A. D. 1736-1739.

Letter for His Majesty from the Governor of Florida, SeÑor Montiano.

My Lord:

In a letter of the 28th of March of this year, you were kind enough to acknowledge receipt of my letter of August 14th of last year, in which I reported that Don Diego Oglethorpe, Commander of the English colonies, had said openly that although he should receive orders from his King and Court to fix the boundary limits between this government’s possessions and those of the Carolinas, he would delay the execution of it, so that there should never be a sign of these limits, and they must bear this always in mind, for whatever might present itself. With this intelligence it would be well to relieve these Colonies of such a man, because on questions of importance upon any occurrence which should need discussion, it would be exceedingly troublesome to manage a gentleman who even refuses to answer my former letters. This is all I can say on the subject—placing it before your Sovereign Majesty to whom God grant many years.

Manuel Montiano.

St. Augustine, Fla., August 11th, 1736.

A. D. 1738.

Information given by the Indian, Juan Ygnacio de los Reyes, of the Iquaha Nation, one of the neighbors of the town of Pocotalaca in the immediate vicinity of this Garrison. He says: That he left under my orders on the 4th of July of this year to go to the neighboring English colony, and ascertain by as many ways and artifices as he could, their intentions, the state or condition they are in, and everything. He took a small canoe at the Fort of Picolata and went down that river and sailed through the mouth of the Sarabai, going as far as the Fort of San Pedro, which belongs to the English, meditating upon what scheme he should take to gain all this information, and not go about hiding and endangering his life needlessly. He thought of delivering himself up, as he did, pretending that he had killed an Indian here, and was fleeing not to be hung; that he was seeking protection from them. On learning this he was favorably received, and could see a Fort which was square and stockaded with two pieces and a cannon looking seaward; in it was a detachment of twenty soldiers more or less, there is no neighborhood, and saw but four houses before coming to the Fort or Stockade; a few laborers planting corn; that the soldiers who are there are from a small vessel or Piroque of war, intended to seek the mouths of rivers; that from this Fort of San Pedro he was taken by two soldiers to the Bar of Ballenas, that is where the first place called San Andres is, there he saw a number of soldiers drilling with spears, and although he did not then know their exact number, he afterwards learned in St. Simons from Lieutenant-Colonel Cochran that there were three hundred; that he there saw a number of houses, newly built and close together as in Havana, a number of English women, wives of the soldiers, but he could not tell the number of houses in the place; that there is also a square Fort, with four cannon, towards the sea, and on the other side he could not see; that there were small guard houses around it. He could not see if they had artillery, because they would not allow him too near; that from here to the sea inland by the Bay there is a thick palisade of earth with a parapet and at the extreme end there is a wharf and they told him that there they had flints for the Spaniards, and they keep a launch ready and armed so that at any moment of the day or night she can be used. She is manned with sixteen men. They carried him to St. Simons to the presence of Colonel Cochran. Immediately upon his arrival there, they sent six soldiers with bayonets to escort him to the Colonel’s house. He was asked where he was going, he replied to seek protection and favor from them; he had killed an Indian in St. Augustine. Colonel Cochran extended his hand to him, but when he went to take it he only gave him one finger. He was asked about the Armada which was to encounter them; how many vessels and men it brought. He told them he had not seen it, but had heard there were a hundred vessels with more than 4,000 men, and that the Governor of St. Augustine had told them to return, that he did not wish to hurt the English. He was asked how many troops were in this Garrison—he replied that there used to be four companies of one hundred soldiers on horse, but that recently five more companies of one hundred men each had arrived. They then asked if there was much silver in Florida. He replied: Yes, as there were so many soldiers, money flowed freely. Then Colonel Cochran told him all that would soon belong to the King of Great Britain. He was then asked about the Castle and Garrison. He told them the Castle had one hundred and sixty cannons so large he could not reach around them; the Garrison had twelve bulwarks with ten cannon each. To which Colonel Cochran told him: Well, see here; when you hear that General Oglethorpe, whom I am expecting with seven thousand men, has arrived, then you will see me place a vessel of war at the mouth of the Bar, and prevent any food from entering Florida. On the keys I shall place others and no one shall enter Havana, expressing himself in such a way as to say that the King of England would gain more by taking Florida than Gibraltar; that while that was advantageous, this would yield them a great deal more. This conversation was continued, asking if the Castle could be reached if there was water inside, to all of which he told them it was impossible. Speaking of the Governor, he asked for a grape arbor he had in his house, said to yield great quantities of grapes. He told them the Governor was a saintly man, and that while he knew him to be so good, he could not help but flee from the punishment he knew he deserved for killing the Indian, because the Governor was also a just man. That it was true he had a grape arbor producing large quantities of grapes. Colonel Cochran then said: Very well, within one or two years we will make our wine and whiskey there. He says that day and night he never tired asking about Florida; that now they were fortifying to afterwards come and take it; that in St. Simons he had three hundred troops, as many more in San Andres and Sabanato. He had brought these to take Florida, but hearing of the Spanish Armada, they had desisted and sent for seven thousand more men, whom Oglethorpe would bring, and upon the arrival of this Commander in less than two months they would gather 506,000 Indians; that he would make his entrance by the river St. Johns in schooners and small vessels and disembark at a place some seven leagues distant from Florida, where they had two small ports. These Juan Ygnacio saw with his own eyes, where they have the men they were drilling at San Andres. That in St. Simons he saw ten squares with ten houses and seventy houses in six squares, the other four squares were not completed. That in each of the houses they lodged six soldiers. That he also saw a Fort with fifteen cannon, and as it was in a bad condition, they were making brick to rebuild it. That going out to hunt, he came near the house of “Frederico” distant from St. Simons three leagues more or less. The English would not allow him to enter there, but turned him back to St. Simons. That about one league from this place he saw a vessel called the Mamal, and there he saw them building six large houses in which they had fifty men, that they had large timber works. This he knows positively, having been there twice. That Cochran and another Englishman whom he thinks they call William Houston, he overheard say that they had offered the Indians fifty dollars for every Spanish scalp they killed, black or white, or Christian Indian, any one partial to Spain. That his escape to return was accomplished in the following manner: That one Thursday at ten o’clock in the morning he told Cochran that he was going hunting, if he found no game he would remain over night and fish, returning the next day; he allowed him to go; taking advantage of the occasion he took his canoe and sailed along the rivers until Friday morning, when he got on terra firma, leaving his canoe he walked two days in the direction of the sunset, then crossed over the land and at the end of ten days he was on the St. Johns river where he found the launch from this Garrison, which is there on guard. Having called and taken his shirt for a flag, they went and brought him over. The same day he started for this place where he arrived at twelve o’clock at night and gave the information as I send it.

