The Arbuthnot and Ambrister incident occurred in 1818 during the First Seminole War. American General Andrew Jackson invaded Spanish Florida and captured and executed Alexander George Arbuthnot and Robert C. Ambrister, two British citizens charged with aiding Seminole and Creek Indians against the United States. Arbuthnot and Ambrister were tried and executed in modern Bay County, Florida, near what continues to be called Court Martial Lake, near Sand Hills. Jackson's actions triggered short-lived protests from the British and Spanish governments and an investigation by the United States Congress. Congressional reports found fault with Jackson's handling of the trial and execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister, but Congress chose not to censure the popular general.
"The trial of Ambrister during the Seminole War: Florida" (illus. from 1848)
Robert Chrystie Ambrister (1797–1818) was a British citizen and a native of Nassau, Bahamas. Ambrister had served in the Royal Navy as a volunteer and as a midshipman between 1809 and 1813, when he returned to the Bahamas. During 1814–1815, he served in Spanish Florida as an auxiliary 2nd lieutenant of the British Corps of Colonial Marines, commanded by Brevet Major Edward Nicolls of the Royal Marines.[1][2] Discharged from the military in Nassau in 1815,[3][4] the former Marine lieutenant returned to Spanish Florida in 1817 with his fellow former Marine, Brevet Captain George Woodbine, and the Scottish soldier of fortune Gregor MacGregor.[5]
Alexander (George) Arbuthnot was an older man, a Scottish merchant, translator, and diplomatic go-between, on occasion, who had been present in Florida since 1803.[6] Jackson's execution of Arbuthnot, Ambrister, and at least two prominent Creek-Seminole leaders (Josiah Francis and Hoemotchernucho) was perceived, both in Great Britain and elsewhere, as an act of barbarity violating the conventions of warfare.[7]
^British and foreign state papers Volume 6, pg 434 Ambrister's Commission 'Whereas, I have thought fit to send a Detachment of the Royal Marine Corps to the Creek Nations, for the purpose of training to arms, such Indians and others as may be friendly to, and willing to fight under, the Standard of His Majesty: I ..appoint you as an Auxiliary Second Lieutenant, of such Corps of Colonial Marines...Given under my hand and seal, at Bermuda, this 25th day of July, 1814'[1]
^British and foreign state papers Volume 6, p. 483, Memorial to R C Ambrister mentions that he and Nicolls sailed 'to Apalachicola, from whence he proceeded to the Creek Nation, where he served until those Forces were disbanded, upon the termination of hostilities with the Americans, when he returned to the said island of New Providence' and disembarked there from the Carron on 6 May 1815
^"Royal Marines on the Gulf Coast". Retrieved 19 January 2014. Extracted information from the muster of HMS Carron
^Arbuthnot and Ambrister incident Summary/bookrags.com
^Niles' weekly register, Baltimore, October 3, 1818, No. 6, Vol. XV, pp. 84-86
Further reading
Aubigné, Guillaume Merle d'; Chinard, Gilbert. 1935. La vie américaine de Guillaume Merle d'Aubigné; extraits de son journal de voyage et de sa correspondence inédite, 1809-1817, Paris, E. Droz; Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Press. OCLC 1862429 - pp. 133–147.
Gales, Joseph. 1834–1856. The debates and proceedings in the Congress of the United States; with an appendix containing important state papers and public documents, and all the laws of a public nature; Washington, Gales and Seaton. OCLC 10329123 - "Seminole War", pp. 367–374.
Fisher, Louis. "Military Tribunals: Historical Patterns and Lessons". Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, 2004.
Foreign Office. British and foreign state papers Volume 6, 1818-1819. Piccadilly, London: James Ridgway, 1835.
Heidler, David and Jeanne Heidler. Old Hickory's War: Andrew Jackson and the Quest for Empire. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books, 1996. ISBN0-8117-0113-1.
Hoefer, Jean Chrétien Ferdinand. 1862. Nouvelle biographie générale depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours, Paris : Didot. OCLC 73261929 - pp. 153–154
Narrative of a voyage to the Spanish Main in the ship "Two Friends;" the occupation of Amelia island by McGregor, etc.--sketches of the province of East Florida; and anecdotes illustrative of the habits and manners of the Seminole Indians: with an appendix containing a detail of the Seminole war, and the execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister, London, Printed for J. Miller, 1819. OCLC 16068670 - pp. 196–312.
Owsley Jr., Frank L (1985). "Ambrister and Arbuthnot: Adventurers or Martyrs for British Honor". Journal of the Early Republic. University of Pennsylvania Press. 5 (3): 289–308. JSTOR 3122585.
Rush, Richard. 1845. Memoranda of a residence at the court of London comprising incidents official and personal from 1819-1825, including negotiations on the Oregon question, and other unsettled questions between the United States and Great Britain, Philadelphia : Lea & Blanchard. OCLC 12492949 - Chapters iv & v.
Wright, J. Leitch, Jr. "A Note on the First Seminole War as Seen by the Indians, Negroes, and Their British Advisers". The Journal of Southern History 34, no. 4 (November 1968), 565–575.
