Pickett's History of Alabama - Chapter 9 - The Colony of Louisiana Granted
to Crozat

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                 Albert James Pickett: HISTORY OF ALABAMA.
                  (Kindly contributed by William C. Bell)
       ______________________________________________________________
     
                                CHAPTER IX. 
                                      
                THE COLONY OF LOUISIANA GRANTED TO CROZAT. 
                                      
   The high floods having inundated the settlements around Fort St. Louis
   de la Mobile, Bienville determined to place his people upon more
   elevated ground. All the inhabitants, except the garrison of the fort,
   removed upon the Mobile river, where, upon the site of the present
   beautiful and welathy commercial emporium of Alabama, they established
   themselves. Here Bienville built a new wooden fort, which, in a few
   years, was destroyed to give place to an extensive fortress of brick,
   called in French times, Fort Conde, and in English and Spanish times,
   Fort Charlotte. The seat of government was permanently fixed here, and
   the leading characters of the colony made Mobile their headquaters.
   Only a small garrison was left at the mouth of the Dog river, which,
   however, continued to guard that point for several years after this
   period.
   
   The Chickasaws having again engaged in a war with the Choctaws, at the
   instance of the English, and thirty of the former tribe being at
   Mobile at the time, they implored Bienville to have them safely
   conducted home, through the country of their enemies. Desiring to
   acquire the confidence of the Chickasaws by acts of kindness that
   would induce them to break up their alliance with the Carolinians,
   Bienville readily granted their request, and despatched his brother,
   Chateaugne, with thirty soldiers to escort them. He was successful in
   his mission, and returned to Mobile without having met any serious
   adventures.
   
   Oct 27 1711: The colony of Louisiana still remained in a precarious
   situation. It is true, the inhabitants had to some extent begun the
   cultivation of tobacco, the first samples of which were supposed to be
   superior to the quality raised in Virginia. Wheat came up most
   luxuriantly, but the damp atmosphere destroyed it when it commnced
   maturing. Notwithstanding the long war which had existed between
   France and England, no attacks of the enemy had been directed against
   any part of the Louisiana colony, until about this time, when a pirate
   ship from Jamaica disembarked on Dauphin Island, and plundered the
   inhabitants of nearly all which they possessed. Not long afterwards,
   the first and last act of hostilty during the present war, was
   succeeded by the arrival of a ship which came upon a more agreeable
   mission. She brought large supplies for the colony, and when she
   hoisted her sails to return to France, D'Artaguette, the commissary
   general, an accomplished man, who well understood his business, became
   a passenger on board her, to the regret of all the inhabitants, who
   ardently desired him to remain longer with them.
   
   The following is a statement of the colonial disbursements of the year
   1711:
   
     PAYMENTS.
     
     To 12 workmen on the fortification...................... 4,480
     livres.
     To 23 naval officers, soldiers and cabin boys... 4,572
     To superior officers.............................................
     19,988
     To medicine
     chest..................................................... 506
     To wax candles in the chapel................................... 270
     To presents to the Indians......................................
     4,000
     To maintenance of military companies........... 27,688
     -------------------------------------------------------------------
     ---
     ...................................................................
     ...............61,504 livres.
     
   D'Artaguette, the colonial commissar, had a prosperous voyage to
   France, and arrived there "at the time," to use the eloquent language
   of Gayarre, "when the star of Louis XIV., which had shed such
   brilliant glory around for half a century, was almost extingusihed,
   and the doors of the old cathedral of St. Dennis had already opened in
   expectation of receiving the great monarch, whom age and misfortune
   urged rapidly to the tomb." The country, too, over which he had so
   long reigned, was then groaning under the effects of the long, bloody
   and expensive wars which he had waged. The report which D'Artaguette
   now made of the unhappy condition of the colony of Louisiana, induced
   the French Government to number that fruitless and extravagant
   bantling among its other misfortunes. It determined to hand the colony
   over to the care of a company, or to some importnat privileges.
   Accordingly, an opulent merchant, named Antoine Crozat, entered into a
   contract with the King of France. Sept 14 1712: The King granted to
   him for the term of fifteen years, the exclusive commrce of all the
   country known as the colony of Louisiana, embracing the country upon
   the Alabama and Tombigby, with their entrance to the sea; of all the
   lakes, rivers and islands connected with the lakes of Pontchartrain,
   Maurepas, Borne, etc.; of all the country upon the Mississippi and its
   numerous tributaries, from the sea as high up as the Illinois river,
   together with that of Texas. He also ceded to him "forever" all the
   lands which he could establish himself upon, all the manufactures
   which he could put into operation, and all the structures which he
   should erect. The King also granted to him all the proceeds of all the
   mines which he might find and work, and agreed to appropriate fifty
   thousand livres annaully toward the payment of his officers and troops
   in Louisiana.
   
   For all these privileges, Crozat obligated, on his part, to
   appropriate one-fourth of the proceeds of the mines of precious metals
   to the King's use; to forfeit the lands which were granted to him
   "forever," if the improvements or manufactures which he placed upon
   them should be abandoned by him or should cease to exist; to send a
   vessel annually to Guinea for slaves for the colony, and to send every
   year two ships from France, with a certain number of emigrants to
   Louisiana; and, at the expiration of nine years, to pay the salaries
   of the King's officers in the colony during the remainder of his time,
   with the privilege of nominating those officers for his majesty's
   appointment.
   
   All this country was to be a dependency upon the government of New
   France. The ordinances and usages of the Provost and Viscount of Paris
   were to rule the colony, in connection with a council similar to that
   which then existed in St. Domingo.
   
