The dead towns of GeorgiaJones, Charles C., Jr. (Charles Colcock)
History
The dead towns of Georgia
Jones, Charles C., Jr. (Charles Colcock)
Extinct cities -- Georgia; Georgia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
As we have already seen, the town was regularly laid out in streets called
after the principal officers of Oglethorpe’s regiment; and, including the
military camp on the north, the parade on the east, and “a small wood on
the south which served as a blind to the enemy in case of attack from
ships coming up the river,” was about a mile and a half in circumference.
The fort was strongly built of tabby and well armed. Several eighteen
pounders, mounted on a ravelin in front, commanded the river, and the town
was defended on the land side by substantial intrenchments. The ditch at
the foot of these intrenchments was intended to admit the influx of the
tide, thus rendering the isolation of Frederica complete, and materially
enhancing the strength of its line of circumvallation. We reproduce from
“An Impartial Enquiry into the State and Utility of the Province of
Georgia”[102] the following contemporaneous notice: “There are many good
Buildings in the Town, several of which are Brick. There is likewise a
Fort and Store-house belonging to the Trust. The People have a Minister
who has a Salary from the Society for propagating the Gospel. In the
Neighbourhood of the Town, there is a fine Meadow of 320 Acres ditch’d in,
on which a number of Cattle are fed, and good Hay is likewise made from
it. At some Distance from the Town is the Camp for General _Oglethorpe’s_
Regiment. The Country about it is well cultivated, several Parcels of
Land not far distant from the Camp having been granted in small Lots to
the Soldiers, many of whom are married, and fifty-five Children were born
there in the last year. These Soldiers are the most industrious, and
willing to plant; the rest are generally desirous of Wives, but there are
not Women enough in the Country to supply them. There are some handsome
Houses built by the Officers of the Regiment, and besides the Town of
_Frederica_ there are other little Villages upon this Island. A sufficient
Quantity of Pot-herbs, Pulse, and Fruit is produced, there to supply both
the Town and Garrison; and the People of _Frederica_ have begun to malt
and to brew; and the Soldiers Wives Spin Cotton of the Country, which
they Knit into Stockings. At the Town of _Frederica_ is a Town-Court for
administering Justice in the Southern Part of the Province, with the same
Number of Magistrates as at _Savannah_.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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