by Barry Harrin
To counter the invasion by La Salle and his French forces, the Spanish government sent various expeditions, by both land and sea, to locate them. However, these initial excursions were not to be successful. The Spanish had been unaware that in 1687: French explorer La Salle had been murdered in central East Texas by mutinous members of his own expedition.17
Around 1688 Governor Alonso de Leon of Coahuila captured a Frenchman, Jean Gery, in what is now Eagle Pass. After a strong interrogation, he agreed to lead de Leon and his party to locate the French Fort -Fort St. Louis.
Finally, in 1689 the Spanish Crown gave Governor Alonzo de Leon a commission to make an entrada (expedition) into Texas utilizing a number of soldiers, Indian guides, missionaries and, of course, the Frenchman Gery.18
This expedition began in Monclova (Coahuila) continued to Guerrero then crossed the Rio Grande at a river ford located about five miles from Guerrero. He first traveled to the northwest than went in a west southwesterly direction. He crossed South Texas coming close to such present day cities as Crystal City, Pearsall, Jourdanton, Karnes City/Helena, and Cuero continuing along Garcitas Creek until reaching a site near Matagorda Bay.
The French fort was found mostly destroyed and its inhabitants massacred. The cannibalistic Karankawa coastal Indians were believed to have been responsible for the massacre. Before reaching the fort, Governor de Leon had located several Indian camps and noted French muskets and missionary robes from the fort.19
The Karankawa were one of the more frightening tribes to the Europeans and to other Native American tribes. At this time, they primarily lived along the Texas coast between present Galveston Island and Corpus Christi.
The word Karankawa translated from their language means “doglovers” or “dog-raisers.” That made sense since they reportedly kept dogs that were described as a fox-like or coyote-like breed. They hunted with huge bows almost as tall as they were and their arrows were said to be about 3 feet in length … and deadly accurate and powerful.20
The Karankawa were the giants of their time, sometimes reaching almost 7 feet tall, while the typical European invader might average only 5 feet 5 inches. The Karankawa have been described as hideous looking by their enemies. Semi-naked or naked giants, faces and bodies were fully adorned with tattoos. They smelled awful … probably due to the alligator grease and putrid mud they smeared from head to foot as a defense against mosquitoes. They were obnoxious to all observers.
There were many unpleasant reports from the Spanish and French who had first come into contact with the tribe. It appears that the Karankawa had a nasty habit after they captured their enemies. First the victim was tied, and then a fire was started as the Karankawa danced, leaped and yelled. The Karankawa then cut off their victims’ body pieces; half roasted them in the fire and ate their flesh with great joy. This unpleasant ritual was completed by cutting off their victims scalp, attaching it to a pole as a trophy at their next communal dance.
It is believed that these acts of Cannibalism were to prevent the victim from having a second or third life. The Karankawa believed that whoever consumed their enemy absorbed their enemy’s courage, and fighting skills. This must have been the ultimate revenge, to devour an enemy’s flesh while he … watched in complete terror.21
The Karankawa’s ferocious appearance, smell, and cannibalistic tendencies brought fear and terror to all who visited them, so much so, that they wanted to avoid seeing the natives again. By the year 1860, on the eve of the American Civil War, the Karankawa had been completely exterminated.
In order to counter the French threat and convert the Caddo Indians to Christianity the Spanish built missions in east Texas around 1690. The area became a province of Spain by 1722, with settlements at San Antonio de Bexar (San Antonio) and the Presidio of La Bahia (moved to present-day Goliad in 1749).
The first Spanish settlement in the area started in San Antonio in 1718 and received a jump start in 1731 with the arrival of Spaniards from the Canary Islands, located off the coast of Africa. However, no real settlement occurred until after the first Spanish private grants were issued for the present Karnes County in 1758.
The first of these land grants were issued to Andrés Hernández and Luis Antonio Menchaca. Hernandez received the eastern section of land between the San Antonio River and Cibolo Creek known as El Rincon (the corner). Menchaca received the western section.
The San Antonio River Valley extending from San Antonio de Béxar (San Antonio) through the present Karnes County to La Bahía (now Goliad). It was the backbone of ranchos and the Spanish cattle industry. It was an area rich in rolling grasslands perfect for raising cattle. The original Spanish ranchos that flourished in the future Karnes County were the beginning of the huge American ranching industry.22
As these ranches began to multiply and grow, their large herds of long horn cattle became vital to the support of the missions in San Antonio and Goliad. Unfortunately, these ranches and their large herds of longhorn cattle became magnets attracting continuous raids by attacking Apaches.
The Governor of Texas Manuel de Sandoval decided to bolster defenses and provide greater security for these vital resources. To carry out this plan, his military commander, Jose de Urrutia,23 the Captain of the San Antonio de Bexar Presidio implemented a plan of action for protection of these vital resources.
Jose de Urrutia had been in the new world since before 1691 and was considered the foremost Indian expert of his time. He spent seven years as a captive of the Indians and ultimately had 40 years experience either fighting or dealing with them. He had been “Captain General” of all nations hostile to the Apaches and conducted several extensive campaigns against them.24
Governor Sandoval and Urrutia ordered additional soldiers for the Presidio and positioned the herds at a remote site to protect their horses from the Indian raiders.
