Dauphin Island has absolutely THE BEST American Revolution stories you've NEVER heard of. One of the many stories that goes unrecognized for its historical importance is Dauphin Island's tenth armed, amphibious invasion, the 1780 Spanish siege of British Mobile's Fort Charlotte https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Charlotte.
We begin this Dauphin Island story of the American Revolution when the U.S.S. West Florida, commanded by Captain William Pickles, first dropped anchor near the ship channel off Dauphin Island in February of 1780. Captain Pickles and his U.S. Navy ship were accompanied by a huge convoy of Spanish ships. The Spanish convoy which had sailed from New Orleans in January but had been delayed by both the action of storms and by being becalmed. This fleet carried almost 800 soldiers and sailors on board 13 ships consisting of a merchant frigate, 4 row galleys, a sloop, a packet boat, three brigantines, a frigate of war, a galliot and a royal brig.

The mission of this enormous amphibious force anchored at Dauphin Island was to secure the strategic main channel at the mouth of Mobile Bay and to take tactical advantage of this position during the capture of Ft. Charlotte in Mobile. The conquest of Mobile was part of Spanish commander Bernardo de Galvez' plan to use Mobile as a supply station during his anticipated successful attack upon Pensacola. The conquest of Pensacola, British capital of West Florida, would insure the eventual Spanish conquest of all the land on the Gulf Coast. This would mean an end to British harassment in the Gulf for American smugglers from the Atlantic Coast who were moving war materials for the Continental Army from New Orleans, Havana and other southern ports through the British blockade of American harbors on the Atlantic.

2007 BILLY JOE ROYAL INTERVIEW: "Then when it folded up I got a job down in Savannah and that was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I played in this huge club, the Bamboo Ranch,and anybody that was anybody played there. Joe South came down and started playing guitar. So as kids we played with Sam Cooke, Marty Robbins, George Jones, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, the Isley Brothers, Faron Young and anybody that was anybody came through those doors. I've been lucky my whole life. I met Joe South that knew Bill Lowery. Joe and I had cut some stuff on our own which was just awful. We took it to Bill and he said he didn't like the stuff and he took us to Nashville. I had 6 or 7 records before "Down in the Boondocks". Of course it was on a major label and it hit."

Dauphin Island has absolutely THE BEST American Revolution stories you've NEVER heard of. One of the many stories that goes unrecognized for its historical importance is Dauphin Island's tenth armed, amphibious invasion, the 1780 Spanish siege of British Mobile's Fort Charlotte https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Charlotte.
We begin this Dauphin Island story of the American Revolution when the U.S.S. West Florida, commanded by Captain William Pickles, first dropped anchor near the ship channel off Dauphin Island in February of 1780. Captain Pickles and his U.S. Navy ship were accompanied by a huge convoy of Spanish ships. The Spanish convoy which had sailed from New Orleans in January but had been delayed by both the action of storms and by being becalmed. This fleet carried almost 800 soldiers and sailors on board 13 ships consisting of a merchant frigate, 4 row galleys, a sloop, a packet boat, three brigantines, a frigate of war, a galliot and a royal brig.

The mission of this enormous amphibious force anchored at Dauphin Island was to secure the strategic main channel at the mouth of Mobile Bay and  taking advantage of this position during the capture of Ft. Charlotte in Mobile. The conquest of Mobile was part of Spanish commander Bernardo de Galvez' plan to use Mobile as a supply station for his anticipated successful attack upon Pensacola insuring a Spanish conquest of all British West Florida. This would mean an end to British harrassment in the Gulf for American smugglers from the Atlantic Coast who were moving war materials for the Continental Army from New Orleans, Havana and other southern ports through the British blockade of American harbors on the Atlantic.

Mexican War http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/030/30-21/CMH_Pub_30-21.pdf

BOWLES https://books.google.com/books?id=k3RgY4Mv3LIC&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=%22william+augustus+bowles%22+battle+of+the+village+pensacola&source=bl&ots=RYoRnZ5bfJ&sig=mAhB61jw8jlDH4TLvhpmgAnbWEo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CFQQ6AEwCWoVChMI88PU6qepyAIVAdkeCh2hNg51#v=onepage&q=%22william%20augustus%20bowles%22%20battle%20of%20the%20village%20pensacola&f=false


British merchants post http://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/available/etd-03312010-083631/unrestricted/mastersthesis_FrancesKolb_Spring2010.pdf

South Around To Cross Ellicott's Line http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/ref/collection/photo/id/8094

THE SITUATION AT MOBILE

To persons abroad and unacquainted with the topography of Mobile Bay, it will be well to explain that Fort Gaines is 29 miles from the city, on the east end of Dauphin Island, and was intended to be one of the defenses of the main entrance to the Bay from the Gulf. Fort Morgan is on the opposite shore. It has always been an object of query that Fort Gaines was built for. Between it and Fort Morgan there is a water expanse of three and a half miles, but the ship channel is on the Fort Morgan side, and every heavy vessel passing is obliged to run within a mile of the guns of Morgan. On the Fort Gaines side of the water is shallow, and no ship could pass within effective range of its guns. When the fleet ran in on Friday, we do not learn that Fort Gaines fired a gun. Fort Powell lies a little to the west and north of Fort Gaines and in the direction of the mainland of the western shore of the Bay. It is built on an artificial island, directly on Grant's Pass, which it was designed to defend- that pass leading into Pascagoula Sound and the lakes in the direction of New Orleans. Fort Powell is about three quarters of a mile from the main land, at Cedar Point, and at low water is fordable. It was by this easy route that its garrison escaped. If there had been no ford, it is possible that Fort Powell would still be in our possession. Fort Morgan still commands the main ship channel to the Gulf, and by this alone Farragut's fleet can get to the sea. He can only bring light vessels and transports through Grant's Pass. Fort Gaines was of no practical value in the defense of the Bay. It adds to the facilities and convenience of the enemy, but was not necessary to his operations. The loss of the garrison is serious but more serious was the manner of its surrender- the stain upon our arms. That is to be wiped out.

With these explanations the stranger will perceive that the line of our city defenses carried by the enemy is from 25 to 30 miles distant from Mobile. It has always been a mooted question among military men whether or not it was wise to hold these points. Many have been in favor of dismantling all the forts in the lower Bay and bringing their guns and garrisons to the inner line nearer the city. The only or the principle reason for the contrary course was found in the importance of keeping possession of the shore of the Bay so as to prevent the enemy from making water base near the city for the advance of an army. The loss of Grant's Pass gives the enemy this advantage. That is, he can now sail up the Bay with his transports loaded with supplies and troops, thus dispensing with wagon trains, and land within a short distance of the city. But when he does this, he has to encounter the inner line of defenses. When he does that he is no nearer to taking Mobile that Grant is to taking Petersburg, Sherman Atlanta or Foster Charleston. In other words, this city is a long ways from "going up". General Canby does not command troops enough to take the city by land, nor Farragut ships to break through the guns and obstructions on the water front.
MOBILE ADVERTISER (reprinted in THE DAILY MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER, Thursday, August 11, 1864)