USA > Tennessee > The history of Tennessee, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 4
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57
ROBERT DE LA SALLE.
1675.]
ful friends, they proceeded slowly up the river ; and after a tedious voyage reached Green Bay in safety toward the close of September, having thus fearlessly accomplished a hazardous journey of more than three thousand miles.
CHAPTER IV.
Robert Cavalier de la Salle-His emigration to Canada-Be- comes a fur-trader-Establishes a trading-post at La Chine -His explorations-Made commandant of Fort Fronte- nac-Returns to France-Obtains a patent of nobility and a grant of land-Resolves to explore the valley of the Mis- sissippi-Obtains a monopoly of the traffic in buffalo skins- Builds a brigantine on the upper waters of the Mississippi- Crosses the great Lakes to Mackinaw-Sails for Green Bay-Sends back the Griffin to Niagara, freighted with furs -- Proceeds to the mouth of the St. Joseph-Builds the fort of the Miamis-Descends the Kankakee-Builds forts Crevecœur and Rock Fort-Returns to Fort Fron- tenac-Reappears in Illinois-Again returns to Canada- Prosecutes his voyage to the Mississippi-Reaches the mouth of the Illinois-Descends the Mississippi to the Chickasaw bluff-Loss of a hunter-Builds Fort Prud- homme.
THE extraordinary success which had attended Marquette and Jolliet in their voyage of ex- ploration opened up a field for commercial ad- venture, of which one energetic man was pre- pared to take advantage. This was Robert Cavalier de la Salle, a native of Rouen in Nor-
58
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1675.
mandy, who had sacrificed his patrimony by entering a religious order, which he subsequently left to engage in enterprises better suited to his restless and energetic nature. To such a mind Canada offered at once a refuge from poverty and the promise of acquiring both fame and for- tune. The hope of finding a shorter passage to China and the East Indies was still entertained by many enthusiastic men, and among them the young but resolute La Salle, who presently established a trading-post near Montreal, and indicated the adventurous bent of his thoughts by calling it La Chine. From this centre of his fur-trading operations he undertook various ex- plorations in the region of Lakes Ontario and Erie, and soon became known to Count Fronte- nac, the governor of Canada, for his intellectual ability and his enterprising spirit. When,
therefore, to repress the incursions of the war- like Iroquois, Fort Frontenac was built at the eastern extremity of Lake Ontario, the governor; an excellent judge of men, intrusted its com- mand to La Salle.
But the latter had a larger ambition than could be circumscribed by the log walls of a fortress in the wilderness. In 1675 he repaired to France, where, supported by the steadfast friendship of Frontenac, and countenanced by De Courcelles and Talon, he obtained a patent of nobility, a monopoly of the fur-trade of Lake
59
1675.] MEASURES OF LA SALLE.
Ontario, and a large grant of land around Fort Frontenac, on condition of rebuilding the fort of stone, of erecting a village in its vicinity, and of supporting, at his own expense, a competent garrison, and a mission of Franciscan friars.
These conditions were fulfilled; but difficul- ties with rival fur-traders constantly thwarted the designs of La Salle; and although a mixed population presently gathered around the armed trading-post, and his possessions rapidly in- creased, the restless Frenchman yearned for a life of adventure and an undisputed field of traffic with the Indians. It was at this period that Jolliet's report of the fertile valley of the Mississippi, and its innumerable herds of elk and buffalo, fired La Salle to attempt some en- terprise of great magnitude, which should make his name famous through all time.'
Embarking for France, he laid his giant scheme of commerce and colonization before Colbert, the prime minister ; and patronized by Seignelay, the son of Colbert, at that time mi- nister of marine, he obtained, "with the mono- poly of the traffic in buffalo skins, a commission for perfecting the discovery of the Great River."
