Today in History: The War of Jenkins's Ear begins, 1739 (Great Britain, Spain, United States)

When Spanish sailors boarded the English brig Rebecca off the coast of Florida, suspecting the crew of smuggling unauthorized goods, the commander Julio León Fandiño cut off the English captain Robert Jenkins’ ear and told him, “Go, and tell your King that I will do the same if he dares to do the same.”
In 1738, Jenkins was asked to testify before the House of Commons in the English Parliament. Legend has it that he presented his severed ear.
Between this and many other complaints levied against Spain by British subjects and the failure of Britain and Spain to come to an amicable conclusion, war was declared on October 23rd, 1739.
In July of the same year, King George II had already authorized the Admiralty of Britain to seek reprisals from Spain on the high seas and had sent Vice Admiral Edward Vernon and a war fleet to the West Indies.



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