Catalon Language

Title:War of 1812: Miscellaneous Records (Microform:h-1664):

Catalon (Image 107)

"...the inhabitants speak a horrid language, a mixture of Spanish and French called Catalon...".

In The Reign Of James IV Of Scotland

Highland Campaigns:

Arrayed Upon Opposite Sides

Texas And The Louisiana Territory

From the Magazine Of American History:

In the European complications that arose towards the close of the eighteenth century, France and Spain were arrayed upon the opposite sides of a struggle, one of the results of which was that Spain was compelled to make a retrocession of the territory acquired from France by the treaty of 1763; viz., Louisiana and the island of Orleans. This retrocession was consummated by the secret treaty of San Ilefonso (1801) and shortly after (1803) the wrested domain passed by purchase from France to the possession of the United States.

Discovered The Bay Of Pensacola

Statue On The Bay Of Pensacola

In 1528, Pamphilo de Narvaez, the celebrated rival of Hernando Cortez, in an expedition to the western coast of Florida, discovered the bay of Pensacola, where he landed in April, with about three hundred men. He penetrated into the interior, and marched for the high region of the Apalachees. The Indians harassed the Spaniards with an indomitable spirit; but they at last returned safely to the coast, and embarked. The vessels were afterwards wrecked, and nearly all on board perished.


An account of the survivors:

West Florida And Colonel Reuben Kemper

When the Spanish authorities of Baton Rouge were deposed, it was anticipated that Governor Folch of the Mobile district would attempt to interfere with the organization of the little republic. So the convention posted a line of sentinels along the banks of the Pearl river, the western boundary of the part of West Florida in revolt.

Replica Of Flag Of Republic Of West Florida (Mississippi)

The maintenance of this line was found to be an uncertain and expensive means of safety against attack. It was determined to settle the matter at once by a resort to arms. War was declared against Mobile. An expedition under the command of Colonel Reuben Kemper made its way to the shores of Mobile bay, but being poorly equipped was compelled to defer its attack until a supply of arms and munitions could be procured.

Mural In Baton Rouge, Louisiana

An agent of Kemper managed to purchase of Henri de la Franci, a citizen of Baton Rouge, a lot of arms; and the convention bought a flat-boat load of western produce, transferred it to a keel-boat and sent it to the relief of Kemper.  [Source]

Florida

Source

Vying For Independence In Baton Rouge

From the Magazine Of American History:

Mural In Baton Rouge

"...[In 1810] the organized forces of the convention had been placed under the command of General Philemon Thomas, a wealthy planter living near Baton Rouge, and he was instructed to reduce the Spanish fort near by. This he succeeded in doing."

"Delassus, the governor of the province, was away at the time, and the Baton Rouge fort was in command of young Louis de Grandpre, grandson of Carlo de Grandpre, a former governor. In the defense of the fort Grandpre found himself deserted by his men. Nevertheless, he offered stubborn resistance, and in the noble discharge of his duty was slain."

Baton Rouge Aerial View Of Park

"The causes which led to the revolt may be best suggested, perhaps, by the words of the "Declaration": "....Without any hope of protection from the mother country, betrayed by a magistrate whose duty it was to have provided for the safety and tranquility of the people and government committed to his charge; and exposed to all the evils of a state of anarchy which we have so long endeavored to avert, it becomes our duty to provide for our own security as a free independent state, absolved from all allegiance to a government which no longer protects us."

The Annexation Of West Florida

Near Madisonville, Louisiana, Once Part Of The Florida Parishes

"The annexation of West Florida called forth protests from Spain and Great Britain. President Madison maintained that the annexed territory was a part of the Louisiana purchase."

"...a bill has been introduced in congress to indemnify the people of the Florida parishes for the lands to which their ancestors had a clear title. In support of their claim it may be adduced that the negotiations which led to the Louisiana purchase were primarily instituted for the purchase of a site for a depot near the mouth of the Mississippi, so that the commerce and exports of the west might be placed beyond the caprices of the authorities of Louisiana." [Source]

See Wikipedia's explanation of the Florida Parishes here.

Columbus Explaining

Source

Seizure Of The Falkland Islands

Source

"Three events, important to England, took place in 1770; election petitions, the 'Boston Massacre," and Spain's seizure of the Falkland Islands." [Source]

The Mississippi Valley historical review (1914):

These islands [Falkland] were seized by the British in 1766. In 1770, a Spanish force expelled the small English garrison and took possession of Port Egmont. The downfall of [French Minister] Choiseul dissipated any hope of French aid [for Spain]. King Charles III agreed to restore the British garrison, but he still clung to the claim of sovereignty over the islands.

The Attempted Conquest Of Florida

Source

"The colonists were to number five hundred, of which one hundred should be soldiers, one hundred sailors, and the balance officials, and artisans, such as stone cutters, carpenters, locksmiths, sawyers, smiths, and barbers, all fully armed. Two hundred of the settlers were to be married, and at least one hundred were to be labourers and farmers. Aviles was authorised to divide out the land...among the settlers and to construct at least two towns, each of them to have not less than one hundred inhabitants and to be provided with a fort for its protection. The company was to include four members of the Society of Jesus, with ten or twelve monks of any order he saw fit... ." [Ibid] 

"He was ordered to reconnoitre the Gulf coast of the peninsula and from the Florida Keys as far north as Newfoundland... . 

