The Flying Company of San Bartolome Valley, 1688-1752

Abstract

From 1688 to 1752, the Compañía Volante de Campaña (roughly, "Flying Company") was stationed in San Bartolomé, which at that time belonged to the province of Santa Bárbara in Nueva Vizcaya. For their sustenance, those troops were dependent on the local population, on goods delivered in advance by the Captain of the Compañía, who, in turn, relied on the trader who supplied merchandise to the military and, often, also on the governor himself who controlled trade. The Compañía was entrusted with the tasks of protecting roadways and combatting rebellious Indians; activities they could not conduct effectively without the help of Indian auxiliaries. The transfer of the Compañía to San Bartolomé contributed to consolidating local settlement. While the soldiers belonged to the poorer social classes, achieving the rank of Captain represented an outstanding route towards social mobility. Captains were regional military chiefs, and peace depended largely on their relations with still unsubdued Indians.