USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume I > Part 16
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influence to control the destinies of the new republic-hence the · letters of Wilkinson to such men as Clark, Adair and others.
In New Orleans was an organization known as the Mexican Association, the ultimate purpose of which was the liberation of Mexico. Mavor Watkins was one of the leading members, and through his influence Burr soon won the confidence and assistance of the association. Information was rapidly gathered, and after about two weeks Burr left New Orleans with the promise to return in October. After visiting Natchez he went on to Tennessee and Kentucky and in September again called on Wilkinson, who after- ward testified that it was at this time his suspicions were aroused and he advised the president that Burr ought to be watched. Burr then went east, where it is said he devoted himself to the work of persuading England to finance his scheme of an independent govern- ment in the Mississippi valley. It is also said that he tried to intimi- date the Spanish minister into defraying the expenses of an expedi- tion for the liberation of Mexico and the Floridas. Failing in both these undertakings, he turned to his personal friends, foreniost among whom were his son-in-law, Joseph Alston, of South Carolina, and Blennerhassett. Burr did not return to New Orleans as he had promised. but he sent emissaries there to keep alive the interest in his movement. The most prominent of these were Samuel Swartwout. Dr. Erick Bollman and Peter V. Ogden, all of high social standing, who gained ready access to the homes of the men they desired to bring over to Burr's side.
All through the summer and fall of 1806 rumors flew thick and fast. Northern newspapers intimated that Burr's purpose was to seize the military posts on the Mississippi and call a convention of the western states to form an independent government. Another report was that the new government would give away the public lands, instead of selling them, as the United States were then doing. . Still another was that Burr's army, aided by the English. would invade Mexico and revel in plunder. Late in September Wilkinson arrived at Natchitoches and assumed command of the troops there. Here on Oct. 8 he received a letter from Burr, brought by Samuel Swartwout, stating that detachments of the expedition would soon descend the Mississippi, and that Burr would reach Natchez in the early part of December. Swartwout returned to New Orleans on the 16th and about a week later Wilkinson sent a messenger to President Jefferson, advising him of Burr's intention to send an armed force down the Mississippi. Previous to this time Burr had been twice arrested in Kentucky on the charge of plotting against the Spanish territory, but each time he had been acquitted, the president even allowing the impression to go abroad that Burr was acting under official approval. But in the fall of 1806 information came to the president from various sources, among which was Wil- kinson's messenger, and on Nov. 27 he issued a proclamation warn- ing all loyal citizens against taking part in "the criminal enterprise."
Soon after Burr's departure from New Orleans in July, 1805, it became known that he had been negotiating with Baron Bastrop
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for a large concession on the Ouachita river, and the rumor was circulated that Burr's intention was to found his new state in that locality. The Mexican government, upon hearing this report, sent troops to protect the frontier against an invasion. (Sec Sabine Ex- pedition.) On Oct. 29, 1806, Wilkinson made arrangements for the withdrawal of troops on both sides and to allow the govern- ments to settle the disputed question of boundaries. The people of New Orleans grew alarmed for the safety of the city and asked for protection. Accordingly, early in December the army arrived from Natchitoches and Wilkinson asked Gov. Claiborne to proclaim mar- tial law. This proposal was courteously but firmly refused by the governor, the business men were called together, and in a short time several thousand dollars were subscribed for the defense of the city. By this time many people had begun to mistrust Wilkinson. Cowles Mead, acting governor of Mississippi, wrote to Claiborne: "It is believed here that General Wilkinson is the soul of the conspiracy. * If I stop Burr, this may hold the general in his allegiance to the United States. But if Burr passes this territory with 2,000 men, I have no doubt the general will be your worst enemy. Be on your guard against the wily general. He is not much better than Cataline. Consider him a traitor and act as if certain thereof. You may save yourself by it." This letter may have had something to do with the governor's action in placing the militia under arms, as from this time on until the trouble was over a battalion was kept in readiness for any emergency that might arise.
