William J. Worth-- Part 5: The Havana Club Plan and Death

In 1848, William Worth was approached by  a group of Cuban Freemasons known as the Havana Club, composed of  sugar plantation owners and aristocrats, who wanted the overthrow of the island's Spanish government.  They sent a college professor named Ambrosio  Jose Gonzales to ask Worth to lead an invasion of Cuba at the head of American Mexican War veterans.

Knowing that Worth was also a Freemason, Gonzales greeted the war hero with the Masonic secret handshake, and offered him $3 million.  Worth accepted the offer, but before anything could come of it, he was transferred by the War Department to Texas.

He was in command of the Department of Texas  when he died of cholera in 1849 in San Antonio.

The general's body is buried at Worth Square in New York City.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Mose Historic State Site, Florida-- Part 3

A wall was built around the settlement with dwellings inside it.  An earthen fort was also constructed.

It is believed that Fort Mose's existence was a big reason for the South Carolina Stono Rebellion in September 1739.

In 1740, James Oglethorpe led a retaliatory British attack and siege on Fort Mose, but was defeated by a combined force of Spanish, Indians and free black militia.  The fort, however, was destroyed and Oglethorpe retreated back to Georgia.  The Fort Mose inhabitants then stayed in St. Augustine until 1752 when the fort was rebuilt and blacks relocated there.

East Florida was ceded to the British by the Treaty of Paris ending the Seven Years War (French and Indian in North America) in 1763 and most blacks around St. Augustine migrated to Cuba which was still a Spanish possession.  At that time it was estimated that the black population of Fort Mose and St. Augustine numbered around 3,000 with about 1/4 being free.

--Brock-Perry

The Short Career of the Sloop of War USS Frolic

From Wikipedia. 

One of a three-class group of sloops of war that also included the USS Peacock and USS Wasp, the Frolic cost $72,095 and was built at Charlestown, Massachusetts. Launched 11 September 1813, 509 tons, 119 feet long, 170 crew and carried 22 guns. 

On 18 February 1814, set out to sea under Cmdr. Joseph Bainbridge (younger brother of Commodore William Bainbridge) and cruised to the West Indies. On March 20th, it destroyed a British merchant ship and a Spanish-American privateer. On April 3rd, it sank another British merchant ship. 

On April 20th, while in the Florida Strait it was spotted by the 36-gun frigate HMS Orpheus and 12-gun schooner HMS Shelburne, who gave chase. The Frolic lightened ship by throwing guns and other items overboard, but was still captured after a six hour chase about 15 miles from Cuba. 

The British Admiralty purchased it and it became the HMS Florida until broken up in 1819. 

One Ship, Two Navies. --Brock-Perry

HMS Statira-- Part 3

JUNE 26TH, 1813: The Statira and Martin (The Two) capture the American ship Carl Gustoff

JULY 1-2ND: The Two capture and destroy three sloops

JULY 22ND: The Two arrive at Halifax from the Chesapeake Bay

AUGUST 13TH The Statira captures the schooner Petty

AUGUST 24TH: Statira captures schooner Espoz y Mine

SEPTEMBER 1, 1813: The Statira and Nymphe arrive at Halifax after cruise.

OCTOBER 29TH: Departs Halifax

JULY 13TH 1814: Arrives Portsmouth, England, from Jamaica

OCTOBER 16TH: Left Portsmouth

OCTOBER 25TH: Ordered to join convoy to North America

NOVEMBER 1ST 1814: Sails for America.


FEBRUARY 26, 1815: Sank off Cuba.

A Busy Ship-- Brock-Perry

British Lively-Clas Frigates-- Part 3: HMS Statira

This one was accidentally listed as the HMS Satira in the Wikipedia article.

The HMS Satira was launched in 1807 and accidentally wrecked off Cuba in 1815. The Wreck Site says that in 1815, the Statira was commanded by Captain Swaine and sailing with a convoy from Bermuda to Ile Dauphin to join Sir Alexander Cochrane in February 1815.

It struck an uncharted rock off Cuba on February 26th and sank within 30 minutes, but all aboard were saved.

--Brock-Perry