Returning to Canada in September, he pro- ceeded presently to Fort Frontenac, accompanied by Tonti his lieutenant, and attended by a party of mechanics and mariners, bearing provisions and merchandise, together with such other articles
60
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1675.
as were necessary to the construction and equip- ment of a brigantine in the wilderness. By the middle of November a vessel of ten tons was finished and freighted; and on the 18th of the same month his company set sail from Fort Frontenac, and entering, for the first time, the Niagara River, commenced the construction of a fort and trading-house above the falls. A small vessel, intended to ply on the waters of Lake Erie, was now begun; and while Tonti and Hen- nepin were penetrating the wilderness on trading and exploring expeditions, La Salle was endea- vouring to maintain pacific relations with the Iroquois, whose jealousy had already been ex- cited by the malevolent intrigues of rival traders. To quiet the apprehensions of the savages, the building of the fort was suspended, and the trading-house surrounded by palisades instead. But although large supplies of furs were ob- tained, La Salle had to contend with many diffi- culties and some reverses, and only waited for an opportunity to extend his discoveries beyond the limits attained by former adventurers, and to reap the advantages to which he was entitled by the royal charter. At length his new vessel, the Griffin, a bark of sixty tons, was completed, and successfully launched on the upper waters of the Niagara River ; and on the 7th of August, La Salle, embarking all his company with the exception of a few clerks and labourers, set sail
61
1675.] PROGRESS OF LA SALLE.
on his great adventure, the exploration of the Mississippi Valley. Prosperous gales speedily carried the daring voyagers across Lakes Erie and St. Clair, but on entering Lake Huron they encountered so severe a storm that, for a time, they gave themselves up for lost. At length, however, they succeeded in reaching Mackinaw, a place "of prodigious fertility," where he or- dered a small fortified station to be constructed. Leaving a detachment of his company behind for this purpose, La Salle sailed on the 2d of Sep- tember for Green Bay, from whence he sent back the Griffin to Niagara, richly freighted with furs. Those of his followers whom he had sent round by the opposite shore, he ordered to ren- dezvous at the mouth of the St. Joseph. The same directions were given to the faithful Tonti, who had returned to Mackinaw. With the seventeen men remaining, and accompanied by the Recollect missionaries, Hennepin, Mem- bré, and De la Ribourde, La Salle crossed Lake Michigan in canoes, and halted at the appointed rendezvous until his men should join him.
During the month he remained on this penin- sula, anxiously waiting for tidings of the Griffin, the men were kept busily employed in erecting another picketed station, which was subsequently called the Fort of the Miamis.
Receiving no intelligence of the Griffin, La Salle resolved to prosecute his voyage. Leaving
6
62
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1676.
four men in garrison at St. Joseph's, he crossed, with the rest of his company, some thirty in number, the short but difficult portage to the Kankakee, and descending the river by easy stages, arrived toward the close of December at an Indian village composed of from four to five hundred cabins, each capable of containing seve- ral families. Its usual inhabitants being absent on their winter hunt, La Salle took so much of their corn as his pressing need required, and proceeding on his journey, reached, on the 4th of January, the Lake of Peoria, where he fell in with a large camp of Illinois Indians. By a dis- play of his usual spirit and address, he succeeded in forming an alliance with the tribe ; but he had the mortification to find himself still followed by the bitter enmity of his rivals, who influenced the Miamis to send a deputation to the Illinois to denounce him as intriguing their ruin. In addition to this source of annoyance, he could gain no tidings of the Griffin with its rich cargo of furs. His men, too, had become mutinous, and six of them, deserting the expedition, return- ed to Mackinaw. But these multiplied disasters only served to display with greater force and vividness the heroic nature of the man. Under his orders, those who remained faithful to his fortunes commenced the construction of a fort, to which he gave the pathetic name of Creve- cœur-broken heart.
63
RETURNS TO CANADA.
1680.]
Still resolutely bent upon prosecuting his en- terprise, he sent Hennepin with a small explor- ing party to examine the country of the upper Mississippi, and leaving a garrison at Crevecœur, directed Tonti to return to the vicinity of the Indian village, and fortify there an eminence, since known as Rock Fort. In this beautiful region he had determined to found a colony; but as both men and means were wanting, he set out on foot for Fort Frontenac, a distance of twelve hundred miles, attended only by three com- panions. Of the particulars of this journey there is no record. On reaching his destination, he found his affairs in the utmost confusion. The loss of the Griffin was confirmed, his agents had proved dishonest, his creditors were clamorous, and his enemies unceasing in their attacks. Sur- mounting all these obstacles, he collected another band of adventurers, and having with him mate- rials to furnish a brigantine, started again, in the summer of 1680, for the Illinois.
