On November 2, 1977, the St. Tammany News Banner published a lengthy article by Polly Morris giving her lively and detailed account of the West Florida Republic that the residents of St. Tammany Parish found themselves living in for two and a half months back in 1810.
When St. Tammany Was Part of the 72 Day Republic
By Polly Morris
There was a time when St. Tammany, as part of the Republic of West Florida, had a Flemish Countess for its first First Lady. It also had real life replicas of Betsy Ross, the Minute Men, and Paul Revere...
They all played their parts with sincerity, but time has turned the West Florida Rebellion into a rather wishful comedy. The time in 1810, and the place is Spanish West Florida, a sparsely settled area lying between the Pearl and Mississippi Rivers, and North and East of Lake Pontchartrain. Its boundary lines were indefinite, and therefore in dispute. It had not been a part of the Louisiana Purchase... Or had it?
The Spanish Fort
The curtain rises on a decrepit fort. Outside the gates stands a splendid coach with four liveried outriders. Inside the stockade sleepy sentinels lean against rusty cannon, and a red and yellow flag of Spain droops from its pole in the center of the parade ground. Inside the Commandant's office a huge handsome man in elegant clothing speaks in a soft, low voice.
"How contemptible you are, de Lassus. Giving me a permit, encouraging me to spend money on Montesano Plantation, then refusing to give me legal residency."
Commandant Carlos de Lanus squirms uncomfortably. If only this big hombre would roar like a bull instead of being so quietly furious. De Lassus put on a grieved smile. "I have not the authority and Havana is many kilometers from Baton Rouge. Besides I have been so simpatico with you Americanos that I have forfeited much of my power, temporarily of course. My heart is often heavy, Senor Skeepwort."
Fulwar Skipworth, former Consul to France, flinches at the mispronouncement of his name. He glares at the Spaniard, then departs.
Sub-lieutenant Louis Antonio de Gran-Pre enters, salutes, and begins to speak rapidly. "There are more ugly rumors, Commandant. It is said that the French people are talking about fighting for Napoleon, should he covet this land. The English people may be planning to help Great Britain attack us. And the slaves are restless. The Americans are said to be on the march today and will attack ..."
De Lassus runs his hands through his oily hair and screams at Gran-Pre. "Madre de Dios! What can I do? I ask Havana for pesos to repair the fort. I ask Pensacola for troops to defend it. I get nada..nada." Gran-Pre looks at him coldly, so de Lassus continues. "The Americanos drive me loco, and it is all the fault of the goat heads in Spain. They should know that West Florida is like a bed of angry ants. First the Spanish explorers claim It. Then it is settled by France, traded to England, and given to Spain. It is important only because it is on waterways, and being thinly settled, easy to conquer.
"So those that have the brains of burro decide to give away land to Americanos to get them to live. The greedy Gringos take free land, then they want to keep Spain in the pantaloons. Have their own judges. I agree to keep peace. What more can I do?"
Gran-Pres says, "You can repair the fort without pesos. Stakes from the forest will fix the stockade. You can train the men 'to be soldiers. You can stop letting all the married men go home at night. You can save our low supply of powder by not saluting every boat that passes on the river."
De Lassus shrugs his shoulders impatiently. "It is good for morale. It is excitement in a dunghill of a fort which is in a town that is duller than the conversation of my mother-in-law. You say the Americanos may attack today. It is past midafternoon already, and tomorrow is Sunday. Nobody fights on the day of Dios. I missed my siesta, and I am weary. I will repair the fort manana.."
The "doggery" of Philemon Thomas is much busier that usual on September 22nd. Men come and go. Two crude signs advertise "Coughphy' fur Sail" and "Akomidashuns fur Man and Beest." Fulwar Skipworth stands aside and muses. This rebellion reminds him of American Revolution.
West Florida Rebellion
These men are the Minute Men of 1810. They were summoned here because Philemon Thomas caught a messenger with a note to Pensacola. Thomas read the note slowly then said, "That 2-faced yaller-belly de Lassus writ to the Commander of Pensacola, askin' fur troops to defend the fort.
"He also ask for the right to exycute Americanos troublemakers. We gotta fight now, or we all will be hangin' from a tree." Thomas Lillery and Phillip Hickey volunteered to ride around and get men together, like Paul Revere and Williams Dawes, shouting "The Spanish are coming."
Major Isaac Johnson is unwrapping a package. He proudly displays a rectangle of blue with a white star sewed to the center. "My wife, Melissa, said she could not well ride with the Bayou Sara Horse, being a woman.
"But she bled for our cause anyhow. Her fingertips are raw from shoving a big needle through thick material. Gentlemen, she made us a flag." Our Betsy Ross, thinks Skipworth, and smiles.
The flag of the West Florida Republic
Philomen Thomas enters the room. This giant from Virgina is Commander in Chief of the Army, but he is not at all like the aristocratic George Washington of 1775.
Thomas is redhead with clear blue eyes. He is dressed in rough homespun and buckskins. He is a God-fearing Baptist, but the Almighty is all he was a-scairt of.
