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Florida Fiasco: Rampant Rebels on the Georgia-Florida Border, 1810-1815
Published in 1954, Rembert Patrick’s Florida Fiasco details the aggressive schemes developed by President Madison and Secretary of State Monroe in the attempted acquisition of Florida. Patrick shows that George Mathews’s influence over General John McIntosh inspired him to plan a revolt in east Florida in the hopes of turning the conquered territory over to Mathews. The plot was thwarted when Spanish minister Luis de Onis heard of the coming attack and appealed to the British. Thus begins the five-year attempt which was led in succession by George Mathews, David Mitchell, and Thomas A. Mitchell. Patrick’s account includes the plotting of undercover agents, manipulation of discontented nationals, denials by high officials, and adventurers seeking rich rewards.
- GenresHistory
370 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 15, 2021
Stop me if you've heard this one before.
The United States decides that some resource they want is inconveniently located in territory belonging to another nation. Since said other nation probably won't just hand over McGuffin!Resource (and diplomacy is for wimps), the US goes with the next obvious option and sends citizens into the territory to cosplay locals in rebellion, funding an uprising they somehow all expect to end well.
While I could be referring to any number of Central or South American countries (or Iran), the title of Rembert Patrick's Florida Fiasco makes it clear this particular piece of proto-Monroe Doctrine-ing took place a little closer to home. Patrick meticulously details the international power struggles which lead up to the 1812 Patriot's Rebellion in northeast Florida, focusing on the role of General George Mathews, a larger-than-life hero of the Revolutionary War and former governor of Georgia, who acted as a secret agent in President James Madison and Secretary of State James Monroe's Machiavellian machinations to seize East and West Florida from Spanish control.
Unpacking the context of this sub-conflict of the War of 1812 takes a bit of doing, and while the Patriot Rebellion itself mostly took place from 1812-1813, Patrick dedicates significant time and energy to outlining the political and social factors which contributed to it, including Mathews's first failed mission to win West Florida in 1811. He also offers a close look at life in St. Mary's, Georgia, where many of the conflict's major players resided before sallying forth to conquer East Florida (several, such as Zephaniah Kingsley and John Houston McIntosh, would play a role in Jacksonville history). From there he continues to a blow by blow of the political and military conflict and its aftermath, including the impact and involvement of local Native American tribes and freed Blacks.
The takeaway here, aside from the fact that the United States has always been on its bullshit, is how messy this entire effort was, and how quick the US government was to hang out to dry the "patriots" it had egged into rebelling. (Plus ça change, amirite?) While Patrick does not explicitly make the connection, it's also clear how the turmoil between the Spanish and Americans, who both attempted to strategically use the Native American population in their interests, contributed to the Seminole Wars which followed close on the heels of this conflict. The fearmongering by the US's agents in the Patriot Rebellion about the Spanish's use of Black troops similarly feels like it might have a long historical tail pointing toward the Civil War.
Despite being written in 1954, Patrick's Florida Fiasco remains a useful and largely inoffensive guide to a little known episode in American and Floridian history. While the initially inviting narrative style of the opening chapters eventually gives way to a more mechanical description of military conflicts, it's never less than clearly written and well organized. It also offers possibly the best footnote I've ever encountered, regarding Chatham Artillery Punch (look it up, y'all): "The Chatham Artillery of Savannah has had its name attached to the famous Chatham Artillery punch. One quart of this delightful, potent drink will knock out nine admirals and even make an assistant professor slightly tipsy." That alone is worth the price of admission.
The United States decides that some resource they want is inconveniently located in territory belonging to another nation. Since said other nation probably won't just hand over McGuffin!Resource (and diplomacy is for wimps), the US goes with the next obvious option and sends citizens into the territory to cosplay locals in rebellion, funding an uprising they somehow all expect to end well.
While I could be referring to any number of Central or South American countries (or Iran), the title of Rembert Patrick's Florida Fiasco makes it clear this particular piece of proto-Monroe Doctrine-ing took place a little closer to home. Patrick meticulously details the international power struggles which lead up to the 1812 Patriot's Rebellion in northeast Florida, focusing on the role of General George Mathews, a larger-than-life hero of the Revolutionary War and former governor of Georgia, who acted as a secret agent in President James Madison and Secretary of State James Monroe's Machiavellian machinations to seize East and West Florida from Spanish control.
Unpacking the context of this sub-conflict of the War of 1812 takes a bit of doing, and while the Patriot Rebellion itself mostly took place from 1812-1813, Patrick dedicates significant time and energy to outlining the political and social factors which contributed to it, including Mathews's first failed mission to win West Florida in 1811. He also offers a close look at life in St. Mary's, Georgia, where many of the conflict's major players resided before sallying forth to conquer East Florida (several, such as Zephaniah Kingsley and John Houston McIntosh, would play a role in Jacksonville history). From there he continues to a blow by blow of the political and military conflict and its aftermath, including the impact and involvement of local Native American tribes and freed Blacks.
The takeaway here, aside from the fact that the United States has always been on its bullshit, is how messy this entire effort was, and how quick the US government was to hang out to dry the "patriots" it had egged into rebelling. (Plus ça change, amirite?) While Patrick does not explicitly make the connection, it's also clear how the turmoil between the Spanish and Americans, who both attempted to strategically use the Native American population in their interests, contributed to the Seminole Wars which followed close on the heels of this conflict. The fearmongering by the US's agents in the Patriot Rebellion about the Spanish's use of Black troops similarly feels like it might have a long historical tail pointing toward the Civil War.
Despite being written in 1954, Patrick's Florida Fiasco remains a useful and largely inoffensive guide to a little known episode in American and Floridian history. While the initially inviting narrative style of the opening chapters eventually gives way to a more mechanical description of military conflicts, it's never less than clearly written and well organized. It also offers possibly the best footnote I've ever encountered, regarding Chatham Artillery Punch (look it up, y'all): "The Chatham Artillery of Savannah has had its name attached to the famous Chatham Artillery punch. One quart of this delightful, potent drink will knock out nine admirals and even make an assistant professor slightly tipsy." That alone is worth the price of admission.
August 28, 2023
Not sure I liked the organizations of chapters but a solid work nonetheless
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews