USA > Alabama > History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume I > Part 94
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From Connasauga to the Chattooga river, the expedition had to cross Lavender moun- tain and other ridges in an uninhabited or sparsely settled country. This is Elvas' "desert" and part of Ranjel's "mountainous way." An inspection of the map of Georgia and Alabama shows that, as they approached the Coosa river along the Chattooga, the route fits exactly the description as given by Ranjel, quoted above, when he says: . they went along a large stream, near the river which they had crossed in the plain. . .
At the point where the Coosa and the Chattooga rivers approach each other, there is a large island, near Cedar bluff, in Cher- okee county, Alabama, known as McCoy's island, the largest in the Coosa above Ten Islands shoals, and on this island was prob- ably situated Chiaha, that illusive site that h'as puzzled investigators for so many years. The time from Gausili to Chiaha, six days, was ample in which to make the journey.
Another significant statement, by Ranjel, points to McCoy's island as the site of Chiaha. He says: "The next day, Saturday, the Span- iards crossed one arm of the river, which was very broad, and went into Chiaha, which is on an island in the same river." Now, there are three large islands in this vicinity, but all are near the west, or right bank, ex- cept McCoy's island, which is near the east, or left bank; therefore, to reach it, the Span-
iards had to cross the arm "which was very broad." No such statement could apply to the western crossings to the other islands nearby.
McCoy's island is three thousand feet long and five hundred feet wide at the widest part. We must remember, however, that we are dealing with a description written nearly four hundred years ago, and since that time the island could have changed greatly. For ex- ample, the eastern or smaller branch of the river could have moved to the westward- such movements frequently occur-and thus have reduced the size of the island to such an extent that the site of Chiaha may now be wholly or partly on the eastern mainland.
Why did DeSoto select this route to Chiaha, instead of that through the populous section bordering the Oostanaula and Coosa rivers? Because the latter was longer, and not in the direction he was at that time traveling to reach the coast. He had also been in- formed that food was plentiful at Chiaha, which proved to be true, and he decided to push forward by the shortest practicable route, which was the Indian trail between Gausili and Chiaha, part of the way along the Chattooga river. The route has been in- dicated, in a general way, on the map.
Monday, June 28, 1540, the expedition left Chiaha. The next morning "they had much labor crossing a river which flowed with a strong current." This is Spring creek, which was probably swollen by rain's that so fre- quently occur in this region in June and July. "Wednesday they passed over a river and through a village and again over the river and slept in the open country." The first crossing was probably a branch of Ter- rapin creek; the second, Terrapin creek itself.
Five days after leaving Chiaha they reached Coste. The site of this town is at the head of Woods island, a large island in the Ten Islands shoals, containing about one hundred and eighty acres. Lock, Saint Clair county, Alabama, is near its lower end. There are evidences of a large town site near the head of the island, and many aboriginal objects have been found there; and, as yet, the surface only has been touched.
Now, for the proof that this is the site of Coste. It is just the right distance from Chiaha to have been reached in five days' travel, and this is the time given by Ranjel; it is the only large island between McCoy's and Densen's islands, the latter being twenty- two miles below. The distance from Chiaha to Densen's island is too great for five days' travel, now that the expedition was in a populous country where food was plentiful, and the table of distances shows they traveled leisurely through it. There was an Indian ford across the river at this island that was used by the early white settlers; and the writer, himself, has forded the river there, and can testify to the roughness of the bot- tom and the swiftness of the current. Now, hear what Ranjel has to say of this crossing, and it will be seen that his description fits exactly the conditions existing there at this
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day. "This village was on an island in the river, which there flows large, swift and hard to enter. And the Christians crossed the first branch with no danger to any of the soldiers, yet it was no small venture." In other words, it was not a dangerous crossing; but, on account of the width (the branch they crossed being one-quarter mile wide), the swiftness of the current, and the rough- ness of the bottom, "it was no small venture." For "hard to enter," read "difficult of ap- proach." The river bank at this old Indian ford is low, and the river itself is not "hard to enter"; but the approach is through a rugged, broken country, intersected in every direction by ravines and complicated with numerous outcroppings of rock ledges. "Difficult of approach" is undoubtedly the meaning of Ranjel's words.
