USA > Louisiana > Historical collections of Louisiana : embracing translations of many rare and valuable documents relating to the natural, civil and political history of that state > Part 8
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133d. 1731, 15th Nov .- Mr. de la Boulage on Louisiana.
434th. 1754, 13th Sept .- paper from Mr. Duverge, pointing out the necessity of having landmarks at the Balize for vessels coming in ; plan proposed by him and approved by Mr. de Kerlerec.
435th. 1738, 15th August, Paris-Mr. Courtuzur to Count de Maurepas, proposing the formation of a company in Louisiana.
436th. 1739-very able memorial on the culture of tobacco.
137th. 1741-paper relative to the advantages the public service might derive from the timber on the Barrataria.
43Sth. No date-memorial of what would be required by Louis- iana; void of interest
130th. 1764, 7th April-Mr. Aubry announcing the delivery to Great Britain of the portion of Louisiana ceded, and mentioning the failure of an expedition to Illinois by the English.
440th. 1761, 15th Dec .- letters in cipher of Mr. de Kerlerec representing the miserable condition of the colony.
441st. 1762, 10th Feb .- do. do. ; giving an account of the Indians.
442J. 1761, 8th June- do. do. do. 443d. 1761, Sth March- do. do. do. do.
444th. 1760, 21st Dec .- do. do.
445th. 1762, 28th April-letter from Mr. de Kerlerec on the dif- ficulty of his position with the English Indians.
446th. 1763, 23d Oct .- letter from de Kerlerec on the formalities required for the evacuation of Mobile.
447th. 1763, 2d May -- Mr. de Kerlerec acknowledging receipt of the King's ordinance announcing cessation of hostilities with the English ; speaks of the Indians who have sacrificed their all to the French, and who will find themselves deprived of presents.
148th. 1762, 24th June-Mr. de Kerlerec, letter in ciphers com- plaining of frauds by the persons supplying the King's stores.
449th. 1st March, 1765-Mr. Aubry, on the conduct of the In- dians towards the English ; copy of a speech of the Chaouanan chief named Charlot to Mr. d' Abbadie.
450th. 1705, 12th March-Mr. Aubry on the difficulty of his position, it being impossible to satisfy at the same time the Indians, the English, the Spaniards, and the French congregating in New Or- leans.
151st. 1765, 6th May-copy of a letter from Mr. St. Ange, com-
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
mandant of Illinois, regarding the bad disposition of the Indians to- wards the English ; incloses several Indian speeches.
452d. 1765, 16th May-Mr. Aubry, inclosing copy of Mr. St. Ange's communication.
453d. 1765, 10th July-Mr. Aubry speaks of a cessation of hos- tilities between the English and Indians at Illinois ; inclosing several Indian speeches.
454th. 1762, 26th July-Mr. de Kerlerec in ciphers, speaks of the difficulty of his position with the Cherokee Indians.
455th. 1767, 27th Jan .- Mr. Aubry states that the British have taken possession of Illinois; proces verbal of the delivery of that section of Louisiana.
456th. 1713, 25th Oct .- memorial submitted to the Count de Pont- chartrain by Mr. Duclos on Louisiana ; this paper contains a good deal of statistical information, and a historical account of the begin- ning of the colony; 100 pages.
PORTFOLIO NO. IN.
457th. 1759, 27th Jan .- memorial on Louisiana, proposing to favor the emigration from Canada.
458th. 1741, 4th Oct .- Messrs. de Bienville and Salmon, handing the report of Mr. Duverge on the Balize ; of the changes at different epochs; refers to several charts I have not been able to discover; this document is interesting.
459th. 1725-memorial on the navigation of Illinois.
460th. 1728-extract of a letter from Mr. Perrier, regarding the munitions of war supplied by him to the Spaniards of St. Augustine, and the means by him taken to prevent the English interrupting cul- tivation.
461st. 1760, 17th Dec .- Mr. de Rochemore, on the sugar-cane, cultivated by the Jesuits in 1744, in their gardens.
462d. 1724, 20th May-report on the mine " de Lamothe," dis- tant 14 leagues from Kaskassia.
