USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II > Part 65
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There were about a dozen flocked to his standard; as to the rest of the district, they surrounded the fort, and kept his Ex- cellency prisoner there near a fortnight, and would not let him come out at last, till he had signed articles of capitulation."
Preliminary events of 1797 are treated in the articles "Advent of the Flag" and "Ellicott and Gayoso."
The proclamation of Maj .- Gen., Baron de Carondelet, governor of Louisiana and West Florida, May 24, 1797, recited, as a whereas, "that some evil disposed persons, who have nothing to lose, have been endeavoring to draw the inhabitants of Natchez into improper measures, whose disagreeable consequences would only fall on those possessed of property, whilst the perturbators would screen themselves by flight." This was the diplomatic misconstruction of the impatience of the inhabitants toward the
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Spanish delay in leaving the territory of the United States. There were then about 4,000 inhabitants of the district, mainly immi- grants from the States, of the active and restless frontier type that were characteristic of the period when the West of that day was opened to civilization-not essentially different from the pioneer type of any age. The old British colonial or loyalist population mainly remained and was very influential because of character and property both, but had lost preponderance in numbers. The settlements reached as far north as Colonel Bruin's home on Bayou Pierre and inland to the headwaters of the creeks. The only cause of excitement was Spanish reinforcement, as if to hold the Nat- chez district by force of arms, which the greater part of the people did not propose to submit to. Carondelet shrewdly sought, as Gayoso had previously done, to create a division between the land and slave owners and those not so well-to-do, and used the uni- versal argument against revolution, the appeal to property. To explain "the suspension of the demarcation of the limits and the evacuation of the forts," he declared "authentically," that it was "at present only occasioned by the imperious necessity of secur- ing Lower Louisiana from the hostilities of the English," who, he said, had set on foot an expedition against New Orleans, and were expected to occupy the Illinois country, when they could avail themselves of the last treaty of Great Britain with the United States, to use the Mississippi river for their invasion. (See Jay treaty.) He had thought proper to put the fort at Walnut Hills" "in a respectable but provisional state of defense," until the United States was informed of the projects of the English, by the minis- ter of Spain, to whom Carondelet had communicated them, so that by taking proper steps to cause the territory to be respected, it would be in the power of Spain "to fulfill without danger the articles of the treaty concerning limits." In conclusion he ex- horted the inhabitants of Natchez to continue in tranquillity and affection towards the Spanish government, which would be pained if forced to "compel the insubordinate minds to hear the dictates of national gratitude."
A week later another address was issued by Carondelet, in which he again urged the British invasion as the reason for sus- pending the evacuation of the forts at Natchez and Walnut Hills, as those posts covered lower Louisiana; especially because the United States had made a treaty with Great Britain apparently annulling the treaty with Spain, in which "the United States ac- knowledge that no other nation can navigate upon the Mississippi without the consent of Spain. We are now informed that a detachment of the army of the United States cantoned on the Ohio are on their way by Holston towards Natchez, while the militia of Cumberland are intimated to hold themselves ready to march at the first notice.
These hostile dispositions can naturally only concern these provinces, because the United States are in peace with all the savages. The anterior menaces of the commissary of limits and
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the commandant of the detachment of Americans now at Natchez, and (if the American gazettes are to be believed) the imminent rupture between France, our intimate ally, and the United States, engage us to be on our guard, to defend our property with that valor and energy, which the inhabitants of these provinces have manifested on all occasions, with the advantage and superiority which a knowledge of our local situation will procure and with that confidence which right and justice inspire. If the Congress of the United States have no hostile intention against these prov- inces, they will either leave the post of Natchez or the Walnut Hills, the only bulwarks of Lower Louisiana, to stop the course of the British, or give us security against the article of the treaty with Great Britain, which exposes Lower Louisiana to be pil- laged and destroyed down to the capital, we will then deliver up the said posts and lay down our arms, which they have forced us to take up by arming their militia in time of peace and sending a considerable body of troops by roundabout ways to surprise us."
(The military activity in East Tennessee, which was the basis of Carondelet's complaint, was for the police purpose of keeping peace between the Cherokees and aggressive settlers.)
