© Copyright 1961
by Louis R. Nardini

Printed in the United States of America
by the American Printing Co., New Orleans

To
Orine Inez

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

In acknowledging the sources of information and the assistance of the many persons I consulted in the preparation of this book, the author wishes to thank the following: The staffs of the Sabine Parish, the Natchitoches Parish and the Northwestern State College Libraries—with especial thanks to Miss Catherine Bridges who so patiently and ably assisted me in gathering data for this writing. Acknowledgment is gratefully and appreciatingly given to those excellent authors and their publishers listed in the bibliography at the back of this book, for it was through their talent and efforts that a whole new experience was opened to me.

I must remember too my History Teacher, Mrs. Lucille Roy Caffery, who so thoroughly planted in my mind the desire to read and study History, for it was she who told me, “It is the History and the Present which foretells the Future.”

I am likewise grateful to Miss Margie Harrison and Mrs. Mabel Fletcher Harrison who corrected and typed this book and to Mrs. Bernice A. Authur of Many, La., who also assisted in the typing of this manuscript.

Louis R. Nardini

PREFACE

There are two ways to write the history of an area. First, the actual-fact-data way, which gives dates, important events and the names of the leaders. But this does not fully explain the reasons for their occurrence, nor show the effect of mass participation. It omits many of the names of others involved in the incident or incidents, so that a clear picture of all the people involved is lacking. Even while one is reading, he is conscious of a mass effect and realizes that a sort of team is present. He then stops and asks himself, “Who were the others?”

The second way is to combine the legends and folklore with the actual fact-data of an area and to use reason and imagination—to seek out the names of others connected with the adventure. Those who went their way, but most important, those who remained to establish, fortify and settle, and by their so doing, give permanence and purpose to the area.

By using the second method, the writer believes he has given a true history of the locality of which he writes, because he has used the actual-fact-data of the area, and added to it the economic and social life of the people involved, especially of those who remained to become inhabitants.

To write a history of such an area as that which includes Natchitoches, El Camino Real, Los Adais and the Neutral Strip, one must be blessed with the knowledge of several languages, and feel that he can comprehend the nature of the people, who for nearly three and one half centuries have passed before him, from the time of Cabeza De Vaca in the year 1530 to the establishment of Fort Jesup by General Zachary Taylor in 1823. One must specially be familiar with the Adais Indians, who were a branch of the great Caddo Federation of Indians and their Nation when Cabeza De Vaca visited the Adais.

At Los Adais an incident occurred which changed the social life of the wilderness frontier. Two sets of Latin eyes met; in them reflected desire, passion, and love. Out of the distance, on a pine-scented wind, came the singing voice of a Spanish serenader, accompanied by the soft music of a string instrument, a bright sun to cause light on shade and in the shade Spanish and French lips met and arms entwined.

A half-naked savage lurks in the shadows nearby. Entranced by the magic of this moment, he speaks and the spell is broken. To the Senorita in Spanish and to the Frenchman in French; “Come, it is time to go.” What kind of Indian is this, who speaks both French and Spanish fluently? Only Dachiacoin of the Adais could do this and because of it he ranged far and wide in both the French and Spanish Territories. Dachiacoin had this to say to Padre Certa, “A man needs only one wife, the right one for him, and the woman needs only one husband, the right one for her.”

For over fifty years Los Adais was the Capital of the Texas Country and the end of El Camino Real. Here anything was expected to happen and usually did.

El Camino Real, The Royal Road, The King’s Highway, The Contraband Trail, The Old San Antonio Trace, The Old Texas Trail, and, lastly, Louisiana Highways 6 and 21 through Texas. This Southland’s busiest highway served the outlaw, the murderer, the slave trader, and the priest, as well as the sinner. Regardless of which direction one traveled he had to pass the Adais and the Neutral Strip—this area so filled with love, hate, jealousy, generosity, selfishness, prosperity, and despair. If at all this be possible, then this was El Camino Real, Los Adais and the Neutral Strip.

