USA > Louisiana > Louisiana; comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and persons, Volume II > Part 58
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ville. On Oct. 23 it arrived at Savannah, Ga .. and was transferred to the 1st brigade of the division. With other troops it embarked on the steamer Mobile on Dec. 24. and sailed for Cuba. It entered Hlavana on New Year's day, 1899, and was on guard duty in that city until the latter part of March, when it was ordered back to Savannah, where it was mustered out on April 18.
Under the call of the president of May 25, 1898, Louisiana was anthorized to furnish three batteries of field artillery. The demand was promptly met by the organizations already in existence, the Louisiana Field Artillery becoming Battery A: the Washington Artillery, Battery B; and the Donaldsonville Cannoneers. Battery C. Battery A was officered by Capt. J. P. Sullivan. First Lieut. W. M. Stout, and Second Lieut. F. W. Foreman. The officers of Battery B were F. W. Kornbeck, captain ; E. B. Stafford, first lieu- tenant : A. H. Parker, Jr., second lieutenant. Battery C was of- ficered by Richard McCulloch, captain : E. N. Pugh, first lieutenant : and C. K. Fuqua, second lieutenant. None of the artillery com- panies ever left the state. They were mustered into the U. S. serv- ice at New Orleans, July 6. 1898, each with 100 enlisted men, and on Sept. 2 the members were granted a furlough for 30 days. They returned to their homes, most of them hoping that before the ex- piration of the furlough affairs would take a turn that would re- quire their presence at the front. But they were doomed to dis- . appointment, for after a short time in camp the three batteries were mustered out on Nov. 12, having been in the national service only a little over four months.
On June 3, 1898, the legislature passed a resolution asking that authority be granted to Lient. Jacques de Lafitte to raise a regi- ment of immunes. Lieut. Lafitte was then in the regular army, was a native of Louisiana, and had been for two years instructor of the National Guard. In the Ist regiment of immunes there were many men from Louisiana, among them Duncan N. Hood, a son of the Confederate Gen. John B. Hood. Over 200 men were detailed from the naval reserve to furnish a crew for the monitor Passaic, and for the signal and auxiliary naval service. About 100 of these served on the Passaic under Lieut .- Com. Bartlett : a small squad was assigned to duty on the Tacoma: 97 were in the auxiliary navy, and 23 in the signal service. An appropriation of $20.000. "or as much thereof as may be necessary," was made by the legis- lature on July 9. 1898, to pay the debts and bills incurred by the state in mobilizing. equipping, subsisting and transporting troops, etc. As an echo of the war the general assembly, on July 12. 1906. passed an act providing that all money received from the United States on account of back pay due the soldiers from Louisiana in the Spanish-American war should be placed in the state treasury to the credit of the "Spanish-American war veterans' fund." The governor was authorized by the act to appoint a commission of four citizens, of which the governor shall be ex-officio chairman. to decide upon all claims against the fund.
Lieut. J. Numa Augustin, Jr., of the 24th U. S. regular infantry.
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was a Louisianian. He was mortally wounded in the charge at San Juan hill and died the following day. His remains were brought to New Orleans and interred with honors on Nov. 20, 1898. This was the only Louisiana man killed in action during the war, but it was not the fault of the brave sons of the "Pelican State" that more of them were not given the opportunity to meet the enemy, and had such an opportunity been given them it is safe to say that some of them would have fallen, for the soldiers of Louisiana have never shirked their duty on the field.
