Source

State Archives of Florida, Collection N2013-6

Description

A petition signed by 105 citizens of the District of Elotchaway in the Republic of East Florida offering to cede their territory to the United States and provide military services to aid the U.S. in the War of 1812.

Date

1814-01-25

Creator

Dell, James
Greene, McKeene
Durrener, William

Format

Petitions

Topic

Politics And Government

Subjects

District of Elotchaway
Loyalty
Patriotism
Republic of East Florida

Geographic Term

Florida
Saint Augustine
Saint Johns County
Saint Johns River
Fort Mitchell (Alachua County, Fla.)

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.