Since there was an expression of doubt from a certain quarter regarding the
veracity of my assertions of a de facto military neutral zone between American
Louisiana and Spanish Texas during the period 1806-1819, I suggest the Google
search on the words "neutral+sabine+hondo+wilkinson+herrera+1806" at
http://tinyurl.com/25b8h which yields 38 hits. (The Sabine and the Hondo were
two streams involved, while Wilkinson and Herrera were the officers who made the
agreement.)
Most writings describe the Neutral Ground as being between the Sabine River on
the west and the Arroyo Hondo on the east. This is because these streams marked
its boundaries on the only route of any significance across the region, that
being a Camino Real [Royal (meaning public) Road] surveyed by the Spanish in the
1690's. This route connected Mexico and the relatively few Spanish settlements
then in Texas with the Red River at the point where the French would establish
Natchitoches in 1714. This French action prompted the establishment in 1721 of
the Presidio Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Los Adaes at an existing Spanish
mission less than 15 miles west of Natchitoches. In 1729, the Viceroy of Nueva
España declared Los Adaes the capital of the province of Texas, which it
remained until 1773. (See
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/LL/nfl1.html and
http://www.lastateparks.com/losades/losadaes.htm .) Los Adaes was located just
slightly northeast of current Robeline, Louisiana.
Since the Spanish mission and presidio at Los Adaes were distant from other
Spanish outposts, the population and garrison there traded quite heavily with
the nearby French at Natchitoches. By local practice, a stream (called Arroyo
Hondo [Deep Creek] by the Spanish and Bayou des Lauriers [Bayou of Bay Trees] by
the French) that crossed the Camino Real between Los Adaes and Natchitoches
became the de facto boundary. Lead plates bearing the royal arms of Spain and
France were affixed to trees on either side of the ford. (See
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v017/n1/017001007.html
)
After Louisiana passed to the Spanish in 1763, any boundary in this area was
internal between Spanish colonies. Thus, the Spanish soon closed down the
presidio and capital at Los Adaes and removed them to San Antonio. The
reversion of Louisiana to Napoleonic France in 1800 (de facto 1803) and its
sale to the USA in 1803 revived the international boundary. Notwithstanding
Jefferson's dreams of the Rio Grande, the existence of the Spanish capital of
Texas less than 15 miles from the Red River just 30 years before made it
difficult to deny a Spanish claim in the region. The Sabine River became a more
realistic goal for American claims, but the Spanish still claimed to the Arroyo
Hondo on the doorstep of Natchitoches.
Thus is was, in 1806, that Gen. James Wilkinson and Lt. Col. Simón de Herrera,
each in charge of the frontier defenses for their respective nations, negotiated
through subordinates the Neutral Ground agreement, which was signed on November
5, 1806. The agreement said that settlement should be prohibited in the Neutral
Ground, but its lack of governmental authority attracted many outlaws and
smugglers. In both 1810 and 1812, joint US-Spanish military expeditions were
undertaken to root them out.
Many sources agree with THE HANDBOOK OF TEXAS in saying, "The boundaries of the
Neutral Ground were never officially described beyond a general statement that
the Arroyo Hondo on the east and the Sabine River on the west were to serve as
boundaries." However, I have seen a few other sources that give a complete
delimitation. Perhaps this was subsequently developed pursuant to the
Wilkinson-Herrera agreement.
For instance, the Encyclopedia Louisiana states: "The eastern boundary of this
Neutral Ground consists of Calcasieu Pass, then along the west bank of Calcasieu
Lake the West Bank of the Calcasieu River to its source, thence a straight line
running north to Kisatchi Creek, along this creek to the 93-7' line of longitude
where the Arroyo Hondo fades into Sibley's Marsh, thence along Arroyo Hondo to
its source about 98-8' [sic] and 31-47'30", thence a straight line north to the
Bayou Pierre settlement." (See
http://www.enlou.com/places/neutralground.htm .)
The longitude reference to 98-8' (which would be in central Texas) should
probably read 93°8', although all of the longitude references are rough, as
would be expected.
This is in agreement with the description of the boundaries that I had used when
I made a map some 20 years ago, except that my source then went on to specify
Bayou Pierre to the 32nd parallel, that parallel to the east bank of the Sabine
River, and that bank to the Gulf of Mexico. This source was one of the works of
Louisiana historian Louis R. Nardini, Sr. in a local library. The library no
longer has the book, however. I seem to remember that Nardini cited an original
document in the archives at Natchitoches. I might have to go up there and see
what I can determine.
Meanwhile, I have prepared a new map based on the boundaries as described by
Encyclopedia Louisiana and Nardini. It is uploaded to the BP Files section and
is called "neutral.jpg". The heavy red line circumscribes the Neutral Ground.
The black line depicts the route of the Camino Real, and the star shows the
location of the former Texas capital and presidio at Los Adaes. Natchitoches is
at the eastern end of the Camino Real, just outside the Neutral Ground. The
OFFICIAL MAP OF LOUISIANA is used as the base.
If anyone wishes to retrace the specified boundary for himself, it is important
to note: "Kisatchi Creek" is now called Bayou Kisatchie. Bayou Kisatchie joins
what is now called Old River, but Old River above that point was the former
"Arroyo Hondo." The name "Arroyo Hondo" extended up Old River and its main
tributaries now known as Bayou Boulet de Canon, Young's Bayou (below the modern
artificial Sibley Lake), and Rio Hondo (above the lake). The Camino Real is now
Louisiana Highway 6. It crosses Young's Bayou immediately below the Sibley Lake
dam. Because the bayou at that point runs along the base of the hills that
constitute the valley wall of the Red River alluvial plain, it presents a
distinctive physical boundary along the historic route. Note that what is now
Cane River Lake was the main channel of the Red River until 1834.
Lowell G. McManus
Leesville, Louisiana, USA