Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

The University of Georgia

July 7

1742 This day marks the anniversary of the Battle of Bloody Marsh, which has long been credited as General James Oglethorpe's most important victory – and, in fact, the battle that determined that Georgia would be British rather than Spanish. However, the full story is more complex.

Having occupied Fort St. Simons the previous day, Gov. Montiano's Spanish invasion force took the offensive on St. Simons Island on July 7. However, he did not commit his entire force against the British troops at Fort Frederica. Rather, he sent two infantry columns to check out the fort's defenses. About a mile from Frederica, a small contingent of Oglethorpe's rangers encountered the advancing Spaniards. The two sides exchanged fire, and then the rangers hurried to Fort Frederica to tell Oglethorpe, who quickly assembled a force of soldiers from his regiment, Highlanders, rangers, and Indian allies and marched down the Military Road to meet the Spanish invaders.

Gen. Oglethorpe led this diverse military force to attack the Spaniards in what was later known as the Battle of Gully Hole Creek, where his men were victorious.

The routed Spanish columns retreated southward down the Military Road towards Fort St. Simons and the safety of Montiano's main forces. Oglethorpe pursued them until reaching the edge of a clearing where the road crosses the western edge of a marsh.

Here, he stopped and positioned his men behind bushes and trees to defend the road in case the main Spanish force advanced on Frederica. Fearing that Montiano has launched a river attack on Fort Frederica, Oglethorpe returned to prepare the defense of the fort against attack by ship. However, there was no river attack. Instead, Montiano sent three infantry companies back up the Military Road towards Frederica. As the lead company reached the edge of the marsh, Oglethorpe's men opened fire.

A brief and heavy fire fight followed. Eventually, the Spanish fell back – but so did some British soldiers who thought the Spaniards had prevailed. Hearing the gunfire from Frederica, Oglethorpe rode as fast as he could to reach the battle.

Riding south on the Military Road, Oglethorpe saw retreating British soldiers, who mistakenly told him the Spanish had been victorious. Nevertheless, he turned them around and hastened with them to join the battle. By the time they arrived, the Battle of Bloody Marsh was over – and the Georgia defenders had held the day. There had been two important skirmishes this day – both won by Georgia's defenders. However, unlike the popular tradition, the results of July 7 were not the sole factors that convinced Montiano to call off his invasion. A week would pass before that decision was reached.

Two centuries later, the Georgia Society of Colonial Dames and the Georgia Society of Colonial Wars erected a marble monument at the site of the Battle of Bloody Marsh.

The plaque's brass plaque includes a quotation of Oglethorpe stating his resolve in face of the Spanish invasion: "We are resolved not to suffer defeat. We will rather die like Leonidas and his Spartans – if we can but protect Georgia and Carolina and the rest of the Americans from desolation."

1742 Ironically, on the same day as the Battle of Bloody Marsh was won by Oglethorpe's forces, back in London the Earl of Egmont resigned from the Georgia Trustees' Common Council (which served as the executive board for the larger body of Trustees).

Source: Unknown Public Domain Image

In his diary, Egmont explained his resignation as "partly by reason of my ill health and partly from observing the ill behaviour of the Ministry and Parliament with respect to the colony." See July 12 entry for biographical information of Egmont.

1827 Confederate Gen. William Montague Browne was born in County Mayo, Ireland. He served much of the Civil War in Georgia, where he remained after the war.

Source: Civil War Generals in Black and White

Browne died in Athens on April 28, 1883. See April 28 entry for more biographical information.

1864 On this day – the day after Union Gen. Kenner Garrard's destruction of cotton and wool mills in Roswell – Gen. William T. Sherman sent a second message to Garrard.

Union Generals William T. Sherman and Kennar Garrard

Source: (Sherman) Photo by Matthew Brady
(Garrard) Brainard, Mary Genevie Green (1915). Campaigns of the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Regiment, New York State Volunteers

In this message, Sherman told Garrard to "arrest all people, male and female, connected with those factories, no matter what the clamor, and let them foot it, under guard, to Marietta, whence I will send them by cars to the North. . . . The poor women will make a howl. Let them take along their children and clothing, provided they have the means of hauling it or you can spare them." He also instructed Garrard that mill owners and employees alike should be charged with treason.

