Mui s^or. mio:

Por las cartas que he escrito a V.S. en 14. y 27. de Abril prox^mo. passado¹ se havra enterado de los rezelos con que he estado y estoy de ser atacado por los Yngleses, si no les entrego los Jefes de los Americanos, y todas sus presas,² por cuia razon he pedido a V.S. me auxilie con Tropa y Embarcaciones.

Las muchas espias que tengo entre ellos mismos, me avisan continuam^te., de que en las Conversacion^s. privadas de los primeros sugetos de Pansacola, Natches, y demas puertos Yngleses, se trata con calor el asunto, y la opinion general es de obligárme por la fuerza a ceder a sus demandas, si no conbengo en ellas de grado, se que en Natches entre blancos e Yndios de la nacion Chicachas ay mas de mil hombres que deven vajar a Manchak para desde hay pedirme los citados Americanos y sus presas con menos modestia que lo han hecho hasta ahora, y acompañar las amenazas a la peticion. Ademas de los dhos avisos que se me han dado de palabra, tengo un documento poderoso que justifica sus malas intenciones, es una carta que he interceptado de uno de los principales miembros del consejo de Pansacola, el mas habil de ellos, y el que lleva la voz, y da el tono en el citado tribunal, en la que escrive de su puño a un Yrlandes amigo suio establecido muchos años haze en esta Ciudad, y le dize q^e. quisiera que el y todos sus amigos estubieran fuera de esta Colonia quanto antes, porque se forma un nublado que va a descargar sobre ella, y sentira que los coja la tormenta.³

Ya ve V.S. que en caso q^e. se empeñen en sus pretenciones, no puedo ni devo asentir a ellas, y que si yo no hecho el resto en la defensa, seria una mancha que recaeria sobre nrã Nacion, y a lo qual estoi resuelto, con la esperanza de que este par- tido sera de la aprobacion del generoso corazon de nuestro Monarca.

Las dos fragatas q^e. estavan al frente de esta Ciudad se han ido por ahora,⁴ pero los mas creen que volveran asi que lleguen las que han pedido a Jamaica;⁵ su salida de aqui fue intempestiva, y yo no dudo q^e. sus ideas fueron de coger el cituado que subia el rio en la Balandra de S.M. Nrã Sra. del Carmen,⁶ ò a lo menos asi lo indicaron sus maniobras, pues haviendo estado aparentando tranquilidad y prometiendo en sus oficios escritos con moderacion, la continuacion y deseo de conservar la buena armonia, y dando a entender no pensavan en hirse tan pronto, se levaron el dia 1^o.del presente que el viento les favorecia mui temprano, dirijiendose rio avajo hazia la Balandra que se hallava a tres leguas de distancia de esta ciudad, pero yo que desde que las cosas se pusieron de mal semblante, he tenido y tengo a todas horas un Cavallo ensillado, monte inmediatam^te. y a toda carrera pude llegar un quarto de hora antes a la dha Balandra que las fragatas; de modo que haviendo conocido que la plata estava en tierra y lejos de la orilla del rio dieron fondo un poco mas abajo por la popa de dha Balandra.

El haver las referidas fragatas desde q^e. supieron que la Balandra estava en el rio, quitado los parapetos, y el empalletado que las cubrian, haver salido la mañana que se levaron sin ellos, y haver asi que perdieron de vista la Ciudad, hecho safarrancho, parapetadose, tendido las redes de combate, y cargado los cañones a metralla (como despues supe) sin que en el Rio tuviesen embarcaciones enemigas, son a mi parecer indicios claros de que sus miras eran las de apoderarse del situado, quisas con la idea de obligarme por este medio a devolverle las presas de los Americanos, ò indegnisarse de aquella perdida con nrõ. dinero.

Las Balandras corsarias se mantienen en el Lago Pontchartrin,⁷ y p^a. observar sus movimientos, y los de las tierras Ynglesas, he dispuesto armar una goleta q^e. no haga otra cosa que cruzar en el dho Lago, para facilitarme los mas prontos avisos siempre que note alguna novedad.

Por las mismas cartas de 14 y 27. de Abril que llevo citadas, havra V.S. visto que le pido auxilio de tropa, y embarcacion^s. para ponerme en mejor estado de defensa, pues aunque esta se hara siempre que llegue el caso, en terminos que conosca el Rey el amor con que le servimos, con todo V.S. no dejara de conoser lo que pueden dar de si poco mas de doscientos hombres de tropa reglada, que es lo que tengo en la Plaza, que como V.S. save no tiene murallas ni Baluartes, por lo q^e. espero no me retardara dho refuerzo.

