A. D. 1675.
Letters to the King from the Governor, Pablo Ita Salazer—The oath administered in the tower of the old Fort, which is tumbling down—The Garrison in want of supplies and ammunition—No warehouses—Exposed to the fatalities of the weather—The Fort in danger from pirates—Necessary to use Spanish daggers for the land side protection—More money badly needed to finish the works—Importance of the Castle to the Garrison—A pentagonal form recommended—A hundred men needed to guard the Castle—The Viceroy of Spain did not send the ten thousand dollars—Fort in danger from pirates—Two hundred leagues from Havana and five hundred from New Spain.
A. D. 1675.
Sire:
I have repeatedly given you an account of the manner in which I assumed control of this Government, taking the oath of fidelity in the tower of the Old Castle, which is almost in ruins, the artillery dismounted and scattered as if on a beaten field of battle. The blind obedience my duty demands in any employment of your Majesty, forces me to again repeat the condition of things. The old wooden Fort is in ruins, the stone one incomplete and with no defense whatever. No income or means to finish it. In the commissary department only one hundred “arrobas” of corn, and no other produce of any description. The Garrison is in the greatest want, as no vessels with supplies have yet arrived from New Spain. Seeing that we could not hold out three weeks longer, I seized two small vessels carrying about two thousand arrobas of corn. As the Fort was in such a demolished condition, with no defense and exposed to losing what was done, I detained these vessels, intending to give them some amount of embargo, conceding to each his share, but having communicated it to the Royal Officers, they thought it too severe treatment and that I should pay freight and the conquered’s pay; that it would be better to pursue such a course. I let the matter stand for the present, retained the crew and the vessels I sent to bring peons to continue the building of the Castle, which is so absolutely important. This was done with the greatest care and promptness, as demonstrated on the maps I submit to you. Being entirely without means for carrying on this work, I implore you will send it. The Fort has neither walls nor moat, some of the ramparts only half finished, no means of closing it to make it secure. It would seem that they have been careless in the guarding of the Fort, sending only twenty-five men each day to do duty when it should have at least one hundred men constantly on the watch. I repaired things as well as I could for the lodging of the men and guards that they might stay in, as is done in Flanders and Milan and other places, but the Officers refuse to occupy them, stating they are in no condition nor have they sufficient conveniences for them to go in. As it will be profitable and advantageous to you, I implore you again not only to send the money but the order compelling them to enter at least one hundred to guard the Castle. May God guide thee in what is right.
Pablo Ita Salazar.
St. Augustine, Fla., Aug. 23rd, 1675.
Your Highness:
Not to fail in my duty, knowing as I do from twenty-two years’ service in your Majesty’s States of Flanders and other ports, the importance of fulfilling. It has seemed necessary for me to give you a full and detailed account of the fortification being built in this Garrison by your Royal Order. I have already informed you of the condition I found it in, on assuming control of this Government of Florida. Considering it one of your defenses and territory under whose banner it was conquered, I have taken the greatest pains to investigate matters thoroughly. At first I could not give as true a statement as I should have wished, seeing so many faults and errors; but the untiring efforts I have made to ascertain facts have brought to light certificates of the enormous cost of this building. Being a place for the defense of the Bar, or entrance to the Harbor, I find that by making this fortification in a pentagonal form the bulwarks will point directly towards the Bar serving to defend from and towards an attack, and by building a battery it covers us in a measure from the enemy. Wishing to discuss this matter I called a meeting of the Royal Officers showing them the great saving of cost to the Royal Exchequer; but they seem opposed to the plan and, having no orders from your Highness, I am obliged to leave the work as it is. My greatest desire is to finish it and have the opportunity of defending