Richard Lang: #5 - Arrest, Imprisonment, Displaced Family and Disaffection
The Life and Times of Richard Lang (1744-1817), His Family and Other Related Matters
Much of what I know about Richard Lang and his family comes from secondary sources which is not ideal. Both information and evidence are incomplete in places.
This post is the fifth in a series of posts about Richard Lang, his family and other related matters. If you would like to read from the beginning, you can find Part #1 here:
When we left Richard at the end of Part #4, there was a threat of invasion hanging over Spanish East Florida. It was 1793 and considerable action was underway from within the United States, with the help of the French, to mount an invasion from Georgia.
Various members of the American Immigrant community in Spanish East Florida were part of this conspiracy. It appears that Richard was not one of them although he had been taking an interest in what what going on.
Richard’s background suggests that he had no love of the United States and had tried to make a life for himself and his family as Spanish Citizens in East Florida. At this point it is likely that Richard was loyal to the Spanish Crown. However, this would change in the future as will become apparent as his story progresses.
Arrested on Suspicion of Conspiracy
On 20 January 1794, Richard was arrested, along with John McIntosh, on suspicion of conspiracy under an order entered earlier that day. At the time of their arrest at Clarke’s Inn in St Augustine, Richard and John were playing a friendly game of cards and gambling for cigars1.
John Peter Wagnon, William Jones and William Plowden were arrested at around the same time. All five men were charged with conspiring with the leaders of the invasion force2.
The evidence brought by the Spanish authorities against them was based largely on rumour and suspicion, particularly in the case of Richard Lang and William Plowden. Murdoch refers to the ‘arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of some settlers in the spring of 1794, in spite of their pleas of innocence’ and how this made the men bitter critics of the Spaniards3. This certainly seems to have been a turning point for Richard.
Both Jones and McIntosh were also accused of having possession of incriminating documents detailing the invasion plans. William Jones was the father-in-law of Abner Hammond. Abner Hammond, had been directly implicated in the plan and had been found carrying incriminating documents. The evidence against Jones and McIntosh was less solid than that against Hammond. Both denied knowledge of the plans.
Hammond and McIntosh were sent with six other men to Castillo de Moro in Havana, Cuba. Richard, along with William Plowden and John Peter Wagnon, was imprisoned in the Castillo de San Marcos at St Augustine.
Confined at Castillo de San Marcos
The next day, on 21 January 1794, in his cell at Castillo de San Marcos, Richard confirmed and ratified the oral statement he had made, under oath, the evening before to the Governor of East Florida, Juan Nepomuceno de Quesada. This document, and a transcription of it, can be found in the Digital Library of Georgia4. In this document, the scribe, Joseph de Tubizarette, Escrivano of Government, is reporting on what the depondent [Richard Lang] said to the Governor.
Richard appears to have fully cooperated with his captors. He told the Governor what he knew about troop movements and military plans among the Americans in Georgia, South Carolina, and Cumberland, as they prepare to march against St. Augustine. Among other things, he told the Governor that American troops intended to march in the direction of Indian country and then attack St. Augustine from the west.
In part, the document reads:
“In the City of Saint Augustine of Florida on the same day month and year [being the twenty first day of January seventeen hundred and ninety four] …
He sayeth, that having learned … that troops were enlisting in Georgia to come against this Province, he went to New Town about fifteen days ago to gain further intelligence as to the truth thereof; whereon Rheuben Pitcher, formerly an inhabitant of this Province, but since his flight hence, a Resident in Georgia, informed this deponent, that such enlistments were certainly carrying on, not only against this Province but also against Luiziana and Pensacola, which were to be invaded by Americans and French Settlers; and that recruits were raiding in the districts of Cumberland and Kentuckie; and the said Rheuben Pitcher further added he would give this deponent more particular information in a few days; which in fact he did, … about eight days afterwards, where he told him that he had received a letter from Deelinghan, one of the recruiting Captains in the State of Georgia, enclosing him [Pitcher] a French Commission … he was to enlist some Troops: that at the same time the said Pitcher further informed this Deponent, that the whole number would consist of 1100 men, who were to come in, and be landed from three ships, then at anchor and ready in the Bay of Port Royal; besides 700 Horsemen, to be commanded … by Brigadier Gen'l Samuel Hammond; one Brigade of them to be under the command of his Brother, Abner Hammond; and the other under that of Colonel Carr; and further added that the expedition would be ready in three or four weeks … According to what he understood; the intention was not to cross St Marys River; but to head it marching as if towards the Indian Country, and so fall down upon this city from the westward; which is all that he knows regarding the subject …”
Richard further appeared before the General Counsellor on 12 Feb 1794 in his cell at Castillo de San Marcos and was asked how long he had been in the province, what position he held under the Spanish Government, and if he had taken the oath of loyalty. He said he had been established in the province long before the coming of the Spaniards; that at the time of the prior Governor he had been named judge in the St. Marys district, where his home was; that recently His Lordship (the Governor) had appointed him Captain of the militia of the dragoons of that river; and that he has sworn fidelity as a subject5.
