L.S.
Order for Thanksgiving to Almighty God, for having put an End to the Spanish Invasion,
A PROCLAMATION.
ALMIGHTY GOD hath in all Ages shown His Power and Mercy in the Miraculous and Gracious Deliverance o? His Church, and in the Protection of Righteous and Religious Kings, and States professing His holy and eternal Truth, from the open Invasions, wicked Conspiracies and malicious Practices, of all the Enemies thereof. He hath by the Manifestation of His Providence delivered us from the hands of the Spaniards, the with fourteen Sail of small Gallies and other Craft came into Cumberland Sound; but Fear and Terror from the Lord, came upon them and they fleed. The Spaniards also, with another mighty Fleet of 36 Ships and Vessels came into Jekyll Sound, and after a sharp Fight became Masters thereof; we having only four Vessels to oppose their whole Force, and God was the Shield of our People. Since in so unequal a Fight, which was stoutly maintained for the space of four Hours, not one of ours was killed, though many of theirs Perished, and five were killed by one Shot only. They Landed 4500 Men upon this Island, according to the Accounts of the Prisoners, and even of Englishmen who escaped from them. The first Party Marchal up thro' the Woods to this Town, and was within sight thereof, when God delivered them into the Hands of a few of ours. They Fought and were dispersed and fleed. Another Party which supported them also Fought, but were soon dispersed. We may with Truth say, that the Hand of the Lord Fought for us; for in the two Fights more than 500 fleed before 50, and yet they for a time Fought with Courage, and the Granadiers particularly, charged with great Resolution, but their Shot did not take Place, in so much that none of ours were killed; but they were broken and pursued with great Slaughter, so that by the Reports of the Prisoners, since taken, upwards of 200 Men never returned to their Camp. They also cane up with their half Gallies towards this Town, and retired without so much as Firing one Shot, and then Fear came upon them and they fleed, leaving behind them some Cannon, and many Things they had taken. Twenty Eight Sail attacked Fort William, in which was only 50 Men, and after three Hours Fight, went away, and left the Province: They having been pursued as far as St. John's so that by this whole Expedition and great Armaments, no more than two of ours were taken and 2 killed. Therefore with Truth we may say, that the Lord hath done great Things for us, who hath delivered us out of the Hands of a Numerous Enemy; who had already Swallowed us up in their Thoughts and boasted that they would Torture and Burn us. But the Lord was our Shield, and we of a Truth may say, that it was not our Strength nor Might that delivered us, but that it was the Lord; Therefore it is Meat and Fitting, that we should return Thanks unto God our Deliverer.
HAVING taken the Premisses into Consideration, I do hereby Order that Sunday the 25th. Instant be observed as a Day of publick Thanksgiving to Almighty God for his great deliverance in having put an End to the Spanish Invasion, and that all Persons do Solemnize the same in a Christian and Religious Manner, and abstain from Drunkenness and any other wicked or dissolate Testimonies of Joy.
GIVEN under my Hand and Seal, this 24th Day of July, at Frederica in Georgia, Anno Domini 1742.
Signed by James Oglethorpe
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