Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Fall 2005 - (Page 61)

never drawn to the satisfaction of either nation.” Anglos were warned not to venture into Spanish-held territories, but no one knew for sure where those territories started. In an act of concession, Jefferson offered to relinquish all land west of the Colorado River. To Spain, this was a gift of land that was already theirs. The Arroyo Hondo, said the Spanish, had been the boundary since 1700. But the Americans didn’t know about the Arroyo Hondo; it had never appeared on any of their maps. Another small concession was made to move the boundary to the Sabine River, but Jefferson realized with each concession the his purchase became significantly smaller. The U.S. chose to make its stand at the Sabine. In November 1805, Captain Sebastian Rodriguez was sent to fortify the town of Nacogdoches. Early the following year, Rodriguez began sending patrols from his detachment of 100 Spanish militia to scout the eastern bank of the Sabine. All Anglo-Saxon travelers or settlers captured in the area were ordered detained. By April 1806, the Spanish militia at Nacogdoches was more than 800 strong when Lt. Col. Simon de Herrera arrived as the newly commissioned Commandant of the Louisiana Frontier and Post des Nacogdoches. The Spanish weren't the only ones fortifying their interest. In September of that year, Dr. John Sibley, Indian Agent for Southwest Louisiana, sent a dispatch to his son, confirming the arrival of Gen. James Wilkinson who established Camp Claiborne (named after the first governor of the Territory of Orleans). With him came nine companies of infantry and two companies of artillery. The militia personnel at Camp Claiborne was expected to be increased with companies of cavalry arriving from Natchez to a force of nearly 1,000 men. History has recorded conflicting opinions of Wilkinson. His record was marred by several accusations of impropriety. Temple Bodley, in his biography of George Rogers Clark, said Wilkinson “had considerable military talent, but used it for his own gain.” It was former vice president Aaron Burr himself who enlisted Wilkinson's aid in his plot to establish himself leader of an independent nation. In July, 1806, Burr sent a coded letter to Wilkinson that read, in part: “Burr's plan of operations is to move rapidly from the falls on the 15th of November, with the first five hundred or one thousand men, in light boats now constructing for that purpose — to be at Natchez between the 5th and 15th of December — then to meet Wilkinson — then to determine whether it will be expedient in the first instance to seize on or pass by Baton Rouge. On receipt of this send Burr an answer — draw on Burr for all expenses, &c. The people of the country to which we are going are prepared to receive us — their agents now with Burr say that if we will protect their religion, and will not subject them to a foreign power, that in three weeks all will be settled. The gods invite to glory and fortune — it remains to be seen whether we deserve the boon.” Whether Wilkinson actually planned to carry out Burr’s treason, or was merely conducting his own sting operation is uncertain. For reasons known only to him, Wilkinson informed President Jefferson of the conspiracy and an order went out for Burr’s arrest. Fearing the growing tension between American and Spanish troops, Wilkinson was instructed by Jefferson “to hasten an accommodation with the Spanish Commandant on the Sabine, and as soon as that was effected to fall back with his principal force for the defense of the Mississippi River and New Orleans.” CREATION Again, whether Wilkinson was simply following the president’s orders or had other motives in mind is subject to interpretation. The creation of a Free State of Sabine, as Wilkinson was inclined to think of it, would have been an easy starting point in developing an independent nation. OF THE NEUTRAL STRIP left: This mano and metate, a corn-grinding apparatus made of basalt, was used by an Adaeseño family in the Spanish Lake community, about six miles north of the Los Adaes fortress. Mano is the Spanish word for hand, and refers to the cylindrical stone held in the hand. Metate is the Nahualt work for mortar, and refers to the grinding slab. above: Mexican imports, such as this fragment of a tin-enameled bowl made in Puebla, were traded at the far reaches of the Spanish Empire, including Los Adaes. Fall 2005/LOUISIANA CULTURAL VISTAS 61

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Fall 2005

Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Fall 2005 Contents Editor’s Column Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Louisiana State Museum After Katrina and Rita Tabasco: Edmund McIlhenny and the Birth of a Louisiana Pepper Sauce Historic New Orleans Collection Louisiana Association of Museums New Orleans’ Coffee Connection No Man’s Land Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism Bookstand (Book Review by Thomas Uskali) Sound Advice (Music Review by Ben Sandmel) Forum (Commentary by Roy Blount, Jr. )

Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Fall 2005

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.