LOUISIANA   TERRITORY

The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) January 4, 1809

 A New Chapter in the History of Louisiana

 A gentleman in Cadiz, under date of October 9, says, it is rumoured that the Supreme Junta of this government are about to take into consideration the propriety of reclaiming from the United States the territory of Louisiana, which has been clandestinely extorted from Spain by France, and by the latter illegally transferred to the U. States.  Flour at Cadiz only seven dollars.  West India produce abundant and but little demand. -- Phil. Gaz.

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) January 4, 1809

 Accounts from Washington state that about 4,000 troops are to be collected at New Orleans , under the command of Gen. Wilkinson.  The object of this movement is variously stated.  All we can be certain of is that something is in agitation.  It is said that agents are employed here and else, where to hire transports for the conveyance of the troops. -- Baltimore N. Amer.

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) January 11, 1809

 Extract of a letter from a gentleman in the city of Washington , to his correspondent in Fredericktown Maryland , dated Dec. 29, 1808.

“Sir - Serious apprehensions are entertained for the safety of New Orleans .  Gen. Prevost has either sailed or is about to sail with upwards of 3,000 men from Halifax , his object it is thought is N. Orleans .  He had been for some time past daily exercising his troops, in embarking and debarking in and from flat bottomed boats.  Seven ships are now lying at Baltimore which have been chartered by Major Pike under the direction of the government, for the purpose of taking on board the levies from Carlisle and other places and wafting them to the Balize.  The artillery, under Captains Irvine and Peters, are ordered to Pittsburgh from whence they will descend the river.  A number of gun boats will immediately sail for N. Orleans also, Gen. Wilkinson leaves this place in a day or two for the same place.  It is contemplated to throw into that city 5,000 men, which with the aid of the gun boats, it is thought, will be able to resist any force, his most Sacred Majesty may be able to send against it. -- Amer. Ind. Vol.

  Carlisle , January 6

 On Sunday the 25^th ultimo, marched from this town for Pittsburgh , Captain Peter’s and Capt. Irvine ’s Companies of Light artillery; place of destination we presume to be New Orleans .

 And on Wednesday 4^th inst., Captain Ragan’s corps of Riflemen; two troops of dismounted cavalry commanded by Captain Biddle, and Lieut. Bowie; and Captains Gibbon, Wallace and Hamill’s Companies of Light Infantry (making altogether about 800 effective men, trained and disciplined read for the filed) under the command of Colonel Bissell, left this place for Baltimore, destined, we understand, from thence to New Orleans.

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) May 24, 1809

  Lexington , (K.) April 22

Extract of a letter to a gentleman in this place, dated

St. Louis , April 5.

 “We are at present in a state of alarm.  The Saukies, Ioways, Fox and Puants, formerly mortal enemies of the Osages, have now joined, and threatened destruction to us all.  They stole a number of horses from the neighboring farmers a few days ago and a party of mounted riflemen have gone in pursuit of them.  Gov. Lewis has ordered out 140 riflemen to march immediately for the defense of Fort Belle Vieu, near the river De Moin. The works are very incomplete, not having had time to build a block house, or furnish their pickets. Lieut. Prior arrived here from the above place, a few days ago, and from his report we fear their small garrison will be butchered before reinforcement can get up.  We have very little apprehension here, as we can raise a respectable force in a few hours.

Should the British and their very humane allies attack us in force, we may probably be obliged to request reinforcement from the Big Knives, Friendly Indians who have come in, say that several bad birds from Canada are flying about the villages.”

 The foregoing letter was brought by an express dispatched by governor Lewis, to acquaint governor Harrison with the hostile disposition of the Indians.