Because:

The Buffalo migrated southward through Texas and then to Louisiana, following the same trail in the winter of each year. Then the powerful Caddo Nation split and each group followed a leader. The Adais came to settle along this Buffalo Trail near Spanish Lake. El Campti originated the meeting place on the great Sand-bar near Campti, Louisiana, so that each fall of the year all tribes of the Caddo Confederacy could come and trade. Francois Hidalgo desired to establish Missions and settlements to bring more freedom and prosperity to his people and to bring the teaching of the Catholic Faith to all savages of the Tejas country. He wrote a letter to the French Governor of Louisiana, using the pretext of trade as bait.

Results:

The Trading Post at Natchitoches established; the Missions established.

The French Post St. Jean Baptiste, the Spanish Presidio, Del Neustra Senora del Pilar de Los Adais. Both Nations now had to maintain these outposts to prevent encroachment from the other.

Effected:

The desire of both Nations to populate this Frontier. When Mexico won her independence from Spain the Neutral Strip was formed. This lawless unpoliced strip of land became the back door of the United States. Because of this ruthless lawlessness Fort Jesup was established.

The independent spirit of the settlers along the El Camino Real and their desire for freedom resulted in the establishment of the State of Texas.

As I lolled one summer’s day beneath an oak near the ruins of Post St. Jean Baptiste des Natchitoches and closed my eyes to give my fancy free play, I thought I heard sounds of all kinds, sounds that had undoubtedly resounded down the years. Could that squealing be the swine of the De Soto adventurers or the shriek of automobile tires coming to a braked stop? Is that rumble I hear that of thundering herds of buffalo or the approach of a diesel locomotive with its long train of cars? Those drums, are they the drums of the Caddo Indians or the drums of a marching high-school band? The whistling roar that reaches my ears, is it a jet plane or the swishing, whistling wings of diving ducks?

Awakened to reality I began the research and study that enabled me to write this book.

CONTENTS

Page

Preface IX

Chapter I El Camino Real 1

II Some Early History 4

III Dachicoin—A Noble Indian—Los Adais, 1723 33

IV St. Denis and the Spanish 42

V Doctors and Early Medicine—1722 to 1744 45

VI Romance at Los Adais 51

VII Incidents of the Years, 1735-1742 60

VIII The Three Cabins 63

IX After St. Denis 74

X After the Louisiana Purchase 80

XI The Devil’s Play Ground 83

XII Satan’s Agent—John A. Murrell 89

XIII The Break-up of the Neutral Strip 92

XIV The Filibuster of 1812-1821 95

XV Fort Jesup 103

XVI Texas and Independence, 1831-1836 116

Addenda Land Grants 129

  St. Denis’ Family Tree 137

  Baptismal Records of Natchitoches, 1734-1740 138

  Soldiers in Natchitoches—1742 141

  Merchants, Farmers, Traders in Natchitoches, 1742 142

Reference Bibliography 145

Personalities 149

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS

Celebration of the Opening of the Museum at Fort Jesup, 1959 Frontispiece

Map Showing Locations of Members of Caddo Indian Federation XV

Map of El Camino Real from Mexico City to Natchitoches XVI

Hinta-sak—a Caddo house 8

Hinta-sak—top view showing construction 9

Plan of Fort at Natchitoches, 1733 17

Plan of La Presidio Nuestra Senora de los Delores, 1716 19

Mission of San Miguel De Cuellar De Los Adais, 1717 21

Map Showing Location of Mission and Presidio of San Miguel De Cuellar De Los Adais 22

