LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS
DR. JOHN SIBLEY AND THE LOUISIANA-TEXAS
FRONTIER, 1803-1814
Natchitoches May 8th, 1809
I have Observed in the proceedings of the last Session of
Congress In Consequence of a representation from Governor
Claiborne, affording relief to the Tribe of allibamis Indians
Relative to their Lands has been a Subject of Consideration. I
could have wished that the cases of all these Indian Tribes in
this Territory, who have no land Could have been Considered
at the same time. The Boluxes [Biloxis] who in the year 1805
lived on Bayou Beauf in the County of Rapides on lands they
Inherited from their Ancestors, have Since been removed from
their Lands by a Company of Individuals who claim them under
a purchase said to have been made of the Indians while Louisi-
ana was in the hands of the Government of Spain & Sanctioned
by it. They have since been Rambling about the Neighbour-
hood of Avoyal [Avoyelles] ,
60 & the White Inhabitants Complain
of their encroachments. There is another Tribe Called Huani
Choctaws, who emigrated from the Huani Choctaw Town on the
East Side of Mississippi upwards of 15 years ago, who with the
Permission of the Boluxes Settled Near them on the Bayou
Beauf on Lands then belonging to the Boluxes, who have been
likewise with them Removed; They since (or part of them)
Settled Themselves at the Cooks Prarie about 40 Miles Southard
of Natchitoches between Red River and the Sabine where they
fenced fields & Cultivated them with the Plow, Built Comfort-
able Huts, and were Collecting about them Some Stocks of
Domestic Animals; when some Surveyors were Sent Out, who
Surveyed the Lands they Occupied, Ordered the Indians off;
& the Claimants have Since Sent Out Labourers to fence in
the Lands & Built Houses on them & one Man has fixed there
a Large Stock of Cattle. The Chactoos
61 a Very Ancient
Tribe of Louisiana Indians are in a Similar Situation to the
Boluxos. The Principal Village of the Pascagolas [Pascagoulas]
is on Red River about 50 Miles below Natchitoches On Lands
Given them by the Spanish Government More than 40 Years
Ago when they emigrated from the Pascagolo [Pascagoula]
River on the East Side of the Mississippi. Their Lands are
Claimed by an Individual Under an Indian purchase Sanctioned
by the Spanish Government. In Consequence of which The
Tribe have become divided &
Scattered. One party of them
Under a Chief or leader has Gone &
Settled themselves On
Lands belonging to the United States below Avoyal Partly
between Oppolousas [Opelousas] & Point Cupe [Pointe Coupee]
Another party of them have Ascended, & Settled On Red River
about 50 Miles above Natchitoches on Lands of the United
States in the Vicinity of the Compte Settlement, a Small dis-
tance above where the Natchitoches Indians now live. The
Neighbouring white Inhabitants Complain of their Killing up
their Stocks of Cattle, Hogs etc & those of them who Still
Remain at the Old Village are Urged to Move off by the Claimant
of their Lands. The Lands Occupied by the Tensaw
[Tenisaw] or Appelach Indians
62 On Red River a few Leagues
above the Rapides are Claimed by the Same Company who have
Succeeded in Removing the Boluxas & the Huani Choctaws.
There are likewise Several Rambling Tribes of Choctaws in
this Territory who have no Lands (viz) in the Parishes of
Washita, Acatahola, on Bay Chico in the Parish of Oppolousas
[Opelousas], about Rapides and between this Town & the Sabine.
There are likewise Several parties of emigrant Vag-
abond Creeks, Commonly Called Conchettas, one party of them
with Some Alibamis have Settled on Red River about Latitude
32° 40°; Another On the East Side of the River Sabine about
70 Miles South westwardly from Natchitoches, Some On the
West Side of the Sabine, & Some who have no fixed place of
residence.--Difficulties of one Kind & Another occur almost
every day between Some of these tribes, or between some of
those &
other Settled Tribes or Nations, or between them &
the White Inhabitants, or they have Some wants [manuscript
illegible] Nation or Tribe to represent, which Claims an atten-
tion Rendered perplexing & difficult, by their Scattered & Un-
settled Condition which destroys all National responsibility or
Pledges of their Good behavior. If they are urged to adopt
more Civilised habits by immitating their white Neighbours,
or Some of their Red brethren towards the Rising Sun by
Cultivating fields of Corn & Cotton & making Cloth they reply
"Give us land & Protect us in the peaceable possession of it
from your own people & we will then take your Advise." I
think all of Each Nation Should be brought to live together.
