Florida,
The twenty-seventh State admitted into the
Union; received its name from its discoverer in 1512 (see
Ponce De Leon). It was visited by Vasquez, another Spaniard, in 1520.
It is believed by some that Verrazani saw its coasts in 1524; and the same year a Spaniard named De Geray visited it. Its conquest was undertaken by
Narvaez, in 1528, and by
De Soto in 1539.
Panfilo Narvaez;
Cabeza De Vaca (q. v.), with several hundred young men from rich and noble families of
Spain landed at
Tampa Bay,
April 14, 1528, taking possession of the country for the
King of
Spain.
In August they had reached St. Mark's at Appopodree Bay, but the ships they expected had not yet arrived.
They made boats by September 2, on which they embarked and sailed along shore to the
Mississippi.
All the company excepting
Cabeza de Vaca and three others perished.
In 1549,
Louis Cancella endeavored to establish a mission in
Florida but was driven away by the Indians, who killed most of the priests.
Twenty-six Huguenots under
John Ribault had made a settlement at
Port Royal, but removed to the mouth of
St. John's River in
Florida, where they were soon reinforced by several hundred Huguenots with their families.
They erected a fort which they named Fort
Carolina.
Philip Melendez with 2,500 men reached the coast of
Florida on
St. Augustine's day, and marched against the Huguenot settlement.
Ribault's vessels were wrecked, and Melendez attacked the fort, captured it and massacred 900 men, women, and children.
Upon the ruins of the fort Melendez reared a cross with this inscription: “Not as to Frenchmen, but as Lutherans.”
When the news of the massacre reached
France,
Dominic de Gourges determined to avenge the same, and with 150 men sailed for
Florida, captured the fort on the
St. John's River, and hanged the entire garrison, having affixed this inscription above them: “Not as to Spaniards, but as murderers.”
Being too weak to attack
St. Augustine,
Gourges returned to
France.
The city of
St. Augustine was founded in 1565, and was captured by
Sir Francis Drake in 1586.
The domain of
Florida, in those times, extended indefinitely westward, and included
Louisiana.
La Salle visited the western portion in 1682, and in 1696
Pensacola was settled by Spaniards.
At the beginning of the eighteenth century the
English in the Carolinas attacked the Spaniards at
St. Augustine; and, subsequently, the Georgians, under
Oglethorpe, made war upon them.
By the treaty of
Paris, in 1763,
Florida was exchanged by the Spaniards, with
Great Britain, for
Cuba, which had then recently been conquered by
England.
Soon afterwards, they divided the territory into
east and
west Florida, the
Appalachicola River being the boundary line.
Natives of
Greece,
Italy, and Minorca were induced to settle there, at a place called New Smyrna, about 60 miles south of
St. Augustine, to the number of
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1,500, where they engaged in the cultivation of indigo and the sugar-cane; but, becoming dissatisfied with their employers, they removed to
St. Augustine.
During the
Revolutionary War the trade of the
Southern colonies was seriously interfered with by pirates fitted out in
Florida, and the
British incited the Indians in that region to make war on the
Americans.
The
Spaniards invaded
west Florida, and captured the garrison at
Baton Rouge, in 1779; and in May, 1781, they seized
Pensacola.
By the treaty of 1783,
Florida was retroceded to
Spain, and the western boundary was defined, when a greater part of the inhabitants emigrated to the
United States.
When, in 1803,
Louisiana was ceded to the
United States by
France, it was declared to be ceded with the same extent that it had in the hands of
Spain, and as it had been ceded by
Spain to
France.
This gave the
United States a claim to the country west of the
Perdido River, and the government took possession of it in 1811.
Some irritation ensued.
In the war with
Great Britain (1812), the
Spanish authorities at
Pensacola favored the
English.
An expedition against the
Americans having been fitted out there,
General Jackson captured that town.
Again, in 1818, it was captured by
Jackson, but subsequently returned to
Spain.
Florida was purchased from
Spain by the
United States in 1819, and was surrendered to the latter in July, 1821.
Emigration then began to flow into the
Territory, in spite of many obstacles.
