253
Founding of El Paso and Establishment of 1Jfissions
siege to Santa Fe. While Governor Otermin and his soldiers, together with as many settlers as had been able to reach the Casas Reales, bravely fought the besiegers, his lieutenant, Captain Alonso Garcia, tried des- perately to withstand the attack of the Indians at old Isleta and to establish communication with his superior, but to no avail. On August 14, Captain Garcia called a council of all his men-at-arms and the seven missionaries who were with him at Isleta. It was the unanimous opinion of the council that the pueblo should be abandoned and the whole body of the people should retreat towards Mexico "in as good military order as possible, until they should meet the wagons of supplies and the escort that went with it, which had been started from Mexico the year previous for the aid and support of the religious of the province." In accord with the decision reached, Garcia ordered the retreat that same day. Thus did "this weak and impoverished division start on its march to the south." 18 Seven days later, on August 21, after having successfully broken the siege at Santa Fe in a dash of unparalleled determination, Governor Otermin decided to abandon the Villa in accord with the opinion of the majority of his men, and make his way to old Isleta, where he thought Captain Garcia was still holding out. The Indians had burned all the houses and devastated the surrounding country before raising the the siege. To remain under such conditions, exposed to a new attack, was deemed unwise. Before leaving, the governor ordered that all the property in his ltacie11da be distributed equally among the people, that they might go as well provided as possible. To over a thousand men, women, and children supplies consisting chiefly of shoes, shirts, uni- forms, overcoats, and other useful articles were distributed free, together with all the remaining horses which were used in making a speedy retreat from the province. The cost of the supplies distributed at the expense of the governor was estimated at eight thousand pesos. "Thus," declares Hackett, " turning their backs on the charred remains of what had once been the houses and the church of the Villa de Santa Fe, this body of refugees, with their faces towards the south, started out through the ruined districts to join their countrymen and fellow sufferers, who, as they thought, were at Isleta, but who . . . had already left that pueblo in defense of their own lives a week before." 19
18 Hackelt, op. cit., XV, 145-147. 19 Hackett, op. cit., XV, 143-144.
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