The St. Marys River (named Saint Marys River by the United States Geological Survey,[1]) is a 126-mile-long (203 km)[2] river in the southeastern United States. The river was known to the Indians of the area as Thlathlothlaguphka,[3] or Phlaphlagaphgaw,[4] meaning "rotten fish".[5] French explorer Jean Ribault named the river the Seine when he encountered it in 1562.[6][7] From near its source in the Okefenokee Swamp, to its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean, it forms a portion of the border between the U.S. states of Georgia and Florida. The river also serves as the southernmost point in the state of Georgia. The St. Marys River rises as a tiny stream, River Styx, flowing from the western edge of Trail Ridge, the geological relic of a barrier island/dune system, and into the southeastern Okefenokee Swamp. Arching to the northwest, it loses its channel within the swamp, then turns back to the southwest and reforms a stream, at which point it becomes the St. Marys River. Joined by another stream, Moccasin Creek, the river emerges from the Okefenokee Swamp at Baxter, Florida/Moniac, Georgia. It then flows south, then east, then north, then east-southeast intersecting I-95 near Yulee, and finally emptying its waters into the Atlantic, near St. Marys, Georgia and Fernandina Beach, Florida.
Aerial photo of St. Marys River dividing border of Georgia (left) and Florida (right) from 26,000 feet altitude
On 6 July 1805, Lieutenant Robert Pigot of HMS Cambrian arrived off the harbour in the French privateer schooner Matilda, which the British had captured three days earlier. On 7 July Pigot took Matilda twelve miles (nineteen kilometres) up the St Marys River to attack three vessels reported to be there. Along the way militia and riflemen fired on Matilda. Eventually the British reached the three vessels, which were lashed in a line across the river. They consisted of a Spanish privateer schooner and her two British prizes, the ship Golden Grove and the brig Ceres, which the Spanish privateer had captured some two months earlier. The Spaniards had armed Golden Grove with eight 6-pounder guns and six swivels, and given her a crew of 50 men. The brig too was armed with swivels and small arms. The Spanish schooner carried six guns and a crew of 70 men.[10]
Pigot engaged the vessels for an hour, and then after Matilda had grounded, took his crew in her boats and captured Golden Grove. The British then captured the other two vessels. Lastly, Pigot fired on a group of 100 militia, with a field gun, dispersing them. The British had two men killed, and 14 wounded, including Pigot, who had received two bullet wounds to head and one to a leg. A crowd of Americans on the Georgia side of the river watched the entire battle.[10]
Martin, Charles. Where the River Ends. New York, Broadway Books, 2008. ISBN9780767926980. An artist and his dying wife fulfill her wish of one last canoe ride from the headwaters of the St. Marys to the sea.
^U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Saint Marys River
^U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed April 21, 2011
^Wright, Albert Hazen (1941). Studies in History. A. H. Wright. p. 3.
^Unknown, reproduced from Crown collection of maps by A.B. Hulbert, v. 5. "Spanish Trail Map of Florida, ca. 1750". Florida Memory. U.S. Government. Retrieved 26 October 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Bartlett, Richard A. (1984). Rolling Rivers: An Encyclopedia of America's Rivers. McGraw-Hill. p. 79. ISBN978-0-07-003910-0.
^Quinn, David B. (1990). Explorers and Colonies: America, 1500-1625. Hambledon Press. p. 259. ISBN978-1-85285-024-1.
^King, Spencer Bidwell (2010). Georgia Voices: A Documentary History to 1872. University of Georgia Press. p. 2. ISBN978-0-8203-3540-7.
^"Obscure Federal Rule Erased Apostrophes from Place Names". Review Journal. 6 February 2018.
