C-A 17 · Provincial State Papers, Benicia (Military), Tomos XL–LII

Manuscript scans: this volume on the Internet Archive (digitized microfilm of the Savage transcripts).

Printable finding aid (PDF) — the full one-line record list with provenance, for offline use and circulation.

Notable documents

• 1814-10-10 (events Aug 1814) · José Cavenecia (capt./owner of the *Eagle*) → Gob. José Argüello; *diligencias* by Tte. José Mª Estudillo — Capture of the American brig Pedler by the Spanish-chartered frigate Eagle in the ensenada de San Luis Obispo (26 Aug 1814). Cavenecia lured the Pedler by raising the U.S. flag, then hoisted the Spanish, fired 2 cannon-shots & boarded with 25 men. Papers seized: U.S. govt passport, property register, crew roll, accounts, a Russian… manuscript scan ↗
• 1815–1817 (borradores; orig pp.510–684) · Gob. Solá → various (drafts) — SECOND borrador register of Solá's outgoing orders (1815–17) — the volume's richest Russian/foreign-relations stretch. Indigenous/campaign: ⭐⭐ Moraga's 1815 Palomas expedition (Solá orders Comte. Luis Argüello to mount 50 men—35 presidial + 15 inválidos/vecinos—and Gabriel Moraga to direct from Santa Cruz the campaign to the Ranchería… manuscript scan ↗
• 1818-12 (borrador) · Gob. Solá → Capt. de la Guerra — 'Desaprueba sus relaciones con los enemigos' — Solá rebukes de la Guerra for parleying with Bouchard. De la Guerra (oficio of the 7th) had parleyed under flag of truce with the enemy frigates at Sta Bárbara, agreeing to exchange the 3 prisoners Sgt. Carlos Carrillo took at the Rancho del Refugio for the prisoners Bouchard's frigates… manuscript scan ↗
• 1812-12-31 · Comte. Francisco Mª Ruiz → Arrillaga — Semester climate/health report containing a primary account of the 8 Dec 1812 earthquake: NW winds damaged the wheat sowings of San Diego, San Luis & San Juan; then — *'El día 8 de Diciembre se sintió un temblor muy fuerte general en esta jurisdicción… pero en San Juan (Capistrano) cayó la iglesia y perecieron 40 almas, quedando todas… (orig. p. xliii.494) manuscript scan ↗
• 1812-12-16 · Comte. Luis Argüello → Arrillaga — 'Establecimiento ruso' — three starving Russian deserters from Kuskov's Fort Ross. A little flag was sighted on the high hill across the bay (5 Dec); the launch was sent and brought back three Russians found on the beach 'en la última miseria,' dying of hunger. They declared they had deserted 'del establecimiento ruso… más arriba de… (orig. pp. xliii.508–9) manuscript scan ↗
• 1810-12-31 · Cabo Gervasio Argüello — Russian/Aleut prisoners at San Francisco: 'En 24 de este [Dic] fueron aprehendidos en el presidio 7 indios rusos, y siguen prisioneros en 31 Dic.' — 7 'Russian Indians' (RAC Aleut/Kodiak otter-hunters) seized at the SF presidio 24 Dec 1810, still held 31 Dec (the contraband joint-venture otter voyages, pre-Fort Ross). Orig. p.331 manuscript scan ↗
• 1812-10-23 · Tte. José Mª Estudillo → Gob. Arrillaga — Investigation into the death of P. Fr. Andrés Quintana (Mission Santa Cruz, morning of 12 Oct 1812). The diligencias (begun 14th, concluded 22nd) found 'no hay indicios de que hubiese violencia en la muerte repentina del Padre' — declared a natural sudden death, the padre long gravely ill. ⚠ Historically this is the celebrated… manuscript scan ↗
• 1815-09-20 · José de la Guerra → Gob. Solá — 'Boris' the Russian & Aleut otter-hunters at San Pedro: sighted in the ensenada de San Pedro 8 canoes manned by 17 men under 'Boris, ruso,' hunting sea otters; ordered the Los Ángeles comisionado to let them leave and not return. Guillermo Cota (17 Sep) then seized some of the Indians incl. Boris, took their otter skins, holding guarded… manuscript scan ↗
