siege pensacola siege pensacola separate attempts english supported creek indians capture town fortress pensacola major settlements spanish florida attacks north american theater war spanish succession resulted burning town caused indian population flee fort repeated attacks siege august resulted destruction town fort san successfully resisted onslaught late november second expedition arrived unsuccessful attacks consecutive nights withdrawing pensacola governor garrison depleted disease recruited convicted criminals assist fort defense background english spanish colonization efforts southeastern north_america began coming conflict early middle 17th century spanish population florida time fairly small founding 16th century spanish set network missions primary purpose local indian population convert roman catholicism founding english charles town present day charleston south_carolina recently established province heightened tensions early 18th century traders like established alliances creek indians upper rivers draining gulf_of_mexico supplied arms purchased slaves animal traders penetrated spanish florida leading raiding expeditions sides governor threatened spanish english claims pensacola established spanish enforced french founder mobile january warned spanish commander pensacola properly arm indians engage vigorous defense english incursions spanish territory offered equipment supplies purpose attempt expedition creek resulted rout spanish allies october shortly news war bringing england war spanish succession arrived failed english assault spanish mission towns severely reduced numerous raids led indians spanish mission network french organized expedition failure motivated authorities target spanish pensacola french mobile proposed major expedition attack intending recruit indians capture mobile political divisions prevented execution plan siege pensacola command don exact size garrison known authorized strength garrison rarely reached strength owing difficulty recruiting soldiers viewed highly undesirable posting fairly high rate reported garrison numbered having reduced events garrison housed fort san austria wooden fort built extant records describe composition forces attacked pensacola august south_carolina traders siege began august arrival band indians began indians living town outside fort took prisoners including women children began burning houses governor fired fort cannons scattering attackers captives managed escape fort confusion days later men sent fort laundry disappeared august estimated indians appeared fort engaged battle lasting hours day attack resumed town activity 18th english flag raised house near fort prompted open fire fort beginning battle dark day attackers burned rest town men work prevent fort burning marked end active assaults fort area range fort guns unsafe month number people disappeared ventured far vicinity second siege second siege began arrival november contingent traders creeks primarily day englishman unidentified spanish reports possibly brought demand surrender written english read sent away demand eventually transmitted rejected demand garrison depleted disease began attack fort midnight lasted point delivered final surrender demand refused order supplement forces successfully recruited held fort participate defense offering freedom money service nights renewed attacks fort significant effect night november leading creek chiefs killed apparently broke morale siege lifted following morning attackers reported suffered significant casualties word attacking force reached french mobile november governor raised force indians reached pensacola december learn siege lifted week earlier aftermath attacks major assaults pensacola war continued minor skirmishes indians fled returned reducing pensacola little garrison governor learned escaped english hands mobile targeted attack improved mobile defenses outpost attacked village attacked french force mobile captured pensacola spanish war quadruple alliance returned spain war location fort san austria occupied construction began late 18th century
Siege of Pensacola (1707)