Spanish Conquest .- In Feb., 1779. France made a treaty of open alliance with the United States, then engaged with Great Britain in the war for American Independence. The challenge was prompt- ly accepted by the English king. George III. who declared war against France the following month. The Spanish province of Louisiana, remote from the English colonies along the Atlantic seaboard, would not have been materially affected by the Revolu- tionary war had it not been for this act on the part of the French government. But Spain, being an ally of France. came forward with overtures for peace, which were contemptuously spurned by England, and on May 8, 1779, Charles III, of Spain, formally de- clared war against Great Britain. As soon as the news reached Louisiana Gov. Galvez, young, enthusiastic and anxious to achieve military renown, resolved to undertake the conquest and reoecnpa- tion of West Florida. At that time there were British garrisons at Mobile, at Fort Bute on Bayou Manchae. and at Baton Rouge and Natchez on the Mississippi. Galvez called a council of war, to which he submitted a plan of attack on the posts at the Manchac, Baton Rouge and Natehez, but the council advised delay, in the hope of receiving reinforcements. The young governor realized, however, that it would be as easy for Col. Campbell, commanding the British post of Mobile. to send reinforcements to the western garrisons as it would for the Spanish government to send reinforce- ments to him, and decided to act upon his own responsibility. His first step was to call a mass-meeting of the inhabitants of New Or- leans, announced to them the declaration of war against England, and asked them to stand with him in the defense of Louisiana. The people responded with alacrity. and, under guise of establish- ing a post on the Manchac for defense. Galvez pushed forward with all possible haste his preparations for the invasion of West Florida. A severe storm on Aug. 18 sunk or destroyed all his boats save one, and this untoward accident caused a delay of a few days. but Galvez would not permit the disaster to defeat him altogether. He raised some of the sunken boats, procured others from up the river, and on the 27th began his forward movement. The fleet. with his provisions, ammunition and 10 pieces of artillery moved up the Mississippi, while the little army marched by land. His forces consisted of 170 Spanish regulars, 330 recruits, 60 militia, 30 carbineers. 80 free negroes, 9 Americans. under the leadership of Oliver Pollock. an agent of the Continental Congress. Galvez himself was in command. with Don Estevan Miro sceond in rank.
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On the march the army was joined by 600 more volunteers and 160 Indians, but the fatigue of the march reduced the effective strength of the army to about 1,000 men by the time the flag of Port Bute was sighted on Sept. 6. Gayarre says it was at this time that Galvez first made known to his men that his real purpose was to invade West Florida and reduce the British garrisons, and not merely to guard the Spanish line. Fort Bute was captured on the 7th and the next day Galvez moved on up the river to Baton Rouge, 15 miles distant. In the meantime Col. Carlos de Grandpré had advanced from Pointe Coupée with a detachment of troops, taken two British outposts-one on Thompson's creek and the other on the Amite river-and stationed himself in a position to cut off communication with Natchez. Baton Rouge was garrisoned by a force of some 500 men, with 13 pieces of heavy artillery. Early on the morning of Sept. 21 Galvez began the bombardment of the place and continued it until about the middle of the afternoon, when the fort surrendered unconditionally. One of the conditions im- posed by the Spanish commander was that the fort at Natchez should also be delivered up to him, and a captain with 80 men was sent to take possession of the post at that point. Galvez returned to New Orleans with his prisoners, leaving garrisons in the cap- tured forts, with Col. Grandpre in command of the conquered terri- torv.
Throughout this campaign a number of French creoles fought under the Spanish flag and won the commendation of Galvez by their heroism and discipline. In his army were also some of the Acadians, who, remembering the cruelty of the British in expell- ing them from their homes in Nova Scotia, fought with magnificent valor against their old enemies. A noticeable feature of the con- quest was the unusual humanity of the Indian allies, who refrained from all violence and barbarity toward the vanquished foe.
While these events were taking place along the Mississippi sev- eral brilliant affairs occurred on the water. An American schooner, commanded by one Pikle, captured the British privateer West Florida on Lake Pontchartrain, and Vincent Rieux, a native of New Orleans, with 13 other creoles, captured on Bayou Manchac an English bark from Pensacola, carrying a crew of 10 or 12 sailors and having on board 54 of the Waldecker grenadiers as a reinforcement for the western posts. This was one of the most gallant exploits of the war, Rieux and men being hailed every- where as heroes.