Manuel Montiano.

St. Augustine, Fla., Aug. 20th, 1738.

By a Cedula of June 20th, 1671, the Viceroy of New Spain has been ordered to communicate with the Governor of Florida, hoping that through his zeal much can be accomplished in the cause of the English, preventing them from getting a strong foothold so near the mouth of the river St. Elena, which would be prejudicial to our interests. Therefore the Viceroy is requested to give all the aid required. As to the proposed fortification to this Port for its defense, do what is necessary to defend the Province and communicate also with the Viceroy whom I have commanded to try and give all the assistance possible, always bearing in mind not to violate the laws of the capitulation of peace. The Governor of Havana being nearest to Florida was also commanded to communicate with the Governor of Florida and render all the aid and assistance possible in the dislodging of the English from the river St. Elena, who if remaining in said place would cause much trouble. The Governor of Florida must also keep him informed of the state of affairs. In a letter dated April, 1671, the Viceroy Marquez de Mancera gives an account of the aid sent to the Garrison of St. Augustine in accordance with Cedula received. The papers showing that this aid had been received and approved by the Council of War, accompanying this letter, which also states the order given the Governor of New Spain to be very careful in keeping a continual correspondence with the Governor of Florida, send supplies promptly, and notify the Viceroy of all that occurs. Act in every way for the best security of that Garrison, using the greatest diligence in its fortification and defense, being as I understand of such importance. State what steps have been taken in regard to the fortification that was to be built, and to which reference is made in this dispatch to the Governor Manuel Cendovia and if the supplies of the soldiers and provisions to begin the work have arrived.

