry whether out of the appro priation the city should be reimbursed for the outlay already made. The reply to that question was that as the appropriation was specifically

1

424

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

for the purpose of removing the obstructions sunk during the Revolu tion, it could be applied only to that purpose. The city contended that the dredging was a necessary part of that work in uncovering the wrecks in order to their removal, and the point was conceded by the Secretary of War. '' A draft of a change in the act making the appro priation was prepared and forwarded to Washington to permit a more liberal interpretation of the uses to which the money could be put, making it applicable for the removal of bars, banks and other impedi ments in the river caused by the original obstructions. The existing condition of the front river was held to be the inevitable result of the sinking of six vessels across its outlet. They were scuttled across its lower entrance in the year 1779 for the purpose of closing the channel against the approach of naval vessels to the city, and so completely blocked the outlet that the currents above were deadened by the ram ming back of much earthy matter and other substances which the natural flow had previously swept onward to the ocean. Such was the origin of the Garden Banks." Congress assented to an amendatory act making available for removal of all obstructions the unexpended balance, and Captain Gilmer's experience resulted in securing a depth at low water of eleven feet or seventeen feet at high tide, by the first of Octo ber, 1856. At that time the Secretary of War became impressed with the idea that the engineer department was going beyond the scope of the act of congress and directed that work be suspended, and an appeal was made to the President of the United States, Franklin Pierce, who, however, never rendered a decision, but President Buchanan promptly investigated the subject after his inauguration, and decided that the work be resumed, which was done by Captain Gilmer until he was transferred to San Francisco in 1858, when Lieutenant W. H. C. Whiting superin tended the operations until the appropriation became exhausted.
In conjunction with the improvements undertaken by the United States government the city took up the work, in 1856, of removing the obstruction known as the Knoll, about two miles and a half above Tybee light, extending across the entrance from Cockspur island. That ob stacle was a huge mass of sand, mud and shells, and was very much in the way of vessels drawing more than the ordinary number of feet. The state was asked to appropriate $25,000 for the purpose, but the bill calling for it was lost in the house of representatives. The appropria tion of congress was not available for the purpose, and Mayor Edward C. Anderson recommended that the city bear the expense, showing in his communication that the removal of that impediment would give a depth of water sufficient for the passage of vessels drawing twenty-one or twenty-two feet from the mouth of Savannah river to Venus' Point, which is about six miles and a half from the city. Captain Gilmer directed the work when council authorized it to be done on an estimated dost of $25,000, and the use of a large dredge used by the United States was secured by which the work was greatly facilitated. When completed in J857 Captain Gilmer pronounced "the outlet of the Savannah river better than that of any harbor south of Norfolk," and then there was a depth at the bar of nineteen feet six inches at mean low water, or twentyseven feet at high water.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

425

LIGHT HOUSE ERECTED ON BAY STREET

In 1856 the United States government proposed to erect an iron light house within the limits of the city, near the river, and the first step taken to do so was to obtain the consent of the legislature of Georgia in order that the city could properly make a deed of the land necessary for the purpose to the United States. The general assembly of Georgia, on the 1st of March did "surrender and cede jurisdiction to the said the United States over a certain area of twenty feet square within the limits of the city of Savannah, which area of twenty feet square, on the center of the same, is sixty-seven feet and one inch on a perpendicu lar line drawn from the western line of East Broad street, extended, at a point on said extended line one hundred and nineteen feet and seven inches from the southern line of Bay street, or such other area of twenty feet square as might be agreed upon by the mayor and aldermen of the city of Savannah and the United States government, for the erection by said government of a lighthouse in said city for the pro tection of commerce." The act of the legislature was coupled with the promise that the grant should be adjudged and perfected only with "the assent and concurrence of the mayor and aldermen of the city of Savannah and the hamlets thereof." Council readily assented to the grant in these words: "The said mayor a,nd aldermen of the city of Savannah do hereby assent and concur in the said grant of said above definite area of twenty feet, and the said cession of jurisdiction over the same, on the terms and conditions mentioned and expressed in said first above recited act; and that his Honor the Mayor cause to be pre pared and executed any instrument or instruments in writing necessary to effect the purposes of this ordinance." The terms and conditions referred to were "that should said area of land so granted as aforesaid be diverted from the purposes for which it is granted, then and in that event said area of land shall revert to its present ownership, and the grant hereby made shall become utterly void." The lighthouse, known as a beacon light, was erected in 1858, at an elevation of seventy-seven feet above the mean level of the Savannah river, and was then intended to serve as a guide to vessels passing Fig Island and over the wrecks. It still stands in the position where it was originally built, though it is many years since it has been used. It was lighted with gas, and after its erection it was found that it was cheaper to keep it lighted all the time than to pay a person to care for it by lighting it at the proper time in the evening and turning off the gas after daylight in the morning. According to the description given of it when first put up, it was of "a dark bronze green, and fitted with a sixth order catadrioptric apparatus in the system of Fresnel, giving a red light.'' It was described also as "altogether a beautiful and graceful structure and served as an orna ment for that part of the Bay."
The work of raising the obstructions in the channel of the river and deepening the same, which cost both the city and the United States so much money, was of little practical use, and the funds used for the purpose were virtually thrown away, as, during the war between the states which followed so soon after, the river was much more completely

426

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

blocked by the Confederate authorities, and, at the close of the war the same process of removing obstructions had to be done over.
VISIT OF EX-PRESIDENT FILLMORE
At this point it seems proper that some incidents of a public nature which took place within a short space of time immediately preceding the exacting times ushering in the war between the states should be briefly narrated.
In the spring of 1853 Ex-President Millard Fillmore, during a tour of the country, visited Savannah, and, for the purpose of paying proper respect to him, a meeting of citizens was held on the 4th of March and council gave him a special invitation to come to the city, appointing the mayor, Dr. Richard Wayne, and Messrs. R. R. Cuyler, R. D. Arnold, John N. Lewis, Robt, H. Griffin, John Macpherson Berrien and Thomas Holcombe a committee to take charge of the reception of the honored guest and to provide for his entertainment, his stay lasting from the 21st to the 25th of April.
The account of that event is now given in the words of the Georgian, of Friday, the 21st: "It is announced by a despatch in another column that Ex-President Fillmore will arrive here this evening at half past five o'clock and remain over Sunday. The Ex-President is accompa nied by the Honorable John P. Kennedy. A deputation from the Com mittee of Arrangements will depart on this morning's train to meet the Ex-President and suite at Griffin's Dinner House, on the Central Rail road. On his arrival at the Railroad Depot here he will be formally wel comed by the Mayor and Aldermen, and the Committee of Reception, fol lowed by a salute of thirty-one guns from the Chatham Artillery. The reception ceremonies will take place in the extensive warehouse of the Central Railroad, after which the distinguished guest and suite will be honored by a civic and military escort to quarters provided at the Pulaski Plouse. During the sojourn of the guests, a complimentary ball, at St. Andrews Hall, and an excursion to Fort Pulaski are contemplated." On Tuesday, the 25th, the same paper gave a full account of the enter tainment of the presidential party during their stay in an article with the head-lines "Ex-President Fillmore in Savannah."

PRESIDENT, PIERCE INVITED

In contemplation of a belief that he might be induced to include the city in a proposed tour at the end of his administration, the city council adopted a resolution on the 22d of January, 1857, inviting President Franklin Pierce to be the guest of Savannah, in which this expression was used: "His administration has been such, as to endear him to the heart of every lover of the Union, every friend of the constitution, and every true-hearted Southerner," and the statement was made that council, "'in extending the invitation, reflect the wishes of every citizen, irrespective of party affiliations." The invitation was declined, but in
doing so Mr. Pierce said: "It would afford Mrs. Pierce and myself great pleasure to visit a city so distinguished for its attractions and especially for the hospitality of its people as Savannah, but our pleasant
anticipations must be abandoned."

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

427

THACKERAY'S VISIT AND His ACCOUNT or CITY
Previous to the incident just recorded, that is to say, in the year 1855, the city was visited by the great English fiction writer,. William Makepiece Thackeray, at which time he was entertained by Mr. Andrew Low in his home on LaFayette Square. The author took occasion later to give an account of the city as it appeared to him, describing it as " a tranquil old city, wide-streeted, tree-planted, with a few cows and carriages toiling through the sandy road, a few happy negroes saunter ing here and there, a red river with a tranquil little fleet of merchant men taking in cargo, and tranquil warehouses barricaded with packs of cotton, no row, no tearing Northern hustle, no ceaseless hotel racket, no crowds,"
The Honorable Edward Everett delivered his great lecture on Wash ington in Savannah, in April, 1858, and dined with Mr. I. K. Tefft, Learning of his intention to be in the city the mayor and aldermen offered him its hospitality and a committee of council delivered to him in person the resolutions adopted in his honor.
RESPECT PAID BY THE PUBLIC TO MEMORY OF HENRY CLAY AND GOVERNOR TROUP

Great respect was shown on the death of Henry Clay in June, 1852, and of Governor George M. Troup in June, 1856. Of the former, council placed its estimate on record in a resolution declaring that "such men and such actions swell the pages of national glory" and "should be admired by all and transmitted as examples to those who must there after sustain the priceless blessings of republican institutions.'' Of the latter his biographer (Hon. Edward J. Harden) states: "At Savannah a meeting of citizens, irrespective of party, and presided over by the Mayor, was held on the 5th of May, at which feeling and suitable reso lutions were adopted. One of these resolutions contained a request that the Honorable John C. Nicoll 'deliver a eulogy on the life and char acter of the deceased.' Another resolution was to the effect that 'the Chatham Artillery, of which Governor Troup was an honorary member, be requested to fire minute guns corresponding with the number of years of the deceased." The writer, in a foot-note, made this statement: "It is greatly to be regretted that Judge Nicoll's engagements did not permit him to pronounce a eulogy. On the 12th of May minute-guns were fired by the Chatham Artillery. The following is an extract from the min utes of the corps: "Marching to Forsyth Place, seventy-six minute guns were fired, agreeably to the resolution of the corps, passed at the meet ing on the 5th inst, * * The city court of Savannah adjourned over for one day, as a token of respect for the memory of Governor Troup."
ACTION OF COUNCIL IN HONORING PROMINENT CITIZENS
Council never failed to pay proper respect to the deeds and to the memory of the members while living and who died either while serving the city or after their days of service had ended. The instances are so

428

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

numerous that it is not possible to name them all here. Let the following notable ones, then, suffice.
After the end of the service of the first mayor, the Honorable John Houstoun, he was not only thanked, but a donation from the city treas ury was awarded him. At that time the chief magistrate of the city received no salary. The precedent set in his ease was long afterwards repeated in the cases of Honorable Thomas Holcombe, in 1863, and Edward C. Anderson, in 1866.
Mayor John Y. Noel, who served four terms, was the recipient of a special vote of thanks, and the Honorable Thomas U. P. Charlton was similarly honored on more than one occasion, and, after the yellow fever epidemic of 1820, in addition to the adoption of laudatory resolutions a committee of council was appointed to present him with a sum of $1,500 "and request him to accept the same with the assurance of the sincere regard of council and their full and entire approbation of his conduct."
Dr. William C. Daniell, on his retirement, in 1826, received the assurance of council that "his presidency over the interests of this city has been attended with honor at his hand's and eminent advantages to the public, and the thanks of the board for the services of Dr. Daniell are respectfully tendered to him."
After serving six terms, Dr. Richard Wayne died in office June 27,
1858, and council attended his funeral in a body, and asked the civic societies and the military to attend also, and directed the fire department
to parade. The citizens closed their places of business and followed the corpse to the grave. The bells of all the churches were tolled during the time of the funeral, and all the flags of the city, including those on the shipping in port, were lowered to half-mast. It is said that it "was confessedly the greatest funeral pageant ever witnessed in our city, and was participated in by all classes of citizens." The services were conducted by Bishop Stephen Elliott, of the Protestant Episcopal diocese of Georgia and rector of Christ church, and the procession was a mile long. The funeral hymn, at the cemetery, was sung by the con gregation of the First African Baptist church, of which religious body
the mayor had been a trustee. Dr. James P. Screven served as mayor from December, 1856, to Octo
ber, 1857, and was three times an alderman. He died in Virginia in 1860, and his funeral, on the 6th of April, was attended by council, which body adopted resolutions of respect.

CHAPTER XXXV
INCIDENTS PRECEDING CIVIL WAR
CASE OP THE SLAVE YACHT WANDERER--ACTION IN CONGRESS--PROSECU TION CONDUCTED BY DIST. ATTY. JOSEPH GANAHL, ASSISTED BY HON. H. R. JACKSON--QUOTATION FROM ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY THE LATTER --EXCITEMENT PRECEDING SECESSION OF GEORGIA--PROMPT ACTION OF Gov. J. E. BROWN--OLMSTEAD'S ACCOUNT--SECESSION OF GEORGIA . --GOVERNOR BROWN'S FIRM STAND ON SEIZURE OF GUNS BY NEW YORK POLICE--BARTOW 's WARM AND MANLY REPLY TO THE GOVERNOR --His DEATH WHILE "ILLUSTRATING GEORGIA"--HONORING BARTOW'S REMAINS--GEN. R. E. LEE IN COMMAND AT SAVANNAH--NONCOMBATANT, CITIZENS ARMED FOR DEFENSE OF CITY.
Before we take up that most important and exciting period in the city's history, as well as in the national history, the four years of the South's struggle to break the bond of union by which the states had been held under one government formed through the successful efforts of the thirteen colonies to rid themselves of British oppression, we will devote a little space to the story of the case of the yacht Wanderer, among the last vessels engaged in the African slave trade--a case which held the attention of the whole country during the time of its con tinuance and caused the greatest excitement among the people of Savannah.
CASE OF THE SLAVE YACHT WANDERER
From the statement of General Henry R. Jackson, who was employed by the United States government to assist Mr. Joseph Ganahl, the U. S. district attorney for Georgia, at Savannah, "the Wanderer had been fitted out for her illicit voyage at Eastport," and he added that there could be "no doubt whatever of the fact that many, in air probability most, of the vessels engaged in the trade are constructed and equipped on the coast of Maine."
The Wanderer brought negroes from the coast of Africa, and it was no unusual thing at that time, during the years, 1858, 1859 and 1860 to hear the remark made concerning certain persons of that race, pass-
429

430

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

ing through the streets, that they were slaves brought here in the Wanderer.
On the 16th of December, 1858, a resolution was passed in the United States senate requesting the President (James Buchanan) "to communicate, if, in his opinion, not incompatible with the public interest, any information in his possession in relation to the landing of the barque Wanderer on the coast of Georgia, with a cargo of slaves." In reply to that resolution the President on the 12th of January, 1859, said: "I herewith communicate the report made to me by the Attorney General, to whom the resolution was referred. From that report it will appear that the offense referred to in the resolution has been committed, and that effective measures have been taken to see the laws faithfully exe cuted. I concur with the attorney general in the opinion that it would be incompatible with the public interest at this time to communicate the correspondence with the officers of the government at Savannah, or the instructions which they have received. In the meantime every prac ticable effort has been made and will be continued to discover all the guilty parties and to bring them to justice." The report of the Hon orable Jeremiah S. Black to the president was dated January 10, 1859, and is in these words: "The resolution of the senate, passed on the 16th ultimo, requesting you to communicate any information in your possession relative to the landing of the barque Wanderer on the coast of Georgia with a cargo of Africans, if, in your opinion, not incom patible with the public interest has been received at this office, and the subject has been examined. I have to state that at this stage of the pro ceedings it would, in my opinion, be wholly incompatible with the public interest to communicate the steps which have been taken therein. The fact that a vessel of that name did land a cargo of upwards of three hun dred negroes from the coast of Africa, in Georgia, is well known, and there is official information to that effect. It is also true that the most effective measures have been adopted by this government, and by the local authorities of the United States in Georgia, to execute the laws which forbid such importations, and to punish the offenders. The correspondence of this office and of the Treasury Department with the collector, district attorney, special counsel, marshal, and other officers at Savannah, is in my possession. It proves the general fact above stated, but I am sure that neither you nor the senate would be willing at this moment to have it published to the world."

PROSECUTION CONDUCTED BY DIST. ATTY. JOSEPH GANAHL, ETC.
Closely following the action just recited, the house of representa tives on the 22d of January, adopted a resolution asking the president to "report what information has been received by him, if any, in regard to the recent importation of Africans into the state of Georgia, or any other state of this Union; and what steps have been taken to bring to trial and punishment the persons engaged in this inhuman violation of the laws of the United States, and to prevent similar violations here after." The president submitted the resolution to the attorney general who replied on the 15th of February in these words: "Agreeably to

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

431

the resolution of the House of Representatives passed on the 22d ultimo, inquiring what measures have been taken with reference to the Africans
imported contrary to law into the state of Georgia, which resolution was
referred by you to this office, I have the honor to report that the local officers of the government at Savannah'have been strictly and specially
enjoined to perform the duties imposed upon them by the several acts of Congress relating to this subject, that special counsel has been em
ployed to aid the district attorney in prosecuting the offenders, and that the advices received at this office satisfactorily show the diligence and activity of all persons engaged in the public service. To find the negroes
who were clandestinely landed, to identify the parties engaged in the crime, and to ascertain other important facts connected with the prose
cution all this has been attended Avith many difficulties, but there is good reason to hope that they will be overcome, and justice, according
to the law of the land, executed upon the offenders. But the present
condition of the affair is such as to make it absolutely impossible that
the proceeding already instituted, or those in contemplation, should be given in detail without very great prejudice to the public interests."
The attention of the United States marshal for the southern district
of New York, Mr. Isaiah Rynders, had been called to the reports as to the business in which the Wanderer was engaged, and the New York
Courier and Enquirer declared that he "ought to be deprived of his office of marshal of this district for not having performed his duty in
the case of the yacht Wanderer, charged with being fitted out as a slaver from this port." (New York.) In reply to that paper Mr. Ryn
ders wrote a letter to President Buchanan, dated New York, February
17, 1859, in which he made this statement of facts: "The Wanderer was arrested on a warrant as for being fitted out for a slave voyage, and was retained in custody for a few days. During that time she was
thoroughly searched from stem to stern--every corner and cupboard was examined, but nothing was found which could by any possibility
convict her. The assistant United States attorney and reporter of the press were present during the whole of the investigation. We subse quently examined her stores, whicli were on board the tender or lighter,
with a similar result. I was then instructed by the United States attor
ney to discharge her from custody. After her discharge some of the newspapers charged me with having overstepped the bounds of my authority as a public officer, and of having invaded the rights of private individuals, and others accused'me of being humbugged, etc."

QUOTATION FROM ACCOUNT OF HON. H. R. JACKSON
In an account of this case given before the Young Men's Library Association of Atlanta, on the 13th of November, 1891, General Henry R. Jackson used these words: "Had some possessor of telescopic vision directed his eye to the Wanderer upon the 'middle passage,' what of the South would he have discovered about or upon her ? Made by Northern hands with the Northern wood; fitted out * * * for the West Coast in one and cleared from another northern port; of the firemen upon her, in addition to her wretched cargo of Africans, four were Northerners, headed by J. Egbert Farnum, sometimes known as head salesman, some times as purser, but finally coming out * * * in his true character as captain. All of the South in and about her was Corrie; Corrie so well

432

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

known in Charleston--the vilest figure-head in all the world. Four of these men were already in jail when I was employed by the government to assist the United States District Attorney, Mr. Joseph Ganahl, in the prosecutions." Continuing, the lecturer said " I * * * prepared
for the November term, 1858, of the United States Circuit Court for Georgia, No resident of Savannah at that time can have forgotten what a period of peculiar excitement it was, nor what were the labors, and what even the personal exposure of the District Attorney, Mr. Ganahl, than whom government never had a braver man, more efficient or more indefatigable officer."
The cases of the persons indicted were tried in the United States courts at Savannah and Farnum 's among them. Of the results, General Jackson said: " As in the other pirate cases there was no verdict ren dered by the trial jury." In a short sketch of Mr. Farnum in Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography, after a statement that the subject "joined the Lopez expedition to Cuba, which left New Orleans in 1850, and also took an active part in Walker's Nicaraguan expedition," the writer says, "Still later he was captain of the steam yacht Wanderer, and was indicted at Savannah for carrying on the slave trade. He is said to have regretted this episode in his life.''
Before the excitement attending the Wanderer episode had sub sided the city, in common with all sections of the country, became wild on the subject of the presidential election and the prospects of a dissolution of the union.
"When the legislature of Georgia met in 1860, Governor Brown sent to that body a special message "on the subject of our Federal Rela tions," on the 7th of November, and almost immediately the house of representatives took up the subject and agreed to a resolution, dated the 20th of the same month, by which the voice of the people of Georgia, as expressed in popular meetings in the several counties was put on record in the house journal. Chatham county, of which Savannah is the seat of government, went on record in the following words, presented
by the Hon.*Julian Hartridge: "We, the citizens of Chatham county, ignoring all party names,
and issues, cordially unite in the following resolutions: "Resolved, That the election of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Ham-
lin to the presidency and vice-presidency of the United States ought not to be, and will not be, submitted to.
"2. Resolved^ That we request the legislature to announce this opinion by resolution at the earliest practicable moment, to communi cate it to our senators and representatives in congress, and to co-operate with the governor in calling a convention of the people to determine on the mode and measure of redress.
"3. Resolved, That we respectfully recommend to the legislature to take into their immediate consideration the passage of such laws as will be likely to alleviate any unusual embarrassment of the commercial interest of the state consequent upon the present political emergency.
"4. Resolved, That we respectully suggest to the legislature to take immediate steps to arm and organize the"militia of the state."
On the 21st, the governor approved an act, which had ;"

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

433

both houses of the general assembly, requiring the chief magistrate of the state "to issue his proclamation ordering an election to be held in each and every county of this state on the first Wednesday in January, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, for delegates to a convention of the people of this state to convene at the seat of government, on the sixteenth day of January, eighteen hundred and sixty-one"

EXCITEMENT PRECEDING SECESSION OP GEORGIA
The news of the secession of South Carolina on the 20th of Decem ber, 1860, was received in Savannah with the greatest delight, and the people began wearing secession cockades made of palmetto leaves, and various plans were put on foot to show the desire of the people generally to have the state of Georgia follow the example of her neighboring sister. A platform was erected at the Greene monument in Johnson square on which was placed a framed picture of a large rattlesnake, under which was printed the inscription "Don't Tread on me/' and badges with the same device and inscription were worn by many of the citizens. Meet ings were held in Masonic Hall, at the northeast corner of Bull and Broughton streets, and in Firemen's Hall, at the southwest corner of South Broad and Abercorn streets, and such meetings took place in the afternoons as well as at night. Patriotic speeches were made not only by men of standing at the bar and in political life, but even very young men, such as those who were about to leave school and law students, felt called upon to declare themselves ready to enter the military serv ice of their state and to urge in public speech their comrades to take the same stand. In some instances the youthful speakers made use of language which showed that education was clearly more needed than amateur services on the tented field. The writer well remembers the laughter which followed the peroration of a wildly exciting speech of a certain law student who, in urging the people of Georgia to follow imme diately the example of the states that had alr-eady seceded, made himself ridiculous by explaining, "Let us not be backward in this matter; we are now delaying too long, for I have just learned that the ordinance of secession, if not already adopted, will soon be passed by that gallant little state, Texas!" The orator's mistaken idea of the size of the "Lone Star State" was too much for the school boys present whose shouts of laughter caused the speaker to make a rapid descent from the platform.
The military companies of the city were eager to take part in the defense of Georgia, should their services be required, and the Chatham Artillery, Savannah Volunteer Guards, Republican Blues, Georgia Hus sars, Irish Jasper Greens, German Volunteers, Phoenix Riflemen, Oglethorpe Light Infantry, and De Kalb Riflemen all tendered their services to the governor of the state, and it was not long before they began to experience the inconveniences of camp life which became more serious in the time to come.

PROMPT ACTION OP Gov. J. E. BROWN
Even before Georgia seceded, action was taken by the governor to secure the fortifications erected by the United States for the protection

434

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

of the city. A call for a state convention to be held in January, ne< tated the election of delegates to it from Chatham county, and the 2d of January, 1861, Messrs. Francis S. Bartow, John W. Anderson and A. Seaborn Jones were chosen. It was known that all of them were in favor of secession.
The news of the evacuation of Fort Moultrie, and the seizure of Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor by Major Robert Anderson, and the excite ment produced thereby, induced Governor Joseph B. Brown to prevent like action on the part of the United States government in Savannah river. Accordingly he issued an order to Colonel Alexander R. Lawton, commander of the First Volunteer Regiment of Savannah to take pos session of Fort Pulaski. The document is so important that it is here given in full:
'' Headquarters, Georgia Militia, '' Savannah, January 2, 1861.
'' Col. A. R. Lawton, commanding 1st Regiment Georgia Volunteers, Savannah.
"Sir--In view of the fact that the government at Washington has, as we are informed on good authority, decided on the policy of coercing a seceding state back into the Union, and it is believed, now has a move ment on foot to reinforce Fort Sumter, at Charleston, and to occupy with Federal troops the Southern forts, including Fort Pulaski, in this state, which, if done, would give the Federal government in any con test great advantage over the people in this state; to the end therefore that this stronghold which commands also the entrance into Georgia may not be occupied by any hostile force, until the convention of the state of Georgia, which is to meet on the 16th instant, has decided on the policy which Georgia will adopt in this emergency, you are ordered to take possession of Fort Pulaski as by public order herewith, and to hold it against all persons, to be abandoned only under orders from me or under compulsion by an overpowering hostile force.
"Immediately upon occupying the fort you will take measures to put it in a thorough state of defence as far as its means and arms will permit; and for this purpose you will advise with Captain [Joseph SJ Claghorn, Chatham Artillery, who has been charged with all matters relating to ordnance stores, and their supply.
"You will further arrange with Captain Claghorn a series of day and night signals for communicating with the city of Savannah, for the pur pose of calling for reinforcements, or for other necessary purposes. And you will arrange with Mr. John Cunningham, military purveyor for the time being, for the employment of one or more steamboats, or other means of transportation by land or by water, that may be necessary, and for other supplies (except for ordnance stores, for which you will call upon Captain Claghorn), as may be required.
"If circumstances should require it, the telegraph will be placed under your surveillance. I think from our conversations you fully understand my views, and, relying upon your patriotism, energy, and

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

435

sound discretion in the execution of this important and delicate trust, "I am, sir, very respectfully,
"Your obedient servant, "JOSEPH E. BROWN,
"Governor and Commander-in-Chief."

OLMSTEAD'S ACCOUNT

The order having been issued, obedience came promptly. The man ner in which it was executed is so well told by one who took part in the affairs and who later on was the commander of the fort, and defended it against the attack of the enemy to the last moment, that his words are here reproduced. Colonel Charles H. Olmstead, in his "History of the First Georgia Regiment,'' wrote:
"Upon the issue of this order the city was in a fever of excitement. Here at last was the first step of actual war--a step that placed state and central government in open antagonism, the beginning of whose ending no man could foretell. There may have been faint hearts that trembled in view of resulting possibilities, but among the military of Savannah the order was received with unbounded enthusiasm. Dissatified ones there were, but only because they were not among the chosen few who were to carry out the orders of the governor.
"At an early hour on January 3, 1861, detachments from the Chat ham Artillery, Captain Joseph S. Claghorn, the Savannah Volunteer Guards, Captain John Screven, and the Oglethorpe Light Infantry, Cap
tain Francis S. Bartow, marched to the wharf at the foot of West Broad street and embarked on board the steamer Ida, to take possession of Fort Pulaski.
"Truth compels the statement that the expeditionary force carried enough baggage to have served for a division later in the war. Every soldier had his trunk or valise, his cot and his roll of bedding, while to every three or four there was a huge mess chest large enough for the cooking outfit of a full regiment. The recollection of all these things brings a smile now, but there is only proud exultation as those who took part in the stirring event, recall the generous enthusiasm, the fervid patriotism, that glowed in every heart. Alas! how many of those noble young hearts were soon to beat no more; how many gallant youths who on that bright morning gloried in the honor of serving our mother-- Georgia, were soon to 'illustrate' her by their death. Some led the way
in the first shock of arms upon the plains of Manassas; some in the fierce seven days' grapple around Richmond; some at Sharpsburg, at Fredericksburg, at Gettysburg, at the Wilderness, at Murfreesboro, at Chickamauga, at Kenesaw, at Atlanta, at Franklin, at Nashville, and some at the last fatal struggle at Sailor's Creek.
"In due time Fort Pulaski was reached; its garrison, one elderly
United States sergeant, made no defense, and the three companies of the First Volunteer Regiment marched in with drums beating and colors flying, and so for them a soldier's life began.
'' The arrangement of the Fort at that time consisted of but twenty old-fashioned long 32-pounders, mounted upon cast iron carriages, rusty from age and lack of care; the magazines were nearly empty; a few solid shot were all the projectiles that could be found. And yet the little gar-

436

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

rison felt ready to meet the entire navy of the United States, for which, by the way, we looked at every high tide. The duty of the hour called for hard, vigorous work, and it was refreshing to note the alacrity with which this citizen soldiery turned their hands to every thing, from scrap ing the rust from gun carriages to polishing the casemates. There was an individuality in each man, that marked characteristic of the southern soldier that afterwards, upon so many battlefields held grimly to posi tions from which, by all the rules of warfare, the Confederates should have been swept. All the routine of garrison duties was promptly in augurated by Colonel Lawton, whose West Point training and army life here served him in good stead. Guards were regularly mounted, drills at the heavy guns began at once, and a rigid system of military discipline maintained.
'' In course of time the first three companies were relieved from, this duty, and others took their places, until every command in the city, including the Georgia Hussars and Savannah Artillery, had again and again served at this excellent school of military instruction. True it was long ere an enemy appeared before the walls of Pulaski, but the lessons learned in garrison life there, were fit preparation for active service on other fields. Meanwhile military spirit ran high in the city, and during the first part of 1861, several new companies were formed and added to the regiment, under the provisions of the act * * * Among these were the Pulaski Guards, the Irish Volunteers, Company B, Irish Jasper Greens, the Forest City Rangers, the City Light, Guard, the "Washington Volunteers, the Coast Rifles, the Montgomery Guards. Each and all were full companies, and did valiant service throughout the war."
The writer failed to mention one company, formed at that time, which, however, did not find a place in the First Regiment, but was added to the Fifty-Fburth Georgia Regiment of Infantry and served with honor throughout the war. That company was the Savannah Cadets, and it was organized on the 17th of May, 1861, and, after service in the state troops, mustered into the Confederate states army as Com pany F, in the regiment just mentioned.
Reverting to the capture of Fort, Pulaski, it seems proper here to record a little incident, mentioned by Colonel Lawton in his letter to Governor Brown, announcing the occupation of the fort by the state troops. The colonel wrote:
'' On steaming down the river this morning I ascertained with regret
that certain unauthorized persons had taken possession of the United
States revenue cutter, Dobbin, and are now exercising control over her
in the waters of Georgia.'' He turned the captors away, and, on receipt
of the imformation, Governor Brown wrote to the collector of the post,
Mr. John Boston, expressing his regret at the unlawful transaction, and
the Dobbin was again placed in charge of her captain. The excitement
caused by the taking of Fort Pulaski was considerably intensified by this
incident,

SECESSION OF GEORGIA

Delegates having been elected from all the counties of the state, the Georgia secession convention met in Milledgeville, then the capital, on the 16th of January, 1861, and, after passing the ordinance of secession

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

437

on the 19th, that body adjourned to meet in Savannah upon the call of the president, the Hon. Geo. W. Crawford. It reassembled in this city March 7th, and it was here that the important action of ratifying the permanent constitution of the Confederate states of America, which was unanimous, was perfected in these words: '' That the Constitution adopted at Montgomery, in the State of Alabama, on the eleventh day of March, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, for the 'permanent federal government' of the Confederate States of America, be, and the same is, hereby adopted and ratified by the State of Georgia, acting in its sovereign and independent character.''