The western arm or branch of the river is a narrow, shallow, insignificant stream, and, on leaving the island, the expedition crossed it to the west bank of the river. Ranjel says of the crossing: "Friday, July 9, the commander and his army departed from Coste and crossed the other branch of the river." No mention is made of any difficulty in mak- ing this crossing; therefore, the "other branch of the river" was the narrow, western arm.
They passed the night on the west bank, and Ranjel says: "On the other side was Tali." Elvas says: "The Christians left Coste the ninth day of July, and slept that night at Tali." Ranjel declares that DeSoto forced the Indians to take them across the river to Tali in canoes. Only part of one day was consumed in travel from Coste to Tali, and it is, therefore, probable that Tali was situated at the mouth of upper Tallasa- hatchee creek, about one mile below the cross- ing of the Seaboard Air Line Railway, near Lock, Saint Clair county, Alabama, and op- posite the site of Fort Strother, one of General Jackson's bases on the Coosa river, dur- ing the Creek Indian War of 1812-1814.
We are now in a position to follow DeSoto's course to Cosa from Chiaha. At the latter place he crossed to the east bank of the Coosa river, marched down that bank to Coste, then crossed to the west bank; marched part of one day down that bank; crossed again to the east bank at Tali; and continued down near the east bank to Cosa, where he left the river. The expedition left Tali Sun- day afternoon, July 11, or Monday morning, July 12. "Monday they crossed a river and slept in the open country; Tuesday they crossed another river, and Wednesday another large river and slept at Tasqui." The "rivers" they crossed Monday and Tuesday are Cane and Blue-eyed creeks, in Talladega county, that enter the Coosa river between Ten Island shoals and Choccolocco shoals. The "large river" they crossed Wednesday is Choccolocco creek, and the site of Tasqui is on the left bank of that large stream, in Tal- ladega county, about one mile above its junc- tion with the Coosa river, at the "Dickinson
Mill Site," in Sec. 14, T. 17, S., R. 4 E., Huntsville Meridian.
Choccolocco creek would be called a river in any other state than Alabama. Its width at the place of DeSoto's crossing is two hun- dred feet; its depth varies from a few feet on shoals to fifteen or twenty feet in pools. There is no other stream emptying into the Coosa river, on either side between Tali and Cosa, that could be called a "large river," even by the DeSoto chroniclers, who named all streams rivers. Choccolocco creek, is, therefore, the "large river" referred to by Ranjel.
It is clear, from the accounts given in the DeSoto narratives, that the expedition marched down the Coosa river from Chiaha to Coste and Tali. Elvas says: "Then tak- ing the Chief (of Coste) by the hand, speak- ing to him with kind words, drew him with some principal men away from the town. . . . He told them that they could not go thence . . . until the sick men arrived whom he had ordered to come down the river in canoes from Chiaha." Biedma says: "We left, following along the banks of the river. and came to another province, called Costehe."
From Tali to Cosa they had to follow along the general course of the Coosa, though none of the narratives, nor does La Vega, mention such a stream. Along this part of the route villages were plentiful on the numerous creeks, and the route away from the river was more direct, and probably along the trail followed by the Indians. An examina- tion of the United States Geological topo- graphical maps, a list of which is given at the end of this paper, will give a much clearer idea of this part of the route than can be gotten from an inspection of the small- scale map herein.
On Friday, July 16, 1540, the expedition entered Cosa. The chief, borne on a litter and surrounded by his retainers, came out to welcome DeSoto. Even among savages, the rigid rules of court etiquette must be observed. La Vega says the Indians bad habiliments of marten skins, which were fragrant. The fragrance of the skunk did not appear to discommode the Indian wear- ers,-nor the Spaniards, as for that matter, for only passing mention is made of the cir- cumstance.
In 1915, the writer visited the site of Cosa, and walked from the mouth of Talladega creek to the mouth of Tallasahatchee creek, a distance of one mile. The site of the vil- lage is in Talladega county, about three-quar- ters of a mile from the Coosa river, on Tal- ladega creek, in Sec. 8, T. 20 S., R. 3 E., Huntsville Meridian, and about two miles above Childersburg, Alabama. At the mouth of the creek a ferry road has cut deep into the bank, thus exposing shell heaps buried some two feet under the surface. The depth of the shell heaps below the surface goes to show that the site is an ancient one.
