What do you think?
Rate this book
Spain and the Independence of the United States: An Intrinsic Gift
The role of Spain in the birth of the United States is a little known and little understood aspect of U.S. independence. Through actual fighting, provision of supplies, and money, Spain helped the young British colonies succeed in becoming an independent nation. Soldiers were recruited from all over the Spanish empire, from Spain itself and from throughout Spanish America. Many died fighting British soldiers and their allies in Central America, the Caribbean, along the Mississippi River from New Orleans to St. Louis and as far north as Michigan, along the Gulf Coast to Mobile and Pensacola, as well as in Europe. Based on primary research in the archives of Spain, this book is about United States history at its very inception, placing the war in its broadest international context. In short, the information in this book should provide a clearer understanding of the independence of the United States, correct a longstanding omission in its history, and enrich its patrimony. It will appeal to anyone interested in the history of the Revolutionary War and in Spain’s role in the development of the Americas.
330 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2004
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 11, 2016
The international and diplomatic aspects of the American Revolution have long been one of my favorite subjects to study. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most under-appreciated subjects covered by historians. Most histories of the revolution treat the diplomatic aspects as if their editor had to force force them to write about it: the result is a general lack of serious research into the topic, which results in an under-appreciation of the effect that global power politics had on the revolution’s outcome.
Until the spring of 1779, Spain had been a bystander, courted by France to enter the war and by Britain to stay neutral. Spain was in an excellent position to blackmail both sides. The Spanish accepted a mediating role if she was given Gibraltar (facetiously described by the Spanish as “that pile of stones”). When Britain refused, the Spanish called for peace congress, but without waiting for Britain to reject the terms, Spain went ahead and signed a treaty with France.
Unlike France, Spain never bothered to sign a treaty with the US, and went ahead trying to capture Pensacola and Gibraltar, while engaging in various naval battles with the British. They also supplied the US with a great deal of arms and uniforms.
Chavez’s book gives us a great picture of the war from a global standpoint, but it is based solely on Spanish sources. It would make sense to tell this story from Spain’s viewpoint as well as that of its allies and enemies, but it’s not a huge issue. Still, a fascinating introduction to an under-appreciated topic.
Until the spring of 1779, Spain had been a bystander, courted by France to enter the war and by Britain to stay neutral. Spain was in an excellent position to blackmail both sides. The Spanish accepted a mediating role if she was given Gibraltar (facetiously described by the Spanish as “that pile of stones”). When Britain refused, the Spanish called for peace congress, but without waiting for Britain to reject the terms, Spain went ahead and signed a treaty with France.
Unlike France, Spain never bothered to sign a treaty with the US, and went ahead trying to capture Pensacola and Gibraltar, while engaging in various naval battles with the British. They also supplied the US with a great deal of arms and uniforms.
Chavez’s book gives us a great picture of the war from a global standpoint, but it is based solely on Spanish sources. It would make sense to tell this story from Spain’s viewpoint as well as that of its allies and enemies, but it’s not a huge issue. Still, a fascinating introduction to an under-appreciated topic.
September 21, 2024
"Spain and the Independence of the United States" covers Spain's role in the War of Independence, showing how Spain's naval and financial support was pivotal to American victory. Covering both diplomatic and military relationships, the book shows Spain's efforts across the southern United States, Central America, and Gibraltar. I wish there had been just a little more coverage of the Caribbean context, but this would have involved more coverage of French (as opposed to Spanish) efforts. Nevertheless, strongly recommended for anyone wanting to understand the broader geopolitical setting of the American Revolution.
October 15, 2025
I sorely wanted to read this book on account of it being Hispanic Heritage Month, and because it is a subject that is worth drawing attention to in our contemporary United States. Hispanic history is grossly underappreciated in this country, particularly where it is relevant to the development of the US, and Spain's contribution to American Independence could be a powerful corrective to our contemporary xenophobia towards Latin America.
Unfortunately I was rather disappointed with this book. I think I'll start by reviewing its strengths, and then continue on to what I consider to be its shortcomings.
