Let it be in such a way that there be good will and intelligence between you--no dissensions or quarrels, which would be a great drawback, but that you will proceed with mildness and consideration, as I feel assured you will, proceeding to free those lands, and give no quarters to the enemy to take root in them--and if it were possible, and there should be no notable inconvenience, you divide the fleet. Captain Juan Zurita and his company of Artillery go with the Infantry, as you will see. Of their success you will see to it, and give an account. PHILIP II. Madrid, September 8th, 1565. CHAPTER II. A. D. 1565. _Menendez reports that his army escapes from being made prisoners by the French on account of a tornado--The Council agree to make a land attack, the river being too much swollen for their transports--The Spaniards surprise and take Fort Matanzas without the loss of a single man, killing over two hundred Frenchmen and capturing Laudonnier--The Indians enchanted with the Lutherans--Shipwrecked Frenchmen found on the coast--With their hands tied behind them they are stabbed in the back by the Spaniards._ FORT MATANZAS MASSACRE, 1565. I wrote to your Majesty from aboard the galleon San Salvador on September 11th, this being the day she left Port. The duplicate of the letter goes in this, and later on will send the other. While I was on the Bar in a sloop with two small boats with artillery and ammunition there came upon us four French galleons which had run us down with two or three small vessels to prevent us from landing here. Taking the artillery and provisions, although the weather was not propitious for crossing the Bar, I preferred to take the chances rather than surrender myself and one hundred and fifty persons, who were with me, into their power. Our Lord miraculously saved us. The tide was low, there being only one and a half scant fathoms of water on the bar, and their vessel required one and a half long fathoms. They saw we had escaped them, as they spoke asking me to surrender, to have no fear. They then turned to search for the galleon, thinking we could not escape them. Two days out a heavy storm and tornado overtook them. It seemed to me they could not return to their Fort, running too great a risk of being lost, and to return to capture us they would have to bring a larger force and of the best they had. Thinking that their Fort would remain weak and it was the right time to capture it I called a council of the captains, who agreed with me, and decided to attack the fort by land. I therefore took five hundred men, the three hundred arquebusiers, the rest pikemen, and with these few, taking our knapsacks and putting in each six pounds of biscuit and a measure of one and a half gallons of wine, with our arms and ammunition; each Captain and soldier--I was among the first setting the example, carrying this food and arms on my back. Not knowing the