It is a beautiful country, in the vicinity of old Cosa, and in the sixteenth century,
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covered as it was then with a grand forest of hardwoods, it must have been "good to look upon," and one can understand the pleasure it excited in the chroniclers.
REFERENCES,-Maps of the U. S. Geological Survey. Georgia-South Carolina. Carnesville Sheet. (Franklin county, Ga., north and south forks of the Broad river, in Georgia, junction of the Hudson river with the Broad, and prob- able site of Xuala.)
Georgia - North Carolina - Tennessee. Ellijay Quadrangle. (Cartecay and Ellijay rivers, and their junction to form the Coosawattee.)
Georgia-Tennessee. Dalton Sheet. (Carters, Gausili, Murray county, Ga. The Coosawattee and Connasauga rivers.)
Georgia-Alabama. Rome Quadrangle. (The mountainous country, Elvas' "desert," between the Connasauga and Chattooga rivers.)
Alabama. Fort Payne Sheet. (Coosa and Chattooga rivers; McCoy's Island, site of Chiaha, near McClelland's ferry; Spring and Terrapin creeks.)
Alabama. Springville Sheet. (Continuation of the Coosa river; site of Coste, on Wood's island, near Lock Three; Tali at Francis' ferry; Tasqui, one mile above mouth of Choc- colocco creek.)
Alabama. Talladega Sheet. (Continuation of the Coosa river; site of Cosa about three- quarters of a mile above the mouth of Talla- dega creek.)
Narratives of DeSoto, Vols. 1 and 2, 1904; DeSoto and Florida (1881).
THE ROUTE OF DE SOTO FROM COSA TO MAUVILLA .*
By Peter A. Brannon
Taking up the story of DeSoto's route where it was left off by Maj. D. M. Andrews, at Cosa, in Talladega County, the writer pro- poses to carry you over each step of the way through the State, to the point above the mouth of Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers, which has been conclusively located as the site of Mauvilla, I shall use the Ran- jel narrative for the most part, giving such references to the other two accounts as are necessary to the argument.
Ranjel says that, "On Friday, August 20 (1540), the Governor and his people left
* In the preparation of this paper the writer is in- debted, in a large measure, to the early investigations of the late Prof. H. S. Halbert, for a number of years connected with the Alabama State Department of Ar- chives and History. His first interest in this subject was stimulated by Professor Halbert, who gave him the reasons for his deductions in many cases.
At the time of the death of Maj. D. M. Andrews, on June 28, 1917, the writer and Major Andrews were making topographical surveys to prove the contentions in this present paper, but at that time we had only reached the town of Huithlewalli in our work. It was the uit1- mate intention of Major Andrews and myself to survey the entire route from Cofftachequi, In Georgia, to DeSoto's arrivai at the Mississippi River. The purpose of this paper is to carry the reader from Cosa in Tailadega County to his first stop beyond Manvilia, in Greene County.
It was presented at the time of the visit of the An- thropological Society to Athahatchie, in Perry County, June 11, 1920. It was read on the site of the town, and probably near to the residence of Tascaluca.
Cosa." They slept the next night (that is Saturday night) beyond Talimachusy, the word meaning a "new town," located at the mouth of Emauhee Creek, as it enters Tallas- ahatchee Creek, just east of the highway from Talladega to Sylacauga, and about four miles north of Sylacauga.
The next day (Sunday) they went to Itaba.
This village "along a fine river" is the site, on Hatchet Creek, in Coosa County, on the highway through Rockford to Sylacauga, and four miles north of Rockford, at the point where the stream flows through deep gulches.
On Monday, August 30, the party left Itaba, coming at nightfall to an oak wood. Judging from the distance covered through a day's travel, this oak wood is at a point between the present village of Seman and Central in Elmore County. The highway at the present day, no doubt follows the original Indian trail from Cosa to Huithlewalli. On consulting the map you will note that there is a ridge along this old route, which is traversed only in one case, that being Hatchet Creek, referred to as a "fine river," above. The streams in all instances flow to the right and left, entering, respectively, the Talla- poosa and Coosa Rivers.
