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Our Catltolic H e1·itage in Texas
Trinity and Sabine rivers, and at Orcoquisac and Nacogdoches as 900 men, but a large number of them was employed in the transportation and distribution of food and supplies from Nacogdoches to the various outposts. Fearful of a sudden attack and the need of a hasty retreat west of the Sabine, Herrera had requested that a number of flatboats be built on the Sabine. Cordero assured Salcedo that he had given orders for their construction. 100 To Claiborne's communication of August 26 Herrera replied that the purpose of the Spanish troops on the frontier was to prevent a violation of the king's territory; that Major Freeman had been turned back from the Red River at a point which was far beyond the acknowledged limits of Louisiana; that the incident involving the Caddo Indians had taken place in a village of this nation located within the jurisdiction of Spain and that the Indians had merely been told that if they wanted to fly the American flag they would have to move to American territory. He explained the arrest of the three Americans on the grounds that they had been found spying upon the movements of Spanish troops. He con- cluded by giving Claiborne positive assurance that his intentions were not hostile, but that he was determined to repel force with force, should the established and acknowledged frontier be violated. Claiborne promptly replied that the explanations offered were unsatisfactory and again demanded immediate withdrawal west of the Sabine. 101 When Salcedo finally received full details of the occurrences on the frontier, he was somewhat relieved to learn that, in spite of the angry recriminations, no hostilities had resulted. He again advised caution and tact, and instructed Herrera to restrict his activities to periodic inspec- tions or simple patrol duty in the area between the Sabine and the Arroyo Hondo. In the meantime, as early as May 6, 1806, the War Department, in view·of the exaggerated reports rife at the time, had explicitly ordered General Wilkinson: "You will, therefore, with as little delay as prac- ticable, repair to the Territory of Orleans or its vicinity, and take upon yourself the command of the troops in that quarter . . . and you will.
1oocordero to Salcedo, August 23, 1806. Nacogdoches Arc/rives, X, pp. I 36-140. 101c1aiborne to Herrera, August 31, 1806; Herrera to Claiborne, August 28, 1806. State Papers and Publick Doc,m1ents, II, 168-171.
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