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Georgia Historical Society.

Vol. vii.

PART I

LETTERS OF MONTIANO
SIEGE OF ST. AGUSTINE

Published by

Georgia Historical Society

Savannah, Ga.

Savannah, Ga.

Savannah Morning News,

1909.

NOTE BY THE TRANSLATOR

The letters, whose translation follows, are contained in a
folio volume, being copies made in St. Augustine in 1844 by
Antonio Alvarez, Keeper of the Public Archives, from the
originals under his care. These originals must themselves
have been retained copies. As the last letter is numbered
248, and there are but 36 in this collection, it is clear that
cither a selection has been made, or else that the other let-
ters bore upon subjects not sufficiently important or inter-
esting to merit copying. From internal evidence, however,
furnished in one or two instances, it appears that one or two
despatches have been overlooked, supposing always that
the originals were still in existence. Letter No. 198, is not
in Alvarez's handwriting, and seems to have been inserted
or copied after all the others, as though by a person who
objected to its omission. It is not certified to be a true
copy, as are all the others; but a note sets forth that it was
copied from the original MS. The insertion of this partic-
ular letter, coupled with the internal evidence mentioned,
would seem to indicate that the collection might have been
enlarged with profit. Each letter, with the exception noted,
is accompanied by Alvarez's elaborate certificate in English
(see first and second letters) and stamped with his seal as
keeper of the Public Archives. It has not been thought
worth while to reproduce this certificate with each letter in
this translation. And smiliarly of the elaborate and formal
close of each letter, in which the author begs his corres-
pondent to accept "his assurances of faithful and affection-
ate obedience with prayer that our Lord may keep his Ex-
cellency many years, and kisses his hand ;" inserted once or
twice, the more frequent repetition of these formulas would
prove tiresome, and so they are omitted. Spanish and
English (Georgia and Carolina) Colonial place-names in
general, are left as Don Manuel wrote them, and so of
personal names. All these letters are addressed to Don Juan
Francisco de Guemes y Horcasitas, Governor General of
Cuba. When the word ''place'' occurs in the following
pages, it must be understood as representing the Spanish
plaza, that is, a fortified position with its own and depen-
dencies. C. De W. W.
Washingon, July 29, 1908.

INTRODUCTION.

For many years the Georgia Historical Society has had
among its unpublished manuscripts a bound volume of letters
written in Spanish, pertaining to the siege of St. Augustine, Flor-
ida, by General James Oglethorpe in 1740. These letters were
originally written by Don Manuel de Montiano, the Spanish officer
then in charge of the military forces at St. Augustine, to his supe-
rior officer, Don Juan Francisco de Guemas y Horcasitas, Gov-
ernor General of Cuba.

From the minutes of the Society dated September 11, 1843, it
appears that attention had been called to the original letters "on
hearing a letter from Mr. Brown, of St. Augustine," and it is here
further stated, "and which Diary is still preserved in the archives
office at St. Augustine." A recent inquiry of the St. Augustine His-
torical Society shows that the original letters referred to in this
communication ar not now in its possession, and none now con-
nected with the Society knows anything of their whereabouts.

It was resolved, "That the corresponding secretary be directed
to ascertain at what cost a verbatim copy of the original docu-
ment in the Spanish language can be obtained; and that said sec-
retary have full power to act in the matter."

On November 28, 1843, Wm. B. Hodgson, Esq., a public-
spirited citizen of Savannah, and afterwards a great benefactor
of the Society, addressed the following letter to Mr. I. K. Tefft,
the corresponding secretary:

"It affords me pleasure to record my acknowledgments to the
Rev. Dr. Hawkes, lately of New York and now of Holly Springs,
Mississippi, for the advantage of possessing this Spanish manu-
script.

"During the learned Doctor's visit to St. Augustine he obtained
a copy of these official letters from the public archives of East
Florida. The truth and correctness of the copy is attested by
Don Antonio Alvarez, keeper of those archives. The copy, which
I send you, is made from that of Dr. Hawkes, and whenever the
wish of the Society may be expressed, I should have a sincere
pleasure in furnishing a translation of these Spanish documents."

For some reason Mr. Hodgson never furnished the promised
translation, and not until the year 1908 were steps taken to have
these letters translated. The Society was fortunate in securing
for this purpose the services of Major C. De Witt Willcox, a native
Georgian, now of the U. S. Army, whose scholarly attainments
and military training fitted him specially for this work, and to him
the thanks of the Society are due for this important contribution
to the history of our state.

It has been thought best to include in this volume several
maps and illustrations which will throw much light up the opera-
tions against St. Augustine by Oglethorpe. The plan of the old
fort of San Marco is a photographic reproduction of a tracing made
by the United States government in Spain in 1884, the tracing
being kindly furnished by Capt. George R. Spalding, in charge
of the United States Engineer's Office in Jacksonville, Fla. The
other maps are copied from originals in possession of Mr. W. J.
DeRenne, of Wormsloe. The thanks of the Society are specially
due to this public-spirited gentleman for his generous aid in placing
at its disposal the facilities of his rare and excells-nt collection of
Georgia history.

Most of these maps arc self-explanatory, but the dates of some
of them are inferred from a close examination of the originals
"The Plan of the Harbour of St. Augustine in the Province of
Georgia, Composed and Published from Surveys Deposited in the
Office of the Right Honourable the Lords of Trade, by J. F. \V.
Des Barres, Esqr.," was probably made about 1777.

The map, showing "South Carolina, Florida and The Western
or Atlantick Ocean," bears upon the original the following legend:

"The Original of this Map was drawn by Col. Barnevelt, who
Commanded several Expeditions against the Indians in the Tune
of the Indian War, as also served under Col. Moore in all his
Expeditions in the said War. It is highly approved of by Lieu-
tenant Governour Bull, who is allowed to be the best Judge of
Carolina and the Indian Countrys round it of any Person now in
the Province."

The date of this map is not given, but from data given by the
map itself it could not have been made before 1719.

The future historian of this period will find in addition to the
accounts in the well-known histories of Georgia the following
references suggestive and helpful. All of these books are in the
library of Mr. W. J. DeRenne at Wormsloe, and some of them
cannot be found elsewhere.

"The Report of the Committee of Both Houses of Assembly
of the Province of South Carolina, Appointed to Enquire into
the Causes of the Disappointment of Success, in the late Expe-
dition against St. Augustine, Under the Command of General
Oglethorpe." 1743-

"A History of the American People," by Woodrow Wilson,
Vol. 2, Page 69.

"Life and Character of Oglethorpe," an address delivered
before the Literary Societies of the University of Georgia, August
2, i860, by Rev. C. W. Howard.

"The Making of Georgia," two addresses by Hon. Walter G.
Charlton, of Savannah.

"A Description of East Florida, with a Journal kept by John
Bartram, of Philadelphia, Botanist to His Majesty for the Flori-
das," MDCCLXIX.

"An Account of the First Discovery, and Natural History of
Florida," by William Roberts, London, MDCCLXIII.

"The Spanish Hireling Detected: Being a Refutation of the
Several Calumnies and Falsehoods in the late Pamphlet, Entitled,
'An Impartial Account of the Late Expedition Against St.
Augustine under General Oglethorpe,' by George Cadogan, Lieu-
tenant in General Oglethorpe's Regiment." London, MDCCXLIII.

"An Impartial Account of the late Expedition against St.
Augustine under General Oglethorpe, occasioned by the Suppres-
sion of the Report, made by a Committee of the General Assembly
in South Carolina, transmitted, under the Great Seal of that
Province, to their Agent in England, in orded to be printed." 1742.

"Newest and Most Correct Report of the Scenery of Georgia
in English America." 1746. (In German.)

The Georgia Historical Society presents herewith to the stu-
dents of Georgia and American history the translation of these in-
teresting letters with the hope that a clearer light may be thrown
upon this heroic period of our state's history.

OTIS ASHMORE,
GEORGE J. BALDWIN,
U. H. McLAWS,
Committee on Printing and Publishing.

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LETTERS OF

DON MANUEL DE MONTIANO

Siege of St. Augustine

No. i.

Sir : Diego de Espinosa (one of the most respected cit-
izens of this presidio) has informed me that there came to
this point last year, one Don Carlos Dempsis, an English-
man, second in command of the settlements of New Georgia.
As he wished to return to them, Don Francisco del Moral
gave him permission to go overland, directing the adjutant
Don Manuel de Arze, who is now here, to accompany him.
This officer allowed the Englishman to see a fort built by
the said Espinosa at his own expense on his stock farm
about six leagues from here, and mounting five falconets,
and to sleep one night on the place. Now this Englishman
is an Engineer, and is the first of his nation to see the said
fort, the only defense in its territory. Moreover the same
privilege was later granted by Don Manuel to two other
Englishmen. I consider it my duty to report these facts
to your excellency such as they are, in order that they
may not be hidden from your superior penetration. I beg
Your Excellency to honor me with frequent advice to the
betterment of my poor abilities in your behalf.

May God keep Your Excellency many years, as I desire,
and is proper.

Saint Augustine, in Florida, March 22, 1737.

Your Excellency's grateful and obliged servant, who
kisses your hand,

Don Manuel Joseph de Justis.
To Senor Don Juan Francisco de Guemes y Horcasitas :

I, Antonio Alvarez, Keeper of the Public Archives of
East Florida, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true
and correct transcript from a book in which are recorded the
official letters addressed by Don Manuel Joseph de Justis
Governor of East Florida, to Don Juan Francisco de Guemes
y Horcasitas, Captain General of the Island of Cuba, be-

8

Letters of Montiano

tween the 226. March, 1837 ( sic) and the 14th August of the
same year, which book belongs to the Archives under my
charge.

Witness my hand and seal of
office at the City of St. Au-
gustine, territory of Florida,
this twelfth day of February,
A. D. one thousand eight
hundred and forty-four.

(Signed) Antonio Alvarez,
K. P. A.

Letter No. 2.

My present news compels me to send Pedro de Alcantara
in his schooner and to beg for Your Excellency's protec-
tion, so that, acquainted with the case, and with our present
necessities as doubtless repored to Your Excellency by
Don Manuel de Justis, you may be pleased to take the nec-
essary steps to put this position in a state of defense against
the intentions of the English to seize it with its provinces. An
offer to this end has been made to the King of Great Britain
in his Parliament by Milord Ogletor, a member of the same.
He declared from his seat that this place, with Apalachee
and its provinces would be more useful to Great Britain
than all its remaining Colonies and Islands in America.
For in possession of them, he would guarantee that no ship
of ours could pass through the channel* and that conse-
quently we could not enjoy the treasures produced by the
Kingdoms of Peru and New Spain without his consent. This
offer having been favorably received, he was made Com-
mander in Chief of all the Colonies, of the Island of Jamaica
and others, and lord of land and sea, receiving at the same
time 125 #** [thousand] dollars for fortifications, and also
480 regular troops for the campaign against these Provinces.

Florida Straight. Tr.

** This symbol 4L is taken to represent thousand. Tr.

Siege of St. Augustine

And although Parliament opposed any invasion during the
peace, yet on combining the news in question with that
just brought me (for these matters are known also in
Apalachee) by the Cacique Sacafaca of the town of Chal-
acarliche, it is evident we should not overlook what the
English have done at other times. The Cacique who comes
expressly and voluntarily from these distant provinces,
warns me that the Indians attached to the English were
descending in small bodies to annoy those regions, and that
the Caciques were ordered by the English to assemble so
as to treat of various matters. We must to-day, therefore,
distrust their efforts, intensified as they are by the pride of
Milord Ogletor, who finds himself supported by the peers
of the Kingdom for the sole purpose of acquiring glory in
these conquests. It is not to be doubted that he will act
with the greatest firmness by sea and land ; and unfortu-
nately for us, his slightest effort will be successful, for we
have not here the means to resist a moderate force. Our
case is much worse at sea ; for, by holding the mouth of
the inlet with one or two frigates, our communications are
completely cut on this side, and our supplies stopped. They
will succeed in their plan, a fact of which they are well aware,
as they are also of the deplorable condition of this place,
seeing it has so few troops for its defense. I hope, there-
fore, that Your Excellency will heed these reasons and also
the fact that the preservation of this post is of the greatest
importance to the security of all America, and so be pleased
to take the promptest measures, which I leave to the discre-
tion and judgment of Your Excellency. Your Excellency's
knowledge of the profession, acquired by long and distin-
guished service, will enable you to realize what is needed
here, being, without further detail, everything. For Your
Excellency must know that this castle*, the only defense here,
has no bombproofs for the protection of the garrison, that
the counterscarp is too low, that there is no covered way,
that the curtains are without demi-lunes, that there are no
other exterior works to give them time for a long defense ;
but that we are as bare outside as we are without life in-
side, for there are no guns that could last 24 hours, and if
there were, we have no artillerymen to serve them.

I have ordered 4,000** stakes to be cut for the construc-

* Fort Sao Marco. Tr.

** In the original 4<? Tr.

io Letters of Monti ano

tion of the covered way, with the full knowledge that the
work will be imperfect by reason of the low height of the
counterscarp ; but as raising it would be a long and costly
task involving much earth work, I shall apply myself to
such repairs as are immediately practicable and of least
cost. For I have no other funds than the small quantity
of silver bullion turned over to Don Francisco del Moral,
and although I might wish to run the wall from the castle
to the Cubo***, and raise here a bulwark to meet the attack
they might direct from this point against the castle, yet I
cannot do everything, partly from lack of means and partly
from lack of workmen, convicts and slaves to do the work.
If Your Excellency should resolve, as is my hope, to send
troops, workmen, some money, slaves or exiles, and an
Engineer to direct operations, let them also bring a suffi-
ciency of supplies, for while there is no doubt the English
will cut off our bread upon noticing anything unusual, there
is just as little doubt that the plans and pride of Milord
Ogletor will come to naught, and that if we have time to
prepare for defense, we shall rob him of all hope.

The two spies agree on the news herewith, and recom-
mend strongly that we should not neglect our preparations
for Milord Ogletor was expected at the latest all throngh
October, and his boldness would trample on all obstacles.
This is all I have to bring to the knowledge of Your Excel-
lency whom I shall always faithfully serve, desiring that
our Lord may preserve Your Excellency many happy years.

Florida, November n, 1737.

Your Excellency's most faithful affectionate servant,

Don Manuel de Montiano.

For Don Juan Francisco de Guemes y Horcasitas.

I, Antonio Alvarez, Keeper of the Public Archives of
East Florida, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true
and correct transcript from a book in which are recorded
the official letters addressed by Don Manuel de Montiano
Governor of East Florida, to Don Juan Francisco de Guemes
y Horcasitas, Captain General of the Island of Cuba, between

*** Cubo is a round fortified tower on the wall of a medieval fort or castle. There
must have been such a tower at Saint Augustine, known as the Cubo. Tr.

Siege of St. Augustine

1/

the 30th September, 1737, and the 1st of February, 1741,*
which book belongs in the Archives under my charge.

Witness my hand and seal of
office at the City of St. Au-
gustine, territory of Florida,
this twelfth day of February,
A. D. one thousand eight
I hundred and forty-four.

(Signed) Antonio Alvarez,

K. P. A.

No. 17.

Sir:

In answer to Your Excellency's letter of November 24,
inclosing a note, in which the transfer of the company of
grenadiers is regarded as proper, and directing me to employ
the news brought by the pilot as a pretext for sending
(him) with it to Frederico or New Georgia, in order to
make sure I have the honor to make the following state-
ment :

On January 18 I sent the adjutant Don Juan Jacinto
Rodriguez with Your Excellency's letter, under the pretext
of complaining to the commanding officers of those colonies.,
that Indians of their allegiance had murdered the Cacique
Pujoy and the people with him. I further demanded the
return of the Cacique's wife and of fourteen other persons,
men and women, taken prisoners, a barbarous violation of
good relations, and the punishment of the authors of this
infraction, etc. Having arrived at Gualquini, a plantation of
Don Guillermo Horton, Esquire, Governor of Frederico,
Rodriguez gave him my letter, but was refused permission
to proceed in order to deliver the remaining letters to Don
Thomas Hauston, Esquire, Governor-in-chief of the entire
province of San Jorge, and to Don Diego Gasgoine, Captain

It will be noticed that the last letter of this collection is dated January 2, 1741.

Tr.

