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answer to this proposition, President Madison, on the 29th October, / 1810, issued a proclamation, declaring that West Florida was within the limits of Louisiana, when ceded, by France to Spain, and by Spain to France, and by France to the United States, and direct- ; ing Gov. Claiborne, of Orleans Territory, to take civil and military /.? po.ssession of the same. And twenty thousand dollars were placed-to the credit of the Governor to defray the expenses of the movement.
In pursuance of these orders, Governor Claiborne repaired* to .... Bayou Sara and Baton Rouge, supported by several companies of volunteers, chiefly from Mississippi, and, without opposition, hoisted die American standard. The American settlers had accomplished , their main object by placing the district under the jurisdiction of 'the : United States. "	,
It is refreshing and may be instructive, in these days of extravagance and official delinquency, to add, that of the sum placed at . the disposal of the Governor, he only drew for $4,202,96.	?
Gov. Claiborne, by proclamation, declared West Florida an. t integral portion of Louisiana. By an act of the Territorial legistaV ture the country was organized as the countyvof- Feliciana, and . divided into seven parishes. Our Coast was divided into the parishes of Biloxi and Pascagoula, the eastern boundary being Bayou Batrie,!?_/ but was subsequently extended to the .Rio Peno or Dog river, -near Mobile.	;
During the time when the Florida or St. Francisville-Conven-' tion was exorcising jurisdiction-?from the seizure of the^.Spanish Fort at Baton Rouge to the assumption of authority by GoverHor Claiborne on the part of the United States?thiscoast, and especially the Pascagoula settlement, was in a state of?anarchy. Bands of
filibusters or jay-liawkcrs roved through the country, as they did du-lhappy war, pillaging the peaceable inhabitants. One Sterling Dupree, styling himself Major, and one Peter Nicola, claiming
ring the late uni
to be a captain,in the service of the Convention, seem'to have-been the leaders of the free-booters. They carried the flag of the Convention and compelled the inhabitants to swear allegiance to it. They obliged masters of coasting vessels to take out pass-ports and., , pay extravagantly therefor, and they made seizures and exacted ? contributions and free quarters wherever they went. On one occa-:^ sion the inhabitants of Pascagoula attempted to , rescu'e. seizure of negroes, horses and merchandise, but were driven ,bac by the superior forces of the Convention^ with the loss
Davis killed, and Allen Goodin and others, wounded.