USA > Missouri > A history of Missouri from the earliest explorations and settlements until the admission of the state into the union, Volume II > Part 42
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To which Captain Stoddard replied :
"Sir: My reception on this occasion is more grateful to my feelings as it was wholly unexpected. I consider the civilities bestowed on me as a favorable omen of our future harmony. Be assured that the United States congratulate themselves on the acquisition of this fine territory. It will add much to their pleasure to be informed that the sensible and judicious inhabitants of the metropolis receive with confidence the government about to be placed over them. I salute the officers of his Catholic Majesty with that urbanity and affection which forms a characteristic of military men."
The flag of Spain was then lowered and that of France raised. On the prearranged signal, a salute was fired from the fort located on the hill near where the present St. Louis Courthouse is situated. Thereupon the American troops marched to the fort and were re- ceived by the Spanish troops under arms and placed in possession of the quarters of the fort, and the flag of the United States was then raised on the staff in place of that of France. The Spanish troops then marched to the temporary barracks which had been rented, situated on the corner of Elm and Third streets, the house belonging
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GRIEF AT NEW MADRID
to Manuel de Lisa. After the Spanish troops retired to these tem- porary quarters DeLassus ordered that the drum must be beat only in the morning and in the evening and not then until after the drum beat of the American troops, and in the house only and not in the open air.
On the same day he addressed an official circular to the several commandants of upper Louisiana of the change of government, as follows, to Don Baptiste Vallé of Ste. Genevieve; Don De Hault de Luziere, New Bourbon; Don Louis Lorimier, Cape Girardeau; Don Juan La Vallée, New Madrid; Don Pedro de Treget, Carondelet; Don Santiago Mackay, St. Andre; Don Fran- cisco Dunegant, St. Ferdinando; Don Carlos Tayon, St. Charles; Don Francisco Saucier, Portage des Sioux; Don Pedro Lajoie, Syndic of Maramec, and Don Edmund Hodges, Syndic of Post on the Mis- souri :
On the 9th of the present month I relinquished the command of this place and of all upper Louisiana to Mr. Amos Stoddard, Captain of the Artillery of the United States and Commissioner of the French Republic, and who has since retained it in the name of the said states. I apprise you of this for your guidance; according to the orders I issued to you of date February 20th, last passed, notifying you to communicate to the Syndics of your dependency.
God have you in his holy keeping.
CHARLES DEHAULT DELASSUS.
St. Louis of Illinois, March 12, 1804.
No particular ceremony seems to have marked the transfer of the other settlements and posts, except at New Madrid. Here on the 18th of March Don Juan La Vallée surrendered the fort and district under his command to Captain Daniel Bissell, commissioned by Captain Stoddard as agent of the French Republic to receive it. La Vallée particularly re- ports that "in those negotiations forty-five libras of powder have been used both in salutes and by the guards." But the people of New Madrid were not pleased with the change of government and he writes that "this change has caused the greatest anger among these habitans, who live here, and CAPTAIN DANIEL BISSELL especially on the day of surrender, during the ceremonies of which they have expressed the greatest grief."4 At Ste. Genevieve when the post was surrendered, the flag of
4 General Archives of the Indies, Seville - Report of La Vallée to the Marquis de Casa Calvo and Don Manuel de Salcedo - dated March 29, 1804.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
the United States was raised by Israel Dodge. At Cape Girardeau the people, who were all Americans, with the exception of Lorimier and Cousin, were pleased greatly with the transfer of the country and seem to have been decidedly hostile, if not to the Spanish Government, to the Spanish officers. When DeLassus afterward went down the river with his convoy he ordered the guns to be loaded in order to repell any hostile attack here. At Mine à Breton shortly before the transfer, when an attempt was made by the Spanish Deputy Surveyor Thomas Madden to survey a tract of land granted Pascal Detchemendy, a riot occurred and the surveyor and his assistants were driven away, the people, so De- Lassus writes the Marquis de Casa Calvo, "hallowing Viva Giffer- son.""
