 Nicolls left Bermuda with 112 Royal Marines , 3 field pieces , 300 uniforms and 1 @,@ 000 muskets for recruits to his corps . On 26 August 1814 Nicolls issued his first " order of the day " for his " battalion " . It remains uncertain how many men Nicolls had under his command at that time , since muster and pay records have not been found . More escaped slaves were recruited in Pensacola ( to the chagrin of the Spanish ) , but they were forced to return to Prospect Bluff in November after the American capture of Pensacola . 
