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Our Ct1tl1olic Heritage in Texas
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San Agustin. Both the governor and the former commander of San Agustin presented their cases to Oconor, who in November ordered the arrest of Lieutenant Marcos Ruiz and charged him with burning a royal presidio. Fearful of arrest Manuel de Soto, a man of some prominence and a friend of the governor, fled to Natchitoches, where he lived for several years as a refugee. The investigation now disclosed clearly the responsibility of Governor Martos y Navarrete in the deplorable incident that caused Martinez Pacheco to flee from the burning presidio of San Agustin. In 1767 formal charges against the governor were brought. His trial for this offense lasted for fourteen years and resulted in the imposition of a heavy fine. 75 To the irreparable havoc wrought by the storm of human passions that almost annihilated the unfortunate post at the mouth of the Trinity was added the material destruction of a terrific storm that desolated the barren coast. On Sep- tember 4, 1766, a typical Texas storm shook the half-abandoned presidio and mission and almost blew it out of existence. Hardly a building was left standing. and all the property and supplies were severely damaged. An appeal was hurriedly made to San Antonio de Bejar, and a report of the pitiable condition of the garrison and the missionary was sent to the viceroy. Afan de Rivera explained to the viceroy that a similar storm had desolated this place in 1762. and he begged permission to move to higher ground. The necessary aid was given, and the viceroy informed Ri\·era that ever since December 9, , 762, the removal of the presidio and mission had been authorized. Subsequent events had prevented the order from being carried out. Rivera now moved the garrison to a low hill about a quarter of a league from its original location. It is to be noted that this was the only removal of the presidio since its foundin;;. 76 A tropical stomi devastates San A gustfo, 1766. Visit of Marq1'ez de Rubi, 1767. The presidio de San Agustin had not fully recovered from the disastrous effects of the storm, when it was visited in 1767 by the Marques de Rubi, one of the most distinguished and capable Spanish officials to inspect the frontier. With him came the able and meticulous engineer Don Nicolas de la Fora, who kept a careful diary of the inspection and made maps and drawings of the places visited. It is in this document that we have the last pen picture in which the 75 Martos y Navarrete to the King, May 17, 1776, A . G. I .• A111lie11cia tie G11ada• lajara, 103-6-27 (Dunn Transcripts, 1767), pp. 59-68; Bolton, Te:ras in tl,e Middle Eigl,teentls Century, p. 372. 16 A. G. M., Historia, Vol. 94, pt. 2, pp. 72-81.
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