On Sunday, Dec. 14, Wilkinson ordered the arrest of Dr. Bollman, Ogden and Swartwout as agents of the "arch conspirator." Boll- man was released by a civil court on a writ of habeas corpus, Judge Workman holding that. as the prisoner had not been regularly charged and indicted, his detention was illegal. Ogden was also released, but both men were rearrested and held in spite of the habeas corpus proceedings. The court then issued an attachment against Wilkinson and appealed to the governor to use force if necessary to enforce it. This the governor refused to do. Workman resigned, and Wilkinson was master of the situation. Martial law prevailed. Workman, Gen. John Adair and others were arrested by Wilkinson's order, and the prisoners were quickly taken beyond the jurisdiction of Louisiana courts. In view of the fact that Adair and Swartwout had both been the recipient of letters from Wilkin- son, introducing Burr, their arrests looked a little like "the irony of fate," and Burr's friends now raised the cries of "Military usurpa- tion.". "Denial of the habeas corpus," etc., which led Jefferson to write to Claiborne: "The Federalists will try to make something of the infringement of liberty by the military arrest and deportation of citizens," but expressed the hope that the public would in the end approve the action of Wilkinson, if the infringement did not go too far.
While these events were occurring in New Orleans Blenner- hassett's island home was raided by the Virginia militia. He escaped, but his wife and children, with 14 young men and boys,
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were captured. The boys were acquitted, after which they took . Mrs. Blennerhassett and her children down the river in a small house-boat to Bayon Pierre, where she was joined by her husband about the middle of Jan .. 1807. Toward the middle of December Burr visited Gen. Jackson, who agreed to assist the expedition for the liberation of Mexico, but whose suspicions had been awakened when he learned that Wilkinson was connected with the enterprise. Burr assured Jackson, however, that he had no disloyal motives, no hostile designs against the United States. Jackson then provided him with a sum of money and some of the general's friends joined the expedition. At Fort Massac Burr was informed by Commandant Bissell that Wilkinson had compromised with the Spaniards, where- upon Jackson's friends returned to their homes. McCaleb says : "Burr could now have had no other purpose in view than to begin the settlement of his Washita lands-there was no other alterna- tive." By the end of the year 1806, 8 vessels, bearing 50 guns. were anchored in the vicinity of Natchez, while other boats lay further down the river awaiting the "army of invasion."
At last the mountain labored and the mouse was born. On Jan. 12. 1807, Burr reached Bayou Pierre with a few small boats and a mere handful of men. Cable says the news reached New Orleans on Jan. 28. that Burr had been arrested at Natchez by the Missis- sippi militia, and that his expedition consisted of 14 boats and 100 men. Burr was released under $5,000 bail to await the action of the grand jury. That body failed to bring in an indictment, but the bond was not canceled by the court. In company with a man named Ashley he left the territory, and the governor offered a reward of $2,000 for his capture. Burr and his companion were arrested near Fort Stoddart, Ala., and taken to Washington. With several of his associates he was tried. but all were acquitted, and the famous con- spiracy that had kept the nation in a turmoil for more than a twelve- month was ended.
Burr Ferry, a post-hamlet on the western boundary of Vernon parish, is situated on the Sabine river. about 15 miles west of Pick- ering, the nearest railroad and banking town. It has a money order postoffice, and in 1900 reported a population of 52.
Burrwood, a post-hamlet of Plaquemines parish, situated on an island at the entrance to the southwest pass on the Mississippi river. It is the most southerly village in Louisiana.
Burton, a post-hamlet in the western part of St. James parish, is a station on the Texas & Pacific R. R., about 3 miles west of Con- vent, the parish seat.
Burtville, a village and station in the southern part of East Baton Rouge parish. is on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., about 10 miles southeast of Baton Rouge, the parish seat. It has a money order postoffice and a population of about 150.
Bush, a post-village in the northeastern part of St. Tammany par- ish, is a station on the New Orleans Great Northern R. R., about 27 miles north of Slidell.
Bush, Louis, a member of the legislature of 1861, was an active
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advocate of secession and made the motion in the house to sustain and approve the action of Gov. Moore in taking possession of the forts, etc., within the limits of the state. The motion was carried by a vote of 119 to 5. Mr. Bush was also a stanch and consistent oppo- nent to the reconstruction policy of Congress after the war. He was one of the signers of the call of Sept. 13, 1874, for the meeting at the Clay statue on Canal street, for the purpose of devising ways and means to oust the Kellogg administration, and was a participant in the stirring scenes of the following day. On Jan. 1, 1877. he was elected speaker of the house in the legislature that organized at St. Patrick's hall, which was ultimately recognized by President Hayes as the legal legislature of the state. He founded the "Louis Bush medal for French" at the University of Louisiana, now Tulane.
