Two Secret Forts

The political atmosphere surrounding control of “New World” territories rivals, and likely surpasses, the complexity of any plot conceived by modern-day novelists and film-makers. The “Old World” powers Britain, France, and Spain created allegiances and pacts openly while simultaneously conspiring against their public “ally” with secret alliances.

The Treaty of Paris (1763) concluded The French and Indian War with cessation of Canada and all French territory east of the Mississippi, except New Orleans, to the English. When agreeing to this treaty, the English were unaware that King Louis XV of France and King Charles III of Spain had secretly agreed in November 1762 (Treaty of Fontainebleau) that Louisiana territory west of the Mississippi River plus New Orleans would be given to the Spanish. Spain would be England’s “New World” neighbor not the defeated French.

After the Treaty of Paris, Frenchmen fearful of English dominion started relocating their settlements and fur trade west of the Mississippi River.  But, after details of the Treaty of Fontainebleau were revealed in October 1764, the French settlers of the Louisiana territory felt completely abandoned. For two years, as Spanish possession of Louisiana was delayed, the French settlers held hope the Treaty of Fontainebleau would not be executed and their lucrative fur trade would remain a French enterprise.

But in 1766 this hope faded when Don Antonio de Ulloa, first Spanish Governor of Louisiana, arrived with two companies of Spanish infantry. The ensuing drama included the French not recognizing Ulloa's authority, pacts and allegiances to protect fur-trading interests, and threat of English expansion west of the Mississippi.

The desire to leave territory ceded to England, initial ignorance of the Treaty of Fontainebleau, then hope the Spanish would not exert authority, and subsequent attempts to reject Spanish control explain a population boom in what is now Missouri that was largely French although a Spanish territory.


Multi-volume works are dedicated to this period of (what is now) Missouri History. This blog’s mission could not give proper treatment and understanding to the political atmosphere.

But, it was in the midst of such political instability and uncertainty, that on January 7, 1767 Ulloa penned a letter to infantry Captain Don Francisco Rui with secret instructions to construct two forts along the Mississippi River; one north of the Missouri River mouth and one south.

The northern fort, to be known as “Don Carlos Tercero el Rey” (King Charles III) was instructed to be the larger of the two forts and house a garrison of 25 men including 2 sergeants, 2 corporals and drummer. The southern fort, to be known as “El Principe de Asturias, Senor Don Carlos” (Prince of Asturias) was to house 15 men with 2 corporals and commanded by Lieutenant Don Francisco Gomez (who would report to Captain Rui commanding the northern fort).

Once the terrain surrounding the mouth of the Missouri River was examined, the northern location was determined impractical due to the annual floodplain. The large fort was built south of the Missouri and a temporary blockhouse constructed on the north side.

Sources

• Houck, Louis editor. The Spanish Regime in Missouri: A collection of papers and documents relating to Upper Louisiana. Volume 1. Chicago: R. R. Donnelley & Sons, 1909. 
• Rader, Perry S. Rader's Revised History of Missouri.  Jefferson City: The Hugh Stephens Printing Company, 1904.