Path to Statehood

PATH TO STATEHOOD EARLY CLAIMS AND SETTLEMENTS TAMING NEW FRANCE THE SEVEN YEARS WAR PRIZE OF THE EMPIRES SPANISH DEFENSES KEYSTONE OF THE FRONTIER BIRTH OF THE LOUISIANA MILITIA CLAIBORNE AND THE MILITIA Raising of the American Flag: Louisiana Transfer Ceremonies,1803, Thure de Thulstrup, c. 1902, Courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum and the Louisiana Historical Society. EARLY CLAIMS 1541 COMPETING CLAIMS Among the early European explorers of North America, Hernando DeSoto claimed all the lands drained by the Mississippi River for Spain in 1541. Spain, however, was not the first naon to colonize the land that would become Louisiana. Nave American tribes in the area, such as the Discovery of the Mississippi by de Soto Natchez, Choctaw, Creek, and Chickasaw, both Hernando de SotoHernando de Soto by William Henry Powell, 1853 resisted and aided the opposing European empires who were systemacally conquering their nave Lands. The alliances oen fell along tradional rivalries. For example, the Creeks allied with the Brish while long term enemies, the Choctaw, aligned 1682 with France. Rene-Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle claimed the Mississippi River basin for France in 1682. It would fall on other Frenchmen to consolidate the claim for the monarchy. Rene-Robert Cavailer, Sieur de La Salle La Salle Colony Map, 1701 TAMING NEW FRANCE . La Louisiane 1699 The Canadian LeMoyne brothers were leaders of French exploraon and selement efforts along the Gulf Coast and up the Mississippi River. Pierre LeMoyne D’Iberville established military outposts and small selements at Biloxi and Mobile, 1699-1701. A temporary fort was created near the mouth of the Mississippi, but Iberville could not find high enough ground to sele a permanent Mississippi River port city. Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis Pierre Le Moyne D’Iberville 1718 In 1714, Fort St Jean Bapste was established along the Red River, near Spanish Texas, by Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis, a cousin of the Le Moynes. An New Orleans important military post along the early Southwest Iberville’s younger brother, Jean Bapste borderlands, Natchitoches is the oldest connuous Le Moyne de Bienville, connued colonizing selement in the state of Louisiana. efforts in Louisiana. He founded the city of New Orleans in 1718. Despite a rough start, St Denis was a skilled diplomat and created alliances Bienville managed to make the colony work with local tribes. Natchitoches would remain an and grow. New Orleans connued to gain important outpost to keep an eye on Spanish acvies. importance as a center of commerce in the A small military post was also established at Baton Atlanc World/Gulf Region and as the Rouge in 1721, named for the “Red Sck” that marked a entrance to the vast North American river boundary between tribal hunng grounds. system emanang from the Mississippi River. Jean Bapste Le Moyne de Bienville Campagnies Franches de la Marine by Ralph Mitchard, 1998 . TAMING NEW FRANCE The Natchez Wars In this early period, the Natchez tribe was 1725 a major source of contenon for the French selers. Bienville was a skilled French Colonial Militia diplomat regarding the Nave Tribes, A handful of Regulars were supplied resorng to war only if necessary. In 1725, by the Crown for city defense and law two departures created a rapid decline in enforcement, but appropriate Natchez/French relaons. The praccal defensive consideraons required tribal chief, Taooed Serpent, died and that some milia units be formed. Bienville was recalled to France and Map showing Indian territories Milia during the French period eventually replaced by Governor Eene tended to be decentralized and built Perier. Perier was not as effecve or around prominent civilian leaders. respected as Bienville and Taooed Among the colonial milia Soldiers who Louisiana French Milia, Serpent’s successors were less peaceful. parcipated in the Natchez campaigns, c 1750s, by Trevor Denham, Unhappy with the chaos unfolding in 2019 The French military post near the Natchez, several were African slaves who gained the territory, the French government Fort Rosalie, was commanded by an even their freedom by volunteering for these removed the inept Perier and less effecve officer, Sieur de Chepart. bales. These Soldiers were among the ordered Bienville to return to the Aer a series of insults and indignies by original group of free African Americans colony. The few remaining Natchez Chepart in 1729, the Natchez aacked the that went on to become the influenal made occasional guerilla aacks on Fort Rosalie selement, killing all the men, Free People of Color community in the French selers, oen hiding including Commandant Chepart, and New Orleans. among the Brish allied Chickasaws. capturing the women, children, and slaves. This led Bienville to mount two failed Perier’s answer was to aack and campaigns against the Chickasaws, massacre a nearby Chaouacha town. The ulmately making peace terms in Chaoucha