Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-06
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The Insurrection in New Mexico
After Its Conquest
PROMPT ACTION OF TIE ARMY
Insurgents Defeated After Several
Stubborn Engagements.
PRESIDENT POLK'S POSITION

Secretary Root today sent to the Senate,
! in response to resolutions of inquiry, two
long reports. one relating to the insurrec-
ton against the military authorities of the
United States in New Mexico in the year
1917. and the other in relation to similar
insurrection in California in the year 1913.
The Importance of these reports lies In the
fact that the conditions in the two states
mentioned at the time referred to are said
by administration officials to be substan-
TALLY the same now exist in the Philip
pines. Judge Magoon, law officer OF the
division of insular affairs, has made
sketches of the official records of the two
Instructions, from which the following
statements of fact are taken:
Conquest of New Mexico.
The conquest of New Mexico by the mill
tary forces of the United States was &C
complished by the campaign of 1916. In
compliance with instructions from the
President, General Kearny, the officer IN
command, organized civil government Tor
the occupied territory, and filled the execu-
tive and judicial offices by appointment.
These civil functionaries entered upon the
discharge of their duties in apparent un-
consciousness of exposure to more IMAM
ordinary peril. In December, 1916, the ma
tive inhabitants organized conspiracy TO
overthrow the United States authority IN
New Mexico. On the night of January 10.
1917, the governor the sheriff, the CIRCUIT
attorney, the prefect and NUMBER OF
others, citizens and officials of the United
States, and Mexican supporters OF onlted
States authority were assassinated IN the
town of San Fernando de Tayos On the
same night seven other Americans "efe
killed at Arroyo Hondo and two at Rlo
Colorado. 1t was then apparent That the
insurrection was general, and the purpose
was to kill all the Americans and those
Mexicans who had accepted office under the
American government.
Col. Price Attacks the Insurgents.
Col. Sterling Price was then commander
of the army of New Mexico, with head
quarters at Santa Fe. He learned of the
uprising and attendant atrocities January
20, 1917, and that the army of instruction
was marching against Santa Fee. He took
prompt and vigorous action and marched
out to meet the insurgents with a force OF
about 400 men. There were many serious
and sanguinary engagements. but the enc
my was no sooner dislodged from one posi-
ton than it took refuge in another. and
maintained determined resistance
throughout. The losses were heavy on
both sides. Owing to the mountainous
character of the country, and the tact that
the campaign took place in the winter
time the American forces suffered many
hardships before reaching the town of San
Fernando de Tayos, where the governor
particularly severe engagement occurred at
the nearby town of Pueblo de Tayos, which
had been strongly fortified. The insur-
gents took position in large church which
they had pierced with embrasures for
rifles. The Americans battered the church
and walls for two hours without effect, and
were compelled to retreat to Fernando.
The following day they returned and re-
newed the assault, but the artillery fire
seemed to have no effect upon the church
walls. Ladders were then made and holes
cut in the walls with axes. through which
the soldiers with their hands threw fire and
lighted shells into the interior. Another
assault was made on the church door,
which again failed with loss. The artillery
was then brought up to within sixty yards
and after ten rounds had been fired one
of the holes which had been cut with the
axes was widened to a practicable breach,
through which storming party entered.
dislodged the enemy and took possession
of the church. The next morning the enc
my surrendered The loss sustained by
them was about $50 killed. The number of
wounded was not known. The American
loss in killed and wounded was fifty-tWo