Louisiana and Aaron Burr 245 



mixed, including criminals fleeing from justice, land 

 speculators, old settlers, well-to-do planters, small 

 pioneer farmers, and adventurers of every kind ; and, 

 thanks to the large tory element, there was a British, 

 and a smaller Spanish party ; but the general feeling 

 was overwhelmingly for the United States. The 

 Spanish Government made a virtue of necessity and 

 withdrew its garrison, after for some time preserv- 

 ing a kind of joint occupancy with the Americans. 46 

 Captain Isaac Guyon, with a body of United States 

 troops, took formal possession of both the Chicka- 

 saw Bluffs and Natchez in 1797. In 1798, the Span- 

 iards finally evacuated the country, 47 their course 

 being due neither to the wisdom nor the good faith 

 of their rulers, but to the fear and worry caused by 

 the unceasing pressure of the Americans. Spain 

 yielded, because she felt that not to do so would in- 

 volve the loss of all Louisiana. 48 The country was 

 organized as the Mississippi Territory in June, 

 I798. 49 



There was one incident, curious rather than im- 

 portant, but characteristic in its way, which marked 

 the close of the transactions of the Western Ameri- 



46 B. A. Hinsdale: "The Establishment of the First South- 

 ern Boundary of the United States." Largely based upon 

 Ellicott's Journal. Both Ellicott and the leaders among 

 the settlers were warned of Blount's scheme of conquest and 

 land speculation, and were hostile to it. 



41 Claiborne's "Mississippi," p. 176. He is a writer of 

 poor judgment; his verdicts on Ellicott and Wilkinson are 

 astounding. 



48 Gayarre, 413, 418; Pontalba's Memoir, Sept. 15, 1800. 



49 American State Papers, Public Lands, I, p. 209. 



