The Alto Herald (Alto, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 24, 1938 Page: 4 of 6
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THE ALTO HERALD, ALTO, TEXAS, MARCH 21, 1938.
If
WHERE WAS LaSALLE'S FORT SAINT LOUIS?
The Sight of Fort Saint Louis Specified
By E. W. Cote.
(As Told to F. L. Weimar) i I believe that if we shall team the
Yes, J can teH you why. how and true history of La SaHe in Texas. [
where La SaHe established his Fort the basal information must come to
St. Louis in Texas. ) us through the agency of the French.
After La SaHe. by way of Canada,
explored the upper portion of the
tower Mississippi River, and took
forma) possession of the Louisiana
territory, in 1682, King Louis XIV
of France granted him permission,
and gave him succor to establish a
colony and a fort on the Mississippi
River about 150 miles inland from
present Atchafalaya Bay, or the Gulf
of Mexico.
Departing on that enterprise, he
set sail from Rochelle, France, Juiy
24th, 1684, with three laden vessels,
the St. Francis, which was captured f
because they were the only civilized
people on that eventful scene; and
believing as I do that the student
would be better pleased to t-ave the
French give the account in his own }
way, let us quote extracts verbatim
from the journals of Henri Joute),
La Salle's faithful lieutenant, and
Father Anastasious Douay. a priest,
whose records are the only historic
documents that I consider of great I
value, handed down to us by members
of La Salle's Texas expedition.
You may indicate extracts from
those French records by the usual
by the Spaniards off the Island of i quotation marks; and inclose my ver-
Hispaniota the latter part of Septetn- sion of their correlation with phy-
ber, 1684; the Aimable and the Belle.! sical conditions on the ground, if
and a Man of War, the Joly, for the { used within a quotation, within
Mississippi River by way of the i brackets, and if without the quota-
Gulf of Mexico. tion, let that interpretation be free,
Through the handicap of sailing a ) or unencompassed.
strange sea, and disagreements with The Discovery Of The Lavaca River
his Commanding Officer, the Sieure i February 4. 1685; quoting Joutet
Beaujeu, La Salle sailing westward
unfortunately passed the Mississippi,
probably the latter part of December,
1684. and on February 15, 1685, he
"Whilst we lived thus easy enough,
Monsieur de la Salle expected with
impatience to know what resolution
Monsieur de Beaujeu would take;
made his settlement landing on Texas that he might either go to the place,
soil, on an island at the mouth, and j where he expected to find the Mis-
on the west side of La Riviere aux ! sissippi. or follow some other course;
Boeufs, or River of Buffalos (F) . but at last, perceiving that his affairs
present Lavaca River, or Cow River
(S), in present Jackson County.
In order to make the narrative in-
did not advance, he resolved to put
his own design in execution, the pur-
port whereof was to land 120 to 130
teresting and really worth while, per- } men to go along the coast and con-
haps we should let the real author-
ities, the French themselves tell at
least a part of the story, and wo
listen in and try to understand what
they say.
tinue it. till they had found some
other river."
"He gave me and Monsieur
Moranget, his nephew, the command
of that small company. We took our
<
' % ,(
?/
This, a modern map. the outline being furnished by Chas. A. Mit-
chell, and the historic data supplied by the Author, showing the
situation of Fort St. Louis and the physical conditions of the sur-
rounding country as they are today, and substantially as they were in
1687. 250 years ago.
The exact location of the site of Fort St. Louis is in Jackson
County, Texas, on a little hill of earth, now known as Dimmitt's Point,
on the west side of and near the Lavaca River, between a near by
minor natural course of water on the north, now known as Menefee
Bayou and another near by former minor natural course of water on
the south, now known as Venada Bayou, about two and a half to five
miles inland irotn the island, now called French Island by the Author,
on s\hit.l) La Salle first landed and established his first settlement;
which is bounded on the north by a minor natural course of water,
nov. known as Smuggler's Bayou, on the cast by the Lavaca River.
;,nd on the mtth and west by Lavaca Bay; about five miles inland
from Lavaca Hay .it the mouth of Lavaca River, and four miles south
"ii )in< village o) Vandcrbiit, in about 28* 45' north latitude and 96*
32' west longitude.
To <1 ;md lui ther compare these maps showing Fort St. Louis,
picast look on this modem map. then, just below the mouth of
f'.eek. mentally dissect Venada Lakes, move the upper part
or the north end thereof westward to a northwest-southeast position
and we have a very good reproduction at this point of Joutel's map of
1713.
