October 27th St Simons Island Visit- The Battle of Gully Hole Creek

Turns out this area was and is a direct connection to those of us in St Augustine, this and the Battle of Bloody Marsh spelled the end of the Spanish Dreams for Georgia, turns out.  

During the late morning of July 7, 1742 Georgia Rangers guarding the military road approach to the town of Frederica sighted a force of over 100 Spanish soldiers and their Indian allies. James Edward Oglethorpe, founder of Georgia, quickly organized a force composed of the Highland Independent Company, Rangers and Indian friends and courageously led the assault on the Spanish at a place near this marker. The fighting was fierce and lasted almost an hour as Frederica's defenders routed the invaders. Spanish losses numbered more than one-third of their force. One Spanish captain was killed and another was captured in the intense fighting. Oglethorpe's losses were light. Although the battle was brief, it turned out to be the heaviest fighting on the St. Simons Island campaign. Oglethorpe`s victory settled the question over ownership of this disputed territory between Spain and Great Britain. It also signaled the end of Frederica`s existence since its regiment was disbanded in 1749.

In more detail:  

ExploreSouthernHistory.com - The Battle of Gully Hole Creek, Georgia

ExploreSouthernHistory.com - The Battle of Gully Hole Creek, Georgia

War of Jenkins' Ear in Georgia

One of the most significant battles in U.S. history was actually a small skirmish fought on St. Simons Island in July of 1742. A victory for the English, the Battle of Gully Hole Creek ended forever Spanish hopes of reclaiming
Georgia.

The Spanish had long been outraged that the British, led by General James Oglethorpe, had established a colony in Georgia. The region had long been claimed by Spain and Spanish missions once flourished on St.
Simons and other coastal islands.

To counter any threat from the Spanish following his establishment of Savannah in the disputed lands, Oglethorpe built Fort Frederica on St. SImons Island in 1736. He went on to establish a string of other forts along the coast and used Frederica as a base for his attacks on St. Augustine when the War of Jenkins' Ear erupted between England and Spain.

Named for an English sea captain who lost an ear after being captured by the Spanish, the war raged for years. In North America, the climactic moments came when the Spanish moved north from St. Augustine, Florida, in a retaliatory strike against Oglethorpe and the English on St. Simons Island.

Arriving in the harbor off St. Simons Island on July 5, 1742, Spanish Governor Don Manuel de Montiano led ashore an army of nearly 5,000 men and occupied the abandoned Fort St. Simons at the site of today's St. Simons Lighthouse. On July 7th he began to move forces up the military road to Frederica.

This movement was not detected until the Spanish neared Gully Hole Creek, a narrow stream that cuts through a wide marsh just south of Fort Frederica. Alerted by his scouts to the presence of the enemy, Oglethorpe marched out from the walls of Frederica with a company of Highlanders from Darien  to challenge the Spanish, who were already being engaged by a detachment of rangers and several dozen allied Indian warriors.

One of Oglethorpe's officers, Lt. Patrick Sutherland, described the action:

...The General soon overcame them: most of their party which consisted of 120 of their best woodsmen and 40 Indians being either killed or taken prisoner. The General took 2 prisoners with his own hands. Lieut. Scroggs of the Rangers took Captain Sebastian Sanchio prisoner, who commanded the party.Spanish losses at the Battle of Gully Hole 

Creek were not quite as bad as described in the English account. Twelve soldiers were killed and ten captured while one of the Highlanders from Darien died of heat-related complications.

The battle did, however, force the Spanish to withdraw from the immediate Frederica area until additional reinforcements could arrive. The English followed them back down the Military Road toward the south end of St. Simons Island:

...The General pursued the enemy near 2 miles and halted on an advantageous piece of ground until the party of the Regiment came up. He posted them with the High-landers in a wood with a large savannah or meadow in their front over which the Spaniards must pass in their way to Frederica.

The stage was set for the Battle of Bloody Marsh. A marker for the Battle of Gully Hole Creek can be seen on Frederica Road just south of Fort Frederica and Christ Church. To visit the site, park at the church and walk along the bike path south to the marker