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ORDERS REGARDING THE PROVINCE OF GUALE-15

Source: The Struggle for the Georgia Coast #129

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ORDER 14: HITA SALAZAR TO FUENTES, JUNE 18, 1680
The following order was sent to Captain Fuentes, the lieutenant of the province of Guale, in an effort to convince the Indians of Mission Santa Catalina to return to their homes and live there as they did before the raids the previous spring (see Order 15 below). The tone of the order reveals the perceived strategic importance of Santa Catalina, as the former northern frontier outpost, and emphasizes the degree to which the Spanish garrison in Guale was dependent upon Indian support. Without a mission village to provide food and shelter, the Spanish infantrymen were effectively unable to resettle St. Catherines Island.

[f.41]
Order to the lieutenant of Santa Catharina, province of Guale, year of 1680.

Don Pablo de Hita Salazar, governor and captain general of this city, presidio, and provinces of St. Augustine, Florida, for His Majesty. Inasmuch as on the occasion of the entrance which the enemy Chuchumeca, Uchises, and Chiluques(47)
NOTE 47. The three groups of Indians noted here included not only the Chichimeco, or Westo, who are known to have served as slave raiders acting with direct English backing and supply during the late 1670s, but also the Uchise (a name eventually associated with the Lower Creek confederacy) and the Chiluque, apparently situated at Santa Elena at this time, and probably not identical with the Cherokee (see Overview).

made in Santa Catharina, province of Guale, making the native Indians of the said town retreat to that of Sapala, together with my lieutenant and the infantry which he had there in garrison, as the head of the said province, and considering the little protection and need that they will have to attend to their fields, which are today being lost, in the town of Santa Catharina through lack of cultivation and physical presence, especially when this precedes greater damage [f.4 1, vto.] as a result of the said island remaining depopulated, with which the enemies will find more security and sustenance, occupying it for their safety, for the present I order Captain Francisco de Fuentes, my lieutenant, justicia mayor, and captain at war in the said province, that as soon as he receives this my order, he should convoke and bring together the Indians, caciques, and principals of the said town of Santa Catharina and impress upon them how important it is that they go to their houses and fields, advising that this will not be the most trivial annoyance for them, but that they should live with tranquility, and particularly that they should not consent nor make an exception that they go to the woods for cassina, except when paying them, or when they wish to go for themselves voluntarily, and [f.42] other exercises which relate to the sustenance of the infantry, without having priority over their own satisfaction.(48)
NOTE 48. The preceding passage makes it clear that returning to Mission Santa Catalina would not be an easy task, and that precautions would be necessary in order to insure the safety of its residents. Interestingly, the only item singled out is the collection of cassina leaves for the "black drink," which was prohibited unless the Indians doing so were paid, or chose to do so of their own volition. In all activities, Captain Fuentes was instructed to give precedence to the wishes of the Indians over the desires of the garrison of infantry living in the town.

And he will give me news of what is done in virtue of this order with all brevity, in order to emplace the remedy which is suitable to the service of His Majesty, and in case of not being able to determine anything in the execution of this my order, the cacique and principals of the said town of Santa Catharina will come to my presence so that, having heard them judicially, I may provide [a remedy].(49)
NOTE 49. Here Governor Hita Salazar makes it clear that if Fuentes was unable to convince the Indians to return to Santa Catalina, its caciques were to come to St. Augustine for an audience with the Governor.

And the copy of this my order will be taken in the governmental secretary's office of these provinces. Given in the city of St. Augustine, Florida, on the eighteenth of June, sixteen eighty, [f.42, vto.] Pablo de Hita Salazar. By order of the governor and captain general, my lord, Francisco Lopez de Medrano, his secretary.

Agrees with its original, which was remitted to the aforementioned. I swear, Alonso Solana, public and governmental notary.

Agrees with the order previously inserted, according to how the copy appears in one of the governmental books in the archive at my charge, to which I refer. And by verbal order of the senor Colonel Don Manuel de Montiano, governor and captain general of this post and its provinces, I give the present in Florida on the fifth ofAugust, seventeen thirty-nine.

In true testimony,
Francisco de Castilla
Governmental Notary