The Survivors of the De Soto Expedition


 In 1538 Hemando de Soto transported his men to Cuba for the
Florida expedition. There he remained for almost a year making
final preparations, during which time he lost a number of Spanish
recruits and picked up new ones locally. Since no documents
recording those who finally sailed from Cuba to Florida have yet
been found, it is more practical to investigate those who came out
of Florida rather than those who went.

 This study is based not only on the sources used by Swanton
but on the study of unpublished documents. Altogether, sixty-three
names have been added to the survivors specifically identified by
Swanton, for a total of 257 persons. This work also includes
extensive information about their places of birth, ages, families
and personal histories. The new data presented here and its
analysis, alters previous accounts of de Soto's force and increases
our understanding of his expedition. It is hoped that this will
encourage further studies of the political, social and economic
contributions of de Soto's men, in the places where they chose to
live their remaining years.

 2. Number of Persons Who Departed For Florida

 A brief recounting of those who accompanied de Soto to Cuba
and on to Florida is appropriate. Chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega
wrote that the Adelantado expedition which left Spain consisted of
his household, including his wife and family, 950 soldiers, sailors
and the'necessary crew, plus twelve priests.3 The Gentleman of
Elvas wrote that de Soto departed with a total of 600 men enlisted
in Sevilla.4 The original register of the passengers who left Sevilla
for Florida has been preserved in the Archives of the Indies. It has
been transcribed twice, with some variations between the two. The
first listed 651 persons but contained one double entry for a net
total of 650. It included three women, and five "color loro" or
dark-skinned persons. The second listed the same 651 persons
including the double entry, but added four men and three women,
for a net total of 657.5 It should be noted that the original
passenger roster is not complete, however, for it does not include
Hernando de Soto nor his entourage.