Our Catlzolic Heritage in Texas
52
de Mannela (Masmela), Spanish purchasing agents, remained in Natchi- toches buying supplies until the attack on Nacogdoches in August. Mar- mela informed Captain Bernardino Montero of Nacogdoches that the people of Natchitoches were very much interested in the revolutionary movement in Mexico, but that their sympathy for the rebel cause sprang, not from patriotism, but from cupidity for the wealth to be gained from trade. A ete1npt to clear tlze N e1'tral Grtnmd. The merchants of Natchitoches had complained to Governor William C. C. Claiborne that unless some- thing was done to curb the excesses of the banditti in the Neutral Ground their trade with Texas would be ruined. Claiborne immediately sent the complaint to Secretary of State James Monroe with a request for au- thority to stamp out this hazard to American commerce. The response was quick and effective. Before the middle of February; 1812, Lieutenant Colonel Zebulon M. Pike was ordered to proceed from Baton Rouge to Natchitoches with a company of troops to cooperate with Captain Overton in disbanding the robbers who were occupying the Neutral Ground and we~e seriously interfering with trade between Louisi- ana and Texas. On February 26 Colonel Pike informed Captain Bernardino Montero, commander at Nacogdoches, that he had orders from General Hampton to drive out all squatters settled between Arroyo Hondo and the Sabine. In accord with the terms of the agreement signed by General Wilkinson and Colonel Herrera he was soliciting the assistance of the Spanish commander for a joint drive to expel those who threatened peaceful commerce between Nacogdoches and Natchitoches. He said that it was his understanding that most of these men were fugitives from justice. He sent the message with Lieutenant William King and requested that Montero inform him as soon as possible the number of men the Spaniards would send on the proposed expedition, the rank of the officer in command, and the point of rendezvous. If the Spaniards were unable to send a contingent at this time, Colonel Pike would undertake the assignment alone. Captain Montero immediately dispatched a messenger to San Antonio for instructions. Governor Salcedo in reply asked that Colonel Pike be thanked for his generous offer of cooperation. He instructed Montero to send Captain Isidro de la Garza with ten men to join the American de- tachment at Stone Creek (Bayou Pierre) . 26 MZebulon M. Pike to Bernardino Montero, Natchitoches, February 26, 18u; Montero to M. Salcedo, Nacogdoches, March 1, 1812; Salcedo to Montero and Pike,
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