Sketches historical and descriptive of Louisiana

Front matter

SKETCHES, HISTORICAL AMB DESCRIPTIVE, 01 LOUISIANA* JBY MAJOR AMOS STODDARD, -IIMBI.R OF falE IT. S. Jt. P. S. AND OF THE NEW TOIIK BISTOMCAT- SOCIETT. Altius o-mnem Expediamprimd repetens ab .rigine j'amam. Vjrcul Præcipuum munv.s annaliuru rear, ne virtutes sileantur; utque pravis dictis, factisque, ex posteritate et infamifi metus sit. TAcrrD'i. PHILADELPHIA PUBLISHED BY MATHEW CABF.Y. A. SMALL, TRISTER. 1812- DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, to wit : ........ BF ]T REMEMBERED, That on the third day ol J Seal. ; September in the thirty seventh year of the Independence • *•••••• °f the United States of America, A. D. 1812. Amos Stoddard of the said district, hath deposited in this of fice the Title ofa Book the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit ; " Sketches, Historical and Descriptive, of Louisiana.

By Major Amos Stoddard, i.Icinber of the U. S. M. P. S. and of the New York Historical Society. Altiits omnem Expedient! primd repctens ab origine famam. Virgil. Prfcipuum mumis annahum rear, ne virtutea tileantur, utque pravia tlictis,factisqne, ex poeteritate et infamid m-itus sit. Taciti/s. In Conformity o Act of the Congress of the United States, intituled, " An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Hooks, to the Authors and Proprie tors of such Copies during the times therein mentioned." — And also to the Act, entitled " An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled " An act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, a sd Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies du ring the Times therein mentioned," and extending the Benefits there at to he Arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and o ther Prints." D. CALDWELL, Clerk of tlie District of Pennsylvania. CONTENTS.

Preface

Chapter I

Historical Sketches of Louisiana, % II. Of the Floridas, . . . HI III. Extent and Boundaries of Louisiana, 131 IV. New Orleans. The Delta, &c. 151 V. From Chafalia to Arkansas, &c. 177 VI. Upper Louisiana, . . 205 VII. Land Titles, tfc. . . 243 VIII. Government and Laws, . 269 IX. Commerce and Manufactures 293 X. Learning and Religion, 207 XI. Character of the Louisianians, 319 XII. State of Slavery, . 331 XIII. Antiquities, . . 345 XIV. Ofthe Rivers of Louisiana, . 353 XV. Mineral Riches, . 389 XVI. Aborigines, 409 XVII. A Welsh Nation in America, .

PREFACE.

. IT fell to my lot, in the month of March 1804, to take possession of upper Louisiana, under the treaty of cession. The high civil trust confided to me in that country, drew my attention in the first instance to the jurisprudence, in the second to the principles of the French and Spanish colonial governments, and in the third to the civil history and geography of those regions. The records and other public documents were open to my inspection ; and, as it was my fortune to be stationed about five years on various parts of the lower Mississippi, and nearly six months on Red river, my enquiries gradually extended to Louisiana in general. That country, even at this day, is less known than any other (inhabited by a civilized people) of the same extent on the globe. While it was in possession of France and Spain, at least till near the close of the American revolution, it was almost inaccessible to us ; nor were we influ enced by motives of interest or curiosity to visit it.

The entrance of our vessels into its ports was either interdict ed, or its commerce too unimportant to incite maritime adventures; and the mountains and uninhabited wilderness on our frontiers, presented strong barriers to enterprise over land. The Spanish government, in particular, was al ways actuated by a dark and intricate policy ; it was careful to exclude strangers from its dominions; to prohibit sur veys ard discoveries, except for the benefit of the cabinet, r.r.d to place the seal of malediction on whatever was cal culated to awaken the curiosity or envy of other nations. VI

PREFACE.

