Certified copy. of the 33. Proce,edin,gs which the Gov,ern;or of Tejas was. pleased to carry out in virtue of the. fact, that d,o,n Luis Minchaca did

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1 119 Certified copy of the 33 Proce,edin,gs which the Gov,ern;or of Tejas was pleased to carry out in virtue of the fact, that d,o,n Luis Minchaca did not contribute the ten men and 35 Indians requested of him for the inspection of the Islas Blancas commended to Colon,e,l Parilla' along with everything else expressed therein Year of 1766

2 ,Cross, Letter of command from Setor dro,n Luis Anto.nio Minchaca the Governor of Tejas to the captain of. Sra,n Antoni,6 de Vejar for the purposes expressed therein. My Very Dear Sir: Fifty soldiers from this province in my care, with an equal number of Indians from those missions and the ones on the Rio Grande are to gather for the, purpose of carrying out the inspection of the Islas Blancas which by order of the most excelle,nt setor viceroy of this kingdom, issued on the tenth of April of this present year, is to be carried. out by Colonel d,o,n Diego Ortiz Parrilla.. They shall be employed under his command in the"aff_airs pertaining to the royal service to whi,ch.they should be appointed. Inasmuch as it is convenient that this should have its due, prompt fulfillment without the least delay, I comrnand Yrour, H,onoar, as soon as.you have received this Jetter,, to make ready and equip for the above-mentioned purpose ten soldiers including the sergeant of the garr.ison of that presidio under your command and thirty-fi,ve Indians from those missions within that, your jurisdiction. Soldiers as well as Indians shall be provisioned for three months and shall remain ready in their dwellings at the disposal of the said colonel. Your, Heono,r

3 19^. k_ ;^: will unde.rstand that this measure, as well as any other which should be occasioned in the interim by the lack of the above-mentioned troop, shall be carried out without expense to the Royal Treasury. Once Your, H,ono,r has carried this out, you shall give me the corresponding notice at the first opportunity, it being understood that you will be held responsible for any ommission noted therein. May God protect Yzour, H,ono,r many years. Royal Presidio of Los Adaes, June thirtieth of one thousand seven hundred and.sixty-gix. Your most constant servitor kisses Yrour, H,,ono,r's hand. d,o,n Angel de Martos y Navarrete C. 1 in E. 6-3C-1766,

4 122 Agrees with the copy of its original to which I refer, from which I, d,o,n Angel de Martos y Navarrete, lieutenant :c:olonel of the royal armies, governor and lv captain general of this Province of Tejas by //His Majesty (may God protec,t him), had it made to the letter on this used page. It is exact, true, corrected and adjusted. Present to see it transcribed, corrected and adjusted were my attesting witnesses, with whom I act for lack of a notary on this common paper for lack of any other in this province. Done in this Royal Presidio of Our Lady of Pilar of Los Adaes on the eighteenth day of the month of August of this present year of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six. To all of which I certify:., d,o,n Angel de Martos y Navarrete Witness:, Francisco Antoni.o Solis Witness: Juan Duran rc. 1-lv in E ,

5 0 Letters requisitorial from the said captain The Very Reverend Father President Fray Pedro Ramires to the R,evere,nd F,athe,r minister of the Mission of San J,ose,ph Fray Pedro Ramirez for the purpose of ^aski.ng him, to make ready the seven Indians of his quota My Very Dear Sir: In a letter dated the thirtieth of last June, the governor of this province orders me to make ready and equip thirty-five Indians from these missions within my jurisdiction. They are to be provisioned for a period of three months and are to remain in their dwelling places in this manner at the disposal of Golonel'd,o,n Diego Ortiz Parrilla, with whom the said Indians are to join for the inspection of the Islas Blancas which the said colonel is to carry out by order of the mo,st excell.e,nt seiftor viceroy of this kingdom. In fulfillment of this, I entreat and request Y,our, Paternidad to have seven Indians from that mission in your care made ready (as I have stated), it being well understood that this measure is to be carried out without expense to the Royal Treasury, as advised by the said seior governor in the cited letter,. You shall return to me the originals of this instrument, and of whatever should ensue.

