The Rogue Republic: How Would-Be Patriots Waged the Shortest Revolution in American History

by William C. Davis

When Britain ceded the territory of West Florida what is now Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Spain in 1783, America was still too young to confidently fight in one of Europe's endless territorial contests. So it was left to the settlers, bristling at Spanish misrule, to establish a foothold in the area. Enter the Kemper brothers, whose vigilante justice culminated in a small band of American residents drafting a constitution and establishing a new government. By the time President Madison sent troops to occupy the territory, assert U.S. authority under the Louisiana Purchase, and restore order, West Florida's settlers had already announced their independence, becoming our country's shortest-lived rogue republic. 

Meticulously researched and populated with the colorful characters that make American history a joy, this is the story of a young country testing its power on the global stage and a lost chapter in how the frontier spirit came to define American character. The first treatment of this little-known historical moment, The Rogue Republic shows how hardscrabble frontiersmen and gentleman farmers planted the seeds of civil war, marked the dawn of Manifest Destiny, and laid the groundwork for the American empire.

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction, 19th Century

352 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2011

About the author

Currently professor of history at Virginia Tech, William C. Davis has written over fifty books, most about the American Civil War. He has won the Jefferson Davis Prize for southern history three times, the Jules F. Landry Award for Southern history once, and has been twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

For several years, he was the editor of the magazine Civil War Times Illustrated. He has also served as a consultant on the A&E television series Civil War Journal.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Dee Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chirp audio 13 hours 46 min. Narrated by Grover Garland (A)
Grover Garland is one the best readers of history!

I live what is now referred to as West Florida, also called the Panhandle, so I went into this book thinking it was a history of this area. Since I'm a transplant from DC, I wanted to acquaint myself with our history.

There are no maps on audio books, so I was quite confused by this story and had to reread chapters numerous times. Then I went to the internet to find some background on the Republic of West Florida, and I found maps that showed it represented land that is now parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. A light bulb went on in my mind! This is an area of land that was included in the original Louisiana Purchase (1803) but still held by Spain. During the reign of Napoleon, Spain was having trouble holding on to land it the America's, including West Florida from Baton Rouge , Mobile, and Pensacola (near where I now live) to the Apalachicola River and East Florida from the Appalachicola eastward to St. Augustine.

Many of those who settled in West Florida hated paying taxes and levies to Spain for land leases, surveying, and use of the Mississippi River for barge traffic. The final straw came when an unscrupulous Frenchman from Cuba was sent a governor to rule the area. Early in September 1810 the local plantation owners met with permission for a number of months and decided to throw of the bonds of Spain and establish their own republic modeled of that of the US which many had left for various reasons. On September 23, 1810, a small force attacked the Spanish garrison at Baton Rouge, killed a handful of Spanish soldiers, and captured the French governor.

They lowered the ragged Spanish flag and raised their own new flag of The Republic of West Florida, a field of blue with a single white star. (Later referred to as the Bonnie Blue.) They wrote a Declaration of Independence which they sent to Mobile and Pensacola, asking them to join. A copy also went to Cuba who were not troubled by its receipt. TRWF set about writing a Constitution based mostly upon the US with some ammendments. They established their own currency, courts, and army.

By the time President James Madison received this disturbing news, there was little he could do without fear of upsetting the tenuous balance of power between the US, Great Britain, France, and Spain. He secretly sent a representative with his authorization to "claim" the land of the new republic for the US. He later took much heat from the Federalists in Washington for his action.

In December 10, 1810 Madison's representative Mr. Claiborne and a few troops arrived in Baton Rouge and presented the governor with the news that the United States was relieving of him of control. On December 10, 18010, the flag of The Republic of West Florida was lowered, marking the end of the shortest lived republic on North America.

This was an interesting history which was quite detailed, showing remarkable research. William C. Davis writes in such a conversational style, but he uses enough quotations to take the reader back naturally in time. He is quite the storyteller.

He also includes information on Aaron Burr and Andrew Jackson. This book would be a great reference for those studying the history of the states of Louisiana or Mississippi.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a long-time, well read, history buff, I get excited when I come across a subject that I know absolutely nothing about. The Republic of West Florida? Never heard of it! William C. Davis' book took care of that quite nicely.

