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Condition of the Province after its Recession to Spain - 1784- 1813. Upon the reoccupation of Florida by the Spaniards, in 1784, but few of its former inhabitants returned. Twenty years had scattered them through other lands, where they had made new homes, and new occupations and associations had weakened or wholly destroyed their attachment to Florida. The few inhabitants left in St. Augustine felt their weakness and insecurity, and hardly ventured to go beyond the range of the guns of the castle. The fine estates upon the coast, and upon the St. John's River, left by the retiring English proprietors, remained unoccupied, a prey to that rapid decay which so soon reclaims to its native wildness the improvements and cultivation which it had been the labor of years to effect. The boldness of the Indians, in their intrusions upon the whites, created a feeling of insecurity, which was greatly increased when, a short time after the departure of the English, they destroyed Bella Vista, the beautiful country-seat of Governor Moultrie, seven miles from St. Augustine. Some attempt was made to induce settlement, by offers of lands,; but they were accompanied with such conditions that very few cared to avail themselves of them. Some of those who had left with the English, and gone to the Bahama Islands, became disgusted with the poverty of the soil, from which they found it impossible to reap a subsistence, and, returning to Florida, made a settlement at New Smyrna. But the policy of the Spanish government, which seemed always averse to individual prosperity, soon forced them to abandon their settlement and seek homes in the States, where more liberal institutions encouraged industry, protected property, and honored integrity. The Spanish authorities soon endeavored to enter into negotiations with the neighboring Indian tribes, upon whose friendship so much depended for the Spaniard. At this time the principal chief among the Creeks was Alexander McGillivray. This remarkable person was the son of a half-breed Creek woman and Lachlan McGillivray, a Scotchman who was engaged in the Indian trade. The son was carefully educated, and on his return to the nation acquired great influence from his superior intelligence, gained the confidence of the tribes, and was made their chief. During the Revolutionary War he attached himself to the royalists, and received the rank of colonel from the British government, and was an active and useful ally to them in their operations against the frontiers of Georgia. In 1784 he formed a treaty with the Spanish governor in behalf of the Creeks and Seminoles, and engaged to adhere to the government of Spain and prevent all white men from entering their country without a Spanish permit. The Spanish authorities gave him the rank and pay of a colonel in their service, and he was very useful to them in the control he exercised over the neighboring Indian tribes, whom he succeeded in preventing from attaching themselves to the American interest. About the year 1789, a bold attempt was made by a General William Augustus Bowles to dispossess Spain of Florida by a concerted and general attack of the Indian tribes upon the borders. This individual was a native of Maryland, and held a commission in the British army in the latter part of the Revolutionary War. He sailed with his regiment to Jamaica, and afterwards to Pensacola, where he was dismissed from the service. While he was at Pensacola, a party of Creeks visited the post for the purpose of receiving their annuities. Animated by a love of adventure, Bowles returned with them to their nation, where he learned the Indian language and married the daughter of an Indian chief. Gaining the confidence of the Indians, he was able to obtain the command of the party who went as allies to the English at the siege of Pensacola, and by his good conduct on that occasion he was restored to his former position by the English commander. After West Florida was ceded to Spain, in 1784, he went to New York, where he joined a company of play- actors, and subsequently went to the Bahamas. While there he followed the profession of comedian, and added to this the business of portrait-painting. The versatility of his talents, and his acquaintance with the Creek Indians and familiarity with their language, induced Lord Dunmore, the governor of the Bahamas, to appoint Bowles as an agent to establish a trading-house among the Creeks. His own ambition seems to have led him to hope that he might attain a much higher position, and perhaps be able to establish an extensive empire in the southwest, under English protection, in which he might fill a conspicuous and honorable place. He left New Providence with about sixty followers, and landed at Mosquito. From thence he crossed over to the St. John's River for the purpose of attacking an Indian trading-house, called