Plan of Presidio De San Antonio De Bexar 24

Plan of Fort Del Pilar De Los Adais 26

La Presidio Nuestra De Senora Del Pilar De Los Adais 28

Map of Natchitoches by Breutin, 1722 30

Map Showing Neutral Strip 87

Map of Fort Jesup Defense Area 102

Map of the Buildings of Fort Jesup 107

Map of Area Around Camp Sabine, 1836 113

Old Ambroise Sompayrac House at Natchitoches 124

WRAP AROUND

Opposite Page

Fort St. Jean Des Natchitoches 116

Old Kitchen at Fort Jesup 117

Officers’ Quarters at Fort Jesup—Reproduction 132

Original Plans of Fort Jesup 133

Officers’ Quarters—Another view 133

I
EL CAMINO REAL

Each fall of the year the buffalo came out of the Great Plains through Oklahoma and into Texas. At the Trinity River in Texas many of these herds turned eastward to cross the Sabine River into Louisiana, to travel ever eastward and to cross the Red River in the Natchitoches area. The buffalo, being a heavy beast, left a well-marked trail from the Trinity River to the Red River in the Natchitoches area. The buffalo trail now became part of the Caddo Indian Trail system. And later it became El Camino Real.

In Spanish, the words “El Camino Real” mean “The King’s Road.” That is the exact translation of these words. In Spain, even before the time of the discovery of America, there were several roads or highways listed as El Camino Real. All roads leading to the city in which the King of Spain resided were known as El Camino Real. Actually, the meaning to the Spanish people of the words “El Camino Real” meant The Road to the King, hence El Camino Real, The King’s Road. So here in America when Mexico was conquered and settled by the Spaniards and Mexico City came into being, expeditions were sent out to conquer this new land for the King of Spain. In all directions from Mexico City, Ranchos, Missions and Presidios were established and all roads leading from these establishments back to Mexico City—to the Viceroy, who was the direct representative of the King—were called El Camino Real because these roads led to the Viceroy who was actually the King and Ruler of this New Country.

This El Camino Real, which we in Louisiana and Texas are interested in, began in Mexico City and ended at the “Old Darkey” Statue, at the North end of Front Street in the City of Natchitoches, Louisiana. Some say that El Camino Real begins in San Antonio, Texas, and ends in Natchitoches, Louisiana. I believe this is wrong because the very name of the Road, “El Camino Real, the Road to the King,” bears out my theory. I will explain: if one left Natchitoches (I speak of the time when Louisiana was under Spanish domination) and wished to go to the King by El Camino Real, or to the one who directly represented the King in this new country, he would have had to travel to Mexico City and there tell his troubles to the Viceroy, the direct representative of the King of Spain. This would have been between the years 1762 when France gave Louisiana to Spain, and ten years later when Los Adais was abandoned and the site of government moved to Natchitoches, thus filling in the last gap on the Road now known as El Camino Real, (the section of road from Los Adais near Robeline, Louisiana to Natchitoches). Until the year 1762 Los Adais was the site of Government of the “Tejas,” or “Texas Country.” This area extended from the Presidio Del Norte, as the French called this Spanish Outpost on the Rio Grande River, or El Presidio San Juan Bautista, as it was known to the Spanish. Now, let us pick up the traveler again who had business with the King, past Los Adais, Nacogdoches, San Antonio, the Presidio Del Norte, Saltillo and Queretaro and then to Mexico City and the Viceroy, whose word was final on all matters concerning the Government and the people, and, of course, that covered everything.

The Caddo Federation of Indians

The southeastern part of Oklahoma, the southwestern part of Arkansas, the Northwestern half of Louisiana and the Northeastern part of Texas was Caddo land, and claimed by the Caddos as their hunting ground. The Caddos were traders and developed trade-routes. Many of the highways of today follow the Caddo trails of yester-year, such as El Camino Real, that portion from the Trinity River in Texas to Natchitoches, Louisiana.