The story of West Florida is a complex one, that surprisingly for its small size and short existence, had far-reaching and important consequences. The events feature a diverse cast of frontier rogues, greedy businessmen, crafty politicians, and some noble patriots. Added to the plethora of actors are a wide variety of conflicting plans and goals, ranging from petty vengeance, to personal enrichment, to international power politics. Davis weaves this cast of characters and many threads of plots together into an exciting tapestry of politics, diplomacy, crime, and rebellion.

As exciting and illuminating as Davis' storytelling is, The Rogue Republic is not without its blemishes. Grammatical errors, occasional unnecessary repetition, and inconsistencies in writing style (the use of [sic] in period quotations randomly pops up for a short segment of the book and then disappears again) all distract from what would otherwise be a well-polished narrative.

All in all, I found this book to be surprising, informative, and enjoyable. I'd been wary of trying Davis' books in the past, since he's a bit of a celebrity historian (he's been on A&E and the History Channel, and has written TONS of books), but now I'm definitely interested in checking out some more of his work.

[Jeff Jellets · Rating 4 out of 5]

With that, the seventy-nine-day republic quietly expired.

With The Rogue Republic, historian William C. Davis provides a rich and detailed history of one of North America’s lost nations: the Republic of West Florida. Wrested from the Spanish in 1810, the republic made its capital at Baton Rouge and covered much of central Louisiana and Mississippi. The story of the little country’s strange and troubled birth makes for fascinating reading as Davis examines the all-but-forgotten international power struggle between a fledging United States and a waning Spanish Empire.

Davis’s research is meticulous and woven into a compelling narrative that deftly captures the historical personalities that shaped this second revolution. The tale also provides some exciting glimpses into the more important historical events of the period, including the fall of the fort at Baton Rouge, the bloody kidnapping of the brothers Kemper, and the five year odyssey of William Hargraves and his men in a Spanish jail after a failed insurrection in Mobile.

Perhaps the only drawback to The Rogue Republic may be its density. The domestic and political background is byzantine as U.S., Spanish, French, and British interests compete for control of the region. And the cast of characters is large, their shifting alliances and motivations complex. Still, as someone who has travelled through much of this region — from southern Alabama to Shreveport, Louisiana — this slice of forgotten history is wonderfully compelling.

Final Verdict: a true treat for the diehard history buff or anyone who is passionate about the origins of the states of the southern Gulf Coast. Davis tells a story that has been too long lost to the average American reader. Kudos to the author for rescuing the little nation of West Florida from historical obscurity.

[Brandon Creel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is precisely the kind of book I have been longing to read as I search for significant, but perhaps lesser known microhistories of the United States (as a self-described history buff, I am surprised I previously knew nothing about it). Here we have the perfect specimen – an independent republic within our borders that few have heard of, and with a name (West Florida) in an area most would associate with Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, as opposed to present-day Florida. Not only that, but it was a republic born of petty conflict and ineffective state leadership. In fact, about the only leader who comes out looking consistently good throughout is the territorial governor of Louisiana, William Claiborne. Spain is a crumbling empire, and this is reflected in its leaders, and France and Britain are on standby to threaten trouble. President Madison appears as inept as possible, waffling and fearing rocking the boat at any time, even though national interests demand decisive action in this area.

Davis does a wonderful job of describing the personalities and putting the reader squarely in the middle of the goings-on of the time. One can feel a lot of sympathy for Reuben Kemper, for all he wanted to do was just run a general store. There are plenty of tales of corruption, betrayal, and redemption to capture a reader’s interest. Personally, I think President Madison was the biggest perpetrator of betrayal of them all. His policy was essentially that the United States would not be initiator of territorial acquisition, that he rather preferred that the locals initiate an independence effort on their own. Once this got underway, Madison delayed in getting too involved, and then rode in like a white knight to establish order after everything was concluded. However, in doing so, he completely bypassed the folks who did the hard work, and actively avoided dealing with (declining to even acknowledge) the governor and popularly elected assembly, apparently for fear that doing so would draw the ire of foreign nations (who in reality weren’t in much of a position to complain or do anything about it). This is probably why the names have been largely lost to history, which is terrible because it truly is a compelling story, and significant to the early development of the United States.

