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→Capture of Pensacola
On [[June 21]], [[1779]], Spain declared war against Great Britain. King Carlos III desired to topple all British settlements in the vicinity of the [[Gulf of Mexico]], and Louisiana Governor [[Bernardo de Gálvez]] led successful campaigns against the British at Fort Bute, Fort New Richmond (Baton Rouge), and Fort Panmure (Natchez). After his capture of [[Fort Charlotte]] at [[Mobile]], Gálvez next intended to capture Pensacola and returned to Havana to make preparations.
Both battalions of O'Neill's Hibernia regiment had been dispatched to Havana in April 1780 to attend the garrison there. An invasion force led by Gálvez departed for Pensacola on [[October 16]], [[1780]], but was scattered by a [[hurricane]]. When the fleet regrouped, O'Neill and 319 other men from Hibernia were with it. They departed once more on [[February 28]], [[17911781]], and arrived at [[Santa Rosa Island]] on [[March 9]]. At nine o'clock that evening O'Neill led a company of grenadiers to secure the battery at [[Sigüenza Point]] and discovered it was not operational. For his work, O'Neill was named aide-de-camp to Gálvez and commander of the patrol scouts.
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