An English Victory in
Georgia
The Battle of Bloody
Marsh was fought on the afternoon of July 7, 1742, on St. Simons Island in Georgia.
Part of the War of Jenkins' Ear (named after an English sea captain who had his ear severed while being held prisoner by the Spanish), the engagement ended forever Spain's dream of reclaiming its lost colony in Georgia.
The Battle of Bloody Marsh took place during a retaliatory campaign launched by Spanish Governor Don Manuel de Montiano from his capital of St. Augustine, Florida. English forces led by General James Oglethorpe had attacked St. Augustine two years earlier and Montiano now hoped to take the battle to them by attacking Fort Frederica on St.
Simons Island.
Taking Fort St. Simons at the site of today's St. Simons Lighthouse without a fight, the Spanish moved up the Military Road toward Frederica on the morning of July 7, 1742. Their advance force of around 180 men, however, was driven back by Oglethorpe at the Battle of Gully Hole Creek. As the beaten Spanish force withdrew down the island to
link up with Montiano's main army, the English followed.
Realizing that a second attack was coming, Oglethorpe posted a force consisting of a detachment from the 42nd Regiment of Foot and Darien's Independent Company of High-landers in a wooded area overlooking a marsh across which the Spanish would have to cross. He then moved to the rear to bring forward additional troops.
Although the Battle of Bloody Marsh is often described as an ambush, original accounts describe the Spanish coming forward with shouting and drums beating:
...Whereupon the General hearing platoons firing immediately made haste that way and met three of the platoons who in the smoak and drisling rain had retreated in disorder and the fire continuing he ordered them to rally their men and follow him....
By the time Oglethorpe could reach the lines of action, however, the battle was over. The Highlanders had stood off the Spanish until the latter ran out of ammunition and were forced to retreat.The ferocity of the fighting at Bloody Marsh
Part of the War of Jenkins' Ear (named after an English sea captain who had his ear severed while being held prisoner by the Spanish), the engagement ended forever Spain's dream of reclaiming its lost colony in Georgia.
The Battle of Bloody Marsh took place during a retaliatory campaign launched by Spanish Governor Don Manuel de Montiano from his capital of St. Augustine, Florida. English forces led by General James Oglethorpe had attacked St. Augustine two years earlier and Montiano now hoped to take the battle to them by attacking Fort Frederica on St.
Simons Island.
Taking Fort St. Simons at the site of today's St. Simons Lighthouse without a fight, the Spanish moved up the Military Road toward Frederica on the morning of July 7, 1742. Their advance force of around 180 men, however, was driven back by Oglethorpe at the Battle of Gully Hole Creek. As the beaten Spanish force withdrew down the island to
link up with Montiano's main army, the English followed.
Realizing that a second attack was coming, Oglethorpe posted a force consisting of a detachment from the 42nd Regiment of Foot and Darien's Independent Company of High-landers in a wooded area overlooking a marsh across which the Spanish would have to cross. He then moved to the rear to bring forward additional troops.
Although the Battle of Bloody Marsh is often described as an ambush, original accounts describe the Spanish coming forward with shouting and drums beating:
...Whereupon the General hearing platoons firing immediately made haste that way and met three of the platoons who in the smoak and drisling rain had retreated in disorder and the fire continuing he ordered them to rally their men and follow him....
By the time Oglethorpe could reach the lines of action, however, the battle was over. The Highlanders had stood off the Spanish until the latter ran out of ammunition and were forced to retreat.The ferocity of the fighting at Bloody Marsh
grew quite a bit in the telling over the years, with the battle taking its name from tradition that the marsh ran red with the blood of dead Spanish soldiers. While this may be true, the actual number of Spanish killed was seven. More of Montiano's men had died at Gully
The Battle of Bloody Marsh was, however, a critical victory for the English. By easily driving back the Spanish during the fighting of July 7, 1742, Oglethorpe forced Montiano to hesitate in his plans to attack Fort Frederica. This gave the general time to plant information in the Spanish camp that reinforcements were on their way. The timely arrival of English
ships a few days later convinced Montiano that the reports were true. He withdrew back to St. Augustine on July 15th.
The Bloody Marsh Battlefield is now a unit of Fort Frederica National Monument.
The Battle of Bloody Marsh was, however, a critical victory for the English. By easily driving back the Spanish during the fighting of July 7, 1742, Oglethorpe forced Montiano to hesitate in his plans to attack Fort Frederica. This gave the general time to plant information in the Spanish camp that reinforcements were on their way. The timely arrival of English
ships a few days later convinced Montiano that the reports were true. He withdrew back to St. Augustine on July 15th.
The Bloody Marsh Battlefield is now a unit of Fort Frederica National Monument.
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