463d. 1780, 13th Feb .- letter from Mr. Fabre Dannoy to the French government, announcing the expedition of Mr. de Galvez at the head of two thousand men for Mobile, where he is said to expect a reinforcement of two thousand more from Havana, the whole of the force then to march against Pensacola; advising the capture of the British possessions on the Mississippi.
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PORTFOLIO NO. IX.
464th. 1752-preliminary articles of peace between the French and the Cherokees, prepared by Mr. de Kerlerec.
465th. No date-speech of Poudiak, an Indian chief, to Mr. de Noyau; in the same paper are several other speeches.
466th. 1764, 15th Jan .- correspondence of Mr. d' Abbadie on the cession of Mobile.
467th. 1760 -- complaints of Mr. Rochemore against Messrs. de Kerlerec and de Macarty.
468th. 1760- do. do.
469th. 1737, 21st Feb .- letter from Mr. de Cremont announcing his arrival, and giving some details on the colony.
470th. 1763-correspondence of Mr. d'Abbadie on the difficult position of Mobile towards the Indians.
471st. 1763, 13th Dec .- project of operations between Louisiana and Canada; void of interest.
472d. 1764-four dispatches from Mr. d'Abbadie, on the diffi- culties encountered in Mobile with the Indians; correspondence on this subject.
473d. 1764 -- correspondence of Mr. d'Abbadie on the same sub- ject ; encloses copy of a letter from Mr. John Stuart of Illinois, com- plaining of munitions of war being supplied the Indians.
474th. 1727, 15th Nov .- Mr. Perrier on the situation of the Colony.
475th. 1702-Memorial on Mobile and the Mississippi plan of Colonization.
476th. 1749-Mr. de Vaudreuil renders an account of the situa- tion of the Colony.
477th. 1741, 25th Jan .- Mr. de Beauchamp on the Indian wars.
478th. 1742, 15th March-M. Duverge handing his "feuille de service."
479th. 1742, 18th February and 28th March -- Mr. de Bienville giving an account of the situation of the Colony.
480th. 1742, 13th Feb .- Mr. Salmon announces the attack on a convoy ascending the Illinois, by the Indians.
As1st. No date-Mr. Perrier announces the defeat of the Natchez.
4-2d. 1731, 5th Dec .- Messrs. Perrier and Salmon, on Louisiana and Illinois, details on the mines and agriculture.
453d. 1697-project of colonization on the Mississippi. This document is highly interesting.
484th. 1759-Mr. Rochemore, relative to his administration.
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485th. 1742, 24th March-Messrs. de Bienville and Salmon. Report on the wax-tree.
486th. 1765,2d Aug .- Mr. Foucault regarding reproaches addressed to Mr. d' Abbadie for having granted an exclusive privilege to five or six merchants of trading with the Indians. States the reasons which had induced Mr. d'Abbadie to introduce letters of Exchange on France; adds that he had approved both measures which the misera- ble condition of the Colony had rendered of an absolute necessity that a friendly intercourse might be kept up with the Indians.
487th. 1731, 24th June-Mr. Diron Dartaguette giving an account of an attack by the Natchez on barges ascending to the Arkansas and of the destruction of the Tonicas on the 13th June by the Natchez.
488th. No date-memorial on Louisiana, showing that the first establishment in Louisiana was at Mobile, where a fort was built; the next at Biloxi, where are two copper mines; and then at New Orleans. Barrataria is represented as a valuable section for its tim- ber. The author says that at Natchitoches near the village of Cad- daquioux is to be found a very rich silver mine, the produce of which had been tried by a Portuguese, named Antoine, a miner from Mexico. He speaks of the emigration to Louisiana of Canadian families in 1686; states that in 1699, Mr. d'Iberville arrived with another colony of Canadians, which was followed by other families headed by a Mr. Du Tessenet; the emigrants came by land, first ascending the St. Laurent to the lake Erie, then ascending a small river emptying itself in that lake, to the portage des miamis; their effects being thence transported by the Indians to the river Miamis, where pi- rogues, out of a single tree, and large enough to contain 30 persons, were built for the voyage down the Mississippi, first descending the Oyo. The author further points out the high lands of Manchac as the best place for a city, and New Orleans as a place of deposit; the whole of the document is interesting.