To start with, this book is heavily focused on the Galvez dynasty. This was made up of Jose and his brother Matias Galvez, and the latter's son Bernardo. Enormous careful attention is paid to the careers of these three men, as well as many other Spanish officials, especially the Governor of Cuba, Navarro, and the Spanish strategist Saavedra.
What I really enjoyed was the amount of attention paid not only to Bernardo Galvez's capture of Pensacola, which is a legendary and well-known episode during the American Revolution, but also to almost entirely forgotten episodes such as the British attack on St. Louis, and the Spanish attack on Fort St. Joseph. The average American might be surprised to hear that Spanish troops were once as far north as Michigan.
Much attention is given to these campaigns in the West, which is much appreciated given the typically exclusive focus on the Eastern seaboard in most convention historians of the American Revolution. England and Spain fought for this vast empty region and England lost, a matter of no small import during the peace treaty.
The second aspect that I really enjoyed was the close examination of the war in Central America. I had a dim idea of the struggle for Omoa, but I was unaware that the stakes England and Spain were playing for in this region were much higher.
England was making a real bid for supremacy in Central America, even attempting to cut the Spanish Empire in half at the isthmus of Panama, and British incursions penetrated as far as Lake Nicaragua. Chavez says the more fantastical British strategists envisioned a canal through Lake Nicaragua and Lake Monagua to the Pacific. A proto-Panama Canal, in other words.
I am not sure how serious the British were about attempting to dredge this, as the idea had been floated before, for example by Columbus himself even. But the Spanish never attempted it and one wonders if the British were any more committed.
Whatever the case, the Spanish undoubtedly won a signal victory in Central America after they repulsed the British invasion and then threw the British back into the sea. Matias Galvez even took the island of Roatan, an impressive feat indeed.
We learn much about the diplomatic maneuvering of Aranda and Floridablanca, about Galvez's capture of Mobile, and even a bit about the Spanish occupation of the Bahamas and the controversy of Miranda and Cagigal, the former of whom was driven by this episode into opposition against Spain.
Interestingly, a brief section devotes some space to the Tupac Amaru rebellion in Peru, and how this weakened the Spanish at a critical juncture. This demonstrates the wider context of the war and how it was truly global.
As a final little treat, we learn about the origin of the US dollar and its connection with Spanish money. Truly Spain's legacy will endure for a long time to come on this basis alone, and we're left in no doubt that the Spanish people and their colonies sacrificed much to fund the Continental Army and bring the war home to England. We are left in no doubt that Spain's intervention was crucial to American success, and independence would not have been achieved without it.
Now for the weaknesses. This book was almost painfully repetitive at many points. We hear over and over and over again that Bernardo Galvez is Jose Galvez's nephew. I must have seen the word uncle four hundred times. Similarly, we are told again and again that it was critical to acquire Florida and Pensacola, and that Spanish objectives included Florida, Jamaica, and Gibraltar. Was it really necessary to repeat this ad nauseam?
My biggest complaint is that there's about three hundred pages of core text, and we do not get to a Spanish declaration of war on England until almost two-hundred pages in. Only one-third of the text deals with Spain actually at war with England.
The preceding pages are mostly caught in Spanish activity in the West, Spanish preparations (again we read over and over that Spain was 'about' to declare war, yet page after page goes by and she still hasn't), and above all with Spanish finances. It seems to me that Chavez is much more interested in accounting than in military subjects. Which is fine, it's just I'd personally prefer less talk about how Oliver Pollock raised however many dollars on credit to buy however many barrels of gunpowder, and more talk about actual fighting between the Spanish and British.
Given that only a third of the book is devoted to the actual war between Spain and England, the more minute details in the military operations are lacking. The sections on Pensacola and Central America are wonderful and I think they were the highlight of this work.
But very short shrift was given to the siege of Gibraltar, and only a few lines were devoted to the Armada of 1779. The latter is a subject of particular interest to me and I was very much hoping for more information.
