Presidios (Reorganization)

Mostly general reports of plans to deal with Indian attacks, often using friendly Indian auxiliaries; mention of missionaries involved in organizing defense efforts; more specific passages listed below. F.88-89 mentions need to melt down tin, lead from five presidios (no names) to cast bullets; mentions Spanish civilians left in presidio guarded by 20 Indian soldiers (vague). F.90 describes in detail carnage left by Indian attack in Barranca. F.91 mentions finding mutilated body of Luna. F.99 reports apprehension, questioning of five Naiarites, one of whom is Don Pedro, gobernador of Santissima Trinidad; goes on to describe round-up of Naiarites in Ocotan for protection, recruiting soldiers. (A. Dean, January 1990)

Letters concerning expenses of San Francisco's factory for years 1789-1794. Documents and letters related to deliveries made by presidios in California to ships and individuals. Commissioner of San Blas promises to pay immediately his debt and ask in the future to send him an invoice with the goods. Letters mentioning amount of money alloted to each presidio. Document containing detailed accounting of San Francisco's factory, presidio and church. Letters concerning expenses of presidios Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Francisco and Monterrey. Letter explaining extra expenses incurred in Monterrey due to fire in presidio and detailed description of repair work and daily life of Indians employed to do it (folio 335-337). (T. Kahana September 1989)

Dionis went to Diego Ramon's presidio to present the map of the summary of autos written in 1688 and 1689 on the Asinay and Tejas Indians, their lifestyle, descriptions of the presidio called Espiritu Santo or San Luis or San Bernardo, its need to be populated by Spanish settlers rather than French and the measures taken to convert the Indians, establish security and trade. Leon sets off from Coahuila in 1684 to investigate a French settlement near the Rio Grande del Norte. Its location in degrees and minutes is given. Boat wreckage from French settlers is found. Leon suggests that presidios into the Tejas provinces be established for at least 1 million Indians could be converted and land is very fertile for farming. Very little progress made until after 1693 (reasons listed on ff. 440-445). Details of the Indians lifestyle and the settling of the Tejas provinces continues through ff. 451. Continuance of hearing of French spies trespassing into Tejas provinces (See Vol. 181.iii) in front of tribunal from ff. 452 - 471. Equiping of presidios and missions is covered in detail. List of those living at the San Antonio Paraje is on ff. 508. (E. Wilson, March 1990)

Series of autos concerning sworn declarations from government officials on the reorganization of presidios in Nueva Vizcaya and San Bartolome Valley. Purpose of the reorganization is to provide protection to mines' workers and people in neighboring presidios. Geographic relative location of presidios with respect to each other is given. (M. Marroquin, February 1989)

Concerns review of autos of the sacramento presidio by Herrera Altamirano and other government officials. Document describes geographic position of presidios, also gives distances from each other. Reorganization of presidios involves the creation of a permanent patrol which will keep Indians under control. Apaches are also known as Xilenos. Relocation of presidio is to protect missions and haciendas in the new area. (M. Marroquin, February 1989)

Concerns relocation of presidio del sacramento to areas of loma pintada and Ayacacho because of a better strategic position to fight the Indians from those places. Military official disagrees with the idea because there is still a need to protect provinces and presidios in the Former place of the Sacramento presidio. Relocation is advocated because the new place has plenty of natural resources, fertile land, and some minerals. New place is said to be better because of better opportunity to put the Indians to work in agriculture. Reallocation of military personnel. Redistribution of land in places secured by presidios. Reorganizaton of presidios to take care of provinces is suggested by Balaunzaran who visited the area where presidios were being reorganized. (M. Marroquin, February 1989)

Concerns visitas and Inspections of presidios; invalids and retired people are encouraged to settle in San Antonio de Bexar; geographic location of presidio del sacramento is given; reorganization of presidios as a result of construction of new one is discussed; conditions for the construction of new are given in a government decree; location for the construction of presidio is said to have abundant food for horses and people also the discovery of minerals is mentioned; new location for presidio is discussed; conflicting reports on the resources of previous and new site for presidio is presented in document, officials reporting Argue a better defense for provinces in the new place. Salaries for military personnel are settled. Indians in Nueva Vizcaya are said to represent a problem for the exploitation of natural resources. (M. Marroquin, January 1989)

Series of documents concerning reports on military status of provincias Nueva Vizcaya and Sonora. Documents show charts contrasting figures of military personnel, weapons, ammunition, prisoners, sick soldiers and war casualties. Footnotes in every chart present a list of novedades occurred in the presidios between presidios, need for weapons, inventories of military supplies. Some charts contain lists (figures only), of Indian women, men and children in presidios, agricultural work, horses, mules, troop's check ups, etc. These footnotes are presented in diary form giving the day and the month of the event. (M. Marroquin, December 1988)

In 26 sections Bucareli informs and makes recommendations to Dominicans. Review visitador Galvez recommendations on fiscal and administrative matters from 1769 and Nuevo real reglamento de presidios of 1773. Relations between gobernador and comandantes of presidios. Reduccion and education of Indians by colegio fernandino missionaries. Need for better communication and coordination of responsibilities between authorities in Loreto and Monterrey. References to Leyes de indias on prohibiting use of Spanish ports by foreigners. Minerals and status of production of mines. Conflicts between Barri and ministros reales. (J. M. Johnson, may 1988)

Letters dealing with construction of military facility in San Antonio de Bejar. Relationship between Urrutia and his soldiers is explained. Urrutia deals with purchases of horses and aguardiente for his soldiers. Captain Urrutia explains the need for each of the items he gets for presidio. Document deals with transfer of soldiers fron presidio of Adays and Espiritu Santo, to presidio del Rio del Norte. Some account of exploration along Rio Guadalupe where many Apaches were found. Document deal with logistics of military facility being constructed in the area. (M. Marroquin, September 1989)