Aba11do11111e11t of East Texas
2 97
(Arkokisas), and Ais, who might resent the withdrawal and misinterpret its purpose. They ,vere to explain to these Indians that the Spaniards and the French in Louisiana were now brothers; that for this reason the "Big Captain" (viceroy) had ordered the Spaniards to mo\'e to San Antonio where they could culth·ate the soil and raise horses more com- fortably. He had asked the governor of Louisiana to order De Mezieres to do the same among the Indians of the north. 39 Ripperda goes to Los Adaes. The instructions of Oconor reached Ripperda on May 18, but he was then sick and unable to start. On i\fay 25, he finally departed for Los Adaes to carry out the orders for the aban- donment of east Texas. It was his intention to arrange personally for the dismantlement of the presidio and to remain long enough to get the settlers started on their way to San Antonio. But since he had to return as soon as possible, he informed the viceroy that he would leave the details of the withdrawal to Lieutenant Joseph Gonzalez.~ 0 The governor, it seems, went directly to Los Adaes, where he arrived on June 6. He immediately caused the settlers to assemble and issued a public proclamation commanding them to make preparations to leave their homes and march to San Antonio not later than June 12. But it was impossible for the wretched settlers to comply with the peremptory order and they humbly begged to be given a few more days. Ripperda agreed to set the date of departure for June 25, remaining in Los Adaes until June 14, on which day he started back, with the intention of stopping in Nacogdoches to suppress the mission there. 41 On the day of his departure he wrote a letter to Governor Unzaga y Amezaga of Louisiana, informing him of the abandonment of Los Adaes, and explaining that he could not stay longer because he had to return to San Antonio to reorganize the company of soldiers there, disband the garrisons of Los Adaes and Orcoquisac, and hold an inspection in La Bahia before July J. The lack of adequate means of transportation had forced him to leave in Los Adaes five small bronze and two iron cannons, eight hundred and seventeen four-pound cannon balls, thirty-fi\'e smaller ones and sixty-six arrobas (about sixteen hundred pounds) of scrap iron. He had asked 39 Ripperda to the Viceroy, l\Iay 10, Ii73- A.G. JI!. Provillcias /nlemas, Vol. 100, pt. 2, pp. 470-472. • 0 Ripperda to the Viceroy, l\Iay 25, 1773. In Ibid., 489. • 1 Ripperda to the Viceroy, July 11, 1773. A. G. ,JI., PT<r.Jinrias I nlernas, Vol. 1 oo, pt. 2, pp. 493-494.
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