200 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH ON THE GULF COAST

June, 1814: U.S. General Flournoy ordered Colonel John Bowyer to abandon Fort Bowyer on Mobile Point.

June 8, 1814: An American who had seen a British Naval ship recently arrive at Pensacola Bay embarked Pensacola and sailed toward Bay St. Louis.

June 17, 1814: This American arrived in Bay St. Louis  and told General Flournoy that a tender schooner for the HMS Orpheus had arrived in Pensacola and British sailors had reported that they had landed 5000 stand of arms and ammunition in that proportion at the mouth of the Apalachicola.  Flournoy also learned that John Innerarity in Pensacola had received a letter from his clerk on the Apalachicola that the British had arrived and had begun to build a magazine to receive arms less than a mile from their John Forbes & Co. store at Prospect Bluff on the east bank of the Apalachicola.

200 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH ON THE GULF COAST

June 20, 1814: Andrew Jackson accepted his appointment as Major General with command over the Seventh Military District of Louisiana, Tennessee and Mississippi Territory (the future states of Alabama and Mississippi).

June 21, 1814: U.S. Creek Indian agent Benjamin Hawkins at Ft. Hawkins in Georgia wrote Secretary of War Armstrong that Indians had told him that the HMS Orpheus had disembarked 50 British Marines at the Apalachicola and left saying they would return in 25 days. Four 100 pound kegs of cartridges as well as arms were given to the Indians.

June 25, 1814: General Jackson ignored orders from Secretary of War Armstrong telling him to disband his army and to go back home.

June 27, 1814: General Jackson wrote Secretary of War Armstrong about the necessity of taking Pensacola away from the British who would soon sail into Pensacola Bay, occupy the Spanish forts and control the town.

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