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Amelia
Island, Florida has been known as the "Isle of Eight
Flags" since it has been under the domination of the following
countries/entities since 1562: France,
 Spain, Great Britain, Spain
(again), the Patriots of Amelia Island, the Green Cross of Florida,
Mexico, the Confederate States of America, and the United States.
In colonial history, it became known for an episode called the Amelia
Island Affair. Amelia Island was the final location of Santa Catalina de
Guale, the main mission of Spanish Florida to the Guale chiefdom.
In 1817, General Gregor MacGregor led a group of 55 men to capture San
Fernandina on Amelia Island, Florida from the Spanish. The Spanish were
surprised and MacGregor's men overran the island on June 29,1817 when
MacGregor rai sed
a flag with a green cross on it. It was during this period that
MacGregor apparently issued the above Customs House scrip, which contain
his signature. The Ferdandina Customs House was the first in the US.
This is the only known example of this note and was reported to be
valued at $20,000 USD in 1980.
After MacGregor's triumph in capturing Amelia Island he left a few
months later in September 1817 to continue fighting the Spanish
throughout the Caribbean.
The Scottish government reported that MacGregor traveled to Britain in
1823 in an attempt to promote immigration to
Poyais, Central America (an
imaginary country created by MacGregor). It was also stated that he sold
Poyais bonds, an example shown here.
MacGregor died in Caracas, Venezuela in 1845 after writing his memoirs. |