Gov. BROWN'S FiRM STAND ON SEIZURE OF GUNS BY NEW YORK POLICE

Savannah was the scene of another exciting episode shortly after the adoption of the ordinance of secession. The Macon firm of D. C. Hodkins & Son, purchased in New York two hundred guns, to be shipped to Savannah in the steamer Monticello, on the 22d of January. Those guns were seized by the New York police, and then the purchasers appealed to Governor Brown to have justice accorded them. Acquaint ing himself with the facts the governor telegraphed Governor Morgan, of New York, briefly relating the case, and ending with the words: '' As Governor of Georgia I hereby demand that the guns be immediately delivered to G. B. Lamar, of New York, who is hereby appointed my agent. * * * I trust no similar outrage may be perpetrated in future." Not receiving a reply, after waiting until the 5th of February, Governor Brown ordered Gen. Henry R. Jackson, at Savannah, to "seize and hold every ship now in the harbor of Savannah belonging to citizens of New York." Seizure was made by Col. A. R. Lawton of several vessels, and the incident was brought to a close by the receipt of a telegram from Lamar, dated February 9th, in these words: '' The arms have been put at the command of the owners here,- please release all

On the 14th of May, 1861, General Order No. 8, of the State Execu tive Department was issued by authority of Governor Joseph E. Brown, the purport of which is in this language: '' Companies will not be per mitted to carry with them beyond the limits of the State of Georgia, without the consent of the commander-in-chief, any arms or accoutre ments of any kind, furnished to them by the state under his orders, or which belong to the state, or have been provided * * * at the ex pense of the state." The reason for the issuing of that order was generally believed to be the fact that Captain Francis S. Bartow, of the Savannah Military Company, the Oglethorpe Light Infantry, organized in 1856, had offered the services of his command to President Jefferson Davis as part of the Confederate army for the whole period of the war, and his determination to go in spite of the refusal of Governor Brown to consent to his taking the company out of the state of Georgia. The editor of the Savannah Republican, commenting on the order, on Friday, the 17th, said, in part: "Whether the Governor designs to refuse his consent in all cases, or merely to require that a proper respect should be shown him by those companies which leave the state under orders from the Confederate Government does not appear. In the former

438

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

event, the order is likely to produce no little confusion in the move ments of our armies. The Confederate States have existed but for a day, and we have no thought that they are prepared to furnish arms, and in the time required, particularly under anything like an emergency. They would then rely upon the several states, and though some con
fusion may exist, owing to the variety of arms in the service, it will be far less than that to be occasioned by the presence of troops in time of battle without arms or accoutrements at all. Governor Brown may be technically right in this order, but he has at least selected an unfor tunate time for using it * * * the present is no time for standing on mere technicalities and punctilio. They have already been carried too far for the effectiveness of the service and the credit of the state, and, if necessary, we should not hesitate at sacrifices to preserve harmony between the local and Confederate authorities. We hear of no trouble elsewhere, and cannot see why the state of Georgia should be the only captious member of the Confederacy."

Gov. JOSEPH E: BROWN'S HEADQUARTERS
Representing Chatham county in the secession convention, Bartow was the natural choice of the people as congressman from the first dis trict at Montgomery, Alabama, retiring on the acceptance of the services of his company by President Davis. He left with the Oglethorpe Light Infantry for the seat of war, and on the same day Governor Brown addressed a letter to him which brought forth a most scathing reply. The correspondence produced great excitement at the time and the matter is of such interest, considering the standing of the parties in relation to the public and especially Bartow's citizenship in Savannah, that, without hesitation, his epistle is herewith given in full. As the writer quotes the words of Governor Brown on every point to which he deemed an answer necessary, the letter of the latter is not reproduced.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

439

BARTOW'S WARM AND MANLY REPLY TO GOVERNOR
Writing from Camp Defiance, Harper's Ferry, June 14th, 1861, Captain Bartow said :
"To Governor Joseph E. Brown: "Sir--I received your letter of the 21st of May ult, while at Richmond. Since the date of its reception I have been so constantly engaged in the duties of the service I have undertaken that I have found no time which could be devoted to an acknowledgment of your communication. I now write amidst the hurry.and confusion of the camp, being about to march from this point, we trust, to meet the enemy.
"I have little time and less inclination to reply in detail to the in solent missive you thought proper to publish in my absence. Respect, however, for the good opinion of the people of Georgia induces me in a few words to set right my conduct which you have taken so much pains to asperse, and to correct the mis-statements and false imputations with which your letter abounds.
"You say that I have 'commenced my military career by setting at defiance the orders of the officers upon whom the constitution of my state has conferred the right to command me.' I am not aware that you have any such right, unless I were actually enlisted in the service of the state of Georgia, in a contingency which, under the constitution, would give the state the right to raise and maintain troops.
"I commenced my military career, as you are pleased to term it, under the flag of the Confederate States, and I recognize, not you, but the president of the Confederate States, as the officer upon whom (to which Georgia is a party) 'was conferred the right to command me.' It is true that I tendered, under instructions from my company, their services to the Confederate States through you, in the first instance; this, however, was simply because the president had adopted that mode of obtaining troops as a matter of public convenience, and not because there ever was any constitution or law which required him to appeal to the state executives; still less is there any ground for your asser tion that the rights of the states are violated by the president receiving troops directly, without the intervention of the governor.
"You labor, and have constantly labored, under the impression that you are the STATE OP GEORGIA. I beg leave to protest against this conclusion, in which I assure you I can never concur. By the con stitution of the Confederate States, to which Georgia has agreed, the Confederate government is alone chargeable with questions of peace and war, and has the exclusive right, except in case of invasion, to raise and maintain armies. The congress, and not the governors of the states, are empowered to raise these armies: and as the constitution is broad and unqualified in this grant of power, the congress is un restricted in the mode in which it shall be exercised. The president of the Confederate States is the commander-in-chief of these armies, thus raised for a common cause, and the governors of states have not, so far as I am aware, any jurisdiction or power over this subject, except so far as patriotism may induce them to co-operate with the general government in times of great emergency and danger. Your conclusion, therefore, that 'the act of congress under which I go is a palpable en-

i
L

440

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

croachment upon the rights of states' does not in the least disturb me. Neither upon reason nor authority do I consider the opinion of much
value. I think most people will prefer the judgment of the Confederate congress and the president of- the Confederate States, who gave the act their deliberate sanction.
"You have fallen into another error upon this subject. You say 'that I proceeded to the Confederate congress, of which I am a mem ber, and, that a bill was passed, you suppose chiefly by my influence, which authorized the president to receive military powers over the head and independent of state authority.' You further say that 'un der this act I was accepted into service without your consent and per mitted to leave Savannah and go to Virginia.' I assure you, in pass ing, that I shall never think it necessary to obtain your consent to enter the service of my country. God forbid that I should ever fall so low.
"But to your charge. I know not to what act you refer as the one under which I was accepted into service; but I will inform you that the act under which I serve is entitled 'An act to raise additional troops to serve during the war.' This act, to the best of my remembrance, contains no allusion to state authority, nor does it allude in any part to the governors of states. It is simply an act authorizing the presi dent to accept the services of volunteers for the war, and to appoint their field officers, and in these two respects alone it differs from other acts under which volunteers have been accepted. This bill was intro duced into congress by the Hon. Mr. Wigfall, of Texas, without any
consultation with me, referred to the military committee, of which I was chairman, perfected by it, and passed by the congress. It met the approval of the more distinguished leaders of the states rights school in the congress, and was regarded by congress as the best means to raise an efficient army so absolutely required by the wicked in vasion set on foot by the North. Mr. "Wright, of Georgia, introduced a bill which does authorize the president, without calling upon the governors of the states, to accept the services of volunteers at the times he may prescribe; but with this bill I had no connection, nor am I in service under its terms, nor had I any agency in procuring its introduc tion or enactment!
"You go on to say 'that I must be presumed to be the leading spirit in procuring the passage of this bill, and that I was the first to avail myself of its benefits by accepting a high command under it.' You remark 'that it is said I am to have a colonel's commission.' Now, sir, the facts are, that under the former bill, by which twelve months' vol unteers were raised for the war, the president had as much power to accept them directly as he had under this act, for the war; and it is a mere matter of discretion with him under both acts, whether he will or will not use the intervention of state executives; and yet, while step ping out of the way to stab me in the back you seem criminally ignorant
of what you ought to know. "You have also insinuated in this charge and elsewhere in your
letter that I have been misled by motives of personal ambition. The attribution of low motives of conduct to others is most frequently the result of long familiarity with such principles of action. It is danger ous for any man to attribute motives, lest he fall under the condem nation of 'bearing false witness against his neighbor.' In relation to

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

441

myself I desire to say but little. I prefer to be judged by my actions. It is not true that I availed myself of the benefits of the act of con gress to which you refer by seeking a high command under it. I offered service and was accepted as captain of my company, without any pledge or understanding, directly or indirectly, that I was to have any other commission. My present office of colonel of this regiment has been con ferred upon me through the voluntary confidence of the president, and through the wish, as I have reason to believe, of every officer and pri vate under my command. I have desired no office, preferring, for many reasons, to remain at the head of my company, between which and my self there has existed a deep-seated attachment, and it was only by their consent that I agreed to command the regiment. My reasons for entering the service are very simple. I had labored as much as any man in Georgia to effect the secession of the state; I had pledged my self to meet all the consequences of secession. I am bound, therefore, in honor, and still more strongly by duty, to be among the foremost in accepting the bloody consequences which seem to threaten us. My life can be as well spared as any other man's, and I am willing and ready to devote it. You taunt me with deserting my home and the defence of my fireside 'to serve the common cause in a more pleasant summer climate.' I wish you were here to witness the realities of this service you deem so pleasant. .It would cure you, I think, of some of your malicious propensities. You taunt me with having imposed upon
others the duty of defending the post which I have deserted, and yet when you penned this you knew that you had steadily refused to call the volunteer troops of Savannah into service of any kind, and that you
had called 'many of our bravest young men from other parts of the state to fill our places,' and defend our homes while we were permitted to rest in inglorious ease. The volunteer troops of Savannah are now in service, not through you, but by the direct order of the commanderin-chief of the Confederate forces. All that you say upon this subject is Jesuitical, designed to subserve a purpose rather than narrate the truth. I have the same right to judge that you have as to the probability of an attack upon Savannah. There is scarcely a 'seaboard city along the Atlantic coast that has not its representatives here in Virginia. Why should Savannah be an exception? Surely one company could
be spared, at least to show that her heart beat true to the common cause, and that her youth were ready to court danger upon the very frontiers of the war. Such a spirit is not what you have characterized it. It is probably above your comprehension, but the generous and noblehearted of my native state will know how to appreciate it.
"And now as to my arms. I did not ask you to arm and equip me. I had already received from the late government of the United States, through you, arms and equipments which cost the state of Georgia noth ing. They were delivered to me, and you took my bond for their safe keeping, unless destroyed in the public service. You have threatened me with the penalty of that bond. Take it if you can get it. That is your remedy. If I have been wrong in taking away the arms from Georgia, I am a trespasser, and, of course, responsible. I think the power you claim to disarm companies once armed and under bonds, at your will, is, to say the least, doubtful. As I have already said, in a former letter, I would not make this issue if I could find my way

L

442

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

to avoid it, I would rather yield than have a controversy with any man where the public interests are involved. But situated as I was, I prefer disobedience, if you please, rather than to jeopard the honor and safety of one hundred men confided to my care. You seem to think I am arrogant in claiming our humble share in representing the State of Georgia in this field of action. You say that you are not aware of the state authority to which I am called to represent the State of Georgia in Virginia. You make here again your common error of supposing that you are the State of Georgia--a mistake in which I do not partici pate. You will not be permitted to alienate from us the esteem and affection of those we leave behind, and whom we love so dearly. I am sorry that you have undertaken so ungracious a task.
"You say 'that at present I am beyond the reach of state authority, and state lines, so far as I am concerned, are obliterated. How long this may remain so,' you say, 'depends upon the developments of the future.' I trust, if God spares my life, I shall set foot again upon the soil of Georgia, and be well assured that I no more fear to meet my enemies at home than I now do to meet the enemies of my country abroad.
"With due respect, I have the honor to be your non-obedient servant. "FRANCIS S. BARTOW."
His DEATH WHILE "ILLUSTRATING GEORGIA"

Alas! "the bloody consequences which seemed to threaten" the, writer of that letter were shortly verifed, and he was killed in the first battle of Manassas on the 21st of July, hardly more than a month after its date. On leaving for the seat of war on the 21st of May he made a speech in which he proudly said, "I go to illustrate Georgia!" And his record thenceforth until he fell, exclaiming "They have killed me, boys, but don't give up the field!" was one continued effort which proved that his pledge was gloriously redeemed.
The state convention, as already said, reassembled in Savannah on the 7th of March, -and the next day the Confederate flag was raised over the custom-house by Maj. W. J. Mclntosh, when it was saluted with the firing of seven guns--corresponding with the number of states that had at that period seceded. Civil government was promptly established in Georgia in comformity with the status of the state in the Confederacy, and the Hon. Henry R. Jackson was appointed judge of the district court of the Confederate states for the district of Georgia. He held the office but a short while, as he preferred a military appointment, and he was succeeded by the Hon. Edward J. Harden, who was sworn in on the 17th of August, 1861, and served until the end of the war. In the arrangements made at an early period in reference to military affairs in and around the city, Col. A. R. Lawton was commissioned as brigadiergeneral, and his place was filled as commander of the first regiment by Col. Hugh W. Mercer, who was afterwards made a brigadier-general. At the same time William S. Rockwell was appointed lieutenant-colonel and Charles H. Olmstead major. Edward Lawton was the regimental
adjutant.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

443

The Oglethorpe Light Infantry, on reaching Virginia, became a part of the Eighth Georgia Regiment, and was engaged in the first battle of Manassas on the 21st of July, 1861. At that time the lamented Francis S. Bartow was commanding a brigade composed of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Eleventh Georgia and the First Kentucky Regiments. He was killed while bearing the standard of the Seventh Georgia and endeavoring to silence, by command of General Beauregard, a battery of the enemy at Stone Bridge. Receiving a slight wound, and having his horse killed under him, he clung to the standard, mounted another horse, and, waving his cap, called to his troops to follow him, which they did. Struck to the heart by another ball, he fell, exclaiming, "they have killed me, boys, but never give up the field.'' The company which he took with him to Virginia suffered terribly in that conflict when some of Savannah's choicest young men gave up their lives at that early period of the struggle for southern independence. Those young men were J. S. Branch, William H. Crane, George Butler, Bryan Morel, Julius Ferrill, and Thomas Purse, Jr.
The military, besides taking Fort Pulaski, also occupied Fort Jackson and Oglethorpe Barracks. The companies of the First Regiment were sent separately to different points along our coast, and wherever situated erected fortifications. Besides the points already mentioned they were stationed at Causton's Bluff, Green Island, Thunderbolt, the Isle of Hope, Beaulieu, Rose Dew, Coffee Bluff, White Bluff, and other places. Earthworks were thrown up all around the city, some of them beingworks of considerable size, as Forts Boggs and Bartow.
The city government did all that could possibly be done to aid the Confederate government in the matter of the defense of Savannah. As early as November 30, 1860, council ordered the purchase of a large quantity of fixed ammunition, so as to provide for every member of the volunteer companies, and the money for the same was paid out of the city treasury; and when the state convention adjourned at Milledgeville to meet in Savannah in March of the next year it did so by invitation of council, the city paying for the entertainment of the delegates.
Resolutions were adopted on the 22d of May authorizing the mayor to call a public meeting of citizens to name a committee to receive dona tions for the relief of all volunteers going into active service, and to levy, if necessary, a tax to secure a sum sufficient to support the families of such volunteers as should need help, and an appropriation of $2,500 was made from the public funds. Other provisions were made in the nature of sympathy for the cause of the South, and, following the sug gestion of President Jefferson Davis, the mayor appointed the 13th of June as a day of fasting and prayer.
HONORING BARTOW's REMAINS

On learning of the killing of General Bartow, council met on the 25th of July and ordered the council chamber put in proper condition for his remains to lie there in state as long as they remained unburied, and a call was issued to the military then in the city to join in giving him a public funeral. Three aldermen, Solomon Cohen, John F. Wheaton, and John L. Villalonga, were sent to Charleston to escort the

I

444

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

body to Savannah, and the mayor and aldermen attended the funeral in a body.
Mr. Thomas Purse was. elected mayor of Savannah in October, 1861, and council authorized him to consult with the commanders of the Confederate army and navy at this point and to co-operate with them in any measures looking1 to the protection of the city. Alderman Robert Lachlison, by action of council, was provided from that body to assist General Lawton in carrying out any plan that might be agreed upon for obstructing the channel of the river, and the result was that much work was done in that way. After the battle of Port Royal, in South Carolina, it was feared that the enemy would attempt to come up the Savannah river, and obstructions were sunk in order to prevent such trouble. Among other such obstacles the brig Santa Clara, and the ships Sebasticook and A. D. Thompson, which had been captured by

CARNEGIE LIBRARY, AMERICUS
Confederate privateers and condemned, were secured, and, after their cargoes had been sold, their hulks were sunk at proper points in order to make the obstruction as complete as possible. At the same time that council made preparation to look after the closing of the river, Alder men John L. Villalonga, John F. Tucker and E. A. Soullard were, by conference with the commanding officer, to exercise authority in the matter of closing the bar-rooms. The result was an order requiring them to be closed from 5 o'clock P. M. to 8 A. M.
The city authorities deemed it a privilege to show respect to the memory of the young men of the city who lost their lives for the South in the battle of Manassas, and when the bodies of those brave soldiers were brought back for interment in January, 1862, the offer of the services of the Olmstead Rifles as honorary escort was accepted, and the other volunteer companies were asked to take part in the ceremonies. Council appointed a committee to meet the bodies at Charleston and escort them to Savannah, and Aldermen Villalonga, Soullard and A. A. Solomons, by appointment, arranged for the funeral, and council attended in a body.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

445

GEN. R. E. LEE IN COMMAND AT SAVANNAH
Gen. Robert E. Lee having been assigned to the command of this military district, Mayor Thomas Purse consulted him with reference to the proper defense of the city on the land side, and as an aid thereto council generously donated the sum of $2,000 to the payment of expenses incurred in that matter, and, on the 30th of January, on the assertion of General Lee that men were needed to throw up breastworks, council authorized the military committee to employ three hundred hands, or more, if necessary, to carry out the plan inaugurated by that officer. Labor for building a battery defense was also provided for in case the government of the Confederate states should agree to supply it with guns.
Again, in March, an appropriation of $2,000 was made for the relief of families of soldiers at the front, and an appeal was made to the justices of the inferior court to levy a tax to raise money for the same purpose, and a meeting of citizens was held to consider the matter of asking the city to appropriate an amount sufficient to build a gunboat.
Council approved the decision of General Lawton, conveyed to it by that officer on the 29th of April, 1862, to resist to the uttermost any demand for the surrender of the city should the enemy, by any possi bility, pass the batteries and reach a point opposite the river and threaten a siege.

NON-COMBATANT CITIZENS ARMED FOR DEFENSE OF ClTY
Shortly afterwards General Pemberton, who had been assigned to the command of this district, advised the city council to request the secretary of war to declare martial law in Savannah, and proposed that the women and children be taken out of the city. It was his opinion also that the buildings on the river front be demolished. He was unnecessarily alarmed, as events proved that the enemy had no intention to make an attack on the city in the manner indicated by his suggestions. Council did not agree with him, and declined to act as he proposed, thus showing their good sense and at the same time saving a large amount of property from destruction. While it was wisely decided not to use such radical measures, let it be understood that the situation was considered to be grave, and every step was taken to defend the city in the event of a siege. General Lawton, on the 21st of May, urged upon council the advisability of having as many armed men in readiness for trouble as it was possible to gather within the city's limits, and suggested the propriety of organizing for defense all male citizens, not regularly mustered into service to be used as a police force. The suggestion found a ready response, and by resolution council invited all citizens to enroll themselves for service, and it is needless to state that, as usual, the people promptly responded and did their full duty. General Pemberton, early in June, withdrew a large part of the military force from Savannah, thus showing the wisdom of the action of General Lawton. Gen. Hugh W. Mercer shortly afterwards succeeded General Pemberton in command, and he adopted measures for the protection of the city which showed a sound knowledge of the situation and of what was then required.

CHAPTER XXXVI
LITERATURE, ETC.
SAVANNAH'S LITERARY CIRCLE--NAMES OF SOME MEN OF LETTERS AND THEIR WORK--G. W. J. DE RENNE AND THE WORMSLOE PUBLICATIONS --OTHER WRITERS--NAMES OF MAYORS AND ALDERMEN CONTINUED.
Hitherto we have said nothing in relation to the history of Savannah from a literary standpoint; but the omission was through no lack of material for a sketch of that character which would place the city in the light of being justly noted for her men of letters and the seat of much learning and culture. Indeed, it is impossible, in a work of this kind, to do justice to the subject of which this chapter treats. So rich is the storehouse of information from which that story could be written that the writer hardly knows where to begin.
SAVANNAH'S LITERARY CIRCLE
We have, in the account of the origin of the Georgia Historical Society, said much concerning Mr. I. K. Tefft, whose efforts in that direction were so successful. Associated with him in organizing that institution was Mr. Alexander A. Smets, who was its first treasurer and whose literary tastes took the turn of making a collection of books and manuscripts which became known as one of the most valuable private libraries in the United States of the period during which its owner was occupied in accumulating it. The two gentlemen were closely associated for many years of their lives, and in death one was called to follow the other in quick succession. Mr. Smets died on the 9th of May, 1862, and Mr. Tefft on the 30th of June of the same year. In the tribute of respect to the memory of the former, the society, on the 19th of May, placed on its minute book this record of the literary feature of Mr. Smets' life: " Notwithstanding his uniform and strict attention daily to his business, united to the cares of a large and increas ing family, he nevertheless found time sufficient in which to study and improve himself in the acquisition of the English language* and make himself familiar with most of the best authors of the English classics; and so strong and ardent was his natural taste for books and literary pursuits that year after year he expended from his income large sums of money for the purchase in Europe and this country of the best standard works in every branch of literature and science until at the
* Mr. Smets was born in France.
446

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

447

time of his death he had collected and was possessed of one of the most choice, valuable and extensive private libraries to be found in America. This library, which has attracted the attention of strangers far and near for many years past, was one of the chief sources of his pleasure and improvement, especially during the latter part of his life and after his retirement from active business."

SOME MEN OF LETTERS AND THEIR WORK

In 1841, Dr. William B. Stevens (afterwards bishop of Pennsyl vania) wrote a series of articles for the Magnolia, on "The Library of Alexander A. Smets, Esq., of Savannah," in which he said: "One of these rare and honorable instances in which inclination is seconded by wealth and industry, sustained by intelligence, we have in the gentle man whose name heads our article; and it is for the purpose of making known in some measure the extent and riches of Mr. Smets' library that we have undertaken to cicerone our readers through a few of its most interesting materials. Our thoughts will be desultory, and we must crave the liberty of prosing a little, especially when we get hold of some caligraphic manuscript, or any of the good old volumes of Stephens, and Caxton, and Wynken de Worde. The library of Mr, Smets contains about five thousand volumes; but its value does not so much depend upon its number as upon the character of the authors and the celebrity of his editions. It consists mostly of English works, combining, in an eminent degree, intrinsic worth, bibliothecal rarity, and an elegance of binding approaching to splendor. It is rich in ancient manuscripts, in early printed works, and in the luxurious and costly volumes of modern times. It embraces many of the standard authors in every department of literature and science, and it is remark able for the range and appropriateness of its selection. It is not, indeed, like the library of the younger Gordian, paved with marble and orna mented with gold, with walls covered with glass and ivory, and armour and desks of ebony and cedar; but it is contained in rooms elegantly furnished, and the books are enclosed in rich mahogany cases which display to great advantage his bibliothecal treasures, though a larger apartment would be required to exhibit his collection to its full extent, which truly deserves the epithet--magnificent."
Mr. Smets left no survivor who exhibited a like taste for the col lecting and treasuring of rare books and manuscripts, and the library was sold and the articles which he had so much prized have found their way into other collections.
Of Mr. Tefft, the Georgia Historical Society said, in honoring his memory on the 14th of July, 1862: "For literary pursuits and the acquaintance of men of letters, Mr. Tefft showed an early and ardent predilection. His correspondence with eminent men in Europe and America was large, and, should it ever see the light, will prove highly interesting. Many a stranger of literary and moral mind would have passed through our city unknown but for the active and generous hos pitality of Mr. Tefft, In this respect he was a model for imitation, with scarcely a hope, however, that his place can ever be supplied. As connected with the duties of a bank officer, and especially of a teller of money, a good knowledge of handwriting and the art of engraving

448

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

is indispensable. It was this consideration which stimulated, if it did not originate, Mr. Tefft's fondness for the collection of autographs. The bounds of truth are hardly exceeded in saying that his collection in this department is probably superior to that of any person on either side of the Atlantic, not excepting that of Dr. Raffles or Dr. Sprague of Albany. In the department just mentioned Mr. Tefft took scarcely more pride than he did in promoting and fostering the interests of the
Georgia Historical Society, of which, if he was not the actual founder, he was with the earliest and was really the most active, zealous and liberal patron."
In 1850 Miss Frederika Bremer, the Swedish writer, visited Savan nah, and in a letter written there on the 14th of May said: " ' The
greatest autograph collector in the world' is also the most friendly, the best hearted man in the world, and so kind to me that I shall always think of him with gratitude. His collection of autographs is the first
which I have ever been able to examine with interest and respect--not because it occupies so many folios, and has a whole room appropriated to it, and could not be examined in less than six or seven months, which
certainly might inspire respect, but because a portrait is appended to the handwriting of each distinguished person, mostly an excellent copper-plate engraving, together with some letter or interesting docu ment belonging to the history of that individual. All this gives to the autograph collection of Mr. T. a real historical or biographical interest."
It is a singular coincidence that the two men just mentioned-- friends and neighbors for a long term of years, and fellow-workers in the founding and building up of the Georgia Historical Society in which they were intensely interested--with tastes so closely correspond ing--should not have been long separated by death. We cannot refrain
from quoting the words of one * who thus described the two friends in giving an account of the origin of the society of Which they were
such ardent patrons: '' Israel K. Tefft,--corresponding secretary--an ardent devotee of the
past--a famous collector of autograph-letters and historical documents, especially of such as illustrated our Revolutionary period--looking upon the time-stained paper whereon some famous hand had writ
'With greater love than the self-lov'd Narcissus Did on his beauty,--' The fons et origo of the society." And again: "Alexander A. Smets,--a successful merchant, citizen of public spirit, and bibliophile of unusual knowledge, in constant communion
with books and surrounding himself with much that was choice and rare in the world of letters."

