José Masot

José Masot, also known as José Fascot, was a Spanish soldier and commander who was Governor of West Florida from March 8, 1816 - May 26, 1818. He was West Florida's governor through much of the First Seminole War, until he was deposed by American general Andrew Jackson and replaced with William King. He also was subdelegate of the Intendant and superintendant general in Florida.^[1]

Biography

José Masot was born between the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. He joined in his youth to the Spanish Navy, where his talent in the Army promoted him to the post of Colonel.^[2] He was appointed governor of West Florida in March 8, 1816 (or in 27 Nov 1816, according the sources^[3]). During his governorship there was an uprising of black slaves, which was severely punished.^[4]

He governed West Florida during the First Seminole War, during which United States forces entered the region repeatedly. On November 11, 1817 several officers and cadets of the Infantry Regiment of Louisiana´s Fixed, met in Pensacola, in home of Lieutenant Henry Grandpre, and they decided to kill the governor and give the command to commander Luis Piernas or to of artillery coronel Diego Vera. The plot was discovered, but Masot send news of what happened to Captain General of Cuba (in the Spanish empire, Florida was governed by Cuba) who suspected him of a certain relationship between the conspirators and the American troops that had entered the territory of the Apalachicola and whose number is estimated at nearly 4,000 men. He feared that it would produce a similar situation to produced in Baton Rouge and Mobile. In May 24 of 1818, the Americans occupied the square of Florida's capital, Pensacola and, after a confrontation with gunfire, that lasted several days, Masot gave up and he formally handed West Florida to the armed forces of United States in May 26, 1818. in fact, the Spanish commander gave all he had. With the capture of Pensacola, Andrew Jackson ended his campaign and Colonel William King was appointed as governor of West Florida and American troops returned to the U.S^[5]

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