Memorial Day in Florida - Fort George

Continuing our series on sites with special Memorial Day significance in Florida, we turn now to the battlefield where Americans joined with troops from Spain and France in a key action that helped assure our country's independence.

In 1781, as the American Revolution raged, Pensacola was a key British stronghold. The old Spanish city had fallen into British hands at the end of the French and Indian War and had been strongly fortified. A strong stockade surrounded the town, a redoubt at the site of today's Fort Barrancas commanded the entrance to the bay while on the heights overlooking Pensacola stood Fort George.

The key to the city itself, Fort George was a strong bastioned fortress with an attached "hornwork" or battery. Because the fort could be fired upon from nearby hilltops, two smaller forts - The Queen's Redoubt and the Prince of Wales Redoubt - were built to assist in its defense. It is a little known fact today that Pensacola was then the key to control of the entire Gulf Coast and lower Mississippi valley.

On March 18, 1781, after much discussion, a combined Spanish and French fleet stormed its way into Pensacola Bay. As the British watched and waited, Spanish General Bernardo de Galvez spent six weeks assembling his army and moving into position for a siege of Pensacola. Among his thousands of soldiers from Spain, France and other countries were 25 American volunteers.

The Battle of Pensacola began in earnest at the end of April 1781 when Galvez opened his bombardment of Fort George. British cannon roared in reply. The allied forces slowly moved closer to the British fortifications by way of trenches and batteries constructed at night. Finally, on May 8, 1781, in the middle of a fierce cannonade, they launched a shell that smashed into the magazine of Queen's Redoubt. The fort was destroyed in a devastating explosion and nearly 100 British soldiers killed. Allied troops rushed forward and occupied the ruined fort. Placing cannon of their own atop the heights, they soon opened fire on Fort George itself from short range.

British General John Campbell knew that he could not hope to hold out and raised a white flag over his works. Pensacola surrendered on May 10, 1781, ending forever British control of the Gulf Coast and lower Mississippi River. Although seldom recognized as such today, it was one of the critical battles of the American Revolution.

The Battle of Pensacola is memorialized today by a small park at the site of Fort George. Located at North Palafox and La Rua Streets in Downtown Pensacola (park on La Rua), Fort George Park includes a reconstruction of a small section of the fort as well as interpretive panels explaining the history of the site and the importance of the battle.

If you are interested in exploring an actual site of the American Revolution on this Memorial Day, it is an ideal place. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortgeorge.

Fort George - Pensacola's British Fort

At the intersection of Palafox and La Rua Streets in Pensacola is a small park that preserves a portion of the site of Fort George, a British fort that played a key role in the American Revolution.

A small section of the fort has been reconstructed and visitors can read interpretive panels that explain the history of the site and also inspect two original British cannon of the Revolutionary War period.

Fort George was built by the British after they took possession of Pensacola from the Spanish at the end of the French and Indian War in 1763. An important port for the Indian trade, the city served as the King's capital of West Florida.

When Spain and France allied with the American colonists in their uprising against King George III, the British moved aggressively to strengthen their hold on Pensacola. Fort George and two outlying redoubts (smaller forts) were built on the heights overlooking the city and the Royal Naval Redoubt was built where Fort Barrancas stands today.

One of the least known yet most significant battles of the American Revolution was fought for control of Fort George and Pensacola during the spring of 1781. Led by General Bernardo de Galvez, a force of thousands of Spanish, French, Irish and American troops laid siege to Fort George. Heavy fighting took place as the British tried to hold them back.

The critical moment finally came when a mortar shell fell on the magazine of one of the outlying British redoubts, blowing it to bits. Nearly 100 men died in the explosion. The allied forces attacked and captured the ruins, using the position to fire down on the main British works at Fort George and forcing the men there to raise the white flag.

Although it is seldom mentioned in histories of the American Revolution, the capture of Fort George actually produced signficant results for the United States. By ending British possession of West Florida, General Galvez eliminated the possibility that British forces would remained poised on the Southern frontier of the United States following the end of the Revolution. This would prove highly significant during the War of 1812.

The battle also eliminated any British threat to the lower Mississippi Valley, clearing the way for the Louisiana Purchase.

You can learn more about Fort George and its role in the Battle of Pensacola by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortgeorge.