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!

MOON PHASE          DATE              EVENT DURING CONQUEST
			FIRST YEAR 
NEW MOON	MAY 18, 1539	DESOTO'S ARMY SAILS FROM HAVANA ON SPRING TIDES
FULL MOON	JUNE 1, 1539	DESOTO'S ARMY LANDS IN FLORIDA ON SPRING TIDES
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
FULL MOON	SEP. 27, 1539	DESOTO TAKES TALLAHASSEE AT DAWN
NEW MOON	OCT. 12, 1539	ANASCO GETS LOST FINDING PANAMA CITY
HARVEST M.	OCT. 27, 1539	THE THIRTY LANCERS RECROSS THE GREAT SWAMP
NEW MOON	NOV. 10, 1539	SHIPS LEAVE PORT CHARLOTTE ON SPRING TIDES

    ARMY WINTERS AT BOTH PANAMA CITY AND MARIANNA CAMPS

			SECOND YEAR
FULL MOON	MAR. 22, 1540	ARMY TAKES TOA: DAWSON, GEORGIA
FULL MOON	APL. 21, 1540	LOST IN SOUTH CAROLINA, SCOUTS DISPATCHED
FULL MOON	MAY 20, 1540	DESOTO ENTERS NORTH CAROLINA AT DAWN
FULL MOON	JUNE 19, 1540	DESOTO DEMANDS WOMEN FOR MEN AT CHIAHA
FULL MOON	JULY 19, 1540	ARMY ARRIVES AT COOSA, GEORGIA, THIS WEEKEND
FULL MOON	AUG. 17, 1540	SCOUTS LEAVE COOSA, ARMY ADVANCES IN 3 DAYS
NEW MOON	AUG. 31, 1540	ARMY IN ALABAMA, AT ULIBAHALI ON COOSA RIVER
FULL MOON	SEP. 16, 1540	ARMY TAKES TALLASSEE, ABOVE MONTGOMERY
HARVEST M.	OCT. 15, 1540	DESOTO TAKES PIACHI, CHIEF TUSCALUSA'S HOME 
FULL MOON	NOV. 14, 1540	ARMY DEPARTS BATTLE GROUNDS AREA
NEW MOON	NOV. 28, 1540	RAFTS MOVED TO BLACK WARRIOR RIVER CROSSING
FULL MOON	DEC. 13, 1540	ARMY ADVANCES TO THE TENNESSEE RIVER

    ARMY MAKES EAST AND WEST STRIKES DURING THIS WINTER

			THIRD YEAR
NEW MOON	APL. 26, 1541	WAR AT ALIBAMO, BELOW NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
FULL MOON	MAY 10, 1541	DESOTO ENTERS KENTUCKY
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 LARGEST "TOWN" IN ILLINOIS
FULL MOON	SEP. 6, 1541	ARMY CROSSES MISSISSIPPI RIVER INTO MISSOURI
HARVEST M.	OCT. 5, 1541	ARMY TAKES TULLA, WEST PLAINS, MISSOURI
NEW MOON	OCT. 19, 1541	ARMY ENTERS ARKANSAS IN DARKNESS THE NEXT MORNING
FULL MOON	NOV. 3, 1541	ARMY TAKES JACKSONPORT, SPENDS THE WINTER THERE

    ARMY SPENDS THE WINTER EXPLORING MISSISSIPPI RIVER'S WEST SIDE FLATS

			FOURTH YEAR
NEW MOON 	MAR. 16, 1542	ARMY CROSSES WHITE RIVER SOUTH BOUND IN SNOWS 
FULL MOON	MAR. 31, 1542	ARMY AT NILCO - STAR CITY
NEW MOON	APL. 15, 1542	ARMY MOVES QUIETLY TO LAKE VILLAGE
FULL MOON	APL. 29, 1542	SCOUTS EXPLORE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER
HALF MOON	MAY 21, 1542	DESOTO DIES, BURIED AFTER DARK AT LAKE VILLAGE
FULL MOON	MAY 28, 1542	DESOTO'S BODY DUG UP AND PLACED IN THE RIVER
FULL MOON	JUNE 27, 1542	ARMY INSIDE LOUISIANA WITH NEW LEADER 
FULL MOON	JULY 26, 1542	ARMY HALTED AT THE SABINE RIVER IN LOUISIANA
FULL MOON	AUG. 25, 1542	ARMY EXPLORES MISSION TEJAS AREA OF TEXAS
FULL MOON	SEP. 24, 1542	ARMY AT AND SCOUTS EXPLORE BEYOND AUSTIN
HARVEST M.	OCT. 23, 1542	ARMY RETURNS TO NAGUATEX AT TEXAS BORDER
FULL MOON	NOV. 22, 1542	ARMY BACK IN ARKANSAS, NILCO/PINE BLUFF

    ARMY SPENDS THE WINTER BUILDING BOATS FOR ESCAPE

			LAST YEAR
FULL MOON	APL. 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 AT PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS
FULL MOON	SEP. 10, 1543	ARMY SPOTS SANDS OF MEXICO'S SHORELINE