"Don Bernardo de Galvez (1746 - 1786), native
of Macharavialla, Malaga, Spain, and fourth Spanish Governor of Louisiana,
decisively defeated the British in September 1779 at Manchac and Baton Rouge,
which resulted in the capitulation of Natchez.
In 1780 and 1781 he dislodged them from their
strongholds at Mobile and Pensacola.
For these exploits he was made a Count by
King Carlos III of Spain and allowed to use a replica of his ship and the
words "Yo solo" (I alone) on his coat of arms.
Besides supplying arms and provisions to the
American patriots and seizing British frigates, these victories cleared the
Gulf of Mexico region of the British and left the entire Mississippi Valley
in friendly hands, thus aiding the American Patriots in their struggle for
independence."
Pearl Mary Segura
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