British West Florida encompassed the panhandle of the modern state of Florida, about half of present-day Alabama, large portion of Mississippi, and some of Louisiana. The British were of diverse opinions regarding the territory. Some British politicians thought the Florida's full of strategic and economic potential. Others, perhaps without political affiliation, thought it strange that, having conquered developed Spanish possessions of known wealth, such as the Philippines and Cuba, Britain had been persuaded to return them in exchange for Florida, an undeveloped region of unknown...

Through research in Cardiff, Edinburgh, Kew, London, Philadelphia, and Washington in largely unpublished manuscripts, together with the use of secondary sources, the author has been able to present the first coherent picture of George Johnstone, a vigorous and intelligent but turbulent and always controversial figure.