Presidios (Establishment)

Index and extractions from legajo 11 (1764), quadernos 1-8, containing administrative, military, and religious information regarding provincias of Sonora, Sinaloa, Nueva Viscaya, Nuevo Santander, San Saba, Nueva Mexico, Nuevo Leon. Indexed material includes importance of presidio establishment in Buena Vista; Lentvig remitted map (not included) of Sonora and Sinaloa; hostile Apache actions; Caballada de San Xavier del Bac robbed by Indians; mines of Quiruan and of Tamaulipa; lack of water causes suspension of March; cannons and ammunition; description of Lasaga mine; aid to presidios against Cumanches and allies; naming of officials; liquor leaving jurisdiction of San Juan; case against Truxillo for Murdering Husband; request for white deer; libreta de Vita et moribus; inian idolatry; mission formation; Cumanche Indian Spy; peace, corn, cattle in Nuevo Leon. (J. Hiller, July 1989).

Index and extractions from legajo 4 (1757), quadernos 1-10, containing abundance of administrative, military, and religious information regarding numerous provincias. Indexed information includes Martos y Navarrete's taking governorship; sentence given to leaders of Monclova uprising; auto aiming to attract Guadalaxara missionaries to Indians of Seno Mexicano; movement of Indians from San Juan Bautista to San Bernardo mission; regulation approved for standard troop uniform; desertion of Zibolos from Bizarron mission; requests for travel permissions; homicides executed by soldiers; Barrios y juaregui petitions for Coronel ranking; missionary conduct; conduct of French clergyman; recognition and demarcation of new territories in Nueva Orleans area; presidio founding near River Trinidad; synod payment; soldier salaries; relocation of presidio San Agustin de Ahumada and Rio de la Trinidad; hostile enemies; dividing Huefuguilla company; edict that soldiers enter church with hair untied; Gualeguas missionaries' severe treatment of Indians; remission of gunpowder; hurricane damage; mine discovery in Nayarit; campaign against Seris, Pimas (J. Hiller, July 1989).

Index and extractions from legajo 12 (1765) containing administrative, military, and religious information regarding various provincias. Indexed material includes petition by Oca for health leave; remission of treasures from Chihuahua mines; discovery of islands near San Juan and San Bernardo; petitions for travel; salt mine development; canons and gunpowder for presidios; auxiliary troops provided to San Saba; instruction of military recruits; Indian invasions in los Alamos and Batuco Valley; need for supplementing arms, horses to Buena Vista recruits; request that a held white deer be submitted to Mexico; establishment of navigation between Acapulco and Matanchel; establishment and fortification of presidio of Buena Vista and money allocated for work; salaries for citizens substituting for absent soldiers; department of wine and spiritous liquors. (J. Hiller, July 1989)

Index to 68 letters and expedientes from legajo containing different subjects pertaining to Coahuila and Sonora in years 1760-1761. Indexed material includes conduct of Ravago; instructions to Cancio regarding administration of Sacramento; petition that Barrios give his youngest son to service of king as soldier; hostilities of Apache and Julimenos against livestock; presentation of papers against Ravago; need for arms in Santa Rosa; naming of Tierda de Cuervo as governor of Sonora and Sinaloa; Montesinos' declination of governor position; establishment of a presidio near San Antonio de la Huerta; decree granting justicias book which notes registering of claims for mines in their jurisdictions; discovery of gold in Bacuachi; establishment of various postal services (J. Hiller, July 1989).

Gathered, transcribed documents discussing possible locations in Nuebo Santander, Coahuila for new presidios or relocation of old ones. Problem finding sites with sufficient water, defensible. Letters span 7 years but all very similar; lots of information on geography, distances between places, locations of Arroyos and Rios, places suitable for livestock, etc. (A. Dean, March 1990)

Ff.379-382 discuss establishment of presidio at San Fernando to protect pueblos, haciendas in area against Indians. Ff. 383-386 concern Boeta y Salazar's proposal to raise compania de realistas of 50 men at his own cost to defend Altamira. Ff.387-388 are posthumous retirement of Lopez; includes form signed yo el rey. ff.389-392 concern Villamil's promotion from gobernador de Nuevo Leon to gobernador Cumplido en america with increased salary. (A. Dean, December 1989)

