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Author: tipledan
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.cardinal/12.13.14.21.1.1.1/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
I recently discovered these things after many years of assisting a local committee with
the Battle of Fort San Carlos in St. Louis, MO. The committee began in 1991 and I found
these facts out in 2004.
I was advised of all this by one of our committee members for the Battle. He advised it
was a story in the Spring edition of the Missouri Historical Society quarterly review for
1982 having to do with the Battle. It is the written documentation of the St. Louis
Spanish Commandant, Capt Fernando DeLeyba, reporting back to his Commander, Gen. Galvez in
Mobile, (AL) shortly before DeLeyba's death, which occured about a month after DeLeyba
directs the Battle.
In the article/booklet, the story lists all POW's and dead resulting from the battle
and Jean Cardinal, (also called Juan under the Spanish controlled area)as the only POW I
recall being listed. The story mentions some settlers coming from Kaskaskia area, a small
French settlers area about 45 mi south of St. Louis at the request of the Spanish
commandant, DeLeyba, in St. Louis, in order to defend STL in the Battle. In a prearranged
agreement with the Spanish, George Rogers Clark fought a portion of that battle on the
east side of the river, ranging from Venice to the north to near Cahokia to the south
(about 5 mi total), making a lot of noise designed to distract the British & Indians
over several days and during the attack. So, you had family fighting in that Battle on
both sides of the river. The Cardinal sisters married the Tougard brothers, as I undertand
things now. Jean Cardinal had sons. You must descend from the sons. I do not know if
the sons were directly in !
the Battle or not. However, the story goes that Juan (Jean) came to StL with only a
handful of men and a few Spanish soldiers from St. Genevieve. For months it was generally
known that a battle was coming to St. Louis. What wasn't understood was the magnitude
or size STL would oppose. On the day of the Battle, May 26, 1780, in the early afternoon,
victory in the revolutionary war was still an open question; but on that day, one of the
most pivotal battles of the revolution occurred and it occured in St. Louis at what is now
the south leg of the Arch. Both Jean and Joseph Tougard were present with Clark. Both are
buried at the GRC Mem in Vincennes with full military honors and with their wives, very
near Capt Joseph Bowman, their immediate commander under Clark. This suggests they were
probably at least Corporals and possibly Lts.
Both took loyalty oaths to the US at the time of the Ft. Sack surrender. Clark made many
journies to StL for supplies and negotiations. The brothers served in one way or another
as soldiers and interpretors, as all three sides met and used French as their common
diplomatic language. Jean (Juan) Cardinal, lost during the Battle, was never recovered and
it is thought the Osage along the Missouri River killed him as they made their escape.
The search party continued in the wilderness for over one full year...this was the
admiration those in StL had for the man as well as others that died as a result of the
Battle.
Have I verified this story? Absolutely, and you can do the same simply by journeying to
the Memorial and being patient or calling the MO. Hist Soc in Jefferson City, MO.
If you are a Cardinal, you and I are probably related. Please connect to me at Tipledan
at aol dot com for further information.
http://www.nps.gov/archive/jeff/LewisClark2/Circa1804/StLouis/BlockInfo/B...
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