midnight
`` The British , however , were in possession of Fort St. Michael , over which their 's and the Spanish flags had been waving together until the day before , and as soon as the American flag of truce was seen approaching , it was fired upon from the fort by a twelve-pounder . `` Pierre returned to Jackson and reported these facts ; then Jackson sent to the governor a Spaniard whom he had captured on the way , demanding an explanation . `` The governor asserted that he knew nothing of the outrage , and promised that another flag should be respected . `` At midnight Pierre , sent again by Jackson , called once more upon the governor with a proposal that American garrisons should be allowed to take possession of the forts until Manrequez could man them with a sufficient number of Spanish troops to enable him to maintain the neutrality of his government against violations of it by the British , who had taken possession of the fortresses , it seemed , in spite of the Spanish governor 's protests , the American troops to be withdrawn as soon as the additional Spanish ones arrived . `` The governor rejected the propositions and before dawn three thousand of the Americans were marching upon Pensacola . They passed along the beach , but the sand was so deep that they could not drag their cannon through it . Then the centre of their column charged gallantly into the town , but on reaching the principal street they were met by a shower of musketry from the gardens and houses , while a two-gun battery opened upon them with balls and grape-shot .