G. W. J. DE RENNE AND THE WORMSLOE PUBLICATIONS

The literary history of Savannah, if written in full, would require a large volume of itself, and we can, therefore, in the space at our command, barely touch upon the subject. Other names connected with the work of the Georgia Historical Society which might be mentioned

* Charles C. Jones, Jr.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

449

in this connection are William Bacon Stevens, professor of belles lettres and history of the University of Georgia, and afterwards Episcopal bishop of Pennsylvania, writer of a history of Georgia, etc.; Dr. Richard D. Arnold, skilled physician and editor for a long time of the Savannah Georgian; Edward J. Harden, lawyer, judge, and author of the Life of George M. Troup, Matthew Hall McAllister, who for years was a, leading member of the Savannah bar, and later in life federal judge for the district of California; Robert M. Charlton, advocate, judge, poet and essayist; John MacPherson Berrien, who, in addition to the fame acquired as a lawyer and judge, was United States senator and attorney general; James M. Wayne, judge of the superior court, con gressman, and finally associate justice of the supreme court of the United States; Henry R. Jackson, poet, jurist, and minister to Austria and to Mexico; Alexander R. Lawton, who, besides the positions of honor he filled in earlier life both civil and military, served the United States as minister to the court of Austria near the close of his useful and honorable life; and last, but by no means below the standard of literary ability marked for the names of early members of the Georgia Historical Society already presented to the reader, must be mentioned the name of George Wymberley Jones De Renne. He was a descendant in the direct line of Capt. Noble Jones, who was a friend of Oglethorpe and whose services to the colony in its conflicts with the Spaniards are inestimable. Noble Jones settled at Wormsloe, on the Isle of Hope, where a fort was built of tabby as a protection for the Southern frontier, including his plantation, which was one of Savannah's outposts. The remains of the fort are still to be seen, although buried in the midst of a thick growth of pines, cedars, live oaks, palmettos, etc., and a dense undergrowth of shrubs and vines. Mr. De Renne's grandfather was the Hon. Noble Wymberley Jones, speaker of the Georgia provincial assem bly, member of the Continental congress, physician, and patriot. His father was Dr. George Jones, who was an alderman of the city for three terms, and mayor twice.
Mr. De Renne graduated with honor from the University of Penn sylvania, and, expecting to pursue the practice of medicine, entered the medical school of that institution, from which he graduated and chose as the subject of his thesis on that occasion the "Theory Concerning the Nature of Insanity," which he afterwards had printed, the edition being limited to forty-eight copies. He gave up the inten tion of becoming a physician, and.his life was thenceforth devoted to study and to the collection of books known for their literary value and rarity. He determined to make himself familiar with
Georgia's early history, and, at the time of his death, he was probably
the best posted man in the state on all matters pertaining to the found
ing of the colony and its subsequent history as a royal province and an
independent state. He was best known as the publisher of the rare
tracts known as the "Wormsloe Quartos," of which Col. Charles C.
Jones wrote: " Of these quartos but a very limited edition was printed,
and the copies were donated to famous libraries and placed in the hands
of favored friends. Of the first quarto there are only twenty-one copies;
of the second, forty-nine; of the third, nineteen; and of the fourth,

450

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

forty-six. They are all admirable specimens of typography and literary taste; and, in addition to the historical value they possess, are highly esteemed because of their rarity."

OTHER WRITER

Besides the many native Savannah men of letters, of whom we have mentioned only a few, many others, born elsewhere but at some
period of their lives residents of the city, may with propriety be named among that class to which they truly belonged while here and whom the world recognized as Savannahians. Of such many members of the Savannah bar might be mentioned, who, in line with their profession, were well known for their literary powers and attainments. Others
belonged to the newspaper profession, to the class of editors, etc. It would be impossible to mention all who deserve a place in this list, but we do not hesitate to name Richard Henry Wilde, William T. Thompson, Joel Chandler Harris, Rev. George-White, William Henry Stiles, William Law, Bishops Stephen Elliott and William B. Stevens, S. Yates Levy, Mrs. Alethea S. Munford, who, first as Miss Law, then as Mrs. Burroughs, and finally as the wife of R. D. Munford, was the writer of poems of sweetness and touched with a strong patriotic fervor, and the brothers, Robert M. and Thomas J. Charlton. We could name many others who truly deserve a place here, but space needed for other important matters yet to be treated of cannot be used further in the. development of this subject.

MAYORS AND ALDERMEN--Continued
Having left off our record of the members of city council serving successively at the end of the year 1850, we here resume it. In 1851, Dr. Wayne was succeeded in the office of mayor by Dr. Richard D. Arnold, who had, as we have seen, held the office from September, 1847, for the term of one year. He had as his aldermanic board Dr. James P. Screven, Robert D. Walker, Thomas M. Turner, Samuel Solomon, Dr. Cosmo P. Richardsone (who died before the end of a year's service), John W. Anderson, Francis S. Bartow, Richard R. Cuyler, Robert A. Alien, Dr. William Gaston Bulloch, Alexander A. Smets, John B. Gallie and John Mallery.
Dr. Wayne was again the mayor in 1852, with aldermen John N. Lewis, Thomas Holcombe, John McMahon, Charles Ganahl, Dr. R. D. Arnold, Dr. James P. Screven, Dr. William G. Bulloch, Charles A. L. Lamar, J. Harris, Isaac Brunner, John Mallery, John Riordan, and R. D. Walker. . In 1853 Hon. John Elliott Ward was elected chief magistrate and his board of aldermen were Isaac Brunner, Solomon Cohen, Montgom ery Gumming, Charles Ganahl, Edwin E. Hertz, Alexander R. Lawton, John N. Lewis, John Mallery, Dominick A. O'Byrne, James P. Screven, Samuel Solomon, Robert D. Walker, and Charles Van Horn.
The ticket elected in 1854 contained the names of Edward C. Ander son, mayor, and Aldermen John Mallery, Gilbert Butler, Alvin N.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

451

Miller, Robert A. Alien, Thomas H. Harden, Peter W. Alexander, Edwin E. Hertz, James G. Rogers, John N. Lewis, Dr. Charles W. West, John R. Wilder, and George W. Garmany.
Succeeding himself, Hon. E. C. Anderson entered upon another term of service as mayor in December, 1855, with an aldermanic board composed of Richard Bradley, R. A. Alien, Aaron Champion, Robert Lachlison, William S. Basinger, John M. Cooper, Richard D. Arnold, Dominick A. O'Byrne, Solomon Cohen, John J. Kelly, and Dr. John
F. Posey. After serving two terms in succession, Mayor Edward C. Anderson
retired in 1856, in the month of December, and the city council then elected stood as follows: Mayor James P. Screven, and Aldermen R. D. Arnold, William S. Basinger, Aaron Champion, Solomon Cohen, John G. Fallingant, James B. Foley, George A. Gordon, Robert Lachli son, Alvin N. Miller, Thomas Purse, John F. Posey and Robert D.
Walker. In 1857 the election took place in October, when Dr. Richard Wayne
again became mayor, and he had associated with him as aldermen Thomas M. Turner (who became mayor on the 27th of June, in con sequence of the death on that day of Dr. Wayne), George A. Gordon, John G. Falligant, William R. Symons, Noah B. Knapp, John F. Posey, John Richardson, Claudius C. Wilson, James B. Foley, William Wright, James E. Godfrey, Francis Blair, and Thomas Holcombe.
Having succeeded Dr. Wayne, whose death occurred before the end of the year, Mr. Thomas M. Turner was elected mayor in October, 1858. and his aldermen were John Boston, John G. Falligant (who died one month before his term expired), Martin J. Ford, Thomas Hol combe, Noah B. Knapp, John F. Posey, James B. Foley (who died six months after his election), George W. Wylly, John P. Delannoy, John M. Guerard, Francis Blair, John F. Tucker, and John C. Ferrill, who
succeeded Mr. Falligant. After having served twice as mayor and a number of times as alder
man, Dr. R. D. Arnold became mayor for the third time in October, 1859. and his board of aldermen stood as follows: Robert Lachlison, Charles C. Jones, Jr., J. Frederick Waring, Abram Minis, Wallace Gumming, who resigned in three months, Jordan P. Brooks, Dr. Phineas M. Kollock, WilliamJ\l. Davidson, John P. W. Read, John Richardson,
Francis M. Stone, Joljn F. Wheaton, and E. A. Soullard. In the midst of the excitement just preceding the war of the states,
in October, 1860, Charles C. Jones, Jr., was elected mayor with the following aldermanic board: John P. W. Read, William M. Davidson, John F. Wheaton, John Richardson, Henry Brigham, E. A. Soullard, John W. Anderson, Solomon Cohen, W. F. Brantley, who resigned in January, 1861, and was succeeded by J. L. Villalonga, John McMahon, George W. Wylly and Isaac Brunner.
In October, 1861, no candidate for mayor received a majority of votes cast, and Mr. Thomas Purse was chosen mayor by the council, the others of the board being George W. Wylly, E. A. Soullard, Isaac Brunner, John Williamson, John L. Villalonga, A. A. Solomons (who resigned in July, 1862, and was succeeded by William Hunter), John F. O'Byrne, James M. Schley, John F. Tucker, Robert Lachlison,
Francis L. Gue, and Hiram Roberts.

452

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Thomas Holcombe, after some experience as an alderman three times, was chosen as mayor in October, 1862, with the following alder men: John Williamson, Robert Lachlison, Thomas M. Turner, Edward C. "Wade, Henry Brigham, John F. O'Byrne, Hiram Roberts, F. L. Gue, Joseph Lippman, John L. Villalonga, E. A. Soullard, Isaac Brunner, who resigned in a few weeks and was succeeded by George W Wylly.
Dr. Richard D. Arnold became mayor for the fourth time on the 19th of October, 1863, with a board of aldermen composed of George W. Wylly, John F. O'Byrne, Henry Brigham, Edward C. Wade, Henry C. Freeman, John Williamson, John L. Villalonga, Robert Lach lison, Joseph Lippman, F. L. Gue, Hiram Roberts and Christopher C.

A fifth time, twice consecutively, Dr. R. D. Arnold was selected as the mayor of the city on the 17th of October, 1864, with aldermen John Williamson, George W. Wylly, John F. O'Byrne, Henry Brigham, Edward C. Wade, C. C. Casey, F. L. Gue, J. L. Villalonga, Joseph Lippman, Hiram Roberts, Robert Lachlison and H. C. Freeman, who, dying in October, 1865, was succeeded by John Cunningham, who was immediately elected and the term of those first named as city fathers was prolonged until December 11, 1865, when another election was held.
In 1865, on the llth of December, a new term for city officials began, and the Hon. Edward C. Anderson became mayor, with the following aldermen: Geo. W. Wylly (who resigned in July, 1866, and was succeeded by Geo. C. Freeman), Jno. F. O'Byrne, R, Lachlison, F. L. Gue (who resigned August 8, 1866, and was succeeded by Heman A. Crane), Jno. Cunningham, Jno. Williamson, Jno. McMahon, Jno. C. Ferrill, Jno. R. Johnson, E. A. Soullard, James M. Schley, and C. C. Casey. .
Hon. Edward C. Anderson served the city as mayor twice before the war of the states, and, after the expiration of his third term, he was again elected on the 16th of October, 1866, with aldermen Martin J. Ford, J. L. Villalonga, Wm. Hunter, A. N. Miller, Wm. H. Bur roughs, Matthias H. Meyer, Henry Brigham, Edward C. Wade, F. L. Gue, Geo. W. Wylly, James J. Waring, and Chas. C. Millar.

CHAPTER XXXVII
SAVANNAH DURING CIVIL WAR
MAYOR PURSE'S REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR--FALL OP FORT PULASKI--HOLDING OF FORT MCALLISTER NECESSARY TO DEFENSE OF SAVANNAH--MAJ. JOHN B. GALLIE KILLED--ADDRESS OF MAYOR ARNOLD TO CITIZENS--FALL OF FORT MCALLISTER--EVACUATION OF SAVANNAH--SPECIAL ORDER OF GEN. SHERMAN--RESOLUTIONS OF COUNCIL SEEKING PROTECTION OF CITIZENS--FAMILIES OF CONFED ERATE OFFICERS REQUIRED TO LEAVE.
Resuming our account of the city during the progress of the war of secession, we will take up the subject just where we digressed in relat ing the facts attending the deaths of Messrs. Tefft and Smets.
MAYOR PURSE 's REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR
The mayor of Savannah from October 21, 1861, to October 20, 1862, was Thomas Purse. Just before closing his term of office, that gentle man who lost a son in the battle of Manassas, in his report to council, dated October 1st, said, in part, "The proportions of the revolutionary struggle in which we are now engaged to secure our independence and a place among the nations of the earth, have assumed during the cur rent year a colossal form, and the depressing influences of the war are more or less felt from the center to the circumference of our infant Confederacy; but our soldiery, with stalwart hearts and patriotic de votion, have thus far demonstrated by their patriotism that they fully appreciate the magnitude of the contest.
"We have abundant cause to be grateful to a kind Providence for His manifest blessings, even in the midst of the severe ordeal through which we are now passing as a people. First, because of the signal success which has attended our arms in the field, victory after victory having perched upon our standard. Second, because as a city we have been comparatively more exempt from the desolating effects of the war then many of our southern seaports more exposed to the vandalism of the enemy. And third, because we have not been visited with any fearful epidemics, other than those of an endemic character and com mon to this latitude." It is true that Savannah was throughout the whole period of the war remarkably exempt from the horrors and dis-
453

454

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

asters encountered by so many other towns in the South. The finances were managed as carefully as possible, and he said "our object has rather been to keep intact what has been done so far as this has been practicable" than to enter upon any scheme for public improvements.

FALL OF FORT PULASKI

During the month of February, 1862, while Mr. Thomas Holcombe was mayor, communication between the city and Fort Pulaski was cut off when the vessels of the enemy passed through "Wall's Cut and en
tered the Savannah river above the fort. The defending force of the fort consisted of the O'glethorpe Light Infantry (Co. B), the German Volunteers, the Montgomery Guards, the Washington Volunteers, and the Wise Guards, under command of Colonel Charles H. Olmstead, under whom were John Foley, major; M. M. Hopkins, adjutant; Robert
Erwin, quartermaster; Robert D. Walker, commissary; T. J. McFarland, surgeon; Robt. H. Lewis, sergeant-major; W. C. Crawford, quar ter-master's sergeant; Harvey Lewis, ordnance sergeant; Edward D.
Hopkins, quartermaster's clerk; and E. W. Drummond, commissary's clerk. Having erected eleven sand batteries on Tybee island, beyond the effective reach of the guns of the fort, and having mounted them with ordnance of a more powerful force within those batteries, the enemy, through General David Hunter, on the tenth of April, sent under flag of truce an order on Col. Olmstead for "the immediate sur render and restoration of Fort Pulaski to this authority and possession of the United States." Colonel Olmstead's reply was promptly but briefly made, his heroic words being "I am here to defend the fort, not to surrender it." With little delay the enemy began the bombard ment, which lasted, at intervals, until two o'clock in the afternoon of the llth, when, the outer walls of two of the casemates having been shot away and two of the adjoining ones being in a crumbling condition, and the north magazine in great danger of explosion from the shells of the enemy, the white flag was hoisted and the fort surrendered. Dur ing most of the time the firing of the guns could be heard and the smoke
of the shells plainly seen by the crowds of citizens who gathered at the "battery" on the eastern bluff of the river.
After the fall of Fort Pulaski the opinion' generally prevailed that without delay the Federals would make the strongest efforts to capture Savannah, and, in response to a suggestion from the Confederate author ities, council, on the 29th of April, passed the following:
"WHEREAS, a communication has been received from the command ing general stating that he will defend this city to the last extremity; and whereas, the members of the council unanimously approve of the determination of the commanding general, therefore be it
"Resolved, That the council will render all that is in their power to sustain the general and to carry out his laudable determination." The immediate command was then held by Gen. A. R. Lawton, but in obedience to orders in May following he left Savannah, in command of five thousand soldiers to report in Virginia to Gen. Robert E. Lee, and Gen. Hugh W. Mercer then assumed command of this district, holding the same until relieved by Lieutenant-General Wm. J. Hardee shortly preceding the evacuation of the city in December, 1864.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

455

HOLDING OF FORT MCALLISTEB NECESSARY TO DEFENSE OF SAVANNAH

Next to Fort Pulaski the interests of Savannah were largely centered in the operations against Fort McAllister on the Ogeechee river whose garrison was to a great extent made up of troops from the city. Occupy ing a position on a land projection on the right bank of the river com monly called Genesis Point, though the real spelling should be Jenys's Point, that fort was really considered an important factor in the defense of the great Georgia seaport lying only about sixteen miles distant. The first attack on that work was made on the 29th of June, 1862, and was resisted by the DeKalb Riflemen under Capt. Alfred L. Hartridge without the loss of even one killed, and only two wounded. Again, it was bombarded by several vessels on the 2d of November, when re sistance was offered by the Emmet Rifles of which George A. Nicoll was the captain. The third attack was made on the 19th of the same month when the force in charge consisted of the same company and the Repub lican Blues commanded by Lieut. George W. Anderson, when three men were wounded, but the enemy, meeting with repulse then, did not cease to make similar attacks from time to time, one of which, begun in the morning of January 27, 1863, was led by the ironclad Montauk, assisted by three gunboats, a mortar schooner, and a tug. Formidable was the armament of the ironclad which consisted in part of one fifteeninch and one eleven-inch Dahlgren gun. The bombardment lasted five hours and a half without damaging to a great extent the earthwork fort or injuring any of the garrison. The important point concerning that action is thus brought out by Col. Chas. C. Jones, Jr., in his historical sketch of the Chatham. Artillery: "To this bombardment remarkable historical interest attaches, because on this occasion a fifteen inch gun was first used in the effort to reduce a shore battery; and the ability of properly constructed sand parapets to resist the effect of novel pro jectiles far surpassing in weight and power all others heretofore known was fairly demonstrated. To the honor of this little fort and the praise of its heroic defenders let these facts be recorded and perpetuated.''

MAJ. JOHN B. GALLIE KILLED
Closely following, on the first of February, early in the morning, which was Sunday, the same ironclad, accompanied by four gunboats and a mortar boat, moved up the river and for six hours poured deadly missiles into Fort McAllister, after which she had to retire; but this time the little Confederate force met with a loss which caused gen uine mourning in the city of Savannah. In the midst of the cannonad ing a piece of a trunnion of one of the guns of the fort was struck off by a ball from the guns of the enemy and, flying through the air, struck Major John B. Gallic on the head, instantly killing him. The com mand then devolved on Captain George W. Anderson who was a worthy successor of the stricken hero. After that fight General Beauregard issued an order of thanks and of a complimentary character, in which he said: "The thanks of the country are due to this intrepid garrison who have thus shown what brave men may withstand and accomplish despite apparent odds. Fort McAllister will be inscribed on all the flags of all the troops engaged in the defense of the battery."

456

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Fort McAllister was finally captured by a land attack, but the last
naval attack was made just about a month after the one just described. On the third of March, again in the early morning, a fleet of the enemy, consisting of four ironclads, five gunboats and two mortar schooners, sailed up to the proper distance and for seven hours and a half made the most formidable attempt against that fortification that had then been
planned. It is so well described by the Savannah Republican of the llth of that month that the account is herewith given: "About a quarter before nine o'clock the fort opened on the Passaic with a rifled gun, the eight and ten-inch Columbiads following suit, to which the Montauk replied, firing her first gun at nine o'clock. She was followed by her associates in quick succession. The fire on both sides was continued for seven hours and a half, during which the enemy fired two hundred and fifty shot and shells at the fort, amounting to about seventy tons of the most formidable missiles ever invented for the destruction of human life. * * * The fort fired the first and last shot. The enemy's mortar boats kept up a fire all night, and it was evidently their inten
tion to renew the fight the next morning, but finding that the damages done to the fort the day before had been fully repaired, and the garri son fully prepared to resist, declined. * * * Notwithstanding the heavy fire to which the fort was subjected, only three men were wounded: Thomas W. Rape and W. S. Owens of the Emmet Rifles, the first on the knee and the latter in the face, James Minis of Company D, First
Georgia Battalion Sharpshooters, had his leg crushed and ankle broken by the fall of a piece of timber while remounting a Columbiad after the fight. * * * The night previous to the fight Lieutenant E. A. Ellarbee, of the Hardwick Mounted Rifles, Captain Jos. L. MeAllister, with a detachment consisting of Sergeant Harmon and Privates Proc
tor, "Wyatt, Harper and Cobb, crossed the river and dug a rifle pit within long rifle range of the rams and awaited the coming fight. Dur ing the hottest part of the engagement an officer with glass in hand made his appearance on the deck of the Passaic. A Maynard rifle slug soon went whizzing by his ears which startled him and caused him to right-about face, when a second slug, apparently, took effect upon his person, as, with both hands, he caught hold of the turret for support, and immediately clambered or was dragged into a port-hole. It is believed that the officer was killed. The display on the Passaic the day following, and the funeral on the Ossabaw the Friday following, gave strength to the opinion. As soon as the fatal rifle shot was fired the Passaic turned her guns upon the marsh and literally raked it with grape shot. The riflemen, however, succeeded in changing their base in time to avoid the missiles of the enemy. Not one of them was hurt. Too much credit cannot be bestowed upon the daring act of a few brave men. * * * Captain George W. Anderson, of the Republican Blues, commanded the fort on this trying occasion, and he and his force received, as they deserved, the highest commendation. Captain George A. Nicoll, of the Emmett Rifles, Captain J. L. McAllister, Lieu tenant W. D. Dixon, and Sergeant T. S. Flood (the latter was sick at the hospital when the fight commenced, but left his bed to take part in the fight), Corporal Robert Smith and his squad from the Republi can Blues, which worked the rifle gun; Lieutenant Quin of

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

457

the Blues, Sergeant Frazier, Lieutenant Rockwell, and Sergeant Cavanaugh, Captain Robert Martin and detachment of his company, who successfully worked a mortar battery, Captain McCrady, and Captain James (W.) McAlpin were entitled to and received a large share of the honors of the day."
Apprehending further attacks the Confederates, after this encounter, added to the strength of the fort both in its structure and armament; but it suffered no more from the enemy's fleet. When it fell the attack was made by Sherman's army on the land side just before that force entered the city.
ADDRESS OF MAYOR ARNOLD TO CITIZENS
The continued advance of the Federal troops under Sherman brought the people of Savannah to a realization of the fact that the city was in the greatest danger. So near was the enemy by the closing days of November, 1864, that the mayor issued the following address:
"Mayor's Office, " Savannah, November 28, 1864. "Fellow Citizens:--The time has come when every male who can shoulder a musket can make himself useful in defending our hearths and homes. Our city is well fortified, and the old ones can fight in the trenches as well as the young, and a determined and brave force can, behind entrenchment, successfully repel the assaults of treble their number. "The General commanding this division has issued a call for all men of every age not absolutely incapacitated from disease to report at once to Captain C. W. Howard at the Oglethorpe Barracks, for the purpose of organizing into companies for home defense. I call upon every man not already enrolled into a local corps to come for ward at once and report to Captain Howard. Organization is every thing. Let us emulate the noble example of our sister cities of Macon and Augusta, where the whole male population is in arms. By man ning the fortifications we will leave free the younger men to act in the field. By prompt action a large local force can be organized from our citizens above the military age, and from those who have been exempted from field service. "No time is to be lost. The man who wrill not comprehend and respond to the emergency of the times is foresworn to his duty and to his country.
"R. D. Arnold, Mayor."
FALL OF FORT MCALLISTER
By the 10th of December Sherman had his lines confronting the Confederate defenses west and south of the city, at which time, despite all efforts to concentrate the southern troops within the lines, there were not more than ten thousand men actually on duty. The situation then is accurately described by Col. Chas. C. Jones, Jr., in his account of the "Siege of Savannah." He shows the Confederate lines subdivided and commanded as follows: "The right, extending from the Savannah

458

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

River at Williamson's plantation (Brampton) to within about one hundred feet of the Central Railroad crossing, garrisoned by the Georgia militia and the state line troops, was under the command of MajorGeneral Gustavus W. Smith. Twenty guns were in position on his front.
"The batteries at the Central Railroad and Louisville Road cross ings and extending from that point to the head of Shaw's dam, were commanded by Major-General LaFayette McLaws. Twenty-nine pieces of artillery were posted on his front.
"Lieutenant-General "William J. Hardee was in general command with his headquarters in the city of Savannah. For holding this long line less than ten thousand, infantry, dismounted cavalry, and artil lery were assembled; and for the space of. ten days this little more than a thin skirmish line confronted, at close quarters, Sherman's invading army over fifty thousand strong.
"The light artillery companies were distributed as the necessities of the line demanded, and were either actively engaged in handling the guns in position, or were posted 'at such convenient distances in the rear that they could move immediately to any designated point in their respective fronts. Only two of them were held in reserve.
"Lieutenant-Colonel Charles C. Jones, Jr., was chief of artillery. "On Major-General Smith's front Captain R. W. Anderson acted as chief of artillery of that division. Captain J. A. Maxwell was de tailed as chief of artillery in Major-General McLaws' front, and Cap tain John W. Brooks acted in a similar capacity in Major-General Wright's division. "By assignment of the general commanding, Major Black of his staff was designated as inspector on' Major-General Smith's front; Col. George A. Gordon, volunteer aid, inspector on Major-General McLaws' front; and Lieutenant-Colonel S. B. Paul, of the lieutenantgeneral's staff, inspector on Major-General Wright's force." For reasons best known to himself, General Sherman did not make an immediate and direct attack on the city. In his "Memoirs," Vol. 2, page 195, he says: "As soon as it was demonstrated that Savannah was well fortified, with a good garrison, commanded by Gen. William J. Hardee, a competent soldier, I saw that the first step was to open communication with our fleet, supposed to be waiting for us with sup plies and clothing in Ossabaw Sound." That meant that he intended to capture Fort McAllister which would put him in direct communica tion with the fleet. Of the taking of that fort we have the words of its defender, Maj. George W. Anderson, who, in continuance of his account with what happened in the morning of December 13th, 1864, said: "About eight o'clock A. M. desultory firing commenced between the skirmishers of the enemy and my sharpshooters. At ten o 'clock the fight became general, the opposing forces extending from the river entirely around to the marsh on the east. The day before, the enemyhad established a battery of Parrott guns on the opposite side of the river--distant from the fort a mile and a half--which fired upon us at regular intervals during the day and the ensuing night. Receiving from headquarters neither orders nor responses to my telegraphic dis patches, I determined under the circumstances, and notwithstanding the great disparity of numbers between the garrison and the attacking

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

459

forces, to defend the fort to the last extremity. The guns being en barbette, the detachment serving them were greatly exposed to the fire
of the enemy's sharpshooters. To such an extent was this the case that in one instance out -of a detachment of eight men three were killed and three were wounded. The Federal skirmish line was very
heavy, and the fire so close and rapid that it was at times impossible to work the guns. My sharpshooters did all in their power, but were entirely too few to suppress this galling fire upon the artillerists. In view of the large force of the enemy--consisting of nine regiments, whose aggregate strength was estimated between 3,500 and 4,000 mus
kets, and possessing the ability to increase it at any time should it become necessary and recollecting the feebleness of the garrison of the fort, numbering 150 effective men, it was evident, cut off from all support, and with no possible hope of reinforcement from any quarter, that holding the fort was simply a question of time. There was but one alternative--d6ath or captivity.
"Late in the afternoon the full force of the enemy made a rapid and vigorous charge upon the works, and succeeding in forcing their way through the abatis, rushed over the parapet of the fort, carrying it by storm, and, by virtue of superior numbers, overpowered the gar rison fighting gallantly to the last. In many instances the Confeder ates were disarmed by main force. The fort was never surrendered. It was captured by overwhelming numbers.
"I am pleased to state that in my endeavors to hold the fort I was nobly seconded by the great majority of officers and men under my command. Many of them had never been under fire before, and quite
a number were very young, in fact, mere boys. Where so many acted gallantly it would be invidious to discriminate, but I cannot avoid men tioning those who came more particularly under my notice. I would therefore respectfully call the attention of the general commanding to the gallant conduct of Captain Clinch who, when summoned to sur render, by a Federal captain, responded by dealing him a blow on the head with his sabre (Captain Clinch had previously received two gun shot wounds in the arm); immediately a hand to hand fight ensued. Federal privates came to the assistance of their officer, but the fearless Clinch continued the unequal contest until he fell bleeding from eleven wounds (three sabre wounds, six bayonet wounds, and two gunshot wounds), from which, after severe and protracted suffering, he has barely recovered. His conduct was so conspicuous, and his cool bravery so much admired as to elicit the praise of the enemy, and even of General Sherman himself.
"First Lieut. William Schirm fought his gun until the enemy had entered the fort, and, notwithstanding a wound in the head, gal lantly remained at his post, discharging his duties with a coolness and efficiency worthy of all commendation.
"Lieutenant O'Neal, whom I placed in command of the scouting party before mentioned, while in the discharge of that duty, and in his subsequent conduct during the attack, merited the honor due to a
faithful and gallant officer. "Among those who nobly fell was the gallant Hazzard, whose zeal
and activity was worthy of all praise. He died as a true soldier to his post facing overwhelming odds. The garrison lost seventeen killed and thirty-one wounded.''

