Editing Beauregard Parish, Louisiana (section)

===Neutral Ground===

After the [[Louisiana Purchase]] by the [[United States]] in 1803, the region stretching from the [[Sabine River (Texas–Louisiana)|Sabine River]] in the west to the [[Calcasieu River]] in the east was claimed by both Spain and the [[United States]], leading to little law enforcement by either country. In order to avoid a war over the border, the two countries agreed that the land in contention would remain neutral and free of armed forces from either side. The area became known as the [[Neutral Ground (Louisiana)|Neutral Ground]] or the Sabine Free State. During this period, the armies in the area—those of the United States and Spain—allowed the running of a ferry, enabling places such as [[Burr Ferry, Louisiana|Burr's Ferry]] in [[Vernon Parish]], to prosper. The rest of the area was lawless, except for the occasional [[Military operation|joint military venture]] to rid the area of "undesirables". However, even with the border dispute, several pioneers did settle the land during this period and were eventually given 3rd class homestead claims.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The [[Adams-Onís Treaty]], signed in 1819 and ratified in 1821, recognized the U.S. claim, setting the final Louisiana western border at the [[Sabine River (Texas-Louisiana)|Sabine River]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/adamonis.htm |title=The Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 |access-date=June 28, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715024227/http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/adamonis.htm |archive-date=July 15, 2009 }} -Treaty</ref>
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Image:Calcasieurivermap.png|The '''Calcasieu River''' formed part of the eastern boundary of the Neutral Ground.
Image:Sabinefreestate.png|'''The Neutral Ground''', or [[Sabine Free State]]. Its western border was the [[Sabine River (Texas-Louisiana)|Sabine River]].
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