Rebellion of 1768
Encyclopedia
The Rebellion of 1768 was an unsuccessful attempt by Creole
and German
settlers around New Orleans, Louisiana
to stop the handover of the French Louisiana Territory
, as had been stipulated in the Treaty of Fontainebleau
, to Spain
in 1768.
The rebellion aimed to force the new Spanish Louisiana Governor Antonio de Ulloa
to leave New Orleans and return to Spain but his replacement Alejandro O'Reilly
was able to crush the rebellion, execute five of its ringleaders and firmly establish Spanish law in the territory.
at the conclusion of the French and Indian War
, France lost all of its territories on the North America continent including Canada
, Illinois Territory
and Louisiana. It got to keep its French West Indies
islands in the Caribbean. Great Britain
acquired Canada and all the land on the east bank of the Mississippi River
and its tributaries. As compensation from losses elsewhere, France handed over control of New Orleans and all the land on the west bank of the Mississippi River and its tributaries to their Spanish allies.
Implementation of the turnover was slow in North America with the French continuing to expand its villages including founding St. Louis, Missouri
.
In April 1764 the first Spanish governor Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie, a French official who was administering Louisiana for the Spanish, took office and heard complaints from among the natives. d'Abbadie died from illness on February 4, 1765. The senior military officer in the colony Captain Charles Philippe Aubry, a French officer, assumed control.
A Merchant Jean Milhet sailed to France in an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Louis XV to rescind the decision but the King did not grant him an audience.
and were to virtually ignore his requests including replacing the French currency with peso. Ulloa was to exacerbate his problems by not speaking French and living outside of New Orleans at La Balize, Louisiana
.
In the summer of 1768, Ulloa announced plans to crack down on Louisiana's smuggling operations by closing the mouth of the Mississippi to only one channel to improve on security. At the same time, he also announced that Louisiana would no longer trade with France or any of its colonies, consistent with a policy in other Spanish possessions.
In the fall of 1768, Denis-Nicolas Foucault, who was the Commissary
for Louisiana under the French, and had continued the position under the Spanish during the transition, and Nicolas Chauvin de La Freniere, who was the Louisiana attorney general
under the French and also continuing under the Spanish, hatched a plot to force the governor out.
Joseph Milhet was sent to villages west of the Mississippi to stir insurrection. Joseph Villere went to communities northwest of New Orleans. Pierre Marquis was declared leader of the Louisiana militia. Balthasar Masan went to British West Florida
to seek help (which was not forthcoming).
In the process, the conspirators arrested the French military officer Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent
on charges of collaborating with the enemy.
On October 28, as riots broke out in New Orleans, Aubry escorted the governor and his pregnant wife to a Spanish vessel. The Superior Council voted that the governor leave within three days. He complied, leaving on November 1.
With the governor out of Louisiana, Maxent was also released. Jean Milhet returned to France and again was refused an audience with Louis XV.
in St. Louis which had become a haven for French refugees.
On July 19, 1769 O'Reilly returned to Louisiana with 2,000 Spanish soldiers. On July 27, O'Reilly had a "cordial" meeting (probably arranged by Maxent who had been "agent" for the turnover) with the conspirators who declared their respect for the Spanish king and noted no blood had been shed in the rebellion. On August 18 the French flag was formally lowered the Spanish flag raised. On August 19, most of the plotters were invited to dinner with the governor where they were arrested. The next day the governor said he would forgive the rest of the rioters if they took a loyalty oath.
The plotters were tried and five of them (La Freniere, Caresse, Marquis, Joseph Milhet and Noyan) were sentenced to death on October 25 and were executed by firing squad on October 26. Foucault who was a French official was sent back to France where he was imprisoned for two years. Five other plotters were sent to prison in Cuba where they were released after two years. Their property was confiscated.
O'Reilly abolished the Superior Council and formally replaced French law.
following the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso
in a similarly peaceful transition. In 1803 Napoleon I sold the territory to the United States
, via the Louisiana Purchase
in exchange for money and the cancellation of French debts. Elements of former French law are still retained in the state of Louisiana.
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
and German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
settlers around New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
to stop the handover of the French Louisiana Territory
Louisiana Territory
The Territory of Louisiana or Louisiana Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1805 until June 4, 1812, when it was renamed to Missouri Territory...
, as had been stipulated in the Treaty of Fontainebleau
Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762)
The Treaty of Fontainebleau was a secret agreement in which France ceded Louisiana to Spain. The treaty followed the last battle in the French and Indian War, the Battle of Signal Hill in September 1762, which confirmed British control of Canada. However, the associated Seven Years War continued...
, to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1768.
The rebellion aimed to force the new Spanish Louisiana Governor Antonio de Ulloa
Antonio de Ulloa
Antonio de Ulloa y de la Torre-Girault was a Spanish general, explorer, author, astronomer, colonial administrator and the first Spanish governor of Louisiana.Rebellion of 1768]]....
to leave New Orleans and return to Spain but his replacement Alejandro O'Reilly
Alejandro O'Reilly
Alejandro O'Reilly , was a military reformer and Inspector-General of Infantry for the Spanish Empire in the second half of the 18th century...
was able to crush the rebellion, execute five of its ringleaders and firmly establish Spanish law in the territory.