Exhibited by E. W. Cole. Alto, Texas,
Copyright. February, 1937.
way along the shore (the inland
shore of Matagorda Bay). Our first
day's journey was not long.—and the
next day being the 5th, we held on
our march. Monsieur Moranget bting-
ing up the rear, and I leading the
van.—after three days march we
found a great river (the Lavaca
River) where we halted and made
the signal agreed on. encamping on a
commodious spot of ground (on the
cas' side of the Lavaca River) till
we could hear of the boat (of the
Bark la Belle) which was to follow
us. or of our ship (the Belle)."
Crossing To The West
Side Of Lavaca River
"Our provisions beginning t<^ fall
short, it was agreed that we should
spare our provisions to endeavor to
go on to some place where we might
find Bullocks (Buffalos); but it was
requisite to cross the river, and we
knew not how. because we were too
many of us, and therefore it was
decided to set some carpenters there
were among us at work to build n
little boat (canoe), which took them
up (to) the eleventh and twelfth of
February." When that boat was
finished, the company crossed in it
to the west side of the Lavaca River.
Sounding The Lavaca River
"The 13th, we were put out of our
pain by two vessels we discovered at
sea. which we knew to be the Joly
and la Belle, to whom we made our
signals with smoke. They came not
in then, hecause it was late, but the
next day being the 14th in the morn-
ing. the boat, with the Sicur Barbier
and the Pilot of the Bark la Belle
come up. and both sounded the mouth
of the (Lavaca) river."
"They found on the bar. from ten
j to twelve foot water, and within it
; (the river f from five to six fathom
j (30 to 36 feet); the breadth of the
} river being about half a quarter of a
i league (1-3 mile, but since their
! h igucs were short, the width of the
river was over measured). They
ounded near the island (now French
] Island), which lies between the two
points of the bay. and found the same
depth fas in the river. 30 to 36 feet).
The Landing Of La SaHe
"The same day. Monsieure de la
Salle caused the boat to be laden with
uch provisions as we stood in need
of. but the wind being contrary, it
could not come to us till the next
day. being the 15th. That same day,
Monsieur de la Salle came ashore to
view the place and examine the en-
trance into the river, which he found
to be very good. Having considered
all particulars, he resolved to send
it) the hark la Belle and l'Amiable.
that they might be under shelter."
The Wreck Of The Aimable
The Belle made a safe entry, but
the Aimable missed her soundings
and was wrecked on the shoals in
Pass Caballo. February 20. 1683. The
loss of that ship and most of her
cargo was a terrific economic blow
to La Salle's colony.
The First Fort
In the mean time. M. de Beaujeu
returned to France in his ship, the
!ol\. and the colony fell to work to
build a fort of the wreckage of the
ship. Aimable, on an island. French
Island, situated at the mouth and
on the west side of the Lavaca River.
When this work was well under way.
l.a Salle with fifty men made an ex-
ploration up the Lavaca River to
ascertain whether it is the Atchn-
V / o.i''
A French map of Louisiana, drawn by Henri Joutel in 1713,
26 years after he left Texas; showing the location of La Salle's Fort
St. Louis, and the physical aspect of the surrounding country as he
remembered the situation.
Please read this map in collation with the associated, engineer's
modern map. By inspection it will be seen that the indicated first
fort site is on an island, French Island on the modern map. the island
where La SaHe first landed and established his first fort; then, note
the first course of water north of the first fort, which, by reference to
the modern map, is clearly shown to be present Smuggler's Bayou.
This French map shows that on an overland trip from the first fort
on the island to the second fort, St. Louis, north and inland on the
west side of a stream, present Lavaca River, two courses of water
must be crossed. By reference to the modern map, it is seen that in
this respect the maps are in complete agreement; and that the present
names of the two water courses are Smuggler's Bayou and Venada
Bayou.
The student will find that Smuggler's Bayou is the key to the
proper reading of the maps.
Exhibited by E. W. Cole, Alto, Texas.
Copyright, February, 1937.
falaya River, the west arm of the
Mississippi; Joutel being left in com-
mand of the colony.
The Second Fort
On this trip, La Salle found a more
desirable place to establish a fortifi-
cation, on a little hill, present Dim-
mitt's Point, up the Lavaca River,
and men were soon put to work at
that place to build a second fort.
