Arrival of the relief ships forced Moore to raise the siege, and on December 27 he began making preparations to leave Florida. One of his first acts was to set fire to the thatch and board buildings of Saint Augustine, which left all the principal structures except the hospital in ashes. Since he could not retreat by sea because of the galleons blocking the mouth of the harbor, Moore dragged his brigantines and sloops onto the beach near Saint Augustine and set them afire. In their haste to get away, however, the English allowed some of the fires to go out, and Zuniga managed to salvage three of the boats for use in patrolling Saint Augustine harbor. (Tepaske GSF)