French in Texas?

In 1695 Robert Cavelier de LaSalle of France was to establish a new colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River, but he ended up in the Gulf of Mexico in Texas at Matagorda.  The outpost didn't last long against the native Indians and LaSalle was murdered by his own men.

Spain, however, was alarmed that LaSalle had landed at all.  When the French established a colony at Natchitoches on the Red River in 1714, Spaniards from Mexico dispatched an expedition into east Texas and established missions within the first year, one of them 15 miles from Natchitoches at Los Adaes. 

The name "Texas" comes from the name given the Indians in this region by the Spanish "Tejas" which meant "friendly."  By 1718 the Spanish had founded the pesidio or garrison, The Alamo at Bexard (Mission San Antonia de Valero) at the site of today's San Antonio. 

France remained a threat to the Spanish in the Southwest until 1761 when they teamed up with the Spanish to fight the British in the French and Indian War.  In 1762, France rewarded Spain for her assistance by gifting her the Louisiana Territory in order that the British would not gain control of the land.  The Louisiana Territory actually changed hands several times before becoming part of the United States. 

Next time...Comanche and Apache!
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On this Day in Pioneer History:  On June 6, 1833, President Andrew Jackson boards a Baltimore & Ohio Railroad train for a pleasure trip to Baltimore. Jackson, who had never been on a train before, was the first president to take a ride on the “Iron Horse,” as locomotives were known then.