 The maroons had not received training in how to aim the Fort's cannons.After notifying the Spanish governor, who had very limited resources, and who said he had no orders to take action, U.S. General Andrew Jackson quickly destroyed the Fort, in a famous and picturesque, though tragic, incident in 1816 that has been called "the deadliest cannon shot in American history" (see Battle of Negro Fort).The Seminole continued to welcome fugitive black slaves and raid American settlers, leading the U.S. to declare war in 1817.