By letter dated January 7, 1804, DeLassus was ordered to bring with him all the correspondence belonging to the government "and which may not have any reference to the proceedings, deeds, conces- sion of land or with the fortune and interest of these inhabitants." All the artillery, ammunition and goods belonging to the King in upper Louisiana were also ordered to be taken away, and DeLassus was authorized to hire boats to transport these effects, but cautioned to be economical "and watch the interest of the Royal treasury."6
But he had no little trouble to secure boats to carry the troops, artillery, ammunition and royal effects to New Orleans; because the boats offered for hire were not strong enough to carry the artillery. Nor was he able to find boats at Ste. Genevieve or New Madrid. Finally, Auguste Chouteau agreed to build boats strong enough for the purpose of transporting the artillery and royal effects to New Orleans to be delivered in October following, but only upon condition that "everything will be paid in cash" and not in "credit certificates." These "credit certificates" were "not acceptable." Everybody It interests us to know that an army officer was at New Madrid to receive this post. How long Captain Bissell remained at New Madrid I have not been able to ascertain. It however, must have been only for a brief period, because La Forge seems to have exercised the functions of a civil commandant there, after the cession, until the organization of the courts of law. Captain Daniel Bissell in 1804 was stationed at Fort Massac, and very probably came down from this fort to take over this district. He was a native of Connecticut, born in 1768, served as Lieutenant in St. Clair's army in 1794, in 1799 was appointed Captain, in 1809 Lieutenant-Colonel, in 1812 Colonel, and Brigadier-General in 1815. He was mustered out of service in 1821 at New Orleans. After this he resided on his farm about nine miles north of St. Louis, until his death in 1833.
5 See Letter of DeLassus to Casa Calvo in Chouteau Collection of DeLassus letters in the Archives of the Missouri Historical Society.
6 Chouteau Collection of DeLassus letters in Mo Historical Society.
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DIFFICULTIES
demanded payment in cash, principally because these "credit certi- ficates" then could be cashed only at a heavy discount in New Orleans. But even before Chouteau would undertake the construc- tion of the boats, DeLassus says, he went out into the woods to make sure that he could find the necessary timber. One boat belonging to Robidoux, DeLassus secured for the transportation of the archives and himself and his brother St. Vrain. DeLassus says that he gave his personal attention to the work of the construction of these boats and that owing to the lateness of the season when completed they had to be covered. He then expected that he would be accompanied by the Rev. Fathers Maxwell, Janin and Lusson of St. Charles, Don Manual Gonzales Moro, the store-keeper, Don Juan La Vallée of New Madrid, Don Eugenio Alvarez, and also by Dr. Saugrain and Dr. Dorsey and the royal interpreter, Charpentier of New Madrid, and some Government clerks. And he says many others would accompany him if able.
DeLassus' difficulties were not lessened by the fact that he had received no money to pay the soldiers and officers under his command for about a year, and was compelled to borrow money on his own personal credit "to buy some clothes and other things for the army during the winter," Auguste Chouteau assuming responsibility to pay for these supplies. Thus nearly the summer passed when in August, 1804, Major Bruff in command of the United States troops at St. Louis, no doubt anxious to ascertain at what time the Spanish troops would depart, addressed a letter to DeLassus, making inquiry as to the matter. He then wrote him that he and his troops had not been able to depart, because unable to secure boats of sufficient strength to carry the artillery and royal material, but that boats were being constructed for that purpose and as soon as finished he would depart with his troops. It may be that Major Bruff was prompted to make this inquiry, because at the time it was asserted that the limits of the Louisiana Territory did not extend far beyond the borders of the Mississippi and that the country lying on the head-waters of the Missouri and Arkansas was still claimed by Spain as a part of New
· Mexico. DeLassus also in August advised the Marquis de Casa Calvo of his troubles and was urged by him to depart with his troops as soon as possible, "so that we will complete all matters concerning that province"7
7 Letter of Casa Calvo to DeLassus dated November 12, 1804, in Chouteau Collection in Mo. Historical Society.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