For more, see This Week in Georgia Civil War History.

1914 Gov. John Slaton signed joint resolutions of the General Assembly proposing constitutional amendments to create two new counties – Barrow and Bacon County. The amendments were necessary because of a constitutional limit of 145 counties, meaning any additional counties had to be authorized through constitutional amendment. On November 3, 1914, Georgia voters approved both amendments.

Barrow County, Georgia's 149th, was created from portions of Gwinnett, Jackson, and Walton counties and named for University of Georgia chancellor David C. Barrow.

Source: Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Bacon County, Georgia's 151st, was created from portions of Appling, Pierce, and Ware counties and was named for Georgia U.S. Senator Augustus Bacon.

Source: Carl Vinson Institute of Government

1921 Heavyweight boxing champion (1949-51) Ezzard (Mack) Charles was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Source: U.S. Post Office

Charles became heavyweight champion in September 1950, when he defeated Joe Louis on points in 15 rounds. He lost the title to Jersey Joe Walcott in a 7-round knockout in 1951. Charles died May 28, 1975.

1946 Jimmy Carter and Rosalyn Smith were married in the Plains Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia.

Source: Jimmy Carter Library and Museum

1965 Otis Redding, born in Dawson, Georgia, recorded "Respect," which helped establish him as a major rhythm-and-blues star.

Source: Unknown Publicity Photo

1967 Scarlett O'Hara (aka Vivian Leigh) died. Though she has no Georgia ties other than the movie "Gone With the Wind" and her 1939 visit to Atlanta for the movie's world premiere of, to some she remains a virtual Georgia icon.

Source: Unknown Publicity Photo, found on Ancient Faces

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1742 While the Battle of Bloody Marsh took place on this day, Georgia president William Stephens back in Savannah did not hear of it for almost a week. In his journal for this day, Stephens recorded his fears that the imminent confrontation with the Spanish would not be successful:

"July 7. Wednesday. Too soon at last we found what we did not wish for: Mr Samuel Brown arriving this morning, brought a Letter from the General [then at Frederica] dated the 2d Instant, which gave us a mellancholly [sic] prospect of the Situation that he was then in, expecting every hour when the Enemy would come in at St. Simons, who were come to an Anchor off that Bar, with a much more numerous Fleet, and Land forces, than they threatened him with before. . . ."

Source: E. Merton Coulter (ed.), The Journal of William Stephens, 1741-1743 (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1959), pp. 105-106.

1861 The Southern Confederacy, an Atlanta newspaper, published an ad for the textbook Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics - a manual on infantry and rifle tactics - by native Georgian William J. Hardee. This manual had been used by the U.S. Army for years, and would be used by both sides in the Civil War. The same newspaper also published an editorial praising the work.

1864 Maj. Fredrick Winkler of the 26th Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers wrote to his wife that Sherman's forces were now within two miles of the Chattahoochee River:

"I am sitting at a table under a fresh, green oak bower in front of our fly, as comfortable as one can be in this almost insufferable heat. We came here yesterday afternoon to encamp In the shady woods, with notice that we would be allowed a few days rest. We are about two miles from the Chattahoochee River, on a high ridge, and can see several church spires of the Gate City [Atlanta] from our camp. The enemy has strong fortifications on the north bank of the river and occupies them. I believe, however, that the larger portion of his army is on the south side, and that the works on this side are intended rather as a defense for the crossing. The rest here will do us good; we have had a severe campaign in hot weather Since we first met the enemy at Buzzard Roost two months ago, we have been marching and fighting all the time, and even when we have been in camp, It was so near the enemy's line as to be under constant annoyance from picket firing and constantly on the alert ready for action, so that the rest ought to be a few weeks rather than a few days. The army has six months' pay due now, and it ought to be paid, but of course if military exigencies will not permit it, it can be dispensed with."

Source: Civil War Letters of Major Fredrick C. Winkler, in 26th Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers Home Page