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ENCOUNTER AT GULLY HOLE CREEK
15" X 20" Oil Painting
Video
British ambush Spanish Florida invaders from St. Augustine at St. Simons
Island, Georgia frontier, 1742.
During the eighteenth century, the continent of North America was being
colonized by the old kingdoms of Europe. Foremost in these activities
were the nations of Britain and Spain. Conflicts between these Kingdoms
were carried over into the new continent. The English had built
colonies along the mid-Atlantic seaboard in the areas of Virginia and
the Carolinas. Spain had concentrated its interests in Florida and the
Gulf of Mexico coastline. The point of friction between these two
empires centered in the costal area of what is now Georgia.
British General James Oglethorpe petitioned King George of England to
expand the colonial territory southward from the Carolinas into an area
that he was to name Georgia in his honor. A fort was constructed on the
coastal island of St. Simons. The settlement was named Fort Fredrica.
Alarmed by this expansion southward towards Spanish-owned Florida, a
military force was recruited with Grenadiers from Havana and City Militia
from St. Augustine. The Spanish sailed from St. Augustine to the island,
where they disembarked to attack the British fort. While the Spanish
wound through the thick, wooded swamp, the British Highlanders and their
Indian allies advanced to meet them. At a spot known as Gully Hole Creek,
the invaders were attacked head on. The Spaniards were severely injured
and retreated from the fight. Later, the Spanish were again ambushed by
the British at a point in the swamp thereafter known as "Bloody Marsh".
The beaten invaders struggled back to their ships
and returned to Florida.
After this successful defense of Fort Fredrica, Oglethorpe took the
offensive by following the vanquished Spanish into Florida. His efforts
were defeated at Fort Mosa, located on the north side of St. Augustine. The
conflict was settled when England eventually prevailed and Spain ceded
Florida to Britain's rule.
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