Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-11-11
When The Spanish Flag Flew Over
Lower Michigan-A Little Known
Phase of Our Early History

though their party only numbered Is
men. They made u night attack and
the astonished garrison gave them
selves up as prisoners. The invaders
had proceeded as far as the Calumet
river on their return when they were
attacked by 800 British and Indians.
Two OF Brady's men were killed and
the remainder of the party was taken
prisoners. Brady escaped and made
his way through the woods TO his for
mer home in Pennsylvania, but he
afterward returned to Cahokia.
In October, 1877, Thomas Brady
Clarks commander at Cahokia, had
headed a raid on the place and cap
tured some goods, but he and his party
were captured on their retreat. Brady
said he was willing to join the English
cause, but he made his escape and re-
turned to Cahokia. He was after
wards sheriff of St. Clair county. In
1880. St. Joseph contained eight
houses and seven shanties and the en-
tire population consisted OF As French
persons and several Pawnee slaves.
Sinclairs attack on st. Louis was
n part of England's attempt 20 re-
cover the Mississippi river. Spain
Gill w puBISuH lsu!BSg IBM p9IBIo9p
and her troops seized the English
posts OF Natchez, Baton Rouge, Mo-
bile and St. Louis. She. therefore,
controlled the great river valley. If
she could establish herselfin the north
west, she could be in a position to
secure the Lake country, or at least
have something TO trade for Gibraltar.
In January, 1881. Don Francisco
Crosat Spanish commander, sent
forth the militia officers, Don Eugenio
Pourre, Don Carlos Tayon and the
interpreter Don Louis Chevallier, ac-
companied by a band of Indians to
make a midwinter journey Of 400
miles to capture st. Joseph. The
hardships encountered by the Span
iards make up large portion OF their
reports. AS they went northward.
their ranks were swelled by Indians
who went along with the hope OF
plundering the post. With lack of
details, the report says some English
men were captured, though IL is
probable that only persons in the
squalid settlement were sol. French
trappers. The Spanish report says
that: Don Eugenio Pure took pos
session in the name of the king, OF
that place and its dependencies, and
Of the river Of the Illinois; in conse-
quence whereof the standard of his
Majesty was there displayed during
the whole time. He took the English
one and delivered it on his arrival at
St. Louis to Don Francisco Cruzat,
commander of that post"
The Louis Chavellier mentioned in
the Spanish employ is not the same
Chevallier, who was the British
crowns representative in the lonely
little settlement on the banks of the
ST Joseph. Chevallier of st. Joseph.
settled at that post about 1745; at the
outbreak of the revolution he acted
under Hamilton and DePeyster in fit
ting out the Indians against Vincennes.
He put clothes on them when they
returned naked. In June, 1880, de-
tachment of Canadians and Indians
appeared at st. Joseph to remove the
white residents to Michilimackinac.
Chevallier was IS years old. His wife
was 20. They abandoned their lands
and houses. their orchards and gar
dens, furniture and cattle at st. Joseph
and went to Mackinac where Cheval-
lier was ill-treated by Sinclair. Sim
clair said Chevallier had no right to
trade on his account, being a member
OF the General Company Of the Mer-
chants OF Mackinac. with whom Sin
clair dealt exclusively.
The report of the Spanish expedi-
ton was not made public until 1882,
when ii appeared TO disturb the dis
cussions OF France, Spain, England
and United States and to give strength
to SPANS claim to. territory now in
cluded in Mississippi, Alabama, part
Of Georgia, n part of Tennessee.
Kentucky, a large part OF Ohio, all Of
Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin.
Fortunately the Yankee commission
ers insisted upon having the Mississip-
pi river as our western boundary and
1t was given them.-Hastings Banner.