Official Florida Hand-off Ceremony

Today’s installment concludes USA Acquires Florida,
our selection from History of the United States of America by Richard Hildreth published in 1853.

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Previously in USA Acquires Florida.

Time: 1821
Place: Florida

Jackson’s vigorous actions would seem not to have been without effect. Pending the discussion in Congress on his con duct, the Spanish minister, under new instructions from home, signed a treaty for the cession of Florida, in extinction of the various American claims, for the satisfaction of which the United States agreed to pay to the claimants five millions of dollars. The Louisiana boundary, as fixed by this treaty, was a compromise between the respective offers heretofore made, though leaning a good deal to the American side: the Sabine to 320 north latitude; thence a north meridian line to the Red River; the course of that river to 100° longitude east from Greenwich; thence north by that meridian to the Arkansas; up that river to its head and to 42° of north latitude, and along that degree to the Pacific. This treaty was immediately ratified by the Sen ate; and, in expectation of a like ratification by Spain, an act was passed to authorize the President to take possession of the ceded territory.

It was supposed that the British Government might make some stir about the execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister. The subject was, indeed, mooted in Parliament; but the Ministers took the ground that British subjects mixing themselves up in the quarrels of other nations must abide the consequences, without expecting any interference of the British Government in their behalf.

The President’s message of 1819 dwelt at length on the non-ratification of the Florida Treaty. The immediate cause ap pears to have been an announcement by Forsyth, who was sent as minister to Spain, and adopted a tone not flattering to Spanish pride, of an intention not to recognize certain large land grants, within the letter of the treaty, but not supposed by the President to be so when the treaty was signed. The Spanish court also complained of hostile expeditions in aid of her revolted colonies, set on foot within the United States, and especially of the attempts of certain adventurers to set up a republic of Texas. It was, perhaps, by way of menace, that the President intimated in his message a disposition to recognize the independence of the revolted South American colonies, so soon, at least, as the concurrence of Great Britain could be obtained. A new Spanish minister, who arrived shortly afterward, demanded, as preliminary to the ratification of the Florida Treaty, a stipulation not to make any such recognition. This the President indignantly refused; but on the arrival of news, pending the session of the overturn of Ferdinand’s despotic power, and of the reestablishment of the Cortes, the President recommended to Congress to give to this new Government an opportunity to act, before adopting any decisive measures. It was not until 1821 that the Spanish ratification of the treaty arrived and the cession of the territory was formally completed.

At length, on July 17, 1821, all the numberless preliminaries having been settled, the long-expected ceremony took place, and Florida became a Territory of the United States.

The great event was described, the day after, by an officer who took part in the proceedings: “Yesterday, after a series of delays and disappointments, of a piece with the whole tenor of our twenty years’ negotiations with Spain, the American authorities were finally and formally put in possession of this city, of the fortress of the Barancas, and of the dominion of the Floridas. Out of tenderness to the feelings of the Spaniards, deeply excited by the painful separation about to take place between those who go and those who remain —- and who are allied not only by ties of intimacy and friendship contracted during a long period of a common residence in this pleasant and salubrious region, and confirmed by a community of habits and religion, as well as of lineage and language, but knitted together by the most sacred and endearing bands of consanguinity and affiance, the ceremony was conducted with very little ostentation.

The Spanish Governor’s guard, consisting of a full company of dismounted dragoons of the regiment of Tarragona, elegantly clad and equipped, was paraded at an early hour of the morning in front of the Government House. About eight o’clock a battalion of the Fourth Regiment of United States infantry and a company of the Fourth Regiment of United States artillery, the whole under the command of Colonel Brooke, of the Fourth infantry, were drawn up on the public square, opposite to the Spanish guard, having marched into town from the encampment at Galvez’s Spring. The usual military salute passed between them. Four companies of infantry from the American line, under the command of Major Dinkins, of the Fifth infantry, were then detached to take possession of the Barancas, which is nearly nine miles below this city.

At ten o’clock, the hour previously appointed, General Jackson, attended by his aids, secretary, interpreters, etc., crossed the green, passed between the double line formed by the troops of both nations, who simultaneously saluted him by presenting arms, and entered the Government House, where the formality of the transfer was soon dispatched, and the Spanish sergeant’s guard at the gate was immediately relieved by an American guard. After a few minutes, Governor Jackson, ac companied by Colonel Callava, the late commandant, and their respective suites, left the Government House, and passed through the same double line of troops to the house which the American Governor has rented for the temporary accommodation of his family.

The Spanish troops were then marched to the place of embarkation —- the American flag was displayed upon the flagstaff, and grand salutes were fired by the artillery company and the United States ship Hornet, a gun being given to each State and Territory of the Federal Union, not forgetting Florida, and the regimental band, and that of the Hornet, playing the Star Spangled Banner all the while.”

This ends our series of passages on USA Acquires Florida by Richard Hildreth from his book History of the United States of America published in 1853. This blog features short and lengthy pieces on all aspects of our shared past. Here are selections from the great historians who may be forgotten (and whose work have fallen into public domain) as well as links to the most up-to-date developments in the field of history and of course, original material from yours truly, Jack Le Moine. – A little bit of everything historical is here.

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