had nothing to do with the 1739. Natchez refugees were Natchez acons. French military scaered among the Chickasaw, expedions then aacked the Natchez Cherokee, and Creek, soon with help from Choctaw and Tunica allies. completely disappearing as a people. Hundreds of capves were sold into slavery at Saint Domingue and the Natchez Indian Family remaining Natchez were forced to hide The Natchez Revolt among other tribes. by John Egan, Circa 1850 THE SEVEN YEARS WAR A largescale, eighteenth century war was Another consequence of the war that waged across the globe between the affected Louisiana was Britain’s expulsion 1756 - 1763 Brish Empire and the French Monarchy. of the French Acadians from Canada. In the United States, the North American Already controlled by the Brish Empire, theater of this conflict is more commonly Acadia held a populace that was not The Fixed Infantry referred to as “The French and Indian trusted by the government during a me War.” Britain came out victorious, forcing of war. Skirmishing began Regiment of Louisiana French governance out of the North in the New World by 1754. Under Ulloa’s governorship the Spanish American connent. The result was a In 1755, the Brish military Regiment was staffed with 12 massive shi in who controlled what governmenorced the Spanish and 24 French Officers under a territory. Maintaining Mexico and the deportaon of thousands lieutenant colonel. By 1769, under O’Reilly lower Pacific Coast, Spain took over the of Acadians to various they grew to 600 men – 180 or so of them Louisiana territory. Britain came to locaons. A large facon from Louisiana. The Regiment had soldiers control East and West Florida, as well as made their way to South of many ethnic backgrounds reflecng the Canada, while sll controlling the 13 Louisiana by the 1760s. diversity of people living in Spanish colonies on the East Coast. Later referredto as “Cajuns,” Louisiana. Other than Spanish, Acadians became a Spanish-American (Criollo) and French men, permanent and influenal many Irish, German, Portuguese, Italian, Transfer From group in Louisiana. Greek, Sardinian, and even Hungarian were Deportaon of Acadians order,1755 known to have been soldiers of the France to Spain by Charles Williams Jeffreys, 1923 Regiment. The purpose of the Fixed Treaty agreements and the French cession of Regiment was to enlist the local the Louisiana Territory to Spain came in the inhabitant's in its own defense. early 1760s, but the first Spanish aempt to govern the colony did not come unl 1766. Ulloa sought to enforce Spanish Antonio de Ulloa was the first Spanish commercial laws prohibing trade governor of Louisiana. He arrived with three between colonists and French officials and ninety soldiers. Colonists were holdings in the Caribbean. As apprehensive about the new administraon. a result, the French Creole soldiers of the colony threatened revolt, forcing The Bale of Quiberon Bay, 20 November, 1759 by Nicholas Pocock, 1812 America 1763- 1783, Aer the Seven Years War PRIZE OF THE EMPIRES . 1764 1775 British West Florida Louisiana and the American Revolution Bernardo de Galvez at the Bale of Pensacola, Beginning in 1775, the Brish Empire found its May, 1791, by Augusto Ferrer Dalmau Museo del Ejercito Madrid In 1763, West hands full with rebellion in the American Florida came to colonies and another war with France. Once be a part of the Governor Bernardo deGalvez learned that Brish Empire. Spain had also declared war on Britain, he saw Fort New Richmond, the military post at an opportunity. East and West Florida were Baton Rouge, gave Britain access to the ripefor the taking. Mississippi River. As rebellion grew in Britain’s thirteen East Coast colonies, Galvez added and improved some Loyalists moved to Baton Rouge, St cavalry and arllery units within Francisville, and other parts of West the Louisiana milia and used Florida. When France declared war with them in concert with regular Britain during the American Revoluon, troops to aack Brish posions Brish commanders along the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. in the Floridas had The first strikes came in 1779 at to be wary of Fort Bute near Manchac and in Spanish Louisiana. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On France and Spain August 18, a major hurricane were allies. made landfall near New Orleans. Despite the resulng personal Bernardo de Galvez Near Baton Rouge,1779 hardship and damaged property, by Augusto Ferrer Dalmau Courtesy Iberdrola, 2018 . PRIZE OF THE EMPIRES One of the most successful Spanish military commanders of the 18th century, Bernardo De Galvez's snt as military governor of Louisiana came aer combat 1780 experience in Portugal, Algeria, and against the Apaches in Mexico. Aer reclaiming the Floridas By 1779, Galvez had created from the Brish in 1780, he was eventually the "Disnguished Company promoted as the Viceroy of New Spain, of Carabineer Milia of New responsible for all Spanish possessions in the Orleans".

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