Butler, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of de Soto parish. is about 6 miles east of Pelican, the nearest railroad station.
Butler, Benjamin F., lawyer and soldier, was born at Deerfield, N. II., Nov. 5, 1818, the son of John Butler, who served as captain of dragoons with Gen. Jackson at the battle of New Orleans. Jan. 8. 1815. Benjamin was graduated at Waterville college (now Colby university) in 1838, then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1840. He soon won a reputation as a criminal lawyer and became active in politics as a Democrat. In 1860 he was a delegate to the Democratic national convention at Charleston, but was one of those who withdrew and subsequently nominated Breckenridge and Lane. At the breaking out of the Civil war he held a commission as briga- dier-general in the Massachusetts militia, and was ordered by the governor of that state to proceed to Washington with his troops. lle was next placed in command at Fortress Monroe, and in Feb .. 1862, was assigned to the command of the land forces destined for the capture and occupation of New Orleans. On May 1, 1862, after the reduction of the New Orleans defenses by Farragut's fleet, he landed his army and occupied the city, where he remained in command until Dec. 16, 1862. As his troops marched into the city they were hailed with maledictions and shouts of derision. This may have made Butler more severe than he otherwise would have been in the administration of affairs in the vanquished city, but even this is a poor excuse for many of his harsh and imperious acts. Shortly after his arrival he sent a proclamation to the office of the True Delta for publication. The editor refused to print it, where- upon the office was seized by the soldiers and the proclamation was set up by printers from different regiments in Butler's command. On the 2nd Butler established his headquarters at the St. Charles hotel. and after a conference with the mayor and city council it was decided that the civil authorities should continue to exercise their power in everything except military matters. This arrange- ment did not last long. however, the cause of the change being the famous General Order No. 28, which was issued by Butler on May 15. Naturally the women of New Orleans did not look with favor upon the occupation of their city by an enemy, and in some instances were perhaps too free in their manifestations of dislike.
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To check these alleged insults the order above referred to was issued and was as follows: "As the officers and soldiers of the United States have been subject to repeated insults from the women (call- ing themselves ladies) of New Orleans in return for the most scrupulous non-interference and courtesy on our part, it is ordered that hereafter when any female shall by word, gesture, or move- ment insult or show contempt for any officer or soldier of the United States she shall be regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation." This brought a protest from the mayor, who was accordingly removed and Gen. George F. Shepley appointed military commandant with the functions of mayor. Mayor Monroe, his secretary. Judge Kennedy and the chief of police were arrested and taken to Fort Jackson. Pierre Soule was also arrested and imprisoned in Fort Warren; W. B. Mumford (q. v.) was executed in June : the press was stifled ; citizens were arrested upon the slightest pretext and sentenced to Ship island where the men were often condemned to hard labor and to wear the ball and chain ; property of Confederate sympathizers was confiscated: and foreign consuls were treated with insolence and in some cases with absolute injustice. In the office of the consul of Holland was the sum of $800.000, which had been deposited there for the payment of bills to Amsterdam bankers. This money was seized by Butler, who claimed that it had been intrusted to the consul for the purpose of purchasing supplies and munitions of war, but in August the president ordered the return of the money to the consul. Butler was succeeded by Gen. N. P. Banks on Dec. 16, 1862, and on taking leave of the people of New Orleans issued an address in which he said: "I shall speak in no bitterness, because I am not conscious of a single personal animosity. Commanding the Army of the Gulf, I found you captured, but not surrendered ; conquered but not or- derly; relieved from your presence of an army, but incapable of taking care of yourselves. So far from it, you had called upon a foreign legion to protect you from yourselves. I restored order, punished crime, opened commerce, brought provisions to your starv- ing people, reformed your currency, and gave you quiet protection, such as you had not enjoyed for many years." The address con- tinned in the same strain and must have appeared as a superb piece of irony to the people who had lived for more than 7 months under his orders in constant fear for life or liberty. James Schouler, in his History of the United States, says of Butler's occupation of New Orleans: "In one way or another, Butler laid here the foun- dation of wealth which subserved his later ambition in politics, and those he attached to himself were chiefly such as sought material success in life or enjoyed punishing the prostrate. Ill fitted for conqueror, he posed as avenger." After the war Gen. Butler became a Republican, was elected to Congress in 1866, and with the exception of 2 years remained in the lower house until 1879. In 1871 he failed to receive the nomination for governor of Massachusetts and became somewhat wavering in his party allegiance; was an · independent candidate for governor in 1878; the regular Democratic
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nominee for that office in 1879: was defeated in both campaigns ; supported Hancock for president in 1880: was again nominated for governor by the Democratic party in 1882, for want of a better candidate, and this time was elected. He died in Washington, D. C., Jan. 11, 1893.
