()Op)Tig]lt}J° mim LiND m people. FRANCES LETCHER MITCHELL. — "Which kind of men know not (beIvIke) that the NATURE OF AN HISTORIE (DEFINED TO BE, REI VERE GEST^ MEM- ORIA ) W'lhh NOT BEARE THE BURTHEN OR LODE OF A LIE, SITH THE SAME IS TOO HEAVIE. — Holinslu'd. '- ^ The Franklin Printing and Publishing Co. Atlanta, Georgia. THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Two Copies Received OCT. 25 t901 Copyright entry CLASS Ct-XXc. No. COPY B. Entered aeeordiiig to Act of Congress, in the year liioo, By Miss FRANCES L. MITCHELL, III the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. D. C. TO THE MEMORY OF MY HONORED AND MUCH I,OVED FATHER, XimiUiam Xetcber /IDitcbell, MY HEART TENDERLY DEDICATES THIS VOLUME. The author is deeply indebted to Colonel 0. C. Jones, Jr., for per- mission to use from the Colonial and Eevolutionary Periods of his "History of Georgia" and from his " Confederate Addresses," any facts desired. There is no higher authority on Georgia his- tory than Colonel Jones. His statements are absolutely true. The author has felt it a sacred duty when she did not have him for a guide, to assert nothing without good evidence — most of her data being obtained from living witnesses. Colonel Jones' recent death has filled our State with mourning, and literature has sustained an irreparable loss. His courteous interest and quick sympathy were an inspiration to the author in the preparation of this volume, and she takes this opportunity to lay her humble offering upon the tomb of her father's friend, who was as distinguished for patriotism and courage as for the elo- quent and scholarly pen with which he recorded the history of his beloved State. Athens, Georgia, Xorember, 1S93. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTIOxM. Creeks and Cherokees. Hernando De Soto. The meaning of Indian names. The Legend of Nacoochee. How the Cherokee rose received its name 1-12 CHAPTER I. COLONIAL PERIOD. James Oglethorpe. Adventures and romance connected with the western continent. George I. The Margravate of Azilia. Georgia a doubtful borderland. The mission of Sir Alex. Gumming. George II. makes a grant of land. A new colony, the refuge for Protestants. James Ogle- thorpe, first governor of Georgia. The Anne. Yamacraw bluff. Mary Musgrove. The settlement of Savannah. Col. William Bull. Tomo-chi-chi. Indians respect Ogle- thoi-pe. The Salzburgers. Darien settled. Augusta set- tled. Fort William. Fort St. George. Frederica settled. Oglethorpe carries a party of Indians to England. They produce a sensation in London. Oglethorpe returns. John Wesley. The first Sunday-school in the world. Kev. George Whitfield. Bethesda. The mistakes of the Trus- tees. The first prohibition State. Negro slavery forbid- den. Military service for laud. Trustees change their policy. The colony begins to prosper. Raw silk, indigo, cotton 13-26 CHAPTER II. COLONIAL PERIOD. England's claim to territory of Georgia. Spain's claim. Mu- tual grievances. Oglethorpe goes to England for troops. CONTENTS. He becomes Comniauder-iu-c-liief. Eiiglaud declares war against Spain. A conference of Indian cliiefs at Coweta. Ogletliorpe invades Florida. Unsuccessful siege of St. Angnstine. The Spaniards invade Georgia. Tlie battle of Bloody MarsU. The Spaniards retreat. Oglethorpe congratulated by six Governors. His extraordinary march. Peace between England and Spain. Oglethorpe leaves Georgia to reside permanently in England 27-34 CHAPTER III. COLONIAL FERIOD. Oglethorpe's successor, William Stephens. Jelvyl island set- tled. Trouble with :Mary Musgrovo and the Creeks. The money used in Georgia. Trustees surrender their charter. Georgia a royal province. Capt. Reynolds, first royal governor. Hardwick settled. Four hundred Catholics entertained at public expense. Gov. Henry Ellis. Mid- way District and Sunbury settled. Georgia's territory more clearly defined. Convention of Indians at Augusta. Gov. AVright. Twelve parishes. Head-rights. Exports. Tobacco cultivated. The first ncAvspaper. Death of Geo^i-ge II. George III. proclaimed King in Georgia 35-42 CHAPTER IV. REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. Taxation without representation. Liberty Boys. Powder magazine in Savannah seized. Nol)le Wimberly .lones. Cannon spiked. The Liberty Pole. A Congress in Savan- nah. Archibald Bulloch. Georgia schooner captures Eng- lish ship loaded with powder. Gov. Wright imprisoned. Kingly rule in Georgia ends. Three Georgians sign Declaration of Independence. How the news was re- ceived in Savannali. The Ivhig is l>uried in efligy. Death of Gov. Bulloch. Salzburgers denounce tyranny. Georgia's generosity 43-o0 CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. British troops overrun Georgia. They entice Indians with costly gifts. AA'higs and Tories. Georgia frames a con- stitution. Fort Mcintosh captured. Gov. Button Gwin- nett. A duel. Col. Samuel Elbert. Paper money depre- ciated. Tlie British invade Georgia from Florida. Bat- tles at Bulltown Swamp and North Newport. Col. Scriven killed. Ogeeohee Feri-y. Midway Church burned. Cruelty of the British .j1-3S CHAPTER VI. REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. Battle at Sunbury. Four armies threaten Georgia. Savan- nah is captured. The Hebrews in Georgia. Gen. Pre- vost captures Sunbury. Skirmish at Burke Jail. Augusta is captured. Skirmishes at Carr's Fort, Cherokee Ford and Long Cane. Battle of Kettle Creek. Fort Heard. Stephen Heard 59-70 CHAPTER VII. REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. Col. Elijah Clarke. Col Twiggs surprises a British outpost. Battle of Brier Creek. Gen. Lincoln. Col. Francis Har- ris. Threatening attitude of the Indians. British prison- ships. Cols. Dooly and Clarke watch the frontier. Bat- tles at Mr, Butler's plantation, and Sunbury. Robert Sal- lette. Battle of Buckhead Creek 71-79 CHAPTER VIII. REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. Sir James Wright back in Georgia. The honesty and patriot- ism of the Executive Council. Gen. Lachlan Mcintosh returns. The French alliance. Count D'Estaing. Count Pulaski. The patriots try to retake Savannah. Wall's Cut. The origin of Thunderbolt. The siege of Savannah. Col. White captures a British company. The patriots bombard Savannah 80-8& CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. The patriots try to carry Savannah by assault. A deserter betrays their plans. Count D'Estaing wounded. The as- sault on Spring Hill redoubt. Sergeant Jasper's Death. Count Fulask) mortally wounded. The patriots ask a truce to bury their dead. Jasper's "colors." Jasper's Spring. Sergeant John Newton. Capt Thomas Glascock. Lieut. Edward Lloyd. Maj. John Jones. La Perouse. The patriots raise the siege. Georgia's generosity to her French ally. Death of British officer, Col. Maitland 90-98 CHAPTER X. REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. Dark days. Cruelty of the British. Daniel Marshall. Abra- ham Marshall. "A Georgia parole." Paper money depre- ciating. The spinning-wheel and the loom. Wilkes county. Silver-heels. Children ford the Savannah river. Patrick Carr. Nancy Hart. Sir James Wright convenes a Legis- lature. Georgians denounced as traitors. Weakness of the patriots. Georgians fighting in other colonies. Geor- gia sends representatives to Continental Congress 99-110 CHAPTER XL REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. Gen. Lachlan Mcintosh prisoner of war. Col. Browne, the Tory. He captures Augusta. Small bands of cavalry harass the British. Col. John Jones of Burke county. The smallpox among the soldiers. Col. Clarke's unsuc- cessful attempt to take Augusta. The vindictiveness of Col. Browne, the Tory. Two boys are hanged. Four hun- dred women and children with Col. Clarke's small band of soldiers. They seek refuge in North Carolina. Re- ceive a hearty welcome. Patriotism of Georgians tried. Gen. Nathaniel Greene. "Lighthorse Harry." Maj. Jack- son captures a British officer. Maj. Jackson raises a Legion for service in his State. The desolation in upper Georgia 111-120 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XII. REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. \ The gloom begins to brighteu. With Gen. Greene's assist- ance, the patriots plan to capture Augusta. Col. Wil- liamson commands the Whigs. They invest Augusta. Encounter with Tories at Walker's Bridge. Col. Clarke's horses recaptured from the Tories. The patriots capture the royal presents for the Indians. They capture Fort Grierson. A spy in the camp of "Lighthorse Harry." The Mayham tower. An assault upon Augusta planned. The British surrender. The importance of Augusta. Ste- phen Heard a prisoner 121-130 CHAPTER XIIL REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. The Whigs control upper Georgia. They endeavor to re- cover middle and southern Georgia. Unsuccessful skir- mish at Ogeechee Ferry. The Creeks and Cherokees give trouble. The patriots hear of Lord Cornwallis's surrender. War virtually ended. Mad Anthony Wayne. Conciliatory policy towards the Tories. Gen. Wayne's battle with Gu- ris-ter-sigo. Privateers. Sugar and salt. The poverty of Georgia people. Sir James Wright evacuates Savannah. Col. James Jackson receives the Iceys of the city. Legis- lature meets in Savannah. Final treaty of peace with Great Britain 131-138 CHAPTER XIV. A SOVEREIGN STATE. 1783-1799. The condition of Georgia after the war. Georgia adopts Fed- eral constitution. Georgia prohibits New England mer- chants M'om carrying on tlie Slave trade within her bound- aries. Hebrew congregation send letter to Pres. Wash- ington. Oglethorpe pays his respects to Mr. Adams, U. S. Minister to Great Britain. Legislature's gift to Gens. Jackson and Greene. Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin. CONTENTS. Indian forays. The capital moved to Louisville. Com- mou seliools. State University. Pres. Washington visits Georgia. The Washington guns 139-145 CHAPTER XV. A SOYEKEIGN STATE. 