In early June 1721, d’Arensbourg and 300 other German-speaking settlers arrived at Biloxi to establish a settlement– only to discover what was waiting for them wasn't what they expected. The party was incredibly underprepared, since they hadn't possessed nearly enough food or supplies to last long enough. Between March and October 1721, over 700 people arrived at the colony, and over half perished in the following months.

The beginning of German history within New Orleans starts about 25 miles upriver, towards the original German settlements in Southeast Louisiana. It all began when Charles Frederick d’Arensbourg, a German speaking Swedish soldier, took with him 300 men to venture to New France (what would later become Louisiana and New Orleans).