Buenos Noches everyone, sorry for the long wait yet again and for not responding to your comments. I had hoped to get this next chapter done quickly, however, I've been kinda stuck writing and rewriting it. In fact, I've got another update on Florida coming real soon because of all of what I just couldn't finish yet, but I'll probably jump somewhere else first then back to Florida. Nevertheless, the next part of the East Floridan adventures of George Walton are here, now with 200% more flags!
Also, real quick, I'll answer those questions.
- How much of West Florida will Florida own? Given that American control over the territory now known in OTL as Mississippi and Alabama is more theoretical than anything I think they could get a favorable border there.
- Is New Savannah going to be Florida’s Capital? I like the idea of a prominent city being named “Georgetown” for Walton.
1. This was why I didn't answer the questions earlier, I had hoped to answer it with this update. West Florida won't snag much, but the Ejército Verde will play a vital role in the disputed regions.
2. New Savannah will be the Capital, but it's going to be renamed Waltonia in honor of Mr. Walton. Georgetown is a good name too though, I'm nicking it for something else in Florida.
What’s the current scoop on good old Gilbert I?
I've jumped a bit back in time, so at this point he's still the Marquis de Lafayette. But, Prince Gilbert will play a role in Floridan affairs soon enough.
And, on with the update!
"This damned land is hardly worth fighting over. I'd sell my crown for a shilling if somebody would actually be willing to buy it."
--George Walton II
When the Cuban garrison returned to Havana on May 3rd, Captain-General Cabello was deep in hot water. Cabello had been transferred to Cuba from Texas, and during his governorship of Texas Cabello had abused his position and it was coming back to bite him. Those who had suffered his abuse had taken their protests to Viceroy of New Spain Flórez, leaving Cabello under a lot of scrutiny. When the Cuban garrison returned, Cabello knew that he would likely suffer the blame as many of the grievances listed by the East Floridans resembled those of the Texans.
And so, Cabello did arguably the only thing he could do: quitely shelve the issue for a later date. However, for as much as both Cabello and Céspedes were happy just forgetting about the whole affair, and for four months, they were successful. However, Viceroy Flórez wasn’t able to be kept in the dark indefinitely.
When the Viceroy heard of what happened, it came in a distorted manner. Flórez believed that Walton had seized total control of East Florida and was holding Céspedes hostage. Fearing that Walton might turn East Florida over to the British, Viceroy Flórez sent 300 regular soldiers from New Spain to East Florida. As for Cabello, Flórez would formally request his replacement but otherwise took no action in response to Cabello’s failures.
News of the Viceroy’s army arrived in St. Augustine through rumours brought by a trader six days before their arrival however their intent was misunderstood. Governor Céspedes was informed that the army was coming to arrest him for treason. Céspedes was distraught and horrified, Céspedes was always loyal to Spain and had done what was in his eyes the best he could do to serve King and Country. Devastated and out of his right mind, Céspedes was swayed by Walton to allow for New Savannahan militia to “defend” Céspedes from false arrest.
When the Viceroy’s army arrived in St. Augustine on September 11th, there was confusion about the actual state of affairs. The Cross of Burgundy, the longstanding symbol of Spain’s Empire flew in the city and yet as the troops began to disembark, it became obvious that the militiamen in the city were Americans not Spanish. The events which actually started the fight between the Americans and Viceroyal soldiers are unknown, Spanish accounts claim that an American fired upon the Spanish soldiers unprovoked, while American accounts claim that one of the Viceroy’s soldiers struck an American militiaman, prompting the exchange of blows that rapidly boiled over into fighting between the two groups.
Regardless whether it was an American or Spanish soldier who provoked the fighting, the American militia and Spanish army clashed and the Viceroy’s troops drove the Americans out of the city, however the Americans held the Castillo de San Marcos, the principal fort in the city. Governor Céspedes surrendered to the Viceroyal army, only to discover that they had been sent to “save” Governor Céspedes. Disgusted at how George Walton had successfully led him on, Governor Céspedes would resign from his post.
George Walton on the other hand had just started. When the Viceroyal army tried to attack the
Castillo de San Marcos, the New Savannahans not only managed to fend them off, but actually push the Spanish troops back. The Spanish army would attack three more times, being thrown back time until finally surrendering, after which the remaining two hundred and fifty Viceroyal troops were allowed to return to New Spain. Governor Céspedes would flee with them. After the fighting ended, George Walton would give a speech in the town square, given in both English and Broken Spanish, where he would declare Spain’s rule over. Denouncing the Spanish governance as tyrannical and corrupt, Walton would declare the establishment of the Sovereign Republic of East Florida with himself as the Rector of the Republic. Tearing down the Cross of Burgundy, Walton hoisted the new country’s flag. The Floridan War of Independence had begun.
Walton’s first act during this period was to reach out to Teódulo Ochoa and his Ejército Verde in preparation to an invasion of West Florida. Walton offered Ochoa the leadership of West Florida if Ochoa and the Ejército Verde joined in the invasion of West Florida. Ochoa accepted readily, and on September 16th Ochoa would declare himself the Rector of the Republic of West Florida in St. Augustine. After an additional week of preparation, the Ejército Verde and four hundred East Floridans would begin their expedition to cross Florida to take Pensicola, the capital of West Florida. Thanks to the skills of the Ejército Verde troops, the expedition was surprisingly successful at crossing through Florida, crossing the Apalachicola River into West Florida on October 8th, and arriving at Pensacola on October 21st. The Governor of West Florida, Arturo O'Neill was severely ill, and the planned interim replacement, Francisco Cruzat, had been captured as a part of British operations during the Great Dutch War. Thus, with a bedridden and seriously ill governor, the colony’s administration was in shambles and surrendered readily to Ochoa.
Under normal conditions, Viceroy Flórez would have responded swiftly and firmly to such a rebellion. However, as the Great Dutch War continued to rage on, the Viceroy had his hands full with fending off the British and the two Republics were able to consolidate without risk. With little communication between the two Rectors, the Floridan Republics developed dramatically differently. East Florida formed a legislative branch with the new Senate holding elections for Senators in November, and an election for Rectorship in December which Walton won handily. The twelve member Senate was entirely Waltonite except for the Spanish loyalist Juan Zespedes, and on Walton’s orders, would draft the Constitution of the Republic through the winter. West Florida on the other hand functioned as a stratocratic dictatorship with Ochoa as absolute leader of the fledgling Republic. No constitution or legislature was established for the Republic of West Florida.
Both Walton and Ochoa maintained a cautious optimism over their position as the months wore on and no sign of Spanish retaliation arrived. Ochoa is known to have speculated that West Florida was too poor and remote for the Spanish to bother with a serious military excursion, and considered sending envoys to Viceroy Flórez to seek peace. However, on a hot, humid day in late August, Walton was alerted to the sighting of warships near St. Augustine. Fearing the Spanish were arriving to retake the city, Walton mustered the New Savannahan militia and marched to St. Augustine, determined to defend his Republic. But, much to Walton’s surprise, it wasn’t the Cross of Burgundy or the Red-Gold banner being flown by the newcomers. No, the Union Jack flew proudly from the two ships. Britain had come to reclaim her Floridan colonies from Spain.