Visitas (Gubernatorial)

Letter dealing with official visit to places under Ripperda's charge. Also Ripperda is being reminded of his duty as civil official and warned about Oconor's visit to his province.

Series of documents dealing with stipends and sinodos. Postal service connecting los Alamos. Virrey asks for letters summary and indexes. Notice of diaries on expedition. Index of representaciones from governor to virrey. Report on Indians attack. Report on trip to Carrizal. Description of Indian lifestyle and food. Priest narrate his work as part of a military campaign. Notice on implementation of real derecho de tributo. Military official reinstated. Visit to presidios of fronteras and Terrenate. Relief of military official. (J. Marroquin, August 1988)

Discourse between the governor of Sonora and the viceroy concerning various matters of provincial administration as to absent viceregal proclamations concerning issuance of new coinage, mail franchises, and announcement of birth of Infante Carlos Clemente (ff. 309-315). Concerning gubernatorial visita Colonel of provincial militias of Pardos y Blancos of several jurisdictions to Juan Antonio Caneda, Vecino of Rosario; brief letter, written at Mazatlan stating that, Sastre, as governor, will protect and give assistance to missionaries, destroy abuses committed against Indians... etc. Letters written at Culiacan and Alamos discuss order to send viceroy intendente Corbalan's financial account of military expedition of Sonora; response to viceroy's order that said intendente make visita of mines of province; formation of flying company under command of O'Conor to put down Indian unrest in Chihuahua (See below); governor's suggestion that if Indian named Calixto does not mend his rebellious ways, then prison sentence be considered (315-335). Letters written at Horcasitas discuss governor's order stating that copy of letters from presidial commanders be sent directly to viceroy (336,337). Sastre suffers stroke effecting right arm and leg (339,340). Notice of departure of Mule train under military escort from Cieneguilla bound for Mexico City, route taken, instructions for military escort, etc. (341,342; 345-349; 361,362). Concerning presidial armaments supplies (343,344). Concerning establishment of mission among Seris at Carrizal; includes copy of letter from Gil de Bernabe; Sastre's suggestions concerning the mission (350-356). Concerning formation of flying company in Chihuahua; Sastre warns presidial commanders of possible incursions of hostile Indians from neighboring province; states he has had no reply to letters sent to O'Conor (356-360; 362-364). Papagos present tally stick to commander of Altar and give notice of action taken against captive (See below) (365,366). Gives notice of visita to Cieneguilla, Altar, Pitic and Caborca (See below) (367). Concerning Garces' entradas to Gila and Colorado rivers; includes approximate Pima Indian population along Gila, notes Papagos, Pimas Altos and Gilenos all speak the same language; suggests establishing missions along these waterways, land route between San Diego, Monterrey and Pimeria Alta (See below) (371-375).copy of letter sent to Vildosola, commander of Terrenate, ordering him in conjunction with Anza to reconnoiter Chihuahuan-Sonoran border area near Janos to stop any Indians that may flee due to O'Connor's intended campaign against Apache (375-380). Concerning new method of spiritual and temporal administration of missions (381,382). Thanking viceroy for assistance in procuring rank of teniente Coronel (383). Concerning visita to Buenavista; exhorts Indians to live as good christians, reports that Indians are pleased with new missionary (387-389). Concerning trouble with Piatos and Pimas at el Puerto, return of Seris vagos to Pitic, Apache depredations (horse theft) at Tubac (391-395). Letter from viceroy giving Anza permission to accompany Garces on journey to assess feasibility of establishing land route to Californias and Pimeria Alta (412). Sastre takes possession of real at Rosario (413). Formation of militia of Pardos y Blancos at jurisdicciones of Maloya, Copala, centinelas, San Pedro Chametla, Mazatlan (420,421). Letter from viceroy stating Indian Calixto must reduce himself, or be given prison sentence, either in Sonora or Mexico City (423). Viceroy requests copy of intendente Corbalan's financial record of expedition of Sonora (425). List of letters from Sastre received by viceroy (426-435). Viceroy receives notice of departure of wagon train from Cieneguilla (428,432). Viceroy orders movement of troops from Horcasitas to fortify Pitic (429). Viceroy's response regarding Sastre's stroke (430). Sastre sends deserters of flying company of Terrenate back to presidio, having pardoned them upon determining that crime did not appear to be premeditated; orders restructuring of flying company, removal of Vildosola as commander of presidio due to insubordination (436-443). Viceroy acknowledges arrival of letter describing entry of Gil de Bernabe among Seris at Carrizal. Orders mission be established with suitable land and water for agriculture, and that Sastre deliver tools, seeds and other supplies to the new settlement (447-449). Letter from Sastre in response to dictamen ordering mission reform (449- 460). Viceregal dictamen and circular asking Opata auxiliaries be sent to Chihuahua to assist O'Conor in suppressing Apache attacks (460-462). Viceroy acknowledges arrival of news of Garces' entradas, and requests details on intended entrada planned by Anza and said fray (463,464). Viceroy acknowledges arrival of informe about completion of Canal into Pitic (465). Viceroy acknowledges arrival of Sastre's letter stating that latter had fulfilled order requesting auxiliaries be sent to Chihuahua (460). Viceroy acknowledges arrival of letter telling of Papago victory over Apaches; adds Sastre must work to assure these 2 Indian nations never form alliance against Spanish (467). Acknowledges arrival of Sastre's informe concerning latter's visita to Caborca and Pitic, and exhorts him to maintain peace with reduced Indians of provinces. (468). Sastre asks permission to withdraw troops from border with Chihuahua in light of O'Connor's inaction in dealing with Apaches (469,470). Viceroy asks Sastre to have gold nugget in his possession weighed, appraised, and delivered to intendente Corbalan (471,472). Sastre reports more than 100 horses stolen from Tubac, and 264 from Terrenate, and again asks viceroy if pickets on border with Chihuahua may be withdrawn (472,473). Sastre acknowledges receiving8 copies of document pertaining to arrival of flotilla from Spain (474). Gives notice of Sastre's poor health (475). Document pertaining to rebuilding of damaged church at Charay (476). Viceroy orders Vildosola to withdraw from Chihuahuan border to combat Apaches in Sonora; that movement of Pimas and Piatos in southern Sonora be restricted, and gives notice of appointment of O'Connor as comandante inspector de los presidios internos (477-479). Viceroy orders Sastre to implement new method of controlling Apache incursions into Sonora (479,480). Viceroy urges care in treatment of Indians at Buenavista in order that they not regress to Former lawless ways (481,482). Viceroy acknowledges formation of militia at Cieneguilla, requests that governor keep tabs on situation at mines, giving viceroy timely notice of happenings (482). Carpetas on viceregal letters dealing with new method of administration of presidios of Buenavista, Horcasitas, Terrenate, Tubac, Altar, and fronteras (483-486). Letter to Sastre telling of imminent arrival of O'Connor at Horcasitas (487). Viceroy requests information regarding crimes committed by Pima Joseph Domingo to determine fitting sentence (488). Viceroy urges Sastre to control despoblacion of newly colonized area (489). Viceroy approves of Pitic Canal project, repartimiento de Tierras to Seris (490). Letters concerning acts of insubordination committed by Jose Vildosola (490-505). (J. H. Ochs, sept.1987)

