Our Catholic Heritage in Texas
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they had anything to complain of, or which they thought should be done for the better service of God and the king, they were instructed to apply to the viceroy directly who would hear their complaints or suggestions with interest and try to remedy or improve the conditions described. Special care in guarding the horses of the presidios should be exer- cised at all times. The soldiers assigned to this duty should make the rounds regularly and each man must guard a fixed distance, which he should pace at regular intervals, greeting the other sentinels at the extremities of his beat. In this way, if the Indians broke the fence at any point, it would be discovered before they could accomplish their evil designs. All soldiers should be fully armed and equipped when on this or any other duty and should never be permitted to leave their ctteras, a rawhide shield used by frontier soldiers as a defence against Indian darts, arrows, and lances, even if they complained of fatigue. The offi- cers themselves were not to mount their horses without their cueras. Whenever a group of soldiers changed mounts, to avoid surprise by the Indians, only half of the number should dismount for this purpose at a time. If this substitution became necessary with the enemy in view or close proximity, only a third of the soldiers should change their horses at a time. Supplies and provisions intended for the Presidio of Los Adaes were to be escorted by a guard of ten men sent by the governor from that post to San Antonio and such additional men as the captain of this pre- •sidio deemed best to detail for this purpose. From Saltillo to San Juan Bautista, the escort was to be furnished by the garrison of Coahuila (Monclova) and from this place to San Antonio, by the Presidio of San Juan Bautista. Soldiers detailed to this duty were not to ask any aid in food or specie from the travelers attended or from the owners of the provisions, supplies, or herds being escorted. They were allowed to accept, however, whatever was given freely to them. Whenever traveling through the country of friendly Indians, the officer in charge of the troop was not to allow any of the soldiers to visit the rancleereas or to trade with the natives, because misunderstandings might arise, which would .endan- ger seriously the safety of the travelers or trains of supplies being escorted. The Governor of the Province of Texas was to try by all means pos- sible to maintain the peace that existed with all the Indians of that region and to avoid giving provocation for hostilities. Each year he was to send a ti:oop of twenty-five men, composed of two detachments from
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