The independent spirit of the settlers along the El Camino Real and their desire for freedom resulted in the establishment of the State of Texas.
As I lolled one summer’s day beneath an oak near the ruins of Post St. Jean Baptiste des Natchitoches and closed my eyes to give my fancy free play, I thought I heard sounds of all kinds, sounds that had undoubtedly resounded down the years. Could that squealing be the swine of the De Soto adventurers or the shriek of automobile tires coming to a braked stop? Is that rumble I hear that of thundering herds of buffalo or the approach of a diesel locomotive with its long train of cars? Those drums, are they the drums of the Caddo Indians or the drums of a marching high-school band? The whistling roar that reaches my ears, is it a jet plane or the swishing, whistling wings of diving ducks?
Awakened to reality I began the research and study that enabled me to write this book.
CONTENTS
Page [Preface] IX [Chapter I El Camino Real] 1 [II Some Early History] 4 [III Dachicoin—A Noble Indian—Los Adais, 1723] 33 [IV St. Denis and the Spanish] 42 [V Doctors and Early Medicine—1722 to 1744] 45 [VI Romance at Los Adais] 51 [VII Incidents of the Years, 1735-1742] 60 [VIII The Three Cabins] 63 [IX After St. Denis] 74 [X After the Louisiana Purchase] 80 [XI The Devil’s Play Ground] 83 [XII Satan’s Agent—John A. Murrell] 89 [XIII The Break-up of the Neutral Strip] 92 [XIV The Filibuster of 1812-1821] 95 [XV Fort Jesup] 103 [XVI Texas and Independence, 1831-1836] 116 [Addenda Land Grants] 129 [ St. Denis’ Family Tree] 137 [ Baptismal Records of Natchitoches, 1734-1740] 138 [ Soldiers in Natchitoches—1742] 141 [ Merchants, Farmers, Traders in Natchitoches, 1742] 142 [Reference Bibliography] 145 [Personalities] 149
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS
[Celebration of the Opening of the Museum at Fort Jesup, 1959] Frontispiece [Map Showing Locations of Members of Caddo Indian Federation] XV [Map of El Camino Real from Mexico City to Natchitoches] XVI [Hinta-sak—a Caddo house] 8 [Hinta-sak—top view showing construction] 9 [Plan of Fort at Natchitoches, 1733] 17 [Plan of La Presidio Nuestra Senora de los Delores, 1716] 19 [Mission of San Miguel De Cuellar De Los Adais, 1717] 21 [Map Showing Location of Mission and Presidio of San Miguel De Cuellar De Los Adais] 22 [Plan of Presidio De San Antonio De Bexar] 24 [Plan of Fort Del Pilar De Los Adais] 26 [La Presidio Nuestra De Senora Del Pilar De Los Adais] 28 [Map of Natchitoches by Breutin, 1722] 30 [Map Showing Neutral Strip] 87 [Map of Fort Jesup Defense Area] 102 [Map of the Buildings of Fort Jesup] 107 [Map of Area Around Camp Sabine, 1836] 113 [Old Ambroise Sompayrac House at Natchitoches] 124
WRAP AROUND Opposite Page [Fort St. Jean Des Natchitoches] 116 [Old Kitchen at Fort Jesup] 117 [Officers’ Quarters at Fort Jesup—Reproduction] 132 [Original Plans of Fort Jesup] 133 [Officers’ Quarters—Another view] 133