"And finally came the main purpose of the asiento, the expulsion of the French." [Ibid]

Making Their Way To The Mississippi

From the Magazine Of American History:

English traders from the seaboard colonies had for some time prior to this been making their way as far west as the Mississippi, notwithstanding the distrust with which they were viewed by the French of Fort Rosalie (Natchez) and other river settlements. When West Florida came within English jurisdiction an Anglo-American immigration set in, which did not long continue, however, for England did not remain long in possession of the territory. A decade had scarce passed since its acquirement, when the contest for English liberty in America culminated in the American Revolution. In the war that followed, England soon found her old antagonist, France, espousing the cause of the Americans. Spain had offered to mediate between the contestants, but received a direct snub. Smarting under the real or fancied wrong, and seeing an opportunity of winning back the much-coveted fortress of Gibraltar, she allied herself with France and was soon actively engaged in hostilities (1779).

The Spanish Acquiesced To The British

From The Mississippi Valley historical review (1914):

Plans for the capture of these Spanish possessions in the event of war were fully discussed by British authorities. The two countries seemed on the verge of war in 1770 on account of the dispute over the Falkland islands, and General Gage, commander of the British forces in America, was ordered to take steps preparatory to an attack on New Orleans. With the ultimate capture of the entire province of Louisiana in mind, mobilization of troops at New York was begun early in 1771. But the king of Spain, before hostilities were actually opened, acquiesced to the terms submitted by Great Britain.

What happened earlier:

"In 1763 a treaty between France, Spain and Great Britain was signed at Paris, which terminated the seven years war (called in this country the French and Indian war), and under its provisions there was a complete redistribution of territory in the South and West. Louisiana, which then included the Isle of Orleans and all the territory west of the Mississippi, was ceded to Spain, while Florida, extending from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, and including all the territory on the east bank north of the Isle of Orleans, was given to Great Britain as the result of the glorious war...".  [Source]

Calculated To Win Favor

Source

From The Mississippi Valley historical review...:

The appeal for assistance in a letter of May, 1776, from General Charles Lee who spoke for the Virginia committee of safety was, therefore, not unwelcome to Unzaga, the governor of Louisiana.

The articles which it was hoped would be supplied by Spain were guns, blankets, and medicinal drugs, especially quinine.

The arguments presented were well calculated also to win favor from King Charles III and his advisers for the cause of America.  Should Great Britain succeed in subjugating the colonies, Lee wrote, her army and navy would be free at any moment to take possession of Mexico and Cuba. With America independent, Spanish possessions, it was maintained, need not fear attack.

Great Britain reunited to America would be more dangerous to Spain than one of the two if they remained separated. 

Pike Captured In His Stockade

Pike was captured in his stockade, with the few men he had left about him, by Spanish dragoons, under the orders of General Allencaster, then governor of New Mexico. The message he received from his captors was disguised under the form of a polite invitation to visit the governor at Santa Fe. On the 27th of February, 1807, he left his post as a prisoner in the hands of a half-hostile foreign power, accompanied by the remnant of his men. [Source]

The Atmosphere In Kentucky

Frankfort, Kentucky

Dunn's Deposition (2-26-1796):

Dunn in a deposition states that he overheard Mr. Menar at Kaskaskia say that the inhabitants of Kentucky were ready to revolt against the federal government over taxing whiskey and stills. Dunn also states that the people of Fort Massac talked about Judge Benjamin Sebastian's clandestine negotiations with Spain regarding the possibility of Kentucky's break from the United States.
Date 1796-02-26  Note: Use must be accompanied with the attribution: Indiana Historical Society.

Gunpowder In Spanish Louisiana

Military Configuration In New Orleans (Post Revolutionary War)

In April, 1776, [Oliver] Pollock's efforts [in Louisiana] with Governor Unzaga to secure Spanish protection for some American vessels against their seizure by a British sloop of war on the plea that they were in a neutral port proved unavailing. To what extent the governor was influenced by the contents of General Lee's letter can only be conjectured but he finally permitted the sale of ten thousand pounds of powder* to Pollock.  Pollock himself believed this changed attitude to be, in part, a result of the declaration of independence. [Source]

*Eighteen hundred dollars were paid for the powder.

Note: One means of gaining the friendship of the Indians was through the distribution of powder. They had been told by the British that the colonists had none. [Ibid]

Clark's Proposals

Map From Fort Chartres [Partial]

From The Spanish Regime in Missouri:

Fort Chartres inhabitants from the same publication.

Should They Be Buried There?

University of Notre Dame Archives has a digital collection, including"Diocese of Louisiana and the Floridas, 1576-1803."

Source

1793 Mar. 4

Henriquez, Theodoro thirso Henrique
New Orleans

He orders that in future no one is to be buried in the old cemetery under any pretext.



1793 Mar. 4

Quinones, Estevan de
New Orleans

On this day he informed Father Joachin de Portillo, O.M.Cap. of the foregoing decree and he stated that he was ignorant of the reason for the decree since no one has been buried in the old cemetery since 1791, when David Hoge was buried there with the approval of Governor (Estevan Miro). (Notes follow stating that Quinones) informed Rev. Tirzo de Peleagonzalo, O.M.Cap., Rev. Luis de Quintanilla, O.M.Cap., Assistant Pastors of the Church of St. Louis, New Orleans.

Barcelona

Source

As seen on YouTube: Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé - Barcelona (Original Album Version)