   About the time that France thus abandoned our soil and the few white
   inhabitants upon it, to the wealthy Parisian merchant, the King, by
   the treaty of Utrecht, ceded to England the country of Nova Scotia,
   with its ancient boundaries.
   
   Sept 14 1712: The population of Louisiana, now turned over to Crozat,
   consisted of twenty-eight familes, twenty negroes, seventy-five
   Canadians and two companies of infantry of fifty men each, the whole
   numbering three hundred and twenty-four souls. They were scattered
   over the colony, and separated by large rivers and expansive lakes,
   protected by only six forts of miserable construction, built of
   stakes, trees and earth, and portions of them covered with palm
   leaves. These forts were situated as follows: one upon the
   Mississippi, one upon Ship Island, one upon Dauphin Island, one at
   Biloxi, one at the old and the other at the new settlement of Mobile.
   
   May 17 1713: At length a vessel of fifty guns disembarked at Dauphin
   Island the officers intended for the government of Louisiana under
   Crozat's charter. Among them were Lamotte Cadillac, the new Governor;
   Duclos, the Commissary General; Lebas, the Comptroller; and Dirigoin
   and Laloire de Ursins, directors of the affairs of Crozat in the
   colony. Governor Cadillac had served with distinction in the wars of
   Canada, and brought with him to the colony of Louisiana his daughter,
   whom he attemped, as we shall see, to marry to Bienville. He was a man
   of poor judgment, of weak feelings, and much selfishness. To interest
   him in the deepest manner, in accomplishing his various schemes of
   colonial aggrndizemnet, Crozat had promised him a portion of his
   profits. But Cadillac, in his first despatch to the Minister, began to
   complain of everybody and everything appertaining to the colony; and
   all his other documents to that high functionary were, likewise,
   filled with carping and epithets, which would only emanate from a
   selfish and childish mind like his. Dauphin Island, which, he said,
   had been represented to him as a terrestrial paradise, he assured the
   Minster, was a poor and miserable spot, supporting but a few
   improvenents, with a few fig trees and sapless vines of the grape and
   lemon. Wheat did not grow upon the whole conntinent, having been
   abandoned upon the borders of Lake Pontchartrain and at Natchez, where
   one Larigne had endeavored to raise it. July 15 1713: Other colonial
   officers, also, hastened to complain. Duclos wrote to the Minister
   that twleve girls had lately arrived from France, who were too ugly
   and badly formed to secure the affections of the men, and that but two
   of them had yet found husbands. He was afraid that the other ten would
   remian on hand a long time. He thought proper to suggest that those
   who sent girls to the colony in future should attach more importance
   to beauty than to vurtue, as the Canadians were not scrupulous as to
   the lives which their spouses may have formerly led. But if they were
   only to be offered girls as ugly as these they would rather attach
   themselves to Indian females, particularly the Illinois country, where
   the Jesuit priests sanctioned such alliances by the marital ceremony.
   
   Oct. 25 1712: Duclos again wrote to the Minister, accusing Cadillac
   with having appropriated the presents intended for the Indians, to his
   own use, and recommended that the Governor should, in future, be
   required to confer with Bienville in relation to the distribution of
   these presents; the latter, he remarked, having for so many years, by
   justice, honor and good advice, so happily conciliated the different
   tribes. On the same day Cadillac wrote to the Minister, the Count
   Pontchartrain, that the inhabitants knew nothing ogf the culture of
   silk, tobacco and indigo, but confined their attention to the
   production of Indian corn and vegetables. That the commerce of the
   colony consisted merely in skins of deer, bear, and other animals and
   lumber. That the coureurs de bois hunted for peltry and slaves, which
   they brought to Mobile and sold, and that the peltry was then re-sold,
   together with vegetables and poultry, to the Spaniards in Pensacola,
   or to ships which touched upon the coast, while the Indian slaves were
   employed to saw out lumber and till the earth. But at the very next
   day Cadillac made another despatch, in which he pronounced the country
   good for nothing, and the inhaiibutants "a mass of rapscallions from
   Canada, a cut-throat set, without subordination, with no respect for
   religion, and abandoned in vice with Indian women, whom they prefer to
   French girls." He complained that upon arriving at Mobile he found the
   garrison dispersed in the woods and Indian villages, where they went
   in search of bread; that Bienville, his brother Chateaugne, and their
   cousin Boisbriant, the Mayor of Mobile, came to the colony too young
   to know how to drill soldiers, and had not since learned any thing of
   proper discipline; and that the soldiers all had Indian wives who
   cooked for them and waited upon them -- all of which he pronounced to
   be intolerable. He believed that the colony presented but two objects
   of commerce -- trade with the Spaniards of Mexico and the working of
   the precious mines, if the latter could be discovered; but that,
   unfortunately, Dirigion, one of Crozat's directors, was a man of no
   capacity, while Lebas, the comtroller, was extremely dissippated. He
   desired more tradespeople, sialors, Canadians and artizans to be sent
   out, and a chirch to be erected at Mobile. But the latter the
   inhabitants would be delighted not to have. Indeed, a majority of the
   gentlemen, priests and missionaries, had not taken sacrament for eight
   years, the soldiers had not kept Palm Sunday, but followed the example
   of Bienville and his adherents that the sea captain who brought out
   the twelve girls had seduced more than half og them upon the passage,
   which was the cause of not having married respectable persons in the
   colony, and he contended that it was best, under the circumstances,
   that the soldiers should be allowed to marry them, for fear their
   poverty would drive them to prostitution. In relation to the council
   which was to co-operate in the government of the colony. Cadillac said
   that it had not convened for the want of suitable members. To this
   string of complaints were added many others in a subsequent despatch,
   among which were the following: Feb 20 1714: That Bienville had
   governed the colony for years without having discovered any mines,
   which he (Cadillac) could have done in a short time; that Duclos was
   guilty of great impudence and presumption in cennsuring his official
   acts; that the French government was entirely too lenient with its
   colonial officers and soldiers, who threathened to revolt and burn up
   Crozat's establishment; and libertinism was carried to such an extent,
   that even the boys had Indian mistresses! In again alluding to the
   council, he stated that Duclos had nominated for Attorney-General a
   storekeeper; for Councillor, the chief surgeon; for Doorkeeper and
   Notary, one Roquet, a low soldier; and that the Assembly, which for
   the present was to meet at his house, wanted nothing but the bonnet
   and robe to make it perfect! He said that is the Minister did not
   crush the cabals formed against him by Bienville and his clan, who
   kept up an intercourse with the inhabitants of Pensacola, to whom they
   sold and from whom they bought, that Crozat would be compelled to
   abandon his colonial inhabitants, but admitted that his requirements
   that such grants as he had given should be subject to the ratification
   of the King, gave great dissatisfaction. He concluded this remarkable
   despatch with the assertion that none of the lands were worth
   granting!
   