Naval warfare in general is not particularly well-covered. We learn nothing about Ushant, only hints about Cape Spartel or attacks on convoys. Nothing about privateers. We are given an enormous build-up over the planned invasion of Jamaica, but then never really told why it did not happen (de Grasse's defeat at the Saintes is mentioned, but a casual reader might be confused why this prevented an invasion of Jamaica indefinitely).
This is, perhaps, not surprising, and a gripe that is rather personal since my own interest revolves around seapower. It is not, however, a very well-known subject and general histories tend to gloss over it. I can't fault Chavez too much for this.
All in all I had mixed feelings about this book. I had believed that there would be a closer focus on military operations between Spain and England, which are almost entirely unknown in American historiography. It is noteworthy that the notes for the section on Central America contain almost no English-language sources. This section is a real contribution to our knowledge of Spain in the American War of Independence.
On the other hand, the first two-thirds of the book were meandering, entangled in such subjects as the Galvez dynasty and financial transactions. On such things as the Spanish providing food to British civilians in Florida, on Spanish interpretation of maritime law in New Orleans regarding whether some ships should or should not be allowed, and whether this was a violation of Spanish neutrality.
To be sure the financial aspects and the supplies provided by Spain are important links in the story of Spain's contribution. It needed to be said that Spain funded the Yorktown campaign, for example. But do they really require two-thirds of a book this length? One could argue the point, but it's not quite what I anticipated when I picked the book up.
We might also quibble over some of Chavez's conclusions. He makes strange assertions such as that Spain possibly possessed the most efficient government during the war. This is a bold statement given Spain's reputation for government inefficiency. Surely Charles III had made enormous improvements, but Spain was more efficient than England or France? Chavez also insists on referring to Charles III as Carlos, which is technically correct but somehow gratuitous in my opinion.
Chavez takes issue with the conclusions of some historians. For example over the Fort St. Joseph expedition, which he thinks was more than just an unsanctioned raid. He questions Barbara Tuchman's position on the importance of the Dutch, and her opinion of Spain. He questions Richard Morris in his conclusions about John Jay and the integrity of the Spanish diplomats. He takes a decidedly pro-Spanish line in all of these questions, which may reflect a certain bias.
I think this book is extremely valuable and important for teaching Americans the importance of Spain to their final success of the American Revolution. Chavez in his preface says it best when he points out that Hispanic-Americans can be proud of their contribution to American history which dated from the very beginning. This is a great necessity in our current climate.
But for those who want to learn more about the actual military operations, especially those at sea and in Europe (Gibraltar), this book leaves one unsatisfied. I will say that Chavez provides a solid bibliography, though, and I look forward to reading books such as Weddle's French Thorn in a Spanish Sea, and Troy Lloyd's Anglo-Spanish Struggle For Mosquitia.
Unfortunately I was rather disappointed with this book. I think I'll start by reviewing its strengths, and then continue on to what I consider to be its shortcomings.
To start with, this book is heavily focused on the Galvez dynasty. This was made up of Jose and his brother Matias Galvez, and the latter's son Bernardo. Enormous careful attention is paid to the careers of these three men, as well as many other Spanish officials, especially the Governor of Cuba, Navarro, and the Spanish strategist Saavedra.
What I really enjoyed was the amount of attention paid not only to Bernardo Galvez's capture of Pensacola, which is a legendary and well-known episode during the American Revolution, but also to almost entirely forgotten episodes such as the British attack on St. Louis, and the Spanish attack on Fort St. Joseph. The average American might be surprised to hear that Spanish troops were once as far north as Michigan.
Much attention is given to these campaigns in the West, which is much appreciated given the typically exclusive focus on the Eastern seaboard in most convention historians of the American Revolution. England and Spain fought for this vast empty region and England lost, a matter of no small import during the peace treaty.
The second aspect that I really enjoyed was the close examination of the war in Central America. I had a dim idea of the struggle for Omoa, but I was unaware that the stakes England and Spain were playing for in this region were much higher.
England was making a real bid for supremacy in Central America, even attempting to cut the Spanish Empire in half at the isthmus of Panama, and British incursions penetrated as far as Lake Nicaragua. Chavez says the more fantastical British strategists envisioned a canal through Lake Nicaragua and Lake Monagua to the Pacific. A proto-Panama Canal, in other words.
