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Fascinated by DeSoto's expedition
Like so many others, I have long been fascinated by the Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto's expedition of the 1500s and the prospect that his famous 1540 battle with the Indians at Mauvilla occurred in our neck of the woods, most likely down in "the forks" of the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers. Mauvilla is the "Holy Grail" of archaeological sites - intensely sought but remaining mysteriously elusive throughout time. Thousands of Indians perished at Mauvilla, according to the Spanish. Not as many Spaniards were killed but the big battle severely crippled DeSoto's troops and they never fully recovered. DeSoto for some strange reason would refuse to continue the short distance to the coast where he knew supply ships were awaiting. Instead, he turned northward and would wander as far as Arkansas before turning back southward. He would die and be buried in the Mississippi River and his diminished army would float down the mighty river to eventual rescue and return to Spain. The stories of their escapades would contribute to the legend of Mauvilla. While our area is one prospect for Mauvilla, it isn't the only one and archaeologists and historians differ greatly on where they think it is located. Many think it is in Clarke County but others have placed it farther north, near Cahaba in Dallas County. The bottom line is, no one knows. A Mobile archaeologist has sparked renewed debate on the subject. Andrew Holmes says he has located an Indian mound in south Clarke County that he thinks is a good candidate. The size of the mound closely corresponds to the dimensions of Mauvilla as recorded by DeSoto's troops. Holmes says the location fits the descriptions and time lines from known sites that DeSoto visited, as recorded in old Spanish journals. Holmes has old ironware that he recovered at the site that he says resembles Spanish metalwork of the 16th century. An article in the Mobile Press Register on the subject this week quotes Jackson's own Billy Callahan on the subject. Billy isn't a professional archaeologist but loves Indian lore and should be classified as more than just an amateur on the subject. He says he found a site in southern Clarke County a few years back that isn't far from the site identified by Holmes that he thinks is Mauvilla. He says he uncovered over a half a mile of indications of a burned stockade wall. Mauvilla was a fortified town, surrounded by a high wooden fence. The entire town was destroyed by fire during and after the battle. The Mobile paper article featured a photo of brass items recovered from an Indian burial mound in north Baldwin County- not far as the crow flies from south central Clarke County- that some say are early Spanish Catholic artifacts that could have been lost by DeSoto's expedition at Mauvilla. Others disagree, though, as is always the case with anything involving DeSoto and Mauvilla. Many years ago, during my first employment at The South Alabamian, an old man brought an ancient bell by that he said he dug out of the bank of the Alabama River and that he claimed came from DeSoto's expedition. I was all excited and wrote a big story but later review by folks who should know suggested that the bell was much more modern than DeSoto's time period. By then, I couldn't locate the old man who had brought it by. Andrew Holmes will speak on his findings to the Clarke County Historical Society Sunday, July 29. The meeting will be at 2:30 p.m. at the town hall in Grove Hill.
I'll be there, anxious to hear what he has to say and I think a lot of other folks interested in the topic will be, too. One day Mauvilla will be located and it will be the archaeological find of all time. I hope I am still around to learn where it has been hiding all of these years.
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