September 29: San Miguel de Gualdape

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is September 29th, and our story is San Miguel de Guadalpe. In 1521, Lucas Vazquez de Ayon, a wealthy Spanish sugar planter in Santo Domingo, grew curious about the land that lay to the north of Hispaniola. So, he hired a captain, outfitted a ship, and funded a scouting expedition that sailed up along the coast of the present-day United States. Once the expedition returned with favorable reviews of the land, climate, and people it encountered, Ayan began preparing his own expedition.

This time, however, the objective wasn't exploration. It was colonization. Five years after the first expedition sailed, Ayon left his home and sailed north. With him, he took three ships, 600 settlers, and 100 horses. He also took a large group of African slaves, recently brought by the Spanish to the New World.

After losing one ship en route, what remained of Ione's party landed near present-day Georgetown, South Carolina, on September 29, 1526. Not long after the landing, their Native American guide abandoned them. Disoriented, the group preceded another 45 leagues, some by land, some by sea, until on October 8, they reunited and began plotting the settlement of San Miguel de Guadalpe.

Today, the location of that original settlement is unknown. Early historians placed it as far north as the Chesapeake Bay. Most modern scholars, however, believe the disoriented landing party proceeded south instead of north, stopping on the southern Georgia coast near Sapelo Island. Regardless, the enterprise was short-lived.

Almost as soon as the settlers began building, the Africans, doing most of the work, staged the first documented slave rebellion in North America. The colonists then endured a brutal winter, marked by terrible illness and ongoing problems with the Guale Indians.

Elian died before the winter ended, and at the first sign of spring, the colony's 150 survivors returned to Hispaniola. One ship foundered on the way, taking her passengers down with her. After Elian's failure, it would take another 38 years before Europeans successfully established a colony in the present-day United States, the Spanish St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565.

Even unsuccessful endeavors contribute to the larger story of human perseverance and discovery. Reflect on a recent failure or setback, identify one lesson you can carry forward, and one small step you can take to move forward with renewed determination.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, September 30th, for another story of faith and courage in America.