Bernardo de Galvez

Bernardo de Gálvez was born on July 23, 1746  in Macharaviaya, a mountain village in the province of Málaga and died on November 30, 1786. Bernardo was a Spanish military leader and colonial administrator who served as colonial governor of Louisiana and Cuba, and later as Viceroy of New Spain. Gálvez was a great leader who took the lead of thousands of spanish soldiers and colonists. He constantly helped the Americans in their struggle by training them, giving them supplies, preventing the British from going up through Louisiana, and defeating the British at the Siege of Pensacola in 1781. He did an important role in the independence of America. He fought the british because Spain and France were both defeated by Britain and they always looked for a way to attack the other side of the war.

In 1777 he was sent to the vast territory of Louisiana as a colonel and interim governor. In the same year he married Marie Felice de Saint-Maxent Estrehan, a young Criolla widow and had three children, Miguel, Matilde and Guadalupe.

Bernardo de Gálvez was against the british and took all chances to attack them directly or indirectly. This kind of "hate" was created in him since the Seven Year war, which was fought between the british against the spanish and french. Even though the fight was two against one, and we are talking of the strong economies of the time, Britain still accomplished to win the war.

By many, Bernardo de Gálvez was considered as a spanish hero in America. He fought for the spanish territory always trying to keep peace with the indians and by using many tactics. He occupied many important positions in the spanish colonies, mainly the ones related to warring and commanding armies because of his great abilities. He also helped a lot the americans by blocking the way for the british through Louisiana and by defeating the British at the Siege of Pensacola. Gálvez captured back spanish Florida too which was lost on the Seven Year war. As we can see, Bernardo de Gálvez was a great leader and a person to admire.