University of North Florida UNF Digital Commons All Volumes (2001-2008) The sprO ey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry 2003 "If the Spanish Would But Join" The orF gotten Implications of Spanish Involvement in the American Revolution Allison Coble Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ojii_volumes Part of the History Commons Suggested Citation Coble, Allison, ""If the Spanish Would But Join" The orF gotten Implications of Spanish Involvement in the American Revolution" (2003). All Volumes (2001-2008). 98. http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ojii_volumes/98 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the The sprO ey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry at UNF Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Volumes (2001-2008) by an authorized administrator of UNF Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Digital Projects. © 2003 All Rights Reserved "If the Spanish Would But Join" military strategy divided and therefore The Forgotten Implications of weakened Britain's forces through Spanish Involvement simultaneous battles in the Americas and Europe. Spain joined the war because in the American Revolution American independence coincided with Spanish interests, yet its economic and Allison Coble military contributions influenced the course Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Michael Francis, of the American Revolution. Assistant Professor of History Relations between Britain, France and Spain as they existed on the eve of the Spain's Forgotten Role in the American revolution evolved over hundreds of years. Revolution There were numerous wars preceding the revolution, and the eighteenth century found The participation of other countries is a strengthening alliance between France and generally absent from most American Spain. The century began with the War of recollections of the Revolutionary War. The Spanish Succession. By the close of the war stories of the War of Independence in 1713, branches of the Bourbon Family generally invoke images of the young held the French and Spanish thrones. They colonies rebelling against the British shared a common enemy in Great Britain, monarchy, but how could a small strip of who became more powerful during the war. colonies break away from Britain unaided? The British increased their territory by Acknowledgement is given to the seizing Minorca and Gibraltar from Spain. French, if only briefly, for their presence at They also secured limited trading rights in the Battle of Yorktown, but Americans tends Latin America, which became a cover for to forget that France was the first ally of the black market and contraband trade in the United States. Even less attention is given to Spanish colonies.' another European county that aided the war Relations with Britain soured further effort. Although rarely mentioned in during the Seven Years War, which ended just textbooks, Spain played an important role in thirteen years before the United States America's War of Independence. declared its independence. France and Spain As a major colonial power in the experienced great losses in the war while Americas, Spain did not enter the war Great Britain made strong gains. Spain because its King believed that the British joined France in the war as part of the Third colonies had an inherent right to Family Compact of 1761, an agreement independence. However if the United States between the Bourbon houses of France and gained its independence, British colonial Spain. They agreed to combine forces against boundaries would be pushed further away Great Britain to defend their possessions, and from Latin America. The war also provided neither side would negotiate peace without a renewed opportunity to reclaim lands lost the consent of the other. 2 to Great Britain, including Florida, Minorca The brief involvement in the Seven and most importantly, the Rock of Gibraltar. Years War went badly for Spain. Eight American independence frequently seemed months after its official declaration of war, to hinge on possession of Gibraltar. Perhaps the British navy seized Cuba. British vessels if Britain had not held on to it so tightly, the also attacked and raided Spanish ships in war could have ended differently. the Caribbean. An estimated eleven million While initially participating in secret, dollars was lost due to the raids. 3 France Spain contributed weapons, supplies and faired even worse. By the end of the war, it money to fund the war. Then after formally lost most of its colonial possessions in the declaring war on Great Britain, the Spanish Americas. Canada fell to the control of 168 Osprey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry Great Britain, and France gave Louisiana, Despite these ambitions for the course which included all of its territories west of of the war, Spanish officials wanted to the Mississippi River, to Spain. Meanwhile participate secretly in the early years of the Britain expanded its North American conflict. Spain had to protect its own territories even further by extending their interests, namely its Latin American western boundary to the east coast of the colonies. To openly aid the revolution of Mississippi River, and the British secured British colonies could inspire subsequent the right to navigate the river: Britain also rebellions in Latin America. Officials were took control of Florida after Spain offered it also concerned about risking the loss of in order to recover Cuba. 5 Cuba or other territories in another war with The Treaty of Paris, which ended the Britain.' To safeguard Spanish interests by war, addressed another point of growing appearing to be neutral while still furthering conflict between Britain and Spain the revolution, Spaniards set up a network involving Central America. The British of agents among the British in the Americas established lumber operations in the area, and, most importantly, a method of and there were increasing numbers of funneling greatly needed supplies and skirmishes between the English and money into the colonies. Spanish. The British black market was also By the end of the war, the amounts of active in the region. With the treaty, Spain Spanish currency going into the United was forced to agree to no longer interfere States through New Orleans were so with the English settlements.6 extensive that Spanish money was Despite these gains by Britain, the commonly seen throughout the colonies.9 Seven Years War ultimately resulted in the However Spain's initial contribution was revolt of its American colonies. Sparked by made in collaboration with France. In an increase in taxes to pay for Britain's war November of 1775, the Continental expenses, the American Revolution provided Congress established the Committee of a weakness that Spain and France could Secret Correspondence to solicit foreign aid, exploit. For Spain, the opportunity to push particularly from France and Spain.lo In Britain away from Latin America was too response, the foreign ministers of the two great to ignore. Louisiana provided a buffer countries set up the dummy company between the Spanish and British colonies, Roderique Hortalez et Cie in May 1776 but if the Americans gained their with one million livres in weapons and independence and Spain reclaimed Florida, supplies donated from each country. the southern boarder of the British Through this company, which was located territories would be pushed to Canada. in Paris but operated out of the Dutch Even before the United States declared Antilles, the two countries laundered money its independence, secret negotiations began and supplies to the American cause. I I It between the colonies, France and Spain. remained in operation until France and During these negotiations Jose Monillo y Spain officially entered the war. Redondo, the conde de Floridablanca, By the end of 1776, Spain was using outlined what Spain expected for entering the New Orleans to directly supply the war. Spain wanted to recover Gibraltar, American government. The Spanish city was Minorca and Florida, all of which were lost initially used for this purpose after General to Great Britain in previous wars. Spain also George Gibson led a band of men from Fort planned to seize British-held Jamaica and the Pitt to New Orleans, taking a route down the Bahamas and to eliminate all British Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Gibson settlements on the east coast of Mexico, operated under the direction of the Honduras and Campeche, which were centers Committee of Secret Correspondence. They of illegal trade and smuggling operations.' collected nine thousand pounds of Osprey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry 169 gunpowder at a Spanish establishment up the increase in British military activity on the river from' New Orleans. To avoid any Mississippi River. 17 suspicion by the British who had settlements In addition to the regular shipments, the along the Mississippi River, Louisiana's American government collected additional governor, Don Luis de Unzaga, placed money and materials from New Orleans Gibson under arrest. He was soon released when needed. For instance, in the Spring of and put on a vessel with more supplies. 12 1778 approximately thirty American troops Later that year, a Royal Order released traveled down the Ohio and Mississippi on December 24, 1776, declared that all Rivers to New Orleans, raiding British involved Spanish officials, specifically the settlements imd plantations along the way. governors of Havana and Louisiana, were to The expedition was organized by the give gunpowder and weapons to the Continental Congress as a way to retrieve Americans via free merchant ships.I3 In more supplies from New Orleans. To response, Jose de Galvez, the Minister of reinforce Spanish claims of neutrality, the Indies, implemented a plan for monthly Galvez notified his commanders on the river shipments of weapons, gunpowder, that English settlers fleeing the American ammunition and clothing. The shipments, troops could use Spanish establishments as which began in May 1777, routed the places of refuge. He also secretly informed supplies from Spain to Cuba and then to another commander to accept any New Orleans.