The proclamation of May 24 confirmed the suspicions of the Natchez people that the real purpose of the Spanish was not yet revealed, and the forcible suggestion that England and the United States were in a sort of alliance against Spain tended to alienate from Carondelet the strongest element upon which he must de- pend, namely, as Ellicott said, that "large class of the inhabitants who had formerly been British subjects and to which government many of them were still attached both from principle and habit," and to whom "no intelligence could have been so pleasing as that of the British preparing to reposses that country."
"After the appearance of the Baron's proclamation," Ellicott says, "the public mind might be compared to inflammable gas; it wanted but a spark to produce an explosion! A country in this situation presents to the reflecting and inquisitive mind one of the most interesting and awful spectacles which concerns the hu- man race." Ellicott did not supply the spark, as the Spanish asserted, as it was his policy to turn the people away from actual hostilities toward some plan of organization that could be used in case of necessity to resist any attempt of the Spanish to subdue them by force of arms. In brief, he wished to plant the seed of an independent, self-governing community of the United States.
The spark was supplied by another source, one more vitally concerning the people than even allegiance to the United States or His Catholic Majesty; namely, religion. It is evident from the earlier proclamation of Gayoso, that the question of freedom of worship had agitated the inhabitants before this date. Many of them had suffered patiently for years, and could no longer wear "the mask of duplicity," as Narsworthy expressed it. A frontier Baptist preacher, one of a class of people theretofore strictly for- bidden to enter the country, came through the wilderness to Nat-
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chez, and, asking to preach in the Ellicott camp on Sunday, was given permission by Gayoso, on Ellicott's request. This, in itself, aroused in the minds of the inhabitants a desire for freedom of religion, and when on June 9, the preacher, having been assaulted on the street, demanded redress of Gayoso, perhaps, in an inso- lent manner, that officer sent him to the stocks as he would an insubordinate soldier. The incident may have reminded the phil- osophical that they were not only without religious freedom and without the right of trial by jury or the right of habeas corpus; but it was enough for most to know that a fellow American was imprisoned in the Spanish fort, under gross indignities, appar- ently because he had preached the gospel. Upon the first intelli- gence of the event, Ellicott urged anxiously, through Captain Minor, that Hanna, the preacher, should be released, in order to preserve peace, as his own camp was in commotion about the arrest, but Gayoso would not hear to the request. That night there was an uprising of the inhabitants of all the country round about, in the face of which. Gov. Gayoso, with the officers of the government and several Spanish families, fled from their homes to take refuge in the fort. Within 24 hours the whole district was ready to take such steps as should be deemed advisable to drive out the Spaniards. Some were for capturing the fort, others for seizing the galleys and cutting off river communication. The sec- ond proclamation of Carondelet, previously mentioned, was made public about this time and was construed as practically a threat of war, of which Natchez district was bound to take notice.
To gain time and avoid bloodshed, the leaders were advised by Ellicott to circulate pledges of allegiance to the United States so as to be in position to ask the aid of the United States, and this was done. The governor then asked the presence of Ellicott and Pope at the fort, which Pope refused point blank, adding that he proposed to repel by force any attempt to imprison citizens of the United States. Ellicott declined to respond alone to a joint sum- mons. Thereupon Gayoso sent a written protest, declaring that "it seems past a doubt that a number of the inhabitants of this government, subjects of his majesty, are at present in a state of rebellion, with the hostile design of attacking this fort;" that sev- eral of the insurgents were soliciting subscriptions to a declaration of citizenship in the United States, "though they are actually un- der oath of allegiance to his Majesty." He could not believe, he said, that Ellicott would authorize such proceedings, "which would unavoidably produce the most disagreeable and fatal misunder- standing between our nations and the total destruction of this dis- trict." If so, then he proposed to make Ellicott responsible. Ellicott, knowing that Gayoso was fully informed, as the sub- scription had been explained beforehand to Captain Minor, replied, on June 12, urging the common sense view of the present allegiance of the people. and denying that he was concerned in any measures destructive of his Majesty's interests, or in any attempt to attack
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the fort. In turn, he solemnly protesed against any more warlike preparations by Spain within that territory.
