Source

State Archives of Florida, Collection N2013-6

Description

Letter written by an anoymous person to an unidentified recipient describing the activities of Richard Reid Keene, a resident of Maryland who was rumored to have been negotiating with the Spanish government to acquire portions of East Florida.

Date

1811-09-21

Format

Letters (correspondence)

Topic

Politics And Government

Subjects

Clark, Daniel
Espionage
Hamilton, Paul, 1762-1816
Keene, Richard Reid
Spies

Geographic Term

Florida
Cádiz (Spain)
Saint Augustine
Saint Johns County
Havana (Cuba)
Tampa Bay
Hillsborough County
Mexico, Gulf of

General Note

In March 1812, a group of Georgia settlers known as the Patriot Army invaded Spanish East Florida with de facto support from the United States government. They had hoped to convince the Spanish colonists to join them and declare Florida's independence from Spain. The attempt ultimately failed, but during the Patriot Army's temporary control of Fernandina, the group's leaders drew up this constitution and formed a government for what they called the Republic of East Florida.