Military Road

This Military Road, built in 1738, connected Fort Frederica and Fort St. Simons. Near this point the road passed the tabby cottage where General Oglethorpe established the only home he had in America. This cottage, shaded by great live oak trees, was surrounded by a garden and an orchard of oranges, figs and grapes. During the Spanish invasion of Georgia in 1742 a battle was fought here. On the morning of July 7th approximately two hundred Spanish soldiers reached this place, where they were met by Oglethorpe with four platoons of his regiment and the Highland Independent Company from Darien. In this engagement the Spaniards were routed, 'upwards of 100' being killed and sixteen taken prisoner. Oglethorpe took two prisoners with his own hands. The Spaniards, pursued by the British, retreated to their camp at the south end of St. Simons. In the afternoon of the same day, at a place five miles south and on this same road, another battle, known as the Battle of Bloody Marsh, was fought. This, too, was a British victory, ending the threat of Spanish domination of Georgia.