The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-08-24
EARLY HISTORY
OF PENSACOLA

manent, he built square fort with
bas tons" at which II now barrancas.
which he named San Carlos.
Al the reconstruction OF the town
named Pensacola. no erected some houses
adjacent to the fort. And there TOO. ne
built = church. historically the iirst ever
erected on Pennacola bay, put presump-
HE That the large settlement Of de Luna.
IN, bracfnr 80 many ecclesiastics. should
have failed to observe the spanish Gus
tom OF building . church wherever they
planted a colony. Irresistible. therefore
/. the inference. that the first notes OF
cnurch bell heard within the limits Of
the United states. were those which re-
verbrated across the waters OF rensa-
cola hay and tho white hills OF santa
Rosa from 1853 10 1862.
Having demonstrated that the settle
ment OF. de Luna was the original Pen
sacola. that Of Arriola was apparently
resuscitation OF tho colony or 1883. Tor
the name, the people and the place peins
ore. mere lapse OF time should not %
permitted to destroy the unity which may
be SO Justly attributed to the two set
Elements.
BY order or Bienville. Pensacola was
burned and San Carlos was destroyed py
blowing up with powder, The only struc-
ture remaining being the magazine
which stood about half mile from the
fcrt. Upon the ruins of San Carlos there
was affixed tablet, announcing: In
the year IT'S, on the eighteenth day OF
September. Monsieur Despard de cnamr-
meslin. Commander OF his most ChristianH
Majesty. captured this place ana the
Island OF Santa Rosa. by force OF arms.
Prior to this the Pensacola OF Arrioia
had been captured by the French, re-
captured by the Spanish. and again cap-
tured by the French.
On February IL. 1870, five monfhs
- IN &xA
OF peace between France and Spain VA
signed. But II was not until January.
1923. that Bienvilie, under orders from
tho French government. restored the sta
of Pensacola to the Spanish government.
or the first settlement OF the Island
town there exists no account, but Il ~
probable it began Immediately after the
destruction of the Pensacola OF d'Arriola.
Its origin may be accounted for Tor An
the supposition OF historians that upon
the recapture of Pensacola. II was de-
cided to move the town to vicinity or
safety. such as possessed by Santa Rosa
Island. 1t was a narrow. uninhabitel
strip OF land. separated from the main
le nd In its western portion by three miles
of water. rendering a settlement there
comparatively free from danger OF sur
prise by Indians.
Judge Campbell. In his history from
which these facts are taken, gives pic
ture OF the island town, from sketch
made in 1743, the artist. Don Series.
who was resident during that year.
having made hts arrival In the service OF
an Havana company. In a schooner with
la cargo for Pensacola. Campbell tells
that he secured quantity OF pitch and
turpentine for his company. as well as
two pine spars. each eighty-four feet
long, which he sent to Havana In the
schooner. thus beginning the timber trade
of Pensacola, its first known business
transaction.
The picture shows the fort. the church.
the governors house, the commandments
house. well, and n hungo. Many
houses dot the shores. and with the boats
and sailing vessels in the bay the scene
Il peaceful enough. But In 1884 tho vii
sage was destroyed. together with many
of the people. by n terrific hurricane.
The survivors moved TO the north shore
OF the bay. settling upon a crescent
shaped body OF dry land. about the
eighth of mile wide i'm its widest part
formed by the bay and a It'll swamp.
which extended from the mouth of an
estuary on the west. curved landward 10
on the east. These estuaries though.
seemingly the outlets Of two. were In
fact those or one and the same stream
navagible by canoes. The bay-shore also
curved deeply. the indentation being In
fact the remnant OF cove.
That settlement was but the. removal
OF Pensacola TO Its present site. Ike
that by which II was removed to the
island. Each settlement. In its order cf
time. like d'Arrioa's town. being con-
tinuation OF the Pensacola founded by de
Luna in 1859. four years before Menendcx
founded St. Augustine.