On his arrival at Rock Fort, a more terrible disappointment awaited him. During his absence the warlike Iroquois had driven the garrisons from their posts in the Illinois, and compelled them to return to the lakes. Making his way back to Canada, the energetic La Salle spent the following year in trading to Green Bay, and in reorganizing his scattered bands of followers.
This being at length effected, he sent an ad-
64
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1682.
vance party under Tonti to the Chicago River, where he joined them with the remainder of his company, on the 4th January, 1682. The entire party, consisting of twenty-three Frenchmen, of whom father Membre was one, and eighteen Mo- hican and Abnaki warriors, now commenced their journey, travelling on foot over the frozen rivers, and dragging after them their canoes, baggage, and provisions. Finding the Illinois navigable in the vicinity of Fort Crevecœur, the whole company embarked in the canoes, and on the 8th of February reached the Mississippi. Fearful of encountering with their frail barks the masses of floating ice which yet encumbered the river, they halted on its banks until the 13th, when they committed themselves to the current, landing occasionally to hunt, or to visit some Indian village. Nothing of interest occurred until the 24th, when they reached the Chickasa Bluffs. Here Prudhomme, one of the hunters, was missed, and apprehensive that he had fallen into the hands of the Indians, La Salle ordered an intrenched fort to be constructed, and sent out parties in search of him. Several Indians were taken prisoners, but nothing was heard of Prudhomme until the ninth day, when he was found by the scouting parties and brought to the fort. Here then, near where De Soto embarked his forces to cross the river, and in the vicinity of the present thriving city of Memphis, arose
65
1682.] FIRST STRUCTURE ERECTED.
the first structure erected by European hands on the soil of Tennessee. The subsequent ad- ventures of the unfortunate La Salle, his indo- mitable perseverance, his singular misfortunes, and his shameful assassination by the hands of his own followers, form no part of this history. The honour of having first stood upon the borders of Tennessee belongs to the chivalric Spaniard and the heroic Frenchman ; but its exploration and settlement was left for a people more enter- prising than either.
CHAPTER V.
Discovery of Old Virginia by Amidas and Barlow-Attempts at settlement-The James river colony-Its reverses and eventual prosperity-Extension of settlements-The Albe- marle region-A patent granted by Charles II. for the pro- vince of Carolina-Locke's constitution-Its rejection in Albemarle-Culpepper's insurrection-Governor Sothel- Ludwell's administration-The Carolinas under separate jurisdictions-Cary's insurrection-Arrival of Hyde-War with the Tuscaroras-Indian war with South Carolina -- French in Louisiana-D'Iberville establishes a colony at Bi- loxi-Its removal to Mobile Bay-Crozat's grant-Charle- ville's trading-house on the Cumberland-French forts in the Tennessee country-New Orleans founded -- Massacre of the French by the Natchez-Province of Georgia settled by Oglethorpe-French expedition against the Chickasas --- Its disastrous failure.
ONE hundred years before La Salle descended the Mississippi, from the mouth of the Illinois 6*
66
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1665.
river to the gulf, Amidas and Barlow, with two ships fitted out by Sir Walter Raleigh, set sail from England, and after exploring the coast of North Carolina and the islands adjacent, re- turned home with an account of their discove- ries. To the country thus visited, Elizabeth, then queen of England, gave the name of Vir- ginia. Various attempts at settlement were subsequently made, but none of them succeeded until 1607, when the first permanent English colony was established on a peninsula formed by the James River, and thirty-two miles above its mouth. After many reverses, the province of Virginia overcame all the obstacles to its pro- gress, and increasing steadily in population, numbered, in 1671, forty thousand inhabitants. Consisting principally of planters, who drew their supplies from England, the settlements, during this period, had been extended to the Potomac on the one hand, and to Albemarle Sound on the other. The delicious climate and fertile soil of the region occupied by the south- ern pioneers, speedily attracted attention in England, and on application to Charles II., a grant was readily obtained of " all the country, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean included within the thirty-first and thirty-sixth parallels of latitude."
In 1665 a second patent was issued, which largely extended the former territorial limits ;
67
ENGLISH IN THE CAROLINAS.
