Francois Derbanne's Party Attacked by Apaches on Journey from Natchitoches to the Rio Grande

Interpreter in uniform of a French Marine at Ft. St Jean Baptiste

Posted by Doyle Bailey for Tour Natchitoches with Barbara

Francois Derbanne's journey in 1717 from Natchitoches to the Rio Grand would have made a great script for Director John Ford with Derbanne played by the "Duke", John Wayne. In his own words the intrepid explorer writes:

"On the 8th (of April, 1717) we made 8 leagues (12 miles), we crossed Red River (or Colorado)...which is very wide when it is high and the woods on both sides are willows, ash and oak...After crossing it, we were attacked by sixty Indians, all on horseback, whom the Spaniards call Apaches".

Details of the attack include:

• Derbanne's party dismounted to defend themselves
• The Apaches shot many arrows but saw that Derbanne and his companions would not run and that they would not hand over their goods
• the Apaches "decided to go steal the mules, which were following behind us and were not loaded".
• The Indians had no trouble stealing the mules for there was only one Spaniard to drive them. They carried him off with them "and vanished with the twenty-three mules".

On the 21st, Derbanne records "We crossed the Rio Grands and came to the Presidio, where there is a captain and thirty soldiers and two missions...The Rio Grande is a fine river, deep enough for a pirogue at all seasons (a fact that would have been greatly appreciated by Derbanne due to the problems of navigating the Red River when the water level was low)...it is 200 paces wide".

When you Tour Natchitoches with Barbara, she will tell you other stories about her grandfather, Francois Derbanne (nine generations removed), and should you choose, show you the historically accurate replica of the French Fort St Jean Baptiste in Natchitoches.

To contact Barbara, go {here}

THE FRENCH CAME TO NATCHITOCHES IN 1714. NOW IT'S YOUR TURN

Tour Natchitoches with Barbara Traces An Amazing Journey To The Rio Grande

Posted by Doyle Bailey for
Tour Natchitoches with Barbara ( Number 1 of 3)

Photo at Right is of a historically accurate replica of Ft St Jean Baptiste in Natchitoches.


François Derbanne (d’Erbanne or d’Herbanne) ), was a French Canadian who explored the upper Mississippi and Missouri rivers and was prominent in early Mobile and Natchitoches.

He is most often noted for his trek across Texas in 1717, of which he wrote an account.

"We left Natchitoches on November 22, 1716, and we arrived on January 22 at Assinais. I reckon the distance from one village to the other as 55 leagues. The country is good enough; there are small mountains, mixed woods: pines, oaks, walnut trees and some white-wood trees (such) as are in Canada. The trail is very good, and its direction is West and Southwest...".

Some observations:

• a league is about 1 1/2 miles. The journey of two months mentioned by Derbanne covered 55 leagues or about 82 miles. That would be an average of about a mile and a quarter a day.

• He states "the trail is very good" so there were obviously other reasons for the slow pace. Derbanne was a keen observer and may have taken his time to observe the terrain and the people. He was scouting out trade routes. This desire for trade got St Denis arrested and taken as a prisoner to Mexico City but that is another story and another journey.

Derbaine writes in his account of the journey:

"We left the Assinais, where there are Spanish priests and a captain with 25- soldiers, on March 22, 1717 for the Rio Grande." ( to be continued)

Observations:.Barbara is a ninth generation descendant of Francois Derbanne and will be delighted to take you and your group on your sightseeing tour of Natchitoches when you contact Tour Natchitoches with Barbara.

Contact Barbara: (318) 352 5469 or (318) 663 5468

Text Barbara: (318) 663 5468

E Mail Barbara: info@tournatchitocheswithbarbara.com