From Mose in Secondary Literature by Amy January 31st 1740 second letter of the day Sir, By the adjoined diary you will comprehend the movements of the enemy, the English, how they appeared on the 22nd December on the St John, going up not farther than the canebrakes, and about as I thought, to attack the fort San Diego, I reinforced its garrison with more men, with the belief that if they invested them in the regular way, it would be reduced by a few charges on account of its bad construction, without a fosse, and with only two opposite baluartes, which Espinosa(Spinosa) considered sufficient when he built it to shelter in it his slaves from the sudden attacks of the Indians; without considering that, placed at the distance of a league from the landing, it could not be succored without much risk, from the naked plains of the country; and the enemy having had no intentions to attack it, unless perhaps to make a feint that might detach a small portion of troops equal to that which appeared in the canebrakes, to find them in the field and entice them into the woods which surround it, and destroy them: I remained quiet until I received more authentic news of their number from the scouts who had fled, and it was thus, when on the 28th they had attacked Picalatawith 150 Englishand Indians carrying two colours, drums, and two mortars for grenades of which two entered and finished the demolition of the fort, which was propped up and falling to the ground, and the canon was dismounted at the first fire, yet they defended themselves from ten in the morning until five in the afternoon when they retired with some wounded among them an officer; and the defenders seeing the bad condition of the fort, abandoned it from the fear that they would return with a larger force, or that the roof would fall down; on our part they wounded an artillery man in the foot by a musket ball, from which he died here. Page: [38]37 [djvu image | jpg image] The 18th on which a detachment of infantry, cavalry and convicts were to have gone out to rebuild the fort of Picalata, I ordered them to postpone their march until Juan Ignacioreturned who had gone to reconnoitre the River; he returned the same day and reported that he had seen three schooners, 2 bilanders, and 7 piriaguas all heavily laden and full of men enter and pass up the river, all of the men dressed in red coats, according to his judgment in number 700, and that this armament seemed directed against the fort Pupo, and as neither my force nor its condition would authorise it, I could not introduce into it any succor nor use any possible means for it. From the information given by the partisans, it is probable that the 10 men and their sergeant who garrisoned Pupodid defend themselves two days, as during that time the cannonade did not cease; and that the Indian, who had entered the fort to convey to me news, had either fallen into the hands of the enemy or could not get out. In this state wishing to learn if they had fortified themselves in that part, Espinosa informed me that at San Nicholaswhich is the narrowest part of the river, 16 leagues from here, he had discovered three country shops on the other side and a large number of men but no vessels; that wishing to approach the banks of the river, he heard several gunshots, and this part of the river being in the form of a horseshoe, he went to the projection of the land to place himself in safety, and they agreed that the advanced guard had fired, but finding that they could do nothing no others had come out and the fire slackened. On account of the many thickets and ponds, and various other obstacles it is very difficult to learn the news, which is almost impossible, and indeed the Spaniardscannot undertake it without the risk of being lost or in a short time being disabled for they have to march to their middle in water the greater part of the day, and the Indians from their small number cannot engage in it. Page: [39]38 [djvu image | jpg image] The fatigue of the Uchees who went to the south coast in search of negroes, and at their return passed by Ayamonor Las Rosas, where the Yamaseeshad established themselves compelled them to retreat here, because coming out the fort they would kill them, and every part was surrounded by enemies and they could not continue their engagements without risk; in the mean time if this country is not settled by us before the English, who are the chief fomenters of this evil, we shall not be able to keep these Provinces in quiet. This neighbourhood may be depopulated, because the greater number have begged permission to come to this city, alleging that they suffered from the want of provisions, and they feared to experience, if the war continued, the calamities and miseries which they would undergo from the want of the allowance; and though the reasons are weighty and should make me condescend to send away all the useless mouths from the place, the total absence of news of the condition of the difficulties which might be settled prevents my complying with their request; as the king's intention is to populate those Provinces, it consequently would displease him to let any leave them, and it would be difficult to make them go back if they left, and they would, above all, embarass me if they came to besieged this place, from the small space of this Castle, and the scarcity of provisions, and as one and the other reason weigh much, the Royal magistrates and I have consulted and agreed that for the present no change shall take place, if when better informed they may decide to grant their request. Manuel de MontianoTo Sr. Don [Senor Don] Juan Francisco de Guemes- (187)