a settlement in North America, situated at the mouth of a river on the gulf of Mexico. It was established by the French, and ceded to Great Britain in 1763. Its first discoverer was Sebastian Cabot in 1497.

The year 1781, so eventful to Britain in many respects, was also remarkable for the reduction of Pensacola by the Spaniards under Don Bernardo Galvez. Great preparations for this expedition had been making at the Havannah; but it was for some time retarded by a dreadful hurricane which attacked the Spanish fleet, and by which four ships of the line, besides others of inferior note, were lost, together with the people on board, to the amount of more than 2000. By this disaster the remainder were obliged to put back to the Havannah to repair; Penfocola, repair; but as soon as the fleet was again judged capable of putting to sea, an embarkation was made of near 8000 men, with Don Bernardo at their head, together with five ships of the line, who arrived at Penfocola on the 9th of March 1781. This force was soon augmented by ten ships of the line and six frigates; while General Campbell, the British governor, could oppose such a formidable armament with few more than 1000 men, consisting of some regulars and seamen, with the inhabitants. The entrance of the harbour, which was the principal object of defence, was guarded by two small armed vessels, but they were insufficient to second the batteries that had been erected for its protection; and these, without the assistance of some ships of force, were incapable of resisting a vigorous attack. Notwithstanding this prodigious odds, however, the Spaniards met with the most determined opposition. Every inch of ground was disputed with the greatest resolution. The harbour was not forced without the greatest difficulty, nor could the vessels be taken that defended it; the companies belonging to them, after setting them on fire, retired on shore.

The Spaniards, now in possession of the harbour, invested the place in form, and made their approaches in a cautious and regular manner; while, on the other hand, the besieged were no less active and vigilant in their own defence. Sallies were made occasionally with great success, at the same time that an uninterrupted fire was kept up in such a manner as not only greatly to annoy, but even to strike the besiegers with astonishment. This incensed the Spanish general the more, as he knew that the garrison could expect no relief, and therefore that all their efforts could only prolong the date of their surrender. The resistance was the more mortifying, as he was perfectly conscious of the bravery of his troops; and he had artillery fit, as his officers expressed themselves, "to be employed against Gibraltar." With all these advantages, however, so resolute was the defence of the garrison, that after the siege had continued for two months, very little hope could be entertained of its speedy termination. As they despaired therefore of making any effectual impression by means of their cannon, they erected a battery of mortars, with which they bombarded a redoubt that commanded the main avenue to the place; and in this they were favoured by an unexpected accident. On the 8th of May a shell burst open the door of the powder magazine under the redoubt, by which it was blown up, with the loss of near 100 men killed and wounded. Fortunately for the garrison, however, two flank-works still remained entire, from both which a heavy fire was kept up, that though an assault was immediately given, the assailants were repulsed with great slaughter. This afforded leisure to the garrison to carry off the wounded men, with some of the artillery, and to spike up the rest. As the enemy, however, soon recovered themselves, and prepared for a general storm, it was thought proper to abandon the flank-works, and retire into the body of the place. The possession of these outworks, however, gave the enemy such advantages, that the place was no longer tenable. Their situation, on a rising ground, enabled them to command the battery opposite to their chief approach with small arms, and to fingle out the men at their guns. A capitulation therefore became absolutely necessary, which was obtained on honourable terms.