1783-1709. The Yazoo fraud. Gov. Matthews. He goes to Philadelphia to chastise the President. Disgraceful transactions con- nected with the Yazoo Act. Yazoo men and Anti-Yazoo men. The documents pertaining to the Y'azoo Act are burned. Judge Taliaferro. Virginians emigrate to Geor^ gia. The pioneers of upper and middle Georgia. The first Methodist church in Georgia. The influence of per- sonal courage. How the people of upper Georgia lived.. 14G-114 CHAPTER XVI. A SOVEREIGN STATE. ISOO-ISIO. James Jackson, Governor. Josiah Tattnall, Governor. Geor- gia cedes a large territory to the Federal Government. "The Daughters of Georgia." A woman editor. Death of James Jackson. Capital moved to Milledgeville. Mr. Meigs, first President of the University. Creeks and Cherokees become object of national interest. William Harris Crawford. Rivalry between Crawford and Clarke. Thomas W. Cobb. Judge Dooly. A party of Cherokees go West to select a new home 15.5-1()2 CHAPTER XVII. A SOVEREIGN STATE. 1S10-1S20. Georgia's gain in population and weath. An Indian "talk" with Gov. Mitchell. The Indian chief, William Mcintosh. Col. Benjamin HaAvkins. War spirit in Georgia. War of 1812. Georgia supports the Federal Government. Fear that Savannah Avill be attacked. Georgia's Senator, CONTENTS. W. H. Ci-awforcl, becomes Vice-President. Tlie hostile at- titude of tlie Seminoles. Gov. Peter Early. Georgia loans money to Federal Government. The Creek war. The massacre at Fort Minis. Gen. John Floyd. The Chief, Mcintosh, aids Georgia. Ho-poth-le-yo-holo, Georgia's bitter enemy. The battle of Autossee. Gen. Floyd wounded. David Blackshear takes his place. W. H. Crawford, Minister to France. Napoleon compliments him. W. H. Crawford candidate for President. The bat- tle of Challibbee. Capt. Jett Thomas. The Ci'eeks make their last stand. Speech of Indian chief when he sur- renders. Small bands of Creeks continue hostilities. Rev. Hope Hull 163-173 CHAPTER XV] 11. A SOVEREIGN STATE. 1810-1820. Suffering on the seacoast during the war of 1812. British Admiral, Cockburn. Scarcity of supplies. Gen. Black- shear makes a road. Peace declared. News slow in reaching Georgia. Fight at Cumbei-land Island. Tom, a native African. A remarkable feat. Last act of hostility. News of peace arrives. Georgia's part in the Avar. The acts of the first Legislature after the war. Daniel Ap- pling's sword. Liglithorse Harry dies and is buried in Georgia. Cause of Seminole war, Gov. Rabun resents insulting letter from Gen. Jackson. The Seminoles are subdued. The first steamer to cross the Atlantic sails from Savannah. Pres. jNlonroe visits Georgia. A neAV ambition. Tlie Creeks cede laud to Georgia. Gov. Ra- bun dies in office. John Clarke, candidate for governor. Why he had opposition. He is elected. Federal Govern- ment fails to redeem its pledge to Georgia 174-180 CHAPTER XIX. A SOVEREIGN STATE. 1820-18.30. George M. Troiip. Georgia factions. Talented young men. Clarke is reelected. Nicholas "Ware. Great fire in Savan- CO^'TENTS. nah. Yellow fever. New towns on the west side of the Ogeechee river. George Troup, Governor. The extm- guishmeut of the Indian title. Gov. Troup's difficulties. His courage. Duncan G. Campbell and James Meri- wether. Creeli council at the Indian Spring. Speech of the Chief, Mcintosh. Ho-poth-le-yo-holo replies to him. Treaty concluded. Ratified by Congress. The Chief, Mc- intosh, is assassinated. Gov. Troup calls extra session of the Legislature. Federal agent, Gen. Gaines, misrepre- sents the situation. Gov. Troup and Pres. Adams dis- agree 181-189 CHAPTER XX. A SOVEREIGN STATE. 1820-1830. First election of governor directly by the people. "Troup and the old treaty." W. H. Crawford nominated for Presi- dent. He is stricken with paralysis. Returns home. Marquis de LaFayetle visits Georgia. His welcome in Savannah. He goes to Augusta. He visits Milledgeville. The Creek question before Congress. The Federal Government tries to set aside "the old treaty." Gov. Troup is supported by the Legislature. In Congress Berrien and Forsyth fight "the new treaty." Gov. Troup receives a threat from Pres. Adams. Gov. Troup issues orders to the Generals of militia. Georgia Gen- erals in Federal service threaten to resign. Georgia's rights preserved 100-195 ' CHAPTER XXI. A SOVEREIGN STATE. 1S20-1830. GoA'. Troup a congressman. John Forsyth is Governor. "The Bill of Abominations." George Gilmer's homespun suit. Gold is found on Duke's creek, "The .Jacksonian" nomi- nates Andre-R- Jackson for President. Aerolite falls near Forsyth. Invention of the Cherokee alphabet. Gov. For- syth as an orator. Cotton the chief export. Cloth woven on hand looms 196-202 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXIL A SOVEREIGN STATE. 1830-1840. Athens favorite resort of active politicians during commence- ment weelv. Gov. Gilmer and tlie Clieroliees. Criminal jurisdiction extended over tlie Cherokee Nation. Su- preme Court of the U. S. decides that Georgia affairs are outside their jnrisdiction. New England missionaries in the penitentiary. Gov. Gilmer is compared to Nero. Il- legal mining in the gold region. "The Georgia Guard." Georgia is one hundred years old. "The falling stars." Jesse Mercer. "The cold Saturday." The death of W. H. Crawford 203-209 CHAPTER XXIII. A SOVEREIGN STATE. 1830-1840. The Indian question. John Ridge and John Ross. Cherokee Georgia. John Howard Payne. "The Georgia Guard" aiTest him. The Seminoles "on the war path" are joineer of Georgians in Confederate and State service 296-302 CHAPTER XXXVI. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1863. Terrible pressure upon tlie State. I'ort McAllister bombarded. Gen. Toombs' farewell to his Brigade. A picture. A wid- ow and her seven sons. Second attack on Fort McAllister. Gen. Forrest's brilliant exploit. Suffering in the moun- tain counties. Fidelity of the mountaineers. John B. Gor- don made a brigadier-general. Gen. Lawton, Quartermas- ter-General. More Volunteers. "Joe Brown's pets.". . .303-309 CHAPTER XXXYII. AVAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1863. Georgia invaded from Tennessee. Daily skirmishes. The battles of Chickamauga. Gen. Longstreet arrives with reinforcements. Gen. Lawtou's promptness. Invaders are driven back. Pres. Davis in Georgia. The Confeder- ates at Tunnel Hill. Mr. Lee is hung by the Yankees. The Confederate navy. A representative sailor. "Gov. Brown elected for a fourth term. Indifference to politics — military operations absorb attention. The Georgia sol- diers keep up their prestige in Virginia. The battle of Gettysburg. "General Starvation." A Columbia county soldier. The self-sacrifice of Georgia women. "Wayside Homes." The fidelity of the negroes. Legislature's patriotism. Gen. W. .7. Hardee. A mountain of sorrow. Georgia did her whole duty 310-319 CHAPTER XXXYIII. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1864. The heart of the Confederacy. Federal army resumes active CONTENTS. operations. The battle of Olustee, Fla. A girl walks home in her stockings. Battles in north Georgia. Extra session of the Legislature. The Georgia campaign be- gins. The Federals laj waste the country. Importance of the Western and Atlantic Railroad to the Federals. Battles of Resaca and Tanner's Ferry. Confederate army at Cassville. Allatoona. Pass. Battle of New Hope Church. Cavalry battle at Big Shanty. Kennesaw moun- tain. Fighting for twenty-three days. Gen. Polk killed. Anecdote about him. The battle of Kennesaw Moun- tain 320-328 CHAPTER XXXIX. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1864. Description of the country. Confederates entrenched on Kennesaw mountain. Battle of Kolb's Farm. Artillery duels. Timber on fire around the Federal wounded. Confederates evacuate Kennesaw and Marietta. Battles at Ruff's Station and Smyrna. Confederates cross the Chattahoochee. North Georgia helpless in the clutches of the enemy. Young's Mounted Battalion. Confederates fall back to Atlanta. A grave crisis. A picture of desola- tion. The battle of Peaclitree Creek. The battle of At- lanta. Gen. W. H. T. Walker is killed. "The hero brothers." 329-336 CHAPTER XL. WAR BET^VEEN THE STATES. 1864. Stoneman's last raid. Attack on Macon. Battle of Sunshine Church. Damage by the raiders. The Home Guard at Athens. Battle of King's Tanyard. The University chapel becomes a banquet Hall. McCook's raid. Gen. Wheeler in pursuit. Battle of Ezra Church. Atlanta is besieged. Militia complimented by Confederate Gen- erals 337-342 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XLI. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1864. Battle of Jonesboro. Battle at Lovejoy's The fall of At- lanta. Gen. Sherman's atrocious order. The exiles. Confederates recross the Chattahoochee. Assault on Allatoona Pass. A lone grave. Confederate army with- draws from Georgia. The militia win a glorious name. Atlanta is burned. Federal acts of vandalism. Gen. Sherman's army. Savannah commanded by Gen. Hardee. Battle of Griswoldville 343-350 CHAPTER XLII. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1804. Stone Mountain. Federal General at Milledgeville. Flight of the Legislature. The State property. A company or convicts. Pillage around Milledgeville. "It is expensive to be a rebel." The Federals destroy railroads and tele- graph wires. Gen. Wheeler harasses the enemy. The Georgia Cadets in battle. Battles of Waynesboro, Sandersville, Buckhead Creek 351-3.57 CHAPTER XLIII. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1864. Gen. Sherman's objective point. Militia are cut off from Augusta, and go to Savannah. Battle of Honey Hill, S. C. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith. Savannah is relieved of a great danger. Vandalism of the Federals in middle Georgia. Enormous quantities of food destroyed. Anec- dote of Friedrich, the "Victorious." 358-364 CHAPTER XLIV. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1864. A cyclone of popular indignation. The Federals turn war into private profit. Wholesale destruction. Desecration CONTENTS. of graves and churches. Efforts to stir up servile in- surrection. An unholy crusade. "Treasure-seeliing." "A smart Yanlvee trick." "Mulberry Grove" destroyed. It becomes evident that Savannah is Gen. Sherman's ob- jective point. How Savannah was fortified. The Federal fleet. Gen. Hardee's small army. Savannah is be- sieged 365-370 CHAPTER XLV. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1SG4. The interior line of defense at Savannah. It is persistently defended. Fierce artillery duels. The fall of Fort McAl- lister. The Federals control the Ogeechee river. The Federals prepare to bombard Savannah over the heads of its defenders. Gen. Hardee evacuates the city. The Mayor makes a formal surrender. Military rule. Suffer- ing of the citizens. "The pirate's wife." Georgia soldiers fighting in other States. The love of Confederate officers for their men. Nick-names. The exiles return to Atlanta. Confederate money continues to depreciate 371-380 CHAPTER XLVI. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 1865. A gloomy outlook. Col. John T. Lofton. The privations of the women. The exti-avagant praise of Gen. Sherman is the veriest balderdash. He withdr.aws from Georgia. The good conduct of the negroes. Horrible condi- tion of the mountain counties. The last Legislatin-e while Georgia was a member of the Confederacy. Federal prisons. Confederate prison at Andersonville. Capt. Henry Wirtz. He is offered a bribe. Where rests the responsibility of the useless suffering of prisoners 7.3S1-389 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XLVII. WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. 18P.5. Hampton Road's Couference. Distressing news. Gen. John B. Gordon in the retreat. Gen. Lee surrenders his army. Battle of Cohimbus. The war is over. Georgia's war record. A pathetic sight. Pres. Davis and his Cabinet in Georgia. Gov. Stephen Heard's P^ort. The Confeder- ate treasure. A bag of gold for Gen. Toombs. Pres. Davis Is captured. Gen. Toombs and Gray Alice. Miss Augusta J. Evans. Gen. Toombs escapes to Europe. The Federal Government fails to carry ont the terms upon which the Confederates surrendered. Georgians are arrested and imprisoned. Alex. H. Stephens in Fort Warren. The reason he was never tried. The heritage Georgia trans- mits to her children 390-399 CHAPTER XLVIII. RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD. 1S65-1872. For what was the war waged? False sentiment of the War Party at the North. The Legislature not allowed to con- vene. Gov. Brown arrested and imprisoned. He is re- leased. He advises Georgians to acquiesce in the arbi- trary measures of the Federal Government. The Pro- visional Governor. "The iron-clad oath." Freedmen's Bureau. The Yankees in Warrenton. INIilitary rule in Savannah. The story of a woman's fortitude. A State Convention. Annular eclipse of the sun. Georgia is taxed without representation. Georgia is "a land of memo- ^■^^s" 400-407 CHAPTER XLTX. RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD. 1865-1872. The Fourteenth Amendment. The Reconstruction Commit- tee. "District Number 3." "The black belt." Trying XXIV CONTENTS. times. Carpet-baggers and Scallawags. "Notes on the situation." Gov. Jenkins. Elbert, the banner county of Georgia. Reconstruction Committee malie a demand on the treasury. It is refused. Memorial Day instituted. . 408-416 CHAPTER L. RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD. 1865-1872. Gov. Jenkins is deprived of his office. The Yankees move the capital to Atlanta. The Union League. The Kuklux Klan. Georgia is ruled by aliens. The Columbus prison- ers. The tyranny of Congress 417-425 CHAPTER LI. RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD. 1865-1872. "The Bush Arbor Speeches." Georgia again under military rule. Death of Gen. Howell Cobb. The Fifteenth Amend- ment. The lawlessness of the Radicals. The frauds practiced by the aliens. State Convention meets in At- lanta. Death of Gen. R. E. Lee. Martial law in time of peace. Speech of Linton Stephens. The Republican Governor flees from the State. Georgia controls her own. J. M. Smith, a Confederate Colonel, becomes Governor. The hero of the reconstruction period 426-435 CHAPTER LIE REBUILDING THE STATE. 1872-1880. Staunchness of Georgians. Gen. J. B. Gordon to the U. S. Senate. "The great Commoner." The first Confederate reunion. Gen. Alfred Colquitt, Governor. The tra- ditional generosity of Georgians. A new State Constitu- tion. The bogus bonds. A rising vote of thanks. Geor- gia moves the capital to Atlanta. The Middle Georgia Agricultural College. Hon. B. H. Hill to the U. S. Sen- ate 43i)-442 CONTENTS. CHAPTER LIII. REBUILDING THE STATE. 1880-1890. Georgia begins to prosper. CIov. Colquitt's second term. James Jaclison is clioseu Cliief-Justice. The International Cotton Exposition. Death of Hon. B. H. Hill. A move- ment to erect a monument to his memory. Gov. Colquitt to the U. S. Senate. Alex. H. Stephens becomes Governor. "Dixie." The power of knowledge 443-450 CHAPTER LIV. REBUILDING THE STATE. 1880-1890. The sesqui-centennial. The men who wore "the gray." Death of Gov. Stepliens. Hon. Henry D. McDaniel be- comes Governor. Rejoicings over the election of Grover Cleveland for President. Gen. Henry R. Jackson becomes Minister to Mexico. The Legislature appropriates one million dollars to build a State-house. Corner-stone is laid. Death of Gen. Robert Toombs 451-458 CHAPTER LV. REBUILDING THE STATE. 1880-1890. Unveiling the Hill monument. Georgia gives Pres. Davis an o^ atiou. Speech of Pres. Davis. "The daughter of the Confederacy." Georgia is loyal to her traditions 4.59-465 CHAPTER LVI. REBUILDING THE STATE. 1880-1890. May month. Anniversary of the Chatham Artillery. Pres. Davis in Savannah. Georgia contradicts the old adage, "Republics are ungrateful." Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences. Gen. J. B. Gordon, Governor. Death of CONTENTS. Chief-Justice Jackson. Logau E. Bleckley his successor. Monument to Sergeant Jasper. The hundredth anniver- sary of the University, Description of the new capitol. Georgia's Pantheon. Gen. Lee's birthday becomes a State holiday. Death of Pres. Davis. Funeral ceremonies over the State 466-474 CHAPTER LVII. REBUILDING THE STATE. 1890-1893. Georgia's permanent prosperity. Climate. True greatness. Hon. W. J. Nortlien is Governor. A sti'ong delegation in Congress. Charles F. Crisp. The Girls' Normal and In- dustrial College. Democrats make an obstinate fight. The "third party." Georgia farmers. The 400th anniver- sary of the discovery of America. Georgia's vrork in the national Democratic campaign. True to Jeffersonian prin- ciples. Gov. Northen is re-elected 475-481 CHAPTER LVIII. REBUILDING THE STATE. 1890-1893. Waiting for news. "The Constitution cannon." A dramatic incident. The Stephens monument. The unveiling cere- monies. The over-production of cotton. Pres. Davis's funeral train passes through Georgia. His body lies in state in the capitol. A guard of honor from Georgia goes to Richmond for the final ceremonies. Georgia's growth from an infant colony to a sovereign State 482-490 CONCLUSION. An appeal to the youth of Georgia. "The red old hills of Georgia." State pride versus national pride. Speech of Gen. Heni-y R. Jackson 491-495 INTRODUCTION, Long before the idea was formulated in the brain of Christopher Columbus, of a new world beyond the pillars of Hercules, the fair territory which in process of time be- came the State of Georgia, was divided between two power- ful Indian nations, the Creeks and the Cherokees. These nations were subdivided into tribes. Their princi- pal settlements were in rich valleys or near large streams. The brave and comely Cherokees dwelt in the north, among the hills and mountains; the Creeks occupied the middle and southern portions of the country, and the islands along the coast. In figure these Indians were tall and well shaped; their manners were dignified, their coimtenances were open and jilacid, ^vith heroism and bravery stamped upon their brows. Their complexion was reddish bro"v\Ti, and their long, coarse hair was as black as a raven's wing. In all their actions they exhibited an air of independence and superiority. The Cherokees were reserved in conversation, circum- spect in deportment, grave in manner, very tenacious of their liberties, and ready at all times to sacrifice their lives in defense of their territory and their rights. The Creeks were more haughty and arrogant, very ambitious of con- quest, and — though constantly engaged in warfare — were ever magnanimous to a vanquished foe. GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. The Cherokee women were tall, mth delicate forms and cheerful countenances; the Creek women were shapely, though low of stature, with regular features, high fore- heads, and large, black eyes. In the charming land of the Cherokees there were sixty- four towns and villages, and the Creek Nation contained a much larger number. These Indiams were far from being savages. They were politically well organized, occupied permanent seats, and were largely engaged in the cultivation of corn, beans, melons, and fruits. Tobacco was cultivated and universally used; the Indians believed smoking to be peculiarly pleasing to the Great Spirit, Whom they fancied was Himself addicted to this habit. The pipe was their constant companion— their sol- ace in fatigue and trouble, their delight in hours of ease; whether upon the warpath, engaged in hunting and fishing, or lazily reclining in their huts, it was ever near them; a avrabol of peace and friendship, it was used in religious and political rites. The large pipes, called calumets, were em- ployed only on occasions of ceremony, and were generally highly ornamented. As it was an emblem of peace and good-will among Euro- peans to drink from the same cup, so a similar idea was con- veyed among the Indians by taking a whiff from the same jnpe. Quantities of ancient pipes and calumets have been found in their burial mounds. The Indians regarded corn as a direct gift from the Great Spirit, and observed festivals— attended with interesting ceremonie^-both when it was planted and gathered. Each year, at the harvest, a certain portion was set aside for the INTRODUCTION. support of the head Chief or King; this portion Avas de- posited in a public granary, Avhere were also stored, for his use, dried fish and jerked meat. Travellers and strangers were fed from this store; thence rations were given to the warriors when setting out upon an expedition, and, if they never returned, their wives and children were the especial care of the King, and were fed from the public granary. In addition to the food obtained by cultivating the land, the splendid forests, which stretched from mountain to sea- board, were full of game, and the rivers abounded in some of the best varieties of fish. These Indians also watched and nurtured with great care the nut-bearing trees — walnut, hickory and pecan — which sprang spontaneously from the generous soil. Their agricultural and domestic implements — including earthen and copper vessels, and stone mortars and pestles for crushing corn — were of the most primitive description, but answered well the purposes for which they were made. It seems singular that they should have been ignorant of the use of iron, but such was the case. They probably pro- cured copper from the ancient mines on Lake Superior. The bones of animals and large fish were manufactured into articles for domestic use. Their arrow-heads, made of stone, were noted for beauty of material and excellence of workmanship: the arrow shafts were made of the light cane that grew on every river bank. These Indian? were more provident of the future, more attached to their homes, and less scornful of manual labor than was usual among Red ]\[en. Living under a sunny sky, they usually needed and wore but little clothing. AVhen winter compelled them to cover their bodies, they 3 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. used well-dressed skins, or blankets and shawls made either from coarse grass or the inner bark of trees. Their feet were protected by buckskin shoes. Both men and women were fond of ornaments for ear, nose, and lip, and the cus- tom of tattooing was almost universal. They delighted in necklaces, bracelets and anklets, and even waist-bands of pearls and shells were worn. Before they came in contact with the white race, they seemed rarely to have used gold and silver. Their rude cabins were made of upright poles, daubed with earth, leaves, or moss. The dwelling of the Chief was usually in the center of the village, and was larger and more carefully finished than the houses of the common people. Safe conduct and welcome was everywhere given to the trader, who made long and arduous journeys to pro- cure, by exchange, such articles as could not be obtained at home. In their government, the head Chief or King was inva- riably chosen from the most worthy. Despotic to some ex- tent, he was yet assisted in all matters of State by a Council,- and the Council House was the most important edifice in a. town. At once king, judge and adviser, the Chief con- trolled the public granaries, appointed the time for plant- ing and gathering corn, declared war and made peace, fixed the dates for festivals, and had the right to compel the labor of the whole community for any public work. ISText in rank was the War Chief, who led the armies, and in coun- cil sat nearest to the King. Then the Chief Priest, whose- influence was all-powerful in spiritual affairs; without his advice no hostile expedition was ever decided upon by the- Council. INTRODUCTION. These Indians treated their women with a certain respect ■and consideration, bnt regarded them as their inferiors. The men assisted in making crops and in other outdoor work, so that all the drudgery was not left to the women, as was common with Indians in some other parts of the New IV^orld. As a matter of course, the women did the cooking, and also most of the work in manufacturing pottery, mats, baskets, moccasins and tunics. They took care of the chil- dren, and were such careful and tender mothers, that a de- formed, lame or sickly child was seldom seen. At an early age the boys were drilled in manly sports, and taught the secrets of hunting and fishing. The Indian youth, like the applicant for knighthood in European Coun- tries, had to undergo a season of fasting, and general purifi- cation of body and soul, before he entered upon the dignity of manhood and assumed its responsibilities. A man never married a member of his own tribe, and marriage gave him no right to the property of his wife. Divorce was a matter of mutual consent; in case of separa- tion, the wife kept the children and all property belonging to them. Next to warfare, hunting was the favorite pastime of the men. Dogs were domesticated, and abounded in all their villages; they were the constant companions and friends of their masters, and not infrequently were given the rite of burial. Believing in the immortality of the soul, and in a future state of reward and punishment, these Indians worshiped one Great Spirit as the Creator, from Whom came all good things, especially wisdom. They believed in the existence of evil spirits, from whose influence it was the duty of the 5 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. priest, conjurer and medicine man, to protect them. More or less distinctly, they recognized a soul in each individual, and they believed that in accordance with their conduct in this life would be their good or evil state in the next world. With such views, it was natural that they should have pro- found veneration for, and attachment to their relations and great men, and that they should jealously watch over and defend their graves. Breathing the soft air of a genial climate; surrounded bv forests and streams that supplied them food with little ef- fort; relieved, in a great measure, .from any severe struggle for clothes and shelter, these Indians were, upon the whole^ a gentle, agricultural people, with pleasure-loving disposi- tions. Without any thought of change, they lived their simple lives, unconscious of the throbbing life on the other side of the Great Water, and of the existence of the pale- faced warriors who were destined to force them from their beloved country and the graves of their fathers. The first Europeans known to have set foot in this earthly paradise were the reno\vned knight, Hernando De Soto, and his companions. De Soto had aided Pizarro in the con- quest of Peru, and was ambitious to achieve a similar con- quest and to gain a larger booty; so he obtained a permit from the King of Spain, to subdue Florida and all the land northward. Allured by the report of the existence of gold, he led his enthusiastic little army into Georgia. It was composed al- most entirely of young cavaliers in whose veins flowed some of the best blood of Spain. They were accustomed to hard- ships, skilled in the use of weapons, and their imaginations were inflamed with visions of glory and wealth. They 6 INTRODUCTION. wore fine armor and costly clothes, and their horses were richly caparisoned. They had servants to wait on them, mules to carry burdens, an abundance of provisions, and tools and implements of every kind that could be needed. De Soto entered Georgia at the southwest and held his course towards the head-waters of the Savannah and Chat- tahoochee rivers, an Indian guiding him through the un- known region. Twenty-five miles by water below the city of Augusta, he found a large town, shaded by mulberry trees, where he was entertained royally by a Queen whose chief seat it was, and who ruled as undisputed sovereign over an extensive Province. She welcomed De Soto with courteous words, and, drawing a long string of pearls from over her head, put it around his neck in token of friendship. She was very dignified and queenly, and the Spaniards were much impressed by her appearance. De Soto, in acknowl- edgment of her beautiful gift, and as a pledge of peace, took from his finger a ring of gold set with a ruby, and gently placed it upon hers. She supplied the Spaniards with provisions, canoes, and whatever else was needed for their comfort during their sojourn. In that age, adventurers claimed for their King all lands w^hich they explored, and took liberties with the natives and their property, without a thought of the injustice of their actions. So the Spaniards rewarded the kindness of their entertainers by searching the sepulchres of the town, from which they took "three hundred and fifty weight of pearls, and figures of babies and birds made from iridescent shells." AVhen De Soto announced to the Queen his contemplated departure, she was so angry at the outrages that her people had suffered from the strangers, that she refused to aid 7 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. them, either with guides or otherwise. De Soto was of- fended at her resentment, placed her under guard, and, when he resumed his journey, compelled her and her fe- male attendants to accompany him, on foot, to the confines of her territory; for, through her influence, he knew he could control the natives while traversing her territory. One of De Soto's officers, the Knight of Elvas, wrote in his journal: "We passed through her country an hundred leagues, in which, as we saw, she was much obeyed." This same Knight criticized De Soto's treatment of the Queen as unwarranted. Forcing her to walk was a very great in- dignity, as, when she moved abroad, she was accustomed to be seated upon a palanquin borne on the shoulders of men. When the Spaniards arrived among the Cherokees, with- in the present limits of Franklin county, a Chief presented DeSoto with two deerskins, as a mark of frendship, and in one village seven hundred wild turkeys were brought to him for the refreshment of his army. It was in the blooming month of May, when the Span- iards reached the picturesque region of the Cherokee Nation. For two days they rested at a village in Nacoochee valley, and then started westward; in this march the Queen es- caped into the forest, and every effort to recapture her was fruitless, so thoroughly did she conceal herself. Her juris- diction extended to what is now the southeast corner of Murray coimty, and De Soto had intended to liberate her when he reached that point. He rested there