DeSoto Made The First March Through Georgia In 1540

By JACQUELYN COOK

A CRY, echoing across the beautiful land, broke the peaceful stillness and hinted at the excitement and death which was to come. Glinting in the sun, the rich Spanish armor of 620 adventuresome men clanked a beat of march time as a castanet sets the rhythm of a dance.

The red and gold Spanish flag fluttered in the spring breeze over the head of the intrepid leader. He was a medium size man with a neatly clipped beard. Something in his noble bearing and dauntless courage commanded the respect of the men who had volunteered to join him in exploration and in search for gold. The man was Don Hernando de Soto, Governor of Cuba, Adelantado of Florida. They were traversing this "Land of Flowers" spurred on by the insatiable desire for gold.

Rodrigo Ranjel, DeSoto’s private secretary, stood watching. He was a faithful chronicler of history. He carefully noted in his diary the details of the scene before him. Ranjel knew that the Gentleman from Elvas was also keeping a record of the events of the journey. That noble knight took the view that DeSoto was no more cruel than the average leader of his time. Ranjel could not prevent himself from adding an occasional note of judgment to his journal as he recorded the march of the Christians (as he referred to them) into Indian territory.

On Wednesday, March 3, 1540, the army had left Anhayca (site of Tallahassee) and marched northward. They had spent the night by the river Guacucu (Ochlockonee at the southwest boundary of Georgia).

Now Ranjel, noting the date as March 5, watched as the horses stamped to a halt at a large river christened Capachequi (Flint at Bainbridge).

The baying of bloodhounds and greyhounds brought excited squeals from the herd of 300 hogs which were driven along behind the soldiers. Next came the silent Indian burden bearers who were treated less mercifully than the swine. Stoically they wore iron neck collars fastened to long chains.

Ranjel watched the missionary priests set down their crosses and adjust their swords. The physicians behind them fingered their weapons. They were as ready to wield the sword of death as the scalpel of life.

DeSoto called for Christoforo Mosquera to come forward. Although he was the best thrower in the army, he could not hurl a stone across the wide river. Some of the men began to build a piragua or barge while others roughly removed the chains from the Indians. Joining the chains with "S" hooks of iron, they made one long chain which they fastened to each bank of the river. The barge was loaded with baggage and the men struggled along the chain to make the crossing. Twice the strong current broke the heavy chain. The horses, half-drowned by the swirling water, finally managed to swim across with the aid of the Indians who pulled them with ropes. As the last landing was made, a cheer went up from the wet, weary men. Ranjel noted with satisfaction that the crossing was completed on Wednesday, March 10.

THE next day they came to the village of Capachequi (in Miller County). It was deserted but contained an abundance of supplies to which the soldiers helped themselves. A few men strayed from the safety of the group. Indians hiding in the shadowy forest killed one Christian and badly wounded three others.

Ranjel recorded that the party plunged on into a desert (pine-barren). They marched for miles over the sandy, level land. (This was the wire-grass section east of the Flint in Baker and Early Counties.) On March 17, the cavaliers stopped at White Spring (near Arlington). They were now forced to slaughter some of their hogs for food. The march continued (through Calhoun and Dougherty Counties) to the River of Toa (Ichawaynochaway) where they built two bridges. In the village of Toa, Ranjel noticed that the dwellings had changed. "Palmetto covered dwellings gave place to buildings roofed with cane in the manner of tile," he wrote.

The hungry men continued on with a "bad passage through a swamp" (near Leesburg). They crossed a small stream (possibly Chokee Creek in Sumter County) about March 29.

The exhausted, starving men breathed in the mouthwatering aroma of roasting venison. Indians tended the meat which was cooking, en barbacoa, on a framework of posts on a gridiron over hot coals. The chief invited the Spaniards to share the feast which included wild turkeys and maize (corn) cakes. (Thus the explorers enjoyed an early South Georgia barbecue.)