460

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

EVACUATION OF SAVANNAH

With the fall of Fort McAllister and the consequent establishment of a base of supplies for Sherman's army, the evacuation of Savannah
by the Confederate forces became a foregone conclusion. Accordingly on the 19th of December Mayor Eichard D. Arnold was informed that the departure of the troops would at once begin. There was one direc tion only by which the evacuation could be accomplished, and that was
by crossing the river into South Carolina. Pontoon bridges were pre pared, and over them the troops marched, so that by the morning of the 21st the city was entirely in the care of the civil authorities. The city council met in extra session when each member was provided wrth a certificate of his election as a member of the board. Under instruc tion the city marshal provided carriages to convey the members of council to the headquarters of the enemy, and the gentlemen so con ducted were Dr. E. D. Arnold, mayor, and Alderman Henry Brigham, J. F. O'Byrne, C. C. Casey, Henry Freeman, Eobert Lachlison, Joseph Lippman, J. L. Yillalonga, and George W. Wylly. The manner in which these gentlemen acted is thus told in Lee and Agnew 's Historical Record of Savannah:
' l The council dispersed to assemble at the Exchange at a later hour where hacks would await to convey the members to the outer works. As they came out of the Exchange a fire was observed in the western
part of the city, and, by request, Messrs. Casey, O'Byrne, and Lachli son went to it with a view of taking measures for its suppression. The fire was caused by the burning of a nearly completed ironclad and a
lot of timber near the mouth of the Ogeechee Canal which had been fired by the retreating troops. The wind was blowing to the west, and after observing that no danger to the city need be apprehended from the flames, these gentlemen returned to the Exchange where the other members of the council had assembled and were in a hack pre
pared to start. They stated that other hacks had been provided, but General Wheeler's cavalry had pressed the horses into service. Mr. O'Byrne procured his horse and buggy and conveyed Mr. Casey to the junction of the Louisville road with the Augusta road, about a mile beyond the Central Eailroad depot--and leaving him there returned for Mr. Lachlison who had walked in that direction. The party in the hack meanwhile had come up to Mr. Casey, and, taking him up, drove to the Louisville road. Mr. O'Byrne met Mr. Lachlison, and with him returned to where Mr. Casey had been left, but not finding any of the party there, concluded they had gone up the Augusta road, and proceeded up it, hoping to overtake them. They advanced but a short distance when they heard the report of a gun and a minnie-ball whistled between them. They halted, and were then ordered by the picket to turn around (they had unawares passed the enemy's picket and had not heard the command to halt), and come to them. They did as com manded, and after informing the officer of the picket who they were, were conducted to Colonel Barnum, to whom they stated the object of their mission. He then escorted them to Gen. John W. Geary. They told him that the city had been evacuated, and that they, having started with the mayor and council to surrender it, but becoming sep-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

461

arated from them, would assume the authority of consummating a sur
render. General Geary at first did not believe them, and questioned them very closely. After becoming satisfied that they were what they assumed to be, he consented to receive the surrender. The aldermen then asked that the lives and property of the citizens should be respected and the ladies protected from insult, General Geary promptly replied that the requests should be complied with, and that any soldier detected violating the orders which would be given to restrain them should be punished with death. Messrs. Lachlison. and
O'Byrne then asked that a detachment should be sent to look after the mayor and other aldermen, which was granted. General Geary then put his troops in motion, and, with Messrs. Lachlison and 0 'Byrne acting as guides, advanced toward the city. At the Central Railroad
bridge they were met by the mayor and aldermen who had been over taken by the detachment sent for them and returned with it. They,

CONFEDERATE MONUMENT, SAVANNAH
on being introduced to the general and told what had been done by Messrs. O'Byrne and Lachlison, confirmed their action. The line of march was then taken up to West Broad street, down to the Bay, and thence to the Exchange, in front of which the troops were drawn up. The officers and members of the council proceeded to the porch, from which General Geary addressed the troops, complimenting them upon their past deeds and upon the additional honor they had conferred upon themselves by capturing "this beautiful city of the South." Dur ing this speech Colonel Barnum observed a sergeant step out of the ranks to the store at the corner of Bull and Bay streets, enter, and come out wearing a fireman's hat. On coming down from the porch he called the sergeant to him, and drawing his sword, ordered him to hold out the hat, which he did, and the colonel, with one stroke of his sword, cut it in half. He then stripped the chevrons from the sergeant's arms and reduced him to the ranks.

462 . SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
"After the speech the troops were dispersed in squads throughout the city, and, notwithstanding the strict orders they had received, committed many depredations. That the military force of the United States acted towards the citizens in a just and merciful way was cer tainly the opinion of the aldermanic board, if we may judge properly by the action of that body on the 23d of January, 1865, a little more than a month after the fall of the city. Then the council adopted reso lutions as follows:
"WHEREAS, By the evacuation of Savannah by the Confederate troops on the night of the 20th of December, 1864, the city was left in a defenseless position and from the military the right of govern ment devolved on the city authorities; and,
"WHEREAS, The mayor and aldermen of the city of .Savannah in common council assembled had previously resolved that when that contingency should occur they would immediately proceed to Maj.-Gen. W. T. Sherman's headquarters and ask from him protection for their lives and private property of the citizens; and,
"WHEREAS, It was our good fortune on the evening of the 21st of December, 1864, to meet Brig.-Gen. John W. Geary who was lead ing the division of the United States army which was the first to enter Savannah, and the said request was made of him; and,
"WHEREAS, He promptly granted it and took all necessary means to afford protection by sending a brigade into the city, in advance of his troops, under the command of Colonel Barnum, who displayed his own efficiency and the admirable discipline of his troops, by pre serving an order and quiet perhaps unrivaled in the annals of warfare when a victorious army entered a capitulated city; and,
"WHEREAS, The conduct of Brigadier-General (now Brevet MajorGeneral) Geary from that until he was relieved from his post in the field, carried out to the fullest extent the expectations raised from our first interview with him:
"Resolved, That the thanks of the mayor and aldermen of the city of Savannah for themselves and in behalf of their fellow citizens be and the same are hereby tendered to Brevet General Geary for the uni form courtesy extended by him to all who came into official contact with him, and for his great judgment in the conduct of all his busi ness transactions, and that we will ever hold him in remembrance as the embodiment of the high-toned gentleman and the chivalrous soldier.
"Resolved, That to his staff individually and collectively we hereby return our thanks and those of our citizens for the able, impartial, and courteous manner in which they performed their various duties."
SPECIAL ORDER OF GENERAL SHERMAN
General Sherman did not enter the city until the 25th of December, and then he telegraphed to the President the oft-repeated message offer ing to the chief magistrate Savannah as a Christmas gift. He issued the following order concerning the government of the city the next day:
"Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi, "In the Field, Savannah, Ga,, December 26, 1864.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

463

"Special Field Order
"No. 143.
"The city of Savannah and surrounding country will be held as a military post and adapted to future military uses, but as it con tains a population of some 20,000 people who must be provided for, and as other citizens may come, it is proper to lay down certain gen eral principles, that all within its military jurisdiction may under stand their relative duties and obligations.
"I. During the war the military is superior to civil authority, and where interests clash the civil must give way, yet where there is no conflict every encouragement should be given to well disposed and peaceful inhabitants to resume their usual pursuits. Families
should be disturbed as little as possible in their residences, and trades men allowed the free use of their shops, tools, etc. Churches, schools, all places of amusement and recreation should be encouraged, and streets and roads made perfectly safe to persons in their usual pur suits. Passes should not be exacted "within the lines of other pickets, but if any person should abuse these privileges by communicating with the enemy or doing any act of hostility to the government of the United States, he or she will be punished with the utmost rigor of the
law. '' Commerce with the outer world will be resumed to an extent com
mensurate with the wants of the citizens, governed by the restrictions and rules of the treasury department.
"II. The chief quartermaster and commissary of the army may give suitable employment to the people, white or black, or transport them to such points as they choose, where employment may be had, and may extend temporary relief in the way of provision and vacant
houses to the worthy and needy until such time as they can help them selves. They will select, first, the buildings for the necessary uses of
the army; next, a sufficient number of stores to be turned over to the treasury agent, for trade stores. All vacant storehouses or dwellings and all buildings belonging to absent rebels will be construed and used as belonging to the United States until such times as their titles
can be settled by the courts of the United States. "III. The mayor and city council of Savannah will continue to
exercise their functions as such and will, in concert with the command ing officer of the post and the chief quartermaster, see that the fire com panies are kept in organization, the streets cleaned and lighted, and keep up a good understanding between the citizens and soldiers. They
will ascertain and report to the chief C. S., as soon as possible, the names and members of worthy families that need assistance and support.
"The mayor will forthwith give public notice that the time has come when all must choose their course, viz.: to remain within our
lines and conduct themselves as good citizens or depart in peace. He will ascertain the names of all who choose to leave Savannah and report their names and residences to the chief quartermaster that measures may be taken to transport them beyond the lines.
"IV. Not more than two newspapers will be published in Savan nah, and their editors and proprietors will be held to the strictest ac
countability, and will be punished severely in person and property for

464

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

any libelous publications, mischievous matter, premature news, exag gerated statements, or any comments whatever upon the acts of the constituted authorities; they will be held accountable even for such articles though copied from other papers.
"By order of Major-General W. T. Sherman,
"L. M. Drayton, aid-de-camp." General Sherman occupied the spacious mansion then owned by Mr. Charles Green, a wealthy Savannah merchant, now the property of .Hon. Peter W. Meldrin.

RESOLUTIONS OP COUNCIL SEEKING PROTECTION OF CITIZENS

Submitting to the inevitable in the way that true Southerners always
do, and determined to make the best of the condition in which they found themselves, the citizens held a meeting in Masonic Hall on the
28th, and, as seemed proper, the mayor, Dr. R. D. Arnold, presided. The call stated that it was "to take into consideration matters apper taining to the present and future welfare of the city." The following
action was proposed and adopted:
"WHEREAS, By the fortunes of war and the surrender of the city by the civil authorities, the city of Savannah passes once more under the authority of the United States; and
"WHEREAS, We believe that the interest of the city will be best subserved and promoted by a full and free expression of our views in relation to our present conditions; we, therefore, the people of Savan
nah, in full meeting assembled, do hereby "Resolve, That we accept the position, and, in the language of the
President of the United States, seek to have ' peace by laying down our arms and submitting to the national authority under the constitution, leaving all questions which remain to be adjusted by the peaceful means
of legislation, conference, and votes;' "Resolved, That laying aside all differences, and burying by-gones
in the grave of the past, we will use our best endeavors once more to bring back the prosperity and commerce we once enjoyed.
"Resolved, That we do not put ourselves in the position of a con quered city, asking terms of a conqueror, but we claim the immunities and privileges contained in the proclamation and messages of the Presi dent of the United States, and in all the legislation of congress in reference to a people situated as we are, and while we owe on our part a strict obedience to the laws of the United States, we ask the protec tion over our lives and property recognized by these laws,"
On the llth of January, 1865, council adopted a resolution provid ing that all city officers and employes should cease to be considered as in the service of the city, and the mayor was authorized to appoint such officers as he might deem necessary to attend to the administration
of the municipal affairs. When the Confederate troops left a large quantity of cotton was
stored in Savannah, some of which was claimed by the officers of the United States government to be the property of the Confederate States. Besides 30,500 bales of short staple, or upland, cotton, there were about 8,000 bales of the sea island class. It was all seized by the United States quartermaster and shipped to New York where it brought by

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

465

sale the large sum of $28,000,000, the upland grade selling for $1.25 a pound and the long staple, or sea island, $3.00 a pound.
The people for a while endured the hardships of the new rule under which they were governed, and there was distress also on account of the short supply of provisions in store at the time. Added to their annoyances was the destructive fire which occurred on the 27th of Jan uary, 1865, by which one hundred buildings were swept away. A building used by the Confederates as an arsenal, and known as "Granite Hall," situated in the western section of the city, soon caught fire from a stable in its rear, and, before the ammunition stored within could be removed, many loaded shells exploded, sending their fragments in all directions, doing great damage; and one piece struck the reser voir of the water works, rendering useless the entire fire department. A negro woman was killed, and several citizens were wounded.

FAMILIES OF CONFEDERATE OFFICERS REQUIRED TO LEAVE

By order of General Sherman, all families of Confederate officers were required to leave the city, and such persons were compelled to register their names within a certain period. Some failed to do so, and on the 28th of March, 1865, the provost marshal issued an order that "the wives and families of Confederate officers who have not registered their names at this office will do so at once."
The order was carried out three days later. The people were taken to Sister's Ferry in the steamer Hudson, and from that point they were conducted in wagons in charge of Col. Edward C. Anderson to Augusta, and it was not long after their forced departure from Savan nah that, by the surrender of the armies of Generals Lee and Johnston, the war was ended, and they returned to their homes.
Savannah had passed through the period of war, and suffered in common with other cities of our Southland; but her condition when the end came was not as deplorable as that of many which more fully realized the actual horrors of war.

CHAPTER XXXVIII
RECONSTRUCTION
GENEROSITY OF BOSTONIANS AND OTHERS--MAYOR ANDERSON'S REPORT ON CONDITION OF CITY AT END OF WAR--BOARD OF EDUCATION CHARTERED--ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS TAKEN INTO PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM--CHARTER AMENDED TO INCLUDE EDUCATION OF COLORED PEOPLE.
The reconstruction period in Savannah was more disastrous to the people and brought more uneasiness and heartburnings than the dread ful years of war. Such was the condition of affairs, that, on account of the unruly conduct of the negroes, led and encouraged by the notorious Aaron Alpeoria Bradley and others of the race, as well as some unscru pulous white men, at first it became necessary to prohibit political gatherings without previous notice to the mayor as well as to the com mander of the military post of twelve hours, which had to be increased subsequently to twenty-four. On the 30th of September, 1867, a meeting was held in Chippewa square which became so disorderly that both the civil and military authorities had to interfere in order to prevent a riot.
GENEROSITY OF BOSTONIANS AND OTHERS
Before this state of affairs began, however, some noble people of Boston and New York, learning the condition of the citizens remaining in the city when General Sherman's army entered it, took steps to give im mediate relief to the distressed by furnishing an abundant supply of food. Col. Julian Alien, as soon as the necessity of prompt action was seen by him, offered his services gratuitously to go to New York and arrange for an exchange of rice for other provisions for the destitute of the city. Before he could put his plan in action, on the 18th of January, 1865, the steamer Rebecca Clyde arrived with a cargo of provisions and other things necessary to the support of the suffering " as a, good will offering from their fellow-countrymen of the city of New York." That act of relief was the result of efforts put forth by the New York Chamber of Commerce, the Commercial Association, and the Produce Exchange, and the supplies were contributed by all classes of people. The New York and Washington Steamship Company kindly gave the use of the steamer for the trip, and she was in charge of Messrs. Archibald Baxter, C. H. P. Babcock and Frank Lathrop. The articles were distributed through ward committees composed of prominent citizens.
When Colonel Alien proposed to give his time to the work of collect-
466

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

467

ing provisions, General Sherman issued an order to Albert G. Browne, supervising special agent of the treasury department, confirming the appointment of Colonel Alien, and directed the quartermaster to give the latter transportation, and requesting the collector of the port of New York to grant clearance for provisions for the use of the citizens of Savannah to the extent of fifty thousand dollars. Colonel Alien arrived in Boston January 7th, 1865, and the people of that city met, by invita tion through the newspapers, at noon on the 9th, in Faneuil Hall, to take measures in behalf of the object. The hall was filled with gentlemen at the appointed hour, and many ladies were seated in the galleries. Mayor T. W. Lincoln, Jr., presided, and, in his opening address, said: ' l The doors of Faneuil Hall have not been opened in the last four years on a more auspicious occasion. The city of Boston hails with joy the sentiments of loyalty and fealty to the old flag which Savannah, freed from her thraldom, is now permitted to utter; and as her mayor pre sided over the formal announcement of her renewed devotion to the coun try, so I acknowledge that it is fit that one holding similar official rela tions to Boston should participate in the proceedings of this meeting." The following resolutions were adopted, and Mayor Lincoln was deputed to forward them to the mayor of Savannah:
"Resolved, That the citizens of Boston have heard with sincere satis faction of the course pursued by the authorities and people of Savannah, since the occupation of their city by the federal forces under MajorGeneral Sherman; and especially of their distinct and hearty recognition of the duties resting upon them, and of the immunities resulting to them as citizens of the United States--their country and ours.
"Resolved, That we extend to the people of Savannah our congratu lations on their deliverance from the irresponsible power of the rebel gov ernment, and on the re-establishment over them of lawful and constitu tional supremacy.
"Resolved, That we esteem it a privilege to extend assistance to the suffering poor of Savannah, of whose destitution we are informed by the mayor and council of the city, and by the statement of Colonel Alien, made on this occasion.
"Resolved, That we invite the people of Boston to furnish such con tributions of money and provisions as the necessities of the case require, and that a committee of thirty, of which the mayor shall be chairman, be appointed by the presiding officer to receive them, and to make dis tribution as they shall judge proper."
The committee to whom was intrusted the collecting and forwarding of the supplies reported subscriptions as follows:

"At their first meeting on Tuesday, amounting to That the subscriptions on Wednesday were " " " " Thursday were " " " " Friday were

$3,700.00 17,607.00 8,529.00 3,955.50

Making a total of

$33,791.50"

The executive committee appointed to carry out the object for which the citizens gathered and to publish a permanent record of the matters

468

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

in relation thereto, mentioned in their report that they could not "omit

from this report the last appeal of Edward Everett in Fareuil Hail-

the appeal with which he closed his public labors on earth ' .*lf one

of the most touching which ever fell from his lips." Mr. I



his speech on the 9th of January, 1865, and he died on the ^^ of tue

same month.

The report of collections given above was made on the 13th of Jali

uary, but contributions continued to be made for several days, and the

total amount as afterwards corrected, was $34,495.07. In the letter of the

Boston committee to the mayor of Savannah, announcing the result of

their labors, this language was used:

"The history of former days is not forgotten. It has rather been

deepened by the later trials of our nation. We remember the earlier

kindness and liberality of the citizens of Savannah towards the people

of Boston in the dark colonial days. We recall the meeting held there on

the tenth day of August, 1774, when a committee was appointed 'to

receive subscriptions for the suffering poor of Boston,' as to which it is

recorded, ' There are large donations of rice for the sufferers in Boston,

and, had we the means of sending it to them, with very little trouble

much more would be collected and sent to them. Few have subscribed

less than ten tierces of rice.'" The rice was sent to New York, sold

there, and the proceeds, 216 Os 5d, were remitted to the Boston com

mittee, and by them applied to the relief of the poor here.

"We remember that Nathanael Greene, the noble son of Rhode Island,

sleeps in your beautiful cemetery. We recall the scene on the banks of

the Savannah river, when ' the military and municipality met the mourn

ful procession at the landing in your city; the whole body of citizens

joining with one accord in this last demonstration of respect to him who,

of all those who have distinguished themselves during the War of the

Revolution, was, next to Washington, the one who held, at this moment,

the highest place in public esteem.'''

MAYOR ANDERSON'S REPORT ON CONDITION OF CITY AT END OF WAR

.Perhaps in order to the saving of the city's resources and owing to the want of proper facilities for printing, the reports of the mayor.of Savannah did not appear in printed form for the years 1864 and 1865; but Mayor Edward C. Anderson, elected in December, 1865, mentioned the condition of the city in this way, after stating that the board headed by himself had been elected by virtue of an ordinance of the state con vention: "At that time our city had been set back in her progress by the vicissitudes of four years' civil war. Her finances were disordered and her revenues appropriated by the military tax gatherers then domi ciled in our midst. There were then but $2,000 in the treasury, and the outstanding accounts for past due coupons alone amounted to $371,570. Of this there was funded in new bonds to run twenty years $227,094.90 and redeemed for taxes and ground rents $68,048.35, leaving outstanding $76,426.75."
Of course, the first matter of importance to the city was the removal of obstructions placed in the river during the war and the deepening of the channel. Before the matter could receive proper attention through

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

469

congressional action, the city expended all the money it was possible to raise for the purpose.

BOARD OP EDUCATION CHARTERED
The next item of interest and importance was the question of the education of the children. Accordingly an act was passed by the legis lature of Georgia and approved by the governor as early as the 21st of March, 1866, through the efforts of a few public-spirited citizens, incor porating "The Board of Public Education for the City of Savannah," naming as member of said board Richard D. Arnold, John Stoddard, Solomon Cohen, Henry Williams, Edward J. Harden, John L. Villalonga, John Williamson, Edward C. Anderson, and John C. Ferrill, together with the commissioners of the Massie School, who, by the action of council adopted nearly at the same time, became members of the board, in these words: '' The mayor shall appoint three commissioners of the, Massie School, one of whom shall be the mayor, when he is not a regular member of the board of education for the city of Savannah, and the said com missioners may be selected from the aldermen, or citizens, or both, as the mayor may elect.'' At the time usual for opening the schools of the city that year, October 1st, the board was fully organized, and free tuition was established, the city agreeing to provide an. amount annually which, added to the county appropriation and the county's share of the state school fund, was deemed sufficient to meet all expenses. The charter was amended next year, changing the name so as to make the corporation "The Board of Public Education for the City of Savannah and the County of Chatham." In 1867 the Roman Catholic bishop, Augustin Verot, applied to the board for the appointment of three addi tional members of that body, representing the Catholic church, one of whom should be a priest. To that request a negative reply was made in which it was stated that "No member of this board holds his seat in any similar capacity, nor is any sect or faith specially represented in it," and other reasons for declining to grant the request were given with this closing remark: "For these reasons the board finds it impracticable to comply with your requests in the shape and upon the terms expressed in your present application." The bishop and other Catholics petitioned council on the 28th of October, 1868, to divide the educational fund granted by the city in proportion to free scholars found in each school, and the petition was by council referred to the board of education, which reported back that it "does not desire and does not feel authorized to mingle in the practical arrangement of the public school system the doctrines or tenets of any particular faith or creed with the general topics of school education in this county * * *. The board has no right to make discriminations or distributions among pupils or to classify them according to the religious tenets in which their guardians may desire them to be instructed. Any exclusiveness upon such subjects must be chargeable to those who assert and practice it, and not to any conduct, rule or principle of the board of education, or to any act of the legis lature or municipal authority." The continued and repeated claim that the Catholic schools should be incorporated in the public educational system brought forth a plan which was submitted to council on the 18th

470

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

of August, 1869, on which majority and minority reports were made,
and on the 25th of the same month the majority report was adopted together with the following resolution, offered by Alderman William H. Burroughs:

ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS TAKEN INTO PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

"Resolved, That the council adopt the majority report of the com mittee on education, and that the same be referred to the board of edu cation, with the recommendation from council that the children of our Roman Catholic fellow-citizens be received under the charge of the public school system at the earliest day possible, and with the further recommendation that as vacancies occur in the board of public education such vacancies be filled so that all classes of our community now entitled to be educated under the charter of the board of public education may be fairly and indiscriminately represented in said board of education." The plan of union is thus summarized in the next report of the superin tendent of schools: "In order to satisfy our Catholic fellow-citizens that there was no intention or desire on the part of the board of public education to interfere with their religious faith, the board was willing to elect only Catholics to positions as teachers in the schools which are composed of Catholic children. At the same time, to prevent the employ ment of incompetent teachers, it very properly reserved the right to examine into the qualifications of all applicants for places. By the terms of agreement, the introduction into the schools of books containing anything inimical or prejudicial to the Catholic faith was prohibited. On the other hand, it was agreed and distinctly understood between the two parties that religion was not to be taught, in the schools during the hours which, by the rules of the board, are set apart for proper school work. After the work of the session is completed there could be no objection to the room being used for religious purposes, provided no compulsion was used to secure the presence of such Protestant children as may be in the schools."

CHARTER AMENDED TO INCLUDE EDUCATION OF COLORED PEOPLE

In 1878 the charter of the board of education was amended by the superior court of Chatham county, in accordance with a change in the laws of Georgia authorizing the courts of the state to take jurisdiction in such matters, giving power to said board to take in charge the educa tion of "colored children, or children of African descent, in the city of Savannah and county of Chatham, between the ages of six and sixteen
years." At this time Hon. Samuel B. Adams is president of the Board of Edu
cation and Mr. Otis Ashmore is the superintendent, secretary and treas-

CHAPTER XXXIX
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES
BEGINNING OF COTTON CULTURE IN GEORGIA--RAPID GROWTH OF COTTON BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH--SAVANNAH SECOND COTTON PORT IN THE WORLD--FIGURES SHOWING BUSINESS OF SEVERAL DECADES-- NAVAL STORES AND IMPORTANT TRADE--SAVANNAH'S BUSINESS RECORD FOR PAST FOUR YEARS--CENTRAL OF GEORGIA RAILWAY--ITS FIRST PRESIDENT, W. W. GORDON--SAVANNAH'S BANKS--SAVANNAH AND THE PANAMA CANAL.
When it was well ascertained that the production of silk, of which it was hoped that Georgia would export large quantities, was not to be depended on, the amount of rice produced in the territory adjacent to Savannah was considerable. In 1760, the shipment of that grain amounted to 3,283 barrels. But even then the attention of planters was to a certain extent directed to the culture of cotton. Four years later, in 1764, the first shipment of that great southern product was consigned by the pros perous Savannah merchant, James Habersham, to Mr. William Rathbone, of Liverpool, and it consisted of eight bales. It was sent by way of New York and forwarded from that point by Mr. Habersham's agent, a Mr. Dilloii, and when it reached Liverpool it was seized by the custom house officers on the ground that so much cotton could not have been raised in the American colonies and was therefore liable to seizure as not having been imported in a vessel belonging to the country in which it was grown. The original manifest of the shipment was preserved for one hundred years, but during the war between the states it was sent, with other valuable papers, to the interior of Georgia for safe keeping, and in 1864 it was burned by some of General Sherman 's army.
BEGINNING OF COTTON CULTURE IN GEORGIA
The excitement beginning with the passage of the Stamp Act and continued until the end of the War of the Revolution put a -stop to the commercial business of Savannah, and trade was slow in progress, even after the end of the conflict. In 1786, the value of all exports was $58,000 less than in 1773, or $321,377. Even then little cotton was produced, and it has been supposed and stated by some writers that the first bale was shipped from Savannah in 1788, by Mr. Thomas Miller who, from that belief, was known as "Cotton" Miller; but the truth, as already
471
I

472

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

stated, is that Mr. Habersham sent eight bales out of the port of Savan nah twenty-four years before that date.
Within a few years after the close of the war with England it was evident that the culture of the cotton plant would become a business of some importance, and the fact that cotton was produced around Savan nah is shown by the invention of the cotton gin by Whitney at the plan
tation of General Nathanael Greene, called Mulberry Grove, in 1793. Seeing the difficulty of separating the seeds from the lint, Eli Whitney concluded that a device by which that work could be done more expeditiously than by hand would necessarily cause an increase in the produc tion of the staple, and he was right. From the time of his invention Savannah handled much more cotton, and it is no wonder that she has grown to be one of the largest cotton ports of the world. It is well to remember that she exported the first bale, that it was in the vicinity of the city that the cotton gin was invented, and that it was also near her border that the first sea island, or long staple, cotton was first raised in this country. That species was known in the West Indies as "Anquilla" cotton, and Josiah Tattnall and Nicolas Turnbull, on Skidaway Island, experimented with its culture, and successfully produced the lint. Afterward James Spalding and Alexander Bisset grew it on St. Simon's Island, and Richard Leake had a rich experience with it on Jekyl Island.

RAPID GROWTH OF COTTON BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH
It is impossible to present full statistics of the port of Savannah for the whole period of her commercial activity from the time that cotton began to be shipped on a large scale. With some exceptions the business increased annually from the very beginning. In 1818 the exports went beyond $14,000,000 in value. With the use of steam as the motive power for vessels, about the year 1817, the commerce of the city expanded. Steamboat lines were established between Savan nah and Augusta, and also between Savannah and Charleston, and between 1840 and 1860 much of the commerce was handled by steamers plying between the city and Northern and European ports. We have already given an account of the first steamship to cross the ocean, and it will be remembered that she was called the Savannah and that she made the run from this city to Liverpool. Exceptions to the usual progress occurred whenever a year of disaster came, such as the great fire of 1820 and the yellow fever epidemics of the same and other years. In 1825 the cotton shipments amounted to 137,257 bales, and in 1826 the number increased to 190,578. In 1845 the cotton shipments ran up to 304,544 bales, at which time a large amount of business in the handling of lumber was done; and in 1859 the enormous amount of 469,053 bales went out of the port to Northern and European markets.

SAVANNAH SECOND COTTON PORT IN WORLD

As was expected, the opening of the Central Railroad to Macon
brought a large increase in the commerce of Savannah. Later still the trade was largely increased by the building of the Savannah and
Albany Railroad which has several times changed its name, now being known as a portion of the Atlantic Coast Line System. In recent years

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

473

the extension of the railroad systems leading into the port have brought so large an addition of the cotton growing section into direct communi
cation with the city that the trade in that commodity is enormous.
Savannah has now become the second cotton port in the world. On the
20th of February, 1912, the receipts for the season of 1912-13 reached 2,000,000 bales, and at the end of the season the number was estimated at two millions and a half.

