Abandonment of East Texas
277
and to Fray Ignacio Lanuza of the College of Zacatecas, they promptly replied that they were ready to supply ten Indians from each mission whenever they were necessary for the defence of San Antonio or for the pursuit of the enemy. But they made it clear that the neophytes were not to be expected to render service except when the citizens of San Antonio were also called out. "To expect the mission Indians to be more patriotic than the Spaniards and to be constantly engaged in military service without receiving other pay than their rations and furnishing their own mounts and arms is to expect the impossible," declared the good Padres. Ripperda plainly admits in his letters to the viceroy ~hat he had intended to call on the missions more frequently than on the citizens, feeling that the settlers could ill afford to leave their families. He com- plained to the viceroy that the missionaries were firm in their determination not to allow their Indians to serve unless citizens were called upon at the same time. A bit resentful, he doubted the sincerity of the missionaries, and even suspected them of giving comfort to the enemy. He recounted how bands of Tonkawas, Yojuanes, and Yerbipiames stole horses from the very houses and appeared to be in communication with the Indians of Mission Valero and Mission Concepcion. When one of these bands was pursued, he avers that in its camp were found tortillas and tamales which they could not have obtained except from the missions. Granting that they had communication, this does not prove that it was with the knowledge or consent of the missionaries. 9 A ba11don111ent of Orcoquisac. Agreeable to the orders of the viceroy of July 24, 1770, Ripperda issued instructions to the commander of Orcoquisac on September 19 to bring his entire garrison of thirty-one men to San Antonio. He explained to the viceroy that this was tantamount to the abandonment of that post and expressed regret that the Orcoquisacs, whose chief was already a Christian, should be left without spiritual ministration. The close friendship of these Indians with the Bidais and the Attacapas made their conversion all the more important. He took the liberty, therefore, to instruct the captain of the presidio to inform the Indians that they would be welcome in San Antonio, where, if they decided to come, they would be placed in whichever mission they chose. Not until February 12, 1771, did twenty-eight men, including Captain 9Ripperda to the Viceroy, September I 9, I 770, Fray Valverde to Rlpperdi, Sep• tember 3; Fray Lanuza to same, September 6; Ripperda to the Viceroy, October 14, I 770. Provi11cia1 /n/1rn01, Vol. I oo, pp. 67-70, 76-78.
Powered by FlippingBook