Welcome to a new history of old San Antonio.

Episode 9, San Antonio Revolts.

I'm Brandon Seal.

I'm a city, San Antonio. tonight I'm looking at your lovely life.

On June 4th, 1807, a dust-covered American lieutenant arrived in San Antonio under Spanish military escort.

Texas Governor Manuel Cordero went out personally to receive the lieutenant, masking his

deep suspicion of the interloper with theatrical displays of hospitality. The clean-shaven, fair-featured man

from the east claimed that he had become lost while exploring the borders of the Louisiana

purchase acquired by the United States from France just four years prior. He had wandered into Colorado

and then Santa Fe, where he'd been

placed under guard and marched down to Chihuahua, where he was politely but firmly reprimanded

and returned up the communal rial to San Antonio en route to New Orleans. The American lieutenant,

one Zebulon Pike, was flattered by the governor's attentions and honored by the opportunity

to ride in his coach up the mission trail and into town. Like so many other visitors to the area, he was enchanted by the country, calling it, quote, one of the richest,

most prolific, and best-watered countries in North America, end quote. The missions he observed,

quote, for solidity, accommodation, and even majesty were surpassed by few buildings he had seen

in New Spain, end quote. Yet in truth, the missions were shells of their former

selves. By 1793, Valero was home to just 45 converts, San Jose 106, Concepcion 47, San Juan

31, and Espada 41, a quarter or so of the populations that they had supported just a generation

earlier. The mission ranches went untended, the fields untilled. The adjustment to mission life

had proven difficult for Native Americans. As we've mentioned previously, the birth rate for mission

couples was only 1.3 children per pair. Most died before the age of 30. Two-thirds of all

...