Señor Comisionado del Pueblo de San José
I have been informed by your report of the 14th of the current month that you have gone to the Place of the Skulls and have removed the Chichigua livestock that belonged to Mission San José.
Maintain the guards that you have put in place, or keep a watchful eye on the oxen and horses from that vicinity that are at said location. I will let you know whom I will order to be on the lookout in case the priests at San José attempt to remove the livestock that belong to the town and replace them with their own, as they have told me they will do. If they try to do this, do not allow it. Notify me immediately if this or anything new should happen.
God keep you many years.
Monterey, November 18, 1809
José MarÍa Estudillo