Our Catlt0lic lfnitagc in Texas
The garrison was up to full strength. The one hundred men were reviewed and publicly took the oath of obedience to the new commander. But if the number of men was complete, not so was their equipment nor their arms. They were in sore need of clothes, munitions, arms, saddles, and food supplies. With unexpected generosity and a sense of duty and justice Rabago assured the viceroy, when he made his report, that the sorry plight of the troops was in no way to be imputed to negligence on the part of Colonel Parrilla, the former commander. The soldiers in all the frontier outposts were in the habit of gambling everything they had, and this pernicious practice was responsible for the plight of the garrison. This state of affairs was aggravated by the proximity of the Comanches, who were said to be encamped some twelve leagues away. Their presence required a constant watch and hindered considerably the acquisition of the supplies needed. 8 The presidio was located on the north bank of the San Saba River, commanding wide open plains to the east and west. There was an abundance of timber, rock, water, pastures, and arable lands for the construction and maintenance of both the presidio and the proposed missions for the Apaches. Around the presidio was a stockade three yards high. Portions had rotted or had been destroyed. Six cannon were mounted to protect the wings of the presidio, but there were no experienced artillerymen to man them. The garrison had too many men who were mere boys. Their duties, however, were varied and numerous. They had to patrol the country to the north, to guard against surprise attacks, to watch closely the horses and cattle, to escort supply trains from San Antonio for the presidio and mission, to do guard duty at the presidio, and to accompany parties of friendly Apaches on their hunting trips to safeguard them in case of attack by northern Indians. Men had to be detailed to cut down the timber in order to clear a space in the vicinity of the presidio, and some had to go to Coahuila and to Nuevo Santander to obtain recruits and to purchase horses and cattle. 9 San Saba Missi-on. Two years had elapsed since the martyrdom of Fathers Giraldo de Terreros and Santiesteban, but the charred ruins of the old mission remained like an ugly scar upon the fair plains across the river opposite the presidio. The cowardly Apaches, in spite of their 1 Testimonlo de los Autos formados sobre la entrega del Presidio de San Saba al Capn. Dn. Phe. de Rabago y Teran ... A. G. I., Audiencia de Mexico, 91-3-3 (Dunn Transcripts, 1759-1762), pp. 1-4. 9 Rabago y Teran to the Viceroy, March 2, 1761. A. G. / ., Audiencia de Me:-eico, 91-3-3 (Dunn Transcripts, 1759-1762), pp. 15-25.
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