In 1835 a distressing warfare broke out between the fierce
Seminole Indians (q. v.), who inhabited some of the better portions of
Florida, and the government of the
United States, and continued until 1842, when the Ind-
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Scene of the murder of the Huguenots by Melendez. |
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ians were subdued, though not thoroughly conquered.
Florida was admitted into the
Union as a State on March 8, 1845.
Inhabitants of the
State joined in the war against the government, a secession ordinance having been passed Jan. 10, 1861, by a convention assembled on the 3d.
Forts and arsenals and the navy-yard at
Pensacola were seized by the
Confederates.
The State authorities continued hostilities until the close of the war. On July 13, 1865,
William Marvin was appointed provisional governor of the
State, and on Oct. 28 a State convention, held at
Tallahassee, repealed the ordinance of secession.
The civil authority was transferred by the national government to the provisional State officers in January, 1866, and, under the reorganization measures of Congress,
Florida was made a part of the 3d Military District, in 1867.
A new constitution was ratified by the people in May, 1868, and, after the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment to the national Constitution, on June 14,
Florida was recognized as a reorganized State of the
Union.
The government was transferred to the
State officers on July 4.
In 1899 the assessed (full cash value) valuation of taxable property was $93,527,353, and in 1900 the total bonded debt was $1,275,000, of which all excepting $322,500 was held in various.
State funds.
The population in 1890 was 391,422; in 1900, 528,542.
Don
Tristan de Luna sailed from
Vera Cruz, Mexico, Aug. 14, 1559, with 1,500 soldiers, many zealous friars who wished to convert the heathen, and many women and children, families of the soldiers.
He landed near the site of
Pensacola, and a week afterwards a terrible storm destroyed all his vessels and strewed the shores with their fragments.
He sent an exploring party into the interior.
They travelled forty days through a barren and almost uninhabited country, and found a
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deserted Indian village, but not a trace of the wealth with which it was supposed
Florida abounded.
Constructing a vessel sufficient to bear messengers to the viceroy of
Mexico,
De Luna sent them to ask for aid to return.
Two vessels were sent by the viceroy, and, two years after his departure,
De Luna returned to
Mexico.
When
Oglethorpe returned to
Georgia from
England (1736) he discovered a hostile feeling among the Spaniards at
St. Augustine.
They had tried to incite the Indians against the new settlements, and also to procure the assassination of
Oglethorpe.
The latter, not fairly prepared to resist an invasion, sent a messenger to
St. Augustine to invite the
Spanish conmandant to a friendly conference.
He explored some of the coast islands and prepared for fortification.
His messenger did not return, and he proceeded to secure possession of the country so far as its defined boundary permitted him. His hostile preparations made the Spaniards
vigilant, and even threaten war; and when, in 1739, there was war between
England and
Spain, he determined to strike the Spaniards at
St. Augustine a heavy blow before they were fully prepared to resist it. He penetrated
Florida with a small force and captured some outposts early in 1740; and in May he marched towards
St. Augustine with 600 regular troops, 400 Carolina militia, and a large body of friendly
Indians.
With these he stood before
St. Augustine in June, after capturing two forts, and demanded the instant surrender of the post.
It was refused, and
Oglethorpe determined to starve the garrison by a close investment.
The town was surrendered, and a small squadron blockaded the harbor.
Swiftsailing galleys ran the weak blockade and supplied the fort.
Oglethorpe had no cannon and could not breach the walls.
In the heats of summer malaria invaded his camp, the siege was raised, and he returned to
Savannah.
Hostilities were then suspended for about two years.
In the summer of 1776 a citizen of
Georgia visited
General Charles Lee at
Charleston and persuaded him that
St. Augustine could easily be taken.
The man was a stranger, but, without further inquiry,
Lee announced to the
Continental troops under his command that he had planned for them a safe, sure, and remunerative expedition, of which the very large booty would be all their own. Calling it a secret, he let everybody know its destination.
Witharation without a field-piece or a medicine-chest, he hastily marched off the
Virginia and
North Carolina troops, in August, to the malarious regions of
Georgia.
By his order,
Howe, of
North Carolina, and
Moultrie, of
South Carolina, soon followed.
About 460 men from
South Carolina were sent to
Savannah by water, with two field-pieces; and on the 18th,
Lee, after reviewing the collected
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troops, sent the Virginians and a portion of the South Carolinians to
Sunbury.
