LETTEKS OF ANTONIO MARTINEZ, THE LAST
SPANISH GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, 1817-1822
II
TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY
MATTIE AUSTIN HATCHER
No. 3
I am enclosing to you for your information the diary prepared
by Lieutenant Ygnacio Flores during the reconnoissance he made
of the crossings of the Guadalupe River and the roads from the
interior and from the coast to the east of the Presidio of Bahía
del Espíritu Santo. This diary was forwarded to me by the com-
mandant of that presidio who had noted nothing unusual in that
section.
June 5, 1817
No. 4
I am forwarding to you in quadruplicate the petition of Maria
Loreto Yguera, widow of a soldier of the company of Bahía del
Espíritu Santo, Teodoro Lara by name, who died in the year
1814 at the hands of the Indians. In this, she petitions for the
pension provided for widows of this character by His Majesty.
June 5, 1817
No. 5
I am enclosing to you for your information the sworn state-
ment of the soldier of the company of Bahía del Espíritu Santo,
José Saenz who, on September 7 of last year, was captured by
the Indians in the vicinity of the said presidio. The comman-
dant of that place dropped him from the rolls on this same date
under the impression that he was dead. However, on the 14th
of last month, he reported to the commandant of Bahía, who is
in a quandary as to whether he should be re-instated from the
date he was dropped. I trust that you will decide whatever you
think proper in the case.
June 5, 1817
No. 6
Yesterday the citizens Vicente Sarnac and Manuel Ybarbo
presented themselves to me on their arrival from Natchitoches.
They had been sent out on January 1st of this year by my pre-
decessor Ygnacio Perez with a letter from you addressed to the
vice-consul Felix Trudeaux, with orders for him to send it on to
the consul of New Orleans, Don Diego Murphy. They fully car-
ried out the duty entrusted to them, delivered the letter to Tru-
deaux, and in addition, have brought the answer from the consul,
which I am forwarding to your Excellency in the enclosed sealed
packet.
Although citizen Anastacio Ybarbo, who accompanied Vicente
Sarnac and Manuel [Ybarbo] did not return with them, they
have informed me that they thought it best to leave him at
Natchitoches to secure certain important information for this
government so that he might later come and report it. After
their departure, these men had information that two hundred
troops had arrived at Natchitoches with a train of artillery and
that a division of more than 1,000 men was to follow them.
Likewise, two citizens of Natchitoches have arrived in company
with Sarnac and Ybarbo. They are Alexandro de la Garza and
Matias Peña, who brought his wife with him. The first named
intends to settle in this region while the last intends to go back
as soon as he receives his mules that were used in bringing Sar-
nac and Ybarbo to this place and he knows of a safe convoy back.
I have ordered sworn statements secured from all of them as
to their observations regarding the bandits. These I, likewise,
send your Excellency in the original for your information.
In view of the recent occurrences and in order that you may
have information of everything as soon as possible, I have thought
it best to arrange to have everything sent to your hands post
haste by a special messenger. I beg of you, if you consider of any
importance what Diego Murphy, consul of New Orleans, communi-
cated, to inform me so that I can take all possible measures
for the defense of this province if the enemy makes any attempt
on the coast or over land.
I have already pointed out to you the sufferings of the troops
of this unfortunate province; and, now, once more, I beg you not
to forget me and to send me all I have asked for. In addition,
will you be good enough to send me the iron and steel necessary
for the repair of the gun carriages upon which the artillery is
mounted. They are in such a condition that they are not worth
anything to us. We need it, too, so that lances can be made for
these troops, for they have none. They would be very helpful
to us, for at the present time, the soldiers have neither lances nor
swords. It is imperative that the cavalry be supplied with one
of these weapons.
From the enclosed report your Excellency will see the number
of troops in the garrison and in the different points that are oc-
cupied. Therefore, your Excellency, if you feel that any band
of revolutionists are planning to attack this place, you will feel
impelled, I hope, to send me some reinforcements. In addition
to the fact that the number in this place is small, the soldiers
are poorly armed and without the means of repairing their
weapons due to the lack of iron and steel, as I have already
pointed out to you. Although you were good enough to send a
hundred guns for the troops of this province, they will be of no
service whatever. In addition to the fact that they are miser-
ably poor guns they have been already used as long as they were
of any account. It is evident that they were discarded by other
troops.
Of the 6,000 pesos you were good enough to order delivered to
the paymaster of this garrison for the salary of the officers and
for supplies for the troops of this province, only a scant 1,000
has been available because, when it arrived here, there were
already debts greatly in excess of this amount. Therefore, your
Excellency, it will be a good thing if you could see your way to
send me 3,000 or 4,000 pesos in addition to the sum that has to
be sent to cover payment of salaries and supplies. In this way,
it would be possible to pay many people in this place whom we
already owe. On the contrary, things will continue in this same
condition, for, at the present time I do not have a single half
real with which to supply the troops after the 15th of the present
month. All of this I call to your attention for your guidance.
