Hernando de Soto's
Lunar Activity


Compiled by Donald E. Sheppard from Moon Phase
Calculations and Lunar Circumstance Tables compiled by
Dennis L. Mammana in 1994, Resident Astronomer,
Natural Science Center, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

THIS WAS THE FIRST LUNAR INTELLIGENCE EVER USED
IN THE STUDY OF HERNANDO DE SOTO'S CONQUEST!

Explanation     Harvest Moon     Spring Tide     State & Place Index

MOON PHASE    DATE      EVENT DURING CONQUEST

		FIRST YEAR 
NEW MOON	MAY 18, 1539	DESOTO'S ARMY SAILS FROM HAVANA
FULL MOON	JUNE 1, 1539	DESOTO'S ARMY LANDS IN FLORIDA
NEW MOON	JULY 15, 1539	THE ARMY LEAVES PORT FOR INTERIOR
FULL MOON	JULY 31, 1539	RIDERS SENT TO ADVANCE THE ARMY
NEW MOON	AUG. 14, 1539	DESOTO CONDUCTS HERNANDO MASSACRE
FULL MOON	AUG. 29, 1539	ARMY ADVANCES FROM OCALE TO SUWANNEE
NEW MOON	SEP. 12, 1539	SCOUTS EXPLORE VITACHUCO
FULL MOON	SEP. 27, 1539	DESOTO TAKES TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
NEW MOON	OCT. 12, 1539	ANASCO GETS LOST FINDING PANAMA CITY
HARVEST MOON	OCT. 27, 1539	THE THIRTY LANCERS RECROSS THE GREAT SWAMP
NEW MOON	NOV. 10, 1539	SHIPS LEAVE PORT CHARLOTTE ON SPRING TIDES
FULL MOON	NOV. 25, 1539	TROOPS FROM THE PORT ADVANCE THRU CALIQUEN

    ARMY WINTERS AT BOTH PANAMA CITY AND MARIANNA CAMPS

		SECOND YEAR
FULL MOON	MARCH 22, 1540	ARMY TAKES TOA: DAWSON, GEORGIA
FULL MOON	APRIL 21, 1540	ARMY CROSSES SAVANNAH RIVER INTO SOUTH CAROLINA
FULL MOON	MAY 20, 1540	ARMY ENTERS NORTH CAROLINA AT DAWN
FULL MOON	JUNE 19, 1540	DESOTO DEMANDS WOMEN FOR MEN AT CHIAHA
NEW MOON	JULY 4, 1540	DESOTO STRIKES HIAWASSI ISLAND, TENNESSEE
FULL MOON	JULY 19, 1540	ARMY ENTERS COOSA at LA FAYETTE, GEORGIA
NEW MOON	AUG. 31, 1540	DESOTO STRIKES GADSDEN on the 28th
HARVEST MOON	SEP. 16, 1540	CAVALRY TAKES TALLASSEE, ALABAMA
NEW MOON	SEP. 30, 1540	ARMY AWAITS MOONLIGHT TO VISIT TUSCALUSA
FULL MOON	OCT. 15, 1540	DESOTO ENCOUNTERS PIACHI, TUSCALUSA'S HOME TOWN 
HARVEST MOON	OCT. 18, 1540	DESOTO ENTERS MABILA FORTRESS
FULL MOON	NOV. 14, 1540	LEAVE TUSCALUSA'S BATTLE GROUNDS AT MAUVILA
NEW MOON	NOV. 28, 1540	RAFTS MOVED TO BLACK WARRIOR RIVER
FULL MOON	DEC. 13, 1540	SCOUTS ARRIVE AT THE TENNESSEE RIVER

    STRIKE MADE INTO MISSISSIPPI DURING THIS WINTER

		THIRD YEAR
NEW MOON	APRIL 26, 1541	DESOTO TAKES ALIBAMO NEAR NATCHEZ TRACE, TENNESSEE
FULL MOON	MAY 10, 1541	DESOTO MAKES A RAID IN KENTUCKY
FULL MOON	JUNE 8, 1541	DESOTO CROSSES THE OHIO RIVER AT EVANSVILLE
NEW MOON	JUNE 24, 1541	DESOTO TAKES VINCENNES, INDIANA
FULL MOON	JULY 8, 1541	SCOUTS SIGHT LAKE MICHIGAN AT CHICAGO
FULL MOON	AUG. 6, 1541	DESOTO STRIKES ILLINOIS- LARGEST "TOWN" IN AMERICA
FULL MOON	SEP. 6, 1541	ARMY CROSSES MISSISSIPPI RIVER INTO MISSOURI
HARVEST MOON	OCT. 5, 1541	ARMY TAKES TULA, HARRISON, ARKANSAS
NEW MOON	OCT. 19, 1541	ARMY ENTERS THE OZARK MOUNTAINS
FULL MOON	NOV. 3, 1541	ARMY TAKES JACKSONPORT, ARKANSAS

    ARMY SPENDS THE WINTER EXPLORING MISSISSIPPI RIVER BANKS.

		FOURTH YEAR
NEW MOON 	MARCH 16, 1542	ARMY CROSSES WHITE RIVER IN SNOWS 
FULL MOON	MARCH 31, 1542	ARMY TAKES NILCO PROVINCE NEAR MONTICELLO
NEW MOON	APRIL 15, 1542	ARMY MOVES QUIETLY TO LAKE VILLAGE
FULL MOON	APRIL 29, 1542	SCOUTS EXPLORE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
HALF MOON	MAY 21, 1542	DESOTO DIES, BURIED AFTER DARK
FULL MOON	MAY 28, 1542	DESOTO'S BODY DUG UP, PLACED IN THE RIVER
FULL MOON	JUNE 27, 1542	ARMY LEAVES SHREVEPORT, ENTERS TEXAS
FULL MOON	JULY 26, 1542	PLAN TO ATTACK (MISSION) TEJAS, TEXAS
FULL MOON	AUG. 25, 1542	ARMY TAKES (MISSION) TEJAS VILLAGE
FULL MOON	SEP. 24, 1542	SCOUTS EXPLORE WESTWARD FROM AUSTIN
HARVEST MOON	OCT. 23, 1542	ARMY RETURNS TO (MISSION) TEJAS VILLAGE
NEW MOON	NOV. 7, 1542	ARMY STRIKES MONROE, LOUISIANA
FULL MOON	NOV. 22, 1542	ARMY STRIKES PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS

    ARMY SPENDS THE WINTER BUILDING BOATS FOR ESCAPE.

		LAST YEAR
FULL MOON	APRIL 20, 1543	ARKANSAS RIVER FLOODS IN EARLY SPRING
NEW MOON	JULY 2, 1543	LEAVE ARKANSAS RIVER TO SLIP PAST GREENVILLE
FULL MOON	JULY 16, 1543	REACH GULF OF MEXICO, INDIANS ATTACK
NEW MOON	JULY 31, 1543	SABINE LAKE, TEXAS, CAREEN VESSELS, HIGH TIDES
FULL MOON	AUG. 14, 1543	AT MATAGORDA FOR 8 DAYS SPANNING FULL MOON
NEW MOON	AUG. 30, 1543	HIGH SPRING TIDES BELOW KINGSVILLE, TEXAS
FULL MOON	SEP. 10, 1543	ARMY SPOTS SANDS OF MEXICO'S SHORELINE