The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 43, July 1939 - April, 1940 Page: 61
576 p. : ill., maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Parrilla Expedition to the Red River
known, and the forces were too small to deal with such fierce
Indians. It was not thought that the expedition could be
assembled before June 1, but that any time after June would be
too late to start. This date would allow ample time to reach and
chastize the tribes that were known. The information about these
Indians had come through the Legumbres and Mayeyes, who hunted
buffalo over the same grounds as the enemy.17
The question of Apache relations formed a knotty problem.
Only the Lipanes among them were regarded as friends, and it
was expected that force would have to be used to establish them
in missions. In any case their loyalty was so doubtful that it was
decided to allow only a few to accompany the expedition.18
When the report of the junta was received in Mexico City it
became the subject of argument between the fiscal and the auditor.
The latter opposed the expedition. Among other reasons he ob-
jected to the expense, saying, "These matters always cost more than
is estimated," and he doubted that the Spaniards would be able
to bring the Indians to a decisive engagement. The question was
referred to Echevarri, the decano of the audiencia, who supported
the fiscal. The decisive point in his mind was that the Indians
must be shown that "even in their most remote haunts they would
not be secure from the long arm of Spanish vengeance." Upon the
receipt of this opinion the viceroy ordered preparations to begin."
The work of raising soldiers proceeded slowly. By July 15,
1759, all of the contingents had arrived and the number was
sixty-five short of the five hundred. One reason for the lack of
speed was a series of raids by the Chichimecos on some of the
provinces. Another was the reluctance of the citizens to serve in
a distant campaign. We have already noted the actions of the
citizens of Nuevo Le6n. At other places the conscripts used
"every means to escape service, even fleeing secretly." Some
of those who were inducted managed to desert while on the road
to San Antonio. To cap the climax, officials of different places
17Junta (San Antonio) to viceroy, Jan. 30, 1759, Asalto, pp. 342-6.
18Idem, pp. 348-51, 353-6.
19Fiscal to viceroy, Mar. 23, 1759, Asalto, pp. 362-9. Auditor to
viceroy, Mar. 25, 1759, Asalto, pp. 369-72. Echevarrf to viceroy, Mar. 30,
1759, Asalto, pp. 375-81. Viceroy, decrees, Apr. 1, 1759 and Mar. 30,
1759, Asalto, pp. 384-5, 381-2. Viceroy to Parrilla, Apr. 4, 1759, Asato,
p. 387.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 43, July 1939 - April, 1940, periodical, 1940; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101111/m1/69/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.