   1714: In the meantime, a ship had arrived from the mother country with
   a large supply of provisions and considerable merchandize. She was
   followed by the Louisiana, owned by Crozat, also laden with provisions
   for the colony. Delegations of Chiefs of differnt tribes visited
   Mobile and smoked the pipe with Cadillac and Bienville, who received
   them with friendship, gratified them with presents, and dismissed them
   under pledges that they would abandon the interests of the English of
   Carolina and Virginia. But even after this, twelve Englishmen came
   among the Choctaws with a large number of Creeks or Muscogees, and
   were graciously receievd by the uinhabitants of all save two towns,
   who fortified themselves, and while beseiged by the Creeks, one night
   made their escape to Cadillac or Mobile.*
   
   * Historie de la Louisiane, par Charles Gayarre, vol. 1, pp. 91-1]2.
   Journal Historique de l'Etablissement des Francais a la Louisiane, par
   Bernard de la Harpe, 78-115. 191
   
   During the reign of Charles I. of England, the region south of the
   Chesapeake Bay was granted by that monarch to Sir Robert Heath, but
   the projected colony was neglected, and the grant was forfeited.
   Charles II. decreed that this territory should assume the name of
   Carolina, and embrace the region from Albermarle Sound southward to
   the River St. Johns and westward to the Pacific, forming a province
   vast in extent, which was conveyed to eight joint proprietors. In the
   meantime some adventurers from New England had planted a little colony
   at the mouth of the Cape Fear river. From that time emigrants
   gradually settled upon the coast now known as that of North Carolina,
   and extended their enterprises to South Carolina, where they formed a
   settlement several miles above the mouths of the Ashley and Cooper
   rivers, and at length established themselves upon the site of the
   present city of Charleston. * 
   
   * Hildreth's History of the United States, vol. 2, pp. 25-36. Coxe's
   Carolana, 2; London, 1741. Steven's History of Georgia, vol. 1, pp.
   140, 141, 58, 59. Simms' History of South Carolina, pp. 56-57.
   Carroll's Historical Collections of South Carolina, vol 1, pp. 42-52.
   Ramsay's History of South Carolina, vol. 1, pp. 2-3. Hewett's History
   of South Carolina. 1
   
   From the time that South Carolina was thus colonized, down to the
   period of 1714, to which we have brought the history of the French
   colony of Louisiana, forty-four years had passed. During much of that
   time, Caroilina and Virginia traders had penetrated portions of the
   great Muscogee nation, which extended from the Savannah nearly to the
   Warrior, in Alabama. They also carried their merchandise further west
   into the heart of the Chickasaw nation, among whom they established
   trading shops, in defiance of the French settlements upon the Mobile.
   Notwithstanding that the French were the first, since the invasion of
   De Soto, to discover and occupy the country where the Tombigby and
   Alabama lose themseleves in the sea -- although the indefatigable
   Bienville had explored those rivers to their highest navigatable
   points, at a very early period, freely interchanging friendly
   assurances with the Chickasaws living upon the one, and the Muscogees
   and Alabamas upon the other -- yet the grasping English governement
   attempted, through its enterprising traders and special emissaries, to
   occupy this region, and to induce the inhabitants to expel the French,
   not only from the head waters of those streams, but upon the backs of
   pack-horses, such goods as suited these indians, from distant
   Charleston to the remote Chickasaw nation, over creeks without
   bridges, rivers without ferries, and woods pathless and pregnant with
   many dangers. They did not, however, establish any permanent trading
   shops upon the Coosa, Tallapoosa or Alabama, at the period under
   review, but occasionally traded witth the Indians upon these streams,
   dwelling in their towns no longer sufficed to dispose of their goods,
   and receiev, in return, valuable peltries, which they conveyed back to
   Charleston. But their intercourse with these tribes was vastly
   pernicious to the French below, and to the Spaniards inhabiting the
   provinces of Florida. The Creeks, in conjunction with their British
   allies, invaded the latter provinces, as we have already seen.
   Bienville had repeatedly suggested to the French government the
   necessity of establishing a fort and trading post upon the Alabama
   river, in the immediate stronghold of the powerful Creeks, to
   counteract the influenec of the Carolinians; but awar ensued between
   him and the Creeks, with whom he had an engagement, as we ahev seen,
   and against whom he found it imperiative, for the preservation of his
   colony, to incite the Choctaws and other tribes.
   
