Post by Radrook Admin on May 28, 2020 17:43:08 GMT -5
SPAIN'S ROLE IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Although only France is given all the credit for helping the American Patriots in their efforts at winning independence from Great Britain, Spain also played a very crucial part in their success. The three ways in which it helped were by giving and lending money, sending war material, and European military leaders to America; and opening a second front.
Money loaned, money given
Spain provided: money loaned, money given;
First were two million livres in hard currency and war materiel. In that way, the United States currency, referred to as the Continental, was secured by Spanish silver dollars.
Then Spain loaned the patriots, $74,087.00, via Patriots Oliver Pollock and Thomas Willing another second amount of , $174,011.00 was given to John Jay, United States Emissary to Spain.
The Spanish Alta California sent the American Patriots $4,216.00.
War Material and Experienced Military Leaders
Spain also provided war materiel and sent European military leaders to the Patriots through a fake world trading company. Also the Bourbon Kings of Spain and France each provided one million livres to start the company in May 1776, six weeks before the Declaration of Independence. This helped the Patriots during the Battle of Saratoga
Another military front
Spain also relieved pressure on the Patriots by establishing an additional military front against the British as soon as war was declared in 1779, Governor of Louisiana, Count Bernardo de Galvez, received orders to take back forts the Spanish had lost to the British in 1763. September 6, 1779, Galvez took Ft. Bute at Manchas in the Mississippi River Valley with no losses to Spain.
www.americanrevolution.org/hispanic.php
The fort at Baton Rouge was captured on September 20.
Galvez next secured the peaceful surrender of Natchez October 5.
Galvez captured Mobile, West Florida.
He attacked Pensacola in 1781 was on land and sea
The Spanish navy was kept the English in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico from reinforcing Cornwallis at Yorktown October 1781.
Information confirming Spain's role in the American Revolution can be found in the acts and proceedings of the Continental Congresses recorded by Charles Thomson.
Additional material is available in the Library of Congress, National Archives, National Historical Park Service and university and private collections.
Spanish sources include California Mission Archives and Archivos General de Indies, Seville, Spain.
Additional material is available in the Library of Congress, National Archives, National Historical Park Service and university and private collections.
Spanish sources include California Mission Archives and Archivos General de Indies, Seville, Spain.
Information is based on this article:
SPAIN'S ROLE IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN
by Dr. Mildred Murry and Chuck Lampman
www.americanrevolution.org/hispanic.php