Santa Cruz De San Saba

The destruction of the mission of San Sabá in the province of Texas. Oil on canvas. 237 x 527.5 cm. ca. 1765. Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico. An English language translation of the inscription is found on the article on painter José de Páez

Former Castilian mission in Texas

Mission Santa Cruz de San Sabá was ane of the Spanish missions in Texas. It was established in Apr 1757, along with the Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas, later renamed Presidio of San Sabá, in what is now Menard County. Located along the San Saba River, the mission was intended to convert members of the Lipan Apache tribe. Although no Apache ever resided at the mission, its existence convinced the Comanche that the Spanish had allied with the Comanche's mortal enemy. In 1758 the mission was destroyed by 2,000 warriors from the Comanche, Tonkawa, Yojuane, Bidai and Hasinai tribes. It was the simply mission in Texas to be completely destroyed by Native Americans. The Indians did not attack the nearby presidio.

In retaliation, the Spanish government authorized an trek in 1759 to attack the Comanche. Colonel Diego Ortiz Parrilla led over 500 Spanish soldiers and Apache braves into Comanche territory. Along the Red River, Spanish soldiers encountered a Wichita village which had been heavily fortified, consummate with a moat and wooden stockade. The Indians lured Ortiz into an ambush and after a four-60 minutes battle in which the Spanish suffered 19 dead, he and his troops retreated, leaving two cannon in the hands of the Indians.^[1]

To commemorate the destruction of Santa Cruz de San Sabá, the benefactor commissioned a painting in 1762, completed in 1765 (analogy). This became the starting time work of art to depict a historical result in Spanish Texas. A historical marker was erected near the site of the mission, and archaeological excavations were carried out in the 1990s.

Groundwork [edit]

In 1716, Spanish officials authorized the settlement of the border province Spanish Texas, in the hopes of checking the influence of French missionaries and traders in neighboring Louisiana.^[2] Over the next several years, missionaries established a series of Castilian missions in Texas, ministering primarily to the Hasinai and Coahuiltecan tribes.^[iii] By 1731, many of the missions were relocated to the San Antonio River, and the number of soldiers in Texas was cutting to 144.^[iv]

Spanish economical policies were designed to discourage its colonists from trading with other nations. All goods meant for Texas were supposed to be shipped to Veracruz and brought overland to San Antonio. The costs and difficulty of transportation made goods very expensive, making it difficult for settlers or missionaries to afford items that could be traded with, or offered equally a gift to, the native tribes.^[5]

Native tribes were able to trade freely, and some accumulated French guns, while others traded or stole Spanish horses. Tribes without access to either resources were left at a disadvantage. The Lipan Apache, who had been seasonal farmers, were shortly pressed by the Comanche, who had horses, and the Wichita, who had guns.^[6] The Apaches were bitter enemies of the Hasinai tribes of East Texas and had transferred their enmity to the Spanish every bit friends of those tribes.^[seven] Over the side by side several decades, the Apache often raided Spanish settlements.^[6]

The Apache likewise raided other tribes, including the Deadose and Tonkawa. In the 1740s, these weaker tribes requested missions forth the San Gabriel River in the hopes that the Spanish could protect them from attack.^[8] Mission San Francisco Xavier was established at the confluence of the San Gabriel River and Bushy Creek in January 1746 to serve the Deadose, Mayeye, and Coco Indians.^[9] In 1748 alone, the Apaches raided the mission four times, killing three soldiers and 4 of the Indian residents.^[10] Many of the resident Indians fled the mission due to the threat of attacks.^[11] This did not deter the missionaries, who founded two more than missions, San Ildefonso and Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, in the area the following year. Inside six months, all of the potential converts at San Ildefonso had left.^[12] By 1755, the missions were transferred to a new location on the San Marcos River.^[xiii]

Institution [edit]

In August 1749, the Apache and Spanish agreed to peace.^[xiv] The Apache began to request Spanish missions. Government repeatedly denied these requests, wary that the Apache were trying to proceeds Castilian aid in attacking the Comanches.^[6] Withal, the Spanish believed that if the effort was successful in converting Apaches and disarming them to remain peaceful, the missionary action could be expanded due north. If a large enough expanse could go peaceful, the Spanish might be able to establish an overland route to Santa Fe.^[vi]

In 1752, Spanish authorities approved an expedition to explore the Apache territory and locate a site for a possible mission. The following year a small group, led by Juan Galván and including Begetter Miguel de Aranda, who worked at Mission Concepción, travelled northwest of San Antonio, exploring the Pedernales River, the Llano River, and the San Saba River. The San Saba River area appeared well-nigh promising as the soil was fertile, in that location seemed to be mineral deposits in the expanse, and local Apache promised to come to a mission. Galván recommended that a mission exist founded along the San Saba, and that a presidio be established nearby to protect the mission against the Comanche.^[14]

