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| − | [[Image:Spanish troops at Pensacola.jpg|thumb|right|Spanish grenadiers and Havana militia pour into the | + | [[Image:Spanish troops at Pensacola.jpg|thumb|right|Spanish grenadiers and Havana militia pour into the ruins of the [[Queen's Redoubt]]]][[Image:Siege1781.jpg|thumb|right|Contemporary engraving depicting the explosion of the powder magazine]]The '''Siege of Pensacola''' marked the culmination of Spain's conquest of Florida from [[British Pensacola|Great Britain]] during the American Revolutionary War in [[1781]]. |
Commanded by Field Marshal [[Bernardo de Gálvez]], Governor of Louisiana and architect of the successful Spanish campaign, a powerful flotilla of warships, that had exploited a weakness in the British land based naval defenses, neutralized outer British defenses and began an amphibious siege (led by the [[Wikipedia:Spanish Navy Marines|Infanteria de Marina]]) of the town on [[March 9]]. The Spanish forces included 580 officers and men (or about nine percent of the entire Spanish soldiery) from the [[Wikipedia:Regiment of Hibernia|Regiment of Hibernia]], one of the three regiments, at that time, of the Irish Brigade of Spain. | Commanded by Field Marshal [[Bernardo de Gálvez]], Governor of Louisiana and architect of the successful Spanish campaign, a powerful flotilla of warships, that had exploited a weakness in the British land based naval defenses, neutralized outer British defenses and began an amphibious siege (led by the [[Wikipedia:Spanish Navy Marines|Infanteria de Marina]]) of the town on [[March 9]]. The Spanish forces included 580 officers and men (or about nine percent of the entire Spanish soldiery) from the [[Wikipedia:Regiment of Hibernia|Regiment of Hibernia]], one of the three regiments, at that time, of the Irish Brigade of Spain. | ||
| − | British Major General [[John Campbell]] clung tenaciously to the sturdy defenses of [[Fort George]] until Spanish artillery fire struck close to the door of the British powder magazine and set fire to it on [[May 8]] at 9:30 in the morning. When the smoke cleared away, over 100 British casualties could be seen strewn about the emplacement, most of them fatalities. The Spaniards then took possession of the | + | British Major General [[Wikipedia:John Campbell, of Strachur|John Campbell]] clung tenaciously to the sturdy defenses of [[Fort George]] until Spanish artillery fire struck close to the door of the British powder magazine and set fire to it on [[May 8]] at 9:30 in the morning. When the smoke cleared away, over 100 British casualties could be seen strewn about the emplacement, most of them fatalities. The Spaniards then took possession of the Redoubt, entering through a yawning breach caused by the explosion. Just before three o'clock, Campbell raised a white flag. |
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==Timeline== | ==Timeline== | ||
| − | + | *[[March 9]] – Spanish fleet appears off [[Santa Rosa Island]], 6:00 a.m. Light infantry and grenadier companies disembark six miles east of [[Punta Sigüenza]]. A prearranged signal of seven guns from the British warship ''Mentor'' notified the British forces. | |
| − | *[[March 9]] – Spanish fleet appears off [[Santa Rosa Island]], 6:00 a.m. Light infantry and grenadier companies disembark six miles east of [[Punta Sigüenza]] | + | *[[March 10]] – The English redoubt at Punta Sigüenza is found abandoned and taken by forces under [[Francisco Longoria]] and [[Arturo O'Neill]]. They receive some fire by anchored frigates ''Mentor'' and ''Port Royal'', and the [[Red Cliffs]] fort. |
| − | *[[March 10]] – The | + | *[[March 11]] – Using two 24-pound cannon brought ashore to the captured redoubt, Spanish forces return fire, forcing the frigates to move out of range. |
| − | *[[March 11]] – Using two 24-pound cannon brought ashore to the captured | ||
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*[[March 18]] – Four Spanish ships, including [[Bernardo de Gálvez]]'s private brig ''Gálveztown'', force entry into [[Pensacola Bay]]. | *[[March 18]] – Four Spanish ships, including [[Bernardo de Gálvez]]'s private brig ''Gálveztown'', force entry into [[Pensacola Bay]]. | ||
*[[March 19]] – Most of the rest of the fleet forces entry through [[Pensacola Pass]] into the Bay between 2:00 - 3:00 p.m., under fire from the British at Red Cliffs. | *[[March 19]] – Most of the rest of the fleet forces entry through [[Pensacola Pass]] into the Bay between 2:00 - 3:00 p.m., under fire from the British at Red Cliffs. | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{refbegin}} | {{refbegin}} | ||
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*David Marley. ''Wars of the Americas: A Chronology of Armed Conflict in the New World, 1492 to the Present''. ABC-CLIO, 1998. | *David Marley. ''Wars of the Americas: A Chronology of Armed Conflict in the New World, 1492 to the Present''. ABC-CLIO, 1998. | ||
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{{refend}} | {{refend}} | ||
[[Category:Battles]] | [[Category:Battles]] | ||
