The figures that follow indicate the growth of Spanish strength in Louisiana, due to the exertions of Governor Bernardo de Galvez.

On the 1st June 1778, there were 412 regulars in the territory, 25 more were on their way to Mexico, by January 1779, the number had been increased to 510, including 10 artillerymen. Reinforcements of 153 men from the Canary Islands and 106 from Mexico brought the total of men up to almost 750 by July 1779, 300 of these regulars were actually "raw recruits".

According to a census, there were 136 militiamen at New Orleans in 1777, and 302 in 1778, by Galvez's report on the 1st January 1779 there was 17 militia companies in the territory with a total strength of 1,478 men.

On the 27th June 1779, the First Militia Company of the town of Galvez, contained 2 officers, 3 sergeants, 8 corporals and 49 privates, the officers were Lieutenant Agustin Brounet and 2nd Lieutenant Antonio Diaz. The Second Militia Company of the Town of Galvez contained 3 officer, 2 sergeants, 3 corporals and 25 privates, the officers were Captain Jayme Nicholson, Lieutenant Genero Nicholson, and 2nd Lieutenant Rufine Grey, this militia company was comprised of Anglo-Americans who had sought refuge in Louisiana during the early part of the Revolutionary War and founded Galveztown on the Iberville River.

Later in 1779, a company of 62 Canary Islanders was added at Galveztown, this unit was the second militia company to be raised at this place. The first company contained 33 Anglo-Americans with the names such as "Nicholson, Grey, Escot, Oaks, Dukenson, Devez, Parker, Beckley, Morris, Richard, Foster, Mackey, Myers, Runnells, Obryan and Fitz-Patrick".

(It would appear that with this fresh influx of manpower the original 2 companies were merged to create 2 reasonable sized companies. T.D.H.)

On the 27th August 1779, Galvez set out to attack Manchac with a small army of 667 men of "all sorts, nationalities and colors", his subordinates included Colonel Manuel Gonzales, Lt. Colonel Estevan Miro and Captain Jacinto Panis, his artillery officer was sick, and he had no engineers. Acting as an aide-de-camp was an American volunteer named Oliver Pollock, he classified as an agent of Virginia and of the Continental Congress. His troops included;

170 "Veteran soldiers"
330 "Recruits..from Mexico and the Canary Islands"
20 "Carabiniers"
60 "Militiamen and Habitants"
80 "Free blacks and Mulattoes"
7 "American Volunteers"

In September 1779, Lt. Colonel Alexander Dickson of the 16th Regiment of Foot, reported that 378 prisoners were taken at Baton Rouge, this number included officers and men of the Royal Artillery, 16th & 60th Regiments of Foot, the Waldeck Regiment, an Independent Company, and the Garrison Staff. Among his subordinates were Captain Francis Miller and Lieutenant John J. Graham, both of these being "experienced engineers".

These were;

Royal Artillery 1x 2nd Lieutenant, 1x Corporal, 1x Bombardier, 3x Gunners, 5x Mattrosses
16th Foot 1x Lt. Colonel, 1x Captain, 2x Lieutenants, 1x Ensign, 1x Adjutant, 1x Quartermaster, 1x Surgeon, 7x Sergeants, 6x Drummers, 120x Rank & File.
60th Foot 1x Lieutenant, 4x Rank & File
Waldeck Regiment 2x Captains, 3x Lieutenants, 3 Surgeon's mates, 8x Sergeants, 6x Drummers, 3 Servants, 176x Rank & File (2 Companies)
Independent Company 1x Captain, 1 Ensign, 1x Sergeant, 14x Rank & File
Garrison Staff 1x Commissary, 2x Assistant Surgeons

The terms of Lt. Colonel Dickson's surrender included Fort Panmure at Natchez, the garrison consisted of 80 men from the Waldeck Regiment, the grenadier company, the commander of the garrison was Captain Anthony Forster. Galvez sent Captain Juan Delavillebeuvre with 50 men to receive its surrender, he was accompanied by Captain Barber, a British officer who carried a letter from Dickson to Forster in which the terms of surrender of the fort was duly notified, with Foster directed to comply. This was carried out on the 5th October 1779, the prisoners taken at Fort Panmure, Natchez included; 1x Captain, 2x Lieutenants, 3x Sergeants, 2x Drummers, 54x Rank & File, and 13 women & children.

Lt. Colonel Dickson also reported that there were 24 prisoners captured at Manchac, 13 at Thompson's Creek, 12 at Amite, 1 on the Mississippi and 57 on the Lakes ("/o/n the Lakes) these were;

Manchac
16th Foot 1x Sergeant, 4x Rank & File
60th Foot 1x Lieutenant, 1x Sergeant, 11x Rank & File
Independent Company 1x Lieutenant, 1x Sergeant, 4x Rank & File

Thompson's Creek

16th Foot 1x Sergeant, 4x Rank & File
Waldeck Regiment 8x Rank & File

Amite

60th Foot 3x Sergeants, 1x Drummer, 7x Rank & File
Independent Company 1x Rank & File

On the Mississippi

16th Foot 1x Rank & File

On the Lakes

16th Foot 2x Rank & File
Waldeck Regiment 1x Captain (Alberti), 3x Sergeants, 1x Drummer, 1x Servant, 49x Rank & File

In his report Lt. Colonel Dickson stated that there had been 36 men killed, seriously wounded or dead since prisoners, they were 1 Rank & File of the Artillery had been wounded, of the 16th Foot 1 Rank & File had been killed, another wounded and 7 more had died since taken prisoners, Ensign Brock of the 3/60th Foot had been killed with Ensign Nolting and 1 Rank & File of the Waldeck Regiment had been killed, while Lieutenant Leonardi, 1 Surgeon's mate, 2 Sergeants and 19 Rank & File had died since taken prisoners. According to Dickson, 1 Officer, 1 Sergeant and 6 privates were "very slightly wounded", but "always fit for duty" and "not included in the above".

Galvez proceeded with his army to the German and Acadian coasts, there he raised the local militia companies and enlisted volunteers, by doing this he managed to recruit an extra 600 men, made up of "every class and color" and 160 Indians, with these additions his army strength was increased to 1,427 men.

Source

Bernardo de Galvez in Louisiana 1776-1783, by J. W. Caughey, pub. Berkeley, Calif., 1934, pp.137-8, 151, n.7, 153-4, 157-8, n.37.
Spain in the Mississippi Valley 1765-1794, edited by Lawrence Kinnaird, pub. Washington D.C., 1949, Vol. II, pp.342-3.
American Penetration into Spanish Louisiana, published in "New Spain and the Anglo-American West: Historical Contributions Presented to Herbert Eugene Bolton", by Lawrence Kinnaird, Lancaster, Penna., 1932, Vol.1, pp.229, & n.4, pp.230.
West Florida: The Capture of Baton Rouge by Galvez, September 21st 1779, pub. Louisiana Historical Quarterly, Vol. XII, April 1929, pp.264-5.
The Natchez District and the American Revolution, by R. V. Haynes, pub. Jackson, Miss., 1976, pp.117, 124-5.
The German Allied Troops in the North American War of Independence 1776-1783, by Max Von Eelking, translated by J. G. Rosengarten, reprinted Baltimore Genealogical Publishing Company, 1969, pp.220, 221.

More Spanish and British Units: American Revolution

1st Note: British at Pensacola
2nd Note: Spanish in Louisiana
3rd Note: Spanish at St. Louis
4th Note: British at Mobile
5th Note: Spanish at Mobile
6th Note: British Attack St. Louis
7th Note: Spanish Garrison of St. Louis
8th Note: Spanish "Regular" units in Louisiana and West Florida