The Religious War That Came to America 55 Years Before Plymouth Rock

Fort Caroline, Florida

Two European powers clashed violently on American soil for the first time in 1565. Spanish forces surprised Fort Caroline at dawn on September 20, overwhelming the French settlement and executing 135 colonists .

The Spanish commander reportedly hung bodies with signs reading “Not as Frenchmen, but as heretics.” Here’s how this brutal morning unfolded at what’s now a National Park site.

Spain’s Response to the French Settlement

French Huguenots built Fort Caroline in 1564 along the St. Johns River where Jacksonville, Florida stands today. Spain had already claimed this land after Ponce de León explored it years earlier.

King Philip II saw the Protestant as an affront to Spain and the Catholic faith, so he sent Pedro Menéndez de Avilés to drive out the French in March 1565.

He left Spain in July with 11 ships carrying nearly 2,000 soldiers and settlers.

The French Reinforcement Fleet

Jean Ribault sailed from France in May 1565 bringing help to Fort Caroline. His ships carried about 600 soldiers and more settlers to strengthen the struggling colony. Arriving in late August, Ribault took over from Laudonnière as the fort’s leader.

His ships brought badly needed supplies and weapons to the settlement. When news came of Spanish ships nearby, Ribault gathered most of the fort’s fighting men onto his ships, leaving Fort Caroline with few defenders at a dangerous time.

Establishment of St. Augustine

Menéndez started St. Augustine on September 8, 1565, creating the first lasting European town in what would later become the United States. He named it after Saint Augustine because his fleet first saw Florida on August 28, this saint’s feast day.

The Spanish camp stood about 30 miles south of Fort Caroline. Local Timucuan Indians helped build the first walls and shelters. From this new base, Menéndez planned his attack on the nearby French colony.

Ribault’s Failed Naval Attack

Ribault decided to attack the Spanish at St. Augustine before they grew stronger. He left Fort Caroline on September 10 with four ships holding 600 men. He aimed to destroy the Spanish settlement before it became well-built.

Laudonnière argued against this plan, saying the fort needed its defenders, but Ribault took almost all fighting men anyway. This choice left Fort Caroline with mostly women, children, sick people, and very few guards.

The Hurricane That Changed History

A massive storm hit Florida’s coast on September 10-11, 1565, just as Ribault’s ships neared St. Augustine. Fierce winds drove the French vessels far south along the shoreline. Many ships wrecked between what we now call Daytona Beach and Cape Canaveral.

Hundreds of French sailors and soldiers drowned. Survivors, including Ribault, found themselves stranded on beaches many miles from both St. Augustine and Fort Caroline. This bad timing left the French fort completely exposed.

Menéndez’s Overland March

Menéndez saw his chance when the hurricane hit Ribault’s fleet. He gathered 500 soldiers to attack Fort Caroline by land while Ribault remained stranded. The Spanish troops marched 30 miles north from St. Augustine through rough land.

Recent rains had turned the path into swamps, forcing men to wade through water up to their knees. By September 19, they reached Fort Caroline. Menéndez had his men camp nearby and prepare to attack at dawn.

The Dawn Attack on Fort Caroline

Spanish forces struck at dawn on September 20, 1565. The wet and tired Spaniards rushed the fort while most people inside still slept. Only about 240 people remained at Fort Caroline – mostly women, children, and a small defense force.

The guards failed to post enough lookouts despite knowing Spanish troops were in the area. In the early morning darkness and confusion, Spanish soldiers quickly overran the fort’s weak defenses.

The Massacre of the French Colonists

Spanish troops killed about 132 French men during and after the attack. Menéndez ordered all adult male Protestants executed, seeing them as both invaders and religious enemies. Women and children were spared from the killing.

These survivors later boarded ships to Havana, Cuba. Reports tell that bodies of dead Frenchmen hung from trees with notes saying they died “Not as Frenchmen, but as heretics.” This bloody event showed how religious fights in Europe had spread to the New World.

Escape of Laudonnière and Others

René de Laudonnière and about 45 other French colonists managed to escape during the chaos. They ran through marshes and woods to avoid Spanish soldiers hunting them down.

Some, including Laudonnière and artist Jacques Le Moyne, reached French ships waiting at the mouth of the St. Johns River. These vessels had stayed behind when Ribault left. The survivors sailed back to France and told what happened. Their stories spread across Europe, making many people angry at Spain.

Spanish Occupation of Fort Caroline

Menéndez renamed Fort Caroline “San Mateo” after taking it for Spain. This new name showed Spanish control over the disputed area. Spanish soldiers strengthened the captured fort and set up a permanent guard post.

This victory removed the French threat from the Atlantic coast and made Spanish shipping routes safer. Menéndez left troops at San Mateo while he returned to St. Augustine.

There he heard about shipwrecked Frenchmen to the south, leading to his next attack against Ribault’s stranded men.

Visiting Fort Caroline National Memorial

You’ll find Fort Caroline National Memorial at 12713 Fort Caroline Road in Jacksonville, Florida.

The visitor center features exhibits on the area’s natural history, European exploration, and Timucuan Native Americans. A half-mile walking trail leads to the fort replica along the St. Johns River.

The site offers history tours, nature walks, and a Junior Ranger Program for kids. Facilities include clean restrooms, picnic areas (no grilling allowed), a small gift shop, water bottle filling station, and accessible pathways.

For more information, check the National Park Service website for special events and programs.

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