Editing 100 Years of Pardon - Character 4 (section)

==Secret Identity: Soldado de Cuera==
The soldado de cuera (English, "leather-jacket soldier") served in the frontier garrisons of northern New Spain, the Presidios. They were mounted and were an exclusive corps in the Spanish Empire. They took their name from the multi-layered deer-skin cloak they wore as protection against Indian arrows. When New Spain's visitador (inspector general) José de Gálvez organized the Portola Expedition, he was accompanied by a party of 25 soldiers, the "finest horsemen in the world."

These frontier soldiers were recruited from among the mestizo population, Hispanicized Indians, and freed slaves. Most of the officers were Criollos, whereas very few of the enlisted men had this distinction. The soldados de cuera manned the presidios that stretched from Los Adaes, Louisiana, in the East, across Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, to the Pacific Coast of Alta California in the West. Recruitment took place mainly among the local population, accustomed to the local climate, who were expert horsemen, and expert trackers who knew the country. For the poor general population the service as a soldado de cuera was attractive, with many perks; besides a regular pay, also medical care, the possibility of land grants and promotions.