Subject: First Flying Company of Alamo de Parras
Date: Fri, 04 July 1997
From: Kevin R. Young
I was looking over the reference in Alwyn Barr's book Texas in Revolt, The battle of San Antonio, 1835 about the siege of Bexar to the First and Second Flying Company. It 's only noted in the back in his troop list with no source.
I pulled the monthly post returns from the Bejar archives--no first company for Alamo de Parras. I then double checked Sanchez-Navarro--again, no reference to anything but the Second Company.
Remember, there were first and second flying companies of Tamaulipas that were part of the presidial garrison at Bexar in the fall of 1835.
Kevin R. Young
Do you think Barr has confused the Tamaulipas Companies with Alamo de Parras?
It's curious that he references "the 1st Flying Company" in the back of his book, when as you said, that's the only mention of it.
On page 13 he says, "The infantry with some artillery held the plazas west of the river, while the remaining cannoneers garrisoned the Alamo east of the river with over 400 cavalry in seven companies-- one each from Béxar, Alamo de Parras, Tamaulipas, Agua Verde, Rio Grande, and two from Nuevo Leon."
One Nuevo Leon company, I believe, was already present in San Antonio as part of reinforcements that had been sent to the Bexar Presidio some years earlier (along with troops from Nuevo Santander).
Think about it...If there was a Second Flying Company, there must have been a first!
I have a copy of a document that I think refers to Cos's troop strength that I pulled from the Bexar Archives on microfilm. Let me verify the subject matter and date and I will get back to you.
I wish to heck the soldados could have worked on their penmanship. It's hard enough to translate without having to decipher their sloppy writing.
As an example, Robert Tarin and I have copies of a journal that Vicente Tarin kept concerning some dealings with the Lipans. It's dated about 1810 and is almost impossible to read. I even resorted to going to Austin and looking at the original. It didn't help much. We have a good copy we are trying to work off, but right now it has a low priority.
Randell Tarin
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Subject: First Flying Company of Alamo de Parras
Date: Sat, 04 July 1997
From: Kevin R. Young
I think Barr may have just done that. It isn't the first time this kind of thing has happened.
If a first company appears on one of the post returns, then I would say that's confirmation. However, I think Barr did make a mistake. I would like to track down the first company, I think there was one, but it remained in the interior and never made it to Texas. At least, I have never seen a documented report of it being here.
I agree about trying to read the penmanship--but it makes it fun. I am still working on the muster rolls for the Permanente Morales at Bejar in the fall of 1835. There's more material there.
The document in question was "Cuerpo de Caballeria Presidial" or Body of Presidial Light Cavalry dated October 10, 1835.
If I'm reading it correctly, there are two companies from Alamo de Parras.
La Presidial de BexarRandell Tarin
y dos la del Alamo de Parras
Piqute[squad or picket] de la Rio Grande
y dos de la Aguaverde
y dos de la [?] permanente de Tamaulipas
Primera [?] de Nuevo Leon
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Subject: First Flying Company of Alamo de Parras
Date: Sat, 05 July 1997
From: Kevin R. Young
Now, that is real interesting! I'll check it out. It does explain Casteñeda's reference to two "permanente" dragoons in his report of the battle of Gonzales.
Kevin R. Young
Subject: First Flying Company of Alamo de Parras
Date: 10 July 1997
From: Kevin R. Young
I received the Presidal troops list that you sent. The entry you mentioned does, at first, appear to be "dos" but it could be some other word. What bothers me is that if there were a First and Second company then they would say, Primero and Segunda (as they do with one of the other units listed). Also, the number of men and officers is not different from a previous return that lists the Segunda Compañía. I found a listing of all frontier troops in January 1836 (when prinited, probably reflects the summer/fall of 1835). There is no Primero Compañía Alamo de Parras listed, but the Segunda Compañía is listed as stationed in Bejar.
I know this doesn't clear up the problem, but I still tend to think that only the Segunda Compañía was present at the siege of Bejar.
I am sending you the Gonzales report. I thought you might want the original Spanish version of the 6th March battle orders, plus the famous Williamson letter.
Kevin R. Young