Chicken War. (original) (raw)

Since raising and processing and marketing chickens has become a major economic enterprise in East Texas since World War II, it is appropriate to remember the "Chicken War" of 1719.

This was a far frontier spark from a more significant European conflagration called the War of the Quadruple Alliance, with Spain and France on opposing sides. Without local stakes, but knowing they were supposed to oppose each other, Lieutenant Philippe Blondel led troops from the French settlement of Natchitoches to Mission San Miguel de Lainares de los Adaes at Robilene, Louisiana, eastern most penetration of Spanish missionaries or soldiers from Mexico.

Blondel had little trouble subduing the priests and one soldier he discovered at the mission, and his conquest included raiding the mission's chicken house.

Here is where Blondel's plans ran "afoul." While attempting to strap the captured hens across his horse, the birds, true to their nature, flapped and squawked sufficiently to cause Blondel's horse to bolt and dump the lieutenant upon his, huh, indignity upon the ground.

During the commotion, the Spanish missionaries escaped and warned their chief, Father Antonio Jesus de Margil, that the French were invading. The result: a frontier version of the "sky is falling."

Margil withdrew from Mission Nuestra Senora de los Dolores (San Augustine), to Mission Nuestra de la Pureisima Conception (then is present Nacogdoches County).

Catching the spirit of alarm, Captain Domingo Ramon withdrew from Presidio Nuestra Senora de los Delores de los Tejas. Some of the refugees traveled as far as San Antonio, fleeing an imagined French invasion of East Texas that never came.

As it turned out, the chickens had won their war: Blondel returned to Natchitoches, no future French invasions troubled Spanish Texas, and the chickens had to await for another Pilgrim to come their way in the twentieth century.

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Archie P. McDonald
All Things Historical March 26, 2007 column
A syndicated column in 70 East Texas newspapers
Distributed by the East Texas Historical Association. Archie P. McDonald is director of the Association and author of more than 20 books on Texas.