Gayoso's protest was made to Pope, also, and the lieutenant replied even more emphatically. He said, "If your government feels the necessity of breaking its engagements, and if, on this account, the people become irritated against it, as I have not been the first promoter of the deceit, so I am as little responsible for the event." He added that the landing of more troops at Natchez would be considered by him as an attack upon the honor and dig- nity of his country, and he would feel bound by duty to act ac- cordingly.
On the night following this day (12th) Lieut. Pope, on informa- tion that a large number of the inhabitants were assembled at Benjamin Balk's tavern, on the Nashville road, about eight miles from town, addressed his "fellow citizens," promising that he would "at all hazards protect the citizens of the United States from every act of hostility," meaning all such as resided north of latitude 31°, and exhorting them "to come forward, assert your rights, and you may rely on my sincere corroboration to accom- plish that desirable object. I shall expect your assistance to repel any troops or hostile parties that make an attempt to land for the purpose of reinforcing this garrison, or other purposes detrimental to the inhabitants of this country." Ellicott signed this also, fully approving it, in view of "the alarming situation of the country."
It appears also that a notice was given out on the 13th signed by Ellicott as "commissioner of the United States" and Pope as "commandant of the United States troops on the Mississippi," stating that "we have no knowledge of our country being now at war; but from the hostile preparations which the officers of his Catholic Majesty are making in these parts, we are induced to believe that war is not very distant, and until the commencement of hostilities against the United States those who consider them- selves citizens thereof will respect all descriptions of persons and things."
Then followed an interview between Ellicott and Gayoso, ar- ranged by George Cochran, contractor for the boundary commis- sion, at his house, at which Gayoso was at first much excited, says Ellicott, and threatened to call out the Indians, but finally asked advice and agreed to issue a proclamation in the interest of peace.
The proclamation of June 14 set out that the reasons for the uprising were rumors that a war might be declared between Spain and the United States, that forces were accumulating to constrain the inhabitants, that the Indians had been called to support the troops, that road and river communications were stopped, and the inhabitants would be compelled to render military service for Spain. The governor denied all this, saving the circumstances of the war with England, and promising that volunteers only would be called for to repel invasion. The inhabitants were ordered to disperse and resume their occupations, "never to assemble again upon the same principles as the present whilst under the
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government and laws of His Majesty," in which case "general for- giveness will be the fruit of a candid repentance." These expres- sions did not accord with the feelings of the people and the proclamation did no good. Ellicott's report to the secretary of state, made at the time, says: "The business now put on a very serious aspect, and hostilities appeared inevitable. By this time the opposition to the Spanish government had assumed some form; a number of respectable militia companies had elected their offi- cers and were ready to take the field." On the 16th a call was sent out for a meeting on the 20th at Balk's, of the principal in- habitants of the district, to organize some sort of provisional gov- ernment.
Gayoso also, was making ready, putting his fort in order and calling in all who could be persuaded to join him. On the even- ing of the 17th there was a collision of patrols from the Spanish and American camps and shots fired, without damage. At the sound of firing all the lights in the American camp were extin- guished, for fear of the Spanish artillery, as one of the guns had been trained upon Ellicott's tent for a number of weeks, notwith- standing his protest.
The governor perceived that the population was against him, and, overwhelmed with chagrin and humiliation, he sought an in- terview with Ellicott at the home of Capt. Minor, finding it neces- sary to ride thither in a roundabout way, through canebrakes and a corn field. Ellicott told the governor "that a plan had already been agreed upon by Colonel Hutchins and myself to check and finally put an end to the present disturbance," and the governor accepted this plan, which involved the neutrality of the district, as regarded military operations.
The convention at Balk's was a "large and respectable" assem- blage, that ratified the previous arrangements "agreed upon by the gentlement of property and influence in the country." One proposition was to elect a committee to take into consideration the situation of the country, and make arrangements with Gayoso that should be submitted to Carondelet for approval. About three o'clock in the afternoon the committee was unanimously chosen. Anthony Hutchins, who took "an active, useful and decided part" in the deliberations, was the first elected. The others were Ber- nard Lintot, Isaac Galliard, William Ratliff, Cato West, Joseph Bernard and Gabriel Benoist. Ellicott and Pope were unanimously requested to attend with them.
