Pablo Ita Salazar.
St. Augustine, Fla., May 14th, 1680.
A. D. 1682.
Sire:
Don Juan Marquez Cabrera, your Governor and Captain-General of the Provinces of Florida, gives you an account of how since last February of this year they have experienced many hostilities in these Provinces from two French and English fleets who, since they discovered and settled with ten vessels they brought on these coasts towards the south, have taken and settled all the entrances and Ports, having seized seven vessels that were coming and going to the City of Havana, entered and plundered the Fort of Matanzas with no resistance from those within, and on another occasion in the same place, where there were forty-five Spaniards, captains, lieutenants and soldiers, there came four hundred Indians with firearms and arrows to one of the trenches at the edge of the two rivers at the foot of the Fort and this time they did not discharge a single shot, but set fire to the Fort and burned it, being of wood. I am again rebuilding it in the shape of a bonnet or cap with its inclinations bias, which it did not have before, with twenty-five stone houses, so that twelve or sixteen soldiers can defend it. On retiring they entered the River of Point Martin in Laungara, eighteen leagues inland and forty from this Garrison; thirty-five Frenchmen entered and plundered the estate Lachua, imprisoning the owner and some of his slaves and other persons and their servants. They were assisted in this by three of the neighbor Casiques, with sixteen Indians. As they retired they were met by an ambush who liberated the owners of the estate with the loss of one Indian. Although there were five Spaniards, with the degree of Captain who enjoy the rank and pay, excused themselves on the occasion because they feared if they had any one to encourage them the enemy would not have left one. As soon as I received the news, although I am very scarce of people for the defense of the Castle, I made every effort possible to send the Sergeant-Major of this Post with forty soldiers as quickly as possible. Finding the enemy already embarked, I ordered him to obstruct the river, seeing the danger to this Province, not having had any orders from you to keep it open. Notwithstanding all the Sergeant-Major’s efforts to place obstructions, I fear the enemy will invade this Garrison if only to see the Fort that is being built. It is to be in the shape I have shown you on the map, and plan I have given the Adjutant Alonzo Solano, superintendent of the work, a man of much intelligence and quite capable of carrying it on. At the time the French were destroying the estate Lachua the English landed at the bar of Mosquito Inlet; they killed ten Indians and captured eighteen. They had also captured the frigate that left this Post for New Spain; they captured it with a pirate vessel which had come from Jamaica, as testified to by the “Autos” I sent, in which I also stated the other hostilities and depredations as you can see in the Office of the Royal Council. It is a source of grief to me to see the manner in which they take these poor Indians and sell them into slavery, as they have done with many, selling them on the Island of Barbado. They even take the mixed ones, children of Spaniards and Indians. Although I am quite advanced on the building and defense of the Castle, I feel disconsolate when I think of the scarcity of troops and the inferior quality of those I have who are cowardly and pusillanimous as I have before represented them to you. I repeat it, in hopes that you will send me at least two good Captains and a hundred first class men. Besides being dastardly those I have, many of them are too old to be of service, having been retired and pensioned off. I am heartily sick of those who have been pensioned off, and of the children who have been pushed into service with no other object than to receive the pay. While mindful of the humane interests, this at times is exceedingly trying to my patience. And so, since the Fort is assuming such shape, I implore you to give the order needed of sending more men. I also implore your Majesty that having served you so many years without complaint against me, that you will replace me in this Garrison and give me permission to retire.
God grant you a long and prosperous life.
Juan Marquez Cabrera.
St. Augustine, Fla., July 16th, 1682.