David's Blog from the Creative Coast & Carolina Low Country!

Savannah has a stake in the fight between Wal Mart and The Wilderness Civil War Battlefield in Virginia

As you read this blog, there is controversy surrounding a Civil War battlefield that is located just west of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Wal Mart is trying to build a new Super Center directly across from The Wilderness Battlefield. How does this concern Savannah? In early May of 1864, Savannahian Lieutenant Colonel G. Moxley Sorrel, who grew up in the 'pumpkin colored house' on Madison Square led a counterattack against the Union Second Corps on May 6th. Others from Savannah also participated in the fight, the Oglethorpe Light Infantry marched into The Wilderness with the 8th Georgia Infantry. This development will also infringe on the nearby Chancellorsville Battlefield, where General Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded by his own men in May 1863.

This area saw four major battles during the Civil War; Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness and Spotsylvania. In essence, over 100,000 Americans were killed here between December 1862 and May 1864. This area is some of America's most 'Hallowed Ground."

I first visited this area in the Summer of 1979 with my family; we toured the four battlefields around Fredericksburg. I remember going through The Wilderness and thinking that there was nothing there compared to other battlefields, such as; Gettysburg, Antietam and Fredericksburg. It was all overgrown, with limited markers, monuments and cannons. It looked like a forest. This area is in my sights for a future book in 2010.

Currently, the Vermont Legislature is fighting to preserve the ground that Wal Mart intends to build on. The site is currently occupied by a monument to Vermont soldiers that served here. Congressmen Peter Welch of Vermont and Ted Poe of Texas are leading the Congressional fight against Wal Mart's expansion into an area that already has 5 Wal Marts. Vermont troops had occupied the ground that Wal Mart wants and the Texas Brigade prevented a breakthrough by Hancock's Second Corps on the morning of May 6th. Preservationists have gathered an army of over 250 historians; including David McCollough, Ken Burns, James McPherson, William C. Davis, Gary Gallagher and actor Robert Duvall have all weighed in against the intrusion on The Wilderness.

Wal Mart figures to bring in over 200 jobs to Orange County in their building of a 140,000 square foot structure. Everybody wants the jobs, but the opposition would like them to look elsewhere in Orange County.

How would a Wal Mart upset the landscape of The Wilderness Battlefield? The fighting at The Wilderness is unique and more horrifying the most Civil War battles. It was full of dense vegetation, narrow roads and dry foliage. The troops fought at close quarters, artillery and rifle fire started fires. These fires engulfed the wounded on both sides, the high and hot flames would not allow rescue from this man made hell. This is sacred ground, Congress was protected as part of the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania Battlefield in 1927. Over 29,000 were killed at The Wilderness.

What happened at The Wilderness? It was the first meeting between Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant during the war. Lincoln brought Grant east to destroy Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, Grant's force numbered 110,000 and Lee had a force of 61,000. Lee positioned his army to react to Grant's initial movements, Grant started to move through The Wilderness. This gave Lee an opportunity to deliver a similar blow to Grant that he had inflicted on Hooker the year before at Chanchellorsville, 5 miles from The Wilderness.

The Confederates figured the dense vegetation and narrow roads would equalize Grant's superior numbers. Artillery was only  able to deploy in the middle of the roads and there could be no movements of large forces of infantry. Lee wanted to catch Grant off balance, so he struck on his flank on May 5th. Grant was able to maintain his composure and had Hancock counter attack the next day. This attack almost destroyed Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, but Longstreet's Texans arrived to check the attack. They suffered over 60 per cent casualties. Longstreet ordered Sorrel to attack the over extended Union Second Corps and he drove them back three miles. They almost destroyed the Army of the Potomac, but lack of support and Longstreet's wounding stalled the attack.

The difference at The Wilderness was that Grant was given a bloody nose, but did not retreat like previous army commanders. He continued South, employing a bloody war of attrition that would force Lee to surrender 11 months later.

On May 21, Orange County officials met with representatives from Wal Mart and The Wilderness Preservation Group to decide on how to proceed. After four hours of debate, they tabled the decision to June 11. If you are interested in helping protect the battlefield, contact your local congressional delegate or visit the Civil War Preservation website, http://www.civilwar.org/

Scots end Spanish Raids against Savannah & the South Carolina Low Country

This is my so called teaser, leading up to a blog on this weekend's Scottish Games at Bethesda, I thought it would be fun too see how the Scot's history began in the Carolina Low Country and Georgia's Creative Coast.

 

SCOTS RECRUITED TO GEORGIA TO PROTECT FROM SPANISH INCURSIONS 

  By the early Eighteenth Century, the “Crown Colony” of the British Empire was the colony of South Carolina. Numerous Yemassee and Spanish raids had taken its toll on the lands north of the Savannah River. Finally in 1732, it was decided that English would establish a permanent settlement south of the Savannah River. The expedition was led by General James Oglethorpe, he chose a bluff fifteen miles west of the Atlantic Ocean, on a forty foot bluff along the south bank of the Savannah River in February of 1733. The settlement was named Savannah. The new colony was named Georgia; it was designed to help prevent raids into South Carolina by maintaining a strong British military presence in an effort to keep the Spanish and the French in check.

     Initially, the Georgia colony relied on support from the governor of South Carolina. Oglethorpe would soon invite many from Europe who wanted to relocate in an effort to practice the religion of their choice. Catholics were not allowed because of the feared religious connection between the Spanish and the French. After the first few years, Oglethorpe was focused on keeping Savannah alive; he soon recruited Scottish Highlanders to help protect Georgia.

