1779

There are people who want Spaniard Bernardo de Galvez to be given honorary citizenship for his service in the Revolutionary War.

That article showed up not long after a passing conversation about how important France was in the Revolutionary War - yet few people realize how the Spanish were involved.  It seemed a good time to post this previously-written item.

Which is also an attempt to have a single year that could define the Revolutionary War. (To be followed, eventually, by other events defining their Turnings in a memorable way.) One of the fun parts with this one is how twisted around spheres of influence had become - wait, New Orleans is controlled by Spain, and Florida by England?

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Before 1779, the American Revolution could be considered a localized conflict. It had been 3 years since the colonies declared their independence.  The fighting was all on one side of the Atlantic, where there were English soldiers fighting against English colonists, with a bit of help from the French. Other European countries were paying attention, but there was no need or interest in picking sides - it was, in effect, a domestic disturbance. 

Eventually, however, the amount of effort required began to attract the attention of those other countries.  With so much happening far away, surely the British couldn't be on high alert everywhere. On June 14, 1779, Spain attacked the British redoubt at Gibraltar, the rocky outpost that controls the entry to the Mediterranean. Geographically part of Spain, it had been British territory for over 60 years. The British were sufficiently entrenched that the Spanish attempt failed, but a seige was attempted. Despite lasting for almost four years, the military assault was ultimately unsuccessful - Gibraltar is still British territory today.

Meanwhile, the Spanish governor of Louisiana, Bernando de Galvez, had intercepted a communication from King George III to the commander of Pensacola, General John Campbell. (The Seven Years War had ended in 1763 with a number of territory swaps, including ones in which the British gained Florida and the Spanish controlled Louisiana.) The communication instructed the general to mobilize for an attack on New Orleans.  Galvez quickly organized his own forces. Despite an ill-timed August hurricane that left only one ship from his planned naval forces, by September 21 he had eliminated British military forces throughout the lower Mississippi Valley. Six months later he would be victorious against British forces at Mobile, and would eventually recapture Pensacola and the rest of Florida.

The entry of Spain really makes the Revolutionary War an *international* war. It's no longer just England, its colonies, and its frequent enemy France involved in the fighting. There would soon be multiple European nations supporting the United States (or opposing England, anyway). Some actions (like those of Galvez) directly helped the American cause. From the Americans' point of view, of course, anything that occupied the British military was to be welcomed.