I represent John Osborne. I was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy and the commander of HMS Florida, an armed surveying schooner. The old Florida, I mean, not the new one. The old Florida came to Pensacola from Jamaica in April 1777 with me in command. George Gauld used it for his surveying missions around the Gulf Coast. After a few of those trips, the vessel was declared unfit for service. I was supposed to get a new command so I and my crew were ordered back to Jamaica aboard HMS Hound, but the Hound ended up being detoured on its way to us and we were stuck in Pensacola. I took the opportunity to put in a petition for a land grant in November 1777, 187 acres on the west side of the Escambia River about 7 miles up from the bay. The new Florida arrived in May 1778 but someone else was already in command. I was assigned to command the Catherine, which was used to transport troops and supplies to Ft. Bute. The Catherine sank within a few miles of New Orleans after striking a submerged stump. I returned to Pensacola on the Sylph. By December 1778, I had returned to Jamaica.
Sources: 31, 35, 80