FIGURES SHOWING BUSINESS FOR SEVERAL DECADES

An idea of the business done for a period of twenty years up to

the beginning of the war of secession may be gathered from the fol

lowing table:

Bales of Tierces of Feet of

Year

Cotton

Rice

Lumber

1839 ..........................199,176 21,321

1840 ..........................284,249 24,39,2

1841 ..........................147,280' 23,587 14,295,200

1842 ..........................222,254 22,064

8,490,400

1843 ..........................280,826 26,281

7,529,550

1844 ..........................244,575 28,543

5,923,251

1845 ..........................304,544 29,217

8,270,582

1846 ..........................186,306 32,147 18,585,644

1847 ..........................234,151 31,739 54,731,385

1854 ..........................317,471 30,748 49,855,700

1855 ..........................388,375

8,220 25,500,000

1856 ..........................393,092 29,907 34,887,500

1857 ..........................327,658 27,536 44,743,070

1858 ..........................292,829 31,345 28,365,656

1859 ..........................469,053 38,130 39,928,084

All Foreign All Foreign All Foreign

Tierces

1860 ..........................314,084

6,790 20,723,350

From the end of the war for a period of twenty-five years the cot

ton exports were as follows:

Upland Cotton
Coast Year Foreign wise Total 1865 . .. 60,144 159,298 219,442 1866 . ..101,737 140,396 242,133 1867 . ..286,671 234,434 521,105
1868 . ..164,674 184,690 349,364
1869 . ..260,366 197,033 457,399 1870 . ..478,941 248,326 727,267 1871 . ..289,000 151,335 440,335 1872 . ..373,793 224,048 597,841 1873 . ..373,730 234,299 608,029 1874 . ..426,090 222,073 648,163 1875 . ..420,881 190,023 610,904 1876 . ..368,844 165,900 534,744

Sea Island Cotton Coast-
Foreign wise 3,891: 3,648 8,137 6,70U 6,467 5,195 3,329 3,298 6,488 7,696 2,568 4,424 1,061 4,306 2,395 5,307 2,165 5,341 3,472 4,480 2,354 5,821 1,374 5,516

Total 7,539 14,817 11,662 6,627 14,184 6,992 5,367 7,702 7,506 7,952 8,175 6,890

474

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

1877 . ..298,546 186,28i 484,830 1878 . ..348,596 261,742 610,338 1879 . ..458,208 234,474 692.682 1880 . ..423,896 305,059 728,955 1881 . ..498,551 381,911 880,462 1882 . ..336,648 394,833 731,481 1883 . ..418,385 394,658 813,043 1884 . ..358,150 296,345 654,495 1885 . ..389,290 317,874 707,164 1886 . ..400,437 383,316 783,753 1887 . ..485,999 289,828 775.827 1888 . ..384,440 478,935 863^375 1889 . ..320,343 476,813 797,156

1,219 2,939 1,784
796 5,836 2,163173'
1,649 1,568 1,483 1,744 1,386 3,536

5,001
8,430 7,019 10,480 8,003 15,404 11,442 7,606 17,515 21,307 26,195
22,647 25,846

6,220 11,369
8,803 11,276 13,839 17,541 12.055
9,255 19,083 22,790 27,936 24,033 29,382

NAVAL STORES AND IMPORTANT TRADE

Among the naval stores in

important which she

commercial interests compares favorably

of Savannah is that of with other ports. That

business practically began in 1870. By the year 1883 it had assumed

NAVAL STORES, SAVANNAH

an importance which theretofore had not been dreamed of. At that

time the president of the board of trade stated that '' twelve years ago

a barrel of rosiii or spirits of turpentine was scarcely known in this

market, while today Savannah is known as the largest naval stores

market barrels

in of

the world, our receipts for the spirits arid 564,026 barrels of

past fiscal rosin, the

year being 133,139 aggregate value of

which is about $4,000,000, ranking second to cotton in value." The

following table shows the receipts almost from the beginning of its

importance for the next fifteen years:

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

475

Bbls. Spirits

Year

of Turpentine

1875 ........................... 9,555

1876 ............................ 15,521

1877 ........................... 19,984

1878 ........................... 31,138

1879 ........................... 34,368

1880 ^........................... 46,321

1881 ............................ 54,703

1882 ........................... 77,059

1883 ...........................116,127

1884 ...........................121,000

1885 ...........................111,(447

1886 '.......................... .127,785

1887 ............................164,199

1888 .............................162,237

1889 ...........................173,863

Bbls. of Rosin
41,707 59^92 98,888 177,104 X 177,447 231,421 282,386 309,834 444,873 486,961 452,370 476,508 609,025 639,933 610,302

Total 51,262 75,313 118,872 208,242 211,815 277,742 337,089 386,893 561,000 607,961 563,817 604,293 773,224 802,170 784.165

SAVANNAH'S BUSINESS RECORD FOR PAST FOUR YEARS

Savannah's commercial record for the past four years is summed

up in the following table:

1911-1912 1910-1911 1909-1910 1908-1909

Cotton ....... $127,000,000 $113,000,000 $103,000,000 $80,000,000

Naval Stores . 14,500,000 15,500,000 11,000,000 10,000,000

Lumber ....... 8,000,000 7,000,000 7,500,000 6,000,000

Fertilizers and

Phosphates . 11,000,000 13,000,000 10,400,000 8,300,000

Groceries ..... 11,000,000 11,000,000 11,000,000 10,500,000

Liquors arid

Tobacco . . . 3,750,000 3,750,000 3,500,000 4,000,000

Dry Goods and

Notions .... 6,000,000 5,500,000 5,000,000 4,500,000

Clothing ...... 5,650,000 6,150,000 5,650,000 5,650,000

Boots, Shoes

and Hats . . . 5,750,000 4,650,000 4,650,000 4,500,000

Hardware .... 4,250,000 4,250,000 4,250,000 4,250,000

Grain and Hay 3,250,000 2,500,000 2,500,000 3,000,000

Provisions ..... 3,750,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,700,000

Fruits and

Vegetables . 2,250,000 2,250,000 2,250,000 2,000,000

Builders' Sup

plies ...... 4,600,000 4,000,000 4,000,000 3,800,000

Furniture .... 1,500,000 1,500,000 1,300,000 1,100,000

Rice .......... '500,000

500,000

500,000

500,000

Wool ......... 250,000

250,000

250,000

200,000

Country Pro

duce ....... 1,000,000

700,000

700,000

500,000

Coal and Wood 1,500,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,000,000

Manufactures . . 32,000,000 26,000,000 22,500,000 17,500,000

Retail Trade . . 25,000]000 21.000.000 20,000,000 18,000.000

476

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Miscellaneous .. 19,000,000 17,500,000 17,000,000 15,000,000

Totals .....$291,500,000 $264,900,000 $241,350,000 $203,000,000
In 1910 the exports from Savannah were $63,428,155 and for the year 1911 the exports were $72,076,045.
While the export business in Savannah has been increasing wonder fully, the import business has more than doubled in the past four years. The following are the figures for the past four years:
1909 ......................................$2,152,441 1910 ....................................... 3,855,373 1911 ...................................... 5,296,746 1912 (to date) ............................. 5,130,979 From the arrival book in the United States Custom House, during the year ending June 30, 1912,1,354 vessels had entered the port. This includes both, foreign and coastwise vessels in all classes. This is an average of 113 vessels a month. Of the 741 vessels entering the port, the net tonnage was 1,955,953, an average of 2,640 net tons to the vessel. Six hundred and nine ves sels cleared during the year with a total net tonnage of 1,579,099, an average of 2,593. The report of the harbormaster for the calendar year of 1911 shows total vessels arriving at Savannah as follows: American steamers 789, with a total net tonnage of 1,886,573. American sailing vessels 181, with a total net tonnage of 112,184 tons. Foreign steamers 315, with a total net tonnage of 720,742 tons. Foreign sailing vessels 5, with a total net tonnage of 3,451 tons. Tugs and oil barges 18, with a total tonnage of 23,806 tons. Few persons have an accurate idea of the immense amount of busi ness done through Savannah annually. For the calendar year 1911, the following are the figures for vessels entering the port: The total tonnage (short tons) of the foreign vessels was 576,607, with the valuation of $6,279,562. Coastwise steamers entering the port totaled 531,665 tons and the cargoes were valued at $75,496,430. The domestic sailing vessels entering the port had a total tonnage of 229,410, and the cargoes were valued at $2,492,625. The foreign steamers departing during the year had a total tonnage of 574,867, and the cargoes were valued at $82,028,929. The coastwise steamships went away with the total tonnage of 501,833, and it was valued at $71,260,286. The tonnage of the sailing vessels was 275,285 and the cargoes were valued at $2,064,636. The total tonnage and valuations of commerce both inward and out ward during the year 1911 was 2,954,814 tons with the valuation of $246,678,077, while in 1910 the tonnage was 2,920,060, with the total valuation of $224,512,440.

CENTRAL OF GEORGIA RAILWAY

At this point the railroad facilities may be briefly stated as follows: The city is the terminal of the Central of Georgia Railway, controlled

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

477

by the Illinois Central Railroad, the Southern Railway, the Seaboard Air Line Railway, the Atlantic Coast Line Railway, the Brinson Rail way, and the Savannah and Statesboro Railroad, with a total mileage of 16,407, passing through twelve states, but counting all the lines together with their tributaries that number foots up to 22,277. In con nection with their systems and the steamship facilities embracing the Ocean Steamship Company, an adjunct of the Central of Georgia Rail way, and the Merchants and Miners' Transportation Company, with steamers of the former plying between Savannah, New York, and Bos ton and of the latter between Savannah, Jacksonville, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, the business transacted at the wharves east and west of the city and across the river on Hutchinson 's Island is immense. Ves sels load at all the terminals for London, Liverpool, Antwerp, Bremen, Hamburg, Barcelona, Rotterdam, Genoa, Naples, Trieste, and for all ports of importance throughout the world. The Central of Georgia has its own passenger depot, while the the other lines use the Union Passenger Station.
ITS FIRST PRESIDENT, W. W. GORDON
When the Central Railroad and Banking Company of Georgia was in the height of its prosperity, before the inauguration of measures which culminated in its becoming a component part of the extensive system to which it now belongs, the directors put in operation a plan to honor the memory of its first president, William W. Gordon. The result was the erection in 1882 of the costly monument which ornaments Wright square. It is a work of art and attracts general attention. On the north side a panel bears in large capital letters the one word Gor don ; a tablet on which are represented a train of cars and other emblems of transportation and commerce is in position on the east side; on the south another panel bears the inscription:
WILLIAM WASHINGTON GORDON Born June 17, 1796 Died March 20, 1842 The Pioneer
Of Works of Internal Improvement in Jlis Native State
And First President of The Central Railroad and Banking Company
Of Georgia To Which He Gave His Time, His Talents
And Finally His Life. On the west side the center panel bears this inscription:
Erected A. D. 1882 By The
Central Railroad and Banking Company Of Georgia
In Honor of a Brave Man A Faithful and Devoted Officer And to Preserve His Name in the Grateful Remembrance of his Fellow Citizens

478

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

The cotton exchange was organized in 1872, and the board of. trade in 1883. Hon. Joseph F. Gray, the managing director of the former, and Mr. Thomas Purse, secretary of the latter, have the hearty praise
of the public for their work in the offices they respectively hold.

SAVANNAH'S BANKS

Savannah has had many banking institutions, of which the earliest were the Planter's Bank, the Bank of the State of Georgia, and'the branch of the old United States Bank. Just before the war of 1861-1865 there were a number in successful operation, of which we will mention the Marine, Central Railroad and Banking Company, Planters, Farm ers and Mechanics, Bank of Commerce, Bank of Savannah, and the

SAVANNAH BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
Timber Cutter's Bank. These having all invested in Confederate bonds and money all surrendered their charters and wound up business at the close of the war, with the exception of the Central Railroad. The last named, under a decision of the company's directors discontinued the banking business at a later date, so that there is not a bank in the city at this time which was in operation before 1861. Of those now doing business the Merchants' National was chartered in 1866, the Savannah Bank and Trust Company in 1869, the Southern Bank of the State of Georgia (now the Citizens and Southern Bank of Savannah) in 1870, the National Bank of Savannah in 1885, and the Oglethorpe Savings and Trust Company in 1887. It is authoritatively stated that Savannah has never had a bank failure.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

479

Other banks now doing business successfully are the Germania, chartered in 1890, and the Georgia State Savings Association of the same date, the Savannah Trust Company, 1902; the Hibernia, 1906; the Exchange, the Chatham (chartered as the Chatham Dime Savings Bank), the Commercial, People's Savings & Loan Company, Real Estate & Trust Company, the Liberty Street Branch of the Citizen's and Southern, and the Citizen's Trust Company. The success of all these institutions is seen in the fine buildings recently erected and now in process of erection by them. Savannah has twelve banks doing a regular banking business, and four savings, loan and trust companies, the total capital of which is $4,307,530. Their total surplus and undi vided profits is $3,466,991.14.
The following shows in detail the banks, their capital, and surplus and undivided profits:

Citizens and Southern. .............,$ 700,000.00 Germania Bank .................... 300,000.00 Savannah Bank & Trust Co.......... 628,600.00 National Bank ..................... 250,000.00 Chatham Bank .................... 150,000.00 Savannah Trust Co................. 500,000.00 Merchants National Bank............ 500,000.00 Exchange Bank .................... 125,000.00 Hibernia Bank ..................... 200,000.00 Commercial Bank :................. 83,930.00 Real Estate Bank................... 150,000.00 Oglethorpe Savings & Trust Co....... 125,000.00 Georgia State Savings Association.... 325,000.00 Citizens Trust Co................... 100,000.00 Peoples Savings & Loan Co.......... 120^000.00 Peoples Bank ..................... 50,000.00
$4,307,530.00

$ 966,020,77 341,584.70 552,995.46 466,504.29 59,198.83 258,088.25 199,149.33 44,138.02 168,855.77 50,907.66 17,129.59 151,680.00 130,768.00 23,000.00 26,034.73 12.972.27
$3,466,991.14

The banking capital of Savannah has nearly doubled in the last ten years, and with the increase of resources the banks have been enabled to find employment for all their loanable funds, at remunerative rates of interest.

SAVANNAH AND THE PANAMA CANAL

The increase in the number of manufactories, although not rapid, is steady. Numbers of new industries were organized during the last year, and in almost every instance, have done a satisfactory business. Savannah's close proximity to almost unlimited sources of raw material, her unexcelled transportation facilities by land and water, and attrac tive shipping rates, add to her importance as an industrial center. AVith the opening of the Panama Canal, and Savannah the gateway of the entire South through which will pass its products to the countries of South America, the city cannot fail to command the attention of manu facturers throughout the country as the logical point for the establish ment not only of depots, but of great factories, which will supply the

480

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

republics of the South with manufactured commodities. This means a still further investment of capital and the further development of Savannah as a financial center.
The completion of the Panama Canal will, in all probability, greatly benefit Savannah commercially. That seems to be the opinion of busi ness men who have carefully considered the matter. In May, 1912, an article by Mr. A. C. Laut was printed in the Saturday Evening Post referring to this subject and commenting on the commercial advantages of the city, in which he said:
'' On the face of it, it looks as though the western curve of the coast cuts off Savannah's benefits from Panama; but take a second look! From being the third largest exporter of cotton, Savannah moved up to the second place in 1911. Why? Just because the curve west of the coast brings Savannah closer to the cotton fields than other ports. Savannah has, in fact, today more commerce than her terminals can

COTTON YARDS AND DOCKS, SAVANNAH handle. She is a city that has never had a boom and has never had a bank failure! Nearly nine .millions of dollars has been spent in deep ening her harbor, with a decrease in freight rates of 37 per cent. For every dollar spent in widening the river and harbor Savannah has received a proportionate increase in commerce. For every foot the harbor has been deepened Savannah's export trade has been really increased. Of her exports cotton is the big item, shipped nearly alto gether, of course, in foreign bottoms. Before the big crop of last year rates to Europe used to run twenty-five to twenty-seven cents a hundred weight. Then the big crop came, and the foreign ships jacked up the rates. Savannah pays forty-five cents now. And the big profit goes, not to the cotton growers, but to the foreign ship owners. What has all this to do with Panama? Just this: Of late years India, China, and Japan have been taking millions of bales of American cotton. That sounds like carrying coal to Newcastle; but American cotton is used

1

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

481

to blend and, grade up India cotton; and the demand is likely to increase a hundred fold. It will if rates do not act as an embargo. Cotton is a bulky thing for railroads to handle. Across the continent or by the Suez Canal, it costs eighty-five cents a hundred weight to send cotton to Asia. Panama will cut these rates sixty per cent if--another big if--
there are ships for the trade. '' Savannah is, as already said, the second largest cotton port of the
world. Her exports of cotton exceed the combined exports of cotton of
all other Atlantic ports. "Savannah's rank among the principal ports of the United States in
export values is fourth, and second in rank of the ports of the Atlantic coast. She has forged ahead of Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and others of less importance, and is exceeded only by New York.
Savannah is the largest Sea Island cotton market in the world, han dling 62 per cent, of the entire crop.
"Savannah holds the world's record for the largest cargo of cotton--
26,676 bales. " Savannah is the primary naval stores market of the world. She
fixes the prices of naval stores for the entire world. "From the standpoint of volume of business, Savannah is one of the
most important telegraphic points in the South, being ranked only by New Orleans and Memphis.
"Savannah to Panama Canal, 1,835 nautical miles--705 miles nearer than New York, 610 miles nearer than Philadelphia, and 520 miles nearer than Baltimore. Savannah is also nearer the Canal than either New Orleans or Galveston.
"Savannah's principal exports are cotton, cotton manufactured goods, cotton seed oil and its numerous by-products; rosin, turpentine, lumber, phosphate rock, poplar, gum, cedar, oak, and other hardwoods.
"Owing to the curvature of the South Atlantic coast, Savannah is nearer the great granary of this continent, and nearer Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis, Nashville, and the West generally, than either New York, Philadelphia or Baltimore.
"In recognition of the commercial importance of Savannah the Fed eral government has expended in continuous improvement of Savannah river and harbor over $8,500,000, and the beneficient results of the improvement are: Forty per cent, increase in the size of vessels; thirtyseven per cent, decrease in ocean freight rates; and twenty-five per cent, decrease in the cost of marine insurance.
"The present harbor depth enables vessels to go to sea in perfect safety at 30 feet. The board of government engineers has approved plans and congress has made the necessary appropriations for provid ing a depth of 33 feet at mean high water from the city wharves to the ocean bar, and this work is now being carried on.
"For every dollar that has been expended on the Savannah river and harbor there has been an annual increase of $10 in commerce. For every foot of increase depth in Savannah harbor there has been an annual
increase of seven million dollars in commerce. "The major part of the commerce of the port of Savannah is
'through' commerce; therefore the benefits flowing from the improve ment of Savannah river and harbor are not confined to Savannah, but are so far-reaching as to be almost national in extent.''

J

CHAPTER XL
INTERESTING ITEMS
LIST OP MEMBERS OF COUNCIL CONTINUED--VISIT OP GENERAL GRANT-- SAVANNAH'S SESQUI-CENTENNIAL--JASPER MONUMENT--DEATH OP HON. JOHN SCREVEN--SAVANNAH AND THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR --SOUTH BOUND RAILROAD--PUBLIC LIBRARY ESTABLISHED AND CITY HALL BUILT--TELPAIR ACADEMY OP ARTS AND SCIENCES--RAILROAD TO TYBEE ISLAND.
Hitherto we have named in full the members of the city council of Savannah from the time of its incorporation to and including the year 1866. Believing that names of the men who guided the affairs of the municipality during every period of its history should be preserved, we continue the list from that point.
MEMBERS OP COUNCIL CONTINUED
In 1867 the Hon. Edward C. Anderson was mayor, and he had as colleagues in the board of aldermen Martin J. Ford, John L. Villalonga, Wm. Hunter, Alvin N. Milter, Wm. H. Burroughs, Matthias H. Meyer, Henry Brigham, Edward C. Wade, Francis L. Gue, Geo. W. Wylly, James J. Waring, Chas C. Millar, and Frederick W. Sims.
It will be noted that slight changes were made in the year 1868, when Colonel Anderson again served as mayor, and the aldermen were as follows: M. J. Ford, J. L. Villalonga, William Hunter, A. N. Miller, W. H. Burroughs, M. H. Meyer, H. Brigham, F. L. Gue, George W. Wylly, J. J. Waring, F. W. Sims, and E. A. Soullard.
Hon. John Screven was elected mayor in 1869, together with alder men Alfred Haywood, Samuel T. Scranton, John 0. Ferrill, Richard J. Davant, John Schwarz, Moses J. Solomons, Andrew M. Sloan, William H. Tison, Michael Lavin, George N. Nichols, James O'Byrne, William M. Davidson, and Augustus P. Wetter.
Col. John Screven was again elected mayor in 1870, and was assisted by aldermen Robert H. Footman, M. J. Solomons, G. N. Nichols, A. Haywood, J. 0. Ferrill, M. Lavin, John Schwarz, Edward C. Anderson, Jr.,- M. H. Meyer, John T. Ronan, Christopher C. Casey and John R. Dillon.
.482

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

483

Col. John Screven was elected for the third time in succession in 1871, as mayor, with a board of aldermen composed of A. Haywood, R. H. Footman, John Schwarz, J. 0. Ferrill, Marmaduke Hamilton, George Cornwall, William Hunter, Francis J. Ruckert, William McLeod, William S. Basinger, Christopher White and A. G. McArthur. The term of that board did not expire until January, 1873, when they were succeeded by the following:
Mayor, Edward C. Anderson; and aldermen, John A. Douglass, John McMahon, Edward Lovell, Thomas H. Harden, H. Brigham, A. P. Wetter, John Cunningham, M. H. Meyer, J. L. Villalonga, Francis Blair, Isaac Brunner, R. D. Arnold, G. Moxley Sorrel, S. H. Eckman, and Thomas Ballantyne, who served until 1875, when the following took up the reins of government:
Edward C. Anderson, mayor; and aldermen, John McMahon, J. L. Villalonga, F. Blair, M. H. Meyer, E. Lovell, H. Brigham, Thomas Ballantyne, John A. Douglass, R. D. Arnold (who died on the 10th of July, 1876, and whose funeral was one of the largest ever seen in the city), S. H. Eckman, John Cunningham, G. M. Sorrel, John M. Wil liams, Fred. M. Hull and James F. Watkins.
Serving from 1877 to 1879, the board was composed of John F. Wheaton, mayor; and aldermen, Samuel P. Hamilton, John Schwarz, William H. Tison, Henry F. Willink, Daniel G. Purse, James H. Johnston, Edward Lovell, C. E. Groover, William Duncan, J. J. Waring, John R. Hamlet, J. K. Reilly, John C. Rowland and George C. Freeman.
From 1879 to 1881 the board stood as follows: John F. Wheaton, mayor; and aldermen, Elias A. Weil, H. F. Wil link, J. R. Hamlet, John Schwarz, William Duncan, D. G. Purse, Daniel 0'Connor, E. Lovell, Thomas Ballantyne, George C. Freeman, Henry Blun, and Louis H. de Montmollin.
For two years, beginning in January, 1881, the following served the city as members of council:
Mayor, John F. Wheaton; and aldermen, S. P. Hamilton, Michael J. Doyle, G. C. Freeman, William Duncan, John Schwarz, Joseph A. Roberts, William E. Guerard, Charles C. Hardwick, D. 0'Connor, Simon E. Byck, Jacob J. Abrams and A. J. Aylesworth.
From 1883 to 1885: Mayor, Rufus E. Lester; aldermen, Joseph J. Wilder, J. R. Hamlet, J. Florance Minis, William B. Mell, John Derst, Daniel R. Thomas, David Wells, Samuel P. Hamilton, George N.
Nichols, Edward M. Green, Andrew Hanley and Patrick J. 0 'Connor. From 1885 to 1887: Mayor, Rufus E. Lester; and aldermen, Robert
D. Bogart, William Duncan, John Derst, S, P. Hamilton, J. R. Hamlet, Herman Myers, George J. Mills, William B. Mell, George N. Nichols, P. J. 0'Connor, D. R. Thomas, David Wells, and James R. Sheldon.
From 1887 to 1889: Mayor, Rufus E. Lester; and aldermen, R. D. Bogart, William Duncan, George S. Haines, Herman Myers, John J. McDonough, G. J. Mills, W. B. Mell, G. N. Nichols, William F. Reid, John Schwarz, D. R. Thomas, David Wells and Charles S. Ellis.
From 1889 to 1891: Mayor, John Schwarz; aldermen, William P. Bailey, William G. Cann, Louis A. Falligant, Richard F. Harraon, Raymond B. Harris, John J. McDonough, G. J. Mills, Herman Myers,

484

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

G. N. Nichols, W. F. Reid, Elton A. Smith, David Wells, George S. Haines and John A. G. Carson.
After one term of successful service, John Schwarz retired in 1891, and John J. McDonough succeeded him with a board of aldermen com prising William P. Bailey, W. G. Cann, J. A. G. Carson, G. S. Haines, R, F. Harmon, R. B. Harris, Peter W. Meldrim, G. J. Mills, Herman Myers, James McGuire, William I. O'Brien, W. F. Reid, Walter G. Charlton and Merritt W. Dixon.
Re-elected in 1893, Hon. John J. McDonough had an aldermanic board named as follows: William M. Bohan, W. G. Cann, M. W. Dixon, William Duncan, G. S. Haines, R. B. Harris, Thomas H. McMillan^ G. J. Mills, Herman Myers, W. I. O'Brien, Thomas Screven, David Wells, Thomas A. Folliard, Walter G. Charlton, Charles D. Baldwin and George II. Remshart.
Hon. Herman Myers succeeded John J. McDonough as mayor in 1895, and he was ably supported by a board of aldermen comprised of Hal H. Bacon, J. J. Carolan, Louis A. Falligant, William Garrard, Edward C. Gleason, George A. Hudson, Henry Kolshorn, C. A. Lamotte, Thomas Screven, George W. Tiedeman, W. J. AVatson, Harry Willink, Daniel B. Lester and Adolph Leffler.
In 1897, Hon. Peter W. Meldrim was elected head of city council, with the following aldermanic board: Samuel P. Hamilton, William W. Owens, Thomas J. Davis, Thomas S. Wylly, Jr., Robert M. Hull, John W. Smith, A. S. Guckenheimer, S. Krouskoff, Arthur L. Weil, W. F. Reid, Thomas F. O'Connell, Walter G. Charlton, William Duncan, J. B. Johnson and D. R. Thomas.
Herman Myers became mayor again in 1899, and the aldermanic board contained the names of George W. Tiedeman, Thomas Screven, J. P. Williams, David Wells, John Schwarz, James M. Dixon, H. H. Bacon, Joseph G. Jarrell, G. J. Mills, D. R. Thomas, Isaac G. Haas, St. J. B. Graham, Michael J. Doyle and John J. Horrigan.
Re-elected in 1901, Herman Myers had as his board of aldermen for two years James M. Dixon, Hal H. Bacon, W. C. Fripp, John J. Horrigan, Edwin M. Frank, E. A. M. Schroder, Francis Fitch Jones, John F. Canty, Robert L. Holland, W. J. Watson, Daniel D. Thomas and Robert L, Colding, but Alderman Fripp did not serve out his term and A. J. Garfunkel was elected in his place.
For the next two years, 1903-1905, the board stood thus: Mayor, Herman Myers; and aldermen, J. M. Dixon, A. J. Garfunkel, E. A. M. Schroder, J. F. Canty, J. H. McKenna, William L. Grayson, George L. Harmon, D. R. Thomas, J. F. Glatigny, W. H. Wright, Richard J. Davant and F. M. Oliver; and the same board served two years more, by re-election, until 1907, when the following were elected:
1907-1909: Mayor, George W. Tiedeman; aldermen, Richard J. Davant, Frank C. Battey, Albert H. Entelman, J. D. Epps, G. Arthur Gorgon, A. S. Guckenheimer, J. D. Gaudry, M. J. Kavanaugh, J. F. Perritt, C. G. Willdnson, H. E. Wilson and W. F. McCauley.
For the two years from 1909 to 1911 the same board served, except that during that period changes were made whereby J. H. H. Entelman, Robert M. Hull, Abram Vetsburg, Craig Barrow, and H. S. Meinhard

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

485

look the places of the same number of aldermen who retired, and served for a portion of the time; and it should be borne in mind that in the lists of this sort printed in this work wherever more than twelve names occur in the board of aldermen during any year the reason therefor is that some of those regularly elected retired before the expiration of the term and others were chosen to fill the vacancies occurring in that way.
The board elected in 1911 was composed of mayor, George W. Tiedeman; and aldermen, F. C. Battey, Craig Barrow, J. II. H. Entelman, J. B. Gaudry, H. B. Grimshaw, R. M. Hull, II. L. Kayton, W. F. McCauley, H. S. Meinhard, M. J. O'Leary, J. F. Sullivan, and C. G. Wilkinson.
In January of the present year, 1913, Richard J. Davant was elected mayor, with the following board of aldermen: W. J. Pierpont, W. H. Wright, E. A. M. Schroder, John W. Daniel, John E. Foy, Henry H. Livingston, "William W. Williamson, J. C. Slater, George B. Elton, AYilliam A. Pigraan, IT. L. Kayton, and II. B. Grimshaw; and they will serve the city until January, 1915.
We will now devote our attention to some facts which do not require any special and extended notice, but which are worthy of record.
The present market house, begun in 1870, was finished in 1872. We have given a history of the market places from the incorporation of Sa vannah to that time; but the first Savannah market was built in Wright Square. Acts were passed in the Provincial Assembly in relation to the market in 1755, 1758, 1759, 1763 and 1764. The act of 1763 authorized the removal of "the buildings and stalls now erected and used for a market in the centre of a Square of the said town of Savannah, called Wright's Square," and commissioners were "authorized to lay out a proper space or quantity of ground in a square * * * called Ellis's Square." De Brahm, before the Revolution, recorded the fact that there were six market places in Savannah.

VISIT OF GENERAL GRANT

It was considered the proper thing to extend a special invitation to Gen. U. S. Grant to include this city in his southern tour in the winter of 1879-80, and council formally invited him on the 24th of December to stop over in Savannah, which he did, and he was cordially received.
So intensely shocked were the people on the occasion of the attack on the life of President James A. Garfield that on July 6, 1881, council adopted a resolution declaring that "the mayor and aldermen, speaking
for all classes of citizens, have heard with intense horror of the attempt to assassinate the president of the United States," and "hoping that the life and services of the distinguished victim will be spared to the country and his family," and, on his death, resolutions of regret were adopted and it was ordered that the council chamber be draped in black for thirty days, a meeting of citizens was held for the purpose of taking
action expressive of their feelings, at which time the business places1 were closed.

486

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

SAVANNAH'S SESQUI-CENTENNIAL

In February, 1883, the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the colony of Georgia was celebrated in a proper way, and the occasion was much more elaborately observed than was the one hundredth anniversary in 1833. Governor Alexander H. Stephens was present, and made an impressive address, his very last, in the Savannah Theater, and during his stay in the city he was taken ill and died shortly after his return to Atlanta, where the funeral services were attended by the mayor and aldermen of Savannah on the 8th of March. Four days before, that body adopted resolutions feelingly expressive of the loss of such a man to the state and to the world.
In April, 1883, President Chester A. Arthur visited Savannah, but was entertained privately.
On the 27th of November, 1885, the citizens met and did honor to the memory of Yice-President Thomas A. Hendricks, and Mayor Rufus E. Lester issued a proclamation requesting the suspension of business generally on the 1st of December, "during the hours of the funeral services of the illustrious dead, that proper respect might lie paid to the memory of one whose life and character commended him to the esteem and affection of his countrymen."
On the 14th of September, 1886, an earthquake did considerable damage to many buildings in the city; but the effects were far less disastrous here than in Charleston.
The occasion of the visit of Postmaster-General Walter Q. Gresham in 1884 was considered of such importance that he was the guest of the city, and council gave him a reception which was arranged by a committee consisting of Aldermen Edward M. Green, George X. Nichols and Daniel R. Thomas.
The following year, on the 24th of January, the Hon. Carl Sclmrz was likewise honored, and Aldermen John Derst, S. P. Hamilton and Andrew Ilanley made all the preparations for his entertainment.

