Spain Last Stand

Spain's attempts to improve its colonial system in La Florida proved futile due to the increasing involvement of the United States with the War in Europe between Napoleon and the monarchs of Europe, including England and Spain. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson obtained the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon who commandeered New Orleans from Spain when he occupied Madrid. Now Florida was even separated from Texas and the rest of the Spanish New World.

Spain was reluctant to sell Florida to the United States, but Warhawk Southerners, angry over Creek refuge in Florida, runaway slaves, and Spain's lack of Florida development, began to act without Federal authority. In 1810 a band of frontiersmen crossed the Mississippi and seized the town of Baton Rouge, calling it "the Republic of West Florida."

In January 18ll, Brigadier General Mathews , former Governor of Georgia, and St. Johns planter Colonel John McIntosh organized "the Patriots", a group of American settlers who wanted a "Republic of East Florida." With the promise of 200 acres of Florida land as an incentive, dozens of Georgia farmers joined McIntoch on an attack on St. Augustine. They destroyed Spanish plantations and left only after a British fleet intervened.

Florida was becoming a political liability to Spain. Panton and McGillivray had died. The Spanish government owed the Panton and Company some $200,000 for services and the construction of now empty warehouses and wharves. Pirates and adventurers were making South Florida their headquarters. Georgia planters were organizing slave raids into Florida.

The outbreak of the War of 1812 between the United States and England, placed Spain, an ally of England, in a perilous position. England utilized Florida ports for supplies, particular naval products. Spain further angered Southern leaders by allowing the British to construct a fort at Prospect Bluff on the Apalachicola River.

The Creek destruction of Fort Mims, an outpost in Alabama gave General Andrew Jackson the reason in invade Florida in pursuit of both the escaping Creeks and the British fur traders who sold weapons to the Creeks. The United States Government did not authorize Jackson's invasion. His superior Secretary of War John C. Calhoun wanted to remove Jackson, but ironically Secretary of State John Quincy Adams defended Jackson's response.

Jackson entered Pensacola and placed Spanish officials in their own dungeons. He scared the British fleet out of the port. Only the British movement on New Orleans prevented Jackson from taking command of Florida.

Since the War of 1812 ended English protection of the coast of Spanish Florida, the town of Fernandina was seized in June of 1817 by Gregor McGregor, a colorful adventurer who was just a shade north of being a pirate. American troops from Georgia had to enter Amelia Island to oust McGregor's band from starting a piracy center. Later that year Jackson returned to Florida to capture Indian agents and punish them, an embarrassment to Spanish leaders.