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Gouachevalier — Acadiana v. Comancheria

Published: 2014-03-09 01:54:21 +0000 UTC; Views: 2773; Favourites: 19; Downloads: 17
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Description “Spanish civilization crushed the Indian. English civilization scorned and neglected him. French civilization embraced and cherished him." 
~ Francis Parkman

In 1836, with the formation of the French Republic of Texas, Acadiana inherited the new state’s greatest issue: westward expansion. The rulers of the Southern Plains were the Comanche, and inhabited much of north-western Texas in a region they called Nʉmʉnʉʉ Sookobitʉ (“Comanche Earth”). These nomadic peoples, though they maintained no permanent settlements, had constantly thwarted colonization attempts by both Spain and Mexico via a series of theft and raids hundreds of miles deep into Mexican territory. Horses captured during these raids were traded with either neighboring tribes or the newly arrived settlers now pouring over the Mississippi.

However, this trade arrangement did not take into account territorial integrity, as Francophone pioneers encroached further and further into their territories, From the north, the Cheyenne and Arapaho pushed south into Comanche territories, and from the east, native tribes were forcibly relocated into Comancheria itself by the United States. The Comanche, pressed in on all sides by foreign encroachment, rallied their Kiowa and Wichita allies, resuming raiding into Texan territory. This did little to deter Acadian settlement, and these nominal citizens appealed to Vermionville for protection.

The Emperor was not impressed. Simply moving into disputed territory seemed rather cowardous, in his opinion - such things were better left until after annexation. “You dishonor your founder. Glory is found in battle, not in creeping municipalities.”

It seemed that a war of conquest was inevitable. However, he eventually shelved that idea: there seemed to be little acclaim to be found in chasing a gaggle of nomads about the plains, as the Spaniards and Mexicans had before them. Napoleon II decided to court the various chiefs instead. On 19 March, 1840, at the Council of Saint-Antoine, the Emperor met with Muk-wah-ruh, chief of the Penatʉka Nʉʉ Band. In exchange for superior weaponry (and simply being a general nuisance to the Mexican Republic), the Comanche ceded some lands to Texan settlers, French and Anglican alike. A general alliance was forged later, and Napoleon II eventually recruited a Comanche Brigade into the Grande Armée.

Part 1: Acadiana
Part 2: Acadiana v. Texas
Part 3
Pat 4: Acadiana v. Mexico
Part 5: Acadiana v. Union
Part 6: Acadiana: The Republic
Part 7: Acadiana: The Marquisate
Part 8: Acadiana: Partition of Texas
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