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Home , Castillo de San Marcos

9- N A f I O N A L MONUMENT the Mississippi separated Florida from Mex­ ear. The pickled ear, shown to Parliament, ico. The English were pushing into the decided Britain on war—the War of Jenkins' Georgia country. While engineers were Ear. modernizing the fort, building bombproof The Founder of Georgia, James Ogle­ Castillo de San Marcos rooms in 1738-39, hostile Indians were thorpe, swore to take St. Augustine or leave ranging to the very walls. "You know the his bones before its walls. From Fort Fred- terror men feel," wrote the Spanish governor, erica, Ga., he set out in 1740 with a Georgia- NATIONAL MONUMENT "when they even hear the name of Florida." Carolina attack force of 900 men and a fleet The province was a powder keg. The of 13 vessels. Awaiting him at St. Augustine spark to set off the explosion came from an were 4 swift galiots in the harbor, and 750 English vessel off the coast. men under Col. , the The well-preserved Spanish in Saint Augustine which played a major role Governor. While the British fleet blockaded the har­ in the Spanish-English struggle for the Southeast (1650-1750). The War of Jenkins' Ear bor to starve the , English gunners allowed only Spanish trade with her shelled the town, thinking to drive the popu­ When Spain conquered and colonized the a unified nation. When Columbus sailed colonies. Many British ships were seized as lation into the fort, where their cries would rich Caribbean country, this land of Florida, again in 1493, thousands of men were free to smugglers. One skipper claimed that Florida demoralize the defense. But as the Castillo being close to the route of the Spanish treas­ follow him to fame and fortune. By 1574 Spaniards boarded his ship and cut off his alarm bell rang, the 2,000 townspeople, ure ships, was coveted by France and Eng­ there were some 200 towns in tropical Amer­ land. Spain's power in Florida was cen­ ica, exporting hides, hemp, sugar, gold, sil­ The gunners' storeroom. tered at St. Augustine, and Castillo de San ver, and pearls. Marcos was the symbol of that power. By contrast, North America was a wilder­ The Americas slipped from Spain's grasp. ness. In 1561, King Philip forbade new tries But the grim Castillo, battered and besieged, at colonizing it. still mirrors those days of pikeman and mus­ Why, then, did a French colony named Florida a haven rather than a threat. That But in Virginia, the English gained a foot­ keteer. It is the real thing. Strong-stand­ , planted in Florida in 1564, colony survived flood, fire, and famine, to hold on the Spanish-claimed continent. The Castillo. ing walls, historically significant, bring the on the St. Johns River, change the course of grow for a time into the capital of a vast English traders, turning Indian enemies into 100, mostly Indian draftees. Day wages Carolinas (in 1686 and 1706) and Georgia past into the present, so that all may see— events ? wilderness domain. allies, crumbled the Spanish defense. Eng­ ranged from $3 for the engineer, to 12l/2 (in 1742) began here. It was the target for and understand. Like a menacing dagger, the Florida penin­ lish pirates again sacked St. Augustine in cents plus rations for Indian labor. death-dealing raids by pirate, Indian, or Eng­ sula thrust toward the heart of Spain's wealth. 1668. The Castillo was a good fort, and a hand­ lishman in 1683, 1704, 1728, and 1743; it The Richly loaded galleons sailed along the Flor­ A Link in the Caribbean Defense Chain The settlement of Charleston in 1670 some one. Its white-plastered walls stood was besieged in 1702 and 1740. Six serious Castillo de San Marcos was the northern­ ida coast in convoy for protection against brought the English still closer to Florida. on the site of an old Indian midden (shell threats inside of 60 years! most outpost of a vast in the pirates. They followed wind and current in Sir 's raid upon St. Augus­ To build a permanent defense against heap), near the town and opposite the harbor The baptism of fire came in 1702, during New World. Today, for half the people a great circle route, from Spain westward to tine in 1586 was a sign of the times—Eng­ these enemies, Queen Mariana of Spain at mouth, so that travelers by land or sea had Queen Anne's War. 