The governor courteously acknowledged notice of this proceed- ing from his fort, and the committee established itself in a new house of William Dunbar's, that Ellicott had been expecting to occupy. After several meetings and conferences with the gover- nor, (Amer. State Pps. II, 80) a sort of treaty, or charter, of four articles, was framed, as follows :
1. The inhabitants of the District of Natchez who under the belief and persuasion that they were citizens of the United States agreeably to the late treaty have assembled and embodied them-
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selves are not to be prosecuted or injured for their conduct on that account but to stand exonerated and acquitted.
2. The inhabitants of the Government aforesaid above the 31st degree of north latitude, are not to be embodied as militia or called upon to aid in any military operation except in case of an Indian invasion or for the suppression of riots during the present state of uncertainty owing to the late treaty between the United States and his Catholic Majesty not being fully carried into effect.
3. The laws of Spain in the above district shall be continued and on all occasions be executed with mildness and moderation nor shall any of the inhabitants be transported as prisoners out of this government on any pretext whatever and notwithstanding the operation of the law aforesaid is hereby admitted yet the inhabi- tants shall be considered to be in an actual state of neutrality dur- ing the continuance of the uncertainty as mentioned in the second proposition.
4. We the committee aforesaid do engage to recommend it to our constituents and to the utmost of our power endeavor to pre- serve the peace and promote the due execution of justice.
The significant assurances were that the inhabitants would not be called out against the United States or Great Britain, and only the civil law of Spain should be executed.
This was signed by the committee and by Governor Gayoso and Secretary Vidal on June 22d, Ellicott and Pope giving their sep- arate engagement of cooperation, and the governor made procla- mation of the fact. He and his officers returned quietly to their homes. "Thus ended this formidable tumult," says Ellicott, "with- out a single act of violence having been committed by the inhabi- tants of the country, during a suspension of the government and laws for the space of two weeks. Baron Carondelet approved the agreement when submitted to him by Benoist, except that per- sons accused of capital crimes must be tried at New Orleans.
The committee also recommended to the governor that the in- habitants, if dissatisfied with any alcalde (magistrate) then in office, might assemble and nominate three men from whom the the governor should appoint one to the office; that all prosecu- tions should be before the alcalde of the district where the offense was committed, and that the alcaldes should have power to sum- mon a posse "to apprehend criminals and disturbers of the peace." The governor assented to the first two recommendations, reserv- ing to himself review of criminal sentences and to parties in civil cases the right of appeal to him from judgment for fifty dollars or more, and appeal to the governor of Louisiana from judgments exceeding $100. The request for civil powers in the posse he ig- nored. (Claiborne, 171-2.)
The Permanent Committee followed, giving the Natchez dis- trict a sort of representative government, though the forms of Spanish administratin continued.
Authorities: Amer. State Papers, II For. Aff., Ellicott's Jour- nal, Claiborne's History.
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Rex, a postoffice of Bolivar county, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., about one mile from the Mississippi river, and 20 miles below Rosedale.
Rexford, a postoffice of Simpson county, about 14 miles north- west of Mendenhall.
Reynolds, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Panola county, about 12 miles southeast of Batesville, one of the seats of justice for the county, and the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 31.
Reynolds, Reuben O., was born in Morgan county, Ga., and reared near Aberdeen, Miss .; was graduated in letters at the Uni- versity of Georgia and in law at the University of Virginia, and began the practice at Aberdeen in 1855. In 1856 he had some prominence in politics, as a supporter of the American party. The following year, Col. Reuben Davis was elected to congress, and Reynolds took his place as a partner of Judge Houston. Upon the secession of Mississippi he raised a company, called the Van- Dorn Reserves, which became part of the 11th regiment, of which he was elected major, and was later promoted to colonel. He was wounded at Sharpsburg, and again in one of the last battles around Petersburg, the last injury causing the amputation of his left arm. Toward the close of the war he married a daughter of Col. G. H. Young of Waverly. Returning to Mississippi he was reporter of the supreme court, compiling the decisions of 1865-70. In 1875 he was elected to the State senate, and by reelections he was retained there until death, being thrice elected president pro tem. He was one of the founders of the State bar association. "He was a man of great versatility. Quick-tempered and impul- sive, yet self-controlled and generous, his varied virtues were crowned by an unobtrusive but genuine piety. It would be diffi- cult to find his superior in the combination of graces that go to make a strong, honorable and attractive man." (Mayes.) Col. Reynolds died at Aberdeen, September 4, 1887.