12 Letters of Montiano

of the Manual* (man-of-war). In spite of all his efforts,
permission to proceed was still refused, with the statement
that within 21 days answers would be sent to San Juan;
and as he could not delay so long without exciting suspi-
cion, and now felt sure that he would not be allowed to
continue his journey, as on former occasions, he decided
to return, having verified to the best of his ability, the fact
that no new fortification had been added to those he had
seen the year before. He noticed, too, that according to
appearances, they were living without care, or else making
a show of it.

While with Don Guillermo, he was told of the departure
about five months ago from Holland of six ships of 50 or
60 guns to capture the coast guard vessel of Habana, be-
cause of the latter's seizure of a ship of great importance
{mtiy interesado) and that likewise, a ship of unspecified
nationality had sailed from Cadiz, with orders from the King
that Your Excellency and Don Antonio de Benavides should
meet to decide whether the prize was good. He also
learned that three frigates had arrived with 350 laborers
to work in the fields, and noticed that the Manual (man-of-
war) was not in its usual moorings, and upon asking why
was told that she was careened in Savana. He adds that he
was informed that the schooner of Devis was loading at
Puerto Real for a journey to this point, and as the distance
is only forty leagues, Your Excellency's long delay discour-
ages me. That is why I renew my prayer to Your Excellen-
cy to deign to send as early as possible a vessel loaded with
corn to keep us from perishing. This is all that I have by
way of news for Your Excellency to whom I am always
obedient, ever praying, etc.

Florida, February 3, 1738.

No. 18.

Sir:

I answer Your Excellency's letter of the 24 of November,
in which Your Excellency elaborately disputes the news I
gave you that Don Diego Ogletor had been appointed
General-in-chief. Your Excellency treats the remainder of
my news in the same fashion, alleging that there may be a

* The word "man-of-war" is interpolated by the copyist. "Manuel" is evidently
Don Manuel's transliteration of our "man o' war." Tr.

Siege of St. Augustine 13

blunder, and that your doubts are confirmed by English
explanations to the effect that Don Diego Ogletor's sup-
porters were, not the King, but a few members of Parlia-
ment, and that any way it has never been established that
the King had ever authorized the fraudulent usurpations
of foreign dominions now condoned, as this would have
been a notorious infraction. But with the fact before me
that in spite of the expostulations of ours (i. e. our King)
they hold their ground, skillfully seeking every opportunity
to advance and to seize whatever they can without let from
their King, who should have interfered in accordance with
the treaty of peace of 1670 delimiting the boundaries of
both crowns, I am compelled to believe that whenever the
occasion offers, they will seize by force of arms what they
have been unable to get by the craft, skill and persistence
so far employed by them. It is for these reasons that I
have communicated to Your Excellency the news of our
spies, it being my plain duty so to do, that no one may at
any time charge me with the omission. It is also my duty
to strive to protect this position, as long as the King shall
entrust it to me. This is my part : it is your Excellency's to
interpret them (news, events) as you may see fit. I shall
ever be ready to inform Your Excellency of all fresh events,
and try to use all opportunities to send news as rapidly as
possible.

And as I should have had (no) boat other than Ojeda's, and
it could not be expected that Devis's, which I am await-
ing, would go any farther and as I should give Your Excel-
lency the news of Pujoy, I make use of Matheo Rodriguez
who starts at once, begging Your Excellency to send us
some boat in good time loaded with corn, in case these peo-
ple should fail us, as is to be feared. My obedience is al-
ways completely yours, etc.

Florida, February 4, 1738.

No 23.
Sir:

The departure of Matheo Rodriguez's schooner from this
point was followed on the 10th inst, by the arrival of a
small boat from Puerto Real. An explorer who came in
her reports that a ship from London to the Port of Carolina*

* Charleston. Don Manuel similarly calls St. Augustine, Florida, just as to-day
Cubans never say Santiago, but Cuba, the full name of the place being Santiago de
C uba. Tr.

J 4 Letters of Montiano

brings the news of the death of the Queen of Great Britain
on November 20 of last year. Further, that the Count de
Montijo, our Ambassador to that (the English) court having
set forth the indubitable right of the Spanish crown to all
the colonies south of latitude 33 degrees 30 minutes, our own
Sovereign asked that they be released without resistance,
the despatch of troops to hold them constituting an act of
hostility. The answer to this was an order to prepare 60
ships of the line to take station off Cadiz, and at the same
time to send Don Diego Ogletor with 800 regulars, 500 from
England, and 300 from the Gibraltar garrison under the or-
ders of a colonel, the best Engineer of the kingdom, Ogle-
thorpe to have the supreme command of both Carolinas, and
to receive all necessary assistance. He was expected this
month with two frigates, one of 40 guns, and already in an-
ticipation ordered the purchase of great supplies, now being
stored in Georgia at all hazards. The Count de Montijo
accordingly withdrew to Madrid, and the resolution of the
English to send troops made war certain. Further, both
Carolinas are acquainted with the designs of Habana against
those Colonies for the month of March, having obtained the
news from an English frigate that left the said port in August
and transmitted the news at sea to another frigate encoun-
tered on its way to Carolina. Here, he continues, fortifi-
cations are under construction, and six thousand Chalaque
Indians have been ordered to assemble to go to Georgia : the
citizens of Old Carolina do not relish the command of Ogle-
tor on account of his boldness and arrogance, and because
they fear an interruption of thier business. He reports that
4,000 men are said to be coming from Spain and a few war
ships to be joined by the Windward fleet; further that the
English are asking the Spaniards to return the prizes taken
in America, and that in Europe an English ship was cap-
tured by the Spaniards, all its crew put to death, and the ship
taken to Alicante ; that the Dutch have captured a ship of
ours in American waters, with a few persons of distinction
who were being held as hostages until the return of the cap-
tures made ; that the Germans and French were bound by the
closest ties of friendship, and that the former and the Rus-
sians had taken from the Turks many places and provinces,
killing many people with but little loss on the part of the
allies.

This is all that is reported by the spy, and it agrees with
what Your Excellency has written to me. It is possible how-

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Siege of St. Augustine 15

ever that a visit to this place with this information is a ruse
to cause us to suspend operations, if it is certain that he has,
as he says, got hold of a plan without their knowledge, and
I wonder that such piece of information as the withdrawal
of our Ambassador should not have been communicated
to these parts, upon which subject Your Excellency will
know exactly what to say.

Having no further news, and begging, etc.

Florida, February 15, 1738.

No. 25.
Sir:

Just as I was closing my despatches to send them in
Ojeda's sloop, I received the answers of the commanding of-
ficers in New Georgia. They may be summed up as express-
ions of regret for the murder of King Pujoy and promises
to capture and punish the aggressors, and to restore the
prisoners if they can be found. They further express the
desire to maintain good relations, as well as the treaties made
by their General Oglethorpe with Don Francisco de Moral.
In respect of Your Excellency's letter treating of the Pilot,
which no one saw except Don Guillermo Horton, living at
Gualpuini, there is not a hint in his answer. The others say
that as they have not seen it, they do not understand the
matter; I am persuaded they have not failed to interchange
sentiments on the subject. The trooper that brought the
letters says that the crew of the English canoe report Ogle-
thorpe as arrived, and as being in Gualquini ; that they asked
if there were any Spanish or English ship on the coast, and
on hearing there were none, returned without going any
further. I have no more to report to Your Excellency, etc.

Florida, February 16, 1738.

No. 38.

Sir:

In a letter of Feb. 22, and postscript of March 22,
Your Excellency gave me notice of the departure of the
small expedition. This, in spite of the length of the voy-
age, arrived safely with the exception of a canoe, recovered
however, as I am informed in that port (Habana). In the
aforesaid letter, Your Excellency gave me precise directions
upon the course to be followed and precautions taken, to

16 Letters of Montiano

keep from the enemy any knowledge of our intended ex-
pedition to dislodge foreign intruders from the territory un-
lawfully held by them in these provinces. But as this plan
has come to naught, by reason of His Majecty's latest reso-
lution, nothing is left to me except to regret most deeply the
frustration of these excellent measures and the absence of
the results which I had reason to believe would accrue from
so fine, strong and adequate an expedition for there is no
doubt that the small one alone would have filled them with
consternation and put them to flight.

With regard to Don Antonio Diaz Villejas, subordinate of
the principal agent Don Antonio de la Mora, and to Don
Lorenzo Garcia, in charge of stores, I have done all in my
power to secure the greatest economy in the distribution of
rations, and in the care and preservation of stores, charging
them especially to keep ever in mind the directions given
them to the same end by Your Excellency.

In respect of your instructions to send a post to Don
Alonzo del Toro telling him to suspend his departure until
the middle of April, the reasons therefor having come to
an end, I merely told him to observe the directions given
him by the Engineer Don Antonio de Arredondo in his
letters (communicated to me). These seemed to me to be
most proper. With these I sent the post, which he promptly
received, preparing him for any emergency that might arise.
This is all I have to report to Your Excellency on these
matters, etc.

Florida, 13 May, 1738.

No. 41.

Sir:

Your Excellency's two letters of the 18th of March give me
the dispositions taken by you to oust the foreign intruders
in these provinces, and tell me that the general command of
the expedition has been given to Colonel Don Juan Bapta. de
Echeverria according to orders furnished Your Excellency,
among which I conjecture must be included those received
by me on May 8 from the Marquis of Torrenueva. In respect
of these matters, I am unable to express to Your Excellency
my regret at this suspension, because I believe that the
measures and rules adopted by Your Excellency would sure-
ly have led to the expulsion of the enemy. For this glorious
end, and apart from the modest resources offered by this

Siege of St Augustine 17

position, I should have striven with all the zeal and love
demanded by the service of the King, by my affection for
Your Excellency, and by my sense of what is due my friend
Don Juan Bapta. de Echeverria.

In consequence of the failure of this plan, no effect has
been given to Your Excellency's orders to the agent, Don
Antonio de la Mora, with respect to the ten thousand pesos
entrusted to him. As for the six thousand sent me by
Your Excellency to be employed solely in fortifications, I
shall arrange that the Engineer in charge make a weekly
account of expenditures ordered by me, so that everything
may be perfectly clear and thoroughly justified. The con-
victs only will draw rations under the forms always followed
in this garrison, a course of which I approve.

Your Excellency tells me of the dispatch of 82 convicts
of those furnished by his Grace the Viceroy Archbishop ; of
these only one is missing, who I am told, escaped from the
Morro. We have also received the four pieces of 24 and 18,
and the eight of 5 and 6. I had already informed Your Ex-
cellency by letter of April 25, that the six row galley guns
carried by the galliots had been left here. Being needed
here I thought fit to take them out, being unwilling to ex-
pose them to any risk. I beg Your Excellency to send us
their carriages, as we shall then avoid the expense of new
ones, and to approve this course of mine.

I inform Your Excellency that Don Pedro Barranco is
taking with him four 3-pounder stone mortars, two 2-pounder
and ten breech plugs, all of bronze, so that Your Excellen-
cy approve, they may be recast into falconets, which are more
readily handled. The mortars are useless because their
plugs, made here, do not fit. The Royal stores here have
also received through the foreman substituted for Don Fran-
cisco de Leon Galera, the clothes, shirts, hats, beads and
pipes, sent under his charge. I shall take the gross amount
from the Indian budget, and carry it to the account of works.
in order to employ it in our labors here, which in accordance
with your suggestion appears to me the best course.

Florida, May 28, 1738.

No. 43.

Sir:

In a letter of March 24, Your Excellency notified me of the
day on which you must have embarked the troops and mili-

i8 Letters of Montiano

tia for our intended expedition, and that the 21 st of said
month, you received a post with orders from the King to
suspend it while conferences between the two crowns would
fix the metes and bounds of these provinces. And that at
the same time Your Excellency was advised that His
Majesty desires they should guard against any sudden at-
tack, and that measures be taken to put this fortress and
that of Apalachee into as good condition of defense as pos-
sible. * * *

This is all I have to remark in respect of these affairs.

Florida, June 2, 1738.

No. 45.
Sir:

In a separate letter of March 24, Your Excellency informs
me that if the two courts do not agree on the delimitation
or adjustment of the boundaries of this city and of St George,
and that if in consequence ours should determine upon the
recovery of the boundaries belonging to it, I am to discover
by all means in my power the condition of the new settle-
ments as well as of Puerto Real and Purisbur, whether they
have received re-enforcemnts, either army or navy, the ton-
nage of the ships, and that I must obtain the most minute in-
formation through the most trustworthy channels availa-
ble, for report to His Majesty.

I assure Your Excellency that among the many difficulies
of life here, the greatest is the lack of persons of intelligence
for such business ; there is not a single emissary here to
whom it may be intrusted. And although Don Antonio de
Arrendondo and I have long conferred in these matters, and
on the methods of obtaining the reliable information we
need, we have encountered so many obstacles that we have
not yet hit on the best way of proceeding in so important an
affair. But what is positive in this whole business, is that
the English of the new settlements and of San Jorge had not
the slightest idea of what was forward, before the arrival
in their parts of the English pilot Your Excellency found in
this place. This is established by their Gazette, which Your
Excellency will see with other news written by Don Antonio
de Arrendondo, and by their having at once sent a 20-gun fri-
gate and a sloop to this port, to verify the reports of said
pilot. As a norther blew April 29 and 30, requiring them to
beat and lie-to, it was impossible to send a launch to ask

Siege of St. Augustine 19

them why they had come. To make sure of their fears,
they undoubtedly sent Edward Bullard in a sloop under the
pretext of recovering a debt due him by these offices, and
notes made by a few private individuals. But before open-
ing these subjects, he handed me a letter from the Governor
of San Jorge, of which I send a copy, as well as my answer,
for the information of Your Excellency.

In a letter written to Devis by the aforesaid English pilot,
it is said that on the 15th of May after a journey of eight
weeks three frigates arrived at San Jorge, one called "Fenix"
of 20 guns, the other two transports, carrying 600 regulars
taken on at Gibraltar and 40 bronze guns of all calibers ;
further that General Oglethorpe was shortly expected. But
as this news comes from persons of the same nation, in
whom we can not have the slighest confidence, we remain
in the same state of uncertainty, because we have no one who
can make the necessary investigation. This would be costly,
and as we have neither means nor trustworthy persons, we
have no way of discovering the truth or of receiving news
through a safe channel. There can be no doubt, however,
that if this news be true, our Government must know it. I
have no more to say on this subject, and subscribe myself,

etc.

Florida, June 3, 1738.

No. 57.
Sir:

After the departure of the transports with Don Philipe
de Yturrieta and his troops, I learned that the English are
fortifying Federico on the island of San Simon, where they
are building a brick fort, and that they are doing the work
from San Jorge, using a great number of pinnaces, and em-
ploying more than 200 men, laboring night and day.

Although this information may be feigned, and intended to
alarm us, yet I deem it my duty to communicate it to Your
Excellency by reason of any significance whatever it may
have for the royal service. In order that Your Excellency
might be fully possessed of the matter, and for the purpose
also of acquiring a real certainty in respect of the operations
actually in hand, I at one time thought of despatching one
of my most active officers under some pretext, but I have
abandoned this step, because it would be perfectly useless.
For although he might be allowed to land, he would not be

20 Letters of Montiano

allowed to enter the settlements or converse with any one.
To the same end I contemplated sending by land the Indian
Juan Ygnacio with companions of his own choice ; after hav-
ing made preparations, so many difficulties and hindrances
came up, that I thought it best to suspend the matter for the
present, waiting to see if time would not open a channel
through which we might get the news we need. And al-
though Don Antonio de Arredondo, while he was here, and
I discussed this matter thoroughly, we have been unable so
far to find such a channel. On the 9th instant, there set out
for Apalachee Don Antonio de Arredondo, Don Pedro Lam-
berto, and the foreman Portillo, preceded two days before
by Don Miguel de Rivas with his detachment of 50 men,
and the convicts who go with him to work on the fort at
that place. They took with them thirty-two loads of pro-
visions for the journey. One of the 20 troops of the ex-
pedition, returning sick, tells me that they find fresh meat
so abundant that they leave it behind at their halts : I take
it they will make a good journey.

Don Antonio de Arredondo is charged to reconnoiter the
terrain best adapted for the settlement of the families des-
tined for that province, and to execute this task with pru-
dence so that neither the Indians nor the English shall de-
tect our purpose, and by advancing occupy the ground be-
fore the arrival of the families. Another possibility to guard
against is that the English, knowing our plans, should in-
duce the Indians to embarass their execution. I have no
doubt that his good management will secure all proper
means to this end.

Florida, June 17, 1738.