Butler, Thomas, member of Congress, was born at Carlisle, Pa .; he received a good education in his native state; removed to Louisiana, where he was elected a representative to the 15th Con- gress, defeating Edward Livingston for the position. He was re- elected to the 16th Congress, and served from Feb. 26, 1818, to March 3, 1821. He died at New Orleans, Ang. 4, 1847.
C
Cabeça de Vaca .- (See Nuñez, Alvarez).
Cabildo .- On Nov. 25, 1769. Gov. O'Reilly issued a proclamation abolishing the superior council, which for more than half a century had been such a potent agency in shaping the destinies of Louisiana, and established in its place the cabildo. It was composed of two ordinary alcaldes, the alferez real. the provincial alcalde, the aguazil mayor, the depositary-general. the receiver of fines, the attorney- general-syndic, the mayor-domo-de-proprios, and the escribano or cierk. By virtue of his office the governor was president of the cabildo, but in his absence one of the ordinary alcaldes might pre- side. The ordinary alcaldes, who occupied the first seats, were judges within the city in civil and criminal cases where the defend- ant was not entitled to or did not claim the privilege of a military or ecclesiastical judge. In addition to their duties as members . of the cabildo they held petty courts in their residences of evenings, at which they gave unwritten decisions, but clergy and soldiers were beyond their jurisdiction. In cases where the amount involved did not exceed $20 no record was kept, and when the amount exceeded 90,000 maravedis ($330.80) the defendant had the right to appeal from the decision of the ordinary alcaldes to the cabildo in general. The alferez real was an honorary office, his duty being to bear the royal standard on public occasions. The principal provincial alcalde had jurisdiction over all offenses committed outside the city limits. The alguazil mayor executed in person or by deputy all processes of the cabildo and had charge of the police and prisons. The depos- itary-general took charge of the public revenues, kept and dispensed the public stores. The receiver of fines was charged with the collec- tion of fines and penalties imposed by the tribunal. The attorney- general-syndic prosecuted all causes in the name of the . crown. and it was also a part of his duty to defend the rights of the people and to propose measures for the advancement of their interests. The mayor-domo-de-proprios was simply the town treasurer, and the clerk kept a record of the proceedings. According to Martin, the cabildo sat every Friday, but the governor had power to convene
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it at any time. The first sitting was on Dec. 1, 1769, with Gov. O'Reilly presiding : ordinary alcaldes, Dons Luis Antonio Lachaise and Juan Luis Trudeau, who served during the year 1770; Alferez real, Don Francisco Maria Reggio : principal provincial alcalde, Don Pedro Francisco Olivier ; alguazil mayor, Don Carlos Juan Bautista Fleuriau ; depositary-general, Don Jose Ducros ; receivers of fines, Dons Dyonisio Braud and Antonio Bienvenu: attorney-general- syndic, Don Luis Ranson ; mayor-domo-de-proprios, Don Juan Durel ; clerk, Don Juan Bautista Garic.
The cabildo was abolished by Laussat in 1803, immediately upon the return of Louisiana to France. The building known as the cabildo (originally called the casa capitular) was erected by Don Andres Almonester in 1794, on the site of the town hall, which had been destroyed by fire, just south of the church and fronting the plaza. For a long time it was believed that it was the gift of Almonester to the city, but later it was found out that the sum of $28,500 had been returned to his widow and daughters.
At the cabildo took place the transfer of Louisiana from Spain to France on Nov. 30. 1803, and from France to the United States on Dec. 20, 1803.