When the Caddo Nations split they settled themselves as follows:

1. The Attaquopois, at the confluence of the Kiamechi River and the Red River in southern Oklahoma.

2. The Caddoquopois or Caddo proper remained on the Red River near Fulton, Arkansas.

3. The Peticaddo on Caddo Lake hear Shreveport, Louisiana.

4. The Koasatti near Coushatta, Louisiana.

5. The Destonies on Saline Bayou near Winnfield, Louisiana.

6. The Yatasse on Nantanchie Lake near Montgomery, Louisiana.

7. The Natchitoches on the Red River at Natchitoches, Louisiana.

8. The Adais near Robeline, Louisiana, on a large lake now called Spanish Lake.

9. The Ais at San Augustine, Texas.

10. The Nacogdoches at Nacogdoches, Texas.

11. The Hasinai consisting of four tribes on the Trinity River in Texas, referred to by the Spanish as the Tejas (some historians classify them as Caddos. They spoke the Caddo language).

The Ais Indians had as their neighbors to the west the Hasinai federation of Indians which was composed of four tribes: The Nacogdoches at Nacogdoches; the Bidais, the Nasoni and the Nabidache, the latter three were located on the Trinity River.

Such was the situation when the first aliens came in contact with the Caddos.

II
SOME EARLY HISTORY

In his book, “La Relacion que Dio Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca delo Acaescido unlas Indias”, De Vaca writes in the year 1530 that “we were among the Adayes (Adais), the others were Juan Castillo, Andrea Dorantes and Estabancio of Azmor who was a slave of Dorantes.” These four survivors were of 300 of the Panfilio Narvez expedition that went into Florida in 1528.

Narvez’s expedition, beaten by the Apalache Indians, unable to return to their ships, killed their horses, ate the meat, used the hides to make bellows and water casks; they forged their armor and weapons to make tools and nails, then constructed four boats. They skirted the coasts of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, foraging for food. During a storm the boats were wrecked, four survived to become slaves of the coastal Indians.

De Vaca and his companions became traders and medicine men. Meanwhile they learned to live off the land as the Indians did. They planned and successfully escaped.... And now they were among the Adais seeking directions. They were the first white men to travel westward over the Buffalo Trail. They wandered ever westward and finally found a Spanish patrol from Mexico.

De Vaca was the only one of the three hundred to return to Spain and even before he published his book in 1542, he had inspired the Hernando DeSoto expedition into Florida with his story of the City of Cibola, a city built entirely of gold.

Hernando DeSoto, the Golden Eagle, led the next expedition into Florida. Continuously harassed by the Appalachie tribes of Indians of the southeastern states he crossed the Mississippi and now in the year 1540 he marched into Louisiana, pillaging, raping and destroying. He was assisted by these trusting Lieutenants: Don Luis Moscoso, Don Juan de Anasco, Don Baltazarde Gallegardo, Don Juan Labillo, Don Carlos Chinquez, Juan de Quizman, Don Vasco de Procello, and Don Diago Vasquez, and these Captains: Espilando, Gallegardo, Maldamando, and Luis Fuentes. The Chronnicalor, Gonzado Quadrado Charmillo de Zafra who wrote (From the translations of B. F. French):

“We marched one day west from the Rio de Cannis in all this cold country this Wednesday, March 21, 1541, at the end of the day we came to a place called Toalli. All the Indians have houses built so, the houses are built of reeds in a manner of tules and daubed with mud which show as a mud wall, they are very clean and have a small door; when you shut it up and build a fire within it is as warm as in a stove.”[1]

Don Luis De Moscoso and a scouting party traveled westward over the buffalo trail as far as the Trinity River before returning to the Adais.

For the next hundred and forty years this area was devoid of white explorers.

By early 1682 Cavalier Robert de LaSalle had begun descending the Mississippi River accompanied by Henri De Tonty, the “Iron Hand”, and a party of other Frenchmen.

April 9, 1682, LaSalle discovered the mouth of the Mississippi River and established a plaque there, claiming all land drained by this river for the King of France, Louis XIII. He named this land LOUISIANA in honor of King Louis and Queen Anna.

Returning up the Mississippi near a location in the Illinois country at Starving Rock in that same year he established Fort St. Louis and left Captain Henri De Tonty in command.

