Stephen Champlin's Post War Service-- Part 3: The 1838 Patriot War

In 1838, during the Patriot War, he was put in command of the military force that was sent, along with the steamers Robert Fulton and New England, to prevent  the developing  invasion of Canada by private forces.
These forces had as their goal, the liberation of Canada from the yolk of British colonialism.  That the Canadians did not want to be free was overlooked by these men so the U.S. government found it necessary  to head off the invasion before it caused another confrontation with Britain.

On January 25, 1838, Champlin's ships broke through the ice of Buffalo Creek and proceeded up the lake.  They captured many of the "deluded liberators" and averted further bloodshed.

(I'd never heard of this incident, but there is a big article in Wikipedia about it.  There was also a Patriot's War in East Florida back during the War of 1812.  The steamer Robert Fulton mentioned here was not a U.S. Navy ship, but a steamer chartered by the U.S. government, as was the New England.  There were also two U.S. Navy ships named the USS Fulton, neither of which was this Robert Fulton ship.)

--Brock-Perry

Georgia's John Floyd-- Part 2: St. Marys and the Patriot War

At the beginning of the War of 1812, John Floyd commanded a force at Point Peter at St. Marys in Camden County.  He was asked by General George Matthew, special agent during the Patriot War, to have his militia ready to overthrow the Spanish government in East Florida.

In October 1812, Floyd, with 120 volunteers reached New Camp Hope in East Florida where he encountered Seminoles (who the Spanish government had enlisted their aid).  The Americans ran out of supplies and many got sick, forcing a withdrawal.

Creek Indians, allied with Britain, began attacking American settlements in eastern and central Alabama and western Georgia.  Those Indians from the Upper Creek Towns were known as the Red Sticks and were especially bad.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Sappho-- Part 2: Battle With Gunboat No. 168

The Sappho was commissioned in 1807.  On March 13, 1812, it fired shots at U.S. Navy Gunboat No. 168at Fernadina, Florida, several months before the War of 1812 was declared.  The Sappho had intervened at Fernadina to enable the loyalist merchant vessel Fernando (or Fernandeno) to leave the port of Fernadina, Florida.

This was a very mismatched battle with the Sappho having a huge gunnery edge and Gunboat No. 168 soon drew out of range.  With the 168's withdrawal, several other merchant ships were able to escape from Fernadina.

With U.S, President James Madison and Georgia Governor George Matthews approval, a group calling themselves the Patriots of Amelia Island had seized the island and Fernadina and at first raised their flag, but then the American one.

American gunboats under the command of Commander Hugh Campbell helped maintain control of the island and locked down the port, causing the Sappho's intervention.

--Brock-Perry

Thomas A. Smith, U.S. Army in Patriot War-- Part 1

From the FortMose.com site.

On Wednesday, I blogged about the First Regiment of U.S. Riflemen being commanded by Lt. Col. Thomas A. Smith in the attack on Fort Mose outside St. Augustine, Florida.

Thomas Smith was born in Essex County, Virginia in 1781 and his family later moved to Wilkes County, Georgia (also an area tied up with the George Matthews, governor of Georgia and commander of the Patriots).

He was appointed from Georgia (no mention of appointed to what, but here I imagine he was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point) and promoted to 2nd lieutenant in 1803.  Smith advanced through the ranks to Lt. Colonel by 1810 and was appointed to the rank of colonel while doing duty in Florida.

After Florida, he joined General Harrison's army and served in the Armies of the North, rising to the rank of brigadier general in January 1814.

--Brock-Perry

The Patriot War and Fort Mose-- Part 2

In March, these forces seized Fernadina on Amelia Island, right on the Georgia border.  Next order of business was to capture St. Augustine, further south.

On April 12, 1812, the First Regiment of U.S. Riflemen under the command of Lt. Col. Thomas A. Smith, occupied Fort Moosa (Fort Mose) near St. Augustine.  The Spanish attacked and drove Smith back to an encampment further from St. Augustine.

On May 11, 1812, the Spanish set fire to the fort to prevent it being reoccupied by the Americans in another attempt at taking St. Augustine.

--Brock-Perry

The Patriot War and Fort Mose-- Part 1

From the FortMose.com site.

Beginning January 1811, a clandestine attempt was made by the United States to take Florida from its Spanish rulers.  A secret Act was passed by Congress "to enable the President of the United States, under certain contingencies, to take possession of the country lying east of the river Perdido, and south of the State of Georgia and the Mississippi Territory [East Florida] and for other purposes."

U.S. citizens in Georgia were recruited to start an apparent rebellion in Spanish settlements.  This was done to provide a pretext for U.S. troops to be sent in to restore order.

Only, they were to remain there and claim the land for the country.

--Brock-Perry

The War of 1812 in Florida-- Part 8: Occupation of Fernadina

On 15 May 1812, the British brig HMS Sappho fired on Gunboat No. 168 which had fired on a loyalist merchant vessel in Fernadina to prevent her from leaving.  Outgunned, the American gunboat withdrew from the area and this enabled other vessels to escape.

Spanish pressure caused the American government to withdraw its support and the Patriots withdrew from Amelia Island and Fernadina in 1813.  To prevent this from happening again, the Spanish erected Fort San Carlos on the island in 1816.

--Brock-Perry

The Republic of Florida

From the Florida Memory Blog.

In March 1812 a group of Georgia settlers organized themselves as the Patriot Army and had the defacto support of the U.S. government for the invasion of Spanish East Florida where they hoped to get settlers there to join the cause and proclaim their independence from Spain.  Once this was accomplished, it was the Patriots intention to transfer control of their new republic over to the United States.

They seized Fernadina, on the northeast corner of the Spanish colony without firing a shot. Their next target was to be St. Augustine, farther south.  They approached the Spanish city but couldn't get it to surrender.

Over the next several months, the Patriots fought several skirmishes against the Spanish. the Seminoles and their black allies.

They abandoned the project in early 1813.

Florida remained in Spanish hands for now.

--Brock-Perry

The War of 1812 in Florida-- Part 7: The Patriot War

The beginning of the so-called Patriot War, with the complete approval of U.S. President Madison happened on March 13, 1812 when Georgia George Matthews insurgents known as the "Patriots of Amelia Island" seizing Amelia Island and Fernadina on Amelia island in Spanish Florida.

They raised the Patriot flag, but soon replaced it with the flag of the United States.

American gunboats, under the command of Commodore Hugh Campbell maintained control.

--Brock-Perry

The Battle of Fort Peter, Georgia-- Part 2: Patriot War of East Florida

The first fort in the area was probably Fort St. Tammany built in 1794.  It may have been called Fort Gunn.

The military at Point Peter were responsible for enforcing tariffs and protecting the southern border of the United States with Spanish Florida.  In 1809, a new fort was approved which became Fort peter.

The importance of this post is exemplified by the fact that in 1811, eleven of the Navy's 165 gunboats were stationed there.

In 1811, Fort Point Peter (as it was also called) was commanded by Lt.Col. Thomas Adam Smith.  he was ordered to assist an American takeover of Spanish Florida if a rebellion or invasion took place.  However, the garrison did not get involved in the Patriot War of East Florida.

(I've never heard of this war.)

--More to Come.  --Brock-Perry