In Oct., 1779, reinforcements arrived from Havana and Galvez was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general. He immediately planned an expedition against Mobile, but actual operations were not commenced until Feb. 5, 1780, when he sailed from the Balize with 11 vessels and 2.000 men. Again a storm interfered with his plans. Some of his vessels foundered and considerable damage was done to the provisions and ammunition. Fortunately. in this dire emergency the capture of a British supply ship brought relief to the expedition and enabled Galvez to proceed. On March 1
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he advanced against Fort Charlotte, which surrendered to him on the 14th. The early capitulation of the garrison, which was not very strong, was a happy circumstance for Galvez, as Gen. Camp- bell, the English commander at Pensacola, arrived a few days later with reinforcements, but made no attempt to recapture' the fort. Galvez then returned to New Orleans, and later went to Ha- vana, where he fitted out a fleet for the reduction of Pensacola. He set sail from Havana on Oct. 16, but a third time a storm came up to cause delay. Ilis fleet was scattered and a month was spent in collecting the vessels at Havana. On Feb. 28, 1781, he was again on the gulf with 2 frigates, a ship of the line and several transports bearing an army of 1,400 men well supplied with artil- lery. The fleet was commanded by Admiral Frazabol, though Galvez directed the movements of the expedition. On March 9 the troops were landed on Santa Rosa island, where earthworks were erected to protect the vessels while crossing the bar, but Irazabal refused to expose his vessels to the fire of the garrison and the fleet was not brought into use. On the 16th Miro arrived from New Orleans with his creole troops, bringing a brig, 2 gunboats and a schooner (the Louisiana navy ), and with these vessels Galvez safely crossed the bar, passed the fort and the troops were landed at the lower part of the bay. Irazabal, seeing that his objections were without foundation, followed the next day and his heavy gun's aided materially in the assaults on the fort. The operations against the place continued until May 9, when Galvez concentrated his artillery fire upon one of the salient points and succeeded in send- ing a shell into a powder magazine, which exploded with terrific force and made a breach in the wall. Capt. Espeleta, at the head of his men and with + field pieces, rushed into the breach and Galvez was preparing to follow with the main body, when a white flag was raised above the fort in token of surrender. With this victory the conquest was ended and West Florida was once more in the hands of Spain. The result was particularly gratifying to the Louisianians-especially the Acadians-and Julien Poydras celebrated the glory of the Spanish arms in a poem which was printed by the authority of the government.
Spanish Domination .- Technically, the right of Spain to exercise dominion over Louisiana began with the treaty of Nov. 3. 1762. But as this treaty was in the nature of a secret compact. France continued to control the affairs of the province until after the open treaty of Paris, Feb. 10, 1763. Even then the French gov- ernment was slow to announce to the people of Louisiana the change which had taken place, the first official communication to that effect being dated April 21. 1764, and it did not reach New Orleans until the following October. Spain was equally slow in assuming her authority over her new possession. On May 21. 1765, Don Antonio de Ulloa was appointed governor, with instruc- tions to "make no change at present in the government of Louis- iana." He arrived in March, 1766, and found the people of the colony very greatly dissatisfied over the change. This discontent
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culminated in open revolt, Ulloa being expelled from the province in 1768. (See Revolution of 1768.) On April 16, 1769, Gen. O'Reilly was appointed governor and received authority "to estab- lish whatever form of administration seemed proper to him. both military and civil." He brought with him a force large enough to secure order ; punished the leaders of the revolt : abolished the su- perior council and established in its place the cabildo; made inany police regulations : provided for a revenue for the city of New Or- leans by levying taxes on inns, taverns, boarding houses and liquors, and from the ground rent of a tier of lots on each side of the public square. He was succeeded by Don Luis Unzaga, whose adminis- tration was as mild as O'Reilly's had been severe. He adopted a liberal policy, even going so far as not to enforce the unwise com- mercial regulations promulgated by Ulloa, but allowed the planters to buy from the floating warehouses of the English traders, and from their stores at Manchac, Baton Rouge and Natchez. This policy naturally rendered him popular, and when in 1772 the greater part of the Spanish troops that had come with O'Reilly were withdrawn the colonists were fairly well reconciled to Spain. Unzaga retired from the office on Feb. 1, 1777. with the good will of the people, and was succeeded by Bernardo de Galvez, who had been appointed governor on July 10, 1776.
