Portrait of Bernado de Gálvez, Viceroy of New Spain. This copy is part of the Cabildo’s Galvez exhibit. (author’s photo)
Portrait of the First Count of Gálvez
The equestrian portrait of Bernardo de Gálvez, Viceroy of New Spain, painted by Fray Pablo de Jesús y Jerónimo in 1796 CE. Now housed at the National Museum of History in Mexico City.
Upon entering the Gálvez exhibit at the Cabildo, guests are presented with this portrait of Bernardo de Galvez. While the focus of the exhibit is on Galvez’s time in New Orleans and on campaign against the British. This portrait presents him at the pinnacle of his career, as Viceroy of New Spain.
Spain to Louisiana to Mexico City
Gálvez was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Spanish army when he accompanied O’Reilly on his expedition to Algiers, where he was seriously wounded. He recovered, and was promoted to full Colonel. When it became clear that Spain would formally support the United States of America in their rebellion, Spain ordered Gálvez to New Orleans, to replace Unzaga. (As we’ve mentioned before, this was a logical move, as Unzaga was more of a diplomat and administrator.)
After his successes against the British, the Spanish Crown ennobled him, as Conde de Gálvez. This form of raising someone to the peerage is common in any countries. For example, Arthur Wellesley became Lord (later Duke of) Wellington during the Napoleonic Wars.
So, Galvez also received promotion to Lieutenant-General. King Carlos III appointed him Captain-General of Cuba on 20-May-1783. His father, Matías de Gálvez y Gallardo, was Viceroy of New Spain at the time. Matías died in October of 1784. The king appointed Bernardo to his father’s position. He arrived in Vera Cruz, Mexico, in May of 1785, and formally assumed the position in Mexico City in June of that year.
Of course, we Americans pretty much end Gálvez’s story at the end of the American Revolution. We move on to other things. Even our exhibit at the Cabildo closes before the 250th anniversary of his governorship!
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A Little History… A Tale of Two (Spanish) Flags
There are two Spanish flags currently on display at the Cabildo at Jackson Square. The first is the flag of the Kingdom of Spain while under the rule of the Bourbon Dynasty. The second is the flag of the Viceroyalty of New Spain.
The Bourbon Flag
The flag of the Kingdom of Spain (above) hangs in the “Hall of Flags,” the second floor gallery at the Cabildo at Jackson Square. The Cabildo, which is part of the Louisiana State Museum system, displays a series of flags that flew over Louisiana during the state’s history. The Spanish crown adopted this design as kingdom’s flag in 1785. So, this flag flew over New Orleans for the transfers of Louisiana in 1803. That’s why it hangs in the gallery, between the French flag of Louis XIV and the Tricolor of the French Republic.
Galvez and the American Revolution
Royal Standard of Carlos III of Spain in 1766
The Kingdom of Spain used the “Bourbonic Ensign” as a national flag and royal standard from 1760 to 1785. So, when Antonio de Ulloa arrived in New Orleans in 1766 as Spain’s first governor of Louisiana, his ships flew this flag. Same goes for O’Reilly, then Unzaga and Galvez. This flag presents challenges, particularly for military operations. That’s why the Spanish army units flew variants of the Burgundy Cross.
The Flag of New Spain
The Burgundy Cross was the official flag of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Government entities in New Spain flew the Cross of Burgundy in North America. Compared to the massive heraldic achievement of the ensign, this flag is clearly easier to recognize.
Vexillology
The study of study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags is known as Vexillology. While I’m no expert on flags, they fascinate me. We’ll be featuring more flag posts and discussions as we present more on Galvez and the American Revolution.
We’re implementing some changes to our website and other blog postings. Starting 1-September, NOLA History Guy dot com will feature new content. We’ll be presenting a series of illustrations of the French Army during the Napoleonic period. The work of artist and uniformologist Lucien Rousselot offers historic background and writing inspiration.
Additionally, we will present more articles featuring structures in the New Orleans area that have been the subject Historic American Buildings Survey projects.
Ad for Fall dresses from the “Audubon Shop” and handbags at Maison Blanche, in the Times-Picayune, 2-September-1970. Stores: Canal, Clearview, Gentilly Woods, Airline, and Westside.
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In six words or less, write a story about this image. (Peter Ehrlich photo)
Post your story to NOLAHistoryGuy.com on BlueSky, or to New Orleans Uncovered on Facebook. You can also email yours to nolasixwords@nolahistoryguy.com.
Podcast 63 presents the Allard Plantation, now New Orleans City Park.
Julius Robert Hoening’s 1898 painting by titled “Plantation and Oak Tree“ (Allard Plantation).
The Allard Plantation
The land along Bayou St. John, from Lake Pontchartrain to the “Great Portage” attracted members of Bienville’s exploration party from the first trips they made to what would be their Crescent City colony. While most of the French worked to establish the city, a few individuals broke off, heading back up the bayou, living with the indigenous. Small shacks evolve into farms, eventually becoming full plantations by the time of Spanish control.
One of those farms that becomes a plantation was owned by the Allard family. It’s the origin story of our beloved City Park.
Old Vieux Carré like Merieult House live on under the stewardship of nonprofits.
The Merieult House, 533 Rue Royale
Painting by Jim Blanchard. THNOC record: “View of the façade of the Merieult House, now the Historic New Orleans Collection. Painted between January 1 and April 14, 1993.”
The Merieult House dates to 1794. The house currently houses the headquarters of The Historic New Orleans Collection. From THNOC’s timeline of the house:
1792: Merchant Jean François Merieult purchases the plot at auction, three years after a devastating fire destroys 80 percent of the colonial city, including the early- and mid-colonial structures on the site. Merieult signs a contract with William Cobb for 7,200 pieces of lumber to be floated down the river from Natchez. Merieult contracts with builders Jacob Cowperthwaite and Robert Jones to lead the construction.
