On July 20, 1763, British officer John Hedges was appointed as the first acting governor of East Florida, beginning British rule in the region following the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Seven Years’ War. As part of the agreement, Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain, and East Florida—with its capital at St. Augustine—was formally turned over that day.
The transfer of power took place at the Castillo de San Marcos, the iconic fortress guarding St. Augustine. During a brief but symbolic ceremony, Spanish Governor Melchor Feliú handed over the keys to the city to Hedges, marking the official beginning of British control. Under British rule, the fortress was renamed Fort St. Mark.
An original 1763 map of East and West Florida, engraved by John Gibson, visually illustrates the newly divided British territories immediately following the Treaty of Paris. The map includes a detailed inset of Pensacola Harbor and outlines British East Florida’s borders, providing essential geographic context for the area John Hedges briefly governed. This engraving stands as one of the earliest cartographic records of Florida under British rule.
