Battle of Pensacola (1781)

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Battle of Pensacola
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Spanish grenadiers and Havana militia pour into Fort George. Oil on canvas, U.S. Army Center for Military History.
Date March 9 - May 8, 1781 Location Pensacola, Florida Result Decisive Spanish victory
Combatants
Spain	Britain
Commanders
Bernardo de Gálvez	John Campbell
Strength
7,000 regulars and militia	3,000 regulars, sailors, militia, and natives
Casualties
74 dead 198 wounded	105 dead 382 wounded 2,213 captured

Gulf Coast campaigns
Fort Bute – Baton Rouge – Fort Charlotte – San Fernando – Fort San Juan – St. Louis – Mobile – Pensacola

The Battle of Pensacola marked the culmination of Spain's reconquest of Florida from Britain during the American Revolutionary War. Commanded by Field Marshal Bernardo de Gálvez, Governor of Louisiana and architect of the successful Spanish campaign, a powerful flotilla of warships neutralized outer British defences and began an amphibious siege of the town on March 9. British Major General John Campbell clung to the sturdy defences of Fort George until Spanish artillery fire breached the ramparts on May 8 and struck a powder magazine.

[edit] External links

• The Patriot Resource: West Florida Campaign
• Revolutionary War: Pensacola, Florida