siege siege action queen anne war november december conducted english provincial forces native allies command governor spanish colonial fortress spanish florida destroying coastal spanish communities north moore forces arrived november immediately began siege operations spanish governor advance warning arrival withdrew civilians food supplies fortress sent nearby spanish french communities relief english guns little damage fortress walls prompting governor moore send appeal jamaica larger guns spanish calls relief successful fleet sent havana cuba landed troops nearby december moore lifted siege day forced burn boats retreating disgrace background english spanish colonization efforts southeastern north_america began coming conflict early middle 17th century founding english charles town present day charleston south_carolina recently established province heightened tensions traders raiders new province penetrated spanish florida leading raiding expeditions sides governor threatened spanish english claims pensacola established spanish enforced blake death later year interrupted plans replaced news war opening war spanish succession arrived colonies moore proposed expedition spanish florida capital news war formal opening arrived moore convinced provincial assembly september fund expedition moore raised force colonists indians combination alabama warriors principally led chief named exact size forces varies source accounts provide numbers ranging strength sources colonists indians took force primarily indians went overland port royal command deputy governor moore embarked rest force boats forces joined port royal force landed known called spanish florida moore sailed built later years 17th century previous english raids demonstrated wooden fortifications address threat posed founding fortress fairly conventional star fort constructed soft limestone governor assumed command post natives friendly spanish heard recruitment word expedition reached october ordered town inhabitants fort food stores anticipation extended siege dispatched pensacola havana french mobile calls assistance refugees civilian population small number deemed capable military action estimated food provisions brought sufficient siege months duration men wanted battle english governor identified addition regulars europeans population fit action indians armed poor quality useless weapons black men slaves experience weapons consider indians estimated men entire force actually prepared battle consequently prepared siege principal concern training wrote service record lacked discipline slight knowledge guns mounted english approach forces landed began attacks northern end island midnight november killing spanish soldiers village advanced south driving southward flood refugees spanish troops island main settlements overrun day spanish process evacuating learned advance november sent men captain north instructions stand san_juan del puerto seven leagues saw key province news prompted able bodied men order available food fort river capture enemy soldiers indian november returned days later learned captives english brought months provisions brought smaller cannons pounders meantime moore sailed south fleet ships sent ahead main fleet blockade entrance south spotted fort november day main body fleet began arriving bar outside inlet prompted order frigates anchor fort guns outside bar unable cross eventually burned sixteen men joined fort garrison providing valuable gunnery skills force landed good progress small spanish force unable check english advance san_juan del puerto dispersed took days reach daniels continued advance entered town resistance november english ships crossed bar began landing men day english began close circle fortress spanish foraging expedition successfully drove head cattle english lines fort dry moat siege spanish guns opened fire english began siege preparations november older spanish cannon exploded day killing wounding days later ordered destroy portions town firing range fort according later accounts action destroyed worth property moore brought small cannon little impression walls fortress spanish guns longer range keeping forces bay november moore dispatched deputy governor jamaica larger cannons ammunition english continued digging siege trenches began firing fortress musket range november cannon fire continued little effect moore ordered town day including monastery cannon effective fort walls moore attempted deception gain entry fort december couple managed gain entry fort posing refugees apparently goal fort powder magazine suspicious behavior according account siege tortured admitting plot december english trenches closed fort point threatened nearby fields spanish collecting forage result ordered skirmish spanish casualties light killed wounded relief attempts spanish leaders san present day florida began received news siege short supplies appealed french mobile provided critical guns gunpowder pensacola garrison spared men relief force left december turned news received siege lifted december sails pair ships spotted approaching english records indicate ships spanish records english origin probably jamaica nature siege change arrival expedition jamaica having failed mission returned directly spanish pensacola eventually reported plight havana governor held war council december relief expedition organized detachment infantry command captain embarked small fleet headed general fleet arrived outside harbor december apparently believing siege land troops day governor men fort contact fleet landed raw recruits miles fort action prompted moore lift siege prepare retreat dispatched smaller ships block southern inlet trapping moore ships bay moore ordered remaining buildings town including church torch men departed north mainland rest crossed boats moore burned ships trapped bay retreated north eventually returning disgrace sent men english departure able recover english boats failed burn completely casualty reports sides varied historian notes numbers reported probably unreliable moore report listed men killed report claimed english force killed claimed killed wounded spanish contingent caused english cannon fire aftermath moore forced resign post governor failed raid cost province included owners loss ships caused riots moore contemporary critics accused executing raid purpose seizing slaves booty spanish characterized religious terms citing english provincial hatred moore continued active war leading small number large band indians destruction spanish missions florida english indian allies destroyed spanish mission communities reported indians left florida governor rewarded successful defense special king promotion prestigious desirable governorship series highly critical complaints general general failed destroy english fleet failed share taken ships burned english refused leave fleet assist protection town landed weakest effective troops bid avoid combat general sailed havana january barely week siege lifted governor convinced spanish raid coast revenge moore activities spanish french forces motivated organized died shortly departure attempted capture august attempts land forces successfully repulsed san subjected attacks war expedition destroyed communities provinces spanish florida recovered population following years unsuccessfully besieged forces underwent numerous renovations uses 18th 19th centuries managed national_park_service listed national_register_of_historic_places
Siege of St. Augustine (1702)