Ortiz Parrilla reports on good condition of province under Cancio to viceroy Cruillas in detailed report of troops and presidios. Reports included from Cancio and Rodriguez, revistas de inspeccion for several presidios in Coahuila. Personnel and supply lists, service records, dragones de los reales ejercitos (almansa, Veracruz), and Indian attacks on San Sava are Principal topics. Details of Ortiz Parrillas' campaigns (hojas de servicio) against Indians, ff. 292. (J. M. Johnson, June 1987)

New gobernador Cancio reports to virrey. Principal topics killing of soldiers at San Sava; status of equipment, training of military under his command; peace treaty between Spain, Austria and England; junta de guerra defends against Apache attacks; visitas and discussion of dictamenes; taxes Alcabala; Giraud and Barrios report on bad state of preparation of soldiers; Piquetes, small band of selected soldiers sent to San Sava to aid defense; new discovery of Potreros mine; Indian deserters sent back to Monclova; corruption in Texas; salaries for presidio officials; Cancio's poor health, requests recovery time in Mexico; concern for safety of civilian population; Ravago scandal and actions taken by Bustillos y Cevallos. (J. M. Johnson, January 1987)

Towns against attacks by indians and theft of livestock; concern for loss of life of children of presidio soldiers, hardships of life in province, complaints of wives, requests for transfers or return to Spain; proceedings continue against rabago, dispositions of other criminals for murders committed at San Xavier; appointments and changes of command, Cancio takes charge at Santa Rosa; illness of gobernador requires cancellation of trip to Mexico. Folio 169 is a letter by Sanchez navarro which details difficulties of travel and communication in his area of jurisdiction. Gobernador Barrios, after visitas, proposes ways of reducing danger and hardships to personnel to reduce growing open complaints of life in province. Two individuals named ravago y theran easily confused in documents. (J. M. Johnson, January 1987)

Changes in military command in war against Comanches; prices of corn, wheat and cod fish to provision presidios; martos y Navarrete and Barrios y jauregui change governorships of Texas and Coahuila, requests made to Cortes and king for transfer out of province or return to Spain; Alcabala established and effect of financial and environmental hardships on moral, creating dissatisfaction; observations of Barrios' visitas regarding defense against indians and discovery of new mines. Importance of documents is to show increasing danger, economic and military deterioration and dissatisfaction with administration and life on Spanish borderlands. (J. M. Johnson, January 1987)

Sesma reports on visitas to presidios in Coahuila. Finds military preparation and organization in poor condition and maltreatment of Indians. Ff. 75-76 details new procedures to be followed by paymasters habilitados to avoid embezzlements and fraud of military salaries. Ff. 77-78 note abuses and recommends ways to improve distribution of clothing, supplies against Indian attacks, canons, difficulty of populating presidios in Texas with families, changes of command in presidios and governorship of Coahuila, administrative impediments to permission for missionaries in Guadalajara to come to work in Coahuila, desire of certain Indians to transfer their place of residency to missions, junta de guerra and missionaries requested to cooperate with government in putting Indians into reduccion. (J. M. Johnson, January 1987)

Sierra Gorda, governor of Nuevo Santander informs virrey of visita to port of Soto la Marina. Mentions construction of military fortifications (cuartel); Indian unrest involving Comanches.

Mentions problem areas encountered in his visita general- describes the range of enemy Apaches and Tobosos. Mentions conflict between mission Indians and inhabitants of San Antonio. Some figures on troop size are present. (R. Perez) (1977)