LaSalle went to France and received assistance so that he could return and establish a settlement at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Through erroneous navigation the expedition missed the mouth of the Mississippi River and traveled westward, landing at Matagorda Bay, and in the Texas country established another Fort St. Louis in 1685.

LaSalle, realizing that this area was not suitable for colonization, began land excursions in an attempt to reach Canada.

Father Joutel’s diary reveals that in January, 1687, he was with LaSalle, and a scouting party, were among the Nakassa Indians which resided on Nakassa Lake.[2]

In 1682 at Quaerataro, Mexico, The College of the Holy Cross was founded by Priests; Father Francois Hidalgo, Father Jose Diaz, Father Felix Isadore Espinosa, Father Nunez, Father Antonio de San Buenaventura Oliverez, Father Francisco Marino, Father Juan Parez, Father DeVaca, Father Salazar, Father Massinettes and Father Margil de Jesus, the last named, Father Margil de Jesus, being chosen as President of the College. These priests, so as to distinguish their work from the work of others called themselves Zatachinies, their purpose being to prepare others for frontier missionary duties. By 1684 they had succeeded in establishing missions south of the Rio Grande.

The most northern Spanish presidio at that time was Fort San Juan Bautista, located on the south bank of the Rio Grande near present day Eagle Pass, Texas. The land of the Coahuile Indians extended from present day San Antonio southward into the Monte Clova-Saltillo area of Mexico. The Matagordo area on the Gulf Coast was included in the land of the Coahuile.

Aside from the duties of the Spanish missions to spread the Catholic faith, they were also, in reality, observation and trading posts of the Spaniards. From one of these missions it was learned from an Indian who came to trade, that other white men had come out of the sea in large houses that floated on the waters of the gulf and had settled on the coast land.

On March 20, 1689, LaSalle was assassinated by some of his own men on a tributary of the Trinity River. Father Joutel reported the men responsible for the assassination were in turn killed by the Indians. The remnants of the party returned to Fort St. Louis and finding it deserted, retraced their journey into the Trinity River area.

Alonzo DeLeon and Captain Flores were leading a scouting patrol when they found Santiago Grislet, Jean Lavaschevque and two very young boys, the Tulon brothers, Roberto and Pedro. This Spanish patrol searched for the next two months for other Frenchmen, but not being successful, returned to Mexico.

1689.

Juan Jarri had, during the absence of LaSalle, deserted Fort St. Louis and had risen to a lordly position among the tribes of the Coahuile Indians. During the search by DeLeon and Flores he had been shifted from tribe to tribe so that the Spanish Patrol failed to capture him. The Spanish now realized that this one Frenchman had the power to upset the semi-peacefulness of the Spanish frontier. The College of the Holy Cross was desiring to extend its Missionary work north of the Rio Grande.

Don Alonzo DeLeon, now the Spanish Governor of the Coahuile Territory, led an expedition to establish three missions among Hasinai Indians south of the Trinity River. He now also found himself in pursuit of a party of Frenchmen (Father Joutel’s party).

Henri De Tonty at the Fort St. Louis near Starving Rock in the Illinois country, realized something was amiss and came in search of LaSalle. It is interesting to note how De Tonty, in all this vast country of the southern United States area chose the exact direction in which to travel. Probably the Caddo federation of Indians had trade agreements with the Indian tribes as far north as the Illinois and even further north among the Ouisconsins, to the west they traded with the Hasinais who in turn traded with the Coahuile Indians.

The Amole root (a species of the Yucca plant) was supplied to the Hasinais by the Coahuile Indians. The Caddos traded for this root, which had cleansing properties such as soap and when boiled in water this liquid was used for bathing purposes, it left a pleasant odor on the body of the user.

The Jumas, traders of the Caddo Indians, were also linguists and it would not have been impossible for them to distinguish the difference of the French and Spanish languages. The same Jumas of the Caddos traveled all of the Caddo trails. The Old Buffalo Trail extending from the Trinity River in Texas to the Red River in Louisiana was now considered part of the Caddo trail system.

