Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 235
1758, Governor Ellis thus tells of conditions in the Province of Georgia.
Said he:*
'' Immediately after our Assembly rose I took a Journey to the South
in order to examine into the state of things in that Quarter. On my
way I touch'd at the Eiver Ogeeche and saw the Fort that had lately
been raised there in consequence of the Resolutions of the Assembly
last year. It is of a Quadrangular Figue, each side measuring 100
yards, constructed with thick logs set upright, fourteen feet long, five
whereof are sunk in the Earth, and has four little Bastions, pierced for
small and great guns that would render it very defeneeable. From
thence I proceeded to Medway where I found the Inhabitants had
inclosed their Church in the same manner, and erected a Battery of
eight guns at Sunbury in a very proper situation for defending the
River. i
"I reached Frederica two days afterward, the ruinous condition of
which I could not view without concern. A dreadful Fire, that lately
happened there, has destroyed the greatest part of the town. Time has
done almost as much for the Fortifications. Never was there a. spot
better calculated for a place of arms or more capable of being fortified
to advantage. It lies on the west side of the Island St. Simon's, and
the chief and most southern branch of the great river Alatamaha. The
military works were never very large, but compact and extremely
defeneeable.
"The Sound will conveniently admit of 40 Gun Ships, and those of
500 tons burthen may come abreast of the Town; but for three miles
below it the River winds in such a manner that an Enemy must in that
space be exposed to our Fire without being able to return it. In short
it is of the last importance that that place should be kept in constant
Repair and properly Garrisoned, as it is apparently and really the Key
of this and the rest of the King's Provinces to the South, but the
wretched condition in which it now is makes it easy to conjecture what
would be its fate should Spanish War suddenly break out.
"From hence I went to the Island of Cumberland on the south point
whereof stands Fort William, a Post of no less consequence, as is evi
dent from the Defence it made against Twenty Eight Spanish Vessels
and a considerable Land Force that attack'd it unsuccessfully in the
year 1742.
"General Oglethorpe has, in my humble opinion displayed a great
deal of Skill in his choice of such situations. This Fort commands a
noble Inlet from the Sea,—the entrance of the River St. Mary,—which
runs deep into the country,—and the Inland Passage thro' which the
runaway Negroes and other Deserters are obliged to go on their way to
St. Augustine. The works are of no great extent but admirably con
trived to be maintained by a small Garrison, and might be replaced
without any great expense, £10,000, and until these things are done I
apprehend this Province, and I may add the next, will be very insecure."
On May 17, 1758, Governor Reynolds having been relieved of his
commission by the home government, Lieutenant-Governor Ellis, in rec
ognition of his efficient work in tranquilizing conditions in Georgia, was
*"History of Georgia," Jones, I, pp. 530-531.