The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 33, July 1929 - April, 1930 Page: 54

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Southwestern Historical Quarterly

stone garrisoned with twenty men, and another of three hundred
men, dependent upon the former, called La Belduzon on a river
known as San Lorenzo among the Spaniards, distant about sev-
enty leagues.'" Two months later, in July, he further informed
Conde that twenty-four Indians of the A tribe had just arrived
in Santa Fe, having come from the neighborhood of the Yellow-
stone. These told him that they knew nothing of the march of
the three hundred Louisianans. Likewise, his own reconnaissance
parties, continually ranging the plains more than a hundred
leagues east of Sangre de Cristo, had encountered no news of
the Americans.17
While Melgares was gathering this information, Cordero for-
warded him on the 22nd of February, 1819, a copy of the Notes
sent by Onis and repeated the viceroy's orders to fortify the passes,
send plans for other fortifications and correct the abuses of the
Pueblos and the negligence of the searching parties.'8 The gov-
ernor, answering the communication of May 18th characterized
as false and malicious the comments regarding the treatment of
the Indians and the negligence of the parties, for the latter, par-
ticularly, knew that the safety of the province depended upon
them. Referring to the proposed fortifications he stated, that,
although he lacked veteran troops, he had, nevertheless, provi-
sionally fortified the passes of Sangre de Cristo and San Fer-
nando, and was preparing a statement of specifications for forts
at El Vado, Ojo Caliente, and the Plaza of San Fernando,"
points he thought best to fortify. Accompanying this letter the
governor also enclosed the description of the northern and north-
eastern frontiers of New Mexico which is here translated under
the title of Melgares' Report.
In June, Conde forwarded Melgares' communication including
a statement of the cost of one fortification at Taos,20 to Venadito
"Melgares to Cordero, Durango 14 de Mayo de 1819, No. 406. Junio de
1819. Providencias . . . sobre . . . Nuevo Mexico, if. 194-195.
1Melgares to Conde, Santa Fe 9 de Julio de 1819, No. 436. Septiembre
de 1819. Providencias . . . sobre . . . Nuevo Mexico, f. 205. "A" here,
doubtless refers to the Ays tribe.
''Melgares to Cordero, Santa Fe 18 de Mayo de 1819. Aflo de 1819.
Providencias . . . para que se fortifiquen . . . Nuevo Mexico, if. 174-175.
"Ibid., ff. 174-175.
"The total cost of this fortification was estimated to be 5.280 pesos and
2 reales.

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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 33, July 1929 - April, 1930, periodical, 1930; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101090/m1/62/ocr/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.

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