II. ARKANSAS POST AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

C. Captain Colbert Intervenes

4. The Spanish Counterattack

b) Miró Negotiates with Colbert

Acting-Governor Miró, not waiting for Gálvez’s reply, had left New Orleans with 100 men on June 17 and had landed at Natchez on July 1. He remained there until late in October. When Miró returned to New Orleans, he could report, “the reenforced garrison had reassured the people of the district.[75]

On his arrival at Natchez in July, Miró had sent two Choctaw chiefs into their nation with a message inviting all chiefs to meet with the acting-governor and make peace. They also carried Miró’s reply to Colbert’s proposals for an exchange of prisoners. It was pointed out that Colbert’s captives were not prisoners of war, because Colbert had not been commissioned by George III to wage war. As all of West Florida had been surrendered to Governor- General Gálvez, Blommart and the other Natchez rebels were political, not military, prisoners as Colbert had contended, and could not be exchanged. All negotiations for their release must be conducted through the governor of Jamaica. [76]

Colbert replied on October 6, 1782. After acknowledging receipt of Miró’s letter, he wrote:

Wherein you mention as follows Concerning the late Inhabitants of the Notches Which you Tern as Reb-[les] & Signifys in your As I harboured them Rebles. Now Sir you Ought to be the Last Person that Should Even mention Anything Of that Nature to me When you Upheld Mr. Willing in Robing & plundering the Inhabtents On the Mississippi before war was Ever declared between the Crown of great Brittain & his Catholick majisty notwithstanding I never mein to Uphold Or Harbour Rebles Of Any kind. for those People that Left the notches I do not Look Upon them as Rebles Neither do I emagine they were ever your Subjects therefore I can but Look on them as Other Inglish Subjects, you Signify in your Letter as though I had no right to go to war Without an authaurity. I would have you to know that I have as much Authority to distress my kings Enymys as you have to maintain Notches Or Any Other place in behalf of your King therefore The Prisoners I now have & any Others I may take you may depend I shall Look On As prisoners of war & Keep Them As Such till Proper Exchanges are made for them I am well Satisfyed with your Humanity in Regard Of not Setting the Indians On White People. I have prevaild With my Indians to make Peace both With you & the Americans & with all the world as it is proper that no Indians Ought to interfare with what Concerns none but white [men]. As for the White People that Left Notches I much blame them for Not Remaining in Peace till war was desided between great Britain & Spain. Do Not think that Capn. Blommart had no Authority for what he did for he as well as many others had from Gent. Campbell-- Therefore I desire you will Return the Prisoners I wrote for & at the same time I shall Return those I have here. If not I shall detain them As Such further orders--I shall Send Monsr. Laffunt to his Parents as he is A youth I wish Well & having No Oppirtunity of Education here I would Not wish to keep him. I hope you will make Some Retalliation to the Indian that takes him in--If you Should have Any Occation to write Any More to me, Please to write in Inglish Or Send an Interpreter with it having None here
I am Sir Yours &c
JAMES COLBURT
Captn. in his Majestys Serv.[77]