Historic Maps
The Siege of St. Augustine a First-Hand British Perspective
1740 Colonial America, Engraved Map titled, "A View of the Town and Castle of St. Augustine, and the English Camp before it June 20, 1740, by Thos Silver.", Choice Very Fine+.
Engraved Map and detailed View measuring 12" x 8" regarding THE WAR OF JENKINS EAR. Clean and sharp, uncolored as issued with dark printing and two light hoizontal folds. This superb illustration is from the November 1740 Gentleman's Magazine. It shows General James Oglethorpe's "Soldiers, Indians & Sailors Tents," and landmarks such as the Castle, Col. Vander Dusen's camp, breakers along the coast, and more. Told from the British perspective, the accompanying account from someone on board the HMS Hector, the flagship of the attack, details the troop numbers, the initial assaults, a haughtily refused offer of surrender by General James Oglethorpe to the governor of the town, and subsequent raising of the siege due to bad weather. Instructive captioning below the illustration offers wonderful details about this historic event. Oglethorpe's men are shown readying for an attack upon the Spanish stronghold of St. Augustine (Florida). Oglethorpe, founder of the Georgia Colony, was unsuccessful in his siege of the Spanish fort. He was finally forced to retreat when his men were threatened from the rear. This illustration was the first major sketch included in the Gentleman's Magazine and has become a real collector's item. A smiliar example was offered in our EAHA Auction of April 17, 2004, Lot 598 graded similarly, then selling for $2,012. A rare and historic engraving and an unusual opportunity.
The Siege of St. Augustine was a military engagement that took place during June"July 1740. It was a part of the much larger conflict known as the War of Jenkins' Ear, between Great Britain and Spain.
Background:
After some mutual minor skirmishes, Governor James Oglethorpe of the colony of Georgia raised a mixed force of British regulars (the 42nd Regiment of Foot), colonial militia from the Province of Georgia and the Carolinas, and Native American Creek and Chickasaw, or Uchees. The campaign began in December 1739, and by January Oglethorpe was raiding Spanish forts west of St. Augustine. In May 1740, Oglethorpe undertook an expedition to capture St. Augustine itself. In support of that objective, Oglethorpe first captured Fort San Diego, Fort Picolotta, Fort San Francisco de Pupo, and Fort Mose, the first free black settlement in America.
Siege
Oglethorpe deployed his batteries on the island of Santa Anastasia while a British naval squadron blockaded the port. On 24 June Oglethorpe began a 27-day bombardment. On 26 June a sortie by 300 Spanish and free blacks attacked Fort Mose held by 120 Highlander Rangers and 30 Indians. In the Siege of Fort Mose, the garrison was taken by surprise with 68 killed and 34 captured while the Spanish loss was 10 killed.
The Spanish managed to send supply ships through the Royal Navy blockade and any hope of starving St. Augustine into capitulation was lost. Oglethorpe now planned to storm the fortress by land while the navy ships attacked the Spanish ships and half-galleys in the harbor. Commodore Pearce, however resolved to forgo the attack during hurricane season. Oglethorpe gave up the siege and returned to Georgia; abandoning his artillery during his withdrawal.