Spanish
Exploration and
Attempted Settlement
Of The
American Southeast
The Catholics can claim to be the very
first planters, and horticulturists, in America. The Virginia settlement of
Jamestown was created as a counter to the French and Spanish moves into the
Americas.
Spain first
explored Florida during Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the new world,
1493 AD. On October 12, 1492, Columbus went ashore at San Salvador, with armed
guards and the captains from Nina and
the Pinta. All around their landing
were naked Native Americans. It was here that Columbus had planted the Spanish
Royal Banner proclaiming the ownership of the NEW WORLD for Ferdinand and Isabella, king and queen of Spain. Columbus had mistakenly thought
that he had made it to the gateway to the Golden East, Spice Islands, and
Cathay, and described the northern tip of Cuba as the “most precious jewel in
the Spanish crown.”
With Columbus’
1493 visit to Florida, this by orders of Ferdinand and Isabella emphasized the
Christianization of the native people. Along on this trip was Juan Ponce de
Leon. Ponce de Leon became governor of Puerto Rico in 1510, then having been removed;
he organized an exploration in 1513, financing the exploration from his own
pockets. This allowed Ponce de Leon to explore as he wished not as some uptight
business man who was a simple fundraiser. With the competition for America
there were John Cabot, who had claimed North America in 1497-1498; then there
was Amerigo Vespucci, who had discovered, and claimed for Spain, South America
in 1499.
Ponce de Leon had
been told about “Bimini,” an island to the North that held the FOUNTAIN OF
YOUTH! It was said that anyone who drank from the fountain would regain their
youth. He may have been searching for gold also, but his real mission had been
claim the New World for Spain.
During the Easter
season, April 3, 1513, Ponce de Leon spotted land. In Spanish Easter is known
as Pascua Florida, or “Feast of
Flowers.” Ponce de Leon stepped foot where the present city of St. Augustine,
Florida now stands. He named the spot La
Florida, because of the lush foliage around the spot. Due to the fact that
the first location on the American Continent should be named after a Catholic
Church festival. He is thought to have landed near the modern day Fountain of
Youth Archaeological Park. Upon his landing, Ponce de Leon named the inlet, he
had discovered, Barra de la Florida.
Ponce de Leon claimed America from Florida to Labrador for the Spanish Crown.
(The Native Americans are thought to have navigated to Florida over 4,000 years
ago.
Ponce de Leon
failed to find a harbor and turned around and followed the south coast. May 23,
he retraced his course and on June 14, headed for Puerto Rico, never finding
his destination of Bimini.
With 200 men,
Ponce de Leon set out to see if Florida was an island, in 1521. He was also to
start a colony, and, of course, he would search for the Fountain of Youth. But
instead of the Fountain he found death. Native Americans opposed his landing
and in the ensuing battle many of his men were wounded, including himself. He
returned to Cuba and die of complications with his wound in 1522.
The next major
landing on Florida shores occurred in 1528 by Panfilo de Narvaez, who was a one-eyed veteran of Cuba and Mexico.
He sailed from Spain to explore the Provinces
of the Main. In other words he was to explore from Florida to Mexico. Due
to a heavy storm he was pushed by storms towards Florida and landed April 12,
1528. Two days later he would weigh anchors on the west side of Tampa Bay. The conquerors
captured four Native Americans, who led them to ship-wrecked packing cases,
each containing the body of a Spaniard from the shipwreck.
The voyagers were
there for 25 days, in the New World. During which time they over Native
American housing and lived off of the Native Americans’ provisions. The Natives
mounted an attack and the settlers left. They marched towards the ocean and
found the mouth of the bay. Many were sick. To save the expedition, trees were
chopped down and in 15 days there were five boats made, and they used shirts
for sails.
Navarez sailed on
and came upon the mouth of the Mississippi River. He had one boat overturn so
he and his page, who was sick, and one crew member. Their anchor was a piece of
stone, during the night the windswept the boat away, never to be seen again.
Narvaez’s deputy,
Cabez de Vacca, had lagged behind and his boat was wrecked on the Texas shore.
Another boat was attacked and killed by Natives. Eventually the Natives had
captured 85 men. Of these 85 men 70 became sick and died. The survivors found
themselves as slaves to the Natives during a famine. De Vacca was made to dig
roots under water until his fingers became so sore and tender that they bled at
the slightest touch. Eventually, he escaped and roamed from tribe to tribe, for
six years, trading shells. In 1537, he met a group of Spaniards, and was soon
back in Spain, talking up the port in Tampa Bay as being the best in the world.
The Spanish crown
wanted gold and silver from a mercantile empire that reached from Mexico, also
called New Spain, to Panama, Columbia
and Venezuela, also called the Spanish
Main, the West Indies including Cuba, and the west coast of South America,
including Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. Florida was regarded as crucial in
protecting the naval bullion ships sailing back to Spain. This flow of mineral
riches from the New World was helping Spain to rise in position in Europe.