[Meg G · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting little known chapter in Florida History and American History.

[Kevin Prewitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast paced, readable, well researched book on West Florida and the passive rebellion encouraged by Jefferson and Madison.

[Fr. John Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and documented part of American history.

[Daniel Farabaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable book about a little known and often taken for granted time in American history. The auhor writes well and carried the narrative nicely.

[Dylan McCartney · Rating 3 out of 5]

William Davis' The Rogue Republic covers a little discussed topic of the early United States. Covering the situation in Spanish West Florida from about 1800 through its conclusion in 1810, Davis gives voice to the various key political and social figures of the period, from the revolutionaries themselves to the Spanish and American officials attempting to control the situation. Since the West Floridian revolution is little discussed, Davis clearly had his work cut out for him in relaying all of the particulars in a clear manner. Thankfully, Davis' prose is clear, and the narrative is easy to follow.

A side effect of this unrecalled subject matter is the utter predominance of male voices. As it is unlikely that the reader will have any prior knowledge at all of the West Floridian revolt, the book focuses solely upon the political leaders and events, rather than cultural, economical, or social events, except as they relate directly to the course of the politics. Since the events occur in the early 1800s, it makes sense that all of the key political players would be male and white. As a result, however, few women, minorities, or even youth are mentioned, much less given a voice, within Davis' narrative. While this isn't necessarily detrimental to the enjoyment of the book, or the value of the book as a history, it is important to understand the book focuses almost exclusively upon the course of political events.

It is clear from the bibliography and notes that Davis used a wide variety of material in writing the book. The notes are clearly marked within the text, easily leading to the relevant note at the end of the book. A short literature review precedes the bibliography, again highlighting the obscure nature of the West Floridian revolt. Indeed, the rear of the dust jacket includes a note stating that there is no known graphic art of the West Floridian revolt, and that the cover art is of the Battle of New Orleans (1815), included only to depict the nature of frontier conflict. Anyone expecting a military history from this work as a result of the cover or title would be disappointed, since this revolt is very small (the largest "battle" is lasts just a few minutes). Again, this book is political history.

The book does include several glossy pictures inserted halfway through. There are a few paintings of figures, but since this is 1810, one shouldn't expect images of many people. Most of the pictures included are period maps, mostly serving as flavor since they are largely unreadable. Two maps are included on the inside of the covers, easily accessible and including most of the pertinent locations, although occasionally Davis mentions a place not depicted. Each map covers a different region of Spanish West Florida. A Dramatis Personae is also included, helping to keep the many figures of the tale straight.

While the book is certainly enjoyable, thorough, and well researched, there is one major issue, and it is Davis' attempt to build Reuben Kemper as the main figure of the narrative. While focusing on the Kemper family makes sense early in the book, given the first conflict was a quasi-revolt by the Kempers in 1804, Davis' attempt to build Reuben as the key figure seems misplaced. Reuben is not present at the start of either conflict, and does little at all in the main revolt of 1810. While the Kemper's story is useful to build an idea of frontier life in Spanish West Florida, there are other figures equally or of greater importance that are necessarily shortchanged.

That issue aside, The Rogue Republic is an enjoyable read. While not great, it is a well researched political overview of a very obscure subject. The book is well organized and includes useful supplemental material. Since it is rather unlikely that anyone would seek out this subject specifically, this book is simply recommended to those who would like to learn something completely new, and have some interest in early America and life on the frontier.

[Sky Thibedeau · Rating 3 out of 5]

About 200 years ago the Florida Panhandle, the southern sections of Mississippi and Alabama, and parts of Louisiana comprised a territory known as West Florida. West Florida was a backwater that came under control of various of the European Colonial powers at the time. It had been controlled at varuious times by France, Britain, or Spain. At the time of our story, it was again in the hands of Spain though actual Spanish speaking settlers were outnumbered by English speakers who had either fled the US as British Loyalists or were American land speculators.

