Your Lordship:
My principal care since assuming control as Governor has been to procure by all possible means to prevent the enemy from destroying at once this Province, and the few natives of it who have remained. When I took possession I called a meeting of the Board to discuss matters and we decided to retire the troops from the town of Santa Fe, adding those of San Francisco and the infantry that was at the pass of Salamototo river, as I have already informed you on the 20th of November, 1706, so that with a larger force we might resist the enemy, and the citizens of this City feel some relief. I had built on the line a thick palisade, as I informed you. I have also organized a company of cavalry who should go about on the skirts, as they have done, to gather up stores and guard the carpenters and persons who go out to work cutting timber for the Royal buildings. This has not sufficed to stop the enemy from continuing their scalping and hostilities which are being constantly felt. They come from the Indian villages bordering on the Carolinas, aided by the English, who supply them with guns, ammunition, knives and pistols; at times they even accompany them, which strengthens and encourages them so that all the terra firma along the southern coast is desolate. And each day the number of families these Indians carry off is increased. The Christians have all disappeared, no doubt they have taken and sold them into slavery—more than ten or twelve thousand persons have gone. I have about three hundred with men, women and children. Even these are being carried away daily, when they go out to gather (guano) palmetto with which the Indians clothe themselves—and wild roots which they use for eating, not having sufficient with the Royal Rations which we daily allow them. Today they bring me an account of how they carried off —— to Mica, who had gone out in search of roots—in all they have carried today twenty-eight persons, four of whom escaped and have brought the news. The fact of there being some capitulation of peace would be much added to the service of God and your Majesty by relieving us of these miserable Indians. All the natives from this Province are sold, imprisoned or detained in the Carolinas. If a treaty could be made with England to prevent the English in Carolina from supplying them with arms, ammunition, etc., for it is with this they make war against us, and the dexterity with which they use them is amazing—as though they had been brought up to their use. Unless such a treaty can be immediately reached, hostilities will continue, and in this America there will never be anything but war. And the English will always have the Indians on their side, as they protect them and furnish them with arms and ammunition, as they have done heretofore. Unless this treaty can be effected immediately, the best thing for us to do will be to abandon the place entirely, as you have sug-gested, before they desolate it. But as it is so important to the Crown and the vast importance and revenue which will and can be derived from it would make it deplorable to give it up now. Besides the great importance of spreading the Holy Gospel, as it is being done, has made me delay in giving you this necessary information.
May God guard you for many years as a true Christian.
Francisco Córcoles y Martinez.
St. Augustine, Fla., January 14th, 1708.
Letter of the Governor of Florida to His Majesty.
A. D. 1708.
Sire:
The continued coming of the enemy who took up quarters at San Francisco Garrison, caused the natives to retire to this Garrison to seek protection under the Royal arms. From the same fear, the palisade castle of Salamototo having been attacked, the few natives withdrew, running from the cruel ravages of these enemies. About eight or nine persons having called a meeting to discuss the matter of evacuating these Garrisons, the board decided that for the safety and better security of these natives it would be best to evacuate them. A more extensive account is given you in the testimony of each thing that I remit with this information, so that you may be well notified of the reasons for retiring from these two towns and others near them, that had already been deserted. We have assigned them land near by, in line of the cannon of this Royal Fort, and we are maintaining them and helping with the best we can at your expense and from the Royal warehouses so that they may not perish until they can till the land and raise a crop to help support themselves, until things take a better turn. I hope your Majesty will approve and accept in good faith the step taken by the Board and that I am working and maintaining these natives for the best and greatest service of your Majesty. May God guard you as a Christian.
Francisco Córcoles y Martinez.