Andrew Deveaux
Encyclopedia
Andrew Deveaux was an American Loyalist from South Carolina
who is most famous for his recapture of the Bahamas
in 1783.
. Deveaux's ancestry stretches back to France in 1665 when André de Veaux (who was born in 1665 at Château de Veaux, France) went to the American Colonies in late 17th or early 18th century.
Andrew Deveaux (junior) was owner of many thousands of acres around Prince William's Parish & Port Royal Island
.
. However, the elder Deveaux senior was under constant badgering by Beaufort locals for his support of the British. In defense of his father, young Deveaux banded together a group of loyalists who created havoc in and around Beaufort.
Deveaux joined the services of British under Major General Augustine Prévost
in 1779 and was present at the Siege of Savannah
where the Franco-American assault was repulsed with heavy loss.
He was present at the Siege of Charleston
which afterwards he was given a commission by Lord Cornwallis to raise a regiment called the Royal Foresters. This however did not succeed but Deveaux was promoted to colonel & was given command of a group Loyalist irregulars for which 2 American generals were captured in woodland ambushes.
In December 1782 the British evacuated South Carolina and Deveaux with his men went to St. Augustine, Florida
capital of East Florida
. He thus set about a plan to recapture the Bahamas for himself & the British crown. Nassau had fallen to the Spanish earlier in the year
.
He left for England in September 1783 and he often returned to the islands. His fortune however was made in Red Hook, New York
where he resided for the remainder of his life. He married Anna Verplanck and thus had four children; Steven, William, Augusta Maria and Julia who would later marry the American agriculturalist John Hare Powell
. Deveaux and his family were the foremost of the developers of the new plantation islands. Deveaux died in July 1812 leaving a sizable portion of the land of the islands of the Bahamas in his will.
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
who is most famous for his recapture of the Bahamas
Capture of the Bahamas (1783)
The Capture of the Bahamas took place in April 1783, late in the American War of Independence, when a Loyalist expedition under the command of Andrew Deveaux set out to retake the Bahamas from the Spanish. The expedition was successful and Nassau fell without a shot being fired...
in 1783.
Early life
He was born to plantation owners Andrew Deveaux senior & Catherine Barnwell on 30 April 1758 at St Helena's Parish in Beaufort, South CarolinaBeaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
. Deveaux's ancestry stretches back to France in 1665 when André de Veaux (who was born in 1665 at Château de Veaux, France) went to the American Colonies in late 17th or early 18th century.
Andrew Deveaux (junior) was owner of many thousands of acres around Prince William's Parish & Port Royal Island
Port Royal, South Carolina
Port Royal is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Largely because of annexation of surrounding areas , the population of Port Royal rose from 3,950 in 2000 to 10,678 in 2010, a 170% increase. As defined by the U.S...
.
Service
At the age of 17 Andrew Deveaux, Jr., enlisted in the Continental armyContinental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
. However, the elder Deveaux senior was under constant badgering by Beaufort locals for his support of the British. In defense of his father, young Deveaux banded together a group of loyalists who created havoc in and around Beaufort.
Deveaux joined the services of British under Major General Augustine Prévost
Augustine Prevost
Major General Augustine Prévost was a Swiss-born British soldier who served in the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence.-Seven Years War:...
in 1779 and was present at the Siege of Savannah
Siege of Savannah
The Siege of Savannah or the Second Battle of Savannah was an encounter of the American Revolutionary War in 1779. The year before, the city of Savannah, Georgia, had been captured by a British expeditionary corps under Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell. The siege itself consisted of a joint...
where the Franco-American assault was repulsed with heavy loss.
He was present at the Siege of Charleston
Siege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
which afterwards he was given a commission by Lord Cornwallis to raise a regiment called the Royal Foresters. This however did not succeed but Deveaux was promoted to colonel & was given command of a group Loyalist irregulars for which 2 American generals were captured in woodland ambushes.
In December 1782 the British evacuated South Carolina and Deveaux with his men went to St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
capital of East Florida
East Florida
East Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...
. He thus set about a plan to recapture the Bahamas for himself & the British crown. Nassau had fallen to the Spanish earlier in the year
Capture of The Bahamas (1782)
The Capture of the Bahamas took place in May 1782 during the American War of Independence when a Spanish force under the command of Juan Manuel de Cagigal arrived on the island of New Providence near Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas...
.
Recapture of the Bahamas
From St Augustine Deveaux set off with 70 men and 6 vessels. He was joined by another 170 men whilst on Harbour Island, Bahamas and thus with only 220 men and 150 muskets to face a force of 600 Spanish soldiers. Deveaux forced the Spanish under Don Antonio Claraco Sauz to surrender on April 17, 1783, without a single shot fired. When Deveaux took down the Spanish flag, it marked the last time that a foreign banner was to fly over the Bahamian capital.Later life
As a reward for his efforts in the Bahamas Deveaux was given a large portion of Cat Island where he built a mansion at Port Howe, Cat Island the remains of which can be seen today.He left for England in September 1783 and he often returned to the islands. His fortune however was made in Red Hook, New York
Red Hook, New York
Red Hook is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was reported to be 11,319 during the 2010 census. The name is supposedly derived from the red foliage on trees on a small strip of land on the Hudson River. The town contains two villages; the village of Red Hook and the...
where he resided for the remainder of his life. He married Anna Verplanck and thus had four children; Steven, William, Augusta Maria and Julia who would later marry the American agriculturalist John Hare Powell
John Hare Powell
John Hare Powell was an American agriculturist.Powell was born in Philadelphia, and educated at Philadelphia College; he went into business and acquired wealth. He was secretary of the American legation in London 1807-11, and inspector general in the Pennsylvania militia 1814-15...
. Deveaux and his family were the foremost of the developers of the new plantation islands. Deveaux died in July 1812 leaving a sizable portion of the land of the islands of the Bahamas in his will.