By the middle of June. 1685, about
half the colony was moved to the
new location, and about the middle
of July the remainder of the colony,
including their supplies were carried
about five miles up the Lavaca River
in the Bark la Belle to the new fort,
which they called Fort St. Louis,
and the river they called La Riviere
aux Boeufs, and the bay they called
Bay St. Louis.
The Ship La BeHe
The ship La Belle made several)
trips up and down the Lavaca River
and through the bay for balding
material and other supplies, but
several months later about the first
of May 1686. an ignorant, impatient
crew of watchmen raised her anchor
where she had been moored up
Matagorda Bay for several months,
and the strong winds carried her
ashore where she was stranded and
wrecked on the bay side of Matagorda
Peninsula. Whereby, this great dis-
aster. La SaHe and his colony were
left in a vast, strange wilderness
surrounded by hostile savages with-
out any means of land or sea trans-
portation.
La SaMe's First Distant Journey
During those intervals, after mak-
ing three or four short journeys from
Fort St. Louis in search of the Mis-
sissippi, the Atchafalaya, La SaHe
set out on foot the 22nd of April,
1686, on his first distant journey to
look for that fateful river. He trav-
eled northeast as far as the Assonys,
a noted Indian village of the Cenis
Nation, in present De Soto Parish.
Louisiana. And after months of great
hardships, sickness, and other mis-
fortunes, and without accomplishing
his purpose, he returned to Fort St.
Louis in August. 1686.
La SaMe's Princess River
At this time, we should understand
that La Salle's Princess River, which
we shall have to observe later, was
none other than present Sandy Creek,
including the lower portions of the
Navidad and Lavaca rivers respec-
tively, from its source and through
present Colorado. Wharton and Jack-
son counties to its mouth in Bay St.
Louis, present Lavaca Bay. and that
present Lavaca and Navidad rivers
to him were only branches of that
Princess River. Sandy Creek; that
the said Princess River, if not by
name, was always referred to by
Joutel on. La Salle's last journey as
THE RIVER, and all other rivers
tributary thereto were designated as
A RIVER, or as A BRANCH of A
RIVER; that to the French most of
the streams crossed were rivers, until:
after La Salle was slain, then com-
paratively few streams were men- j
tioncd specifically, and that to most j
of the rivers named, each was given
a different name by each historian.)
but that an outstanding exception I
to that rule is the Brazos River, toj
which the name Maligne was applied j
by all of them.
Fort St. t outs
Quoting Joutel: "We were about i
the 27th. (29th) degree of north
latitude, two leagues (about five'
miles) up the country, near Bay St.
Louis and the bank of the Riviere
aux Boeufs (present Lavaca River),
on a hillock (present Dimmitt's
Point), whence we discovered vast
and beautiful plains, extending very
far to the westward, all level and
full of greens (grass), which afford
pasture to an infinite number of j
beeves (buffalos) and other!
creatures."
"Turning from the west to the
southward, there appeared other
plains adorned with little woods of
several sorts of trees. Toward the
south and east the bay, and plains
that hem it in from the east; to the
north was the river (now the Navt-
dad) running along by a little hill
(now Texanna Hill, the site of Old
Texanna, the former county seat of
Jackson County, on the Navidad
Rixer, north of the Lavaca River,
and south of where Sandy Creek
flows into the Navidad River), be-
yond which there were other iarge
plains (the great sandy prairie of tlie
Lafayette geological formation),
with some little tufts (myrtle motts)
at small distances, terminating in a
border of a wood (the beginning of
the great inland forest), which seems
to us to be very high."
"Between that little hill (Texanna
Hill) and our dwelling was a sort of
marsh (this sort of marsh is present
Mcnefcc Lakes), and in it abundance
of wild fowl. In the marsh there
were little ponds full of fish. We had
also an infinite number of beeves,
wild goats (deer), rabbits, turkeys,
geese, swans,—and many other sorts
of fowl fit to eat."
"As for fish, we had several sorts
pear; a thousand sorts of different
colors, whereof many have an agree-
able scent, adorn those fields and
offer a most charming object to the
eye. The autumn flowers are all of
them yellow (among them, the
goldenrod), so that the plains look
all of that color."