Hamblys, near Lake George. The traders had been advised by friendly Indians of Bowles's intention, and the delay occasioned by his attempts to bring from his vessel several small iron cannon gave the traders time to prepare for him, and they had received fifty Spanish soldiers from St. Augustine. Bowles found them so well fortified that he was discouraged from making the proposed attack, and directed his steps towards Cuscowilla, an Indian town in Alachua, which stood near the present site of Micanopy, and was the chief town of the Seminoles under King Payne. Finding the Indians here unwilling to join him, his followers deserted him, and he fled to the Creeks. Here he married a daughter of Pennyman, an Indian chief, and was joined by a Spanish subject, one Daniel McGirth, who had been conspicuous in the border war waged by McGillivray against the Georgians during the Revolutionary War. (1) They induced the Creeks to believe that the goods contained in the various trading-houses were intended as presents for them, and were improperly withheld from them by the Indian traders. The Indians credited this story, and several of the chiefs agreed to assist attacking the houses and taking possession of the stores. They established their head-quarters at Miccosukie, a town in Middle Florida, and, fortunately for their purpose, a vessel arrived at Apalachee, with goods for Bowles, from New Providence. These he distributed among his followers, telling them that they were a part of the same goods the traders had in their possession. Having taught navigation to an Indian crew, he kept a vessel running from New Providence to Apalachee, until the traders, having determined to break up his party, prevailed upon the Seminoles to take Bowles prisoner. McGirth, hearing of the approach of the Seminoles, informed Bowles in time for him to escape to the Oclockony River and hide himself. Nothing is said of the escape of McGirth, who, it is probable, on this occasion fell into the hands of the Spaniards, who had instigated the Seminoles to make the attack. The Creeks who were with Bowles and McGirth professed a willingness to return home, and entered into a treaty of peace; but after the Seminoles had dispersed they again joined Bowles, and aided him in the capture of a vessel laden with goods for the traders. Bowles was emboldened by his success to make an attack upon St. Mark's, and, finding the garrison off their guard, he captured the fort, and for several weeks kept possession of it, until Governor O'Neil, coming down from Pensacola, drove him out, without making any effort to capture him or his Indian allies. Orders were afterwards sent out for his arrest, and, a large reward being offered for him, the Indians gave him up. He was sent in chains to Cuba and confined in Moro Castle, where he is said to have died. At one time his influence with the Creeks was so great that he destroyed their confidence in their great chief McGillivray, whom he represented to them as a traitor who had sold them to Spain and afterwards to the United States. This accusation was not without foundation, as McGillivray had entered into a treaty with Washington, by which he promised that after a certain date all of the commerce of the Creek nation should pass through the ports of the United States. This gave great dissatisfaction to the Indians as Avell as to the Spaniards, who now began to distrust McGillivray. It was proved that while receiving thirty-five hundred dollars a year as agent of Spain, he was filling the same office under the United States government with a salary of twelve hundred, sometimes wearing the Spanish uniform, and at other times that of a brigadier- general in the American army. But there is no doubt that he was mainly inclined to the Spanish interest, as it does not appear that he ever carried out the provisions of the treaty with Washington. Carondelet, the Spanish Governor, endeavored to unite the four Indian nations under McGillivray, and secure their services in his effort to prevent the advance of American settlements on the coast, and also on the Mississippi. But the race of McGillivray was run. In 1793 he died, and was buried at Pensacola, with Masonic honors. By the treaty of 1790, in which McGillivray had represented the Creek Nation, the United States had set aside a previous treaty between General Twiggs and the Creeks, and agreed to a new boundary-line, less advantageous to Georgia. This gave great dissatisfaction to General Elijah Clarke, who had been a party to the treaty of General Twiggs, and one of the most active and useful officers in the Georgia service. He was greatly incensed, and determined to take possession of the territory so improperly surrendered. (2) He had no difficulty in finding adherents, and, having established himself in the disputed territory, made several incursions into Florida, and drove in the Spanish outposts. It was supposed