An excerpt from the book, “Pensacola’s Finest,” available on Amazon
By Mike Simmons
In 1764, shortly after West Florida – including Pensacola – was ceded to Great Britain from Spain, the British Provincial Council appointed one man to hold the positions of deputy provost marshal and marshal of the territory – James Johnstone. Even though these two positions held specific duties, they were in essence performed together by one person – the nephew of the governor.
If one travels from Great Britain to Pensacola in May, a huge surprise awaits. Across the sea, a low of 44 degrees might rise to 60 on a warm day. As visitors arrive on the shores of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Pensacola natives often witness the shedding of coats and hats. The high temperatures have already reached a humid 85 or 90 and the lows won’t dip below 70 for several months. When Marshal Johnstone stepped off the ship on May 8, 1765, he no doubt felt the change immediately. Historical documents infer that Marshal Johnstone was less than pleased with his appointed station, and the weather likely contributed to his unhappiness.
One of the first recorded arrests made in West Florida occurred in 1766. Governor Johnstone was a controversial leader and often found himself at odds with the military leaders in Pensacola. On one occasion, the governor and British Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Walsh, a newcomer to the area, had a misunderstanding about the disposal of government property. Johnstone ordered the arrest of Walsh by military officials. The order fell on the shoulders of Walsh’s contemporary – Lieutenant Colonel Edward Maxwell, who refused to carry it out, despite the governor’s insistence. Exasperated, Johnstone ordered his nephew to arrest Walsh. When that didn’t work, the governor himself arrested Walsh and turned him over to his nephew. Within days, cooler heads prevailed. Walsh was released and ordered to Mobile, Alabama against the governor’s wishes.
Interesting…