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) May 31, 1809

 The “Missouri Gazette” of April 5, 1809, says, “Last Friday lieutenant Pryor arrived here from the river du Moin, and confirms the report of the hostile intentions of the Winebagos.  The Manitou, or prophet for whose apprehension governor Harrison offered a considerable reward, is also busy in stirring up the savages against the U. States.  He is a half blood and received his education in England .  Some bands come several hundred miles to confer with him.  Belts of Wampum are passing through the villages on and near the river Missouri and Mississippi , and in fact there exists strong apprehensions of an immediate Indian war.  The band of Saukies who visited this place a few days ago, stole eight horses from the settlement on Wood River , on their return home; a party of twenty men have gone in pursuit of them.”

 On the 3d of April 1809, Meriwether Lewis, Esq., governor of Upper Louisiana, issued general orders from his head quarters at St. Louis wherein, after reciting that “information had been received from several sources, too respectable to leave a doubt of the fact, that there is a certain band of Winebagos alias Puants now residing on the Illinois river and detached in small parties, in several places within that territory, who together with some dissolute bands of the neighboring tribes have associated themselves for the purpose of attacking fort Belle Vue on the Mississippi, and waging war on the northern frontiers of the territories of Louisiana and Indiana,”  he had ordered that two companies of dismounted volunteer riflemen, consisting of seventy including officers, be immediately enrolled, organized, armed and equipped for service, in the district of St. Charles.  These companies are to be denominated the Louisiana Spies, to engage for six months, unless sooner discharged, to furnish themselves, and will furnish themselves with the usual arms and accoutrements of riflemen; they will serve as a corps of militia, subject ot the orders of the governor and commander in chief of the territory, and are to perform duty, which may be by him deemed necessary for the defense and protection of Louisiana, and to the adjacent frontier of Indiana.

The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) May 31, 1809

 A New Orleans paper of April 4, says - “About 2600 troops have arrived by sea and land, and more are expected.  Nearly 250 of the troops are already on the sick list and I suppose by the 1^st of October the whole of them (if not previously dispatched to a healthy climate) will go to their long home.”

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) June 14 1809

 A member of congress, at Washington , has received a letter from the late governor of Kentucky , dated May 23, in which it says that by letters lately received from Kaskaskias, the alarm of an Indian war has subsided.

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) June 21 1809

 All Prospect of an Indian War at an End

 The editor feels great satisfaction in being enabled to communicate to his fellow citizens, upon the authority of governor Harrison , that there exists not the smallest probability of hostilities with any of the neighboring tribes.  The body of Indians collected by the prophet have dispersed, and some of his confidential followers are now with the governor.  We understand that they strenuously deny the existence of any intention on their part to attack our settlements, and that their dispersion was attended with some indication of terror and apprehension.  Whether this was occasioned by the military arrangements that were here made, or by the fear of starvation from the prohibition that was issued by the governor to the traders against supplying them with corn and ammunition, until their designs should be less equivocal, we know not. -- Vincennes paper.

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) July 5, 1809

 Extract of a letter from New Orleans , dated May 18.

 “A duel was fought here on the morning of the 15^th, between Lieutenants Bowie and Hague, of the light dragoons.  At the third fire both shots took effect.  The former was mortally wounded.  I attended his funeral last evening.  The latter will in all probability lose one hand, as the bones of his arm just above the wrist are shattered in a shocking manner.  They were promising young officers, and were said to be two of the best looking young men in the army.”

The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) July 5, 1809

 Fort Orleans , May 24

 Another Duel was fought yesterday morning by Lieutenant Chruise, late of the marine corps and Dr. Heap, surgeon in the navy.  Distance five yards.  Each of them received a wound in the right thigh; but neither are supposed to be dangerous.

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) August 16, 1809

 Died at New Orleans , on the 16^th May, Lieut. William Lithgow, of the second Regiment, U. States Infantry.  And on the same day, Edward Mason, of the third Regiment Infantry.