In 1690 in the early spring De Tonty, “The Iron Hand,” was among the Adais Indians and the Natchitoches Indians. He, too, went as far as the Trinity River in Texas, but there his guides refused to go further; he gave up his search for LaSalle. In the same year the Joutel Party found the Buffalo Trail beginning at the Trinity River. There among the Hasinai they learned of the Frenchman with the iron hand. They followed the Caddo trail and finally came in contact with De Tonty among the Arkansas Indians. Strangely enough, De Tonty actually came within one days march of finding the Joutel Party.

1690-1691

From the missions south to the Trinity River came the report of two French patrols in the vicinity of the Hainais which also coincided with the report of Don Alonzo De Leon.

Late in 1690 the Don Domingo Teran Del Rios’ expedition left Mexico, and scouted the complete area of the Caddo and Hasinai Federations of Indians; Teran listed the four tribes of the Hasinai as Bidia, Nabadache, Nadaco and the Nacogdoches. Of the Caddos were the Ais, the Adais, the Natchitoches, the Koasatas; he missed the Pedicaddo but listed the Caddoquopois near present day Fulton, Arkansas. He was the first white leader to sight Lake Bistineau. It is believed that the location Father Massinetes, who was with this expedition, established was La Mission Loretteto, near present day Ringgold, Louisiana.

For the reason Teran had not contacted any Frenchmen in all the territory and much to the disappointment of the members of the College of the Holy Cross, all missions north of the Rio Grande were withdrawn.

Padre Francois Hidalgo, being determined to establish missions north of the Rio Grande and among the Texas Indians, which were called by the Spaniards the Federation of Hasinai Indians, secured the support of the College of the Holy Cross to appeal to the Viceroy of Mexico. They only succeeded in obtaining permission to establish a mission at their own expense south of the Rio Grande but in an area visited by the Hasinai Indian traders. On November 7, 1698 Father Francois Hidalgo, assisted by Father Salazar, established the mission Maria de Los Delores, ten leagues north of Lampassas and ten leagues west of the Rio Sabinas. (Note: this Sabine River is not to be confused with the Sabine River which is the boundary between Louisiana and Texas).

From this outpost mission Francois Hidalgo conceived the idea of a “Chain of Missions” to extend to the very eastern edge of the Texas Indians’ territory. He had at his disposal the reports of Father Massinetes and those of Teran and DeLeon. He knew that the land with its fertile soil and the enormous growth of forests, together with an abundance of wild game of the forests and fish of the lakes would supply many families of the frontier settlers with food and shelter. These families, who at this time were no better off than when they left Spain to settle in Mexico, would welcome such an opportunity.

1700

From the Journal of Father Paul De Ru. February 1, to May 8, 1700.

“Iberville, having founded the Fort at Biloxi, ascended the Mississippi River. At the village of the Tensas Iberville became ill but sent westward St. Denis and Bienville with nineteen other Frenchmen, two of whom were the Tulon brothers, Roberto and Piedro;[3] at the village of the Tensas was a Wichita Indian whose tribe had settled near the Tensas.” This Indian declared he had visited a Spanish mission in the Texas Country (The mission Maria de Los Delores). The Indian was immediately employed by Bienville as a guide.

On April 20, 1700 the St. Denis-Bienville party reached the Yatasee village on Nantanchie Lake near present day Montgomery, Louisiana (See Location 5 on map).

The Frenchmen were among the Natchitoches Indians (Location 8 on map), on May 8, 1700 for on this day Bienville departed with Father Paul De Ru leaving St. Denis to scout the locations of the Caddo Indians. Bienville, having secured pirogues from the Natchitoches Indians, returned by water down the Red River to the Mississippi and back to Biloxi. St. Denis soon followed and brought with him a number of the Natchitoches Tribe of Indians, who settled on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. St. Denis settled near by at Fort Louis.

