Stephen Estopinal

Pensacola Burning Stephen Estopinal

The American Revolution persevered despite several losses and disappointments. By 1781, the revolution had entered a critical phase. Britain controlled the south, or so they thought, until Spain declared war. Allied with the new United States, the forces of Spain, led by Bernardo Gálvez, the Spanish Governor-General of Louisiana attacked British fortifications along the Mississippi River valley and the Gulf Coast, conquering them one at a time until only the fort at Pensacola remained. This was the last major Spanish action on the North American Continent during the Spanish-English War of 1779. The timing of the Spanish campaign in the Floridas was designed to draw British forces away from the Continental Army in Georgia and New England, as well as seal off British supplies to those opposing the American General Clark on the western front. Sergeant Diego deMelilla of the Spanish Fixed Regiment of Louisiana served in the vanguard of the Spanish attack on Fort George at Pensacola. During what proved to be the longest siege of the American Revolution, Sergeant deMelilla finds himself isolated, confronted by a shrewd and deadly professional army, his past and his fate seemingly controlled by a young Choctaw priestess.