Written by Donald E. Sheppard
Drawings: Cheryl Lucente

INTRODUCTION   TRAILS TO THIS POINT
INDIAN PLACE NAMES   Moon Phases
THE DESOTO CHRONICLERS   DeVACA
STATES INDEX  ACK'S & REFERENCES

LOUISIANA

On July 2, 1542, Hernando de Soto's army entered Louisiana from El Dorado, Arkansas. DeSoto had died at Lake Village. His body was placed in Lake Chicot, a part of the Mississippi River at the time. Since that river was flooded by Spring runoff of heavy snows the preceding Winter, DeSoto's people could not find their way down it. After three years in America they had been reduced from 650 to 400 soldiers and only 40 horses remained of the 220 they brought with them from Cuba. All were tired, hungry and destitute, headed for Mexico City, the closest Spanish outpost on the continent.

DeSoto had led his army deep into America, searching for gold and a passage to China to trade Spain's New World Gold. The army's new general, Luis de Moscoso, was amiable and well liked, but not the leader DeSoto had been. Native Americans perceived Moscoso's weakness, gullibility, within days of DeSoto's death. DeSoto's Army would be in Louisiana until August 17th when they could finally cross the Sabine River into Texas.

Biedma says, "From here (El Dorado, Arkansas) we went to another province that is called Aquacay (Minden, Louisiana). We spent three days' journey getting there, still going straight west." © 1993, University of Alabama Press

Elvas says, "On behalf of the chief of Aguacay, before reaching that province, fifteen Indians came to meet him on the way with a present of skins, fish and venison. The governor reached his town on July 4. He found the town abandoned and lodged therein. He stayed there for some time, during which he made several inroads, in which many Indians, both men and women, were captured. There they heard of the south sea." The Indians were probably referring to the Gulf of Mexico but the Spaniards thought the Indians meant the Pacific Ocean. Since DeSoto had died, and likewise his dream of finding it, none of his troops cared; they just wanted to go home.

His narration continues, "There a considerable quantity of salt was made from the sand which they gathered in a vein of earth like slate and which was made as it was made in Cayas (Summersville, Missouri).

"On the day the governor left Aguacay, he went to sleep near a small town subject to the lord of that province. The camp was pitched quite near to a salt marsh, and on that evening some salt (Potassium nitrate, the oxidizing agent of gun powder) was made there (as it is today; its called the Lousiana Ordnance Plant). Next day he went to sleep between two ridges (they're still there - map at left - standing beside the east-west highways) in a forest of open trees. Next day he reached a small town called Pato (today's Bossier City). The fourth day after he left Aguacay, he reached the first settlement of a province called Amaye (Shreveport, having walked across the Red River logjam). An Indian was captured there who said that it was a day and a half journey thence to Naguatex (Texas), all of which lay through an inhabited region."

"Having left the village of Amaye (Shreveport), on Saturday, July 20, camp was made at midday beside a brook in a luxuriant grove between Amaye and Naguatex. Indians were seen there who came to spy on them. Those of horse rushed at them, killing six and capturing two." Several other skirmishes followed.

"They brought one Indian to camp alive, whom the governor asked who those were who had come to do battle with him. He said that they were the cacique of Naguatex and he of Maye and another of a province called Hacanac (all Caddoans), lord of vast lands and many vassals; and that he of Naguatex came as captain and head of all. The governor ordered his right arm and his nostrils cut off and sent him to the cacique of Naguatex, ordering him to say that on the morrow he would be in his land to destroy him and that if he wished to forbid him entrance, he should await him.

"That night he slept there and next day reached the (first) village of Naguatex which was very extensive (on both sides of the Sabine River). He asked where the town of the cacique was and they told him it was on the other side of a river which ran through that district. He marched toward it and on reaching it saw many Indians on the other side waiting for him (the Governer), so posted as to forbid his passage. Since he did not know whether it was fordable, nor where it could be crossed, and since several Christians and horses were wounded, in order that they might have time to recover in the town where he was, he made up his mind to rest for a few days."

"Because of the great heat, he made camp near the village, a quarter of a league from the river (the Sabine River at Logansport in De Soto Parish, Louisiana), in an open forest of luxuriant and lofty trees near a brook (nearing Full Moon of July 26th). Several Indians were captured there. He asked them whether the river was fordable. They said it was at times in certain places. Ten days later he sent two captains, each with fifteen horse up and down the river with Indians to show them where they could cross, to see what population lay on the other side of the river. The Indians opposed the crossing of them both as strongly as possible, but they crossed in spite of them. On the other side they saw a large village and many provisions; and returned to camp with this news."

"Four days later he departed thence, but on reaching the river could not cross, as it had swollen greatly. This appeared a wonderful phenomenon to him because of the season then and because it had not rained for more than a month.

"The Indians declared that it swelled often in that way without it having rained anywhere in the land. It was conjectured that it might be the sea which came up through the river. It was learned that the increase always came from above, and that the Indians of all that land had no knowledge of the sea. The governor returned to the place where he had been during the preceding days. A week later, hearing that the river could be crossed, he passed to the other side..." into Texas on August 17th.                                                           EASTERN LOUISIANA

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