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| 'Revolutionary War at Mobile' historical marker. |
This week’s featured historical marker is the “The
Revolutionary War At Mobile” marker in Mobile County, Ala. This Sons of the
Revolution marker is located near Fort Conde on the corner of South Royal
Street and Theatre Street in Mobile, Ala.
This marker was erected by the Sons of the Revolution in the
State of Alabama in 1996. There’s text on both sides of the marker, but both
sides are the same. What follows in the complete text from the marker:
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THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR AT MOBILE, Siege of Ft. Charlotte
(Conde) 1780: Spain, America’s ally, declared war on Great Britain in June
1779. Bernardo de Galvez, governor of Spanish Louisiana at New Orleans, led the
attack against the British along the lower Mississippi River and Gulf Coast. In
February 1780, Galvez laid siege upon the British forces here at Ft. Charlotte
(Conde) resulting in its surrender and the capture of the City of Mobile, March
14, 1780. Galvez next captured Pensacola and accepted the British surrender of
West Florida, May 9, 1781, thus aiding the American colonists by removing the
British threat from the Gulf of Mexico. Erected in 1996 by the Sons of the
Revolution in the State of Alabama.”
----- 0 -----
The Siege of Fort Charlotte, which is also known as the
Battle of Fort Charlotte, lasted about two weeks, running from Feb. 25 to March
14, 1780. Capt. Elias Dunford was the commander of the British garrison at Fort
Charlotte, and he was eventually forced to surrender because he didn’t receive relief
he expected from Pensacola. Spanish forces apparently received no casualties in
the battle, but the British suffered three killed and eight wounded. The rest
of the British garrison, which numbered around 304, surrendered.
Galvez was an interesting guy. Born on July 23, 1746 in Macharaviaya,
Kingdom of Granada, Spain, he helped the Patriots during the Revolutionary War.
Galveston, Texas was later named in his honor and he passed away at the age of
40 on Nov. 30, 1786 in Tacubaya, Kingdom of Mexico, New Spain.
Durnford, who was born on June 13, 1739 in Ringwood,
Hampshire, England, is best known for being the man who first surveyed Pensacola
and laid out the plan for the town. He was taken prisoner after the Battle of
Fort Charlotte, but after the war, he and his family returned on England. He eventually
died at the age of 55 from yellow fever on the island of Tobago.
Also, if you visit the historical marker described above,
you’ll also see a small plaque that’s been set in a block of cement near the
foot of the marker. That plaque says, “Site of Mobile’s First Theater, Erected
in 1824 by N.M. Ludlow, Whence Theater Street Derives Its Name, Placed by
Historic Mobile Preservation Society, 1938.”
In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about
another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading
audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me
to feature, let me know in the comments section below.
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