Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-10-17
The Storming and T aking Of the Potrero
Viejo the Stronghold of the Queres
Pueb1os on the Night Of April
the 21st.
PRO-
FEssoR AF BANDELIERD

for the year, in each and every place
70 which they resorted for concentra-
ton and defense No crops could yet
have been raised by the Spanish set
tiers, who were but a few months, and
in winter at that, in the country. All
that De Vargas could rely upon at the
present, were the few Indian stores
which he might capture in forays. He
had over eight hundred people to feed,
three-fourths of whom were non-com-
batants. This compelled him to speed
lily take the offensive, and against nat
Tended by forces numerically super
ior to those which he could bring into
action, for he never could place into
the field more than a portion of his
men. The remainder had to be left at
Santa Fe, to guard that place and the
settlers with their families against
surprise. Should he march against the
| TehuaS with his full armament, the
Queres and Jemez might pounce upon
his defenseless basis of operations. In
case he moved against the Queres, the
Tehuas were sure to fall upon Santa
Fe at once. His position was there
| fore by no means an enviable one,
and the division of forces on the part
| Of the hOstiles while military error
| inherent to Indian organization and
nature, became in a certain sense an
element of strength for the Indians
and a source Of great danger to the
Spaniards. Fortunately for the latter,
they stood not alone. Several pueblos
not content with remaining neutral,
espoused the Spanish cause and be-
came invaluable allies and auxiliaries
in the dangerous warfare now begun.
Southeast of Santa Fe, the tribe of
Pecos openly declared its allegiance
70 the Spanish cause, furnished war
riors, and contributed to holu in check
the pueblos of Taos and Picuries by
watching their movements in the high
Sierra. Southwest of Santa Fe three
villages of the Queres, San Felipe on
the Rio Grande, Santa Ana and Cia on
the Jemez river also remained faith
full. Already previous to the second
invasion by Vargas these pueblos had
exposed themselves to the animosity
OF their kindred by proving their faith
fulness to the promises made in 1892.
Now, when, the year after, these
promises %ere reiterated, it increased
the feelini of bitterness of the hos
tile party to the highest pitch, and the
Jemez as well, as the Queres of Cochi-
tt and Santo Domingo, became openly
hostile towards San Felipe, Santa
Ana and especially towards Cia. On
the twenty-first Of December, 1893,
Bartolome de Ojeda, an Indian of note
from Cia, appeared at Santa Fe and
informed Vargas that not only were the
Jemez and the rest of the Queres, to-
gether with some Navajos, preparing
for an onslaught upon the Spanish |
headquarters. but that they threaten
ed Cia, In the most serious manner.
Vargas needed all of his small force
as for the protection of Santa Fe it.
self, so he could not afford to the
faithful pueblos the number of men
which they desired, but he encouraged
them to persist in their loyalty, prom
Using relief as soon as it would be pos
gather as many stores of corn as pos
sible and to reduce if possible the Te-
huas, who were constantly threatening
Santa Fe, making frequent night at
tacks upon the stock of the Spaniards
and otherwise harrassing them in ev-
cry possible manner.
His operations against the Black
Mesa of San Ildefonso proved a COM
plete failure. The most determined
bravery of the Spanish soldiers was
oowerless upon the frowning cliffs, {
rom the highest Of which the defend l
srs showered arrows and rocks, as {
we'll as bullets, upon the storming t
parties. The Pueblos had firearms, |
Ind knew how to use them. AS often G
Is Vargas raised the siege, retreating t
o Santa Fe. the Tehuas would descend h
md make sudden dashes into the vi h
Unity of that town, for the Pueblos a
Ilso had horses and had become ex- I
vert riders. In addition to the Te- e
luas, the Apaches occasionally made S
heir appearance at night, driving off v
attic and stock. During all this time T
which occupied the months of Jan a
ary, February, March and part of F
IpriD provisions often ran low at Q
anita Fe. The settlers suffered. Their r
antilles were starving, and they cor \
murmured, complained, il
nd clamored for a return to the flesh fl
OTIS of Ell Paso del Norte. The situa- b
ion was becoming daily more critical g
or the rebels could afford to wait in h
heir strongholds, until the Spaniards II
Tould be exhausted and thus fall an n
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