1677.]
and as the Albemarle region already contained quite a number of inhabitants, it was organized into a county. The terms of the patent restrict- ing the lords proprietaries from enacting any laws without the consent of the freemen of the new province, the first grand assembly of the county of Albemarle met soon after, and adopted such regulations as the condition of the people required. Some exertion having been made to encourage emigration, the population of Albe- marle, in 1674, numbered some four thousand souls; and as the settlements now extended southward to the banks of the Ashley River, all the freemen of Carolina were summoned to meet at old Charlestown to elect their colonial repre- sentatives. Six years later the present Charles- ton was founded at the junction of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, and was presently declared the capital of Carolina.
The constitution framed at the request of the lords proprietaries by John Locke, so well known as the author of the celebrated treatise on "the Human Understanding," being utterly unsuited to the wants of the people of Carolina, the inhabitants of Albemarle refused to adopt it ; and finally evinced, in 1677, their abhorrence of its complicated provisions, by breaking out into open rebellion, imprisoning Millar, presi- dent of the council, and the proprietary officers, seizing the royal revenue, and setting up an in-
68
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1693.
dependent government. At the head of this new organization was placed Culpepper, the chief insurgent, who retained his office for two years. The escape of Millar from durance, and his departure for England, led Culpepper thither also to defend his conduct. He was successful with the lords proprietaries ; but, at the in- stance of Millar, he was arrested on a charge of treason. The influence of Shaftesbury procured his acquittal. In the mean time Sothel, a new proprietary, had been appointed governor ; but being captured on the high seas by corsairs, he did not arrive in Albemarle until 1683. The object of Sothel, like that of most of the colonial governors in those days, was to enrich himself as speedily as possible at the expense of the in- habitants, and for five years his exactions were borne with more or less patience ; but at the end of that time the assembly rose against him, and passing a sentence of deposition, compelled him to depart from the colony. After an inter- regnum of two years, Philip Ludwell was ap- pointed governor of Albemarle, and the follow- ing year his sway was extended over Southern Carolina also. Unable to control the reckless and independent spirits over whom he had been placed, Ludwell vacated his office in 1693, and the government of the provinces was again divided-that of Albemarle, or North Carolina, being assumed by Thomas Harvey. Under his
69
ENGLISH IN THE CAROLINAS.
1710.]
administration, and that of his immediate succes- sors, the colonists continued to prosper in wealth and increase in numbers. At length, in 1708, Deputy-Governor Cary, who had been removed by the proprietaries for malfeasance in office, stirred up the people to revolt ; and, deposing Glover, the president of the council, again as- sumed the administration of affairs. This vio- lent conduct was productive of numerous feuds in the colony, which Hyde, newly commissioned as governor of the Carolinas, was despatched from England, in 1710, to compose. Denounced presently by the assembly of Albemarle, Cary, who had previously been willing to defer to the authority of Hyde, now became alarmed, and summoning his adherents, prepared for war. In this emergency Hyde called upon Spotswood, the governor of Virginia, for assistance ; at the approach of which, Cary and his chief abettors fled, first westward, but returning presently to Virginia, were arrested and sent prisoners to England.
Soon after this disturbance was quelled, North Carolina became engaged in war with the Tus- carora Indians. At the commencement of hos- tilities the frontier settlements suffered greatly ; but by the prompt aid of a detachment of South Carolina militia, and the assistance of a large auxiliary force of friendly Indians, the Tusca- roras were besieged in their place of refuge
70
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1712.
during the winter of 1712, and compelled to submit to terms of peace. These terms being violated by the conquerors, the Tuscaroras again resumed the hatchet; but a similar expedition being organized against them during the winter of 1713, eight hundred were made prisoners and sold into slavery. The remainder of the tribe, finding themselves harassed without intermis- sion, fled northward and joined the Iroquois. .
Scarcely were the frontiers relieved from the presence of the Tuscaroras before the confede- rated tribes, who had aided in their expulsion, were themselves at war with South Carolina. Many barbarities were committed at the outset, and a large amount of property destroyed ; but at length, by the enterprising conduct of Go- vernor Craven, the allied warriors were signally defeated at Salkehachie, the Yemassees driven into Florida, and the Creeks, Cherokees, and Catawbas induced to open negotiations for a peace.
In the midst of these provincial fluctuations, the French government had been steadily encourag- ing the settlement of a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi. Although the disappointment arising from the failure of the magnificent schemes with which La Salle had dazzled the French ministry, in conjunction with the disas- trous death of that enterprising adventurer, had checked for a season the progress of southern
71
FRENCH IN LOUISIANA.
