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| William Augustus Bowles, pirate and adventurer, as painted by Thomas Hardy. |
William Augustus Bowles declares war on Spain!
by Dale Cox
The story of William Augustus Bowles and his "State of Muskogee" is remarkable and violent. The young adventurer waged war on Spain with furious intent in 1800-1804, seizing ships, capturing a fort, and wreaking havoc.
His life was brief but complicated. He was born in Maryland in 1763, the same year that Great Britain gained control of Florida from Spain at the end of the Seven Years (French and Indian) War. He joined the British army as a teenager and came to Pensacola only to be cast from the ranks after a conflict with an officer. Rescued by a Native American trading party as he tried to make his way across the wilderness of Northwest Florida, the charismatic young man lived for a time in the Perryman towns of Tocktoethla and Telmochesses. These important Seminole communities were near today's Parramore Landing north of Sneads, Florida.
Bowles was ambitious and soon married the daughter of Chief Thomas Perryman. He came to envision a trade empire for himself among the Creeks and Seminoles, but Spanish authorities seized and imprisoned him in 1792. He escaped and returned to Florida in 1799, however, only to suffer the loss of his supply ship when it ran aground on St. George Island.
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| The Apalachicola River as seen from Prospect Bluff, the site where Bowles started building a port facility in 1799. |
That is when things got very interesting. Spanish troops tried to capture Bowles, but he slipped away onto the mainland and started building a port facility at Achackweithle (Prospect Bluff) on the Apalachicola River. Spain destroyed the unfinished settlement and captured some of his followers, but Bowles slipped away and soon reestablished himself at Estiffanulga Bluff in what is now Liberty County, Florida.
The furious adventurer convened a council of his followers at Estiffanulga, producing one of the most remarkable documents in Florida history: a declaration of war against Spain:
Estifanulga, April 5, 1800
Whereas His Catholic Majesty has for many years part
entertained evil intentions against this Nation and pursued measures in every
way injurious and hostile against us, Wantonly violating the Rights that belong
to us as a free & Independent People, Has disregarded all remonstrance made
by us to obtain redress, and induce him to abandon his unfriendly intentions
against us, Has treated our representative with dissimulation and falsehood,
Has suffered all good faith to be violated with impunity by his Governors in
our vicinity. Has formed a treaty with the United States that clearly manifest the
the wickedness of his heart; that his intentions were to usurp the sovereignty of
our Country and totally to distroy our name as a People: To this end he has by
his emisaries endeavoured to disseminate discord amongst our people and by the
force of bribary and corruption to make a party in order to support and effect
his diabolical designs. Ultimately in the month of February 1800 did with an
armed force attack our town of Achackwheethle laid our houses in ashes, made
prisoners of our people, and otherwise distressed us, by blocking up our Ports,
thus terminating all pacific negotiation by an open attack, which reduces us to
the necessity of either taking up our arms to defend our sacred Rights; our
Country; our every thing that is dear to us, or tamely surrender then (and
ourselves) up forever to the dispotic will of his Catholic Majesty.
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| Estiffanulga Bluff, the headquarters of William Augustus Bowles in 1800, overlooks the Apalachicola River just south of Bristol, Florida. |
We being now in special council met in order to consider of
the present state of our Country, do declare that we have not given his Catholic
Majesty any cause whatever to commence hostilities against us; That we view
with abhorrence and detestation the wicked designs of his Catholic Majesty;
That we will defend our Country and our Rights while Blood remains in our
veins. That we now consider all pacific remonstrance as ineffectual.
Therefore we do determine, and are determined to take such
measures as may be effectually necessary to defend our Country, to defend our
most sacred Rights; to defend the Honor of this Nation, and procure reparation
and satisfaction for our injured Citizens.
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| Historical Marker noting the presence of Bowles on St. George Island near Apalachicola, Florida. |
Therefore be known to all Men, that WE THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
OF MUSKOGEE In special Council met, for the reasons aforesaid do, by virtue of
our authority and High office, as in duty bound declare war against his
Catholic Majesty and his subjects and order that general reprisal be made both
by Land and sea of the goods ships and subjects of his Catholic Majesty.
We order that this proclamation be duly proclaimed that all
our beloved people may have due notice hereof, And we pray God the great
disposer of all things who knows the wickedness of our enemies who knows the justice
of our Cause to favor our exertions.
Given under our hand in council
at Estifanulga this 5th day of april
1800
WM. A. BOWLES
GOD SAVE MUSKOGEE
The declaration was no mere threat. Bowles soon laid siege to the Spanish fort of San Marcos de Apalache at St. Marks and unleashed "privateers" (pirates) on Spain's shipping in the Gulf of Mexico. His piratical war continued for three years. Legends it produced of battles and treasures continue to reverberate today.
Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of articles from historian Dale Cox on the pirate career of William Augustus Bowles. The adventurer and his crews will be commemorated at Pirate and Heritage Days at Three Rivers State Park on May 1-2, 2020. The park is located on River Road (FL-271) just north of Sneads, Florida. Please click here to learn more.
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