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Ranjel was distressed that the Christians returned the hospitality of the Indians by mistreating their maidens and seizing supplies to take along on the journey.

(Although Ranjel makes no mention of digging wells, legend says a well was dug because, the Indians were poisoning the streams and the tradition is that the well, dug on a slant so the horses could drink, is the one which can still be seen on the Collin's place in DeSoto.)

On March 31, Ranjel wrote, "We came to a large river, the Rio Grande (the Flint again), where they took many canoes, in which they crossed easily and came to the village of the lord, who was one-eyed, and he gave them much food and fifteen Indians as porters."

After a friendly meal, Friar John, the Evangelist, set up a cross in the mound of the village. He taught the Indians to "kneel and worship the cross as the Christians did."

(The route here followed the present course of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad from DeSoto through Cordele and Abbeville. At Abbeville they crossed the Ocmulgee and traveled North.)

RANJEL now recorded meeting many friendly Indians. Small parties visited different parts of the area. Crosses were set up at Altamaha, Ichisi, and Ocute. The Ocute chief presented them with rabbits, partridges, and dogs (possibly opossum). "On account of the scarcity of meat," wrote Ranjel, "the dogs were as much esteemed by the Christians as though they had been fat sheep."

The band of adventurers set out again. They pressed northward along the east banks of the river. (They followed the Ocmulgee past Hawkinsville which was an important crossing place. A trail marker has been placed here.) They came to the Indian village of Toalli. (The United States DeSoto Expedition Commission places Toalli between West Lake and Bullard. Although many historians believe it was near Macon, the Commission does not believe DeSoto went that far north. One reason they give for this assumption is that Ranjel made no mention of the mounds.)

Ranjel was astonished at the high order of intelligence of the Indians at Toalli. He wrote, "they were both friendly and gracious. They had both summer and winter houses and storehouses for their maize. The women wore blankets and shawls woven of the fiber of silk grass dyed vermilion or black."

Standing on a rise where his armor would gleam in the sunlight, DeSoto proclaimed that he was the Child of the Sun. He announced grandiloquently that he had been sent to seek out the greatest Prince and Princess.

In awe the Indians, who were sun worshipers, came forward to present gifts and supplies to DeSoto.

Ranjel was displeased as he recorded that DeSoto forced some of these friendly Indians to become guides and burden bearers.

THE expedition now took an easterly course in the unending search for gold. On April 20, the soldiers were hopelessly lost in a pine barren. They crossed a large river of two branches. (The Oconee at Carr Shoals at Carr’s Bluff, about six miles above Dublin in Laurens County.)

"We had a difficult crossing," recorded Ranjel. "The water flowed so swiftly over a rocky bed that the horsemen formed a line in crossing to break the current for the foot soldiers. Even so they were forced to tie thirty or forty men together." They floundered on drenched with rain. Cold and hungry, for they were now without provisions, the men beseeched DeSoto to turn back. DeSoto urged them onward. Only a powerful and much respected leader could have kept them going under these conditions. They plunged across another river (Ogeechee near Louisville then Bier Creek, perhaps near Farmers Bridge).

On April 23, the Governor sent out search parties to get their bearings. The starving men had only blite (wild spinach) to eat.

As the party struggled along, groups of men would fall on their knees. They moaned and cried to God for mercy. Stronger comrades pulled them to their feet and they pushed on. Despair filled more and more men until they thought they would surely die. A lookout caught sight of the Indian village of Hymaki. A cry went up, naming the village Succour, as the men rushed forward with renewed strength. Hungrily they devoured the maize and mulberries which the Indians gave them. Strawberries delighted their tastes as a reminder of home.

Revived by the food and warmed by the fire, the Spaniards began an inquisition of the Indians to determine the location of their lord's village. Warily silent, the Indians submitted to the rough treatment. Suddenly one Indian was cast into the fire. Ranjel's dark eyes flashed angrily as he watched the man die in silent martyrdom. He was sickened as five men burned without a cry to divulge the information.