He likes to tell about when he was 17 and living in Orange County. He hankered to join up with George Washington but his pappy went plumb maggoty-headed, and took away all his duds and locked him up tight. But he broke out and joined up anyhoo. He had fought at Eutaw Springs, Guilford Courthouse, and King's Mountain.
Philemon says he had brought 44 men from Springfield. They are tuckered out from marching 40 miles in 13 hours, but they would rest a mite and be fitter than 44 fiddles. They are keepin' out of sight in the woods, until the Ste. Helene men arrived. They had to plan on how to attack yet anyhoo.
Skipworth says he has just come from the fort. Four cannon loaded with grapeshot were aimed at the gate. Entry there would be foolhardy.
Cows To The Rescue
Larry Moore from Kaintuck says, "I reckon I know how to git in that ole fort right easy. Just wait "till the cows come home." He explains that the yaller-bellies keep cows that run loose daytimes, but come back inside the fort at milkin' time. They git through the stockade somewheres. And a hole big enough for a cow is also a horse-size hole. Just set and watch the cows."
It is 4 o'clock in the morning, and the garrison is lightly manned and mostly asleep. A guard sees a movement on the river side at the edge of the parade ground. He yells, "Alerta! Gringos!" Gran-Pre gives the order to fire. So does Isaac Johnson.
In a matter of minutes it is over. De Lassus is seized a block from the fort, and he sputters like a wet match. He was on his way... He makes an asinine and belated show of bravado by refusing to surrender his sword. Someone replaces the red and yellow flag with the blue and white banner and dishonors the Spanish flag by dragging it in the dirt.
It was not a glorious victory, for the Americans outnumbered the Spaniards over 2 to 1, plus having the advantage of surprise. They carefully looked away from 2 bodies that sprawled on the ground. Matamoros was only a soldier, and the brave Gran-Pre bleeds copiously from 4 bullet wounds.
No one has been killed among the Americans, and the two deaths are regrettable and unnecessary. The men will march on to Madisonville and maybe to Mobile. But somehow the thrill is gone. Who enjoys crushing a butterfly with an iron hammer?
Meanwhile Madison
Dolly Madison wishes James would stop pacing the floor. If he does not stop, he will weigh less than 100 pounds.
James says, "Dolly, this is a dilemma. West Florida has proclaimed a Declaration of Independence. They have long written emotional letters begging me to take them to the Bosom of their Mother Country. To rescue them from the fangs of Bonaparte. To do this would risk a war with Spain. They are free now, but for how long?"
Dolly speaks. "You have been advised to say West Florida was a part of the Louisiana Purchase." James snorts. "Does it not seem strange them that we have permitted Spanish rule for 7 years? Half of those Americana are deserters or renegades or ruffians. I.isten to what Governor Claiborne writes.' There is in that quarter a great scarcity of talent, and the number of virtuous men to, I fear, is not as great as I could want."'
The specific area of which he speaks is that of St Tammany, then known as Ferdinand.
Madison explains that West Florida is not too productive. Dolly says that it would then be a liability to Spain who was having enough troubles at home. So James scribbles a message to Claiborne - Take West Florida. The date is October 17, but news travels slowly.
Skipworth's Regrets
Fulwar Skipworth is talking with John Ballinger, the new commander of the old fort. His voice is hoarse with emotion.
"For 7 years the U.S. ignored us. We freed ourselves only because we wanted to be annexed to the U. S. without war with Spain. It has been 72 days since we seized the fort. We have heard nothing from Madison. Our dreams grew dim, and we decided to be a new and independent republic. We adopted a Constitution, I was elected Chief Executive, and we had a Congress, a Navy, an Army, a medical society, a judicial system, and even a flag. We were beginning to feel proud."
A Map of West Florida
Ballinger shook his head in dismay. "Now without an announcement for negotiations, Claiborne has taken over our capitol. The St. Francisville people were too stunned to object. I wanted annexation, too, but not this way."
"He refuses to meet with me, or recognize me as Chief Executive. I sent him word that I would die in defense of our flag rather than surrender unconditionally. General Covington has already arrived with troops."
A messenger enters and says, "So has Governor Claiborne, as he is a most reasonable man. He says he will accord you proper respect for your position. There will be a ceremony befitting the solemn occasion..."
The Republic Is Annexed
The drums beat a tattoo and the blue and white flag is gently lowered. Some recall how the Spanish flag was treated and were ashamed. The emblem of the U.S. is raised and cannons fire a salute. The Republic of West Florida is ended after 72 days of existence.
Fulwar Skipworth who had been its Chief Executive for 15 days moves his big well-formed body aside for the delicate President Madison. Pretty and plump Dolly Madison becomes the second First Lady.
But what of the Flemish Countess who was the first First Lady? Therese Josephine Vandenclooster Skipworth apparently cared little for public opinion and even less for her handsome husband. The records of 1834 mention her as the widow of William Herries, but Skipworth was still alive. The Countess must have divorced Skipworth and remarried. In the 1800's this was unpardonable and even sinful for any woman. Much less a First Lady.
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