![]() Creative Commons After sending one ship back to Vera Cruz, Mexico, to pick up and return with supplies, de Luna sent scouting parties inland while preparing two ships to sail on to Spain and leaving the majority of supplies for the new colony on the remainder of his ships. After three weeks, the scouting parties returned with reports or only finding a single native village (perhaps a sign of the damage diseases did to the native populations in the wake of the Hernando de Soto expedition). On the night of September 19, 1559, before the ships had been unloaded, a hurricane struck, destroying or grounding the fleet and leaving de Luna's men without ships and little supplies. ![]() University of West Florida - John Worth The expedition was an overall failure, and de Luna was quickly replaced due to the poor leadership over his men. The settement at modern-day Pensacola was only occupied for a year before being abandoned - the area would not be populated again by the Spanish until 1698. |
Last updated: April 17, 2021