Fort Caroline, Jacksonville, Florida 1564

Architect Richard Thornton is a member of an alliance of Creek, Choctaw and Seminole scholars, who over the past seven years have been intensely studying the heritage of the Muskogean peoples. Much of their activities have involved re-examination of the archives of the early Spanish, English and French exploration of the Southeastern United States. We have asked Richard to provide AccessGenealogy with some of his work.  As we add to these articles we will also be providing a question and answer section for the reader to ask questions of Richard.

Early attempts at colonization and European Intrigues

In 1526, Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon led an expedition of 600 settlers and 100 horses to found the first Spanish Colony in what is now the United States. This was only five years after the defeat of the Aztecs in Mexico. The location of the colony is currently believed to be in the vicinity of Sapelo Island, Georgia. The settlers arrived in October of that year. It was called San Miguel de Gualdape.

The colony was a failure. The colonists were in the midst of abundant seafood resources and unlimited edible Live Oak acorns, but apparently ate little of either. The crude buildings they erected were only occupied for three months. Over half of the colonists died of dysentery or starvation. Half of the remaining survivors of the colony drowned when a rescue ship sank. Nevertheless, Spain based its claim on all of North America on the failed colony, plus the early expedition of Hernando de Soto between 1540-1543.

Meanwhile in Europe, the invention of the printing press had set off a revolution in Europe. Much of Germany, Bohemia, Hungary, England, Scotland and Scandinavia had become Protestant. By 1660, over half of the nobility in France, and perhaps ¾ of its merchant class had become Protestant. If France and the Netherlands went over to the Protestant fold, the Roman Catholic Church would lose its political control of Europe. The Pope asked the King of Spain to actively intervene into the situation by supplying funds and military support to the pro-Catholic segment of the French nobility. This resulted in 1562 in the First War of Religion in France. An armed truce ended open combat in 1564, but atrocities against the French middle class were continued by anti-Protestant raiders. Many French Huguenots saw their only hope of survival in being migration to England, Switzerland, Scandinavia or the New World.

French Huguenot colonization efforts

In February 1562 during the First War of Religion, Protestant Admiral Gaspard de Coligny and navigator Jean Ribault led a flotilla for Protestant refugees to the banks of the St. Johns River at what is now Jacksonville. When the weather got warmer, they then moved to Port Royal Sound in what is now South Carolina on Parris Island. Twenty-eight men stayed on the island to build a simple timber palisade they called Charlesfort, in honor of the King of France. Ribault then sailed to England to obtain more supplies, but was temporarily imprisoned because of diplomatic intrigues by Catholic leaders in France. In despair of ever receiving logistic support, the Charlesfort colonists built an open boat and sailed to England. Cannibalism occurred on the voyage.

On June 22, of 1564, Captain Rene' Goulaine de Laudonniere led 200 Hugenot refugees to a bluff on the St. Johns River. They named the fortified settlement, Fort Caroline, using the feminine Latin form for King Charles IX of France. It was the first European-type fortress to be erected in North America. Much of what historians know about the day to day life of Native Americans prior European contact comes from the sketches and records of Huguenot scholars, who accompanied the expedition.

Ribault was freed from English confinement in June of 1565. Admiral Coligny immediately sent him back to the Huguenot Colony with a large fleet, ample supplies, plus hundreds of engineers, soldiers and settlers. Once Fort Caroline was further fortified with the cannon being shipped by Ribault's fleet, it would be virtually impregnable from Spanish attacks.

Description of Fortifications: By early 1565, Fort Caroline consisted of a triangular earthen fort on an island in the St. Johns River. It had a relatively low wood plank palisade atop an earth berm; all of which was surrounded by a moat. The plank fence was braced by light timber brackets. On the points of the triangle were reinforced battlements where small cannon had been placed. Reconstruction of the fort in the late 20th century showed the battlements being composed of brick. The brick may have been added by the Spanish at a later date.

The fort was the "shape" of a sophisticated French fortress, but its actual architectural defenses would have been insufficient to stop heavy naval cannons. Obviously, the construction at Fort Caroline was a temporary measure until military engineers and more manpower were available. The plank palisade would also been ineffectual against Indian arrows . . . especially the flaming variety. Fortunately, the Protestants were on excellent terms with most of the Timucua Indian neighbors. However, once the additional construction planned by Ribault had been carried out, Fort Caroline would have probably been there forever, and this nation would have become the Etats Unis de France Nouveaux!

Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles had been dispatched from Spain with orders to remove the French colony, just about the time that Rebault left France with reinforcements. The French and Spanish fleets fought off the mouth of the St. Johns River. The Spanish fleet retreated 35 miles southward to a bay, where they established the colony of St. Augustine.

Ribault then loaded most of his soldiers into his armed ships and headed south toward St. Augustine. A massive hurricane pushed him out to sea. What should have been a voyage lasting a few hours, took days. When Menendez heard that most of the French soldiers were on ships, he marched overland to Fort Caroline and attacked at dawn. Apparently, Fort Caroline's acting commander, Londonniere, had not posted sentries. The garrison assumed that the Spanish were being soundly trounced at that time in the military camp that would become St. Augustine. French soldiers were in their night shirts, when captured by the Spanish. All members of the Fort Caroline garrison were executed by having their throats slit.

Approximately, 50 women and children survived the massacre at Fort Caroline, along with Captain Londonniere, who fled when the Spanish attacked. It has been speculated that Londonniere betrayed the colony out resentment for Ribault being made the permanent commander of Fort Caroline. It is odd that the commander would be dressed for travel, while his garrison was in their nightshirts and not protected by sentries.

Ribault's fleet was seriously damaged by the hurricane. All ships were either sunk or grounded Many of his soldiers and sailors drowned at sea. Ribault and the several hundred men were marooned on the Florida coast with few supplies. Menendez eventually located the survivors and asked for their surrender. Assuming that they would be fed and treated well. Ribault surrendered his arms. The two forces were about the same size - perhaps the French outnumbered the Spanish, but didn't know it. Menendez executed the Frenchmen as heretics - possibly even burning some at the stake - at a place now known as Matanza (Massacre) Inlet. Despite the continuing religious bloodshed going on in Europe, both Protestant and Catholic military leaders were shocked by Menendez execution of prisoners. Spanish Catholic soldiers knew that they would probably never been given quarter again.

During another flare up in the French Wars of Religion, Captain Dominique de Gourgues led a force that attacked the Spanish fort on the St. John's River. He then put to the sword all Spanish prisoners in revenge for the massacres at Fort Caroline and Matanza Inlet.

French Huguenots eventually established a little known colony on the St. Mary's River in Georgia, specifically for the purpose of making life miserable for the Spanish. Both English and French privateers regularly attacked Spanish ships and even St. Augustine. They showed little mercy because of Menendez's atrocities. Once the Colony of Carolina was established, the fate of Spanish Florida was sealed. Bitterly anti-Spanish French Huguenots migrated in large numbers to Charleston and later to Savannah, GA. They were consistent supporters of British military actions against Florida. Florida became part of the British Empire in 1763.

Fort Caroline National Memorial is on the National Register of Historic Places and administered by the National Park Service.

Notes About this Material

Source: Richard Thornton, an alliance of Muskogean scholars, professors and professionals. Copyright Richard Thornton, Blairsville, GA, 2010. Used here with permission. 

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