In 1734 a small fort called El Fuerte de Santa Cruz del Cibolo, El Fuerte del Cibolo, or Arroyo del Cíbolo or El Cíbolo was built there and a small garrison of soldiers were posted there. The site was at the natural ford on Cibolo Creek halfway between Béxar and La Bahía (~ 10 miles from present day Helena). This place was known by local residents as Carvajal Crossing (where present Farm Road 887 crosses Cibolo Creek in arnes County).25
This small fort is believed to have consisted of structures made of mud and sticks (jacales) and a few dugouts. It was abandoned in 1737 after only three years as a result of two devastating raids by the Apaches that resulted in the loss of more than 400 horses. The remaining soldiers and herds were moved back to San Antonio.
Although the Indian threat continued, more ranches were established as the mission road filled with traffic. In the vicinity of the outpost, Andres Hernandez established the first privately owned ranch in Texas.
In 1771, after the Spanish Colonial Government decided to increase frontier protection, the fort was re-established on the Cibolo near the site of present Czestochowa. This time the fort was of more substantial construction built with a wooden stockade so the local ranchers could seek shelter inside during Indian attacks. Over a 10 year period the fort and the garrisoned soldiers provided protection for the area ranches and the mail route between the Presidio la Bahia and San Antonio de Bexar (through present day Helena).
Attacks and hostilities with the Comanche’s increased dramatically by 1782, when the fort closed again. This time the buildings were burned to prevent their use by the Comanche’s. A number of ranches were abandoned, leaving less than a 100 settlers and only 6 or 7 ranches still operating.26
It was not until the early 1800s that the area gradually became repopulated. Eventually the enormous original ranches belonging to Hernández and Menchaca were divided up by heirs of the families. Subsequently, some of the land was sold to other families. These families included the Veramendi, Cassiano, Flores, Navarro, and Carillo clans, to name a few.27
In spite of the ranching activity, possibly due to Indian attacks, Texas remained a sparsely populated border frontie
r on the outer reaches of New Spain. Almost three hundred years after the Spanish first explored this area of Texas, the number of settlers had not exceeded 3,000.
Chapter 5: The American Revolution and Texas
When we study the American Revolution in school what do we learn? Well, most of the time we learn that the thirteen English colonies revolted against their mother country, England. They fought and struggled against overwhelming odds but, with the assistance of France; they defeated England and won their independence.
Guess what? That’s not the whole story. Without the significant contribution of Spain and Texas we might not have won the American Revolution well over 200 years ago. A key part of that story is the critical role of Texas—its Hispanic soldiers, ranchers and citizens—and their contribution to winning the American war for independence.28
Most major historians have chosen to limit or totally ignore the significant contribution that both Spain and Texas Hispanics made to help us win our freedom. Most of our history books have been written or influenced by historians from the northeast, and these educators seem to be predisposed to favor the northern European countries over the Latin countries and their people.
Here are two examples:
(1) It is a rare textbook or school that teaches students the actual size of Spain’s holdings in North America. When the American Revolution began Spain either owned or claimed the entire North American continent west of the Mississippi River including Alaska and the New Orleans portion of Louisiana29
(2) Very few of us learned in school that the Spanish Colonization of what became the United States actually began in 1598. This was nine years before the English established the first settlement at Jamestown and twenty-two years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. This does not appear to be common knowledge in our school system.
We have been taught that the European heroes of the American Revolution had names such as Lafayette and Rochambeau (France), Von Steuben and de Kalb (Prussia), Pulaski and Kosciusko (Poland).
An unknown hero of the American Revolution was Bernardo de Galvez who served as the commander of the Spanish military and naval campaign against the British in North America.30
Bernardo de Galvez was born near Malaga, Spain in 1746. He came from an aristocratic and distinguished family of ancient nobility. He chose a military career like his father and uncle and served in the service of the King of Spain, Carlos III.
Galvez arrived in Mexico in 1765 and by 1769 he was sent to the northern frontier of New Spain. There he became second in command under Lope de Cuellar, commandant of the army of Nueva Vizcaya (The modern Mexican states of Chihuahua, Durango, and, parts of Sinaloa, Sonora, and Coahuila).
Galvez earned a reputation as a fierce warrior during a number of successful military campaigns along the Pecos and Gila rivers against the Apaches after they had caused great economic damage to the Spanish settlers.