   Accordingly Bienville embarked at Mobile, with eight iron cannon, many
   fire arms, a large supply of ammunition, merchandise suitable for the
   Indians, and a liberal supply of provisions, on board two small
   sailing vessels. With these vessels also went a number of canoes of
   various descriptions. April 4 1714: The expedition was composed of
   soldiers, Canadians, and Mobile and Choctaw Indians. Bienville sailed
   up the Mobile river to the confluence of the Tombigby and Alabama.
   Here, passing with his singular fleet into the latter stream, he
   slowly ascended it. After a long and tedious voyage, he arrived at one
   of the Alabama villages, not far above the site of the modern town of
   Selma. Continuing the voyage up the river, he successively passed the
   towns of Autauga, * Pownacte and Ecuncharte; ** and at length moored
   his boats at the beautiful Indian town of Coosawda. These towns were
   inahbited by the Alabamas, who, as we have seen, were members of the
   great Creek nation, which was composed of several different tribes,
   whom they have conquered and incorporated into their confedearcy. Many
   of these people joined the fleet on irts passage up the Alabama, and
   joyfully greeted Bienville, who was popular with all the savages, and
   who, with wonderful facility, acquired a perfect knowledge of their
   different dialects. He was met at Coosawda by some of the most
   prominent Chiefs; and here, leaving his fleet, he embarked in a canoe,
   and explored the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers for several miles up. He
   then resolved to erect his fort at the town of Tuskegee, whioch was
   then situated on the east bank of the Coosa, four miles above the
   junction of that stream with the Tallapoosa. Bienville displayed much
   judgment in the selection of this place. It was at the head of a
   peninsula formed by the windings of these rivers, which gere
   approached within six hundred yards of each other; after which they
   diverged considerably before they finally came together. It was in
   this neighborhood of some of the most populous towns, the inhabitants
   of which could easliy bring down to the fort their articles of
   commerce by either river. Returning to Coosawda, Bienville now
   advanced his fleet from thence to the junction, where, entering the
   Coosa, he arrived at Tuskegee, where the voayge terminated. The crew
   left the boats, ascended the bluff, formed themselves in religious
   order, and surrounded a cross which had been hastily constructed. Two
   priests, who accompanied the expedition, chanted praises to the Most
   High, and went through other solemn ceremonies, in prresence of a
   number of the natives, who contemplated the scene with camness and
   respect, and who preserved the most profound silence. With the
   assistance of the natives, Bienville began the erection of a wooden
   fort with four bastions, in each one of which he mounted two of the
   cannon. As the history of these cannon is rather singular, and may
   interest some of our readers, we must be allowed to digress from the
   main narrative., by a brief refernce to it. These cannon remained upon
   the entrenchments of Fort Toulouse from 1714 to 1763. Then the French
   commandant spiked them, broke off the trunions, evacuated the fort,
   and left the cannon there in that situation. The English, who, in
   1763, succeeded to the possession of this country, threw a garrisons
   into Fort Toulouse, but in a very short time also evacuated it and it
   fell into rapid decay; but still the French cannon remained there. A
   few years after Col. Hawkins had been stationed among the Creeks, as
   their agent, he induced the government, as a means of encouraging
   agriculture, to send some blacksmiths to the nation. One of these men
   succeeded in filing away the spikes from the rest of the cannon. These
   the Indians used to fire with powder for amusement. Afterwards, the
   army of Jackson occupied the site of the old fort. In due time they
   marched away, and still these a French piece remained there.
   
   * Now the site of Washington.
   ** Now the site of Montgomery.
   
   Finally, the town of Montgonmery, now our capital, began to be
   settled, and the inhabitants went up to old Fort Toulouse, then Fort
   Jackson, and brought down two of these cannon, which they fired at 4th
   of July festivals, and upon other extraordianry occasions. When it was
   known that John Quincey Adams had been elected President of the United
   States, his warm friends in Montgomery determined to make the forests
   resound with the noise of powder. One of the cannon was over-charged,
   and when touched off by Ebenezer Pond, burst into pieces and mangled
   that gentleman in such a horrid manner, that he was a long time
   recovering. The breech of the other cannon was, some years afterwards,
   burst off by heavy charges, and the portion which remains now stands
   at Pollard's corner in Montgomery, being there planted in the ground,
   the muzzle up, for the purpose of protecting the corner of the
   sidewalk. About the same year 1820, another of these cannon was
   carried to the town of Washington, then county seat of Autauga, where
   the inhabitants used to fire it upon the celebration of the 4th of
   July, and whenever a steamboat arrived, but at length it was also
   burst, by a party rejoicing one night at the result of a county
   election. Another of these old French pieces was carried to Wetumpka
   when that town was first established, and was fired upon like
   occasions. It is now at Rockford, in Coosa county, in the possession
   of the same Ebenezer Pond who was so badly wounded at Montgomery by
   the explosion of one of its mates. What became of the other four
   cannon we not know, but have understood that they, together with a
   fine brass piece, are in the river opposite Fort Jackson.
   
   Aug 1714: But in return to Bienville and his romantic expedition.
   Around the stockading the governor cut entrenchments, and one hundred
   years afterwards, Jackson placed an American fort upon the ruins,
   which assumed his name. Bienville occupied the summer and fall (Nov
   1714) in completeing the fort and out-houses, and in exploring the
   surrounding country. He visaited Tookabatcha, upon the Tallapoosa, and
   extended his journey among the Lower Muscogees, upn the Chattahoochee
   -- even crossing that river, and conferring with the Chiefs in the
   towns of Coweta and Cusseta, within the present limits of Georgia.
   Upon all these dangerous excursions he was accompanied by only a few
   faithful Canadians, and always performed his journeys on foot. Was not
   the former Governor of Louisiana, and now the Lieutenant Governor, in
   the centre of Alabama, in the deepest depths of her forests, among
   people with whom he had been at war, and who were yet tampered with by
   the English, visiting their towns, diistributing presents, and
   exhorting them to form alliances with the French colony of Louisiana,
   and to expel the English who should attempt to form posts among them.
   Yes! citizens of the counties of Montgomery, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Macon
   and Russell, reflect that one hundred and thirty-seven years ago * the
   French Governor of Louisiana -- the great and good Bienville -- walked
   over your soil, and instituted friendly relations with its rude
   inhabitants -- among whom not a solitary white man had a permanent
   abode -- and established a small colony upon the east bank of the
   Coosa!
   
