The eventful history of Louisiana during the colonial period has left a legacy that endures to the present day in the culture, politics, and population patterns of the state. Yet Louisiana's colonial history has been too little studied, and few biographies exist to illuminate the personalities and activities of individuals who lived during that time. In Francisco Bouligny: A Bourbon Soldier in Spanish Louisiana, Gilbert C. Din presents a detailed, well-rounded examination of one of Spanish Louisiana's first citizens. Din draws a lively and informative portrait of an ambition-driven soldier and government official who hoped to find in the colonial arena opportunities for professional, social, and economic advancement. Bouligny, the scion of a provincial Iberian family, arrived in Louisiana in 1769 as a member of Alejandro O'Reilly's expedition to the colony, and he remained there until his death in 1800 - virtually the entire duration of Spanish domination of the region. In 1776 Jose de Galvez was named Minister of the Indies and appointed his nephew Bernardo de Galvez governor of Louisiana. At the same time Bouligny was named lieutenant governor and was put in charge of settlements, commerce, and Indians. Bouligny founded the settlement of New Iberia, served with distinction in the Spanish campaigns along the Gulf Coast during the American Revolution, and after the war helped crush the murderous San Malo gang of runaway slaves and dealt successfully with a threatened attempt to claim West Florida as United States territory. Despite his accomplishments, Bouligny never achieved all the successes he desired - at least partially, Din asserts, because of the unwillingness of Bernardo deGalvez to promote Bouligny's interests. Din's study is much more than the story of one individual. It provides valuable information about Spain's takeover of Louisiana from the French, the administration of the colony, Louisiana's involvement in the American Revolution, and the final
- ISBN10 0807117951
- ISBN13 9780807117958
- Publish Date 1 March 1993
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 8 February 2021
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Louisiana State University Press
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 288
- Language English