The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-12-21

g., "'a'h the last restin
" pace "' our pioneer forefatbers.
JUS ''ft claiborne was the Amer;c,r ~, So
'- give" t" the fertilization still an o,,ina
"' "a ''"cfat'd curiosity, and situated Will,
III '"e enclosure how known ~ "th
GU <1n'e''cah Graveyard" This land m, =,
M OF ye olden time was so tradition has =
Of erected by N. dc LaMotte or st nan;,
its anu was first garrisoned by French from.
ed ne Tort consisted ola deep ditch wbi,,
er w was 10 doubt surmounted by palisades
e. me palisades have long since disappeor
r. GU out the ditch and the line of e,pbank.
er luenC stlll remains and can be traced
$; on eacn side of the entire square it occu.
II p'co Even tho gateway can be marked
Il y. co"'d a few years since, by two splen,
o olu llVeoak trees which grew and shell.
# tered the sally port to this venerable de-.
Q fence. '' u''
J. Inc ancient burial place occupies the
noftneast corner of the enclosure, Tho
'n'erments are in singular contrast ~
.no later day graves surrounding Them
Inc bodies being buried north and sontb
instead Of east and west Tho o,aoo.
inscription found upon rust eaten, fallen
iron cross, shows that the interment took
place in l727; but the name, ace. rank
ana sex of the occupant could not be da.
clphered. What moral could ia do.
duced from this.
our recorders Office is place where
'no ant'quary might delight to snend
nours. Although, the Oldest Of ou
'ecords were destroyed before the va,-
aye ana the dry-rot being sore consumers
0i papers and parchment, We hava
secoros dating back to 1882. The old.
'''n'oned paper and quaint chirograpbv
are objects of especial wonder and de]ioht
'ot 'ne lover things of an ancient order.
Anot"er PRISTINE relic is the "old fort,'
on Inc Bayou Pierre bluffs" near Grand
Acofe' This Was erected on a command
lug position, where view of the conntrr
10 miles around can DO had. A part of
s"e stonewall whieL-oaoa surrounded tha
oft IS still standing, having been nroof
against time and elements for near a HIM
', -, ano nifty years. The exact snots
were the buildings once stood can ho
'o'nted out BY the ruins of stone.cb;m
;oW many Of which have been but par.
'a''y destroyed. The wall at thu fort
tnat part which is still standing. i, in
'any places four or five feet high. The
'cl0S"re covered by tho wall wa. mora
ian an acre.
Gut on the San Antonio trace ia fl.
''ns of still another fort of the sn,n;.b
Of this, however, We know
afco'y anything-all being lost in tha
III past even to tradition. We copiec.
re' however, it was erected for the mr.
''l"n OF the silver laden trains Of pack
lies from the forays of the bands Of
ooe's that at one time were said to IN.
u the outlaying country.
Below this city, some five m;les ;s1ol.
' e famed as the last resting place
mat unfortunate tribe of red men
msttsr r' ~ %' hi. Il hlA s!stst;
FsH Of soh 1t e4s IN extent, the Natchez
'ans' driven from acknowledgements
'ng the magnolia, crowned bills and
Dis around the present flourisning CITY
! nat name on the Mississippi river,
le their last stand against St. Denis
french commander Of the Port of
and friendly tribes Of the
yes and Nakatosh Indians. Thev
Q totally aunihilsted; those not
entered in the fight were drowned in.
placid waters of the peaceful lake.
ne following is an account Of this
ent battle, translated from the .H;s.
of Nouvelle France" by De Charlie
, published in l745: 49,
H'o, MI. De St. Denis sent Mr.. I'm
with orders to build fort in thu
~ OF Natchitoches, and the fort WA
l73l, the Natchez, another tribe If
't 49, ues'eged st. Denis, in Natchito-
;. t hes a small Indian village. St,
. nao Dut few soldiers with him. He
" courier 10 Commandaut- General at
:, oL!eaos, 1or succor; and on the 2lst
'.?oer' mr. De Loubois left the. citv
sla'y men TO come to the relief Of
'eu's. ~ bad proceeded about six
ues up Ned river, and was abonG
or eight days journey from Natchi-
y, wneD Mr.. Fontai1e, whom 81.
naa despatched to Mr.. perrier.
Commandant-G General of Louisiana
w orleans. informed Mr.. Lonhoi.
me Natchez had been routed: that
acatoshes wanted to attack them nj;
out, being only 40 against 200. chew
zen compelled to abandon tha;r
g, ana retire into the fort with the
Tour men; that the Natcbez had
tue village and entrenched them.
!. r .ere; mat st. Denis, having, .
~ alsof, received reinforcement
= C 49," ,SeocapAS lndlans, whom
! ., pamards had joined, had at
~ tne iort'hestions Of the Natchez
:. a elghty,two Of them, including
y. Snie1s; that the enemy were in
, a'nh Inc saeatoches in hot pursuit
'ucn defeat there were 40 faw
!. .eit mat they were never after
v ~..;;na ~ forming separate
s "a % IL
cLoUT1IKvILLE. 1#.&2 go"
0l s q villages Of our parish found
a:ser It's carly settlement vas
rV'l,e' named from Alex. c. Clou-
g. the progenator of large num-
,ar most excellent citizens Of to-
owes its foundation .
1rCumaf0 MA ~ ~ ...sEt,