   * This being now 1851.
   
   Giving the fort the name "Toulouse," in honor of a distinguished
   French count of that name, who had much to do with the government of
   France and her colonies, and leaving in command Marigny de Mandaville
   with thirty soldiers, and one of the priests, Bienville turned his
   boats down the river, and, after a prosperous voyage, arrived at
   Mobile with the Indians and Canadians who had accompanied them. *
   
   * MS. letters obtained from Paris.
   
   Thus, we see, that although the French had been residing upon the
   Mobile river since 1702, and the Canadians had several times explored
   Central Alabama, yet no attempt was made to form permanent settlements
   in this region, until twelve years afterwards, when it was so
   successfully accomplished by Bienville.
   
   Governor Cadillac, in a despatch to the Minister, attempted to acquire
   all the credit for the peace which had been made with the Creek
   nation, and boasted, generally, of the important services which, he
   contended, he had rendered the colony. But he was the same
   inefficient, selfish and fault-finding officer. A large majority of
   the inhabitants relied solely upon Bienville, whose most prominent
   friends were Duclos, Boisbriant, Chateaugne, Richebourg, and du Tisne,
   and the larger number of the priesthood. The friends of Cadillac were
   Marigny de Mandaville, Bagot, Bloundel, Latour, Villiers and Terrine.
   Thus this handful of men were at daggers' ponts with each other,
   instead of uniting for their own preservation and prosperity, and that
   of the feeble settlements over which they had charge. A tyranical
   ordinance was issued in France, upon the petition of Crozat, which
   further embarrassed affairs. All persons were forbidden to bring anu
   merchandise into Louisiana, or to carry any out of it, under penalty
   of confiscation to the profit of Crozat. No person i the colony was
   allowed to have a vessel fit to go to sea, and all subjects of the
   King were prohibited from sending vessels to the colony to carry on
   commerce. Crozat was determined to avail himself of the monoploy which
   had been granted him, and this ordinance was baseed upon the
   misrepresentations of Cadillac, who had, more than once, complained to
   the Minister, that the inhabitants of the colony were amking a little
   for themselves, in a commerce with the Spaniards, which was deemed a
   very unwarrantable thing by that illiberal man. Cadillac hated
   Bienville for several reasons, the most prominent of which were, that
   he was too popular with the Canadians and Indians, too much respected
   and obeyed by the inhabitants generally, and had absolutely refused to
   become his somnn-in-law. Cadillac's daughter, who had been educated in
   France, and wwho, liek her father, thought much of the blood and honor
   of the family, fell in love with Bienville, soon after her arrival in
   Mobile. The proud governor could not, at forest, brook the idea of an
   alliance with a Canadian, but he saw, he supposed, the strong
   attachment of his daughter, who now began, like many hypocritical
   girls, to pine away and sicken in consequence of his refusal.
   Believing that Bienville's great influence with the inhabitants, as
   wellas with the various Indian tribes, would materially strengthen his
   administration and advance the commerce of Crozat, the profits of
   which he was to share, if he could but once secure his friendship and
   obedience, he resolved to sacrifice his family dignity by gratufying
   the wishes of his daughter. One day he accosted Bienville, with much
   respect and suavity of manner, and invited him into his closet. He
   then disclosed to him his entire willingness to sanction the
   contemplated match between him and his daughter, charged him to treat
   her with affection, and concluded his conversation with a very
   patrinizing air. Bienville, much surprised at the whole affair, as he
   never alluded to marriage in the few visits which he paid the
   daughter, gravely assured Cadillac that he had "determined never to
   marry." This was too bad; and, from that moment, Bienville found in
   the persons of the Governor and his daughter, two cordial haters.
   
   The redoubtable Carate de la Vente continued to declaim, not only
   against the colonial government, but against everybody except his
   friend Cadillac. In his despatches to the Minister, he said that the
   Canadians particularly, "did not widh to connect themselves with any
   women by marriage, much preferring to carry on scandalous concubinage
   with the young Indian squaws, who were hurried by their nature into
   all kinds of irregularities." That they scarcely ever saw a church,
   never performed mass, and never partook of the sacraments; that, while
   a few of the inhabitants did celebrate Sundays and festival days, the
   large majority resorted to taverns abd to public game -- "whence it is
   easy to comprehend, that they are almost all drunkards, gamesters,
   blasphemers of the holy name of God, and declared enemies of all good,
   making a matter of ridicule of our holy religion and of the persons
   who perform its exercises." They corrupted the soldiers by such horrid
   examples; and even officers, who wore the sword and plume, had
   children by Indian females. The missionaries found themselves useless
   to a people who were led away by such vices and to the Indians, who
   were corrupted by the sins of the latter, and consequently they would
   be forced to leave a land so accursed. La Vente suggested to the
   Minister two plans "to rectify the affiars of the past and those of
   the future," either to solely colonize Louisiana with Christian
   famileis, or permit the French to marry the Indian women by religious
   rites. Or, if these plans could not be carried into effect, that a
   large number of girls, "better chosen than the last, and especially
   some who will be sufficiently pleasing and well-formed to suit true
   officers of the garrisons and the principal inhabitanats," should be
   sent over from France as a partial remedy. Verily the worthy curate's
   head appeared to run much upon women of various grades!
   