At this moment a straggler from one of the search parties appeared. DeSoto stood up from the fire and inquired of his two companions. When the frightened man replied that they were lost, DeSoto angrily sent him back to search for them. As the wet, hungry man turned away, DeSoto shouted after him to bring back the two soldiers under pain of death.

Ranjel took out his journal, recorded the date as April 28, 1540, and wrote, "and that was a better order and a better deed and judgment than burning alive the Indian for not consenting to reveal his lord; for to such a one as him the Romans set up a memorable statue in the Forum; and to Christians no such cruelty is allowable toward anyone and especially toward an Indian who was ready to die to be loyal to his country and his lord. But later on the account was squared."

"On Friday, the last day of April," wrote Ranjel, "the Governor started along the road to Cofitachequi." (Silver Bluff on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River, about twenty-five miles south of Augusta.) He had heard of the woman chief, La Cacia, who ruled that land.

The Spaniards stood on the banks of the river (Savannah) and stared in amazement at the procession which crossed to meet them. At the head of the line of canoes was one beautifully decorated and covered. Upon landing, the Indians of rank lifted a litter covered with delicate white linen. With much respect, they bore the litter on which reclined a beautiful young girl dressed in silk like linen. Gracefully Princess Cutifachiqui stepped down from the litter. With regal gestures she removed a string of pearls from her neck and put them on the Governor to show her favour and to gain his good will.

Ranjel made notes that Cutifachiqui's subjects were well dressed even to shoes. They wore well tanned skins, beautiful blankets, and furs. The people were very clean.

Politely the Indians escorted the Spaniards across the river in their canoes. In camp they presented the visitors with skins, blankets, and furs. They gave them strips of venison, dry wafers, and salt.

On Friday, May 7, Ranjel accompanied the Governor into the Indian's mosque. Burying places were opened and Ranjel wrote excitedly, "The breasts, belly, necks, and arms and legs were full of pearls." As they were removing the pearls, Ranjel saw something green which they ecstatically thought to be an emerald. The treasurer, Johan de Anasco was called in. He disappointed them by saying it was only glass. Further search revealed many glass beads and rosaries with crosses. As the Christians had already noted that these Indians did many things which were done in Spain, Ranjel wrote, "They recognized that they were in the territory where the lawyer Lucas Vaquez de Ayllon came to his ruin."

When the woman chief saw that they took away some 200 pounds of pearls she said, "Do you hold that of much account? Go to Talimeco, my village, and you will find so many that your horses cannot carry them."

The governor replied, "Let them stay there; to whom God gives a gift, may St. Peter bless it."

Ranjel feared from the look in DeSoto's eyes that he planned to steal them later.

Suddenly shouts were heard. A soldier came running with the news that a trace of gold had been found in the river. Hope was rekindled that gold mines could be found.

On May 13, the army made ready to depart to continue the search for gold. The Indians gave them maize and other food supplies including more of the dogs which the Spaniards seemed to enjoy eating.

Ranjel was shocked at the order which DeSoto now gave. The lovely princess was seized and made to accompany them as a prisoner. "This was in return for the good treatment which they received from her," Ranjel noted sourly.

Surrounded by her female slaves, the slender young girl regally marched along on foot. She was not even accorded the honor of a horse. She was greatly respected and obeyed by the Indians in each village they passed. DeSoto made her order the Indians to give them supplies and also to provide bearers to carry the loads.

Possessing wit as well as beauty, the Princess managed to escape after a few days. She took her maidens and slipped into the swamp. With her knowledge of woodcraft even the baying bloodhounds could not track her. Ranjel could not help but be glad that she took a trunk of the most precious pearls.

DE SOTO pressed northward in forced marches to relieve his weary and starving men, and to seize or unearth gold for the king.