Notwithstanding his co-operation and the lack of any evidence against him, Richard continued to be held in prison. He was kept in solitary confinement for almost four months in a cell which was cold, wet, and damp6 7.
Richard, along with the other prisoners. was never given a proper trial.
Family Displaced
As a result of the threat of invasion, Governor de Quesada introduced emergency measures. The emergency measures had a severe impact on the Anglo settlers living north of the St. Johns River. Part of the plan to establish the line of defence at the St. Johns river was to enact a scorched earth policy for the area between it and the St. Marys River.
On 6 February 1794, while Richard and others were still in prison, Governor de Quesada ordered the settlers in that region to evacuate their farms and to choose between moving to the south side of the St. Johns or leaving the province entirely. Those deciding to remain in East Florida were given eight days to gather their belongings and move south, while the others had only three days to evacuate to Georgia. Governor de Quesada then ordered Colonel Howard to burn their crops and buildings so that the invaders could not live off the land.
This had a significant impact on many of the settlers, including Richard’s family. Colonel Howard reported that 125 people were made homeless and were dependent upon the government for food supplies. Many of the settlers later accused of rebellion in 1795 (more about that later) suffered evacuation and loss of property in February 1794.
Records show that George Arons, George Cook, Timothy Hollingsworth, William Lane, Richard Lang, William Plowden, and Joseph Summerlin were among those affected8.
Invasion Plan Collapses - Prisoners Released
The invasion plan finally collapsed with the withdrawal of all French forces in late April 1794. A French warship arrived on the St Marys to transport all French forces out of the area. This was followed by President George Washington ordering US troops in the region to disband9.
Richard Lang, William Plowden and John Peter Wagnon were released from prison in May 1794. William Jones was released in December 1794 and John McIntosh, who was considered by the Spanish to be the guiltiest of the five, was detained until January 179510. All were released on the basis that there was insufficient evidence by which to try them. However, the Governor agreed to them being set free upon posting sufficient bail.
Richard’s imprisonment in cold, wet and damp conditions affected his health and he spent almost two months in the Royal Hospital after his release. There he ran up a $300 medical bill. He was finally freed upon agreeing to pay his account as soon as he could liquidate some of his holdings. However, instead of doing that, he hastened across the St. Marys River11 leaving East Florida for Camden County, Georgia where he settled in the Coleraine area. He already owned land near Coleraine12 and, presumably, that is where his family had gone to after being displaced from their land in East Florida.
During the latter part of 1794, Richard was frequently seen at the Coleraine tavern with a group of men who had joined forces with a handful of French agents. Richard Lang and William Plowden were chief among the disaffected group and intent on avenging what they considered to have been illegal imprisonment13.
No Compensation Forthcoming
Towards the end of the year Governor de Quesada made it clear that the Government owed no compensation whatsoever to those who lost property as a result of the emergency measures because these had been necessary for the defence of the Province. Some of those who were affected openly criticised the Government while others suffered in silence.
Richard complained that his wife and seven children were forced to move across the St. Marys into Georgia because they didn't have the means to relocate forty miles south to the St. Johns within the permitted period of time14. Presumably, this would have been his seven youngest children – William, Lydia, Anna, David, Maria, Sara and Eady; the eldest of whom, William, would have been about 14 years old and the youngest, Eady, about 4 years old.
His oldest children, Isaac, Mary, Elizabeth and Rebecca were all married and living independently by this time. However, they too would likely have been affected by the emergency measures that had been put in place.
Richard’s family remained in Georgia and did not return to East Florida which is fortunate given the events that were to follow. Others were not so fortunate. When William Plowden was released from jail, he decided to join Richard Lang in Georgia, expressing his unwillingness to live any longer under Spanish rule. Plowden's wife and children were still living in St. Augustine, having been forced to evacuate there in February 1794. Fearing Plowden might attempt to gain revenge on the province, Governor de Quesada refused to allow Plowden’s family to leave East Florida15.
Richard Writes to Governor de Quesada
It is no wonder that so many of these East Florida settlers felt disaffected. The bitterness Richard felt over the treatment he received from Governor de Queseda in 1794 is apparent in the letter he wrote to the Governor on 18 May 1795. In this letter, he seeks reparation for the losses incurred by him and his family as a result of the treatment received – to be paid by '1 June next'. Implied in his letter was a threat that the Governor might expect a revolution in his province should the monetary payments not be forthcoming16.
A copy of that letter can be viewed here.