The fever made sad havoc among them, and fourteen or fifteen men were buried daily.
Then
Lee sought to shift from himself to
Moultrie the further conduct of the expedition, for he saw it must be disastrous.
Moultrie warned him that no available resources which would render success possible had been provided, and the wretched expedition was then abandoned.
Fortunately for his reputation
Lee was ordered North early in September and joined
Washington on
Harlem Heights.
See
Lee, Charles.
Tory refugees from
Georgia acquired considerable influence over the
Creek Indians, and from
east Florida, especially from
St. Augustine, made predatory excursions among their former neighbors.
Gen. Robert Howe, commanding the Southern Department, in 1778, was ordered from
Charleston to
Savannah to protect the Georgians and attack
St. Augustine.
A considerable body of troops led by
Howe, and accompanied by
General Houstoun, of
Georgia, penetrated as far as the
St. Mary's River, where sickness, loss of draught-horses, and disputes about command checked the expedition and caused it to be abandoned.
The refugees in
Florida retaliated by an invasion in their turn.
In the summer of that year two bodies of armed men, composed of regulars and refugees, made a rapid incursion into
Georgia from
east Florida—one in boats through the inland navigation, the other overland by way of the
Altamaha River.
The first party advanced to
Sunbury and summoned the fort to surrender.
Colonel McIntosh, its commander, replied, “Come and take it.”
The enterprise was abandoned.
The other corps pushed on towards
Savannah, but was met by about 100 militia, with whom they skirmished.
In one of these
General Scriven, who commanded the
Americans, was mortally wounded.
At near Ogeechee Ferry the invaders were
repulsed by
General Elbert with 200 Continental soldiers.
Hearing of the repulse at
Sunbury, they also retreated.
Galvez, the
Spanish governor of New Orleans, took measures in 1779 to establish the claim of
Spain to the territory east of the
Mississippi.
He invaded
west Florida with 1,400 men, Spanish regulars, American volunteers, and colored people.
He took Fort Bute, at Pass Manshac (September, 1779), and then went against
Baton Rouge, where the
British had 400 regulars and 100 militia.
The post speedily surrendered, as did also
Fort Panmure, recently built at
Natchez.
A few months later he captured
Mobile, leaving
Pensacola the only port of
west Florida in possession of the
British.
On May 9, in the following year,
Don Galvez took possession of
Pensacola, capturing or driving away the
British there, and soon afterwards completed the conquest of the whole of
west Florida.
The success of Napoleon's arms in
Spain and the impending peril to the
Spanish monarchy gave occasion for revolutionary movements in the
Spanish province of
west Florida bordering on the
Mississippi early in 1810.
That region undoubtedly belonged to the
United States as a part of
Louisiana bought from the
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French, but
Spain had refused to relinquish it. The inhabitants were mostly of British or American birth.
Early in the autumn of 1810 they seized the fort at
Baton Rouge, met in convention, and proclaimed themselves independent, adopting a single star for their flag, as the
Texans did in 1836.
There were some conflicts between the revolutionists and adherents of the
Spanish connection, and an attack upon the insurgents seemed imminent from the
Spanish garrison at
Mobile.
Through
Holmes, governor of the
Mississippi Territory, the revolutionists applied to the
United States for recognition and aid. They claimed all the unlocated lands in the domain, pardon for all deserters from the United States army (of whom there were many among them), and an immediate loan of $100,000.
Instead of complying with these requirements, the
President issued a proclamation for taking possession of the east bank of the
Mississippi, an act which had been delayed because of conciliatory views towards
Spain.
Claiborne, governor of the
Orleans Territory, then in
Washington, was sent in haste to take possession, authorized, in case of resistance, to call upon the regular troops stationed on the
Mississippi, and upon the militia of the two adjoining Territories.
It was not necessary.
Soon after this movement at
Baton Rouge a man named
Kemper, who purported to act under the
Florida insurgents, approached
Mobile, with some followers, to attempt the capture of the garrison.
He was repulsed; but the alarmed Spanish governor wrote to the
American authorities that if he were not speedily reinforced he should be disposed to treat for the transfer of the entire province.
