Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-04-11
INDIAN OUTBREAK FROM SPREADING

and from threatening seriously Parral and
finally Sonora, he at least held his own
successfully at the "Pass" and made fur
ther attempts against the place imprac-
ticable. In the fall of 1854, several of the
tribes of Chihuahua and western Sonora
held secret conclave at the ruins OF
Casas Grandes with the view OF forming
confederacy with the Apaches. The re-
suit was only partial success. But 1t
brought about trouble in the southern part
of that state and all over the Sierra Madre.
Even the Conchos and Tarahumares took
PART IN THIS FORMIDABLE OUTBREAK,
one which threatened seriously the exis-
tence of Spanish rule in the whole of
of northern Mexico. 1t carried the
Apaches into the heart of the Sierra
Madre and, from Arizona, into central
Sonora. 1t prepared the disappearance OF
the Janos, Jocomes, and others, who
joined the Apaches, and was the first step
toward the complete ruin of the Indian
villages east of Nacori and Sahuaripa.
But at Ell Paso del Norte the Spaniards
held out, thus securing forever basis OF
operations for the recovery of New Mex
leo.
CRUZATE RETIRED IN 1856
and he was followed by young man of
more ambition than talent, Don Pedro
Reneros Posada. Finding himself at the
head of small body OF trained soldiers
with the surroundings of the post out of
danger, Posada determined upon a dash
into New Mexico. In the fall of 1857 he
swiftly moved up the Rio Grande val
ley, sending in advance messengers with
summons to surrender and promises
of pardon. The Pueblos betook them
selves to the old policy of
CALCULATING THEIR VILLAGES, DESTROYING
and carrying off all supplies and retreat
ing to the mountains. Posada pushed on
however, and left the Rio Grande above
Bernalillo, appearing before the pueblo of
Santa Ana quite unexpectedly. Its
inhabitants refused to listen to
the summons for surrender, they yelled
defiance at the Spanish force, and ut
tered insulting threats in response to the
flags of truce. Nothing remained for
Posada but to proceed to storm the vii
lage, which was then situated on the
most elevated spot of what is called the
Mesa de Santa Ana" 1t was not an
easy undertaking, the people defended
themselves desperately from the house.
tops. House after house was taken, yet
no surrender came. Some of the build
ings were set on fire, and their inmates
had to he forcibly removed while
OTHERS THREW THEMSELVES INTO THE
FLAMES,
and persisted in this manner. The pueblo
was completely destroyed, and the tribe
fearfully chastised during the engage
ment, but Posada was not able to accom-.
plish more. His force was too small,
and he wisely concluded to retreat to Ell
Paso.
In the following year I6SS) Don Do
mingo Gironza Petriz de Cruzate was re-
appointed governor, and returned to Ell
Paso del Norte. He found matters in a
rather dilapidated shape, for Posada, al
though dashing fellow Che was then 38
years of age) was anything but an adj
ministrative talent. But he had had
THE MERIT OF OPENING THE ROAD AGAIN
to central New Mexico. His successor
saw the importance of this, and soon
after his resumption of duties marched
up the Rio Grande with a small force.
His object was properly Santa Fe, on the
site of which the Tanos had erected a
pueblo, but found it impracticable to try
the passage of the "Bocas," which pass
was we'll guarded. So he turned to the west
and appeared before Cha. The Pueblos
had anticipated his movements, however,
and accessions from the other QUERIES and
from the Jemez made the number of men
holding that place quite formidable
Still it was impossible
FOR THE SPANISH COMMANDER TO RECEDE,
and after most desperate action,
brought on by the Indians stubborn re-
fusal to listen to any overtures of peace,
Cha shared the fate of Santa Ana. A few
captives were brought back to Ell Paso
whittier the governor returned directly,
the season and the smallness of his force
rendering further offensive campaign
impractcable. Among these prisoners
was an Indian who had been taught to
| Tcdu dllu VIM NY Illc
priests previous to the uprising. His
name was Bartolome de Ojeda, he had
been wounded at the storming of Cha and
was healed of his injnries while at Ell
Paso del Norte. This Indian became Of
the greatest usefulness hereafter. He at.
tached himself sincerely to the Spanish
cause, and it is noteworthy fact that
the two villages that suffered most from
the Spanish arms, Santa Ana and Cha
declared themselves openly for the
WHITES AND REMAINED LOYAL TO THEM
ever after, although exposed to the
greatest danger from their hostile neigh.
bors. Ojeda it was who, through his
representations induced Cruzate to issue
the well-known so-called Pueblo grants, .
documents which changed land for the
better the legal status of the pueblos
completely. While not being grants, buI
rather limitations (since they limited the
tribal range for each pueblo to definite