GatorFrog
Jr. Member
- Nov 26, 2011
- 44
- 4
- Detector(s) used
- Excal II
- Primary Interest:
- Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Hi all,
I'm a new member and I'm just starting to get involved in MD. I have been reading many posts and I ended up buying an Excal2 to go search around.
Anyway, I saw a few posts (questions) about the French expeditions in Florida.
I thought I would share what I found/translated so far.
This covers the first four French expeditions:
First expedition: Fe 18,1562 to April ,1563
Jean Ribaut left Le Havre on Feb 18, 1562 with 2 ships ( 3 masted Dutch type). Along with a group of soldiers and craftsmen, is Rene de Ladonniere. After 2 months at sea, Ribaud reached a cap which he names “French Cap( (Cap Francois in old French), believed to be north of St Augustine. There, he erected a few stones with the French Coat of Arms carved into them. His first objective was to befriend the natives. The French started trading with the Indians, getting basic food in exchange of small trinkets such as knifes, mirrors, bracelets, etc. He entered a river on May 1st 1562 and calls it river May (also known later on as Saint Jean or San Matheo)
He also travels about 60 lieues (120 miles) along the coastline, and finds 9 rivers. He gave them the name of Seine, Somme, Loire, Charente, Garonne, Gironde, Belle and Grande. (These names may not have been used for long since 200 years later, historians could not find the names on any maps. )
They reached a deep river enough that Ribaut claims “The depth is such that the largest ships, including the ones from Venice, could come in”. It is also very wide 3 lieue (6miles). They set anchor and named the site : Port Royal. The site is ideal, and covered by oaks, pines and lentisk trees. Fauna is also abundant.
Word had spread around the natives that the French had landed and that they were kind (the Spanish, on the other end, had a terrible reputation for being incredibly sadistic to the Indians.) So wherever he went, Ribaut was welcomed. Ribaut decided to establish a camp. This camp was to essentially become a colony. (Ribault and his volunteers were mostly Calvin, Protestant, and Lutherans wanting to flee France from religious prosecution). Close to this inlet were two islands separated by a river large enough to accommodate a ship of medium size. They named that river Chenonceaux. One of the isle was named Libourne and the other Charlesfort. They build a fortress big enough to house 28 men (other report claims 26 men) . This fort was 160ft by 130ft. The exact location of the fort is debated (at least in this manuscript). One claims the isle was also known as Edisto or it was by Archer’s Creek in Beaufort. (This was an earthen fort and after a few years, nothing was left of it).
Ribaut then leaves, leaving Capt Albert in charge. Ribaut sailed north a bit and went back to France, landing back there on July 25 1562 (a 5 month round trip)
Capt Albert and his 28 men (including Laudonniere) enjoyed meeting with several Indian tribes. While the French were busy exploring, they did not replenish their food supply, relied on the Indians instead. By January of 1563, they are starving and go further away to meet other tribes and get fed. By the time they return to the fort, it had burned down. On top of that, there were internal problems. Capt Albert wasn’t liked by his soldiers. He hung one of his soldiers for no tangible reason. He sent another one in exile, on a small island, without food or water. Mutiny took place, Albert was killed, the exiled soldier was retrieved and Nicolas Barre takes charge. By late 1563, they believed that they were abandoned by France (France at the time was going through serious internal political problems).
As such, they built a ship to go back to France. A third through the voyage back, the ocean becomes dead calm and all forward movement stops. They run out of food and water. They resort to cannibalism. (Ironically, the soldier who was rescued from exile drew the short straw). Finally, they see land.
It’s England. They are immediately brought in front of Queen Elizabeth to be interviewed about Florida. Some of these Frenchmen are offered to guide the English back to Florida. Martin Atinas, would accept and became the pilot for Hawkins who would set sail a few months later.
The first expedition had failed.
I'm a new member and I'm just starting to get involved in MD. I have been reading many posts and I ended up buying an Excal2 to go search around.
Anyway, I saw a few posts (questions) about the French expeditions in Florida.
I thought I would share what I found/translated so far.
This covers the first four French expeditions:
First expedition: Fe 18,1562 to April ,1563
Jean Ribaut left Le Havre on Feb 18, 1562 with 2 ships ( 3 masted Dutch type). Along with a group of soldiers and craftsmen, is Rene de Ladonniere. After 2 months at sea, Ribaud reached a cap which he names “French Cap( (Cap Francois in old French), believed to be north of St Augustine. There, he erected a few stones with the French Coat of Arms carved into them. His first objective was to befriend the natives. The French started trading with the Indians, getting basic food in exchange of small trinkets such as knifes, mirrors, bracelets, etc. He entered a river on May 1st 1562 and calls it river May (also known later on as Saint Jean or San Matheo)
He also travels about 60 lieues (120 miles) along the coastline, and finds 9 rivers. He gave them the name of Seine, Somme, Loire, Charente, Garonne, Gironde, Belle and Grande. (These names may not have been used for long since 200 years later, historians could not find the names on any maps. )
They reached a deep river enough that Ribaut claims “The depth is such that the largest ships, including the ones from Venice, could come in”. It is also very wide 3 lieue (6miles). They set anchor and named the site : Port Royal. The site is ideal, and covered by oaks, pines and lentisk trees. Fauna is also abundant.
Word had spread around the natives that the French had landed and that they were kind (the Spanish, on the other end, had a terrible reputation for being incredibly sadistic to the Indians.) So wherever he went, Ribaut was welcomed. Ribaut decided to establish a camp. This camp was to essentially become a colony. (Ribault and his volunteers were mostly Calvin, Protestant, and Lutherans wanting to flee France from religious prosecution). Close to this inlet were two islands separated by a river large enough to accommodate a ship of medium size. They named that river Chenonceaux. One of the isle was named Libourne and the other Charlesfort. They build a fortress big enough to house 28 men (other report claims 26 men) . This fort was 160ft by 130ft. The exact location of the fort is debated (at least in this manuscript). One claims the isle was also known as Edisto or it was by Archer’s Creek in Beaufort. (This was an earthen fort and after a few years, nothing was left of it).
Ribaut then leaves, leaving Capt Albert in charge. Ribaut sailed north a bit and went back to France, landing back there on July 25 1562 (a 5 month round trip)
Capt Albert and his 28 men (including Laudonniere) enjoyed meeting with several Indian tribes. While the French were busy exploring, they did not replenish their food supply, relied on the Indians instead. By January of 1563, they are starving and go further away to meet other tribes and get fed. By the time they return to the fort, it had burned down. On top of that, there were internal problems. Capt Albert wasn’t liked by his soldiers. He hung one of his soldiers for no tangible reason. He sent another one in exile, on a small island, without food or water. Mutiny took place, Albert was killed, the exiled soldier was retrieved and Nicolas Barre takes charge. By late 1563, they believed that they were abandoned by France (France at the time was going through serious internal political problems).
As such, they built a ship to go back to France. A third through the voyage back, the ocean becomes dead calm and all forward movement stops. They run out of food and water. They resort to cannibalism. (Ironically, the soldier who was rescued from exile drew the short straw). Finally, they see land.
It’s England. They are immediately brought in front of Queen Elizabeth to be interviewed about Florida. Some of these Frenchmen are offered to guide the English back to Florida. Martin Atinas, would accept and became the pilot for Hawkins who would set sail a few months later.
The first expedition had failed.