• 1815–1822 (borradores; orig pp.152–350) · Gob. Pablo Vicente de Solá → various (drafts) — Long borrador register of Solá's outgoing letters/orders (1815–1822) — a major composite source. 1815–17 highlights: ⭐⭐⭐ the 5 neophyte murderers of Fr. Andrés Quintana (Lino, Antonino, Vicente, Saturnino & Fulgencio[?] of Sta Cruz) sentenced (10 Mar 1816) to 200 azotes + presidio (10 yrs the first two, 7 the others), at Sta Bárbara —… manuscript scan ↗
• 1816-12-01 (events Jan 1816) · Comte. Luis de la Guerra — Sta Bárbara muster 1816 — embeds the Jan-1816 capture at the Refugio rancho: the comandante got a letter from Rancho del Refugio (Ortega's); Sgt. Carlos Carrillo warned that 2 ships were seen off 'la boca de las Islas' near the rancho; the alférez sortied that night with 14 men (troops, inválidos, vecinos). Over 14–20 Jan they captured 3… manuscript scan ↗
• 1819-12-01 · Comte. José de la Guerra — Sta Bárbara muster 1819 — embeds the Bouchard raid: 1 capt., 1 tte., 1 alf., 3 sargtos, 6 cabos, 1 cadete, 56 soldados = 69 + Inválidos 27. 'En Dic. 6 de 1818 llegaron á la rada los dos barcos enemigos que arribaron al Refugio el 2. El 9 se marcharon con rumbo para abajo.' — Bouchard's two frigates at the Santa Bárbara roadstead 6 Dec… manuscript scan ↗
• 1811-12-18 (events Nov 1811) · Cadete Domingo Carrillo (juez fiscal; escribano Sgt. Joaquín Arce[?]); defensor Sgt. José Mª Pico — Causa criminal — the poisoning of Fr. Pedro Panto by his Indian cook Nazario (Mission San Diego). Cabo Antonio Guillén & Sgt. Mariano Mercado noticed the friar's soup tasted bitter (16 Nov); Panto vomited badly. Nazario confessed he'd carried a poison herb ('escoba amarga') for days and put it in the soup because Panto flogged him… manuscript scan ↗
• 1818-10-03 · Gob. Solá → Capt. de la Guerra — 'Prisioneros rusos': Solá has orders to hand over the Russian prisoners & deserters, which he'll fulfill by shipping them off on the first vessel that appears — the resolution of the Russian-prisoner saga (repatriation, Oct 1818). Orig. p.377 manuscript scan ↗
• 1818-10-24 · Gob. Solá → Capt. de la Guerra — 'Medidas de precaución' — the Gyzelaar/Bouchard warning: approves de la Guerra's measures to defend the Santa Bárbara post 'ínterin quedan disueltas las sospechas… por la noticia que reservadamente comunicó á V. el Capitán del Bergantín Americano Clarion, Henrique [Henry] Gyzelaar'; approves removing the families & concentrating at the… manuscript scan ↗
• 1818-12-11 · Gob. Solá → Capt. de la Guerra — 'Sobre canje de prisioneros con Bouchard; pena á Molina; desagrado con el Tte. Ignacio Martínez.' Of the supposed 3 prisoners the enemy claimed, only one (Molina) was actually exchanged; suspecting Molina may have gone over to Bouchard voluntarily, Solá sentences him to 6 yrs presidio in chains (ración, no pay) + 100 public lashes, the… manuscript scan ↗
• 1818-12-16 · Gob. Solá → José de la Guerra — 'Sobre los buques de Bouchard': approves de la Guerra's going to San Pedro with 25 men, Bouchard's two ships having put in there on 13 Dec — with that force + the San Diego company + armed vecinos + the San Gabriel escort, ready to fire on the enemy if they landed; the San Diego commander prepared the battery with hot-shot ('bala… manuscript scan ↗