On the 22d of February, 1888, the monument to Sergt. William Jasper, erected through the exertions of the Jasper .Monument Asso ciation, was unveiled, and the oration of the day was delivered by Gen. John B. Gordon. At that time President Cleveland visited Savan nah. On learning of the contemplated tour of the president, city council, on the 6th of August, 1887, adopted a resolution inviting him, Mrs. Cleveland, and the members of the cabinet, to visit the city, and the invitation was sent on the 14th of February, 1888. The time of the*visit of Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland happened to be the same day as the unveiling of the monument, which was designed by the distinguished sculptor,
Alexander Doyle. In the same year Gen. Robert II. Anderson, an ex-officer of the
Confederate army and then the chief of police of the city, died, on the 8th of February. So popular was that gallant soldier and efficient city officer that his funeral was made a public event and the whole city was in mourning. All offices were closed, and the police barracks was

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

487

clad in sable for thirty days. Council adopted resolutions of " grateful appreciation of his merit and efficiency as a public servant who lived without stain and died without fear and without reproach/' and his work as head of the police force is thus mentioned in the report of the committee appointed to draft the resolutions:
"General Andersen was eminently fitted by education, experience, and inclination far the high duty assigned. He formed and managed his department upon the basis of military discipline. He introduced a spirit of soldierly cohesion. He cultivated respect for rank, and imbued his force with a true esprit de corps. The members soon recog nized and approved a discipline which, if exact, was just and impartial and maintained the integrity of the body. The dignity of the com mander pursued its calm and even tenor without degenerating into the familiarity of the companion, but it yielded always on occasion to the sympathy and kindness of the friend. Not only the efficiency of the body was sedulously sought, but the rights and comforts of the members were steadily maintained. The result was the attainment of a force equal if not superior to any in the land." In the beautiful cemetery of Bonaventure a monument was erected by the force which he had so successfully commanded, ami its dedication on the 22d of February, 1894, was attended by city council and by nearly the whole population of Savannah.
Because of his great labor in behalf of the improvement of the harbor, council, on the 16th of May, 1888, tendered a vote of thanks to United States Senator Joseph E. Brown.
.By invitation of the same body the legislature of the state visited the city in October, 1889, and the members were entertained at the public expense. In December of the same year the citizens met at the call of Mayor John Sehwarz, to take action on the death of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate states, and the resolution calling the meeting contained this language: "The exalted and representative character of the distinguished dead, his eminent public services, and the affection felt for him by our people, all recommend a public recognition of the sad event."
In June, 1890, council appropriated $1,000 for the entertainment of the Alabama Press Association which visited the city on the 17th of that month; and in January, 1896, the city took steps to entertain the newspaper men of Rhode Island and others in the party stopping in their passage through Savannah to pay tribute to the memory of Gen. Nathanial Greene. Mayor Herman Myers invited the Georgia Society of Sons of the Revolution, and the Savannah Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to co-operate with him in entertaining the visitors, when ceremonies suitable to the occasion were observed at the monument to that hero of the Revolution.
Council, in 1890, assented to measures put on foot to honor the memory of two distinguished Confederate officers. On the 7th of Feb ruary, as recorded in their minutes, "in recognition of the distinguished character of Gen. Lafayette McLaws," it agreed to "tender to those charged with the duty of erecting a tablet or monument to his memory any site in the public domain or reservations that may be mutually agreed upon, the site to be conferred by ordinance"; and during the same year the same action was taken in regard to a memorial of Gen.

488

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Francis S. Bartow. The memorials, through the great efforts of Capt. Daniel G. Purse, were provided for and were executed in the form of bronze busts on stone pedestals, and were first placed in Chippewa square--that of General McLaws facing north at the Hull street side of the square and that of General Bartow facing south at the Perry street side of the square. These monuments have since been removed to the positions they now occupy in the lot in which the Confederate monu ment stands in the parade ground south of Forsyth park.
In November, 1899, the state division of United Confederate Vet erans was held in Savannah, and council appropriated $500 towards paying the expenses of the entertainment of them.

DEATH OF HON. JOHN SCREVEN

On the occasion of the death of Col. John Sereven, who had been thrice mayor of the city, council ordered his portrait in the mayor's office draped in black for thirty days, and appointed a committe to draft resolutions. That committee reported on the 24th of January, 1900, in which it was said "Savannah has lost a distinguished son. whose life
was characterized by pure principles, exceptional attainments and rare culture. As a citizen he was ever public-spirited. Of liberal education, he was broad in his views and unrestrained in his actions by narrow prejudices or petty ambitions. Governed by a high sense of duty, in his public career he exemplified the wishes and accomplishments that marked him in private life. He carried to every post of activity a scrupulous regard for what he conceived to be to the highest interests of the community with which his entire life had been identified. His three elections to an office (mayor) held in high honor demonstrated the esteem and approbation of his fellow-citizens.''
The Lawton Memorial building, on the southwest corner of Bull and Anderson streets, was begun in July, 1897, and was opened to the public on the 2nd of March, 1899. It was erected in response to the wish of Mrs. Sarah A. Lawton, widow of Gen. Alexander Lawton, as expressed in her will, as a memorial of her husband and her daughter. It is in tended for public use, and is in constant demand for lectures, concerts, and other entertainments. For a long time it has been used on Sundays as a place of worship by the Westminster Presbyterian congregation.

SAVANNAH AND SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

Admiral George Dewey was the guest of the city from March 20th to the 22d, 1900. The city gave many of its young men to the army
during the trouble of the United States with Spain at this period, and on the 28th of May, 1898, council adopted a resolution naming Mayor
Peter W. Meldrim as chairman of a committee, the others to be appointed by him, to go to Washington and negotiate for the securing1, if possible,
of a United States military camp here. For that purpose the sum of
$5,000 was appropriated, and on the 27th of October the amount was increased to the extent of $1,500. In the late summer troops began to
move through the city, and in the fall the Seventh Army Corps, under Maj.-Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, camped in the city. The ladies determined
to provide for the troops a substantial dinner on Thanksgiving day

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

489

when they bountifully fed with choice food all the troops quartered here, estimated to be not less than fifteen thousand. President McKinley, his cabinet, Generals Wheeler, Shafter, Lawton, and many army officers besides were gathered within the city's limits during the month of
December, and on the 17th a review of the troops was held in the park extension, or parade ground, all the soldiers, over twelve thousand,
passing before the president and the other distinguished visitors. A banquet was given that night at the De Soto hotel.

SOUTH BOUND EAILEOAD

Of recent years much has been done by the city to encourage the building of railroads intending to bring trade hither. In March, 1890, council provided for the transfer of certain lots to the South Bound Railroad Company at a reasonable price, on condition that the railroad be built and in actual operation between Savannah and Columbia, South Carolina, within two years. The condition named was complied with, and on the 21st of January, 1891, all the lands in question passed bytitle to the coimpany. The South Bound railroad was opened for busi ness in 1892, when the merchants of Columbia and stations between that city and Savannah were invited to this place and were entertained as our guests, the committee of council appointed to look after their comfort being Aldermen John A. G. Carson, George S. Haines: and William I. 0 'Brien. That road is now a part of the extensive Seaboard Air Line System.
A resolution was adopted in council on the 22d of September, 1890, to sell the city's interets in lands on Hutchinson's Island to the Middle Georgia & Atlantic Railroad Company for "the small sum of $2,500, The land was estimated to contain five hundred and sixty acres, and is on the eastern side of the island. Certain requirements had to be accepted by the company before title should pass from the city, and they were not complied with; but an agreement was made between the city and the Georgia & Alabama Terminal Company on the 19th of Octo ber, 1898, on precisely the same terms, the title to be made whenever the company should lay on said island the terminal track from the ter minals proposed to be built to the point of crossing over the Savannah river, and other evidences of a determination to improve the property. The deal was made effective, and the extensive structures now known as the Seaboard Air Line terminal resulted from it, the amount ex pended on the same being far in excess of one million dollars.
In 1892 and 1893, sales on most reasonable terms were made by the city to the Macon, Dublin & Savannah Railroad Company, and to the Florida Central & Peninsular Railroad Company of lots in Springfield
plantation. The city sold to the Savannah Union Station Company, on the 27th
of September, 1900, for the purchase price of $9,822.50, a lot on the northwest corner of Gwinnett and West Boundary streets, on which the substantial and well-arranged Union depot was erected.

PUBLIC LIBRARY ESTABLISHED AND CITY HALL BUILT

About this time the Hon. Herman Myers, who was one of the most progressive and public-spirited mayors Savannah has ever had, put

490

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

forth efforts to provide the city with a suitable city hall and a public library--both of which he felt were demanded without delay. In his annual report for the year 1903 he refers to these important matters in such a clear and distinct manner that his words may with the greatest propriety be used here in describing the successful conclusion of his efforts in those directions: '' The need of a new, modern, prop* erly-equipped and large enough public building to meet the requirements of the municipal government of a growing city has long been acknowl edged. * * * In Savannah no one carries a visitor to the city hall without an apology for its appearance. * * * Feeling that the time has at last arrived in the onward march of Savannah, when the spirit of its citizens should approve, and its financial condition permit, of the erection of a hall that would be an ornament to the city and a satisfaction to its people, and which would meet the increasing neces sities of the government for a century to come, I recommended in my last annual address that council take steps to this end. The suggestion met with an immediate favorable response from this board and with general approval from the public. A special committee of five was appointed. Plans were advertised for. A number were received, which, after thorough examination by the committee, were rejected. Architect H. W. Witcover of this city was then engaged to prepare plans under the direction of the committee. As a result of his work, suitable plans were adopted, and bids advertised for, which will be submitted to council at an early date, with the recommendation of the committee.
"The hall it is proposed to erect will cost about $150,000. Its gen eral appearance is well known to the public, and it is unnecessary to refer at length to its beautiful exterior or the admirable arrangement of the interior. The building will be one in which all citizens will feel a direct personal pride. It will typify the twentieth century Savannah, the Savannah of indomitable energy, of pushing progressiveness, guided by an invincible determination to place the city on a parity with its sisters of all sections in everything that contributes to the material well-being of its people--that spirit which has developed here so rap idly in the past few years and which, we confidently believe, is destined to insure a future of unparelleled development." The building was finished and the final payment of $63,484 paid on the contract in 1906, in which year Mayor Meyer said: " Of the new city hall, it is neces sary to make more than a passing reference. We can justly regard it as one of the monuments of this administration. Visitors from all parts of the country have, during the past twelve months, praised it. Not only has it given the municipal government a home worthy of a city of Savannah's importance, but the building of the hall out of the city's regular funds has been an excellent advertisement for the city's financial condition and has indicated to the world Savannah's spirit of determination to advance at least in keeping with the progress of its
sister cities, if not to excel them in many ways."

Mr. Herman Myers said in his annual report of 1903:

"No single event of the year gave me more personal satisfaction than the final establishment, on a more satisfactory basis, of a free public library. Cities throughout the country have for many years ]

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

491

such a valuable adjunct to the public school system. Savannah has been woefully deficient. In 1901, it will be recalled, I engaged in correspon dence with Mr. Andrew Carnegie looking toward the establishment of a library here for the people. The burden placed upon the city gov ernment by the Carnegie plan was considered too heavy. A publicspirited citizen then inaugurated a movement whereby a certain num ber of citizens pledged themselves to a payment of $100 a year for a period of years. This also fell through. Then came conferences be tween representatives .of the Georgia Historical Society and the city of Savannah, which resulted in the library of the Historical Society being placed under the control of a board of ten managers, five representing the city and five the society, and opened free to the public on June 15. * * * The results have equaled the most sanguine expectations." Continuing the subject in his report for 1906, he said of the library that "it gives promise of becoming a great factor in the intellectual life of the community." That prediction is being literally fulfilled. The library is now maintained by the city, which appropriated the sum of $10,000 for its support for the year 1912 and continued the appropria tion for the year 1913. The total income for the former year was $10,916.42, during which period 94,837 books were given out for home use, and 99,489 persons visited the rooms. From its establishment until two years ago Mr. George J. Baldwin was the Chairman of the Library Board, and he did much to help in the development of the institution. He found that the duties were beginning to conflict with other interests, and retired from the Board in 1911, since which time Mr. Otis Ashmore has held that position with dignity and ability.
TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

The building used for public library purposes was a gift to the Georgia Historical Society from the late Mrs. Margaret Telfair Hodgson, daughter of Governor Edward Telfair and widow of William Brown Hodgson, and is a memorial of her husband, being known as Hodgson Hall. The society is also the trustee of the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, which institution was established in accordance with the fourteenth item of the will of Miss Mary Telfair, the last sur viving child of Governor Telfair, by which she gave, devised and be queathed "to the Georgia Historical Society and its successors all that lot or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon, fronting on St. James square (now Telfair Place) * * * the same having been for many years past the residence of my family, together with all my books, papers, documents, pictures, statuary, and works of art * * * and all the furniture of every description * * * to the said Georgia Historical Society and its successors, in special trust, to keep and preserve the same as a public edifice, for a library and academy of arts and sciences. * * * For the purpose of providing more effectually for the accomplishment of the objects contemplated * * * I hereby give, devise and bequeath to the
Georgia Historical Society and its successors one thousand shares of the capital stock of the Augusta and Savannah Railroad, of the state of Georgia, in special trust, to apply the dividends, incomes, rents and profits arising from the same to the repairs and maintenance of said buildings and premises," etc. The academy was opened in 1885, since

492

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

which time the property has been greatly improved and a large annex added to the buildings, forming the main picture gallery. The collec tion of works of art is composed of many pictures, mostly original, of great value, and copies of many of the best known sculptures. From the time of its opening until his death in 1905, the only director of the

TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
institution was Mr. Carl L. Brandt, N. A., whose services have been recognized by the board of managers by the placing on the walls of a bronze tablet bearing this inscription:
In Memory of CARL L. BRANDT, N. A., First Director of the
Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences
1883 to 1905 In Grateful Appreciation
of Valued Service.
Since the death of Mr. Brandt the academy has been without a director, but it has the goodwill and friendship of Mr. Gari Melchers, the famous American artist, through whose good advice and valuable suggestions it has not only been greatly improved in its internal arrange ment and construction, but has acquired many pictures of merit and artistic worth, by painters of world-wide fame, which could not have been obtained except through his efforts.
The institution is governed by the board of managers of the Georgia Historical Society, at this time embracing the following names:
President--Alexander R. Lawton. First Vice-President--George J. Baldwin. Second Vice-President--J. Florance Minis. Corresponding Secretary--Otis Ashmore. Curators--Henry C. Cunningham, Benjamin H. Levy, Thomas J.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

493

Charlton, William W. Mackall, William W. Williamson, Horace P.

Smart, and William W. Gordon.

In addition to the above, Mr. Thomas P. Eavenel is the society's

recording secretary and treasurer, and Mr. William Harden is librarian

as well as treasurer of the Telfair Academy trust fund and custodian

of its property. This institution stands on the spot where Sir James

Wright, governor of Georgia lived, and where he was arrested by Major

Joseph Habershan in January, 1776.

The board of managers of the Savannah Public Library is now

composed of the following:

Chairman--Otis Ashmore,

Charles Ellis.

Vice-Chairman--Pleasant A. Stovall,G. Arthur Gordon.

Secretary--Horace P. Smart, H. W. Witlover.

Treasurer--John M. Thomas,

Thomas J. Charlton.

H. Wiley Johnson,

William M. Davidson.

The following comprise the library staff:

Librarian--William Harden.

First Assistant Librarian--Miss Maude Heyward.

Second Assistant Librarian--Miss Selina Heyward.

Third Assistant Librarian--Miss Mary C. McCants,

Librarian of the Children's Department--Miss Lily M. Dodgen,

Assistant Librarian of the Children's' Department--Miss Pamela

Lucas.

RAILROAD TO TYBEE ISLAND

In our remarks on the origin of the railroad first called the Central Railroad and Banking Company of Georgia, now the Central of Georgia Railroad, we failed to give sufficient credit to one man who, throughout the whole discussion of the subject until the final accomplishment of that great work did not at any time fail to give the matter his hearty encourage ment and support. That man was Thomas Purse. At the beginning of the proposed work he said it was needful to the upbuilding of Savannah, and insisted that no step backward should be taken, while others became dis couraged and threatened to desert the cause. Without his aid and counsel that great highway of commerce would not have been built at that early date. In later years, his son, Daniel G. Purse, proposed the building of a railroad from the city of Savannah to Tybee Island, and he was not only discouraged by those from whom he looked for co-operation, but the idea of a roadbed being constructed over the long stretches of marsh which characterize the territory through which the road was to run was ridiculed, and he was told that the whole scheme was unfeasible. Unmoved by the adverse opinions freely offered, Captain Purse was sure that the road could be built and that it would in the end be a pay ing investment, and organized a company to make his idea a success. The work of construction began on the 9th of August, 1886, when, in a formal way, Master Thojmas Purse, son of the captain, in the presence of spectators, with a small silver spade, dug up the first parti cles of dirt, on the place called Deptford plantation, then owned by his father and being on the direct line of the proposed railroad, which received the name of the Savannah & Tybee Railroad, afterwards changed to Savannah & Atlantic Railroad, and now an adjunct of the
Central of Georgia Railway.

CHAPTER XLI
CHURCHES AND ORGANIZED BODIES
CHURCHES OF SAVANNAH--BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES--OTHER ORGANIZED BODIES--STREETS AND SQUARES--OGLETHORPE MONUMENT--MIDWAY CHURCH AND MONUMENT TO GENERALS SCREVEN AND STEWART.
The reader has had the facts in relation to the early history of the two oldest Savannah churches presented to him in detail, and we will now pass on to the other churches and their organization.
CHURCHES OF SAVANNAH
We are not able to give a full history of the Lutheran church for the reason that the early records are missing. The Rev. George White, in preparing his Historical Collections of Georgia, attempted to get the facts, and, failing to do so, gave a very brief account of the subject, which is about the only definite information we have. The church in Savannah was probably established about the year 1753, through the efforts of Rev. Messrs. Rabenhorst and Wottman, the services being at first conducted in German. ^ Through the inability of the congregation to follow and respond in 'any other than the English language, the church did not grow, and for many years no services were held. In 1824 a reorganization was perfected, and in 1843 the building on Bull street, between State and President, was erected at a cost of about $15,000. The edifice has been very much altered in recent years. Another church of that denomination has within recent times been organized, and a building erected for worship at 1415 Bull street, called St. Paul's church. The mother church is now known as the Lutheran Church of the Ascension.
The first record we have of the Baptist church is of a building erected in Franklin square about 1795.' In 1794 there were in Savannah a small nuimber of worshipers of that denomination who were organized and began to plan for a house of their own. They were led by four devout men, Messrs. Jonathan Clarke, George Morse, Thomas Polhill and David Adams, who were joined a little later by a minister from Wales named Reese, and they succeeded in raising a sufficient amount to build a church, said to have been 60 feet long by 50 feet wide, with a steeple and gallery. They did not grow rapidly, and it was not until 1799, when the Rev. Henry Holcombe was called and took pastoral care of them a little later, that the congregation became active and
494

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

495

zealous. They obtained a charter in 1801, and worshiped in the build ing in Franklin square until 1833, when the building in Chippewa square was erected. In 1847 the church split, and the second congre gation purchased from the Unitarians the building on the southwest corner of Bull and York streets, where they held services until Feb ruary 6th, 1859, when a reunion of the two bodies occurred. The building of the second church was sold to the Savannah Volunteer Guards for an armory. Other Baptist churches are Duffy Street, Fourth church, and Southside.
Although John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was such an important figure in the early history of Savannah, the church he really founded did not have a footing here until the year 1807. It is related that the Rev. Hope Hull came to the city in 1790, and preached some sermons in the building of a Mr. Lowny, used as a chairmaker's shop, and that he met with great opposition and was maltreated. Again, in 1796, an attempt was made by Jonathan Jackson and Josiah Rundle to establish a church, but the result was no better than that attending the efforts of Mr. Hull. A third endeavor was launched by a Mr. Cloud, who met with no better success; but, on his arrival in 1806, Rev. Samuel Dunwoody gathered together a sufficient number of interested persons to enable him to build a house in the succeeding year, which was called Wesley; chapel. Wesley himself said in his journal that "the first rise of Methodism was in 1729, when four of us met together at Oxford. The second was at Savannah in 1736, when twenty or thirty persons met at my house." Somewhere it is stated that as early as 1785 Beverly Alien tried to organize a Wesleyan church in Savannah, and other names besides those already given have been used in connection with attempts to found a church here; but it is agreed that no building was erected before the year 1807. It is also asserted by some that the struc ture called Wesley chapel was not erected until 1813, and that at that time the congregation was led by Rev. James Russell. The house was situated on the northeast corner of Lincoln and South Broad streets,and was used as a church until 1866, when it was sold and a private residence took the place of the house of worship. It was the same con gregation that finally succeeded in collecting the funds with which the elegant memorial building called Wesley Monumental church was built in Calhoun square, the corner-stone of which was laid in 1872 by Dr. Lovick Pierce.
Trinity church, located on Telfair Place (formerly St. James square), was begun in 1748 and finished in 1850. There are also Epworth and Grace Methodist churches. On the death of Hon. Robert M. Charlton the Bar Association of Savannah requested the Hon. Edward J. Harden to deliver a public eulogy on that gifted and highly esteemed citizen, and the trustees of the new Trinity church promptly and freely offered the use of their building for that purpose. The offer was accepted, and the eulogy was delivered there in 1854.
It has been stated that by the charter of the colony of Georgia "inhabitants of all sorts, Roman Catholics only excepted, from all parts of the world, were invited to possess this promised land.'' Even after the state of Georgia passed forever out of the control of the British crown, people of that religious faith failed to take measures to establish

496

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

that religion on this soil. The first time we hear of any actual steps taken to erect a building for church purposes is an ordinance dated
May 30, 1799, by which provision was made in laying out certain parts of the town commons, and one lot was reserved for the Roman Catholic church "about to be established in this city." It is probable that the first church building was in Liberty square, and was called the Church
of St. John the Baptist, and the first priest who regularly served the parish was L'Abbe de Mercier, who was succeeded by L'Abbe Cori. The next church was erected in 1839, on Drayton, McDonough and
Perry streets, whither the congregation removed at that time from Liberty square. Rev. J. P. O'Neill was the priest at that time. The building was given up on the completion of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on the east side of Abercorn street at the corner of Harris, the corner-stone of which was laid in 1874 and the building dedicated in 1876. The diocese of Savannah, of the Roman Catholic church, was not created until the year 1850, by Pope Pius IX, and comprises the state of Georgia. In that year, on the 10th of September, the Rev. Francis Xavier Gartland, vicar general of Philadelphia, was conse crated first bishop of the diocese, and just four years afterwards, Sep tember 20, 1854, he died of yellow fever. He was succeeded by Bishop John Barry, of Augusta, Georgia, who was consecrated August 2, 1857, and lived about two years longer, dying on the 21st of November, 1859. The next bishop was Vicar-Apostolic of Florida, Augustus Verot, who resigned in 1870 and returned to Florida, where he died on the 10th of June, 1876. On the resignation of the last named, Bishop Ignatius Persico, of the diocese of Charleston, South Carolina, was transferred to Savannah March 11, 1870, but on account of failing health he held the office only two years. He was succeeded by Rev. William H. Gross, who was consecrated April 27, 1873, and held on until 1885, when he was made sub-bishop of Oregon. His successor was Rev. Thomas A. Becker, transferred from Wilmington, Delaware, May 16, 1886, but who died July 27,1899, when the Rev. Benjamin J. Keily, who had been made rector of the Savannah cathedral July 12, 1896, was promoted to the bishopric by appointment April 19, 1900, and was consecrated on the 3d of June following by Cardinal Gibbons, in St. Peter's cathedral, Richmond, Virginia,
Other Catholic churches in Savannah are St. Patrick's, organized in 1865; Church of the Sacred Heart, more recently formed, and St. Benedict's.
In 1827, a number of the members of the Independent Presbyterian church, including Messrs. George G. Faries, Lowell Mason, Joseph Cumiming and Edward Coppee, petitioned the Presbytery of Georgia to receive under its care the petitioners and their families and to organ ize a strictly Presbyterian church connected with the presbytery; and, at the same time they wrote a letter to the pastor and session of the Inde pendent church stating their reasons for wishing to withdraw and asking for dismission to the new organization, which they confidently expected the presbytery to effect. The desire of the petitioners was granted and the new church was founded as the First Presbyterian church of Savannah. The congregation worshiped for about six years in the building then standing on the southwest corner of Bull and Broughton streets, known as Lyceum Hall, and in 1833 moved to their new build-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

497

ing just completed farther up Broughton street, between Barnard and Jefferson. In 1856 they began the erection of a church in Monterey square on the lot bounded by Bull, Taylor, Drayton and Wayne streets, and began to'hold services in the lecture-room, which was first com
pleted. The massive auditorium was not finished until 1872, the work on it having been interfered with by adverse circumstances, not the least of which was the financial condition of the people before, during and immedately after the war of secession.
After the war the congregaton of the Independent church organized a mission church on Anderson street which later united with the Savan nah Presbytery and changed its name from the Anderson Street Pres byterian church to "Westminster Presbyterian church. A new and handsome edifice is now in process of erection.
The Protestant Episcopal church was represented in Savannah solely by Christ church until the year 1840, when St. John's parish was organized. The first house of worship erected by that people was on the south side of South Broad street, just west of the corner of Bar nard, built at the time when the diocese of Georgia was created and the Rev. Stephen Elliott was consecrated first bishop. In 1853 the present building of the English Gothic style of architecture was built. Since its erection two other Episcopal churches have been established--St. Paul's, on Abercorn and Thirty-fourth streets; and St. Michael's, on Henry street, east.
There are at present two Christian church congregations in the city. The Christian Science church is represented by two sets of wor shipers. There is a small Swedenborgian church in Savannah, on Drayton street, in which services are held occasionally. In another place mention has been made of the several Jewish places of worship.
In 1831, through the instrumentality of Joseph Penfield, a church for seamen was erected on Bay street, between Abercorn and Lincoln, named Penfield Mariners' church. It was subsequently given over to the care of the Savannah Port Society, which was organized in 1843, "for the purpose of furnishing seamen with regular evangelical minis trations of the gospel and such other religious instructions as may be found practicable." The lot and building were sold after the war of secession, and sailors now worship in the chapel connected with the Seamen's Home.
There are a number of churches for the colored people of Savannah, the most noted of which is the First African Baptist, organized in 1788, the first pastor of which was Andrew Bryan. For many years its pastor was Rev. Andrew Marshall, probably the most esteemed colored man who ever lived in Savannah. He commanded the respect and regard of all classes of citizens, and when he died, in 1856, his funeral was attended by white as well as blacks, and was one of the largest known
to the people of Savannah. In connection with the subject of religious instruction and education,
it is well to say something about institutions not considered within the strict list of church organizations. Thus, it is a fact worth preserving that in the district commonly known as Yamacraw the Moravians who for a while did missionary work among the Indians and of whom we
Vol. 1-32

498

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

have because of their short stay here said but little, erected a house of instruction which they named Irene. The instruction given there was of a religious character.
John Wesley was aided in his work by his colleague Delamotte, a teacher who added to the catechising of the children by Wesley on Sat urday and Sunday afternoon lessons in reading, writing and casting accounts.
The work done at Bethesda, and carried on for a long time by Whitefield, is kept up to this day, and is well worthy of better support than it has had at any time in its history. In addition to what has already been said elsewhere in this work of that institution, it is proper here to say that it is cared for by a society incorporated in 1786, known as the Union Society, and the names of the men given in the charter should not be forgotten. They were William Stephens, president; Leonard Cecil, vice-president; David Montaigut, secretary; James Bulloch and George B. Spencer, stewards, and Mordecai Sheftall, Oliver Bowen, John Morel, Peter Deveaux, James Habersham, Joseph Habersham, Joseph Clay, Frederick Herb, John Richards, Benjamin Lloyd, James Fields, John Waudin, James Milledge, Samuel Stirk, Raymond Demere and George Handley.

BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES

In 1801 the Savannah Female Orphan Asylum was incorporated with the following as the first board of directors: Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, Mrs. Ann Clay, Mrs. Jane Smith, Mrs. Sarah Lamb, Mrs. Margaret Hunter, Lady Ann Houstoun, Mrs. Frances Holcombe, Mrs. Hannah McAllister, Mrs. Susannah Jenkins, Mrs. Ann Moore, Mrs. Phoebe Mosse, Miss Rebecca Newell, Mrs. May Wall and Mrs. Martha Stephens. The corporation is still living and is doing a great and a noble work.
The Savannah Widows' Society was founded in 1822, and is actively engaged in its good work, which it has carried on without interruption. It was aided by the city in the granting of two lots on South Broad street in 1834, on which houses were erected as homes for aged widows until the bequest of Mrs. Dorothy Abraham became available in 1859, and the Abraham's Home on the northwest corner of Broughton and East Broad streets was built.
The Savannah Benevolent Association has already been described and it is one of the most useful relief organizations in the city.
Lack of space forbids us to further comment on the benevolent insti tutions with which the city abounds; but we must not fail to mention the Georgia Infirmary for colored people, which originated with the gift of land and money for the purpose by Mr. Thomas F. Williams and Mr. Richard F. Williams.
In later years came the Telfair Hospital for Females, founded through the bequest of Miss Mary Telfair; and the St. Joseph's Infirm ary (now St. Joseph's Hospital), Little Sisters of The Poor, and St. Mary's Orphan Home, supported through the labor and means acquired by the devoted Roman Catholic people of the community; and the Epis copal Orphan's Home, conducted by the ladies of that church.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

499

OTHER ORGANIZED BODIES
Clubs and societies are so numerous in Savannah that it is possible for us only to mention a few of the best known, as the Oglethorpe, Savan nah Volunteer Guards, Georgia Hussars, Harmonie, Savannah Yacht, Savannah Golf, and the German clubs. We name also :
The Savannah Rifle Association; the Hibernian Society, organized in 1812; the St. Andrew's Society, founded in 1790. There are others, but we must forbear, as the number is too large to specify them.
STREETS AND SQUARES
Too much cannot be said about the system of streets and squares of Savannah. Laid out in such manner as to render them most capable of being further beautified by the proper planting of trees and orna mental plants as well as by the modern methods of paving, the authori ties have caught on to the fact that by the use of such means our city

CHATHAM COUNTY COURT HOUSE
could and should be beautified, and the result accomplished in recent years is simply wonderful. The extension of the taxable limits has brought with it those large tracts of land which, by drainage and other wise, have become most attractive to citizens and visitors and are now numbered among the beauty spots, which a few years back were not even dreamed of. The county commissioners of Chatham county have co-operated, to the delight of all, and our public roads, extended in all directions, are magnificent drives freely used and admired without stint of praise. The international automobile course is the best in the world, and it now seems likely that it will never again have a competitor. The fact that it was chosen for the Grand Prize races of 1908 and 1910 and that it will be used for the same purpose in the fall of 1913 justifies that prediction. The winner of the international grand prize in the race of 1910, David Bruce Brown, said of it: "I am free to say with out favor or prejudice that this course is the finest in the world."
The driveways surrounding the city have all been greatly praised by visitors from all parts of the world, and add to the attractiveness

500

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

of Savannah as a resort for travelers. The city is constantly being beautified by the laying out of roads and the erection of buildings architectually picturesque.
Some notable events in the recent history of the city are herewith given in chronological order :

1872--The Cotton Exchange was organized.
1875--The Confederate Monument in the Parade Ground erected. 1883--Board of Trade established; and the sesqui-centennial of the
landing of Oglethorpe celebrated. 1884--Monument to William W. Gordon erected in Wright square by
Central Railroad.
1886--Centennial of Chatham Artillery, and visit of Jefferson Davis and his daughter Winnie.
1888--Erection of Monument to Sergt. William Jasper.
1889--Chatham County Court House erected; and great fire in which the Independent Presbyterian church, Guards' armory and other buildings destroyed.
1899--Boulder in memory of Indian Chief Tomochichi reared in Wright square.
1899--The Union Station erected. 1908--International Automobile Race. 1909--Monuments to Generals Bartow and McLaws placed in Chippewa
square; and Associated Charities organized. 1910--International Automobile Race; and erection of Monument to
General Oglethorpe. 1912--Hotel Savannah built; Collins Hotel begun; plans for Hotel
Georgia adopted. The oldest hotel in Savannah is the Pulaski House, which has entertained many distinguished persons. The DeSoto, standing on the spot once occupied by Oglethorpe Bar racks, is a first class hotel, and is well kept. It was built by a company whose stockholders spent a large sum in its construc tion.

