Key Facts
- Duration
- Over 1 year of occupation
- Key instigator
- General George Mathews
- Territory occupied
- Fernandina and parts of northeast Florida
- U.S. forces involved
- Army, Navy, Marines, and state militia
- Target not captured
- St. Augustine never attacked
Strategic Narrative Overview
Mathews organized the Patriot Army, drawn largely from Georgia citizens, which—supported by U.S. Navy gunboats—seized Fernandina and occupied portions of northeast Florida in 1812. U.S. Army troops and Marines subsequently reinforced the Patriots. However, the force never mustered sufficient strength to assault the strongly held Spanish garrison at St. Augustine, and the occupation stalled without achieving its principal objective.
01 / The Origins
President James Madison commissioned General George Mathews to accept offers from local authorities in Spanish Florida to transfer the territory to the United States, and to prevent British reoccupation during the War of 1812 era. American expansionist interest in the Floridas was longstanding, and the unstable Spanish colonial administration provided a pretext for fomenting a rebellion that could justify annexation under the guise of local initiative.
03 / The Outcome
The occupation extended over a year before the United States withdrew its military units, effectively ending meaningful support for the Patriots. When Seminole warriors entered the conflict against the Patriots, the irregular force dissolved. The annexation attempt failed entirely; East Florida remained under Spanish control until the Adams-Onís Treaty transferred it to the United States in 1821.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
George Mathews.
Side B
2 belligerents
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.