Explorations and Settlements Along tlte Rio Grande
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of a new presidio on either bank of the Rio Grande at La Junta (juncture of Mexican Conchos and Rio Grande), with a garrison of fifty men. This number could be made up by taking twenty from San Bartolome and fifteen each from Cerro Gordo and Presidio de Conchos. He suggested that Captain Joseph Sanchez del Campillo, the commander of Cerro Gordo, could be placed in charge of the new presidio. Captain Joseph de Berroteran, because of seniority, should have charge of the explorations. 17 The viceroy approved the recommendations of Altamira on June 14 and immediately issued the corresponding orders to the governors of Coahuila and Nueva Vizcaya, as well as to several of the commanders of presidios in the two jurisdictions, sending them for their guidance a copy of the recommendations of Altamira which were to serve them as instructions. Father Menchero, who was still in Mexico, was notified immediately of the resolution taken. In his letter to Pedro Rabago y Teran, Governor of Coahuila, the viceroy explained that he had decided to reestablish the six missions at La Junta which had been abandoned because of recent Apache hostilities. In order to maintain them, it would be necessary t(l establish a presidia in their vicinity so that the missionaries and Christian Indians might not again have to take refuge in Chihuahua as heretofore. He informed the governor that he had already ordered Captain Joseph Berroteran of the Presidio of San Francisco de los Conchos to undertake a similar expedition to La Junta to select a suitable site for a presidia that should offer protection to the missions, the settlers, and the frontier establishments in the adjoining provinces. The Governor of Coahuila was to cooperate with Berroteran and to order the captain of Presidio del Sacramento to set out at the same time, so that all could meet the expedition from Nueva Vizcaya at La Junta. All groups were to keep careful and separate diaries. The goven1or was further instructed to report on the advisability of moving Presidio del Sacramento to either bank of the Rio Grande, where it could more easily maintain communi- cation with the new presidia at La Junta and those of San Juan Bautista and El Paso. 11 When the orders reached Rabago y Teran, he was sick in bed. But by October 26, he informed the viceroy that he would be ready to start 17Dictamen del Auditor El Marques de Altamira, June 14, 1747. A. G. JI., Historia, vol. 52, 127-140. IBDiario de la Campana executada por el Governor de Coahuila Don p d d T • 1 A- d e ro e Rabago Y eran en e no e 1 7 47 para el recomocimeiento de las margenes del Rio Grande del Norte. A.G. Af., Bistoria, v. 5 2 , pp.i 2 6-t:.i 7 , •
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