January 31, 2023
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The Arbuthnot and Ambrister incident occurred in 1818 during the First Seminole War American General Andrew Jackson invaded Spanish Florida and captured and executed Alexander George Arbuthnot and Robert C Ambrister two British citizens charged with aiding Seminole and Creek Indians against the United States Arbuthnot and Ambrister were tried and executed in modern Bay County Florida near what continues to be called Court Martial Lake near Sand Hills Jackson s actions triggered short lived protests from the British and Spanish governments and an investigation by the United States Congress Congressional reports found fault with Jackson s handling of the trial and execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister but Congress chose not to censure the popular general The trial of Ambrister during the Seminole War Florida illus from 1848 Robert Chrystie Ambrister 1797 1818 was a British citizen and a native of Nassau Bahamas Ambrister had served in the Royal Navy as a volunteer and as a midshipman between 1809 and 1813 when he returned to the Bahamas During 1814 1815 he served in Spanish Florida as an auxiliary 2nd lieutenant of the British Corps of Colonial Marines commanded by Brevet Major Edward Nicolls of the Royal Marines 1 2 Discharged from the military in Nassau in 1815 3 4 the former Marine lieutenant returned to Spanish Florida in 1817 with his fellow former Marine Brevet Captain George Woodbine and the Scottish soldier of fortune Gregor MacGregor 5 Alexander George Arbuthnot was an older man a Scottish merchant translator and diplomatic go between on occasion who had been present in Florida since 1803 6 Jackson s execution of Arbuthnot Ambrister and at least two prominent Creek Seminole leaders Josiah Francis and Hoemotchernucho was perceived both in Great Britain and elsewhere as an act of barbarity violating the conventions of warfare 7 A decade later in 1828 Jackson was elected president of the United States References Edit Niles weekly register Baltimore Oct 3 1818 No 6 Vol XV pp 84 86 British and foreign state papers Volume 6 pg 434 Ambrister s Commission Whereas I have thought fit to send a Detachment of the Royal Marine Corps to the Creek Nations for the purpose of training to arms such Indians and others as may be friendly to and willing to fight under the Standard of His Majesty I appoint you as an Auxiliary Second Lieutenant of such Corps of Colonial Marines Given under my hand and seal at Bermuda this 25th day of July 1814 1 British and foreign state papers Volume 6 p 483 Memorial to R C Ambrister mentions that he and Nicolls sailed to Apalachicola from whence he proceeded to the Creek Nation where he served until those Forces were disbanded upon the termination of hostilities with the Americans when he returned to the said island of New Providence and disembarked there from the Carron on 6 May 1815 Royal Marines on the Gulf Coast Retrieved 19 January 2014 Extracted information from the muster of HMS Carron The Florida Historical Quarterly Vol 23 No 1 July 1944 pp 39 44 2 Arbuthnot and Ambrister incident Summary bookrags com Niles weekly register Baltimore October 3 1818 No 6 Vol XV pp 84 86Further reading EditAubigne Guillaume Merle d Chinard Gilbert 1935 La vie americaine de Guillaume Merle d Aubigne extraits de son journal de voyage et de sa correspondence inedite 1809 1817 Paris E Droz Baltimore Johns Hopkins Press OCLC 1862429 pp 133 147 Gales Joseph 1834 1856 The debates and proceedings in the Congress of the United States with an appendix containing important state papers and public documents and all the laws of a public nature Washington Gales and Seaton OCLC 10329123 Seminole War pp 367 374 Fisher Louis Military Tribunals Historical Patterns and Lessons Congressional Research Service Report for Congress 2004 Foreign Office British and foreign state papers Volume 6 1818 1819 Piccadilly London James Ridgway 1835 Heidler David and Jeanne Heidler Old Hickory s War Andrew Jackson and the Quest for Empire Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania Stackpole Books 1996 ISBN 0 8117 0113 1 Hoefer Jean Chretien Ferdinand 1862 Nouvelle biographie generale depuis les temps les plus recules jusqu a nos jours Paris Didot OCLC 73261929 pp 153 154 Narrative of a voyage to the Spanish Main in the ship Two Friends the occupation of Amelia island by McGregor etc sketches of the province of East Florida and anecdotes illustrative of the habits and manners of the Seminole Indians with an appendix containing a detail of the Seminole war and the execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister London Printed for J Miller 1819 OCLC 16068670 pp 196 312 Owsley Jr Frank L 1985 Ambrister and Arbuthnot Adventurers or Martyrs for British Honor Journal of the Early Republic University of Pennsylvania Press 5 3 289 308 JSTOR 3122585 Remini Robert V Andrew Jackson and his Indian Wars New York Viking 2001 ISBN 0 670 91025 2 Rush Richard 1845 Memoranda of a residence at the court of London comprising incidents official and personal from 1819 1825 including negotiations on the Oregon question and other unsettled questions between the United States and Great Britain Philadelphia Lea amp Blanchard OCLC 12492949 Chapters iv amp v Wright J Leitch Jr A Note on the First Seminole War as Seen by the Indians Negroes and Their British Advisers The Journal of Southern History 34 no 4 November 1968 565 575 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arbuthnot and Ambrister incident amp oldid 1129589532, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
