109.] Besides the Creoles and the British garrisons, there were quite a number of American settlers in West Florida.

In the immediate presence of Spanish and Indian foes, these, for the most part, remained royalists.
In 1778 a party of armed Americans, coming down the Ohio and Mississippi, tried to persuade them to turn whig, but, becoming embroiled with them, the militant missionaries were scattered and driven off.

Afterwards the royalists fought among themselves; but this was a mere faction quarrel, and was soon healed.

Towards the end of 1779, Galvez, with an army of Spanish and French Creole troops, attacked the forts along the Mississippi--Manchac, Baton Rouge, Natchez, and one or two smaller places,--speedily carrying them and capturing their garrisons of British regulars and royalist militia.

During the next eighteen months he laid siege to and took Mobile and Pensacola.