• 1818-12-18 · Gob. Solá → Tte. José Mª Ruiz (San Diego) — Bouchard's insurgent frigates sighted heading to the rada de San Juan Capistrano (13 Dec); Santiago Argüello dispatched to watch them; de la Guerra expected there w/ reinforcement; if the enemy breaks the pact, Solá hopes he'll be 'bien escarmentado.' Orig. p.385 manuscript scan ↗
• 1818-11-08 · Gob. Solá → Capt. de la Guerra — An English warship (corvette) at Monterey since 3 Nov seeking refreshments — 'Viene al Río Columbia con la comisión de verificar su entrega á los Americanos, á cuyo fin conduce á los Comisionados por los Estados Unidos', sailing on the 10th–11th. The restitution of Astoria/Fort George to the U.S. under the Treaty of Ghent (1818) — likely… manuscript scan ↗
• 1819-04-05 · Gob. Solá → Comte. de la Guerra — 'Sobre el preso Molina y sus relaciones con los insurgentes': Pedro Molina's answers (re a 10 Feb circular) about joining the insurgents when they attacked the Monterey presidio on 22 Nov 1818 conflict with the 4 men who came over from Bouchard (pardoned) — 6 yrs presidio w/ grillete for Molina. Confirms Bouchard's attack on Monterey, 22… manuscript scan ↗
• 1819-09-18 · Gob. Solá → de la Guerra — 'Comisión… Expedición contra indios': commissions de la Guerra to go to México to represent the province's crisis (a general power from all companies to audit the Habilitado Gral.; $100/mo.); orders Teniente Gabriel Moraga to lead the expedition against the [Colorado/Mojave] Indians, taking 100+ armed mission Indians from San… manuscript scan ↗
• 1819-09-24 · Gob. Solá → Tte. Gabriel Moraga — Instruction letter to Moraga for the 1819 expedition against the 'indios prófugos': 'deseoso de dar una castigada general á los gentiles por… abrigar en sus rancherías á los cristianos huidos de las misiones,' forms an expedition of 60 men under Moraga (30 Sta Bárbara + 30 San Diego), asks Moraga's written plan; coordinates another party… manuscript scan ↗
• 1819-11-03 · Gob. Solá → Tte. Gabriel Moraga — Order for the Amajaba (Mojave) campaign: the ranchería de Amajaba threatened to attack Missions San Gabriel & San Fernando; Moraga to take 50 men (35 cavalry from both presidios + 15 Mazatlán under Fabregat) + the armament Tte. Francisco Mª Ruiz brought + 4 artillerymen + a cannon (metralla y bala), march at once to the Mojave ranchería,… manuscript scan ↗
• 1819-11-15 · Gob. Solá → Alf. Maitorena — Results of Moraga's 1819 campaign: Moraga captured fugitive Christian Indians (cimarrones) + 11 gentiles, sent to Sta Bárbara. Solá's sentences per named runaway by length of absence: Sebastián & Cristóbal 2 yrs; Ignacio, Cayetano, Diego 2 mo. + 3×25 lashes; Juan Mª (La Purísima) 2 yrs; Olegario (Sta Inés) 6 mo. + lashes; Felipe (San… manuscript scan ↗
• 1820-11-21 · Ignacio Martínez, juez fiscal (for Comte. Luis Argüello) — Causa criminal — the 1820 interrogation of the neophyte Alberto (Mission Sta Cruz) re the murder of Fr. Andrés Quintana. Alberto's sworn testimony: the Indian Quirico invited him 'á ayudar á matar al Padre,' luring him to the mission huerta at prayer-time on the pretext of stealing pears, where the other conspirators were gathered; the… manuscript scan ↗
• 1818-12-29 · Alf. Santiago Argüello (escribano José Antº Pico) — 'Declaraciones de insurgentes de la expedición de Bouchard' — depositions of the 4 captured/surrendered crew of Bouchard's frigates, revealing the multinational makeup of the expedition: (1) Pedro Saldívar, 22, of Buenos Aires, cabo; (2) Juan de la Rosa, 27, of Scotland, labrador; (3) Nicolás Blanco, 21, of Santa Fé, soldier of the… manuscript scan ↗

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