  LOUISIANA TERRITORY

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) September 6, 1809

 EXTRACT OF A LETTER

  Fort Osage , near the Fur Prairie, Missouri , July 11,

 “On the 8^th inst., the St. Louis Missouri Fur company, arrived at this part on their passage to the Rocky Mountains , and this day their boats to the number of ten got under way for their destination.  This company consists of an incorporated body of merchants, who have associated together for the purpose of carrying on the Indian trade of Trapping and Hunting on the headwaters of the Missouri, and have organized a body of militia of 140 and upwards in number, under the command of Major Chodteau, for the purpose of conveying the Mandau Chief to his nation, and are under the orders of the Governor of the Territory of Louisianna until this service is performed; after which they proceed on their original destination and pursuits.”

 “The detachment appears to be well armed, and leave this in perfect order and high spirits, and have no doubt but that they will be quite competent to pass (or chastise whoudl it be found necessary) any tribe of hostile Indians ( if any such they should meet with) on the Missouri.”

 “P.S.  This post is situated on the Missouri river 250 miles above St. Louis , and is central to the Osages, Kansan, Ottas, Missouris , Loways, and Pawanies nations of Indiana .  Those nations of Indians are quite peaceable and friendly disposed, except the Kansas , who at times commit depredations on the other tribes.  The U. States have erected a trading house for their accommodation.

LOUISIANA TERRITORY

DEATH OF MERIWETHER LEWIS, GOVERNOR- GENERAL OF UPPER LOUISANA TERRITORY

The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) November 29, 1809

  Lexington , October 23

A letter from a gentleman in Russelville, dated October 20^th, to his friend in this town says:  

“A gentleman from Nashville informs me, that he conversed with a person who had seen Governor Lewis buried on the 12^th instant, about 40 miles beyond Nashville on the Natchez road.  The accounts are, that Governor Lewis arrived at a house very weak, from a recent illness at Natchez , and showed marks of mental derangement.  After a stay of a few hours at the above house, he took his pistols and shot himself twice, and then cut his throat.”

 The above distressing intelligence is confirmed by a gentleman at present in this place.  It is added, that Governor Lewis, in addition to shooting himself twice in the body, and cutting his throat, shot himself in the head, and cut the arteries in his thighs and arms.

We have been unable to procure any satisfactory intelligence of the circumstances which led to this unhappy event.  We have only heard it stated, that Governor Lewis drew bills to a considerable amount on the government of the U. States, for which there had been no specific appropriations, and which came back protested.  We can hardly suppose, however, that an accident of this kind, alone, could have produced such deplorable consequences.

 [After the above was put in type, a gentleman politely handed us a Nashville paper of the 29^th instant, from which we have made the following extracts:]

 To record the untimely end of a brave and prudent officer, a learned scholar, and scientific gentleman, this column of the Clarion is ushered to the world in black.  On the night of the 10^th instant, Meriwether Lewis, Governor- General of Upper Louisiana, on his way to Washington city, came to the house of Grinder near the Indian line in this state - called for his supper and some spirits, of which her partook and gave some to his servants.

Mr. Grinder not being at home, Mrs. Grinder retired to the kitchen with her children and the servants (after the Governor went to bed, which he did in good order) went to a stable about 100 yards distant to sleep - no one in the house with the Governor - Some time before midnight Mrs. Grinder was alarmed by the firing of two pistols in the house - she called to the servants  without effect.

 At the appearance of day light the servants came to the house, when the Governor said he had now done for himself.  They asked what, and he said he had shot himself and would die, and requested them to bring him water, he then lying on the floor, where he expired about 7 o’clock in the morning of the 11^th.  He had shot a ball that grazed the top of his head, and another through his intestines, and cut his neck.  When in his best senses he spoke about a trunk of papers that he said would be of great value to our government.  He had been under the influence of a deranging malady for about six weeks - the cause of which is unknown, unless it was from a protest to a draft which he drew on the secretary at war, which he considered tantamount to a disgrace by government.