Lands Should be Allotted them subordination to their Chiefs
should be encouraged, & to place in Our Government & Laws
an entire Confidence, by which they Should always find pro-
tection, justice & impartiality. Should you be of the Opinion
that the Subject of this letter merits Attention. I beg you to
have the goodness to Submit the Same to the proper depart-
ment for Consideration.
ment for Consideration.
I am
Sir
with very great
Respect & Esteem
Your Obt. Hble Servant
John Sibley. Indian Agent
For Orleans Territory
The Honourable
The Secretary of War
Natchitoehes May 10th 1809
I had the honor to receive a Coppy of your Circular of the
15th of March Enclosing the Acts of Congress relative to public
Accounts etc., by the last Mail, and shall in future punctually
Observe the provisions of the Law in Such accounts &
expendi-
tures as may accrue in that Section of the Indian department
of which I am Agent.
63 previously to the receipt of those In-
structions I have drawn on the Secretary of War for the sum
of $500 in favour of Mr Thomas Irwin late Assistant Factor
at this place, my letter of advice I believe expressed only (as
usual) "Contingencies" of this department. The Bill was drawn
to pay to Mr Gaspard Philebere $270 for Nine Months Service
as Interpreter of Indian Languages, for which I hold his dupli-
cate receipt for Nine Months preceeamg 30th March 1809. the
Balance was to pay the Armorer I have employed to repair
Indian Guns etc. I hold Likewise his receipts. Mr Irwin
the late Assistant Factor left this place for Philadelphia On the
13th Instant. Mr Linnard not having Returned nor no person
to Take Charge of the Factory, An Inventory was made Out.
I gave Mr Irwin my receipt for the whole & have since per-
formed the duty of Factor, with the assistance of Mr Philebere
the Interpreter (who is a good man) & we shall Continue to
do the Same in a manner Accomodating to the Indiana Who
are Coming in in Considerable numbers at this Season of the
year to trade, & Shall do all in my power to prevent the In-
terest of the United States from Suffering till Mr Linnard
Arrives who I anxiously expect Daily. There being I believe
about ten Thousand Deer & Bear Skins On hand, I have persons
employed to beat them to prevent their being Destroyed by
Worms.—-A Return of the amt of Stock on hand Should have
been made before now Agreable to the Instructions of the
Supermtendant of trade this I Shall Still defer doing for Some
Short time in expectation of Mr Linnard's Arrival.
Since the first day of January last I have in Addition to
the $30 a Month Salary to Mr Philebere the Indian Interpreter
Given him two Rations a day which the Contractor here has
Issued on my Order this Addition was made in Consequence
of Mr Philebere having got married & finding his Salary In-
sufficient for his support & Could have done better than remain in
Our Service without that addition, he is a faithful, Honest, Sober,
attentive Man, & Can Interpret for Any Indians who visit us
& there are within the Limits of my Agency More than Twenty
different Tribes of Indians, most of whom speak Languages
peculiar to Each Tribe & he serves in a Double Capacity; as
Interpreter to me & likewise to the Factory; & is never Out
of the way, when he is wanted; his place Could not be well
Supplied in Any Other One Man. I hope therefore this Addi-
tional Small Allowance to his Salary will meet your Approbation.
