My source for the addition of the 834 varas of wall was: TheArchaeology and History of Alamo Plaza, Archaeological Report No.16(SanAntonio,TX: Center for Archaeological Research, UTSA, c.1976) by Anne Fox,Feris Bass Jr., and Thomas R. Hester.
Your theory of "breaking the figure" is also very interesting. Myanswer was based on research of English language idioms, which I assumedit was. I never thought about a literal interpretation. Doyou have any documentation that would substantiate that the "figure" wasindeed one of the Santos? If this is the true, then I humbly bow to a superiorintellect.
From: Jake Ivey j
Randy:
Yeah, that's what I thought: the document talking about the 834 varasis Mariano Varela [BAM 41:206-09]. It's actually talking about therepair of the convento for the hospital; 843 varas was apparently the totallength of the tops of the parapets of all the convento rooms that werestanding at the time, all of which were repaired along with a bunch ofother work (although I remember it that way, I've lost my copy of the entiredocument, so I can't recheck -- 834 varas is a long way, though). None of it was south gate work. I still haven't found any referenceto that construction.
Jake.
That's the problem with using secondary sources. I'll see if someonewho has access to the Bexar Archives on Microfilm [BAM] can getme copies of the particular frames you mention, in fact I can probablyget copies of the original documents from Austin. Looking in my copy ofAdan Benevides "The Bexar Archives - 1717-1836, A Name Guide" I'm unable to locate the roll and frame you reference for the Nemesio Salcedodocument. Are you sure of the Roll reference? The guide showsthe following:
CHI, 11/14/1802 030:0897-98As you can see, the dates jump from November 1802 to May 1803.
Sent box by Felix TrudeauxNAC, 5/7/1803 031:0251-52
Receives map of New Mexico by Fray
cheap hotels in BlackpoolJose Maria de Jesus Puelles
Date: 12/03/98
From: Jake Ivey j
Randy:
I haven't used Benavides name guide, so I don't know what to expectof it; or do you mean the big thick blue book? The index? Ifso, you looked up N. Salcedo in it and found the listings you sent as what Adan listed as in the BAM for the period you're interested in? Well,then, ...
From what I recall Adan saying, he used the calendar at the front ofeach roll of microfilm. This thing wasn't listed in any particularway on that calendar, although I can't recall how it read. I wasjust looking for any reference to the Compañía at all inthe period before late January, 1803, and found this by accident; I rememberrealizing what the booklet had to be, and being suddenly certain that Salcedowas going to mention the guys arriving. The roll 30 listing is howit is in my notes, and that date has to be about the end of roll 30, anyway. I'm pretty sure it's right.
Jake.
Randy:
Here's the transcript of the Comp. Vol. arrival; all I transcribed was this part. I think the letter goes on to other news at that point, but there may be other things in it or in the first draft in the letterbook,that this one replaced.
"Señor Com[andan]te G[ene]ral==El dia 29 del mes ultimo ingresó á esa cabezera la Comp[añí]avolante de S[a]n Carlos de Parras á la qual ha destinado en la Misionde S[a]n Ant[oni]o Valero situada á la margen opuesta de este Riopor la escases de habitaciones en lo interior de la Villa, ser aquel enparaje mui aproposito y tener varias fabricas que aun su mantenir en regularestado. Hasta el dia se halla empleada la tropa con arreglo que incluioa VS. ocupada una parte de ella como manifiesta este Documento en construirprovisionalmente los jacales que faltan para viviendos de varias familiasque se han replegado en las que existen en el recinto de la
muralla ..." TRANSLATION
In a note to myself, I added "This letter is found in Salcedo'scopy-book, where he wrote the rough copy of letters later rewritten to be mailed. It is the second draft of the letter; the first, on frame949, begins with approximately the same first paragraph but does not includea second paragraph about provisions for religious services. It wasmarked out and the letter quoted here inserted into the book over it." The insertion looks wierd in the microfilm picture, like a scribbled-oversheet stuck in on top of the regular pages.
Since, as you see, there's no reference to religious services, thatmeans there's additional information about the provisions for the livesof the company in the letter, but I didn't transcribe it; so go look.
About the "834 varas of battlement", as Nixon says, the original documentcalls for repairs on (among other things) "115 varas of parapet 1vara high and 3/4 wide for the flat roofs which are located on the northand east" of the Military Hospital (the convento), "246 varas of lengthaveraging five [varas] wide to make 1230 varas of area of flat roof whichshould be made of concrete mix [ormigon de mescla]. 473 varas oflength of walls, averaged [in height, about 6.8 varas] ... to make 3251[square] varas ... which must be daubed and plastered."
Nixon ignored most of what the letter had to say, and added together115 varas of parapet, 246 varas of roof length, and 473 varas of wall lengthto get 834 varas, which was then assumed, for some reason, to all fallin the first category, "parapets." Terrible research.
These and the other repairs recommended in the letter were carried out,as is shown by an itemized invoice attached to the letter. Theseare all in BAM, roll 41, frames 205-209.
Jake.
Jake,
I'm very grateful that you've pointed us to this "new" document. I think you'll agree with me that some of the B.A. microfilm is sometimesdifficult to read leaves a lot to be desired. I don't know if I would haveever happened on this by myself.
While this doesn't radically change anything, it's like that fixNASA did on the Hubble space telescope. Things are a little more in focusnow. I'll definitely make a trip to the archives in Austin to get a copyof the entire document.
Thanks for your interest and input.
Randell Tarin
For the benefit of those who do not readSpanish, I'm providing a very rough translation of the passage transcribedby Mr. Ivey:
Lord Commander General= On the 29th of last month I tookcharge of the Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras. The same was headed for the Mission San Antonio Valero, which is located on the oppositeside of this river. They had rejected the quarters in the interior of thevillage because they were not maintained in good condition. Until today, the troops have occupied the part of the mission that shows on thedocument as east. Because living quarters are lacking, several of the familieswho remained have constructed jacales or are living in the wall's enclosure...
