by Donald E. Sheppard by Donald E. Sheppard
DeSoto's Army crossed Florida before stopping at Panama City. Natives attacked them constantly. Ships, left behind at Port Charlotte, advanced with supplies. One was sent west to find a port at which to supply the army the next year. It returned from Mobile that Winter with captives to guide the army overland.
Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama were plundered by Spaniards searching for gold. While heading back all were attacked. None would make it to the ships.
They withdrew northward, thru Tennessee where they Wintered. Attacked again, they continued thru Kentucky and Indiana, the scouts as far as Chicago. Finding a lake and not an Ocean there, DeSoto retreated across Illinois and the Mississippi River. He slogged through Missouri then Wintered in Arkansas where he died.
His confused army headed for Mexico, Spain's nearest outpost on the continent, thru Louisiana and Texas, the scouts beyond Austin. Finding only desert, all retreated back to build escape boats that Winter in Arkansas. They drifted down the Mississippi River at Springtime, then coasted the Gulf to Mexico.