The Spanish missions in New Mexico and Florida received regular resupply courtesy of lump payments made by the Spanish Crown used by the Franciscans to pay for materials to support the missions. The official wagon caravan from Mexico City to New Mexico arrived every three years, while the more accessible Florida missions were resupplied three times a year.

After the excesses of cruelty seen in the initial years of contact, the 1573 Comprehensive Royal Orders for New Discoveries, placed missionaries at the forefront of exploration and pacification of new lands. The frontier missions stated purpose was to provide a spiritual harvest for the Catholic faith. A secondary role was to provide an economically expensive, but vital, frontier presence against encroachment from other European nations, and protect interests further south. New Mexico and Texas provided a supportive buffer for the lucrative mining enterprises in Northern Mexico, and Florida provided a safe haven and support for ships crossing the Atlantic. French pirates and corsairs targeted the ships returning to Spain laden with silver. Between 1556 and 1600 the Spanish Crown’s revenue from the New World fell to less than half of the previous years, with much of the loss stemming from French pirates. Settlements in Florida helped protect this silver trade by presenting a small, but important, military presence, providing safe haven for shipwrecked mariners, offering a convenient location to resupply or fix damaged vessels, and a place to salvage the treasure from Spanish wrecks.

Over the course of the 17th century, New Mexico cost the Crown 2,390,000 pesos, while Florida cost three times as much. The colonies were worth the expense as it was thought missionaries could pacify lands at less cost, and with more lasting impact, than soldiers. Franciscans in New Mexico were given an annual lump-sum payment from the viceroy for purchases needed in the missions, and caravans of 32 oxcarts loaded with good arrived traveled the Camino Real up to New Mexico every three years. Florida was resupplied more often, with supply runs arriving three times every year, but it is important to remember both colonies were poor frontier outposts on the northern extreme of an expansive empire.

The Crown’s supply trains to New Mexico departed Mexico City every three years, courtesy of large, heavy duty, iron-rimed wagons capable of pulling two tons and pulled by eight oxen each. The journey from Mexico City to Santa Fe took six months. The wagon train was accompanied by an armed escort, and was flanked by livestock. The oxcarts carried hardware needed to build and maintain the missions like nails, hinges, and latches, as well as the supplies needed for Catholic rituals like sacramental wine and oil, candle sticks, and bells. Clothing for the padres included sandals, sackcloth, and hats, as well as other needed items like medicine, cooking utensils and musical instruments. Foods not available in New Mexico, like almonds, raisins, flour, sugar, saffron, pepper and cinnamon were also added to the shipments.

Anyone journeying to New Mexico would join the caravan. Newly appointed officials and settlers joined the wagon train, as did their supplies, mail bound for the colony, and any private merchandise that could not be made in New Mexico. On the six month return journey the empty carts could be commandeered or leased to the governor, or other officials, as well as citizens wishing to send goods back to Mexico City.

Sources

Kessel Spain in the Southwest

Weber The Spanish Frontier in North America