   According to the ordesr which he had received, De la Loire des Ursins
   made a settlement at Natchez, to promote the commerce of Crozat.
   Cadillac set off on an expedition to discover mines of gold and silver
   in the Illinois country, and did not return from his chimerical
   excursion until October, when he wrote to the Minister that he
   everywhere sety the Indians upon the English; but, intruth, he had
   aroused the anger of the savages against himself wherever he had
   appeared among them; and, in descending the Mississippi, upon his way
   to Mobile, he had refused to smoke with the powerful and war-like
   Natchez Chiefs, which was highly resented on their part, and
   afterwards led a awr with the French.
   
   July 1715: An English officer from Carolina, named Hutchey, who had
   passed through the Creek and Chickasaw nations, came into the
   territory of the Natchez. From thence he began the descent of the
   Mississippi, to form alliances with the tribes below. But Des Ursins,
   who had gained intelligence of his movements, pursued him in a boat,
   captured him near Manchac, and carried him to Mobile. From thence
   Bienville sent him to Pensacola; but having determined to reach
   Carolina by land, he was killed upon the route by a Thomez Indian. A
   large canoe, containing seven Alabamas, an Englishman and a Canadian
   named Boutin, arrived at Mobile. They reported that the Indians,
   bordering upon Carolina, had risen in war against the inhabitants of
   that province, had killed those upon the frontiers, and that even Port
   Royal and several other towns had been destroyed. The war extended to
   the distant Chickasaw nation. There, fifteen English traders, who had
   taken shelter in one cabin were instantly slain in the presence of De
   St. Helene, a Frenchman, who was then among the tribe, and who, a few
   minutes after the massacre, was killed himself, through mistake, by
   two young Chickasaws, engaged in the bloody scene, they supposing him
   to be one of the enemy. His death was regretted by all the Chickasaws
   who were present.
   
   1715: To profit by this intelligence, so agreeable to the French
   colony, Bienville immediately despatched emissaries ammong the
   Alabamas and Muscogees, to renew the alliances which he had formed
   with them, and to engage them to turn their whole commerce into French
   channels. He sent messengers to the Choctaws, demanding the head of
   Outactachito, who had introduced the English into their nation, and
   who had driven off the inhabitants of the two Choctaw towns that were
   faithful to the French and who still lay around Mobile with the head
   of this warrior, which had been reluctantly stricken off by the
   Chiefs, who were afraid to disobey Bienville. They bore an invitation
   to those Choctaws whom they had forced to leave their homes, to return
   in peace.
   
   Aug 1715: The storeship Dauphin came to anchor in Mobile bay, where
   she landed two companies of infantry, commanded by Mandaville and
   Bagot, which increased the expenditures of the colony to the amount of
   thirty two thousand livres a year. One of the passengers, named
   Rogeon, came to fill the place of Dirigoin, one of the directors of
   Crozat, who had been removed from office. At the same time a frigate
   from Rochelle, and a brigantine from Martinique, arriving in the bay,
   requested permission to dispose of their cargoes to the inhabitants;
   but the authorities, anxious to perfect the monoploy of Crozat,
   refused them the privilege.
   
   In the meantime, Cadillac had not forgotten how to fill the sheets,
   which he sent to Count Pontchartarin, with gloomy pictures of the
   colony, and the licentiousness of its inhabitants. In one of these
   despatches he denominated Louisiana "a monster which had neither head
   nor tail." He complained of the manner in which the council
   unscrupulously altered the decrees of the French government. he said
   that the whole country was the poorest and most miserable upon the
   globe, the people of which would sooner believe a lie than the truth.
   He recommended that a stone fort be erected at Mobile, but immediately
   interposed an obstacle to the project by saying that the topographical
   engineer was a man without firmness and judgment, and was always
   drunk. He was violently opposed to the establishment of a colony upon
   the Mississippi, on the ground which sustains New Orleans, a measure
   now contemplated by Crozat, through the recommendation of Bienville.
   He asserted that the Mississippi river was too crooked, too rapid in
   high tides, and too low in the dry season, for the naviagtion of
   canoes!
   
   July 20 1715: At length Cadillac went to reside on Dauphin Island,
   where he had formerly spent much of his time. It was fortified with
   four barracks of palisades, covered with rushes, and a guard-house,
   with a prison of the same style -- the whole surrounded with palisades
   very irregularly arranged. From this island he immediately issued the
   following singular ordinance:
   
     ORDINANCE OF M. DE LEMOTTE CADILLAC.
     
     "As we have obtained certain knowledge of several cabals and
     conspiracies which tend to revolt and sedition, and on account of
     some disturbances from which evil consequences may ensue, in order
     to abolish and obviate the misconduct caused by drunkenness, and
     also disturbances fomented by women of irregular life, or by the
     instigation of other persons who excite to vengeance those who are
     so unfortunate as to expose themselves by evil discourse, and as
     every one takes it upon himself to carry a sword and other weapons
     without having any right to do so, we most positively prohibit to
     all persons of low birth, to all clerks of M. Crozat, sailors and
     strangers lately arrived from France, if they are not prtovided
     with his majesty's commission, from carrying a sword or any other
     weapons, either by day or night on Dauphin Island, or at any other
     settlements where there is an actual garrison, under the penalty of
     three hundred livres fine, to be applied to the erection of a
     church on Dauphin Island; and in default of payment. the offender
     shall be confined in prison for the space of one month, and the
     penalty shall be greater for each repitition of the offence. We
     grant to all gentlemen the privilege of wearing a sword after
     having proved their nobility, and presented their titles to the
     secretary of the council for examination, and not otherwise, under
     the same penalties. We grant, also, to all civil and military
     officers, actually serving in the country, permission to wear a
     sword, &c."
     
