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

Action Around Apalachicola Bay-- Part 8: Warning Jackson

WARNING JACKSON ABOUT NEW ORLEANS

Unknown to the British, an American merchant in Havana, Vincent Gray, had learned the invaders planned to  capture cotton bales stored at New Orleans and sell the stolen goods in Liverpool.  Under international law at the time, officers could profit from prize money received for items seized  in war.  It is estimated that 4 million pounds worth cotton, sugar, hemp, tobacco and ships could be seized  at New Orleans, far more than was available in Mobile.

Gray overheard conversations with Nicholls, commander of the Royal Marines, and learned the first British attacks would be on Pensacola and Mobile.  Alarmed at the rumors he was hearing, Gray wrote three letters of warning, that he sent to Secretary of War James Monroe, Gov. William Claibborne of Louisiana and the Forbes partner in Mobile, James Innerarity.

Although his loyalties were torn, James Innerarity  knew the British might loot his stores as war prizes, and decided that the American defenders needed to be warned of these planned attacks.  James requested an interview with Andrew Jackson, and showed him Gray's letter.  By this stroke of fortune, Jackson learned of the British attack on New Orleans four months before the invasion began which gave him time to prepare.

--Brock-Perry

Action Around Apalachicola Bay, Florida-- Part 6: The War Comes to the Gulf Coast

In July 1814, a second British fleet anchored at Havana, Cuba,  and the Royal Marine commander, Lt. Col. Edward Nicholls, attempted to persuade the Spanish governor general, Ruiz Apodaca, , to allow British troops to defend Florida against the Americans.  Spain was neutral in the conflict, and although Apodaca  did not protest British troops on the Apalachicola River, he demanded the British stay out of Pensacola.

Nicholls departed for Apalachicola in August , only to find Woodbine had left Prospect Bluff for Pensacola in an effort to get fresh provisions for his Indian and black recruits.  Nicholls followed immediately to Pensacola., and was given permission to occupy Fort St. Michael (former Fort George and Fort San Miguel depending on who had control of it).

However, he alienated Spanish citizens by taking military control of the town and recruiting slaves into the marines.

News of the British advances along the Apalachicola River reached Andrew Jackson, and he moved his headquarters to Mobile on August 21, 1814.  That city was defended by the newly-built Fort Bowyer located on a sand spit east of the entrance to Mobile Bay (present side of Fort Morgan).

--Old Secesh

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