The bloody battle between Soto’s army and the Coosa Indians at Mabila in 1540 was the defining event of their four-year journey through La Florida….things went from bad to worse.
The ferocity of the Coosa resistance at Mabila made Soto realize that the southeastern Natives would rather die than be conquered. This realization plus the lack of gold and silver deposits broke Soto. For the next two years, his steadily shrinking army wandered and pillaged Native towns. He died suddenly of disease in May of 1542 and was buried in the Mississippi River.
Traces of Soto’s path are scarce, but in the remains of a large Native village of Parkin in northeast Arkansas, Spanish glass trade beads, copper bells, and the base of a large post thought from the cross raised there by Soto have been found.
Soon after Soto died, his successor realized they were surrounded by enemies and in 1543, the remaining 311 Spaniards escaped in homemade boats down the Mississippi River while being attacked from both sides by hostile Native groups.
