The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 15, July 1911 - April, 1912 Page: 25
382 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Aguayo Expedition
minor part in the expedition, for they are mentioned but once in
the Derrotero,' and Espinosa says no more about them.
4. Supplies and Recruits.-Preparations for the expedition
went on apace. On receipt of the news of the trouble in Texas
the viceroy had ordered Aguayo to raise as large a company as
possible in Saltillo and Parras. By September 5, the latter had
recruited and fitted out at Saltillo, partly from his private funds,
eighty-four men. When Aguayo received his commission as gov-
ernor and as the head of the force that was to reoccupy Texas,
he repaired to Monclova, October 21, 1719. He found the forces
on that frontier scarce, and, at his instance, the viceroy decided
to recruit five hundred in the districts of Zelaya, Zacatecas, San
Luis Potosi, and Aguas Calientes. As for funds, the viceroy ap-
propriated thirty-seven thousand pesos, and advanced a year's sal-
ary of four hundred and fifty pesos to each soldier. Aguayo had
used nine thousand of his own in recruiting", and fitting out the
eighty-four men at Saltillo. After much trouble and delay, caused
by the extreme drought, some three thousand nine hundred and
fifty horses were secured. By the middle of October, 1720, the
trains of six hundred mules2 with the clothing, arms, powder, and
six cannon reached Monclova from the City of Mexico.
Interesting light is thrown on the make-up of this expedition
through abuses which occurred in gathering recruits in the juris-
diction of Zelaya.3 If we may judge that the preparation and
make-up of this expedition was typical of all the early ones sent
to Texas, as perhaps we may with safety, we must draw sad con-
clusions concerning their disorganization, disregard of viceregal or-
ders, and the tatterdemalion character of the crowd sent to Texas.
Aguayo entered Texas, Espinosa went to Mexico and laid before the vice-
roy his plans" (for the sending of families). In the same paragraph the
statement is made that "with these recruits he joined Aguayo in his expe-
dition into Texas." The first phrase is evidently just a slip, meant for
"some time before Aguayo entered Texas," etc.
'Thirty-one of the soldiers left at los Adaes were accompanied by their
families. Derrotero. 23.
'Two hundred of the mules were sent ahead with provisions to San
Antonio, leaving four hundred for the expedition. Aguayo arranged to
forward five hundred more. Pefia, Derrotero, 1-2.
'Celaya, northwest of Mexico City, in the state of Guanajuato, was one
of the military outposts founded before 1570 to guard the highway to the
rich districts which were being opened up in the northwest. Bancroft,
History of Mexico, II, 655.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 15, July 1911 - April, 1912, periodical, 1912; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101056/m1/29/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.