(1500-1542)
Credited with 'discovering' vast areas of the American South and even perhaps the Canadian West, he has been hailed as a conquering hero when in fact he was a bloodthirsty savage who took what he wanted by force and left death and devastation in his path.
That being said, who was the real Hernando De Soto? Historians like Hubert H. Bancroft (The Great Republic by Master Historians c1900) has called him a man "of gentle birth; of known pre-eminence as a soldier; wise in council; prudent in action; brave to rashness in conflict, and his reputation was without blemish. In person, he was elegant; in deportment, courtly; as a horseman, expert; and in age, thirty-seven--the prime of young manhood. "
The only statement made by Mr. Bancroft that I might agree with, would be the fact that De Soto was possibly 37 years old when he began his campaign of terror. The rest is pure nonsense, and his actions during his four year involvement in North America, prove my point.
Hernando de Soto was a slave trader who made a fortune dealing in flesh. He married Isabella de Bobadilla, from a prominent Castilian family, which further added to his wealth, and when he approached the Emperor of Spain with his plans for the pillage and plunder of the 'New World', he was presented at court as one of the richest men in Spain.
Setting sail from Havannah Cuba; where he had been made governor; with nine vessels, 600 soldiers, 12 priests, 4 monks, 200 horses, 300 pigs and a pack of bloodhounds, on May 18; 1539; he arrived at present day Tampa Florida on the 30th of May. His first order of business was to capture slaves from amoung the indigenous people. Males were needed to act as guides, to carry the heavy loads into the interior and for the assembling of shelters; while women and children were to be taken for the sexual gratification of his own men.
the Virgin and sacramental bread and wine to make Christians of the conquered pagans (a prerequisite for the necessary Papal authority). You could do what you wanted with your captives, just as long as you baptized them first.
De Soto knew that he would have to capture and maintain 500 slaves to handle the workload, but hadn't counted on the strength and conviction of the Native people, who learned their lesson from the Barbaric Narvaez; and knew not to trust the Spaniards. Everywhere they went they were met with opposition and clouds of arrows marked their arrival. Many Spaniards were captured and slaughtered, while the Natives were put in chains and made beasts of burden, regardless of age or sex.
In desperation, De Soto requested a meeting with the powerful Creek chief, Acuera (not his actual name, only the word for 'chief'), the supreme ruler of the territory; who sent this enlightened reply: "Others of your accursed race have, in years past, disturbed our peaceful shores. They have taught me what you are. What is your employment? To wander about like vagabonds from land to land; to rob the poor; to betray the confiding; to murder the defenseless in cold blood. No! with such a people I want neither peace nor friendship.
"War--never-ending, exterminating war--is all I ask. You boast yourselves to be valiant--and so you may be; but my faithful warriors are not less brave; and of this you shall one day have proof, for I have sworn to maintain an unsparing conflict while one white man remains in my borders; not openly in the battle-field, though even thus we fear not to meet you, but by stratagem, ambush, and midnight surprisal."
And in reply to a demand that he should yield obedience to the Spanish emperor; Acuera said: "I am king in my own land, and will never become the vassal of a mortal like myself. Vile and pusillanimous (weak) is he who submits to the yoke of another when he may be free! As for me and my people we prefer death to the loss of liberty, and the subjugation of our country!" He was not going down without a fight.
De Soto remained in the area for twenty days, and true to his word, Acuera put up a formidable defense. The Spaniards couldn't leave camp without the danger of being picked off, and like the European tradition of victory, his severed head carried on a pike to the presence of the chief. Fourteen in all met this fate, and and many more were wounded. "Keep on! robbers and traitors!" said Acuera. "In my province and in Apalachee you will be treated as you deserve. We will quarter and hang up every captive on the highest tree!" And they did. The Spaniards may have been bloodthirsty pirates, but they met their match in the ambushes of Acuera's people, as they defended their territory.
The invaders did have one bit of good fortune however, when they raided a small community for food and slaves, only to be met by a fellow Spaniard dressed in native costume, begging them to stop. His name was Jean Ortiz of Seville, who had been taken captive from the Narvaez expedition and had been living with the local people for the past eight years. De Soto then recruited him to act as interpretor and scout.
