There was to be no repetition of the events of the summer of 1789. After receiving the reports of Martinez’s actions at Nootka Sound the viceroy sent more directives for the expedition. The viceroy instructed to Eliza to secure the Nootka Sound site, and once that was accomplished, to send expeditions to survey and chart the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and north toward Cook Inlet. It was also decided to send Martinez as second-in-command of the expedition. Bodega assigned Salvador Fidalgo in the San Carlos and Ensign Manuel Quimper in the Princesa Real (formerly the Princess Royal, seized by Martínez in 1789), to accompany Eliza. Revillagigedo did not alter the substance of his instructions to Bodega for the planned expedition, except to remark that “this news make even more urgent the early departure of the three ships.” īodega ordered Lieutenant Francisco de Eliza y Reventa to command an expedition, in the 300-ton frigate Concepcion, to reoccupy Nootka Sound and fortify the settlement at Friendly Cove (Santa Cruz de Nuca) before any other country arrived. While plans for an expedition were being made, Martinez arrived at San Blas on December 6 (the Santa Gertrudis under Jose Verdia, arrived shortly afterward), and the news of the abandoning of Nootka Sound became known. Bodega was instructed to use each vessel to survey the coast and islands between Nootka South and north to Prince William Sound, in part to determine whether a Northwest Passage existed. ![]() The viceroy also reminded Bodega that he had the 205-ton stores ship Aranzazu, and the San Carlos at his disposal. It was left to Bodega to select the commanders. Revillagigedo ordered the Concepcion, Princesea Real, and Argonaut to sail from San Blas in January without fail, well equipped, crewed, and armed for war with cannon and munitions. In early December, he initiated a stream of orders and detailed instructions to Bodega, advising him that the king desired the Nootka Sound establishment sustained and for this purpose had selected him and his companions to accomplish this under the viceroy’s orders. The new viceroy found himself with two matters arising from Martinez’s actions: the release of Colnett along with his men and his ships and the Royal Order of April 14, 1789, to maintain the Nootka Sound establishment with “honour and firmness.” With respect to Nootka Sound, and still unaware that Martinez had actually left Nootka Sound, Revillagigedo proposed to resupply it using the two captured English ships. He said nothing about his order to Martinez to abandon Nootka Sound and return to San Blas.įlores and Revillagigedo finally met in Mexico City, and Revillagigedo assumed control on October 17. Flores wrote Revillagigedo on August 27, that the Princes Royal, commanded by Jose Maria Narváez, had arrived in San Blas. Flores responded that the Argonaut would be made ready to sail and that the First Free Company of the Catalonian Volunteers stationed in Guadalajara had been told to prepare to move to San Blas for onward transportation to Nootka Sound. Revillagigedo replied that nothing further should be done until instructions were received from Madrid. He urged the new viceroy to relieve him as quickly as possible, not wanting to get involved in the problem. Flores added that those ships had sailed from Macao to take possession of Nootka Sound for the king of England, and noted that the two ships and their crews were on their way to San Blas. Shortly after arriving, Revillagigedo received a letter from former viceroy Flores informing him that Martinez at Nootka Sound had seized two English ships, the Argonaut and the Princess Royal. Revillagigedo, Bodega, and his companions reached Veracruz on August 8, 1789. They sailed to New Spain, with a new viceroy, Juan Vicente de Guemes Pacheco de Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo, Conde de Revillagigedo, accompanying them. He chose Manuel Quimper, Ramón Saavedra Guiráldez y Ordóñez, Francisco de Eliza, Salvador Fidalgo y Lopegarcía, Jacinto Caamaño Moraleja, and Salvador Menéndez Valdés. The next month the king instructed him to select six junior officers to serve under his orders. In late March 1789, Juan Francisco Bodega y Quadra, who was then back in Spain, was informed of his appointment as commandant of the Naval Department of San Blas. Greg Bradsher, Senior Archivist at the National Archives at College Park.īecause of Spain’s growing concerns about its sovereignty over the Pacific Northwest in 17, the Spanish Government decided to strengthen its naval position at San Blas, in order to mount new expeditions to the Pacific Northwest. ![]() Part II of the blog series 225 Years Ago: Spanish Explorations of the Pacific Northwest and the First Spanish Settlement in Washington State, Núñez Gaona (Neah Bay), 1792
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |