Weapons (Quality)

Documents concerning information given from Garcia to virrey dealing with negotiations of gobernador from Nueva Mexico with the Comanches; relacion signed by the Cura Barraza containing the names of the Indian rebels who receive royal pardon and place they will settle. Relacion contains name of the rebel, where he is from, name of his Father, occupation, age, and rank within the rebel organization. Letter from Romero for Lomban informing him of a campaign against Apaches and deplorable situation of military armaments, some soldiers had to throw stones at Apaches. Romero reports to Lomban a baston that was taken from two dead Apaches and was supposed to belong to an Apache chief; letter from Lomban for virrey explaining that the troops of the north are weak in armaments. (D. Bautista June 1990)

Salcedo argues for increase in troops and weaponry in Texas, Luisiana, and neighboring provinces to meet threat posed by U.s. Includes reports on number of troops and weapon inventory for presidios in region, as well as estimation of distances between presidios. Battle plan calls for transfer of troops by sea to Mississippi River. (A. Tukey, August 1988)

Letters from gobernador de Nuevo Santander for virrey informing him of the need for better weapons, recommending sending Indian prisoners to Havana because they are escaping to easily from the prison of San Juan de Ulua. Fiscales agree but suggest puerto Rico. Gobernador of Chihuahua requests weapons. Gobernador from Veracruz answers virrey that he will send the Indians to Havana. Letters from military personnel requesting permission to retire, others seeking promotions. (D. Bautista, July 1990)

Interesting correspondence primarily related to Father Hidalgo's uprising and military's response (documents incomplete); Lopez failure to pay troops for expedition and general mistreatment of them; discussion of gravity of non-cooperation among military officers (potentially harmful); letter about people being lazy in wartime when they should be resourceful; folios of particular

Make, model and condition of weapons on hand. Costs of converting old fusiles to escopetas. Due to adverse effects of Vera Cruz climate on weapons stored there, all weapons sent from Spain to be stored at Perote. Number, condition, freight and other cost accounting of carabinas shipped to Arizpe, Chihuahua, Monterrey, Luisiana. Detailed cost accounting of refurbishing and conversion of fusiles to escopeta S.J. Higgins, March 1989)

Inventory by caliber and condition of fusiles at the armerio of San Carlos de Perote. Discusses measures to refurbish damaged weapons stored at San Carlos, Vera Cruz, San Juan de Ulua, Puebla. In light of ongoing Indian hostilities, time required to receive new weapons from Spain, number of weapons needed to equip milicias of Toluca and Pardos of Puebla discusses need to centralize weapons storage at San Carlos to preserve existing stock of arms and convert outdated fusiles to escopetas. (J. Higgins, March 1989)

Correspondence concerning shipments of caravinas from Spain via Havana. Discusses weapons cost, condition upon arrival, final destination, shipping errors in size-caliber, shipping costs. Mentions weapons shortages and difficulty maintaining adequate stock, rehabilitation of old arms. (J. Higgins, March 1989)

Discusses content, cost, transportation, disposition of shipment pistolas and escopetas from Spain via Havana; numbers requested by, sent to presidios Nuevo Santander, Nuevo Reyno de Leon, California. Ongoing weapons need due to heavy use, shortage Armeros. (J. Higgins, March 1989)

Concerns weapons needed for sea ships la sutil and la Mexicana. Includes a list of inoperable weapons, proposed budget to repair them. Petitions approved by departamento de San Blas. (R. Gomez, October, 1989)

Copies of documents concerning Orozco's career as Armero, from 1787 to 1792; describes contracts he has taken, arms he manufactured, prices; letters of reference. All apparently related to his appointment as maestro Armero for Nueva Vizcaya (covered in ff.185-230 of this volume). (A. Dean, August 1989)