The viceroy ordered a second expedition of the expanse in 1754. Former governor of Texas Pedro de Rábago y Terán explored the same area and concurred with Galván'southward recommendation. The people of San Antonio were enthusiastic well-nigh the proposal, hoping that a new northern settlement would protect their boondocks from raids. The governor however hesitated, and in 1756 asked Lieutenant Governor Bernardo de Miranda to again explore the surface area.^[14] While exploring, Miranda heard rumors from the Apache of silver deposits near San Sabá and again recommended the area.^[15]

The mission was established near modernistic-day Menard, TX

In 1757, authorities finally approved the mission. For three years, the mission would be funded by local mine owner Pedro Romero de Terreros, whose cousin, Male parent Alonso Giraldo de Terreros, would run the mission.^[6] After three years, the government would pay mission expenses, and the government would likewise fund the garrison. The missions forth the San Marcos River would be airtight, and all of their assets would be purchased by Pedro Terreros and transferred to the new mission. Unlike well-nigh missions, this one would written report to the viceroy instead of the governor.^[15] ^[16]

Franciscan missionaries were assigned from the College of Santa Cruz de Querétaro and the College of San Fernando de México.^[16] Authorities had too authorized the building of a fort to protect the mission and its occupants. Missionaries were agape that the Spanish soldiers might corrupt their converts and insisted that the fort be built 3 miles (4.viii km) abroad and on the other side of the river.^[17] The missionaries had divided loyalties; some supported Father Terreros, while others were angry that Terreros had been given responsibility over other priests who had long advocated for a mission to the Apaches. The commander of the garrison, Colonel Ortiz Parrilla did not approve of Terreros'due south appointment and besides questioned the motives of the Apache. He delayed the journey several times. The missionaries, soldiers and their families left San Antonio for the San Saba River in Apr 1757. They brought with them 1,400 cattle and 700 sheep.^[18]

There were no Apache waiting at the mission site, and later on v days of searching Ortiz was unable to find whatever Apache. Ortiz attempted to halt the trek, merely the half dozen missionaries refused to leave. The mission was congenital nearly modern-day Menard.^[18] Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas was built at the aforementioned time on the other side of the river and iii miles away as demanded by the priests.^[19] Apache representatives periodically appeared at the mission, promising that they would soon relocate to the missions, but none e'er did. Three of the six missionaries returned to San Antonio.^[18]

Destruction [edit]

The presence of the mission infuriated Comanche leaders, who saw San Sabá every bit proof of an brotherhood between the Spanish and Apache.^[17] The Apache encouraged this perception, leaving Spanish-made items, such as shoes, backside when they raided Comanche camps.^[xviii] The garrison soon heard rumors that hundreds of Comanche warriors were moving towards the mission. Ortiz requested that the missionaries move into the presidio, but they refused. Because then many women and children lived in the fort, Ortiz could spare but a few soldiers to remain at the mission with the priests.^[20] The Comanche centrolineal with other traditional Apache enemies, including the Tonkawa and Hasinai, and on March 16, 1758, this force of about 2,000 warriors attacked the mission.^[17] Co-ordinate to Spanish accounts, at least half of the warriors carried European guns, an unusual event in a time when most natives fought with bow and arrow or hatchets.^[21]

8 people died, including Father Terreros, and the mission was burned to the ground.^[17] Well-nigh every fauna in the mission compound was killed, including the cattle.^[20] One missionary and about 20 other people escaped to the presidio.^[18] The Comanche gathered well-nigh the fort and tried to entice the soldiers to come up outside the safety of the wooden walls. When their ploys did non work, the natives left on March eighteen.^[20] The San Sabá mission was the only Castilian mission in Texas to be completely destroyed past a native attack.^[20]

Response [edit]

Spanish government were livid and adamant to make a dramatic statement and then that the tribes would not take reward of perceived Spanish weakness.^[17] They chose not to disband the presidio, as that would appear to be a retreat. In January 1759, a junta met in San Antonio to determine the appropriate armed services response. They were unable to get significant numbers of volunteers among the citizens in Texas and neighboring Nuevo León and instead recommended that the forcefulness include soldiers, militiamen, and natives.^[22]