No. 63.

In answer to Your Excellency's letter of June 16 re-
ceived through Perito, I have the honor to take up the
various subjects brought up. With regard to the reports
received by Your Excellency from the Negros station ship,
I wrote Your Excellency by Don Philipe de Yturrieta what
news I had at the time, and I now send by my letter of June
17, and the note of the 1st instant what has occurred since
in respect of this matter. I can only add in this letter that
the same person who gave me the news contained in the
aforesaid note, declared under oath taken in accordance

Siege of St. Augustine 21

with his religion at the time his sloop was boarded,that eight
companies of about one hundred men each, with its com-
plement of officers, had come from England to Federico. I
remark that as to this statement and that sent Devis, there
is a difference of 200 men, and that whereas one says these
troops went to San Jorge, the other says they went to Fe-
derico. This is all that I can now say on this subject. The,
two launches are under an arbor that I caused to be raised
in the dockyard for their preservation. This arbor cost
me toil enough, like everything else here ; for example, the
work upon the castle through lack of laborers, whom I am
obliged to assign in accordance with the annexed schedule.
In spite of all these drawbacks, however, the work is going
forward as rapidly as possible. All the foundations on one
side of the castle are nearly finished, but the arches have
not been begun because we have no hewn stone. This part
we can not carry on, as we have only two oxen trained to
work. Others are being broken in ; an interruption since
men must be employed with them. We have thrown down
the parapet of the curtain on the side whose foundation is
laid, as well as the interior wall forming the barracks on that
same side. I have set up a lime kiln and we are pushing on
everything by all available means.
Florida, July 4, 1738.

No. 70.
Sir:

At this hour, being four of the afternoon, I have just
received a post from Pupo, in which Don Pedro Lam-
berto reports his arrival this day at that fort with a loss of
two troopers, killed by the Uchee Indians on the way.

He further tells me that although he charged upon them,
he was unable to reap any advantage as they had retired
to a very impenetrable wood. He contemplated awaiting
the Indians whom he was bringing back with him from
Apalachee, (the same he took out with him) who had fallen
behind in the march, so as to join hands with them and at-
tack the enemy. But he found this impossible, giving no
reasons. He intimates that he is returning sick, which I
take to be the reason why he continued his march without
attempting the operation he had at one time contemplated.
He also tells me that the English of the neighboring colonies
have invited the Uchises to come in, and that these are pre-

22 Letters of Montiano

pared, to cross over to the said colonies. In the same post
I received letters from Don Miguel de Ribas and Don An-
tonio de Arrendondo reporting their uneventful arrival and
that of the launch and sloop of Don Pedro Barranco. On
this score then I am relieved of anxiety.

The movements of those Uchee Indians, and the report
of Don Pedro Lamberto that the English are having rela-
tions with the Uchises, are matter for thought. For the
this reason I am not only sending Your Excellency these
reports by Pedro de Alcantara but I am duplicating them
by hand, dispatching Luis Gomez to the Keys to give them
to the master of the first ship he may meet there, with or-
ders to the latter to proceed at once to Habana and deliver
them to Your Excellency.

I have nothing more to report at this time.

Florida, July 22, 1738.

No. 74.
Sir:

I have received at the hands of Marcos de Torres 12 let-
ters of Your Excellency bearing date 16, 17, 18 and 24 of
July, whose contents I shall report upon through the same
shipmaster.

I continue therefore the narration of events pending on
the departure of Pedro de Alcantara respecting the assault
made by the Uchee Indians on Fort Pupo. In order to
discover the number of the Indians encamped at a league
and a half from that fort near an arroyo, I sent out 29 of
our Indians, of whom 7 withdrew. The 22 remaining sent
me 'word that they were eager to make the reconnaissance
on which they had sallied; after having been particularly
cautioned not to expose themselves rashly, they reconnoi-
tered from the said fort, and returned here, after, as they
report, having carried out their orders. They informed me
that in spite of their attempt to discover the Indians along
the various roads, they had found only the trail of the four
who followed the last post that I had sent to Apalachee. I
am thus left in doubt whether their report be true, or wheth-
er through fear they have failed to reconnoiter thoroughly.
I am equally ignorant of the numbers of the Indians that
advanced to Pupo, and of their halting place.

A few backwoodsmen having arrived in this city with some
live stock, were summoned before me, and informed me that

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FLORIDA

Siege of St. Augustine 23

while out on a trip they had met a small detachment of
Uchises busy looking for horses, from whom they learned
that the English of New Georgia had thrown out in differ-
ent directions bodies of Indians loyal to them, with orders
to intercept the entire road to Apalachee, and to kill all the
Spaniards possible, and that with this understanding, they
were about to return when the meeting took place. Further,
that although invited to return to their villages (by the
Uchises), they paid no attention to the offer. The herds-
men added that having withdrawn with the cattle they had
succeeded in finding, they discovered at a distance of 14
leagues from Pupo a body of 10 Indians by whom they were
molested until they had the good fortune to fall in with Don
Pedro Lamberto. This news, agreeing with the attack on
the two rangers of this captain, with the attack on Pupo,
and with the meeting of the 10 Indians who pursued the
herdsmen, I communicate thus clearly to Your Excellency,
for what it is worth to the royal service.

In a letter of 18th ultimo, I told Your Excellency in re-
spect of the desertion of the 8 convicts employed in making
lime for the works here, that I had sent Don Sebastian San-
chez with letters for the chiefs of these colonies,* asking
for their restoration should they arrive in their territory.
I profited by this occasion particularly to charge this officer
to make the most particular inspection possible of the con-
dition of the English colonies, to discover their plans, and
inform himself about them in every way possible, bidding
him to offer some reasonable reward if he should meet any
one that could give him trustworthy news. This officer hav-
ing returned and reported his investigations, I directed him
to certify his account, being the same as the authentic tes-
timony sent Your Excellency. At the same time, he told me
he had not found the deserters, and that those Chiefs had
offered their restoration in case they should come to their
ports. I send at the same time to Your Excellency the
letters they wrote in answer to mine. He also informs me
that there is a great epidemic of smallpox at Saint George.

Last night there arrived the two posts that I had sent
to Don Miguel de Ribas, who informs me that there is noth-
ing new in that fort, but that with respect to the news I gave
him, he will display the greatest vigilance in the matter of
Indian movements. To this end he sent a post to Quilate

* English colonies are meant. Tr.

24 Letters of Montiano

for his information, who went in person to that fort, and
confirmed the purpose of the Junta, as communicated to
Your Excellency in a letter of the 23 ultimo. In this Junta
the English of Georgia made a great effort to convene the
Talapuches, Chicazees, Uchises, Chalaques, Catapas, and
other nations. Although they all besought him equally, he
remained firm in his resistance to these visits, sending news
of this business instead of his chieftains, and in particular to
two of especial loyalty, so that he might come and report to
me all that might take place there.

At the same time the aforesaid Don Miguel de Ribas re-
ports the desertion from his fort of three soldiers and 18
convicts. As for the soldiers, he has ordered them to be
sought in Pensacola, to which point nearly all fugitives go.
The convicts were caught at once, and are now under safe
guard. The foreman Portillo and a few soldiers and con-
victs remain sick, for which reason the work there is being
continued with a pause. This is somewhat the case with
the work on the castle here, because the mason Cantillo
who remained here to take charge of it is simply ruined with
a pox, so that he can do no work. Hence it has been neces-
sary to send word to Don Pedro Ruiz Olano to fortify Pupo.
To carry on here with the energy desirable, I beseech
Your Excellency to send here all the convicts possible, a
pair of good carts, and a few junta maestras, since for the
lack of these things and of peons, the work goes on with
great slowness, a source to me of the greatest anxiety.

I have already given Your Excellency my opinion of the
summons of the Indians, and I pledge my utmost powers
to discover their plans ; and whether thus or through the
disclosures of Quilate's trustworthy friends, I shall give
Your Excellency at the earliest possible moment all the
news that I may get, and should the case call for it I shall
send one of the two launches here, so that no serious delay
shall occur, or favorable opportunity miscarry.

The Indian Juan Ygnacio has not returned, and I am
very anxious about him, as I fear lest he may have fallen into
the hands of those who came to Pupo : if he has escaped
them, I trust that he will bring me very sure news.

Florida, 8th of August, 1738.

Siege of SI. Augustine 25

No. 76.

Sir:

In my letter of Nov. 11, of last year, I gave Your Excel-
lency the news I had got from Milord Ogletor's projects'
made before the English court in respect of helping the cap-
ture of this place, such as keeping ships at the mouth and
along the keys of the new channel, so as to insult the fleets
of merchant ships, galleons, quicksilver ships, and other ves-
sels of Spanish commerce. Later on, I gave Your Excel-
lency all the information that I had found it possible to
collect. Lastly in letters of July 21 and August 8 I com-
municated to Your Excellency the assault which the Yuches,
friends of the English, made on Fort Pupo the night of July
18; the death of the scouts of Don Pedro Lamberto ; and
the news given by the Uchises to some hunters of ours that
the English had sent out a few parties of Indians with orders
to kill as many Spaniards as possible. I also inclosed a
statement of the embassy Quilate sent to the commanding
officer at Apalachee telling him that the English of New
Georgia had twice caused to be summoned all the Indians
of the Provinces ; as well as an account of Don Sebastian
Sanchez (whom I had sent to the neighboring colonies to
recover the eight convicts, deserters) of all that he had been
able to see and learn. And now very recently, the Indian
Juan Ygnacio has returned whom I had also sent to the
same colonies to try, by using his native wit, to slip into them
and discover as much as he could of the plans of the English,
and of their condition. Likewise there have fled hither two
Irishmen and one Scotchman. I am accordingly sending
Your Excellency a careful account of their statements, and
of all that the aforesaid Indian has declared he heard and
saw, from the time he reached the English, until he could
manage to slip away, in order that Your Excellency may
be completely informed of all the news that I have been able
to gather. Reflecting on certain portions of this account,
I ought to point out to Your Excellency that Lieutenant
Colonel Cocram, Governor of San Simon having asked our
Indian if there were much money in Florida, and being an-
swered that there was, said to him : "Soon that will all be
the King of England's." With respect to this haughty
statement, I may be allowed lo point out that this Governor
would not make such assertions, were he not informed of
his sovereign's desire to possess himself of this place.

2 & Letters of Montiano

In the next sentence, Cocram asked our Indian about the
condition of this place and castle, and to his answer remark-
ed : "When you hear it said that General Ogletor has ar-
rived, whom I am expecting with 700 men, then will you see
me put a war ship at the mouth of the bar, to cut off supplies ;
and another on the keys, to embarrass vessels from Habana."
It should be noticed and recollected here, that this plan
forms part of Ogletor's dispositions. Further, Lieutenant
Colonel Cocram has just come from London, and it is rea-
sonable to believe that this officer must have been informed
there that Ogletor's plans were approved, and that the lat-
ter must have strengthened them by representing the ad-
vantages accruing to his Britannic Majesty from the cap-
ture of Florida. This plan may be regarded as adopted, see-
ing that in another sentence he said affirmatively to our In-
dian that before 2 or 3 years he would be seeing them mak-
ing wine and aguardiente in this province ; and that for the
purpose of mastering it, he had in Sabanto, San Andres and
San Simon, 900 men, who with the 700 Ogletor was to bring,
and the 5,000 and 6,000 Indians they would call together in
less than 2 months would advance and disembark on the
river St. John's near the fort of Picolata, the only point, as
they say themselves, from which may be counted the 7 leagues
to this position.

In this last paragraph of his account our Indian says he
heard Lieutenant Colonel Cocram, and Don Guillermo Haus-
ton say that they had offered their Indians 50 dollars for
the scalp of every Spaniard they might kill. The truth of
this is sufficiently established by the news given our herds-
men by the Indians, by the violent death of Don Pedro Lam-
berto's two scouts, and by the surprise they attempted
against Pupo. And the enlistment of the 5,000 or 6,000 In-
dians spoken of in the preceding paragraph is verified by
the embassy of the supreme chief Quilate. Upon which I
have to remark that the aforementioned Governor Cocram
would not have called the meeting for these outrages, with-
out express orders from his Government.

At this hour, half past eleven at night, I have received the
report of the chief of a detachment which I am keeping in
an armed launch in the river St. John's, that 25 Indians and
2 Englishmen allowed themselves to be seen on the shores
of the island of the same name.

As this point is the very one they have fortified, and the
one in which they tried to found a new settlement it must

Siege of St. Augustine 27

be two or three years ago, not only is it plain that there
must be more Indians and Englishmen, but also that they
have come for the same purpose. But I am firmly resolved
not to endure such insolence, and to make them abandon the
idea if perchance they should have pitched on it.

This is all the news I have been able to acquire by the
means indicated, for the information of Your Excellency;
it follows that the purposes of the English are verified ; that
taking crafty advantage of the time selected for fixing the
boundaries of the provinces on both sides, not only have they
applied themselves with greatest zeal to the fortification of
the ground that they have unjustly occupied, but that they
are also taking the most effective measures to take this place,
by starving it. I have also learned from Devis, (who vouch-
es stoutly for it, on account of the confidence he has in his
informant of the island of Barbadoes) that the number of
troops Ogletor is to transport is i,oco men, and that as
many as 20 ships of war are to be sent from London for sta-
tion off Jamaica. It is that Your Excellency may take the
best means to guard the fleets now in these American waters,
and deign to take all the measures needed for the important
work of finishing this castle, as well as the others suggested
by Your Excellency's great discretion and knowledge as
suited to the execution of these premeditated ideas, that
I transmit these reports to Your Excellency. In order to
lose no time, I do not answer the letters which I promised
by Marcos de Torres to answer. I assure Your Excellency
that I shall fail in no point to display the utmost vigilance
for the safety of this place. To this end, I have asked the
purveyor at New York to send me with the utmost despatch
supplies for one year, because from now on those needed
by the King, and designated by you can not be obtained
through other channels.

I had intended to send Juan Ygnacio the day of sailing
to that city, (Habana) so as to give Your Excellency by
word of mouth the account he gave me, but having declared
to me that he had made a certain promise of vow, in case
of a happy issue, to Our Lady of Cobre. I was unwilling
to put him aboard with violence, and I let him go at his own
free will to present himself to Your Excellency.

I beg that he may return at the first opportunity.
Florida, Aug. 31, 1738.

28 Letters of Montiano

No. 113.

Sir:

In a letter of October 10, Your Excellency is good enough
to tell me that the squadron on nine war-ships under the
command of Don Joseph Pizarro is now in your harbor, and
that although you have received letters from Spain by a
despatch boat on its way to Vera Cruz, the official ones throw
no light on the question of peace or war, but that the private
ones say the English have corrected their schemes. Fur-
ther, that it is felt our differences will be compounded by
gentle and friendly methods, a feeling shared by Your Ex-
cellency for reasons soundly set forth. On this subject I
feel it my duty to say to Your Excellency that I am of the
same opinion, for I have had a thorough understanding with
Devis, and succeeded in making him reveal the present state
of these* colonies, their news and plans. He assures me there
is nothing new except the arrival of Milord Ogletor, and as
this officer is so captious and crossgrained, I am astonished
that having come, he should remain quiet, and although I
distrust this peaceful attitude as being perhaps only the
deepest artifice, yet I regard it as nothing less than miracu-
lous. And so I am diminishing in no respect my vigilance
over all the measures they may take, nor my watch of the
river St. John's and the forts Pupo and Picolata. I am ad-
vancing these works as much as possible, and searching into
the intentions of the English, for Your Excellency's informa-
tion in case they should have any significance, while they
are not being put into effect, and an agreement is reached
in respect of the differences set afoot by their unjust seizure
of territory belonging to this Province. And, if I should
have any urgent news for Your Excellency and no earlier
vessel to send it by, I should despatch a launch, as I have
before told Your Excellency, in order that Your Excellency
may not be without it, and that such dispositions may be
made for the King's service as may in your wisdom see'm
best.

Florida, 3 January, 1739.
Postscript.

Don Pedro Lamberto has told me that a soldier fired at
Ogletor, and that he got this from Devis, who however con-
cealed it from me, and until he left the port said nothing
of it to me.

* The English. Tr.

