post on the Mississippi. This post was garrisoned with four hundred regular troops, besides one hundred militia; and the arsenal was abundantly supplied with arms, ordnance, and all kinds of military stores. Many of the troops, however, were disabled by sickness and consequent debility, reducing the real strength of the garrison far below its numerical force. The fort was immediately invested; and on the 21st of September the Spanish batteries opened upon the works, and after a brisk cannonade and bombardment of two hours and a half, the commandant, Colonel Dickinson, proposed to capitulate, and terms were speedily arranged.

In this capitulation, Colonel Dickinson surrendered to the King of Spain, not only the post of Baton Rouge, but also all that portion of West Florida near the Mississippi River, including Fort Panmure at Natchez, one small fort and garrison on the Amite, and another at Thompson's Creek. Thus Spain became possessed of West Florida eastward to Pearl River, and Great Britain lost the last remnant of teritory in the Mississippi Valley. From this time, all that portion of West Florida south of latitude 31° north, and west of Pearl River, was known as the Florida district of Louisiana, under the Spanish dominion for more than thirty years, when the people revolted and expelled the Spanish authorities preparatory to its annexation to the United States; that portion north of latitude 31° was peaceably surrendered to the United States in 1798.

The King of Spain, well pleased with the success of Don Galvez, as a mark of approbation for his energetic conquest, conferred upon him the rank and title of brigadier-general, and confided to his judgment and valor the enterprise of reducing the remaining English posts in Florida near the Gulf of Mex

ico.

[A.D. 1780.] Preparations were urged during the winter, and early in March following General Galvez arrived with a strong force before "Fort Charlotte," at Mobile. The commandant refused to surrender, and a regular investment commenced. After a severe cannonade, the commander, on the 14th of March, was compelled to surrender to the Spanish arms. In the capitulation was comprised all the territory dependent upon this post, or from Pearl River to the Perdido.

The same year the Spaniards of Upper Louisiana, assisted by Colonel Clark from Kaskaskia, repulsed an attack made

upon St. Louis by a large body of Indians from Mackinaw, under the command of the commandant of that post.*

The only remaining post in West Florida was that of Pensacola, the headquarters of the governor. This was a regular fortress, defended by a strong garrison, and was not to be reduced without heavy artillery and ample military stores, which the Spanish commandant could not at once command. Consequently, he returned to New Orleans to provide for the reduction of this important post, whereby the whole of West Florida would be again restored to the crown of Spain.

During the remainder of this year the intrepid Galvez was unremitting in his efforts to reduce Pensacola. Twice had he advanced his forces by land and sea to the investment of the devoted post, and twice had his utmost efforts failed to effect a breach in the walls, or to compel the commander to capitulate, although reduced to the greatest extremities. At length he determined to withdraw his forces to Mobile and New Orleans, and at Havana seek re-enforcements and a heavy train of artillery from the powerful armament which was expected in that port under the command of Admiral Solano.

[A.D. 1781.] But it was not until the last of February following that he had sufficiently completed his preparations, and set out for the harbor of Pensacola. Having encountered a severe gale on the way, with considerable injury to his fleet, he did not reach the Bay of Pensacola until the 9th of March, when he proceeded to invest the British fortress by land and sea. Yet such was the terrible cannonade kept up by the garrison upon the Spanish fleet, that it was not until the 19th of March that the vessels of war could take their position to bombard the fort.

Having at length completed several land batteries in the rear of the fort, by which the enemy's fire was diverted from the fleet, the vessels immediately took their position and opened the bombardment. The garrison bravely defended the fortress to the last extremity, although the fire from the united batteries of the fleet and land was so destructive that the men were repeatedly driven from their guns. Yet for more than thirty days the garrison continued to resist every renewed assault of the Spaniards, until the 8th of May, when a shot from one of the Spanish batteries lodged in the magazine, producing a most

* See book iv., chap iii., of this work, for a full account of this expedition.

440

HISTORY OF THE VALLEY OF THE MISSISSIPPI. [BOOK III. awful explosion, and completely demolishing their works. They were now completely exposed to the enemy's fire, and deprived of their ammunition; and further resistance being impracticable, the commandant, Colonel Campbell, proposed to capitulate. A suspension of hostilities accordingly took place, and on the 9th, articles of capitulation were signed and exchanged. In this capitulation Colonel Campbell, after a heroic defense, surrendered the Fort and Port of Pensacola, including the garrison of eight hundred men, and all the stores and ordnance, together with the whole province of West Florida.*

East Florida subsequently yielded to the victorious arms of his Catholic majesty, and the whole of Florida, including the eastern and western districts, were fully confirmed to the crown of Spain by the treaty of peace in 1783.

Thus terminated the British dominion upon the Lower Mississippi, two years after its termination upon the Ohio and in the Illinois country, and after an occupancy of less than twenty years from the expulsion of the French from the same region.

For the acquisition of this great and fertile region, Great Britain had contended with France for more than sixty years, at an immense cost of blood and treasure, expended in no less than five long and expensive wars, and great human suffering by sea and land. The occupancy was but short, and after a vexatious possession of less than one third the period she had been engaged in the contest for its acquisition, she was doomed by the inexorable decree of fate to be exiled from it, together with all her extensive provinces contiguous. Such are the great political revolutions by which an all-wise Providence sees proper to rule the great moral universe of mankind in fulfilling the destinies of nations.

