To Lord Captain Don Bernardo de Urrea

My Dear Sir

Three young boys have arrived at this place, one of them wounded, giving notice that the Pimas have struck in the realito of Oquitoa. These three escaped without waiting to see more than the fight that was taking place between the Pimas and the residents of that realito. I pass this news on to Your Excellency in this brief form so that it can be promptly communicated to the Governor. All the residents and I remain here with the necessary caution required by such news and, God willing, it will be convenient for Your Honor to communicate with me. In the meantime, I pray to God to keep Your Honor many years. Santa Ana, November 21, 1751

P.S. I have returned to ask the eldest of the said boys (which is the one who is wounded) at what time the Indians struck in the said realito. He said it was this morning just as the first rays of the sun were breaking over the horizon. When he went through Átil this morning he could see a large cloud of smoke billowing over Tubutama where he assumed they had burned the church. I go there now with the few residents of this place. Lord Captain, Your devoted servant kisses the hand of Your Honor Joseph Ignacio Salazar. Francisco Pérez Serrano to Bernardo Urrea Post script added by Alférez Miliciano Joseph Ignacio Salazar, Santa Ana, November 21, 1751 (AGI, Guadalajara 419, 3m-14, pages 4-5)

To Lord Captain Don Bernardo de Urrea

My Dear Sir:

Shortly after having sent news to Your Honor in my last letter that the Pimas had struck in Oquitoa, Salvador Contreras arrived at this place. He had escaped by fleeing (because he was defenseless). He says that he heard the screams of the Indians just as it was beginning to get daylight, and immediately afterwards he saw infinite hordes of them approaching the village and closing in on it. Some of them swarmed into the house of Comisario [Cristóbal] Yañez and others into that of Don Thadeo Bojorquez. Still others attacked [Manuel] Amesquita’s house and he assumes they killed all of them. Salvador ran for his life, putting as much distance between himself and Oquitoa as he could. Climbing a hill he could see the smoke from the houses they had set on fire. He also saw a billowing smoke over Tubutama that appeared like an enormous cloud where, he also assumes, they had burned the church and the house of the Father. Having spoken to him, I write again to Your Honor to advise you of what appears to be a general uprising of the entire Pimería so that Your Honor might promptly advise the Lord Governor. It is indeed possible that the said enemies of these territories might overrun us and the damages may be great, because we have so few men. We are so very defenseless, considering the few residents who are armed, as I said in my previous letter to Your Honor, sent with the Alférez this afternoon. May our Lord God protect us and may he keep Your Honor many years. Santa Ana, in the evening of November 21, 1751. Lord Captain, your friend and servant kisses the hand of Your Honor. Francisco Pérez Serrano

To The Lord Lieutenant [Governor] After I wrote this, it was not sent because there was no one to be found who could take it. So, it has remained here until morning. About two hours after the sun went down a soldier from Tubutama came here asking for help. He said they were defending what they could with the few forces they had there, but that the Pima enemies had burned the church, the Father’s house, and everything. The said soldier came here wounded and said that most of the few sentinels who were there are wounded. All of the people of Oquitoa and Arivaca are finished, and notice has also come that they have killed the Reverend Father Tómas Tello of Caborca. Because of this we continue to ask God for his mercy and the Lord Governor for his aid and protection.

Francisco Pérez Serrano to Bernardo Urrea, Santa Ana, November 21 and 22, 1751 (AGI, Guadalajara 419, 3m-14, pages 14-16)