Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/228

196 country, driving their warriors before him and burning their villages. He appeared before the Spanish post, St. Mark’s, and demanded its surrender April 7. Upon the refusal of the Spanish commander he took possession without resistance. Marching thence to Suwanee, he found that the Seminoles had evacuated the place and taken refuge in the swamps. Jackson then marched to Pensacola, the stronghold of Spain in Florida. The Spanish governor surrendered under protest May 24, and removed his troops to Havana. Placing Pensacola in charge of a garrison of United States troops, Jackson ordered General Gaines to seize St. Augustine. This last order was countermanded from the war department before it could be executed.

When information of General Jackson’s proceedings reached Washington, the government was astounded. The president and cabinet were in possession of information of which General Jackson was ignorant. They had not authorized or contemplated hostilities against Spain and they regarded the action of their general at this peculiar juncture as very unfortunate. Negotiations for the cession of Florida by Spain had begun informally as early as January, 1816, but had reached no decisive stage, although Don Luis de Onis, the Spanish minister, had suggested that his Catholic majesty might be induced to cede his claims. Intimations from foreign powers, in alliance with Spain, had indicated a willingness to the cession of Florida, but disapproved of the use of force, and Monsieur de Neuville, the French minister, had paved the way for negotiations between Secretary Adams and Chevalier Onis. Under these circumstances the administration felt sorely perplexed by General Jackson’s course, and feared that it would result in destroying the prospects of peaceful negotiation, and might lead to hostilities with Spain and her allies.

A cabinet meeting was called. It was decided that the action of their general must be disavowed and the