In Mid April 1783 British Loyalist Colonel Andrew Deveaux, a young Carolinian from Beaufort, left British loyalist St. Augustine with five of his own ships and 220 provincials, locals and Negroes. They headed toward Spanish occupied Nassau, landing without notice. After setting up "straw soldiers" to increase the perception of large numbers, they fired a few well directed shots at the fort. The Spanish governor capitulated and turned over the fortress, seventy cannon and six ships. Five hundred troops also surrendered. The British had already lost the American Revolution but regained the Out Islands called the Bahamas.The defeated Loyalist refugees were offered Crown Land free of charge for the first ten (10) years. Leasehold titles of 20 acre tracts were offered to each Black or White woman, man, or child in a family, and 40 acre tracts for each head of a family at an annual rent of 2 shillings per 100 acres. The Loyalists settled primarily on San Salvador, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Long Island, Exuma, and Abaco, engaging predominantly in large cotton plantations. Deveaux was rewarded with 1,000 acres on Cat Island. Source: East Florida As A British Province 1763 - 1784 ,Charles Loch Mowat, 1943
Colonel Andrew Deveaux Jr. was never rewarded property on Cat Island. His Father was the one to whom the Cat Island property was granted.
ReplyDeleteThank You...there seems to be some errors n the history annals over here.
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