"The 14th Colony: Florida and the American Revolution," by Roger Smith, Ph.D.

On December 18, 1775, General George Washington wrote a letter to John Hancock, warning the Continental Congress that the British were stockpiling weapons and gunpowder in St. Augustine, East Florida. In his letter, Washington was sounding an alarm, as he feared that the British were preparing to reclaim the southern colonies by invading Georgia and South Carolina with an army from East Florida – a colony wholly loyal to King George III. The role played by British St. Augustine during our struggle for independence is one of Florida’s most unique stories in its year history – perhaps the most unique story of the American Revolution.

On December 18, 1775, General George Washington wrote a letter to John Hancock, warning the Continental Congress that the British were stockpiling weapons and gunpowder in St. Augustine, East Florida.

Rediscovering East Florida’s pivotal role in the American Revolution through the utilization of primary documents and maps found in the Library of Congress and the British National Archives, specifically the letters of George Washington and Lord George Germain.