DeSoto's Midwestern Trail
by Donald E. SheppardHaving followed the course of today's railroads (built over Indian trails) from Natural Bridge, Alabama, and across the Tennessee River at Florence, Hernando de Soto's army followed that trail up Shoal Creek into Tennessee, through Loretta and to Lawrenceburg (40 miles from the river crossing at Florence). DeSoto had ridden the distance from the crossing in one day (on December 17th, 1540, under a Bright Moon, as his Lancers had done elsewhere under the moon). The horsemen rode that distance in two days. The army spent most of a week crossing the Tennessee River and proceeding 40 miles to Lawrenceburg, a place they called Chicasa; the place Davy Crockett would call "Home" three centuries later. The Tennessee River surrounds most of Lawrenceburg's giant plain, isolating it from points south and, thereby, DeSoto's army from his ships at Mobile Bay (precluding any thought of the army's escape to them). DeSoto's army would Winter at Lawrenceburg for four months, the ships would be back in Cuba by then.
"After they were in Chicasa they suffered great hardships and cold, for it was already Winter, and most of the men were lodged in the open field in the snow before having any place where they could build houses. This land was very well peopled, the population being spread out as was that of Mabila (in today's Alabama). It was fertile and abounding in corn, most of this being still in the fields. The amount necessary for passing the Winter was gathered. Certain Indians were captured, among whom was one who was greatly esteemed by the (local Chicasa) chief. By means of an Indian the governor sent word to the chief that he desired to see him and wished his friendship. The chief came to offer himself to him, together with his lands and people. He said that he would cause two (other provincial) chiefs to come in peace. A few days afterward they came with him... one being named Alabamu (of Nashville) and the other Nicalasa (probably of Huntsville, Alabama). They presented the governor with 150 rabbits and some clothing of their land, namely blankets and skins." ©University of Alabama Press
"Monday, the 3rd of January of 1541, the chief of Chicasa came in peace and gave guides and interpreters to the Christians in order to go to Calusa (probably Huntsville), which had renown (good food, women and dogs, all of which the Spaniards highly valued)... Calusa is a province of more than ninety towns, not subject to anyone, of ferocious people, very bellicose and very feared, and the land is prosperous in those parts (as it is today)."
"In Chicasa (Lawrenceburg) the Governor commanded that half of the people of his army should go to make war on Sacchuma (well down Natchez Trace from Lawrenceburg's Plain, in Northeast Mississippi; Sacchuma was not paying homage to the Spaniards, as others of that neighborhood were forced to do), and on the return (from Sacchuma) the Chief Miculasa (Mico means Chief in that Indian language - Mico Calusa was chief of the Calusa, most likely of Huntsville) made peace (probably in Florence, Alabama, through which the army passed on its return to Lawrenceburg), and messengers (with more food and animal skins) came from Talapatica (Moundville, below Tuscaloosa, Alabama)." The natives of that large area were forced to provide for DeSoto's army, least captives taken from their villages - leaders, braves, women and children - would be fed to DeSoto's dogs; that tactic worked well in Nicaragua where Desoto learned it from Balboa, his mentor. DeSoto's army had gone to Sacchuma and Florence to find captives which would force those tribes to pay tribute for their eventual release. That foray lasted several weeks. Western Mississippi Trails
The army's camp at Lawrenceburg was described by a DeSoto historian of the sixteenth century: "It was situated on a level elevation extending from north to south between two streams having little water but much timber, consisting of walnuts, oaks, and live oaks, at the foot of which was the fruit of two or three years. The Indians let it go to waste because they had no cattle to eat it and they themselves did not use it, having other, better and more delicate fruits to eat... the army collected all the necessary provisions and brought from outlying small villages much wood and straw from which to make houses, because those of the principal village, though they numbered two hundred, were not enough. Our men were in these lodgings almost two months, enjoying some degree of quiet and rest..."
The State of Tennessee has preserved DeSoto's army's Winter encampment in the form of Davy Crockett State Park. That Park's boundaries are the two streams mentioned above; Crowson and Shoal Creeks. They flow from north to south on either side of a long elevated pasture with forests on either side. Trees line the broad creek beds which flow together at the Park's southern boundary. The high elevation between the creeks extends northward for several miles, then opens into a tremendous pasture, tens of thousands of acres stretching ten miles northward; Natives would exploit that weakness in DeSoto's encampment's otherwise natural perimeter. "One night... having realized that the north wind, which was blowing furiously, was favorable to them, at one o'clock the Indians came... In order to set fire to our encampment..."
"... more than three hundred Indians entered in the camp without the sentries detecting them, two by two and four by four, with some little jars in which they brought fire, in order not to be noticed or seen... (they set fire to the north end of the camp; the wind fanned the fire southward)"
"... and the Indians not finding any resistance came and set fire to the camp and awaited the Christians outside behind the doors, who came out of the houses without having time to arm themselves; and as they rose, maddened by the noise and blinded by the smoke and flame of the fire, they did not know where they were going nor did they succeed in getting their arms or in putting saddle on horse; neither did they see the Indians who were shooting at them. Many of the horses were burned in their stables, and those which could break their halters freed themselves. The confusion and rout were of such a nature that each one fled wherever it seemed safest (they fled into the forests of the creeks on three sides of their camp, away from the attack), without anyone resisting the Indians... The Indians thought that the horses, which were running about loose, were the horsemen gathering together to assault them... and fled away... The camp was consumed by fire."
"The Indians did us very great damage, and killed that night fifty-seven horses and more than three hundred hogs, and thirteen or fourteen men, and it was a great mystery of God why, without our resisting them or doing a thing, the Indians turned to flee and left us, because if they had pursued us, not a man of all of us would have escaped."
"Next the Spaniards passed to a savannah one league (2 and a half miles) from the camp in which they were, the place had huts and supplies, and they established camp on a slope and hill... (Davy Crockett's actual homestead sits on that savannah, on that slope of Dry Land Creek, beside the hill which is the City of Lawrenceburg where Chicasa once lived - precisely the specified distance from the army's encampment on the top of the long hill which is Davy Crockett State Park) ...and they made haste to set up a forge, and they made a billows from hides of bears; and they tempered their weapons and made new saddle frames and provided themselves with lances, since there were very good ash trees there... (There's an old water-grist-mill there today, made of stone and ash)."
"On Tuesday, the fifteenth of March, during the morning watch, the Indians attacked the Christians (again), determined to finish them, and they struck on three sides (Dry Land Creek and a high ridge on its south side prevented attack from the south)."
"...Thanks to God it rained a little, so that because of the water they abandoned their plan... We were here about two months, making what we had need of in the way of saddles and lances and shields, and then we departed toward the northwest for another province that is called Alibamo (DeSoto held some Alabamu Indians captive most of that Winter and knew they lived in the province north of Chicasa)."