II. ARKANSAS POST AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

B. The Spanish Defeat the Natchez Rebellion

3. The Spanish Move Against the Leaders of the Revolt

This precipitant action on Morandier’s part was a blunder. Other leaders of the revolt, fearing for their lives, went into hiding.[22] Even before the arrival of Captain Morandier’s command in the Natchez District, the exodus had begun. Some 80 fugitives sought refuge among the Chickasaws and 30 with the Choctaws. Others took to the wilderness with such provisions as they could carry and made for British posts in Georgia and South Carolina.

As events demonstrated, this was unnecessary. Spanish officials proved to be understanding. Amnesty was granted to the rank and file. Two hundred and forty settlers took a new oath of loyalty to Spain within a few days of the recapture of Fort Panmure. Soon thereafter refugees began to trickle into the district from the Indian nations to which they had fled. In addition to the four leaders of the revolt taken into custody by Captain Morandier on June 23, the Spanish hoped to bring five others to justice (Captains Marr, Fulson, Turner, and the Aiston brothers), and a reward of £l00 sterling was offered for their apprehension.[23]

Governor-General Gálvez, who was called to Cuba at this time, delegated trial of the leaders of the revolt to Jacinto Panis. Examination of the four was commenced by the English-speaking Panis in New Orleans on July 2, 1781. Eason’s interrogation revealed few details. Williams, who had served as Blommart’s commissary, stated that he had neither participated in the attack on Fort Panmure nor had he seen any of General Campbell’s blanket commissions. He said that Blommart had honored the terms of the capitulation of the Spanish garrison, but that Captains Marr and Turner had despoiled Commandant de la Villebeuvre’s baggage. No record of Benjamin’s examination has been found.

Blommart, as was to be expected, was closely questioned. He admitted to being a Swiss, a Protestant, and to receiving his commission as captain from General Campbell on April 20, 48 hours before the attack on Fort Panmure. He likewise admitted that he was a resident of the district at the time of Baton Rouge’s capitulation, and that he had taken an oath of fidelity to Carlos III, King of Spain. He denied having any grievance against Spain, and stated that he had participated in the rebellion because he believed “Campbell’s orders compelled him to do so.”

After studying the case overnight, Panis ordered Blommart’s property confiscated and the four men held. Zenon Trudeau, acting as attorney for the defense, pleaded for leniency.[24]

The next leader of the uprising to be apprehended was Jacob Winfree. When questioned, he claimed to have accepted his commission as a means of protecting his property against spoliation by pro-British Indians. He stated that, after learning of the surrender of Pensacola, he had exerted himself to prevent Eason and his confederates from burning Fort Panmure

When cross-examined on September 4 and 5, Winfree sought to focus onus for what had occurred on Blommart, as leader of the revolt. As for his oath of allegiance, he believed it had expired after 8 months. Here he was in error, as the oath administered by Commandant de la Villebeuvre had no time limitation. Winfree evidently confused the Baton Rouge capitulation with the situation of the Mobile settlers, who were to become “eligible for an oath of neutrality eight months after the capitulation of Fort Charlotte.”[25]

Other leaders of the Natchez uprising were apprehended and punished during the next several months. On September 25, 1781, four sons of John Alston and 14 slaves were landed at New Orleans. Commandant de Grand-Pré on November 1, sent John Smith and Parker Caridine down to the provincial capital, along with a report that he had confiscated all the property of the leaders of the rebellion. Learning that John Alston and John Turner, having fled into the wilderness, were endeavoring to organize a force of Chickasaws.and Choctaws to take revenge on the Spanish, Grand-Pré ordered out a patrol. The patrol, consisting of British settlers, descended on a Chickasaw village, capturing John Aiston, one of his sons, and 10 slaves.
Turner, however, escaped. Grand-Pré confiscated the slaves, released the son, and sent Aiston under guard to New Orleans.

On May 6, 1782, 1 year and 2 days after the surrender of Fort Panmure, Commandant Grand-Pré filed a report of the returns from the public sale of property of 21 rebel leaders, some of whom were jailed in New Orleans, and the remair fugitives. After the expenses of judges, sheriffs, interpreters, etc., had been paid, a balance of 3,121 pesos, 4 reales, 17 sueldos remained.[26]

Among the rebels who had found refuge among the Indians was John Holston. Writing his parents on May 15, 1782, he observed:

We got all safely to the Chickasaws & are living all together with Thomas Holmes & wife. My greatest unesiness at present is on account of the great Distance thats Between us, but I still flatter myself that we shall see the day before long that we shall have an opportunity of getting together again. I’d advise you to stay there & Content yourselves as well as you can for I expect an alteration Shortly.[27]

Archibald Campbell, British governor of Jamaica, sought to intercede for the rebels. Writing Governor Gálvez on November 29, 1781, he observed:

Permit me to trouble Your Excellency in regard to two Captains, two Lieutenants, one Store Keeper, one Serjeant, and several privates taken at Natchez.

I am informed that the harsh treatment which Captain Blommart, the head of the party, had met with; so unusual under Your Excellency’s command, has arisen from the neutrality which he had infringed; a circumstance I have reason to believe, originated from intemperate zeal and indiscretion in him & his perfect ignorance of the customary Laws of Nations.

From such persuasions I am led to solicit Your Excellency’s foregiveness to those unfortunate men.[28]

Not so diplomatic was blunt-spoken Ferqr. Bethune, British Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Mississippi District. Writing from the Chickasaw Nation on July 19, 1781, to Captain Grand-Pré he threatened:

In short Sir the Fate of your Power depends on the treatment of the Natchez Inhabitants; Lenity & Compassion shown them will stop a Torrent ready to pour out and deluge the Bank of the Mississippi with blood.[29]