Indians (Servitude)

Series of letters concerning matters affecting tercera compania current state of affairs reports, acquisition of horses and mules, credit extended to the company by the gobernador of the area for 1788 and 1789, unpreparedness of his troops for an upcoming campaign, an incomplete letter from Perez speaking to need of some basic church artifacts for services, request to discharge Puga for over extending his leave, the wait he should expect for supplies needed for a campaign, recommends that certain Indian be put in charge of constructing homes due to expertise in masonry, Indian attack on hacienda resulted in animals killed and stolen asks permission to place soldier there for defense and capture, discharge of Ximenes and replacement with Ramos, alerts Ugalde that Ximenes has not been heard from since task of transporting horses, clarification on tabulations of salaries for report to be filed, troops preparedness for a campaign, receipt of 40 Shields, request and receipt of three discharge notices for; Borrego, Sanchez, and Inojosa, policy concerning widows and orphans as they relate to pensions, policy concerning; salaries and promotions, military relations, and job details, informing troops of the death of Carlos III, preparations made for upcoming campaign, Indian weakness and absenteeism at work and plans to ameliorate this condition, money sent to Ugalde, retroactive pay raise, actions taken on Ximenes, ineptness of Galvan and permision to alter methods relating to economic matters that he does not want Galvan to handle while he is away from company, and money requested from San Carlos in order to complete preparations for campaign. (O. Velez, October 1988)

Disparate letters (some vague because refer to issue by Oficio tercera companias, promotions, suggestions of whom should fill vacant posts; traslados from Vidal excerpted; supplies needed for military campaign; granting of licencias; expressed satisfaction with Cosio's care of objetos del servicio; list of itemized cargos made by Ugalde to tercera compania (folio 79); discussion of conflicts with Indians; location of Reunion de companias; explanation of weapons to be used to protect Lacomba and others against Indians, Piedras de chispa to be transported to site of Reunion by Indians (folio 82); acknowledging receipt of diarios and other documents; orders for members of compania to return horses belonging to compania; increases in sueldo, excerpt of decreto by Flores declaring changes; money received from various who made cargos to compania; habilitacion of the compania; death of 78 Apaches, desire for similar future successes; responses to various pliegos from Lacomba;discussion of dates relating to Reunion de companias; Dovalina's improper conduct; reconsideration of Reunion scheduled because of weak state of Cavallada due to water shortage and conflicts with Indians (folio 99); discussion of how to defeat Indians; communication concerning movement of prisoners; Cosio granted permission to use horse and mules for military purpose; Series of letters regarding Lacomba, who is placed under house arrest and replaced by Cosio, following a 'lance' between Lacomba and Ponze de Borrego. Lacomba freed and granted permission to return to post when Galvan, Cosio's temporary replacement while Cosio at Reunion, found unable to complete necessary duties (folios 118-122); report that compania's position changed in order to better protect selves, towns from Lipanes' attacks, nearby towns notified, 90 horses killed despite precautions, more horses, general assistance requested; state of the forces of monlova company and the number of troops assigned to celebrate @la Campana' of August, 1789, and the number to remain in Quartel; letter dated 1790 from Ugalde regarding 'bajas' in compania since Campana, including desertors. (L. Kerr, July 1988)

Disparate letters concerning: increase and improvements in armamento, habilitacion, food, cavallada, soldiers; explaining activities and decisions, e.g. Ugalde's plan to organize correspondence; Indian raid on mission, subsequent punishment, general philosophy towards Indians; condition of troops, horses prior to reunion de companias, including that of compania de Coahuila, just returned from expedition; explaining Cabello's request for escolta to reunion; nombramiento of officers, including to posts left vacant by deserters; acknowledging receipt of monthly diarios, relaciones de debitos y creditos; warning of illness among cavallada; granting of licencias; interaction with Indians of north; balance in fondo de gratificacion; letter to Puga (not Lacomba); alivio of Gonzalez de Paredes, having suffered some accident; organization of documents regarding Nepomuseno's desertion; Dovalina's pernisioso vicio and abuses against soldiers; reduction of companias of Provincias Internas (folios 40-42), increased sueldos, discussion of changes instated; baptized, married Indians around Camargo (folio 44); promotion of Cosio; request for escoltas for procurador of Texas; punishment of two Indians; progress report on work completed by Indians; granting of annual haber to Talamante; regarding almacen of San Carlos; illegible letter concerning injustices in Punta de Lampazos; nombramiento of interim capellan. (L. Kerr, July 1988)

