224 The Winning of the West 



soldiers, and drew up a formal contract, entered into 

 between the South Carolina Yazoo Company and 

 their troops of the Yazoo Battalion over five hun- 

 dred men in all, cavalry, artillery and infantry. Each 

 private was to receive two hundred and fifty acres 

 of "stipendiary" lands and the officers in proportion, 

 up to the Lieutenant-Colonel, who was to receive six 

 thousand. Commissions were formally issued, and 

 the positions of all the regular officers were filled, so 

 that the invasion was on the point of taking place. 18 

 However, the Spanish authorities called the matter 

 to the attention of the United States, and the Fed- 

 eral Government put a prompt stop to the move- 

 ment. 19 O'Fallon was himself threatened with ar- 

 rest by the Federal officers, and had to abandon his 

 project. 20 He afterward re-established his rela- 

 tions with the Government, and became one of 

 Wayne's correspondents; 21 but he entered heartily 

 into Clark's plans for the expedition under Genet 

 and, like all the other participators in that wretched 

 affair, became involved in broils with Clark and 

 every one else. 22 



In 1795 the land companies, encouraged by the 

 certainty that the United States would speedily take 



18 American State Papers, Indian Affairs, I, James O'Fallon 

 to the President of the United States, Lexington, Sept. 25, 

 1790, etc., etc. 



19 Draper MSS., Spanish Documents, Carondelet to Alcudia, 

 Jan. i, 1794, and May 31, 1794. 



* Draper MSS., Clark and O'Fallon Papers, anonymous 

 letter to James O'Fallon, Lexington, March 30, 1791, etc., etc. 



21 Draper MSS., Wayne to O'Fallon, Sept. 16, 1793. 



22 Draper MSS., De Lemos to Carondelet, Dec. 23, 1793- 