6 0 May God, our Lord, prtotec,t Y,ou,r Paternidad's life many happy years. Vejar, July twenty-six of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six. Your constant servitor kisses Y,ou,r Paternidad's hand. Luis Antonio Minchaca rc. lv in E , I

7 ^ +.^_.., ^ Reply made by the said R.evere,nd Frather 2 //to the prece^'ding Sehor Captain: In view of the preceding instrument,, I 2 state that //the losses I have suffered among the animals of this mission are well-known to Ycour, Hcono,r and to all of this jurisdiction' for during the month just past the hostile Indians have taken the greater part of the herd of b"r'oken horses. They have repeated these insults almost every day and have taken the greater part of the herd kept by this mission to increase its horse herd. Day before yesterday they took the last remaining four. It is also known that I have consumed the greater part of the regular harvest time defending this property and dispatching ever larger squads in pursuit of the evildoers, from which has originated the diminution and even extermination of the small horse herd remaining to me and the notable loss in.the fields, for I am required to supply corn to the Presidio of San Sava, the post at El Caton and the Presidio of Orco.quiza. I find it impossible to remove at present the seven men Y,our, H,ono,r demands of me in addition to the fourteen which I have on campaign.at present in pursuit of the said four herds which, as I have already said, were taken day before yesterday by hostile Indians, not only because.there

8 0 are so few horses remaining to me that there are barely enough to care for the cattle, but also because of the fields from which I must supply the mission which is in my care and the presidios.already mentioned. Therefore, and inasmuch as Ycoizr, Hrono,r has not displayed to me the superior order from the most excelle,nt sepior viceroy (for, were it thus displayed to me, I should not withhold the chalice with which I say mass) I entreat Your, Hcono,r be pleased to free me from such a painful duty as that which Ycour, Hono,r demands. of me, for it is certain that under the present circumstances, and those which I have mentioned, the mission will be little less than torn down if it is carried out. I hope for this favor from Y,our, Heono,r and remain, entreating God to protect YEour, Honor for me many years. Mission of San Joseph, July twenty-six of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six. 2v Your //most affectionate and constant chaplain W. torn, kisses Yrour, H,ono,r's hand. F.. ra^r Pedro Ramires ec. lv-2v in E ,

9 127 Letter requisitorial from the above-mentioned capetai,n to the R.everen,d F,athe,r p,reside,nt of the four missions belonging to the College of Queretaro Fray Asisclos Balverde for the purpose of rasking him, to make ready the 28 Indians from there mentioned therein. -1 The Very Reverend Father President Fray Asisclos Balverde My Very Dear Sir: In a letter from the governor of this province dated the thi.rt'^i.eth of June of the past month I am ordered to make ready and equip thirty-five Indians from these missions within my jurisdiction. They are to be provisioned for a period of three months and are to remain in their dwelling places in this manner at the disposal of Colonel dco,n Diego Ortiz Parrilla, with whom the cited Indians are to join in the inspection of the Islas Blancas which the said sefior colonel is to carry out by.order of the rno,st excelle,nt setor viceroy of this New Spain. In fulfillment of this, I beg and entreat Y,,ou,r Paternidad, as president of the missions on this river belonging to the College of the Very Holy Cross of Queretaro, to have seven Indians made ready from each of the missions (as I have stated),

10 128 it being well understood that this measure is to be carried out without expense to the Royal Treasury, as advised by the said seor governor in the cited letter,. You shall return to me the originals of this instrument, and of whatever should ensue. May God, our Lord, pr,otec,t Y,ou,r Paternidad's life many happy years. Vejar, July twenty-six of one thousand seven hundred, and sixty-six. I kiss You,r Paternidad's hand. Your conttant servitor, Luis Antonio Minchaca C. 2v in E ,