Siege of St. Augustine 29

On Nov. 21, 23 negroes of both sexes and children came
here fleeing from Puerto Real, nineteen belong to Devis ;
eight are workmen. I am struggling with all the freemen to
establish them in Moze half a league from here to the north,
so that they may there form a settlement, and cultivate
those lands. I have appointed Don Sebastian Sanchez to
take charge, and Don Joseph de Leon to instruct them in
the mysteries of our holy religion. He is a young man of
parts, in the church, and serves as notary to the Lord Bishop,
with whose approval he has undertaken this work. He is
acting as parish priest until the King shall have made known
his good pleasure. The free negroes here are 38 in all : and
it is not impossible they may form a good village.

No. 126.
Sir:

A man having appeared on the edge of the other bank
of the river Saint John's the guard launch crossed over to
examine him, and took him aboard to bring him here. He
arrived on the 16th ultimo, and we got from him the declara-
ton herewith. From it Your Excellency can determine the
condition of Georgia and of its fortifications, with all the
other points that seemed to me worthy of inquiry. If what
he says is true, it is possible that General Ogletor is mak-
ing but little progress, since I know through another channel
that over 12,000 dollars are owing in New York, and that
for this reason, they are unwilling to send him supplies from
any of their colonies where, on account of his daring dispo-
sition, he is in disfavor, as well as from the reputation he
has acquired of being a poor paymaster. This is all I have
to offer on this point, remaining, etc.

Florida, 3 March, 1739.

No. 133.

Sir:

On March 9 last, a sloop arrived in this port from San
Jorge having on board a Lieutenant Colonel, a member of
Parliament and an interpreter, who presented a letter of
instructions and authority to act from various citizens of
those Colonies, and two letters from Don Diego Ogletor,
commanding General of all the colonies of Carolina and from
Don Guillermo Bull, Governor of San Jorge, asking for an

jo Letters of Montiano

audience on the subject of their mission. This was to ask
for the restoration of the negro fugitives, deserters from the
neighboring colonies. I received them into my own house
and having heard their case through the medium of three
interpreters, I answered that I deeply regretted my lack
of authority to grant their wishes, inasmuch as the orders
of the King contained no authority to deliberate on the
matter of returning fugitive negroes who might take refuge
in this Presidio, but on the contrary the express direction
to set them at liberty. I could not thus make the exchange
they offered of the eight convicts deserters from us for their
slaves. I suggested that they apply to their own Govern-
ment for a statement of the principles set forth in respect of
the reciprocity they wish to establish with us, and that
for my part, I should do the same, and make a report to the
council of their request.

From the expression of their countenances, they were very
much pleased with my decision, and with the courtesy shown
them during the week they remained here without leaving
my side for a single moment, and so returned well satisfied
to their colonies, giving many signs of gratitude with very
courteous compliments. And in order that Your Excellency
may be informed of their claims and of the answers that I
gave to the letters they brought, I send Your Excellency cop-
ies of their letters, and of one of mine, these being all alike
on the principal subject. I shall be very glad to receive the
approval of Your Excellency in this matter.

Florida, April 2, 1739.

No. 151.

Sir:

Under date of June 9, Your Excellency is good enough
to tell me, that by royal order Your Excellency recommends
the same course as that decided on by me in respect of the
eight convicts, deserters, and that in consequence it seems
indispensable that fresh negotiations should be opened in
the matter. Your Excellency further directs that I should
communicate their results separately with anything else that
I might obtain and learn on good foundation, in order to
make report to his Majesty. Having thus a royal order to
bring to the notice of the commander of Carolina under some
indifferent pretext, Article 2 of the convention, I took advan-
tage of it to send a launch to San Jorge, assuming what

Siege of St. Augustine 31

Your Excellency will see in the copy herewith, with the
Captain of Horse Don Pedro Lamberto aboard. He
was to consult the physicians of that city in regard to
the serious illness of a girl who has been ailing for many
years. Having executed his mission, he reports to me that
he did not meet Don Diego Ogletorp in San Jorge, to
whom as commanding General, I addressed the notice in-
viting his attention to Article 2. They told him the General
was absent on a journey of more than 300 miles, for which
reason he delivered my despatches to his lieutenant, who
though invited to, nevertheless declined to open them, ex-
cusing himself on the plea that he had been ordered only to
receive despatches of whatsoever nature, and to send them
on, which he did. Having receipted for the despatches, they
gave him (Lamberto) other despatches in duplicate, being
an answer to mine that I sent by the deputies from that city
and their Parliament. A copy of this I am enclosing for
Your Excellency's information : inviting attention to the
omission of all mention of the eight convicts, deserters. As
he (Lamberto) was not received as were their deputies here,
nor was allowed, as on former occasions, to walk about the
place, he was unable to learn anything worthy of commu-
nication, except that in the first settlements he was better
treated, and thus could learn of the discord prevailing be-
tween the latest squatters and the people of San Jorge, and
between the latter and Don Diego Ogletorp, whose su-
preme command they refuse to recognize.

I believe that Don Pedro Lamberto's restraint, and the
refusal to allow his people to walk about are due to the
fears of the negroes in which they live, and also lest some
of our people should make suggestions or incite them to
flight, a thing against which they guard mightily, since they
depend on the negroes for success or failure.

This is all I have to send to Your Excellency, etc.

Florida, August 14, 1739.

Since writing the foregoing, Don Pedro Lamberto tells
me that while in San Jorge he met Juan Zevallos, one of the
eight convicts that deserted from the lime kiln ; that he
tried to return with him, which the Governor would not al-
low: and that the rest go about freely in those plantations,
according to the said Zevallos. I have caused Don Pedro
Lamberto to certify this news, and I am sending it to the
Court, with copies of letters treating of the matter.

j2 Lette) s of Montiano

No. 157.
Sir:

Don Diego Pablo sends me despatches from Apalachee,
saying that he has learned that the English had set out with
more than 100 negroes to build a fort; that the negroes rose,
slew all the English, and hamstrung all the horses ; that two
large bodies of Indians, had gone forth, one in the direction
of the road to San Marcos, and the other toward this point.
That this news comes from Quilate, and that he was inves-
tigating everything particularly, and where they intended
to build the fort; that the negroes had scattered, and two
of them (Portillo says four) had arrived at a village of the
Provinces, and afterwards disappeared ; that they asked a
few Indians encountered in the woods, the road to the
Spaniards ; that this news caused him much anxiety. It
appears to me that the fort must be a means in the neigh-
borhood of Carolina to keep the negroes from deserting, and
that having rebelled, troops of Indians were sent out after
them, and so the news causes no great anxiety. But nev-
ertheless, in case they were occupying some new post in
violation of the Convention, I sent out Don Jose Leonor to
reconnoiter, and he has returned from reconnoitering St.
Mary's, and I have scouts in other parts.

So far there is no other news ; no despatches having fol-
lowed from Apalachee, there is nothing to fear : Don Di-
ego Pablo having concealed from me Quilate's presence
in his fort, I have Juan Ygnacio there with three other In-
dians and two or three Uchises loyal to us.

The results I shall communicate promptly to Your Excel-
lency as I now report the arrival yesterday of a sloop from
New York.

Florida, Aug. 19, 1739.

No. 180.

Sir:

In letters of the 4 and 14 of October of last year, I gave
Your Excellency an exact account of what had been done
in these parts by the different English ships, from, the sec-
ond day of the said month and year, and* I have now to in-

* A considerable portion of this disnatch beginning at this point is to be found
translated in the Southern Quarterly Review for April, 1844, pp. 394 et seq. This
translation very considerably modified and altered, is reproduced here, with omis-
sions supplied and errors corrected. Tr.

Siege of St. Augustine jj

form Your Excellency, that on the 22d of December, there
arrived at this place, a cavalry soldier, of the guard of St.
John's Bar, which is about twelve leagues north of this' port,
who says, that he saw the tracks of 25 or 35 men, at the small
creeks about half way of the road; and immediately another
cavalry soldier of the same guard, came with the news, that
one of our Indians had reported, that on the banks of the
St. John's, he had seen the tracks of more than three hundred
white men.

On the 23d, the Ensign of cavalry Don Lorenzo Joseph
de Leon, and one soldier, arrived at this place with report
of having seen at the same small creeks, a great number of
Indians, and white people.

On the 24th council was held to decide whether it would
be advisable to demolish the fort of Diego, or reinforce it,
and whether our force was sufficiently strong to attack the
enemy. We resolved to send a relief of eleven men, and that
it would not be expedient to weaken this garrison, for the
reasons set forth in the minutes of the council. The same
day, we began to hasten various works looking to the se-
curity, and defence of the place.

On the 25th, a trooper came in and some of our Indians,
bringing intelligence, that they had discovered the fresh
tracks of 30 men, at the distance of four leagues from this
place; and Father Francisco Gomez, parish priest, of the
village of Ayamon, where the Indians of Pozatalaca estab-
lished themselves last year to cultivate more fertile lands,
reported that in the neighborhood of that place, seven or
eight leagues from this, about 10 Uchises Indians had shown
themselves.

On the 26th, I sent the Ensign of cavalry, Don Alonzo
Joseph, to scout the country, and collect all the cattle pos-
sible, to be crossed to Santa Anastacia Island; I also sent
out four Indians on the same scouting mission, charging
them with the promise of twenty-five dollars to take an En-
glishman, or hostile Indian prisoner. In the afternoon, the
Ensign returned with 93 head of cattle, and I sent the Sub-
lieutenant Don Manuel Garcia, in four small boats, to cut
stakes for different uses of the Royal service, and for the
defence of the place.

On the 27th, I despatched the Ensign Don Antonio So-
lana, to bring in the horses. Don Cristobal de Torres, Bar-
tolome Ramirez, and other residents went out on the same
business. I charged Don Francisco Menendez, and other

34 Letters of Montiano

residents, with the business of crossing the cattle over to
Santa Anastacia Island already mentioned. I sent the In-
dian Juan Ygnacio, with five other Indians, to the river of
Picotala, which is that called St. John's, to observe the
movements of the enemy.

On the 28th, I sent out four other Indians by land, on
the same errand ; and in the night, two of the Indians who
went with Juan Ygnacio, returned with the news, that on
that day, the fort of Picolata was attacked by 240 English,
and Indians, and that its garrison of seven men, had de-
fended it valiantly, from ten in the morning, till 5 in the
afternoon, at which hour the enemy made a shameful re-
treat.

On the 29th. I despatched the Cacique Chislala, with
eight Indians of his choice, to scout the country, and
charged to take hostile Indian, or Englishman prisoner alive.
This same day, one of the soldiers in the affair of the fort
of Picolata, came in and with him the Indians Juan Ygnacio,
and Juan Savina, who said that those who attacked the fort,
were 150 English, and 30 Indians, that the fire lasted four
hours ; that our casualties were the wounding of the artillery-
man and, that two of the enemy were seen to fall, one of
whom appeared to be an officer, for he wore a laced hat, and
was taken off by four men. The soldier informed me, that
the fort was attacked by two mortars firing large shell (Gre-
nadas Reales) and gave me a few splinters of those that fell
within the fort.

On the 30th. the beforementioned Father, parish priest of
Ayamon, arrived with the news, that on the 29th Uchises In-
dians had killed Fayaquisca, in the neighborhood of that
town. On this same day the four Indians sent out on the
26th, returned, and informed me, that having been at St.
Mateo, which is on the St. John's, they saw the tracks of
Indians who had passed back and forth, and though they
made every exertion to discover whether they had made, or
were constructing a fort in the vicinity of that river, they
could see only boats going to this part of the Saint John's,
and they debated whether the Indians and whites lately
seen could be found there, because the tracks of the Indians
all made for the said part of the Saint John's.

On the 4th of January, 1740, the Cacique Chislala re-
turned with all his Indians, and assured me that they had
been to the St. John's, that they had thoroughly reconnoiter-
ed those Darts and had seen there only the camps (ranchos)

Siege of St. Augustine J5

where the hostile Indians had been, and that according to the
signs left behind there were 134 of them. They made thir-
ty-six fires, which covered the English, who were, they
thought, in number 200.

On the 7th, I despatched Juan Ygnacio, and Geronimo,
with three other Indians, each to scout, and examine the
landing places.

On the 8th, the artillery man, wounded in the affair of
Picolata, died. The same day, I sent Don Pedro Lamberto
Horrutiner with 25 horsemen of his company, 25 infantry,
and 30 Indians and free negroes (of those who are fugitives
from the English Colonies), to scout the country, and use
diligence to capture a few Indian scouts who are supposed
to be in this neighborhood, and they returned at night with-
out any news.

On the 13th, the parish priest of the before mentioned
town of Ayamon, informed me that at 9 in the morning, they
were attacked by 46 Uchises Indians, who badly wounded,
and scalped an Indian who was outside of the little fort they
have there.

On the 1 8th, the Indian Juan Ygnacio returned with some
of his Indians, and report having seen in the St. John's river,
at a place called St. Nicholas, 12 vessels consisting of 3
schooners, 2 sloops, and 7 canoes ; and that it seemed to
him they must have had 700 men aboard. This day, I des-
patched two troopers, with two Indians, to see if the ves-
sels landed people at Salamatoto, and the two Indians to
pass to Picolata, to watch the movements of the enemy.

On the 19th, the Indian Geronimo, companion of Juan Yg-
nacio returned, to report that he had seen in the St. John's
two boats which kept in the middle of the river, without
moving; it is a question if they are posted here to discover
if any armament of our enters the bar, in which case one
would be detached to alarm the neighboring Colonies, and
the other to alarm the 12 vessels at St. Nicholas. The In-
dians returned who went out yesterday, and say, they went
near to Picolata and could see nothing; afterwards, it was
discovered that these two Indians did not go half the way.
The two troopers who went out with them reconnoitered
the estuary of Nicoloa, and finding it unoccupied returned.

On the same 19th day, I sent out Laureano Solana, Ser-
geant of cavalry, with eight soldiers, and four Indians, to
discover if the before mentioned boats were still in the
Picolata River, and whether they had taken the fort of Pupo.

j6 Letters of Montiano

On the 20th, the Sergeant returned at I in the morning,
with report of having seen a great number of men and fires
at Picolata; but as he made his reconnaissance at night, he
could not see the fort, nor can he say precisely how many
men there were.

On the same day, I sent out Juan Ygnacio, and eleven
Indians, to make proper reconnoisance, and endeavor to
take an Indian, or Englishman alive.

On the 21 st, the Indian Juan Ygnacio returned with his
party, and assured me, that on arriving at Picolata, they
found the fort in ashes, and from there, saw that the En-
glish vessels were near the Fort of Pupo. That all about
it, were many people in red coats and that the said fort was
in the hands of the enemy, for they saw many people go out
and in, up and down. , ,

On the 22d, I despatched Diego de Espinosa, who is a resi-
dent of this place, well acquainted with the country, with
six cavalrymen to reconnoiter, and mark the landings of
St. John's, St. Matheo, and St. Nicholas.

On the 24th, Diego de Espinosa returned, with the six
troopers that accompanied him, who reports that he saw
three soldiers' tents on the St. John's, opposite St. Nicholas.
He endeavored to get near to discover what they
contained, but hearing the discharge of a gun, which ap-
peared to be a signal that his party was discovered, he re-
tired quickly, fearing lest they should cut off his retreat.

On the 27th, I sent out the Lieutenant of cavalry, Don
Romualdo Ruiz del Moral, with 25 horsemen, 25 Indians
and 25 free negroes, to scour the country, to reconnoiter
Picolata and Pupo, and with the greatest circumspection,
and precaution, to make a most serious effort to capture
an Indian, or Englishman alive, by attacking those on this
side if it could be done, having due regard for the prudence
necessary in a viglant march, and for an exact examination
of the river, in order to estimate the number of people on
this side. And according to information acquired, he was to
attack them or not, or annoy them on some side, at no special
risk.

On the 29th, the Lieutenant Don Romualdo Ruiz del Mor-
al returned with his party, with report that they reached
the landing of Picolata, but could not on account of rain
and fog, inform themselves of the state of the fort of Pupo,
but they thought they saw it, and heard the sound of a drum

Siege of St. Augustine 37

from it.* In this state of affairs I am compelled to send
Your Excellency shortly our launch with this intelligence
so that in possession of it, and of orders from the King,
Your Excellency may see fit to take all the steps suited to
the victualling and fortification of this place, points in re-
spect of which it is absolutely impossible to do anything
whatever here.

