Our Catliolic Heritage in Texas
a supply of corn at the Rio Grande from the Mission of San Juan Bautista and to secure the flour from Saltillo. If he succeeded in obtaining these provisions he intended to bring them by mule train to San Antonio, and from there he would send what was needed to both La Bahia and Los Adaes. 1 Conditions at Espfrit1' Santo. Bad as conditions were at Los Adaes, they were even worse at La Bahia. The Governor said that the inefficiency of the acting captain, Diego Ramon, was responsible for the extreme need experienced at the Presidio of Nuestra Senora de Loreto. He declared that Diego's father had exerted himself in securing the necessary sup- plies, but that the son had completely neglected his duties and had even failed to make an official report to his superior regarding the death of his father, the former captain of the presidio, or about the recent attack made by the former mission Indians. If Governor Almazan had not come to San Antonio, La Bahia might have been abandoned without his knowl- edge as a result of the dire need to which it had been reduced by the neglect of its commander to secure supplies in time. Upon learning of the great suffering of its garrison, he despatched one hundred f anegas of corn without delay to relieve their immediate want, and he was now making active efforts to send additional provisions at the earliest pos- sible moment. 1 He promised the viceroy to make an official inspection of the presidio at La Bahia in the immediate future in order to correct the flagrant abuses which now existed, and he declared most emphatically that Diego Ramon was incapable and unfit to hold the position of captain. Because of the continued illness of Captain Arroyo, the governor had sent to Saltillo for Jose Lobo Guerrero, a soldier of experience and courage, who knew how to deal with the Indians, and he planned to appoint him captain of Los Adaes. All these acts were subject to the viceroy's approval. He sug- gested that if His Excellency decided to remove Ramon from La Bahia, it would be well for him to consider Jose de Urrutia, now living in San Antonio, for this important position. 9 Frendi and Spanish relations in Texas. Early in April, 1723, three Frenchmen, who claimed to be fugitives from justice, had come to Los Adaes and requested the governor to give them a pass so that they could
1 /bid. 1 /bid. 9 /bid.
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