The War of the Second Coalition, or in America known as the Franco-American war, was a conflict between France and her European allies on one side, with America and Britain’s European allies on the other. There would be two main theaters, Europe, and the Caribbean. The United States under President Benedict Arnold had joined the Second Coalition against France. Though the Americans would not see action in Europe, they would see plenty of action.
The first Skirmishes were along the border between Spanish Florida and the state of Georgia. The Spaniards armed the Seminole in Florida and ordered them on cross border raids into Georgia. In the past whenever this happened the Americans would encounter the Seminoles, have a short skirmish, and then the Seminole would retreat back across into Spanish Florida, foreign territory. However since the United States and Spain were at war, American militias were able to pursue the Indians into Spanish territory.
America was not able to devote much to the naval war. With only one ship to its navy, the USS United States, there were very limited naval actions the United States could do on its own. President Arnold would appeal to private ship owners in the US to act as privateers against France and her allies. This would work to an extent, however it would mostly just reduce the trade going from the West Indies to France and Spain. America’s lack of naval power would be augmented by the British Caribbean fleet. This was done with the understanding that the US would supply much of the ground forces. The first American invasion of French territory would not occur until March of 1799.
On March 5th the USS United States backed up by a handful of British ships would attack the island of St. Dominique. Along with the war ships were also transport ships containing American Marines and volunteers. They stormed the beaches near Port-au-Prince. This was not an easy fight. Local French colonials put up a fierce resistance, however by sunset on March 6th Port-au-Prince was in American hands. Despite this the fighting wasn’t over. The locals would fight guerilla war against the Americans. When Port-au-Prince fell to the Americans a slave rebellion ignited. There were those who wanted to side with the slaves against the French colonials, but out of fear of such activity spreading to the southern states, the Americans were forced to fight both the colonials and the slaves. Americans would see fighting in St. Dominique until the end of the war.
The British, who in negotiations between itself and the US, was allotted any French territory other then St. Dominique that they could capture. They would successfully acquire Dominica, Saint Martin, Martinique, and French Guiana. The other islands were able to repel the British invasions. There was one French island captured that was not in the Caribbean was Saint Pierre and Miquelon. This island would actually be captured by American Privateers. It was disputed over who should claim this territory. The British had claimed the island many times, but the Americans wanted to keep the territory it captured. Eventually the Americans agreed to give it to Britain in exchange for a reduction in money owed to them. On land the Americans would eventually capture St. Augustine in Florida, the main Spanish fortification in the colony. This lead eventually to the capture of both east and west Florida by American volunteers mostly western Frontiersmen. The British attempted to invade Spanish controlled Cuba, but it would be unsuccessful.
Though the war of the Second Coalition would turn out positively in the Caribbean theater, the European theater would turn in favor of the French. The war in the Caribbean would end in August of 1800 with the treaty of Havana, two years before the war in Europe ended. In the treaty the Spanish would cede east and west Florida to the United States. The French would cede St. Dominique to the United States, and cede Dominica, Saint Martin, Martinique, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and French Guiana to Great Britain. This peace would take the United States out of the war. President Arnold was seen as a national hero, the best possible heir to Washington’s legacy. His approval ratings skyrocketed as he acquired new territory for the United States. He would be re-elected in a landslide in November of 1800.
The first Skirmishes were along the border between Spanish Florida and the state of Georgia. The Spaniards armed the Seminole in Florida and ordered them on cross border raids into Georgia. In the past whenever this happened the Americans would encounter the Seminoles, have a short skirmish, and then the Seminole would retreat back across into Spanish Florida, foreign territory. However since the United States and Spain were at war, American militias were able to pursue the Indians into Spanish territory.
America was not able to devote much to the naval war. With only one ship to its navy, the USS United States, there were very limited naval actions the United States could do on its own. President Arnold would appeal to private ship owners in the US to act as privateers against France and her allies. This would work to an extent, however it would mostly just reduce the trade going from the West Indies to France and Spain. America’s lack of naval power would be augmented by the British Caribbean fleet. This was done with the understanding that the US would supply much of the ground forces. The first American invasion of French territory would not occur until March of 1799.
On March 5th the USS United States backed up by a handful of British ships would attack the island of St. Dominique. Along with the war ships were also transport ships containing American Marines and volunteers. They stormed the beaches near Port-au-Prince. This was not an easy fight. Local French colonials put up a fierce resistance, however by sunset on March 6th Port-au-Prince was in American hands. Despite this the fighting wasn’t over. The locals would fight guerilla war against the Americans. When Port-au-Prince fell to the Americans a slave rebellion ignited. There were those who wanted to side with the slaves against the French colonials, but out of fear of such activity spreading to the southern states, the Americans were forced to fight both the colonials and the slaves. Americans would see fighting in St. Dominique until the end of the war.
The British, who in negotiations between itself and the US, was allotted any French territory other then St. Dominique that they could capture. They would successfully acquire Dominica, Saint Martin, Martinique, and French Guiana. The other islands were able to repel the British invasions. There was one French island captured that was not in the Caribbean was Saint Pierre and Miquelon. This island would actually be captured by American Privateers. It was disputed over who should claim this territory. The British had claimed the island many times, but the Americans wanted to keep the territory it captured. Eventually the Americans agreed to give it to Britain in exchange for a reduction in money owed to them. On land the Americans would eventually capture St. Augustine in Florida, the main Spanish fortification in the colony. This lead eventually to the capture of both east and west Florida by American volunteers mostly western Frontiersmen. The British attempted to invade Spanish controlled Cuba, but it would be unsuccessful.
Though the war of the Second Coalition would turn out positively in the Caribbean theater, the European theater would turn in favor of the French. The war in the Caribbean would end in August of 1800 with the treaty of Havana, two years before the war in Europe ended. In the treaty the Spanish would cede east and west Florida to the United States. The French would cede St. Dominique to the United States, and cede Dominica, Saint Martin, Martinique, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and French Guiana to Great Britain. This peace would take the United States out of the war. President Arnold was seen as a national hero, the best possible heir to Washington’s legacy. His approval ratings skyrocketed as he acquired new territory for the United States. He would be re-elected in a landslide in November of 1800.