four days, and then pursued his journey. Everywhere he met with kindness, receiving presents of the choicest and best that the land afforded. INTRODUCTION. On the fifth day of leafy June, De Soto reached what is now the town of Rome. His men and horses were so worn and jaded that perfect rest was an absolute necessity; the people were so hospitable, and the country so beautiful, that he remained there thirty days. What an evidence of the humane disposition of those Indians: they generously treated the intruding strangers whom they could easily have exterminated. When the men were thoroughly rested and the horses again in good condition, De Soto set out down the valley of the Coosa river, and was soon beyond the confines of Geor- gia. He had entered this State early in March, 1540, and left it on the second day of July of the same year. Thus did these Spanish cavaliers behold the primal beauties of Georgia's forests, rivers, valleys and mountains, and enjoy the hospitality of her primitive people. The aborigines lived so near the heart of Nature that they learned her secrets, and were unconscious poets. Their language, abounding in vowels, was soft and musical. Every proper noun had a meaning that was significant and often wonderfully poetic — as, Cohuttah (Frog mountain), Talhilah (Terrible), Toccoa (Beautiful), Amicalolah (Tumbling Water), Hiwassee (Pretty Fawn), Okefinoke^ {Quivering Earth), and Chattahoochee (Rocky River). ]S" either the Creeks nor the Cherokees had a written lan- guage, and their history is a matter of tradition. The Creek language bore a resemblance to classic Greek. Their leg- ends — wild, romantic, often tragic — are still full of interest for their pale-faced successors. GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. The Legend of Naco(3chee. Lon^ before the Anglo-Saxon bad made bis first foot- print on tbese western sbores, there dwelt in a lovely valley in north Georgia, a young maiden of wonderful, almost celestial beauty; her name was I^s^acoocbee (The Evening Star). She was the daughter of a Chieftain, and in doing- honor to her, the people of her tribe almost forgot the Great Spirit who made her and endowed her with such strange beauty. A son of the Chieftain of a neighboring, hostile tribe saw the beautiful ISTacoochee and loved her. He stole her young heart, and she loved him with an intensity of pas- sion that only the noblest souls can know. They met be- neath the holy stars and sealed their simple vows with kisses. They found fitting trysting-places in this charming valley, where, from the interlocked branches overhead, hung festoons in which the white petals of the clematis and the purple blossoms of the magnificent wild passion- flower mingled with the dark foliage of the muscadine. The song of the mocking-bird and the murmur of the Chat- tahoochee's hurrying waters w^ere marriage-hymn and an- J;hem to them. They vowed to live and die together. Intelligence of these secret meetings reached the ear of the old Chief, ISTacoochee's father, and his anger was te*- rible. But love for Laceola was even stronger in the heart of ISTacoochee than reverence for her father's behests. One night the maiden was missed from the village. The old Chief commanded his warriors to pursue the fugi- tive. They found her w^ith Laceola, the son of a hated race. Instantly an arrow was aimed at his breast. ISTa- 10 INTRODUCTION. coocliee sprang before him, and received the barbed shaft in her own heart. Laceola was so stupefied by this horrible catastrophe that he made no resistance to his enemies, and his blood mingled with hers. The lovers were buried in the same grave, and a lofty mound was raised to mark the spot. Deep grief seized the old Chief and all his people, and the valley ever afterwards was called JSTacoochee. A solitary pine, which was long a landmark in this lovely vale, sprang up from the mound which marked the trysting- place and grave of the maiden and her lover. How THE Cherokee Rose Received its Name. A proud young Chieftain of the Seminoles was taken prisoner by his enemies, the Cherokees, and doomed to death by torture; but he fell so seriously ill, that it became necessary to wait for his restoration to health before com- mitting him to the flames. As he was lying, prostrated by disease, in the cabin of a Cherokee warrior, the daughter of the latter, a dark-eyed maiden, was his nurse. She rivalled in grace the bounding fawn, and the young warriors of her tribe said of her that the smile of the Great Spirit was not so beautiful. Was it any wonder that, though death stared the young Seminole in the face, he should be happy in her presence? Was it any wonder that they sliould love each other? Stern hatred had stifled every kindly feeling in the hearts of the Cherokees, and they grimly awaited the time when their enemy must die. As the color slowly returned to the cheeks of her lover, and strength to his limbs, the dark-eyed maiden eagerly urged him to make his escape. 11 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. How could she see him die ? But he would not agree to seek safety in flight, unless she went with him; he could better endure death hy torture than life without her. She yielded to his pleading: at the midnight hour, si- lently they slipped into the dim forest, guided by the pale light of silvery stars. Yet before they had gone far, im- pelled by soft regret at leaving her home forever, she asked her lover's permission to return for an instant, that she might bear away some memento. So, retracing her foot- steps, she broke a sprig from the glossy-leafed vine which climbed upon her father's cabin, and, preserving it during her flight through the wilderness, planted it by the door of her new home in the land of the Seminoles, where its milk- white blossoms, with golden centers, often recalled her childhood days in the far-away mountains of Georgia. From that time, this beautiful flower has always been known, throughout the Southern States, as the Cherokee Rose. The Indians have passed away from this beautiful land they loved so well; but the memory of them still lingers, and will linger forever in the melodious names of Georgia's mountains, rivers and vales. 12 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. CHAPTER I. COLONIAL PEKIOD. There lived in England, in 1782, a man named James- Oglethorpe, who was a lover of his kind, and had the deep- est sympathy for the poor and oppressed of all countries. He was a soldier and a statesman ; but public life could not spoil his amiable disposition or harden his warm heart. He was generous to his friends and charitable to the poor. So keen was his sense of honor that no bribe of power or for- tune could tempt him to turn from what he thought his duty. Wherever he heard of suffering, there he liked to go, in order to do all in his power to relieve it. So it very naturally happened that, beinu; a member of parliament, he should have been apjpointed one of a committee to visit the debtors' prisons and report their condition. He was greatly touched by the misery and bodily suffering endured by the inmates : their pale faces and wistful eyes haunted him con- tinually. In those days it was the law in England to imprison a man for debt, whether the amount was large or small; and the jails were full of persons whose only offense was their 13 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. inability to pay the money they owed. The statesmanship of James Oglethorpe found a remedy for this evil by plan- ning to give them homes in the ISTew World. The adventures and romance connected with the west- em continent kept the eyes of Europe fixed upon it with eager interest ; to colonize it was the highest ambition of the most powerful nations, who readily granted charters and encouraged adventurers. So it chanced that in the reign of King George I. of Eng- land, one of his subjects, Sir Robert Montgomery, obtained a grant of land lying between the Altamaha and Savannah rivers, for the purpose of founding a colony there, to be called the Margravate of Azilia. He agreed that if no settlement was made within three years, his grant should be void. To induce people to settle there, the noble lord wrote a flaming pamphlet and painted his future Eden in glowing terms. He called it "the most amiable country of the uni- verse," and assured the public that "nature had not blessed the world with any tract which could be preferable to it; that Paradise with all her virgin beauties may be modestly supposed, at most, but equal to its native excellencies." "It lies," he continues, "in the same latitude with Pales- tine herself, that promised Canaan which was pointed out by God's own choice to bless the labors of a favorite peo- ple." However, the scheme failed; and at the end of the specified three years Azilia was without inhabitants, save the red men of the forest. Long before Georgia was colonized it was often the the- atre of war, being a doubtful borderland between the Spanish possessions in Florida and the English settlements 14 COLONIAL PERIOD. In Carolina. On all occasions the French on the west, and the Spaniards on the south, tried to excite the Indians against the feeble colonists in Carolina, who themselves often provoked tlie red men by acts of violence. The British government resented the monopol_y of the Indian trade enjoyed by France and Spain, deeming this trade and an alliance with the Cherokee Xation so impor- tant that Sir Alexander dimming, of Aberdeenshire, Scot- land, was sent on a secret mission to obtain their friendship. He penetrated into the very heart of the ISTation, and so suc- cessfully accomplished his mis:^ion that the Cherokees swore allegiance to the king of England. Seven of their promi- nent men accompanied Sir Alexander when he returned, and were finely entertained for four months; then they were sent back to their homes in upper Georgia, much gratified by their visit, greatly impressed with the power and wealth of the English nation, and firmly resolved to maintain friendly relations with it. So, the embassy of Sir Alex- ander Cumming secured peace for the exposed settlements in Carolina, and was of the utmost importance to the colony which, in the near future, was to be planted on the Savan- nah river. This Avas the land to which Oglethorpe now turned his eyes as a refuge for the distressed. He interested many benevolent individuals in his scheme; parliament appropri- ated a large sum of money to aid him, and George II., on the 9th day of June, 1732, made a grant of the entire terri- tory lying between the Altamaha and Savannah rivers. The new colony was to be named Georgia, in honor of the King who granted the charter. The land was con- veyed to Oglethorpe, and twenty-one other gentlemen. 