Rials, a post-hamlet of Simpson county, 6 miles south of Men- denhall. Magee is the nearest banking town. It has a church, a seminary, a store and a cotton gin. Population in 1900, 37.
Riceville, a postoffice in the west-central part of Harrison county near the west bank of the Little Biloxi river, and about 20 miles northwest of Gulfport, the county seat.
Rich, or Yazoo Pass Station, is located in the northeastern part of Coahoma county, on the Helena Branch of the Yazoo & Missis- sippi Valley R. R., about 14 miles northeast of Friar's point. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 30.
Richardson, a post-hamlet of Hancock county, on the New Or- leans & North Eastern R. R., 36 miles northwest of Bay St. Louis, the county seat. Population in 1900, 23.
Richburg, a post-village in the northeastern part of Lamar county, on the New Orleans & North Eastern R. R., 10 miles north of Purvis, the county seat, and 6 miles southwest of Hattiesburg, the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 150.
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Richland, a post-hamlet of Holmes county, 6 miles west of Good- man station, and 10 miles south, southeast of Lexington, the county seat. Goodman is the nearest banking town. It has a church and an academy. Population in 1900, 54.
Richmond. This old town in Rankin county was located on the east side of the Pearl river, about five miles from Jackson. (See Rankin County.)
Richmond, a hamlet in the southeastern part of Covington coun- ty, on Bowie Creek, 12 miles southeast of Williamsburg, the county seat. The postoffice at this place was recently discontinued, and mail now goes to Sumrall station, 5 miles south, on the Mississippi Central R. R. Population in 1900, 73.
Richmondlee, a hamlet of Lee county, 10 miles southeast of Tupelo, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 52.
Richton, a hamlet in the northeastern part of Perry county, on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R., 10 miles from New Augusta, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice, an ex- press office, several stores, a large saw mill, 2 churches, a good school, a bank, and a cotton gin. The Bank of Richton was estab- lished in 1904.
Ridgeland, a village in the southern part of Madison county, on the Illinois Central Railroad, 9 miles by rail north of Jackson. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 300; the popula- tion in 1906 was estimated at 400. It is surrounded by a good trucking country and ships quantities of berries, vegetables and fruits.
Ridgeville, a postoffice of Tippah county, situated in the extreme northwestern part near the Tennessee boundary line, and 18 miles north of Ripley, the county seat.
Rienzi, an incorporated post-town in the southern part of Alcorn county, on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., about 12 miles south of Corinth, and 50 miles east of Holly Springs. It has a money-order postoffice, 4 churches, a foundry, 2 steam grist-mills, and a bank which was established in 1905. The town has several good stores. Its population in 1906 was estimated, 300.
Riggins, a hamlet of Monroe county, situated in the northeastern part, on Splunge creek, a tributary of the Buttahatchie river, about 15 miles from Amory, the nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 22. It has rural mail service.
Riley, a hamlet in the northeastern part of Attala county, 7 miles west of MaCool station. It has rural free delivery from McCool.
Riley, Franklin L., was born in Simpson and reared in Law- rence county, Miss. He was graduated at Mississippi College in 1891 receiving the degree of A. M .; was made principal of Hebron High School, and married Fannie Leigh, July, 1891. He afterward took the Ph. D. degree at Johns Hopkins University. In 1897 Prof. Riley was made professor of history and rhetoric in the University of Mississippi. He was elected secretary of the Mississippi His- torical Society at its first meeting, after its reorganization, May
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