Our Catlt0lic Heritage in Texas
the low-lying coast. One hundred twenty-five families reached the shore and were discovered by soldiers from Presidio de Nuestra Senora de Loreto de La Bahia del Espiritu Santo and taken to Captain Tovar. It was here that Captain Martinez Pacheco took charge of them on October 3, 1769. He not only escorted them to San Agustin, furnishing them the necessary supplies, but he hired at his own expense three Spanish arrieros (muleteers) and secured the horses and mules for the transportation of the families and their belongings. After his arrival in San Agustin, he allowed them to rest for a few days and then sent them to Natchitoches under a special escort, commanded by Francisco Pacheco de La Portilla, where the grateful survivors arrived safely on October 26. Both the French and English families signed a sworn state- ment expressing their gratitude for the kind solicitude displayed by Martinez Pacheco for their welfare. The French statement was signed by Honorato Fralien and Jacobo Rousseau, the only two who could write and Esteban Ribot, Antonio Bellad, Benito 01iviet, Andres Recor, Luis Ladet, Pedro Prumeru, Jean Tescune, Francisco Pasque, Francisco Bauntin, Nicolas Beau Soleil, and Votuer who, unable to write, made their sign. The English statement was signed by Philip Ford, Juan Sie1, Francisco Lownder, Leonardo Mattingly, Carlos Stuart, Joseph Hamilton, Neal Therengan, Joseph Mattingly, and George Albercombi. 80 A ba11dom11e11t of Presidio de San Agustin. Little is known concerning the last days of this unfortunate presidio and the Mission of Nuestra Senora de la Luz. In the summer of 1770, the Baron de Ripperda was forced to call upon Captain Martinez Pacheco for help, who gallantly responded and sent a part of his small garrison to aid the governor, now seriously threatened by the Apaches. In February, 1771, conditions in San Antonio demanded further help. The remainder of the small garrison at San Agustin, with the exception of three soldiers left to guard the mission, set out to heed the call of distress. The Indians were reluctant to see the good Father Fray Ignacio Maria Lava and the three soldiers lca\'e their country. For a while the little band of Spaniards patiently awaited the return of their companions. But after a few weeks, the three soldiers and the two missionaries, Fray Lava and Fray Coto took the road to San Antonio de Bejar. The lingering light of Nuestra Senora de la Luz was extinguished, and the mission and presidio of the Orcoquisacs passed out of existence t\'en before their formal abolition was decreed by the new regulations of the frontier presidios of New Spain promulgated in 1772.
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