's Gov­ of this hemisphere Spanish is the mother the Caribbean, then from , past Flor­ land's determination to destroy the Spanish last ordered money sent from Mexico City. to pass under its guns. A symmetrical or ernor with 500 men seized St. tongue. ida and eastward to home. To the Spanish, monopoly in the New World. No Spanish ship or settlement was safe. Spain tightened "regular" fort in the style developed by Italo- Augustine and unsuccessfully besieged the The Americas were discovered at just the Fort Caroline was a nest of pirates. So in Building the Fort Spanish engineers, it was well armed, and fort for 50 days. Before Moore left, he set right time for the Spanish. After years of 1565 they destroyed it. They established the convoys and built massive forts at key garrisoned with about 100 men. fire to the town. Later, the Spanish ringed fighting Moorish invaders, Spain was at last their own colony—St. Augustine—making harbors in the Caribbean. Construction of the Castillo began in 1672 St. Augustine, no wealthy seaport, had lit­ and lasted until 1696, almost 25 years. the town with strong earthworks to keep out tle more than palisaded earthworks. Its real Walls 30 feet high and up to 12 feet thick An Impregnable Fort in Its Day raiders. protection were the Franciscan priests, pa­ were built of a native shellstone called co- Moore also destroyed the Spanish missions The National Park System, of which this area is a unit, is dedicated to conserving tiently making converts among the Indians. Between 1650 and 1750 the Southeast was of Florida and carried off 1,400 Indians as the scenic, scientific, and historic heritage of the for the benefit and quina (ko-KEE-na). Mortar was made from It was realized that natives friendly to Spain in turmoil, and the Castillo was the hub slaves. The missions never recovered, nor inspiration of its people. shell lime. The labor crew, in addition to would be unfriendly to Spain's enemies. the Spanish artisans, usually numbered about of the action. Spanish forays against the did . For now the French on instead of fleeing to the fort, simply moved occupied it briefly, but left before Federal out of range! There would be no refugees troops arrived in 1862. The last real military to distract the soldier-defenders. use was as a prison during the Spanish- The fort suffered only slight damage. A American war (1898-99). In 1924, Castillo Spanish sortie destroyed a camp of Scotch de San Marcos was established as a national Highlanders. Oglethorpe gave up after the monument by Presidential proclamation un­ Castillo de defenders, desperate from hunger, fought der the jurisdiction of the War Department. through the blockade to fetch food from In 1933, it was transferred to the National Havana. Park Service. Two years later, a Spanish reprisal was turned back near Georgia's Fort Frederica. About Your Visit San Mareos The War of Jenkins' Ear was a war of fail­ Included in Castillo de San Marcos Na­ ures, both here and in the Caribbean. The tional Monument are the masonry fort, sur­ real decision was delayed until the Seven rounded by and outworks, and the city Years' War (1755-62), wherein Britain gate which once formed part of the old town ousted France from North America and at wall. A small fee is charged for entrance to last gained Spanish Florida by treaty (1763). the fort ramparts, rooms, and museum exhib­ Under Four Flags its, which are open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Guide service is free. The British period in Florida lasted only 20 years. Then another treaty turned Florida Administration back to Spain. During the interval, the leading to the . American Revolution broke out, and although Castillo de San Marcos National Monu­ the Castillo was not in action, its British ment is administered by the National Park The courtyard. prison held famous "rebels" such as Brig. Service of the United States Department of Gen. , Lieutenant Gov­ the Interior. A superintendent, whose ad­ ernor of South Carolina. dress is Box 1431, St. Augustine, Fla., is in The second Spanish occupation of Florida immediate charge. (1783-1821) was marked by border unrest Mission 66 and an influx of Georgia and Carolina set­ tlers. Spain finally ceded the troublesome Mission 66 is a program designed to be territory to the United States. completed by 1966 which will assure the Through much of the 1800's, the fort was maximum protection of the scenic, scientific, a military prison. In 1837, during the Semi­ wilderness, and historic resources of the Na­ nole War, the Indian leader, Wildcat, led an tional Park System in such ways and by such escape from here; in later years several hun­ means as will make them available for the dred Indians from the Southwest were im­ use and employment of present and future prisoned at the Castillo. Confederate forces generations. NATIONAL MONUMENT UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FLORIDA STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary , Conrad L. Wirth, Director REVISED 1961 (Cover) The watch tower. U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1961—O-569ST0