While Spain owned Florida in the early 1700s, Great Britain had lands on the
north Atlantic coast line. These two nations had overlapping claims from the St. Johns River, up to South Carolina. The slaves from Great Britain's territory fled to Spain's land for freedom. The Spanish took them in as long as they became Catholic and served as militia for the Spanish.
Fort Mose became a freedom home to those slaves who had escaped. African Americans came down the Atlantic coast to be in this Spanish settlement. (see Fort Mose-Underground Railroad connection). This flight of slaves to Florida was not welcomed by the English colonists who felt their economy could not survive without slave labor.
In September of 1739 war erupted between Spain and Great Britain. The governor and founder of the British colony of Georgia, General James Ogelthorpe, then decided that it was time to march on St. Augustine in May of 1740. The British first came to Fort Mose and the inhabitants briefly tried to defend their small outpost, but it was decided that everyone would retreat to St. Augustine for safety. The British then took over Fort Mose.
In June, 137 armed force was sent by Oglethorpe to stop Spaniards from foraging for food and horses outside the city. Oglethorpe, had brought in a great number of soldiers with him to Florida. The attack had combined forces of the 42 British regiment, the Highland Independent Company of Foot (Scottish), South Carolina militia, Georgia volunteers and Indian allies. Captain Hugh Mackay held the real command of the troops whom had settled in the abandoned Fort. A volunteer who held operational control was Colonel John Palmer. Conflicts between Palmer and Mackay and mistrust of South Carolinians and Georgians made for much fighting inside the Fort which was now held by the English.
Six months later, a combined force of Spanish
regulars, black militia and Indian allies planned to retake the fort. It was a
battle without mercy or prisoners, and would be referred to in English annals as
"Bloody Mose." Colonel Palmer knew the attack was
coming. He had fought against the Yammasee Indians (Spanish allies)
before. He knew that they would attack just before dawn. He got his troops up at 3:00am every morning to prepare for an attack. This attack came on the morning of June 26, 1740.
He told them to stay watching since they had heard the Indian war Dance. But,
knowing of the fights between Captain Mackay and Col. Palmer, most of the men
did not listen to Palmer, and went back to bed.
Then what happened was the Indians attacked with many simultaneous missiles creating a great hurry and confusion. Indians attacked in different groups while Col. Palmer kept telling soldiers not to give up.
Col. Palmer's attack plan was this: 1) wait till they shoot 2) half of the
soldiers shoot back and fall back 3) the rest of the soldiers come up and do the
same. But the Spanish were winning and moving on to reclaim Fort Mose. An Indian prisoner had informed the Spanish that he saw Col. Palmer dead with his head cut off.
During ferocious fighting, the fort was destroyed by fire.
After getting Fort Mose the Spanish had 34 prisoners and 68 dead.
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Also, thank you to Keith Young for helping us with this page.