In 1779 Stephen travelled to
Spanish New Orleans as part of a group procuring military supplies for the
Continental Army. “On the return trip up the western bank of the Mississippi he became ill with severe fever and chills. These prevented him from keeping pace with the other men and he was forced to lay back and catch up with the others once each event had subsided. Following one such episode, in the heart of “Indian country” of present day Arkansas, he followed the trail of his caravan only to discover that it had been attacked by bandits. The supplies had been stolen and the other members of his party had been murdered. Minor was left alone and sick in the Indian wilderness. Somehow he was able to make his way back to New Orleans where he eventually offered his services to the Spanish crown”. Spain had indirectly entered the
American Revolutionary War on May 8, 1779 with a formal declaration of war on
Great Britain by
King Charles III. Even before this, however, the governor of Louisiana
Bernardo de Gálvez had anticipated the coming conflict and had been assembling a Spanish Army to take on the British in
West Florida. Though a network of spies he was aware that the British were planning an attack on
New Orleans but before they could do so he decided to attack first. The British had established three forts along the lower Mississippi River to protect their western border of British West Florida. The first two,
Fort Bute and
Baton Rouge were quickly taken by force and the third
Fort Panmure in Natchez surrendered without conflict. During this period Minor had attracted the attention of the Spanish officers and had volunteered his services to the Spanish army. In early 1780
Governor Gálvez undertook an expedition against
Fort Charlotte in
Mobile which was the last British frontier post capable of threatening
New Orleans. Minor was chosen to be part of his personal body guard considered to be the finest body of men that could raised in New Orleans. It was siege of
Fort Charlotte that Minor caught the eye of
General Gálvez. He was impressed with his bravery and heroism as well as his “remarkable skill with a rifle” after Minor killed an Indian who was aiming at the governor. The capture of
Fort Charlotte drove the British from the western reaches of
West Florida and reduced their regional military presence to its capital
Pensacola which fell in May 1781. In return for his military services under Galvez, Minor was accorded the rank of Captain and in 1791 received large land grants in Louisiana and Mississippi. In 1783 Minor was appointed adjutant of the military post at
Natchez. He assisted the fort commanders (Felipe Treviño 1783-85;
Francisco Bouligny 1785-86;
Carlos de Grand Pré 1786-98) as well as
Manuel Gayoso de Lemos the district governor 1787–98 with various administrative duties while providing the Anglo-American settlers a district liaison with the Spanish officials. In this capacity he was often referred to “Don Esteban.” During the
West Florida Controversy he was appointed as one of the Spanish commissioners responsible for establishing the boundary between Florida and the United States. After Gayoso's departure in late 1797 he served as the acting Spanish governor of the
Natchez District until April 1798 when Spain evacuated the region which under the
Pinckney's Treaty of 1795 was to be ceded to United States. Minor along with the Consul
José Vidal continued to command the Spanish forces which were relocated to
Vidalia, Louisiana across the river from Natchez. He additionally served as one of the Spanish boundary commissioners after the
Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Minor was in the service of Spain for most of his adult life and was greatly respected by the Spanish, the colonial Americans and Native Americans.
William Dunbar, a contemporary who owned Forest Plantation south of
Natchez said Minor "endeared himself to his countrymen, the American settlers, by his acts of friendliness and protection," and that when advice or help was needed, he was sought". == Property and business interests ==