Finally, after all kinds of vexations and mortifications, the boats were finished and the artillery and royal effects loaded. On Novem- ber 16, 1804, at 6:00 o'clock in the morning, DeLassus and his staff, no doubt joyfully, embarked on one of the boats named "Esperanza." An hour afterward the clerks and soldiers went on board of the other three boats, to the number of 67 men. The flag was raised, the drums were beat, the cables drawn, a salute was fired as the convoy slowly moved from the shore out into the Mississippi, where only 36 years before the royal batteaus under the command of Don Francesco Rui y Morales had unfurled the Spanish standard on what is now Missouri soil. Elsewhere I have given an account of this voyage up the river. 8 DeLassus has preserved for us some of the incidents and trials of the voyage down the river, when the Spanish forces retired from the country. He departed in an inclement season. The night before he left it hailed and snowed all night long, but the morning was clear. On the evening of the first day the convoy reached "Island au Vieux Bouré." The weather was clear and cold next morning and as the boats drifted down the river DeLassus met "Don Pedro Chouteau, commander of the Fort of the Osages and General agent of the Indians for the United States, and who was returning from Ste. Genevieve, where he had gone to accompany the Governor William Henry Harrison." A half hour after sunset of that day, he reached Petit Rocher (Little Rock), then and now the river landing of Ste. Genevieve. Here he took aboard the archives and artil- lery and royal effects of that post, but two small cannon which had been furnished Mr. Austin at Mine à Breton to aid him in de- fending his settlement against the Indians, Austin did not deliver, sending word that if "the Spaniards wanted the cannon they could get them," and this causes DeLassus to remark that "Austin was the principal in the PIERRE CHOUTEAU riot at Mine à Breton, and that although he had been greatly favored by the Spanish Government," he thus showed "his ungratefulness." DeLassus remained at Ste. Genevieve two days and no doubt met Gov. Harrison, because he ordered Austin to restore the cannon to the Spaniards. On the 19th, it was cloudy and "rained very hard," and for this
8 See vol. I, p. 288 et seq.
.
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RECEIVED BY LORIMIER
reason the boats landed at the house of "a man called Peter- son" 9 below Bois Brulé, and on account of the "heavy rain" only one guard was kept on duty in "this terrible weather." An American boat from the Cumberland with goods for St. Louis passed him here, but had "no news." The weather was cloudy on the 20th, but not cold and at 4 o'clock he reached Berthiaume's, near the mouth of Brazeau's creek. This Berthiaume was the gunsmith among the Shawnees and who had a village near there. The next morning was cloudy and foggy and the convoy did not get under way until II o'clock. On his way down the river he met Berthiaume who advised him that the people of the post of Cape Girardeau were hostile, and hence he ordered the guns loaded and when he arrived at the post the flag was unfurled and the drums beat a march. Don Louis Lorimier saluted the convoy with five loud shots from the top of the hill10 where he resided and sent his son William to invite DeLassus and the other officers to his house, explaining that he could not personally come as he was the only artillerist there. DeLassus with three officers went to the house, and upon his arrival Lorimier fired seven more shots in honor of the occasion. When DeLassus thanked him he says "he could hardly answer me as he was crying and with heavy tears on his eyes said, you take the Spanish flag with you, but you cannot take the feelings that are deeply impressed in my heart." He then told him that he and the Shawnee and Delaware Indians would remove to the frontiers of Mexico if given land, and that 300 Germans would also follow him if admitted. He surrendered the archives of his post, of which he had not made an inventory, because he could not read, and did not wish to trust any one else with these papers. That evening DeLassus
classified and separated the papers.
He says that here he was "greatly insulted by some of the inhabitants." Explaining the salute with which he was honored, although Lorimier had no cannon at his post, DeLassus writes that he bored a hole in the trunk of a tree, filled it with powder and into this hole then hammered another piece of wood, and that when "the powder explodes it makes a terrible sound, like that of a large cannon." In this way Lorimier had been
" This is no doubt Jno. Patterson who had a grant near there on the Mis- sissippi and came over from Kaskaskia. No man named Peterson found in the Spanish records.
10 Should read " bank of the river," which at time of low water looks like a " hill." Lorimier's residence was near the river bank and not on the "hills" which were farther back.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
accustomed to salute all the Spanish commanders as they passed his post.