. No wonder then that Louisiana at the time of the cession, was so little known to the United States. They had suddenly and unexpectedly acquired a territory of which they knew not the extent; they were equally unacquainted with its climates, soils and productions, the magnitude and impor tance of its numerous rivers, and its commercial and other natural advantages. I therefore indulge the expectation, that the subsequent sketches, however inaccurate or errone ous, will not prove wholly unacceptable to the public ; par ticularly as no one before me, to my knowledge, has at tempted an history and description of this territory. Historians have but partially noticed that country ; none of their works seem to embrace, in regular detail, any con siderable number of years ; they are extremely barren of events, and unfortunately contain many chasms.

These are in part supplied from some ancient manuscript journals, and other documents, to which I gained access; yet it is to be regretted that materials are still wanting to exhibit even the prominent historical features of Louisiana. The writings of missionaries at least those I have seen, and the accounts pub lished by French officers who were employed in the country during part of the two last centuries, are mostly of an uninteresting nature. I am," however, much indebted to both dead and living authors ; and ifl have been less solicitous to acknowledge my obligations to them, than to collect and arrange the substance of their labors, it was because I relucted at marginal and other references. These are some of the obstacles in the way of a regular and correct civil history of Louisiana.

Those opposed to a complete geography and natural history of that country, are still more insuperable. All the old maps are extremely de fective. The one prefixed to the work of DuPratz, is un-

PREFACE.

. VII questionably the best. No detailed accounts of the interior are to be found in the records of Louisianian literature: On Indian traders, and other transient persons, we are obliged in most instances to rely for what limited information we possess. They present us indeed, with an exuberant mass of materials, but extremely crude, confused and contradic tory ; and it requires no small share of patience and atten tion to distinguish truth from fiction. I am indebted to some fugitive and other publications relative to particular portions of Louisiana ; and to the authors of them I am proud to pay my acknowledgements. Respectable men, in most ofthe districts, furnished me with such local and other information as they possessed, and I have made the best use of itin my power. My own excursions in that country were extensive, and I have endeavored to describe what fell under my own observation with as much fidelity as possible.

The notices of the Floridas are partly derived from the valuable work of Bernard Romans, and partly from an equally valuable manuscript of an itinerant friend. These are some of the materials on which the subsequent sketches are founded; and yet it is believed that few or none more accurate or authentic are at present in exist ence, except those in possession of our late western travellers; time and enterprise are necessary to afford the world a just conception of Louisiana. The paucity of veracious materials, forbade the hope of an entire and complete work, and therefore sketches only have been attempted. That there are many omissions and errors, is more than probable ; but who is able at this early period, to supply the first, or fully to correct the second ? The avocations of military men are seldom favorable to literary pursuits; their studies are usually desultory, and

PREFACE.

. VIII more multiform in their nature than is consistent with la bored disquisition. During the progress of the ensuingwork, I was wholly secluded from the literary world, and the aid of literary friends, destitute of books, and most ofthe timeafflicted with the endemics ofthe climate. This will in some measure account for occasional aberrations of manner and style; imputable in part, perhaps, to the rugged service of eighteen years, " in the tented field." I am fully apprised of the danger to which I expose myself in this literary attempt. I expect not the approbation of scientific men, though I hope to escape their censure. If they cannot think favorably of my genius or erudition, I trust they will at least commend my industry and motives. I worship not in the temple of science; my devoirs are limited to its humble vestibule.

Persuaded I am, that, when Louisiana is accurately known, when the advantages it affords are manifested and felt, not an enemy to the cession will remain. No doubt much of the opposition to it (perhaps, in some measure, stimulated by the prejudices of party) arose from the want of information, which dictated caution. It requires no great penetration to perceive that, if the arbiters of Eu rope, and indeed of the world, had spread themselves o ver that country, the tranquility of the United States would have been disturbed, and perhaps theirliberties jeo pardized. Whatever may be my speculative opinions on political subjects, I have felt no disposition to yield to them ; solicitous as a public servant to avoid the exacerba tions of party; steady in the pursuit of truth. AMOS STODDARD, Major, Fort Columbus 1812. „ ..:,,;.-, ...' , Corps Lnited States' Artellensts