I am not sure how serious the British were about attempting to dredge this, as the idea had been floated before, for example by Columbus himself even. But the Spanish never attempted it and one wonders if the British were any more committed.
Whatever the case, the Spanish undoubtedly won a signal victory in Central America after they repulsed the British invasion and then threw the British back into the sea. Matias Galvez even took the island of Roatan, an impressive feat indeed.
We learn much about the diplomatic maneuvering of Aranda and Floridablanca, about Galvez's capture of Mobile, and even a bit about the Spanish occupation of the Bahamas and the controversy of Miranda and Cagigal, the former of whom was driven by this episode into opposition against Spain.
Interestingly, a brief section devotes some space to the Tupac Amaru rebellion in Peru, and how this weakened the Spanish at a critical juncture. This demonstrates the wider context of the war and how it was truly global.
As a final little treat, we learn about the origin of the US dollar and its connection with Spanish money. Truly Spain's legacy will endure for a long time to come on this basis alone, and we're left in no doubt that the Spanish people and their colonies sacrificed much to fund the Continental Army and bring the war home to England. We are left in no doubt that Spain's intervention was crucial to American success, and independence would not have been achieved without it.
Now for the weaknesses. This book was almost painfully repetitive at many points. We hear over and over and over again that Bernardo Galvez is Jose Galvez's nephew. I must have seen the word uncle four hundred times. Similarly, we are told again and again that it was critical to acquire Florida and Pensacola, and that Spanish objectives included Florida, Jamaica, and Gibraltar. Was it really necessary to repeat this ad nauseam?
My biggest complaint is that there's about three hundred pages of core text, and we do not get to a Spanish declaration of war on England until almost two-hundred pages in. Only one-third of the text deals with Spain actually at war with England.
The preceding pages are mostly caught in Spanish activity in the West, Spanish preparations (again we read over and over that Spain was 'about' to declare war, yet page after page goes by and she still hasn't), and above all with Spanish finances. It seems to me that Chavez is much more interested in accounting than in military subjects. Which is fine, it's just I'd personally prefer less talk about how Oliver Pollock raised however many dollars on credit to buy however many barrels of gunpowder, and more talk about actual fighting between the Spanish and British.
Given that only a third of the book is devoted to the actual war between Spain and England, the more minute details in the military operations are lacking. The sections on Pensacola and Central America are wonderful and I think they were the highlight of this work.
But very short shrift was given to the siege of Gibraltar, and only a few lines were devoted to the Armada of 1779. The latter is a subject of particular interest to me and I was very much hoping for more information.
Naval warfare in general is not particularly well-covered. We learn nothing about Ushant, only hints about Cape Spartel or attacks on convoys. Nothing about privateers. We are given an enormous build-up over the planned invasion of Jamaica, but then never really told why it did not happen (de Grasse's defeat at the Saintes is mentioned, but a casual reader might be confused why this prevented an invasion of Jamaica indefinitely).
This is, perhaps, not surprising, and a gripe that is rather personal since my own interest revolves around seapower. It is not, however, a very well-known subject and general histories tend to gloss over it. I can't fault Chavez too much for this.
All in all I had mixed feelings about this book. I had believed that there would be a closer focus on military operations between Spain and England, which are almost entirely unknown in American historiography. It is noteworthy that the notes for the section on Central America contain almost no English-language sources. This section is a real contribution to our knowledge of Spain in the American War of Independence.
On the other hand, the first two-thirds of the book were meandering, entangled in such subjects as the Galvez dynasty and financial transactions. On such things as the Spanish providing food to British civilians in Florida, on Spanish interpretation of maritime law in New Orleans regarding whether some ships should or should not be allowed, and whether this was a violation of Spanish neutrality.
To be sure the financial aspects and the supplies provided by Spain are important links in the story of Spain's contribution. It needed to be said that Spain funded the Yorktown campaign, for example. But do they really require two-thirds of a book this length? One could argue the point, but it's not quite what I anticipated when I picked the book up.