that he was acting in the interest of France ; but the French consul at Savannah denied the charge. Having set at defiance the authorities of Georgia, Clarke crossed the river Oconee, and erected a fort, whereupon an expedition was sent out against him, and he was forced to abandon the enterprise. Some ten years after the change of flags, General John Mcintosh removed to Florida with his accomplished and devoted wife, and settled upon the St. John's River, at a plantation which he called Bellevue. He had been a distinguished officer in the War of the American Revolution, and carried with him to Florida several families devoted to his interests. The Spanish governor, Quesada, jealous and suspicious of the consideration with which General Mcintosh was treated, affected to believe that he was engaged in projects inimical to the interests of Spain. He pretended to be on friendly terms with the general, but upon one occasion, when he was on a visit to St. Augustine, Quesada had him arrested and thrown into the castle. A detachment of soldiers was then sent out to the general's plantation, who searched the house, and carried off all the private papers they could find. All communication with his family was prevented, and soon after General Mcintosh was sent to Havana and immured in the dungeons of Moro Castle. His resolute wife made every effort in her power to procure his release. Though deprived of her sight, she wrote to the Governor-General of Cuba several able letters, declaring the innocence of her husband, and urged that he should be brought to trial and confronted with his accusers. She also appealed to the sympathies of her husband's old comrades in arms, and enlisted the services of Washington himself to procure the release of the general. Finally, after having been kept a year in close confinement, the Governor of Cuba released him, and allowed him to return, without trial, to his family. Incensed and disgusted with the treachery of Quesada, General Mcintosh determined to abandon Florida forever, and, gathering his adherents, some of whom had been fellow-sufferers, he descended the river, and returned to Georgia, not without having first destroyed a Spanish fort at the Cowfords, opposite Jacksonville, and several Spanish galleys that lay in the river. General Mcintosh was engaged in the War of 1812, and died in 1826. In 1795 Spain receded to France all that portion of West Florida lying west of the Perdido River, thus cutting off from West Florida the most valuable and important portion of her territory. The progress of the great campaigns in Europe, in which the interest of Spain was so deeply involved, left the Floridas with but little care from the home government. White, who was for many years Governor of East Florida, had strong prejudices against the Americans, and opposed their settlement within his province. In the mean time, France, becoming satisfied that in the progress of events Louisiana and her West India colonies would be taken from her, entered into negotiations with the United States, and, in the year 1803, agreed, for the pecuniary consideration of fifteen millions of dollars, to cede the territory of Louisiana to the United States. Thus, at the end of two hundred and thirty years, France withdrew from the last of her possessions in North America. If we examine a map of the country as it was held by various European powers in the early part of the eighteenth century, we shall see on the north, the great territory of New France, extending along the Gulf of St. Lawrence, including part of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, and Canada, lying on both sides of the river St. Lawrence and the lakes, along the Ohio River to its junction with the Mississippi, and the whole valley of the Mississippi, extending on the east to the Alleghany Mountains, on the west to the Rocky Mountains, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. Her forts and trading-houses were scattered along the borders of all the great lakes, and upon the Mississippi, from the Falls of St. Anthony to the Gulf of Mexico, and along all the tributaries of this great river. From these vast possessions France had retired step by step, receding from the frost-bound regions of Canada and the Northwest to the mild and sunny borders of the Gulf of Mexico. One by one she had parted with her possessions by the fortunes of war and treaty stipulations, and at last transferred, for a few millions of dollars, an empire in extent, reaching from the Gulf of Mexico to the far distant sources of the mighty river Mississippi. The towns upon its banks, the tributaries that swell its flood, the bold bluffs that overhang its currents, all bear to this day the names given them during the French possession. All the saints in the calendar are honored, and many an historic name perpetuated, along with the designation of the various tribes who once inhabited