As regards the said river St. John's or Picolata, it is an
arm of the sea some three quarters of a league in width,
measured accurately by different Engineers, entering over
the bar of the same name, and emptying at the entrance
of Apalachee, or the southern Coast, according to the belief
of the most experienced Indians. I declare categorically
that I have no naval forces to oppose to the enemy's ; but
having them, it were easy to introduce them over the same
bar, to go out to meet the enemy and punishing him severe-
ly, to guard these dominions. Lacking such forces how-
ever, there is no remedy, and that is precisely why I have
not sent out by land, a large detachment, for it would re-
quire at the same time, a strong expedition by sea. Now
supposing the English should blockade this position, as
they have threatened, and should for the success of this
plan make a great effort to attack the forts of Picolata and
Pupo, as a feint to force me to throw out a large body of
troops, it is not to be doubted that, being with their Indian
allies masters of the country, they would endeavor strenu-
ously to cut their (our troops') communications with us. If
unfortunately these should fail to retire in good order, the
English would then with slight opposition and no hindrance
force the entrance of the Port with their boats, keeping them
ready for this purpose in the channels running from the
aforementioned bar of Saint John into the interior which
would be under their control.

They would thus take possession of this position with
great ease, seeing there would be no one to defend it, if they
had first routed our troops.

Moreover, even if I had without any zeal come to such
a decision, one that I should myself call rash and illogical,
no glory would have befallen our arms. For the English
controlling the said St. John's with their heavy launches able
to carry guns of medium caliber, and being thus enabled to
enter this river and give support at any time by these same

* The extract in the Southern Quarterly Review ends here. Tr.

38 Letters of Montiano

channels intersecting the land of their islands from bar to
bar as far as that of Puerto Real fifty leagues distant, no
effort not maritime in character was of the slightest use.
In respect of the danger that I have mentioned, even if their
troops in these parts had been disembarked and had allow-
ed ours to approach within gun-shot range, they could have
played us the trick of jumping aboard the small boats, and of
opening fire from the larger ones, and so beat us in a piteous
fashion. And then this place would have been in a worse
state than it was before the reenforcement, which would have
given rise to the royal displeasure, and would have been the
beginning of its ultimate destruction.

These are not the only reasons inspired by the safeguard-
ing of this position, for I have others palpably of equal im-
portance and weight. For under the supposition that neith-
er Your Excellency nor I have received orders from the
ing leading us to believe that the English would occupy
the seas with their ships, my duty first of all is to economize
the stores of this place so that its inhabitants may not per-
ish. And I may remark most frankly to Your Excellency
that nothing expends them so much as detachments : and for
one of importance, such as would be the case with sending
400 or 500 men, through deserts, uncultivated thickets, im-
penetrable and dangerous woods possibly occupied by the
enemy, certain special supplies would be indispensable, which
could not be furnished without serious loss for the future,
to say nothing of the sally being probably fruitless.

To the important end of keeping this place for His Ma-
jesty, of supplying and strengthening it as much as possible,
I have had recourse to Your Excellency on various oc-
casions : and I now with the greatest emphasis repeat my
supplications, begging Your Excellency to help it with all
that is needful to this end, in conformity with the orders
which the King has given Your Excellency for this purpose.

I further declare to Your Excellency that to the excellent
strong reasons why Your Excellency should give it at-
tention, must be added at the same time the lamentable
circumstance that this place has gone without pay since
'36, as Your Excellency must know. *For the agent who
went over to receive it, Don Pedro de Escobedo, since the
beginning of '37 neither has arrived here nor do we know
his whereabouts ; there is a melancholy rumor that he has

* This passage is obscure in the original. Tr.

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Siege of St. Augustine 39

been shipwrecked or fallen into the hands of the English.
All these reasons induce me humbly to supplicate Your Ex-
cellency to take the measures so urgently needed to supply
and fortify this place as the King desires : in the mean time
I shall apply myself diligently to its preservaton with the
greatest zeal and firmness, even to giving up my life with it,
according to my oath made and sworn to His Majesty.

I likewise invite Your Excellency's attention to the fact
that the two aforesaid forts of Picolata and Pupo were con-
structed solely for the purpose of defending and sheltering
from the continual attacks of Indian allies of the English,
the mails that go to and come from Apalachee, and that
both were situated on the banks of the aforesaid St. John's,
one to the north and the other to the south, at a distance
of three-quarters of a league, the width of the river, without
being able to help each other. In spite of being small and
built of wood, they have defended themselves various times
against the 1 Indians that have attacked them. Even now
that of Picolata resisted four or five hours in spite of being
invested by more than 200 men. The garrison being com-
pelled by the destruction of the fort through shell fire, took
advantage of the retreat of the enemy, their chief so they
say, having been killed, to shelter itself behind Pupo, until by
my order it withdrew to this place in the same canoe that
took it over, by a channel that empties (into the river) three
leagues away. The said fort of Pupo defended itself va-
liantly nearly two days : for although at this moment I do
not know where its garriso^i is, ten men and a sergeant with
an Indian kept to report on anything unusual, yet partisans
who went out there during those two days, tell me they
heard much obstinate and continuous artillery fire, until
on the second day, at about half-past two of the afternoon,
they heard a salvo of seven guns, and that afterward the fire
ceased. I am deeply grieved over the loss of those twelve
men, without being able to take any satisfaction, for al-
thoughl gave the commander a written order to defnd him-
self with honor if attacked, and only in case of lack of am-
munition and stores, t capitulate life and arms safe, so as
to return to this place with honor, yet it would seem as
though they had suffered from some perfidy, whose purpose
so far I am ignorant of.

I have no more to report on these matters to Your Ex-
cellency whose obedient servant I am, etc.

Florida, January 31, 1740.

4 Letters of Monlia.no

No. 181.
Sir:

From the journal herewith Your Excellency will under-
stand the operations of the English, and how they showed
themselves on December 22, near San Juan, coming no
farther in than the little creeks. As I believe they might pro-
ceed to the attack of the fort of San Diego, I increased its
garrison, with the understanding that if invested in regular
form, it would be surrendered in short time, by reason of
its faulty construction, lack of a ditch, and possession of
but two ramparts opposed to the enemy, (which Espinosa had
thought ample, when he built the work to shelter his slaves
against Indian surprises) to say nothing of the fact that
situated as it was at a league from the landing, it could not
be succored save at much risk, on account of the country
being open and flat : and it was perhaps not the intention of
the enemy to attack it ; but, in case I sent some small body
equal in number to that seen in the creeks, to surprise this
body in the plain, inclosing it from the woods surroundng
the fort, and so destroy it. Accordingly I remained easy on
this score until I got better information as to their numbers
from the scouts that I kept outside ; and in this condition of
affairs I got news that on the 28th, 150 Englishmen and In-
dians had attacked Picolata, having with them two standards,
chests, and two mortars for shells. Two of these (shells)
fell inside the fort, and finished its ruin, shored up as it was
and ready to fall : at the first fire, the gun was dismounted,
and nevertheless they maintained themselves with valor from
ten in the morning to five in the afternoon, when they (the
enemy) retired with a few wounded, among them an officer.
The defenders seeing the bad condition of the fort, aban-
doned it, fearing the return of the enemy in greater force,
or lest it fall upon them.

On our side the artilleryman was wounded in the
foot by a musket ball from which he died there.

On the 1 8th as a detachment of infantry, cavalry and con-
victs was about to set out to rebuild the fort of Picolata, I
ordered it to suspend its march until the return of Juan Yg-
nacio, who had gone out to reconnoiter the river. The same
day he returned, reporting having seen coming into the
river, 3 schooners, 2 sloops and 2 canoes heavily laden and
filled with people, the greater part dressed in red, in his
opinion some 700 men. It appeared to me that this expedi-
tion was directed against the fort at Pupo, and as neither

Siege of St. Augustine 41

my forces nor its situation were sufficient, nor admitted of
sending any support, I undertook nothing from the impos-
sibility of the case.

From the reports of the scouts there is reason to believe
that 10 men and one sergeant garrisoning Pupo held out
two days, because for that length of time cannon fire never
ceased; and that the Indian who was within to bring news,
must either have fallen into the hands of the enemy, or was
unable to come out.

In this conjuncture, wishing to know if they were forti-
fying on this side, Espinosa told me at San Nicholas, the
narrowest part of the river some 16 leagues from here, he
had discovered three tents, and many people, but not a single
boat : that trying to approach the bank, he heard various gun-
shot : and as that part of the country is shaped like a horse-
shoe, he withdrew to a point of safety, asking himself if the
advance guards were making signals. He assures me that
no other inexperienced person would have gone forth, be-
cause of the musket fire.

As for the sight of troops in San Nicholas, I believe they
were fortifying at that point, because of the care they took
not to be seen, and because the place is advantageous and
narrow.

The difficulty of getting information in our numerous
thickets, lagoons and swamps, is so great as to make the
thing almost impossible; absolutely none but Spaniards can
succeed here without risk of loss or of useless effort, be-
cause it is necessary to advance through water the greater
part of the day, and even the Indians are unavailable, be-
cause they are so few in number.

The harassing of the Uchises, who go down to the south-
ern coasts looking for slaves, and returning pass through
Ayamon or las Rosas, where the Yamases have established
themselves, has caused a withdrawal to this point : to leave
the fort is to invite death. We are thus surrounded by en-
emies, unable to leave the place without danger. As long
as our territory is not peopled, thus driving out the English,
the chief cause of these evils, these Provinces will have no
rest.

Our residents cause me much annoyance, for most of them
ask permission to go to that city (Habana) alleging the lack
of food from which they are suffering, as well as that to which
they will be subjected with the continuance of the war, and
also the misfortunes and privations due to the lack of pay,

42 Letters of Monti an o

Although these reasons are sound, and might induce m? to
send away hence all useless mouths, yet the total absence
of all information as to the state the present differences may
produce, keeps me from approving them. As it is the wish
of the King that these provinces be peopled, it is clear he
would be displeased if any one were allowed to withdraw.
Moreover, it will be very difficult to make them return once
away, and the burden will be extreme if this position should
be besieged on account of the small enclosure of the cas-
tle, and the scarcity of food. For all these reasons the roy-
al officers and I after conferences have decided that for the
present no one shall be allowed to move, until better infor-
mation enables us to come to some settlement.
Florida, January 31, 1740. %

No. 187.
Sir:

I profit by the delay in the departure of our launch, caused
by the uncertainty of the times, and running from the 15th
instant, to inform Your Excellency of the return last night
of Juan Ygnacio. I sent him out on the 19th with ten oth-
er working Indians on the important mission of recon-
noitering the country and river near Picolata, and notwith-
standing my most particular instructions, and offer of a
suitable reward for the capture of an Englishman or Indian
ally, so that I might learn something in respect of the con
ditions surrounding the settlers of those colonies, and of
their ideas and intentions, the said Juan Ygnacio tells me
he could not so freely carry out this plan, because at the
very outset he encountered a thousand difficulties. Having
put out of the inlet of Tocoy, which empties into the Saint
John's, in a small canoe which he kept hidden there, he went
south along the banks thereabouts so as better to carry out
his ideas. While carefully proceeding thus, he discovered
a scow moored on the very banks he was skirting, and de-
ciding they could be seen in spite of the thick mist, they put
about, and landing a little farther back, divided into two
squads. They then approached the English, who were in-
side an orange grove collecting the fruit thereof, and who
on being fired at, hastily took flight. As they were assemb-
ling *o go on board the scow, our Indians who were following
at tul! speed, opened a continuous fire on them from the
shelter of the pine tree trunks, killing at least two of them,

Siege of St. Augustine 43

and possibly more. For the first to' fall having been the
helmsman, they carefully observed that no one took to the
oars ; the Indians keeping up an incessant fire on the mass
of those who were rowing, and growing more and more
absorbed in the struggle, heard a cannonshot fired, and dis-
covered that it had proceeded from a schooner painted red,
coming up under sail from the south on the river itself, and
having many people on board, part of whom undertook to
disembark. On remarking this, they (the Indians) with-
drew to a place of safety, and night coming on, they returned
to this Presidio with the loss of their canoe, the recovery
of which was impossible by reason of the danger involved.

In respect of all this, I must tell Your Excellency that the
English have occupied with their boats the entire river at
Picolata, and that their navigation southward is for the pur-
pose of embarrassing communication with Apalachee, of
winning over the Uchises, and of capturing any mail coming
or going. And as our suffering this state of affairs is a re-
buff of His Majesty's sacred honor, a foul stain on his cath-
olic arms, and an insult exciting the rage of our nation, I
humbly supplicate Your Excellency to be good enough to
send me here the galliots of the expedition well manned with
good crews, under a mariner of proved valor and skill, for
without this help, it is a physical impossibility for me to car-
ry out my plans, and as a matter of fact we shall see our-
selves shut up in a corner, without a single man that dares
leave the place for any purpose whatever. For both rea-
sons, there will ensue the fatal results consequent on a lack
of whatever small matters a commonwealth needs for its
preservation. Heeding these matters and the glory of the
King in satisfaction for his insults, I renew Your Excel-
lency the suggestions looking to the maintenance and pre-
servation of this fortress, and to our most complete amends.

At the same time, I supplicate Your Excellency to be
good enough to order the sending here of two three-fold
blocks with a hundred fathoms of hawser instead of the fifty
that I asked on the 15th instant.

In order that Your Excellency may remain in no doubt,
respecting my plans, I have to report that on the river St.
John's or Picolata there is a stretch called Mojoloa such
that, according to the people who know the country, all boats
trying to go south on the said river, whether to succor Pupo,
or to dominate it on all sides by maritime force, would be
necessarily exposed to musket fire. For although the river

44 Letters of Montiano

is quite wide along li^re, the channel runs very close to the
said stretch, the rest being shoal impassible even by a small
boat.

Seeing that a fort here with six or seven eight-pounders,
and a garrison of fifty men under a captain would shut in
Pupo beyond all possibility of succor, I have resolved to
carry out this idea ; and to that end beg Your Excellency
for the galliots which alone can execute it, transport the
artillery, free the river of hostile boats, capture those already
in it, and recover the fort at Pupo, since its garrison would
surrender without assault. These results accomplished, I
shall bring the galliots, or some of them, to this port, for
the defense of its bar, and strive to induce the greatest num-
ber of Indians available to go and settle in the immediate
neighborhood of the new fort of Mojoloa, and cause the set-
tlers to go forth with their slaves to continue the cultivation
of the plantations they have been developing these past two
years. The approval of these ideas by Your Excellency
would give me the liveliest satisfaction ; and I hope Your
Excellency will be good enough to send me the help I am
asking for, jealous as Your Excellency is of the better ser-
vice of the King, and interested in the growth of these pro-
vinces in virtue of their having been entrusted to you by His
Majesty, principally, doubtless, because of the many proofs
Your Excellency has given of great talents, leadership and
firmness.

Florida, February 23, 1740.

Postscript.

Sir:

The English have gone in boats as far as Pirigirigua 15
leagues south of this, and there is reason to believe they are
seeking an exit to the Keys, such as it is possible this un-
known river may have, and to the Bay of Carlos and Tam-
pa. This would be most hurtful to us, and even if the honor
of our arms is of no concern, it is important to drive them
out of the river ; this calls for a sea force, under whose pro-
tection the pass would be closed to them, and introduction
made impossible : without such forces nothing can be done.
I trust that Your Excellency's zeal in the royal service will
give the help I am begging, so that this place may be freed
of the restraint from which it is suffering.

Siege of St. Augustine 45

No. 191.
Sir:

In a letter of the 23d of last. month I reported to Your
Excellency all that had occurred up to that date, and among
other matters, Your Excellency must have noticed the plan
of building a new fort on the river St. John's at the part called
Mojoloa, in order to attack the passage of English boats,
the river being narrow here, and the boats exposed to mus-
ket fire, since the channel runs close in.

But as it seemed to me that such a determination should
not be put into execution without examining the country
in question, I sent the Engineer Don Pedro Ruiz de Olano,
escorted by the Captain of cavalry Don Pedro Lamberto,
25 men of his company and 10 trusthworthy Indians, to
make a most formal reconnaissance. The party left the 9th
inst, and returned the 12th ; the Engineer tells me he made a
careful survey of Mojoloa, and found it as reported to me,
except the broad shoal running over to the other side of
the river carries more water than was said ; for a fall of a
half yard* having been noted at the bank, still the entire
shoal was covered. Having determined this, they went on
to inspect the narrows of San Nicolas, and remarking that
here the ground runs hard from one bank to the other at
musket range and a little more, they decided that no other
place would be so suitable for a fort as this, especially with
the addition of a chain or estacade to close the passage.
According to the turn of events, it might be decided to build
a fort on the other bank, thus providing for a cross fire,
and here establish communication with Apalachee.

