When Robert returned from his visit to Freetown, he found that Nassau looked much the same as when he had left it, which is about as he had expected. When he visited the fortress where the Vice Admiral, who also served as governor, resided, he found that there was no definite place for him decided within the administration, but that his presence was still wanted there, for reasons he did not quite understand. As far as Robert was concerned, if they had no decided place for him, he might as well return to St. Augustine and visit his family, but he figured that something was going on somewhere and he did not wish to give any sort of trouble. As it was, he kept himself familiar with the news about the war and also sought to find a place to stay that would be comfortable enough and not too expensive.

One day he managed to hear news that a group of transports from Havana was supposed to be joining up with some ships from the patriot navy in South Carolina in the area. This was obviously not good news, and he thanked the person who gave him the news and went into talk with Vice Admiral Maxwell.

“I have heard some news that may be of interest to you,” Robert said.

“What news is that?” the Vice Admiral replied, sounding somewhat bored.

“Some ships from the fleet of the South Carolina navy have joined with the Spaniards in the area,” Robert said. “It is quite possible that they mean harm to this garrison.”

“How many troops are there?” Admiral Maxwell asked.

“I have not heard of an exact count, but it seems that it could be a couple thousand or even more,” Robert added.

The Vice Admiral thought to himself a bit nervously.

“How many do we have here?” Robert asked.

“We do not have two thousand, that is for sure,” the admiral responded.

“Do you think it would be wise to send at least as many ships as could be spared to another place to be safe from conquest, if you do not think this place could be held against such a force?” Robert asked.

“Do you dare to presume to advise me on my duties?” Admiral Maxwell replied angrily.

“I figured I could think out loud about what could be done, at least,” Robert said.

“You thought incorrectly,” Admiral Maxwell said.

Robert thought himself dismissed, and bowed his head slightly and turned to leave.

“I did not dismiss you,” the admiral said.

“What do you mean, sir?” Robert asked.

“You have news that could spread undue panic here. I am going to have to request that you stay within this fortress,” the admiral replied.

“Do you have a room prepared for me?” Robert asked innocently.

“For now, you may stay in the guardhouse. Simply ask the officer on duty for a cot and one will be provided for you. I will call you if I want you,” the admiral said.

This time Robert knew he was dismissed, and headed to the guardhouse as he had been ordered to do. The guard on duty looked him somewhat quizically, but pointed him to a cot that was available and he went to rest on it. Before too long he was sleepy.

He awoke from his sleep to the sound of commotion within the fortress. He spoke to the guard on duty, and was told that a Spanish force of some two and a half thousand soldiers or so had landed near the town and was threatening to storm the town or subject it to a siege. Robert thought glumly to himself that he would much rather have been back in St. Augustine to being in this sort of situation, but he kept to himself for the moment, seeking to find some materials around him to read and to calm his mind.

Before too long, he found himself summoned by the admiral once again, and he returned to the admiral’s office.

“You don’t need to tell me anything,” the admiral said.

“I do not understand, sir,” Robert replied, a bit puzzled.

“I have made up my mind to surrender this garrison,” the admiral said.

“What is the point of calling me, then, if you do not wish to hear what I would have to say about anything?” Robert asked.

“I wished to confirm that you would wish for me to make some defense of this fortress,” the admiral stated.

“If that is what you wish, your wish is easy enough to grant. I think it is worthwhile at least, for the sake of honor, to make at least some show of defense, but if you are determined to surrender it is not for me to try to convince you otherwise. You have, no doubt, people whom you would have to answer to anyway,” Robert replied.

“I don’t like your attitude,” the admiral replied.

“I am not sure what else you could have expected,” Robert said politely.

“Why did you expect me to call you?” Admiral Maxwell asked.

“I expected you to ask me to speak to you as part of a council of state, to give such advice as I thought proper, without any obligation for you to take it, but simply because you sought the wisdom and advice of others,” Robert answered.

“You think yourself qualified to give advice to someone like me?” the admiral asked.

“I do. I figure that is why you wanted to keep me here in Nassau,” Robert replied.

“No, I wished for you to remain here for a different purpose,” the admiral asked.

“And what purpose is that?” Robert asked.

“Guards, take this man to the prison below,” the admiral called out. Two guards came to drag Robert down below.

“If it wasn’t for the honor of the thing, I would rather walk,” Robert said bluntly, waving away the guards. He went to walk silently with the guards, determined not to break the silence at all, at least as things stood now. They walked several stairwells down below the main part of the fort, until they reached a dark area only lit by a few candles.

“What do we have here?” the jailor asked.

“This man is being held,” the guards said, pointing to Robert.

“And so he shall be,” the jailor said, putting some irons on him and chaining him to the wall. Robert was still somewhat puzzled, he had to admit to himself. What had gone so wrong today?

As it turns out, he had some time to think to himself. While Robert found himself in irons and puzzled by his fate, Admiral Maxwell responded to a request to surrender with a twelve-point document, and at this point there was some negotiation over the terms, which was more than the admiral deserved, it must be admitted. Before too long the fortress and the entire province was surrendered to the Spanish, who arrived in the fortress to take possession. The terms of the surrender for the garrison, at least, were somewhat generous, and they were allowed to depart to St. Augustine in peace after being paroled. It was not too long until they sought to look around to the fortress that they had won for themselves. When they went into the prison, they found to their surprise that a gentleman was chained up there.

“Excuse me, sir, who are you?” Francisco asked.

“I am Robert Woods,” Robert somewhat tiredly replied.

“And why are you here?” Francisco asked.

“I hardly know myself,” Robert replied. “Apparently, without my having known it, I made an enemy of Vice Admiral Maxwell.”

“He was the commander of this fortress, was he not?” Francisco asked.

“He was indeed,” Robert agreed. “I suppose you are among the Spaniards who led the force here?”

“We are indeed,” Francisco said. “I am Francisco de Miranda, and the other gentleman is my superior, Governor Cagigal of Cuba.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Robert replied.

“I must admit that while I regret that I do not have any idea why you were not included as part of the surrender articles, I must leave you as you are for the moment,” Cagigal replied. “At least, until I know who you are and why you have been imprisoned.”

“Have it your way,” Robert said. “I hardly know why I am here myself.”

Leaving the prisoner for the moment, Governor Cagigal and Francisco de Miranda found themselves troubled by what they had seen, and they wondered what it was about. Finding a piece of paper, Governor Cagigal wrote a brief message the Vice Admiral asking about the reasons why a certain Mr. Robert Woods had been left in the prison without there being any documentation as to why he was being held in irons like some sort of dangerous criminal. He awaited some sort of reply. Meanwhile, Francisco de Miranda went to interrogate the man a bit further, to get more information, he if could.

“Sir, could you state your residence at what your business was here?” Francisco asked.

“My residence, such as it is, is in St. Augustine. I had arrived here from Charleston, South Carolina, after having been exiled from that colony for defending a man from the charge of murder. While I have been here I was told to remain at the pleasure of Vice Admiral Maxwell in these islands but not given any sort of position,” Robert said. “I was placed here on the day that your forces landed, for having sought that the garrison would make some show of defense, at least, or try to let as much get away and save themselves from seizure.”

“That seems reasonable enough to me,” Francisco replied.

“I thought so as well,” Robert said.

“Do you think that a mere disagreement with a governor can end you in irons?” Francisco replied.

“It can if he is vengeful enough, I suppose,” Robert replied.

“I hope that this is not a common enough thing for an angry governor to do,” Francisco said.

“Do you have reason to be afraid of the governor?” Robert asked him.

“Not this one,” Francisco said, but his boss, possibly.

“Who is his boss?” Robert asked him.

“I am referring, of course, to Viceroy Galvez,” Francisco asked him.

“I have heard that name,” Robert said. “I remember it was said of him in Charleston about his conquest of Pensacola.”

“Yes, that is the same man,” Francisco said. “I fear we may have made an enemy of that man.”

“Let us hope that making enemies of governors does not become a fashion,” Robert said.

“It appears to be a very hazardous thing,” Francisco said.

“It is indeed,” Robert agreed.

While Governor Cagigal waited for some sort of response that would allow him to set Robert at some kind of liberty, at least, Francisco informed him that the prisoner appeared to be a polite gentleman whose only crime, such as it was, was upsetting the admiral for being a bit more determined to save British honor than the admiral was. The governor agreed that honor was a matter of considerable importance, and saw that if this was the only reason that a man was in irons, that was not nearly a good enough reason. But no report came to him, that he could act upon, at least.