Cabinet Officers .- Louisiana has been represented in the cabinets of three presidents, as follows: Edward Livingston was appointed secretary of state by President Andrew Jackson in 1831, succeed- ing Martin Van Buren : Charles M. Conrad was appointed secretary of war by President Millard Fillmore in 1850, and served until March 7, 1853. when he was succeeded by Jefferson Davis; William H. Hunt entered the cabinet of President James A. Garfield as secretary of the navy on March 5, 1881, and served until April 1. 1882, when he was succeeded by William E. Chandler, of New Hampshire.
Cable, George Washington, author, was born in New Orleans, La., Oct. 12, 1844. His father was a native of Virginia and his mother of New England. He was educated in the schools of New Orleans until the death of his father, when, at the age of 14 years, he was obliged to leave school to help support his mother and worked as a clerk until in 1863, when he enlisted in the 4th Miss. cavalry (Con- federate) and served until the end of the war, studying in his spare time. After the war he took a place as errand boy in a mercantile house; later studied civil engineering and practiced this profession for some time, but gave it up because of malaria contracted while surveying the marsh lands along the Atchafalaya river. Turning his attention to writing he contributed work to the New Orleans Picayune and this was so favorably commented on that in 1869 he became one of the editors of that paper. He had very strong scruples against the stage and lost his position on the paper for refusing to edit the theatrical news. He again turned to clerical work and entered the employ of a large cotton firm. with which he remained until 1879. when the success of his "Old Creole Days." which had been published in Scribner's Magazine, induced him to turn to literature as a profession. In 1885 he toured the northern states
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with Mark Twain, and they gave readings in many of the large cities. Soon after this he settled in New England, making his home. first at Simsbury, Conn., then at Northampton, Mass. His first book was followed by "The Grandissimes." "Dr. Sevier," "The Cre- oles of Louisiana," "The Silent South." and several other novels.
Caddo Parish .- The history of Caddo dates back to 1542, when De Soto is supposed to have explored this wilderness, crossing the Red river near Fulton, Ark., and returning to the Mississippi by way of the lakes and Bayous. Pere Olnis visited the Indian tribes of the Red river and the Rio Grande in 1544, and between that time and 1682, he was followed by many of the zealous fathers. In 1700 the Red river was explored by Bienville and St. Denis, and in 1717 de la Harpe ascended the river with 50 men to take up his grant of land on the upper Red river. He established a post at 33º 55', just across the border, in what is now Arkansas, but many years passed before any permanent settlers came this far into the wilderness. The lands between the Sabine and Red rivers were claimed by both France and Spain and the first plantations were opened and cultivated under grants from the French or Span- ish. After Louisiana became a part of the United States, the Indians ceded all this country to the government, and Caddo prairie became the scene of pioneer operations, as it was regarded as the garden spot of the Red river valley. Hundreds of acres were under cultivation as early as 1836, all along the banks of the river from Grand Ecore to beyond the Arkansas state line. One of the first settlements was made at Irwin's Bluff, by McNeill and Sprague, who soon sold out to James Irwin, a son-in-law of Henry Clay. Some of the other settlers at this time were Joel Wadsworth, Robert Hamilton, John Herndon, and Dr. J. L. Scott. One of the first settlements in the Shreveport neighborhood was the James Cane settlement, and towns named Coats' Bluff and Red Bluff were laid out, but never settled up as the river changed its course and they were left without any water front. Caddo parish was created in 1838, and its name was suggested to perpetuate the memory of the Red river valley Indians. In 1873 the Democratic convention of Texas proposed annexing Caddo and De Soto parishes to Texas. The residents of the two parishes favored these propositions, but the state of Louisiana would not agree to any such proceedings. Shreveport, the parish seat, was started as a town in 1835, when a large force of raft removers had headquarters there. The first parish court was opened Aug. 6, 1838, by Judge Washington Jen- kins, with Samuel C. Wilson as clerk and Samuel B. Hunter as deputy clerk. The oldest record of the police jury that has been preserved, is dated Sept. 4, 1840. Judge Ephraim K. Wilson opened the first court of the 7th judicial district on Sept. 3, 1839, and the U. S. district court was established at Shreveport in 1881, with Alexander Boarman as district judge. Caddo parish lies in the extreme northwestern corner of Louisiana, on the border lines of Texas and Arkansas ; it is irregular in shape, being bounded on the north by Arkansas; on the east by Bossier parish, the Red river
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