With respect to all this, I have to say to Your Excellency
that as it is absolutely impossible to execute my ideas with-
out sea forces, I am sending in this launch of Ojeda's, Cap-
tain Don Manuel Montero de Villasante to Habana, to de-
scribe vividly to Your Excellency if no sea forces are sup-
plied, all the difficulties of this plan, of our purpose of re-
capturing Pupo, of making the river safe, and relieving us
of any attempt the English may make from Picolata. whence
the distance to this point is least. For although most vig-
orous warm affairs are taking place every day, it is useless
to expect any advantageous result so long as they control
the river with their boats. And apart from the fact that any

* Media Vara: exactly which Vara is meant here, there is of course no means of
knowing. The Cuban Vara is 33^.386. Tr.

46 Letters of Montiano

other plan would be useless, and that this one itself would
naturally be inefficient,* however well thought of, prudence
and forethought call for the conservation of such stores as
we have, for without them this garrison can not subsist.
And when Your Excellency understands that it is now over
a week since those that came from Habana, are with the ex-
ception of a small quantity of corn, exhausted, Your Ex-
cellency will easily realize that nothing else so much deserves
our attention as the economy and good management of our
stores, in order to avoid exposure to irreparable harm.
In view of what I have suggested, I humbly beseech Your
Excellency to condescend to be willing to send me the help
I asked for in my letter of February 23, for this is the only
way to bring about an honorable solution, and the other
favorable results mentioned. And I especially again request
that the small boats Your Excellency may send should be
well manned by skilled sailors and commanded by a man of
intelligence and valor, and well supplied with stores ; and
that all that can be sent to this garrison should come as
quickly as possible, in order that the English may not again
repeat the occupation of our coast with their squadrons,
leaving us unprovided, without power of revictualing or of
communication.

I beg leave most sincerely to assure Your Excellency that
I am actuated and inspired by no other motive than the most
punctilious resolution to maintain the luster of our arms,
the glory of God first, and the protection of these provinces,
with the welfare of the garrison next. In this point of view,
and without any concern on my part for any worldly in-
terest, Your Excellency may entrust the operations to any
person whatsoever in whom Your Excellency may have con-
fidence, and satisfaction, to conduct them independently of
me, according to the conditions of the expedition projected
against Georgia after the equinox of March, 1737. My
co-operation will be limited solely to offering accurate ad-
vice on the state of the country, and to giving him all the
benefit possible resulting from experience. I desire nothing
but the best service of the King: under this assumption, Your
Excellency may make any disposition suggested by your
great prudence and lofty talents. I offer with all my heart
the most cheerful compliance with any method and regula-

* Presumably, without the naval resources for which Don Manuel is pleading

Tr.

Siege of SI. Augustine 47

tions imposed by Your Excelelncy on the person selected
for these operations, without resistance of alteration on
my part, agreeing to observe them inviolable in the spirit
and harmony demanded by the King for the effective execu-
tion of the former expedition just mentioned. And I say
the same of anything else Your Excellency may deem best
suited to the successful issue of the present (trouble). For
my soul holds no thought foreign to the service of God and
the honor of the King, in the firm belief that Your Excellen-
cy's great discretion and approved character will adopt the
most harmonious proper measures.

From the cautious procedure of the English it follows
that until this year we have had no news from our capital :
it follows also that without intending it, they have got the
better of us, even when we believed that they were keeping
the good faith set forth in the preliminaries of the conven-
tion of January 14 and 15 of the last year. It being the de-
sign of the King, as Your Excellency may see from the copy
herewith, that we should fix our attention on the operations
of the English of Carolina merely to check their plans and
progress in the territory of our provinces, using force if
necessary, and having applied to Your Excellency, as to the
Viceroy of New Spain, for all that was needful for this pur-
pose, I find myself under the necessity of recurring to Your
Excellency, the only person that can give me the assistance
I must have, with the promptness required by the present
urgency. For without this assistance, it is clear I shall be
able neither to offer any resistance, nor to take any satis-
faction, since I lack sea forces, and therefore, stores, boats,
and seamen for their organization.

Florida, March 24, 1740.

No. 192.
Sir:

I am convinced that my continued requests must be
very annoying to Your Excellency ; but I am also convinced
that Your Excellency's prudence, lofty talents, and zeal in
the royal service, will cause Your Excellency to forgive mv
frequent applications, on considering the necessities, the
unhappy situation, and the misfortunes of this wretched
garrison. If Your Excellency does not soon rescue it
from its afflictions, I contemplate it as lost in the future.
Under this view then, and with regard to the recent progress
of the enemy, it seems proper to me that we should check it.

4$ Letters of Montiano

And to that end, I beg Your Excellency to make the greatest
effort to send small boats for service in the river of St.
John's, thus compelling them to abandon it. This result
can be accomplished by our seizing the pass of San Nicholas,
one bank or the other, (as may suit), fortifying them as a
shelter for the boats, and by closing the river with an esta-
cade or chain of heavy timbers. All this done, I feel sure
they would have either to abandon Pupo, or allow them-
selves to be blockaded without the necessity of a siege. If
left alone, however, they will become inexpugnable, especial-
ly if the Uchises declare for them, which they will, on seeing
our indifference and inaction.

For this undertaking, we have here the men of the eight
companies, and those of the fort, 462 in all excluding the
detachment of Apalachee, 80 men ; in addition, we have 60
militiamen, 40 free negroes, and 50 Indians, as appears from
the return herewith. These men are sufficient, I take it,
only to make the river sure. But with Your Excellency's
consent, we could receive here (in order that regulars might
not be wanting where of most importance) 100 militiamen,
100 mulattoes and 100 negroes, the entire disposition of this
dependency remaining in Your Excellency's hands with re-
spect to the stores that Your Excellency might send for the
subsistence of all, seeing that we depend entirely for these
upon your city, and that without them we can do nothing.

Our unfortunate failure to take a single prisoner de-
prives me of the power of saying to Your Excellency ex-
actly in what strength they are, else we might more intel-
ligently develop this idea accordingly ; but I believe that
whenever they see our armament, they are compelled to re-
gard it as very strong, and that they must not expose them-
selves at one time to the chances of risking all of their
forces.

Should Your Excellency think it safe to send the funds for
the re-enforcements, and resolve to send them, I beseech
Your Excellency on the same occasion to send some for
continuing the work on the castle, for the amount in hand
for this purpose is well-nigh exhausted. And if Your Ex-
cellency could find any muskets for Indians, or if it were
possible to get them from Pensacola, I should be grateful
to Your Excellency for the favor of sending me as many as
you could, for I have none to give them, nor the courage to
cause you any more annoyance.

Florida, 25 March, 1740.

Siege of St. Augustine 49

Return of men who are actually available in the Plaza of
Florida :

Of the eight companies. .308 Of the militiamen 61

Of the three of the Place. .080 Armed Indians 50

Of the artillerymen 032 Free Negroes 40

Of the cavalry 042

151

462

Total 613

No. 193.
Sir:

I communicate to Your Excellency the happy arrival on
the 14th instant of the six galliots under the charge of Don
Juan Fandino, and Don Francisco del Castillo, for sending
which I offer you my repeated thanks. At the same time,
I have to say to Your Excellency, that the next day we
mounted broadside guns on four of them, made a foremast
for one that had sprung hers, fitted them with many small
parts, and repaired all the arms.

On the 1 8th two English frigates came in sight from the
north. On the 19th at dawn, they were both off the bar, at
the same point of the compass, remaining in that neighbor-
hood all day, and sending a boat for water to the vicinity of
the point and coast of San Mateo. As the boat was resting
on its oars, the flagship fired a gun, and on seeing our two
launches making for it, fired another shot and withdrew.

On the 20th, only one frigate could be seen ; at dawn it
was at anchor on the bar. Being encouraged by the with-
drawal of one of the frigates, Don Juan Fandino, Don Fran-
cisco del Castillo, and the Pilot Don Domingo de la Cruz
formed the plan of surprising the one remaining in sight ; and
having discussed among themselves the ease with which we
could bring about its surrender, they laid the matter before
me with so much assurance, that I authorized the under-
taking, with the stipulation that I was not to be responsible
for failure. On the night of the same day, 50 soldiers and
3 officers being ready to set out in the six galliots and the
two launches well armed, it happened that after nightfall the
lighthouse keeper of Santa Anastacia came in with the news
of having discovered, as evening fell a sloop to the north,
which induced the Captains of the galliots to put off their de-
parture until dawn. Crossing the bar, then, at dawn, and
seeino- that the frigate was alone and becalmed, they ap-

5 Letters of Montiano

proached it with intrepidity with the firm intention of board-
ing it in the belief that it mounted only 18 or 20 guns. But
discovering that it had according to some, 32, according to
others, 36 guns, they fired on it about two hours ; and hav-
ing failed during this time to take the poop, and not having
brought on a surrender, and the wind coming on to blow
out of the east, our galliots by sail and oar promptly executed
the important maneuver of getting the weather gauge, and
so made a lucky retreat by way of Mantanzas, and thence
along the coast the two launches, with no damage other than
a shot of no consequence in one of our galliots, in spite of
the extreme efforts of the frigate to hug the coast so as to
embarrass the entrance, firing vigorously but without result
to secure this end.

I have no doubt that if the boats had gone out the same
night, and no warning had been given, as was the case from
dawn until half past eight, when the affair began, the frigate
would have been either surrendered or sunk ; but the En-
glishman manuevered so skilfully, that he did not allow them
to approach, for by towing out his ship, he kept on getting
farther away and getting time for his preparations ; while
our people were exhausting themselves by pulling, and when
they began to fire, he boldly presented his broadside, without
giving them a chance at his poop, and so in spite of their
various manuevers, they never got it. And in this condi-
tion they fired at each other for more than two hours, grape-
shot crossing from both sides. He dismantled his entire
cabin to mount a few stern-chasers, which he could not have
had, because here he used cabin doors, windows, tables, and
other pieces, and a gun port carried away by a cannon shot.
They say he had a large crew and regular troops in red
uniforms.

In this attempt Don Juan Fandino displayed good leader-
ship and valor having given in advance the orders for each
man's duties in an honorable retreat ; Don Francisco de Cas-
tillo gave proof of no less valor, being the only one who suc-
ceeded in attacking the poop, and firing a few shots into it;
he received 14 shots himself, all of which missed him. All
the other officers of the parties and of the garrison distin-
guished themselves equally, each one wishing to be the
first to board, and the soldiers and sailors no less vaioriously
cried out in competition "Let us board !" The artillerymen of
the garrison assure me they did their duty well, and made
good practice. A frigate has remained constantly in view,

Siege of St. Augustine 5/

and seems to be the one of the affair just described ; on the
24th another one was seen from Matanzas, returning proba-
bly from a cruise as far as Cape Canaveral. We do not
know that it has spoken its companion : the one now present
seems to be one seen from Matanzas. It was joined on the
26th by a despatch boat which probably came to report what
had happened to the other, and to notify it to keep away
from the coast, so as not to be becalmed. According to all
appearances, they are going to keep off this port many days.
Florida, April 27, 1740.

No. 198.
Sir:

On the night of the 9th inst., the sloops of Marcos de
Torres, and ours under the charge of Don Domingo de la
Cruz left this port : the first on its way to that city (Habana),
the second having the colony of Guarico as its destination,
and carrying 6 thousand dollars in coin to be laid out in flour
and other stores for the support and maintenance of this
garrison. Last night at one o'clock a soldier arrived here
from the watch on the bar of Matanzas, with sad news to
the effect that Pedro de Echeverria, the master of the said
Marco de Torres's sloop had come to that point (Matanzas),
to say that our sloop, at dawn of the 10th was about 2 or 3
leagues beyond the bar of Mosquitoes, and close to a frigate
carrying, it seemed to him, 40 guns. The frigate, being in
shore opened fire; our sloop defended itself with valor, re-
turning the fire : when the frigate gave chase, and drove
our sloop aground a little on this side of the said bar.

On the 10th I sent Your Excellency by way of Matanzas
bar, the schooner of Bartilome de Espinosa, with the sub-
lieutenant Don Joseph de Rivas aboard carrying despatches,
duplicates of which are inclosed, setting forth the desperate
state in which we find ourselves through lack of supplies.
This new unhappy occurrence compels me to lay before
you the fact that we are in extreme want, without food, and
besieged by sea. For as there are on this bar one frigate
and a despatch boat, seen the nth and 12th, and another
frigate is stationed in the channel off Cape Canaveral on this
coast, it follows infallibly that no small boats sent by Your
Excellency can reach us. Under these circumstances, we
have decided in a meeting just held to send Your Excellency
a galliot with this news, so that knowing the unhappy ex-

52 Letters of Montiano

tremity to which we have come, Your Excellency may see
fit eagerly to succor us with the greatest possible amount
of supplies in vessels strong enough to cope with the three
on our coast, for in no other way do I see any help, and con-
sequently an irreparable calamity is hanging over us.

It is my duty to tell Your Excellency that for the present
this will be the last despatch on our unhappy state that I
shall be able to send, because, fearing lest the English intend
assaulting us by sea, 1 can assure Your Excellency that I
have no force for the defense of this bar, and that of Ma-
tanzas, other than the galliots. And noting that against
the attack of any small boat whatever they may have in the
Keys, our remaining launch is insufficient, we have used one
of the six galliots to cross over to that port (Habana) and
carry our melancholy news.

Through authentic reports of affairs in Apalachee, Your
Excellency will understand that in order to keep the In-
dians faithful to us, or at least prevent them from joining
either side, nothing is of such great value as the maintenance
of the storehouse, furnishing all necessaries in abundance.
With regard to both of these points, I beseech Your Ex-
cellency out of your great zeal in the service of the King,
to make the most ample provision, to the important end of
terminating both emergencies, at the very earliest date, see-
ing that in its present state, the preservation of this place
depends solely on the succor of Your Excellency, because
without supplies it is not possible that we shall preserve
our lives.

It is unnecessary to exaggerate to Your Excellency the
agony of our situation, for in respect of the amount of sup-
plies in hand, and of the fact that the population of this city
exceeds 2,400, Your Excellency will easily perceive that we
most urgently need help at the first possible moment.

Saint Augustine, in Florida, May 13, 1740.

Postscript.

I omitted to say to Your Excellency, that from a post sent
to Apalachee on the 13th of April to find out the state of
the Uchises, and back here after great effect on the 10th in-
stant, by reason of the numerous Indian allies of the English
distributed over the whole country, I have learned that an
English sloop at Cayo de Huesos* gave chase to Pablo Rod-

* Key West.

Siege of St. Augustine 53

riguez on his way with supplies to that fort (Apalachee) ; that
the sloop going aground, and so being unable to pursue the
other, sent against Pedro Rodriguez an armed launch with
12 men on board, among them several Indians, against which
he defended himself with his two stone-mortars, and es-
copette, and succeeded in getting clear, although wounded
in the breast with a musketball. I am anxious to point out
to Your Excellency, that they are holding even that coast,
perhaps to cut off assistance sent to Apalachee.

No 200.

Sir:

At this hour, being seven of the morning, at which the
galliot was just about to sail, there arrived two men of Tor-
res' sloop with the news that the English who took our
sloop, have put a crew on board, and have posted her to the
leeward of the bar of Penon so close to the shore, that in
the quiet and silence of the night, conversation aboard can
be heard. And so I have suspended the departure of the
galliot, and have arranged to send a Spaniard and three In-
dians in a small canoe to the Keys, by the inside coast chan-
nel, where it will be easy for the Indians to take the little
canoe across the shoals ;* on arriving at Biscayne Key or at
Matacumbe, they are to try to find a fishing boat, to trans-
port them to that Port (Habana) or failing that, to ask the
Cacique Don Diego to undertake this important matter, to
which end I wrote him a letter of direction of the greatest
affection, because they set great store by these friendly dis-
plays. I feel it my duty to say to Your Excellency that un-
less those two frigates, the despatch boat and the sloop with-
draw from this coast, we shall be unable to send any reports,
so long as strong vessels do not come from that port (Ha-
bana), because the way through the Keys is uncertain and
dangerous, besides which there are but few Indians in those
parts with whom these matters can be carried on. While
on this subject, I give Your Excellency clearly to under-
stand that this place now contains no other resources for
its subsistence than the provisions for at least six months,
that Your Excellency can send in strong vessels. I have

* Varaderos. None of the usual meanings of this word applies here. It may
mean "poi tage." Tr.

