USA > Louisiana > Sketches, historical and descriptive, of Louisiana > Part 4
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' In the mean time, immediately after the death of the Viceroy, the Spaniards gradually added to their numbers at the Assinais, till the French at that place found them- selves too weak to counteract their designs. The fate of M. de St. Dennis but too clearly pointed out what they had a right to expect for themselves, and concluded it best to retire in season from the snare evidently preparing for them.
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Thus the Spaniards, by fraud and deception, and in violation of mutual agreements, established themselves within the territory previously discovered and occupied by the French ; and hence they never acquired a legiti- mate right to that part of the Country.
During the existence of this fruitless negociation (in 1716) the French formed a settlement at the Natchez, and built Fort Rosalie for their protection. M. de la Motte likewise died, and was succeeded in the Govern- ment by M. Biainville, who had been concerned in most of the events subsequent to the arrival of the first Colony. 'This accession, though a mark of honorable distinction, proved to him a source of great vexation. As he was both a Statesman and a Soldier, he was much better quali- fedi than his predecessor to stem the tide of adversity ; but such was the reduced state of the province, that he almost despaired of preserving it. All the ports on the continent were closed against the French, and they found it difficult to obtain supplies from France.
Five years experience convinced Crozat, that he had nothing to expect from Louisiana. Notwithstanding he had furnished large supplies of men and money, no pros- pect of indemnity presented itself. The Settlers enter- tained a rooted aversion to agriculture, and immense sums were lavished in purchasing provisions for them. During these five years he expended 425,000 livres, while the whole trade of the province yielded him no more than 300,000 livres, leaving a balance against him of 125,000 livres. Under these circumstances, in 1717, he relinquish- ed his patent to the Mississippi Company, projected by the celebrated John Law. At this period the province contained only seven hundred Persons, and four hundred head of Cattle.
From the ability and enterprise of this Company, great expectations were formed, and Louisiana began to attract the attention of the monied capitalists of Europe. An 1764848
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extensive and lively commerce, and the discovery of mines (which for more than two centuries had eluded- the avidity of the Spaniards) were to fill the exhausted coffers of France, and to yield princely fortunes to the numerous adventurers. These prospects, however, were not to be realised without an increase of population. Ex- ertions were made to obtain and send out settlers ; but an inadequate provision was made for their support in the Colony.
In the course of the first six years, the Mother Country and the Islands furnished four thousand and forty four Settlers, likewise one hundred and fifty Galley Slaves, and several hundred females taken from the charity and correction houses. During the same period, one thousand four hundred and forty one Africans were landed in Lou- isiana. Such an accession of inhabitants contributed only - to augment the general distress. The consequence was, that many hundreds of them perished with hunger and sickness. Perhaps the year 1721 may be selected as the period of the greatest calamity in Louisiana; every coun- tenance was covered with a melancholy gloom ; the sick were without medicine, as well as the other comforts .adapted to their situation; and children perished from want in the arms of their mothers. Such indeed, in that year, was the want of provisions, that the troops, station- ed on the Perdido, Isle Dauphin, and Mobile, were divi- ded among, and obliged to seek support from, the Indian villages about the Country.
The interdiction of commerce, which took place in 1713, not only rendered it difficult for the French to obtain sup- plies, but was always considered by them as the precur- sor of war; and this broke out in 1719. The King of Spain refused to accede to the triple alliance ; and this re- fusal drew from France a declaration of war in the month of March of that year. On the arrival of this intelligence in Louisiana, a council of war was immediately conve-
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ned, and it was resolved to attack Pensacola before it could be reinforced from the Islands. Accordingly M. Biainville, with four hundred Indians and a party of Ca- nadian French, hastened to invest that post by land, while three armed Vessels joined in the attack by Sea. The Spanish Commandant, to avoid an escalade, conceived it prudent to capitulate. The French agreed to save the Fort from pillage, and to send the prisoners to the Ha- vanna. On the arrival in that port of the two Vessels em- ployed to transport them, they were seized and condemn- ed by the Spaniards, and their crews secured in dungeons, contrary to the laws of war. In the mean time a number of Spanish Vessels, unapprised of the capitulation, enter- ed the harbor of Pensacola, and were captured.