11 129 Reply made by the said Rreveren,d F,athe,r President to the preceding,inst.rument, SePor_ Captain: The obligation which vassals have of serving their king and lord is just as well known as the method and order His Majesty observes in making use of them. In view of the preceding instrument,; inasmuch as the S.efSor Colonel d,o,n Diego Ortiz Parrilla has an order from the rno,st excelle,nt seflor viceroy concerning the inspection of the Islas Blancas; and inasmuch as it is contradictory that His Execellenc,y should command that the Indians from these missions join said, enterprise equipped and provisioned for a period of three 3 months without expense to the Royal Treasury //when,n1s. torn, wretched i.ndividuals, have no other skill or salary for maintaining themselves and their fami.lies. except their daily vm rk; I therefore request Your, H,ono,r to make a juridical transfer of the cited order from His Excj-.ellenc,y in which he orders this so that I may not only satisfy the missionary Fathers in order that each one may prepare the Indians demannded of him, but also so I may have recourse with it to have them paid for their just sweat and labor. San Juan Capistrano, July twenty-six of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six.

12 0 From YGour, Hrono,rts least and most hu.mble chaplain who kisses your hand. :F. ray Asisclos Valverde C. 2v-3 in E. 6-3o-z766,

13 121 0 It is made to the letter from the original, which rests in my possession. Royal Presidio of San Antonio de Vejar, August two of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six. I signed it in order to certify it..luis Antonio Menchaca C. 3 in E , 0

14 132 0 Reply made by the My Very Dear Sir: said capgtai,n to the Y,ou^^- `Bordshi,p orders rl^:tter, dated the me, in a letter dated the 30th of June from thirtieth of last June, to the above-mentioned governor. prepare ten soldiers of the garrison of this presidio under my command and thirtyfive Indians from the missions within my jurisdiction so that, equipped and provisioned for a period of three months, they may remain in their dwelling places ready and at the disposal of Colonel dco,n Diego Ortiz Parrilla to join the said sehor in carrying out the inspection of the Islas Blancas which he is to effect by superior order. I ul,filiment of this I have taken measures concerning the thirty-five Indians from these missions' to which the Reverend Fathers replied that which Your, T,,ordshi,p will see from the contents of their answers, which I include to the letter. As for the ten men which in like manner you order me to make ready, Y,our, T,,ordshi,p knowg. I have no more than six, including the serg,ea,nt, of whom three are occupied with the horse herd and the other three as sentries over the cannons in the guard house. I am persuaded Yrour, L,ordshi,p gives me this order without foreseeing someplace from where I can get the others

15 133! cnecessary, for completing the advised number of ten, for, though the garrison of this presidio is made up 3v of twenty-one soldiers, //including the sergeant, M. torn, remain in the missions by superior order, three in each one of them. Without a contrary order for removing them or taking them away, I doubt if I will be able to do it. With the newly introduced fierce warfare with the barbarian tribes of the north the citizens of this villa and missions are suffering from serious and repeated hostilities which go without reparation because of the lack of troops in this presidio. It is with solid reason, therefore, that we must await the destruction, and perhaps the extermination, of these settlements at the least expected hour if the troops which this presidio needs are not provided in time. Until this should be achieved, it would be and is very necessary to have a detachment here consisting of twenty-five men from that presidio and fifteen from the Presidio, of La Bahia del Espiritu S,an,to, for I consider it very necessary during the day to partially defend these settlements from the insults they justly fear from these barbarians,.who boldly and almost daily commit hostilities in this territory in such a manner that within a short time they have stolen more than one thousand beasts.

16 1 On the twenty-fifth day of last July twelve Apache Indians brought me the news that the Comanches were taking some of the horse herd. At this unforeseen information I hastily prepared a squad of soldiers made up of my few and the ones from that presidio who were here to go out in pursuit of.this theft. Following it,,they joined up with Balthazar Perez and a. squad of Indians from the Nti.ssions. of San Joseph who were on the same business, though. I was ignorant of this. They spent the night together and, inasmuch. as the trail was three days-oid and the Comanches, had already gained a great deal of distance, returned the foliowing day, the soldiers taking the direction of this presidio and the said Perez and the Indians that of their village. Shortly after they had separated, the latter encountered four Comanche Indians, of those who //have been harrying this territory daily. They killed them and the next day brought their scalps, weapons and chimales to prove the dead had been Comanches. Because of this contingency (notwithstanding that which is being experienced) we must expect more and more intense warfare with these enemies, in consideration of which I entreat Y,our, L,ordshi,p to order the measures taken concerning the succor I request. May God, our Lord, prcotec,t Yeour, L,ordshi,p 's

