SAVANNAH DAN walking Tours

JULY 7
1742 This day marks the anniversary of the Battle of Bloody Marsh, which has long been credited as General James Oglethorpe's most important victory--and in fact the battle that determined that Georgia would be English rather than Spanish.

However, the full story is more complex. On July 7, Gov. Montiano took the offensive on St. Simons Island [see 1740 map]. However, he did not commit his entire invasion force against British forces at Fort Frederica. Rather, he sent two infantry columns to check out the fort's defenses. About a mile from Frederica, a small contingent of Oglethorpe's rangers encountered the advancing Spaniards. The two sides exchanged fire, and then the rangers hurried to Fort Frederica to tell Oglethorpe, who quickly assembled a force of soldiers from his regiment, Highlanders, rangers, and Indian allies. He led this diverse military force to attack the Spaniards in what was later known as the Battle of Gully Hole Creek, where Oglethorpe's men were victorious. The routed Spanish columns retreated southward down the Military Road towards Fort St. Simons and the safety of Montiano's main forces. Oglethorpe pursued them until reaching the edge of a clearing where the road crosses the western edge of a marsh. Here, he stopped and positioned his men behind bushes and trees to defend the road in case the main Spanish force advanced on Frederica. Fearing that Montiano has launched a river attack on Fort Frederica, Oglethorpe returned to prepare the defense of the fort against attack by ship. However, there was no river attack. Instead, Montiano sent three infantry companies back up the Military Road towards Frederica. As the lead company reached the edge of the marsh, Oglethorpe's men opened fire [see illustration].

A brief and heavy fire fight followed [see photo of battle site]. Eventually, the Spanish fell back--but so do some British soldiers who think the Spaniards had prevailed. Hearing the gunfire from Frederica, Oglethorpe rode as fast as he could to reach the battle. He saw the retreating British soldiers, who told him the Spanish had been victorious. Nevertheless, he turned them around and they hastened to join the battle. By the time he arrived, the Battle of Bloody Marsh was over--and the Georgia defenders held the day. There had been two important skirmishes this day -- both won by Georgia's defenders. However, unlike the popular tradition, the results of July 7 were not the sole factors that convinced Montiano to call off the invasion. A week would pass before that decision was reached.