Key Facts
- Duration
- November–December 1702 (~7 weeks)
- Attacker
- Province of Carolina (English colonists and Indian allies)
- Defender
- Spanish garrison, Castillo de San Marcos
- Relief fleet origin
- Havana, Cuba
- Relief fleet arrival
- 29 December 1702
- English retreat
- Moore burned boats; withdrew to Charles Town
Strategic Narrative Overview
Moore's forces arrived at St. Augustine on 10 November 1702 and began siege operations against Castillo de San Marcos. Spanish governor José de Zúñiga y la Cerda had received advance warning, allowing him to move civilians and food stores into the fortress and dispatch messengers seeking outside relief. English artillery proved ineffective against the coquina walls, and Moore sent to Jamaica for heavier guns, prolonging the siege without material progress.
01 / The Origins
The siege took place within the broader context of Queen Anne's War (1702–1713), the North American theatre of the War of the Spanish Succession. English colonial authorities in Carolina sought to eliminate the Spanish presence in Florida, which provided a haven for escaped enslaved people and a base for Spanish-allied tribes. Governor James Moore led Carolina colonists and Indian allies southward, destroying coastal Spanish settlements before targeting the fortified town of St. Augustine.
03 / The Outcome
A relief fleet dispatched from Havana landed troops near St. Augustine on 29 December 1702. Facing this reinforcement and having failed to breach the fortress, Moore abandoned the siege the following day. He was compelled to burn several of his own vessels to prevent their capture before retreating to Charles Town. The failure damaged Moore's reputation, though he later led successful raids against Spanish-allied missions in Florida.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
James Moore.
Side B
1 belligerent
José de Zúñiga y la Cerda.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.