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GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 463
States, by order of the President, called upon this State, under the au
thority of an act of Congress, to detach from her militia three thousand
five hundred [men], which has been done accordingly. These men thus
detached are liable to be called into actual service whenever the Presi
dent shall so direct, and ten companies of them have been called for
and are now in the field where they are liable to be detained for six
months. It is possible, nay, very probable, that many of those men
now on duty have left families or relatives at home, whose principal
dependence for support was upon their labor and whose little property
may be at the mercy of a creditor for an inconsiderable debt. Some
legislative provision in such cases would, in my opinion, be both reason
able and just and may be done without impairing the just rights of
others."
To the recommendations made by Governor Mitchell the Legislature
responded by appropriating $30,000, with which to erect forts on the
frontier, arm soldiers, and fit out vessels for coast protection. There
were quite a number of guns in the old statehouse at Louisville, then
used as an arsenal. These were ordered at once to the new seat of gov
ernment, there to be divided among the various military organizations.
Swords and pistols were also provided with which to equip the cavalry
troops; but these were not of the best workmanship.
Governor Mitchell, in his message to the Legislature, called attention
to a revolution begun in East Florida during the month of March. The
Island of Amelia, on the Florida coast, had become a den of smugglers
who, under the protection of Spain, sought to evade the laws of the
United States. Besides, lawless characters on the mainland in East
Florida were giving the state much trouble, crossing into Georgia, burn
ing houses, stealing articles of value, and carrying off live stock.
To protect the endangered ocean front, Governor Mitchell called for
10,000 troops. At the same time he purchased 500 stands of arms
for equipping the militia on the exposed southern frontier. President
Madison, in response to an importunate appeal, ordered United States
troops to Georgia, to act in co-operation with state troops. Governor
Mitchell was instructed to use all efforts within his power to induce the
revolutionists in Florida to consent to annexation. Reaching St.
Mary's, on the border, Governor Mitchell addressed a letter to the
governor of East Florida, telling him that the Indians under his pro
tection must return stolen property, that the smugglers must leave
Amelia Island, and that all outrages must cease at once. To this letter
the Spanish governor returned an insolent reply, which he proceeded to
re-enforce by an effort to disperse the American troops; but he failed
to dislodge them. Meanwhile, however, the revolution in East Florida
had collapsed, and with it had dissolved all hope of annexation.
Governor Mitehell was not unmindful of dangers on the north, and,
while safeguarding the coast, he was also careful not to expose Georgia,
without some preparation for resistance, to an Indian uprising, likely
to occur at any moment. On the upper frontier, where a constant state
of dread prevailed among the settlers, he erected stockade forts, at
distances of sixty miles apart. Each of these forts was 100 feet
square, guarded by two blockhouses and enclosed within a stockade
eight feet in height. There were three of these forts in Twiggs County,