Our Cat/,o/ic H11ritage in TP.w1s
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governor he was informed by the Cabildo of Monterrey that the citizens had been called upon to render aid so frequently to the struggling settlers of Coahuila and Nuevo Santander that they were unable to furnish one hundred men at this time. 23 Second attack 011 San Saba. The Junia completed its deliberations on January 30, 1759, and made their report to the viceroy. Colonel Parrilla immediately returned to San Saba to prepare for the impending attack. All of February the garrison busied itself reenforcing the defences of the presidio. The lack of forage caused the commander to send the horses and cattle of the presidio to range some distance below the fort. From time to time a wandering band of Indians would stop to trade for a few days. When invited to stay permanently and to enter mission life, they invariably made excuses and moved on. As in the previous year, there was an ominous calm and a cloud of apprehension seemed to hang suspended over the garrison. Shortly after sunrise on March 30, 1759, a soldier arrived in the presidio hatless and out of breath. He had ridden hard from the presidia! ranch to call for aid. Early that morning a large horde of hostile Indians, all armed with firearms and well mounted, had surprised the guard at the ranch. In vain did the sergeant and nineteen soldiers attempt to repel the attack. When the hurried reenforcements, rushed to relieve them, arrived at the ranch, they found only the desecrated remains of their companions, who had bravely given up their lives in the performance of their duty. Scattered over the ground lay the naked forms savagely cut to pieces. In the distance, against the surrounding hills, the rear guard of the enemy was discernible, retiring in good order and driving before them all the horses, cattle and mules of the presidio. The small rescue party for a moment considered rushing the enemy in an effort to recover the stolen horses and cattle and of avenging their unfortunate companions,' but it was realized that the enemy far outnumbered the little band and that to attack them would only imperil the lives of the party with no hope of success. The condition of the presidio after the surprise attack of the Indians on the ranch was truly discouraging. The cattle taken by the Indians represented the bulk of the food supply. The garrison had only twenty horses left. This meant they would have to confine their activities to UGovernor Barrios to Governor Munoz, January IS, 17S9; Governor Munoz to Urresti, January 27, 1759; Urresti to Governor Munoz, January 29. A. G. /., Audiencia de Afexico (Cunningham Transcripts, 1763), pt. 2, pp. 177-181.
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