The Spaniards were not backward in attempting to re- possess themselves of that place. In the month of Au- gust their Flotilla appeared before it. They found means to excite a mutiny among the French Soldiery, which obliged the town to surrender at discretion. 'The prison- ers were sent to the IIavanna.
This partial success led the Spaniards to believe, that they were able to drive the French out of Louisiana. Du- ring the same month, their Flotilla arrived before Isle Dauphin *. The Spanish Commander peremptorily de- manded of M. Biainville an unconditional surrender, and declared that, in case of a refusal, he should treat him " as an incendiary ," that he would give no quarter, and that the prisoners taken at Pensacola should experience the same fate. To this angry rodomontade an answer was returned, and it was such as became a brave man. The Flotilla then.invested and bombarded the Island during thirteen successive days, sometimes attempting to land troops, and at others keeping up a regular and constant
* This island is situated near the mouth of the Mobile River, in shut .: N, Lat. 30 degrees, 10 minutes. At the time of which we speak, it was eighteen miles long.
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fire on the Garrison, and on a small Vessel of war in the . harbor. But the unexpected appearance of a French squa- dron on the coast induced the Spaniards to make a preci- pitate retreat.
This squadron arrived at Isle Dauphin on the first of September, laden with goods and provisions, troops and settlers. These supplies revived the hopes of the French, and they again resolved to attempt the reduction of Pen- sacola, particularly as a Spanish fleet was hourly expected from Vera Cruz. M. Biainville rendezvoused on the Perdido a considerable body of French and Indians. He immediately put himself at their head, and marched and laid siege to the principal Fort, while the fleet entered the harbor, where it met with a warm reception from a small battery. But the Spanish Ordnance was speedily silenced, and the pallisades, with which the town was en- closed, levelled with the ground. The French then en- tered without opposition. The lives of the inhabitants were spared, but their dwellings were given up to the pillage of the Indian auxiliaries. The number killed was not considerable on either side. The French obtained eighteen hundred prisoners. From these were selected three hundred and sixty, who were transported to the Ha- vanna, accompanied with a request, that the Spaniards would return the French prisoners at that place. This was the more readily granted, as the staff and principal officers were retained as hostages at Isle Dauphin.
In this, as in the former case, several Spanish Vessels entered the harbor of Pensacola soon after its reduction, and were captured by the French ; by which means they obtained some prisoners, and no small quantity of provi- sions and stores.
As they were apprised, that a strong fleet was fitting out at Vera Cruz, which was probably destined for Flori- da, they destroyed the fortifications, and reduced the town to ashes ; and then repaired to the Mobile, leaving behind
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an Officer, and a few men, to watch the motions of the enemy. Things remained in this state till 1722, when the truce put the Spaniards again in possession of Pensacola. From this period the Perdido was considered as the boun- dary line between the two Colonies; the Spanish laws operated on one side, and those of the French on the other.
The Mississippi Company, even in the midst of the troubles already stated, aimed to form new barrier settle- ments, partly to maintain the territorial claims of France, and partly to arrest the progress of the Spaniards. For this purpose, immediately after the reduction of Pensaco- la in 1719, a considerable detachment was ordered to the bay of St. Joseph, where a Fort was erected. This was. intended, in conjunction with the other establishments on the coast, to exclude the Spaniards wholly from this part of Florida. The troops, however, suffered great hard- ships from the want of provisions, and desertions were finally so prevalent, that the French abandoned the posi- tion.
Bernard de la Harp*, the same year, with a body of troops, ascended Red River to the villages of the Cad- doques in N. Lat. 33 deg. 55 min. where he built a Fort, called St. Louis de Carlorette, on the right bank of that ri- ver. He wrote to the Spanish Commandant at the Assi- nais, informing him, that he was directed by his Govern- ment to assume a station on Red River, and charged to cultivate a good understanding with the subjeets of Spain. He at the same time forwarded to him a letter
" The author has had access to the manuscript journal of this Gen- tleman, which has been transmitted to this time It in a great measure comprehends the history of Louisiana from its first discovery to 1722. As his authority is of weight, the author is bound to ac- knowledge, that he is indebted to him for many important facts re- corded in the first part of this chapter, as also in that respecting the extent and boundaries of Louisiana.
