Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1846-06-20
From he N. o. Bulletin.

WIN one VI inc most glorious events ~ tin
history of Louisiana, died In this city 81
Tho 2lst Of March 1T half past II o'eloel
7. NJ. The notices Of his derease, pub
lislted at tho tine, speak of him rs form
efly Captain IN bis Britannia Majesty
Horse Guards. II Ii d far more glorious
distinction, that he wa acting captain o
the Dragons of 50. Franeisviile, who SOM
thirty Or forty In number, gallpped into tht
Spanish fort ~ Baton Rouge, In the face o
the strongest battery ever raised in Louisi
aha, aud manned By about two hundred
Spanish fetofanss and aiteft slight rests.
tnneo conquered, what the United States
with n good title TO tho country did moi
dare 10 attael, but were very willing tt
take possession when conquered by others,
Capt. Depassau, WIS d sturdy p%atriot, ant
mn intense hater Of the Spanish Govern.
mont. On account Of q difficulty with the
authorities, he had been compelled to take
refttgc III Pointe Coupce. Here he remain.
cd until he heard Of tho plot of the young
Americans, IN T'elieiana, To revolutionize
tho country, whom he determined 10 Join
them, The reyolutionist assembled at the
house Of the late Judge Johnson, the father
Of tho present esteemed Governor, near
1t. FrhneiavIIle. Tho designs of the re.
yol1tionists were not entirely unknown to
the Spanish authorities. A short time be-
fore, tho Americans had rect in Sterling =
old field, nud agreed upon q code Of laws
similar to those Under which they had been
educated.
The Spanish Government, while appar.
emily asaenting 70 the publication Of this
code, had secretly resolved 10 get rid of the
authors Of 1t. Their names were written
down aud an order made for their arrest
The person elatged with this order was
himself arrested and kept us prisoner by
the eitizeps Of st. Francisyille. The de.
velopnent Of tho plans Of the Governor,
hastenUd the notion Of tho rcyolutionigts.-
With great rapidiy and secrecy they pre-.
pared to execute their designs. They diyi-
ded their forces into two bodies the eaval-
~ from ST. FraneiByille were to attnClt the
fort by the Ieveo road, md the infantry rem.
dezyoasing OH the plains were TO enter IL
Oh tho south. The infantry were com.
manded by tho liOn.hearted TmoMAs. We
all know this man. ILo still lives. We
all remember that stout old gentlemen who
for 50 long q time occupied q seat IN our
legislature, aud, by his excellent sense,
firm spirit and Industrious discharge Of bis
duties, as well by his age, virtues md re.
%volutionary associations, commanded the
veneration and respect Of his brother leg.
]tslators and the people. That stout old
gentleman has seen troublesome tines
His character has been strengthened In the
FIRE Of no less than three revolutions, In
which he has actively participated
Though eighty years old, the spirit of the
oldea time etill burns In his bosom, and
during orr political eSeitements he may be
seen with sturdy yalor, mingling In the
more peaceful but scarcely less trying
warfare of party. BY him were the intang
try commanded. They consisted of some
eighty or II hundred hardy hunters, with
unftiling rifles md danutless nerve. Bra.
yer or better soldiers, though uidisciplined
and %unruly, could not be- found than the
"R0sin Heels Of the Piaey Woods. The
cavalry rendezvoused q few miles below
Bayou Sara. A short time after they had
halted, d akifI, pulled bY II negro, was seen
10 land, and Il stout middle aged gentleman,
In "a faded dragoon uniform, with Il broad
sword buckled to his side. jumped ashore.
lie wag warmly greeted by the dragons,
and the Captain very hanisomalY offered
TO the stranger the command II hia corps,
as "A more experienced officer. The atraH.
ger modestly accepted the command. IHiB
man was George Depaaean. The cavalry
mounted and proceeded on their march. II
has been said that they surprised the garri-
son at Baton Rouge. This | believe, ia not
true. When they arrived at the fort, the
Spaniards were drawn up within the gates
TO receive them. With reckless intrepid.
ty, the Dragons rushed in through the
gates, headed by Depassau, who called OH
the Spaniards to surrender. In the panic
and alarm of so daring an attack, the
Spaniards fell back to the guard house,
Here, they were rallied by young LOUIS
De GRAND Pre-, an officer in the Spanish
service, and Il most gallant and true heart
ed young man. Capt. Depassau again
called on them to surrender. De Grand
Pre- refused, and ordered his men to fire.
The word had scarcely passed his lips
when he was shot down, and his men char
ged by the troopers. The S%paniards nj
first made some resistance, but when they
the sar phoop Of Thomas's men, who
were rushing in by the southern gate Of the
fort, they called out for quarter, and surren-
dered. The surrender Of the town Of Baton
Rouge Immediately followed that of the fort.
The whole country between the Mississippi
and the Perdido, and north of the Ibervilie
river [now Bayou Manchac) south Of the Mis-
line, was taken possession of, and de-
clared to belong to the revolutionis' 8, who,
under the name OF the Convention, proceeded
10 organize a government. But in a short
time the United States took possession of the
and without any compensation to its
conquerers, shared all the advantages
Of this splendid achievement. And thus by
A small band, chiefly Of young Americans
was this beautiful country, considered by
many as the rightful possession Of our
Union, and situated in its very bosom, re-
deemed from a foreign power, and added to
widespread territory over which the eagle
Of our Union stretches his wings in pride and
In the gigantic progress of our coun-
.ry, this little territory has, in the space of
years, become a great and leading
section Of this wealthy commonwealth. Its
'olllng plains TEEN with rich produce of an
Industrious and skiLlful culture. The deep,
lark foliage of the incompatible magnolia,
md the rich fragrance of its flower, whittier
han Parian marble, are no longer wasted
lpon the dull sense Of the untutored savage,
tut now regale thousands Of the refined and
cultivated.
The numerous focks and timid deer which
roamed undisturbed its thick forests, like
heir aboriginal inhabitants, are now thinned
nd ecattarad for aparF apd m n ,-o,u.