The Site Of Fort St. Louis Specified
The exact location of the site of
Fort St. Louis is in Jackson County,
on a little natural hill of earth, now
known as Dimmitt's Point, on the
west side of and near the Lavaca
River, between a near by minor na-
turai course of water on the north,
now known as Menefee Bayou and
another near by former minor na-
tural course of water on the south,
now known as Venada Bayou, and
about two and a half to five miles'
inland from the island, now called
French Island by the author, on
which La Salle first landed and es-
tablished his first settlement; which
is bounded on the north by a minor
natural course of water, now known
as Smuggler's Bayou, on the east by
the Lavaca River, and on the south
and west by Lavaca Bay; about five
miles north inland from Lavaca Bay
at the mouth of Lavaca River, about
four miles south of the village of
Vanderbilt, Jackson County, in
about 28* 45' north latitude, and
about 96* 32' west longitude.
The First Wedding
The grim specter of death often
threw his shadow across the palisades
of Fort St. Louis, and sometimes
even tragedy and romance walked
side by side in this far away home
of the French in Texas. Although
most of the colonists were homesick
and discouraged, yet when one is
young and in love, present or future
prospective difficulties are likely to
be forgotten by those upon whom
cupid has cast his spell.
Such was the situation of a man
and maiden, the Lieutenant Gabriel
Barber from Canada, and the lovely
Mademoiselle Mignone of Rouen,
France. In the summer of 1686, the
Sieur Barbier sought Commandant
Joutel privately and begged permis-
sion to marry the maiden from
France. The faithful Joutel asked
the lovers to wait for the return of
La SaHe who had gone on a journey
in search of the Mississippi. But
Lieutenant Barbier insisted that the
marriage be solemnized without
that delay. Then Joutel, impelled by
his bigness of heart and a sense of
human justice, consulted with the
priests of the colony, who after due
deliberation gave their consent.
We may imagine how Fort St.
Louis bustled with preparations for
the wedding, and how a few days
later the first European marriage on
Texas soil was solemnized. Perhaps
the good Father Zenobious Membre
read the impressive catholic ceremony
as the young lovers plighted their
troth amidst the best wishes of the
inhabitants of Fort St. Louis. No
doubt the scant store of wine was
opened, and all drank to the health
and happiness of Lieutenant and
Madame Barbier.
Not many days after the wedding,
La SaHe returned to the fort; when
informed of the marriage he hasten,
ed to extend his congratulations. The
great explorer must have had a ten-
, - and !
centui., ?{. jHer
was the Wedr
and watri, t„ „. . o. L
civili/.cd 3gr m
whosi , cent
times. )« t 'n.
kawa Ind. [
tested the
cotniM
ie. an<
hitdre
Paleface i Thun
abundant wild and
id Mr
es in
and
ter, J<
i the I
<Mto.
. L. V
!ice
and
ers. I
s Sun
irs. Ti
lay S
attend
s lead
adi
t
246
COLORADO COUMY
WHARfOM CO
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COLORADO CO.
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EL CAMPO
ExtBtT No 4.
LA3ALH'5 ROUTE fROM 5fA.
LL6EM0
@ VHt-AQE?S
Rivms
CouttTY Line
cop-nuGmco - iw twain
in the river and in the lakes I have
mentioned. The river affords a sort
of barbel (cat-fish), differing from
ours in roundness in their having
three bones sticking out, one on the
back, the other on each side of the
head and in the flesh, which is like
cod, and without scales."
"Among the venomous sorts ot
snakes, as vipers, asps and others,
whereof there are many, those called
rattle-snakes arc the most common.
There are also many alligators in
the river, some of them of frightful
magnitude and bulk, I killed one
that was between four and five feet
about, and twenty feet in length, on
which our swine feasted."
"The woods are composed of trees
of several sorts. There are oaks, some
of them ever-green (live oaks) and
never without leaves. The plains .ire
strewn with a sort of small sorrel.
There are abundance of small onions
no bigger than the top of a man's
finger, but very well tasted. Nothing
is more beautiful than to behold
those plains when the blossoms ap-
; der feeling for the young couple for
, soon he began calling the Riviere
; aux Boeufs, the Princess River in
[ honor of the bride. Joutel also notes.
' that one of the branches of that
j stream was named "Mignone River"
[ because of the love of Lieutenant
I Barbier. However, the happy days
: of this young couple were but few,
for they, with all others in the fort,
soon perished in the Indian Massacre
in 1687.