The letter - Richard Lang to Governor Juan Nepomuceno de Quesada, East Florida at St Augustine - reads as follows17:
“May the 18th, 1795. – Sir. = With patience I have waited for your answer to my account presentet to your Excellency, which is justly due me; But finding instead of answering my account presented a copy of my Letter to the Governour of the State; But I will have your Excellency to know, that I am not yet become a citizen of the United States; But am a subject of the King of Spain. – I further wish to inform your Excellency that at the receipt of this, you will without delay, or at any rate by the 1st of June next, you will send my full amount of the account presented to your Excellency by me, which will be the only mains of preventing me for cohorting myself with all my power to pull off the yoke of despotism, and spread aboard the liberty, and freedom that God has bestowed to all mankind. – I can assure your Excellency that no one can wish more for peace than I do; But that unjust confinement your Excellency laid on me, and being so ill treated by your Excellency's orders, which distress'd a large, and helples familly to almost a morcell of Bread, and Water, which I cannot forgit it, which I hope God will be my protector. – Sir – your compliance will be agreable, and will wash away all strife, which after I will pledge you my word of honour that I never will interfere with your Goverment. – I have the honour – Sir. – to be your humble servant. – /sign'd Richard Lang [To] His Excellency the Governor of East Florida at St. Augustine'.
He had made it clear to the Governor that his loyalty was severely tested by the treatment both to him and his family. He was very clear that if his complaints were not taken seriously, and his expenses not compensated for, there would be trouble.
The Governor did not respond to Richard with the compensation requested.
It is not surprising, therefore, that Richard, along with other disaffected men, played a key role in the uprising that broke out in East Florida in the latter half of June 1795. More about that in Part #6.
This post draws information from my family history archive on the WeAre.xyz platform.
The testimony of William MacEnnry on 8 February 1794 when he appeared before the Governor - Extracts from: Bennett, Charles E. (1981) Florida's “French" Revolution 1793-1795. Gainesville: University of Florida Press) in document Florida's French Revolution via Ancestry.com (shared by Ralan64 on 19 May 2013). Accessed 24 May 2022.
O’Riordan, Cormac A. (1995) The 1795 Rebellion in East Florida. UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 99 (pp. 88-89) via University of North Florida Digital Commons. Accessed 23 May 2022.
Murdoch, Richard K. (1951) The Georgia-Florida Frontier 1793-1796. Spanish Reaction to French Intrigue and American Designs University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles (p.73). Accessed 24 May 2022.
Read, Keith, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.
Extracts from: Bennett, Charles E. (1981) Florida's "French" Revolution 1793-1795. Gainesville: University of Florida Press (p.72) in document 1Richard Lang Notes via Ancestry.com (shared by Ralan64 on 19 May 2013). Accessed 24 May 2022.
O’Riordan, Cormac A. (1995) The 1795 Rebellion in East Florida. UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 99 (pp.92-93) via University of North Florida Digital Commons. Accessed 23 May 2022.
Morris, Michael Dreams of Glory, Schemes of Empire: The Plan to Liberate Spanish Florida The Georgia Historical Quarterly', vol. 87, no. 1, 2003, pp. 1–21 via JSTOR [Website] Accessed 24 May 2022.
Information on the impact of Quesada's defensive measures of February 1794 can be is found in:
Spanish Land Grants in Florida: George Arons, (V:S48); George Cook, (lV:P22); Timothy Hollingsworth, (lV:M29); William Lane, (lV:L2); Joseph Summerlin, (V:S91)
Bennett, Charles, E. Florida's "French" Revolution 1793-1795. Gainesville:
University of Florida Press, 1981. pp.167-168 - For information on the effects of the evacuation order on Richard Lang
Plowden to Quesada, June 19, 1795 in Lockey Collection, 1793-1795. Translations of various documents from East Florida Papers and Archive General de Indias papers; P.K. Yonge Library, University of Florida, Gainesville - For information on William Plowden
All cited by O’Riordan, Cormac A. (1995) The 1795 Rebellion in East Florida. UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 99 (pp.86-87, footnote 13 to chapter 4) via University of North Florida Digital Commons. Accessed 23 May 2022.
Morris, Michael Dreams of Glory, Schemes of Empire: The Plan to Liberate Spanish Florida The Georgia Historical Quarterly', vol. 87, no. 1, 2003, pp. 1–21 via JSTOR [Website] Accessed 24 May 2022.
Morris, Michael Dreams of Glory, Schemes of Empire: The Plan to Liberate Spanish Florida - See Note 9.
Murdoch, Richard K. (1951) The Georgia-Florida Frontier 1793-1796. Spanish Reaction to French Intrigue and American Designs University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles. Accessed 24 May 2022.
Extracts from: Bennett, Charles E. (1981) Florida's "French" Revolution 1793-1795. Gainesville: University of Florida Press) in document Florida's French Revolution via Ancestry.com (shared by Ralan64 on 19 May 2013). Accessed 24 May 2022.
Extracts from: Bennett, Charles E. (1981). See Note 12..
O’Riordan, Cormac A. (1995) The 1795 Rebellion in East Florida. UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 99 (pp.87-88) via University of North Florida Digital Commons. Accessed 23 May 2022.
O’Riordan (1995) (p.94) - See Note 13.
At the time of writing an image of the letter can be found on Ancestry.com (shared as 'Richard Lang letter 1795 May 18, 1795' by ralan64 on 11 June 2013. Accessed 24 May 2022.
Transcript of letter given to me by Lang researcher R. Chilson (from the original translation on file at the Georgia Department of Archives & History).
So interesting! This is Loyalist history I knew nothing about!