First Clashes witle tlze United States
A lar-m spreads among Spanislt officials. Before the news of the encounter in the vicinity of Wichita reached Governor Elguezabal, Vidal had reported, through Commandant Mt'1squiz of Nacogdoches, that Nolan and his party, variously estimated to consist of thirty or forty men, were on their way to the mouth of the Brazos to proceed along the coast to the Rio Grande. 33 At this time he also warned Musquiz of the relations of John Cook of Nacogdoches with Nolan. Elguezabal ordered the immediate arrest of Cook and the seizure of his papers and property, but before the order arrived, Cook had left Nacogdoches with Pedro Longueville, Antonio Leal and his wife, Ger- trudes de los Santos. The party sent in pursuit overtook the last three and brought them back. Cook was later captured at Rapide and returned to Nacogdoches. 34 Elguezabal issued orders at the same time to Lieutenant Amangual at La Bahia to send out a reconnoitering party every day to keep a constant watch on the coast, and warned Governor Jose Blanco of Nuevo Santander of the intended violation of his jurisdiction by the bold adventurer. But by this time a report of the incident at Wichita had reached the alarmed Elguezabal which left no doubt that Nolan had decided at the last minute on a northern route and was well on his way to Texas by now. Bewildered by the elusive adventurer, he instructed Musquiz to send his most trusted Indian agents to the northern Indians to get whatever information was available concerning the appearance and move- ments of the invaders. 35 Thoroughly aroused, Governor Blanco of Nuevo Santander, without consulting Felix Calleja, sub-inspector at San Luis Potosi, ordered the captains at Refugio, Reynosa, Camargo, Mier, Revilla, and Laredo to arrest any and all foreigners who entered their settlements without a passport and to place and keep under arms two-thirds of the militia in their respective jurisdictions. When Calleja learned of the danger that threatened the northern provinces and the measures taken for their defence. he instructed Blanco tA assemble at Reynosa detachments from "Vidal ·to Musquiz, October 6, 1800. Afiscellaneous corres-jondenu conurning Phili-j Nolan, 1800-1803, pp. 78-80. 34Elguezabal to Nava, November 12, and 30, 1800. Quaderno Borrador de los oficios ..., II, pp. 90, and 95-96. 35 Elguezabal to Nava, November 30, 1800. Quaderno Borrador, I, pp. 94-96.
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