Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent - American Revolution

American Revolution

During the American Revolutionary War Spain sided with the French and United States against the British and Maxent was placed in charge of the militia (but not Spanish forces) which were to see action in the Gulf Coast campaigns including the Capture of Fort Bute, Battle of Baton Rouge (1779) (which included battles at Fort New Richmond and Fort Panmure near Natchez, Louisiana, Battle of Mobile (1781), and ultimately the Battle of Pensacola (1781).

For his actions, he was named Commandant of the Militia of Louisiana, Lt. Governor of the Providence of Louisiana and West Florida, Captain-General of the new Bureau of Indian Affairs of Louisiana and West Florida.

In 1782, he traveled to Spain to get concessions from Carlos III including doing permission to import slaves with paying duty. As part of the negotiation, he agreed not to export specie (gold bars).

While returning to Louisiana in 1782, his two ships and crew were captured by the British and sent to Kingston, Jamaica where Maxent was held under house arrest and his men in prison. Maxent and his men got lenient treatment through bribes. The revolutionary war ended with the Treaty of Paris (1783) and Maxent's fortunes quickly soured when his enemies were at peace. One of the British benefactors was arrested in Havana, Maxent was implicated in a smuggling specie (gold) and the Spanish revoked all his titles and his property was embargoed.

Adding to his woes his New Orleans wharehouse was destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire (1788) and in 1789 he was ordered arrested again by Spanish governor Esteban Rodríguez Miró. Maxent was to eventually clear himself of the charges but the process was to tie him up for the rest of life.

The next Spanish governor Francisco Luis Héctor de Carondelet called him back to military duty to help build Fort San Felipe. Carondelet recommended that he be promoted to Brigadier General but he died in 1794.