CHAPTER III.
Armament of Francisco de Garay.
I HAVE
already made mention of F. de Garay, who was governor
of the
Having
therefore sent for, and discoursed with Alaminos our
principal pilot upon the subject, his account was so favorable that he
determined on sending a confidential person one Juan de Torralva,
to obtain from the Bishop of Burgos the government of the country about the
river Panuco. His application having been successful
he sent an armament of three ships, with two hundred and forty soldiers, under
the command of Alonzo Alvarez Pinedo or Pineda, which
was defeated by the Indians of Panuco, one ship only
escaping, and joining us at Villa Rica.
Garay receiving no intelligence of his first armament, sent a
second, which also arrived at our port; and having now expended much treasure,
and learning the good fortune of Cortes, he was more than ever stimulated to
make exertions. He therefore fitted out a fleet of thirteen ships, and embarked
one hundred and thirty six cavalry, and eight hundred and forty foot soldiers,
mostly musqueteers and crossbow-men. The fleet under
his command sailed from
ved without any particular occurrence at a port called Xagua in the
Shortly
after this, Garay with his armament let out, and
being forced by a storm into the river Palmas, he there disembarked and marched
for Panuco. Knowing also that Cortes had made an
establishment there, he thought it necessary to take an oath of fidelity from
those under his command, and he nominated the officers requisite for the
establishment of his colony, which he meant to name the city of
Having
advanced for two days march along the sea shore through an uninhabited and
marshy country, he with his troops arrived at some villages, whole inhabitants
received, and entertained them hospitably, but, many of the soldiers staying behind, robbed and injured the people. Garay
continued his march and at length arrived at Panuco,
which the troops had painted to themselves as the end of their labours, but were sadly undeceived by finding it almost a
desert, for the war of Cortes had wasted it, or what remained was concealed on
the approach of the Spaniards, who sound nothing but bare walls, where they
were to sustain the attack of flies, and vermin of every description. One
misfortune following another, he could get no intelligence from his fleet, but
learned by a Spaniard who having committed some crime was a fugitive among the
Indians, that it had not arrived at the port. The
same
person gave a very unfavorable account of the country of Panuco,
enhancing that of Mexico, and this making a strong impression on the minds of Garay’s soldiers, they began to disband, and went towards
Mexico, robbing the natives in their way.
All these
things combined reduced Garay to a bad situation, and
he lent one of his officers named Diego de Ocampo, to
sound the disposition of the governor under Cortes in the colony of Santistevan, to whom he notified the appointment he had
obtained from his Majesty. This officer answered Garay’s
message politely, and returned a favorable answer as to their reception,
requesting that the soldiers might not outrage the inhabitants; Pedro de
Vallejo, for that was his name, at the same time sent an express to Cortes with
Garay’s letter, and sollicited
a strong reinforcement, or the presence of Cortes himself.
On the
receipt of the intelligence from Vallejo, Cortes dispatched Fra
Bartholome, Alvarado, Sandoval, and Gonzalo de Ocampo, brother to the person of that name who was with Garay, and entrusted to them the instructions he had
received, whereby his Majesty’s pleasure was signified, that all his conquests
should be left under his command, until the matters in dispute between him and
Velasquez should be brought judicially to an issue.
I will
now return to my relation of the steps taken by Garay,
who advanced with his force into the neighbourhood of
St. Estevan del Puerto. On
receiving intelligence thereof, Vallejo concerted a plan with the inhabitants
of the neighbourhood, and being guided by five
deserters who told him that Garay’s troops were
scattered negligently in a large town called Nacoplan,
he came upon them by surprise, and made forty of them prisoners, assigning as a
reason, their coming without producing any commission, and the outrages which
they committed on the inhabitants. This being reported to Garay,
he demanded the prisoners, threatening
humility, and requesting that they should be sent to him. At this
moment the persons deputed by Cortes arrived, and Diego de Ocampo
being at that time first alcalde under Cortes in
The
unfortunate Garay entreated the officers of Cortes to
restore his ships, and to compel his troops to return
to him, promising to give up his intended establishment, and make the best of
his way to the river Palmas. This proposal was acceded to, and every measure
taken to deliver up to him his deserters, though with little effect for the
soldiers despised Garay, and as to the oath of
service, they said that they had complied with it in coming to Panuco. Garay was then in the
utmost despair, and finally agreed to adopt the measure advised by the officers
of
Cortes, in writing to that general, stating his situation, and praying
his protection in consideration of their former intimacy. This request was acceded to by Cortes, who sent an invitation to him to come
to
Garay was now induced to intercede with the general, and
obtained permission for Narvaez to visit the
able funeral, and Cortes and the other officers put
themselves into mourning. Thus died Garay
in a distant country, a strange house, and far from his wife and children.
