JI
\ I I
Our Catliolic Heritage in T e:tas
16
and fostered in order to remove all possibility of the two great factions uniting against the Spaniards. Commanders and officials in the four provinces were to exercise great secrecy in the execution of their plans, and place no confidence in the friendly nations. The Indians, in visiting the Spanish outposts a,nd settlements, observed everything that was going on and revealed the plans to the enemy, even joining them in many instances. All troop movements were watched closely by the perfidious Lipans. From San Juan Bautista to Espiritu Santo there were more than one hundred leagues of unprotected country. In this area and along the Rio Grande to Reynosa there were many ranches and small settlements exposed to the treachery of friendly Indians and the fury of the open foe. From San Juan Bautista (near Eagle Pass) to La Junta (present Presidio) the country was equally unprotected. These facts should cause settlers and officers in Nuevo Leon and Nuevo Santander to redouble their vigi- lance and keep themselves ready at all times to repel attack or avoid surprise. 21 Colonel Ugalde lost little time in putting into effect the instructions of the viceroy. His vigorous pursuit of the Mescaleros and Lipan-Apaches met with success both in Coahuila and Texas and abated to a large extent the impudent raids and depredations of these Indians who suffered severe losses. In his campaigns he was effectively aided by the new governor of Texas, Rafael Martinez Pacheco, former captain of the ill- fated Presidio de San Agustin near the mouth of the Trinity. San Anto11io lielps defeat tl,e Apaches. In 1789, Colonel Ugalde made an expedition from Monclova to the site of the former Presidio of San Saba (Menard), pursuing the Mescalero and Lipan-Apaches. The Villa de San Fernando and Presidio de Bejar were suddenly stirred into action the night of December 21 by the arrival of Lieutenant Casimiro Valdez, an Indian scout named Joaquin Gutierrez, and Chief Sofias of the Comanches, who, accompanied by a small escort of soldiers, brought an urgent mess~e from Colonel Ugalde. These men had set out from the old and abandoned Presidio of San Saba on the 19th. They brought a request for eighty-five men and two thousand cartridges. These soldiers, or as many as could be mustered, were to set out within forty- eight hours in order to join at San Saba the force of Colonel Ugalde and two hundred Comanche allies with their eight chiefs to deal a
l \ ! 1
I i l
I I
I I I I
20 /bid., pp. 222-230.
Powered by FlippingBook