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
“Frederica, on the Island of St. Simon, the chief Town in the Southernmost
Part of the Colony of _Georgia_, is nearly in Lat: 31° 15´ North. It
stands on an Eminence, if consider’d with regard to the Marshes before
it, upon a Branch of the famous River _Alatamaha_, which washes the
West side of this agreeable little Island, and, after several Windings,
disembogues itself into the Sea at _Jekyl Sound_. It forms a kind of a
Bay before the Town, and is navigable for Vessels of the largest Burden,
which may lie along the wharf in a secure and safe Harbour; and may, upon
Occasion, haul up to careen and refit, the Bottom being a soft oozy Clay,
intermix’d with small Sand and Shells. The Town is defended by a pretty
strong Fort of Tappy,[143] which has several 18 Pounders mounted on a
Ravelin in its Front, and commands the River both upwards and downwards;
and is surrounded by a quadrangular Rampart, with 4 Bastions, of Earth,
well stockaded and turfed, and a palisadoed Ditch which include also the
King’s Storehouses, (in which are kept the Arsenal, the Court of Justice,
and Chapel) two large and spacious Buildings of Brick and Timber; On the
Rampart are mounted a considerable Quantity of Ordnance of several sizes.
The Town is surrounded by a Rampart, with Flankers, of the same Thickness
with that round the Fort, in Form of a Pentagon, and a dry Ditch; and
since the famous attempt of the Spaniards in _July_ 1742,[144] at the N.
E. and S. E. Angles are erected two strong cover’d pentagonal Bastions,
capable of containing 100 men each, to scour the Flanks with Small Arms,
and defended by a Number of Cannon; At their Tops are Look-outs which
command the View of the Country and the River for many miles: The Roofs
are shingled,[145] but so contriv’d as to be easily clear’d away, if
incommodious in the Defense of the Towers. The whole Circumference of the
Town is about a Mile and a Half, including, within the Fortifications,
the Camp for General _Oglethorpe’s_ Regiment, at the North Side of the
Town; the Parades on the West, and a small Wood to the South, which is
left for Conveniency of Fuel and Pasture, and is an excellent Blind to
the Enemy in case of an Attack; in it is a small Magazine of Powder. The
Town has two Gates, call’d the _Land-port_, and the _Water-port;_ next
to the latter of which is the Guard-house, and underneath it the Prison
for Malefactors, which is an handsome Building of Brick. At the North End
are the Barracks, which is an extremely well contriv’d Building in Form
of a Square, of Tappy work, in which, at present, are kept the Hospital,
and _Spanish_ Prisoners of War. Near this was situated the Bomb Magazine
which was blown up on March 22, 1744,[146] with so surprizingly little
Damage.[147]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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