Conflict with the French
War with the French forced the Natchez Indians to abandon the Grand Village and their other settlements. The war arose from disputes between the Indians and the French over debts and land ownership. In 1729, the Natchez abruptly switched their allegiance from the French to the English and attacked the neighboring French colony.
In early 1730, the French and their Indian allies took over the Grand Village. Some of the Natchez Indians temporarily occupied two nearby forts and resisted the attackers. A French map of the area shows the two Natchez forts (upper left on either side of St. Catherine Creek) and a siege trench (center of map) dug by the French as an approach to the Natchez forts. The Grand Village mounds are shown at lower left.
In an attempt to locate the French siege trench and other buried features at the site, archaeologists employ a variety of techniques that cause minimal disturbance. Soil conductivity, how an electrical charge travels below ground, can sometimes reveal traces of past activity. Studying the site's magnetic properties is another method used to find buried features. Drilling to remove small soil core samples can help confirm the conductivity and magnetic survey results.
Topics.
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Location. 31° 31.372′ N, 91° 22.798′ W. Marker is in Natchez, Mississippi, in Adams County. It can be reached from Jeff Davis Boulevard east of South Temple Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 400 Jeff Davis Boulevard, Natchez MS 39120, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Mississippi and in Natchez Trace Corridor. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Historic Use of Ceremonial Mounds (a few steps from this marker);
More about this marker. Located on the grounds of the Grand Village of the Natchez Historical site.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2017, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 487 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 30, 2017.
