A very important Hispanic figure during the American colonists’ war against Great Britain was Governor
and General Bernardo de Galvez. He was the Spanish governor of the Louisiana territories during the time of the American Revolution and was instrumental in assisting then General George Washington to fight the British soldiers who were advancing into the southwestern part of the U.S. Governor de Galvez helped the revolutionists by blockading vital British ships although Spain had not declared war with Britain. In addition, from 1775-1777, Governor de Galvez provided rations and weapons to the Continental Army. In 1777, he arranged safe passage for James Willing, an American agent of the Continental Congress, who led a successful campaign along the Mississippi river harassing British shipping, plantation owners, and military outposts.

It was not until Spain had officially declared war with Great Britain in 1779 that de Galvez organized a
militia of Native- Americans, freed African-Americans and his own Spanish regular soldiers to attack British held forts at Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Natchez, Mississippi. A year later, he engaged the British at Mobile, Alabama and a year after that at Pensacola, in western Florida. In each case, de Galvez was able to force the British from their entrenchments and freed these cities. His statue resides in Washington, D.C.

General de Galvez also trained and mentored other Hispanics who would one day contribute significantly
to the defense of the U.S. One of de Galvez’s officers was Francisco de Miranda, who was born in Caracas, Venezuela on March 28, 1750. Subsequently, de Miranda fought in the siege and surrender of Pensacola, and later in the Spanish capture of the Bahamas, which he negotiated as the official representative of the governor of Cuba. While in Cuba, de Miranda played a role in obtaining supplies for the French Admiral de Grasse who then sailed to the Chesapeake Bay to assist the Americans to capture Yorktown, Virginia. As a result of these contributions to the American Revolution, statues in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a park in Pensacola, Florida, and a commuter bus in Chicago, Illinois were dedicated in honor of de Miranda who was also instrumental in helping Venezuela gain its independence from Spain.

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