Every Hazard and Fatigue

The Siege of Pensacola was the longest siege of the war in North America. It was the final act of Bernardo de Gálvez’s remarkable Gulf Coast Campaign and stands out as a classic tale of warfare and sacrifice.

In the final years of the American Revolution, the military situation was changing from a dogged stalemate to a crisis that the British or the Americans could turn to their advantage. France’s entry as an active participant had highlighted the difficulties of the rebels’ new alliance, not its strengths. The successful British defence of Savannah in 1779 drew British eyes southwards, and in 1780, Charleston fell, and Gates’ southern army was crushed at Camden.

It was a perilous moment for the rebellious colonies. British dominance in the south would give them a strong strategic position from which to prosecute the war. A ray of hope came from Spain, which had entered the war as a French ally in 1779. From then until 1780, British possessions from the Mississippi and along the Gulf of Mexico suddenly came under threat from the daredevil Governor of Louisiana, Don Bernardo de Galvez. By 1781, Pensacola was the last British-held post in West Florida.

The British garrison in Pensacola was strong, and its commander, Major General John Campbell, was determined to defend his fort. If Gálvez’s campaign was typical of those undertaken by the likes of Amherst and Montcalm more than 15 years before, then the siege itself was also a model of eighteenth-century grit, fieldcraft and chivalry.

It was grim work, and both sides endured hardship and fatigue as the siege progressed. As Spanish reinforcements were slowly released from Havana, the British depended more and more on the assistance of loyalists and an auxiliary force of Creeks and Choctaws collected by their Indian Agents to oppose the Spaniards.

The story of the siege of Pensacola and the Spanish and Spanish-American part in the Revolutionary War represents a different side to the struggle; far removed from Redcoats and Patriots, it is also a story of great drama, colour and sacrifice that helped shape the character of the United States.

Historian René Chartrand says that Joshua Provan is ‘the first historian to really mix all the elements together and suggest the true military consequences of the siege on the War of American Independence. It has been mooted, but never this well demonstrated.

 

"… [T]he first historian to really mix all the elements together  and suggest the true military consequences of the siege on the War of American Independence. It has been mooted, but never this well demonstrated." René Chartrand, author of ‘Armies and Wars of the Sun King 1643-1715’

"Josh P.’s fine, refreshing work on the Spanish and their British opponents during the siege of Pensacola in 1781 gives us an easy read covering key aspects of the conflict in the New World. Josh’s insights are compelling, especially when it comes to prejudice and historical interpretation. He brings to light the many geographical, logistical, cultural, operational, and the geopolitical complications of the campaign and its impact on the British in western Florida. As Josh points out, this was achieved by a Spanish military, assisted by Native American nations, whom have routinely been dismissed outright for over two hundred years. Recommended!" Dr. Ed Coss, F.R.Hist.S., Emeritus Professor of History, U. S. Army Command and General Staff College

"A brilliant contribution to an understudied theatre of the American Revolution. Provan deftly combines primary sources with his narrative flare to create a work both informative and entertaining." Dr. Robbie MacNiven, author of ‘The Pattern: The 33rd Regiment and the British Infantry Experience During the American Revolution, 1770-1783’

"Joshua Provan’s book Every Hazard and Fatigue: The Siege of Pensacola, 1781 is a much-needed study of Spanish operations to wrest the important post of Pensacola from British control. Mr. Provan does not, however, give a narrative focused solely on the spring 1781 siege, but provides the reader with a larger view of Spanish involvement in the North American war as well as associated events within that nation’s colonial empire. As Every Hazard and Fatigue moves into 1781, Provan takes us into the siege itself, from the first troop landings to its sanguine conclusion, via a day-by-day recounting of events; along the way we meet many of the participants, male and female, for a ground-level view of the campaign. Every Hazard and Fatigue is a must-read for every serious student of the War of the American Revolution." John U. Rees, author of ‘They Were Good Soldiers’: African Americans Serving in the Continental Army, 1775-1783’

"In Every Hazard and Fatigue, Joshua Provan has given readers an exciting and thorough treatment of this important secondary theater of the American War. This study is grounded in research in both Spanish and English, and Provan consulted relevant archival documents in the United Kingdom. Provan provides a useful short volume on the Siege of Pensacola, which belongs on the shelf of wargamers, reenactors, and historical enthusiasts interested in the American War of Independence." Alexander Burns, editor of 'The Changing Face of Old Regime Warfare'

"....This is a readsable account of one of the lesser-known aspects of that war, with both sides facing challenges and opportunities." Miniature Wargames Magazine

“This book contained far more detail about the forces involved, including a nice Order of Battle appendix with pretty good numbers for the Spanish and a general number for the British.” Historical Miniature Gaming Society

"....An engaging and well researched read and excellent account of a little known but important campaign during the American Revolution. As such it is another valuable addition to Helion’s ‘From Reason to Revolution’ series.....This is not a run-of-the-mill book on the American Revolution with lines of Patriots and Redcoats blasting away at each other followed by a bayonet charge, but a focussed look at an important siege conducted by the Spanish under very difficult conditions which was to have an impact on the outcome of the war out of proportion to its size. This is a great addition to the series and anyone with an interest in the American Revolution could not go wrong by adding it to their library." carryingsonupthedale.com