    The Scots first arrived in Georgia in January 1736; they were recruited by Oglethorpe to help protect the new settlements and the colony of South Carolina. Georgia was threatened by the Spanish in Florida and by the French in Alabama. The Scots numbered one hundred and seventy seven when they arrived on the Prince of Wales; they settled Darien, about fifty miles south of Savannah. These settlers originated from the Highlands, near Inverness. Their travel expenses were paid by the Trustees of Georgia, the governing board of the colony.

    The Scots soon built Fort Argyle, near the present site of Fort Stewart; its construction consisted of a moat and a stockade. It was active until 1746. They soon constructed additional forts to expand the British defensive perimeter.

    In 1736, Highland Scots occupied the former site of Fort King George, it had been abandoned 1727 and had been the southern most point of the British Empire. The Scot presence was mostly for defensive purposes, for they were regarded as some of the best soldiers in Europe. Oglethorpe had decided to abandon the site to appease the Spanish who were becoming very uneasy with the increase of British troops in the area; both nations agreed that the Altamaha River would serve as boundary between Spanish Florida and British North America. The Scots later constructed Fort Darien on a bluff on the Altamaha River. Within the first month of their arrival, they had constructed a battery of four cannons, built a guardhouse, a store house and a chapel. The nearby town they settled was New Inverness, later Darien. The main clans that settled this area were the McIntosh, McDonald and Cuthbert. They were led by George Dunbar and Hugh Mackay.

    The Scots soon constructed satellite fortifications; Forts St. Andrews and William on Cumberland Island, Forts Frederica and St. Simons on St. Simons Island and Fort St. George on the St. John’s River. The Spanish for the most part were not concerned about these outposts on the islands; most likely they believed they could be easily overrun.  Oglethorpe divided the Scots into two units, the Highland Independent Company of Foot and the Highland Rangers, a mounted force. Additional settlers arrived in 1737 to reinforce Darien. Other forts were constructed along the Chattahoochee River to guard against French raids.

    Fort Frederica was built in 1738 and soon became one of the strongest military posts in British North America; it anchored the strong defensive scheme that protected Savannah. Oglethorpe had garrisoned 600 troops here; this strong presence would later help provoke the Spanish to attack into Georgia in 1742.

    The Scots made their living by raising cattle and selling timber to Savannah. In 1739, they petitioned the Trustees not to allow the use of slaves in Georgia; they were successful, for the first slaves did not arrive until 1749. Timber would be a main source of revenue until 1925.

    War broke out between Great Britain and Spain in 1739, the War of Jenkins Ear, a commercial war over trading areas in the Caribbean and the southeast American coast. Since 1731, there had been some undeclared hostile actions on the high seas by their respective navies. This war would later expand into a world war, the War of Austrian Succession. Spain’s objective was to drive the British from Georgia.

    In November 1739, two Scotts who garrisoned Amelia Island were ambushed and killed, this led the British to assault St. Augustine in the summer of 1740, but a Scottish force from Darien had been defeated at Fort Mose, north of St. Augustine. This defeat forced Oglethorpe to abandon his siege against the Spanish stronghold. The Spanish lost their initiative by hesitating for two years, thus allowing Oglethorpe to regroup and prepare his fortifications.

    In July 1742, Manuel de Montiano landed with about 3,000 Spanish troops at St. Simons Island; they were supported by 50 ships. The Spanish invasion was a concentrated effort with forces drawn from St. Augustine and Havana. Their mission was to drive the English out of Georgia permanently. They easily overwhelmed the garrison at Fort St. Simons on July 5. Two days later, Spanish troops reconnoitered with a force of 300 along the narrow road between Fort St. Simons and Fort Frederica which led to contact with the British forces at Gully Hole Creek.

Battle of Gully Hole Creek, July 7, 1742

    This was first significant action on St. Simons Island, the Highland Independent Company and the Highland Rangers attacked a Spanish force of about 100 soldiers, after an hour of heavy fighting, mostly hand-to-hand, twelve Spaniards were dead and ten were prisoners of war, only one Highlander had died, it was from heat exhaustion. The Scots pursued the Spanish for two miles and Oglethorpe placed the 42^nd Regiment and Mackay’s Highlanders along the edge of a marsh, while he gathered additional troops from Fort Frederica.

Battle of Bloody Marsh, July 7, 1742

    Montiano sent a relief force forward to cover the Spanish withdrawal from Gully Hole Creek, but they were ambushed by the British forces in the marsh and some of the invaders were taken prisoner. The Spanish returned with a volley and many of the British retreated. Oglethorpe soon arrived with reinforcements, the Spanish kept up their fire until their ammunition had been expelled and then retreated. They left seven dead and some prisoners, the prisoners surrendered valuable information about the size of the Spanish invasion force.

    The Spanish remained in the area for another seven days and scouted up the Frederica River, Oglethorpe sent a message, through a released prisoner, that he hoped would be intercepted by the Spanish, which suggested additional English reinforcements were on their way. The appearance of scout ships from Charleston convinced Montiano that the disinformation was real; he ordered the firing of Fort St. Simons and withdrew, never too invade Georgia again. The Spanish feared envelopment by a percepted larger British force, but they had outnumbered the defenders greatly. If the Montiano had been successful, Georgia would have been known as Guale, Spanish for Georgia.