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Colonial Militia in Arkansas

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Prior to the 1804, "Louisiana Purchase", the area that is now Arkansas was a colonial possession of the European powers of France and {{Spain]]. The area had been claimed and governed by France from 1682 until 1762 when the colony was passed to Spain. Because the area had been settled largely by the French, French officials remained in authority even during the period of Spanish rule. Louisiana (Spanish: Luisiana) was the name of an administrative district of the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1762 to 1802 that consisted of territory west of the Mississippi River basin, plus New Orleans. Spain acquired the territory from France, who had named it La Louisiane in honor of King Louis XIV in 1682. The district was retroceded to France, under the terms of the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso (1800) and the Treaty of Aranjuez (1801). In 1802, King Charles IV of Spain published a royal bill on 15 October, effecting the transfer and outlining the conditions. However, Spain agreed to continue administering the colony until French officials arrived and formalized the transfer (1803). The transfer ceremony from Spain to France was on 30 November 1803, just three weeks before the formalities of cession from France to the United States pursuant to the Louisiana Purchase.

The French established the first permanent military presents in Arkansas in ____ when they established a trading fort at Arkansas Post. the Post of Arkansas was established near the mouth of the Arkansas River. Due to constant flooding the actual post was moved and at least four separate forts were build in the area, all designed to protect the local population and control access to the Arkansas River. The Post of Arkansas played roll in may of the wars of the colonial period, including the French- war of _____, the French and Indian war of ________ and the Revolutionary war.

In 1782, during the American Revolutionary War and the Anglo-Spanish War (1779–83), Bernardo de Gálvez recruited men from the Canarian settlements of Louisiana and Galveston. They participated in three major military campaigns: the Baton Rouge, the Mobile, and the Pensacola, which expelled the British from the Gulf Coast.

The Battle of Arkansas Post (also known as the Colbert Raid or Colbert Incident) was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought at Arkansas Post on April 17, 1783. It was a part of a series of small battles fought between Spanish and British forces in the Lower Mississippi region from 1779, when Spain entered the war on the side of the United States, to the war's end.[1] The battle consisted of an attack on the Spanish-controlled post by British partisans led by James Colbert. The battle's primary engagement was a six-hour siege of the post's fort and a subsequent sortie by the Spanish defenders, causing the British forces to rout.[2]

The battle actually took place three months after the preliminary peace treaty between Spain and Great Britain was signed on January 20, but word of the treaty had not yet reached the Lower Mississippi region.[3][4] It was the only battle of the Revolutionary War fought in what is now the state of Arkansas.[1][3]

The French militia system was similar to the English system with militia service being mandatory for all males of a certain age. In 1803, when the U.S. Congress approved the acquisition of the Louisiana, President Thomas Jefferson communicated to congress information regarding the Area being purchased that included background on the geography, the population, the resources, laws in existence and the militia in the region. According to a return made to the Spanish court by the Baron of Carondelet, the District of Arkansas contained one Company of Infantry and Cavlary numbering 100 men.[5] The District of Ouachita was reported to have on company of Cavalry numbing 100.[5] The same report provided an alternate strength of the two militia units in the area with Arkansas being listed with 150, and Ouachita being listed with 300.[5][6] The original act of congress which provided for the Government of the new Territory of Louisiana directed the organization of a militia with all males between the age of 18 and 45 liable for service. The Governor of the Territory was empowered to appoint the officers and the President was authorized to appoint the Commander of the Militia.[7]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference EncArk was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Edwin C. Bearss (November 1974). "Special History Report: The Colbert Raid (pages 42-45)" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved June 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Hist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference NPSColbertRaid46 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875, Annals of Congress, 8th Congress, 2nd Session, Pages 1509 & 1510 of 1704, Accessed 23 June 2016, https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName=014/llac014.db&recNum=751
  6. ^ A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875, American State Papers, 8th Congress, 1st Session Miscellaneous: Volume 1, Page 349 of 947, Accessed 23 June 2016, https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsp&fileName=037/llsp037.db&recNum=356
  7. ^ A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875 Statutes at Large, 8th Congress, 1st Session, Page 287 of 831, accessed 23 June 2016, https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=002/llsl002.db&recNum=324
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