June 4, [sic] 1817
No. 2
This morning at dawn, I received information from the com-
mandant of Bahía del Espíritu Santo to the effect that a large
number of Americans had landed at the Port of Matagorda. Cer-
tain Indians of the Coast, who had a skirmish with the invaders,
came especially to bring the news which had not, as had been
thought, been secured through a sergeant who was on duty at
that point with a party of troops. According to the story of the
Indians the detachment had retired before the arrival of the
enemy. They had not yet reached Bahía. I had sent the com-
mandant there a letter advising him of my suspicions and they
may have been murdered or taken prisoners by the enemy and I
feel that it is necessary for me to give you this information.
The garrison at Bahía is very small and is afoot, without a
single horse. They are absolutely naked and perishing for the
necessities of life. For this reason, the commandant of that post
asked me for immediate aid. I was not able to furnish him any-
thing as the garrison of this capital is in the same condition as
that. Supplies are very scarce. I must cover all the various
points in this province. I have fifty men with an officer on the
road to Rio Grande to bring back grain so that the troops may
not die of hunger. Another party of fifty men under two offi-
cers have gone out against the Indians who attacked this prov-
ince and murdered one unfortunate citizen almost at the very
door of his home on the evening of the 4th of the present month.
I have at this capital twenty-four cannon. Only eight of them
are mounted on carriages. They are absolutely useless and I
have neither mules nor drivers to move them and I may say even
to spike them if necessary. Besides, I have repeated orders from
the commandant general to retire with the troops and settlers
in case I am attacked by a superior force. May I hope, Sir,
that you will not fail to take active steps to remedy these evils
so that I may not be forced to abandon this beautiful province
that is so important to this kingdom. This would be very pain-
ful when I have not actually finished taking possession. I do
not expect this, Your Excellency. I regret to say that I can do
no less than to inform you that I am cognizant of the infinite
number of petitions my predecessors have presented to the com-
mandant general in this matter, and, far from his having taken
the slightest steps, their appeals have not even received an an-
swer. I promise myself a similar fate, particularly at the present
time, when the commandant general is unofficially out of his
headquarters and I do not know the point at which I might find
him to place my complaints before him nor what help I can count
upon that could come as soon as the enemy might fall upon me.
The distance and the unsettled state of this province demands
that anticipatory measures be taken for the necessary help as I
set forth to you when I expressed my reluctance to come and take
command here, for I knew beforehand the condition I would find.
Nevertheless, I can do no less than set forth to you that, in
spite of the orders I am under and the implicit obedience I have
always rendered, I am resolved to defend this province at all
costs or perish in it gloriously. However, I trust that you will
give your attention to this section you have placed under my
charge, for with my limited insight, I firmly believe that sad
consequences for all the kingdom would result from its loss.
On the 4th of the present month certain spies sent to Natchi-
toches by this government presented themselves at this place.
They carried sealed communications from the commandant gen-
eral addressed to Don Diego Murphy, Consul at New Orleans.
I am ignorant as to what they might have contained but, from
sworn statements secured from the said spies (who are to be
trusted), I find 200 men have arrived at the post of Natchitoches,
consisting of troops with a train of artillery, that another divi-
sion of 1500 is to follow them, that the Americans have formed
a settlement on the other side of the Colorado River and that
another much larger settlement has been established on this side
of the Sabine. You can see that these men are not acting in
good faith for they are not content with their settlement in the
Neutral Zone but are contniuing to push into our territory. I
might add to this that, from a deposition of the sindico
procura
-
dor
of Vallupier, it is ascertained that he learned from the col-
onel commanding the fort of Natchitoches, that war has been de-
clared against Spain, but that the order of suspension had been
received six days thereafter; and that there is a larger settlement
of Comanche and Lipan Indians on the San Saba River. They
were formerly very hostile toward each other but they are now at
peace and harmony and they intend to make, or actually are
making, preparations to commit hostilities against this province.
If these notices demand my attention, I am justified in believ-
ing that they cannot be indifferent to you. I trust that you will
take wise and energetic measures. God guard you many years.
June 7, 1817
No. 7
At three o'clock this morning, I received information from
Captain Juan de Castañeda, commandant of the Presidio of
Bahía del Espíritu Santo, that a large number of Americans had
landed at Matagorda and had had a skirmish with the Indians
who came immediately to report the matter to him. The ser-
geant, whom he had stationed at that point with a party of ob-
servation, did not report the matter--for he had previously re-
tired without waiting for orders. However, as he has not yet
reached that presidio, Castañeda fears that he may have been
caught by these enemies. Castañeda asks me for help as soon
as I can possibly send it. This garrison, however, is very small.
I have fifty men under an officer on the road to Rio Grande for
the purpose of bringing corn from that presidio. I also have
fifty men under two officers out after the Indians who had the
daring to attack this settlement on the 4th day of the present
month, killing one citizen right at his own house.
I have given what I considered the best possible instructions
for the defense that must be made at that point. He is to retire
only in case he is forced to do so because the enemy is too power-
ful to be withstood. In this case he is to retreat and join me
here in this capital. He is to be governed by the orders that
have been issued to him in view of the instructions you have
given this government on this point—that is, your last orders of
March 15th of this year.