We might also quibble over some of Chavez's conclusions. He makes strange assertions such as that Spain possibly possessed the most efficient government during the war. This is a bold statement given Spain's reputation for government inefficiency. Surely Charles III had made enormous improvements, but Spain was more efficient than England or France? Chavez also insists on referring to Charles III as Carlos, which is technically correct but somehow gratuitous in my opinion.
Chavez takes issue with the conclusions of some historians. For example over the Fort St. Joseph expedition, which he thinks was more than just an unsanctioned raid. He questions Barbara Tuchman's position on the importance of the Dutch, and her opinion of Spain. He questions Richard Morris in his conclusions about John Jay and the integrity of the Spanish diplomats. He takes a decidedly pro-Spanish line in all of these questions, which may reflect a certain bias.
I think this book is extremely valuable and important for teaching Americans the importance of Spain to their final success of the American Revolution. Chavez in his preface says it best when he points out that Hispanic-Americans can be proud of their contribution to American history which dated from the very beginning. This is a great necessity in our current climate.
But for those who want to learn more about the actual military operations, especially those at sea and in Europe (Gibraltar), this book leaves one unsatisfied. I will say that Chavez provides a solid bibliography, though, and I look forward to reading books such as Weddle's French Thorn in a Spanish Sea, and Troy Lloyd's Anglo-Spanish Struggle For Mosquitia.
March 15, 2018
I bought this book at the Castille de San Marcos gift shop while I was visiting Saint Augustine, FL earlier this year. Between that visit and a program I watched on Saint Augustine on PBS prior to the trip, I'd developed an interest in Spain's American colonies. This book didn't cover that interest, but it truly opened my eyes to Spain's part in our country's independence, a role much bigger than I was aware of. Chavez shows us parts of the American Revolution we don't learn about in History class. He explores how Spain, allied with France, worked to overextend Great Britain, turning Britain's involvement in America into a wider global conflict, regaining territories lost previously and checking British expansion in the Caribbean and Central America. He introduces us to personalities we don't learn about in school who played key roles in our independence. There is a so much to learn from this book.
Spain and the Independence of the United States: An Intrinsic Gift is a fascinating and extraordinary book. It's well written, compelling, and well documented. It isn't often that you read a book that gives you so much new insight into a topic you think you know a lot about. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in not just the American Revolution but Amercian History in general. The information in this book deserves exposure in at least high school History classes and I'd suggest that this book as required reading in advanced US History courses.
Spain and the Independence of the United States: An Intrinsic Gift is a fascinating and extraordinary book. It's well written, compelling, and well documented. It isn't often that you read a book that gives you so much new insight into a topic you think you know a lot about. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in not just the American Revolution but Amercian History in general. The information in this book deserves exposure in at least high school History classes and I'd suggest that this book as required reading in advanced US History courses.
October 3, 2013
Excellent addition to US and World History. This should be required reading for all US high school students and all advanced History students. Provides a "world view" of the events surrounding the American Revolution, a view so often ignored by our writers of history. A telling set of examples that historical events NEVER occur in a vacuum nationally or especially internationally, something our politicians, statesmen/women and military leaders ignore at OUR peril.
July 22, 2022
A gift from a friend of mine in Spain. This historical book sheds light on the activity and actions of Spain that with out doubt aided the US in gaining our independence from Britain. The majority of this information was absent from my US History classes on the subject. Be sure to check out the epilogue for the history of our dollar sign $.
Read
August 2, 2011El tema es interesante pero el tratamiento que le da el autor es demasiado superficial, y lo que podría ser un magnífico libro de historia se queda un entretenido repaso a la participación española en la guerra de la independencia norteamericana.
March 27, 2014
A well researched book that delves into the role Spain played in helping the United States gain its independence. Many pictures of primary documents from the Spanish archives are included and the footnotes are extensive.
November 22, 2009
Much more interesting than the other books I had to read for my Diplomacy class. Perhaps because it wasn't written by your typical stuffy university-historian?
