On July 16 he sent 14 of his larger ships into Jekyl Sound under the guns of the English batteries located on both sides of the narrow inlet to the sound. After a 4-hour battle against Oglethorpe’s artillery and a small fleet of naval vessels, the Spaniards emerged victorious. It had cost them a galley and two dugouts, but they had succeeded in routing the Georgians from their gun emplacements and had gained control of the southern end of Saint Simon’s. Here Montiano disembarked his troops, who immediately made for the English positions and inexplicably destroyed a number of supplies they found nearby—beer, cheeses, butter, flour, meat, and hard tack. [Note 57: “Journal from the day when the Port of Gualquini, otherwise known as St. Simon, was forced.”] Montiano was heartened by his easy victory and began preparing for the attack on Frederica. He immediately sent out patrols to reconnoiter the terrain on the northward path to the Georgia capital and small boats up the Frederica River to ascertain whether or not the English stronghold could be taken by a sea attack. (Tepaske GSF)