The next day, Tuesday, August 31, they arrived at Ulibahali. One account says they arrived late at night. No doubt the horse- men of the expedition arrived early, the main body coming later. An examination of the map shows this to be a long day's journey. No traces of villages are recorded, however, between Hatchet Creek and the mouth of Chubahatchee or Mitchell Creek, as it is known at the present day. This would ex- plain the reason for a longer day's journey being made.
Ulibahali, or Huithlewalli, is one of the points, the location of which is generally ac- cepted by all the different route makers, and according to traditions, one of the oldest points in the Gulf country. Knowing the location of Cosa, of Huithlewalli, and closely following the narrator in his dates and stops there is no chance to err in locating points further along on the trip. For this reason there is little doubt to my mind that we have positively identified every point visited by the expedition in the present State of Alabama. . According to the narrative, Cosa was the head town of the section, it being stated that the people of Huithlewalli were subjects of the Chief of Cosa.
On Thursday, September 2, the expedition departed from Huithlewalli and passed the night at a small village near the river. Here they waited a day. In later years, the trail from Cosa and the Upper Creek towns crossed the Tallapoosa River at Kulumi, one-half mile below the Ware's Ferry Bridge, 14 miles east of Montgomery. As we know the location of Towasa in later days, the referred-to Tuasi by the narrator, would lead us to infer that this was one and the same place. It would have been necessary for the Tallapoosa River to have been crossed in order to reach Tuasi.
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HISTORY OF ALABAMA
Having waited Friday at Kulumi for a mem- ber of the expedition who had stayed behind, and no account being given of the doings of the expedition on Saturday, we infer that the day was spent in crossing the river. The narrative says that on Sunday "they went on." Sunday night was spent in the open country.
Monday, they came to Tuasi. The writer does not say at what time during the day they arrived, but the distance between Kulumi and Tuasi is about a day's journey, and fur- ther considering the fact that there are no town sites below these points, all villages being along the Tallapoosa River and the Alabama River, it must be inferred that the camp on Sunday night was at a point near the city of Montgomery.
The expedition remained one week at Tuasi, leaving on Monday, September 13. They slept in the open country. This state- ment would indicate that they did not spend the night at a village. Tuesday, another day's march, the night was spent in the open country. On Wednesday, they came to an old village. There is at the mouth of Pin- tlalla Creek a village site of great antiquity. This old village is the village described in the narrative as a "fenced village having good towers." The writer describes the stockades as presenting a strong appearance from a distance. Between Tuasi, located on the Alabama River, opposite to Wright Field, below Montgomery and the mouth of Pintlalla Creek, are two village sites. These towns did not exist at that time, or were of such minor consequence as not to be referred to. On Tallawassee Creek, two miles south of Burkville, on the plantation of B. W. Young, is a large town site at which there were formerly five mounds. Judging the distance and inferring that an early start was not made on the 13th of September, I have calcu- lated that the latter point, the one on Talla- wassee Creek, was the one reached on Wednesday. The fact that there were five mounds at this point until recent years, would indicate that it was of more antiquity than the other village referred to.
On Thursday night, the 16th, "they slept at a new village, close by a river." Here they rested during Friday. Examine the map and you will note that this point is about the mouth of Holy Ground Creek, in later years, the location of the Creek Holy Ground. Probably "this new village" has just been established. On Saturday following they ar- rived at Talisi.
This point could be none other than the site of Benton, in Lowndes County, at the present date. It has been the basis of con- tention among many writers down to the pres- ent time. Following the narrative, having pointed out the site of Cosa, Huithlewalli, and Tuasi, it could be at no other point than the one shown. There are many who are inclined to place the town opposite to Tucka- bachee, but there are no grounds for these contentions, if a careful analysis of the nar- rative is made.
This point appears to have been on the boundary line of another province, as the statement is made that the Chief of Talisi came in, and later the Chief of Cosa, who had been held a captive since the expedition left Cosa, on August 20, was released that he might return to his land. Other narratives of expeditions to this country, indicate that Huithlewalli was the boundary of the Cosa country and Talisi was on the boundary of the latter province. While at this town, a messenger came from Tascaluca-later one of his sons arrived.
