RSS Feed
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
467 years ago
It was on Oct. 18, 1540 that the Battle of Mauvilla occurred Hernando DeSoto and the Mauvilla Indians, led by the seven-foot tall Chief Tascaluza. (There are various spellings of Mauvilla and the Indian chief. Modern-day variations are Mobile and Tuscaloosa). There are many period accounts of DeSoto's trek across what is now the southeastern United States in his futile search for gold and other treasures. There are detailed accounts of the battle at Mauvilla. Still, Mauvilla's location remains a mystery but many professional and amateur archaeologists think it was right here in our neck of the woods, most likely down "in the forks" of the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers. While our area is one prospect for Mauvilla, it isn't the only one and archaeologists and historians differ greatly on where they think it is located. While many think it is in Clarke County, others have placed it farther north, in Dallas or Wilcox counties, among other places. Mauvilla was a fortified town, surrounded by a high wooden fence, or wall. The entire town was destroyed by fire during and after the battle. A Mobile archaeologist has recently sparked renewed debate on the subject. Andrew Holmes says he has located an Indian mound in south Clarke County that he thinks is a good candidate for Mauvilla. The size of the mound closely corresponds to the dimensions of Mauvilla as recorded by DeSoto's troops. Holmes says the location fits the descriptions and time lines from known sites that DeSoto visited, as recorded in Spanish journals. Holmes has old ironware that he recovered at the site that he says resembles Spanish metalwork of the 16th century. DeSoto had met Tascaluza farther up country and agreed, at the chief's invitation, to accompany him to Mauvilla. Many historians believe that Mauvilla was designed to be a trap and a battle site. DeSoto and a handful of his men arrived at Mauvilla with Tascaluza about 9 a.m. on Oct. 18, 1540. They were greeted by dancing women. Tascaluza promptly disappeared inside one of the houses in the fortified town. When a guard went to get him, he found many armed Indians in the houses and he notified DeSoto. A passing Indian was hailed for questioning and when he didn't stop, one of DeSoto's men pulled his sword and cut his arm off. And that is when it started. A period account described it: "Upon wounding this Indian, all began to shoot arrows at us ... we suffered so much damage that we were forced to leave, fleeing from the town... When the Indians saw us outside, they closed the gates of the town and began to beat their drums and to raise banners with a great yell, and to open our trunks and bundles and display from the top of the wall all that we had brought..." The rest of DeSoto's troops soon arrived and assaulted the town. The fight centered on a plain near the village and inside the village walls. The Spanish set fire to the village and many of the Indians that were not killed with weapons were burned to death. The intense battle lasted seven hours. Tens of thousands of Indians perished at Mauvilla, according to the Spanish. Only a handful of Spaniards were killed but the big battle severely crippled DeSoto's troops and they never fully recovered. DeSoto for some strange reason would refuse to continue the short distance to the coast where he knew supply ships were awaiting. Instead, he turned northward and would wander as far as Arkansas before turning back southward. He would die and be buried in the Mississippi River and his diminished army would float down the mighty river to eventual rescue and return to Spain. The stories of their escapades would contribute to the legend of Mauvilla. Mauvilla is the "Holy Grail" of archaeological sites - intensely sought but remaining mysteriously elusive throughout time. Perhaps one day it can be located.
Jim Cox is editor and publisher of The Clarke County Democrat.
|
for larger version       Ads have a Patent Pending. Click Here for More Information |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