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from M. Biainville. M. de la Harp likewise wrote to the superior of the missions in Texas, and expressed a desire to open a trade with the Spaniards, assured him of his friendship, and professed to have much at heart the conversion of the Infidels. He proposed to him to re- ceive the merchandize, and to be the Agent in this traffic.
The Spanish Commandant returned for answer, that while he was disposed to maintain peace with the French, it was his duty to inform him, that the post he occupied was within the territory of his master, and that if he did not abandon it, he should be obliged to attack him.
The answer of the Priest exhibited a more conciliatory aspect. He wished for a mutual correspondence, and for an opportunity of serving M. de la Harp ; but as it did not become a Clergyman to be concerned in mercantile enterprises, their intercourse ought to be kept a secret, more particularly as his commandant was unfriendly to him. Yet he at the same time observed that, as his com- mandant had treated the Indians improperly, and disobey- ed the orders of the Viceroy, such charges had been for- warded against him as would probably cause his removal from office.
The contents of this letter afforded M. de la Harp some idea of the character of his adversary, which the better enabled him to reply to his threat and pretensions.
He therefore told him, that his dispositions to maintain peace did not agree with his proceedings ; that Biainville was well informed of the limits of his Government ; that the post he then occupied was not within the dominions of Spain ; that the Spaniards well knew the province, which they called Texas, to be part of Louisiana; that M. de la Salle took possession of it in 1685, and that this possession had been renewed at various times since that period ; that the Spanish adventurer, Don Antonio du Ali- roir, who discovered the northern provinces in 1683, ne- ver penetrated Fast of New Mexico, or the Rio Bravo ;
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that the French were the first to make alliances with the Indian nations ; that the rivers flowing into the Mississip- pi, consequently the lands between them, belonged to France; and that if he would do him the pleasure of a visit, he would find, that he occupied a post, which he knew how to defend.
Here ended the contest about this post, which was maintained by the French till Louisiana fell into the hands of Spain, and during this time the Spaniards never gave them any trouble. They formed a small settlement, and built a mill at this place. "They cultivated wheat, corn, and tobacco, and carried on a trade with the Indians. They discovered a saline in this quarter, which yielded plenty of salt ; and M. Dutisne of Kaskaskia, about the same time discovered another " of mineral rock salt" near the Kansas river.
M. de la Harp pursued his discoveries to the Arkan- sas. On that river he visited an Indian village of three miles in extent, containing upwards of four thousand per- sons. It was situated about one hundred and twenty miles south west of the Osages. The excursions of the Spaniards were at that time limited to the sources of Red River and the Arkansas in.the Mexican mountains, " where they found plenty of rock salt," and where " they worked some silver mines."
At this period an attempt was likewise made to form a settlement in the bay of St. Bernard. The conduct of the expedition was confided to M. Beranger, who sailed three hundred and ninety miles to the westward of the Missis- sippi, and landed in N. Lat. 27 degrees, 45 minutes. Here he built a small Fort, and leaving five of his men to de- fend it, returned with the remainder to the Mobile for a reinforcement. During his absence the Indians took one of his men, and killed the other four. The Company al- ways had it in contemplation to form a strong settlement in this quarter, and considerable blame was attached to
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the Colonial Officers for their negligence. But the Indians were opposed to the admission of the whites among them ; and the fate of M. de la Salle and Colony, cooled the ar- dor of subsequent adventurers.
The population had become so numerous in 1720, that the French authorities were constrained to devise some efficacious measures to relieve the wants of the Colony. They therefore resolved to strengthen their barrier posts, and to disperse the people on plantations. A large num- ber went to Natchitoches, and on their arrival attacked the Spaniards at the Adaize, 'deprived them of their pro- perty, and drove them from that place. Another party repaired to their plantations about Natchez, and the St. Catharine's ; others fixed themselves in the Delta, particu- larly at New-Orleans, which was founded at this time, and soon after became the seat of Government. The French likewise erected Fort Chartres in the neighbour- hood of Kaskaskia, and took every other precaution in their power to guard themselves against their enemies, and to raise a sufficient quantity of provisions for the consump- tion of the Colony.