54 Letters of Montiano

no expedient left that is of any value and unless help can
come by June 20 at the latest, it is the most natural thing- in
the world that this garrison perish.

Saint Augustine, in Florida, May 15, 1740.

In this letter were sent duplicates of the despatches taken
by Don Joseph de Rivas.

No. 201.
Sir:

On the 25th ultimate, I sent Your Excellency by a soldier
of this garrison and three Indians of the coast, the news con-
tained in the duplicate herewith. One of these Indians re-
turned on the 4th, with three gunshot wounds, and the news
that the Indians of Mayaca slew the soldier and two of his
companions at Gega. Since then, I learn in addition from
a foreman of Espinosa's, that while his master and some
other workmen were busy at San Diego on field works, 50
Indian allies of the English suddenly surrounded them, firing
a volley into them, and so killing one trooper and a negro
of Espinosa's. Nevertheless the others managed to get into
the fort, except a negro of the monastery of Saint Francis,
who took to the woods. Him they consider dead. The
Indians having failed to capture anyone withdrew. These
things being so, I took the resolution of sending a sergeant
and 12 men with a surgeon, to bring back the wounded, and
if necessary, to leave some people as reenforcement, and then
return. The sergeant not having returned in two days, I
sent a corporal of cavalry with six men, to discover anything
that might have occurred since in those parts. He returned
the next day, saying that he was unable to reach the fort,
the enemy by spreading out far and wide having given him
no chance. Having then sent out other scouts, not one
brought me any formal news as to whether the fort was tak-
en, or was still holding out. The captains were then called
together in a council, and it was resolved to send a detach-
ment of 300 men from the eight companies, from three of
the place, militiamen, Indians and negroes, under Captain
Don Miguel de Ribas, Don Fulgencio de Alfaro. and Don
Pedro Lamberto, with four galliots, one launch, and 4 pi-
rogues, to transport the troops and carry two guns in case
it was necessary to batter the fort, demolish a side of it,
and recover or succor it. But the captains having learned

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Siege of St. Augustine jj

that the enemy, drawn up waiting for us, was much superior
in numbers to our detachment, withdrew to this place. I
have since learned by another scout, that they were strength-
ening the fort. And others who frequently reiterate, say that
their small parties are at a league from here; which makes
me think they are present in force, and that they are es-
tablishing storehouses at San Diego for food and stores, in
preparation for the siege of this place. I am persuaded of
this too from their having shown to-day five vessels in ad-
dition to the two that have now been watching this bar and
that of Matanzas for a long time. With this news, proof, as
it were of a siege, I am compelled to report these occurren-
ces to Your Excellency by the launch that I am keeping on
the bar of Mosquitoes waiting for the succor, which by the
same launch Your Excellency told me you were going to
send. For informed of them, and of the desperate strait in
which this garrison finds itself, Your Excellency may be
good enough to succor it at the earliest moment by sending
strong vessels to overcome those of the enemy. I doubt
very much if help can be got in in any other way, or if we
can exist much longer without supplies, shut in by the ene-
my on sea and land. Although the vessels so far seen are
seven, I firmly believe that the Vizarra, the San Juan and
the Pingue can resist their force, since some of their vessels
appear to us to be merchant.

Saint Augustine, in Florida, June II, 1740.

Postscript to the letter proper.
Sir:

I am so occupied with business, that I cannot answer our
Excellency's letters received in the launch, nor others, ans-
wers to which have been begun. As they are not occupying
the bar of Matanzas, there yet remains a means of succor,
and we shall there make all possible resistance with three
galliots and land troops.

No. 202.*
Sir:

Considering that in case this arrives in time to be of any
benefit, Your Excellency may, after reflection upon its con-
tents, take the most suitable measures, I give notice that the

* Translation from Southern Quarterly Review, April, 1844, p. 406, and used here
after many corrections and alterations. Tr.

5<5 Letters of Montiano

enemy remains stationed on this bar, and on that of Ma-
tanzas, and is in possesion of the Island of Santa Anastacia,
and its watch-tower, of all the beach of San Mateo, and
maintains a camp at the village of Moze. The ships block-
ading us are seven frigates of 23 to 30 guns, two packets of
10 or 12 guns, three sloops, six schooners, and twelve scows
exclusive of boat, and launches belonging to the vessels.

At this moment, which is nine o'clock in the forenoon, they
have opened with a mortar firing large shell (granadas reales)
a few splinters of which have fallen into the fort, but most
of them have passed over the lines, and beyond them.

I assure Your Excellency that it is impossible to express
the confusion of this place, for we have here no protection
except the fort, and all the rest is open field. The families
have abandoned their houses, and come to put themselves
under protection of the guns, which is pitiable, though noth-
ing gives me anxiety but the want of provisions, and if Your
Excellency for want of competent force, cannot send relief,
we must all indubitably perish. With this information, I
am assured Your Excellency will excuse the hyperboles in
which the conflict we are in, may be portrayed, and I hope
every attention will be given to measures conducing to re-
lieve this eminent peril, as a matter of such moment, and of
the first service to the King.

St. Augustine, in Florida, 24th June, 1740.

No. 203.

Sir:

On the 24th ultimate, I sent Your Excellency by way of
Apalachee an accurate account of the siege by sea and land
of this place by the English, a duplicate of which I enclose.

*I have now to inform Your Excellency, that at eleven
o'clock on the night of Saturday the 25th of June, I sent out
from this garrison, 300 men to make an attack on the fort
of Moze, which was executed at day-break on Sunday morn-
ing. Our people swept over it, with such impetuosity that
it fell, with a loss of 68 dead, and 34 prisoners.

I have ascertained that the garrison of this place, consisted
of 140 men according to some of the prisoners, and of 170
according to others. It was composed of one militia com-

* This extract is to be found in Southern Quarterly Review for April, 1844, p. 406;
it is used here with many corrections and alterations.

Siege of St. Augustine 57

pany of Scotchmen, 70 men, including officers, of 15 infantry,
40 horsemen, and 35 Indians, Yaches and Uchices, with a
white man for chief. This detachment or garrison was
commanded by Colonel (Palma) who with one of his sons
was evidently left dead in the action. An Indian prisoner
affirms positively that he saw Colonel Palma dead, and his
head cut off. He further infers that both of his sons were
dead, though he did not see them dead; because he saw their
hats in the hands of our people ; of whom ten have died,
among them the Ensign, Don Joseph de Aguilera.* The
affair being terminated, I ordered the fort to be demolished,
and the dead buried. From such investigation as I have
been able to make among the prisoners, I have acquired the
following news. Three or four prisoners agree in saying,
that both by rumor and by gazette, they have learned of the
preparation in England of a considerable expedition against
Havana, consisting of 30 ships of the line, and of a landing
party of 10,000 men and I am sending this despatch to give
you this information as possibly of great importance to the
service of the King. ,

Of the armament besieging us, the prisoners say it is
composed of 7 frigates, one of 50 guns from Bermuda, anoth-
er of 40, another of 27, and the rest of 20 ; the number of
despatch boats, bilanders, or of other small boats they do
not know. They vary in their estimate of the main body
of troops, some putting it at 2,000 others at 1,500, or 1,200,
and still others at 900. In respect of batteries, they have
brought among others, three bronze 18-pounders from Car-
olina. Up to to-day they have made no assault, but it would
seem that by reason of the blow at Moze, they have all as-
sembled on the Island of Santa Anastacia, where they have
collected eleven small mortars, two of them for shells of half
a quintal, and the other 9 for smaller ones. With these, and
one other larger one formerly on the coast of San Matheo,
12 in all, they fired on us the 30 of June, from 6 in the even-
ing, until 10 at night.

My greatest concern is for supplies, and if we get none,
there is no doubt we shall die of hunger.

*From the beginning of the fire up to this day they have
thrown 122 large shell and 31 small, from which, glory be
to God, we have received no corporal injury. On the Is-

* This paragraph and the next may be found in Southern Quarterly Review of
April, 1844, p. 409.

jS Letters of Montiano

land of Santa Anastacia, they have emplaced a battery of 5
guns, three of 18 and two of 6-pounders, the first to batter
the 'fort and town, and the others for the galliots, and with
them they make incessant fire; but ours answers them, and
we are informed that they receive more damage than our-
selves.

On the first day of the month, after beating a call, they
sent us a white flag, with three letters, making a demand
the nature of which Your Excellency will perceive by their
tenor. Our answer Your Excellency will learn from the
enclosures ; and from that day they have fired with increased
vigor, but in vain, for it appears that God has given greater
accuracy to our fire.

My outposts have found four more men killed in the af-
fair of Moze, two of them white, the others Indian.

From a deserter that arrived here on the 14th ultimate,
we learn that General Oglethorpe brought 900 men, 300 of
his regiment of regulars, and 600 Carolina militia ; that it
was unknown if others would come to him from Virginia or
other parts ; that the Carolina militia came supplied for four
months. But the prisoners of Moze say that even if neces-
sary to remain one year before this place, General Ogle-
thorpe will do it, until he subdues it.

Saint Augustine, in Florida, July 6, 1740.

No. 204.
Sir:

From a deserter crossing over from the island of Santa
Anastacia I have just learned that the frigates of the squad-
ron are six in number, the flagship of 40 guns, and two hun-
dred men ; and the remainder of 20 with one hundred and
fiftv men. The deserter declared he had not been on board
of any of them, but that he had got his account from some
sailors with whom he had talked. I send this to Your Ex-
cellency to weigh any significance it may have ; so that, with
reference to it, and to the statement of the prisoner that
there was a frigate of 50 guns from Bermuda, and another
of 40 or origin unknown to him, Your Excellency may draw
the conclusion that seems best to you, premising that when
the said prisoner made this remark, he said he had not seen
the 50-gun frigate but that a frigate having anchored before
the bar of St. John's, the General told them she was from
Bermuda and carried 50 guns.

Saint Augustine, in Florida, July 13, 1740.

Siege of St. Augustine 59

No. 205.*

Sir:

On the 6th of the present month I informed Your Excel-
lency, by the Adjutant Don Juan Jacinto Rodriguez, of what
had then occurred. On the night of the day subsequent, (the
7th of July,) Louis Gomez arrived at this place, with intel-
ligence that he left within the bar of Mosquitoes, three
sloop, one small sloop, and two schooners, with provisions
sent by Your Excellency, in charge of Juan de Oxeda, and
addressed to the Captain Don Manuel de Villasante. The
pleasure with which I received this news, is indescribable ;
but the joy subsisted but a short time in my heart; for I
was also informed, that when Pedro Chepuz, and the French
sloop in which he came as pilot, arrived off this bar, he was
seen and chased by an English ship, and packet, which did
no harm, but got notice of our provisions, and of their
whereabouts. At the same time came a deserter from the en-
emy's camp, who said that on some night, during spring tides,
it was the intention of General Oglethorpe, to make an at-
tack on this place by sea and land. On this I suspended the
execution of the plan I had fixed on for bringing the pro-
visions, little by little, and applied myself entirely to the pur-
pose of resisting whatever attempts his pride and arrogance
might undertake ; but the days of opportunity, passed, with-
out his executing his idea, and I turned my eyes upon our
relief vessels, which were manifestly in danger. Using only
the launches and the boat, we carried on the work of un-
loading and transporting to this place ; for although I also
sent with them a pirogue of considerable capacity for the
same purpose, it so happened that on making that bar, four
boats and launches, one frigate and a despatch boat crossed
their path, separating them and attacking the small ones.
But our people defended themselves stoutly, from four of
the afternoon until nightfall, suffering only the loss of our
pirogue, which splintered itself against the launches ; the
crew having shifted over, they continued their journey, and
returned happily loaded with flour, and continued their task
until it was no longer necessary, for on the 20th, the enemy
having raised his camp, and taken to hasty and shameful
flight, I promptly ordered our bilanders after making the
most careful inspection to see if the pass was open and the

* Portions of this letter are published in the Southern Quarterly Review of April,
1844, pp. 409, 410.

6o Letters of Montiano

coast clear, to resume their voyage and come in by Matanzas,
if they had at the least a moral certainty of safety. This
they accordingly did on the 25th ; and to-day the sloop from
Campeche and the two schooners have completely discharg-
ed their cargo. And I have consequently directed Paloma-
rez, Captain of one of them, to prepare to take this news to
Your Excellency.

I assure Your Excellency, that I cannot arrive at a com-
prehension of the conduct, or rules of this General ; for I
am informed by at least twelve deserters from him present
here, that his camp was composed of 370 men of his regi-
ment, 600 militia of Carolina, 130 Indians, and 200 sailors
armed, and encamped on the Island of Santa Anastacia, and
as many more sailors for the management of the sloops,
schooners, and launches. My wonder is inexpressible that
this gentleman should make his retreat with such precipi-
tation, as to leave abandoned, four 6-pounders on the bat-
tery on the point of San Mateo, one schooner, two kegs
of gunpowder, several muskets and escopettes, and to set
fire to a quantity of provisions, such as boxes of bacon,
cheese, lard, dried beef, rice and beans, to a schooner, and
to an excellent mortar carriage ; besides many things that
have profited the Indians, and galley slaves who have had
the fortune to pick up several barrels of lard and flour, and
some pork.* Notwithstanding all this, I can assure Your
Excellency that all the deserters, and two squaws of ours,
prisoners of theirs that escaped, agree in saying that Don
Diego Oglethorpe is going to reorganize his forces, and
make a great effort to stir up the Indians. And although
I appraise this rumor as something to placate and leave
in doubt his people, moderating the fire that may be burning
among them, and especially the Carolinians and Scotchmen
as having been the hardest hit, yet I believe there would be
no harm in taking precautions, and in Your Excellency
sending me such reenforcements as may be suitable, and
the munitions and stores as set forth in memorandum here-
with. I shall send a post at once to the Uchises, to draw
them, in view of all this news, from their allegiance to the En-
glish, and I shall offer to treat them handsomely if it will
please them to come see me.

This paragraph corrected, et:., may be found in Southern Quarterly Review
ioc. cit.

Siege of St. Augustine 6/

The formal seige has continued 38 days, counting from
the 13th of June, to the 20th of July, and the fire of the bat-
teries and bombardment 27 days, from the 24th of June, to
the said 20th of July. The batteries were, three ; one in the
pool on the Island of Santa Anastacia, of four 18-pounders
and one 9-pounder ; another on the point of the hammock on
said island, of two 18-pounders, and the other on the coast
of the interior part of the point San Mateo, of seven 6-
pounders, five of iron, and two of brass. The mortars, and
small mortars were thirty-four, two mortars throwing shell
of half a quintal, and two others of about a quintal. The
thirty small mortars, which the deserters call cow horns,*
were, some small hand grenades, and others for those of ten
or twelve pounds.

The loss we have suffered is reduced to two men killed,
and wounded. Those (wounded) by gun fire who died were
. . artilleryman and the convict, son of Ordonez, whom
with the other one named Contreras I received in the first
launch-loads from Mosquito. Of the other two wounded
by shellfire, to wit, a soldier and a negro, the negro is per-
fectly well, and the other has a good chance of pulling
through, though with one leg fewer.

The constancy, valor and glory of the officers here are
beyond all praise; the patriotism, courage and steadiness of
the troops, militia, free negroes, and convicts, have been
great. These last I may say to Your Excellency, have
borne themselves like veteran soldiers. I especially com-
mend their humble devotion, for without ceasing work by
day, they have persevered by night with the care and vigi-
lence of old soldiers.

Even among the slaves a particular steadiness has been
noticed, and a desire not to await the enemy within the place
but to go out to meet him. In short, I have been thoroughly
satisfied with all during the siege, and especially with the
circumstance that during the entire siege no one has de-
serted. And lastly. Your Excellency may believe that the
galliots have been of great service to me : for if the siege
had caught me without them, the English would have given
me much work to do, as the launches could have been used
for nothing but the guard of this port, to say nothing of the
necessity of taking other indispensable measures, at great

*The name of the mortar is Coehorn, from the inventor. As pronounced it
sounded to Don Manuel like cow horn, and he accordingly so translates into his own
speech, cuernos de vaca. Tr.

62 Letters of Montiano

cost. And so I renew my thanks to Your Excellency for
having sent them to my relief, even against the common
opinion of the entire torrent of members of the Junta held
by you to decide whether or no they should be sent.