On the morning of the 22nd of November, DeLassus left Cape Girardeau, Lorimier and his wife paying him a farewell visit on his boat at 6 o'clock in the morning. That night it had hailed and rained, but the morning was clear. He reached Island du Grand de Tour on that day. The following day he passed the mouth of the Ohio and met a boat coming down the river out of the Ohio loaded with "flour and wines"- more probably whiskey. And that night he camped at Mine de Fer, or Iron Banks, 15 miles below the mouth of the Ohio. The 24th was clear and a "good day," and he stopped on the Island "Avaloyo," may-be Wolf Island. The next day he reached New Madrid, where he landed in Bayou St. John, drums beating a march, men under arms and flag unfurled. Here he re- mained until the 21st of December.
The boats had now become leaky and men were continually engaged in pumping out the water. St. Vrain - who was in command of the boats- advised him that it would be dangerous to continue the trip without repairs and that at least another boat must be secured. Capt. McCoy, Don Juan La Vallée, Dr. Samuel Dorsey and other prominent citizens tendered their services and greatly assisted him here. The boats were unloaded, over- hauled and repaired. Provisions and meat were secured, but the only means of payment DeLassus had were the discredited "credit certificates." He secured flour and other provisions, he says, through "a very nice American merchant," although with some difficulty, because "since the Spanish flag was taken away, they can't get anything." On the 28th of November, he visited the American commandant, and he returned the call the following day and showed him every attention "his position would permit." The weather was very cold and the American commandant on his request gave him the use of a house for his soldiers. Thus several weeks passed in securing a supply of provisions and a new boat and repairing the old boats for the voyage down the river.
On the 14th of December when DeLassus was about getting ready to depart he was again short of meat and provisions, but secured additional supplies. He had more trouble with the boats and some of them had to be unloaded again. It snowed, hailed, thundered, rained, heavy ice ran in the river and a severe wind made him very uneasy "regarding the boats." On the 16th and 17th it still snowed
369
DELASSUS REACHES NEW ORLEANS
and rained and "the river was covered with icicles." On the 19th of December they all left New Madrid to join the convoy and "talk over what it would be best to do." On the 21st of December, he waited for La Vallée "who had a certificate to sign." The next day they were under way and passed a little village on the river, no doubt Little Prairie, at about 10 o'clock and here the inhabitants met him and the military lieutenant of the place "advised us to camp and wait until the weather was better." On this day the expedition passed the southern boundary of what is now Missouri.
On Christmas day, he arrived at Campo de la Esperanza, where he met Don Augustine Grande, the commandant. Lieutenant Daniel Hughes, who was in command of the American forces on the opposite side of the river, called upon him and dined with him, and tendered him every assistance. After embarking the artillery "with a great deal of work on account of the snow," he sailed south on the last day of the year, firing one shot. At two o'clock he passed the bluffs on the opposite side under command of Lieutenant Dan Hughes. Here he "saw the American flag," and the "convoy was saluted with a loud cannon shot" and which he answered "in the same manner." After he had gone some distance, another shot was fired, "and raising the flag, we answered them in the same way, so that they could see we were prepared to answer them officially." DeLassus after a voyage of two months, on the 18th of January, 1805, reached New Orleans in safety.11
But returning now to the events immediately following the sur- render of upper Louisiana, Capt. Stoddard advised under date of March 10, 1804, Gov. Claiborne and Gen. James Wilkinson, that he had received possession of the country on behalf of the United States as follows:
" I have the honor to inform you that on the 9th instant the Province of upper Louisiana was yielded to me in due form as Agent of the French Republic, and that on this day I occupied the country and government in the name of the United States. I arrived here as long ago as the 24th ultimo and on the 25th I made a formal demand of the Province. This delay has been occasioned in part by the indisposition of the Lieutenant-Governor and in part by the ice in the Mississippi which obstructed the progress of my company by water. All
11 See Journal of DeLassus in Chouteau Collection, Mo. Historical Society. DeLassus from New Orleans was ordered to Pensacola, then headquarters of the Louisiana regiment of which he had been appointed Colonel in 1803. In 1807 he received a leave of absence to go to France for two years to settle up his private affairs there. On his return he was stationed at Baton Rouge, but resigned in 1810. In 1816 he removed to St. Louis where he resided for about ten years, then returned to New Orleans. He died there May 1, 1842.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
the papers relative to this transaction will be transmitted to you as soon as I can prepare them, probably by boat about to descend to New Orleans."
