Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1900-06-11
EXPANSION PRECEDENT.
New Mexico Instruction Furnished
a Bloody Precedent in l84H,
INSURGENTS HANGED FOR TREASON.

in New Mexico in 1s47 and in
California in 1s4s. In both cases the
Inhabitants rebelled against the au-
of the United states when 1t
was asserted in accordance with the
,ession by Mexico. The conditions were
similar to those in the Phil
Judge Magoon, one Of the law
officers OF the war department. prepar-
ed the Information from official rec. |
ords. His view establishes these facts.
TIL conquest OF New Mexico by
military forces Of the United States
accomplished by the campaign of
1916. In compliance with instructions
from the president. Gen. Kearney, the |
in command. organized a civil
government for the occupied territory. |
and filled the executive and judicial |
by appointment. These civil T,
functionaries entered on the discharge
Of their dulles In apparent unconscious
ness OF exposure to more than ordinary |
peril.
"In December. 1876. the native inhab-
organized a conspiracy to over
throw the United States authority in
New Mexico. on the night OF January
Is, lS47, the governor. the sheriff, the
attorney. the project. and a
number Of others, citizens and officials
of the United States and Mexican sup
porters Of United States authority were
assasslnated in the town OF san Fer
nando de Taos. on the same night
seven other Americans were killed at
Arroyo Hondo and two at Rio Colora-
do. II was then apparent that the In
surrection was general. and the pur-
pose was to kill all the Americans and
those Mexicans who had accepted office
under the American government.
TROOPS TAKE THE FIELD.
col. Sterling Price was then COM
mander of the army of New Mexico.
With headquarters at Santa Fe. He
learned of the uprising and attendant
atrocities on January 20. 1si7. and that
the army of insurrection was marching
against Santa Fe. He took prompt and
vigorous action, and marched out to
meet the insurgents with a force OF
about 400 men. There were many SER
lous and sangulnary engagements. but
the enemy was no sooner dislodged
from n position than II took refuge
80 ehphhh'A III HlalllAdlItl "a utItT@
mined resistance throughout.
The losses were heavy on both sides.
Owing to the mountainous character
OF the country, and the fact that the
campaign took place In the winter time.
the American forces suffered many
hardships before reaching the town OF
San Fernando de Taos, where the
governor and party had been foully as
~sassinated. A particularly severe en-
gagement occurred at the nearby
town of Pueblo de Taos, which had
been strongly fortified. The Insurgents
o position In a large church, which
they had pierced with embrasures for
rifles. The Americans battered the
church and walls for two hours with
out effect. n were compelled to re-
treat to Fernando.
"On the following day they returned
and renwed the assault, but the artll-
lery seemed to have no effect on the
church walls. Ladders were then made
and holes cut In the walls with axes,
through which h soldiers, with their
hands. threw fire and lighted shells In
to the interior. Another assault was
made on the church door, which again
failed with loss. The artillery was then
brought up to within so yards and, af-
ter ten rounds had been fired, one OF
holes which had been cut with the axes
was widened to a practicable breach,
through which a storming party en-
tered, dislodged the enemy and took
possession of the church.
The next morning the enemy sur
rendered. The loss sustained by thine
was about $50 killed. The number of
wounded was not known. The Ameri-
can loss In killed and wounded was nf-
ty-two.
INSURRBCTlON GENERAL.
Under date of January 30. Capt.
Hendley, commanding at Vegas, N. NJ.
reported TO Col Price that every town
and village except Vegas and TucolotI
had declared in favor OF insurrectlon
and that the entire population seemed
ripe for II. The resurrection in eastern
New Mexico was inaugurated by the
murder of eight Americans at Mora OF
January 20, 1Si7, and was continued II
force unit 1.-The following Juy, having
been marked with many atrocities OF
the part of the insurgents. Thereafter
the insurrection dwindled into depreda
lions committed by various bands OF
Indians, instigated and led by Mexi,
cans. Hardly a party, large or small
traders or soldiers, crossed the plain,
of New Mexico without being attacked
Many men were killed and large mum
bres OF horses, mules n cattle driver
off. In the latter part of lS47 compar
alive safety was secured by stationini
4 the troops at various poin,s. OF thu
lnsurgent prisoners, fifteen or twent!
were executed by sentence of court
martial. The others were turned owe
to the civil authorities.
The events resulting from the In
surrection did not escape the attention
of congress. That body on July 10
5 lS4s, passed a resolution calling on tn
president for information in regard t
the existence of civil government II
New Mexico, and California, the form
and character. by whom instituted an
4. by what authority and how II wa
maintained and supported; alsc
whether any persons had ben tried an
/, condemned for treason against tn
United States In New Mexico,
President Polk replied to said reso
ton In a message dated July "a, 1874
: In which he discussed the characte
of military government, taking tn
= broad position that such a government
may exercise the fullest rights OF soy
ereignty' thereby explaining the actlo
e of the military authorities In suppress
ing the i~nsurrection.
a THE accompanying records sho'
/ that a similar course Of action vas 70
a lowed In suppressing the insurrectio
a I'm California In 1s4s, and In re-estat
fishing the sovereignty of the Unite
= States there"