90 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



commanded in 1767 by Captain Francisco Riu. It may have been established 

 in 1766, but not later than the summer of the year following. 



After surrendering Fort Chartres to the English, on October 10, 1765, St. 

 Ange, the French District Commandant, in obedience to orders had removed 

 the remainder of his troop to St. Louis, which village was in the district of the 

 Illinois, the seat of whose government had hitherto been at the Fort, and was in 

 command when Riu's expedition arrived. 



These strongholds were not intended to supersede the French establishments 

 already in existence, and Fort St. Charles and its commander left St. Ange free 

 to direct affairs as formerly, except as to the Indian trade, vi'hich was regulated 

 by Riu. He issued the permits to traders and distributed the presents which 

 Spain, in continuation of the French custom, provided for the Indian nations, 

 through Milony Duralde, who had been sent up with the Spanish expedition as 

 engineer and inspector of works. St. Ange and Riu were on the best of terms, 

 and the Spaniard appears to have resided in the village. 



St. Louis, as yet,, did not produce sufficient food for its own wants, and the 

 garrison of Fort St. Charles was dependent for its chief supply of provisions upon 

 St. Genevieve. In November 1767, by order of M. Riu, an armed boat was dis- 

 patched from the Fort to St. Louis, in command of Sergeant John Gaillard, with 

 one Paul Barrera, store-keeper of the post, on board, freighted with four thou- 

 sand .pounds of powder and goods for the Indians, with instructions to land the 

 cargo at the village, proceed to St. Genevieve and bring up a return load of flour, 

 salt, meat and corn, for the winter's supply of the establishment at the mouth of 

 the Missouri. The boat arrived, delivered the goods to Duralde and the powder 

 to Laclede for storage in his magazine; departed for St. Genevieve, procured 

 what was needed and reached the village on December 2d, at mid-day. 



Mischief had been brewing, probably concocted at Fort St. Charles some 

 time previous, in which Paul Barrera, the store-keeper was the ring leader, and 

 needed but a pretext to break out in open revolt. Soon after he landed the Ser- 

 geant reported to M. Riu, and was ordered to hold his men in readiness to re- 

 sume the voyage in the morning. Next day a villager brought word to the Span- 

 ish commandant that Barrera was sick and could not leave, and had taken a 

 room with one Marie in order to be treated medically. M. Riu therefore sent a 

 message to Barrera to the effect that he had behaved improperly in not making 

 known his illness yesterday afternoon ; that if he was really sick he could remain 

 three or four days, otherwise he must embark and return to his post, and re- 

 quested an answer in writing. Receiving none, he sent again, when he was in- 

 formed that the storekeeper had called in Surgeon Conde Meanwhile a violent 

 north wind had risen and rendered navigation unsafe. M. Riu therefore deemed 

 it prudent to put off the departure of his men for the day. 



Early next morning, December 4th, the Spanish commandant sent word to 

 the storekeeper by M. Duralde, to take his departure unless sick, as the King 

 was not served by the troop remaining idle at St. Louis with the boat ; and be- 

 sides, it was a disadvantage to the Fort. The ofiicial repHed that he felt much 