The government committed 52,000 pesos to fund the expedition and the adjacent several months were spent recruiting men. While these arrangements were beingness fabricated, Comanche raided the horse herd at the San Sabá presidio, killing twenty soldiers. This event strengthened the Spanish resolve.^[22] In September, 1759, Colonel Diego Ortiz Parrilla, the commander of the garrison tasked with protecting the mission, and his 500 soldiers and Apache braves marched due north into Comanche territory.^[17] ^[22] On Oct 2 they engaged in a skirmish along the Brazos River, taking 149 natives captives. Several days later they repulsed a native attack and followed the attackers to the Red River.^[22] At that place, the Spanish encountered the Comanche and other tribes at a fortified hamlet of the Taovayas, a Wichita people. The town had been surrounded by a stockade and a moat and flew a French flag.^[17]

Ortiz'due south men were inexperienced and faced a group that had been forewarned and were well-prepared. The Spanish and Apache attacked, resulting in 52 of their group killed, wounded, or deserted. Ortiz ordered a retreat,^[17] and the group reached San Sabá on October 29.^[22]

Touch on [edit]

The incident proved that the French had made not bad inroads with the Comanche and other northern tribes, and those tribes had learned European-style fighting tactics. Many Castilian officials believed that the French had instigated the attack on the mission and had helped the Comanche to set up the village, but historian David Weber said the evidence for this charge is inconclusive.^[17]

Given the superiority of Comanche numbers and the fact that the Comanche now had similar firepower to Spanish officials, many Spanish soldiers began to fear for their own safety.^[21] Several of the soldiers garrisoned at the San Sabá presidio asked for transfers, and the commander of the garrison at Presidio La Bahía wrote that "The enemy [is] so superior ... in firearms likewise every bit in numbers, that our devastation seems likely."^[23] Spanish officials refused to close the San Sabá presidio, ordering it rebuilt in limestone and surrounded by a moat. For the next decade, Comanche forces remained nearby, killing soldiers who ventured out in small groups. In 1769, the presidio was closed.^[21] For the adjacent several decades, there was picayune attempt by the Spanish to investigate or settle in the Comanche territory.^[21]

In 1762, Pedro Romero de Terreros deputed a painting to laurels his cousin who had died in the attack. The resulting The Destruction of Mission San Sabá in the Province of Texas and the Martyrdom of the Fathers Alonso Giraldo de Terreros, Joseph Santiesteban is the earliest painting known to depict a historical event in Texas.^[24] According to the Handbook of Texas, the painting is "the only such piece of work executed in United mexican states in the mid-1700s that attempted to document a contemporary historical issue".^[25] The painting was the field of study of some controversy in the 1980s, after United states of america Customs agents confiscated it in Texas and returned information technology to Mexico.^[26]

In 1936, a historical monument was established at a site tentatively identified as the mission grounds. In 1965, archaeologists began searching for the site of the mission and in 1993 excavation began approximately 1 mile (1.vi km) from the historical monument. Over 300 Spanish artifacts were recovered.^[26]

References [edit]

^ "Twin Villages, Battle of the. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Civilisation. http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/T/TW005.html Archived 2012-05-17 at the Wayback Auto, accessed 22 Feb 2012
^ Weber (1992), p. 160.
^ Weber (1992), p. 163.
^ Chipman (1992), p. 131.
^ Weber (1992), pp. 173–175.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^eastward Weber (1992), p. 188.
^ Chipman (1992), p. 133.
^ Anderson (1999), p. 113.
^ Chipman (1992), p. 150.
^ Chipman (1992), p. 151.
^ Chipman (1992), p. 152.
^ Chipman (1992), p. 153.
^ Chipman (1992), p. 156.
^ ^a ^b ^c Chipman (1992), p. 157.
^ ^a ^b Chipman (1992), p. 158.
^ ^a ^b Chipman (1992), p. 159.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Weber (1992), p. 189.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Chipman (1992), p. 160.
^ Gilmore, Kathleen Kirk, "San Luis de las Amarillas Presidio", Handbook of Texas, Texas Land Historical Association
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Chipman (1992), p. 161.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Weber (1992), p. 191.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Chimpan (1992), p. 162.
^ quoted in Weber (1992), p. 191.
^ Ratcliffe (1991), p. 532.
^ Ratcliffe, Sam D., "San Saba Mission Painting", Handbook of Texas, Texas State Historical Clan
^ ^a ^b Weddle, Robert S., "Santa Cruz de San Saba Mission", Handbook of Texas, Texas State Historical Association

Sources [edit]

Chipman, Donald E. (1992), Spanish Texas, 1519–1821, Austin, TX: University of Texas Printing, ISBN0-292-77659-iv
Ratcliffe, Sam D. (April 1991), ""Escenas de Martirio": Notes on The Destruction of Mission San Saba", Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Texas Land Historical Association, 94 (4): 507–534
Weber, David J. (1992), The Spanish Frontier in North America, Yale Western Americana Serial, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, ISBN0-300-05198-0