Tejano History
Munoz, Manuel
Tejanos |
MUÑOZ, MANUEL (ca. 1730–1799). Manuel Muñoz was probably born in Matamoros, Castile, Spain around 1730. He was a captain in the Spanish army when he arrived in Texas as commander of the newly established Presidio del Norte in December 1759. The following year he helped repulse an attack by Apache Indians, and he served at the post for many years. He commanded the Nueva Vizcaya contingent during Col. Hugo Oconór's Indian campaign of 1775. Muñoz was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1777, and eventually to colonel. In the 1770s and 1780s he served at a number of posts along the Rio Grande, negotiated with the Mescalero Apaches, and conducted campaigns against border renegades. Muñoz succeeded Rafael Martínez Pacheco as governor of Texas in 1790. Two years later the Conde de Sierra visited to investigate his administration and while he was doing so served as acting governor. In 1793 Muñoz carried out the decree of secularization for San Antonio de Valero Mission and the following year a decree of “partial secularization” for the other four San Antonio missions (see SPANISH MISSIONS).
Full article on the Texas State Historical Association's Handbook of Texas Online