489th. 1759, 13th Oct .- Mr. Rochemore, giving an account of the trial of the English sloop Texel, from Jamaica with a rich cargo, and of her condemnation; states that Mr. de Kerlerec had notwith- standing this trial released the vessel.
490th. 1759, 18th Oct .- the same subject.
491st. 1685, Angust-Mr. de Beaujeu, on the expedition of La- salle which terminated his life; advises the minister to apply to Mr. Demanille, a priest of the Seminary of St. Sulpice, for information, he as well as himself having formed part of Lasalle's expedition.
492d. No date-account of the defeat of Major Dartaguette, of
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PORTFOLIO NO. IX.
his death and of that of 45 of his men; among whom there were 17 or 18 officers; the French detachment was composed of 130 men, 38 Iroquois, 38 Arkansas, 190 Illinois and Miami, in all 396 men. The expedition left Illinois on the 20th February, 1736, reached the Chicachas country on the 24th March, and attacked them on the same day; they were abandoned by the Illinois and Miami, which compelled Dartaguette to retreat, hence the defeat and heavy loss sustained.
493d. 1736, 26th May-interesting account by Du Tertre of the attack of the French to the number of 7 to 800 men of the fortified village of the Chicachas, on a hill at about 250 leagues from New Orleans. The French being defeated with a loss of 120 men; fortifi- cations described; surrounded by timber one cubic foot placed circu- larly with three rows of loopholes; the Chicachas were bedded to the stomach in the carth, observed the greatest silence, and suffered the French to approach within good musket shot before firing; their first fire killed 50 men, the second 30, &c.
194th. 1733, 19th March-plan of the Ursulines Convent, (signed) " Broutin."
495th. 1734, 15th March-plan of Mobile, (signed) "Devin."
496th. 1702-objections to plan proposed by Mr. d'Iberville, to invite the Illinois and Scioux to emigrate to the Mississippi.
497th. 1702-memorial on the Mississippi and Mobile; reasons of Mr. d'Iberville for giving the preference to Mobile; among others the impossibility of forming a military establishment at the mouth of the Mississippi; population of - Mobile 139, to wit: 9 officers, 24 sailors, 2 couriers, 14 workmen, 64 Canadians, 26 soldiers.
198th. 1741, 5th May-interesting report of Mr. Duverge, civil engineer.
100th. 1740, 5th May-Mr. Duverge on his discovery of a road from New Orleans to Illinois, through the Chicachas nation; com- plains of the treatment of certain officers towards him.
500. 1788, 26th April-journal of Mr. Duverge during his voyage to recognize the Chicachas road; accompanied by a plan, which is not to be found.
501st. 1736, 19th Sept .- Mr. Duverge complaining of the con- duct of the government towards. him.
5024. 1734, 1th May-Mr. Duverge complaining of being with- out commission as engineer.
5034. 1739, 9th August-Mr. Duverge on the same subject; all his letters possess more or less information.
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
504th. 1736, 13th Sept .- Mr. de Bienville on the Indians.
505th. 1731, 30th Nov .- memorial of Mr. St. Denis, on the means to protect the country against the insults of the Indians, &c .; void of interest.
506th. 1731, 30th Nov .- Mr. St. Denis, bitter complaints of the abandonment of the colony by the government.
507th. 1736, 29th May-Mr. de Bienville on the Indians.
508th. 1735, 16th Sept .- Messrs. de Bienville and Salmon on the Indians.
509th. 1736-do. do. on the Chicachas.
510th. 1745, 1st April-Mr. de Laye, presenting a plan of cam- paign against the Chicachas, and to destroy their fort.
511th. 1750-memoranda for the King, extracted from the corre- spondence of Mr. de Vaudreuil on the Indians.
512th. 1759, 30th June-correspondence between Messrs. Roche- more and de Kerlerec, on the necessity of emitting paper money to pay the officers of the King.
