1686 Spanish Invasion of South Carolina

The 1686 Spanish Invasion of South Carolina was a conflict between Spanish Florida and the Province of Carolina and their native allies. The Spanish excursion into Carolina culminated with the destruction of Stuart's Town, and the destruction and looting of the surrounding area of Beaufort, South Carolina.^[1]

Stuart's Town was established in 1684 by Scottish protestants in what is today Beaufort, South Carolina. Soon after their establishment in the area, the settlers allied with the Yamasee peoples who were native to South Carolina. In this alliance, the colonists agreed to help them raid and attack the Timucua who were a historical enemy of the Yamasee. This caused issue with the Spanish in florida because they had been allied with the Timucua. Angered by their allied being attacked by British colonists, Juan Márquez Cabrera ordered a counter attack on the Province of Carolina. The Spanish aimed to invade the whole colony, starting with some of the southern most colonies around what is today Beaufort, South Carolina, where the Yamasee and their settler allies were based.^[2]

In late August of 1686, in response to the prior encroachments, Capt. de León led his force on 3 Spanish galleys, traveling north towards Carolina. Once there, they found Stuart's Town lightly defended.^[3] Contemporary accounts suggest somewhere between 10 and 25 men were all the able bodied defenders present. The resistance, led by Provincial Secretary Paul Grimball, was quickly overcome by the superior numbers of the Spanish and their allies and the inhabitants were forced to flee into the woods.^[4] The Spanish plundered houses and plantations on nearby Edisto Island, including the home of Joseph Morton, the governor of the province, aswell as Paul Grimball's property. They also plundered nearby livestock and orchards, bringing any supplies and slaves they could use back to their ships. They planned to attack Charles Town next but a hurricane disrupted their plans and forced them to return back to St. Augustine.^[5]

After the destruction of Stuart's Town, the Colonial government including Morton and Vice Admiral Blake, in Charles Town debated a counter attack but was restrained by the government in England, which did not want a larger conflict with Spain.^[6] Grimball’s ruined plantation home still stands as a park at the Paul Grimball House Ruins.