1701-1707

During these years Father Hidalgo and Father Salazar were trading and preaching to the Indians at Mission Maria de Los Delores. Father Hidalgo traded with the Indians for gold; Anya, who was then the Governor of Coahuile, was aware of this. There are several historical records referring to the raiding of the Hidalgo mission in search of gold. Hidalgo at first did turn the gold over to the government, part of which was to be given to the College of the Holy Cross. A Captain Hernandez was broken in rank when he gave Hidalgo a receipt for the gold. Padre Hidalgo realized that very little, if any, of the gold was reaching the King of Spain.

Anya conceived the idea of cutting off the supplies of trade goods to the mission so that the Indians would then have to come and trade at the Presidio San Juan Bautista. Captain Hernandez upon the urgence of the Priests of the College was restored to rank. Father Hidalgo, realizing that no one would actually know how much gold he was accumulating, began to hoard the gold.

Allarge Bejoux, operating from a location near present day Pointe Coupee, had cut a road or trail overland northwestward to intersect the Buffalo Trail west of the present town of Many, Louisiana, and had by the year 1708 established trade agreements for horses with the Ais Indians (See Location 10 on map). Francois Hidalgo through his trade with the Indians of different tribes soon learned of this.

A Legend of the Flores Family

Hidalgo and Salazar with assistance had solicited the aid of the Flores families of Saltillo, some of whom were merchants and others owners of landed estates. The merchants supplied the mission de Los Delores with trade supplies.

Through Bernardino, Sub-chief of the Hasinai Indians, Hidalgo learned of a meeting place called Campti, where each Fall of every year all of the tribes of the Caddo Federation of Indians gathered for sports and trading purposes. (Campti was the name of the Chief of the Natchitoches tribe who had organized this meeting, held on a great sand-bar near present-day Campti, Louisiana). These meetings were of a secret nature and not sanctioned by the Spanish Government, and the tradition of their occurrence had remained with the Flores family. Hidalgo prevailed on the Flores family, who knew the value of land and what it could produce for settlers, to assist him by sending men to go on a trading expedition to the Campti. Bernardino was to act as guide.

Ramone Flores and a cousin, Joseph Colliea, were designated by the elder Flores to go and assist the Spanish priests. These two made four trips in the Fall of the years 1708, 1709, 1710 and 1711 to the Sand-bar near Campti, Louisiana.

The Letter

Francois Hidalgo committed an action which might well be considered treason by the Spanish Government. He wrote three letters of the same content, all dated January 17, 1711, addressed to the Governor of Louisiana. Only one reached its destination. In mid-summer of 1713 the Governor of Louisiana, La Mothe de Cadillac, had the letter in his possession. (There is always an incident in history which incites a chain reaction in such a way that a new era begins, always resulting in the establishment of new frontiers. The Hidalgo letter was such an incident).

One must surmise how such a letter could travel through nearly a thousand miles of wilderness and reach its destination. The whole new frontier of El Camino Real hinged on this accomplishment.

The contents of the letter showed that Father Hidalgo had first-hand knowledge of the land of the Hasinai and the Caddos as well as the waterways of the adjoining area. He wrote that the French traders were to ascend the Mississippi to the confluence of the Red River, then ascend the Red River to the tribe of the Natchitoches Indians, thence to travel westward over the Buffalo Trail to the Hasinai Indians and there procure guides to the Hidalgo Mission.

Father Hidalgo could have acquired knowledge of the Caddo area from the reports of De Leon, Teran and Father Massinetes, but he would have not had the knowledge of the waterways, which could have only been obtained from the Natchitoches Indians who may have come to the Campti from their location on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain; information was given to Flores and Colliea and passed on to Hidalgo.