Dimmitt's Point
A commanding eminence situated
in the low northwest coastal plain of
the Gulf of Mexico is now known as
Dimmitt's Point. It is a delightful
product of natural individuality, lo-
cated with reference to other natural
objects as we know them, five miles
! inland from the mouth of the Lavaca
i River in Lavaca Bay. and on the
west bank of the Lavaca River in
Jackson County, Texas, and is es-
pecially well adapted for the color-
ful background of its tragic, though
glorious history, and what may have
been its pre-historic past.
Dimmitt's Point for unknown
dream, conn- t;;.
ground in ,
In historic t'
scene of all ti ,
human M an
herent in n: -.
growth and d<.
of the fitt, t [; ]
a progrc rp :
great nation , )
and the matert
History. Where
May. H18S. s
dians and t<
Louis, the ftra
ment in thi*
asTexn.v:
ing. tragedy rut '+L„ +
Part (), ,.i <g. ^
Quoting .Im/.f.. J*? ,
12th of Jan '
teen in numb
to the plan' v, y-
because tht-r< neoole
place was nn:
tion (Fort St I.
The First IV, nealii
The stte of Lc B
fee Bayou about
site of Fort St ,ture-
three miles w - «Thi
Jackson County L L-Mr.
special notir, ^ Rt
ing service to L;< S
because it w: . "Ch!
cessing plant or: M
the Southwest n "j
The Last Tht fag—!
Quoting Joutp! , Solo
crossed a plain dictio!
over. We met ttr sPSX
(this marshy i : . i
Lakes region), unti
across which runs
river full of reed.\
called the PrinK t
BRANCH joincs th
both feli together .
Louis. We killed !
entrance into the oymet
river, and encampc:!3HM
beyond it."
This river, whir:
as a BRANCH of , HtHH!
Lavaca River, and H
formerly considered ^ ^
Riviere aux Hoeuf
the First Cane Riv-
Journey t p Ilit
Quoting Joutel
traveled over anothf
We held on our vv
half a league farthr]
wood. We cut dc Q g
our post and lay ' U 4
This camp site
bank of present X;r
its junction with thf
and below its junr
Creek in Jack EWR!
"The 15th. we :r \CHD
tending to find a f
called Princess fthe
at that place is thf
where M. de la Sal!! ^
fore: but missed it.;
being swollen we '
go up higher. soM]
curious meadows
woods of tall trei >
but all young, of tr:
ncss, and straight, t
had been planted
RIVER running thr '
of those curious shac; '
were also watered ty.
brooks of clear ani
offered a most dehg" j
Towards the evenins
camp in a little copF*
usual precautions."
This camp site at?;
dad River, and be
with Sandy Creek
"The 16th. we
journey, still follow:!
(the Princess Riw-
River) upward, ah'
time meeting the
ture grounds and oi
Here they again ^
Navidad River, sout
with Sandy Creek.
"The 17th, was
day's journey by if
and rivulets we "<
which came to a M
i: Texanna Hill, tin '
county seat of Jad^
the Navidad River
were two or three ht
of natives. After a !
hours, we held on
wood. We forded A
river (this branch
present Navidad R
Second Cane River 1^]
proceeded to the ' 3
(present Brushy C fe$(
whereof being foul <* .
on the edge of it. a: )pf!f
ing at night and c"! SEE
next day. were oblig JutS
Journey Up SaM
"The 19th, the rar"
proceeded through
places where the s
Branch) was up to ' ^
sometimes higher.
marched all the day
a proper place to cn,,
last came to A M
Goldenrod Creek) If Q
offered a spot to rest H V
Goldenrod Creek ^
from the northwest. "'1 Q
in northeastern J;nh' "iHM,
probably gets its ]' ''
yellow goldenrod fl" '^^^g
by Joutel.
"The 20th. a smaH
obstruct our man ^
crossed a wood hall ]
and a marsh of the
came into a large p! ^
ette sandy prairie) "
great tracks of buHoth !^^
toward THE RIVER 'L
cess River. Douay
present Sandy Creek
that way. but foun'l
swollen and its stie <
was impossible to cro>'H
obHtred to halt upo" H
This camp site is of ! a
Creek, La Salle's Pri"f'g
(Continued on 1^9
1
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Bt
Vi!
St<
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Weimar, F. L. The Alto Herald (Alto, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 24, 1938, newspaper, March 24, 1938; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth214888/m1/4/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Stella Hill Memorial Library.