513th. No date-miserable condition of the colony, plans proposed ; mere repetitions.
514th. 1726-agreement with Mr. Basiu, a miner and a drawer; memoranda of tools required to work the mines.
515th. 1729-memorial on the changes it would be advisable to make in the administration of the West India Company; this docu- ment is interesting, as it shows the whole organization of the com- pany.
516th. 1722, 1st July-Mr. Chassin, of Illinois, interesting details on the mines; speaks of siver coins and plates brought by the Indians trading with Mexico.
517th. 1723, 21st Sept .- Mr. Purry to the Duke d'Orleans, pray- ing that he be permitted to have his memoir on Louisiana printed, and offering to prove that there is no country in France or Europe equal to Louisiana, and that none but ignorants and traitors can have a different opinion.
518th. 1725-memorial of Hubert on Louisiana, drawn up by order of the Duke of Noailles.
519th. 1722, 9th Dec .--- memorial of Drouet de Valdeterre on Louisiana, presents a complete organization.
520th. 1720, 25th Dec .- interesting memorial on Louisiana, Ber- nard de la Harpe.
521st. 1717, 5th July-propositions by the West India Company to the navy council, and memorial to that effect.
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Three large and well bound minute books, to wit : Vol. I., 1712 to 1720, contents :
Ist. Letters patent granted by the King to Mr. Crozat for the ex- clusive commerce of Louisiana, dated "Fontainebleau, 14th Sep- tember, 1712." Privileges of Mr. Crozat, returned to the King 23d August, 1717. Letters patent in the form of an edict creating the West India Company in August, 1717 ; exclusive privileges granted to that company for 25 years, to begin 1st January, 1718, and to close in December, 1742.
Instructions by the company; its administrative acts; organization prepared in Paris ; appointments by the King of officers recommended by the company. 1
This book of record was kept by the company.
Vol. II. 1721 to 1731, contents :
1st September, 1721, concession of lands to Mr. de Boisbriant.
16th May, 1722, ordinance in behalf of the Capuchins for an estab- lishment in Louisiana.
19th December, 1722, ordinance relative to the Capuchins.
December, 1722, Mr. Delachaise appointed by the King with extraordinary powers, to investigate the whole of the West India Company's affairs in Louisiana.
January, 1724, presentation by the King of Mr. Delachaise to ful- fill the functions of first counselor in the conseil supérieur of Louis- iana.
January 11th, 1724, letters patent giving admission to Mr. Dela- chaise in the conseil supérieur of Louisiana.
February, 1724, Brevet permitting Mr. Delachaise to accept the appointment of honorary counselor in the "conseil de la Régie of Louisiana."
July 5th, 1725, Brevet permitting the establishment of the Capu- chins in Louisiana.
September 13th, 1726, treaty with the Ursulines.
September 18th, 1726, Brevet in favor of the Ursulines. Decree regulating the concessions granted, and to be hereafter granted in Louisiana, &c. &c.
Vol. III., contents :
Flicts; letters patent ; declarations; decrees; ordinances and rules concerning Louisiana.
From 24th September, 1712, to 27th August, 1746, edicts, letters patent, declarations, ordinances and decrees of the council of state, ordinances and rules of governors, and decrees and rules of the " con-
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
seil supérieur" concerning Louisiana, from 23d January, 1731, on which day the West India Company surrendered its government to the King, to 27th August, 1746.
Declaration of the King of 17th July, 1743, regarding the judg- Laments to be rendered in land contestations, and on the subject of land concessions to be granted in the colony.
In the " BIBLIOTHEQUE DU ROI," Paris, No. 650. " Relation ou annale véritable de ce qui s'est passé dans le Pays de la Louisiane, pendant 22 années, par Perricaul," (from 1700 to 1722,) small quarto, methodically written and divided into chapters, 374 pages.
No. 1074. "Journal du voyage de la Louisiane, fait par le Sr. Bernard de la Harpe, et des découvertes qu'il a faites dans la partie de l'ouest de cette colonie," (in the year from 1718 to 1722 inclu- sive.) Large folio, 160 pages.