On the return of the boats under the charge of Don Juan
de Ojeda I shall write at length to Your Excellency : to-day
I can do no more than send this great news by the ship-
master Palomares.

Saint Augustine, in Florida, July 28, 1740.

Postscript.
Sir:

All the 12 English deserters say in confirmation of one
another that General Oglethorpe has gone for reenforce-
ments, with the intention of returning upon this place next
spring. Although I do not believe that the settlers of Car-
olina will give more help on account of the vexation and
annoyances of this campaign, yet his authority and restless
spirit may move them, as well as the numbers he is said to
expect from Europe, according to some, two thousand, to
others, two regiments. Relative to this, Your Excellency
may consider the best measures to put this place in a new
state of defense, lacking as I do more than the remaining
300 men, on account of the losses encountered at Pupo,
San Diego, the sloop, the sortie of Moze, and of Indian
prisoners and killed.

The enemy spread the news that on their retreat they
would burn the fort of San Diego, and that of Pupo. But
the latest deserter says that General Oglethorpe is going
to construct a battery of 6 guns at the entrance of the Saint
John's on the other side, to prevent the entrance of galliots,
and in order to maintain Pupo. All the others declare that
it was his intention to withdraw with his entire regiment
(now of 378 men out of 600 it originally contained) to the
fort of Federico, and fortify himself there, abandoning the
remaining forts he has in other islands. Other deserters
have said that their general was going over to London for
fresh reenforcements. Should the war continue, we must
take measures to oppose his plans.

The fort at San Diego was abandoned without being burn-
ed, reported. Luckily for us, no shelll fell within the fort,
but their guns injured our parapets.

This was the moment to exterminate General Oglethorpe
with his regiment and force him out of Georgia, with forces

Siege of St. Augustine 63

but little stronger than those I have here, for his troops are
discontented, and he would get but little help from Carolina
by reason of the same discontent, and fear of their negroes.

So far the French sloop has been unable to enter, nor
have I seen anyone other than Monsieur Paran. I have
appointed to-morrow for an interview with them.

In the latest orders but one from the capital, I received
one forbidding the supply of stores from any foreign colony,
on account of a mistake here over the admission of Benavides
of a schooner in a time of scarcity. But in the latest ones,
received by me with Don Juan del Canto, to whom Your
Excellency entrusted them, the King directs me to supply
myself in the French colonies, which authority permits with-
out any misgiving the contract made by you, to which I fully
accede, although the price of flour is high, and we shall try
to cut it down as much as possible.

I have been most anxious, but it is certain that the troops
(I can not set forth to Your Excellency their valor, steadi-
ness and suffering under our continuous labor) relieved me
in great part. In the midst of such great dangers, gossip
ran riot.

Don Antonio Salgado, who commanded the sortie on
Moze, acted like a true officer, profiting by their discharge
to take them disarmed, as it were ; on which he entered the
work in safety, and overthrew them, although the fort is
capable of much resistance.

This affair destroyed the settlement of Scotchmen and
people in whom Oglethorpe had complete confidence. Al-
though the matter is common property here, I inform Your
Excellency confidentially that Fandino is not fit to command
the galliots, and on the contrary all the other captains are,
because he has been remiss in obeying my orders, and could
with but little risk have dismounted their principal battery,
and the last day have prevented the escape of some of the
English vessels, and other good things, and it is well that
Your Excellency should know this.

The garrison sloop only took six thousand dollars on gar-
rison account and the eight pickets, and a few * groups of
people from the underbrush but it is the habit here to aug-
ment everything. x

* JEncomiendillas de particular e de poca monte. Precisely what is meant by
these words is not clear. Encomiendilla is a diminutive of encomienda, on which as
an institution, see Foreman "The Philippine Islands," 3d edition, p. 211, and also De
Morga "The Philippine Islands," pp. 323, 325, London, printed for the Hakluyt
Society, 1868. The reference of the entire passage is obscure. Tr.

64 Letters of Moniiano

A few of our prisoners have returned hither from the
camp and from the boats of the English, and speak ill of Don
Domingo. I marvel at this greatly, but the signs are bad.

May God preserve our judgment, and Your Excellency's,
as is my wish.

No. 207.
Sir:

On July 28, I sent or had ready the report sent to Your
Excellency in a letter of that date, and reduced to the state-
ment that on the 20th of the same, the enemy raised the
siege ; and that on account of the presence or station of a
frigate and despatch boat to the south on this coast, the
entrance of the sloops and schooners with supplies could
not be made before July 27. I now have to tell Your
Excellency that Palomares failed or was unable to sail,
through his carelessness and neglect before Sunday the 31.

To-day, August 3, I have received Your Excellency's prin-
cipal letter entrusted to Don Juan Ruiz del Canto who, as
may be inferred from the foregoing letter included herewith,
tells me that he had remained in his cabin : and with regard
to Your Excellency's advices, in it, to the effect that Your
Excellency is preparing the frigate Sta. Catarina under the
command of Don Joseph de Herrera, two other frigates
equipped for war, two transports and a sloop with stores.
I have sent out the boat to-day, to take station with 1 1 men
on the bar of Mosquitoes, in order to give the necessary
notice of the state of this place to the said Captain Don Jos-
eph de Herrera, and so that at the proper time Bartolome
de Espinosa may set forth to bear to Your Excellency a du-
plicate of the report of the withdrawal of the Generals Ogle-
thorpe and Pierse. I have so far not yet received positive
news that the enemy has withdrawn from San Juan, although
the latest deserters have assured me that they were to em-
bark on the coming Friday, 5th instant. To the end of
verifying this news, and that of their having sent a few
launches to take up the guns at Pupo and demolish it, I
am keeping out various patrols of cavalry and Indians, the
principal purpose and most especial charge being to observe
their movements in order to guard against any treacherous
design, seeing that I had received a verification of the re-
port that they were maintaining themselves at San Juan, with
all the troops, militia and smaller boats.

Siege of St . Augustine 65

I have not thought it proper to follow the rearguard, be-
cause of lack of troops; out of the eight companies alone
more than one hundred men are lacking. The troops more-
over are worn out, and I do not wish to expose this place,
in a matter of doubtful issue, to late ruin, after having res-
cued it from the greatest danger. But I hope finally with
the disposition ?nd assistance of Your Excellency to chas-
tise them, and give them an exterminating blow.

As this despatch must go promptly, I have no more to
report to Your Excellency.

Florida, August 3, 1740.

No. 210.
Sir:

I shall now proceed to answer Your Excellency's letters
necessarily laid aside on account of my pressing duties.
Besides the intelligence given by the two and twenty desert-
ers that have come here, to the effect that General Ogle-
thorpe has circulated the rumor that he means to return tc)
the siege of this place within four or five months, or next
spring, they add that he will cause other galliots to be built,
like ours, but of greater burden. And although it appears
impossible to me that the said Ogletorpe should repeat the
enterprise, on account of the arduous difficulties he will en-
counter in bringing the settlers of Carolina a second time
to his way of thinking, nevertheless as the entire system of
the citizens of those colonies and of their neighbors, consists
and dwells in the desire to capture this place, the reef on
which ordinarily they break, and the obstacle to the course
of their inhuman and haughty plan of exterminating the
Indians of the continent of Apalachee and its confines so as
to occupy all these provinces without let or hindrance, it
seems logical to me not to spurn their warnings, because it
may of course happen that, thoroughly distrusting the con-
duct of Oglethorpe, they may in case the war continue, ask
the King of Great Britian to commit the direction of af-
fairs to some other soldier whose conciliatory character may
give them better satisfaction. If this happens, as is possible,
or if the same Oglethorpe should again have charge, he may
succeed in bewitching them into the belief that another
greater expedition is necessary against this place, for ob-
viously we must assume that the new attempt and attack
would' be undertaken with double forces at least. And if
his court should be inclined to grant the two regiments or

66 Letters of Moniiano

the two thousand troops, as divulged, because of the advan-
tage to that Crown of holding this province, then will it be
most necessary to send equal forces ; for, seeing that this
place is an open country, its defense should be guarded more
than any other thing. There can infallibly be no other worse
nor more deplorable condition, than our reduction to the
limits of the fort ; if this happens, which God forbid, it is
equally infallible that we could not exist for any length of
time. Without taking into consideration any other reason
or principle, the sad voices and tears of the women and
children, were enough to distract their fathers from the best
laid, logical plans. I keep in mind Your Excellency's grave
preoccupations with the defense of that island (Cuba), beauti-
ful woman whom all nations are wooing, but I also be-
lieve that Your Excellency, zealous in the King's service, will
make a special study of coming to the relief of this place
with all that it needs.

In a circular of January 30 of this year, sent to all coun-
cils of the cities of these Indies, the King especially recom-
mends the defense of all his American dominions, offering
at the same time to send troops from the Kingdom for the
making of a more vigorous resistance. But if it should hap-
pen that these can not be supplied, either by reason of some
serious obstacle by sea or land, or for any other good reason,
then, in obedience to my duty, and to the reiterated com-
mands of the King to report to Your Excellency, I must set
before Your Excellency my resources, begging for whatever
may be necessary to the defense of this place ; because, if
the war continues, I am under the necessity of asking for 370
infantrymen, and 24 artillerymen. During the siege and be-
fore, and counting the men not fit for duty, the troops of this
garrison and of the reenforcements were reduced by this
number, there remaining of the former only 116 fit for duty,
and of the latter ony 240, making 356. As both corps should
amount to 750, 350 of the old garrison, and 400 of the eight
companies of the reenforcements, and as there are in this gar-
rison no more than 356 between the two, it is plain that I
need 394 men, just the number I am asking for, and having
reference to the terms under which the King held this place.
But as it is now threatened with the most furious anger rea-
son of the damage inflicted upon the English in their siege
of it, it is my duty at the same time to ask Your Excellency,
should the war continue, for 300 armed men more, mulattoes
and free negroes from the militia of Cuba. I regard it as

Siege of St Augustine 67

important to the best and most useful service of the King,
that in the agreement made to this end, it be stipulated and
arranged with them, that they are to do armed duty when
necessary, and manual labor all the time, these being the
two purposes they must understand they are coming for.
But if this should appear to Your Excellency to be too heavy
a task, an agreement might be reached with them to divide
them into two shifts, giving to one half indulgence, in order
to have them work for weeks or months, and allowing them
to employ their spare time in rest or amusement, or in the
pursuit of anything that might appeal to the intelligence of
each one.

And if Your Excellency could send them armed, it will be
and is of significance to the King's service, there being no
one here to perform it, because this is mow a Hospital. At
the same time, I must point out to Your Excellency that it
would be most profitable to send the negroes and mulattoes
at the very first opportunity to put the position into the
proper condition, and that the infantry and artillery should
be here by December 20 of this year at the latest.

The great penetration of Your Excellency will perceive
from these terms, that the King can impose no charge upon
me without my recurring to Your Excellency, as he com-
manded, for all that is necessary to put this place in the con-
dition His Majesty desires, and that in following this course
I am discharging my obligation in obedience to the royal
orders directing me to apply to Your Excellency for all that
the custody of this place demands. With respect to all this,
I believe that if it be possible, all measures will promptly be
taken to send me the succor in question : and that if it be
impossible to send the number of troops and militia, Your
Excellency will fully satisfy the King on this point, and I
shall have fully complied with his sovereign commands, and
no one can caluminously charge me with omission, indolence
or neglect.

I firmly believe that Your Excellency's lofty talents will
not disavow my legitimate and just petitions in behalf of the
royal principle whence they flow; and that if the King des-
tines troops for the better defense of this place, my petitions
would still remain in force; for His Majesty will naturally
count upon his garrison, and upon what he had before direct-
ed to be sent, because he will think that his directions have
been obeyed.

Florida, August 7, 1740-

68 Letters of Montiano

No. 248.
Sir:

After learning of the loss of the Convoy of supplies sent
by Your Excellency to this place, in the brigantine of Andres
Gonzales and the sloop of the King, I managed successfully
to arm the Campeche sloop as a privateer. It went out the
17th of October and having captured a Carolinian schooner
sent her here under the charge of Domingo Quintana, Don
Juan de Hita, two boys, and a negro. And although she
came to the entrance of this port six days afterward, and
our launch went out to pilot her having made no attempt to
speak her, as neither did the port, since she was going to
the southward, and was taken for an Englishman, she with-
drew, but so far we have not the slightest news of her. We
believe either that she must have been lost in some storm, or
that three Englishmen she had aboard, the two boys and a
woman were killed while drunk, as the first were, the rest
being taken asleep. A few days later, Oglethorpe's ser-
geant major was captured, and through bad management I
lost two men, one killed and the other wounded by the 18-
pounders of the frigate and despatch boat. A pink was cap-
tured off Carolina,* on its way to Hamburg, and having on
board over nine thousand artobas (quarters) of rice, which
has been the salvation of this city, because from the 28 of Oc-
tober when she came in, the troops and entire neighborhood
have lived on it, baking it into roscas (ring-shaped biscuits
or cakes). The said Joseph Sanchez having declared that
he wished to leave off privateering and sell his sloop, I ar-
ranged to buy and arm it, rigging it anew with captured
tackle, to the satisfaction of Fandino, who it was suggested
wished to go privateering. Equipping it according to his
judgment, and leaving him freedom of action, the sloop was
fitted out much to the satisfaction of everybody that not
even from the ways could she have gone forth better equip-
ped. With 80 men picked out by him, the 50 of the gal-
liots, and 30 from this place, and a sergeant and six soldiers
he asked for, she hoisted sail on December 3 with a good
wind, and on the 5th at dawn found herself on the bar of
Carolina* itself, although it was his intention to station him-
self off Cape Ferro, out of sight of land ; but finding himself
so near to Carolina,* as well as to the pilot on the bar, he
captured him. Keeping in view at the same time a priva-

* Charleston.

Siege of St. Augustine 69

teering sloop which had just left the port on its way to Ja-
maica, the two privateers closed, and according to the report
of three men succeeded in bringing the launch, went off to-
gether cannonading each other ; from time to time there was
musketry fire. The men say they were unable to follow their
privateer and fearing lest the Englishman should capture
them if he tacked, they tried to make the coast. The
Englishman was seen to tack toward the land and returned
to his port : our ship was lost to view standing out to sea.
Before going aboard, Fandino was heard to say he would
go farther north because now they were discovered in those
parts.

The three men who brought in the launch (which re-
sembles our boat here with its deck) separated from the pri-
vateer with only two ship biscuit : with what they could catch
with a hook, they succeeded in arriving safely. A little ne-
gro of 10 or 12, taken in the launch says that the largest and
best part of Carolina, to wit the houses of the Marina (water-
front) has been burned, the fire having lasted two weeks ;
that the powder magazine blew up, and that there were three
manuales ** in the harbor.

On the 19th a schooner much larger than that of Muga-
guren anchored on our bar, captured by our privateer Fan-
digo, who writes me from Cape Ferro what Your Excel-
lency may see in copy herewith. Two prisoners sent in
her bring no special news other than what Your Excellency
may get from the declaration they made.

On the 29th instant, our privateering sloop returned be-
cause the crew could not stand the rigors of the winter,
which has been cruel. Fandino came ashore, and told me of
another schooner he had captured, but without supplies, only
a few useless things, such as aguardiente, honey-cakes, and
flag stones ; and that she must be well out to sea, as she was
caught in a storm in the Bahama Channel. The captains
of the two schooners, and the Carolina pilot whom Fandino
took aboard the privateer, and whom I caused to be examin-
ed to-day, have no more news to give than the short paper
of the said 29.

Yesterday we caught sight of an English frigate seemingly
of 20 to 24 guns : to-day it has remained in view until 3 of
the afternoon. Bearing in mind Fandino's performance on

** I. e. men o' war. See note, ante. Tr.

jo Letters of Montiano

the bar of San Jorge, I infer that they must have armed one
of their manuales to pursue the privateer, or to come and
wait here, as it were to hamper the entrance of the boats
sailing from this city. With reference to this, if on receipt
of this, there should be some strong boat, capable of at-
tacking this one, I beseech Your Excellency to send it, to
clear the coast ; because it is very possible they will be chas-
tised, and from the fear so engendered, will not so lightly
undertake to blockade us.

Florida, Jan. 2, 1741.
Postscript.

I have just heard that the Carolina pilot says this frigate
was to leave for the purpose of remaining four months off
this port, and that her captain had so promised the Parlia-
ment. And I fear lest the small boats missing from the last
shipment, and that of Escalera may fall into its hands.

I