The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 10, July 1906 - April, 1907 Page: 16
ix, 354 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
The ill-fated expedition of fifty New Mexican troops with In-
dian auxiliaries left Santa FP June 14, 1720, under the com-
mand of Lieutenant-Governor Don Pedro de Villazur. The task
before the latter was to make a reconnaissance of the country and
to attempt by diplomatic means to win the Pawnees from the
French. On August 15th the expedition arrived near the Platte,
in the vicinity of their villages, and early the following morning
all of the Spaniards except six or seven were massacred by a party
of Pawnees, probably under French direction. Among the slain
was Captain Juan de Archibeque, doubtless one of the survivors
of LaSalle's expedition. After a comparatively successful career
in New Mexico he was to expiate his share in the murder of LaSalle
by falling at the hands of savages instigated by his former fellow-
countrymen.
The destruction of this force so seriously crippled Spanish
strength in New Mexico that the attempt to fortify so distant a
post as the "Quartelejo" was abandoned, as were all similar ex-
peditions. On the other hand, the defeat of Villazur proved for the
French the first step in opening the trail to Santa FP. In 1739
came the visit to New Mexico of a group of French Canadian mer-
chants under the Mallet Brothers,' who entered from the direc-
tion of the Platte and returned by way of the Arkansas. As a
result of their report Bienville proposed to open up commerce with
New Mexico by way of the Arkansas and its tributaries, and, in
1741, commissioned Fabry de la Bruyere, in company with four
of the previous party, to undertake the task. In this, however,
they were unsuccessful. If we may judge from other sources, there
was a continuous infiltration of French adventurers during the
succeeding years of the century.2
-II. THE EASTERN BOUNDARY OF SPANISI-I TEXAS.
The imposing entrada of Aguayo determined that the occupa-
tion of Texas by the Spaniards should include the site of LaSalle's
unfortunate settlement and likewise Adaes, the farthermost point
'Margry, VI 455-464, 472-492; Bandelier, loc. cit., 205.
2Annals of Congress, 9 Cong., 2 Sess., 1097; New Mexico Archives, 1804-
1806, passim; Stoddard, Skletches of Louisiana, 147; Cox, "Early Explora-
tion of Louisiana," 116-119, in University of Cincinnati Studies, Series II,
Vol. II, No. 1.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 10, July 1906 - April, 1907, periodical, 1907; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101040/m1/24/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.