preacher of his day, came to Georgia. He visited the settlement at Ebenezer, and was so deeply impressed, and was so much gratified with the good the orphan-school was doing in training and educating the homeless and destitute, that he determined to found a similar one. By his fervent zeal he was able to obtain sufficient funds in England and America. His institution was established a few miles from Savannah. It flourished under his fostering care during his life, and, with some modifications in its organization, still exists as a monument to his memory. Mr. Whitefield at first was opposed to the introduction of negro slaves, but afterwards changed his mind and spoke in its favor, for which he was sharply reproved by Mr. Bolzius. But he justified himself by saying that God had some wise ends to accomplish in reference to African slavery; and that he had no doubt it would terminate to the advantage of the Africans. The problem is not yet fully solved.

16. Spain claimed the territory of Georgia as her own, and looked upon its colonization by the English as an intrusion upon her rights. She therefore made a demand for its surrender, which being refused, she prepared to expel the intruders. But there were other sources of irritation. Trade was not free, and the Spanish laws regulating it were frequently violated by the English merchants on the coasts of Florida, and when caught and punished they were regarded by their countrymen as martyrs to free trade rather than as law-breakers. Runaway negro slaves from South Carolina were also welcomed by the Spanish authorities in Florida, and lands were given to them in that province.

17. Seeing that war was inevitable, Oglethorpe went to England in 1737 to prepare for the contest. In that country he raised and disciplined a regiment of six hundred men, and in less than a year returned prepared for defence,

16. What nation claimed Georgia? What other causes of dispute existed? 17. What did General Oglethorpe do? In what year was war declared? What expedition was undertaken in 1740 ?

having been appointed commander-in-chief of all the militia forces in Georgia and South Carolina. From this time he was known as General Oglethorpe. War was at length declared by England against Spain in 1739, and Oglethorpe was ordered to invade Florida. He immediately hastened to Charleston; supplies were voted, and at as early a day as possible in 1740, at the head of two thousandR men, some of them Carolinians and some friendly Indians, he set out on the expedition against St. Augustine. Up to this time about twenty-five hundred immigrants had settled in Georgia.

18. General Oglethorpe found St. Augustine much more strongly fortified, and the garrison much more numerous, than he had expected. After a few weeks' siege his Indian allies began to desert; his troops became enfeebled by sickness; and he was compelled to raise the siege and retire.

In

19. In 1742 this invasion was retaliated by a formidable land and naval force of about three thousand men. this difficulty Oglethorpe, receiving no assistance from South Carolina, was obliged to rely upon his own resources. The Spanish commander, instead of sailing direct to Savannah, proceeded to the mouth of the Altamaha. Oglethorpe, having but seven or eight hundred men, was obliged to retreat from Cumberland Island to St. Simon's, on which was the town of Frederica, the object of attack. After the landing of the enemy, Oglethorpe intended, small as was his force, to attack them by surprise at night. For this purpose he had approached to within about two miles of their camp, when a French soldier of his party fired his musket and ran into the enemy's lines. His situation was now very critical, for he knew that the deserter would make known his weakness.

20. Returning to Frederica, he had recourse to the fol

18. With what result?

19. What took place in 1742 ? After the Spaniards landed, what did Oglethorpe intend? What prevented?

20. What stratagem did he resort to? What was the result of the stratagem!

lowing expedient: he wrote to the deserter, desiring him to urge the Spaniards to an immediate attack, and to inform them of the defenceless state of Frederica. But if he could not bring on an attack, he urged him to persuade them to remain where they were three days longer, as within that time he expected six British ships of war with two thousand troops from Carolina. This letter he intrusted to a Spanish prisoner, under promise to deliver it to the deserter, but he gave it, as was intended, to the Spanish commander-in-chief, who put the deserter in irons. This letter perplexed the Spaniards very much, and while deliberating what course to pursue, three ships with troops on board, which the governor of South Carolina had sent to Oglethorpe's assistance, did actually appear in sight. Believing these to be the vessels mentioned in the letter, and firmly convinced that the letter was not a stratagem, the Spaniards, in a moment of consternation, burned their fort and fled, leaving their cannon and military stores.

21. By this stratagem a great victory was gained without bloodshed, and Oglethorpe acquired the reputation of a skillful general. Indeed, he was not without considerable military experience. He had served in a European campaign on the staff of Prince Eugene.

In 1743 he returned to England, and never revisited his colony again. Thirty-two years afterwards, Frost, in his History of the United States, says: "He was offered the command of the British army in America," and "that he professed his readiness to accept the appointment if the ministers would authorize him to assure the colonies that justice would be done them; but the command was given to Sir William Howe." He died in August, 1785, at the age of ninety-seven, the oldest general in the British army, and two years after he had witnessed the establishment of his colony as a sovereign and independent State, as we shall see.

21. In what year did Oglethorpe return to England? When did he die? At what age! What further is said of him?

22. From the first settlement of Georgia until the year 1741, the government was entirely and solely administered by General Oglethorpe ; but in 1741, by order of the Trustees, the colony was divided into two counties, one called Savannah, the other Frederica, each having a president and four assistants. This arrangement continued only two years, when the Trustees ordered that both counties should be united under one executive, and that the president and assistants of the county of Savannah should have the government of the whole province. In 1750 they ordered a Colonial Assembly to be called, consisting of sixteen members, proportioned according to the population of the dif ferent districts. About this time also the Trustees yielded to the policy of the mother-country, as well as the wishes of the colonists, in allowing the introduction of negro slaves.

In 1752, one year before the expiration of their charter, the Trustees surrendered their rights under it to the Crown; and after that, the government of the colony passed to the "Board of Trade and Plantations," composed of the Lords Commissioners appointed to the superintendence of colonial affairs, of which the Earl of Halifax was then at the head.

In the same year a settlement was made at Midway, which afterwards became greatly distinguished.

On the 6th of August, 1754, Captain John Reynolds, of the Royal Navy, was appointed Governor of Georgia, under letters patent from the Crown. By virtue of the authority therein contained, the government of the colony devolved upon a Legislature or General Assembly of the colonists, in conjunction with the Governor and his council, and another body known as councillors. These councillors, or upper house, were colonists appointed by the King, while the lower house, or commons of the Assembly, were colonists chosen by the people of the respective settlements.

22. How was the government administered for the first ten years? What change then took place? When did the Trustees surrender their rights? How was the colony then governed? Who was the first governor ?

CHAPTER XXII.

HISTORIC FACTS PRELIMINARY TO THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR OF 1754.

Spanish Discoveries and French Settlements on the Mississippi and the Lakes-De Soto-Joliet, Marquette, and La Salle.

1. FERDINAND DE SOTO, Governor of Cuba, was the first European who ever visited the valley of the Mississippi, and crossed that majestic current of waters. He sailed from Havana in May, 1539, and landed in Florida at the Bay of Spiritu Santo in June following. The first season's wanderings, from June to October, brought him to the country of the Appalachians, not far from the head of Appalachee Bay. The number of his followers is not definitely stated; Bancroft says,

FERDINAND DE SOTO.

66

they were a numerous body of horsemen, besides infantry, comexceeding in numbers and equipments the famous expeditions against the empires of Mexico and Peru."

pletely armed; a force

Early in the spring of the following year this band of adventurers renewed their march, passing northward, lured by an Indian guide, towards the gold regions of North Carolina. They passed the waters of the Altamaha, through middle Georgia, and at length, in April, reached the head waters of the Ogeechee; their course being still north, it seems, until they reached the head waters of the

CHAPTER XXII.-1. What is said of De Soto? What of the course of his marches? What of the battle of Mobile?