Gálvez, << GAHL vays, >> Bernardo de (1746-1786), was governor of the Spanish colony of Louisiana during most of the American Revolution (1775-1783). His successful military efforts against the British helped Spain gain the British colonies of East Florida and West Florida in the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ended the war.
Gálvez became acting governor of Louisiana in 1777 and soon started aiding American revolutionaries in the area. In 1779, Spain declared war on Britain, and Gálvez was made a brigadier general. He soon engaged in a series of brilliant military expeditions in West Florida. First, he attacked and captured several British posts along the Mississippi River. Then, in 1780, he took the settlement of Mobile, which was then part of the British colony of West Florida. The British surrendered all of West Florida to Spain after Gálvez captured the town of Pensacola in 1781.
In 1783, Gálvez went home to Spain a hero. In 1784, he became captain-general (governor) of Cuba, Louisiana, and Florida. In 1785, he also became viceroy of New Spain, Spain’s empire in the Americas. Gálvez was born on July 23, 1746, in Macharaviaya, Spain, near Málaga. He died on Nov. 30, 1786.
