The Villasur expedition of 1720

 

Villasur expedition painted on buffalo hide^[a]

The Villasur expedition of 1720 was a Spanish military expedition intended to check New France's growing influence on the North American Great Plains, led by Lieutenant-General Pedro de Villasur. Pawnee and Otoe Indians attacked the expedition in Nebraska, killing 36 of the 40 Spaniards, 10 of their Indian allies, and a French guide. The survivors retreated to their base in New Mexico.

Fort Mose in Florida

 A newly opened fort in Florida. From 1738. (1) Facebook. The first reenactment when they have a fort to use. Wiki

The Battle of Bloody Mose...

DATE: June 28, 2025

Park Opens at 8am – with 2 reenactments at 11:00 am & 1:00 pm

9:00 - Weapons Checks / Saftey Briefing

10:00 - Opening Ceremony

11:00 - First Battle

12:00 - Lunch (for the participant)

1:00 - Second Battle

2:00 - Closing Ceremony

Fort Mose Historic State Park

15 Fort Mose Trail

St. Augustine, FL 32084

Spanish soldado by Mike Santana Florida War of Jenkin's ear 1740

Villasur expedition 1720

The Villasur expedition of 1720 was a Spanish military expedition intended to check New France's growing influence on the American Great Plains, led by Lieutenant-General Pedro de Villasur. Pawnee and Otoe Indians attacked the expedition in Nebraska, killing 36 of the 40 Spaniards, 10 of their Indian allies, and a French guide. The survivors retreated to their base in New Mexico. 

The Pawnee and their French allies surround and defeat the Villasur expedition, painted on buffalo hides.[a]

Pensacola

Regimiento Español fijo de Luisiana 1781, Batalla de Pensacola
Josè Ferré Clauzel

Soldados de España en América. -Siglo XVIII

more here

A Far-Flung Gamble – Havana 1762

I might get this Osprey 'Raid' Title - also reduced price - see here

Spain in the American Revolutionary War

Wiki here.
As you can see I am still reading the Osprey The Spanish Army in North America 1700-93. It's an excellent tome written by one of my favourite Osprey authors Rene Chartrand. Illustrated by David Rickman.

Anza Expedition 1775-1776

 Wiki here 

Found the above photo on this page

Anza on horseback by David Rickman - from here

The Spanish Army in North America 1700-1793.

I think I am going to have to buy this Osprey - my knowledge of the Spanish forces is very limited - I don't even have a label on this blog for them! Does anyone do figures for a Spanish force for wargames? Duscovered this Osprey is only 5.49 at the Osprey store. Sorted.

COLONIAL SPANISH ARMY IN N.A.

Image Regimiento Fijo de Puerto Rico . This is a nifty Facebook page dedicated to the knowledge of the Spanish forces in North America. Also check out this group from Texas.

More Spanish

The top two figures are from Santo Domingo - the bottom two Mexico - writen near the picture from right to left on the garrison of Veracruz: "White grenadier, While line inf., Free Mestizo Inf. and Free Black Inf." from this thread

Free Black - Spanish forces

Fort Mose is mostly known to us today as a place of freedom for runaway slaves where they could enjoy liberty under Spanish rule away from the English colonies. Image from this page. 
Free Blacks fought at Fort Mose in 1740 on the Spanish side. Another image of Spanish Black Militia here

Battle of Fort Mose

Image from here. This battle took place today in 1740 - read the wiki 
where it says
A Spanish column of 300 regular troops, free black militia and Indian auxiliaries commanded by Captain Antonio Salgado stormed the strategically crucial position of Fort Mose,^[7] occupied by 170 British soldiers under Colonel John Palmer as a part of James Oglethorpe's offensive to capture St. Augustine. Taken by surprise, the British garrison was virtually annihilated.^[7]

^{News item about Fort Mose reenactment}

Battle of Havana 1762

This military action in the Seven Years War started today 250 years ago. Wiki here. 
Images are from the book on the raid by David Greentree called 'A far-flung gamble'. Osrpey says:

Author: David Greentree

Illustrators: Donato Spedaliere Giuseppe Rava

About this book
At the height of the Seven Years’ War, Great Britain made an audacious strike at the heart of Spanish colonial power in the Caribbean. Gathering troops from bases in Britain and Canada and sailing across the Atlantic in secrecy was an incredible feat. The raid on Havana took Spanish colonial forces completely by surprise and following vicious fighting, the city defences at El Moro collapsed. Havana, the jewel in the Spanish colonial crown, now belonged to Britain. The success of the raid influenced British military policy for centuries as the true potential of amphibious warfare was realized.

MAA 475 THE SPANISH ARMY IN NORTH AMERICA 1700-1793

Thanks to Thomsomfeld for letting me know about this new Osprey (Image here) by Chartrand/Rickman. The bumph reads

Long before England established a serious presence in the New World, Spain had already established an overseas Empire. In North America, this included vast tracts of territory including most of what today comprises the states of Florida, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Alabama, Illinois and California. In later years, as the British and the French came to expand their claims, they often came into conflict with the Spanish. The Spanish also played a significant part during the American Revolution, fighting against the British and drawing off forces needed to fight the Americans. This book covers all of the North American Spanish forces that fought in the campaigns of the 18th Century.

Contents

Introduction * Background: the captaincies-generals of Spanish North America * Chronology of main actions with participating units * Colonial units: origins, organisation, deployments, weapons, uniforms, flags – major reforms under King Carlos III from 1759 – list of units, with emphasis on those that served during American Revolution * Colonial militias

Spanish troops at Pensacola

Grenadiers and Militia attecking defences. Also see F Back's reconstruction here

Spanish Louisiana Regiment - Francis Back

Image from an article from an old Military Illustrated.

Hispanic lancer 18th century

New Spain wiki
Image from here where it says
Hispanic lancer, 18th c., an example of the Spanish/Mexican troops who guarded the frontier provinces of New Spain. Note his quilted leather coat of seven-ply buckskin, pommel and cantle of saddle, carbine, saddlebags for carrying water and field rations, lance, pistols hanging from hooks on saddle skirt, shield, leggings and spurs, wooden stirrups, and cartridge box; c. 1803. Ramon Murillo, artist.