   This, while this ridiculous governor was esatblishing himself in a
   court of heraldry, in a miserable cabin of palm logs on Dauphin
   Island, and pronouncing upon titles of nobility, Bienville was in the
   interior of the immense wilds of Louisiana, establishing trading posts
   and advancing the interests of the colony. Cadillac, whom the
   excellent commissary, Duclos, pronounced to be "an avarcarious,
   cunning and obstinate man, who kept himself everything which the court
   sent to the savages," was fast losing ground with the authorities in
   France. Crozat, in one of his last communications to him, used this
   language:
   
     "It is my opinion that all the disorders of which M. Cadillac
     complains in the colony proceed from the mal-administration of M.
     Cadillac himself." The Minister added this postscript: "Messrs.
     Cadillac and Duclos, whose characters are utterly incompatible with
     each other, and, who, at the same time, lack the intelligence
     necessary to the performance of their duties, are recalled, and
     their places are filled by others."
     
   It was unjust that Duclos should have been made to lose his station
   because his views of colonial policy clashed with those of the
   Governor.
   
   The King of France had ordered Bienville to form several
   establishments upon the Mississippi, and to commence with that among
   the Natchez, with eighty soldiers. As sson as possible he began the
   construction of large canoes to be used as transports. Cadillac
   refused to place at his disposal the number of soldiers designated by
   his majesty, and Bienville, when all things were ready, departed with
   only thirty-four soldiers under the command of Richebourg. To these
   were added fifteen sailors. Bienville advanced to a town of the
   Tonicas, eighteen leagues below Natchez, and there learning from
   Father Davion, still a missionary among those people, that they were
   not to be trusted, and would probably become allies to the Natchez, he
   established himself temporarily upon an island in the Mississippi,
   where he erected three barracks, which he enclosed with piles. His
   object was to obtain possession of the persons of those Chiefs and
   prominent warriors of the Natchez, who had recently murdered some
   Frenchmen, in consequence of the refusal of Cadillac to smoke with
   them, which they viewed as a declaration of war. He intended, after he
   had made a example of a few Chiefs, and had intimidated the common
   people, to proceed to their towns and there construct a fortification
   in obedience to the orders of the King. Father Davion further informed
   Bienville that the Natchez Chiefs did not suspect that the murders
   which they had committed were known to the French authorities, and
   were anxious to keep them concealed. Bienville then despatched
   messengers up the river, who were instructed to pass by the Natchez
   during the night, and proceed toward the Wabash settlements, and to
   inform all Frenchmen, whom they met descending, to be upon their
   guard, for that he was stationed at the Tonicas, and that he was
   preparing to be revenged upon the murderers of the Frenchmen, which
   would probably produce a serious war with that tribe
   
   April 27 1716: Three Natchez, who were sent by their Chiefs to
   Bienville, arrived with the pipe of peace, but the latter declined to
   receive it, and stated that the messengers might smoke with his
   soldiers, but that he would only smoke with the Great Sun Chiefs, for
   he was the Great Chief of the French. He affected indifference about
   establishing a trading post among them, and intimated an intention to
   give the Tonicas the benefit of his merchandise, as the Natchez Chiefs
   had exhibited such a want of respect and friendship, in not coming
   themselves to greet him.
   
   The three savages speedily returned home with this startling message,
   and with a French interpreter, who could further explain the reply of
   Bienville. One morning, Bienville saw four magnificent canoes
   descending the river, and bearing toward the island. Eight warriors
   stood erect and sung the pipe-song, while three Chiefs, in each canoe,
   sat under immense umbrellas, They were Natchez Chiefs, allured thither
   by the snare which the royal lieutenant had laid for apparent
   friendship, he conducted them within his rude military works, which
   they entered singing the song of peace, and holding the pipe over his
   head. Afterwards, they passed their hands over his stomach without
   rubbing, and then over themselves, Bienville refused the pipe with
   contempt, and desired, first, to know the nature of their visit. Much
   disconcerted, the Chiefs went out and presented their pipes to the
   Sun. The High Priest, with his arms extended and his eyes fixed upon
   the bright luminary which he daily worshipped, invoked it to soften
   the temper and change the resolution of the stern Bienville. Again
   entering the works, he presented the pipe to Bienville, who scornfully
   refused it. At that moment the Chiefs were seized, ironed, and placed
   in the prison. At night, Bienville informed the Grand Sun, and his
   brothers, the Angry Serpent and the Little Sun, whom he had caused to
   be separated from the others and brought into his presence, that
   nothing would satisfy him but to be placed in possession of the heads
   of the Chiefs who advised the murder of the five Frenchmen, and of
   those who executed the horrid deed; that he knew that they were not
   concerned in the transaction themselves, and, consequently, he did not
   desire to take their lives, unless they failed to comply with his
   demands. He gave them until morning to determine upon his requisition,
   and by daylight the three brothers appeared before him, and implored
   him to remember that no one now remained in their town of sufficient
   authority to chop off the heads of the men whom he demanded, and
   requested that the Angry Serpent might be permitted to return home to
   accomplish the dangerous mission. Bienville refused, but sent the
   Little Sun in his place, with an officer and twelve soldiers, who
   conveyed him in a canoe within six miles of Natchez, where he was
   placed on shore. The Little Sun returned to Bienville, with three
   heads, two of which the French commander recognized as those he he had
   demanded. The other head was that of an innocent person, the brother
   of one of the murderers, who had fled to the forests. Bienville
   expressed his deep regret to the Chiefs, that they had caused an
   innocent person to suffer, and assured them that nothing would
   compromise his resentment but the possession of the head of the Chief,
   White Earth. Notwithstanding the Little Sun had acted with so much
   promptness, and had brought with him a Frenchman and two Illinois
   Indians, who he found tied to stakes in one of the Natchez towns,
   raedy to be burned to death, yet Bienville caused him to be ironed and
   remanded to prison with the others. The next day he despatched to the
   Natchez, the High Priest of the Temple and two Chiefs of War for the
   head of White Earth. They were conducted by a detachment almost to
   their village. In the meantime, by a confession of the imprisoned
   Chiefs, Bienville ascertained that the English had been encouraged and
   the Frenchmen had been killed at the instance of White Earth, Grigars,
   and two Chiefs and two warriors then to his custody.The Indians whom
   he had sent to the Natchez having returned without the head of White
   Earth, who had made his escape, and the innudation of the Mississippi
   having caused much sickness on the island, Bienville determined to end
   the affair by a treaty with the Chiefs, who willingly acceded to his
   terms, and were grateful that he had spared their lives. They bound
   themselves to kill White Earth whenever he could be captured, to
   restore all the goods which they had seized, to cut two thousand five
   hundred piles of acacia wood, thirty feet long and ten inches in
   diameter, and to deposit them at the spot, at Natchez, where it was
   contemplated to erect a fort; and to furnish the bark of three
   thousand cypress trees, for covering houses, by the end of July. *
   