Correspondence between viceroy, Garces and de Anza concerning Garces's explorations in upper Colorado River with attachment of letters from fray Escalante about Zunis and area in case Garces travels to New Mexico from Colorado River. Accounts by de Anza on expedition to California, his turning command over to comandante Moncada, refusal of Moncada to travel to San Francisco to explore area for establishment of presidio and missions, de Anza travels with teniente Moraga, one priest and eight soldiers to explore San Francisco bay. de Anza gives an rich description of bay with its good soil, abundance of water, pastures, and wild animals and fish, meeting with Indians who fish with nets and use of balses made with reeds to cross bay and fish. de Anza does not name Indians but describes them as gentle. He also describes area to be rich with woods from which construction of fort would be easy. de Anza establishes places where missions and presidio should be built returning to Monterrey where he requests meeting with Moncada without success. Serra meets with Anza preoccupied with moncadas' attitude with friars and families from Sinaloa, teniente Moraga in letter to Anza believes comandante Moncada has lost his mind which results in his not wanting to follow planned agenda. Documents about rebellion in San Diego are not very clear, de Anza also describes desertions of some muleskinners and two soldiers who steal some horses and moragas capture of desertors in Gila where de Anza punishes them with laboring in construction of presidio and missions in San Francisco. Anza informs viceroy about Garces return to Colorado River leaving him foodstuffs for his sustenance as Anza returns, also fray Exiarc returns with Anza to Tumacacori mission. Capitan Palma and three Yumas with accordance with his people attaches himself to Anza to travel to Mexico. Viceroy answers Anza letting him know he is displeased as Anza did not finish his comission as he left before construction of fort and missions began. (A. Dell'acqua, January 1988)

Orders from viceroy to Anza about recruitment of soldiers with families to move to and settle San Francisco California, appointments of lieutenant and Sergeant to be in command of garrison. Also appointment of friars to accompany expedition with cooperation of fray Serra establish two missions in area settled. de Anza travels to Sinaloa and established towns in Sonora recruiting families and purchasing supplies, cattle, horses and mules for March with orders to leave as soon as possible carrying enough supplies to leave with settlers until area is established. Viceroy orders de Anza to turn command of expedition in Monterrey to Moncada who will command presidio in San Francisco, also is ordered to select with Moncada site for presidio and missions to be established and return to Sonora as soon as task accomplished. de Anza informs viceroy of progress made in recruitment impossibility of Alferez Morada to go with expedition as wife has terminal disease, also notifies viceroy of death of sargent Espinosa to unknown epidemic which has affected many families recruited slowing progress many months. de Anza request substitution of sargent from O'Conor military inspector and general commander. List of soldiers with families is sent to viceroy amounting to 191 persons not counting muleskinners, people attached to expedition like merchants, farmers who are not being paid by de Anza who is supplying them with food only, also three families whose husbands are attached to presidio of Monterrey. Anza expedition starts from Tubac on October 20, Ten months after viceroy issued orders which Anza argues is best time due to rains which will provide water and better pasture for animals. Attached are letters from fray Garces who is reluctant to go with expedition wanting instead to establish missions in upper Colorado and Gila rivers, viceroy issues him orders to join expedition under de Anza which he agrees with reluctance requesting his own special assistants and his own transportation. (A. Dell'acqua January 1988)

(A. Dell'acqua, January 1988)

Letters relating to re-establishment of presidio and mission de la Bahia del Espiritu Santo to a healthier and better defensive place, capitan Bustillos communicates that Actual site has deteriorated to an irreparable manner lack of wood makes it impossible to repair also for fuel of families there is not enough wood, area is full of swamps and water is not as good. Capitan Bustillos also complains about lack of priest as president of missions refuse to send a religious guide to presidio. Capitan describes a new explored site with plenty of wood, water and rocks to be utilized for construction, two creeks to provide with drinking water and irrigation of lands and site being only six leagues from bay stressing defensive emplacement. If viceroy desires such move it has to be carried out before winter. Capitan also participates arrival of convoy from presidio Adays and San Antonio four months after it left due to heavy rains. Comisario general of missions sends letter to presidente of missions by order of viceroy ordering him to send a priest to take charge of new mission built in new site of presidio of Bahia. (A. Dell'acqua, January 1988)