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MISSISSIPPI: THE general background
AN OUTLINE OF FOUR CENTURIES	69
tion in the Baton Rouge district. The United States claimed that under the French title the Sabine River was the western boundary of its territory, and that beyond this stream began the Spanish province of Texas. The Spanish claimed a line east of the Sabine, at the Arroyo Hondo, halfway between Natchitoches and Adeas. In October 1805 small detachments of Spanish troops crossed the Sabine and occupied the Arroyo Hondo line. Under orders from Washington, American troops advanced, and the Spanish retired beyond the Sabine. But late in the summer of 1806, Spanish troops again advanced east of the Sabine. In October General Wilkinson effected a truce, and the Spanish retired beyond the Sabine "pending the negotiations between the United States and Spain.” But some time passed and there was still no agreement. The continued occupation of the Baton Rouge district by Spanish authorities was becoming more and more unbearable to the American settler. Throughout much of 1809, border warfare was waged. In the summer of 1810, settlers' meetings at Baton Rouge proposed the adoption of a constitutional government. The Spanish governor sent to Pensacola for reinforcements. The American party gathered its forces and on September 23, 1810, attacked and captured the Spanish fort at St. Francisville. The town of Baton Rouge surrendered, the Spanish troops and civil authorities being allowed to retire to Pensacola.
An American convention immediately assembled, and proclaimed "the Territory of West Florida a free and independent State.” A constitution was adopted and a government organized under the name of "the Free State of Florida." On October 11, 1810, the convention applied to the United States for admission as a State into the Union. On October 27, President Madison issued a proclamation empowering Governor Claiborne of the "Territory of New Orleans" to take possession of West Florida. The territory south of Mississippi Territory eastward to Perdido River had been conveyed to the United States as a pact of the Louisiana Purchase. Governor Claiborne was instructed that if military forces were needed to establish his jurisdiction in that area they would be supplied. Accompanied by military, the Governor went to Baton Rouge, and by proclamation declared West Florida the "Territory of Orleans.” Mobile, not included in this territory, was held by the Spanish until the War of 1812. During that war British alliance with northern Indian tribes under Tecumseh was out-maneuvered by the friendly Choctaw chieftain, Pushmataha. The Creek uprisings brought active service for the Mississippi Militia over a considerable period. The first engagement was the battle at Burnt Corn (then in Mississippi, now in Alabama) on July 17, 1813; and on August 30 a massacre at Fort Mimms shocked the country. Immediately Andrew Jackson organ-