No. 628. Sup. fi. (same volume as the above.) "Journal du voyage fait par deux fregates du Roy, la Pradine commandee par Mr. d'Iberville, et le Marin par Mr. le Chevalier de Surgères, qui par- tirent de Brest le 24 Oct. 1698." Large folio, 86 pages.
There are several other interesting letters and papers relating to Louisiana, in the same volume, and at the same period ; also a manu- script map of the Mississippi river, dated 1700.
In this map the Red river is called Sablonniere, the Arkansas, Tonti, and the Missouri, Riviere des Osages. You will also receive by this opportunity copies of two very interesting documents.
Ist. 1st September, 1769, letter of Governor Aubry to his govern- , ment, giving a full account of the occurrences in New Orleans on the arrival of Governor O'Reilly, of his participation in the arrest and condemnation of Messrs. de la Freniere and others ; of the means used to bring the conspirators together at the goverment house, where they suddenly found themselves surrounded by a body of grenadiers, at the close of a speech of Governor O'Reilly, which is given at full length in said letter.
2d. Records of the trial and condemnation of Messrs. Nicolas Lafreniere, Jean Baptiste Noyan, Balthazar Mazan, Pierre Marquis, Joseph Villere, Pierre Carrere, Pierre Hardi de Boisblanc, Joseph Petit, Jean Milhet, Joseph. Milhet, Pierre Poupet, Julien Jerome Doucet, Foucault et Bienville, whereby it appears that Pierre Mar- quis was commander-in-chief: that his project was to establish a Re- publie similar to that of Switzerland, and a bank under the name of the " Mont de piete ;" that this bank was put in operation under the direction of Mr. Hardy de Boisblanc; that a form of government
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PORTFOLIO NO. IX.
had been prepared; that previous to his arrest, Marquis had thrown it into the fire ; that ou the 20th Oct. 1769, the accused were found guilty of high treason ; that on the 24th Governor O'Reilly approved the sentence, condemning Messrs. Nicolas Chauvin Lafrenière, Jean Baptiste Noyan, Pierre Carrere, Pierre Marquis and Joseph Milhet, to be hung. And declaring infamous the memory of Mr. Villere, (killed in prison.) Also condemning Mr. Joseph Petit to perpetual - imprisonment in one of the strong castles of his Catholic Majesty. Messrs. Balthazar Mazan and Julien Jerome Doucet, to 10 years' im- prisonment ; and Messrs. Pierre Hardy de Boisblanc, Jean Milhet et Pierre Poupet to six years' imprisonment; ordering all the papers, documents, &c., found in the possession of the conspirators to be burned upon the public place by the public executioner, and confisca- ting the whole of their property in favor of the crown. That on the 25th Oct. the Licentiate Felix del Rey informed Governor O'Reilly officially that the above sentence could not be carried into execution because a hangman was not to be found in the country. That on the same day Governor O'Reilly ordered the conspirators condemned to death to be shot. That on the 26th October, 1769, at 3 o'clock P. M., Messrs. Nicolas Chauvin Lafreniere, Pierre Marquis, Joseph Mil- het, Jean Baptiste Noyan, and Pierre Carrere, with their arms well secured by ropes, were taken out of the barracks of the Regiment of Lisbon, where they had been imprisoned, and conducted under a strong escort of officers and grenadiers, to the place designated for their exc- cution, where a large number of troops had been formed into a square, that their sentence was there read to them in the French language, immediately after which they were shot. That on the same day all the seditious papers found among the conspirators were burned on the public square. That on the following day Messrs. Joseph Petit, Balthazar Mazan, Julien Jerome Doucet, Pierre Hardy de Bois- blane, Jean Milhet, et Pierre Poupet, were shipped to the Havana to be confined in the Moro Castle.
A TRANSLATION
OF AN
ORIGINAL LETTER OF
HERNANDO DE SOTO
ON THE
CONQUEST OF FLORIDA.
A TRANSLATION OF AN ORIGINAL LETTER
OF
HERNANDO DE SOTO.
HERNANDO DE SOTO TO THE MUNICIPAL AUTHORI- TIES OF ST. JAGO DE CUBA.