15 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. who were officially known as the ''Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia." They held their first regular meeting in London, in July, at which was read the charter that conveyed the land to them for twenty-one years, distinctly stating the benevolent purpose for which the colony was to be founded. It excluded Koman Cath- olics from the benefits of the country, but the poor of Great Britain, and oppressed Protestants from all countries, were to find' a welcome. The thrifty Huguenots, the gentle Moravians driven from Austria, and the Salzburgers, exiled from their Alpine valleys because they were followers of Luther, all were to find homes and safety in Georgia, the only colony ever founded for sweet charity's sake. A hope to convert the Indians was another of Oglethorpe's good motives. The Trustees chose James Oglethorpe governor of their colony. He had asked permission to accompany the emi- grants and establish them in Georgia, agreeing to pay his own expenses and devote his whole time to the enterprise. So, in November, he embarked in the good ship Anne, hav- ing on board one hundred and thirty persons— one hundred and sixteen of whom were emigrants. In January the ship arrived at Charleston, and the passengers were cordially welcomed by the Governor and the citizens generally. The Anne had made a safe passage and the health of the emi- grants was good; the death of two delicate little boys, one only eight months old, cast the only shadow that rested upon their hearts as the good ship plowed through the waters of the broad Atlantic. From Charleston, Oglethorpe sailed to Beaufort; and while the emigrants went ashore for rest and refreshment, 16 COLONIAL PERIOD. he ascended the Savannah river to make some explorations and select a place to settle. On a bold bluff he found a fine situation for his .town, which, from the river that flowed by^ he called Savannah. ^ He visited and conciliated the Indians in that section; in his first interview he formed a warm friendship for Tomo- chi-chi, the king of an Indian Confederacy, who presented him with a buffalo robe painted on the inside with the head and feathers of an eagle, saying: "The feathers of the eagle are soft, and signify love; the buffalo skin is warm, and is the emblem of protection : therefore, love and pro- tect our little families." AtYamacraw,(the Indian name of the bluff), Oglethorpe found a woman named Mary, who could speak both the Creek and English languages, and who acted as his inter- preter. She was born at the chief town in the Creek N'a- tion, and through her mother was descended from a sister of the old king of the Creeks. Her Indian name was Con- sa-pon-a-kee-so. Her father, who was a white man, had carried her to Carolina when she was seven years old, to be raised and educated; there she was baptized and given the (Christian name, ]\[ary, y\ hen Col. John Musgrove was sent by the Carolina gov- ernment to make a treaty of alliance with the Creeks, he was accompanied by his son John, who became acquainted with this Indian maiden and married her. Oglethorpe found John and Mary at Yamacraw, where they had estab- lished a trading-house : as Mary exerted a powerful influ- ence over the neighboring Indians, he purchased her friend- ship with presents. Afterwards, he paid her a regular sal- 2g 17 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. ary of one liundred pounds a year to act as his interpreter. Her husband died three years after Oglethorpe first met her. While she was a widow, he persuaded her to estab- lish a trading-house on the south side of the Altamaha river, and there she married Capt. Jacob Matthews. In this way, Oglethorpe placed an influential friend on his southern frontier. As soon as he had selected a site for his town, Oglethorpe returned to Beaufort, and the following Sunday was cele- brated by the emigrants as a day of Thanksgiving for their safe arrival. He provided the dinner out of his private purse; besides the emigrants, the gentlemen of tie neigh- borhood and their families were invited. There were pre- pared for this feast ^^four fat hogs, eight turkeys, many fowls, English beef, and other provisions; also, a hogshead of punch, a hogshead of beer, and a large quantity of wine." At the table everything was conducted in the most agree- able manner; no one got drunk, neither was there the least disorder among the crowd. A few days after this memorable repast the emigrants set sail for Savannah and built their new homes beneath the pines that then crowned Yamacraw Bluff. The town was laid out in streets and squares, and the plan has never been altered. It was in the month of February, 1733, that work was begun on the first town in Georgia. The delicious per- fume of the yellow jessamine was already mingling mth the odor of the pines; the trees were vocal with the songs of birds, and the balmy breath of spring was quickening all nature into life and beauty. It was a goodly hand, and the colonists, now no longer emigrants, worked with a will,^ re- ceiving much valuable assistance from their Car.ilina neigh- 18 COLONIAL PERIOD. bors. llie Governor of Carolina sent, for their protection a detachment of military, called the Eangers, and also an armed bark, called the Scout-boat. It was not long before Oglethorpe's colonists were settled in their new homes Having to bnild a fort at the eastern extremity of the blnft, besides erecting residences, their labor for a while was very arduous; but they all shared in it with energy and cheerfulness. Oglethorpe was present everywhere, plan- ning, superintending and encouraging. He was assisted in aymg out his town, by Col. William Bull, of South Caro- lina, who also generously lent four of his negroes, expert sawyers, to help get out boards for houses. He brought his own provisions to feed them, being resolved to put the col- ony to no expense; so his benefaction was bestoAved in the most noble and useful manner. Oglethorpe claimed no labor from the colonists for him- self, but had a tent pitched under four clustering pines which he had ordered to be left standing near the bluff, and he lived m that tent for nearly a year. Afterwards, he con- tented himself with hired lodgings in one of the houses of his people. Tomo-chi-chi had given them a warm welcome, and 0-le- thorpehad paid him liberally for as much land as was needed. In nothing did the founder of the colony of Geor- gia show his wisdom and executive ability more than in his conduct towards the Indians. He constantly exhorted his people to be prudent and upright in all their dealings with them. "It IS my hope," he said, "that, through your good exam]3le, the settlement of Georgia may prove a blessing and not a curse to the native inhabitants." His fame soon reached the interior, and in a short time treaties were made 19 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. with tlie Upper and Lower Creeks, the Cherokees in the mountains, and the Choctaws on the borders of the Gnlf of Mexico. The Indians had great confidence in him, be- cause he always acted towards them in good faith. With- out their friendship the condition of the infant colony- would have been precarious. The vast Atlantic was rolling between them and the mother country; the Carolina settle- ments were few in number, and had to struggle for their own existence. The Spaniards in Florida were only wait- ing for an opportanity to disjnite their claim to the soil, and the Indian tribes who owned the country, were jealously watching the encroachments of the white race upon their hunting-grounds. Fortunately, however, the planting of a colony in Georgia had been confided to a man who had the prudence, wisdom and skill to do it successfully. It was now that Tomo-chi-chi's friendship was of the first importance to Oglethorpe and his people; and his kind- ness and fidelity to the whites should ever receive the most grateful acknowledgment. While we honor Oglethorpe as the founder of our beloved State, let it not be forgotten that in his hour of doubt and danger, this son of the forest was as his right arm, and the Indian's active friendship was the surest guaranty of the safety, and even the very exist- ence of the new settlement. To the day of his death, To- mo-chi-chi was the faithful adviser and protector of the young colony; as such, let his name be honored by every Georgian ! The very next year after Savannah was founded, a com- pany of Salzburgers arrived there, and were cordially re- ceived. They wished to settle some distance from the sea,. among the hills and dales, where the country was supplied 20 COLONIAL PERIOD. "vvith springs and would remind them of the dear land from which they were exiled. In their behalf, Oglethorpe him- self went with a company of his people and some Indians to make a tour of observation. They penetrated nearly thirty miles into the interior, and chose a pleasant spot on the banks of a river where were hills, valleys, small creeks, and •springs of clear, pure water. The Salzburgers were highly •delighted with the situation and beauty of the country ; and their first act, when they reached this land of safety, was to sing a psalm. Then they set up a stone which they found upon the spot, and named the place Ebenezer, "the stone of help." Truly could they say : "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." The region around Ebenezer was afterwards called