French Influences at Los Adaes by George Avery

French Influences at Los Adaes by George Avery Introduction Phillip V was placed on the Spanish throne. A presidio (or fort) and mission were The War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) established by the Spanish in 1721 near was fought to defend the choice of the what is now Robeline, Louisiana, in reaction Bourbons occupying the throne of Spain, to the French attack on the Spanish mission and the French fought with the Spanish for the Adaes Indians in 1719. The presidio against the Holy Roman Empire, the British, was called Nuestra Señora del Pilar de los the Dutch, and Portugal. The French and Adaes, and the mission was called Mision Spanish prevailed, and even though the San Miguel de Cuellar de los Adaes, named Bourbons were French, this did not prevent after the Adaes Indians in the area. The fort Phillip V from waging war on the French and mission—collectively referred to as Los and others some years later in the War of the Adaes—were occupied until 1773. Even Quadruple Alliance (1718-1720). though the establishment of Los Adaes in The French attack on Mision San 1721 was a reaction to French military Miguel de los Adaes in 1719 was part of the aggression, the years that followed were War of the Quadruple Alliance and has been characterized more by accommodation and referred to as the Chicken War because it mutual support than by conflict. The French was the Spanish chickens that fought most influences at Los Adaes from 1721 to 1773 valiantly against the French intruders from will be discussed drawing on both historical Natchitoches. The French soldiers were and archaeological research. The political, collecting chickens during the attack, tying social, religious and economic influences of pairs of chickens together by their feet and colonial Natchitoches on Los Adaes will be draping them over the saddles of the horses. summarized, and French artifacts recovered The leader of the French attack, Lieutenant from Los Adaes will be discussed. Blondel, was thrown from his horse after his pair of chickens put up a vigorous defense. Political Influences The Chicken War prompted the The French and Spanish were well- Marqués de Aguayo to fund an expedition defined political antagonists by the end of (1720-1722) to re-establish and strengthen the 17th century and LaSalle’s failed attempt the Spanish presence in Texas. Aguayo to establish a series of French forts along the wished to protect his large land holdings in gulf coast of Texas is clear evidence of this. northern Mexico and his expedition re- The situation became somewhat murky established the six missions and Presidio when King Charles II of Spain died in 1700 Dolores in the piney woods area of Texas, without a male heir and the French Bourbon and built two additional presidios, one being at the site of LaSalle’s fort near the gulf Perhaps the greatest influences coast and the other at Los Adaes. By 1727 it exerted by the French at Natchitoches on the was clear that the French had no intentions Spanish at Los Adaes were economic in of attacking so the troop strength at Los nature. Prior to 1700, the French approach to Adaes was reduced from 100 to 60 soldiers, tapping into the wealth of New Spain was by Presidio Dolores was shut down, and three attempting military conquest as indicated by of the six missions re-established by Aguayo LaSalle’s failed attempt to establish a fort on in the piney woods area were moved to San the gulf coast of Texas. After 1700, instead Antonio. A clear indication of cooperative of fighting, the French decided to trade in political relations between the French and order to share in the riches of New Spain. Spanish came in 1731 when soldiers from When the initial French trading attempts Los Adaes, along with a group of Hasinai, were rebuffed at Vera Cruz in 1710, Louis helped defend Fort St. Jean Baptiste when Juchereau de St. Denis was sent to establish the Natchez attacked. a trading post in 1713 among the Natchitoches Indians and also to find Father Social Influences Hidalgo at Presidio San Juan Bautista on the The few documented marriages Rio Grande. Hidalgo had sent two letters to between the French and Spanish involved the French governor of Louisiana offering men from Natchitoches and women from connections with Spanish traders in Los Adaes. The daughter of Joseph exchange for supporting his return to the Gonzales, officer at Los Adaes, married Jean missions abandoned in East Texas in the Baptiste Derban of Natchitoches. Their son, 1690s. Manuel, became a soldier at Los Adaes. It is not clear if St. Denis ever found Father Hidalgo, but St. Denis’ presence Religious Influences inspired the Spanish in 1716 and 1717 to It is probably safe to say that the build six missions and a presidio in response Spanish at Los Adaes