He then issued the following address to the people of upper Louisiana, and which was forwarded to each of the Commandants of the several posts:
" Amos Stoddard, Captain of the Corps of the United States Artillerists, and first Civil Commandant of upper Louisiana, to the people of the same territory : "Louisianians: The period has now arrived when in consequence of the amicable negotiations, Louisiana is in the possession of the United States. The plan of a permanent territorial government for you is already under the consideration of Congress and will doubtless be completed as soon as the impor- tance of the measure will admit. But in the meantime, to secure your rights and to prevent a delay of justice, His Excellency, William C. C. Claiborne, Governor of the Mississippi Territory, is invested with those authorities and powers (derived from an Act of Congress) usually exercised by the Governor- General and Intendant under his Catholic Majesty; and permit me to add that by virtue of the authority and power vested in him by the President of the United States, he has been pleased to commission me First Civil Commandant of upper Louisiana. Directed to cultivate friendship and harmony among you, and to make known the sentiments of the United States relative to the security and preservation of all your rights, both civil and religious, I know of no mode better calculated to begin the salutary work than a circular address.
It will not be necessary to advert to the various preliminary arrangements which have conspired to place you in your present political situation; of these, it is presumed you are already acquainted. Suffice it to observe that Spain in 1800 retroceded the Colony and Province of Louisiana to France, and that France in 1803 conveyed the same territory to the United States, who are now in the peaceable and legal possession of it. These transfers were made with honorable views and under such forms and sanctions as are usually practiced among civ- ilized nations.
Thus you will perceive that you are devested of the character of subjects and clothed with that of citizens. You now form an integral part of a great com- munity, the powers of whose government are circumscribed and defined by charter, and the liberty of the citizen defended and secured. Between this gov- ernment and its citizens, many reciprocal duties exist, and the prompt and regular performance of them is necessary to the safety and welfare of he whole. No one can plead exemption from these duties; they are equally obligatory on the rich and the poor - on men in power as well as those not entrusted with it. They are not prescribed as whim and caprice may dictate; on the contrary, they result from the actual or implied compact between society and its members, and are founded not only on the sober lessons of experience, but in the immutable nature of things. If, therefore, the Government be bound to protect its citizens in the enjoyment of their liberty and property and religion - the citizens are no less bound to obey the laws and to aid the Magistrate in the execution of them - to repel invasion - and in periods of public danger, to yield a portion of their time and exertion in defence of public liberty. In governments differ- ently constituted, where popular elections are unknown and where the exercise of power is confined to those of high birth and great wealth, the public defense is committed to men, who make the science of war an exclusive trade and profession; but in all free republics where the citizens are capacitated to elect, and to be elected into offices of emolument and dignity, permanent armies of any considerable extent are justly deemed hostile to liberty; and, therefore, the militia is con- sidered the palladium of their safety. Hence, the origin of this maxim that every soldier is a citizen and every citizen a soldier.
With these general principles before you, it is confidently expected that you will not be less faithful to the United States than you have been to his Catholic Majesty.
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STODDARD'S ADDRESS
Your local situation, the varieties of your language and education, have contributed to render your manners, laws and customs and even your prejudices somewhat different from those of your neighbors, but not less favorable to virtue and good order in society. These deserve something more than mere indul- gence; they shall be respected.
If, in the course of former time, the people on different sides of the Missis- sippi fostered national prejudices and antipathies against each other, suffer not these cankers of human happiness any longer to disturb your repose, or to awaken your resentments; draw the veil of oblivion over the past and unite in pleasing anticipations of the future; embrace each other as the brethren of the same mighty family, and think not that any member of it can derive happiness from the misery or degradation of another.
Little will the example and authority of the best magistrates avail when the public mind becomes tainted with perverse sentiments and languishes under an indifference to its true interest. Suffer not the pride of virtue, nor the holy fire of religion, to become extinct. If these be different in their nature, they are necessary supports to each other. Cherish the sentiments of order and tran- quility, and frown on the disturbers of public peace. Avoid as much as possible all legal contests, banish village vexation, and unite in the cultivation of the social and moral affections.
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