Research Symposium

BIO

Hello! I'm Maegan Lewis, a sophomore nursing major with a great interest in history. I'm from Stuart, FL. I was fortunate enough to participate in the UROP program under my great research mentor Dr. Benjamin Gunter, and learn all about Revolutionary St. Augustine. I have found the research process really enlightening and I've learned so many new things! I look forward to graduating FSU with a BSN in the future and working towards becoming a cRNA.

Take, Seize, Burn, Sink and Destroy: Privateering in Revolutionary St. Augustine (1775)

Abstract

When the 1763 Treaty of Paris awarded the then Spanish Florida to Britain, no one could predict the events that would rock the very same British colony a decade later. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, St. Augustine was the primary settlement in East Florida. A loyalist settlement bordered by Rebels, St. Augustine soon became a target for Patriot attacks. Getting supplies by sea was more difficult with Rebel ships patrolling the waters. The resulting orders from both sides to go by boat and steal war stocks set the stage for an event that took place on August 7th, 1775, on St. Mary's River. Patriots of the ship Commerce stole ‘six tons’ (or about 13 thousand pounds) of gunpowder from the Loyalist brig Betsy. Governor Tonyn of St. Augustine was furious, whilst the South Carolinian patriots rejoiced. My research into Revolutionary St. Augustine and further into privateering has allowed me to go in-depth on this specific event and both sides' perspectives and responses, as well as the numerous factors and characters at play. This event paints a colorful picture of just exactly how St. Augustine participated in the Revolutionary War through privateering efforts, adding to the city's already rich history.

Keywords: History, Pirates, Florida