The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 60, July 1956 - April, 1957 Page: 261

Diary of Pedro Josd de la Fuente

far away and his presence was continually evident in the smoke
signals rising from near-by mountains, his footprints in the sands
of the surrounding desert, and more important in the disappear-
ance of the settlers' livestock on dark nights.
January 1, 1765-Diary in which, by order of the Most Excel-
lent Viceroy and Captain General of these kingdoms, is noted
what has befallen the garrison of this Royal Presidio of Nuestra
Sefiora del Pilar y el Glorioso Sefior San Jose del Paso del Rio del
Norte," its use and distribution, by the captain of the presidio,
Don Pedro de la Fuente.
Month of January
On the first of the month I reviewed the subalterns of this com-
pany-lieutenant,' ensign," and sergeant-and also the two squads
of Corporals Juan Baptista Guzman and Mateo Gonzlez, which
are composed of twenty-two men including the corporals. These
[squads] were the only ones present.7
On the second I reviewed the squad of Xavier Marquez, which
is composed of eleven men including the corporal, besides two
other soldiers, who are engaged in distributing orders and in
guarding the camp of the horse herd.
On the third there arrived at this garrison the corporal from
[the presidio] of Janos,s Juan Antonio Chac6n, with a squad of
soldiers dispatched by their captain with a letter which he wrote
me under the date of December 31 of last year, asking the help
3There were at this time fifty presidials at El Paso. The town surrounding the
presidio consisted of about 2,500 persons of European descent and 250 Indians.
Ibid., 234.
4Probably Antonio Valencia, who is known to have been stationed at the presidio
in August, 1766. Ibid., 239.
5The Spanish title is alferez, and the rank was equivalent to a second lieutenant.
At this time Jos6 Patricio Lucero de Godos held the position.
(Juan Jos6 Padillo was sergeant at this time.
7At any one time there were two squads of soldiers on duty at the presidio; one
was kept at Carrizal to protect that settlement; and one guarded the horses be-
longing to the settlers and presidio of El Paso. The duties were rotated.
8Located about 125 miles southwest of El Paso. The presidio was established
about 1685. H. H. Bancroft, History of the North Mexican States and Texas, (2
vols.; San Francisco, 1884), I, 369. In 1766 the garrison had fifty men and the sur-
rounding town had a population of 455. Ibid., 6oo.

261