Galvez

On February 20, 1777, Bernardo de Galvez, was secretly instructed by the ministers of the King of Spain to sell American revolutionaries desperately needed supplies.

When we think of the American fight for independence against Britain, our memories are focused on the initial clashes in Massachusetts, dramatic incidents like the crossing of the Delaware, Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown, and George Washington's leadership, but significant events occurred along the Mississippi River and the Gulf coast.  I refer, of course, to the Gulf of Mexico.  And Bernardo Vincente de Galvez y Madrid, governor of Spanish Louisiana during those times, was a critical player in ensuring American independence.

Born in Spain in 1746, by the age of 16 Galvez was a soldier, serving in the invasion of Portugal before coming to Mexico, part of New Spain, in 1769, where he led campaigns against the Apaches.  Returning to Spain, he was badly wounded in an attack on Algiers.  On January 1, 1777, Galvez became governor of Spanish Louisiana.  Spain had acquired the territory from France in 1762, and its largest town, New Orleans was dominated by French families.  Reportedly an outstanding administrator and charming man, Galvez quickly endeared himself to the top families in New Orleans by marrying the Creole daughter of a prominent citizen later that same year.

In April 1777, George Morgan, commander of the American garrison at Fort Pitt (modern Pittsburgh) sent a letter via the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to Galvez offering American trade in exchange for aid to the revolutionaries.  Having already received instructions from Spain, which wanted to undermine Great Britain, Galvez responded in August 1777 by sending ammunition, arms, and provisions along with a letter informing Morgan that, "I will extend . . . whatever assistance I can but it must appear that I am ignorant of it all". 

For the next two years, Galvez ensured a flow of supplies.  Given the British blockade of much of the Atlantic Coast this became an important supply route for the Americans.  The Governor also worked with Oliver Pollock, the Continental Congress agent in New Orleans to supply George Roger Clark in his successful expedition to capture British forts in the Illinois country and support American raiders in West Florida.

In 1779, Spain joined France in its war against Britain and Galvez could now act openly.  Later that year he put together a force of several hundred men, an conglomeration of Spanish soldiers, German and French settlers, free Blacks, slaves, and Choctaw Indians to capture the British forts at Natchez and Baton Rouge, ensuring the Mississippi would stay open.  Galvez followed that up by seizing the British fort at Mobile in March 1780, after which he was promoted to Major General, and capturing Pensacola in May 1781, a triumph which eliminated the British presence in Florida.  With the Spanish fleet now in complete control of the Gulf, the French fleet was free to operate in the Atlantic, a campaign which culminated in its victory against the British navy at the Battle of the Chesapeake which, in turn, made the ultimate victory at Yorktown possible.

With the end of the war in 1783, the King made Galvez a Count, Governor of Cuba, and captain general of Louisiana and West Florida.  In 1785 he became the Viceroy of New Spain, the most powerful official in Spanish America.  Unfortunately, he became ill and died the next year, only forty years old.

Galveston, Texas is named after Bernardo de Galvez.  In 1976, the United States erected an equestrian statue of Galvez in Washington, and in 2014 Galvez became one of only eight persons to approved by Congress as an honorary American citizen.(1) 

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(1)  The remaining seven include two other figures from the Revolution, the Marquis de Lafayette and Casimir Pulaski.  The other five honorees are William and Hannah Penn, the founders of the Pennsylvania colony, Raoul Wallenberg, Mother Teresa and, the first recipient, Winston Churchill.