Opelousas Poste Militia

Bernardo Vicente de Gálvez y Madrid

                        
 

Opelousas was the third oldest European settlement in Louisiana, established in 1720 as Le Poste Des Opelousas, a major trading post for merchants to trade with local Native Americans. Following the Treaty of Paris in 1763, Louisiana became a colony of Spain. 

After much debate over the benefits of war with Great Britain, Spain declared war on June 21, 1779. This brought Spain into the American Revolutionary War.  Bernardo Gálvez, Governor of the Spanish colony of New Spain (Louisiana), was tasked with invading British Fort New Richmond at Baton Rouge, then continuing up the Mississippi River. This would enable the New England troops to use the Mississippi as a supply line.

On August 18th, a hurricane made landfall at New Orleans. Gálvez's ships were grounded or destroyed, ruining his plans for invasion of Fort New Richmond. Governor Gálvez had to call the civilian militias to duty, including the Opelousas Poste Militia. 

That summer, the men of Opelousas Poste over the age of 15 and under the age of 45 were called into military service. Jean Michel Prudhomme was approximately 40 years old at the time, with three children, and married to Marie Schnyder (or Snayder).

Por España y por el Rey, Gálvez en América

 

They mustered at Bayou Manchac and began their campaign September 7. Gálvez besieged Fort New Richmond, which surrendered on September 21. The Opelousas Poste Militia was given combat pay and allowed to return home. Governor Gálvez continued on to conquer all of West Florida.

Educational Resources (from The Historic New Orleans Collection):

Louisiana History: Spanish Colonial Louisiana: Isleños and Malagueños Lesson Plan and Presentation

Louisiana History and Music: New Orleans and the Spanish World

Louisiana History:  Spanish New Orleans and the Caribbean