 In the death of Governor Lewis, the public behold the wreck of one of the noblest of men.  He was a pupil of the immortal Jefferson; by him he was reared - by him he was instructed in the tour of the sciences - by him he was introduced to public life, when his enterprising soul, great botanical knowledge, acute penetration and personal courage, soon pointed him out as the most proper person to command a projected exploring party to the N. W. Coast of the American continent.  He accepted the arduous command, on condition that he might take Mr. Clarke with him.  They started. The best wishes of the American people attended them.  After an absence of two years, (to us of taxious solicitude) we were cheered with the joyful return of our countrymen.  A new world had been explored - additional knowledge in all the sciences obtained, at a trifling expense. The voice of the same echoes the glad tidings through the civilized world - the name of Lewis was the theme of universal praise.  The national legislature voted a complementary donation to the brave little band.

 Scarcely had the governor time to pay respects to a widowed mother, before he was again called into active service.  The upper Louisiana had been torn to pieces by party feuds, no person could be more proper to calm them - he appeared and all was quiet. The limits assigned this notice do not admit of a particular detail of his executive acts - suffice it to say that the parties created by local circumstances and Wilkinson were soon united.  The Indians were treated with, and large purchases of valuable land made of ones adopted - to the securing the citizens of the territory from a renewal of the scenes of 1805.

 During the few leisure moments he had from his official duties, he was employed in writing the particulars of his celebrated tour up the Missouri - to complete which appears to have been the wish nearest his heart - and it gives us much pleasure, if we can feel it pleasure in the present melancholy instance, to state that we have it from a source which can be depended upon, that he had accomplished the work in three very large volumes, with an immense number of paintings - and all was ready for the press.  We hope these volumes may be the means of transmitting to posterity the worth of a man whose last act casts a gloom over the fair pages of his early life.

 The Centinel, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) February 28,1810

Extract of a letter from a gentleman at St. Louis, to his friend in Lexington

St. Louis, Nov. 30, 1809

Some few days before my return to St. Louis, Major Peter Chauteau had arrived from his Missouri expedition.  This gentleman possesses a very extensive influence with the Indians of this country, founded on the openness, sincerity and justice with which he has ever treated them.

On the failure of all other expedients for restoring the Mandane chief to his people, major Couteau was selected as the only person, whose address, in the conduct of such an enterprise, was esteemed preferable to military equipment.  The result has amply justified the public expectation.  The chief and his family were safely landed at his village on the 24^th of Sept. last, after an absence of about three years.

The banks of the Missouri are inhabited by very numerous and warlike nations of Indians, and the appearance of military preparations will be always considered by those children of the forest as the signal of violence, or as an invitation to the combat.  Major C. foresaw and foretold, from this cause, the embarrassments which awaited the expedition of Ensign Pryor, in the year 1807, - observing that if it were determined to rely on the strength of the party, and to open a passage with the sword, no certain calculations could be made; it might require 500 men - 10,000 might be found insufficient.

The river has become of late a subject of so much interesting curiosity, that I have sought frequent occasions of consulting with the major, with respect to the navigation, soil, climate, vegetable and animal productions, & C.  I shall take more leisure moment to communicate the various informations with which he obligingly favored me, confining myself at this time to a brief notice of those facts which struck me as new and worthy of further enquiry.  He informs me that the Buffalo, which you know to be innumerable on the banks of the neighborhood of the river, might be made a source of inexhaustible supply of fine wool to our manufactories.  This animal casts a rich fleece in the spring or in the beginning of the summer, which the Indians, at very cheap rates, might be induced to collect in vast quantities.  It is very probably that parts only of the Buffalo produce wool suitable for the manufacture of cloths.  The major brought several specimens of various degrees of fineness, the best of which have been spun into very beautiful yarn by Madame Chouteau, and knit into socks and mittens.  Let our Atlantic friends beware lest this valuable staple supersede, in time, their boasted adoption of the merinos.

The climate of the upper country is represented by the major to be very salubrious; the soil is however poor and unproductive, and contains everywhere indications of volcanic eruptions.  He appears to be of opinion that the precious metals will be one day discovered - that they abound in Louisiana, has long been a well founded conjecture, and the relations of every successive explorer add strength to the supposition 

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