Background
In the Treaty of ParisTreaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
at the conclusion of the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, France lost all of its territories on the North America continent including Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Illinois Territory
Illinois Territory
The Territory of Illinois was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 1, 1809, until December 3, 1818, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Illinois. The area was earlier known as "Illinois Country" while under...
and Louisiana. It got to keep its French West Indies
French West Indies
The term French West Indies or French Antilles refers to the seven territories currently under French sovereignty in the Antilles islands of the Caribbean: the two overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the two overseas collectivities of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy, plus...
islands in the Caribbean. Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
acquired Canada and all the land on the east bank of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and its tributaries. As compensation from losses elsewhere, France handed over control of New Orleans and all the land on the west bank of the Mississippi River and its tributaries to their Spanish allies.
Implementation of the turnover was slow in North America with the French continuing to expand its villages including founding St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
In April 1764 the first Spanish governor Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie, a French official who was administering Louisiana for the Spanish, took office and heard complaints from among the natives. d'Abbadie died from illness on February 4, 1765. The senior military officer in the colony Captain Charles Philippe Aubry, a French officer, assumed control.
A Merchant Jean Milhet sailed to France in an unsuccessful attempt to persuade Louis XV to rescind the decision but the King did not grant him an audience.
Eviction of Ulloa
On March 5, 1766, the new Governor Ulloa arrived but brought with him only 75 soldiers and did not even raise the Spanish flag over the Place d'Armes. Ulloa's superiors were in CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and were to virtually ignore his requests including replacing the French currency with peso. Ulloa was to exacerbate his problems by not speaking French and living outside of New Orleans at La Balize, Louisiana
La Balize, Louisiana
La Balize, Louisiana, was the first French fort and settlement near the mouth of the Mississippi River in what became Plaquemines Parish. The village's name meant "seamark". Inhabited by 1699, La Balize was one of the oldest French settlements within the current boundaries of Louisiana...
.
In the summer of 1768, Ulloa announced plans to crack down on Louisiana's smuggling operations by closing the mouth of the Mississippi to only one channel to improve on security. At the same time, he also announced that Louisiana would no longer trade with France or any of its colonies, consistent with a policy in other Spanish possessions.
In the fall of 1768, Denis-Nicolas Foucault, who was the Commissary
Commissary
A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office; in a formal, legal context, one who has received power from a legitimate superior authority to pass judgment in a certain cause or to take information concerning it.-Word history:...
for Louisiana under the French, and had continued the position under the Spanish during the transition, and Nicolas Chauvin de La Freniere, who was the Louisiana attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
under the French and also continuing under the Spanish, hatched a plot to force the governor out.
Joseph Milhet was sent to villages west of the Mississippi to stir insurrection. Joseph Villere went to communities northwest of New Orleans. Pierre Marquis was declared leader of the Louisiana militia. Balthasar Masan went to British West Florida
West Florida
West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...
to seek help (which was not forthcoming).
In the process, the conspirators arrested the French military officer Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent
Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent
Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent was a merchant and military officer who played a major role in development of the Louisiana Territory during its era as New France and New Spain....
on charges of collaborating with the enemy.
On October 28, as riots broke out in New Orleans, Aubry escorted the governor and his pregnant wife to a Spanish vessel. The Superior Council voted that the governor leave within three days. He complied, leaving on November 1.
With the governor out of Louisiana, Maxent was also released. Jean Milhet returned to France and again was refused an audience with Louis XV.
Spanish response
In May 1769, Maxent terminated his relationship with Pierre LacledePierre Laclède
Pierre Laclède or Pierre Laclède Liguest was a French fur trader who, with his young assistant and "stepson" Auguste Chouteau, founded St...
in St. Louis which had become a haven for French refugees.
On July 19, 1769 O'Reilly returned to Louisiana with 2,000 Spanish soldiers. On July 27, O'Reilly had a "cordial" meeting (probably arranged by Maxent who had been "agent" for the turnover) with the conspirators who declared their respect for the Spanish king and noted no blood had been shed in the rebellion. On August 18 the French flag was formally lowered the Spanish flag raised. On August 19, most of the plotters were invited to dinner with the governor where they were arrested. The next day the governor said he would forgive the rest of the rioters if they took a loyalty oath.
The plotters were tried and five of them (La Freniere, Caresse, Marquis, Joseph Milhet and Noyan) were sentenced to death on October 25 and were executed by firing squad on October 26. Foucault who was a French official was sent back to France where he was imprisoned for two years. Five other plotters were sent to prison in Cuba where they were released after two years. Their property was confiscated.
O'Reilly abolished the Superior Council and formally replaced French law.
Aftermath
The territory remained in Spanish hands until 1800, when it briefly returned to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
following the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso
Third Treaty of San Ildefonso
The Third Treaty of San Ildefonso was a secretly negotiated treaty between France and Spain in which Spain returned the colonial territory of...
in a similarly peaceful transition. In 1803 Napoleon I sold the territory to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, via the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
in exchange for money and the cancellation of French debts. Elements of former French law are still retained in the state of Louisiana.