The French were at last apparently convinced of their destructive policy, and now for the first time attempted an innovation. If this had not been carried to extremes, the benefits resulting from it would have been more per- ceptible and perman-nt. Sensible of the sterility of the lands about the O.d Baloxi, or Perdido, the settlers were removed in the first instance from that place to Isle Dau- phin and Mobile, and subsequently to New Baloxi, situa- ted about forty miles to the westward of that river. This proved extremely injurious to them, and expensive to the Government ; especially as such frequent removals depri- ved them of the opportunity of raising their crops, and as the last position was not less sickly and barren than those they had previously occupied. This fatal step was soon discovered, but not easily retraced, and the several branch-
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es of the Government were eager to throw the blame on each other. Hence those animosities and suspensions from office already noticed. The dispersion of the people on plantations was likewise productive of a serious evil, though of a temporary nature. They found it difficult to subsist during the growth of their first crops ; and hence those ca- lamities and distresses, particularly in 1721, to which the attention of the reader has already been drawn. These and other embarrassments extorted from the company vast sums of money; so that the expenditure for the year 1722 only, amounted to no less than 1,163,256 livres.
The dispersion of the settlers rendered a new system of jurisprudence indispensible. Before this period all suits were decided at the seat of Government. Lower Louisiana was now divided into Districts, to each of which was assigned a Commandant and a Judge, though in most. instances both offices were united in the same person. The jurisdiction of the District Judge extended to all civil and criminal suits, except capital offences ; and appeals lay in every instance to the provincial council. The same system, with some slight modifications, was maintained till the country fell into the hands of the United States.
Notwithstanding the French had been more than once' frustrated in their attempts to form a settlement on the Bay of St. Bernard, yet the Company determined to make another effort. For this purpose MI. de la Harp, in 1721, · embarked at New Orleans under a royal order, with 'a de- tachment of troops, engineers, and draftsmen, and was di- rected to take a more accurate view of the Country than his predecessors had done. Ile found eleven and an half feet of water on the bar, and at the entrance of the bay, four large rivers falling into it, probably the Trinity, Brassos, Guadaloupe, and Colorado. He also found the soil along the coast extremely fertile, the Country beautiful and varie gated with woods, prairies and streams of pure water. On the coast of this bay he planted the arms of France, and took formal
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possession of the territory in the name of his Sovereign. The right of France to it was said in his instructions to be de- rived from the actual possession of M. de la Salle in 1685, as well as from subsequent discoveries ; and he was parti- cularly directed, that if the Spaniards opposed his esta- blishment, to defend himself to the last extremity. The Spaniards were unpopular in this quarter, and therefore had not visited it over land, and only once by sea. But the Indians still retained their former enmity to the French ; they still remembered the slaughter made among them by M. de la Salle, and the more recent trespass of M. Beranger. Such indeed were their threats and hos- tile preparations, that !I. de la Harp did not deem it pru- dent to attempt an establishment ; he therefore seized se- veral of them, put them on board his Vessel, and then re- turned to New Orleans. The object he had in view by this seizure was to excite in the minds of the Indians a . favorable opinion of the French by means of the captives, whom he intended to return to their nation, after inspiring them with confidence, treating them with kindness, and loading them with presents; but, thinking themselves
doomed to destruction, they found means of escaping in the night, and some of them, on their way home, perished with hunger in the wilderness. Hence this stratagem, in- stead of promoting the interest of the French, destroyed all hopes of a friendly intercourse with the Indians about the bay of St. Bernard ..
