1689 letter describes La Salle’s decimated Texas settlement
Though written more than 330 years ago, a letter recently donated to the UTA Libraries Special Collections paints a vivid picture of an early Texas settlement devoid of people and life.
The letter, written by Spanish explorer Alonso de León in 1689, describes the remains of the colony found by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, a French explorer better known as La Salle. The letter is dated May 18, 1689, and was donated to the University by Wesley Brown. It is de León’s firsthand account of a settlement located in modern-day Victoria County that was destroyed by disease and war.
The Texas State Historical Association website states that the Spanish government tasked de León to investigate the intrusion of the French into Texas, which was under Spanish rule.
“It is true that it was a pity to see the quite considerable ruin that (had) befallen the settlement,” de León wrote. “For there had been a smallpox outbreak in which 100 French died, according to what we learned. The few that remained alive were killed by the Indians months ago, along with two friars and clergymen.”
De León wrote that he and his company found destroyed books and personal possessions, the bodies of several people and eight pieces of artillery, which they buried for later recovery. The cannons would remain buried until 1999, when archaeologists recovered them and put them on display at the Museum of the Coastal Bend in Victoria, Texas.
Later in the letter, de León describes his meeting with the people of the Caddo Nation, where they found two French colony survivors whom the Caddo had rescued. He describes the Caddo’s settlement in detail.
“They are very courteous people, and they cultivate a great deal of corn, beans, squash watermelon and melons. They say that they have nine pueblos,” de León reported. “The aforesaid pueblo has more than 800 resident property owners. Each one having a large wood house dobbed with clay and thatch roof.”
Ben Huseman, a UTA cartographic archivist, said this letter is a window into the past and a “fantastic” piece of Texas history, allowing people to see 17th-century Texas through the eyes of a Spanish explorer. Reading the letter brings history to life, he said.
“This letter allows our students and researchers to have a firsthand opportunity to see a document from that period that relates to the history of Texas,” Huseman said. “There are not that many documents of this importance here at UTA. It is a tremendous summary of what happened to La Salle.”
Sonia Kania, professor of modern languages, translated the letter to English.
The letter of the La Salle expedition by Alonso de León is one of many items the Special Collections has in its archives.
Visit the UTA Libraries Special Collections website to learn more.
-Written by Andrew Branca, UTA Libraries