Hispanic America USA, Inc.
A non-profit organization
Newsletters of Spanish Colonial America
Copyright © 1996-97 all rights reserved



  Contributed by
Richard Collins

"A Well Equipped Force?"

                In one of several punitive expeditions sent against the Quechan
               Indians after the so-called Yuma Massacre of 1781, the Spanish
government assembled the following forces:

                   A piquet of thirty regulars from the Dragoon Regiment of                 Mexico; Sixty soldados de cuera and tropa ligera (light troopers)               from the presidios of Altar, Tucson, Pitic, and Buenavista; and                  forty-two Pima auxiliaries from the missions of northern Sonora.

                    Yet while the ninety-five Spaniards were equipped with a   "complete armament of firearms," they only had sixty-
eight swords and sixty-three lances between them.

The lack of edged weapons was partially made up by the addition of a small cannon or pedrero.

The Pimas carried their weapons including, lances, war clubs,
leather shields, and bows and arrows.

              (Jose Antonio Romeu, "Diario..." AGI Guad. 277)

---

Please E-mail The Webmasters information, comments or send regular mail to:

C/O Hispanic America, Inc.
Post Office Box 36693
Phoenix, Arizona 85067-6933