The letter was an invitation “to come and trade” with the Hidalgo mission, the word “trade” being used as bait could have come from two sources, that of Bejoux to the Ais and that of Flores and Colliea. It is possible that Hidalgo wrote the letters very early in the year so that one could be sent to the Ais Tribe ahead of the arrival of Allarge Bejoux. The later two letters were carried in the Fall of the year by Flores and Colliea, who in turn gave the letters directly to a Natchitoches Indian who had come to the Campti, but who was living on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Several historians say that St. Denis had the letter in his possession before it was presented to Governor Cadillac. St. Denis through his association with the Natchitoches Indians, who were settled near his Fort Louis, would have been the most logical Frenchman to receive the letter. Then, too, St. Denis, while vying with Cadillac to be sent as the leader on the trading expedition to the Hidalgo mission, had stated that he and Jules Lambert, who was at that time in the Illinois country, had been on a trading trip to the Natchitoches Indians in the summers of 1710 and 1712. Here, then, is another possibility that St. Denis may have received the first letter sent by Francois Hidalgo by an Indian messenger to the Ais, and who was instructed to give the letter to the first Frenchman who came to trade in his area.

The letter had the desired effect; St. Denis was appointed to lead the expedition. Cadillac chose wisely because St. Denis was an educated man, and was a third generation Canadian and, further, he understood the ways of the Indians. He was a linguist and could speak many Indian dialects, and also speak, read and write in Spanish.

The trading expedition, consisting of Indians of the Natchitoches tribe, left Biloxi in mid October, 1713. Among the Indians were the White Chief, his son, Koanan, and two daughters, one called Quilchil, “the pretty weaver,” and the other called Olchogonime, “the good girl.”

The Jean Penicaut narrative is an actual eye witness account of St. Denis’ journey to Natchitoches and on to Mexico. The party consisted of nearly forty Indians and twenty-three Frenchmen, two of whom were St. Denis and Penicaut, and several French traders, Pierre Largen, Jean Lagross, Roberto Talon, Pedro Talon, Lafrinaries, Allarge Bejoux, Labinaries, Enrique Lantillac; Medar Jalot, who was valet and doctor to St. Denis; the two Barberousse brothers were hunters for the party’s food; Rambin was a tailor. Soldiers in the party included Lt. Phillippe Blondell, De Lery, De Muy, Williard Anvillaries, De Beaulieux, De Voixant, Frainbouis, and Lavasseur, who was also a map maker.

Leaving Biloxi, the party traveled what was then known as the Iberville passage, crossing Lake Pontchartrain and through Manchac Pass to Lake Maurepas, then into Manchac Bayou and a short portage to the Mississippi River; ascending the Mississippi to the confluence of the Red River at Baton Rouge, then ascending the Red River to a point opposite the present day town of Colfax. Here the stream divided and Penicaut wrote, “we took the left and larger branch of water.” After some distance upstream he describes the Ecore de La Croix, which must have been the high bluffs near Chopin, Louisiana.

On November 25, 1713, the St. Denis party arrived among the Natchitoches Indians, living on an island that the river formed by dividing into two branches and flowing around it.

St. Denis spent the first few weeks cultivating the friendship of the Indians. Trade was vigorous and profitable, he sent at least twice back to Biloxi for more trade goods. He had traveled at least once as far as the settlement of the Nacogdoches Indians before deciding on an exact location for a trading post. In early Spring of the following year two block houses were erected in the Natchitoches Village, one to store the merchandise and the other to house the ten Frenchmen who were to remain in Natchitoches while the others went west in search of the Hidalgo mission.

While St. Denis was among the Hasinai Indians, an incident happened which causes one to wonder at the foresightedness of Francois Hidalgo. Among the Indians was an Indian maid named Angelica who had received instructions at a Spanish mission and who spoke Spanish fluently. She became the interpreter between St. Denis and Bernardino, Chief of the Hasinai. Bernardino, with some of the members of his tribe, acted as guide, for St. Denis, but instead of bringing the Frenchmen to the Hidalgo mission, they were led to Presidio San Juan Bautista on the south bank of the Rio Grande River on July 19, 1714. Surely these Indians would have known where the Hidalgo mission was located; the leading of the Frenchmen to the Spanish post was just as Hidalgo would have wished, or planned.