Republic of Florida (1817)

Republic of Florida
Republic of Florida;
	1817–1817
	Flag
	Map of Florida around 1822, divided into Eastern (pink) and Western (yellow) Floridas
Capital	Fernandina
Common languages	Spanish and Native languages
Government	Republic
History
• Creation	June 29 1817
• Hispanic-American Expedition	December 23 1817
Currency	Real
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	East Florida
Florida

The Republic of Florida was a territorial entity that lasted between June 29 and December 23 of 1817. It was bounded by the US to the north, and to the south by the Captaincy General of Cuba across the sea, and to the east by the British colony of the Bahamas.

Creation of the Republic: context

While the Spanish Empire in America began its decline due to the Napoleonic Wars, the United States began its territorial expansion to the south and west of its border limits at the time, consolidating its acquisition of Louisiana from France. The situation then began to change in the Spanish colony of Florida, a territory that had previously been disputed several times by England (previously occupied between 1763–1783), so Madrid began to negotiate its surrender to the Americans so as not to fall back into British hands, given the tumultuous time when the Spanish American colonies sought independence.

In the Guayana Province, General Simon Bolivar in the midst of the struggle to regain the freedom of Venezuela, considered the only way to stop the Spaniards from occupying the islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico in order to hasten the end of their presence on the continent. In this order, Bolívar commissioned in Angostura (Venezuela) one of his officers, Scottish Gregor MacGregor, to organize an expedition in US territory in order to occupy the Florida peninsula, cut the trade between the US and Spain, and facilitate the invasion of Cuban territory to defeat the Reconquista.

MacGregor managed to recruit 150 militants in Charleston and Savannah, mostly veterans of the War of 1812. Among the expedition were: Pedro Gual, Juan Germán Roscio, Constante Ferrari, Agustín Codazzi and Lino de Clemente the latter was appointed by Bolívar to represent the interests of the nascent republic before the government of Washington.

The US meanwhile coveted annexing the whole territory of the Florida Spanish colony that was part of the Captaincy General of Cuba. Given this scenario Bolívar planned the creation of the republic as a strategy to cut the passage of ships from the ports of Boston and Havana carrying arms and ammunition to the royalists in the south of the continent, and to liberate Cuba, which was also held by Spain. So Florida is considered a target by US expansionism, promoted by President James Monroe and a strategic place for the war of independence for Simon Bolívar. Simon Bolívar wrote:

The American general Andrew Jackson has taken by assault the fort of Pensacola, forcing the inhabitants to retreat to Barrancas, where lately they had taken refuge; thus all Spanish Floridas are held by North Americans .

Gregor McGregor, fulfilling the designs of Bolivar, took Amelia Island by surprise on June 25 of 1817 and hoisted the Venezuelan flag and the Green Cross of Florida in the Fort San Carlos of Fernandina once the Spanish garrison under the command of Brigadier Francisco Morales, to make the seat of government of the new Republic of Florida.

Short life

Once the republic was created, institutions were organized, authorities were appointed, and deadlines were set for those who did not like independence to sell their goods and leave the territory. On July 1 the republic was officially proclaimed in Jacksonville. Meanwhile Pedro Gual would draft a constitution. Upon being notified of the facts, Bolivar was pleased, preying on the Orinoco the schooner s American Tiger and Liberty , which served as support for transport of materiel and violating the Spanish naval blockade imposed by himself and seizing the goods carried on board and prompting the US intervention.

MacGregor held Amelia Island until he got more support from his patrons in September 1817. MacGregor and his ships headed for the Bahamas and left the island in the hands of the French privateer with Mexican patent Louis-Michel Aury, who declared it part of the Republic of Mexico. Taking advantage of his military experience, Aury organized a marine territorial defense to cut arms supplies from Havana.

The Spanish-American expedition: the end

The government of President James Monroe, alerted to the facts in Amelia Island, described them as an affront to their aspirations of annexing Florida, denouncing the nascent republic under the pretext of crushing international naval piracy and subduing the Indians that harassed the settlers from the neighboring Georgia. To expedite the approval of Congress President Monroe made use of incidents that led to its end, such as the fire at the Venezuelan ship Tentative for having invaded US waters.

The Spanish-American military operations began on December 22 when Commodore J. D. Henley and Major J. Bankhead informed Aury of their intention to take Amelia Island.

The next day, Andrew Jackson commanding troops from Galveston (Texas), took the entire island, expelling the expeditionary force from Fort San Carlos de Fernandina.

To reinforce the US victory and avoid retaliations that could serve as a pretext for any accusation of illegitimacy, Jackson was appointed as governor of Florida while buying the land, which legally belonged to the Spanish Crown.

Forgotten Legacy

The United States, once it had taken Florida, made a deal with Spain for the transfer of territory through the Adams–Onís Treaty signed on February 22, 1819. Florida subsequently became the 27th state of the United States on March 3, 1845.

Following the taking of Florida, the United States unsuccessfully tried to pay compensation for the collapse of the Orinoco schooners Tiger and Liberty ordered by Bolivar. President Monroe sent his delegate John Baptiste Irvine on July 12 of 1818 to discuss the matter in Angostura, but was treated with disdain by Bolivar (and in revenge for the rejection that the US government made to Lino de Clemente) arguing that the United States violated its neutrality by supporting the Spaniards, reproaching its abandonment of the ideals of freedom for which they had fought, attributing one of his quotes:

The United States seems destined by providence to be the plague of hunger and misery to America on behalf of liberty

After participating as a guest in the Congress of Angostura (February 15, 1819), Irvine returned to the United States; where he described Bolivar as "a charlatan general and political buffoon". Then the US government sent the then lieutenant (and future Commodore) of the US Navy Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794–1858), to demand the government of the Republic of Venezuela payment of compensation for the sinking of the ships Tiger and Liberty . Their demands were finally met by the then vice president of Venezuela, Francisco Antonio Zea; the capitulation was described by Simon Bolivar in Santa Fe de Bogota where he had triumphantly entered after the Battle of Boyacá as an act of humiliating weakness.

References

EWELL, Judith (1996): Venezuela and the United States: from Monroe's hemisphere to petroleum's empire . University of Georgia Press.
WED HOFFMAN, Jorge (2008): The Charter change History . Editorial Arte, S.A.

Notes

External links

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Republic of Florida (1817)

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