Emô Señor
Mui señor mio:
Como las criticas circunstancias en que me he hallado con mis vecinos los Yngleses de que estara V. E. instruhido por las cartas que le he escrito en los antecedentes correos me han puesto en la precision de valerme de todos los medios que me han parecido conducentes a ponerme en estado de defensa, y frustar las malas intenciones que tenian contra esta Provincia justificadas por los repetidos avisos que me han dado los confidentes que como espias he tenido entre ellos mismos y por varias cartas que he interceptado me presento la casualidad uno del qe. me haproveche por contemplarlo el unico que pudiera apetecer no tan solo para separar a los Yngleses de sus siniestras ideas sino tambien para ponerlos en maior alarma de la que ellos han podido causarme y fue el siguiente.
A mediados de este mes me aviso el comandante del Puesto de Arcanzas haver llegado à el un Bató con veinte y cinco Americanos que conducian algunos viveres para la partida de Dn. Santiago Willing los que asi que se informaron de la situacion en que se hallaban sus enemigos en la parte vaja del Rio, y que les hera imposible parar por sus establecimientos sin ser destruidos retrocedieron para bolberse al fuerte Pit1 de donde avian salido, ynmediatamente esparci esta noticia en la Ciudad aumentando que dho Bato procedia de una gran partida que quedaba mas arriba y que se preparaban a bajar en numero de 2000 hombres con la idea de apoderarse de los establecimientos de este Rio y a fin de que dha noticia se repartiese generalmente en la Provincia escribi a todos los comandantes hasta la Punta cortada la carta circular de que incluio a V. E. copia.
Tambien efecto me ha producido dha carta que continuamente recibo avisos de los comandantes del diferente semblante que han tomado las cosas pues los mismos que antes amenazaban en el dia solicitan y buscan nuestra amistad, Los Yndios que tenian a su debocion y con los que querian insultar nuestras costas asi que han oido que bajaban los Americanos se han exparcido cada nacion por su lado en busca de sus Aldeas, y aier me informo un avitante de esta colonia llamado Bicente Ricuso que viniendo por el Lago Pontchartrin en una Goleta suia encontro un Bote Yngles bien equipado al que hava. preguntado de donde venia y que novedades avia le respondieron que vien malas pues bajaban de Manchak e iban a Pansacola a toda diligencia a dar la noticia conto tres mil Americanos debian bajar dentro de poco para tomar todas las tierras de este Rio y que de un dia à otro esperaban este golpe, ultimamente me escribe el comandte. de Manchak que haviendo recombenido al de Manchak Yngles mr. Malquibray2 por haver hecho fuego a una piragua que bajaba el Rio con dos hombres le respondio que a la tarde pararia a darle la correspondiente satisfaccion y que haviendo hido le dijo que el motivo de haber hecho fuego à aquella Piragua fue porque creieron eran Desertores de Natches respecto à que no hicieron caso a las muchas voces que les dieron para que arrimaran a tierra y que extra de esto bien savia que estaban amenazads. de los Americanos que deben bajar y que podia bien discurrir estaban en la obligacion de tomar informes, y precauciones concluiendo su carta con decirme se hallan todos los Yngleses tanto soldados como avitantes en la mayor alarma esperando el momento de ser atacados.
Por fin debo a la citada carta y a lo abultado de la noticia de la vajada de los Americanos la tranquilidad que disfrutara esta Prova. a lo menos mientras se verifique la verdad (cuio tiempo que a mi modo de pensar no sera corto)—aprovechare para ponerme cada vez en mejor estado de defensa y no temerles. Lo que participo à V. E. para su noticia y la de S. M.3 Dios guarde [&c.]
Nueva Orleans 28 de Julio de 1778,
[Translation]
Excellency
My Dear Sir:
As I informed Your Excellency in my earlier correspondence, my situation with regard to my English neighbors is critical. Through spies and intercepted letters I know of their ill intentions. I am using every means at my disposal to put this place into a state of defense so as to frustrate their designs. An unexpected opportunity arose through one of my agents. I exploited it because it seemed the best way to upset the sinister intentions of the English, as well as to put them in a higher state of alert than they placed me.
At mid-month, the commander of the Arkansas fort informed me of the arrival of a bateau carrying twenty five Americans as well as provisions intended for Mr. James Willing's detachment. The commander informed them of their precarious situation with their enemies downstream and of the difficulty they would have arriving safely at their destination, after which they returned to their base, Fort Pitt.1 I immediately spread word throughout the city that the bateau had been part of a large detachment of two thousand men who were upstream preparing to descend and capture the forts along this river. To disseminate the news throughout the province, I wrote every commander up to Punta Cortada, a copy of which circular letter I enclose for Your Excellency.
This strategy proved so effective that every day I receive reports from those commanders of positive developments. Those who previously threatened us now seek our friendship. The Indians, who were in their service and were attacking our coasts, after hearing that the Americans planned to descend, have retired to their villages. And yesterday, Bicente Ricuso, a citizen of this colony, informed me that as he sailed his schooner across Lake Pontchartrain he encountered a well-equipped English boat. He asked where they were from and what news they carried, to which they responded that they carried bad news. They were en route to Pensacola from Manchac at full speed with word that three thousand Americans were preparing to descend at any moment to take over the lands along this river. Recently, I received a dispatch from the commander at Manchak who informed me that he had confronted Mr. Malquibray,2 his English counterpart, for firing on a pirogue with two men as it sailed downstream. Malquibray responded that he would certainly offer satisfaction and visited the commander that afternoon. At their meeting, Malquibray stated he had opened fire on the pirogue, which he thought carried deserters from Natchez, because they ignored calls to come ashore. At the same time, the English commander pointed to the threat posed by the Americans who were set to descend at any moment to justify taking their statements as well as other precautions. My officer concluded his letter by stating that the English, soldiers and citizens alike, are in a state of panic awaiting an attack at any moment.
Ultimately, I owe the state of peace enjoyed in the province to the aforementioned letter as well as the circulation of the news of the impending descent of the Americans—at least until the truth is revealed (which I believe will not be soon). In the meantime, I will strengthen the defenses. I make this information known to Your Excellency and to His Majesty.3 May God protect [&c.]
New Orleans, 28 July 1778.
Bdo. de Galvez