Like many living in New Orleans after the Great Fire of 1788, Merieult acquired property and helped re-build the city. Builders completed the main house in 1794. They finished the dependency wings in 1797.
Enslavement
While THNOC refers to Merieult as a “merchant,” they overlook the part where he bought and sold people. Also from their timeline of the house:
1795–97: Supporting buildings surrounding the rear courtyard are constructed to serve as a service area, counting house, warehouse, and slave pens for Merieult’s merchant business. Between 1792 and 1812, Merieult bought and sold over 400 enslaved Africans on this site.
Four hundred enslaved Africans. Slave pens. Merieult was a big player in human trafficking.
Changes and renovations
Originally of a Spanish Colonial design, Merieult House underwent renovations under later ownership. From a Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in the 1930s:
Lizardi Hermanos (Lizardi Brothers) acquired the property in 1832 Antonio Maria Pintado, possibly the Lieutenant Surveyor of the district of Iberville, who has left such a valuable collection of papers, seems to have taken the house on terms he could not fulfill, and three years later, it reverted to Lizardi Hermanos, at a price of $80,000. This increase in price indicated that during these three years the house was reconditioned, and the Classic Revival details were substituted for the original Spanish mouldings, and the square granite openings were substituted for the original arches.
The house was about forty years old when these changes took place. Preserving Spanish Colonial architecture was not a concern in the growing, booming New Orleans of the 1830s and 1840s.
Headquarters
Kemper and Leila Williams acquire the house in 1938. They embark on a major renovation project. The Williams family were founders of THNOC. They open the the house to the public in 1970.
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Become a patron. Yes, we’re on Patreon. A lot of creators use the platform for direct monetization, and that’s great for them. We don’t have “exclusive content” for patrons. Still, if you think our history stuff is worth a dollar a month, go join!
The governor of Louisiana on July 4, 1776 was Luis de Unzaga y Amézaga, from Spain.
Luis de Unzaga y Amézaga
At the time John Hancock signed his name large enough that George III of the United Kingdom knew who signed first, New Orleans operated under the control of the Spanish Crown. Luis de Unzaga y Amézaga came to New Orleans in 1769 as part of O’Reilly’s force sent from Havana to re-establish Spanish control of the colony. The Rebellion of 1768, led by French Creoles in the city, forced Spain’s action. With the first Spanish Governor, Ulloa, sent back by the French, O’Reilly arrived at Balize, at the mouth of the Mississippi. Three weeks later, his 2100 troops disembarked at New Orleans. He put down the rebellion, executing its leaders, and restored Spanish rule.
By November, 1769, O’Reilly established the Cabildo as the colony’s governing body. He named Unzaga as Governor, retaining the title of Captain General until he returned to Havana.
Unzaga in charge
Luis Unzaga became Louisiana’s 4th Spanish governor in December, 1769. In 1775, he married the daughter of a local merchant, Elizabeth St. Maxent.
Unzaga continued the Code O’Reilly laws established by his predecessor, but he loosened traditional Spanish trade regulations. Luis allowed open trade with (then-British) colonials. By 1776, he enabled the transfer of gunpowder and weapons up the Mississippi to aid the American cause.
“Estados Unidos”
Governor Unzaga is credited with being one of the first foreign leaders to recognize the British colonies as the United States of America. From his Wikipedia entry:
In 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed, George Washington wrote to his friend Colonel Joseph Reed that he had just received a very flattering letter from Luis de Unzaga y Amézaga, governor of Spanish Louisiana, who referred to Washington as “General de Los Estados Unidos Americanos” (General of the American United States).
Throughout the remainder of 1776, Unzaga continued his support of the new nation. He turned over Louisiana to Bernardo de Galvez on January 1, 1777, Luis returned to Havana, then became Captain General of Venezula in June of that year.
Four Ways to Support NOLA History Guy
Buy my books! Edward Branley is the author of six books on New Orleans history. They’re available from local booksellers and all the usual online suspects.
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi dot com. I just love this concept as a way to say thank you/tip creators you enjoy. Our idea of monetization is buying books and having us come to speak. If you see me at a coffee shop, stop and say hi. Otherwise, I’ll raise coffee cup to you if you treat me.
Become a patron. Yes, we’re on Patreon. A lot of creators use the platform for direct monetization, and that’s great for them. We don’t have “exclusive content” for patrons. Still, if you think our history stuff is worth a dollar a month, go join!
Miro mis-reports the origin of the fire in his report to the Spanish Crown. He reported the origin to be at Chartres and Toulouse, not closer to the church. The building on the corner was Nunez’s office.
Louisiana Anthology
Shout out to Stephen Payne and Bruce Magee of the Louisiana Anthology (https://louisiana-anthology.org) for all their hard work, including maintaining a copy of Castellanos’ translation of Mrio’s report on the fire.
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Buy my books! Edward Branley is the author of six books on New Orleans history. They’re available from local booksellers and all the usual online suspects.
Buy me a coffee on Ko-fi dot com. I just love this concept as a way to say thank you/tip creators you enjoy. Our idea of monetization is buying books and having us come to speak. If you see me at a coffee shop, stop and say hi. Otherwise, I’ll raise coffee cup to you if you treat me.
Become a patron. Yes, we’re on Patreon. A lot of creators use the platform for direct monetization, and that’s great for them. We don’t have “exclusive content” for patrons. Still, if you think our history stuff is worth a dollar a month, go join!
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