Fernando de Leyba
Encyclopedia
Don Fernando de Leyba was a Spanish
officer and politician who served as the third governor
of Upper Louisiana from 1778 until his death.
Little is known of De Leyba's life until his appointment to the position of governor on June 14, 1778. Immediately upon his appointment to the post, he was ordered by Bernardo de Galvez to keep abreast of events occurring in the American Revolutionary War
, and to keep any correspondence with an American
chief secret and report it at once to Galvez.
De Leyba met George Rogers Clark
barely two months later, when Clark, fresh from his victory at Kaskaskia
, visited St. Louis
and met with the governor. Fearing an attack from Detroit, Clark suggested that De Leyba fortify the town; upon being notified of this, Galvez responded that De Leyba would have to make do on his own, as no fortifications would be provided.
War was declared between Spain
and Great Britain
early in 1780, and an attack was launched on St. Louis. Given fair warning, De Leyba managed to raise 1000 piastres, including 400 of his own money, for the construction of Fort San Carlos. Already deep in debt from his gifts to the Indians, the governor could ill afford paying for the entire fort on his own. In any event, only one tower was completed, with part of a second also built. This was enough to repel the British attack, which came on May 26. After their failure, the invaders laid waste to the surrounding farms as part of their retreat.
De Leyba's health was already poor, and, by June 28, he was dead. His report of the action reached Galvez only after his death, yet the general was impressed enough to promote the governor, posthumously, to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
.
After De Leyba's death, many of the villagers from the area around St. Louis began to blame him for their troubles, writing anonymous letters to the government in New Orleans detailing his supposed misbehaviors. Some people began calling him a "Spanish Benedict Arnold
". In 1831, one William Primm wrote a lecture in which he stated that the governor had not only sold the gunpowder stores to the enemy, he had acted in a cowardly manner during the engagement and deiberately impeded the defense of the village. Supported by accounts made by survivors some fifty years after the battle, these accusations were accepted by many historians for much of the nineteenth century, and it is only recently that some have begun to reconsider the role De Leyba played in the defense of the American frontier.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
officer and politician who served as the third governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Upper Louisiana from 1778 until his death.
Little is known of De Leyba's life until his appointment to the position of governor on June 14, 1778. Immediately upon his appointment to the post, he was ordered by Bernardo de Galvez to keep abreast of events occurring in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, and to keep any correspondence with an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chief secret and report it at once to Galvez.
De Leyba met George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
barely two months later, when Clark, fresh from his victory at Kaskaskia
Kaskaskia
The Kaskaskia were one of about a dozen cognate tribes that made up the Illiniwek Confederation or Illinois Confederation. Their longstanding homeland was in the Great Lakes region...
, visited St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and met with the governor. Fearing an attack from Detroit, Clark suggested that De Leyba fortify the town; upon being notified of this, Galvez responded that De Leyba would have to make do on his own, as no fortifications would be provided.
War was declared between Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
early in 1780, and an attack was launched on St. Louis. Given fair warning, De Leyba managed to raise 1000 piastres, including 400 of his own money, for the construction of Fort San Carlos. Already deep in debt from his gifts to the Indians, the governor could ill afford paying for the entire fort on his own. In any event, only one tower was completed, with part of a second also built. This was enough to repel the British attack, which came on May 26. After their failure, the invaders laid waste to the surrounding farms as part of their retreat.
De Leyba's health was already poor, and, by June 28, he was dead. His report of the action reached Galvez only after his death, yet the general was impressed enough to promote the governor, posthumously, to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
.
After De Leyba's death, many of the villagers from the area around St. Louis began to blame him for their troubles, writing anonymous letters to the government in New Orleans detailing his supposed misbehaviors. Some people began calling him a "Spanish Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
". In 1831, one William Primm wrote a lecture in which he stated that the governor had not only sold the gunpowder stores to the enemy, he had acted in a cowardly manner during the engagement and deiberately impeded the defense of the village. Supported by accounts made by survivors some fifty years after the battle, these accusations were accepted by many historians for much of the nineteenth century, and it is only recently that some have begun to reconsider the role De Leyba played in the defense of the American frontier.
External links
- Contribution of Spanish and Latin Americans to the American Revolutionary War
- http://www.serve.com/rbriggs/couriers/11-97/StLouis.html