17 life many happy years, as I entreat him. In this Royal Presidio of San Antonio de Vejar, August three of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six. Your greatest and constant servitor kisses Y,our, L,o.rdshi,p's hand,. Luis Antonio Minchaca 0 Setor d,o,n Angel de Martos y Navarrete 6G:. 3-4 in E ,

18 0 Decree authorizing, the filing with the letter of command Gdated, the 30th of June and the carrying out of that In the Royal Presidio of Our Lady of Pilar of Los Adaes, on the eighteenth day of the month of August of this year of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six, which is therein I:l dco,n Angel de Martos y expressed Navarrete, lieutenant colonel of the royal armies, governor and captain general of this Province of Te3.as, New Philippines, its presidios, conversions and frontiers by the King, our Lord (may God prrotec,t him), having received yesterday, along with everything else expressed therein, this letter written to me on the third of the present month by the captain of the Presidio of San Antonio de Vejar, within this above-said province, deo,n Luis Menchaca, and having seen its contents, should command and do command that, once the reply I am making to said captain concerning its context has been added following it, it be added to the letter I wrote to him on the thirtieth of last June, from which everything stems, so that it may be remitted to the most excelle,nt sefior viceroy of this kingdom along with whatever advice should appear necessary. The corresponding certified copy of'everything shall remain in the archives

19 0 of this province. Thus I provided, ordered and signed with my attesting witnesses, whom I use for lack of a notary, 4v on this //common paper for lack of any other. In witness whereof I certify: deo,n Angel de Martos y Navarrete Witness: Witness: Francisco Antonio Solis Juan Duran C. 4-4v in E

20 s Reply to the letter from Captain Menchaca dated the third of August 138 Seftor do, n Luis Minchaca My Very Dear Sir: I have received Y,our, H,ono,r's rletter, dated the third of the month just past in which you inform me that you have not fulfilled the order contained in my eletter, dated the thirtieth of last June for the reasons therein explained. To this I reply by stating that, despite these rreasons37 I judge Yrour, Hrono,r to be responsible for whatever unfortunate consequences Colonel d,o,n Diego Ortiz Parrilla should experience during the expedition committed to him to the Izlas Blancas because of the lack of the troop and the Indians Y1our, H,ono,r should have contributed to him in consequence of the cited rorder,. As for the attacks which Yrour, HGono,r reports are carried out there by the barbarous tribes of the north, you should keep in mind that at the least rumor of their proximity it is incumbent upon Y.our, Honor's obligation to gather all of the inhabitants capable of it and proceed to take the proper action corresponding to containing them, for this is what should be done in such cases when there are not sufficient troops to do it. This is frankly the reason for His Majesty's

21 139 granting lands and other favors to those inhabitants, although even without them they would be obliged to^ 'do this for the universal good which-: would result for everyone. May God prrotec,t Y,our, H,-ono,r rnany years,,adaes, September four of one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six. Your servitor kisses You.r, Hono,r's hand, o,n Angel de Martos y Navarrete C. 4v in E ,

22 Report made to the most excelle,nt setor viceroy concerning all that was remitted by Captain Minchaca in reply to the above-mentioned letter dated the 30th of June Ve,ry Excelle,nt SePior: Having distributed, in consequence of Y,our, Exccellenc,y's very estimable cletter, dated the sixteenth of last April (to which I replied. on the second of July), the corresponding measures necessary for making ready, in this province under my care, the fifty soldiers, along with the other Indians //,MS. torn, Colonel dro,n Diego 4rti2 Parrilla, the latter might carry out the inspection of the Izias Blancas committed to him by Y^our. Exr-cellenc, yj it has enow, come to pass that after remitting, on the thirtieth of June, the communication, concerning the matter directed to the captain of the Presidio of San Antonio de Vejar d,o,n Luis Menchaca, it has failed to receive its proper fulfillment because of the reasons explained by said captain in his letter dated the third of August, to which I have added the respective replies mentioned therein made by the R,,ever,ned Fathers to his exhortations, of all of which I include the corresponding certified copy.so that in view of it and of that which I am about to present Ycour, Ex,cellenc,y may be pleased