CHAPTER I. THE

Spaniards and the French discovered and settled Florida and Canada long before Louisiana was known. These early events have a direct bearing on the subsequent affairs of those nations in the new world ; and hence a concise detail of them will not be deemed foreign to the design of these Sketches, particularly as they serve to throw much light on the policy pursued by both in the es tablishment of their Colonies. After the Spaniards landed on the Islands, nearly twen ty years elapsed before they attempted any new discoveries. During this period they collected immense quanti ties of gold, especially in Cuba and Hispaniola. They first deprived the natives of their treasure, and then con demned them to seek for more in the bowels of che earth, or among the rocks of the mountains. These people were unable to satiate the avidity of the Spaniards.

Mil- B a HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF LOUI.nI AN \ lions of them perished, and the remainder were doomed to ignominious slavery. No sooner were the Islands ex hausted of their wealth than the Spaniards turned their attention to other regions. They penetrated to the isth mus of Darien, and attempted to form settlements in thc bay of Campeachy. Perhaps they became acquainted with the discoveries of Sabastian Cabot along our coast in 1497. Ponce de Eton, a celebrated Spanish adventurer, was induced to discover and explore the continent from a singular mo tive. The Caribbees informed him, that a fountain ex isted in that quarter, whose waters were calculated to transform the aged into youth. He landed in the month of April 1512 in N. Lat. 30 deg. 8 min. (some say N. Lat. 38 deg. 8 min.) and the country he named Florida, because he found it in full bloom at that early season of the year.

He made a fruitless endeavor to discover the fountain ; and great numbers of his followers probably pe rished in the wilderness, as they never returned to their companions. He even made a second voyage, which pro ved as unsuccessful as the first, and chagrin and disap pointment-drove him back to the Islands. The name he gave the country was extended to all North America, and was attached to it till 1586, when it was restricted to a ter ritory of inconsiderable extent to the northward ofthe gulf. These adventurers convinced the Spaniards of the ex istence of other unexplored regions, and they readily con ceived them to be filled with the precious metals. They determined to realize what their imaginations painted in such fascinating colours. Accordingly a body of them un der Grijalva landed on the coast of Florida in 1518.

The Indians gave them a friendly reception, and presented them with pearls, silver, and gold. When they were about to retire, they ungratefully seized a number of these innocent people, and reduced them to slavery in the Is lands. Providence seldom permits such acts of cruelty and in justice to remain long unpunished ; and the injuries in flicted by the Spaniards drew on them, in a variety of in stances, the vengeance they merited. Their evil genius led them to pay these people another visit in 1520, when the manner of their reception induced them to make a precipitate retreat from the country. Not discouraged at this repulse, they again landed on the same coast in 1522, when two hundred of their men perished by the hands of the natives. Florida was now of sufficient importance to attract the notice of the crown.

Francis de Geray obtained the first grant or patent of that country about the year 1524 ; but he did not long survive thig mark of favor, and was succeeded by de Ally on, who visited his province. The Spaniards for some time, were confounded at the vigorous opposition of the natives ; they did not perceive, that the inhabitants of the continent were more resolute and hardy, more independent and lofty in their sentiments, than those ofthe Islands, whom they had enslaved. They at last concluded, that the country abounded in the precious metals, and that the natives were possessed of im mense wealth, which they were determined to defend with their lives : On no other principle were they able to ac count for the numerous obstacles opposed to their pro gress. These conceits served to swell their prospects, and to urge them on to new exertions.

Accordingly in 1528, Pamphilo Narvaez, on whom the province had devolved, landed in Florida with a considerable body of Spaniards. The Indians made use of a stratagem to draw them into the interior. They presented some gold to them, and at tbe same time intimated, that this treasure abounded in the Appalachian mountains. The Spaniards marched di rectly into the wilderness, extremely delighted with the prospects before them. But how great was their surprise, when they found themselves in an ambuscade, and vigorously attacked by several nations ! The contest was long and bloody. Narvaez perished with many of his men. The remainder attempted to regain their ships. Their provisions were soon expended, which reduced them to the painful necessity of feeding on the carcasses of their dead companions.

