My source for the addition of the 834 varas of wall was: The Archaeology and History of Alamo Plaza, Archaeological Report No.16(San Antonio,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. My answer was based on research of English language idioms, which I assumed it was. I never thought about a literal interpretation. Do you have any documentation that would substantiate that the "figure" was indeed one of the Santos? If this is the true, then I humbly bow to a superior intellect.
From: Jake Ivey j
Randy:
Yeah, that's what I thought: the document talking about the 834 varas is Maríano Varela [BAM 41:206-09]. It's actually talking about the repair of the convento for the hospital; 843 varas was apparently the total length of the tops of the parapets of all the convento rooms that were standing at the time, all of which were repaired along with a bunch of other work (although I remember it that way, I've lost my copy of the entire document, 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 reference to that construction.
Jake.
That's the problem with using secondary sources. I'll see if someone who has access to the Bexar Archives on Microfilm [BAM] can get me copies of the particular frames you mention, in fact I can probably get copies of the original documents from Austin. Looking in my copy of Adan Benevides "The Bexar Archives - 1717-1836, A Name Guide" I'm unable to locate the roll and frame you reference for the Nemesio Salcedo document. Are you sure of the Roll reference? The guide shows the 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
José María 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 expect of it; or do you mean the big thick blue book? The index? If so, 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 of each roll of microfilm. This thing wasn't listed in any particular way on that calendar, although I can't recall how it read. I was just looking for any reference to the Compañía at all in the period before late January, 1803, and found this by accident; I remember realizing what the booklet had to be, and being suddenly certain that Salcedo was going to mention the guys arriving. The roll 30 listing is how it 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]a volante de S[a]n Carlos de Parras á la qual ha destinado en la Mision de S[a]n Ant[oni]o Valero situada á la margen opuesta de este Rio por la escases de habitaciones en lo interior de la Villa, ser aquel en paraje mui aproposito y tener varias fabricas que aun su mantenir en regular estado. Hasta el dia se halla empleada la tropa con arreglo que incluio a VS. ocupada una parte de ella como manifiesta este Documento en construir provisionalmente los jacales que faltan para viviendos de varias familias que 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's
copy-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 frame
949, begins with approximately the same first paragraph but does not include
a second paragraph about provisions for religious services. It was
marked out and the letter quoted here inserted into the book over it."
The insertion looks wierd in the microfilm picture, like a scribbled-over
sheet stuck in on top of the regular pages.
Since, as you see, there's no reference to religious services, that means there's additional information about the provisions for the lives of 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 document calls for repairs on (among other things) "115 varas of parapet 1 vara high and 3/4 wide for the flat roofs which are located on the north and east" of the Military Hospital (the convento), "246 varas of length averaging five [varas] wide to make 1230 varas of area of flat roof which should be made of concrete mix [ormigon de mescla]. 473 varas of length 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 together 115 varas of parapet, 246 varas of roof length, and 473 varas of wall length to get 834 varas, which was then assumed, for some reason, to all fall in 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. These are 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 sometimes difficult to read leaves a lot to be desired. I don't know if I would have ever happened on this by myself.
While this doesn't radically change anything, it's like that fix NASA did on the Hubble space telescope. Things are a little more in focus now. I'll definitely make a trip to the archives in Austin to get a copy of the entire document.
Thanks for your interest and input.
Randell Tarín
For the benefit of those who do not read
Spanish, I'm providing a very rough translation of the passage transcribed
by Mr. Ivey:
Lord Commander General= On the 29th of last month I took charge of the Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras. The same was headed for the Mission San Antonio Valero, which is located on the opposite side of this river. They had rejected the quarters in the interior of the village because they were not maintained in good condition. Until today, the troops have occupied the part of the mission that shows on the document as east. Because living quarters are lacking, several of the families who remained have constructed jacales or are living in the wall's enclosure...