De Vacca was eager
to return to the New World, despite the hardships he had faced, but the next
voyage was already given to Hernando De Soto, a Peruvian conquest veteran. De
Soto had become so rich in Peru, that the Spanish king Charles V borrowed money
from him. De Soto, then 38 years old, tried to recruit De Vacca. De Caca
declined, but did tell De Soto about Tampa Bay.
De Soto would
listen to any man, but once his mind was made and he thought an idea was best,
he could bend any man his way. In April 1538, De Soto set sail for Havana, Cuba
(He had once been Governor of Cuba). May 18, 1539, he set sail headed to Tampa
Bay. As he approached, the Natives began sending smoke signals saying that the
villages should be abandoned.
De Soto’s men
disembarked and began a search for Natives that could be held as slaves and
guides through the lush landscape. One of the men they took captive begged for
his safety in perfect Spanish. He was Juan Ortiz and had been on one of De Vacca’s
boats that capsized and he had made it to Havana. Once in Cuba, De Vacca’s wife
convinced Ortiz to return to Tampa Bay to search for her husband. On the sandy
beach of Tampa Bay, he saw a cleft stick holding what looked to be a note. When
he went to collect it he was captured by Natives. With his hands and feet bound
to four stakes on a scaffold, he had been saved by the chief’s daughter who
claimed they had never had a Christian as a slave and she would like to have
this one (this is probably where John Smith got his idea for his story of
Pocahontas saving his life).
Since Ortiz knew
the area, De Soto used him as a scout. De Soto sent ships back to Cuba to
gather provisions, then he left 100 men at Tampa Bay to guard his remaining
ships, leaving them with two-years supplies, De Soto headed out on an
expedition which led him out of Florida, into Georgia, North and South
Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and of the
Indian Territory of the Old West.
De Soto first
arrived at Cale, and began picking all of the ripe ears of corn. The Natives
tried to prevent this but the colonist killed three and captured 28. De Soto
pulled out of Cale on August 11, 1539, reached Caliquen and crossed the
Suwannee River. There they met Natives playing flutes as if they were a
welcoming party; Ortiz talked with one of the Natives and learned of an impending
attack. There were 400 Natives assembled with bows and arrows. Ready for the
Natives to attack, De Soto gripped the chief’s hand and ordered a trumpet
sounded and the colonists killed 30-40 natives. The surviving Native Americans
hid in the icy water of two lakes. The water was unbearable so the Natives surrendered.
But they decided to rise up again. Soon, some 200 Natives were defeated, and
most were chained to a post in the center of the town and shot. One of those
spared told of a town of gold, that had a woman as chief, the town was Yupaha.
The infantry and
cavalry went out and took 100 Natives. These prisoners were put in chains and
forced into slave labor. The Spanish kept moving until they reached Appalachia, on October 26. It being
deserted, the Spanish made it home. The Spanish celebrated Christmas in North
America for the first time.
De Soto set off
with 600 men to look for gold at Yupaha, March 3, 1540. Their captives – naked
and chained they had all died from exposure, thus, the Spaniards had to carry
their own corn ration and herd 300 full-grown hogs. The Spaniards arrived at
the homes in Toalli in Creek
territory. The homes were mud –walled with a cane and tile roof. De Soto
captured one man and had him go get the chief. De Soto told the chief that he (De
Soto) was the child of the sun! They then set up a cross and explained
Christianity; that Christ was God and man. The chief led the Spaniards to Ocute en route to Yuhapa where
they found warehouses full of dried corn and flour. They learned that they were
in the territory of a chieftainess’ in South Carolina near the Savannah River.
The chieftainess’ sister gave a WELCOME speech.
Then the
chieftainess appeared, sitting on pillows, under an awning, in her canoe. She
brought gifts to De Soto, such as a pearl necklace, skins, and a shawl.
Meanwhile, his men were desecrating graves, after hearing the dead were buried
with pearls. The Spanish soldiers stole 350 lbs. of pearls and raped many
Native women. But, De Soto found no
gold. He decided to go to a nearby province, called Chiaha. The Natives would not offer up any guides because of
the rapes in town.
De Soto grabbed
the chieftainess, and he marched north-west across South Carolina and was
welcomed every night at a Native village because of their hostage. At one town
they were given 700 turkeys. They finally reached Chiaha. Then they stayed for 30 days, letting the horse fatten-up
and let the men rest, but, instead they began raping the females. The next
morning, all of the Natives disappeared.
De Soto ordered
that the Natives be hunted down while he burnt and destroyed the Natives corn
fields, including the chief’s. De Soto went on to Coca. He sent word by a Native that he no longer wanted them to send
the 30 women he had requested, he now knew how to get them by village attack. The chief of the Natives was brought forth on a litter on the
shoulders of four men, sitting on pillows and covered with a blanket made of
martin hides. The chief wore a diadem of
plumes while he was surrounded by servants and singers and flute players.
At first the
Natives were friendly at first, then they began to disappear and de Soto
followed. De Soto stayed in Coca for 25 days.
De Soto then
headed out to Tascaluca and found
the chief there. One of his men ran off in pursuit of a Native woman who was a
captive, De Soto ordered the chief seized and to be held until his man returned
or could be found. Somehow the chief had sent word to the tribe at Mavila to be ready for attack.
