In 1770 DeMezieres following St. Denis’ method of keeping peace with the Indians, invited the Chiefs to come and stand before him at Post Du Natchitoches to receive presents in the name of the King of Spain. Along El Camino Real traveled such great Chiefs as: Tinhioune, Chief of the Caddoquopois. Santo, head Chief of the Bidias and Don Melchor, otherwise called Gorgorritos, a sub Chief of the Bidias. Quirotaches, Chief of the Nacogdoches Indians. Christobal, Chief of the Taouaizes. Vigotos, head Chief of the Hasinai Federation of Indians. Thus, by gaining the friendship and allegiance of the most important Indian Chiefs of the territory, DeMezieres established an easy feeling between the Indians and the Spanish Government. As of February 16, 1776 DeMezieres sent this Census Report to Unzaga, Governor at New Orleans: 113 homes; 105 heads of families with 86 women; 77 youths able to bear arms; 106 infants; 34 unmarried women; 84 bachelors and non residents engaged in hunting and fishing and trade with the Indians; 2 male and 2 female free people of color; 2 male and 1 female mulattos; 410 Indian and negro slaves (men, women and children); 277 pieces of fire arms; 1258 head horses, 842 head cattle, 3000 head sheep and goats and 783 hogs and 481 mules. There was shipped from Natchitoches: 1000 head horses; 100 mules; 9 quintals of indigo; 15 fenegas of indigo seed; 30,000 packages of tobacco; 120 buffalo hides; 36,000 deer hides; 5000 ambrias of bear oil; 5000 pounds of tallow, quantities of bacon and meats, both salted and dried. X AFTER THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE In 1802 Louisiana was ceded back to France by Spain by the Treaty of Ildefonso. On May 2, 1803 Livingston and Monroe signed with Barbe-Marbois the purchase treaty which was dated back to April 30, 1803; thus Louisiana became a possession of the United States. Spain did not approve of the sale of Louisiana and decided to reclaim all of the land originally occupied prior to the time when Louisiana was ceded to Spain. There was a movement of Spanish soldiers under the command of General Hurrera as far as Nacogdoches and from there patrols were sent across the Sabine River. Fort Claiborne, established in 1805 at Natchitoches by orders of General Wilkinson, was occupied by several companies of the Second Infantry of the United States Army under the command of Major Porter. Dr. John Sibley had been appointed Indian Agent for this area of the Southwestern Frontier by Governor Claiborne. Dr. Sibley had been keeping an account of the Spanish patrol movements east of the Sabine River through contact with the Indians of the area. On February 2, 1806, he sent a letter to Major Moses Porter at Fort Claiborne saying that there was a detachment of Spanish militia encamped at Juan Mora’s Lagoon, also known as Conichi Ranch, one league east of Los Adais on Bayou Dupont.