On the morning of the 29th of May 1785 a special messenger arrived in Mexico, announcing that the new viceroy had arrived in Vera Cruz, and on the 30th would start for the capital. On the 16th of June he arrived at the town of San Cristóbal,[1] and received the command from the regente. During the day he was honored and magnificently entertained by the real consulado, the archbishop, courts, religious orders, corporations, and citizens. The next morning at ten he reached Guadalupe. After the religious ceremonies, and having been greeted by the audiencia and others, he pursued his way to the capital, entering amidst the greatest marks of respect and enthusiasm, and a salute of fifteen guns. The same salute had been given to the vicereine, who had gone in advance escorted by the police of the real acordada, four halberdiers at the steps of the carriage, and a squad of dragoons. The people manifested their joy in many ways.[2]
- ↑ He made what was called an 'entrada mista,' having on his way visited first Puebla, and Tlascala next. Panes, Vir., in Monum. Dom. Esp., MS., 54.
- ↑ Both the viceroy and vicereine were loudly cheered. Rockets and flowers formed great features on the occasion. Gomez, Diario, 209-10; Gaz. de Mex., 1784-5, i. 326-7.
the Galveztown, he was again wounded. The result of his campaigns was that he rid the Mexican gulf of the presence of the English. His services were rewarded without stint. It is true that his uncle, José de Galvez, was the king's minister for the Indies, but he had well deserved of his sovereign and country; promoted successively to mariscal de campo and lieutenant-general, a title of Castile was also given him with the privilege of adding on his coat of arms the motto 'yo solo,' for his prowess at Pensacola, and one of the fleurs de lis of Louisiana. It was also ordered that the bay of Pensacola should thereafter be named Santa María de Galvez. He was next granted knightly honors, and later appointed governor, captain-general of Cuba, and inspector of all Spanish troops in America. He was finally exalted to the position of viceroy, governor, president, and captain-general of New Spain. When the British fleet under Admiral Hood, conveying the royal duke of Lancaster, visited in April 1783 the port of Guarico, the duke, wishing to know the young hero, called at his head-quarters, and on the French general. Galvez being absent, the latter had to do the honors to the prince. But the former as a mark of respect sent to the duke, with a full pardon, the chief of the Natchez and his accomplices, who were under sentence of death for plotting in the interest of the English. The prince was much pleased at this, promising to report it to the British king. Gaz. de Méx. (1786-7), ii. pref.; Beleña, Recop,, pref. 3; Barea, Oracion fúnebre, 1-40; Vargas, Carta de pésame, in Festiv. Div., i. no. 11, 1-16. Whilst he was governor in Habana he extended a kind treatment to some Americans who had been brought there as prisoners, for which the secretary of the American congress wrote to the conde de Floridablanca to thank him in the name of congress for Galvez' generosity. Rivera, Gob. de Méx., i. 456.