OGLETHORPE MONUMENT
The erection in 1910 of the monument to the memory of Georgia's founder, James Edward Oglethorpe, was an affair in which not only Savannah but the whole state was deeply interested. In response to suggestions made from time to time, particularly in later years, of the patriotic societies, a charter was granted on the 18th bf May, 1901, to the Oglethorpe Monument Association, formed of representatives of the Colonial Dames, Sons of the Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution and Society of Colonial Wars. Subscriptions to the fund for building the monument were made by those societies and by indi viduals and on the 12th of July, 1905, a joint resolution to provide for state aid in the matter was introduced in the Georgia house of rep resentatives, which was favorably reported on by the committee on appropriations with the recommendation that the sum of $15,000 be set aside for the purpose. After considerable opposition, the legisla ture passed the resolution, and it was approved by Governor Joseph M. Terrell on the 16th of August, 1906, and he appointed the following commission to carry the resolution into effect:

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

501

Hon. J. Randolph Anderson, chairman; Hon. P. A. Stovall, Hon. A. A. Lawrence, Hon. Walter G. Charlton, Col. J. H. Estill, Col. A. R. Lawton, of Savannah; Capt. Robert E. Park, Hon. Alien D. Candler, Hon. W. G. Cooper, of Atlanta; Hon. Joseph R. Lamar, of Augusta; Hon. H. F. Dunwoody, of Brunswick.
Colonel Estill died during the administration of Governor Hoke Smith, who appointed Capt. R. J. Davant of Savannah in his place. While Governor Joseph M. Brown was in office, Captain Park and exGovernor Candler died, and two Savannah gentlemen, Messrs. Wym- ' berley J. De Renne and J. Floranee Minis, took their places.
Through the appeal of the commission the city council of Savannah appropriated $15,000 towards the erection of the monument, and the services of Mr. Daniel Chester French, the eminent sculptor, were secured to execute the work. Mr. French engaged as his assistant the well-known architect of New Yrk, Mr. Henry Bacon.
On Wednesday morning, November 23, 1910, the monument was unveiled with imposing ceremonies. The invocation was made by Rt, Rev. F. F. Reese, Bishop of Georgia; an address was made by Hon. J. Randolph Anderson, member of the legislature and chairman of the Oglethorpe Monument Commission, followed by a speech by Acting British Ambassador Hon. A. Mitchell Innes, closing with one by Hon. Walter G. Charlton, on the life, character and service of Oglethorpe; when the unveiling was done by Gov, Joseph M. Brown, assisted by the president of the Georgia Society of Colonial Dames of America, Mrs. J. J. Wilder. After the dedication a parade and grand review of -all the troops by the governor was held in the parade ground.
MIDWAY CHURCH AND MONUMENT TO GENERALS SCREVEN AND STEWART

There are many persons in Savannah who are in some way associated with the history of Liberty county and especially interested in the old church known as Midway church. That church has a history which is honorable and interesting. Many of its members fought for the liberty of America in the War of the Revolution, descendants of whom are liv ing in Savannah and elsewhere who have held and still hold positions of honor and trust, Ex-President Roosevelt is an example, and the wife of President Woodrow Wilson is the granddaughter of one of the pastors of that church, the Rev. I. S. K. Axson, D. D. During the revolution Brig.-Gen. James Screven who was a patriot of the, most decided courage and virtue fell near the sacred edifice, pierced by eleven wounds inflicted by the British and died from those wounds. Here also Gen, Daniel Stewart, equally patriotic and honored, a native of the county, took part in the fighting which secured the independence of the states while a very young man, and lived to see the country free and happy as an acknowledged power among the nations of the world. Tardy justice has been done to the memory of those two noble charac ters, who lie buried in the cemetery belonging to that historic church, and in a very short time after these words are written a monument pro vided for by congressional appropriation will be erected jointly to com memorate their illustrious lives. The sum appropriated is $10,000, and the contract for the monument has been, given to the MeNeil Marble Company, of Marietta, Georgia. It is to be fifty feet in height, and the
material selected is granite from Elbert county.

CHAPTER XLII
THE LEGAL AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONS
EARLY LAWYERS AND DOCTORS--SOME PROMINENT LAWYERS OF A LATER PERIOD--COLONIAL PHYSICIANS--THE PROFESSION AT THE PRESENT TIME.
The history of the legal and medical professions in Savannah must be very briefly told in this work. The material for the writing* of those branches is so rich and abundant'that its free use would not be pos sible here. The colonial records show how the first county was estab lished and give the names of the men holding positions in them; but we do not find any evidence of the fact that lawyers of special legal ability resided here until many years after the colony was founded. When Sir James Wright, in 1773, made a report on the condition of the province in September of that year, Anthony Stokes was the chief justice, James Edward Powell was judge of the admiralty, and Charles Pryce was attorney-general, but in his absence James Hume acted in that capacity. He also mentioned that three assistant judges sat with the chief justice, but gave no names.
EARLY LAWYERS AND DOCTORS
In February, 1779, we find that Stokes was still the chief justice, that of the assistant judges "all dead except James Deveaux who is in Georgia and I believe a Rebel,'' Charles Pryce was attorney-general but absent and "protempore James Hume, Esq., in London," and James Edward Powell, judge of court of vice admiralty, in London. The following were named as attorneys-at-law: James Hume, John Mullyne, George Barry, Henry Yonge, Jr., Philip Moore, Mr. Panton, Mr. Moss, Mr. "Wood, and Mr. Jenkins, and several others, but it appears that not one of them was at that time in Georgia. In May, 1780, Stokes was chief justice, Martin Jollie assistant judge, James Robertson, attor ney-general, John Simpson, prothonotary, and clerk of the Crown, and the following attorneys-at-law were in Savannah: Wm. Jones, "Wm, Stewart, Thos. Gibbons, and Samuel Farley. In August of the same year Governor "Wright wrote of John Glen that he was "the late Rebel Chief Justice of this Province."
Before this period we find other names mentioned among the prac titioners and jurists, but in such a way that we know definitely very
502

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

503

little as to the time of service of any of them. Col. Noble Jones is referred to as acting chief justice, as well as Henry Parker, Jonathan Bryan, and others. In 1759 Wm. Grover was chief justice, but was later suspended from office. In 1780 William Stephens was elected to that office, and he had been attorney-general before under Chief Justice John Glen.
SOME PROMINENT LAWYERS OF A LATER PERIOD

From the time of the last days of the Revolution names of lawyers appear frequently, and we have rather meagre records of John Wereat, Samuel Stirk, Richard Howley, Joseph Clay, Wm. 0'Bryan, Win. Gib bons, George WTalton, and others. Later on we have .other names which are familiar to students of Georgia history, such as Wm. Smith, John Houston, Henry Osborne, Nathaniel Pendleton, James Jackson, and many more. We cannot do more than to barely mention*the names of some of these men who became famous at the Savannah bar, whom we must not omit: John Macpherson Berrien, John Y. Noel, William Law, George Jones, Thomas U. P. Charlton, Wm. Davies, James M. Wayne, John C. Nicoll, Henry R. Jackson, Edward J. Harden, Chas. S. Henry, Wm. B. Fleming, Joseph W. Jackson, Francis S. Bartow, Claudius C. Wilson, Thos. M. Norwood, Wm. B. Bulloch, Geo. S. and Jno. W. Owens, Mordecai Sheftall, R. W. Habersham, Robt. M. Charlton, John Millen, L. S. D'Leon, M. H. McAllister, Jno. M. Clark, R. W. Pooler, Wm. W. Gordon, Mordecai Meyers, J. De La Motta, Wm. H. Stiles, Alex R. Lawton, John E. Ward, Geo. J. Kollock, Solomon Cohen, Rufus E. Lester, Julian Hartridge, Walter S. Chisholm, John M. Guerard, Geo. A. Mercer, S. Yates Levy, John M. B. Lovell, A. Pratt Adams, B. A. Den mark, Henry B. Thompkins, Wm. D. Harden, Wm. Schley, Robt. Falligant, F. G. du Begion, R. R. Richards, Chas. N. Vest, Samuel B. Adams, J. R. Saussy, and others. It is not possible to speak of all the present members of the bar, some of whom are mentioned in the list given above. Prominent among these are Wm. Garrard, Peter W. Meldrim, Alex. R. Lawton, Henry C. Cunningham, W. W. Osborne, Alex. A. Lawrence, Joseph Cronk, Fred T. Saussy, Samuel B. Adams, and his son, A. Pratt Adams, Walter G. Charlton, T. Mayhew Cunningham, Davis Freeman, W. W. Mackall, Alex. H. MacDonell, J. Randolph Anderson, Robt. L. Colding, Geo. T. Cann, J. .Ferris Cann, W. R. Leaken, A. Minis, M. A. O'Byrne, Geo. W. Owens, H. E. Wilson, J. M. Rogers, U. H. McLaws, Raiford Falligant, R. J. Travis, H. Dl D. Twiggs, F. M. Oliver, J. E. Oliver, H. W. Johnson, W. W. Gordon, W. P. Hardee, W. C. Hartridge, Chas. G. Edwards, T. P. Ravenel, Gordon Saussy, Wm. B. Stephens, W. B. Stubbs, G. H. Richter, John Rourke, Jr., F. P. Mclntire, D. C. Barrow, E. H. Abrahams, J. R, Cann, E. A. Cohen, J. M. Dreyer, R. M. Hitch, Shelby Myrick, John E. Schwarz, P. E. Seabrook, L. G. Harvey, J. Gazan, S. N. Gazan, G. Noble Jones, A. R. Lawton, Jr., Edward S. Elliott, John L. Travis.
COLONIAL PHYSICIANS

We now pass on to the medical profession, and here we have great difficulty in tracing the record of the earliest doctors in Georgia, as the

504

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

first writers had little to say on the subject. Among the sore-heads of the colony who were not at all in harmony with General Oglethorpe were Dr. Patrick Tailfer and Dr. Hugh Anderson, but we know little or nothing of their career, not even as to the extent of their practice. Dr. Nunis was a member of the Hebrew congregation which appeared shortly after the landing of the first colonists, and we have told in another place the story of their adventures. We have become familiar with the names of Dr. Noble Wymberley Jones, Dr. John Irvine and Dr. Thomas Young through the frequent mention of their names in Georgia records; but the facts in relation to the work done by them as physicians are meager. From what has come down to us they must have been men of considerable experience and successful in their practice as were also men of the same profession in the early days of the nineteenth century, among whom we mention Drs. Nicholas Bayard, James Glen, John Grimes, Thos, Schley, Henry Bourquin, James Bond Read, Geo. V. Proc tor, Lemuel"Kollock, James Ewell, Moses Sheftall, John Gumming, Joshua E. White. Then came Drs. Wm. C. Daniell, Chas, Williamson, George Jones, James P. Screven, Wm. Parker, Peter Ward, and Thomas Young, Jr. Drs. Wm. R. Waring, Cosmo P. Richardsone, Stephen N, Harris, P. M. Kollock, J. R. Saussy, T, G. Barnard, Richard D. Arnold, W. A. Caruthers, Henry K. Burroughs, T. Bartow, Martin Tufts, Rich ard Wayne, J. D. Fish, J. A. Wragg, Wm. Gaston Bulloch, Alex. Cunningham, and R. Wildeman were practitioners before and after the great war of 1861-1865, and a number of them are still held in grateful remembrance by some of the citizens of today. Others still whose names . should not be omitted were Joseph Clay Habersham, Raymond Harris, John F. Posey, Wm. M. Charters, Harvey L. Byrd, J. J. Waring, R. J. Nunn, Wm. H. Cuyler, J. Gordon Howard, Chas. W. West, Jos. J. West, Jas. S. Sullivan, Jno. W. Francis, James Stoney, J. C. Habersham, Jr., Juriah Harriss, Eaton Yonge, E. P. Starr, James Campfield, James G. Thomas, Thos. J. Charlton (father of the present estimable and popular Dr. Thos. J. Charlton), Robt. P. Myers, Wm. Duncan, J. C. Le Hardy, Raymond B. Harris, John D. Martin, Frank Lincoln, Geo. H. Stone, J. S. Houstoun, C. H. Colding, M. F. Dunn. Savannah has supported two successful medical colleges, the Savannah and the Ogle thorpe ; but they have long since suspended their work and students of medicine now go elsewhere for instruction.

THE PROFESSION AT THE PRESENT TIME

Although there is now no college for the education of medical stu dents in Savannah, the city can boast of one of the oldest medical socie ties in the United States. The Georgia Medical Society was) incorporated in 1804, and the charter members were men of ability in the profession, the names of all of them being included in the list given above. The) first president was Dr. Noble Wymberley Jones and the first vice-presi dent was Dr. John Irvine. It was intended to be a state society, but its membership has nearly all the time been composed of physicians resid ing in and near Savannah. In addition to the names of Savannah physi cians already given the following are some of more recent date, mafiy of whom are at this time practicing: Drs. B. S. Purse, Wm. H. Elliott,

r

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

505

W. W. Owens, C. N. Brandt, M. L. Boyd, T. B. Chisholm, B. F. SheftaU, J. G. Keller, B. H. Nichols, R. G. Norton, S. L. Phillips, J. A. Wegefarth,
B. P. Oliveros, Scuthart C. Hummel, J. Weichselbaum, E. G. Lind, J. A. Moltare, M. G. Thomas, T. P. Waring, A. J. Waring, Geo. R. White, J. F. Chisholm,, H. H. Martin, R. V. Martin, J. Lawton Hiers, T. S. Clay, H. P. Adams, A. L. R. Avant, Craig Barrow, T. W. Causey, Lawrence Lee, G. H. Johnson, W. S. Wilson, St. J. de Caradeuc, J. L. Farmer, J. 0. Baker, E. R, Corson, N. T. Counts, J. A. Crowther, W. B. Crawford, J. K. Train, R. M. Thomson, G. 0. Brinkley, J. W. Dan
iels, M. X. Corbin, H. Y. Righton, Jr., F. Wahl, R. S. Reid, C. Silverman, C. M. Rakestraw, Geo. M. Norton, Walter A. Norton, W. B. O'Rear, E. S. Osborne, A. A. Morrison, J. E. Morrison, Geo. L. Harmon, Jabez Jones, W. R. Dancy, R. V. Harris, G. W. Heriot, H. W. Hesse, C. B. Lanneau, Ralston Lattimore, H. B. Stanley. While most of the above are general practitioners, several are specialists.

GOVERNMENT BUILDING, SAVANNAH

CHAPTER XLIII
THE MILITARY SPIRIT
FIRST VOLUNTEER REGIMENT--FIELD, STAFF, AND COMPANY OFFICERS TODAY--MASONIC SOCIETIES--OTHER BENEVOLENT SOCIETIESPATRIOTIC SOCIETIES--NOTABLE SPOTS MARKED BY MEMORIAL TABLETS, ETC.--GEORGIA SOCIETY OF COLONIAL WARS--GEORGIA SOCIETY SONS OF THE REVOLUTION--SAVANNAH'S NEWSPAPERS.
Savannah has always ranked as one of the cities of this great country in which the military spirit abounds and is always manifest; and she has been imbued with that spirit from the time when her illustrious founder first stepped upon her shore until the present time. Oglethorpe was a mil itary genius, and his plans were all laid with an eye to the importance of having the territory of Georgia protected on all sides by a sufficient number of men equipped for fighting. Throughout the pages of this history the reader has been confronted with facts showing that the very situation of the place marks the necessity of its being always fortified and sufficiently manned for emergencies that might arise under certain conditions, and the readiness with which our people invariably respond to the demand for the very best, protection. The city has never failed to provide her full quota of well-drilled troops whenever the country has had need of help outside of the regular army. In wars, colonial, pro vincial, revolutionary, and of later times to this present moment calls for troops raised among our best people have met with hearty and quick response. Companies raised more than a century ago still keep up their organizations, and their members of today are proud of the record made by their predecessors in the long ago. In chronological order the facts relating to the organizing of the various companies have already engaged the attention of the reader, and the attention of the reader will now be directed to the latest record of the military body which forms the great part of the local division Georgia National Guard. The sev eral military companies of the city comprising the First Volunteer Regi ment of Georgia have received our attention, and the reader has been made acquainted with the important facts in their history to and includ ing the war of 1861-1865. We now resume the subject, and briefly relate the Important matters relating to that organization since then.
FIRST VOLUNTEER REGIMENT
Col. Alex. R. Lawton held command at the beginning of the struggle between the North and the South, but entering the Confederate army
507

508

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

he was promoted and saw service elsewhere and did his full share in the conflict which resulted in the failure of Georgia to acquire the right she sought to establish. He was succeeded by Col. Hugh W. Mercer who was soon thereafter promoted and Col. Charles H. Olmstead com manded the regiment from that time until the close of the war. Upon the re-organization after Georgia was admitted into the Union Col. Olm stead was again called to the command in 1872, but resigned in 1876, when Col. Clifford W. Anderson was elected in his place. After ten years' service Colonel Anderson resigned in 1886,.and Capt. George A. Mercer, then in command of the Republican Blues, was promoted to the position once held by his father. Failing health compelled Colonel Mercer to resign early in 1896, when Alexander R. Lawton, Jr., was called to the position his honored father had ably filled. Under him the regiment was mustered into the United States service (luring the War with Spain in 1898 and remained in service until its close when, in 1900, he returned, and Col. Thomas S. Wylly, Jr., took command until October, 1902. In November of that year, Col. Geo. Arthur Gordon was elected as commander of the regiment, and retained the rank of colonel until August, 1908, turning it over to Major Michael J. O'Leary who was commissioned as colonel in the succeeding October.
FIELD, STAFF, AND COMPANY OFFICERS TODAY
The organization of the regiment at the present time (November 25, 1912) is as follows:
Field and Staff Col. Michael J. O'Leary. Lieut. Col. John G. Butler. Maj. Abram Levy. Maj. Charles H. Richardson. Maj. George H. Richter. Capt. Henry H. Aveilhe, adjutant. / Capt. John J. Gaudry, quartermaster. Capt. George B. Elton, commissary. Capt. "William R. Dancy, inspector small arms practice. Capt. Sidney L. McCarty, chaplain.
Battalion Adjutants First Lieut. David S. Atkinson. First Lieut. A. Duncan Kent. First Lieut. John S. Nixon, Jr.
Battalion Commissary and Quartermasters Second Lieut. Raiford Falligant. Second Lieut. T. R. Miller.
Medical Staff Maj. Robert V. Martin. Capt. H. Paul Adams First Lieut. Joseph E. Morrison.
Companies Company A--Clinch Rifles, Capt. James F. Henderson, stationed at Augusta, Ga, Company B--Oglethorpe Infantry, Capt. Thaddeus C. Jewitt, sta tioned at Augusta, Ga,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

509

Company C--Fitzgerald Guards, First Lieut. "William S. Haile com manding, stationed at Fitzgerald, Ga.
Company D--Richmond Light Infantry, Capt. George Hains, sta tioned at Augusta, Ga.
Company E--Burke Light Infantry, Capt. Moses C. Cohen, sta tioned at Waynesboro, Ga.
Company F--Clarke Rifles, First Lieut. T. G. Anderson command ing, stationed at Athens, Ga.
Company G--Brunswick Rifles, Capt. C. A. Taylor, stationed at Brunswick, Ga.
Company H--German Volunteers, Capt. George D. Semken, sta tioned at Savannah, Ga.
Company I--Oglethorpe Light Infantry, Capt. Howard M. Peek, stationed at Savannah, Ga.
Company K--Savannah Cadets, Capt. J. E. Crosby, stationed at Savannah, Ga.
Company L--Irish Jasper Greens, Capt. John A. Daily, stationed at Savannah, Ga.
Company M--Republican Blues, Capt. J. 0. Maggioni, stationed at Savannah, Ga,
The last quarterly return shows, including the medical staff and hospital corps, the total strength of the regiment to be 50 officers and 653 enlisted men.
MASONIC SOCIETIES
In this chapter it is proper to say something of Savannah's lodges of secret societies.
First, we mention Solomon Lodge of Free Masons which was organ ized shortly after the settlement of the English colonists here. The charter was granted in 1735. It is recorded that in the year 1733, at a meeting of the Grand Lodge in London "Deputy Grand Master Batson recommended the new colony of Georgia in North America to the benevolence of the particular lodges." We cannot give the his tory of this order in detail, but must mention that the first session of the Grand Lodge of the State of Georgia was held in Savannah on the 16th of December, 1786. It is a historical fact that at one time there were two grand lodges in the state which was considered unfortunate; but in 1839 they were united, and the Masonic order has grown and flourished ever since.
The first masonic hall for the use of the Savannah lodges was built in 1799 for Solomon's Lodge on President street near Whitaker on what was then St. James square, but now Telfair Place. It was a frame build ing, and entirely without ornamental work within or without. It stood for many years resisting storms of wind and rain, with nothing appar ently done to it in the way of repairs, and when it was torn down in 1888 it was well-named by the Morning News as "an historic rookery." From the issue of the paper of March 28, 1888, the following extract is
made: "The two-story wooden building on a brick basement fronting on
President street was erected by the members of Solomon's Lodge in 1799, and was used by the Masonic fraternity until 1858, when they removed to the building on the northeast corner of Bull and Broughton

510

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

streets, having sold the old site to the city in .1856. The city bought the property and that adjoining on the west, which was at one time the residence of General Lachlan Mclntosh of the Revolutionary army, intending to erect thereon a guard-house or police station; but the peo ple of the neighborhood objected to its being used for that purpose, and it was sold to the late John J. Kelly for one thousand dollars. * * * It was in that old lodge-room that Hon. William Stephens, Gen. James Jackson, Gov. Josiah Tattnall, and other illustrious Geor gians and Masons met in the early days of the then young state. It was there also that the Cuban patriot, General Lopez, who was soon after paroled in Havana, was made a Mason in 1850. There are quite a number of members of the fraternity now living who were brought 'to light' in the old room which today will disappear forever."
The lodge rooni of the Masons on Broughton and Bull streets was abandoned in the 70 's when the Masonic Temple on the northwest corner of Liberty and Whitaker streets was finished; but there is at this time in process of erection on the western corner of Bull and Charlton streets a costly Masonic Temple which will be finished before the close of the year 1913.
The lodges of Savannah are Solomon's, Zerubbabel, Clinton, Ancient Landmark, and Landrum.
There are also Knights Templars, Palestine Commandery No. 57; R. and S. M. of Georgia Council No. 2; Royal Arch Georgia Chapter No. 3.
Savannah has several lodges of Knights of Pythias holding meetings in Knights of Pythias Hall on the southeast corner of Barnard and York streets.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a nourishing institution in Savannah, and the various lodges meet in their large building known as Odd Fellows Hall, at the northwest corner of State and Barnard streets, erected on the spot where stood the wooden building in which General Washington was entertained during his visit to Savannah in May, 1791. Before the hall was built in 1887, the lodges met in the building on the northeast corner of Bull and Broughton streets. The new building had been occupied but two years when it was totally de stroyed by the fire of April 6, 1889, but was shortly after rebuilt on a different plan.
OTHER BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES

The number of societies of a secret and benevolent character is so great that a list of them would cover many pages. We can give the names of only a few, without naming the officers. The German Friendly Society and the Hebrew Benevolent Society do splendid work in their line. The King's Daughters, Order of American Firemen, Police Benevo lent Society, Savannah Benevolent Association, and the Associated Char ities are among the active workers in giving relief to those who need it. We mention also the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Catholic Knights of America. Successful in their efforts to help their brethren are the Woodmen of the World, Elks, Eagles, Owls, Moose, Daughters of Isabella, Daughters of the Confederacy, Children of the Confederacy, Sons of Confederate Veterans, two Confederate Veterans Associations, known as Camps 569 and 756, and many more, both social and benevolent.

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

511

PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES

The patriotic societies of the United States are represented in Savan nah by local branches which do much to keep alive the memory of the services of their ancestors in the times of colonial development, the winning of statehood for the colonies and the achievement of indepen dence, as well as the patriotic services of later times. The Georgia Society of Colonial Dames of America has done good work in marking the spots where notable events happened in Savannah in the period of her early history. The society has as its president Mrs. Joseph J. Wilder, who has held the office, serving with ability and dignity for a number of years.*
It has erected the following memorials:

NOTABLE SPOTS MARKED BY MEMORIAL TABLETS

A stone seat, in honor of Oglethorpe, on the bluff, west of the City Hall, with this inscription:

On This Spot One Hundred and Seventy-three Years Ago James Oglethorpe, the Founder of the Colony,
Pitched His'Tent, and Here Rested At the Close of the Day
On Which Georgia was Settled. Erected by the Georgia Society of
The Colonial Dames of America On the 12th of February,
A. D. 1906.

On the western wall of the custom house at the southeast corner of Bull and Bay streets, the Dames placed in 1903 a tablet with this inscrip tion :
JOHN WESLEY On this Spot Where Stood the First Public Building Erected in Georgia, John Wesley Preached His First Sermon on American Soil
March 7,1736 (0. S.) Text--1 Corinthians XIII. This Tablet Commemorates the Bi-Centenary Of His Birth, June 28, 1903.

Another memorial of Wesley was erected on the western wall of the Postoffice building, bounded by Bull, President, Whitaker, and York streets, the same time as the above by the same society, with this inscrip tion :

* Since this was written, Mrs. Wilder has given up the presidency, and Mrs. William L. Wilson ably fills the office.

512

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

JOHN WESLEY Preached in the Court House-
Erected by Oglethorpe On This Lot
From May 9, 1736, To November 27,1737 (0. S.)
This Tablet is Here Placed On the Si-Centenary of His Birth
June 28, 1903.
In the year 1899 the same society placed in Wright square a large boulder, with this inscription, in honor of the Indian chief who was a friend of Oglethorpe and of the colony:

In Memory of

Tomo-Chi-Chi

\

The Chief of the Vamacraws

The Companion of Oglethorpe

And the Friend and Ally of the

Colony of Georgia,

This Stone has been Here Placed

By the Georgia Society of the

Colonial Dames of America

1 1739-1899.

The eastern wall of the building standing at the northwest corner of

Broughton and Whitaker streets bears a large tablet with this inscrip

tion :

On This Site

Stood in Colonial Times

Tondee's Tavern

Where Gathered

The Sons of Liberty

Erected by

The Georgia Society of

Colonial Dames of America

GEORGIA SOCIETY OF COLONIAL WARS
The Georgia Society of Colonial Wars is also a society which has been organized for work of the kind so well done by the Colonial Dames. As yet it has not erected any memorial tablets. At the annual election of officers recently held Col. G. Noble Jones was made governor.
The Georgia Society of the Cincinnati has in recent years been re organized, and is building up as rapidly as it can, considering the fact that so few persons are eligible to membership. The president is Hon. Walter G. Charlton, the secretary Mr. George F. Tennille, and assistant sec retary Mr. William Harden. The Lachlan Melntosh, Chapter of Daugh ters of the American Revolution, under the regency of Mrs. John_ M, Bryan lately erected a memorial of Sergt. Wm. Jasper at the Spring, called by his name, east of the city of Savannah, where that soldier gal-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

513

lantly rescued from the British some American prisoners during the War of the Eevolution.

GEORGIA SOCIETY SONS OF THE EEVOLUTION

The Georgia Society of Sons of the Eevolution was instituted on the 22d of May, 1891, and has about one hundred and sixty members. Hon. Walter G. Charlton is president, Mr. William Harden secretary, and Mr. Waring Russell treasurer. It has as yet erected only one memorial, a bronze tablet to mark the spot of Spring Hill Eedoubt, a point where much activity was exhibited during the siege of Savannah in October, 1779, when Sergt. William Jasper was killed and Count Pulaski was mortally wounded. The society appointed a committee, with Mr. Eobt. J. Travis as Chairman, to locate the exact spot on which the redoubt stood. The committee took great interest in the work, and reported that the place had been ascertained. The tablet was unveiled February 22, 1911, in the presence of a large audience, including the Viscount Benoist d'Azy, representing the French government. The tablet bears this in
scription :
Upon This Spot Stood The Spring Hill Eedoubt.
Here on October 9,1779, Om of the Bloodiest
Engagements of the Eevolution was Fought
When Repeated Assaults Were Made by the Allied
Troops of Georgia, South Carolina and France in An Effort to Eetake Sa
vannah from the British.