23 141 to decide that which should be to your greatest liking. I know, most excellent seflor, that the said Presidio of Vejar does not have the garrison it should properly have, but if the said captain were willing to,,obey he could easily fulfill his obligation by detaching for this purpose the ten soldiers which I apportioned to him from the five missions within the territory under his command. No harm to them whatsoever would ensue from this, not only because (according to what is inferred from the cited reply made by the RCevere,nd Father Ramires) they are in a position to furnish people whenever they need them, but also because, excluding the above-mentioned number, the same guard would remain in each of them as that which they had before the establishment of the Presidio of San Sava. It is also to be noted that if the troop at Vejar has diminished since then, its population has, on the other handt increased, and is today quite large. Assistence is sought there when exi.gency demands it. If this is worthy of note, no less 'so is the proposal said captain puts forward concerning my contributing to him the assistence of twenty-five soldiers from this presidio when he knows that ten are in his at the moment for the purpose of conveying three hundred horses here, nineteen are in La Bahia del Espiritu Santo

24 142 at the disposal of the said colonel, and six are 5V //,MS. torn, the attainment of his disproportionate request. Inasmuch as these parties comprise thirty-five soldiers, he might observe (if he were proceeding with this operation with the proper reflection) that with,the party, of twenty-five he requests he -,Aould have the complete number of sixty which makes up the garrison of this presidio. To this may be added that as captain of the Presidio, of Vejar he could not be ignorant of the fact, that in addition, to there usually being sick' men here and that troops are necessary for whatever distributions may occur, i.t is indispensable to guard the horse herd as well as the presid'io and, to sum up,.ten more should be added to these ten in order to relieve them. Having affirmed this, it may be inferred that it is natural for the R.ev,er,end Father ministers of the missions within his jurisdiction to follow his exa.mple. May our Lord prosper in its greatest exaltation the important life of Yeour, Ex,cellenc,y many years. Royal Presidio of Los Ad.aes, September four of one thousand seven hundred.and sixty-six. Ve,ry Excelle,nt Sebor: Your most attentive and humble servitor kisses Y,our. Ex.cellenc,y's hand.

25 14 3 deo,n Angel de Nlartos y Navarrete The Very Excellent Marquez de Cru.illas C. i+v-5v in E ,

26 144 0 Agrees with its originals, which were remitted to the most excelle,nt sefior viceroy of this kingdom, from which I, do,n Angel de Martos y Navarrete, lieu,tena,nt colonel of the r,oya,l ar,?ni,es, gov,ern,or and captai,n grene,.ral of this Prov,inc,e of Tex^a,s, had it made to the letter. It is exact, true, correct and adjusted. Present to see it'itranscribed, corrected and adjusted were my attesting witnesses, with whom I act for lack of a notary, public or rcoyal, on this common paper for lack of any other in this said prov,inc, e. Done in this Rroya,l Presidio of Our h,a,dy of Pilar of Los Adaes on the fourth day of the month of Sepr.ternb,er of this year of one thousand sev,en hundr,ed and sixty-six. To all of which I certify: n d. Ange1 de Martos y Navarrete (Rubric) Witness: Ygnacio Angulo Witness: co 0 Fran. Ant. Solis (Rubric) (Rubric) DS 5v in E a?

27 rendorsement in English,: Process upon the failure of dro,n Luis Menchaca to furnish 10 men and 35 Indians required of him for the purpose of exploring the White Islands (Islas Blancas) and other rnattersl-erein contained

35 y Nauarrete, lieutenant.colonel of the

35 y Nauarrete, lieutenant.colonel of the 146 Presentation made, in the Royal Presidio by d,o,n Lorenzo de Bustamean,te requesting the freight,due him, for his mules and their supplies of Our Lady of Pilar of Los Adaes, on the fifth day of the