had more influence on to the trading post at Natchitoches. the French at Natchitoches regarding Interestingly enough, St. Denis served as religious affairs than the other way around. guide for this expedition as he had married Both Spanish and French were Catholic, but the step granddaughter of the commandant there was no missionary effort by the French at Presidio San Juan Bautista. Is probably no in the Natchitoches area, and initially there coincidence that the French fort at were no priests at Natchitoches. Priests from Natchitoches came to be named Fort St. Jean Los Adaes would say mass and perform Baptist after St Denis became commandant. other religious duties at Natchitoches during The Spanish and French had very this time. different views relating to economic interaction. The French at Natchitoches were Economic Influences eager to trade with the Spanish at Los Adaes, but the Spanish were hesitant and initially banned all trade with the French. When it French folding knives and metal became clear that Los Adaes could not feed kettle fragments have been recovered at Los itself, the Spanish allowed trade with the Adaes, but like the French gun parts, not in French for food, but not merchandise. In great numbers. The Spanish appear to have spite of prohibitions, there was trade in preferred their own knives, and there is merchandise between Natchitoches and Los evidence that the cupreous kettles were Adaes. This is suggested by the fact that being cut up and re-purposed. three French traders remained at Los Adaes Lead cloth seals affixed to the ends after it was closed in 1773, and also French of bolts of French cloth have been recovered influences are abundantly apparent from at Los Adaes, but since French cloth could archaeological investigations at Los Adaes. have come through legal means to Los Adaes, it cannot be stated that the lead cloth French Artifacts Recovered from Los seals recovered from Los Adaes represent Adaes contraband trade. French pottery fragments are well It was reported in one inspection of represented at Los Adaes. It is interesting Los Adaes that the soldiers would trade one that most of the French pottery is tin- horse for one bottle of French wine—the enameled rather than lead-glazed, the former fragments of French bottles have been being the more expensive. There have been recovered from a widely scattered area at roughly equal amounts of French and Los Adaes. Spanish pottery fragments recovered at Los It is curious that no Spanish military Adaes. buttons have been recovered from Los French gun parts are not very Adaes—the only military buttons recovered common at Los Adaes. The remains of a from Los Adaes have been French. minimum of only two French weapons have Only two coins have been recovered been recovered—Spanish gun parts are from Los Adaes—both low denomination much more numerous. French gunflints, cupreous coins, one from Spain and one however, are quite common, but it is not too from France. The French coin is perforated surprising that the Spanish were using in the center, and may have been worn French gunflints. French gunflints were also around the neck. This coin bears the date used by the British during the 18th century, 1721 and was introduced to Canada at a but the French gunflints found at Los Adaes value of 9 deniers. The French Canadians most likely came from Natchitoches. did not like the coin, and most were sent Gunflints made of the high quality central back to France. The coin was re-introduced Texas chert are most common at Spanish to New France in Louisiana in 1731 at a colonial archaeological sites around San value of 6 deniers (1 sous was 12 deniers). Antonio—French gunflints are a rare occurrence there. Summary French influences at Los Adaes were Century Spanish Colonial Frontier primarily economic and it is clear that Los Presidio. Adaes could not have survived without Unpublished M.A. thesis, Dept. of trading for food with the French at History, Louisiana State University, Natchitoches. In spite of the Chicken War of Baton Rouge. 1719 and the subsequent Spanish military Bolton, Herbert Eugene build-up in 1721, it became apparent by 1970 Texas in the Middle Eighteenth 1727 that the French were more interested in Century. Reprint of 1915 version by trading than fighting and the Natchitoches- the University of Texas Press, Los Adaes relationship was characterized Austin. more by accommodation and mutual support Burton, H. Sophie and F. Todd Smith than conflict. The archaeological 2008 Colonial Natchitoches. A investigations indicate that French pottery Creole Community on the Louisiana- and wine were popular at Los Adaes, but Texas Frontier. Texas A&M other French merchandise such as knives University Press, College Station, and firearms were not as prevalent.

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