A Minorcan Mystery

Where lie the 964 unmarked graves of the Minorcans who toiled, suffered, and ultimately perished in New Smyrna Beach between 1768 and 1777?Beneath the billowing sails that appeared as white canvases of hope against the sky, the Minorcans aboard the eight Turnbull vessels looked heavenward, their eyes filled with optimism. They were the "Sails of Hope," a symbol of new beginnings and untold possibilities. Yet, for over two and a half centuries, the elusive "Sands of Sorrow" have shrouded the deaths of our ancestors, casting an indelible shadow over their sacrifices. Just as waves erase footprints from the shore, time has obscured the lives of these Minorcans, but the legacy of their story remains, as a mystery waiting to be solved and shared.