The American colonies were then at war with Great Britain and the new governor of Louisiana soon manifested a disposition to side with the former. By a severe policy toward the English trad- ers he soon forced them to abandon the field, but his liberal treat- ment of the French traders gave them advantages in Louisiana that had formerly been held by their British competitors, and the colonists suffered no inconvenience by the change. Galvez secret- ly permitted Oliver Pollock, the agent of the American Congress, to collect arms and munitions of war in New Orleans, and even aided him to the extent of some $70.000. When Spain declared war against Great Britain in May, 1779, Galvez immediately decided upon the conquest of the British district of West Florida, and in this undertaking Polloek and a few other Americans assisted him by taking up arms against their common enemy. Following the conquest of West Florida important treaties were made with the Indians, whereby the Creeks and Seminoles agreed to defend the cause of His Catholic Majesty and obey his orders through the captain-general of Louisiana and the Floridas. According to Pickett, another feature of these treaties was that "all strangers, introducing themselves among the Indians for the purpose of stir- ring up rebellion against Spain, should be immediately seized and taken to the governor of Pensacola." By the treaty of Sept. 3. 1783, by which England acknowledged the independence of the United States, it was stipulated that "The navigation of the Missis- sippi river, from its source to the ocean, shall forever remain free and open to the subjects of Great Britain and the citizens of the United States." Below the parallel of 31º north latitude Spain owned the territory on both sides of the river, and the Spanish au-
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thorities therefore set up the claim to the exclusive right to its use. The contention continued until it was finally settled by the treaty of Madrid in Oct., 1795. While it lasted the trade of the colony suffered to some extent on account of it, but the condition was somewhat ameliorated by the privileges granted by the king of Spain to the Louisianians, upon the representations of Galvez, "for their gallantry in the late campaigns for the recovery of the territories lately possessed by Great Britain on the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico."
Gov. Miro was appointed on July 14, 1785, having served as gov- ernor for some time prior to that date during the absence of Galvez from the province. About the time that he was indueted into office he was notified by commissioners of the State of Georgia that that state claimed the Mississippi as its western boundary, and that the legislature had on Feb. 7. 1785, created a county called Bour- bon, extending from the line of 31º north latitude to the mouth of the Yazoo river. The governor showed his diplomacy by refusing to consider the claims of Georgia, and declined to surrender the posts in the district, maintaining that it was a question between Spain and the United States. The act was repealed by the Georgia legislature in Feb., 1788, as any attempt to enforce its provisions would be likely to increase the difficulties of the United States in the diplomatic contest with Spain. In 1787 Miro granted permis- sion to a number of American families to settle in Louisiana and suggested to the Spanish government that the best way to protect the province was to dismember the western country. At that time the western people were very much dissatisfied with the general government of the United States. Situated as they were, west of the mountains, it was almost impossible to maintain commercial relations with the Atlantic States. They had urged Congress to secure for them the free navigation of the Mississippi, in order to give them an outlet for their products, but their petitions had been in vain. Martin says that in 1787-88 the people of Kentucky were divided into no less than five parties, all holding different if not opposite views, but all aiming at the same object. "The first was for being independent of the United States, and for the formation of a new republic. unconnected with the old one, and resting on a basis of its own and a close alliance with Spain. Another party was willing that the country should become a part of Louisiana. and submit to the admission of the laws of Spain. A third desired a war with Spain and the seizure of New Orleans. A fourth plan was to prevail on Congress, by a show of preparation for war, to extort from the cabinet of Madrid what it persisted in refusing. The last, as unnatural as the second, was to solicit France to pro- cure a retrocession of Louisiana, and extend her protection to Ken- tucky."
In this state of affairs both Miro and Gardoqui. the Spanish min- ister at Philadelphia. were trying to induce the people of the west- ern districts to immigrate to Louisiana, and incidentally to dismem- ber the American republic by securing the secession of Kentucky
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and the other discontented sections west of the mountains. Gayarre says: "Both these Spanish functionaries were partners in the same game, and yet they were unwilling to communicate to each other the cards they had in hand. Each one was bent upon his own plan, and taking care to conceal it from the other; each one had his own secret agents unknown to his colleague whom he ought to have called to his assistance. % * The consequence was that the schemes of these two men frequently counteracted each other, and resulted in a series of measures which were at vari- ance and contradictory, and which seemed inexplicable to him who had not the key to what was going on behind the curtain." (See D'Arges Colony.)