St. Matthew's Parish, and is now Effingham county, named in honor of Lord Effingham, who, some years afterwards, so nobly defended the resistance of the colonies to the mother country, and resigned his commission in the British army rather than fight in a cause which he thought unjust. The new town was under the superintendence of the Eev. Mr. Bolzius, who had resigned an honorable and lucra- tive position at home, to accompany his countrymen to Georgia. Oglethorpe showed fine judgment in locating his towns where they could best be protected from attacks, either of the Indians or Spaniards. The next settlement was made at Darien, by a party of Highlanders from Scotland. When they were resting in Savannah, prior to departing for their new home, some Caro- linians tried to dissuade them from going so far south, tell- ing them that the Spaniards, from their houses in the fort, 21 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. would shoot them down. With a spirit worthy of the countrymen of WaHace and Bruce, they reph'ed : "Why, then we will heat them out of their fort, and shall have houses ready Luilt to live in." Again did Oglethorpe show his wisdom, in placing these brave and hardy men at an outpost on his southern frontier; and well did these valiant spirits fulfill the trust ! Geor- gia, both as a colony and State, owes a large debt of grati- tude to them and to their descendants. The next settlement was made directly by Oglethorpe, who, m iTiJy, ascended the Savannah river to a point just below the falls, and built a fort which he named Augustay in honor of a royal princess of Great Britain. So advan- tageous was this situation that the town which soon sprang up, became a center for Indian trade, superior to any either in Carolina or Georgia. Oglethorpe was so pleased at the enterprise of Mr. Bryan, who began the work of settle- ment, and built a well-furnished storehouse at his o\\ti ex- pense, that he recommended the Trustees to give him five hundred acres of land. Having obtained the territory between the Altamaha and St. Mary's rivers, by a treaty with the Indians, Oglethorpe erected a fort on Cumberland Island, which he named Fort William, and one on Amelia Island, which was called Fort St. George. The next company of emigrants who came over, was located on St. Simon's island, and their toAvn was called Frederica, in honor of Frederick, Prince of Whales, eldest son of George II. I'he town was laid out by Oglethorpe, with wide streets crossing each other at right angles, and planted with rows of orange trees. It became his favorite COLONIAL PERIOD. residence, and near there was his small cottage, with fifty acres of land — the only property he ever owned or claimed in Georgia. After Oglethorpe had remained fifteen months in Geor- gia he left Thomas Canston in charge and returned to Eng- land that he might inform the Trustees, and the public gen- erally, of the true condition of the colony. Judging that its security would be promoted by taking with him some intelligent Indians, who, by personal observation, might obtain an idea of the greatness of the British empire, he invited Tomo-chi-chi and five other chiefs to accompany him. They all accepted the invitation, and the aged king, then past ninety years, resolved to take his wife, Sce-nawki, and his adopted son, Too-na-howi. When Oglethorpe said good-bye to his people, who at- tended him to the boat which was to take him to Charles- ton, they could not keep back their tears, at parting from one whom they looked upon as their ''Benefactor" and "Father." The Indians produced a great sensation in London. People flocked to see them and gave them many and various kinds of gifts. They were presented to King George with much pomp and ceremony. On this interesting occasion Tomo-chi-chi and his wife were dressed in scarlet, trimmed with gold. He presented eagle feathers, the trophies of his country, to the King of England, and in his speech said : "These are the feathers of the eagle, Avhich is the swiftest of birds, and who flieth all around our nations. These feathers are a sign of peace in our land, and have been carried from town to tOAvn there; and we have brought them over to leave with 23 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. you, O, gi'eat King! as a sign of everlasting peace. 0, great King ! wliatever words you shall say to me, I will tell them faithfully to all the kings of the Creek nations." The Indians remained four months in England, and were then sent home in a public ship, in which quite a number of new colonists embarked. Their visit awakened among the English a new interest in the condition of Georgia, and an earnest desire to enlighten the Indians. The news of the visit of the chiefs to England, and of the beautiful and novel presents Avhich they had brought home, soon spread all over the two Indian nations, and the generous Tomo-chi-chi freely divided his treasures with the chiefs who remained at home. So their visit did much to perpetuate the friendly relations between the natives and the young colony. Oglethorpe did not return to Georgia until the next year when he brought several hundred emigrants, among them two young ministers who afterwards became very famous — John Wesley, fresh from Oxford University, and his brother, Charles, who was private secretary to Oglethorpe. Their special mission was to preach the gospel to the In- dians, and improve the moral and religious condition of the colony. The first Sunday-school in the world was established in Savannah, by John Wesley, about two years before Robert Raikes was born, and at least fifty years before he began his system of teaching poor children on Sunday. The Trustees never lost sight of the fact that Georgia was a Protestant colony, and in all their deliberations its religion was a matter of constant solicitude; indeed, Geor- gia exhibited the unique spectacle of allowing no one to 24 COLONIAL PERIOD. settle within her borders who was not judged by competent authority to be worthy of the rights of citizenship. Each emigrant was subjected to an examination, and had to fur- nish satisfactory proof that he was entitled to the benefits that the Trustees could confer. In 1738, Rev. George Wliitefield, the most eloquent divine of his day, came to Georgia. AVhen he visited Ebe- nezer, he was so much pleased with the orphan school which the Salzburgers had established, that he determined to open a similar one for the rest of the colony. For this purpose he crossed the Atlantic many times, bringing back a con- siderable number of settlers at each voyage. By his fer- vent zeal he obtained money, both in England and Amer- ica, and the Trustees gave him five hundred acres of land in trust for his orphan home, which he established at Be- thesda (House of Mercy), a few miles from Savannah. Under his fostering care, it flourished greatly, and it still exists, the most fitting monument to his memory. The civil and military affairs of the colony were entirely in the hands of the Trustees, under whom Oglethorpe acted; but the immediate government of Ebenezer was given to Mr. Bolzius and his colleague, Mr. Grinau, who most judiciously managed the settlement. The Trustees, at first, made some grave mistakes in gov- ernment. They prohibited all trade with the West Indies, because their most important article of export was rum. They would not permit negroes to be OAvned by any colonist, saying that the cost of a negro, which was then about thirty pounds, would pay the passage of an emigrant to Georgia, supply him with tools, and support him for a year, at the end of which time he could earn his own living. But 25 GEORGIA L\ND AND PEOPLE. they agreed, if they. had to feed both a negro and his master for a 3'ear, they would be crippled in their ability to send out white settlers who needed homes, to supply Avhich was their object in founding the colony. Besides these drawbacks, tliere were many military fea- tures connected with the government of the colony, mili- tary service being required for a certain number of acres of land. All these things caused great dissatisfaction among the people. The military service involved so many hard- ships that not a few emigrants deserted the new colony and moved to Xorth Carolina, where the land was held in fee simple. When the colonists saw their Carolina neighbors growing rich with unhampered commerce, and broad fields culti- vated by negro labor, their discontent was so great that the Trustees were forced to alter those regulations. "When they, also, changed their policy as to the tenure of land and the introduction of negroes, the prosperity of the colony was immediately increased. Tifty acres of land were offered to each settler, almost witliout money and witliout price. So, emigrants, princi- pally Scotch and German, flocked in, and in eight years the population increased to more than 25,000. Raw silk wa& exported to England, indigo w^as a staple article of produc- tion, cotton was being planted as an experiment, and, at last, the prosperity of the colony rested on a firm founda- tion. , . CHAPTER II. COLONIAL PERIOD. (Continued). England's claim to the territory of Georgia rested upon the discovery of Sebastian Cabot, who, under a commission from the King, had sailed along the whole eastern coast of North America and set up stone crosses at intervals, as tokens of possession. Spain claimed it as a part of Florida, though the Span- iards had never settled except at St. Augustine and a few adjacent points. So the two countries, wrangling over this tract of land, were in a constant state of irritation. Spain looked upon the colonization of Georgia as an intrusion upon her rights, and demanded its surrender; England re- fusing, she prepared to expel the invaders. But there were other sources of discord. Trade with Spain was not free, and the English merchants on the coast of Florida were constantly violating the Spanish laws in re- gard to it; if they were caught and punished, their country- men considered them martyrs rather than violators of the law of nations. An English grievance was, that fugitive slaves from Carolina were not only welcomed in Florida, but lands were given them as a bribe to run away from the English colonies. 