Congress passed an act authorizing the
President to take possession of both
east and
west Florida to prevent its falling into the hands of another foreign power.
Thus it might be held subject to future peaceful negotiations with
Spain.
Florida, it will be remembered, was divided into two provinces, east and west.
The boundary-line was the
Perdido River, east of
Mobile Bay.
The
Georgians coveted
east Florida, and in the spring of 1812
Brig.-Gen. George Mathews, of the
Georgia militia, who had been appointed a commissioner, under an act of a secret session of Congress in 1810-11, to secure that province should it be offered to the
United States, stirred up an insurrection there.
Amelia Island (q. v.), lying a little below the dividing line between
Georgia and
Florida, was chosen for a base of operations.
The fine harbor of its capital,
Fernandina, was a place of great resort for smugglers during the days of the embargo, and, as neutral ground, might be made a dangerous place.
The possession of the island and harbor was therefore important to the
Americans, and a sought — for pretext for seizing it was soon found.
The
Florida insurgents planted the standard of revolt, March, 1812, on the bluff opposite the town of
St. Mary, on the border line.
Some
United States gunboats under
Commodore Campbell were in the
St. Mary's River, and
Mathews had some United States troops at his command near.
The insurgents, 220 in number, sent a flag of truce, March 17, to
Fernandina, demanding the surrender of the town and island.
About the same time the American gunboats appeared there.
The authorities bowed in submission, and
General Mathews, assuming the character of a protector, took possession of the place in the name of the
United States.
At the same time the commodore assured the
Spanish governor that the gunboats were there only for aid and protection to a large portion of the population, who thought proper to declare themselves independent.
On the 19th the town was formally given up to the
United States authorities; a custom-house was established; the floating property in the harbor was considered under the protection of the
United States flag, and smuggling ceased.
The insurgent band, swelled to 800 by reinforcements from
Georgia, and accompanied by troops furnished by
General Mathews, besieged the
Spanish garrison at
St. Augustine, for it was feared the
British might help the Spaniards in recovering what they had lost in the territory.
The United States government would not countenance this kind of filibustering, and
Mathews was superseded as commissioner, April 10, 1812, by
Governor Mitchell, of
Georgia.
Mitchell, professing to believe Congress would sanction
Mathews's proceedings, made no change in policy.
The
House of
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Representatives did actually pass a bill, in secret session, June 21, authorizing the
President to take possession of
east Florida.
The Senate rejected it, for it would have been unwise to quarrel with
Spain at the moment when war was about to be declared against
Great Britain.
Jackson's invasion of
Florida and his capture of
Pensacola caused much political debate in and out of Congress.
By some he was much censured, by others praised.
The United States government
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In a Florida Swamp. |
upheld him, and the
Secretary of State,
John Q. Adams, made an able plea of justification, on the ground of the wellknown interference of the
Spanish authorities in
Florida in American affairs, and the giving of shelter to British subjects inciting the Indians to make war. It was thought the
British government would take notice of the summary execution of
Arbuthnot and
Ambrister (see
Seminole War); but it took the ground that British subjects, meddling in the affairs of a foreign nation, must take the consequences.
Secretary Adams and the
Spanish minister,
Don Onis, had been in correspondence for some time concerning the settlement of the
Florida question and the western boundary of the
United States next to the
Spanish possessions.
Finally, pending discussion in Congress on
Jackson's vigorous proceedings in
Florida, the
Spanish minister, under new instructions from home, signed a treaty, Feb. 22, 1819, for the cession of
Florida, on the extinction of the various American claims for spoliation, for the satisfaction of which the
United States agreed to pay to the claimants $5,000,000. The
Louisiana boundary, as fixed by the treaty, was a compromise between the respective offers heretofore made, though leaning a good deal towards the
American side.
It was agreed that the
Sabine to lat. 33° N., thence a north meridian line to the
Red River, the course of that river to long.
100° W., thence north by that meridian to
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the
Arkansas River to its head and to lat. 42° N., and along that degree to the
Pacific Ocean, should be the boundary between the possessions of the
United States and
Spain.
