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Montiano and the Cubans agreed to proceed with the expedition
Source: The Governorship of Spanish Florida #122
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Once in Florida Rubiani and Arredondo received bad news from Montiano. The vessels sailing to Saint Augustine earlier in June had engaged several English men-of-war as they neared the Florida coast. In the battle that followed, the Spanish fleet easily drove off the enemy shops, but word had already reached Saint Augustine that these English vessels had sailed to Frederica and Charleston to spread the word of the Spanish military buildup in Florida. Montiano was, nevertheless, hopeful that the offensive would succeed. He had assembled approximately 1,900 men, including militia and a large number of armed Negroes. He had 5 large men-of-war to support these troops and 49 small boats to transport his soldiers and militia along the coast. His ordnance consisted of 18 cannon, 34 falconets, 22 mortars, and a large supply of various small arms. This, he realized, was the largest, best equipped force ever assembled in Florida, and hopes ran high among his officers and men that they would drive the English out of Georgia once and for all. Montiano and his two Cuban aides agreed to adhere closely to Guemes’ second set of instructions. Rather than point their assault at Port Royal as initially suggested, they chose to strike first at Saint Simon’s Island. Frederica, the capital of Georgia, lying at the northern end of the island, was the key city in the colony, and the three strategists hoped to break Oglethorpe’s resistance there. In his plan to take the island, Montiano proposed to surround Saint Simon’s, cutting off Oglethorpe’s supply lines and preventing the landing of reinforcements. Scouting reports had already indicated that once Spanish men-of-war and half-galleys had sealed off the island, the sandy beaches on the southern tip of Saint Simon’s would make safe, easily accessible landing points for the main body of his troops. Not long after this strategy had been agreed upon, on June 20, each member of the invasion force received his assignment to a ship or small boat. On June 23 the expedition was ready to sail. (Tepaske GSF)
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