Surveying the Early Republic: The Journal of Andrew Ellicott, U.S. Boundary Commissioner in the Old Southwest, 1796-1800

281 Pages·2016·4.68 MB·English

by  Robert D. Bush

SURVEYING

THE EARLY REPUBLIC

the journal of
ANDREW ELLICOTT

u.s. boundary commissioner
in the old southwest
1796–1800
edited by
ROBERT D. BUSH
SURVEYING

THE EARLY REPUBLIC
library of southern civilization
SSSSSSSSSUUURRRVVVEEEYYYIIINNNGGGGGGG
TTTHHHEEE EEEAAARRRLLLYYY RRREEEPPPUUUBBBLLLIIICCC
the journal of
AAANNNDDDRRREEEWWW EEELLLLLLIIICCCOOOTTTTTT
u.s. boundary commissioner
in the old southwest
1796–1800
edited by
ROBERT D. BUSH
louisiana state university press
baton rouge
Published by Louisiana State University Press
Copyright © 2016 by Louisiana State University Press
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
First printing
Excerpts from Francis Baily’s Journal were originally published in the work Journalofa
TourinUnsettledPartsofNorthAmericain 1796&1797, edited by JackD.L. Holmes. Copy-
right © 1969 by Southern Illinois University Press; reprinted by permission of the publisher.
Designer: Barbara Neely Bourgoyne
Typeface: MillerText
Printer and binder: McNaughton & Gunn, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Ellicott, Andrew, 1754–1820, author. | Bush, Robert D, editor.
Title: Surveying the Early Republic : the Journal of Andrew Ellicott, U.S. Boundary
Commissioner of the Old Southwest, 1796–1800 / edited by Robert D. Bush.
Other titles: Journal of Andrew Ellicott
Description: Baton Rouge : Louisiana State University Press, [2016] | Series: Library of
Southern civilization | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016005176| ISBN 978-0-8071-6342-9 (cloth : alk. paper) | ISBN 978-0-
8071-6343-6 (pdf) | ISBN 978-0-8071-6344-3 (epub) | ISBN 978-0-8071-6345-0 (mobi)
Subjects: LCSH: Ellicott, Andrew, 1754–1820—Diaries. | Ellicott, Andrew, 1754–1820—
Travel—Southwest, Old. | Surveyors—United States—Diaries. | Southwest, Old—
Description and travel—Sources. | Mississippi River Valley—Description and travel—
Sources. | Southwest, Old—Historical geography—Sources. | Southern boundary of the
United States—History—Sources. | Surveying—United States—History—Sources. |
Geographical positions—United States—History—Sources.
Classification: LCC F213 .E4813 2016 | DDC 917.6/02—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016005176
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee
on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.
CONTENTS
acknowledgments vii
u
editor’s introduction ................................1
andrew ellicott chronology ....................23
the journal of andrew ellicott ...............25
u
appendix 247
Excerpts from JournalofaTourinUnsettledPartsof
NorthAmericain 1796&1797, by Francis Baily
select bibliography 261
index 267
This page intentionally left blank
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The era of United States’ expansion into the Southwest after 1790 has at-
tracted, and fascinated, scholars and students for some time. For educated
persons in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the “frontier” held a
special interest. The “West,” or frontier, was more than a direction: it offered
adventure, the pursuit of further knowledge about man in his environment,
and an unlimited potential for success, or, possibly, failure. Information
about the frontier—however far away that might be—was sought with the
same degree of intensity and dedication during the eighteenth and nine-
teenth centuries that our quest for knowledge about space and the universe
is pursued today. The opening of the trans-Appalachian West, both north
and south of the Ohio River, was an American saga combining elements of
audacity, bravery, dedication to a national mission, imagination and foresight
for its future potential, individualism, and political ambition, even rebellion,
on an international scale. For any of these reasons, and many others, the two
decades of history in the Old Southwest from 1783 to 1803 witnessed some
of the most important events in American history.
One of the subject areas in this panorama that continues to attract inquiry
and study is that of the relationship between Spain and the United States
in the Lower Mississippi Valley during these years. Much has been written
on Spanish settlement in North America and the Anglo-Spanish contest for
global dominance in the eighteenth century. France’s departure with her loss
of Canada to the British in 1763, along with the British conquest of East and
West Florida from Spain, and France’s cession of Louisiana to Spain in 1762,
left only Britain and Spain, with their respective provinces, in contention for
dominance in North America. Spain’s subsequent independent successes in
the Old Southwest during the American Revolution, with the conquests of
vii
acknowledgments
West and East Florida, restored its presence, while leaving Britain holding
on to Canada. But after 1783, there was another rival, the young United
States. It is this latter story of Spanish-American rivalry that has prompted
much research from scholars. We are indebted to several colleagues for their
contributions to our understanding of this subject, and to the intellectual
pursuit of knowledge in the field of their respective interests in the Mississippi
Valley and the Southwest. They inspired us through their love of the subject,
and their intellectual diligence. Among them, it is possible here to mention
only a few, but they include: Abraham P. Nasatir, John Preston Moore, John
Francis Bannon, Charles E. O’Neill, Robin F. A. Fabel, Eric Beerman, John
Francis McDermott, Jack D. L. Holmes, Gilbert C. Din, Light T. Cummins,
Thomas D. Watson, Arthur Preston Whitaker, and William “Bill” Coker.
viii
SURVEYING

THE EARLY REPUBLIC