What Was The Invasion Of Florida

May 8, 1988|By James C. Clark of the Sentinel Staff

Did the orders come from the president, or did the general make up his own orders and thereby deliver Florida to the United States? For more than 170 years, no one has been sure.

In 1817, Florida belonged to Spain, an aging power unable to control its colonies. Florida had become a refuge for escaped slaves, marauding Indians and U.S. criminals. Often they would carry out criminal acts in the United States, then slip into Florida.

Indians were responsible for murders in Georgia. Southern plantation owners complained about the loss of valuable slaves. Finally, Secretary of War John Calhoun said that the commanding U.S. general in Georgia, Edmund Gaines (as in Gainesville), could cross into Florida to attack Indians responsible for killing Americans.

Before Gaines could carry out the orders, he was replaced by Gen. Andrew Jackson, hero of the War of 1812. Jackson sent a note to President James Monroe, saying ''the possession of the Floridas is desirable to the United States, and in sixty days it will be accomplished.'' Jackson thought the note was clear: He would invade Florida and take it for the United States. Monroe said that wasn't part of his plan. He didn't pay much attention to the message anyway, merely passing it on to a Cabinet member.

Jackson invaded Florida, and seized a Spanish fort. He captured two Seminole chiefs and two British citizens. The men were tried by a military court. The court recommended 50 lashes for one of the British citizens, but Jackson ignored the court and ordered all four executed.

The British and Spanish expressed outrage. Congress demanded an investigation of the Jackson invasion. There was pressure on Monroe to disavow the attack and even to punish Jackson.

Instead, the Monroe administration went on the offensive. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams charged that it was the Spanish who had brought about the situation by not controlling their possession and allowing the British and Indians to use it as a base to cause trouble for the United States.

The ploy worked. The investigation was dropped. The Spanish position weakened; Spain let the United States have Florida. Monroe was re-elected; John Quincy Adams was later elected president, as was Andrew Jackson. Still a mystery remains: Did Monroe really intend for Jackson to invade Florida?

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