Concerns Jesuit missionaries' strong arguments against new regulation of presidios with various explanations on why it is in error; notes on weakness of Rivera inspection; character of settlement system; problem of banditry that is destroying provincial commerce; wants increase in road patrols; problems of civil government; crosses of dead along highways; expenses of defense; distractions of visiting officials to area; advocates increase in presidial strength; reflects on character of Indian wars, missionization and enemy; comments on opinions of capitan-inspector Retanas; use of la Mal yerva; current quiet of Indians; system used to govern Indians; abuses of Indian labor (and consequences of fugitivism and banditry); tactical limitations of mounted troops in Sierra; contrasts of european and new world military theaters; retarded social and economic character of region; virrey acknowledges receipt of letter. (J. Williams, may 1987)

Gallardo reflects on nature of Indian wars and present crisis of Nueva Vizcaya; comments on return of Yaquis from Valle de San Buenaventura; reorganization or re-activation of various presidios on Camino real to Chihuahua city; deployment of militia and presidial forces; proposals and comments of Mendoza, Tamaron and Carta; reviews arguments made by those authors; describes frontier military life in harsh terms; problems inherent in military administration; threat of banditry, measures that need to be taken to bring it under control; Indian attacks; places inhabited; dispersal of settlements is major defense problem; areas actually protected by various presidios; possible expenses of reforms; comments on Tamaron's infantry proposal as absurd, claiming they are producto de un celo Santo, y de un concepto in greso Por informes de personas poco instruida en la guerra de los indios; demonstrates Tamaron's calculations in error; describes in detail arms and equipment (Cueras, sables, escopetas), nature of war (unsuited to infantry), advantages of lightly equipped enemy warriors; describes why guns are Inferior to bows and arrows; many details on battle tactics; enemy's lack of formations in battle; stresses war is unconventional struggle de duender; draws comparisons with war in north Africa; praises frontier soldiers; notes present threat of French; notes French weapons trade on south plains; refers to various legal codes; contrasts northern New Spain with other areas being subjected to colonization; emphasizes many shortcomings of New Spain venture; notes use of canary islanders in Texas; lack of plans used in establishing many important settlements; use of Tlaxcaltecans as settlers; many interesting biblical and historical allusions; emphasizes that Spain does not have resources to erect barrier like great Wall of China. Gallardo notes information he is presenting here is based in part on inspection of Nueva Vizcaya, Sinaloa, Sonora of ca. 1750. Document is of great historic merit to any who are interested in later Rubi/Lafora expedition and regulation of 1772. Many of Gallardo's fresh insights have been echoed by later historians such as Thomas and moorhead. (J. Williams, may 1987)

Report concerning retiring governor Mendoza's reflections on Indian wars fought in Nueva Vizcaya; includes comments on presidio deployment; Indian depredations at Chihuahua city and elsewhere; need for permanent guard at that city; great dangers of bandits who threaten supply and bullion convoys; convoys to Nueva Mexico and Sonora; relative weakness of presidial locations; strengthes and weaknesses of each presidio; calls for supplemental forces composed of thirty auxiliary Tarahumara archers for each post; value of auxiliaries as spies in broken terrain; relative cost of financing auxiliary forces; progress of missions in province; customs of mission Indians; describes education of mission Indians; schools; their virtues, livestock and crops. (J. Williams, may 1987)

A Series of letters concerning events affecting the tercera and mules in lacombas possession, documenting number and description of horses, monthly troop strength and location reports as well as military rolls, health report for Martinez, death of governor, custom, and problems of borrowing mules and horses from civilian population for transport of military equipment, pardon given to Gutierrez, settlement of debts with Indians, edict setting policy on treatment of ministers of tribunals, promotion of Soto and subsequent dismissal due to alcoholic problems followed by testimony from witnesses of resulting derelictions of duty and finally his replacement with Venavidez, formal charges lodged against Soto, dicharge of bortrego and replacement with Palos, desire to dismiss Puga, shipment of sealed documents to governor, enlistment of Arocha to replace Soto, informing Ugalde of preparation for campaign, recent theft of mules and horses from mission and statement from priests in charge, problems of acquisition of mules through purchase or legal seizure due to unavailability of said animal, troop movement and destination as campaign looms near, temporarily filling a comission for teniente de justicia with Cossio, Galban handing over command of company to Lacomba, promotions of Echeagarrey ands Gutierrez de la Cueva to assistants to the inspector, Gutierrez de la Cueva assigned the job of shipping arms, orders requesting movement of troops to a more strategic area, impracticality of this due to poor topography, orders to send 100 horses and lacombas reluctance because of Lipanes tribe, filing of credit and debit report for previous year, agricultural activities of mission, late arrival of Arocha and Puga. (O. Velez, October 1988)

Concerns military problems caused by a force of rebels made up of Apostate Indians and renegades menacing Valle de San Bartholome; includes many interesting details on rebels use of spies; size and organization of their forces (more than 1700 men); ethnic composition and origins of members of their group; their leader (Calaxtrin);their tactics and strategy; their capture and conversion of other Tarahumar Indians, including women; their arms and equipment; importance of criminals in the group; their use of Peyote to persuade captives to join rebellion; rebel bases in mountains; their use of captured livestock for meat; their commerce with barbarian Indians for arrows and hides; use of auxiliaries against rebels; population losses resulting from rebel raids; an exploration of rebels home in San Francisco mountains by balenzeula; recent presidio transfers and resulting strategic situation; recognition that rebel Tarahumaras are a serious threat to province; and viceroy's insistence on importance of new presidio line. (J. Williams, March 1987)

Correspondence between comisario de contaduria de San Blas, fiscal affairs for departamento and port of San Blas. Includes accounts of debits and credits for 1788, plus proposed budget for 1789. Folios 57-114 deal with comisario's request for more funds upon exceeding proposed budget for 1794. Presence of highwaymen (bandidos) on overland routes of commerce is mentioned in folios 97-104. (J. H. Ochs, July 1988)