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Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program Partners with Spanish Ship Builders

Thu, Apr 17 2008

St. Augustine – Thousands of pounds of Oak sailed out as the cargo of a container ship, and in 2011 it will return to St. Augustine as part of the brig Galveztown.

The original brig Galveztown was the flagship of famed Spanish General, Bernardo de Gálvez, who defeated British forces in Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida during the American Revolution.

Today, a shipyard in Málaga, Spain, Astilleros Nereo, is building a replica of Gálvez’s flagship. The new Galvestown will serve as a floating museum and celebrate the often overlooked Spanish-American alliance.

In that collaborative spirit the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program (LAMP), the research arm of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, has donated timber to Astilleros Nereo’s project on the other side of the ocean.

All in all, 25 trunks of Florida Live Oak weighing approximately 13.5 tons are destined to become the ribs of the replica brig Galvestown at the Málaga shipyard, which has been declared a Spanish national treasure.

“The partnership between LAMP Boatworks and Astilleros Nereo represents a great opportunity to mutually support each others maritime heritage preservation goals through a project that is important to the history of both our nations,” said Dr. Sam Turner, LAMP Director of Archaeology.

Once completed, the Galvestown is scheduled to dock in St. Augustine in 2011 to pick up cargo built by LAMP Boatworks.

In the meantime, volunteer boat builders at LAMP Boatworks will be busy building its shipsboats in the shadow of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Two Yawls, one fourteen the other sixteen feet in length, will be used by the Galveztown as workmens boats, transports, and even as tugs.

The Galveztown project is seen by Spain’s Andaluz Federation of Maritime and River Culture and the Astilleros Nereo, not only as a way to rekindle the memory of Málaga’s greatest native son, Bernardo de Gálvez, but also as a vehicle for building and enhancing Spanish-American relations.

HISTORY OF THE BRIG GALVEZTOWN

The Galveztown was originally the British sloop West Florida that dominated Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana for two years (1778-1779). The armed schooner Morris, commanded by American sea captain, William Pickles, captured the West Florida. Pickles was funded by Oliver Pollock, a merchant and the Continental Congress’ agent in New Orleans. The victory was impressive given that the British sloop seriously outgunned the Morris. The prize was taken to New Orleans, fitted out by Pollock and the Spanish, and commissioned into the Continental Navy under Captain Pickles' command as the Galveztown.

After cruising for a short time out of New Orleans, the Galveztown was taken to Philadelphia where she was sold out of the Continental Navy service to the Spanish Government. Once in Philadelphia, she was extensively repaired and re-rigged as a brig, though there is some chance this occurred earlier in New Orleans following her capture.

Now a brig, the Galveztown returned to the Gulf of Mexico and operated with the forces of General Bernardo de Gálvez. It assumed its most historically important role as his flagship during the battle of Pensacola. When his admiral refused to run the guns of forts defending the entrance to the bay, Gálvez boarded the Galveztown and led the way. Five vessels stormed the bay entrance sustaining little damage from the defending guns. All ships of the Spanish fleet, save the Admiral and his flagship, followed him and the battle was won.

LAMP Boatworks has been financed in part with Historical Museums Grants-in-Aid Program assistance provided by the Bureau of Historical Museums, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State, Secretary of State.

(More News)

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