However, while he may have had the might, the Natives had the mettle, and defended themselves valiantly against the barbaric intruders. In "A NARRATIVE OF DE SOTO'S EXPEDITION BASED ON THE DIARY OF RODRIGO RANJEL HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY BY GONZALO FERNANDEZ DE OVIEDO Y VALDES." (which can be read here) he says that "This Governor was much given to the sport of slaying Indians......but the Indians of that land are very warlike and wild and strong."
As De Soto and his men went from village to village, raiding gardens, burning homes and capturing men, women and children as slaves, he was met with opposition and many of his men were killed or wounded. Often the slaves they took to act as guides led them down the garden path, so to speak, and his army was constantly backtracking. As punishment for misleading the Spaniards, De Soto would throw the guilty party to the dogs. As Ranjel put it: "The reader is to understand that aperrear (to throw to the dogs), is to have the dogs eat him, or kill him, tearing the Indian in pieces...since the Conquistadores in the Indies have always used to carry Irish greyhounds and very bold, savage dogs It is for this reason that reference was made above to the chase of Indians In this way this Indian guide was killed because he lied and guided badly."
Not that all villages fought back. There were many who found it best to feed and satisfy the needs of the advancing savages, who if not given the male slaves to carry the baggage and female slaves for bed
partners, would ravage until they complied. In this way the butcher Hernando was able to maintain 500 slaves by replacing them as they died or escaped. His men now amused themselves by gambling away their female captives increasing the demand for women, and even children, to satisfy their lust.
There is one other incident that proves my point, with regards to De Soto. Again, Ranjel: "The next day the Governor came to the crossing opposite the village, and the chief Indians came with gifts and the woman chief, lady of that land whom Indians of rank bore on their shoulders with much respect, in a litter covered with delicate white linen. And she crossed in the canoes and spoke to the Governor quite gracefully and at her ease. She was a young girl of fine bearing; and she took off a string of pearls which she wore on her neck, and put it on the Governor as a necklace to show her favour and to gain his good will. And all the army crossed over in canoes and they received many presents of skins well tanned and blankets, all very good; and countless strips of venison and dry wafers, and an abundance of very good salt. All the Indians went clothed down to their feet with very fine skins well dressed, and blankets of the country, and blankets of sable fur and others of the skin of wild cats which gave out a strong smell. The people are very clean and polite and naturally well conditioned."
The Spaniards wintered in the area, where they were kept well fed with turkey and venison, and then in payment for her kindness "the woman chief of Cofitachequi" was carried away as prisoner. She later managed to escape but would no longer trust anyone claiming to come in peace. However, De Soto had learned a new angle. Pretend to come with good intentions, gain the trust of the villagers and then attack. At every step, hospitality was repaid by injustice and cruelty, and many of their gracious hosts were carried away in chains.
In the late fall of 1541 they occupied the deserted town of Cabusto, but the natives attacked every night.
All the buildings were burned to the ground and many of their horses and pigs slaughtered. The soldiers now sat shivering in the cold, having lost their clothing in the fires, and they retreated to Chickasilla, where they were once again subjected to nightly raids. Hernando de Soto had lost 300 men and as many more were wounded and unable or unwilling to fight.
After a futile attempt to reach Mexico, the de Soto army returned to the Mississippi to build boats. They were down to a mere 320 battle weary souls, and had to release all their slaves, because they needed the metal of their chains to make nails and fittings for their ships, though they did keep a few females for pleasure. Sailing down the Mississippi River, the Natives continued their assault, killing 12 and wounding 25 more.
Finally, on May 21, 1542; Hernando de Soto, the butcher of America; died and in a funeral service fitting his rank, his body was unceremoniously thrown into the Mississippi River. His soldiers had killed thousands of natives, enslaved thousands more and raped countless women and children. European disease especially from their pigs, also killed thousands and the Spanish desicration sent the southeastern tribes into a long, steady decline from which they never fully recovered.
That is the real story of Hernando De Soto. Still want to think of him as a hero?
