Cavalleria (Formation)

Letters from Ramon to Ugalde covering Dufay's arrest, transfer, and imprisonment in San Fernando; Fixerina is assigned to command Compania Volante del Nuevo Santander; reward for missing horses Talamantes lent to Aguirre; stepped-up discipline enforced on the frontier guard; Indian camps accused of hurting Gonzalez; Ramon begins preparation for campaign from Longoria Pass near Sabinas River involving the Rio Grande and Aguaverde presidios by requesting food supplies and mules from Echegaray, who fails to fulfill order; Ramon directs request directly to Ugalde; Vittorino Gonzalez dies; Juan Domingo Echegaray is transferred to Monclova to continue service until debt is paid. (E. Wilson, September 1989)

Documents consist of providencias for government and new institutions in California, correspondence between viceroy and of San Diego mission; improved communication system between Mexico and frontier regions; deployment of troops from Sonora for maximum defense of Californias and eastern provinces; purposes for pacification of Indians. Ff. 419-432 detail recruitment, transportation, settlement and protection of 70 families of colonists from Sonora for Alta California, of alleviating poverty and idleness by recruitment in Mexico; safety and choices of routes in combination of maritime and land means for transportation of settlers; desirable areas for colonization in new territories regarding protection, agricultural production, provisioning, recreation, water supply yet to extend Spanish occupation, defense and pacification plans; formation of companias volantes and militia to combat Indian hostilities and need for new regulations to do so; improvement of agricultural techniques and manufacture of domestic industries; long sections on required rations of food and other necessities, allotments of cash, markets for purchasing, selling regional commerce, supply and production of cattle, horses and mules. Other folios refer to maritime transportation of mission and presidio supplies and schedules of Goleta la Sonora (Senora de Guadalupe) and Paquebot el Principe between Guaymas or San Blas. Acknowledgements of arrivals of vessels along Sonoran and California coasts. (j.m.johnson, February 1989)

Very important and detailed correspondence include (especially agricultural and religious supplies for 3 missions of the Santa Barbara Canal; F. 309 lists officers for 3 Principal California presidios. Serra reports on repairs to old and construction of new missions, emphasizing temporal and evangelical elements in conquest of souls. F. 312 details requirements for furnishing missions and religious objects for each mission. Provides salaries of religious personnel for each. F. 313 is a list of priests at each of 8 missions attached to Monterrey. Comments on bad examples for Indians set by troops and settlers in area. Neve discusses weapons and clothing supplies for California troops and settlers. F. 318 list of clothing necessary for people in missions and presidios. Ff. 319-320 refer to past methods in determining minimal subsistance of food and clothing supplies. F. 321 is chart of amount of bullets, gunpowder, flints and types of weapons by presidio needed for defense. Defines need for new regulations to correct deficiencies due to distances of king and real hacienda from California. Proposes improved military organization and requests greater numbers of soldiers, supplies and horses. F. 324 discusses military escorts, organization, personnel, time of year with estimated subordination of soldiers, military promotions, equipment for cavalry units. Census of military personnel, including tackle and rider's clothing for cavalry. Distribution of animals to each presidio. Ff. 332-333 provides detailed list of tackle and clothing by cavalry officer for Monterrey, San Francisco and San Diego. F. 336 is chart of higher officers and numbers of soldiers for same presidios. F. 339 distribution by type and number of weapons to same three. F. 341 numbers of mules and horses distributed to these presidios. Other topics of San Francisco, storage and distribution of weapons to prevent sales to Indians, rations of food to presidios and missions, references to past ordinances for founding missions, family life of soldiers in presidios, evacuation of families in case of attack, duties and types of craftsmen with necessary supplies for same for settlements. (J. M. Johnson, January 1989)

Correspondence from Mariscal de Campo to Croix concerning 'visitas' to various towns and business attended to therein, such as collection of taxes; several brief letters stating that visita had gone well, no details included; others concerning how Mariscal dealt with murder of Indian; regarding treatment of Indians at certain missions, importance of spiritual training, conversion to and marriage of Indians according to Christian faith, 'repartimiento' of clothing among Indians; concerning Mariscal's organization of compania volante and associated squadrons, appeals for financing from real hacienda, nomination of suitable officers, relacion indicating structure, salaries, 'destinos' of compania once officially formed; regarding visitas to all squadrons of province, requests for adjustments to captains' salaries; discussing problems incurred in navigating certain rivers due to winds, tidal shifts, effects on local economy, Mariscal incorporates information on issue collected from 'peritos'; concerning granting of permission to foreign vessels to dock at ports; regarding discovery of new passages in old mines, statement of ownership and description of deposits. (L. Kerr, October 1988)

Cancio discusses formation, composition, and administration of cavalleria miliciana at Monclova, in fulfillment of previous orders. Ancio also discusses matter of obtaining military arms, supplies, and uniforms, and situation with mail and commerce in region. Reports on theft by Apaches of nearby hacienda and military response to it. Letter from Alderete abou military pursuit of Indians after theft. (S. Fiederlein, 4-1-87)

Series of letters from Cancio to viceroy discussing affairs at Santa Rosa presidio (1762) in detail. Discusses formation of cavalleria; number of horses; problems with yerva seca the horses eat; problems had when presidio was without a captain; situation with local Indians -- detailed report, including copy of reports from V. Rodriguez, on encounters with Indians, Indian activities, and Indian supplies and weapons (ff. 185-1920); problems at San Saba and with establishing missions in that area. (S. Fiederlein, 3-20-87)