* Martin's Louisiana. Also, Stoddart, p. 78.

Stoddart says the capitulation included “about one thousand men." The whole number in the garrison and vicinity of Pensacola was about that number; but during the siege about one hundred of the English had been killed, and double that number had been severely wounded. The Spanish loss, of course, was much less.-Stoddart, p. 79.

BOOK IV.

SPAIN IN THE VALLEY OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

CHAPTER I.

LOUISIANA UNDER THE DOMINION OF SPAIN FROM THE DISMEMBERMENT TO THE EXPULSION OF THE ENGLISH FROM FLORIDA.-A.D. 1763 TO 1783.

Argument.-Extent of Spanish Louisiana.-Repugnance of the French of West Flor. ida to the English Dominion.-French Opposition to the Spanish Dominion in Louisiana. Spain indulges their Prejudices by deferring her Jurisdiction.-Public Remonstrances and Petitions against the Transfer to Spain.-Jean Milhet sent a Delegate to Paris.-His Mission unsuccessful.-Arrival of Don Ulloa as Spanish Commissioner in New Orleans.-He delays the formal Transfer of the Province.-French Population in Louisiana in 1766.-Spanish Troops arrive for the different Posts.Popular Excitement against Ulloa.-The Superior Council requires him to leave the Province or produce his Commission. He retires on Board a Spanish Man-of-war.— Perilous Condition of the prominent Malecontents.-Second Convention.-Second Mission to Paris.-General O'Reilly arrives at the Balize with a strong Spanish Force. -He notifies Aubry of his Arrival and his Powers.-His Professions of Lenity.Ceremony of Transfer, August 18th, 1769.-The Flag of Spain displaces that of France. -Population of Louisiana in 1769.-Settlements of Upper Louisiana.-Arrest of twelve prominent French Citizens.-Their Trials, Imprisonment, and Execution.Spanish Jurisdiction formally introduced in the Province.-" Superior Council" superseded by the "Cabaldo."-Inferior Courts organized.-Rules of procedure in the Courts.-Spanish Emigrants arrive.-Summary of O'Reilly's Administration.-Subsequent Spanish Rule.-Commerce and Agriculture under Unzaga's mild Rule.Population of Upper Louisiana in 1776.-Galvez Governor of Louisiana.-British Traders from Florida endeavor to monopolize the Trade of the Mississippi.-Spain favorable to the American Revolution.-Oliver Pollock and Captain Willing in New Orleans. Spain espouses the War against Great Britain.-West Florida invaded by Governor Galvez.-Fort Charlotte captured in 1780.-Unsuccessful Attack on Pensacola.-Attack on St. Louis by British and Indians from Mackinaw.-Repulsed by Spaniards and Americans.-Bombardment and Capture of Pensacola, May 9th, 1781. Surrender of West Florida.-Cession of East Florida to Spain.-Revolt in the Natchez District, and Capture of Fort Panmure in 1781.-Proceedings of the Spanish Authorities against the Insurgents.-Treaty of 1783 concluded.-Revival of Agricultural and commercial Enterprise.

[A.D. 1763.] THE boundaries of Spanish Louisiana, after the dismemberment, comprised, as we have already stated,* all that vast unknown region west of the Mississippi River, from its sources to the Gulf of Mexico, and extending westward to the extreme sources of all its great western tributaries among the Rocky Mountains. It included, also, the Island of New Orleans, on the east side of the Mississippi, and south of the Bayou Iberville. On the Gulf of Mexico it comprised the whole "See book ii., chap. x., of this work.

coast, from Lake Borgne on the east, to the Bay of St. Bernard and the Colorado River on the west, with an unsettled claim to the territory westward to the Rio Bravo del Norte. Of course, it included the Mississippi River, with the western bank above the Iberville, and both banks from the Iberville to the Balize.

The troops of Great Britain had already taken possession of Florida, and that portion of Louisiana lying east of the Mississippi, and north of the Iberville or Manchac Bayou. Many of the French in that region, dissatisfied with the idea of coming under the dominion of England, had retired to the western side of the river, believing they would still be within the dominion of France. But soon it became rumored that Western Louisiana also had been ceded to a foreign power. Many became highly excited and greatly alarmed when it was intimated that this portion of Louisiana had been ceded to the crown of Spain. These rumors were confirmed by dispatches from the French court early in October, 1763, announcing the cession of Western Louisiana to his Catholic majesty. M. de Abadie, the governor and director-general ad interim, was furnished with instructions by which he was to be governed in surrendering the province into the hands of the authorized agents of Spain, when they should be duly empowered and commissioned to receive it from him.

In the mean time, such was the state of excitement and dissatisfaction among the French population of Louisiana, that for nearly two years subsequently no active measures were taken by the Spanish crown to take formal possession of the province. It was hoped by the court of Madrid that a few months would suffice to cool down the excitement, and to allay the dissatisfaction which had manifested itself so generally in the province; hence it had been deemed expedient to permit the former French authorities to administer the civil government under the laws and usages of France, as if it were still a French dependence. But the people seemed unwilling to abandon their prejudices, or in any wise to become reconciled to the change of dominion.*

Under these circumstances, the court of Madrid declined to press the formal delivery of the province and the extension of the Spanish jurisdiction. Yet the population evinced no dis

* Martin's Louisiana, vol. i., p. 348, 349.