Three individuals who signed the Declaration of Independence were detained in St. Augustine during the American Revolutionary War, according to a local tour guide. Gary Sass, who leads tours for Adlib Tours, noted that Edward Rutledge, Arthur Middleton, and Thomas Heyward Jr. were among the American patriots exiled to the city after the British capture of Charleston in 1780.
The men were held within the Castillo de San Marcos, which the British referred to as Fort Saint Mark when St. Augustine served as the capital of British East Florida. Sass explained that the British considered South Carolina Lt. Governor Christopher Gadsden to be the most dangerous prisoner among those held in the city. Gadsden spent his entire period of confinement in the fort’s dungeon.
The three signers remained in St. Augustine for approximately ten months before being exchanged. Prior to their release, they organized a secret banquet at the site. During this gathering, they performed a song set to the melody of "God Save the King," but with lyrics changed to "God Save the Thirteen States," honoring the United States.
Sass emphasized that Florida’s role in the conflict is often overlooked because public memory typically focuses on the original thirteen colonies. He pointed out that the British Empire actually controlled fifteen colonies at the time, including both East Florida and West Florida. The Ancient City tourism organization uses these historical details to highlight that significant events from the Revolutionary War era occurred in the region.