This disaster checked for a while, but did not damp the ardor and perseverance of the Spaniards ; nor did it serve to restrain their ambition and avarice. On the death of Narvaez, that celebrated adventurer, Ferdinand de So to, succeeded to the Government of Florida. This man was of a temperament not to be intimidated by the mis fortunes of others ; nor to despair of attaining what his predecessors had attempted in vain. He was one of the most distinguished Knight-errants of the age ; and his actions in Florida sufficiently attest his courage, hardihood, and romantic turn of mind. He explored almost all parts of that Country with the speed of a courier ; and the long time he remained in it was mostly employed in seeking new dangers, and in encountering them. He attacked the natives every where, and every where committed great slaughter ; destroyed their towns, and subsisted his men on the provisions found in them.

He even spent some winters among them, particularly one in the Chickasaw nation ; the next spring crossed the Mississippi, explored the regions to the westward of it, and in 1542 ended his days on Red river. This was the first dawn of the Spanish power in Flori da. Most of the Indian nations were either extremely in timidated, or greatly reduced. They became convinced of their own weakness, and found themselves obliged to yield to the superior skill of their enemies. Notwithstan ding this, they disdained to become slaves, or to survive the loss of their freedom ; and therefore gradually retired from the coast, and planted themselves beyond the reach of the invaders, After the death of Ferdinand de Soto, no more discoveries were undertaken in this quarter ; the prospects of mineral wealth abated, and the poor Spanish settlers left to bewail their misfortunes.

They found themselves obliged, much against their inclinations, to turn their atten tion to agriculture and the fisheries. They opened an in tercourse with the few remaining Indians along the ccist ; but this proved unprofitable, and the only refuge they found from want was in manual labor. The French about this period began to view, with jea lous eyes, the discoveries and settlements of the Spaniards. France was among the last of the European nations to ex plore distant regions, and to plant Colonies in them. Her ambitious views were for a long time confined to the Mi lanese, and the two Sicilies, to which she had some ancient claims : Nor was she easily persuaded, that any permanent advantages were to be derived from the establish ment of distant colonies, particularly at a time when the na'tion was agitated by religious disputes and commotions.

Yet, notwithstanding she entertained these sentiments, she secretly envied the progress of her rival in the new world, determined to interrupt it, and to participate in the glories of enterprise. The execution of this project was wholly confided to the discretion of the great Admiral de Coligny. He there fore fitted out a considerable fleet in 1562, and embarked a Colony of French Protestants. Ribaud conducted the expedition to Florida, and planted the settlers within about thirty miles of St. Augustine, where they erected a Fort for their protection, and named it Charles, in honor of Charles IX. Astonishment seized the Spaniards at this unexpected intrusion. Menendez, however, after recovering from the first shock of perturbation, assembled the forces ofthe pro vince, attacked Fort Charles, and carried it by storm.

Those of the miserable French, who escaped the sword HISTORICAL SKKTCHES OF LOUISIANA. 6 were doomed to the halter, with this label on their breasts, " not as Frenchmen, but as heretics." France was not then in a situation to punish this out rage ; nor, perhaps, as she was evidently an aggressor, had she just cause to complain. But a private Gentlemen of r?nk, by the name of Dominique de Gourgues, resolved to become the avenger of his nation. In 1567, therefore, he fitted out a fleet at his own expense, arrived in Florida, attacked the Spanish settlements, and those who fell into his hands, were suspended by the neck, with this inscrip tion, M not as Spaniards, but as assassins." This success was productive of no important benefit. The French were obliged, in the course ofa few years, to retire from the Country ; and the Spaniards in this quar ter experienced no more trouble from them till after the discovery and settlement of Louisiana.

