prisoners. After which the Spanish commander changed his plan of
operations, and keeping his men under cover of his cannon, proceeded with
some gallies up the river with the tide of flood, to reconnoitre the
fort, and draw the General's attention to another quarter. To this place
Oglethorpe sent a party of Indians, with orders to lie in ambuscade in
the woods, and endeavour to prevent their landing. About the same time an
English prisoner escaped from the Spanish camp, and brought advice to
General Oglethorpe of a difference subsisting in it, in so much that the
forces from Cuba, and those from Augustine encamped in separate places.
Upon which the General resolved to attempt a surprise on one of the
Spanish camps, and taking the advantage of his knowledge of the woods,
marched out in the night with three hundred chosen men, the Highland
company, and some rangers. Having advanced within two miles of the
enemy's camp, he halted, and went forward with a small party to take a
view of the posture of the enemy. But while he wanted above all things to
conceal his approach, a Frenchman fired his musket, run off and alarmed
the enemy. Upon which Oglethorpe finding his design defeated, retreated
to Frederica, and being apprehensive that the deserter would discover his
weakness, began to study by what device he might most effectually defeat
the credit of his informations. For this purpose he wrote a letter,
addressing it to the deserter, in which he desired him to acquaint the
Spaniards with the defenceless state of Frederica, and how easy and
practicable it would be to cut him and his small garrison to pieces. He
begged him, as his spy, to bring them forward to the attack, and assure
them of success; but if he could not prevail with them to make that
attempt, to use all his art and influence to persuade them to stay at
least three days more at Fort Simons, for within that time, according to
the advice he had just received from Carolina, he would have a
reinforcement of two thousand land-forces, and six British ships of war,
with which he doubted not he would be able to give a good account of the