Bernardo de Gálvez Takes the Initiative

When Spain declared war to Britain on June 21, 1779, the Spanish empire had been already supporting the American patriots for several years. Money and supplies were channelled both through Gardoqui & Sons, a Spanish firm with long standing commercial ties with Boston, and New Orleans from where they went up the Mississippi and then by land to George Washington’s Continental Army in the East. In order to prevent a British attack against Spanish Louisiana, Bernardo de Gálvez launched a pre-emptive strike against the ill-prepared and little defended British outposts of Fort Manchac (September 7, 1779) and Baton Rouge (September 21, 1779) that quickly surrendered. The next objective, Mobile, had stronger defenses so reinforcements were needed from Cuba. The high command on the island, however doubted both the operation, and the commander. More so, on January 1780, the Spanish forces that sailed from New Orleans were mostly wrecked by a storm. Despite this setback, Gálvez continued his march towards Mobile and after the arrival of the long-awaited reinforcements and supplies from Havana he was able to start the siege by late February 1780. On March 13, the Spanish artillery was able to breach Fort Charlotte’s walls and the British garrison surrendered.

Learning to Be an Officer and Tasting Defeat

In 1774, Bernardo de Gálvez was briefly assigned as captain in the Seville Regiment garrisoned in Cadiz and later was selected to study at the Royal Military Academy of Avila were promising young officers were prepared to become not only future generals but also high ranking officials in the Spanish civil service. The following year, Bernardo de Gálvez volunteered for the Spanish attack against the city of Algiers. Although it was a complete failure, it allowed him to distinguish himself. During the retreat he refused to withdraw until the last of his men was evacuated, even though he was seriously injured. At his return to Spain he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed as colonel of the Louisiana Fixed Infantry Regiment and acting governor of Spanish Louisiana.