MOST NOBLE SIRS :
Since my arrival in this country, I have written three letters by different opportunities to Havana, and without being honored with a reply to cither, I embrace this occasion to address you another, be- liuving it will always be agreeable to you to hear from me. I sailed from Havana with my fleet on Sunday, May 18th,* although I had written you I would not weigh anchor before the 25th. I set sail sooner than I had intended, in order to profit by a favorable wind. We had no sooner, however, entered the Gulf than we were becalmed, which prevented us from reaching this coast before Whitsunday the 25th. We missed our port by five or six leagues through the care- lessness of the pilots, which obliged me to embark on board of one of the brigantines to go in search of it, which detained me three days ihre. But another cause of this delay was my ignorance of the channel, which led me into a bay some twelve leagues or more in- land, from which I found it difficult to extricate myself. This loss of tinn, therefore, obliged me to send Vasco Pareallo de Figueroa, my lieutenant-general, with the brigantines to take possession of a village at the foot of the bay, and I ordered him to land all the troops and horses there, where I afterwards joined him, with some difficulty, on Trinity Sunday. The Indians became frightened, and deserted the
" Garcilaso de la Vega, the Inca, says the 25th of May, 1539.
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HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
country, so that in a distance of thirty leagues or more we did not meet with a human being.
As soon as I landed I was informed that a Christian was in the power of a cacique of the country. I accordingly dispatched Baltasar de Gallegos with forty horsemen and as many foot soldiers, to bring him into camp. After marching a day's journey he overtook the Christian in company with eight or ten Indians, who were coming to - me. I was much pleased with this good fortune, for this man knew the language of the country, although he had almost forgotten his own. His name is Juan Ortiz, a gentleman of Seville. I afterwards went in person to the cacique of this province, and learned from him that his intentions were entirely pacific. I then dispatched Baltasar de Gallegos with eighty lancers and one hundred foot soldiers, to recon- noitre the country. He found it cultivated with fields of Indian corn, beans, pumpkins, and other vegetables, sufficient for the sup- ply of a large army. Having arrived at a cacique's called Hurri- pacuxi,* who is the chief of several provinces, I negotiated with him a treaty of peace, which he broke very soon after. I had him imme- diately arrested, with seventeen others, among whom were several old men, who were influential with the Indians, and acquainted with the interior of the country. They told me that after three days' journey I would come to a country well peopled and cultivated, and to a large city called Aquerra; and after two more days' we should reach ano- ther city called Ocale, where it would be pleasant for us to spend the winter.
They related to me so many improbable things about its magnifi- cence, that I dare not repeat them all to you. They said we should find here all kinds of poultry, and deer Guayhacos enclosed in parks. Besides persons who carried on a brisk trade with them in gold and pearls, which were found in their province in great quantities. I trust in God it may be so, for I have threatened to punish them if they attempt to deceive me. The Christian has so far rendered me very important services. Indeed I do not know what would have become of us if we had not been so fortunate as to have met with him. I constantly return thanks to God for his watchful care over us. There are still at sea eighty foot soldiers in the brigantines. My general has taken forty horsemen with him, for the purpose of assisting Juan d'Anasco, who has surprised a large body of Indiaus. When he returns I shall go into winter quarters at Ocale, where I
* The Urribacuxi of Vega.
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TRANSLATION OF AN ORIGINAL LETTER OF HERNANDO DE SOTO. 93
hope to find all that my army should stand in need of. I hope that God will prosper this expedition for his service, and that I may ever be found useful to my country. In spite of the arduous duties I have to perform, I can never forget my country, and the many obligations I am under to my friends. I am indeed sorry it is not in my power to greet them in person. I beg of you to continue to govern the coun- try well, for which I shall never cease to thank you. As it regards the fort which was commenced before my departure, I wish you to have it finished, as the time may come when it will be useful for the defence of the city. I now pray God to keep your lordships from all harm, and prosper your undertakings. I subscribe myself in this city and port of Saint Esprit, in the province of Florida, this ninth day of July, 1539,
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