John Andrew Doyle

“ In all times colonisation has suggested itself as a remedy for the economical ills of old countries. In June 1732 Oglethorpe, with twenty associates, obtained a charter for settling the colony of Georgia in America, a tract lying between the rivers Savannah and Alatamaha, named in honour of George II, who gave Oglethorpe every encouragement. ”

“ O'Kelly was additionally famous in his day as the owner of a talking parrot, which whistled the 104th Psalm, and was among parrots what Eclipse was among racehorses. O'Kelly is described by a contemporary as ‘a short, thick-set, dark, harsh-visaged, and ruffian-looking fellow,’ yet with ‘the ease, the agremens, the manners of a gentleman, and the attractive quaintness of a humourist.’ He evidently showed no wish to turn his back on his poor relations, and it is to his credit that, although a professional gamester, he would never allow play at his own table. ”

“ In that autunm war was declared against Spain, and Oglethorpe was ordered to harass St. Augustine. The mode of operation was left to his own choice. The Spaniards struck the first blow. Oglethorpe had fortified and garrisoned Amelia Island, some fifty miles south of Frederica. This the Spaniards attacked, but their only success was to find and kill two invalids straggling in the woods. Oglethorpe soon retaliated with the capture of a Spanish outpost. He then determined to attack St. Augustine. Time was important; Cuba was then under blockade by the English fleet ”

“ Soon afterwards a friend named Castell, who had fallen into debt, was imprisoned in the Fleet, and, being unable to pay the accustomed fees to the warder, was confined in a house where the small-pox was raging. ”

“ This had just passed through a revolution, and now elected Underhill governor, a post which he managed to retain for nearly two years. After further disputes with the government of Massachusetts he moved to New Haven, where in 1643 he served in the assembly as representative for Stamford. In the same year he removed to New Netherlands, and served the Dutch against the Indians. He married a Dutch wife, but in 1653 was expelled from New Netherlands as a seditious character. ”

“ He soon acquired a good reputation, and was chosen in 1634 to represent Boston in the Massachusetts assembly. In 1637 he served with credit in the war against the Pequot Indians. He was appointed captain in command of the New England detachment by Sir Henry Vane, and, after he had effected a junction with the New Hampshire forces under Captain John Mason (1600–1672) [q. v.] ”

“ To make the expedition successful, it was needful that South Carolina should take part in it. But here, as was so often the case in our operations on the northern and western frontier, it was impossible to secure efl^ective co-operation. In May 1740 Oglethorpe set forth with a land force, composed of his own regiment of Georgian militia and of Indian allies, numbering in all two thousand. They were also supported by four king's ships and a small schooner from South Carolina. Oglethorpe advanced as far as St. Augustine without encountering any serious opposition. ”