Great Epochs in American History, Vol. II | Page 6

force outnumbered that of De
Gourgues, and savages with bows and arrows would have counted for
little against men with firearms and behind walls. But after the
downfall of the first fort a panic seemed to seize the Spaniards, and the
French achieved an almost bloodless victory. After the death of Ribault
and his followers nothing could be looked for but merciless retaliation,
and De Gourgues copied the severity, though not the perfidy, of his
enemies. The very details of Menendez's act were imitated, and the
trees on which the prisoners were hung bore the inscription: "Not as
Spaniards, but as traitors, robbers, and murderers." Five weeks later De
Gourgues anchored under the walls of Rochelle, and that noble city,
where civil and religious freedom found a home In their darkest hour,
received him with the honor he deserved.
[1] From Doyle's "English Colonies in America." By permission of the
publishers, Henry Holt & Co.
[2] Coligny's first attempt was made in 1555, when two shiploads of
Huguenot immigrants (290 persons), under Villegagnon, were sent to
Brazil. This settlement was soon destroyed by the Portuguese.

Menendez's expedition of 1565 followed the earlier Spanish
expeditions by Ponce de Leon, Narvaez and De Soto. It sailed from
Cadiz and comprized eleven ships. Twenty-three other vessels followed,
the entire company numbering 2,646 persons. The aim of Menendez
was to begin a permanent settlement in Florida. On arrival he found a
colony of French Huguenots already in possession, having been there
three years. A conflict was inevitable, and one which forms a most
melancholy chapter in the early history of American colonization.
Menendez hanged Huguenots, "not as Frenchmen, but as heretics,"
while Gourgues hanged Spaniards "not as Spaniards, but as traitors,
robbers and murderers." After the conflicts closed the Spaniards
maintained themselves in St. Augustine until 1586, when St. Augustine
was completely destroyed by Sir Francis Drake. Two years later the
Armada of Spain was overthrown in the English Channel, largely as the
work of Drake.
[3] In the valley of the St. Lawrence as described in Volume I.
[4] St. Quentin is a town in northeastern France, near which on August
10, 1557, the army of Philip II, Spain, won a great victory over the
combined armies of France and England.

II
MENDOZA'S ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE[1]
We saw two islands, called the Bahama Islands. The shoals which lie
between them are so extensive that the billows are felt far out at sea.
The general gave orders to take soundings. The ship purchased at Porto
Rico got aground that day in two and a half fathoms of water. At first
we feared she might stay there; but she soon got off and came to us.
Our galley, one of the best chips afloat, found herself all day in the
same position, when suddenly her keel struck three times violently
against the bottom. The sailors gave themselves up for lost, and the
water commenced to pour into her hold. But, as we had a mission to
fulfil for Jesus Christ and His blessed mother, two heavy waves, which
struck her abaft, set her afloat again, and soon after we found her in
deep water, and at midnight we entered the Bahama Channel.
On Saturday, the 25th, the captain-general (Menendez) came to visit
our vessel and get the ordnance for disembarkment at Florida. This
ordnance consisted of two rampart pieces, of two sorts of culverins, of

very small caliber, powder and balls; and he also took two soldiers to
take care of the pieces. Having armed his vessel, he stopt and made us
an address, in which he instructed us what we had to do on arrival at
the place where the French were anchored. I will not dwell on this
subject, on which there was a good deal said for and against, although
the opinion of the general finally prevailed. There were two thousand
(hundred) Frenchmen in the seaport into which we were to force an
entrance. I made some opposition to the plans, and begged the general
to consider that he had the care of a thousand souls, for which he must
give a good account....
On Tuesday, the 4th, we took a northerly course, keeping all the time
close to the coast. On Wednesday, the 5th, two hours before sunset, we
saw four French ships at the mouth of a river.[2] When we were two
leagues from them the first galley joined the rest of the fleet, which was
composed of four other vessels. The general concerted a plan with the
captains and pilots, and ordered the flag-ship, the San Pelayo, and a
chaloupe to attack the French flag-ship, the Trinity, while the first
galley and another chaloupe would attack the French galley, both of
which vessels were very large and powerful. All