Having been warned
of Mavila’s hostility, De Soto continued to press on into town with a priest, a
friar, and servants who were carrying an altar, ornaments and vestments. The
chief used the distraction to slip into a house that contained armed Native
American’s. De Soto and his small command were attacked by the Native’s, who
came out of their homes, and fired arrows. All of the Spaniards, including De
Soto, were wounded, before they rode out of town, running down Native’s and lancing
a few also.
De Soto returned
and attacked the town. It was a long battle, so, long that the “Christians,
weary and very thirsty, went to drink at a pond nearby, tinged with the blood
of the killed, and returned to combat.” The Spanish set fire to the homes of
the Native’s and killed them as they exited their burning home’s, many ran back
into their homes only to be burned to death. During the burning of Mavila there
were over 2,500 Natives killed, and 18 Spanish dead and 150 more wounded with
arrows.
The Natives then
told Ortiz, who reported to De Soto, that Francisco Maldonado, who was an
infantry commander out on a mission for De Soto, was awaiting him at Ochuse, six days’ march away. De Soto
kept this news secret, so that he would have time to replenish the pearls he
had lost.
De Soto reached
the territory of the Chickasaws’ in the middle of November, on December 17; he
reached the deserted town of Chicaca,
which he made his Winter Quarters. Four of De Soto’s men went into the Native
village, a mile away, helped themselves to skins and shawls and caused the
Natives to abandon their houses. In March, as De Soto was preparing to leave
Chicaca, Natives attacked from all sides, yelling, beating drums, and setting
fire to all of the houses. De Soto was able to ride away, but 11 of his men
were killed and 50 horses were burned to death in their burning stalls. In
reprisal, De Soto attacked the Native village a mile away. De Soto strews the
Native dead bodies across an open field.
De Soto’s men were
running low on food and they moved on to Alimamu,
which was too small to have much corn. He sent three parties out to forage for
food in the nearby towns. Juan de Anasco, came upon a staked fort with Native
Americans in war-paint and armed, so he sent word to de Soto. De Soto ordered
an attack. This was a costly mistake, as many Spaniards were killed by the
fleeing Natives. De Soto reached Quiz-quiz
on May 8, and he was attacked again. He had barges built and he pressed
forward, killing 10 and capturing 15 en route by the Mississippi River.
Next he reached Casqui, where the chief brought two blind
the Sun he begged him to restore their sight. De Soto’s Catholicism came out in
his reply. He attempted to convert the chief to Christianity, pointing to the
sky as the home of Jesus.
He pressed on to Pacaha, here they found a store of
dried corn and remained for forty days. He then moved on to Quiguate, where his men captured the
chief and 140 Natives, interrogating them as to the location of gold and
silver. The nearby mountains of Coligoa,
seemed to be the likely place.
The Spaniards went
to Coligoa, living on fish. They
were now among the Quapaw Plains
Indians. They continued on to Tulla,
killing 15 Natives and occupying the village. That night the Natives attacked
but many were killed. De Soto had six prisoners brought forward where he cut
off their right hands and nose, then sent them off to their chief in a demand
for an apology. The chief came forward with 80 Natives, all of which were
weeping in a show of repentance. He also brought cowhides for the Spaniards to
sleep under.
De Soto continued
onward, over the Boston Mountains to Autiamque,
where it was reported to have corn and water that may be the sea; instead, he found
a deserted town on the Arkansas River. There were stores of corn, beans,
walnuts, and persimmons, and the Spaniards snared rabbits for meat. This is
where the interpreter Ortiz died. Ortiz was replaced by a native who had been
converted to Christianity, but it was soon easy to see he was not a very good
interpreter.
Having already
lost 250 men and 150 horses, De Soto decided to seek the ocean, May 6, 1542. He
wanted to find the sea, build two brigantines, sail one to Cuba, the other to
Mexico. From Cuba he would sail west to lands that were rumored to be full of
gold. Instead of heading to the sea, he headed to the banks of the Mississippi
River. Along the way were Native American bodies scattered in his wake – 100 at
Nilco alone. His men began to become
feverish after trudging through bogs. De Soto, also feverish, with what was
possibly typhus, called for his captives. De Soto told them they should elect a
governor. De Soto died the next day, March 7, 1542. To keep the Natives from
finding out that their leader was dead, the Spaniards dug the grave inside
their fort. When the Natives began to question after De Soto, the Spaniards
decided to dig De Soto’s body up, place it in a canoe filled with rocks, and
sent his body to the bottom of the Mississippi River. They next auctioned off
his property; two male and three female slaves, three horses, and 700 hogs.
This was the end
of De Soto’s attempt to settle the wilds of Florida. He had crossed what would
someday be the Southern states. Along his way he pushed Christianity on the
Native Americans, with severe cruelty and brutality, such was the way of Spain
during the Inquisition.
Meanwhile, Spanish
explorer Francisco Vazquez de Coronado,
was doing the same thing in the American Southwest, from Mexico, up through
Texas to Kansas, in search for the 7 cities of gold, finding only semi-nomadic
tribes, and, like de Soto, Coronado failed to find his gold and riches………
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