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Colonel Don '''José María Callava''' was the Spanish final governor of [[Spanish West Florida]] at , serving from February [[1819]] to the time of Spain's transfer of the territory to the United States in July [[1821]]. Callava was an officer in the Spanish military who had been rapidly promoted due to his service in the [[Wikipedia:Peninsular War|Peninsular War]]; — the [[Wikipedia:Battle of Almonacid|Battle of Almonacid]] in particular, for which he was knighted into the Military Order of [[Wikipedia:Hermenegild|St. Hermenegildo]] in 1811.<ref>[http://www.archive.org/stream/historicalsketch00camprich/historicalsketch00camprich_djvu.txt Historical sketches of colonial Florida]</ref> He became a colonel and governor before the age of 40.<ref>Parton, James. (1861). ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=bGYFAAAAQAAJ&printsec=toc#PPA615,M1 Life of Andrew Jackson]''. Mason Brothers. p. 615.</ref>
James Parton's ''Life of Andrew Jackson'' describes Callava:
====The official report====
The official report, as signed by Dr. Bronaugh and Colonel Butler, reads:
{{cquote|We proceeded to the house of Colonel Callava, who was absent, but again returning to his house shortly after we found him accompanied by a number of Spanish officers clothed with their side arms, and Mr. [[John Innerarity]] <nowiki>[local agent for Forbes &. Co.]</nowiki> in the porch. The demand was formally made of the documents enumerated in your order and peremptorily refused, when he was informed that his refusal would be considered as setting at defiance the authority exercised by you as Governor of the Floridas in the execution of the laws; and they were again demanded, and the consequences of refusal on his part enumerated, but in which refusal he still persisted, and we were about taking our leave to prepare for the final execution of your order when Colonel Callava declared that if we would furnish him with a copy of the memorandum setting forth the documents required he would deliver them to us, to which we assented. The alcalde, H. M. Brackenridge, accordingly waited on him with a copy of the memorandum herewith accompanied, and informed him that he would call in two hours for the reception of the documents as promised. We proceeded at the appointed time and found the gate and front part of the house closed. The former we opened by removing a bar, and on reaching the latter a considerable stir seemed to be made in the house. We knocked several times without receiving any answer, when admittance was demanded in the name of the Governor in three instances, still without reply. The guard was then ordered to advance and form in front of the house, and part detached to the rear, when it was discovered that the back door was open, and several Spanish officers, with Mr. Innerarity, were in the porch. We inquired for Colonel Callava, to which we were answered they did not know where he was. Lights were procured, and the rooms searched, when Colonel Callava was found on his bed, divested of his coat.
Demand was then made of the documents, agreeably to his promise, and to our astonishment they were still refused, and several attempts were made on his part to show that he was not amenable to the laws; to which he was answered that the Governor was, in the execution of the laws, bound to demand the papers, as they appertained to the rights and property of individuals resident in Pensacola, and that formal complaint had been made that they were improperly withheld, and that the Governor knew no distinction between Colonel Callava and any other man under his government. We then proposed that Colonel Callava should deliver the papers, and he should have our receipt for them, which was also refused. We then again demanded them, reiterating our sentiments, that his refusal would he viewed as an act of open mutiny to the civil authority exercised in the Floridas, and that he must expect the consequences. He persisted to refuse, and the officer of the guard was ordered to take him and his steward Fullarat into custody and bring them before your excellency, which is now done. We would add, in conclusion, that Colonel Callava repeatedly asserted that he would not be taken out of his house alive, but he seemed to act without much difficulty when the guard was ordered to prime and load. A corporal and three men were detached to remain and guard the house of Colonel Callava, and to prevent the removal of the boxes which had contained the documents, and which Mr. Brackenridge recognized in the bed-room.|20px|20px|James Parton's ''Life of Andrew Jackson'', p. 622-624}}
Meanwhile, Jackson sent individuals to Callava's home to seize the documents in question. Upon receipt of the documents, Jackson issued an order for the release of Callava, Sousa, and others.
Several days after his release, Callava left Pensacola for Washington to protest against his treatment by Jackson. Several Spanish officers , including [[Marcos de Villiers]] and [[Arnaldo Guillemard]], stayed behind in Pensacola and published their account of the affair, after which publication Jackson promptly expelled them from Florida. Having been given four days to leave or be arrested, the Spanish officers sailed on fourth day.<ref>Parton, [http://books.google.com/books?id=bGYFAAAAQAAJ&printsec=toc#PPA637,M1 p. 637-638].</ref>
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
[[Category:Natives of Spain|Callava, José]] [[Category:Citizens of Spanish Pensacola|Callava, José]]