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April 26, 2024
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The St Marys River named Saint Marys River by the United States Geological Survey 1 is a 126 mile long 203 km 2 river in the southeastern United States The river was known to the Indians of the area as Thlathlothlaguphka 3 or Phlaphlagaphgaw 4 meaning rotten fish 5 French explorer Jean Ribault named the river the Seine when he encountered it in 1562 6 7 From near its source in the Okefenokee Swamp to its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean it forms a portion of the border between the U S states of Georgia and Florida The river also serves as the southernmost point in the state of Georgia The St Marys River rises as a tiny stream River Styx flowing from the western edge of Trail Ridge the geological relic of a barrier island dune system and into the southeastern Okefenokee Swamp Arching to the northwest it loses its channel within the swamp then turns back to the southwest and reforms a stream at which point it becomes the St Marys River Joined by another stream Moccasin Creek the river emerges from the Okefenokee Swamp at Baxter Florida Moniac Georgia It then flows south then east then north then east southeast intersecting I 95 near Yulee and finally emptying its waters into the Atlantic near St Marys Georgia and Fernandina Beach Florida Aerial photo of St Marys River dividing border of Georgia left and Florida right from 26 000 feet altitudeSt Marys River watershedLocation of mouthLocationCountryUnited StatesStateFlorida GeorgiaPhysical characteristicsMouthAtlantic Ocean coordinates30 43 23 N 81 29 41 W 30 72306 N 81 49472 W 30 72306 81 49472Length236 mi 380 km St Marys River seen from Fort Clinch Florida Contents 1 Name 2 1805 incident 3 War of 1812 4 Literature 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksName editThe U S Board on Geographic Names discourages the use of apostrophes in place names including St Marys River 8 9 1805 incident editOn 6 July 1805 Lieutenant Robert Pigot of HMS Cambrian arrived off the harbour in the French privateer schooner Matilda which the British had captured three days earlier On 7 July Pigot took Matilda twelve miles nineteen kilometres up the St Marys River to attack three vessels reported to be there Along the way militia and riflemen fired on Matilda Eventually the British reached the three vessels which were lashed in a line across the river They consisted of a Spanish privateer schooner and her two British prizes the ship Golden Grove and the brig Ceres which the Spanish privateer had captured some two months earlier The Spaniards had armed Golden Grove with eight 6 pounder guns and six swivels and given her a crew of 50 men The brig too was armed with swivels and small arms The Spanish schooner carried six guns and a crew of 70 men 10 Pigot engaged the vessels for an hour and then after Matilda had grounded took his crew in her boats and captured Golden Grove The British then captured the other two vessels Lastly Pigot fired on a group of 100 militia with a field gun dispersing them The British had two men killed and 14 wounded including Pigot who had received two bullet wounds to head and one to a leg A crowd of Americans on the Georgia side of the river watched the entire battle 10 War of 1812 editSee Battle of Fort PeterLiterature editMartin Charles Where the River Ends New York Broadway Books 2008 ISBN 9780767926980 An artist and his dying wife fulfill her wish of one last canoe ride from the headwaters of the St Marys to the sea See also editList of rivers of Florida List of rivers of Georgia U S state List of rivers of the Americas by coastline South Atlantic Gulf Water Resource RegionReferences edit U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Saint Marys River U S Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset high resolution flowline data The National Map accessed April 21 2011 Wright Albert Hazen 1941 Studies in History A H Wright p 3 Unknown reproduced from Crown collection of maps by A B Hulbert v 5 Spanish Trail Map of Florida ca 1750 Florida Memory U S Government Retrieved 26 October 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Bartlett Richard A 1984 Rolling Rivers An Encyclopedia of America s Rivers McGraw Hill p 79 ISBN 978 0 07 003910 0 Quinn David B 1990 Explorers and Colonies America 1500 1625 Hambledon Press p 259 ISBN 978 1 85285 024 1 King Spencer Bidwell 2010 Georgia Voices A Documentary History to 1872 University of Georgia Press p 2 ISBN 978 0 8203 3540 7 Obscure Federal Rule Erased Apostrophes from Place Names Review Journal 6 February 2018 Names Wall Street Journal a b No 15844 The London Gazette 17 September 1805 pp 1181 1182 External links editState of Florida Guide to the St Marys River St Marys River Watershed Florida DEP nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Marys River Florida Georgia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Marys River Florida Georgia amp oldid 1211453282, 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