Bernardo de Gálvez was born on July 23, 1746, in Macharaviaya, a mountain village in the state of Málaga, Spain, as the son of Matías and Josepha.
To follow his family tradition, Bernardo choose a military career. In 1762 he served as a lieutenant in a war with Portugal, after which he was promoted to captain in the Regiment of La Coruña.
The name Paso de Gálvez was given to a crossing on the Pecos River where Bernardo De Gálvez led his troops to victory in a fight with the Apaches.
In 1772, Bernardo returned to Spain, but then spent the next 3 years in France. There he enrolled in the Regiment of Cantabria to excell himself in Military Science and to learn the French launguage and culture.
In 1775, he returned to Spain. He was then assigned to the Regiment of Seville as captain of the infantry under Alejandro O'Reilly. After participating in a failed attack against the Algiers, Bernardo suffered a wound.
In 1776 he was transferred to the Province of Louisiana and was promoted to colonel of the Louisiana Regiment.
On January 1, 1777, Bernardo becomes governer of Louisiana.
In 1778, San Bernardo, a Taovayan village on the Red River, was named in honor of Bernardo de Galvez, who was then the Governer of Louisiana.
While campaining against the British, Galvez becomes in need of food for his soldiers. He sends an emissary, Francisco García, with a letter to Texas governor, requesting that Texas cattle be brought to the Spanish forces in Louisiana. Between the years of 1779 and 1782, more than 10,000 cattle had been rounded up.
On June 21, 1779, Spain declares war against Great Britian. King Carlos III appointed Galvez to take men and conduct a campaign against the British along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast.
During the Fall of 1779, because of the help from the Governer of Texas, Galvez and his 1,400 energetic men defeated the British in battles at Manchac, Baton Rouge, and Natchez.
On March 14, 1780, after a siege with land and sea forces for a month, Gálvez, with 2,000 and more men, captured the British stronghold of Fort Charlotte at Mobile.
The peak point of the Gulf Coast Campaign, was when in 1781, Galvez directed a joint land-sea attack on Pensacola, the British capital of West Florida.
In March of 1781, Galvez commanded more than 7,000 men in the two-month siege of Fort George in Pensacola, until its capture on May 10, 1781.
After the fighting was over, Galvez helped draft the terms of treaty that ended the war, and he was cited by the American Congress for his help during the conflict.
On May 8, 1782, Galvez and his Spanish forces captured the British naval base in the Bahamas. Bernardo was busy preparing for a grand campaign against Jamaica when peace negotiations ended the war.
In April of 1783, Galvez, his wife, and his two infant children return to Spain
In October of 1784 he was recalled to America to serve as captain-general and governor of Cuba.
On November 3, 1784, Bernardo's father passes away.
In order to succeed his father, Bernardo was appointed viceroy of New Spain early in 1785.
While Bernardo de Galvez was viceroy of Spain, he ordered for a survey of the Gulf Coast. His mapmaker then named the biggest bay on the Texas coast, Bahía de Galvezton. This name was later changed to Galveston.
Bernardo de Galvez dies of an illness on November 30, 1786. His body was buried in the wall of the Church of San Fernando. His heart was placed in an urn and reposed in the Cathedral of Mexico.
On December 12, eight days after Bernardo's death, his wife gives birth to another child.
"Through the years, Hispanic American citizens have risen to the call of duty in defense of liberty and freedom. Their bravery is well known and has been demonstrated time and again, dating back to the aid rendered by General Bernardo de Galvez during the American Revolution".
On November 30, 1986, a bronze plaque was placed on Galvez's crypt to honor the help of the great Spanish hero of the American Revolution.
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