the land. The English colonies occupied a narrow strip along the coast, from the St. Croix on the north to the Altamaha on the south, with an average 'breadth of not over three hundred miles, not one-half of which was occupied. Upon the cession of Louisiana, the United States possessed themselves of the territory lying west of the Perdido, and thus inclosed the Spanish province of Florida within narrow boundaries. In the year 1811 the difficulties between the United States and Great Britain began to assume a threatening aspect. On the north the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada extended along the entire border, and offered every advantage for assailing the people of the border States. It was suspected that a design was on foot to seize Florida, and thus secure to the British a frontier along the whole southern border. The matter was thought of sufficient importance by the President to bring it to the attention of Congress, and, in secret session, a resolution was passed, authorizing the President, in the event of an attempt being made by Great Britain to get possession of Florida, that territory should be occupied by the American forces. The President appointed General Matthews, of Georgia, and Colonel John McKee, commissioners to confer with the Spanish authorities of Florida and endeavor to procure a temporary cession of the province to the United States. They were, if successful, to establish a provisional government over the colonies ; if the governor so required, they were to stipulate for the redelivery of the country at some future time to Spain. But, in case of refusal, "should there be room to entertain a suspicion that a design existed on the part of any other power to occupy Florida," they were authorized to take possession of the province with the force of the United States. As might have been anticipated, the Spanish governor declined a surrender of the province, and protested against any trespass upon his rights or domain. The plans of the government of the United States had, however, become generally known, and a number of frontiersmen along the borders of Georgia eagerly awaited an opportunity of making a descent upon Florida. In the spring of 1812 a number of these persons, and some of the settlers from the northern borders of Florida, assembled near St. Mary's, and organized themselves as patriots seeking to establish republican institutions in Florida. A provisional government was formed, and officers were elected. (3) General John H. Mcintosh was chosen governor or director of the republic of Florida, and Colonel Ashley was appointed military chief. Fernandina had been occupied as a Spanish port for some three or four years, and was becoming a place of some importance. During the existence of the embargo imposed by the United States in the war of 1812 with Great Britain, Fernandina had become a depot of neutral trade, and as many as one hundred and fifty square-rigged vessels, it is said, could have been counted at one time within her harbor, and the town then contained a population of about six hundred persons. In 1812 a small Spanish garrison held possession of the place, commanded by Captain Jose Lopez. It was deemed important to secure possession of Fernandina, and nine American gunboats, under the command of Commodore Campbell, had come into the harbor, under the pretense of seeking to protect American interests. General Matthews, having determined upon the occupation of Amelia Island, used the patriot organization as a cover to effect his purpose. The gunboats were drawn up in line in front of Fernandina, with their guns bearing upon the fort. Colonel Ashley then embarked his patriots in boats, and approached the town with a summons to surrender. The commandant, Don Jose Lopez, seeing a line of gunboats, with their guns bearing upon the town, flying the flag of a neutral power, but prepared to enforce the demand of the soi-disant patriots, had no alternative but to haul down the Spanish flag. Articles of capitulation were entered into at four o'clock on the 17th of March, 1812, between Don Jose Lopez, Commandant, etc., on the part of the Spanish government, and John H. Mcintosh, Esq., commissioner named and duly authorized by the patriots of the district of the province lying between the rivers St. John's and St. Mary's. The fifth article of capitulation provided "that the island shall, twenty-four hours after the surrender, be ceded to the United States of America, under the express condition that the port of Fernandina shall not be subject to any of the restrictions on commerce that exist at present in the United States, but shall be open, as heretofore, to British and other vessels and produce, on paying the lawful tonnage and import duties; and, in case of actual war between the United States and Great Britain, the port of Fernandina shall be open to British merchant vessels and produce, and