Neither the French nor Spanish Colonists were inclined to carry on a systematic war ; but as they were competi- . tors in the Indian trade, and the rights of territory fre- quently came in question, they maintained a kind of pre- datory warfare for several years. "The perfidy practised on M. de St. Dennis kept alive the resentment of the French : and the reduction of Pensacola, and the unfriend- ly disposition manifested by some of the Indian tribes in Louisiana, wounded the pride of the Spaniards. Hither-
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to the French had been remarkably successful in their at- tempts to maintain peace with the Indians in their neigh- bourhood. The Chickasaws alone gave them trouble ; the English often instigated them to hostilities. The de- predations made by the French and Spaniards on each other, even while their mother Countries were at peace, may be traced in the first instance to mutual jealousies, and in the second to the mutual infliction of real or ima- ginary injuries. :
The Spaniards exulted in the treacherous expulsion of "the French from the Assinais; and as they were so suc- cessful in forming an establishment at that place, they re- solved to repeat the experiment in a distant quarter, par- ticularly as their rivals began to appear formidable on Red River. They well knew the importance of the Missouri, and were anxious to secure a strong position on its banks. They readily perceived, that such a measure, if prose- cuted with success, would effectually hold in check the Illinois French, confine their territorial claims to the bor- ders of the Mississippi, and turn the current of the In- dian trade. Their first object was to attack and destroy the nation of Missouris,* situated on the Missouri, at no great distance from the Kansas river, within whose jurisdiction they meditated a settlement. These Indians were the firm friends of the French, and this rendered their destruction the more necessary. At this time they were at war with the Pawnes, and the Spaniards designed to engage these as auxiliaries in the enterprise. A consi- derable Colony, therefore, started from Santa Fe in 1720, and marched in pursuit of the Pawne Villages ; but they lost their way, and unluckily arrived among the Missou- ris, whose ruin they meditated. Ignorant of their mis- take, (the Missouris speaking the Pawne language) they communicated their sentiments without reserve, and re-
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* This nation is now nearly extinct.
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quested their co-operation. The Indians manifested no surprise at this unexpected visit, and only requested time to assemble their warriors. At the end of forty eight hours about two thousand of them appeared in arms. They attacked the Spaniards in the night, while reposing themselves in fatal security, and killed all of them, ex- cept the Priest who escaped the slaughter by means of .. his horse. Various writers assert, that these colonists aimed to find the Osage villages ; but the records of San- ta Fé authorize the statement we have given.
This boldness of the Spaniards in penetrating into a' Country with which they had no previous acquaintance, at least six hundred miles from their own, apprised the French of their danger, and warned them to provide against a repetition of encroachment. M. de Burgmont,' therefore, was despatched with a considerable force, who took possession of an Island in the Missouri, some dis- tance above the Osage river, on which he built Fort Or- leans.
On his arrival at that place, he" found the various nati- ons about him engaged in a sanguinary war, which dimi- nished the trade, and rendered all intercourse extremely hazardous. Hence it became an object of importance to bring about a general peace. This was attempted with the desired success in 1724. Soon after this event, how- ever, Fort Orleans was attacked and totally destroyed, when all the French were massacred, but it was never known by whom this bloody work was performed. About this period the French began to experience troubles of a serious nature from the Indians, which were not entirely surmounted till after a lapse of sixteen years.
Of all the Indians known to the French, the Natchez were the most serviceable, and at the same time the most terrible to them. Ibberville visited them soon after his arrival in the country. Settlers at various times planted themselves among them, particularly a large body
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them, when the Government dispersed them on planta- tions. Some indeed, penetrated to the Yazous, where they built a Fort, which was destroyed in 1722 by the Chickasaws. The French adventurers were favourably received by the Natchez, who supplied them with provi- sions, assisted them in their tillage, and in building their houses : In fine, their friendly exertions saved the stran- gers from famine and death.
It happened in this as in most other connexions of the kind, that the Whites encroached on the rights of the In- dians, and excited their jealousy. The Natchez posses- sed the strongest disposition to oblige, and would have continued eminently useful to the French, if the com- mandant of Fort Rosalie had not treated them with in- dignity and injustice. The first dispute between them occurred in 1723. An old Natchez warrior had obtained credit of a soldier, and agreed to deliver some corn in payment. About the time the debt became due, the latter demanded his pay ; he was answered, that the corn was too green to be gathered; but that it should be delivered as soon as possible. Not satisfied with this excuse, the soldier threatened to beat the old man, which so much incensed him, that he- retired from the Fort, and chal- lenged his opponent to single combat. This induced the soldier to cry murder ! when the old man departed for his village. The Guard was pressed to fire, and one of them was so imprudent as to do it, when the old man received a mortal wound. No punishment was inflicted on the perpetrators of this deed ; they received a slight repri- mand only from the commandant, who, in other respects, had rendered himself extremely obnoxious to the Natchez.
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