The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 49, July 1945 - April, 1946 Page: 346
717 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
is a copy of a letter written from the battlefield of the Medina
by General Joaquin Arredondo announcing his bloody victory
over the Mexican and American revolutionists against Spain.
A letter is included directing the disposition of the arms cap-
tured from the garrison at Laredo and returned to the alcalde
by Texas Ranger Captain R. A. Gillespie in March, 1846. The
collection furnishes invaluable data for a student of the history
of the border and of the social conditions of a frontier town
under Spain and Mexico.
In the scope of a paper of this nature, it is impracticable to
go into the detailed contents of these old archives, but some
idea may be given of the growth of the town and the intimate
social and governmental problems of the people under Spanish
rule, as reflected by scattered documents in the collection.
The establishment of a town in the wilderness on this far-
flung frontier was a great undertaking, but the first four
families who settled Laredo, May 15, 1755, had for a leader
a man of true pioneer spirit, Don T6mas SAnchez de la Barrera
y Gallardo.3 SAnchez founded the town under the direction of
one of the greatest colonizers of his day, Colonel Jos6 de
Escand6n, the old soldier who wrested from the savage Indian
and the forces of nature the vast territory extending from the
Panuco River in Mexico to the banks of the Nueces in the
present state of Texas.' The story of the hardships of the first
few years of the town must be left somewhat to the imagina-
tion, but the archives record that in two years the population
increased from four families to eleven families and four bache-
lors, numbering in all eighty-five persons. Each man was well
armed and mounted. Ranches well stocked with cattle, horses,
goats, and sheep were operated.5 By 1767 the population had
increased to some two hundred, and in June of that year the
village was raised to the dignity of an incorporated town and
granted a charter by the crown of Spain.6 In the fall the first
election was held, and Jos6 Martinez de Sotomayor was selected
as alcalde, the Salvador GonzAlez Hidalgo and NicolAs de
3Estado General de las Fundaciones Hechas por D. Jos4 de Escanddn en
la Colonia del Nuevo Santander Costa del Seno Mexicano ("Publicaciones
del Archivo General de la Nacion," XIV, XV, [Mexico, 1929-1930]) I,
444, II, 123-124.
4Ibid., "Relaci6n de los Meritos de Don Jose Escand6n," II, 303ff.
5Ibid., I, 448-449; H. E. Bolton, "Tienda de Cuervo's Ynspeccion of
Laredo, 1757," in Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association,
VI, 200-201.
6Acta de la General Visita al Pueblo de San Agustin de Laredo.346
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 49, July 1945 - April, 1946, periodical, 1946; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146056/m1/401/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.