The
Florida treaty was immediately ratified by the United States Senate, and, in expectation of a speedy ratification by
Spain, an act was passed to authorize the
President to take possession of the newly ceded territory.
But there was great delay in the
Spanish ratification.
It did not take place until early in 1821.
The ratified treaty was received by the
President in February.
Before the
Florida ordinance of secession was passed
Florida troops seized, Jan. 6, 1861, the Chattahoochee arsenal, with 500,000 rounds of musket cartridges, 300,000 rifle cartridges, and 50,000 lbs. of gunpowder.
They also took possession of
Fort Marion, at
St. Augustine, formerly the
Castle of St. Mark, which was built by the Spaniards more than 100 years before.
It contained an arsenal.
On the 15th they seized the United States coast survey schooner
F. W. Dana, and appropriated it to their own use. The Chattahoochee arsenal was in charge of the courageous
Sergeant Powell and three men. He said, “Five minutes ago I was in command of this arsenal, but in consequence of the weakness of my command, I am obliged to surrender. . . . If I had force equal to, or half the strength of yours, I'll be d—--d if you would have entered that gate until you had passed over my dead body.
You see that I have but three men. I now consider myself a prisoner of war. Take my sword,
Captain Jones.”
Anxious to establish an independent empire on the borders of the
Gulf of Mexico,
Florida politicians met in convention early in January, 1861, at
Tallahassee, the
State capital.
Colonel Petit was chosen chairman of the convention, and
Bishop Rutledge invoked the blessing of the Almighty upon the acts they were about to perform.
The members numbered sixty-nine, and about one-third of them were “Co-operationists” (see
Mississippi). The legislature of
Florida, fully prepared to co-operate with the convention, had convened at the same place on the 5th.
On the 10th the convention adopted an ordinance of secession, by a vote of 62 against 7.
In its preamble it was declared that “all hopes of preserving the
Union upon terms consistent with the safety and honor of the slaveholding States” had been “fully dissipated.”
It was further declared that by the ordinance
Florida had withdrawn from the
Union and become “a sovereign and independent nation.”
On the following day the ordinance was signed, while bells rang and cannon thundered to signify the popular joy. The news was received by the
Florida representatives in Congress at
Washington; but, notwithstanding the
State had withdrawn from the
Union, they remained in their seats, for reasons given in a letter to
Joseph Finnegan, written by
Senator David L. Yulee from his desk in the
Senate chamber. “It seemed to be the opinion,” he said, “that if we left here, force, loan, and volunteer bills might be passed, which would put
Mr. Lincoln in immediate condition for hostilities; whereas, by remaining in our places until the 4th of March, it is thought we can keep the hands of
Mr. Buchanan tied, and disable the Republicans from effecting any legislation which will strengthen the hands of the incoming administration.”
Senators from other States wrote similar letters under their official franks.
The convention was addressed by
L. W. Spratt, of
South Carolina, an eminent advocate for reopening the African slavetrade.
Delegates were appointed to a general convention to assemble at
Montgomery, Ala., and other measures were taken to secure the sovereignty of
Florida.
The legislature authorized the emission of treasury notes to the amount of $500,000, and defined the crime of treason against the
State to be, in one form, the holding of office under the national government in case of actual collision between the
State and government troops, punishable with death.
The governor of the
State (
Perry) had previously made arrangements to seize the
United States forts, navy-yard, and other government property in
Florida.
In the early part of the
Civil War the national military and naval forces under
General Wright and
Commodore Dupont made easy conquests on the coast of
Florida.
In February, 1862, they
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captured
Fort Clinch, on
Amelia Island, which the
Confederates had seized, and drove the
Confederates from
Fernandina.
Other posts were speedily abandoned, and a flotilla of gunboats, under
Lieut. T. H. Stevens, went up the
St. John's River, and captured
Jacksonville, March 11.
St. Augustine was taken possession of about the same time by
Commander C. R. P. Rogers, and the alarmed Confederates abandoned
Pensacola and the fortifications opposite
Fort Pickens.
Before the middle of April the whole Atlantic coast from
Cape Hatteras to
Perdido Bay, west of
Fort Pickens (excepting
Charleston and its vicinity), had been abandoned by the
Confederates.
See
United States, Florida, vol.
IX.
