American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography

4pp, 8 x 10 in. (creasing, toning, small losses and adhesive repair at folds). An incomplete letter by unknown author.

Writing to his brother, the unknown author relays the adventures he experienced while traveling with his friend "Doctr Chapelle," identified as "a friend for whom I felt a particular gratitude and who I have reason to suppose saved my life...." The author conveys an extraordinary series of events tied to military interventions organized by groups vying for control of Spanish East Florida and Amelia Island (present-day Florida). The author describes incidents associated with both American and Spanish forces, as well as the filibustering mercenaries of General Gregor MacGregor (1786-1845) and the privateering of Frenchman Louis-Michel Aury (1788-1821). He writes, in small part: "...I proceeded to Old Providence where my friend [Dr. Chapelle] expected to receive a commission from Aury to cruise against the Spanish. After putting the vessel in complete readiness, Aury, wishing to add one to his fleet, took possession of her without giving me any satisfaction whatever. That occurrence detained us there two months...soon after McGregor [sic] went into Port Obello, there being an opportunity we proceeded to that place expecting to find American vessels by which means we could come home. But finding none we remained a a few days when we had the mortification to see the place retaken by the spaniards to the everlasting disgrace of McGregor's army....It would have been as easy to have driven the spaniards out of the town as it was to capitulate, and I believe ere this, those who are surviving (if any) are sensible of it. McGregor's troops held every fortification after the cessation of arms as well as two vessels of 20 guns each which n a few minutes might have been hauled up before the town and in 30 minutes knocked it to atoms. It was not a little astonishing to those on board the vessels wo were making preparations to batter down the town, to see McGregor's flag hauled down and the Spanish hoisted. It was then the duty of those afloat to cut and run...."

Though we cannot definitely identify "Dr. Chapelle," an article from the Florida Historical Quarterly, "Viente Pazos and the Amelia Island Affair, 1817" (Bowman, Vol. 53, No.3, anaury 1975) notes that at one point Aury determined to organize a provisional government at Fernandina, and among those receiving votes to serve as a representative were "one Chapelle, an American from Connecticut."