Even at this early period the French were not wholly unacquainted with the continent more to the northward : For Verazzani, in 1524, coasted it from Florida to New foundland, and gave to the territories he discovered thfc name of New France. The commercial importance of the fisheries was satisfactorily ascertained by him : But the hopes of more profitable discoveries, added to the peculiar situation of France, served ,to postpone the pur suit of them. Ten years elapsed before the French determined to form settlements in the more northern regions. Cartier was emploved in 1534 to explore the coast about New foundland, and to select some suitable place for a Colony. During this expedition he examined the shores of Aca dia, entered the straits of Belleisle, and visited the har bors on the coast of Labrador.

In the bay of Gaspe he performed the ceremony of taking possession of the Coun try in the name of the French King. This seems to have been understood by the Indians ; for one of their Chiefs, clothed in a Bear-skin, gave the intruder to understand, ■. HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF LOUISIANA. that the Country belonged to him. Cartier sailed some distance up the river St. Lawrence : but the advanced state ofthe season obliged him to return to France. The next year he was again despatched to the continent with three ships. He now sailed up the river St. Law rence to the Isle of Orleans, secured his fleet in the mouth of the St. Croix, took formal possession of the Country, and spent the winter in it. He visited Hochelaga,the In dian Capital, and the hill in the vicinity of it he named Montreal. The scurvy made great havoc among his people ; and this, together with the failure of his provisions, rendered it necessary for him to return to France as soon as the ice disappeared in the river.

The information obtained on this voyage served to awa ken the curiosity of the French. The Indians gave Car tier to understand, that he might continue sailing up the river for three months, passing over two or three great lakes, beyond which there was a sea of fresh water, (pro bably lake Superior) of which they knew no bounds ; and that on the other side ofthe mountains there was another great river, (no doubt the Mississippi) which flowed to the south-west, through a Country full of delicious fruits, and destitute of snow and ice. They at the same time led Cartier to believe, that the Country abounded in silver and gold ; particularly as they described to him the colors, and in some measure the qualities of those metals. He was sent out on his third voyage in 1540. He spent another winter at his old station in the mouth of the St. Croix.

Roberval spent the succeeding winter at the same place. Both obtained some additional information relative to the interior. These voyages exposed both to im minent dangers. The French made no other attempts on Canada till af ter the lap:e of half a century ; though they carried on the fisheries and peltry trade along the coast. HISTORICAL SKETCHKS OF LOUISIANA. 8 Y> hen France found herself in some measure recovered from a succession of religious and other wars, she resumed her projects of discovery, and was enabled to prosecute them with more system, and with better prospects of success. She readily perceived, that any attempts to dislodge the Spaniards from Florida, would be attended with more loss than gain; particularly as their jealousy Was excited, and their ports strongly fortified.

She was likewise well aware, that the fisheries were of consequence, and that the skins and furs obtained in northern regions were more valuable than those about Florida ; and she was in hopes of finding a water communication to China by means ot the great lakes in Canada. Another voyage was therefore undertaken in 1603, and the prosecution of it confided to Champlain. He arrived at Cartier's station in the rivei St. Lawrence, endeavored to investigate the geographical position of the lakes, and became acquainted with the Iroquois, or five nations, into whose Country he penetrated bj' the way of the lakts Champlain and George ; after which he returned to France. All the territory between the fortieth and forty-sixth degrees of North latitude was the same year granted by the French King to Du Monts, who formed a settlement in Acadia; which, in the course of five years, was partly destroyed by the English, and partly exchanged for Ca nada.

The Canadian coast was visited by the English and Spaniards prior to the discoveries of the French ; but as neither of those nations attempted settlements in that quar ter, a secure and lasting possession seemed to present it self to view. A sufficient number of Colonists was soon collected, a fleet fitted out, and the whole committed to the direction of Champlain. They sailed directly for Ca nada, where they arrived in 1608, and laid the foundation of the City of Quebec. This was the first permanent settlement made by the French in this part of the new world. At the time of their arrival a destructive war raged be tween the several Indian nations of Canada and the Iro quois, situated at some distance from them. They con ceived it good policy to assist their neighbours ; particularly as such a step seemed likely to secure their friendship and trade.