After about twenty days' stay here (at Talisi) the expedition went on, and came for the night of October 5th to Casiste. The statement is made that this was a small vil- lage by the river. I have placed the village at the mouth of Cahaba River, in Dallas County. By examining the map you will see that this is a longer trip than those taken on ordinary day's journeys. This can be accounted for by the fact that he was trav- eling through an open country and must not have encountered any villages. This narra- tive does not say that he crossed the river before arriving at this point. He does say, however, that the town was a small village "by the river," inferring that both towns were on the same stream.
On Wednesday, October 6, the statement is made that they came to Caxa, a "wretched village on the river bank, on the direct line from Talisi to Tascaluca." This statement would indicate that from Talisi to Caxa the trip had been a roundabout one. I have located Caxa two miles below Harrell's Sta- tion on the Southern Railroad, west of Selma and on Cahaba River. If you will examine the map, an airline from Benton, through this point, to the nearest points on the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers where they flow more close to one another, in Greene County, will be touched.
On the next day, Thursday, "they slept by the river" (this same river) and "on the other side of the stream was a village called Humati." This point is in the forks of the Oakmulgee Creek and Cahaba River. It is about the line of Perry and Dallas Counties.
On Friday, they arrived at Uxapita, a new settlement. The town was somewhere in the vicinity of, but on the opposite side of the river from Felix. They arrived the next day, for the night, in the open country. The nar- rative says the "force encamped in the open country," "a league this side of the village of Tascaluca." The encampment seems to have been made for the purpose of ascertain- ing what sort of a welcome DeSoto would re- ceive at the home of the Chief.
The army having remained only two days at this point ( Athahachi, Ford plantation site 2 miles west of Sprott), as was customary, DeSoto demanded carriers. The record shows that he was furnished with four hundred car- riers, but the remaining number of carriers and women asked for, were promised when the town of Mauvila should be reached. This statement indicates that the village was either
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a large one or there were temporarily under the jurisdiction of Tascaluca a considerable number of men, or it would not have been possible for him to furnish four hundred slaves for the expedition.
It will be seen that the travel from the mouth of the Canaba River to this point had been slow. This fact is occasioned by the large number of towns along the river. We have evidence to the present day of this fact.
By studying the contour of the country from this point ( Athahachi) due west to the Black Warrior River, you will note that a ridge runs through Greensboro to Old Erie Crossing on that stream. All of the chron- iclers make the statement that the trip from here to the Warrior River was made in two days. As the crow flies, this distance is hardly more than thirty miles. At that time, there were doubtless few, if any, villages on this ridge. Considering this fact, this dis- tance could have been easily covered in the time stated.
On the night of Wednesday, October 13, they came to Piachi. This is described as ' "a village high above the gorge of a moun- tain stream." In order to get a location com- mensurate with this description we must turn to the stream, furnishing such a gorge, which is only found on the Black Warrior, and to which it is only logical to search, as a trail or pathway between Tascaluca's residence, and the seat of his government, would with- out doubt, then be over the nearest route between the two points. The crossing was made at the above referred to point (Old Erie), in order to allow the traveler to get onto that ridge, running down between the two rivers, the Warrior and Tombigbee, as that section of the country to the left of the Black Warrior, at and near its mouth, is too swampy and subject to overflow, therefore a pathway between the two towns, serviceable at all seasons, would be over the high country.
It was in this village that they were told that Theodoro and his slave had been killed by the natives. These two Spaniards landed from the ships of Pamphilo de Narvaez, dur- ing his expedition of 1528, while he was ex- ploring the Gulf Coast. This fact, coupled with the knowledge of the killing of these two parties in this town, is doubtless respon- sible for the belief that Maubila, or Mauvilla, was near to the present day city of Mobile. It is interesting to note the fact that they strayed so far from the coast; however, this is not to be wondered at, inasmuch as the town of Maubila, without a doubt, was the principal one of the whole section, and after having captured these parties the coast In- dians would have carried them to the upper town, to the mother town. After reaching Maubila they could have easily gotten to Piachi.
The Elvas narrative relates that the Port of Ochuse was a six days' travel distant. By canoe, and down stream, the distance to the coast could have been covered in this time. Floating down stream at four miles per hour, of ten hour days, the distance would have
been covered in about six and one-half days.
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