Capt Glass
64 has just returned here from a Trading Voyage
Amongst the Panis &
Hietan Nations of Indians, who Inhabit
the Country towards the head of Red River, and reports that
the Panis & Hietans appear particularly Attached to the Gov-
ernment & People of the United States, during his Travels &
residence amongst the Indians where he spent more than Eight
Months he was Conducted by Indians to a place where he Saw
in Large Masses of many thousands of pounds weight a Singular
Kind of Mineral, it in colour resembles Iron but whiter, it is hard
as Steel, Yet ? as gold or silver, it is obedient to the
Magnet, but less so than Iron. Neither the Nitric Sulphuric
nor Muriatic Accid will touch it, it is not Flexible in the greatest
heat that Can be produced in a Blacksmith's furnace, it will
neither Corrode nor Rust by exposure to the Atmosphere, it
receives a polish as Brilliant as a diamond & of a quicksilver
Colour, it is found in a Limestone Country & entirely unmixed
with any mineral or other matter. If it is not Platina, I do
not know what it is; I have Some of it in my possession &
have Sent a piece of it to Philadelphia to be tried. Capt. Glass
says an hundred Thousand pounds of it Could be Obtained
should it prove Valuable; he Saw several other Curiosities which
I find noticed in his Journal which he has permitted me to
peruse.- Capt Glass farther Says that when he left the
Panis Nation a party of Panis & Hietans to the number of
about one Thousand Warriors had gone to War Against the
Ozages on the River Arkensa, with a determination to ex-
terminate that Band of Robbers; who are Constantly stealing
their Horses; a party of them stole from Capt. Glass 36 Val-
uable Horses from Near the Panis Village, and during the last
year he believes they Stole from the Panis Near One Thousand
head. These Ozages are regarded by all white & Red people in
this quarter as a Common peste to mankind.--
Sir with Great Esteem
Your Obt. Servant
John Sibley Indn Agent
The Honourable
Secretary of War
Natchitoches July sth 1809
More than two Years ago I was specially Instructed by the
late President of the U. S.
65 to endeavour to procure an Inter-
view with the Several tribes of Indians Inhabiting the Sea
Coast Along the Bay of St. Bernard
66 I sent Messengers amongst
them several times with tokens &
friendly invitations to visit
Natchitoches; & different Parties of them at different times
set off to come here & were turned back by the Spaniards. I
have lately Succeeded in procuring a friendly visit from three
parties, (viz) a Chief & ten principal Men from a Village of
A Tribe called Attakapos
67 who live near the Mouth of the
Trinity River at or near the Accokesacos [Orcoquizas]. Also a
chief & 23 principal persons of a Tribe called Man
Eaters
68 who
live farther South at the Bay of St Bernard; & also a chief &
Ten principal persons of the Tribe called the Bedies
69 who live
Alternately on the Sea Shore & Back upon the Brasos [Brazos]
& Collerado [Colorado]. I have held friendly Talks with all of
them and made them such presents as in my Judgment were
Suited to the Occasion. I took much pains to display & explain
to them a United States Flag & to inform them it was Such as our
Ships carried and when they saw a Vessel off their Coast with
Such a flag they would know whose it was and that the people On
Board were their friends, & If any of our Vessels in a Storm
should be driven a Shore & Broke; It was the request of their
great Father the President of the United States,
70 that they
should be kind to the unfortunate people, & Assist them all in
their power in Saving the property in the Vessel, and Conduct
the people (should they require it) to where white people live.
All which with one Accord they promised to do. I hope that
the Amicable Arangements I have made with these people
may be the Means of Saving the lives & property of any unfor-
tunate Vessels Crew Who may be Cast upon the Dangerous
Shore they Inhabit. The Indians were here on the 4th
of July, the firing of Cannon seemed to make a Considerable
impression upon them being the first they ever heard or Saw.
They were well pleased and went Away apparently gratified
with their Visit. The Chiefs Said, "now they had found out the
Road they should frequently visit Natchitoches for the pur-
pose of trading at the factory."
71
I have so many Guns, farming Utensils etc to get repaired
for the Indians. I Could get it done much Cheaper & Better &
with less difficulty If I had a set of Smiths Tools. I beg there-
fore you will be pleased to Order a Set to the Care of Mr Saul
of New Orleans for me, or Otherwise as you may think proper.
I want likewise Eight or Ten Indian Chiefs Medals, to fulfill
some promises I have made.
I am Sir with very Great Esteem
Your Obt. Hble. Servant
John Sibley
Honourable Samuel Eustice
Secretary of War
FOOTNOTES:
the Parish along the waters of Red River. It included over one hundred
and twenty families, principally French. Carter, Territorial Papers of the
United States, IX, 63, 729.
about ten miles south of Bayou Rapides on Red River towards Opelousas,
that they were aborigines of the country, and that the lands they claimed
were "inferior to no part of Louisiana in fertility and richness of soil, and
growth of timber." Hackett, Pichardo's Treatise, II, 272.
not make the Apalachies and the Tenisaws the same tribe. The Tenisaw,
he said, emigrated from a river by that name, which emptied into Mobile
Bay, and that they had lived on Red River for about forty years. The
Apalachies he described as emigrants from West Florida, where they had
lived on a river which bears their name, and that they had come to Red
River about the same time as the Biloxes. Ibid., II, 270, 272.
