23^nd Annual Historical Reenactment of

Sir Francis Drake’s Raid on St. Augustine

Just 422 years ago, on June 6, 1586, 23 ships with 2000 Englishmen under the command of Sir Francis Drake approached the harbor of the Spanish colonial capitol city of St. Augustine.  On June 7^th, approximately 1000 men landed on Anastasia Island.  They mounted cannon opposite the Spanish wooden fort (located on what is now the Fountain of Youth Park) and began a cannon duel.  During the night the English learned that the 300 Spanish defenders had abandoned the fort.  With daylight June 8^th, the English crossed Matanzas Bay, taking the fort and proceeding to drive a Spanish rear guard from the vicinity of the city (located primarily to the south of today’s Plaza).  These events will be reenacted on the original sites.  The Fountain of Youth park will host the military camps throughout the day Saturday.  The reenactment of the sacking and burning of the town will commence Saturday evening in the old city and plaza.  This military display is intended to symbolically commemorate the temporary abandonment of the city of St. Augustine by Spanish colonial forces.  After Drake’s men looted and burned the town, the Spanish returned to rebuild upon the same streets and foundations that exist today. 

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