By Cedula of May 9th it was again commanded the Viceroy, calling his special attention to it, that he must aid and supply this Garrison that it may be in readiness for any emergency which may arrive. By another Cedula the Governor of Florida was to inform the inhabitants of that Fort, find out if they had their full quota for its defense, or if they found it necessary to increase the number on account of the new settlement of English sixty miles north. How long they had been there, and if they were sufficiently provided to dislodge the English, which information must be given so as to provide all and anything that is necessary. The Governor represented that in the past, the number of infantry in the Garrison was three hundred in which were included men of different trades, forty missionary priests without whom the number was not complete, adding that the total number was three hundred. When the news of the looting by the English arrived they immediately sent to the Viceroy of New Spain to send five hundred men to increase the infantry, appealing to Mexico for more men to complete the number, they replied that they had sent assistance to other Garrisons where they were watching and had to have supplies and artillery, so that the War Department had provided all it could. But to send to Havana and have the Governor of that Post to act as he had been commanded and send with the utmost speed the necessary defense for that Garrison. That the Viceroy had been notified to order the Royal officers of Mexico to increase the supplies of Florida each year by forty-three recruits, so that there should never be less than three hundred and ninety in quarters. A Notice of which was sent the Governor of Florida that he might keep them informed of its fulfilment. To pay special care and vigilance to the Province, having it well defended against accident from the enemy entering, they could instantly banish and punish them. The Governor of Florida also made known the great want of artillery, having consulted with the War Department that same date, the War Department ordered the Viceroy of New Spain and Governor of Havana each to send without delay two pieces of bronze artillery at the same time they had sent an order to the contracting house in Sevilla to send other pieces that were in that City on the first occasion and also the two hundred arms asked for, that the Garrison may not be without the means of defense and safety. To keep the infantry under good discipline and that the Governor place himself in communication with the Viceroy and the Governor of Havana to see that they send him four pieces of artillery. The Florida Governor gave an account in this letter also, of having formed a cavalry company and a military company enlisting in them all who were able, old men and boys not yet of age, his own sons among them. This he did for the greater safety of the place against the enemy. He was giving the utmost zeal and care to his duties. In a letter of 1674 the Sergeant-Major acting as Governor of the Province of Florida, states that a vessel had arrived at that Port and they had received four pieces of artillery and other ammunition from the contracting house in Sevilla, that with this and the artillery that was to come from Havana and New Spain, these would be sufficient for the defense of the Garrison. By a dispatch of 1674 thanks were sent the Archbishop, Viceroy, for having sent to Florida all the supplies due that Garrison. It was sent that it might leave on the fleet passing Vera Cruz for Spain.

By another dispatch the Governor, Pablo Ita Salazar, was recommended that he apply himself with much zeal in perfecting the fortification of the Royal Fort being built in that City and that it be accomplished in a manner for the best safety of the Province. By Cedula of 1675 the Sergeant-Major Don Nicolas Ponce de Leon, in reply to a letter of his, and attentive to an order sent the Governor of Cuba, that if the negro slaves sent to Havana had not already been sold, he should send immediately upon their arrival fifty of them to Florida, where they should be put to work on the Castle under construction. The Indians who served as peons were not strong and their people were much opposed to their leaving the planting of corn which is the sustenance of their families. And the Governor was ordered upon their arrival in Florida to apply them to this work and relieve the Indians and to finish the construction as quickly as possible.