City Under Siege: Resistance and Power in Natchez, Mississippi, 1719 - 1857

From 1729 to 1857, Natchez was a city under siege. Its populace saw conflicts as flags of various nations flew over the area. Frenchmen, Englishmen, Spaniards, Americans, Indians, and African slaves interacted daily. This work examines how Indians, whites, and slaves resisted against those who held economic and political clout. Through resistance acts, these seemingly weak groups temporarily captured power, thus shifting the local balance of power. Natchez was a hotbed of resistance activity. Natchez acts as a microcosm of the broader trends in southern history, as rebellion was pervasive, highly meaningful, and part of everyday life. However, Natchez is also unique. Whoever controlled Natchez also commanded the Mississippi River. White resistance against lawful authority provided slaves and Indians with an example. Although whites saw their resistance as a matter of honor, they viewed other resistance differently. Elites worked to stop this rebellion and consolidate their own power. Their efforts were unsuccessful-resistance was part and parcel of Natchez.