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24
SPAIN IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY, 1765-1794:
Carondelet to the Commandant or Fort Tombecbe April 3, 179218
Instructions for the Commandant of the Fort of Tombecb
1st: On his arrival at the post of Tombecbe he will endeavor acquire exact information regarding the situation, population, ? state of defense of the Fort of Tombecbe. Because of the importa of this post to the royal service, he must exercise every care in,, maintenance.
2nd: In order to put it in a state to resist attack by a body supported by cannon of larger caliber, I have ordered that ins the stockade, which the said fort has around it at present, its co mandant shall cause another to be erected of stakes, four feet disA from the first stockade and five feet in height. In such manner, filling up the space between the stockade and the inner wall; stakes the whole will form a parapet five feet high, with a walk o foot in elevation, so that a soldier mounted on this can sh with ease through the loopholes of the stockade, which rem unobstructed.	>
3rd: tin order to safeguard the fort from the effect of the g' fire which may be directed from the heights which overlook it, have arranged that there shall be sent from this city two eig1 pounders, which, with the four four-pounders now at the said fo and some grapeshot, will be sufficient to dislodge the savages a the hunters from the aforesaid highlands.	,
Uth: Since the inner wall of which I have just spoken must j. made quickly, the commandant of the Fort of San Estevan >; Tombecbe will avail himself of his garrison by assigning to e' soldier a compensation of two reales daily. He will do the sa_ with some people from the town, and with the discharged men tK the commandant of Mobile will send him in case he sees that t work is not progressing'as rapidly as the present circumstan" demand.
5th: In case the commandant of the Fort of Tombecbe lear with certainty that a force of more than a thousand men, support by artillery of a caliber superior to his own, is advancing agai him, he will evacuate the fort, retire with his artillery to Mob" by means of boats which the commandant of the last-named f. will have ready for this purpose. In case the retreat should ~ impossible, he should without fail throw his artillery into the riv or render it useless by forcing a ball placed in the crown of a 1? into the cannon up to the breech.
6th:	His	relations	with	the	inhabitants	must	be	most	friendl
y
ipBLEMS OF FRONTIER DEFENSE, 1792-1794
attack they would prove most useful to him. He should to protect them against the savages, the American I other vagabond peoples of this nation. It must be that he must not admit into the settlement, much less rt, those wandering Americans against whom he must lie the Indians to rob them of everything they carry, under f that they are destroying their game. For the same Sail not give passports to any American, unless the latter wn.
will cautiously listen to any information given by all "shunters and travelers of anything new that may occur .erican settlements or among the savage nations, particu-hat takes place on the Pearl, Mobile, and Alabama rivers, &the government immediately of any news that may be ?nee judging from the trustworthiness of the savage who fsuch information; said savage will be duly rewarded in tal. A duplicate account shall be sent to the commandant |^?so that he may in turn forward it to me without further
"e must watch with the utmost care to see that no settle-? be formed on the Pearl, Mobile, or Alabama rivers with-owledge of the government. He shall try to convince |ns that the Americans are entering their territories with ion of despoiling them of their lands as soon as they are cient number, as they have done against the nations of the gainst the Shawnees, Cherokees, and lastly the Creeks; and der to prevent their total destruction it is indispensable *shall form a defensive league and a guaranty of their among the Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, Cherokee, and iations, placing all under the protection of Spain, who ^powerfully aid them against all those who may wish to jeir lands and commit hostilities against them. kleans, April 3, 1792.
Baron de Carondelet (Rubric)
De Blano to Carondelet
April 16,179219
official letter of the 9th of last March Your Lordship notified -|it is necessary for the royal service that I inform you imme-^and as concisely as possible of the present state of the Fort tchitoches under my command, and give a description of the P&tions. The information is as follows: