Francisco Amangual, soldier, was born on Majorca about 1739. He entered the Spanish army in 1762 and served two years in the Batavian Regiment of Dragoons and fourteen years in the Spanish Regiment of Dragoons. After distinguishing himself in a cavalry company in the Sonora expedition of 1767-71, he was stationed at San Antonio de Bexar Presidio, Texas, where he became paymaster in 1784.

In 1797 he commanded an unsuccessful pursuit of Comanche Indians who had raided the cattle ranch at Nuestra Señora del Refugio Mission. Later he was elected alferez of his company at La Bahia. He was ordered to guard the coast against invasion at the time of the Philip Nolan expedition of 1800 and escorted Nolan's captured companions to Saltillo.

[In 1803, Amangual briefly assumed command of the troops at La Bahia from Captain Francisco Javier de Uranga.] By 1804-05 Amangual commanded the Company of San Carlos de Parras at [mission San Antonio de Valero.]

He had charge of the finances of the military hospital in Bexar for a brief period before his resignation in March 1808 [at which time command of the San Carlos de Parras Company was transfered to José Antonio Aguilar.] Between March 30 and December 23 1808 he led an expedition of 200 men from San Antonio to Santa Fe, through the Comanche country, and back by way of El Paso After his return he retired with the rank of captain. He was married three times. He died on May 19,1812.

--A.P. Nasitir

[Revisions in brackets mine]

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Bexar Archives, Barker Texas History Center, University of Texas at Austin. Carlos E. Castañeda, Our Catholic Heritage in Texas (7 vols., Austin: Von Boeckmann-Jones, 1936-58; rpt., New York: Arno, 1976).

Related Document:
Last Will and Testament of Captain Francisco Amangual, April 15, 1812