War, and Navy Departments. See, Annals of Congress, 10th Congress,
2nd Session, 1833-1835.
out from Natchitoches on June 20, 1808. Sibley to Secretary of War
November 20,1808, MS., O.R.W.D.
Spanish form Attacapa is commonly used. Bolton, Texas in the Middle
Eighteenth Century, 3, 334.
form is Bidai. Bolton classifies the Bidai, Orcoquiza, Deadose, and Atta-
capa as members of the Attacapan family. Bolton, Texas in the Middle
Eighteenth Century, 3.
Territory was that he was pursuing instructions sent to him in 1805.
He was to use all means at all times to conciliate Indians, who, in case
of a rupture with Spain, would be "either useful or mischievous to the
United States," and to direct his attentions to Texas Indians as far as
San Bernardo Bay. Secretary of War to John Sibley, May 25, July 8, 1805,
Letter Book B, April, 1804-July, 1809, 80-81, 89, I.A.D.I.
A LETTER FROM OLD GOLIAD
*
Edited by
Fort Defiance Laberdeo Texas March 8, 1836
[Gerard Burch Esqr.
Columbus, Ga.
U. States]
1
Dear Sir
I avale my self of the oppitunity of addrising you a few lines to let you
know that I am well and harty. I am at this time stationed at Laberdeo
on the San Antonio River. The enemy is at hand we expect to be attacked
every hour. They have arrived at San Antonio six thousand troups and
have been fighting the Americans Troops for the last fifteen days. We
recieved an exprese this evening that the Americans have not had a man
killed and only three slightly wounded. There is about two hundred that
has possision of the Fort
2 and will keep possision of it if there ammunition
holds out till they can be reenforced. The citizens of Texas is turning
out to a man, the Mexicans has got possision of San Patricio and are
concentrating their troops and fortifying that place. Colonel Johnson with
about twenty men was attacked at that place in the knight and only
four or five made there escape and John Love was one of the men (Doctor
Hart that lived) Doctor Brodneax was seen to fall in the street and has
not been heard of since. Rubin Brown and Colonel Grant with about thirty
men was attacked in a open perary and both of them fel and all of there
men that was not kiled was taken prisoners. I have not time to write
you the perticulars. I wish you to attend to my business and not let my
family want for any thing until I return. State to my wife that I am
well and was going to write to knight and send the letter with this but
since I have been writing this letter they have been an exprese receved
that two thousand Mexicans has landed at a creek in nine miles of us
and there is no doubt but what we shall be attacked before day. They
have foure canon with them. I have no time to write more. You shall
here from me by every oppertunity. This letter is sent with a exprese.
Thomas B. Rees
M. B. The exprese recieved to night from the sorce it came by all
probability is not true but we are preparing for them. Texas has
declared Independence
Thos. B. Rees
FOOTNOTES:
Texas; it was written by her great-grandfather, Thomas B. Rees, who
came to Texas in 1836 as a member of the Georgia Battalion. Rees is
listed on page 5, Army Rolls in the General Land Office as "Thomas B.
Rees, First Lieutenant of Captain William A. 0. Wadsworth's Company
at Muster, February 29, 1836."
The letter was postmarked April 19, 1836, at New Orleans; it was sent
by Pony Express to Matagorda from Goliad and by boat to New Orleans.
Lt. Rees was killed several days later at Goliad.
been written at "Coleta Creek La Bohia."
Marian Yeager
A MEXICAN WAR LETTER
Edited by
Marjorie Clark
Monterrey, Mexico
Oct. 8th, 1846
[Mrs. M. H. Clark
Montgomery, Ala.
Care of Capt. Long--Montgomery, Ala.]