One of the chief men to whom Miro looked for support in the ac- complishment of his purpose was Gen. James Wilkinson, -- "a per- sonage," says Fortier, "whose acts have given rise to numerous controversies." In June, 1787. at Miro's request, Wilkinson pre- sented a written opinion concerning the interests of the western people, and the relations that should be maintained between them and Spain. In this document he urged the natural rights of the westerners "to follow the current of the rivers flowing through their country to the sea," and pointed out the advantages to be derived by Spain in allowing the free use of the Mississippi. Monette credits the general's efforts with being "the first efficient means which led to the change of policy in the government of Louisiana," and Martin says: "The idea of a regular trade was first conceived by Gen. Wilkinson. * * * He had connected with it a scheme for the settlement of several thousand American families in that part of the present State of Louisiana now known as the parishes of East and West Feliciana, and that of Washita. * * * For those services to the Spanish government he ex- pected to obtain the privilege of introducing yearly a considerable quantity of tobacco into the Mexican market."
Shortly after the submission of his written opinion, Wilkinson's first cargo of flour, tobacco, bacon and butter arrived at New Or- Jeans. It was seized by the Spanish officials, but was soon after- ward released and the produce was sold without payment of duty. There is no doubt that the desire of the Spanish government was to bring about the secession of the western territory. Brown, the Kentucky delegate to Congress, opposed the admission of that state into the Union, on the grounds that the welfare and pros- perity of the people demanded a separate political existence. But if Gen. Wilkinson was a party to the scheme his designs, as well as those of Spain, were completely thwarted by President Washing- ton, who lost no time after his inauguration in asserting the au- thority of the Federal government. He advised the western peo- ple that their wants would receive proper attention in due time. and after three years more of intrigue and correspondence Wilkin- son wrote to Miro from Kentucky on Jan. 26, 1790: "On my ar- rival here I discovered a great change in those who had been so far our warmest friends. Many who loudly repudiated all connec-
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tion with the Union now remain silent. * * And I fear that we can rely on a few only of my countrymen, if we cannot make use of liberal donations, etc." About this time the South Carolina company obtained from the State of Georgia a large grant of land on the east side of the Mississippi, extending from the Yazoo river to near Natchez, and threatened immediate colonization. This project drew the attention of Miro away from the scheme to dis- member the Union. The Indians became aroused over the pros- pects of settlements being established in their country. Miro ad- vised them to warn off all prospective settlers and to attack them in case they refused to depart peacefully, promising to supply the Indians with ammunition. By the time this matter was fully ad- justed, Miro's administration came to an end. as he was succeeded on Dec. 30, 1791, by Baron de Carondelet, who had been appointed to the office the preceding March.
On April 27, 1792, Carondelet wrote to his government: "When I arrived at New Orleans I found it divided into two factions- the one headed by Gov. Miro and backed by the bishop, the as- sessor of the intendancy. Don Manuel Serrano, etc .; and the other composed of the contador, or royal comptroller Don Jose Orue, the vicar Felix Portillo, who is a Capuchin. Don Jose Ortega, etc. The most influential among the French had sided with one or the other party, according to the promptings of their own private in- terests, so that the capital was full of discord and animosities. Having shown . myself indifferent to both parties, and quite re- solved to punish those who should prove intractable, I succeeded in effecting a reconciliation, at least ostensibly, with the exception of the comptroller and the assessor, who could not be brought to be on friendly terms with each other." This much of his letter is here reproduced to show the state of feeling that existed at the beginning of his administration. Carondelet acted the part of wis- dom in ignoring, so far as possible, the factional quarrel, and in the case of the assessor and comptroller, "who could not be brought to be on friendly terms," he recommended that "both be sent out of the colony with their advisers." By his course in this matter, and by his energy in improving the fortifications and sanitary con- dition of the city, he soon won the respect of the inhabitants, while by the adoption of heroic measures, among which was the capture of the adventurer Bowles, he succeeded in quieting most of the Indian tribes, but by his order prohibiting the importation of slaves from St. Domingo some injury was inflicted on the trade with that island. This was counteracted to some extent by the king's ordi- nance of June 9, 1793, continuing, increasing and extending the com- mercial franchises conceded by the royal ordinance of 1782.
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