Action Around Apalachicola Bay-- Part 10: Action After the Battle of New Orleans

Not knowing that the Treaty of Ghent  had been signed in December, Admiral Cochrane moved his forces back to Mobile and Prospect Bluff.  Just after his marines captured Fort Bowyer in a second attack at Mobile Bay, Cochrane got word of the Treaty of Ghent and began to withdraw from Mobile.

However, he left Nicholls and Woodbine  in command of the black Colonial Marines and Choctow Indians at the fort at Prospect Bluff.

The War of 1812 on the Gulf of Mexico began and ended at Apalachicola River.

But the departure of the Royal Navy did not end  the conflict with the blacks and Seminoles.  Attempts to recover Forbes & Company's losses during the three successive wars occupied Forbes and the Innerarity brothers for the rest of their lives, and led to the second largest Spanish  land grant in Florida's history.

Called the Innerarity's Claim of Searcy's  1829 map of Florida, the grant extended from Apalachicola to the Choctawhatchee River.  The story of how that land claim was settled  and the gradual decline of the John Forbes and Company's trading firm in the Territory of Florida is another story in itself.

--Brock-Perry

Action Around Apalachicola Bay-- Part 9: It's a Race to New Orleans Where Jackson Wins That Big Victory

After their defeat at Fort Bowyer, the British retreated to Pensacola, and Jackson determined to push them out of that place, even though it was technically neutral.  His forces reached Pensacola on November 6, 1814.  After the Spanish rejected his flag of truce,  he defeated the small garrison the next day in a brief skirmish.  One thing about Jackson, he never let a little thing like neutrality stop him.

In the meantime, the British pulled out of the city, destroying Forts Michael and Barrancas on the way.

Jackson  went back to Mobile, where he confirmed that the British force was heading for New Orleans.  Now that he was sure that Mobile was not the target, he  rode with his officers to New Orleans in ten days, with his army following later.  Partly because of the warnings of James Inneraritys, he arrived in New Orleans shortly before the British fleet.

He took command of the local militia, prepared the defenses and led his troops to that outstanding victory  at the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815.  (See the header at the top of the blog.)

--Brock-Perry

Action Around Apalachicola Bay-- Part 4: It Was a British, American and Spanish Thing

According to their British charter, the Forbes Company could operate under the flag of any country.  James and and John Innerarity had already obtained Spanish citizenship by residence without giving up their British, and thereby  were able to trade freely in Florida,

After the United States annexed Mobile in 1813, the Inneraritys applied for U.S. citizenship.  U.S. General James Wilkinson quartermaster purchased tools, bricks, lumber, food and office supplies from the company.  Through these favorable associations, the senior Forbes partners were becoming even closer to  Americans and more suspicious of British intentions.

The War of 1812 was already being fought between Nova Scotia and Washington, and now Forbes ships plying between Nassau and London were in jeopardy.

In July 1813, several delegations of Creek Indians, who were hostile to American encroachment, had arrived in Spanish Pensacola seeking gunpowder and firearms.  Led by Chiefs Peter McQueen and High Head Jim, about 300 men requested arms from the governor, Gonzalez Manrique, who refused their request.

--Brock-Perry