In one of Galvez’s battles, he became separated from his men and ran into five fierce enemy Indians. Single-handed he fought his way back to his men. He received an arrow in the arm and wounds in his chest from two lance thrusts. It would be a year before he recovered from his severe injuries.31
Gálvez returned to Spain in 1772. He was then sent to France for three years, studying military science, French language and culture. He returned to Spain in 1775 and served as captain of infantry under Alejandro O’Reilly in the Regiment of Seville. He was involved in a failed attack on Algiers and suffered another wound. As a result, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and attached to the Military School of Ávila. In 1776 his life was to be changed forever. He was transferred to the faraway province of Louisiana and promoted to colonel of the Louisiana Regiment. On January 1, 1777, he succeeded Luis de Unzaga as governor of Louisiana.32
Gálvez provided significant assistance and did much to aid the American cause well in advance of Spain’s entry in the American Revolutionary War. He wrote directly to key figures such as Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and Charles Henry Lee and personally met with their representatives such as Oliver Pollock and Capt. George Gibson.33
Gálvez prevented the English from using the port of New Orleans. Under Galvez’s leadership only American, French and Spanish ships were allowed the use of the Mississippi River. The river had become a critical lifeline for the American forces as military supplies, ammunition and large sums of money were delivered to the beleaguered forces of George Washington and George Rogers Clark.
Gálvez had waited patiently and finally on June 21, 1779 Spain made a formal declaration of war against Great Britain. The King of Spain, Carlos III then authorized Gálvez to secure a force of men and begin military operations against the British along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast.
Gálvez needed to feed his troops and to this end contacted Texas Governor Domingo Cabello y Robles. Galvez requested the transport of Texas cattle to Spanish forces in Louisiana. Between 1779 and 1782, 10,000 cattle were rounded up on Texas ranches belonging to missions and citizens of Bexar (San Antonio), La Bahía (Goliad) and the San Antonio River Valley.34
These massive herds of cattle were gathered at the Presidio (Fort) La Bahia and driven by vaqueros (cowboys) to Nacogdoches, Natchitoches and Opelousas to feed Galvez’s soldiers.
Protection for the cattle drive was provided by soldiers from Presidio San Antonio de Béxar, Presidio La Bahía, and El Fuerte del Cíbolo (near present day Helena). Hundreds of horses were also brought along to support artillery and cavalry units.
In the fall of 1779, well fed on Texas beef, 1,400 Spanish soldiers defeated the British in battles at Manchac, Baton Rouge and Natchez. Galvez with 2000 soldiers and sailors captured the British stronghold of Fort Charlotte at Mobile on March 14, 1780.35
Galvez, the following year, commanded a joint land-sea attack on Pensacola which was then the British capital of West Florida. During the two-month siege, Galvez was in command of a force of more than 7,000 men including part of the French fleet, resulting in the capture Pensacola on May 10, 178136
Galvez and the Spanish forces also wreaked havoc on the British by securing the upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. During the North American Campaign of the American Revolution the Spanish forces defeated the British in every battle.
The war was not confined to the North American continent. Spain battled the British in far off places like the Philippines, Galápagos, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Bahamas, Jamaica, Minorca, and Gibraltar, as the Spanish and French continuously threatened an invasion of Great Britain itself.
In addition to Spanish troops Gálvez had under his command forces from Mayorca, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Mexico (New Spain) Ireland, Louisiana Frenchmen, Germans, Acadians, Canary Islanders, Indians, black slaves and freedmen. In addition Galvez commanded a contingent of the American First Continental Marines and units from the South Carolina Navy.
Before peace negotiations ended the war on May 8, 1782, Galvez’s forces, with support from the South Carolina Navy, captured the British naval base at New Providence in the Bahamas.
Once the fighting ended Gálvez participated in drafting the terms of the treaties that ended the war with the British Empire and established the boundary between Florida and the United States. Not long after this Gálvez was cited by the American Congress for his critical assistance during the war for independence.
After the peace accords in April 1783 General Gálvez returned to Spain with his family for a brief rest. In October 1784, he was recalled to America to serve as captain-general and governor of Cuba. In February 1785, Gálvez went to Savannah and then Baltimore to represent Spain in negotiations with the United States concerning the boundary between Florida and the United States.
Galvez was in Havana, Cuba in April when he learned that his father, Matías de Gálvez, had died on November 3, 1784 and that he had been appointed as Viceroy of New Spain replacing his father.
In June of 1785 Gálvez and his family arrived in Mexico City to begin his duties
as Viceroy of New Spain. Gálvez the gallant Spanish hero and great supporter of American independence died of an illness on November 30, 1786.37
Chapter 6: The Battle of Medina
The first Anglo-American settlers began arriving in Texas in the early 19th century. At this time Texas was part of Mexico and still owned and controlled by Spain. During this period there were a number of attempts to achieve independence and freedom from Spanish rule.38
One of the most significant attempts was the battle of Medina fought on August 18, 1813 between the Republican forces of the Gutiérrez-Magee expedition under Gen. José Álvarez de Toledo y Dubois and a Spanish Royalist Army under Gen. Joaquín de Arredondo.39
This was a chaotic period in world history. Spain’s time as a world superpower was quickly running out. The Battle of Medina (near present day San Antonio, Texas) had a dramatic affect on the future of France, England, Spain, Mexico and the United States.
Spain’s king, Joseph Bonaparte was facing revolts in Latin America and Mexico as his brother, Napoleon terrorized the European continent. The United States was still at war with its former mother country England, in what later became known as the war of 1812.