January 20, 2025
The scope of Spain's contribution to the American Revolution's success and the United States' inception is surprisingly unknown, and the reason for it is the enigmatic informational void in historical literature. So, when I came across Chaves' book during my research, I was very pleasantly surprised, and more so because I found his narrative engaging, his work well researched and the subject, in general, well framed.
If I may be a little picky, I missed a deeper insight into Spain's personal challenges at the time to better understand why "her Démarchés were mysterious" as John Adams would put it. Initially, her massive financial and material support was kept secret—for good reasons—with the result it is completely neglected by history. It is little known, for instance, that Spain had her own secret channel opened directly with George Washington to provide, among other, military intelligence from the very start. Then, when circumstances allowed her to officially join the war efforts, it was done—for good reasons—as support to France, rather than directly to the colonies. This has resulted in Spain being portrayed as France's "little helper", rather than the vital ally who helped deliver victory. So, fascinating episodes like John Adams visiting Spain during the war to check on navy operations under the disguise of an emergency landing, or John Jay, the President of Congress at the time and later the first Supreme Court Justice of the United States, spending two years in Spain during the war, also arriving under deceptive means, and keeping some of his dealings secret even from Congress, before heading to Paris to compose the peace treaty, have gone largely untold.
All this said, Chaves' book is a breath of fresh air and a great place to start if you are interested in knowing more about the American Revolution's place in the broader geopolitics of the 18th century and the "forgotten" ally whose contribution was as pivotal as it is unknown.
If I may be a little picky, I missed a deeper insight into Spain's personal challenges at the time to better understand why "her Démarchés were mysterious" as John Adams would put it. Initially, her massive financial and material support was kept secret—for good reasons—with the result it is completely neglected by history. It is little known, for instance, that Spain had her own secret channel opened directly with George Washington to provide, among other, military intelligence from the very start. Then, when circumstances allowed her to officially join the war efforts, it was done—for good reasons—as support to France, rather than directly to the colonies. This has resulted in Spain being portrayed as France's "little helper", rather than the vital ally who helped deliver victory. So, fascinating episodes like John Adams visiting Spain during the war to check on navy operations under the disguise of an emergency landing, or John Jay, the President of Congress at the time and later the first Supreme Court Justice of the United States, spending two years in Spain during the war, also arriving under deceptive means, and keeping some of his dealings secret even from Congress, before heading to Paris to compose the peace treaty, have gone largely untold.
All this said, Chaves' book is a breath of fresh air and a great place to start if you are interested in knowing more about the American Revolution's place in the broader geopolitics of the 18th century and the "forgotten" ally whose contribution was as pivotal as it is unknown.
December 16, 2021
A well documented exploration of Spain's role in our War of Independence, as well as the global nature of the conflict.
June 15, 2024
Quite thorough, which can make it a bit dense and dry at times. At other times it is very readable and concise.
A complaint as a layman I have is what is the context for this? Amounts of money are pledged, but how much was pledged by France? Or the other countries?
I knew that the French were involved in the war of independence, but I really had no idea what Spain was doing during this period. Now I have a better view of both how and why.
A comprehensive overview of whole revolution is out there I'm sure, I need to read that.
The very brief final words about how the US never paid its debts to Spain and that everything that Spain tried to stop happening to it's own colonies wound up happening is a terrific twist of fate.
A complaint as a layman I have is what is the context for this? Amounts of money are pledged, but how much was pledged by France? Or the other countries?
I knew that the French were involved in the war of independence, but I really had no idea what Spain was doing during this period. Now I have a better view of both how and why.
A comprehensive overview of whole revolution is out there I'm sure, I need to read that.
The very brief final words about how the US never paid its debts to Spain and that everything that Spain tried to stop happening to it's own colonies wound up happening is a terrific twist of fate.
November 9, 2010
A good book on the AWI that does not concern itself with the 13 colonies but what is happening on the periphery including Florida, the Mississippi valley and Central America.
From my point of view it could do with more on the military operations.
But it is a good book for expanding ones horizons about the AWI
From my point of view it could do with more on the military operations.
But it is a good book for expanding ones horizons about the AWI
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews