Our Catlrolic Heritage in Te:xas
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Toledo, and others in New Orleans added to the frequent raids by Lipans and Comanches soon brought an order to abandon the ranches and retire to San Antonio for safety. 5 City dwellers, however, were experiencing a critical shortage of meat. As scarce as meat was, ranchers were making matters worse by shipping their cattle to adjacent provinces. Arredondo was compelled, therefore, to resort to stringent measures to alleviate the plight of the hungry people. He ordered the confiscation of herds being driven out of the province and summary trial for and execution of traitorous owners and persons en- gaged in such trade. 6 The situation, however, became even more critical in the spring of 1814 after a band of Indians made a daylight attack on the ranch of Ignacio Calvillo, located a few miles from Mission Espada, killed Calvillo, wound- ed several of his ranch hands, and drove off all the cattle. Some ten or twelve survivors-several women and children among them-managed to escape to Mission Espada. By May both the garrison and the citizens of San Antonio were reduced to starvation rations. Fresh supplies had failed to arrive. Ther~ was only a limited amount of meat, and no salt, flour, or beans. Governor Dominguez expressed his worst fears in a report to Arredondo. Unless relief were forthcoming, there would be widespread insubordina- tion and wholesale desertion, for which he could not be held responsible. The desperate condition of the men made them susceptible to the seditious advances of the friends of independence who were still active. The dan.e:er was barely averted by the timely arrival of a train of sup- plies sent by Captain Mariano Varela from Presidio de Rio Grande under an escort of 80 men. How narrowly the train escaped capture by the Lipans, who were on the warpath at the time, may be judged from the fact that it probably crossed the Frio River near present Dilley on or about May 26, and on May 28 Colonel Felipe de la Garza with a force of 400 men attacked and defeated a band of Lipans at the same crossing. 1 Although there was no armed conflict during the winter of 1813-1814, people lived in constant fear of a new uprising, an attack by filibusters, or an Indian raid. To guard against any of these possibilities, Governor Dominguez issued a proclamation on September 30, 1813, dividing the 5 Arredondo to Governor of Texas, Laredo, January 31, 1814, Be:rar Ardlives. 'Arredondo to Benito Armiiian, Laredo, February 2, 181 4; Jose Antonio Bustillo to Anniiian, Mission Espada, April 16, 1814, Bexar Archives. 7 Governor of Texas to Arredondo, Bejar, May 22, 1814; Mariano Varela to Governor of Texas, Rio Grande, May 23, 1814; Felipe de la Garza to Benito Armliian, May 28, 1814, Be:rar Archives.
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