   June 3 1716: Adjutant Pailloux departed, with two soldiers, to the
   town of the Natchez, with the Chiefs and other warriors; Bienville,
   however, retained the Angry Seroent and his brother, the Little Sun,
   as hostages, and also kept the four murderers, who now rent the prison
   with their doleful death songs and loud speeches of defiance.
   Pailloux, upon arriving among the Natchez, found them assembled in
   council, and learned, with pleasure, that they were satisfied with the
   compact which their Chiefs had made with Bienville. He selected an
   eminence, near the Mississippi, advantageously situated for theat
   purpose, for the site of a fort. June 6: In the meantime, Bienville
   had been visited at the island by nine old Natchez men, who came with
   much show of solemnity, and invited him to smoke the pipe of peace
   with them, which he now no longer refused to do. June 9-11: He sent
   them home with the Little Sun and four soldiers, who conveyed, in a
   large canoe, axes, spades, pickaxes, nails and other irons, to
   construct the fort. The next day, the soldiers, at the island, struck
   off the heads of the two warriors. Afterwards Captain Richebourg was
   obliged to depart for Mobile, on account of sickness. June 13: A
   number of Canadian voyageurs, whom Bienville detained at the island,
   while on their way from the Illinois country, with peltries and
   supplies for the people of the lower part of Louisiana, now that the
   difficulty with the Natchez had ended, were permitted to proceed down
   the Mississippi; the royal lieutenant caused them to take with them
   the two Chiefs, whose heads he ordered to be struck off twelve leagues
   below, which was faithfully executed.
   
   Aug 2-25: The Natchez, directed by the French officer and assisted by
   a few soldiers, labored upon the fort and ditches with great
   assiduity, and soon brought the works to a state of completion.
   Bienville had arrived a few days before, in company with the Angry
   Serpent, whom he had retained about his person until every seeming
   obstacle was overcome. Before the gate of the fort, six hundred
   Natchez warriors appeared, unarmed, and joined three hundred women in
   a dance in honor of Bienville; afterwards the Chiefs crossed the
   threshold and smoked the pipe of peace with him. Such was the end of
   the first Natchez war.
   
   Oct 4: Leaving Pailloux in command of the post at Natchez, Bienville
   descended the Mississippi, and sailed to Mobile for the purpose of
   reporting to Governor Cadillac. Here he received a packet from the
   Marine Council, in which he was ordered by the King of France to
   govern as chief of the colony, until L'Epinay, the successor of
   Cadillac, should arrive. He was thus saved the disagreeable necessity
   of reprting to his old enemy, who had, in advance, denounced his
   conduct to the Minister, as fraught with cruelty and the deepest
   treachery towards the Natchez Chiefs. We are not prepared to defend
   Bienville from these charges, although his course was approved by the
   government and by all the colonial authorities, with the exception of
   Cadillac and his junto.
   
   The King of France, acceding to the request of Crozat, allowed one
   hundred salt-makers to be sent annually to Louisiana, who, after
   laboring there for three years, were to receive land. He also
   consented to send thither eight companies of soldiers, with permission
   to two, out of each company, to settle in the country, together with a
   hundred hospital girls, annually, to increase the colonial population.
   The King refused to adopt the suggestion of the Curate La Vente, of
   permitting Frenchmen to marry Indian women.
   
   For the payment of colonial expenses, for the year 1716, now nearly
   brought to a close, Duclos, the commissary-general, required of the
   French government an appropriation of the following amounts:
   
     A Governor............................. 6000 livres.
     A commissary........................ 6000 livres.
     A royal lieutenant.................. 2000 livres.
     An adjutant............................... 900 livres.
     Four captains of companies..... 4800 livres.
     Four lieutenants...................... 3600 livres.
     Ensigns................................... 2400 livres.
     A secretary............................. 1000 livres.
     A store-keeper........................ 800 livres.
     A surgeon................................ 800 livres.
     A chaplain................................ 800 livres.
     Incidental expenses.......... 80,992 livres.
     ----------------------------------------------------
     .............................................110,092 livres.*
     
     * Historie de la Louisiane, par Charles Gayarre, vol. 1, pp.
     148-152.
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