1712.]
colonization, the project of connecting the terri- ritory of the lakes with that of the Mississippi, by a chain of military posts, had never been abandoned.
Accordingly, soon after the close of the second French war, Lemoine D'Iberville, an intrepid Canadian officer, was authorized to found a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi. Select- ing the shores of the Bay of Biloxi as the site of his new settlement, he landed his colonists, some two hundred in number ; and after erecting some dwellings and a fort, left his brothers Bien- ville and Sauvolle to carry out his plans, while he returned to France for supplies.
But the malaria swept off the settlers almost as fast as they arrived. Sauvolle, the governor, died; and the surviving colonists, with the excep- tion of a few stragglers, fled from the pestilent vapours of the Mississippi, and established them- selves at the head of Mobile Bay. Even there the work of colonization did not prosper ; and in 1712, Louisiana did not contain more than three hundred French inhabitants.
It was at this time that Crozat, a wealthy merchant, obtained a grant of the whole pro- vince, together with a monopoly of trade; and under his auspices trading-houses were presently established on the Mississippi, Alabama, and Red Rivers, and enterprising Frenchmen, traversing the country of the Chickasas and Choctas, suc
1
72
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1721.
cessfully competed with the English traders from Carolina.
In 1714, Charleville, coming up from New Orleans, built himself a trading-house on the Cumberland River, not far from the present site of Nashville. Two years later, forts were erected on the Mississippi near Natchez; on the Alabama near Montgomery ; at the mouths of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers; and at various points inland where the protection of a garrison seemed necessary. Crozat's returns falling far short of his expenditures, he resigned his patent in 1717, which was transferred, the same year, to the Mississippi Company. Eight hundred emigrants were immediately sent out to colonize a country of which the most glowing descriptions were circulated throughout France.
The choice of governor fell upon Bienville. Long resident in Louisiana, and thoroughly ac- quainted with the region of the lower Mississippi, he set to work with his accustomed alacrity to lay the foundation of a great commercial city on the left bank of the river, and about one hun- dred miles from its mouth. The labour of clear- ing the swamp was performed by convicts ; and to the cluster of rude cabins which soon after arose, Bienville gave the name of New Orleans.
From this period the province of Louisiana commenced to flourish. At the close of 1721 it contained six thousand inhabitants, one-tenth
73
MISSISSIPPI COMPANY.
1721.]
of whom were negro slaves, imported direct from Africa.
In the meanwhile, the traders of the two na- tions were striving for the monopoly of the In- dian traffic. Through the influence exerted by Bienville and his agents, the Chocta, Arkansa, and Natchez Indians inclined to the French interest ; but the more powerful Chickasas, Creeks, and Cherokees were in alliance with the English.
By the disastrous failure of the gigantic but visionary financial scheme under which the asso- ciation had been organized, the Mississippi Com- pany became greatly embarrassed in its commer- cial operations. Three commissioners were, however, presently sent to Louisiana to supervise the condition of the colony, and under their auspices the seat of government was removed to New Orleans, still an insignificant village, con- taining a church, a magazine, a hundred cabins, and about twice that number of inhabitants.
But the greatest check to the prosperity of the province was yet to come. Bienville, after having passed twenty-five years in the service of the colony, was removed from his government, and ordered to answer in France the aspersions of his enemies. The influence of the latter pre- vailed for a season. Not only was Bienville de- prived of his office, but his nearest kindred also.
The new governor appointed by the crown was Perrier, an officer of considerable ability, but
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74
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1727.
without that influence with the Indian popula- tion which was possessed by Bienville. In 1727, the year after his arrival, the encroachments of the Carolina traders, and their lucrative traffic with the Chickasa Indians, forms the burden of a despatch to the minister. "The English," he writes, "continue to urge their commerce into the very heart of the province. Sixty or seventy horses, laden with merchandise, have passed into the country of the Chickasas, to which nation I have given orders to plunder the English of their goods, promising to recompense them by a present."
Fortunately for the English, the suggestion was not accepted. The Chickasas remained faithful. The massacre of the French by the Natchez during the winter of 1729, and the fearful retaliation which followed, bound the Chickasas still closer in alliance with the Eng- lish, at whose request they accorded protection and a home to such straggling bands of the 1 Natchez as had escaped the war of extermina- tion.
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