Our Catholic Heritage in Tezas
Surprise of presidio horses on tlee Cibolo. Early in 1737, the soldiers of the Presidio of Bejar decided to pasture their horses at Rio del Cibolo, about sixteen leagues northeast of San Antonio, a spot which, according to tradition, had never been visited by the Apaches. But towards the end of September the hiding place was discovered by the inquisitive enemy who succeeded in carrying away one hundred horses. Juan Cortinas, the officer in charge of the ten men assigned to guard the horses, was wounded. Although fifty men were sent to pursue the raiders, they could not be overtaken. After a council was held, it was decided to increase the guard to eighteen men and an officer, who were to exercise unusual vigilance. But in spite of all precautions, on December 2, at midnight, a party of Apaches again stampeded the horses and succeeded in carrying away about two hundred more. Governor Orobio y Basterra called a council to decide what to do. After due deliberation, it was the opinion of the officers assembled that it would be best to bring the horses of the presidio back to San Antonio and to place a guard of twenty men to watch it. 22 The capture of Cabellos Colorados on December 1 1, 1737, put a tem- porary stop to Apache depredations for almost a year. But when hostilities were renewed in October, 1738, Cabellos Colorados and his companions, who were still prisoners in San Antonio, were ordered sent to Mexico City. Urrutitls campaign against tlee Apadies, 1739. As a result of the renewed attacks, Captain Joseph Urrutia urged that a campaign be under- taken against them. Although permission was readily granted and Urrutia planned to start in April, it was not until the winter of 1739 that the expedition finally set out. Making its way directly to the San Saba. region, a ranckena was surprised and a large number of captives was taken. "This expedition seems to have been the first to be made directly through the northwestern mountain range, for Urrutia claims to have discovered the pass in the mountains through which the Lipans made their forays. As a result of the expedition he asked for an increase of ten men for his garrison and suggested a presidio on the upper Guad- alupe."za Since this was the route followed, as shown by the record, Urrutia was the first to cross present Bandera Pass. This campaign had been stoutly opposed by Father Fray Benito UAuto de Orobio y Basterra, December s-6, 1737. Nacogdoc/res Arc/rives, Vol. I, November 26, 1731-January 12, 1747. 2>Boltoo, Tezas in t/ie Middle Eig/iteent/J CenturJ, 29.
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