The Kemper Brothers of Ohio had migrated to the area with a business partner in the late 1700's. The parties got into a dispute over land which was arbitrated by the Spanish authorities who found in favor of the Kemper's partner. Agitated the brothers move across the border to Mississippi and become firebrands and outlaws crossing into West Florida causing trouble trying to get their land back.

Loyal colonists cross into Mississippi and seize the brothers to take them to the authorities but they eventually escape before being sent to Havana. The border incursion causes difficulties between the Spanish officials and the US Government which views the territory as part of the Louisiana Purchase and therefore American territory.

The brothers especially Rueben become famous among the Americans and the American inhabitants of the Territory who decide to take advantage of Napolean's overthrow of the Bourbon's in Spain to kick the Spanish government out.

General Claiborne the American Governor of Louisiana and President Monroe do everything they can to encourage the Rebellion coveting the Territory themselves but not wanting to provoke a European Power be it France or Spain to War,

Davis' book chronicles the fight for independence won by the settlers and their short lived 'Republic'. It is an event not covered in many history books outside of Mississippi and Alabama Jr. High State history classes. He brings the period and the Characters of the Bonnie Blue Flag Republic to life.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's a book I wanted to like. I'm always interested in the parts of history that largely go un-examined - hence my excitement to get my hands on this book, a history of how Spanish Florida came to be part of the United States in between the end of the Revolutionary war and the War of 1812. Unfortunately, I didn't find the book itself that great. I don't know if it's because of the huge cast of characters, or the author being a better historian than he is a writer, but I had a lot of trouble keeping everything straight at some points. The biggest five or six characters are fine, and the first half of the book, focusing on the guerrilla war of one family versus the nervous, tottering Spanish colonial administration, is great. However, once the Spanish are overthrown and the second half of the book starts with the West Florida Republic's entire government being introduced, I had a hard time keeping who was what with the things and oh boy. This isn't helped by the second half of the book's mostly being a bureaucratic history of the republic's short-lived existence. Overall, I don't regret buying or reading this book, but it's hard to really recommend unless you're a huge nerd. (Cough)

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Rogue Republic provides the story of how Florida and the Mississippi Territory (including Baton Rouge) became a part of the United States. From the Kemper's raids that stirred up opposition to the Spanish to the United States incursions that provided the strength necessary for the uprising. The political parties from the Creoles, to the Americans, to the Spanish natives that made up the new melting pot of this territory the reader sees how they came together. Militarily this was a quick fight that was well armed from Spanish ineptitude and the inability of a withering empire to respond. William Davis provides his great political look at how this revolution came about in the fashion of many of his previous books. Hopefully one of the enhancements before the book hits the shelves will be expanded maps since I am not familiar with places like Bayou Sara and the forts throughout the south. Overall an interesting book with lots of detail on a little covered subject.

[Bob H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a well-researched and unique book on a long-forgotten episode in U.S. history: the 1810 revolt of American settlers in the Spanish territory of West Florida, an area spanning modern-day Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle. The author has done well to describe, in lucid prose, a convoluted story of intrigue and occasional violence between the settlers, the Spanish government, and the increasing U.S. government presence in the region. It's a story peopled by vivid characters, notably the Kemper brothers, leaders of the rebellion. And it's a rare look at the kind of influence a few people could have in the blank areas of the North American map, in times when the European empires were distant and weak and the U.S., its people and government, were expanding. Highly recommend.

[Du · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an extremely well thought out and documented look at this obscure event in North American history. I was a bit overwhelmed with the plethora of participants. Some aspects of the book didn't excite me, while others did. I found the earlier sections with the skirmishes to be good and move along, while the later sections about the short period of "governance" to be slow and plodding. Overall it is worth the read.

[Chuck Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone knows about the Louisiana Purchase, but few know how West Florida (the east side of the Mississippi to the Florida Panhandle) became part of the US. The process involved intrigue, scheming, sensitive international considerations, and a little bit of fighting. A must read if you live between Baton Rouge and Pensacola.

[Jim Blessing · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just too boring and complicated to follow. It seemed like an interesting topic that had not been covered in the past, but in reading it, I pretty quickly realized why that was so.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not an easy read.

[Douglas Zorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read of the Spanish rule in North America and frontier life in the Southeast.