"On Tuesday, May 25," wrote Ranjel, "they left Xuala and went over a very high mountain range . . . then to the region of Xalaque." (Most authorities agree that DeSoto went to the site of Yonah Mountain, in Nachoochee Valley, White County. There is a trail marker at Clarksville, Habersham County.) The Spaniards did a little mining here and the Indians gave them maize and many little dogs to eat. They found little gold.

On the last day of May, they left Guasili (Murray County). The way was mountainous and the horses became tired and thin. (North Georgia Mountains to Connasauga River, thence followed the Oostanaula river to the junction of the Etowah River where the Coosa forms.)

"When we reached Chiaha (Rome) on June 4, 1540, the Christians were so tired out they decided to stay and rest themselves; and they were given an abundance of corn," wrote Ranjel.

For fifteen peaceful days the soldiers enjoyed eating, playing, and swimming with the friendly Indians. But then without warning the Indians disappeared. Ranjel learned to his displeasure that they had run away because the Governor had asked for women.

De Soto’s men camped here for nearly a month. (For many years this area has been known as the DeSoto Road of the DeSoto District of Floyd County. A town called DeSoto was chartered here in 1852. In 1885 the charter was repealed and the territory was included in the corporate limits of Rome. In 1889 another town of DeSoto in Sumter County was chartered and exists to this day.)

On June 28, 1540, the Governor and his men departed Chiaha. (The Spaniards left Georgia possibly at Columbus around July 1. Their search for gold carried them on through Alabama and Western Tennessee.)

RANJEL recorded sighting a great river larger than the Danube (Mississippi at Chickasaw Bluff) on May 21, 1541. On June 18, the crossing was made on four barges.

The Indians here received the cross and adored it with much devotion. "Their faith," declared Ranjel, "would have surpassed that of the Conquerors if they had been taught, and would have brought forth more fruit than those conquerors did."

Rodrigo Ranjel was saddened that "after baptizing a chief of so much intelligence as Casqui, and making him and his people Christians they were not set forth a better example." DeSoto accepted the gift of several beautiful young women. Ranjel wrote sorrowfully, "But I could wish that along with the excellencies of the cross and of the faith that this Governor explained to these chiefs, he had told them that he was married, and that Christians ought not to have more than one wife. . . ."

On November 2, Ranjel’s diary breaks off abruptly as it was translated from Oviedo's Historia General y Natural d las Indias. it is possible that the loss is in the translation for Ranjel is remembered in a clause in DeSoto's will which states: "Also, I order that to Rodrigo Ranjel, my secretary, be given, for the good service he has rendered me, three hundred ducats of my goods.

FROM "The Gentleman of Elvas" comes the account of DeSoto’s death. Like Ranjel, his narrative is based on an actual journal. However Elvas did not always stay as close to unvarnished fact as did Ranjel.

Through the long, cruel march DeSoto had desecrated many graves because of greed. Now his own body was to find no peace in a grave. DeSoto had told the Indians that the Christians were immortal. He had told them that the figure in his mirror warned him of what they were about to do. When in the spring of 1542, DeSoto died of fever, his men were afraid that the Indians would attack. They hid his body in the house for three days. Then they hurriedly buried it at night. The Indians became suspicious so the soldiers dug up the body by night. rowed to the middle of the Mississippi River and committed the body to the water. They told the Indians that DeSoto had ascended into the sky.

Historian Buckingham Smith begs us to remember that DeSoto's cruelty was not in excess of other captains of that age. He states, "By those who knew him was he deemed brave, prudent, and magnanimous."

Joel Chandler Harris in his Stories of Georgia says that "a simple search for riches, in which hundreds of lives were most cruelly sacrificed; and thousands of homes destroyed," marked DeSoto's March through Georgia.

AUTHORS NOTE: Readers interested in the full account will enjoy Narratives of the Career of Hernando de Soto, Volumes I and II, edited by Edward Gaylord Bourne. References to modern sites can be found in Final Report of The United States DeSoto Expedition Commission.

Originally published in Georgia Magazine Volume XIII, No. 1