considered a free port until the 1st of May, 1813." The articles were witnessed by George Atkinson, George I. F. Clarke, Charles W. Clarke, and Archibald Clark. The succeeding day. Lieutenant Ridgley, of the United States Army, assumed command, and Colonel Ashley, with his patriot army, numbering some three hundred men, were marched towards St. Augustine. On their way they arrested Zephaniah Kingsley, a well-known planter, and afterwards induced him to join in the enterprise. They marched to within two miles of St. Augustine, and camped at the place known as Fort Moosa. Colonel Smith, with a detachment of one hundred regulars, here joined the patriots. Soon after they became dissatisfied with Colonel Ashley, and suspended him from the command, and William Craig, one of the Spanish judges, was put in his place. Colonel Estrada, the acting governor of Florida, was unwilling to meet these insignificant forces in the field, but, managing to get some small guns on a schooner, he shelled Fort Moosa from the water approaches, and compelled the patriots and their supporters to fall back to. Pass Navarro and intrench themselves; but soon, finding that 'their force was wholly insufficient to take St. Augustine, the patriots fell back to the St. John's, leaving Colonel Smith and his regulars at the pass. The occupation of Fernandina, and subsequent movement upon St. Augustine, coming to the knowledge of the Spanish Minister at Washington, he remonstrated with the American government against this violation of treaty stipulations, and the British Minister also protested against this invasion of neutral territory. The President was in an embarrassing position. General Matthews was his accredited commissioner, and had his written instructions to occupy the country should there be room to entertain a suspicion that a design existed on the part of any other power to take possession of the province. The alternative existed of boldly justifying his own acts, assuming the responsibility, and accepting the consequences, or of sacrificing his agent and disowning his acts. The President pursued the usual course of those in power: he politely ignored the measures that had been taken by his commissioner, and declared that he had transcended his authority; regretted the mistake, and promised to have it corrected. General Matthews was relieved from his position, and Governor Mitchell, of Georgia, appointed in his place, with instructions to restore the condition of affairs which existed before the invasion, and to act in harmony with Governor Estrada. While these diplomatic movements were in progress, and just after the appointment of Governor Mitchell, an affair took place which was very disgraceful to the Spanish governor and tended greatly to exasperate the United States military authorities. On the evening of the 12th of May, a detachment of United States troops, mostly made up of invalids, under the command of Lieutenant Williams, of the United States Marine Corps, with a number of wagons, were on their way from Colonel Smith's camp, at Pass Navarro, to Colonel Briggs's camp on the St. John's, when they were attacked by a company of Negroes, under the command of a fellow by the name of Prince, sent out by the governor of St. Augustine. These Negroes, concealing themselves in Twelve-Mile Swamp at a point where the road is lined on both sides by a dense thicket, poured in upon the unsuspecting party a deadly volley. Lieutenant Williams fell, mortally wounded, pierced with six bullets. Captain Fort, of the Milledgeville Volunteers, was wounded, and a non-commissioned officer and six privates were killed. The soldiers immediately charged upon the Negroes, who instantly broke and fled. Governor Mitchell promptly called for reinforcements, to enable him to attack St. Augustine. In the mean time, Governor Kindelan had been sent out as Governor of Florida, and in June he made a formal demand for the withdrawal of Colonel Smith from the province, and the President, finding that Congress was opposed to entering into any further hostilities with Spain while serious difficulties were threatening with England, felt obliged to make arrangements for withdrawing all the United States troops from Florida. The camp at Pass Navarro was broken up, and Colonel Smith withdrew with his command, now greatly reduced by sickness, to Davis's Creek, on the King's Road. In the mean time, the Indians, under their chiefs Payne and Bowlegs, had begun a predatory warfare upon the settlements, carrying off all the live stock they could find, burning houses, and stealing Negroes, and were preparing to extend their incursions into Georgia. It was determined to make an effort to disperse the Indians, if possible, before they collected in sufficient numbers to be formidable. Colonel Newnan, of Georgia, the Inspector-General of that State, who was a volunteer, offered to lead a party against Payne's town in