27 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. Oglethorpe, foreseeing that war would be declared ■against Spain, returned to England to obtain soldiers to -defend Georgia. In less than a year he had returned with six hundred men, well equipped and disciplined. So careful was he to have his regiment recruited from the respectable classes, and with gentlemen of family and character for officers, that it was one of the best in the service of the King. To attach the enlisted men to the colony which they were to ■defend, and to induce them eventually to become settlers, permission was given each one to take a Avife with him, and additional pay and rations were provided for her. Oglethorpe was appointed commander-in-chief of all the militia forces in Georgia and South Carolina, and hence- forth bore the title of General in the colonies. At length (1739), England declared war against Spain. In July of that year, before war was actually declared, Gen. Oglethorpe undertook a very perilous mission, which proved to be of the utmost importance to his colony and also to the mother country. In view of the conflict which he saw was inevitable, he considered the friendship of the In- dians of vital consequence, and knew that they should be fortified against the endeavors of the Spaniards and French to draw them from the allegiance which they acknowledged to the British Crov;n. The journey was long and dangerous, but the salvation of Georgia depended upon the success of his mission, and perils could not daunt his brave spirit. It was arranged, through the faithful Tomo-chi-chi, that an assembly, com- posed of all the principal chiefs among the Georgia tribes, and even among those as far west as the Mississippi river, 28 COLONIAL PERIOD. should be held at Coweta — on the Chattahoochee river — the most important town in the Creek jSTation. It was several hundred miles from Savannah, and days of travelling through trackless forests were required to reach it. Gen. Oglethorpe took only three men with him besides his ser- vants. Some Indian traders, whom he procured at Au- gusta, acted as guides. Each night, wrapped in his cloak, he lay down to sleep on the ground with his portmanteau for a pillow; or, if it happened to be wet, he sheltered himself under an arbor made of cypress boughs. Forty miles from Coweta he was met by a deputation of Chiefs, who escorted him the rest of the way. The Indians were greatly pleased that he should have undertaken such a long journey to visit them, and he quite won their hearts by coming among them with such a small escort, in fear- less reliance on their good faith, by accommodating him- self readily to their habits, and by his commanding figure and dignity of manner. In solemn Council, terms were agreed upon that satis- fied both Oglethorpe and the Indians. As one of their "beloved men," he drank the foskey, or black-medicine drink, and smoked with them the calumet, or hallowed pipe of peace. This diplomatic exploit was as remarkable as the journey. "When we call to remembrance," says a Georgia histo- rian, "the distance he had to travel through solitary path- ways, exposed to summer suns, night dews, and to the treach- ery of any single Indian who knew — and every Indian knew — the rich reward that would have awaited him for the act, from the Spaniards in St. Augustine or the French in Mobile, surely we may proudly ask, what soldier ever 29 GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. gave higher proof of courage ? What gentleman ever gave greater evidence of magnanimity ? What English governor of an American province ever gave such assurance of deep devotion to public duty ?" The next .year Gen. Oglethorpe was ordered to invade Florida, and to call upon South Carolina for aid. So he and the adopted son of the lamented Tomo-chi-chi, who had recently died, with two thousand men — a portion of whom were Creeks — set out on an expedition against St. Augus- tine. He found it much more strongly fortified and the garri- son more numerous than he had expected. He besieged it closely for several weeks, but when some Spanish galleys succeeded in running the gauntlet and carrying fresh sup- plies to the fort, he thought it wise to raise the siege and re- tire, as his troops were becoming enfeebled by sickness. For two years the Spaniards acted only on the defensive, which gave Gen. Oglethorpe time to strengthen his forti- fications and prepare for the invasion of Georgia, with which the Spaniards retaliated in 1742. They had a for- midable land and naval force, consisting of fifty vessels and about seven thousand men, under the command of Gen. Don Manuel de Montiano, the Governor of St. Augustine. They soon appeared off St. Simon's bar, with the inten- tion of taking Frederica. This was a time of great peril for Georgia, but the heroic spirit of Oglethorpe rose with the danger. In writing to the Trustees of the situation of the colony, he said : '^We are resolved not to suffer de- feat; we will rather die like Leonidas and his Spartans, if Ave can but protect Georgia and Carolina and the rest of the Amencans from desolation." 30 COLONIAL PERIOD. This time the Governor of South Carolina would render no assistance, and Gen. Oglethorpe had to rely upon his own resources. His navy consisted of one small ship, two guard schooners, and some small trading vessels; these and two land batteries at Fort Simon, were his sole dependence to dispute the passage with the Spaniards. On this occasion he commanded in person, and made a gallant defense ; but the Spaniards forced their way up the Altamaha river and landed live thousand men, who marched back to attack the fort, which, however, had been abandoned before their arrival. Their next move was to advance upon Frederica, and a detachment was within a few miles of the town before they were discovered and the alarm given. Gen. Oglethorpe immediately attacked them with such forces as were at his command — a few rangers and a com- pany of Highlanders — and charged with such eifect that the enemy were routed. Then he hastened to town for additional aid. In his absence, Spanish reinforcements poured in, and his men were driven back by a body of troops under Don Antonio Barba. The Highlanders, under Lieutenants McKay and Sutherland, wheeled aside in the retreat, and, concealing themselves in a grove of palmettoes, laid in ambush for the pursuing Spaniards, whose victory was turned into a crushing defeat. The Spanish officers tried to rally their men, but in vain. They were in a panic, and orders were uidieeded. Barba was taken prisoner, after being mortally wounded. This brilliant engagement was known as the Battle of Bloody Marsh, and was won by gallant troops against great odds: their o'ood fortune was due to generalship and unsur- jiassed courage. GEORGIA LAND AND PEOPLE. The Spaniards retreated to their camp near Fort Simon, and Gen. OgletJiorpe collected all his forces in Frederica. Learning of dissensions among the Spanish commanders. Gen. Oglethorpe determined to make a night attack upon their main body, and. by surprising them in their divided state, drive them from the island. He was disappointed in carrying out this plan when he was in sight of the enemy's- camp, by the desertion to the Spaniards of one of his sol- diers, a Frenchman. Knowing that the weakness of his little army would be revealed to the enemy, Gen. Ogle- thorpe's quick wit found an escape from the threatened danger. In order to deceive the Spanish Commander, he had recourse to the following stratagem: he liberated a prisoner arid gave him a sum of money to carry a letter, and give it privately to the French deserter. It was written in the French language, and as if from a friend of his, telling him to make it appear to the Spaniards that Frederica was in a defenseless state, and urge them to attack it at once; but if he could not bring on an attack, he must try to per- suade them to remain three days longer where they were,, as, within that time, six British ships-of-war, with two thou- sand troops from Carolina, were expected. This letter fell into the hands of Gen. Montiano, as Gen. Oglethorpe had hoped it would. The Spaniards were terri- bly perplexed over its contents, and the Frenchman put in irons as a double spy, though he bitterly denied any knowl- edge of why the letter was written, or any intention to be- tray the Spaniards. While a council of war was deliberating what course tO' pursue, three ships did actually come in sight off the bar.. The Governor of South (^'arolina had sent them to Gen.. COLONIAL PERIOD. Oglethorpe's assistance. At ouce believing them to be the ships mentioned in the letter, the Spaniards, in a moment of consternation, burned the fort, hastily embarked, and fled. The success of Gen. Oglethorpe in this campaign was "truly wonderful. With a handful of men, he had defeated and baffled a ■^^'ell-equipped army, destroyed some of their best troiDps, captured provisions, ammunition and military stores, and saved Georgia from a formidable invasion. The eloquent Whitefield said : "The deliverance of Georgia from the Spaniards is such as can not be paralleled but b}'' some instances out of the Old Testament." The avowed object of the Spaniards was to exterminate the English colonies in America, and if they had succeeded in their demonstration against Frederica, all the other col- •ouies would have been in danger. Appreciating this, and deeply sensible of their obligations to Gen. Oglethorpe, the governors of New York, Pennsylvania, ISTew Jersey, Mary- land, Virginia and JSTorth Carolina sent him special letters ■of tlianks and congratulated him on his success. The citi- zens of Port Royal also sent congratulations, much to the chagrin of the Governor of South Carolina, who was con- spicuous by his silence. For a long time Gen. Oglethorpe expected the return of the enemy, and bent all his energies to repairing damages and strengthening his fortifications. In a few months his