The garrison at Bahía is entirely afoot. I have already re-
ported to you the condition of the troops of this garrison, hav-
ing done so at the time I took command of this province. It only
remains for me to say to you that I am hoping that, since you
are so much interested in the preservation of the provinces under
your command, you will not fail to send all the help your re-
sources will permit in order that it may be saved and that I may
defend it as my ardent desires urge me to do, with the under-
standing that I have now taken steps to collect as large a force
as possible and march in person with them to the aid of Casta-
ñeda. I have this moment informed him of this fact. Only in
case there is no other alternative will I abandon the province.
In accordance with your Excellency's orders and in view of the
said situation of the troops, I have sent information to the gov-
ernor of the province of Coahuila and to the commandant at
Rio Grande, asking them to protect my retreat in case I am
forced to retire from this province with as many of my troops
as I can carry with me as Your Excellency has ordered. I do
not hope for this because I know the situation they are now
facing.
I trust that you will be good enough to let me know of your
plans. I will not fail to keep you advised of everything that is
worthy of attention.
June 7, 1817, five o'clock in the morning
No. 8
I am enclosing to you the paper sent you by the consul of New
Orleans, Don Diego Murphy. It has been brought to this capital
by Agustin Piernas, a citizen, and the soldiers Fernando Mar-
tinez and Ventura Hinojosa, who, on the 9th of the present
month, arrived here from Natchitoches, where they were sent as
spies by my predecessor, Manuel Pardo. There is enclosed also
the sworn statement I secured from them concerning their ob-
servations.
While awaiting a second report of the landing of the Ameri-
cans at the port of Matagorda, I have postponed forwarding the
enclosed paper. I was also afraid that it would be lost since I
did not know your Excellency's present location. However, the
expected report has just reached my hands and I must say to
you, according to what Castañeda tells me, the Americans had
landed on the coast at Matagorda, were pitching camp and throw-
ing up breastworks. Their morning and evening guns had been
heard. However, Castañeda has not been able to state the num-
ber of men. He only knows that twelve vessels landed at the
port. Two of them had three masts and other ten had two masts.
Still another one was aground. The Carancahua Indians ex-
changed some shots with them, killing ten of them. The Indians
have the spoils, among other things some holy vessels and orna-
ments.
The terrible condition of the small force Castañeda has in
addition to the fact that he has no food for the soldiers and that
they are all afoot and without shoes prevents his even planning to
send out parties of observation. Such parties as he might send
would be at a terrible risk. I am almost in the same situation.
I cannot at present send him any supplies. As to soldiers, I have
already informed you I have fifty men at Rio Grande to bring
out the corn. Ten men under Lieutenant Colonel Pérez have
been forced to go out for the purpose of punishing a large band
of Indians that are committing hostilities against us with great
frequency. I have remained in the capital with only thirty or
forty men, most of them sick. Those who are not sick cannot be de-
pended upon, for they are afoot and cannot use the arms they
chance to find. I base my safety upon the small number of citi-
zens alone and they are in exactly the same condition I have pic-
tured. Nevertheless, I am sending two men to follow the route
taken by Ygnacio Pérez and to overtake him so that he can re-
turn. The moment he arrives, I will leave him in command of
this place and I will march with my force to the aid of the pre-
sidio of Bahía unless, in the meantime, I have other orders from
you that will prevent my making the expedition as planned. I
hope that when you become informed of the situation of this
province you will fix your attention upon it and furnish it all
the aid in your power, both in money or provisions and in men,
for unless conditions improve the force I have will not be suffi-
cient, as you must have noticed from my report which I enclosed
to you in my letter No. 7 of the 7th of the present month.
I have begged you for iron and steel to mend such of the arms
as can be mended, for the most of them cannot be repaired. For
this reason and because of the urgent need of replacement and
the repair of some one hundred guns or escopets as well as of
powder and balls, I need only say to you that I have only 27,000
cartridges for supplying the parties that must he continually sent
out against the Indians as well as to perform other necessary
duties, for, although I have a box of powder, it is useless and
can be of no help whatever.
I know the many duties that your Lordship must, at this time,
perform. I also know the lack of money you are experiencing.
However, the situation this province is in does not permit me to
remain silent regarding the things I have petitioned your Ex-
cellency for. In spite of the great needs that are mentioned, the
things I have cited do not permit the least possible delay. I am,
therefore, awaiting such measures as your Lordship may be
pleased to take.
June 11, 1817
No. 9
When the special messenger was on the point of starting with
the enclosed sealed paper, I received your Excellency's letter of
the 28th of last month written from "Cinco Señores" which con-
tained the circular you sent me. Informed of what you wrote
me, I cannot fail to report that I will send to Bahía the aid re-
quested in the aforesaid paper as soon as possible.
June 11, 1817
How to cite:
Mattie Austin Hatcher, Antonio Martinez, "Letters of Antonio Martinez, the Last Spanish Governor of Texas, 1817-1822", Volume 39, Number 2, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v039/n2/contrib_DIVL1937.html
[Accessed Tue Nov 24 2:36:22 CST 2009]
