I also stumbled upon the Battle of St. Louis recently while at a wedding at the St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines, IA. I happened to notice a stained glass window of a Jean Marie Cardinal, that proclaimed him "the only native Iowan killed in the Revolutionary War." Turns out Cardinal was working in Dubuque-area mines and was part of the group that rushed down the river to warn of the attack on St. Louis. He was killed in the battle. There is a wonderful book called "Chez Les Canses: Three Centuries at Kawsmouth," authored by a Kansas City attorney who traveled to France to read source material on the French in the New World. His view is that the French history in our region is very downplayed, largely because our historians do not read the language!
Yes, one of the puzzles I was trying to figure out when in Ste. Genevieve was what happened to the French. We're surrounded by French names but there are no French communities. Seems that nothing dramatic happened. The ones that stayed through the Spanish and then the American taking over the territory simply merged in with Americans such that you will still find people with French surnames but no French identity (unlike the Québécois.)
I shared this comment with my wife who had gotten fairly good at French in college... Perhaps this is a hole that she can help fill!
I also stumbled upon the Battle of St. Louis recently while at a wedding at the St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines, IA. I happened to notice a stained glass window of a Jean Marie Cardinal, that proclaimed him "the only native Iowan killed in the Revolutionary War." Turns out Cardinal was working in Dubuque-area mines and was part of the group that rushed down the river to warn of the attack on St. Louis. He was killed in the battle. There is a wonderful book called "Chez Les Canses: Three Centuries at Kawsmouth," authored by a Kansas City attorney who traveled to France to read source material on the French in the New World. His view is that the French history in our region is very downplayed, largely because our historians do not read the language!
Great comment!
Yes, one of the puzzles I was trying to figure out when in Ste. Genevieve was what happened to the French. We're surrounded by French names but there are no French communities. Seems that nothing dramatic happened. The ones that stayed through the Spanish and then the American taking over the territory simply merged in with Americans such that you will still find people with French surnames but no French identity (unlike the Québécois.)
I shared this comment with my wife who had gotten fairly good at French in college... Perhaps this is a hole that she can help fill!
Mrs. Radical Liberation gets it!
An excellent article, thoroughly enjoyable and l learnt a lot. Hope to read more about both the Revolutionary War and Civil War on Old Glory Club.
Thank you, sir!