As to his armament, being now left without any head a competition arose for the
command, between Juan de Grigalva, Gonzalo de
Figueroa, Alonzo de Mendoza, Lorenzo de Alloa, Juan
de Medina, Juan de Villa, Anthonio de la Cerda, and a certain Tobarda the
most seditious fellow in the whole army. The young Garay
however was ultimately made generals contrary to the inclination of every
soldier; the consequence of which was, that they separated in small bodies of
fifteen or twenty, and went through the country pillaging as if they had been
amongst Moors. This enraging the Indians they laid a plot to cut, all the
Spaniards off, which they so effectually executed, that in a few days they had
sacrificed and eaten more than five hundred of Garay’s
soldiers. In some towns upwards of a hundred Spaniards were sacrificed
together. In other places they fell on and massacred these wanderers without
resistance, and encouraged thereby, they rose against the settlement of St. Estevan in such numbers, that it was with great difficulty
they could be kept out of it, nor Would they have been, but for seven or eight
of the veterans of Cortes, who supported Vallejo, a brave man, and experienced
officer. These gallant veterans induced many of Garay’s
Spaniards to abide by them in. the open field, being obliged to fight three
battles, in one of which
When the
general heard of these outrages he was exceedingly displeased, and determined
to go in person to suppress them; but being at that moment prevented, having
broken his arm by accident, he dispatched Gonzalo de Sandoval, with one hundred
infantry, fifty cavalry, two pieces of artillery, and fifteen arcabusiers, to whom he joined eight thousand Mexicans and Tlascalans, with orders not to quit those dis-
tricts until he had so completely subjugated them, as that it
should not be in their power again to make disturbance. Sandoval was a man who
did not sleep at night when on any business of importance; of course he made no
delay upon his route, towards the enemy, who expected him in two narrow
defiles, where they had concentrated the whole force of the refractory
provinces. Sandoval on learning this divided his force into two bodies, and
attacked each of these posts. The Indians resisted with their darts and arrows,
whereby many of our soldiers were wounded, insomuch that he was obliged to halt
the body which he commanded in that bad position, and send orders to his other
detachment to do the fame for that night. The Indians retaining their first
position, Sandoval recalled his detachment, and began his retreat towards
pose on the bank of a river. The Mexicans and Tlascalans were posted at a little distance, for Sandoval
knew by experience, that if the enemy attacked him in the night, he would be
little benefited by them.
As soon
as daylight appeared, Sandoval put his army into march,
but had hardly advanced half a mile when he heard the sound of the drums of the
Indians, and he was shortly after fronted by three large bodies of their
warriors, who attempted to surround him. As soon as Sandoval perceived this, he
made an attack upon them with his cavalry in two squadrons with such spirit
that he entirely broke and dispersed them. This was not however effected without the loss of two soldiers and three horses.
Our allies then made considerable destruction, burning all before them, until
the army arrived at St. Estevan del
Puerto. The remains of this colony Sandoval found in a wretched state, and he
was received as one who laved them from destruction,
and the soldier of Garay who were there assured him,
that the preservation of what remained was solely owing to our veterans.
Sandoval then divided his cavalry, musqueteers, and
crossbow-men, into different bodies, and placed them under the command of the
veterans, with orders to carry on the war with vigour
against the neighbouring Indians, and to send in what
provisions they could collect, for he was unable to go out, in consequence of a
bad wound. During three days his parties sent in number of prisoners of the
lower class, together with five chiefs, the former of whom Sandoval released.
He then gave out an order to his troops not to send in any but such as had been
present at, or concerned, where the lives of Spaniards had been lost.
Sandoval
now prepared for an expedition against the enemy, any on the day after, marched
out with those troops which he had brought from Mexico, and by skilful measures
succeeded in taking twenty caciques, who had commanded where no less than six
hundred Spaniard had been put to death. Pursuing mild and severe measures at
the same time, according to the circumstances, he summoned the neighbouring
towns to a treaty of peace. Some acceded to his proposals, but
others neglected to attend. With the latter he dissimulated, thinking it best
not to notice their contumacy, and wrote to Cortes giving a full account of
what he had done, and desiring to know how the prisoners should be disposed of.
Cortes on receiving these satisfactory accounts appointed Sandoval to succeed
Vallejo, as commandant at St. Estevan, and informed
him, that for the sake of justice, and to prevent future mischief, it was
necessary to punish with death those who had been any way concerned in, or who
had abetted the murders of Spaniards, and he gave directions to the alcalde Diego de Ocampo, to take
the necessary steps against them, with orders to execute such as should be
legally condemned. He gave orders that every necessary measure also should be
taken to conciliate the natives of that province, and that proper steps should
be adopted to prevent any future outrages on the part of Garay’s
troops. These letters, the contents of which were highly satisfactory to
Sandoval having reached him, he proceeded conjointly with Ocampo
to put the orders of Cortes into execution. In two days after their receipt
they proceeded to the trial of those caciques who were accused, and many being
found guilty by evidence, or their own confession, were put to death. Some were
burnt and others hanged; many also were pardoned, and the districts were given
to the children and heirs of such as suffered. These acts of justice being done,
Ocampo in compliance with the farther instructions he
had received from Cortes, proceeded against all those Spaniards who had
committed outrages, robberies, or murders; or who, going through the country in
bands, had invited other soldiers to desert to them; and having seized and
colleted together these public disturbers, he caused them to embark for the
Island of Cuba. To Juan de Grijalva Cortes offered
the alternative of accepting a present of two thousand crowns, and a passage to
Cuba, or if he preferred staying in the country, an honorable reception at Mexico;
Grijalva and all the others were anxious however to
return and accordingly they set sail for that island.
Sandoval
and Ocampo having thus cleared the colony of these
troublesome inmates, returned to
The
reader has been told how the Licentiate Zuazo met
with Garay in the
arrived at the island but Fra Gonzalo
died a few days before. The rest, shortly arrived at