1
Dear Mother:
I suppose you are by this time quite anxious to hear from Elijah and
myself again. I believe it is now about a month since I wrote to you, it
having been about that time since I left Comayo for this place. Since
leaving Comayo for this point I have had but little time for any other
business than that pertaining to my present occupation. I had an expedi-
tious but uninteresting trip from Comayo to Chinco the place of destina-
tion from the former place. I found the country broken and less desirable
than any over which I had previously passed. I rather expected to have a
sight of the enemy on the way, but was disappointed. I reached Chinco
in safety, and after two days tarry started for this city. The latter part
of our road was speedily accomplished, the men being stimulated by the
information that we would certainly have to fight at this place. The
country between this point and Chinco is very picturesque, and in many
places fertile. The mountains came in view some seventy or eighty miles
distance from this place, and they are still ahead of us. Indeed we are
surrounded by mountains. This place is built immediately at their base,
it has a valley adjourning of many miles in extent, of the richest soil, and
abounding in every thing necessary for the subsistance and comfort of
man. All kinds of tropical fruits are found here, and never since I left
New Orleans have I feasted so upon the good things of this earth. Nature
has done much in every way for this quarter of the world. A beautiful,
swift running and clean stream skirts the city on two sides from which the
inhabitants, by means of many small and indifferent ditches water their
gardens, and clean their streets. The climate is fine and the soil equal to
any on earth, and with proper cultivation would yield enough to support
fifty times the number of inhabitants. With a little work added to the
natural defences of the place, it might almost bid defiance to the world.
With all of these blessings and advantages however, the people are the
most worthless I have ever fallen among. They exhibit some industry,
in fact considerable but in almost all of the avocations of life they seem
to be about fifty years behind us. When I see what sort of people they are
in their every day businesses, I am some what surprissed that they do so
well (bad enough 'tis true) here. That is that they did prepare a place
so well for attack as they have this. They have some intellegent men
among them here, but I attribute this success in preparation for war
more to the knowledge and skill of their hired officers of foreign nations,
than to any mind of their own. Be this as it may, be however they had
prepared very well here for our reception and they fought better than I
supposed they would.
their cavalry were out in front of the city, when we came. They fired a
few times at our advance guard, to let us see I suppose that they intended
resistance, and fled. In a few minutes they commenced upon us with
cannon, and we had to leave, or get out of the way. They kept this up
during the day as our men would show themselves. We camped about
three miles off, and did nothing until Monday the 21st,, when the game
opened in style and earnest at both ends of the city. I never made so
many runs in my life as I did during Monday and other days of the battle.
This aspect was paid by all, who were not immediately in the way of the
cannon balls as they came along. I was not in a fight until the last day,
but was much exposed during the whole time sending orders from point
to point. They honored me with several shots as I crossed the plain on
Monday. None of them however did any damage, though the last came a
little nearer than I ever want another ball to come. We engaged the
enemy in the lower part of the city on the last day of the battle and
fought them from about 11 O'clock in the morning until nearly sunset.
We were then called off. We were progressing finely and every man heard
with regret and sorrow the order for retiring. We were within one square
of the grand plaza, or square and nearly the whole force of the Mexicans
had retired. If we had not been taken out the city that night, there would
have been an unconditional surrender of the place the next day, instead
of the capitulation. Very many are dissatisfied at the arrangement and
I think with reason. Elijah was with me during the most of our fight.
Neither of us were hurt.
You will see in General Henderson's report, when published I presume,
how I conducted myself. Our men are being disbanded and are going
home, not because they are tired but because they have no prospects of
anything more to do before spring if then. I shall start home in four or
five days. It will take me about 8 weeks to make the trip. My respects
to all.
Your son,
Edward [Clark]
2
FOOTNOTES:
to New Orleans where he received most of his education. When he was
seventeen years old his father died and he and his mother moved to Mont-
gomery, Alabama. While living in Montgomery he studied law. About
the year 1838 he came to Texas and settled in Marshall where he began
the practice of law.
During the Mexican war he served on the staff of General James Pinck-
ney Henderson, first with the rank of major, and was later made a colonel.
In 1846 he fought in the battle of Monterrey which he described in the
foregoing letter. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention and
helped to write the Constitution of Texas. He served as a representative
from Marshall in the first legislature, and was a senator of the second
legislature, and was Secretary of State for two terms under Governor
Pease, 1853-1857. In 1859 he was elected lieutenant-governor with Sam
Houston as governor. When Texas withdrew from the Union, Houston
refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederacy, and Edward
Clark was made governor in 1861.
At the end of his term he joined the Confederate Army as a colonel
and organized a regiment of men from East Texas and was later promoted
to brigadier general. He was wounded in Louisiana. After the war he
resumed his law practice in Marshall, where he died in 1880.
How to cite:
"Letters and Documents", Volume 47, Number 3, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v047/n3/group_DIVL5840.html
[Accessed Tue Dec 2 13:16:11 CST 2008]
