[2] Harris was known to cross the international border from the U.S. state of Georgia into Spanish East Florida and illegally cut and harvest yellow pine and live oak timber.
These actions infuriated the Spanish government, East Florida settlers and land owners which increased the tensions along the Georgia/Florida border and with the relationship between the two nations.
In the meantime, East Florida Governor Sebastián Kindelán y O'Regan offered the Seminoles a bounty to kill the 'Patriots' that were occupying Spanish territory and General Buckner Harris was at the top of the list.
When the Spanish attack force arrived, Buckner Harris and the American Patriot militia sprang their ambush and opened a heavy fire.
The death of Harris, the 'Patriot' movement's charismatic leader, coupled with no support from the U.S. government marked the beginning of the end of the Republic of Florida and the Patriot War.