In 1779, the Spanish commandant at St. Louis was Captain Fernando de Leyba, under his command was only 35 regulars, of these 15 men and a drummer were stationed at St. Louis, a corporal and 5 men were garrisoned at Fort Prince Charles on the mouth of the Missouri River, a lieutenant with 12 men were posted at Ste. Genevieve, or "Miseria".

The militia included "all able-bodied males between fourteen and fifty years of age", according to the census of the 31st December 1779, there were 226 men of this age group in St. Louis.

There were 2 militia companies at St. Louis, one of infantry the other of cavalry. On the 13th July 1779, Leyba reported to Galvez that the infantry company numbered 176 men, while the "newly formed" cavalry company contained 3 officers, 3 sergeants and 48 men.

By the 9th November 1779, the infantry company contained 168 officers and men, the officers were: Captain Juan Baptista Martigny, Lieutenant Benito Basquez (or Vasquez), Sublieutenant Pedro Montardy.

On the 25th December 1779, the cavalry company contained 3 officers and 48 men, the officers were; Captain Euxenie Pure (Eugene Pouree dit Beausoleil), Lieutenant Luis Chanchelier (Luis Chancolier), Sublieutenant Charles Tayon (Charles Michel dit Tayon or Taillon. "The uniform prescribed for the cavalry company consisted of coat and breeches red, cuffs, waistcoat, lapel and collar blue, buttons gilt".

The cavalry company was not a success, as most of the men could not afford horses, when mounted service was required horses were requisitioned from the inhabitants, although "There is no evidence that this company functioned as cavalry".

For the reasons cited above, the cavalry and infantry companies were combined, by the 5th July 1780, there was one militia company with a strength of 3 officers and 260 men, the officers being; Martigny, Basquez and Montardy.A second company was reformed sometime before August 1780, at that time the two militia companies had a total strength of 272 officers and men, this number rose to 318 in September, and 322 in October, by December, however, the total was down to 220 officers and men.

Sources

The Myth of the "Imbecile Governor": Captain Fernando de Leyba and the Defense of St. Louis in 1780, by J. F. McDermott, published in The Spanish in the Mississippi Valley 1762-1804, pub. Urbana Ill., 1974, pp.336-338 n. 27, 373, 379 n. 4, 381 n. 5.

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