The Dutch settlers of NewYork espou sed the cause of the Iroquois from similar motives. Both unfolded to the natives the use of the musket, and libe rally supplied them with ammunition. The dreadful ra vages committed by the hostile parties, served not only to increase the effusion of human blood, but likewise to re tard and embarrass the French settlements in Canada. Such indeed was the wretched condition of that Colony in 1628, owing in part to Indian wars, and in part to the religious dissensions among the settlers, that the crown was easily prevailed on to grant the province to a Compa ny : But as the conditions of the transfer were not fulfil led, the grant was eventually rescinded. The next year an English squadron appeared in the river St. Lawrence, when Quebec and all Canada submitted without a struggle.

In 1631 this conquest was abandoned ; and the French four years afterwards extended their discoveries to Lakes Huron and Michigan. The war with the Iroquois proved destructive and ruin ous to the French. They at first engaged in it from choice, and were soon obliged to continue it from necessity. The French ministry witnessed the retrograde tendency of the province, and reflected with pain on its defenceless condi tion, liable to become an easy prey to the first foreign or domestic invader. Such indeed was the crisis of affairs about the year 1660, that the existence of Canada in a great measure depended on the extirpation of the Iroquois ; and it was resolved to make one great effort to humble that people. In the course of the four subsequent years, two c large reinforcements arrived from France, and the war was prosecuted with vigor*.

A new difficulty opposed itself to the French. In 1664 the English dispossessed the Dutch of New Bclgiaf, or New York, who immediately furnished the Iroquois with the means of carrying on the war to advantage. Even at that early day the progress of the settlements of the two nations afforded reciprocal uneasiness, and each endeavoured to circumscribe the other as much as possible. The English planted themselves among the Iroquois, partly for the purposes of trade, and partly to extend their claims by new discoveries. The French were actuated by similar motives ; but the frt quent and powerful incursions of their enemies, and the unfriendly disposition of thc Indians about the lakes, kept them in a state of war, and rendered it un safe for them to leave their settlements. During this time their rivals remained at peace, and pursued their trade without interruption.

Canada stood in need of large reinforcements to supply her losses. One arrived in 1667, when it was found on examination, that 3000 men were ready for the field. In this enumeration the settlers, as well as regular troops, were included. About this period the French authorities in Canada, for the first time, viewed their situation in its true light. The destruction of the natives was of no use to them ; on the contrary, the more they killed or drove away, the less remained to yield them commerce. A predatory contest with barbarians was prolific of blood, but not of glory; it * A memorable event took place 'in 1663. Canada was terriblv shaken by an earthquake ; and, according to contemporary writers, it huried a lofty chain of mountains, 300 miles long, and changed this immense tract into a plain. f This was confirmed to the English by the treaty of Breda, in 1667. interrupted the prosperity of the settlements, and evidently pointed to their ultimate extinction.

The Iroquois entertained the same sentiments. A \yar of sixty years' continuance, carrried on with various success, operated to the injury of both, and both secretly sighed for some remission from the toils and waste of perpetual hostility. The French ventured to make proposals on the subject ; and a peace was concluded in 1668. Both parties were extremely pleased at this event ; the Indians, because it removed their fears of total ruin ; the French, because the navigation of the lakes was less precarious, and an extended trade and intercourse appeared practicable. The first symptom of Canadian prosperity manifested itself at this period. As the days of adversity appeared to be past, the troops were disbanded, and a suitable quan tity of land bestowed on them as a reward for their servi ces.

An unsuccessful attempt made by the English on Quebec in 1691, caused a temporary alarm : But the peace of Ryswick in 1697, put an end to the disputes about these regions; and Canada was no more menaced till it was forever wrested from the crown of France. It was extremely unfortunate for the French, that they entertained erroneous conceptions of Canada, and of the means of wealth it afforded. The romantic tales published by some of the first adventurers, particularly by those who had a deep interest in colonizing the Country, led them into error. Many of the agriculturalists of France ex changed their fruitful fields and vineyards for the inhos pitable wilds of the new world, not to pursue their former occupations, but to seize on opulent fortunes. The success of the Spaniards served to increase their expectations.