Aunque havia hecho animo de quedarme con la Balandra que ha traido el cituado por estar armada en Grrã interin me llegan los socorros que tengo pedidos a V.S., he resuelto se vaya, por haverme presentado el Oficial q^e. la manda, la orden del s^or. comand^te. general de marina⁸ en que le previene se vuelva con la maior brevedad por la falta que le haze dho Barco para los fines del r^l. servicio.

Todo lo que en cumplim^to. de mi dever pongo en noticia de V. S. p^a. su inteligen^a.. Dios guê [&c.]

Nueva Orleans 16. de mayo de 1778.

[Translation]

Very Dear Sir:

You should know by now, through the letters I have written to Your Lordship 14 and 27 April ultimo,¹ of the suspicions I held, and still hold, of being attacked by the English should I not surrender the American leaders and their prizes;² for this reason, I have requested Your Lordship to support me with troops and vessels.

The many spies I have among them continually inform me that in private con- versations, the principle citizens of Pensacola, Natchez, and other English ports heat- edly debate this matter, and the general consensus is to force me to comply with their demands. Should I not willingly accede, I know that over a thousand whites and Chickasaw Indians from Natchez would descend on Manchac to request, with less modesty than used thus far, said Americans and their prizes and to accompany their request with threats. Beside the verbal warnings I have been given, I have a powerful document that proves their ill intentions. It is a letter I have intercepted from one of the principal members of the council of Pensacola, the ablest, and the one who best expresses the sentiments of the group and sets the tone in that impor- tant tribunal. In it, he personally writes to an Irish friend of his who settled in this City many years ago, that he wishes that he and all his friends should leave the Colony at once because of the dark cloud that is forming that will discharge upon it and he would regret if they were caught in the storm.³

In case they are resolute in their intentions, Your Lordship will see I cannot and will not accede to them, and if I should not give my best defense, it would be a stain that would fall upon our Nation. I am resolved then, with the hope that my course of action will meet the approval of our Monarch’s generous heart.

The two frigates that were anchored in front of this City have left for the time being,⁴ but many believe they will return as soon as the ones from Jamaica arrive.⁵ Their departure from here was oddly timed. No doubt their intention was to seize the allowance traveling up the river in His Majesty’s sloop, Nuestra Señora del Carmen,⁶ at least their maneuvers indicated as much. Having appeared to be peaceful and, having assured us in their letters, written in the language of moderation, of their desire to preserve harmonious relations yet implying they had no intentions of leaving soon, they set sail early the first of the month when the wind favored them. They headed downstream toward the sloop which was three leagues distant from this city. However, since the situation has turned grim, I have had and continue to have at all times, a saddled horse which I mounted immediately and at full gallop reached the sloop a quarter of an hour before the frigates. And so knowing that the silver had been moved inland and far from the shore, they anchored farther down by the stern of the sloop.

From the moment they realized the sloop was in the river, the frigates took down their parapets and the mattress barrier that protected them. They set sail early in the morning without them and when out of sight of the city, cleared the decks, put up the parapets, set out the combat railings, and loaded the cannons with shrapnel (as I later found out) without any enemy vessels being in the River. In my view, these are clear indicators that they had their sights set on taking the allowance, perhaps as a way to force me to return the prizes taken by the Americans, or to compensate their loss with our money.

The corsair sloops remain in Lake Pontchrtrain⁷ and in order to observe their movements and what is taking place on the English shore, I have arranged to arm a galiot whose sole purpose will be to cruise said Lake to inform me immediately of any changes taking place.

In the same letters dated 14 and 27 of April, Your Lordship will see I have requested assistance with troops and vessels in order to prepare a better defense. While this will always be done when the occasion demands it in a manner in which the King will know the love with which we serve him, even with this, Your Lordship knows the limitations of fighting with a little over two hundred regular troops, which is what I have in this town. And as Your Lordship understands, the town has no bulwarks or ramparts which is why I expect said reinforcements will not be delayed.

Since the sloop that transported the allowance was an armed warship, I had expected to keep it until the reinforcements I requested from Your Lordship arrived. However, after reviewing the orders presented to me by the vessel’s commanding officer from the general commander of the navy,⁸ in which he stresses its importance and orders its immediate return for the purposes of the royal service, I have determined it should depart.

In compliance with my duties, I make this information known to Your Lordship. May God protect [&c.]

New Orleans, 16 May 1778./,

Bern^do. de Gálvez