SAVANNAH NEWSPAPERS

This work would not be complete without more than a passing reference to the newspapers that have been published here from colonial times to the present date. It is a singular fact that, while at certain periods when the population of the city was very far below the number apparently necessary to support more than one daily morning paper, it had two, and both seemed to thrive; while it has now been many years since any publisher has thought it possible to compete with that pros perous and most popular journal, the Savannah Morning News. At this time we have a successful afternoon newspaper, the Savannah Press, and those two dailies satisfy all demand in that respect.
Founded in 1733, the colony of Georgia for thirty years depended on the neighboring colony of South Carolina for weekly news of what was going on in the outside world, and Savannah's tradesmen advertised their goods in the Charleston paper.
Seven papers in the other twelve colonies were in existence when, on the 17th of April, 1763, the first number of the Georgia,Gazette was issued from the press of James Johnston, "at the printing-office in
Vol. I--33

514

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

Broughton street, where advertisements, letters or intelligence, and sub scriptions for this paper are taken in.--Hand-bills, advertisements, &c., printed on the shortest notice." It was first printed on a new'long
primer type, on a foolscap sheet, folio, two columns to a page, and was printed every Wednesday. In a few years it was increased to a sheet of crown size. "When the Stamp Act was to operate in 1765 it suspended publication for about seven months, and again during the War of the Revolution it was not issued for a considerable period. It was published down to and including the year 1802, and the Georgia Historical So ciety's library contains a nearly complete file of it from 1774 to the time of its suspension. It is to be regretted that the earliest numbers of that newspaper are not in that library; but two volumes containing the issues from 1763 to 1770 are in the library of the Massachusetts
Historical Society in Boston.

JASPER SPRINGS, SAVANNAH
During a number of years, while the Gazette was regularly printed, a newspaper called the Southern Centinel also appeared in Savannah, a file of which for the years 1793-1798 is possessed by the Historical Society. Still another was begun while the two already named were appearing, called the Columbian Museum and Savannah Advertiser. It began its career in 1796, and volumes, nearly complete, from that date until 1810 are to be found in the same library. The Georgia Republican and State Intelligencer was printed from 1804 to 1808. All the above were weekly papers; but the last named was succeeded by The Repub lican and Savannah Evening Ledger, issued tri-weekly, and was finally' called the Savannah Republican, which was published almost continu ously until 1875, several suspensions of short intervals occurring between 1866 and that time. A weekly, called The Southern Patriot, appeared during the year 1806-7, and the Savannah Gazette, a daily, from 1817

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

515

to 1820. Another daily began in 1822, called the Savannah Museum, but was published only one year.
In 1818 the Savannah Daily Georgian, edited by Dr. John M. Harney (of whom>we have written elsewhere), was launched as a daily and it was published without interruption until 1854. With the exception of the Morning News, it is the best known of all the Savannah newspapers, and it was a very strong paper editorially and otherwise considered.
The Morning -News began its regular appearance on the 15th of January, 1850, and has been successful throughout a great part of the time since it opened its columns to the public until the present moment. For many years the well-known author, Col. William T. Thompson, was its editor. In fact, he held that position from the very beginning of the paper until his death in 1882. It was in a precarious condition just after the war of 1861-65 but an interest in it was bought in 1867, by
Col. John H. Estill who, the next year, secured its entire management, and he made it a great success. It is not possible to say more in this work in relation to this vast enterprise; but it is a paper of large interest and influence, and its plant is not only one of wealth, but one that pays its stockholders, who have taken control since the death of Colonel Estill, handsome dividends. Colonel Estill built it up from almost a failure when he gained control, made a fortune from it, and it formed the chief
asset of his estate when he died.
A paper called the Savannah Daily Journal, begun in 1852, lasted three years and passed out of existence. A daily evening paper, called the Savannah Evening Journal, was started the same time as the morn ing paper of the same name, but lasted only one year. Another venture was made in the way of an afternoon journal in 1866, called the Savan nah Evening Mirror, but soon failed, the file for one year being all that is left to prove that it was published. In 1868 the Savannah Advertiser, an afternoon paper, started on a somewhat successful race, bought out the old Republican, and sold out in 1875. The Savannah Daily Times, evening paper, founded in 1882, ran pretty well for a number of years and the present successful journal, controlled by Hon. Pleasant A.
Stovall. the Savannah Press, is its offspring. The Press is a paper which has recently taken on new life, has made rapid strides, and the people have come to a realization of the fact that it is an afternoon paper that must abide, and that it is a necessity to the community and to the state.

CHAPTER XLIV
CITIES OF SOUTH GEORGIA
BRUNSWICK -- COLUMBUS -- WAYCROSS -- BLACKSHEAR -- VALDOSTA AND HAHIRA--TOWNS IN BROOKS COUNTY--THOMASVILLE--BAXLEY-- SYLVESTER AND ASHBURN--ADEL AND NASHVILLE--STATESBOROUGH-- TOWNS IN TOOMBS COUNTY--OTHER TOWNS--CONCLUDING REMARKS.
With the great advantages derived from the extensive railroad and steamship facilities under the management of the vast transportation system leading to her very doors, Savannah derives much trade from other portions of the state of Georgia, and more especially from the southern section lying adjacent. By reason of the close connection which she thereby holds with the outlying prosperous towns, consider able business comes to her through the dealings of her merchants with the traders and shippers of produce trading in those towns. It is our purpose now to give some account of the thriving municipalities bor dering on Savannah, showing how they rose from mere hamlets to the important places they hold from a commercial as well as historic point of view.
BRUNSWICK
Early settlements were made in the portions of Georgia, which later on were laid out as parishes bearing the names of St. Patrick's and St. David's in 1765. Among the places so occupied was the site of the pres ent important city of Brunswick which became the seat of justice when, in 1777, those parishes were united and made one county called Glynn, in honor of John Glynn, a member of Parliament who sympathized with the American colonies in the beginning of their dispute with England, and of whom it is said, ' ' He was one of the leading members of the So ciety of the Bill of Rights which at the end of 1770 addressed a letter to the American colonies almost inciting them to rebellion.'' *
On the 2d of October, 1770, Sir James Wright, Governor of Georgia, .and his Council, met in Savannah, and, among the items of business then transacted, it was "Resolved, That a Town be forthwith laid out at Carr's Fields on Turtle River in the Parish of St. David heretofore reserved for that purpose and the said Town to be called Brunswick." At an-
* Dictionary of National . iography, edited by Leslie Stephen and Sidney ] 1908, Vol. VIII, pp. 12-13.
516

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

517

other meeting held May 7th, 1771, the Council ordered that all persons securing lots in the new town "shall within three years from the date of such grant build or cause to be built and erected on every lot so granted a good and sufficient dwelling house not less, than thirty feet in length and eighteen feet in width with a good brick chimney thereto/' or "to forfeit and pay yearly and every year for the term of seven years after the sum of one pound sterling," and "at the expiration of said seven years if such dwelling house shall then not be built the lot so granted and not improved--shall revert to his Majesty," etc. Certain Jots were reserved for public uses; and then it was further "Ordered, That the Surveyor General do issue a precept directed to George Mackin tosh to survey and lay out a town to be called Brunswick and the several lots therein agreeable to a plan given him at a place called Carr's Old Fields on Turtle River."
The intention of the Council was carried out, and we have the testi mony of De Brahm on this point. He says: "Turtois is the greatest

THE CHATTAHOOCHEE IN HARNESS, COLUMBUS
of the Salt Water Streams, takes its Spring 16 miles due west from Fredericka, and discharges itself into Jekyl Sound. Ten miles up the Stream, on the north side, is on a fine half-moon Bluff seemingly calcu lated for a town;" and at that point he adds this foot note: "In 1771 a Town was laid out on the said spot Brounswig; many are the Petitioners who have applied to the Governor in Council for propertie in this new town--from its situation extremely promising."
Brunswick is now the second seaport in Georgia, and is built on a spot seemed to be destined from its very location to be the site of a city of great wealth and importance. Its public buildings are greatly admired, and it has some fine residences. Its commerce has grown wonderfully, and the city is destined to become a harbor of great importance on the Southern coast. Recently many industries have been built up there, and

518

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

the following extract from a letter to the Savannah Morning News writ ten in September, 1911, will give some idea of the rapidity with which the place improves:
"More improvements of a permanent character have been made in Glynn county in the past twelve months than in any corresponding period in many years. Several large factories have been secured for^the city, some of which are now in operation and others in the course of construc tion, and many real estate transactions have been made that mean much lasting good for the city of Brunswick and the whole of Glynn county and South Georgia. Many new buildings have gone up in the past year, and the street car line which was started two years ago has been completed."
The history of Glynn county is most interesting, especially that por tion covering the time when Oglethorpe made Frederiea his home and while the troubles with the Spaniards in Florida were giving him unrest and annoyance. We could write many pages of matter telling of the operations, within the district we are now considering, and the facts con cerning the daily life of the soldiers of Oglethorpe's regiment in the town of Frederiea would alone fill a volume of some size: The figh't at "Bloody Marsh," in which the Spanish forces were so badly defeated that they made no further efforts to molest the Georgians is a single instance that has received the attention of many writers and forms-the substance of a volume recently published by the Georgia Historical Society, giving the facts as related from a Spanish standpoint.
Brunswick is a city of large commercial interests. "We quote from a recent publication: "Market gardens of truck farms have a fine local market in the city of Brunswick. Some of the farmers ship Irish pota toes to northern and eastern markets in May and June. Some buyers from Boston cleared $150 an acre on Irish potatoes in the spring of 1900. * * * Brunswick has water-works, gas and electric lights, all under the control of the one company, valued at $200,000. * * * The com merce of the city has grown in value from $500,000 in 1884 to $38,000,000 in 1899. * * * The cotton exports from Brunswick for the past sea son (1900) were 25,000 bales." Of course the amount of cotton exported now is much greater. The population of the city in 1900 was 9,081, and increased to 10,181 in 1910.
COLUMBUS

On the east bank of the Chattahoochee river, about the foot of the falls, is located the city of Columbus, laid out in the year 1828. It is the county seat of Muscogee county, which is named for an Indian tribe once occupying that part of the state. The river on which the city stands separates Georgia from Alabama, Muscogee county was laid out in 1826, two years before the town of Columbus started, and in 1827 por tions of it were taken off and added to Harris, Talbot and Marion coun ties, but in 1829 portions of Harris and Marion were annexed to Mus cogee. Columbus is a manufacturing city and a large amount of capital
is invested in its mills. It is, in this respect, surpassed only by Augusta. So numerous and prosperous are the manufactories that it is not. pos sible to describe all of them and it would be unfair to single out a few to the disadvantage of the others. The census of 1900 gave Columbus a pop-

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

519

ulation of 17,617, but the city claimed that the inhabitants of suburban settlements should have been included, which would have increased the number to 25,000. The rapid stride it has taken lately is shown by the figures given in the census of 1910, placing the population of the city proper at 20,554. Besides the large business done by the retail mer chants, Columbus has a good wholesale trade extending over a large territory, said to embrace eleven southern states. It has a number of banks with adequate capital for all purposes. Seven railroads enter the city and two of them have their shops there. Gas, electric light and water works and electric street railroad are in full operation. Four steamboat lines on the river compete with the railroads in the freight business. The public school system there is well maintained, and it is the boast of the city that it was the first in the South to adopt the graded school system. There are churches of all denominations, with property valued at more than a quarter of a million dollars. In addition to the educational advantages of the city public schools the Eagle and Phcenix Manufacturing Company does much for its operatives through its club, gymnasium and free circulating library.
WAYCROSS
The Savannah, Albany & Gulf Railroad was built shortly before the War of Secession, and its name was changed several times before it became a part of the present Atlantic Coast Line System. When first opened a station was established in Ware county, and to it was given the name of Tebeauville. It began to grow, and gave evidence of prov ing a place of some importance; but when the Brunswick & Albany Railroad was constructed it crossed the former road at a point one mile and a quarter northeast of Tebeauville and the intersection point was appropriately called Way-Cross. In the Georgia State Gazetteer for 188384 we find these significant words in place of the former descriptions of Tebeauville: "Discontinued postoffice. Mail to Way Cross"; and the name Tebeauville from that time ceased to be mentioned in any pub lished accounts of places in Georgia, Waycross took all the business away from it, and Waycross has been a growing and prosperous town and city ever since. To show the rapidity with which the growth has been accomplished a glance at the following table is sufficient:
Population in 1890, 3,364; population in 1900, 5,919; population in 1910, estimated, 15,735.
The city has now a new railway station, express and freight offices, artesian water, up-to-date sewerage, paved streets, electric lights, eleven railroads, ten churches, four hotels, five public schools, two daily and three weekly papers, four banks, a business college, a Baptist College, a Y. M. C. A. iuilding, wholesale and retail stores, theatre, moving pic tures, U. S. experiment station, shops of the A. C. L. railway, car manu factory, turpentine still, brick works, marble yard, steam laundry, ice factory, two cypress saw mills, two pine saw mills, two planing mills, three cigar factories, five bottling works, five shingle mills, and in addi tion the city parks and recreation grounds are all that could be wished for. The business transacted in the city is of such large proportion that a board of trade has been established there, through whose offices infor mation may always be obtained on any point desired.

520

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

BLACKSHEAR
Blackshear, the seat of justice of Pierce county, is a place of con siderable activity. It is on the direct line of the Atlantic Coast Line System, and is well supplied with facilities for travel and freigM. It has good stores, schools and churches, as well as adequate banking capital. Its cotton gin is most complete in its outfit and plant, and it has a sea island cottonseed oil mill and a, good fertilizer manufactory. In this thriving town education is a subject which interests the people to a large degree. The Blackshear Institute has been for some time a source of great pride, and it has been until very recently under control of the Presbyterian church, but at a meeting of the Presbytery of Savannah, held only a short while back, it was decided to transfer its management to

VIEW ACROSS T.HE SQUARE, WAYCROSS
the Methodist Episcopal church, which made a bid for it. The institute is an important factor in the education of the people of that section and will doubtless grow under its new and favorable auspices. Population, 1910, 1,235.
VALDOSTA AND HAHIRA
Valdosta. is the business center of Lowndes county. The way in which the place got its name is not generally known, and the facts are here given in order that the matter may be definitely settled. The great state rights governor of Georgia, George M. Troup, owned a plantation in Laurens county to which he gave the name of Valdosta. The county of Lowndes was laid off in 1825 from Irwin county, and the name Troupville was given to the seat of justice in honor of the governor. That place was situated in the fork made by the confluence of the "Withlacoochee and Little rivers, and was for some time a thriving place. After the death of Governor Troup the Savannah, Albany & Gulf Rail road was built, and the station in Lowndes county at which trains

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

521

stopped, being only four miles from Troupville, it was very thought fully determined to further honor the memory of that beloved man by bestowing on the new settlement the name given by him to his own home, and thenceforth it became the postoffice for Troupville, and Valdosta was made the county seat. It has grown to a remarkable degree in recent years, and the total population in 1900 was 5,613. In 1910 the United States census showed an increase to 7,656. On account of its railroad connections it is bound to grow, and its merchants are alive to the fact that it is destined to be a city of great importance. Money invested there brings good returns, and its industries are of a
costly nature and pay large dividends.

POSTOFFICE AND COURT HOUSE, VALDOSTA
In Lowndes county the town of Hahira is growing into a place of activity and general business success. It now has a population of 659.
TOWNS IN BROOKS COUNTY
Midway between Lowndes and Thomas counties lies the county of Brooks, which was laid off by taking the eastern portion of one and the western portion of the other and naming it for Preston S. Brooks of South Carolina in 1858. The court house of this county was named Quitman, for Gen. John A. Quitman, of Mississippi, and it has become a town of considerable importance. Its population in 1910 was 3,915. Its progressive spirit is shown by the fact that it has two banks with a capital of $175,000, and it has an electric light plant, an ice factory, water-works, and excellent schools. Its public buildings are ornaments to the place, and it has a fine cotton-mill. The churches of all denomina tions are well attended. Its rapid growth of recent years, from 2,281 in 1900 to the present population proves that it is well located and that it has great business advantages.
Brooks county has other towns which, by the increase constantly

522

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

being made in railroad facilities, are building up with wonderful rapid ity. Among them may be mentoned Dixie, Morven, Pideock, Barney and Barwick. Dixie now has 242 inhabitants, Morven 383, Pideock 250, Barney 303, and Barwick 381.
THOMASVILLE '
In 1825 a new county was laid off from Decatur and Irwin and called Thomas, in honor of Capt. Jett Thomas, who was an artillery officer under Gen. John Floyd. For the same patriot the court-house site was called Thomasville, which in 1900 had a population of 5,322 and now 6,727. It has three banks, with aggregate capital of $250,000, besides turpentine distilleries, shoe factories, mills and gins. There also are located the shops of the Atlantic Coast Line Railway. Its hotels are good and the town is becoming a popular winter resort. In and around

LOWNDES COUNTY COURT HOUSE
it are beautiful public drives, and its roads are always kept in good condition. Thomasville is noted for its beautiful flowers, cultivated by florists who know their business. Education is a matter that is by no means neglected. It is up to date so far as its public utilities are to be counted, and the religious character of the people is evidenced by the number of churches in the town of all denominations. Three other towns in Thomas county deserve mention as growing and prospective very important places. They are Boston, with 1,130 inhabitants and business requiring a banking capital of $25,000; Pavo, with a population of 572; and Meigs, with 697.
BAXLEY
In the county of Appling, in the southeastern portion of Georgia, named after Col. Daniel Appling, a distinguished soldier in the War of 1812, two towns of prosperity and thrift have taken rapid strides,

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

523

and deserve some notice here. The first is Baxley, where great results are obtained from a syrup refinery and where the people have that con fidence in the future that, should be met with wherever success is truly
aimed at. The population, according to the last census, is 831. It is the court-house town of Appling county, and the most important place in it, and the people have nearly doubled in number in ten years, the population in 1900 having been 488. The next town we mention in this county is Rockingham which, with a population according to the census of 1910 of only 100, is a new place and is destined to become one of mark and will doubtless make rapid progress from this time forward.

SYLVESTER AND ASHBURN
A town that has made a remarkable showing in ten years of its history is Sylvester, in Worth county, which was created in 1856 and named for

YOUNG'S COLLEGE, SHOWING ANNEX, THOMASVILLE
Gen. William Worth of New York. The population of Sylvester in 1900 was only 552, and in 1910 it had grown to 1,447. It has a bank, a fertil izer factory, two flour and grist mills, and other evidences of a fine business center. In this county another progressive town could be num bered until very recently, when, by the forming of the new county of Turner, Ashburn was cut out of Worth. In 1900 it had a population of 1,301 and was then the leading town of its county; but the census of 1910 gives it 2,214. It handles a good amount of cotton, and is other wise a place of considerable industry.
ADEL AND NASHVILLE
Berrien county has, besides others, two towns which have shown a most progressive spirit within the recent past, and are forging ahead through the vim and thrift of their industrious people. Adel in 1900

524

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

showed a population of 721, and so much activity has been manifested in that section that ten years later it had increased to 1,902. Nashville in the former year had 293 inhabitants, while it shows by the census of the latter 990. The county is developing rapidly, and these two places, with others, are helping in the good work, thanks to the public spirit of the business men of that immediate section.

STATESBOROUGH

One of the old counties of the state is Bulloch, laid off in 1796 and named for that ardent patriot, Archibald Bulloch, who died soon in the
struggle of his state for independence, and the seat of justice of the county is an old town, Statesborough. Railroad facilities and other contributing causes have given the town new life and its development is steady and rapid. The junction of the Central of Georgia with the

VASHTI INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL, THOMASVILLE
Savannah & Statesborough Railroad has done much to aid in the growth of the place. With a population in 1900 of 1,197, the increase has been so marked that the number in 1910 was increased to 2,529, and the good work still goes on. Religion and education go hand in hand with the good people who are to be congratulated upon the good work accom plished with the object in view of making the best citizens of the coming generation. The public buildings and stores of the place are evidence of the fact that the sturdy people of Statesborough are striving for the best in every way.
TOWNS IN TOOMBS COUNTY
By the recent creation of the county of Toombs two prosperous towns have been cut off from older counties and given the new one a most excellent send-off. Yidalia has been taken from Montgomery and Lyons

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

525

from Tattnall. The former had within its limits in 1900 503 citizens,
but ten years later that number ran up to 1,776; while the latter had in 1900 534 and now has 927. Both these towns are in process of healthy development; in them the places of business and edifices of a public character show the thrift and industry of the people. Montgomery still
holds on to her seat of justice, Mount Vernon, which ships a good amount of cotton annually, and does a large business in other produce. Its popu lation has increased from 573 in 1900 to 605 in 1910.

OTHER TOWNS

Many new counties have been formed in Georgia in recent years, and among them is that of Crisp, named in honor of one of Georgia's modern progressive congressmen, Charles F. Crisp. In the formation of this county Dooly lost a town which, while serious to her, proved to be a great gain and an important asset to its new patron. That town is Cordele. It had in 1900 a population of 3,473, but now has 5,883. It shows, therefore, that it is surely and steadily gaining wealth and prosperity, and, judging from the vitality heretofore exhibited, it will continue to thrive without cessation or halting. The town handles, besides other commodities, large amounts of cotton every year, and has three banks. Another town in Dooly which, however, was not cut off, is Vienna, with its two banks and good business activities, all prospering and making it apparent that the county growth is enhanced by its con nection therewith. Vienna's population in 1900 was 1,035, but is now 1,564.
Wilcox county was formed in 1857 from Pulaski, Irwin and Dooly, and named for Gen. Mark Wilcox of Telfair county. We mention two towns of this county which are worthy of all the good things that may be said of them. Abbeville, the county site, is on the western bank of the Ocmulgee, and is connected with the outside world by excellent railroad service. Its population has increased from 1,102 in 1900 to 1,201 in 1910. In 1880 it had only 61 inhabitants. Lumber, rosin and turpen tine are the chief articles of commerce. Rochelle is the other town we mention, which in 1900 had within its limits 793 inhabitants, but in
1910 had increased to 860. Both of these towns have all that could be desired in the way of religious and educational advantages, and are up to date in buildings, both of a public sort and private residences.
From a portion of Lee county in 1831 a new county was formed, and it was called Sumter, after General Thomas Sumter, who, for his great fighting qualities displayed in the War of the Revolution, gained the nickname of "The Game Cock." From the very start the seat of justice, Americus, became a place of activity. In 1849 it was thus de scribed by the Rev. George White: * " A pretty and thriving town on the waters of Muckalee creek. It contains the usual county buildings, three
churches, male and female academies, two hotels, four dry goods stores, one drug store, three groceries, one tan-yard, two blacksmiths, two shoe and boot shops, nine lawyers, and six physicians. Population about 450. The town is well shaded with trees of natural growth.'' In 1900 it had

* Statistics of Georgia, p. 525.

526

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

a population of 7,647; it is well provided with a fine system of public schools, has a costly court house, the postoffice is a building three stories high, has two hotels, an opera house, adequate railroad depot, four banks, many elegant private residences, three lines of railroad enter the city, and it is the location of railroad shops valued at $75,000. It has ten churches, and the census of 1910 gives it a population of 8,063.
Irwin county began its existence in 1818, and was named after Gen. Jared Irwin, a hero of the Revolution and subsequent Indian troubles. In this county is located the growing town of Ocilla which had in 1900 a population amounting to 805, but now increased to 2,017. Over 8,000 bales of cotton are annually handled at this place, and its commercial importance in other respects is not to be lightly estimated. In the same county until recently, when the new county called Ben Hill was estab lished, was situated the town of Fitzgerald, then Irwin's principal place

DODGE COUNTY COURT HOUSE, EASTMAN of business. Now Fitzgerald is the center of business of Ben Hill, and it is destined to be a city of great commercial prosperity and wealth. It had in 1900 a population of only 1,817, but so rapid has been its in crease that now its people number 5,795. It does a large cotton busi ness, and is fully up to date in public utilities and everything that could be expected in a wide awake city peopled with business men of push and indomitable energy. Its water works and electric light plant are owned by the city, and it has ample banking capital, and many pros perous mercantile houses, and recently a cotton mill with a capital of $60,000 has been established here. Fitzgerald is well equipped with schools and with churches of the various denominations.
Until the recent creation of the county of Jeff. Davis the flourishing town of Hazlehurst was an important place of business in Appling

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

527

county, but it now bears that relation to the former. It has grown from a town of 793 inhabitants in 1900 to 1,181, and its location and the deter mination of its people to let nothing stand in the way of improvement give ample assurance that it is destined to occupy a prominent place in the state of Georgia,
The name of Gov. Edward Telfair was given to a Georgia county laid out in 1807, and the county site at this time is McRae with a population of 1,160, which has grown to that extent from 1,020 in 1910. Among other influences for good extended by this flourishing town is the South Georgia College under the care of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, with 300 pupils in attendance. It is a town that has a great future before it.
Dodge county is a comparatively new one, formed in 1871 of por tions of Telfair, Pulaski, and Montgomery, and honored with the name

STREET SCENE, DUBLIN
of William E. Dodge of New York, who invested largely in property in that section of Georgia. The seat of justice is Eastman, on the Southern Railway, a town that has shown remarkable powers in the way of growth and general improvement. With a population of 1,235 in 1900 it has become a large town of 2,355 and is developing in strength and pros perity with rapid strides. It has a bountiful supply of water from arte sian wells with a system of water works that would be creditable to a much larger city. Its export trade exceeds $2,000,000, and 10,000 bales of cotton are shipped annually from that place. It has an excellent public school system, and religion is not neglected. It has churches of all denominations, and they are well attended. It is a pity that more space cannot be given to a description of this thriving city which deserves all the praise that can be bestowed upon it. It was named for William Pitt Eastman of New York, who did much to aid in its development.

528

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

As far back as the year 1807 a county was laid out in Georgia and named Laurens in honor of Lieut-Col. John Laurens of South Carolina, who was an aide to Washington and rendered distinguished service to the country in the War of the Revolution. Dublin has always been the seat of justice, and is situated only a half mile from the Oconee river, at the junction of the Macon, Dublin and Savannah Railroad with the Wrightsville and Tennille. It is destined to become a city of great impor tance, as is shown by its rapid growth. In 1900 its people numbered 2,987, and now the population amounts to 5,795. It has a cotton mill with a capital of $100,000 and has numerous factories and institutions of all classes. Its school system is excellent, and all the religious orders have churches architectually imposing. Its trade is valuable and of large proportions.

THE MANSION AT THE HERMITAGE, SAVANNAH Portions of Lee and Randolph counties were cut off in 1856 to form a new county named Terrell, in honor of Dr. William Terrell, a promi nent citizen of Hancock county and a representative of his district in congress from 1817 to 1821. Its county site is Dawson, a town of enter prise and wealth. It is withal a rapidly growing place, increasing in ten years from 2,926 to 3,827. It has some imposing public buildings and a number of flourishing manufacturing establishments and mercantile houses. Commercially considered, Dawson is a city of very great impor tance, and an immense amount of business is annually done by the enter prising merchants there. The people are to be congratulated upon the appearance of its streets and public buildings, of which we mention espe cially the county court house and the public school building. There are other cities and towns in the southern portion of the state of Georgia which might well be included in this history, but it would not be possible to do justice to them in a work of this kind which is

SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA

529

intended more for the history of one city in particular than of all pros pering places in its section. The following are, however, so closely iden tified with our subject, and bear so close a relation to the city of Savan nah, that we do not deem it proper to refrain from mentioning them as progressive and most active factors in the growth and prosperity of the section of the state of Georgia to which they belong. We mention, there fore, Albany, Fort Gaines, Colquitt, Bainbridge, Cairo, Camilla, Newton, Morgan, Cuthbert, Georgetown, Leesburg, Preston, Buena Vista, Hawkinsville, Reidsville, Hinesville, Clyde, Springfield, Jesup, Darien, Sylvania, Perry, Oglethorpe, Ellaville, Blakely, Tifton, Homerville, Statenville, Folkston, St. Mary's, Douglas, Meldrim, Clayton.
When the agitation of the subject of building the Central Railroad of Georgia was at its height, one of the most active citizens of Savannah in advocating the necessity of the measure was Capt. Richard W. Poole. He was appointed an agent to visit the counties through which the pro posed road was to run, and his efforts were so highly appreciated that the first station after leaving Savannah in Chatham county was named in his honor, and the place has now been incorporated and is growing steadily. It has a population of 337, and the people are impressed with the fact that it is destined to become a place of importance. It has just determined to issue bonds for the establishing of a system of water works, and is showing the thirst for progress in other ways.
About two miles west of Savannah is the beautiful spot called the Hermitage, the property and for some years the residence of the McAlpin family. It is visited and admired by nearly all tourists stopping in the city, but there is no historic incident connected with its history.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The reader who began to read this history at the first chapter and has continued it to this point has seen the development of a small settle ment of a handful of adventurers under the indomitable and intrepid Oglethorpe in all its stages to a city which today counts its population up to a figure beyond 70,000; a city with streets and houses of beauty, comfort, and adequate proportions; a city with everything in the way of conveniences and utility that may be looked for in the wealthiest metropolis on the globe; a city that is admired by every one who has ever entered its gates; a city where may be found all that may be called for or heart may desire; a city that is all which its beautiful name of Spanish origin implies--Savannah. Futhermore, it is a city with limit less resources and boundless territory from which it has drawn and will continue to draw to its doors produce of a large section of this great nation, and from which it sends annually vast amounts of staple articles of commerce, distributing the same to places all over the world in exchange for commodities such as we do not produce in this country. Savannah is today on a steadv and constant upward move which seems to be destined to continue without cessation or interruption.