Alachua. Organizing a command of one hundred and ten men only, from the patriots in Florida, he undertook to penetrate the enemy's country over one hundred miles, and attack two formidable chiefs surrounded by their warriors and with every advantage of position and thorough knowledge of the country. Crossing at Picolata, Colonel Newnan and his men arrived the third day at the foot of Lake Pithlachocco, a few miles from Payne's town. They here unexpectedly encountered an Indian force of about one hundred and fifty, under their leaders Bowlegs and Payne, who had just set out on the warpath. Both sides prepared for the conflict, which began about mid-day. Captain Fort, of the infantry, was posted on the left, Lieutenants Broadnax and Reed in the centre, and Captain Humphreys, with a detachment of marines, held the right. King Payne, mounted on a white horse, displayed great gallantry in leading his men into action. At first they fired from the shelter of a swamp, so well protected on both sides that but little effect was produced by the return fire of Newnan' s men. A feigned retreat on their part, however, drew the Indians out in pursuit, when, suddenly turning upon them, Newnan killed a great number, and mortally wounded Payne. Dismayed by the loss of their leader, the Indians fled from the field ; but, knowing the Indian character so well, Newnan felt confident they would soon renew the attack, and lost no time in throwing up temporary breastworks to protect his small force. About sundown Bowlegs returned, heavily reinforced, and began the attack with great vigor. They came forward yelling, and charged nearly up to the intrenchments. Newnan' s forces received them with great coolness, and returned a galling fire, which drove them back with great loss. The Indians returned to the attack several times, but the steady valor of the whites forced them finally to retreat, carrying off their dead and wounded. Confident that Bowlegs would again return, Newnan still further strengthened his position, and prepared for a siege. Fortunately, they killed an ox, and subsisted on that and the one horse they had left, the Indians having carried off all the others. The night of the eighth day they effected a silent retreat, and, carrying their wounded on litters, marched slowly back towards the St. John's. The Indians were not long in discovering that their enemy were on the retreat, and quickly followed in pursuit. Newnan 's party was overtaken when on their way to Picolata, and attacked by a band of fifty Seminoles, under their young governor. Three of the whites were killed at the first fire, but, not-withstanding their exhausted condition, they roused themselves, and made a charge on the Indians which put them to flight, leaving their chief dead on the field. A few miles farther on, Newnan halted and threw up breastworks, and sent a messenger in for the relief they so much needed. Their provisions were exhausted, and their wounded men suffering for want of care and rest. A party was sent out foraging, but could find nothing but two alligators, and on these they subsisted until the arrival of sixteen horsemen with provisions. The wounded men were mounted, and in two days they all reached Picolata. The death of Payne greatly discomfited the Indians, and for the time put a stop to their preparations for war, but they still continued, in small bands, to annoy the border settlers. Among these was Mr. Kingsley, whose plantation the Indians kept in a state of siege, and carried off his cattle and Negroes. The patriots retaliated upon the loyalists, and lawless bands were scattered over the country, plundering and destroying property, until scarcely a house or plantation remained uninjured in the province.
(1) Daniel McGirth was a native of South Carolina, and in the beginning of the American Revolution was a valuable partisan scout. While stationed at the Satilla River with the American troops, he was court- martialed for using disrespectful language to an officer who desired to dispossess him of a favorite mare, and he was sentenced to be whipped. This indignity was borne by him in silence, but he soon managed to escape, and became from that day one of the most vindictive, untiring, and revengeful enemies of the Georgians, upon whom he inflicted a vast amount of injury. After the war he remained in Florida, and was concerned with Bowles, and probably on this account was arrested by the Spanish government and thrown into the dungeon of the castle at St. Augustine, where he was confined for five years a close prisoner. Subsequently, with his health totally destroyed by his long and cruel confinement, he returned to his wife in Sumter District, S. C. A small tributary that empties into the St. John's River, near Jacksonville, bears his name. - Whitens Hist. Col., page 281. (2) Stevens, Ga., p. 401, (3) A copy of this constitution is in the possession of the writer. |