Chacon Medina informs viceroy about ending servitude of Indians in construction of church and other public works, instead is hiring paid Spaniards to do work. Various letters and autos by various officials and missionaries praising governor, requests and authorizations of architectural repair and construction of church. Supplies of religious items sent to churches in province. Naming of gunsmith and details about artisans living in area based on reports by Cuervo y Valdez. Orders to restructure postal service from el Passo, Santa Fe and Parral to Mexico City. (A. Dell'acqua, June 1987)

Auto containing answer to viceroy by fray Pena on secret inquiries about servitude of Indians in construction of church and other public works ordered by Chacon Medina. (A. Dell'acqua, June 1987)

Informe about ambush by Apaches of Pueblo of Acoma. Sargento Iribarri follows and captures Navajos with families in Sierra Acoma. Navajos claim they are peaceful and sent to Pueblo de Laguna for better control of group. Diaz Hurtado describes battle in Xemes and extraordinary valor of two defenders. General report from governor about rebellion and rescue of women kept as slaves by Navajos; policy about Navajos issued. (A. Dell'acqua, June 1987)

Describes geographical range Pimeria Alta missions. Speaks of continuing Apache menace. Notes depopulation of area due to diseases, Apache attacks. Discusses temporal affairs of missions, including livestock raising, planting communal fields maize, wheat, and vegetables, which feeds widows, sick, military escorts, mission Indians during lean months of April, May, and June, thereby inducing Indians to remain in pueblos instead of wild-food gathering. Notes sale of surplus to mines/presidios to purchase church supplies, barter goods. Notes decline of mission agriculture last 8 years due to lack of seeds, decline of Cieneguilla mines, and increased number of farmers. States mission business is conducted by Indian governors under missionaries' guidance. Describes architecture of Indian houses; agriculture, including cultivation of pomegranates, quinces, cotton, and sugar cane as well as shrubs of gomilla, jojoba, both of which used medicinally. Describes herbs used, including indigo (anil), gediondilla, zimarron, contra yerba. Claims 2 harvests pithaya per year in west. Notes presence gypsum, lime, piedra bezal found in deer, especially those killed near coast. Says province is covered with grama grass, thereby providing forage for much livestock. Describes climate, mineral wealth, including real of Cieneguilla, only settlement of Spaniards in Pimeria Alta. Describes settlements. Tiburones described as Seri groups. Describes excellent salt fields along coast. Describes port of Tepoca/pearl beds nearby. Notes presence of subterranean water. Says Papagos come to missions to sell young boys captured in slave raids carried out by interior nations; these slaves called Vijoras (Nixoras). No active commerce carried on by Indians. Describes uses of cotton. Says Pimas are good farmers, growing wheat, maize, squash, cotton. During harvests, many traders arrive to barter cloth, etc. for produce. Says Pimas stay in pueblos, not like Yaquis and many Opatas who wander (probably to work in mines). Discusses reasons why missions should not be secularized. Estimates Gila Pima population at 2,000. Compares Pimas favorably to Opatas, who no longer respect missionaries. Describes temporary nature of Spanish settlement of Sonora, Pimeria Alta. Says 8 leagues from Aconchi, the San Juan mine, full of water, is abandoned now. Discusses precautions necessary for populating Sonora. Encourages development of Tepoca, Guaymas to give Sonora easy access to sea, Tiburon Island as way station for transportation of livestock. Discusses need to develop educational facilities, including primary schools at Indian settlements. Notes belief among Opatas at Aconchi in Montezuma, who they claimed was their king and had risen and appeared in mountains. Describes his school, which taught girls as well as boys to read, write. (T. Sheridan) (1976)

Describes situation with Indians: murders of and by; religious education of; military strategies used to subdue, and control; agricultural labor of, and transporting to prisons. Tobacco, gunpowder, and land finances listed along with expenditures and troop payments, appointments made in civil offices of governor and justicia. Activities at missions described: crop production, establishment of new orders, rebuilding of destroyed mission, failure of priests to report profits and subsequent conflicts with royal officials, and distribution of mission supplies. Case of presidial captain of Laredo falsifying location of town. Travel conditions at Tetillas poor. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)

Concerns delivery of salaries, supplies to squadrons in Nuevo Santander. Series of documents describing the transporting and care of 22 Indian prisoners from Santander to Mexico. Military orders given for soldiers to assist in transportation of prisoners. Clergy in Mexico petition for education of several prisoners. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)

Attempts made to control Indians via mission establishment at Cruillas. Military strength increased, guns purchased and distributed, weapons replaced at Padilla, Santillana and Marina. Iron and wax sold for financing of poor missions. Indian prisoners to be transported by de la Garza to Mexico. Land allotments described along with profits, expenditures of mission production. (L. Deatherage, July 1987)