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Excerpted from the American Pageant by David Kennedy (c) 2008...

The Roots of the First Franco-American War
: Part 2

The aftermath of the XYZ Affair in March of 1798 had brought the young American nation one step closer to what would prove an inevitable war. However, at the time many politicians, Adams and his nemesis Jefferson, best known as the author of the Declaration of Independence and also the most prominent opposition figure of the era, chief among them still sought to avoid war at all costs. Yet the large majority of the American people were outraged by the French actions and war hawks were pushing now harder then ever for a move into conflict with France.

Soon thereafter the opening stages of the war began. The early war, alternatively remembered as the "undeclared war" was in full swing by July of 1798 as French privateers engaged American warships lead by the USS Constitution. Still, though, at this late point in the development it was still Adams intent to avoid total conflict. Enter Timothy Pickering. Pickering had spent the majority of his life as a little known businessman and lawyer, the height of his political career had seemed to be as a delegate to the Pennsylvania convention to ratify the Constitution. However after a series of successful land speculation ventures his persona began to rise, culminating in George Washington appointing him as Postmaster General, Commissioner of Iroquois lands, Secretary of War, and finally Secretary of State. Many credit his intense pressure upon Adams to be the cause of the next step America took.

Taking inspiration from the crossing of the Delaware, Adams gave the OK to group of militiamen from Western states to assault New Orleans on Christmas day 1798. The fear was that, with tensions ever worsening, the West might permanently lose access to New Orleans and the Mississippi River, with potentially crippling economic effects. The attack caught the French entirely off guard, aided by the lack of eastern troops being moved west. By the end of the day New Orleans was in firm control of the United States. On top of this Arthur St. Clair, military-governor of the Northwest Territory, ordered a small force across the Mississippi further north, fearing French retaliation and hoping to keep all fighting west of the river. His attack focused on and successfully captured St. Louis.

Thus, as the sunset on December 25, 1798, two new cities had joined the fledgling United States, the Mississippi River seemed secure, and war lay clearly on the horizon.


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